Interview with Delilah S. Dawson

Hi everyone! I'm really excited to welcome Delilah to my website to talk about her newest release, SERVANTS OF THE STORM. Ever since I read the blurb and saw the cover for this book, I've been excited to get my hands on this book. I'm already halfway through it, and it's so so so so so so good.

You can buy it at Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and other book stores of your choosing.
Without further ado, here's Delilah.

*Edited to add: I am so sorry this didn't post first thing this morning like I had it scheduled. I have no idea what went wrong, and I didn't get to my computer until just now because basically everything from leaky faucets to toddlers refusing to nap happened today.

Describe yourself in one tweet: 

Author, geek, centaur. Takes writing srsly. Does not take self srsly. Likes cake & boots. Corybantic, fierce, introverted. Butt= won't quit.

What is your favorite paragraph in SERVANTS OF THE STORM? 

Honestly? I have no idea. I gave away my last ARC and am waiting for my author copies to be delivered. ;) I really love the creepy dream scene, which was the first scene I wrote in the book.

Where did the idea for SERVANTS OF THE STORM come from? 

This: http://www.lovethesepics.com/2011/05/creepy-crusty-crumbling-illegal-tour-of-abandoned-six-flags-new-orleans-75-pics/ I saw these pics of Six Flags New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and had to write about it. Dovey herself came from an ad flier from Ulta. Add in my husband's stories about growing up in Savannah plus demons, and you've got it.

SERVANTS OF THE STORM has a dark tone to it—demons, dead best friends, hurricanes—than even your Blud series, which has an occasional satisfying dark bent to it. Was it difficult to separate yourself from the grief and loss (I assume) Dovey feels? How did you juggle writing an emotionally heavy book with real life? 

Experience. ;) I had an emotionally rough childhood and learned to lock those memories up and focus on the good parts. I also have a very dark playlist that I used every time I was writing or editing Servants, and I conditioned myself to be in that world when I heard the music. Once the music was off, the darkness lifted. Of course, now, when I hear Saturnalia by The Gutter Twins, I immediately feel precarious and vulnerable and bleak.

I have since listening to this entire album and guys, it's moody dark goodness.
Did you do anything different to prepare for writing a YA Southern Gothic (read certain books, watch certain movies) since your other books are romance/steampunk? 

I write whatever idea obsesses me and completely immerse myself in that world. I did take a few research trips, including visits to Savannah cemeteries and some great horse-drawn carriage tours with my brother-in-law, The Dread Pirate Robert. I don't actually use movies to help me get into book worlds, although I do watch Pride and Prejudice a lot when writing Blud and Firefly when trying to make characters more complex.

Do you have any tips for people writing Southern Gothic/Gothic horror? 

If you're not intimately familiar with the setting, go there and *feel* it. I originally wanted to write about New Orleans and Katrina, but I'd never been to New Orleans and didn't want to dishonor anyone who'd lived through a real hurricane. So I moved the story to Savannah, where my husband is from, and mined him (and our visits there) for setting details. The alley where Dovey takes her trash is the alley behind the house where he grew up. Paper Moon Cafe was a real coffee shop that my husband took me to in the 90s. The smell and feel of Savannah, the way the heat sits on you and the trees go skeletal with moss like a scarf-- that's very real, and you can't write those details unless you've experienced them. Picking a dark place like Savannah helps. :)

Did you find it difficult to get into that creepy, atmospheric mind set while writing or did it come naturally? 

Very naturally. I'm a creepy girl, and Savannah is a creepy place. I feel quite at home in cemeteries.

I’ve read that you enjoy reading horror, one of my favorite genres. Any horror recommendations? 

I need to read current horror books more widely, but I started reading Stephen King when I was 11 or so, and it influenced me heavily. I did blurb ASK ME by Kimberly Pauley, which is a fun YA that has forever scared me away from Florida forests. And I recently bought ROT AND RUIN by Jonathan Maberry, so I need to get on that.

I know you occasionally post your Spotify playlist for your novels. Are there any specific bands or songs that you feel encompasses SERVANTS best? 

There is a playlist for SERVANTS, but the core of it is the Saturnalia album by The Gutter Twins. I have never listened to music so bleak and dark and powerful. It feels like walls crumbling, to me.

(Whenever I hear Florence and the Machine’s What the Water Gave Me, I get the same sort of feels the cover for SERVANTS OF THE STORM gives me: drowning, watery graves, swampy isolation, unquiet spirits.) 

Aw, yay! That's so cool! I need to listen...

You are extremely good at world building, both in creating worlds and rendering them without going too short or too long. Did you read books on world building, or was it all trial and error? If you were to give aspiring writers three pieces of advice for efficient world building, what would it be? 

I've always been an avid reader, and world building came relatively naturally to me. My first books were actually flawed in that the worlds were rich and specific, while the characters were flat and almost cardboard cut-outs. I teach a class on world building for LitReactor (http://litreactor.com/classes/become-a-god-with-delilah-s-dawson) that includes lots of tips and a first chapter critique. But if I had to choose only three pieces of advice, I would say:
1. Your world must be internally consistent, which means environment must gel with religion, science, society. It has to make sense.
2. Your world must challenge your characters; it can't be too easy.
3. Maximize details to draw your world in text instead of purple prose. When I see a big paragraph that starts with, "The hills were…" I tune out. If you're bored writing or reading it, your readers will be bored. 
 
(Delilah also teaches a kick-ass class on world building here, if you want to find out more) 

Ha! Thanks!

When you have a new idea, is there a certain process you use to tease the idea into a novel, or do you just let it simmer until you feel like you have enough to start writing?

I don't start writing until I know the world and main character, the beginning of the story, the instigating factor that changes things, the climax, and the ending. So when I have an idea, I write it down in my notebook and cogitate on it. If it obsesses me, I start building a playlist. Once I have all those things and can't wait a single second longer, that's when I start writing.

I think most beginners start writing before they know enough about their character and world, and that's how you end up with a first chapter that's a solid info dump, where the character wakes up, looks in a mirror to describe their physicality, meditates on what's wrong with their life, stares out the window and describes what they see, etc. Your story should have plot from page one, and that plot should raise questions that draw the reader along.

What does your typical writing schedule look like? 

First draft = manic, sleepless, write as fast as possible, straight through. Edits = driven, grouchy, eats trash, stays up late. Line edits = studious, thoughtful, measured. Basically, when I'm obsessed, I'm obsessed. I have two small children and a husband who works at home, so I write whenever I can.

While writing, what do you struggle with the most? 

Honestly, I struggle more with promo than writing. Writing is my escape, and I tend to ignore real life in favor of immersing myself in the next shiny.

Is there any one book or author you feel inspires you the most? 

Stephen King's ON WRITING was the book that took me from "I'd like to write a book" to I CAN DO THIS. The way that he tears down his own first and second draft to smooth out the prose is fascinating. It was my game changer.

I was super-duper over the moon excited to see you announce a fourth Blud book. Can you give us any details about that or would you have to kill us?

Look at the last paragraph of Wicked as They Come and extrapolate. ;) Loooooots of Criminy. And thanks! I can't wait to write it!

More Criminy! I am over the moon with joy!

And most importantly, during the inevitable zombie apocalypse, what is your survival plan?

Find the nearest drugstore and stockpile all the Synthroid. I have thyroid disease and am more worried about that than hordes of undead.

Thanks so much for having me!

Thanks for coming and chatting with us, Delilah! I'm going back to reading SERVANTS OF THE STORM.

Slingers Saga Super Deep Discount

One of my favorite series of all time is ridiculously discounted today because the author, Matt Wallace, is trying to raise money for a good cause.

I have ranted and raved about how amazing this series is. Guys, I cannot even. Words fail me as a reader and a writer. It's near future science fiction, about gladiators who battle to the death over a wormhole for worldwide entertainment. If the premise alone wasn't enough, the writing is superb, and the style of voice is original and entertaining. Download a sample from Amazon if you want to check it out. 

Or you know, you could buy the first two volumes for a DOLLAR! Seriously people. I would pay a lot more money for this series, and right now the sale is mind-boggling. 

 

Website Stuff

I know it's been awhile since I've posted, but I am super duper busy trying to get my website up and running, as well as working on an exciting project I'll tell you guys about in just a little bit. 

I finally bought hosting, renewed my domain name, and attached a Wordpress theme to said domain name. Now I'm writing copy in between the normal writing stuff. Once I get the bare bones up, I'll post the link here and you guys can tell me what's awesome and what sucks. ;)

Until then, I toil away in the word mines!

What have you guys been up to? Anything exciting planned for the summer? 

The Quick and Dirty Guide to Book Covers

Book covers are important. It's like a greeting card for your novel. It draws your reader in, and tells him at a glance what sort of story to expect.

While looking at tons of covers in the bookstore/Amazon, I noticed a trend in covers, a trend I thought would help you. So here you go: a quick and dirty guide to covers.

Science Fiction: Spaceships!
              Space Opera: MOAR spaceships! Preferably near a planet or asteroid. 
              Cyberpunk: Dude in front of six computer monitors, wearing a blu tooth headset.
              Dystopian: Picture of a charred wasteland.
              Steampunk: ALL the dirigibles. 

Fantasy: Dragons! 
              High Fantasy: Dragons over a pseudo-European forest *If your high fantasy is the one or two books that takes place outside Fake Europe, it will be appropriately ethnic.
              Urban fantasy: badass chick or dude leaning against something. If your book features more than one sex scene, the chick will be wearing all leather and displaying brokeback.   

Romance: Sexy people time!
              Contemporary: Sexy dude with abs and sexy woman with boobs half naked about to jump each other.
              Paranormal: Same as contemporary, only dude will have fangs and/or yellow eyes to indicate he's NOT HUMAN

YA: Teenagers! Dressed in teen clothes!
             Contemporary: Pictures of lakes, boats, schools, and food. Lots of food. Teens like food, right? Put food on the cover and they'll buy the book.
             Paranormal Romance: Same as above except everything is DARK and BROODING

Literary: Landscapes and pretty scenary!
             Old White Dudes Having Existential Crisis: Artistic watercolor rendition of a city
             Middle Aged Woman Fighting for Her Place in Society: Garden Scenery with Birds

Horror: All the dark colors! Houses! Desolate woods!

Historical: Female in period-appropriate clothing standing in front of famous landmark

Clearly this is not an exhaustive list, but hopefully it will point you in the right direction when it comes time to chose or offer imput on your book cover.
 
Do you have any other suggestions for genres? Plop them in the comments section!

The Pain in the Heart

I've been pondering this post for a long time, trying to get the words right. 

Ironic, considering my chosen profession. Sometimes I think we become writers because we see great beauty and sorrow, and need to find words for it. Even if those words aren't always easy to come by.

This idea of mine is something I've long felt about writing, since I was a teenager and just starting to think about writing as a craft, and not just the stories I told myself at night, but not something I had words for.

A few weeks ago, I was reading DEAD SET by Richard Kadrey (so good!), and the feelings I've been trying to articulate came into sharper focus. The story is about a teenage girl dealing with the death of her father. She and her mother have to move into a shabby apartment, and she's struggling in a new school. She wanders into a record store one day, and finds a special room. The room is filled with records made from people's souls, her dad's among them. She travels to the Underworld, battles dying souls, and copes with the death of her father.

Kadrey has a light hand throughout the book--thank goodness. It would be easy to make Zoe mopey and depressed all the time. It would be easy to harp on how much she misses her father, and how she wishes she could be with him again. It would be easy, but the book would suffer for it.

Instead, Zoe's grief rises and falls like the tide. Sometimes, like when she discovers her father's soul at the record store, it rises. Other times, it's way underneath the surface. Not just as subtext, but as something hinted at in the spaces in between. In the words, and the scenes, and what's there, and what's not there. 

Kadrey is a good writer. So good, I'm going to assume he knows the chestnut about showing and not telling. He's very good at showing. Light on the telling. 

The obvious emotion running throughout the book is grief. Zoe's loss of her father. Her strained relationship with her mother. But in order for Kadrey to be able to sustain that sort of undercurrent all the time, he had to have been feeling grief himself. Not just emotion forced on the page, but a feeling that wells up inside you and pours out onto the page.

You feel sexy when writing a sex scene. You feel witty and clever when writing humor. These emotions are part of the larger book, but for me, the best books come from a place of pain. Of disquiet. Unrest. The main character needs something. Something desperately. Whether it's a sandwhich or true love, told well, we feel this yearning through the entire story, as something even deeper than subtext.

I believe that is where the words come from. The inspiration. The pain we feel in our hearts. The unrest. The easier we can tap into this feeling and just let it flow, let is simmer, the better our writing will be for it.

I'm not just talking about the subtext or surface emotions. I can think of a happy memory and feel happiness, but it doesn't last. For this other, more elusive feeling, it simply is. It just bubbles up from you--whether it's grief, or lust, or sadness, this is a state of being. Curiosity, a sense of justice. It's like a secret heart, beating inside the novel.

It then occurs to me that many writers were famous for being tortured. Hemingway. Fitzgerald. Plath. It's not that you can only be a good writer if you're borderline suicidal, but that these people have obviously had horrible things happen to them, and this infused their work. 

I think you can be perfectly well adjusted and still feel disquiet. Or curious. Or rail against the injustice you see. And these feelings will then lend themselves to words, because it burns inside you to tell it.

I still don't know if I'm explaining myself properly, but it's the best I can do for now. In the meantime, I hope you all mine your own emotions, if only to exorcise them on the page.

*I totally stole this title from the name of a Bones episode, because it fit so well.

Vacation

Just a heads up, I flew back to Georgia with the toddler to visit friends and family for an extended vacation. 

So I've been focusing on having fun or writing, hence the blog silence. :D I've had some ideas for posts, though, so I'll get back to blogging soon. I'm just trying to use every available spare moment to finish this rough draft. 

Hugs and kisses!

Recommended Reading

It's been a little while since I did a post like this and I have been reading A TON of books lately. So I figured I'd drop another post detailing my exploits into fiction.

*Disclaimer: My mind is a sieve, so forgive me if I've mentioned these before in a blog post. 

Shadow Unit: This bit of brilliance is a serial that reads like Criminal Minds meets X Files. It's a collaboration between Emma Bull, Elizabeth Bear, Will Shetterly, and Sarah Monette. The first episode is free, and every one afterward is only three dollars, but these are addictive. Be warned. 

Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey: Angel noir at it's finest. It's gritty urban fantasy with a fast pace and a brooding anti-hero. What's more to love? The series keeps getting better and better as each book launches, instead of fizzling like so many do.

Dead Things by Stephan Blackmore: This book! So good. It has everything I think a book about a necromancer should have--their struggle with life and death, what happens to people when they die. Our anti-hero is a perfect mixture of broken and brave, and I loved how gritty it felt without feeling tired. I eagerly await the sequel this summer. Also, Stephan Blackmore is a wonderful human being and hilarious on Twitter.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman: It's gorgeous and heartbreaking, made even more poignant to me because I was reading it this summer when I went to visit my childhood home for the first time in over a decade. 

Horns and NOS4A2 by Joe Hill: Both of these books were beautiful stories about love and loss with horror at it's center. NOS4A2 felt closer to a traditional horror novel, while HORNS was more Kafka-esque. Loved both of them to pieces.

The Siren by Tiffany Reisz: This is a wonderfully well written book with rich, flawed characters. I want to feel like I'm living in someone's skin when I read, that I'm getting into a person's head. This book did that and more. It's in the erotica genre, but the sex, though somewhat naughty, only served to highlight who the characters were. If BDSM turns you off, I would suggest checking out Goodreads or downloading a sample to see where it falls in your comfort zone, because the bondage stuff really wasn't bad. It wasn't in your face, and it wasn't there to just make things spicy.

Vicious by V.E. Schwab: OMG OMG OMG! I wanted to use more than one exclamation point, but barely restrained myself. A wonderful book and a wonderful look at superheros and the nature of evil, and OMG I wish she would write a sequel. /squee
 
Also, the latest novel in Seanan McGuire's Incryptid series comes out this Tuesday so I am rabidly awaiting it's arrival via my kindle. 

Alright my lovelies, that's enough book awesomeness for one post. I have exciting books in the queue that I will soon tell you about. In the meantime, someone tell me about an amazing book they've read. 

....

And...go!