Alpha Dawn: Book one of the Teragene Chronicles By Morgan R. R. Haze

8/22/2020

Debut author, Morgan R. R. Haze introduces us to the first in a series of science fiction novels, “Alpha Dawn”:
In the far future humanity is in a paradox. The discovery of a dynamic ore has allowed humans to prevent their own extinction by saving their dying world. However, Terra Prime is ultimately consigned to oblivion in an unforeseen cataclysm. A cataclysm which has created the Void. Rather than be curious or fearful of unexplored space, most humans simply perceive the Void at the center of the known universe as the single greatest mystery of the cosmos.
While the human race is preserved, living on colonized planets in outer space, mankind has lost the sense of who they really are. Thus, their understanding of true history is deluded. Facts are viewed as myths and myths as historical events. In such strange circumstances, there are those who seek to belong somewhere more meaningful, opposed to the numerous ideologically flawed organizations, governments, and planets spread across the known universe.
Prepare to go on a journey with Captain Singer and many others as their fates intertwine in various, sometimes unexpected ways. Will they prevent their past from catching up to them, while searching for a better place in this dystopian universe? Or will their past and future collide in unimaginable events?

I see this first volume as a wonderful introduction to a wide and far-ranging story about the human experience.
I love the use of first-person POV. Each chapter has a different POV or location and the chapters are quite short, avoiding the dreaded head hopping that occurs in so many other stories like this. That makes for a fast-moving story and flows quite well.
There are a number of characters and we meet quite a few of them, but it’s pretty easy to keep track most of the time because the chapters are not very long. I appreciate that aspect. Some of the characters are fully human and some are altered genetically or otherwise, that contributes a lot to the story.
There is a lot of action and dialogue that drives the story nicely. The scene setting is okay, it could be a little bit longer, but it is adequate and I am sure it’s hard to find the right balance.
I award 4.5 stars to "Alpha Dawn: Book one of the Teragene Chronicles".

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Alpha-Dawn-Book-Teragene-Chronicles-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-alpha-dawn
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Alpha-Dawn-Book-Teragene-Chronicles

You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/Morgan_R_R_Haze
https://www.instagram.com/morganrrhaze
https://www.facebook.com/Morgan-RR-Haze

Here is the review of the next volume in the series, "Alpha Convergence": www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/alpha-convergence-book-two-of-the-teragene-chronicles-by-morgan-r-r-haze

Copyright © 2020 Mark L. Schultz, except for the author’s introduction

73 Comments

Morgan RR Haze link

8/23/2020 04:46:11 pm

Thank you so much for the review. We have updated the changes you suggested to us!

Mark

8/23/2020 05:19:38 pm

You are welcome. I will include that fact in my review.
First question.
Please, tell us more about yourselves. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio. I think this is the first time I have interviewed an author that is actually 3 people.

Morgan RR Haze link

8/23/2020 05:33:19 pm

We are a team of 2 sisters and a brother. We grew up in the middle of nowhere. (It took an hour to get to Walmart, the movies, Costco.) Fortunately, our parents have always encouraged creativity. We took dance classes and art classes. Dyslexia has been an issue, but mom encouraged reading by reading aloud until she got to a good part, then magically she had dinner or laundry to do. Dad was a millwright for a mining/processing plant. He would show us samples of what they mined, took us to the family day events to see the plant and mine. He would do welding, woodwork and work on our vehicles at home. That encouraged interest in science and mechanics. We definitely have an awesome support system in our family. Even our spouses have continued to support or actively contribute to our creative endeavors. We count ourselves very fortunate.

Mark

8/23/2020 06:08:55 pm

I know what it's like to grow up in a small town. Mine was 1345 people. We didn't have any entertainment in town beyond the public library and the candy store with a few pinball machines. Guess which establishment saw the most foot traffic.
Stopping at a good part is a great trick. I employed that on a long road trip with three kids in elementary school, We listened to exciting books on tape, but only when the car was in motion. That made for real fast potty breaks along the way.
It's wonderful to have a supportive family! Congratulations!
New questions.
Are you a full-time or part-time writer?
Are you in the writing business for love of writing or for money?

Morgan RR Haze

8/23/2020 06:37:43 pm

Part-time writing, mainly for the love of it. We've had stories rattling around in our brains for decades. We finally found a way to pool those ideas into a cohesive story. Of course we wouldn't mind if we became an overnight sensation, but realistically we know there are so many great stories out there it would be a long-shot. We fit in writing around life. Caregiving for individuals on the autism spectrum and/or seniors, running other small businesses, keeping up certifications, and of course family.

Mark

8/23/2020 06:46:43 pm

As real as the stories and characters can seem at times, the real world does take precedence.
Some authors talk about the relief they feel personally when the story is out of their head. They talk about how the characters are so happy to be in the real virtual world.
Care-giving is a real business. There is a great need for it. You guys are heroes to others.
New questions.
Does your work or businesses have any influence on your writing?
What inspired you to write this book?
Why did you choose this genre, or do you feel the genre chose you?

The RR in Morgan RR Haze

8/23/2020 09:01:02 pm

I had a dream that inspired Ell’s burning of Talia. It was much different from what ended up in the book but I woke up with the desire to write. Something that I hadn’t felt in years. I just started writing, taking traits from some of my favorite characters/actors from all of pop culture and started populating this universe with them. By the time the crew was on New Ireland I had about half of a book but I had no clue where to go with it from that point. I reached out to my brother and sister. After a few brainstorming sessions we had a much more cohesive story. We shared what we were doing with more of our family and they wanted us to insert them into the story. So there are a number of characters in the book that are based on real people. We have each done our own version of our dad so he has three different characters.

Mark

8/23/2020 09:16:13 pm

That is interesting. I love the dad having three different roles in the book. Simply marvelous! You guys apparently make a good team. Congratulations.
New questions.
Who designed the cover of your book? Feel free to drop a link if appropriate.
What do the elements on the cover represent?

Morgan RR Haze link

8/23/2020 09:16:38 pm

As RR said, the genre basically chose us. Growing up we played alternate versions of Star Wars, mashed up with our favorite super heros, and whatever new thing we were excited about. Work has definitely impacted our writing. Sometimes as stress relief (changing the ending), other times as more knowledge.

Morgan RR Haze link

8/23/2020 10:13:40 pm

Amy Caves did our cover. It is from a scene on New Ireland. We wanted the colors of Dawn. The crystal is aN effect of the terraforming process using Teragene. The symbol overlaid is the Teragene warning symbol, sort of like the hazardous waste or radioactive symbols we are familiar with. You can find Amy on Instagram https://instagram.com/amysuzukicaves?igshid=7dcsxsku2dy7

Mark

8/23/2020 10:26:04 pm

So you guys were big into role playing games, it sounds like. I bet you had a lot of fun.
The warning symbol is good. It looks quite dangerous and threatening. I am sure Amy appreciates the shout out.
New questions.
Was it hard to come up with the title? What was the process?
Were the character names difficult to develop? How did you choose them?

Morgan RR Haze link

8/24/2020 01:30:09 am

We liked the multiple meaning of the title. The sector for Earth is Alpha. There is a myth about the first, or Alpha, hybrids being overpowered. Dawn because it is the first book and the beginning of big events. It has been easy to come up with the sequel titles. With the characters names we like them to have a connection with the meanings, but some are just a nod to some of our favorite characters in other works. Elliot for example is the name of Pete’s dragon, a childhood favorite but also the name of Christian Kane’s character from Leverage. Two for one. Aria on the other hand was chosen because musical names are a trend on her world. Willow was the street name of our best friends house growing up. Jason was a nod to Greek mythology and Mark Driver was a nod to Mark Shepherd another favorite actor. - RR
I actually chose the names for Bree, Natasha, Damian and Kendric when I was 14. Don't remember where I got them, but while their looks, backgrounds and stories have altered, the names remained. - H

Morgan RR Haze

8/24/2020 01:37:03 am

Also we knew we needed some 'Clark-tech' for our world. We decided to keep it simple, so 1 element that changes things. Teragene was because we knew we wanted it for terraforming all the worlds we visit, as well as provide a means for genetic manipulation.

Mark

8/24/2020 10:10:18 am

I love how the names are so significant for you all. That has to increase your pleasure in all of the writing.
Arthur C. Clarke provided many hours of entertainment for me as a young boy and teenager. I read so much science fiction in the first 20 years of my life. Asimov was another favorite and prolific author.
Teragene is a great plot device.
New questions.
What other books and genres have you written?
Have you entered any writing contests?
Have you won awards of any kind for your writing?

Morgan RR Haze

8/24/2020 12:54:46 pm

We have all dabbled with poetry, fantasy and even some non-fiction short stories about specific events. We entered some local contests, usually through school, and received honorable mention. Thinking about submitting some of our better stuff to journals wanting poetry and short stories. We do have 2 short stories on Wattpad about Aria and Gabriel and how they became members of the crew. Have ideas for others as well. Background that wouldn't fit into the main story. This is the first story we really got serious with.

Mark

8/24/2020 03:05:13 pm

Very nice, so much talent runs in your family. You might want to save some of the side stories to use as incentives when you have a website. People like getting something when they sign up on a website for a newsletter.
Having a mailing list makes you a more attractive candidate to some publishers because the mailing list and an active community of fans represent guaranteed sales to a publisher or distributor.
Winning contests look good on a website and elsewhere on social media.
The more books you write the more books you will sell. A lot of people look for a series to read and love.
New questions.
I noticed that your book is in Kindle Unlimited. How is that working out for you?
Have you ever gone through the query process, seeking an agent or submitting directly to publishers or did you go straight to indie publishing or self-publishing, and why?

Morgan RR Haze

8/24/2020 04:56:49 pm

Well, let's just say it is a good thing we are doing this for the love of the story.
We never did query, basically because we didn’t know how it would work with multiple writers who were all unknown. We did reach out to an independent press, but they didn't like the short chapters or the multiple first person POV’S. While we know it isn't the set-up everyone will enjoy, it is something we felt strongly about.

Mark

8/24/2020 05:10:37 pm

I understand.
The only way to maintain creative control is to self-publish. Every publisher, traditional or independent, large or small is in business to make a profit. They know what has worked for them in the past and with shrinking profit margins are not willing to stray far from that formula.
A client/friend has five wonderful books published. After her fourth book in the series, she decided to query the fifth. She got one real response, but they wanted her to rewrite the book out of the series. She thought about it and decided not to bother.
A publisher may want you to make many changes to the point that it's not even the same book.
There are so many readers out there, I firmly believe that every book has an audience, the people who love the story and the writing. the reverse is also true, a non-audience exists as well. If any of those read the book and leave a review it's likely to not be more than one or two stars. It will likely be obvious from their review that it wasn't for them. Then there are the trolls who must be ignored, others will recognize their trollish behavior.
I tell authors that a bad review is actually a good thing, it proves that the other reviews are not only from your mom and her cats.
New questions.
Beyond maintaining creative control, what are the main advantages of being self-published as opposed to getting a book deal?
Do you think independent publishers can produce a book as good as mainstream publishers?

Morgan RR Haze

8/24/2020 05:50:32 pm

We had several unexpected events since self-publishing book 1. We had wanted book 2 to be ready within the next year. Not being under deadline was one less thing to worry about.
Yes, we do.believe quality books can come from indie authors. We definitely realize indie has a much higher learning curve.

Mark

8/24/2020 06:17:32 pm

Life has a way of interrupting our plans. There is no covid doubt about that! ;-)
Publishing two or three books within weeks of each other is a good strategy to build a fan base, according to some authors.
For most authors, they spend a year or more writing that first book. The second takes a long time also because they are still learning the tools and tricks of the trade. The third book is frequently completed quicker because the author is finding their stride and their style.
You know that the writing is probably the easiest part compared to the publishing and promoting of the book.
I agree also, even though the first draft of a book is a solitary labor for authors, you three excepted, after that is done then the writer needs to slowly gather a group of people to bring the story to publication shape. That group can include beta readers, critique partners, an editor, a proofreader, a cover maker, and a formatter, to name a few. With care an indie author can put out a book the equal of a traditional publisher.
I read mostly indie authors, but the last few traditionally published books I read had spelling errors in them also. True, not nearly as many as most indie books, but the big companies miss errors also.
New questions.
What are the three most important considerations for an independent author to be certain of when signing a contract with an independent or hybrid publisher?
If a new writer asked you for one piece of advice to be a good writer what would you say?

Morgan RR Haze

8/24/2020 11:15:12 pm

Most important 1 read everything before signing anything. 2 be comfortable with our decisions. 3 make sure they understand and are excited about what you want to do with your work.

The number one thing I would say to a new writer is make sure your internal logic works. Don't break your own stated rules without having clear reasons for doing so and an explanation for why it works in your universe.

Mark

8/25/2020 10:51:10 am

That is very good advice. With how complicated contract language can be, especially if the publisher is hiding bombs in the contract, I strongly suggest a lawyer is necessary if the contract is more than one page long. There are scam publishers who are happy to empty your wallet, they are even happier to steal your intellectual property rights.
You make a good point about internal logic. That becomes even more critical in a multi-volume series, where it can be quite easy to forget a minor detail. You can be certain someone will see it. If they mention that in a review, others will see it also.
New questions.
How was the experience publishing your book with Amazon?
Is using Twitter and other social media part of your marketing strategy?

Morgan RR Haze

8/25/2020 07:32:58 pm

Fortunately we have a tech savvy in-law. It was fairly easy for him to do the uploads, changes to our book and author page. It helps that there are a bunch of YouTube tutorial videos.
We have a presence on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Twitter has just mainly be to connect with the writing community. Instagram has photos we have used as inspiration, with credits as to where we found them. Finally, Facebook is less used. Eventually, we will probably want to start a FB group. But for now, it is reposts of what we have on Instagram. We have thought about a possible podcast, since our writing journey has been so unique, but we definitely aren't there yet. The main point of all this is to see who our audience is. Still narrowing it down. The nerds of the world is too big a category. ;-)

Mark

8/25/2020 08:06:36 pm

A tech-savvy in-law is a great person to be related to. YouTube has information on just about everything possible.
Twitter is a great place to connect with writers! I have found them to be warm and friendly people.
A Facebook group is a good way to stay in touch with your fans.
Finding your fans is paramount, of course. The next most important thing is for them to be able to connect with you guys and sign up for a newsletter that you put out. I realize that puts a lot of pressure on you three. It all falls under promotion and marketing in my mind.
It took me several years to get my website where I am reasonably happy with it. It's another one of those things that you get done bit by bit. It doesn't have to be perfect to launch, perfection is the enemy of pretty good, when it keeps you from advancing your brand and business.
New questions.
Do you use ads on Amazon or other platforms such as Facebook or Bookbub? What was that experience like for you?
There are many unethical practices in publishing, which one is the most unbearable in your mind?

Morgan RR Haze

8/26/2020 06:30:02 pm

We have tried some promotions on Amazon. Mostly trial and error. We have been watching Self-Publishing with Dale, Chris Fox Writes and Writing with Jenna Moreci on YouTube. They all have good suggestions, we just need to apply them. I think a lot of the procrastination is, "we'll try that when we are ready to release book 2."

I think the most unethical practice is the vanity presses that present themselves as traditional. There is a place for them, but preying on wide-eyed new authors isn't it. Traditional publishin does not require you to pay them.

On the flip side, if anything looks too good to be true, expect that to be the case. Examples of this are the people promising to make you an Amazon best seller if you pay them. Sure they 'technically' will, but it will be in some obscure category that doesn’t apply to your work.

Fortunately, we haven't had to deal with many of these things. About the only on I have encountered lately is someone offering to get our Instagram thousands of followers.

Mark

8/26/2020 06:54:29 pm

Amazon ads can be quite a puzzle to solve. You might be interested in Dave Chesson's blog, Kindlepreneur. He has done a lot of testing with Amazon ads and has some interesting conclusions.
The vanity presses can be quite a problem for the unsuspecting author. As well as the scam presses who want all your money and your intellectual property rights.
The whole thing of Amazon categories is almost as bad as the ads. A lot of blogs have been written about that subject also.
Several years ago I would see a dozen or more profiles daily for buying followers on Twitter and other social media. I think I have seen only one this year.
Audio books are exploding worldwide. There are may reasons for it. Personally, I am an outlier, unless I speed the playback rate to at least 1.25, sometimes more, I cannot stay focused. I am a very visual person. However, I do believe that audio books are great for millions of people around the world. So many millions speak English as an official language of commerce and government or as a second language. There is a huge market for English audio books.
New questions.
Was it hard to find a person to produce audio version of your book?
Can you explain the process you went through?

Morgan RR Haze

8/26/2020 09:10:14 pm

Audible is very user friendly. You basically put out a casting call. They have two payment forms. You can pay your reader their rates for their time or do a forty/forty split with Audible getting the last twenty. That's how we found Scott Bryan. He is really talented and we are fortunate to have been his second book. He would submit a chapter for us to review and we would listen and approve it. A few times we asked him to make tweaks to pronunciations or emotional tone. He was great about that. Once we approved then Audible did a sound quality check.
There were a few things we realized later, such as, with a reader doing different voices/accents, you don't need dialog tags like you do in written form to keep characters straight.
Basically, everything with book 1 has been a learning experience. But we have been having fun.

Mark

8/26/2020 09:28:36 pm

You make it sound very easy.
For our visitors, I have many lists of people who provide services to authors, including people who narrate audio books, on my Twitter home page.
I am glad you mentioned dialogue tags, many authors are moving away from dialogue tags in favor of action beats. I like this trend. It makes the reading smoother. Dialogue tags are not completely eliminated, but they are greatly reduced in number.
You are right, the first book for every author is a learning experience, all along the way. Fortunately, most authors are taking great care with their first book, making it as good as possible.
New questions.
Do you have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors?
Did you have a favorite book as a child?
Do you ever read a book more than once? If so, which one?

Morgan RR Haze

8/26/2020 09:55:50 pm

Well, between the 3 of us, we have many favorites.
H - I've reread all 5 of Austin's finished novels. I've read most of Georgette Heyer's books. Read Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Loved Timothy Zhan's original Thrawn trilogy. Read most of Anne McCaffery's books. Read many of the Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie mysteries. Just one a good story. It could be great dialogue, world building, foreshadowing, or characters.
As a child, we had a 4 book set of fairy tales, animal tales and 2 others. The fairy tale book wore out first. RR got the set for her kids.

RR - The Scarlet Pimpernel
Anne McCaffery's Pern series
A Thousand Words for a Stranger
Jane Eyre
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles
Ready Player One

Remember "No Fighting, No Biting" about baby alligators.

I will answer with Z's list when he get back to me.

Mark

8/26/2020 10:13:52 pm

We share some reading history. I read sci-fi almost exclusively until a relative gave me a copy of the Lord of the Rings, by JRRT, I read the set three times before I graduated from high school. I read the Hobbit also. I read several of McCaffrey's Pern books, I also enjoyed several volumes of the Thomas Covenant series, to name a few.
New questions.
Does writing have a spiritual or healing component for you, does it energize you or make you feel tired?
Why is it important for writers to tap into the emotions of the characters?

Morgan RR Haze

8/26/2020 11:03:57 pm

All of us have experienced heartache in some capacity, breakups, watching loved ones suffer physically and/or emotionally, feeling betrayed, and issues with self image. The Hybrids deal with being different. Normals deal with preconceived ideas. Even our villain has valid points, it is just how he tries to 'correct' the problem. People are constantly having to question their views and actions. Bree starts rather naive. Willow as a push over. Gabriel doesn't trust himself. Mark relies on quotes to express himself. Jason regrets things he did while in Fenix. Ell connects easier with tech than people. We try to tap into times we felt something similar to write them realistically. That can be exhausting, yet also healing. Some of what our characters have gone through has helped us process specific experiences.

When it comes to getting in touch with your character's emotions, if you don't, how can you expect you audience to? Obviously, not everyone will like going there with you, but no one reads fiction for wooden characters. You want them to feel real and get your audience invested in their stories.

Morgan RR Haze

8/26/2020 11:08:00 pm

RR - Depends on how I'm writing. Sometimes I really get into what it is and feel excited getting it out onto the page. Other times it's an epic battle to get one sentence right.

Finding a way to convey the emotions of your characters is what draws people to them.

Mark

8/27/2020 10:17:40 am

Pain is certainly an ever present component of life. We all experience it in multiple ways, no matter how much we try to avoid it and insulate ourselves from it.
I think you are right. Flat characters close books. If the reader cannot connect with at least one character, the writing is not done.
New questions.
What was your goal in writing this book? Did you achieve it?
Has your life turned out differently than expected or planned?

Morgan RR Haze

8/27/2020 12:54:46 pm

I think we just wanted to tell a good story. Secondly, to spend more time together. We did both of those things.
Of course, life is never how you planned it. But even with everything, I don't think we would change much. Every experience has molded us, helped us become who we are today.
I know for myself, even if I could go back and tell myself things, I wouldn't have listened half the time. That or I would have become overconfident and made worse mistakes. Also, having started part of this story as a teenager, then coming back to it in my 40's, I know it is much better writing now. I've read, lived and experieced more, which I can add to the story. I have also become better at collaboration, knowing what I really feel is worth fighting for and what doesn't matter as much.

Mark

8/27/2020 01:23:04 pm

I can vouch that you achieved that first goal well. I enjoyed the fast-paced story quite a bit.
I agree, there are decisions we make in our early adult years that have great repercussions, sometimes. We probably wouldn't listen to our future self telling us this is a bad idea.
Life experience does make a big difference for a writer. Subtlety and finesse can go a long way to enrich a story without overpowering it.
New questions.
Have you ever done NaNoWriMo?
Are you an under-writer or an over-writer? When the first draft is done, do you need to add more to flesh it out or do you have to cut material because there is too much?

Morgan RR Haze

8/27/2020 01:51:25 pm

Only heard about NaNo a couple of years ago. No I haven't participated. It does sound like a good motivator though, maybe for book 3. RR and H underwrite. Z tends to overwrite. H will write whole sections of just dialog, no tags or descriptions. Z is very much a world builder, describes the scene in detail. RR is kind of in the middle, but still more minimal. It works out for us though.

Morgan RR Haze

8/27/2020 02:02:57 pm

Lol. We are both. Our writing is divided up between dialogue (H) tone/emotion and describers (RR) overall world building and cohesion (Z). Not to say we all haven't done everything but we have our separate strengths and they help us fill in the gaps or on rare occasion reel in each other. - RR

Mark

8/27/2020 02:06:18 pm

A lot of authors use that as a springboard to get a first draft done on a book in quick time. Authors also join groups on Twitter, Facebook and other social media for fun, mutual support and sometimes prizes. I gave a prize of a heavy discount on proofreading with a one year life. The woman who won my offering never used it.
I like how you guys operate.
New new questions.
Do you use collaborative software for your group writing? Do you all work on the same sections at the same time? How are changes handled in the group? With underwriters and overwriters working together, that could generate a lot of friction.

Morgan RR Haze

8/27/2020 02:43:42 pm

We put everything on a shared Google Doc. RR and H do a lot of writing on their phones, so just email what is done to the other 2. Z tends to write a huge scene on his laptop, then go into recharge mode. Once a part gets a thumbs up, we add it to the document.
For the most part we find that we each gravitate to specific characters. What's funny is that it isn't always the ones we thought up. RR is more of a chronological writer. H thinks in scenes. Z tends to spot plot holes. So we all have input into the each scene, but at different times. It helps to have a little distance from when it is freshly written and when it is reviewed. All of us feel like once it is on the page, it isn't completely ours anymore. We went into this with the mindset that we had to be flexible with each other. We do have a majority rule though. Only had to use that twice, and that was about dialog tags and a specific name. No really big issues.
There have been times reading through the manuscript, we can't remember who wrote what. It have become very blended by the umpteenth pass. We are acknowledge where we have room to improve.

Mark

8/27/2020 05:13:18 pm

Many authors use Google Docs. Some just for the ease of being able to work on it no matter where they are. I don't get out much, especially now in the age of covid-19, I pound away on my laptop and save nightly to an email draft in Yahoo and automatically in other cloud services.
Do you recall what the issue with dialogue tags was? I am curious because I see a lot of variations in the use of dialogue tags and some mix them up with action beats. The two items are treated differently in grammatical terms.
I think your system has worked well for you all. I like how you balance and complement each other in the overall process.
New questions.
Earlier, I asked about overwriting. Now, lets talk about how you guys deal with that issue.
When working through the excess writing, are you talking about sentences, paragraphs or a chapter that didn't survive the final cut?
Do you cut mostly descriptions, action, dialogue or whole chapters?
Do you save the parts that didn't make it into the final version?

Morgan RR Haze

8/27/2020 06:28:50 pm

Yes, the dialogue tags. 2 issues, feeling that we had to use one after every line and then believing the whole "said is dead" mantra. Fortunately, 2 of us were able to override the 3rd on that score. We all agree now that we could still strengthen that area.

As for overwriting, some of it is just more flowery wording. That works for certain characters, but once we get started, it kind of wants to bleed into the surroundings. We had an info dump of a prolog at first. What is there now just hints at the history. We are working on weaving those details into the story naturally. In editing we tend to blend scenes, chop them up and tuck bits into others.

Even when something doesn't make it, we have it somewhere. There was a character / scene we intended for book 1, but realized it would make more sense in book 2. If anything, the diverse sources of our ideas highlight that the size or age of an idea doesn’t really matter. Z actually got many of his ideas when a cousin was talking about trying to create a video game. Z's ideas were much more complex than what cousin had in mind. So his world building sat in the back burner for several years until RR lit the fire again. I was just listening, offering basic suggestions, when our Dad overheard us and asked if it was my story that I never finished. (I think he has finally forgiven me for leaving him hanging all those years.) So yes, we save our ideas. In fact I have a binder with some of our old story ideas. Some of the pages are so old they have yellowed. But, when I shared finding them again, we started discussing how those stories could possibly live in this universe.

Mark

8/27/2020 07:12:13 pm

Too many dialogue tags can be a problem. That issue can be solved in more than one way. One is to use fewer in a long conversation when it's easy to keep track of two characters having a conversation. Second is to use action beats. They can help to move the story along without getting into the said/said problem. It becomes easy to use visual and audio clues about the characters also.
Keeping a binder of old ideas is very smart. Some writers talk about getting frustrated by all the ideas that come flying out of nowhere, it seems. I tell them to write the ideas down so they don't get lost. It's smart to listen and take notes when the muse is talking.
New questions.
For the underwriter or underwriters.
What do you do to flesh out the characters for your stories?
Do you base your characters on people you know or have met, or is it easier to just invent them completely?

Morgan RR Haze

8/27/2020 08:47:05 pm

Our characters tend to be fairly vivid in our minds. They all have elements of people we have met, but none are actually the individuals. The ones that are closest to those in real life are there with full knowledge and consent. With others it is a personality quirk, a favorite color/animal/food, or, for instance, the line about the perfume tasting like tears. Our niece grabbed what she thought was sweet BBQ sauce, but had a heavy onion flavor. She said it tasted like tears and we knew we had to use that as a line.
Most of our underwriting has to do with description. We will have a conversation or a small vivid scene, but no context. At times we don't even indicate who is there. We write the bare bones, maybe with 'said angrily' as a note. When we go back over it is to add the muscles to support it, the tendons to make sure it connects to the rest of the story, then the skin to make sure it looks pretty. We are definitely working on showing not telling.
We are all proud of what we have accomplished so far. If nothing else we have been having fun!

Mark

8/27/2020 09:13:18 pm

That's great, you make a lot of sense and thanks for sharing about how that works for you guys. I love how you describe the process as building a body one layer at a time. That is a good word picture.
New questions.
Which is more fun to write, the protagonist or the antagonist, and why?
What is one thing you hate about your protagonist and one thing you love about the antagonist?

Morgan RR Haze

8/28/2020 02:18:54 pm

Who is writing and in what mood determines what character is the most fun.
Personally, I like the silly interactions, buy obviously too much of that lacks weight.
Z likes to explore more gray characters, how they justify their decisions.
RR likes exploring relationship dynamics.

We try to make all our characters feel real, so that means faults for the protagonists and qualities for the antagonists.
We intentionally have some Hybrids struggle with prejudice against Normals. It is a natural reaction, but it shows how easy it is to become like what you despise if you only focus on the negative.
On the other hand, we have the antagonist show kindness and loyalty to underlings (in book 2), to highlight that doing something nice doesn't balance out the bad.
It is fun to play with expectations, make the characters more rounded and relatable.
The challenge is to make sure it all still makes sense in the end. We don't want to add things that wouldn't be consistent with the overall picture.

Mark

8/28/2020 03:12:53 pm

It must be quite nice to be able to spread the load around, with everyone writing in their strengths the load is easier, I would think.
The issue of prejudice is handled quite well in your book, that was one of the things I really like about it.
New questions.
What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?
Do you write in a straight line or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment?

Morgan RR Haze

8/28/2020 05:17:02 pm

RR does really well writing chronologically. Z tends to write in order, but just for certain characters. Otherwise he comes up with big picture ideas. I tend to have to write by scene. I will actually make lists of scenes then ruminate on them. Since we have such diverse styles, we usually create a very rough outline. (Example for book 1: Introduce the Waylay. Talia. Blue Embrace. Shangri-la. New Ireland. Coalition. Hybrids. Neil. Teragene exposure. Jakodi station. New Mecca. Rescue.) Usually we each just start where we have inspiration to. As we read each other's work, we build the next parts. It is very organic in that respect. We each start to see different things that are needed for transitions and to avoid plot holes. Sometimes, characters gain a life of their own. A good example of this is Willow. She doesn't have much of an arc in book 1, but as we discovered her back story, she had become a much bigger part of the overall story. Much of it will be revealed in book 3.
All of us tend to either have to think on what we want to write, then binge write, or we get little ideas we have to write immediately, then fill out later. Of course those immediate ideas like to come while falling asleep, driving, showering, anytime it is inconvenient. That is why so much have been written on our phones. At the very least Google or Siri can record for us.
Much of our 'writing' is actually done through editing. When we sit down to read through the different pieces, we all tend to get our favorite beverage, a snack and a comfy spot.

Mark

8/28/2020 05:34:20 pm

I knew your answer would be interesting and you did not let me down. It seems like the three of you have a good time letting the story develop and tell itself to you.
A lot of authors write in a similar fashion, scene by scene and chapter by chapter. Most writers are a solo act and they get stuck sometimes. They are in chapter 6 and the muse says chapter 11 needs to be written. One of my more prolific guest bloggers, Rick Hall, has written a dynamite post called Non-linear Writing. You may find it interesting. Take a look.
So many authors report the same problem with their muse. The muse seems to be on a different schedule or in a much different time zone. One of my clients is woken quite regularly at 2:30 in the morning. She learned a long time ago to keep a pad and pencil on the nightstand. Another client lamented that the best ideas came to her in the shower and she could barely recall half of them. I recommended she get a waterproof pad of paper and a Space pen, because it writes everywhere. She is doing much better with keeping her ideas now.
I certainly agree, recording thoughts on the phone is a good way to avoid losing those blasts of genius.
New questions.
Which is more important to a story pace or flow? How do you control it?
Did your writing process change much from your early writing to your current book or did it stay the same?

Morgan RR Haze

8/28/2020 11:56:06 pm

Flow vs. Pace is a hard one. If your pace is so fast you don't make the connections, your audience will be lost. However, if you add so much minutia that you're pacing stalls, they will just stop caring. In many ways, I think flow and pace are interlinked. You need to progress the story, but not give your audience wipe lash. In my mind, if you do it right, it will 'flow' at the right 'pace.' I'm picturing a river. If it goes too fast or slow it no longer is a river. It becomes a waterfall, or a lake.
This is the the first story any of us have completed. We all would get excited about some new, shiny idea, until the next one showed up. I think this time has been different because the universe can encompass most of our other ideas. The plan is to have this trilogy be the backbone. Then we can each play within the universe. Since each world has a it's own unique culture and geology, it is wide open. Z has ideas for prequels. A couple of the stories I rediscovered, could work as sequels. I know having others to write with has made a huge difference for us. I would get stuck, then just walk away. I think RR and Z did too. It was easy to get discouraged.

Mark

8/29/2020 10:46:03 am

The dreadful info dump can slow a story down so much. A mistake that you three avoided quite well. Some new authors get so excited with the results of their research they want to share it all with the readers. Info junkies like me will wade through that most of the time. People who want to read a good story won't. They will close the book and move on.
I think that is a great idea. Using this trilogy as a starting point for lots of other stories, staying in the same universe will bring a richness and draw more fans over time. The more you publish, the more your fanbase will grow. The sooner you guys get your website going and start a newsletter, the faster your fanbase will grow also.
New questions.
Now that your book is published, is there anything about it you would like to change?
How do you think your book relates to the world we live in today?
What is the one thing you hope readers will remember from your book?

Morgan RR Haze

8/29/2020 11:47:08 am

Well, when we first put it on Amazon, it did still have the dreaded info dump prolog. We changed it so that information is in the back as supplemental reading. Also whenever typos are pointed out we correct them. Other than that, we haven't wanted or needed to change anything.
As for how the story relates to today, there is so much injustice and prejudice. Our characters go through similar experiences, however, their different choices create different outcomes and mold their personalities. Our own choices and actions are all that is really in our control, however, they do impact those around us.
We also examine how scientific discoveries aren't 'moral' in themselves. It is all about application.
I guess our main theme would be that our choices have consequences, good and bad.
Overall, hopefully our readers remember whichever character they connect with the most. If it encourages introspection, great. But the point was to write a fun story. All the themes just snuck in as we created obstacles for our characters to face.

Mark

8/29/2020 01:06:28 pm

Good move to put the extra information in back.
Prejudice and injustice have always existed in human society. Unfortunately, I don't think it will ever be eradicated, though we should never stop trying. You are so right, we can't control our circumstances sometimes, only our reactions and choices that we make.
You have done a good job of the amorality of science. A lot of people ignore morality until it comes to application of the discoveries.
New questions.
Do you have a classical author or poet, you admire?
What popular modern authors have influenced you?

Morgan RR Haze link

8/29/2020 10:27:27 pm

Maya Angelou, Nikita Gill, Louis Carol and Ralph Waldo Emerson have provided inspiration. Songs have a bigger impact lately, Pink and Imagine Dragons for example. RR

I really like Austin's dialog. Of course Shakespeare's writing is beautiful. As for current writers, I have recently enjoyed Jack McDivet's Alex Benedict novels, Alexa Donne's Brightly Burning and Timothy Zhan's new Thrawn trilogy. McDivet includes mystery in his sci-fi. Donne mashed up Jane Eyre and sci-fi. And Zhan foreshadows and weaves multiple story threads together fluidly. Hopefully, we are doing a decent job in applying the techniques I have seen in there writing. - H

Mark

8/29/2020 11:04:23 pm

You have a nice spread on authors there.
Many authors use music for inspiration, some weave music into their story. I have talked to a few authors who actually create a playlist for the book, the characters or use song lyrics to sub title each chapter. Music is a powerful influence on many.
Austin's dialog is quite phenomenal, I agree. Only a few years ago I got around to reading Shelly's book, Frankenstein. It was so much better than the movies. The dialogue reminded me of Austin's books. I was pleasantly surprised.
New questions.
If you could meet your favorite author, what would you ask them?
We already touched on this a little bit. What software do you use to write and publish your books, and why do you use those?

8/30/2020 01:48:22 am

I like to watch YouTube videos of authors giving examples of what they do to get through writers block. For a more specific question I would love to ask Tolkien where he got his inspiration for the witch kings death twist. I wonder if it was a broad pull from myths and legends or if it was one in particular.
As for hardware/software we used what we had and what was user friendly. We needed something that was both iOS and Android friendly.

Mark

8/30/2020 10:39:36 am

There are so many ways to work around or beat writer's block. Many find performing a regular chore or activity not related to writing does a great job. Baking, laundry, gardening, lawn mowing, bike riding, hiking, dog walking; these kinds of things don't utilize the creative side of our brain.
Other writers have more than one writing project they work on regularly. It could be a different genre or series, a prequel, a side story, poetry, or some non-fiction.
Still others tackle the problem head on and write about what might be causing the muse to be silent.
Tolkien was an amazing writer. You might know that he and C. S. Lewis were very good friends. While Lewis is well known for his Narnia series, which I love, he is not as well known for his sci-fi trilogy, "Out of the Silent Planet" is the first book, I believe. He patterned his protagonist after Tolkien. I enjoyed that series quite a bit! Though it is somewhat philosophical in places.
New questions.
Have you ever had the experience of the story swerving in a different direction than planned, as if a character was driving it?
Do you have defined space for writing at home, or are you a coffee-shop writer?

8/30/2020 11:03:33 am

Story swerves happen most often when you get an idea like an exciting action scene or a line of dialogue that you love but no matter how hard you try it’s just not something your character would do or say. But that is a sign of having your characters fully realized in your mind. Because H and I do most of our writing from our phones so we can do it anywhere that is comfortable. Z works quite a bit at his standing desk. I think the most important thing for all of us is not to have a lot of distractions. A large portion of the book is insomnia writing. A nice quiet house in the extremely early morning hours is great for writing.

Mark

8/30/2020 11:36:01 am

That is a good explanation of why a good idea might not be a proper fit for a particular character. I hadn't thought of it in that way.
I do not type well, it gets even worse on a small screen. Though dictation eases some of difficulty it brings a different set of problems. I admire anyone that is proficient at typing on the small screen.
I have to agree, a quiet house can contain a plethora of creative possibilities. It allows for unbroken concentration, as long as you can stay awake. Is music excluded?
New questions.
Action, dialogue, or narration; which is easiest to write?
Of the five senses which is the easiest to write and which is the hardest?

8/30/2020 12:40:21 pm

Music is great for setting a mood. We all like instrumentals that would be great soundtracks to what we are writing. I think I’m a bit of an exception in that I can still work with lyrics. I do tend to stick with the same four or five songs on a loop though. We each have a strong preference for the area of writing we enjoy most. Z with the narrating H with the dialogue and myself I lean more toward inter monologues. Action is one of those things that take us more time because we try to mimic the movements as we have them written on the page to make sure our ideas actually translated to the page properly. I personally can forgive all kinds of spelling and grammar errors in a book I am reading but when a scene gives a character two right arms or something to that affect my brain gets stuck on it for days. You will notice a number of what I like to call Hitchcock style fight scenes in the book. This is because what the readers mind fills in will be more tailored to their own tastes and fears then anything we could put on the page. Sight and sound are the two easiest for me personally but they don’t always carry the same weight that smell, taste or touch do. Smell taste and touch are much more subjective. They tend to cause a more visceral reaction but in a less uniform way so your audience won’t necessarily have the desired emotional connection.

Mark

8/30/2020 01:37:51 pm

Your play list is short, but I imagine it changes fairly often.
Logical inconsistencies, such as two right arms, can be quite disconcerting, without a doubt.
Hitchcock-style fight scenes, where less is more. He leaves a lot to the viewer's imagination. I think the smartest writing does the same. By letting the reader fill in the gaps from their personal experiences and understanding the reader is more firmly invested in the story. Providing too many details about an everyday action is a common mistake of new authors. A person leaving home and going to work does not need any detail other than what I just wrote; unless it leads to an important plot point, such as an assassin waiting to shoot the person as they get into the car or walk to a bus stop.
Smell, taste and touch are not used as much as the other senses without a doubt. They can be important in the right plot point. Smell is an easy trigger for PTSD for so many who deal with that problem, as well as sound can stimulate the same unwanted reaction.
New questions.
Have you ever participated in theater in some way, acted, behind the scenes or written a play?
What kind of marketing are you doing or planning on doing for your book?

8/30/2020 06:22:36 pm

We have all been in a public speaking/skit writing programs all through our school years. H was in a couple plays in school. One was written by the class. H and I took dance classes and Z Is a singer songwriter.
Marketing, we were going to have a booth at Phoenix Comic-con, but that was cancelled. We want to do some sort of live stream book launch that highlights those who have helped us along the way. Haven't figured that one out yet. Looking into Amazon ads when book 2 is ready. Finally, working on figuring out our website situation. We had one, but ran into issues with the host. Trying to decide which options would work best for us, as well as what we actually want to do (blog, podcast, YouTube? Oh, and setting up a mailing list too.

Mark

8/30/2020 06:58:06 pm

You guys do it all. What a great team you are!
Exercising different types of creative communication expresses a lot of talent. There are many who will not even attempt public speaking. When you, as the speaker, know more about the topic than anyone in the audience, public speaking becomes much easier. That is the key to being an effective public speaker, know your topic!
The theater arts are not far removed from public speaking. There is a little bit more involved quite naturally. I have recommended to writers to take classes in writing scripts for the stage or screen. It teaches brevity and focuses on actions and intonations in writing.
New questions.
Do you think your experience in performing arts has helped you as a writer?
Has H's experience in writing a play has helped in writing fiction?

8/30/2020 07:26:14 pm

It has helped us to learn to wing it. Nothing ever goes exactly as you want. Working with an outline and then filling it out on the fly.

Mark

8/30/2020 07:47:07 pm

Okay, back to marketing now.
Your experience mirrors that of hundreds of other author who find doing conventions and book fairs profitable and marketing is more fun. I like doing book fairs also, being able to meet authors face to face is fun and sometimes profitable for me as well.
There are a lot of blogs written about book launches and contests, combining the two can generate more interest. Giveaways are fun also. Pivoting in this covid age means making changes to survive, you are on the right track.
There are good articles about ads on Amazon and Facebook, some authors struggle with one or the other. Dave Chesson, at Kindlepreneur.com, has done quite a bit of research on Amazon ads. If you put ads in the search box on my website, you will get several good blogs to start your research with.
You mentioned Amazon ads for the second book. Aren't you doing any marketing for this book?
New questions.
In your experience, which marketing avenues have been the most rewarding or profitable?
Speaking of marketing, why did you pick me to help promote your book?

Morgan RR Haze link

8/30/2020 10:42:02 pm

We have done Amazon ads previously, but not currently. Our focus has been to get book 2 as good as can be. With book 1, we did everything alone. This time we paid for an editor. So we were saving for that and the Comic-con in Phoenix. We have decided to be more diligent with keywords and tailoring our marketing dollars with book 2. Doing a lot of studying up for that. Right now most of our success has been organic, just interacting and telling people we have a book. This is something we know we are weak on.
We chose you for several reasons. First, you interacted with me on Twitter and I like your posts. Second, this seemed like a good entry point. We could get a feel for how this works, and it wasn’t astronomically expensive. Third, you offer other services, so if this worked well, there is a preexisting contact if we decided to pursue more. Kind of like your suggestion to offer short stories to people who sign up for a mailing list.

Mark

8/30/2020 11:15:56 pm

You are certainly on the right road. You are learning and planning. There is so much about the writing business to learn. Some authors will say that writing the book is the easy part. Marketing and promotion overwhelms so many writers. You have to take the creative hat off and put on the business hat, to make it in this field. It will get easier, the more books you write the more books you will sell.
Here is an idea for you, maximize the "local-author" angle. If there are places that are popular for tourists, such as museums, hotels, gift shops, etc, ask if you can place a small counter-top holder for a few books, maybe they will buy them at a discount from the cover price. Include an email or phone number to refill. Place a small sign with a QR code, hyperlink and the cover of your book, as an alternative. Check with local bookstores, when they reopen, they might have a local author section. Seek interviews with local newspapers, TV, radio, college level broadcasting also. Local civic clubs might be interested in hosting a reading. Seek a speaking engagement with a high school or college writing class or club. If there are book clubs offer to speak. A table at a flea market or farmers market might be possible. There may be only a few opportunities in a small town, make the best of them.
Thank you, I am glad I could be of service to you in this way.
New questions.
How did you know when your book was finished?
How long does the research process take before you start to write a book or do you do the research as you write the book?

Morgan RR Haze link

8/31/2020 06:03:57 pm

Originally this was only supposed to be one book. The characters and world had other ideas. The reasons for things became more intricate and characters became more complex. Book 1's ending just felt right. By then we had plans that we knew we couldn't include. Plus it kind of felt Tolkien-ish. We were at a good word count, too. It is a common one in sci-fi and if we added more, print books would have been much more expensive.
As for research, there are a few specific things that we have done intentional reseach on. Most of the rest has been from things we have watched or read. We all enjoy science. Some of our YouTube inspiration sources have been: Science and Futurism with Issac Arthur, Sci-show (all 3 regular, space and psych), Kyle Hill (first on Because Science, now on his own channel), Overly Sarcastic Productions (trope talk specifically), Hello Future Me and Murphy Napier. They have all given us things to think about and inspired us to change or add things. We have linked many specific episodes in our Instagram posts.

Mark

8/31/2020 06:26:54 pm

Tolkienish, I love it. I don't know whether this is true or not. Pre-internet, I read that the LOTR started out as a story for his children, he would read to them at night. Like many other hobbies that men undertake, it became an obsession for the man who had a doctorate of languages. Somebody kept asking why this and why that. We have been enriched because JRRT didn't know when to stop.
You made the right call, and I can hardly wait to see the sequel.
Those podcasts sound like fun. I am sure I would enjoy them.
New questions.
How many drafts did you go through to have a ready-to-publish manuscript?
Do you get ideas for future books or stories while writing a book?

Morgan RR Haze link

8/31/2020 07:00:49 pm

Thank you! That is a wonderful complement. Since our process is so different, I am not sure how to count drafts. Every scene is read by all 3 of us and tweaked before adding to the story. Then we read the main body once it is close to having all the main story beats. We then come up with a list of things we need to make it flow. Then we repeat the process until we feel we have it complete. Then it goes through Grammerly, then to betas, and with book 2, an editor. Of course, we have to go trough it between each step.
As for the new ideas, all the time. We have a whole back stories for how the Void happened, for Fell, when Teragene was discovered, for Mandurah. We also got ideas for several sequel/companion stories. Most just from a line of dialogue or a description of a person or place.

Mark

8/31/2020 07:31:50 pm

The group writing that you do is not inimical to counting drafts. That is my obsessive mind at work. Other authors have said the same thing, they don't count drafts, they keep working on it until they think it's right. Certainly no fault of yours.
I know you realize that Grammarly and other programs have their limitations. I have tested it and another program and found both wanting. They miss things I find and some of their conclusions are not appropriate to the context. They do get some things quite right. Those programs are good for finding simple errors, though each recommendation needs to be considered carefully. English is such a messy language.
Last questions.
How did you find your beta-readers?
Do you ask the beta readers to read through more than one draft of the manuscript?
Do you give them an e-version like a PDF or a hard copy you printed?
What kind of questions did you ask them to get the feedback you wanted or do you let them provide feedback without particular questions?

Morgan RR Haze link

8/31/2020 07:55:04 pm

Most are just people we know who like sci-fi, fantasy and other nerdy things. We ask them to tell us if anything doesn't make sense, do the characters seem real, and of course if they find clunky language or typos. We give them access to a second Google doc where they can add notes and highlight things. It makes it easier for us to track the suggestions. We also ask for basic impressions.
If they want to read more than one draft they can, most just want the final story after their first read though.

Mark

8/31/2020 08:11:46 pm

Very nice. I should have known you would share the manuscript through Google Docs. I think I will add that option to that question.
I want to thank all three of you for sharing your writing and publishing journey. H, RR and Z this has been most interesting. I hope I got your initials correct. My apologies if I flubbed it.
I have another promotion that starts tomorrow. So I will say farewell and keep writing that next book. I am so looking forward to the continuation of the story.

Morgan RR Haze

8/31/2020 08:31:41 pm

You nailed the initials. Thank you so much. We had to confer on some of your questions, but it made us think. That is always a good thing. Have fun with your next promo. I'm sure they will enjoy it as much as we did!

Alpha Dawn: Book one of the Teragene Chronicles By Morgan R. R. Haze

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