Lou Paduano | Urban Fantasy Novels | Sci-Fi Crime Series

Tales from Portents Sneak Peek Preview

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Tales from Portents hits shelves NEXT WEEK! To drum up even more excitement about the upcoming release (and add a few more pre-orders in the process) I figured why not delve into the contents of the collection with a sneak peek preview:

From the back cover:

sneak peek previewSix tales of monsters, the dead rising, and the terrors of Portents.

The beasts Detective Loren and Soriya Greystone battled in Lou Paduano’s debut book Signs of Portents were just a hint of what lurks in the city. Tales from Portents explores the city’s immersive history, including stories of Loren’s descent after his wife’s death—and his opportunity to have her rise from the grave. Among the pages, Soriya battles gremlins, navigates lessons with Mentor, and meets the werewolf Luchik. Follow new characters with expansive histories as they come face to face with the horrors of Portents—both human and otherwise.

From the Greystone Collection, Tales from Portents navigates the cases that make even Detective Loren lie awake at night.

Six tales. Six threats to Portents.

Tales from Portents focuses on the past of the city and the characters introduced in Signs of Portents. I thought it was important for more backstory on the events prior to Signs that would not only offer more depth to the players in the drama but also give clues both thematically and plot-wise for where the series is heading for the rest of the first cycle.

Resurrectionists

You’ve probably already read this one. If not, snag your copy today! It’s FREE. Resurrectionists is the linchpin for the collection, showcasing the fall of Loren. It answers the question of why Loren left the city and gives insight into the incident mentioned several times in Signs involving Detective Standish.

Lots of thematic nods that are picked up in The Medusa Coin as well.

The Great Divide

A spotlight on Captain Alejo Ruiz. As the story for Signs came into focus I realized the importance of Ruiz and his role in The Medusa Coin is crucial. Spotlighting him here ended up working perfectly to shore up his history in Portents and lay the groundwork for his arc in this fall’s release.

A kid is dead. Seemingly dropped from a great height and surrounding by hundreds of black feathers. Ruiz is called to the scene by Detective Julian Harvey to investigate the bizarre circumstance as he learns the truth about the city he has called home his entire life.

Gremlins

A tale from the start of Soriya and Loren’s partnership, before either one considered the term. It was a ton of fun coming up with the lore in this one as well as playing off the beginning of the Soriya/Loren dynamic. A nice counterpoint from where they are in Signs. And a precursor to some changes coming down the line.

Soriya has been arrested and Loren is forced to bail her out only to learn the threat is already in the precinct. As is the potential victim he is now forced to protect from… gremlins.

View from Above

A Vlad story. I felt bad killing the poor guy off in the first chapter of Signs. (SPOILERS.) His character offered a unique glimpse of Soriya and her role in the city so that is where this story starts.

Thefts plaguing the coves north of the city bring Soriya on the hunt for a wild creature. Is Vlad the thief or is something more going on in the background?

Eyes in the Storm

A Loren solo tale. When Signs opens Loren has just returned from Chicago. I thought it was important to spotlight his time in the Windy City and the struggles of adjusting to a big move like that. The connection to Portents came naturally from there.

A murder brings Loren into the middle of an antiquities theft, the artifacts stolen somehow connected with the unending rains plaguing Chicago. Loren, torn between his new life with his family and his place back in Portents, must face a centuries old god before the world drowns.

The Consultant

First one written. Last one included. My favorite piece from the collection. And so important to what comes next. A Soriya solo tale that runs concurrently with Eyes in the Storm. There is even a subtle connection in the background for observant readers to catch.

A vicious killer is on the loose and Soriya finds someone new to help with the case. But is this new consultant all he seems or is he hiding a dangerous secret?

Excited? Thrilled? Can’t wait for the new collection? Don’t! Pre-Order Your Copy Today!

Tales from Portents is on sale February 17th!

Minor Characters – Asset or Distraction

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There is a balancing act when it comes to writing. It comes in many forms and can be handled in numerous ways. One of the main issues I have found while working on The Medusa Coin relates to minor characters vs their major counterparts and the juggling act therein.

The need for minor characters

Minor characters inhabit the world surrounding your principal players. From the man handing over a cup of coffee to Officer John Pratchett in the Greystone series they are a vitally integral component in fleshing out the world of your main characters.

They act as counterpoints for character arcs, offering opposing viewpoints or giving an outsider perspective to issues going on in the background of your story. They bring color to the black and white principles of the main character’s world. Their roles include love interests and foils put in place as obstacles to keep them from their goals.

Whatever the role they are necessary to the end result; a fully formed world for your reader to lose themselves in.

Where minor characters distract:

When minor characters become principal players in the novel it can be jarring for the reader. Unless the transition is gradual and accepted by the reading public, more often than not there will be fan outcry at the loss of visibility for their favorite hero or heroine.

There is an old Superman tale I always come back to when it comes to this issue. The story is called Panic in the Sky and deals with Brainiac invading Earth with his Warworld fortress. Superman leads the charge, commanding a cadre of heroes, against the forces of Brainiac.

The story is amazing. Well thought out with high stakes. Superman is put through a real test during the course of the piece. Then at the climax Superman DOESN’T save the day. Someone else does. A woman named Maxima.

MAXIMA? WTH?

Now, being a comic nerd I understood what the author, Dan Jurgens was doing here. He was setting up Maxima and Superman’s entrance into a new incarnation of the Justice League. However, for a Superman story to lose sight of the man of steel so completely at the finale of a long arc was a tragedy of the worst kind. It pulled me right out of the story and is painful to read even now. (Pretty to look at though.)

This would be akin to the Lone Gunmen showing up in The X-Files finale and ending the threat of the Cigarette Smoking Man once and for all. (If they had survived until the finale – stupid Season 9…)

Or Dean Thomas saving Hogwarts while Harry Potter slept one off at Hagrid’s. (WHO THE HELL IS DEAN THOMAS?!)

In the words of the Earl of Lemongrab from Adventure Time – UNACCEPTABLE.

How minor characters best serve a story:

Much of what I spoke about above are the ways a minor character best serves a story. A foil for the protagonist. A love interest. An obstacle. A counterpoint. Someone that brings humor to a dreary situation or brings conflict with an opposing perspective on a situation.

Someone that adds a layer that wasn’t there without them in the room.

The very best way to use a minor character is to give them A moment not EVERY moment. Maybe it is a one-off joke. That’s how Pratchett started off for me in Signs of Portents. Now I try to work him into the story more often in order to showcase that differing perspective.

The story remains centered around your principal players. Stay true to that, while allowing the minor roles to add depth to the plot and conflict to your character arcs.

Thanks for reading.

Writing Update – February 2, 2017

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February already?!! Not cool, Calendar Man. Not cool. Here is your writing update on this lovely Groundhog Day:

Writing Update:

writing updateTales from Portents is on sale in TWO WEEKS! But I’m sure you already knew that. Interested in an advance reader copy of the book? Let me know.

The Medusa Coin – THE EDITING CONTINUES. It’s been a slow process. Every time I tackle a new project I have to relearn my own system. This week I’ve been researching like crazy to shore up the story. A couple key moments needed to be reconfigured and a new element or two inserted to really drive some of the character arcs home.

It’s coming together though and my plan is to hunker down the entire month and put the final touches on this one.

Pathways in the Dark – All that research has had an unintended bonus (and another reason The Medusa Coin is going a little slower than usual for me). Researching one project helped me figure out the key components to Pathways, allowing me to finish up the outline for the collection coming next February.

Another set of six tales, these take place immediately after the events of The Medusa Coin. I’m very happy with how the project is coming together and can’t wait to script the outlines this month. Lots of hints at what is ahead in the series and some old friends from Tales get their moment to shine in this collection.

Reading

Lots of time spent researching lately but I did make the time for two new releases from DC’s Rebirth titles:

Flash: Lightning Strikes Twice – Joshua Williamson takes on Barry Allen and gives him a nice well-rounded cast to play off in the series. There is quite a bit going on in this book but that is how it should be for the Flash. Frenetic pacing and equally exciting layouts made this story a page turner for sure. Carmine Di Giandomenico has a great style for the book and is able to maintain the twice-monthly schedule nicely.

I was a little letdown by the villain’s reveal though it was understandable and acted as the perfect counterpoint to Barry Allen’s role as the Flash.

I only ask that DC reconsider the insane lightning coming off the Flash on every page. It is distracting as hell and if I was standing by him at a crime scene I would be completely freaked out.

Justice League: The Extinction Machines – I wasn’t sure about this one. For me, nothing beats Grant Morrison’s run on JLA in the 90’s. (Oy. I’m old.) Geoff Johns did a great job as well, but let’s face facts. The man ALWAYS does a great job. It’s a sickness with him.

Bryan Hitch and Tony Daniel offer up a strong first arc with the new Justice League. They play up the tension between Batman and the “new” Superman well. I enjoyed the banter between the Green Lanterns and the Flash. Aquaman’s role was a little out in left field and should have at least connected slightly with the others but it came together in the end.

A great opening tale with lots of bombastic action and widescreen visuals. Can’t wait to see how they build on it.

That’s it for this writing update. Fingers crossed that Spring comes early!

Thanks for reading.

Tales from Portents Advance Copies Available!

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I’ve gone back and forth on this subject for a couple weeks now. Advance Reader Copies or ARCs have always been an integral part in getting the word out about a new release. Offering them early and allowing your tribe of readers a chance to enjoy the novel before the actual release date helps spread the word about its upcoming release and, the biggest benefit, is the influx of reviews right on release day.

At least, that was how it used to be.

Reviewers would leave a note explaining they received the book in exchange for their honest review and it was acceptable.

Advance reader copy rules have changed.

advance reader copyAll thanks to Amazon. Asking for reviews is no longer acceptable practice in their eyes. That note above is enough to get a completely legitimate review bounced from the sales page on Amazon.

And a massive influx of positive reviews for a book (or any product) is another red flag to the biggest book retailer on the planet.

Can I still give away copies of Tales from Portents? Yes, of course. It’s my book. That makes me sorta in charge of it.

Can I ask for an honest review from a reader in exchange for a free book? No. But I can hope that if you request an advance copy that it is with the intention of reviewing it so that others can find Tales and enjoy it as well.

 

Sign up for an advance reader copy today:

Even with all the headaches from Amazon I want to make this happen. Here’s how you can request your advance copy of Tales from Portents:

Contact me DIRECTLY. Either through my contact form or through a private message on social media.

In the message tell me your preferred format. (MOBI for Kindle, EPUB for Nook and iBooks, or PDF.) If print is your only option a paperback edition can be sent your way but it will be on a first come, first served basis. I only have a few copies I can mail out at this time.

After receiving your advance reader copy?

Read it. I ask that if you request one that you are able to read it in the month of February.

If you enjoyed it and would like to leave a review (YOUR CHOICE) on Amazon, Goodreads or the other major retailer sites let me know FIRST. Again, this is more to avoid incurring the wrath of Amazon’s willy-nilly policy changes than me being a complete control freak. Honest.

Tales from Portents has been a treat to put together and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it. For those unable to take advantage of an advance copy don’t forget to mark your calendars for the official release. February 17th is coming up FAST.

Your help and your feedback is appreciated beyond belief.

Thanks for reading.

Building Character Moments

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I love it when a character takes over a scene. When you hit a moment completely plot based and your character screams to be heard on how they would handle it. Character moments are an essential piece to fiction and can make or break a novel with an audience.

It’s Mulder’s love of sunflower seeds (and his japes with Scully over his porn collection).

It’s Captain Kirk’s womanizing.

Or Twilight Sparkle’s obsession with Star Swirl the Bearded. (Yes. We watch way too much My Little Pony in my house. And yes, it is an awesome show.)

Touchstones, habits, character obsessions or quirks connect them with readers on a more intimate level. Not everyone can really grasp a murder mystery involving two hundred year old spirits – though it would be pretty cool. Instead, having Loren be an ex-smoker and a Superman fan helps ground the character and bring little moments to the story that pull the reader deeper into the plot.

Inserting character moments into your writing.

While they should all come naturally there are some instances when the scene falls flat or uninspired. Too mired in plot that it forgets that there are living, breathing characters in the mix. (And readers on the other side of the page.) In these times, your book practically demands character moments be inserted.

Here are some tips to better flesh out your writing with character moments:

  1. Pull each scene apart. While self-editing your early drafts (or even at the outline level) step back from the plot and question your character’s motivations at the moment. What is the overall goal of the scene? If it is exposition is there a way to deliver it that also speaks to the character conveying or receiving the information? Do they have a catch-phrase or schtick that tends to shine through for them? (Is it Clobberin’ Time yet? as my good friend, Ben Grimm would say?)
  2. Actions can speak louder than words. When looking at each piece of your book is there a place where maybe dialogue isn’t necessary to pass along information and a specific action carries the same weight? One that speaks more to character? In the case of Greystone, Greg Loren chews gum. Loudly. Incessantly so. (Filthy habit.) Having him stop talking to chomp in someone’s ear says something more than a resounding “I’m done talking with you” or “Kindly shut the hell up.” It could also be played for comedic effect. But it adds a character moment to the scene that wasn’t there before.
  3. Play with the dynamics of the scene. Maybe structurally the scene works but the character interactions fall flat. Substitute players when you can to see if the rhythm flows better, or to add that extra bit of interplay between characters. I wrote a scene for The Medusa Coin with Mathers berating Loren over a situation. Then I realized Mathers would never bother even talking to Loren and Ruiz could deliver the information much more effectively. It opened up the scene for some comedy and supported the growing dynamic between two principle characters in the book.

Character moments or bust.

Character moments can create truly memorable scenes that readers share with others. They come to define the book better than any one plot point might.

And they bring your book to life.

Take the extra care with your characters and your reader’s will appreciate it.

Thanks for reading.

Pre-Order Your Copy of Tales from Portents Today!

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Tales from Portents, the first short story collection in the Greystone series is available now at all major e-book retailers. Print book pre-orders remain out of reach at this time but will be made available on February 17th for the formal release of the collection.

Tales from Portents Pre-Order

From the back cover

Six tales of monsters, the dead rising, and the terrors of Portents.

The beasts Detective Loren and Soriya Greystone battled in Lou Paduano’s debut book Signs of Portents were just a hint of what lurks in the city. Tales from Portents explores the city’s immersive history, including stories of Loren’s descent after his wife’s death—and his opportunity to have her rise from the grave. Among the pages, Soriya battles gremlins, navigates lessons with Mentor, and meets the werewolf Luchik. Follow new characters with expansive histories as they come face to face with the horrors of Portents—both human and otherwise.

From the Greystone Collection, Tales from Portents navigates the cases that make even Detective Loren lie awake at night.

I love that blurb.

Kristen Hamilton, editor extraordinaire puts together a book description so well it seems effortless. Thanks to her for all her hard work on sprucing up the collection and making it readable. A big thanks to Kit Foster Design for the AMAZING cover.

I would not feel comfortable putting these books out in the world were it not for their amazing talents making me look way better than I am.

And, of course, to my parents for giving me the chance to put this project together. They made it all possible so if you see them on the street give them a big hug from me. Hell, give them two while you’re at it.

Pre-Order Your Copy Today!

         

Signs of Portents Promotion continues

While you’re pining for your e-copy of Tales to show up on your tablet, don’t forget the Signs of Portents 99-cent sale is happening RIGHT NOW!

Snag your copy. Read it. Review it. Tell your friends. Write to your congressman. Name your children Loren and Soriya. (You know you were going to anyway.)

Let everyone know Greystone is out there so they can enjoy the same joy/terror my sister feels after reading every story.

            

Special thanks

A big thanks to the advertisers helping me spread the word about the promotion. Reading Deals led the charge at the start of the sale and Just Kindle Books kicked it in high gear last Friday.

This week Digital Bookspot and Bookscream are helping me promote Signs of Portents to the book reading world. If you haven’t signed up for any of their newsletters please do so. They offer quality books at amazingly low prices to fill up that storage space on your e-reader.

Thanks for reading!

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