Indomitable: The Story of Eliza Harris by J. D. Edwards

3/5/2022

Multi-volume, multi-genre author, J. D. Edwards introduces us to his latest book of historical fiction, “Indomitable”:
When Black voices are stifled, the reality is transformed into fiction, history is twisted into folklore, and heroes are turned into myths. Harriet Beecher Stowe published Uncle Tom's Cabin, holding a brief account of Eliza Harris, in 1853. Now, 170 years later, learn the actual tale of Eliza's harrowing escape from slavery and her unwavering bravery to live a life of freedom. Eliza risked everything to cross the semi-frozen Ohio River in the dead of night and save her baby from a slave's life.
Indomitable is a work of historical fiction based on real events and Eliza's firsthand narrative. While one branch of the author's family owned Eliza, the other branch risked their lives to rescue her. We cannot undo the past, but we can recount the tales of those who fought for liberty and assure that their sacrifice was not in vain.

Based on a true story? Yes. More loosely based on thousands of true stories? Yes. Worthy of being on the reading list of every person interested in American or Canadian history.
Slavery has been a blot on humanity for many thousands of years. Slavery has existed in one form or another in almost every society on earth and continues right up to this day.
This story might make you angry and shake your soul. If it does, good. This story might make you marvel at the determination of one person to create a new life for herself and her son. That I-will-do-whatever-it-takes attitude is no less astounding than it was so long ago.
I loved this book, its story and its writing. Both are utterly fabulous! Mr. Edwards is one heck of a writer!
Be prepared to be shocked, enlightened and entertained. I certainly was. 5 stars for “Indomitable”!

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Indomitable-Harris-J-D-Edwards-ebook
https://www.goodreads.com/-indomitable
www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/indomitable-the-story-of-eliza-harris

You can follow the author:
https://twitter.com/FaerieRealms
https://www.facebook.com/FaerieRealms
https://www.linkedin.com/in/twyrch
https://www.wattpad.com/user/FaerieRealms
https://www.instagram.com/twyrch
https://www.pinterest.com/twyrch
https://www.tiktok.com/@faerierealms

Copyright © 2022 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

80 Comments

J. D. Edwards link

3/6/2022 12:41:10 am

Thank you for taking the time to review Indomitable, Mark. I'm glad you enjoyed the book! You're right that it's based on a true story, as well as other stories of freedom seekers, but Indomitable is primarily based on Eliza's true experiences. George Edwards's stories are taken from his own words in an 1863 interview with Lyman C. Draper when he was 91 years old. I'd say at least 90% of this book is verifiable fact. The other 10% is historically accurate.

I'm looking forward to discussing it with you further.

Mark

3/6/2022 08:26:15 am

You are welcome. You have written an amazing book! Knowing that so much of it is historical fact is phenomenal. Your treatment of this information is quite remarkable also. It reads so well, like a novel. We will talk more about the writing.
First question.
Please, tell us more about yourself. Perhaps something a little bit beyond your bio.

J. D. Edwards link

3/6/2022 08:38:58 am

Thanks Mark, I'd be glad to. I'm married and have a son named Cameron. We've lived in North Carolina since 2006. The first complete story I ever wrote was called "The Quest for Truth". It was a 10-page creative writing assignment in high school. Last year, I took that old assignment and wrote a novella from it, called The Phantom Seer.

I've always enjoyed writing, but I actually went to college to be an accountant. I found that strict routine wasn't for me, so I moved into journalism, but found the process distasteful. That's when I was hired to work on computers at a manufacturing company in Illinois. Today, I'm a Senior Network Administrator with a manufacturing company in North Carolina.

Throughout my career, writing has been there. It's my creative outlet to escape the stress of everyday life. My first full-length novel was The Scions of Faerie, which I published in 2018. I followed up with The Soul Stones of Faerie in 2019, The Half-Blood of Faerie in 2020 and the Priestess of Faerie in 2021. Indomitable was my first venture into Historical Fiction, breaking away from the Fantasy genre.

Mark

3/6/2022 08:49:03 am

Thank you.
Accounting does require a particular attitude or mindset. It is highly regimented also. Journalism isn't the same as when I grew up listening to Walter Cronkite and others. It used to strive to be objective. That goal has been discarded.
That is a lot of writing. Publishing a book a year is great output.
New questions.
Are you a full-time or part-time writer?
Does your work career or past careers have any influence on your writing?

J. D. Edwards link

3/6/2022 09:02:02 am

Excellent insight. You hit the nail on the head. With my ADHD, working in a CPA firm stifled my creativity, and true journalism is dead.

I'm only a part-time writer, at least until I earn as much writing books as I do as a Network Administrator. I produced the books so quickly because I first started writing The Faerie Chronicles in 2003. After 15 years, I had 3 of the books completed and began working on the 4th, so year I would edit and then release a new book in the spring. I tried to stay ahead of the curve by working on a book while another was waiting to be published. I wouldn't say my work has any influence over my writing. My writing is an escape from reality and work.

Since 2019, my work has been featured in 5 anthologies, and I'm working on a 6th piece for a Halloween anthology now. After that, I return to Faerie with a new series. I'll be taking the reader into the Celtic underworld, Uffern.

Mark

3/6/2022 12:15:14 pm

Thanks. ADHD is not just a demon, it's also an angel. The gifts of sensitivity and creativity are marvelous and must be shared with others. That was a brilliant plan. You were able to ensure a wonderful sense of continuity in multiple volumes that I am certain your readers enjoy.
Writing lots of books also helps to keep the older books in focus for new fans of your work. The back list is really part of the front list and should never be ignored by the indie author.
I am sure that Uffern will be a welcome addition to your fans.
New questions.
What inspired you to write this book?
Why did you choose this genre, or do you feel the genre chose you?

J. D. Edwards link

3/6/2022 01:34:07 pm

You're right. When harnessed properly, ADHD can be used to your advantage. I call it both my superpower and my kryptonite.

Why did I write Indomitable? I didn't find the story; it found me. To answer your question fully, I need to rewind nearly 20. In so many ways, the success of today is only because of the history of failure. In 2003, I began writing The Scions of Faerie, although under another name in those days. I completed it in 2006, spent $2500 having the manuscript professionally edited, and received nothing but rejection for 3 years. I gave up on writing novels in 2010 and turned to genealogy.

In 2011, I wrote my first two genealogy articles and submitted them to a writing contest with the Ohio Genealogical Society. To my surprise, they both won. I won 1st and 2nd place and was gobsmacked. Someone liked my writing! I was working as a Network Administrator at Duke University at the time and dug into their archives. Through deeds, I had discovered my ancestors operated a station along the Underground Railroad, so I wanted to learn more about the Underground Railroad in Ohio. Buried in their archives was a 100-page manuscript written in 1880 by a journalist named Frank M. Gregg. His manuscript collection contained 3 interviews. The first two, John Parker and John Rankin Sr., were previously discovered in the 1990s and subsequently published, but a smaller manuscript interviewed John Rankin Jr. about Eliza Harris from Uncle Tom's Cabin. Here was a courageous mother, an indomitable survivor, and her story had been lost and forgotten to time in the bowels of Duke University. I decided to transcribe her story for the writing contest.

In 2012, I submitted my transcription and two other articles to the writing contest. The other two articles won 1st and 2nd that year, one of them being The Unsung Heroes of the Underground Railroad, but, unfortunately, Eliza's Tale didn't win. As a transcription, it was bare facts. I knew it needed a story.

Because of ADHD, I tend to focus on multiple things at once. In 2012, I found a publishing company interested in The Scions of Faerie, but under its original name, Brander. For the next 5 years, I worked on the sequels to Brander, calling them Pangari, Lamia, and Swansa. When I would have problems with a plot point, I would turn to genealogy. When not focused on the problem, the answer came to easier. I continued to research my family, write articles and win many more writing contests. At the end of the 5-year contract, the publisher went bankrupt, and I regained my rights to Brander. Unfortunately, this company was not reputable, and my work was tainted as "damaged goods." No publisher would touch the series without book 1, so I was forced to self-publish them with Lulu.com.

In 2019, I realized that if I was going to have a chance to remake myself as an author, I needed to expand my writing into another genre. I hoped that I could learn from my mistakes and find a publisher for a historical fiction, who might then choose to republish The Faerie Chronicles as a special edition. I spent the next 18 months writing Indomitable because I already had all the research from my writing contests. I only needed to gather the facts and write a narrative to join the facts together. Thus Indomitable was born, and my writing journey shifted from Fantasy to Historical Fiction.

Mark

3/6/2022 02:01:05 pm

That is a fascinating story. With serious ups and downs and some great plot twists! That could almost be a book in and of itself. Thank you for sharing that.
I land on the ADHD spectrum also. I think that is part of why spelling errors are so easy for me to locate. In other peoples' work, the errors jump off the page at me.
I am glad you recognized the opportunity for you in your writing career.
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? Some of them are faint.

J. D. Edwards link

3/6/2022 02:29:09 pm

You're right, it could be a story in itself, but for now, I share what I've learned through my #WriteBetter series of writing tips on Twitter, so others can learn from my mistakes.

The cover was designed by Portia Ekka at Editingle IndieHouse. You can find her at @author_ekka (Twitter) and @portiapearls (Instagram). It is supposed to represent Eliza on her journey from station to station until she reached freedom in Canada.

Mark

3/6/2022 03:53:16 pm

That is nice that you are passing it along. It's good when authors support other authors.
It's a lovely cover.
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?

J. D. Edwards link

3/6/2022 05:07:26 pm

Great question! For the first two years, I wrote Indomitable under the working title of "Eliza's Sacrifice" but I neared the end of the story, I realized I wanted to create a series of historical fiction books. You can find a full list of these future works, and other planned works, on my website, http://faerierealm.50megs.com/index.html. The next historical fiction books include: Dauntless: The James Edwards Story, Venerable: The Col. George Edwards Story and Estimable: The Herbert Edwards Story. I liked the idea of using older, antiquated words to describe my characters, since they all take place in the 18th to 19th centuries.

The character names, for the most part, came from historical fact. I tried not to "invent" characters if I could keep from it. The healer, Hannah, was created from whole cloth and Eliza's children: Keziah, Josiah, and Ellie were named either from the Bible or to foreshadow their parentage. Bastian and Julie McDermott's names were fictious, though their story was true. Their names are a variant of two people who offended me in an online genealogy forum, so I wrote them into Indomitable as villains. The key takeaway there is not to upset an author or you'll end up as a villain in their next book.

The highwaymen, Toby and Seamus McMillan, were fictional. I gave them a Scottish dialect, so I gave them Scottish names as well. The names of the freedom seekers staying with Levi Coffin came from volunteers within the #WritingCommunity on Twitter. The name Naomi came from @namaferd. The name Jesse came from @JessSFrankel. The name Tressa came from @ElenaHartford. The name Frances came from @F_J_MacGregor. The surname of Jones came from @PhilWyman. The others, I used common 18th century names. Lastly, the two men encountered at the small town of Napoleon were also fictitious. I used the name Emmett from Doc Brown's name in Back to the Future and I used "Tom" as a tip of the hat to Harriet Beecher Stowe. Aside from that list, every person listed in this story was factual.

Mark

3/6/2022 05:19:28 pm

I like where you are going with the titles, that will be fun.
If not a villain, then likely dead. You need to be nice to writers, no question about that.
That is nice to know about the names. The importance of names in a book cannot be over emphasized. Names relate a lot to the destiny of a person, especially in books.
New questions.
I noticed that your book is not in Kindle Unlimited. Is there a reason for that?
You went through the query process and it was brutal. Did you get any feedback or was it only crickets? What do you think of the query process now?

J. D. Edwards link

3/6/2022 05:43:54 pm

Great question! I have The Phantom Seer available in Kindle Unlimited, but my publisher, Editingle Indie House, handles the pricing and listing of Indomitable. I have no control over that aspect of the publication of the book.

As for the query process, it was the easiest of any query process I've done. I sent out 3 queries on June 25th. One agent ghosted me completely, refusing to even respond to my query. The 2nd agent rejected my query 30 days later. The 3rd agent declined my query a full month after Editingle published it.

After receiving my first rejection, I posted about it on Twitter (as one does) and used a gif of King Théoden, of The Return of the King, saying, "So it begins." This post brought questions about Indomitable's storyline, and Michaelle Sandefur discovered my post. She suggested I submit my query to Editingle for consideration. I submitted my query on July 28th, received a full request on August 20th, and signed the contract on September 9th. The rest, as they say, is history.

Still, I wouldn't say I enjoy the query process. It's tedious, nerve-racking, and filled with disappointment. It makes you question your abilities as an author. The Faerie Chronicles received 107 rejections before I finally figured out what I was doing wrong. The key is never to give up.

Mark

3/7/2022 07:40:25 am

A publisher handles a lot of the mundane and industry-specific tasks of getting a book into the public view. Every decision the publisher makes is designed to maximize their potential for profit. If they make a profit the author makes money also.
For big, traditional publishers this process is perilous. Their profit margins are so slim they can't afford to take chances on unknown authors. They also have a tremendous amount of overhead.
The traditional publishing industry has been shrinking for years. Many of the big names in the business are gone. There are only four or five large publishers left and many of the medium to small publishers are gone also.
When an author signs a contract to publish their book, they lose a lot of control over their book. The publisher might ask the author to change the title or rewrite the story. I know an author who was asked to rewrite the story out of the series she had going by an agent. During that process, she had questions. The agent disappeared and the author never heard back. So, she ceased trying to get a traditional publishing contract.
Agents are a similar breed. They exist to bring a profitable manuscript to a publisher. Many of them have worked for a publisher previously. They don't get paid until the author signs a contract. If there is an advance, they get some money upfront. I am not sure if that comes out of the advance or not. They also get a portion of the royalties; the publisher gets a large percentage of the royalties until the advance is paid back.
Traditional publishing is a very difficult process.
Congratulations! Your experience was wonderful and atypical. Many authors send out dozens of queries and don't hear back from many or most of the agents or publishers, because they are looking for a sure thing. 107 rejections are not unheard of at all.
New questions.
Did you seek specific help in formulating your query letters? Did you use querytracker.net or some other website like that?

J. D. Edwards link

3/7/2022 08:31:58 am

Thanks Mark! Yes, this experience has been wonderful and completely atypical from past experience.

When it came to the query, I formulated my query letters based on the successful query letters I had with the Faerie Chronicles. Although I never received a traditional publishing contract for that series, it's not entirely due to the 107 rejections. I also had several publishers show interest until they learned about the first book's publication with the disreputable publisher. That's when they all backed away, unwilling to take a chance with the series.

While I'd like to take credit for my successful query to Editingle and say I learned from my past mistakes, I know that God is guiding this process. When I finished writing Indomitable, I turned the whole thing over to God and let him take control. So many of the blessings in my life come when I stop trying to control things. God inspired my words and the flow of the story. I knew if I was going to have any chance at success, I needed to stop trying to control things. Let go and Let God, as they say.

Mark

3/7/2022 10:04:44 am

So, the first book being published by a shady publisher was a problem for the other publishers. Was it because the copyright was tainted or something else? I don't understand. If you would rather not discuss that I am fine with your decision.
God does guide our actions a lot. I know that to be true in my life. I also know it is hard to not muddy the waters at times.
New questions.
I am guessing you did not set out to write a Christian story. But there is a lot of Scripture and the Gospel in your book. At what point did you decide to include all of that?
Does your fantasy series have a Christian foundation or is this the first book that you have done that?

J. D. Edwards link

3/7/2022 10:47:57 am

Sure, I don't mind explaining more about the issues with the original publisher. I discovered there's traditional publishers, self-publishers, hybrid publishers and vanity press publishers. It's the vanity press publishers you need to watch out for and I didn't know that at the time. Rather than try to learn why I was being rejected, I jumped at the first publisher to sign me, without investigating further. A vanity publisher makes the author pay for everything, from editing, cover design, marketing, etc. The author doesn't get any royalties until they've sold 500 copies. This publisher was called Publish America and when they were sued, filed bankruptcy and reorganized under America Star Books. I received my rights back 1 week before they shut their doors and kept the rights of all other authors. When publishers found out I was with Publish America, they feared being sued if they published Brander again, even though I had my rights returned to me. Publish America kept the rights to my cover, even though I designed it and didn't pay for them to do any work to it. It was too big of a risk, and even after rebranding it as The Scions of Faerie and rewriting it in a new style, the fact that it once existed with Publish America tainted the book and by extension, the entire series. That's why I needed to finish the Faerie Chronicles and move on to something else. I needed to reclaim my name and reputation as an author.

You're right, Indomitable does contain a lot of scripture and I did not intend to write a Christian story, because I wanted to market it as a Historical Fiction instead. When I write a book, any book, I always include flawed characters who need to show love, experience loss, earn redemption and give/receive forgiveness. It's an undercurrent of all my books because those are qualities which people identify with.

Including the Gospel in Indomitable was the natural course of the book. Eliza was a godly woman and the Downings were religious. True Christianity is more of a relationship with God rather than a legalistic, dogmatic religion. That was something the Pharisees never understood in Jesus' time. This was a believe held by the Quakers and Presbyterians Eliza encountered along the way. Slave owners used the Bible to justify owning slaves and treating them like property. It was only natural for Eliza to question that while in the home of a minister and there's nothing more preachers enjoy than quoting scripture, chapter and verse. I wanted this to be authentic and I believe excluding it would have been unrealistic. Of course Eliza, and other Blacks, were taught they were property, subhuman and cursed by God. When White people treated her with dignity, kindness, love and respect, she would have questioned everything she was ever taught. We see that in the opening scenes when she backtalks Elias Wood, claiming she does have a soul.

The Phantom Seer is a Christian Sci-Fi novel. The Faerie Chronicles has Christian themes, but also includes Druidry and Pseudo Apocryphal themes In the Faerie Chronicles, God is an alien and created Humans after creating the Faerie. The Faerie then created races, like the Fey, Dryads, Sidhe, Elves, Dwarves, Gnomes, etc. I drew upon Celtic Mythology and intertwined it with Christianity and Druidry because all three were present in England at one time and it seemed fitting to include it in the story.

My first fantasy series I ever read was The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I would say The Faerie Chronicles incorporates Christian themes into it about the same way as The Silmarillion or The Chronicles of Narnia.

Mark

3/7/2022 12:23:02 pm

Thanks for sharing about getting unstuck from the vanity publisher. That was an awful situation, and you were very blessed to get your rights back.
People have never stopped trying to misuse scripture for their own ends. Enslaving others is only one example.
We have something else in common. I have been a solid, science fiction fan for most of my life. I was given a set of Tolkien's LOTR series in my middle school years. I read it 3 times before I graduated from high school. I read the Hobbit at least once also.
I didn't discover The Chronicles of Narnia until my college years. Some years after that I found that C. S. Lewis had written a science fiction trilogy called Out of the Silent Planet. His protagonist was patterned after his close friend, J. R. R. T. Your Faerie series sounds like I would enjoy it since fantasy is a close second favorite genre for me.
New questions.
How do you think your book compares to a book published by a major publisher?
There are many unethical practices in publishing, which one is the most unbearable in your mind?

J. D. Edwards link

3/7/2022 01:31:39 pm

You're right. Religion has been used to justify atrocities throughout recorded history. I do think you'd enjoy the Faerie Chronicles. There's elements of Lewis, Tolkien, Stephen Lawhead and Terry Brooks in them. Each book has a prophecy written in poetry as a tip of the hat to Tolkien.

As for Indomitable, I think it's doing very well for the available avenues of marketing we're using. A major publisher may have had hooks into NY Times book list, superstore book listings, academic book listings and others, but it will get there. The more a major publisher spends on marketing, the longer an author has to wait for royalties, so I'm not concerned. It will all happen in God's time.

I'd say the most unbearable unethical practice is keeping book rights when the publisher goes bankrupt. That hurts struggling authors who want nothing more than to see their work in print. There's absolutely no cause to hold a writer's work hostage like that.

Mark

3/7/2022 02:37:55 pm

Your books do sound right up my alley. I am certain I would enjoy them.
Taking all the money an author has is pretty bad. But crippling an author's ability to earn money from their Intellectual Property is the worst. I agree with you completely.
The IP of an author is key to long-term success. The more an author writes the more people will buy the books. It is important for an author to not ignore their backlist. It must be promoted just like the most recent work.
New questions.
Do you have a favorite book by another author or just favorite authors?
Did you have a favorite book as a child?
Which of your books is your favorite, and why?

J. D. Edwards link

3/7/2022 04:16:33 pm

I completely agree. I never want to forget my backlist. I am planning to reproduce the series as a special edition later on to improve the continuity of my author voice.

I have more favorite series, than I do individual books, but it's hard to narrow down a favorite author too. If pressed, I'd have to say Terry Brooks is my favorite, follow closely by Rick Riordan, Stephen Lawhead, J. K. Rowling, Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, R. A. Salvatore and John Flannagan.

As a child, before I got hooked on Fantasy, I devoured the Hardy Boys series by Franklin W. Dixon.

I really enjoyed the Word & Void series by Terry Brooks. It wasn't fantasy as much as it was a war between light and dark in the spirit world.

Mark

3/7/2022 04:53:05 pm

That is a good idea. Paper is going up considerably. But putting out a nice bound set perhaps with illustrations might be profitable. Crowd funding could make it possible. More authors are learning from the game makers and those who put out graphic novels. Here is a copy-and-paste link or search in the search box below: https://kriswrites.com/2020/07/22/business-musings-the-kickstarted-game-changer-part-two/ Admittedly, Sanderson has a huge following, so his results are above normal. It shows the possibilities.
You have some great names on that list! My list would include some of those and Anne McCaffrey. I loved her Dragon Riders of Pern series, I read several volumes.
New questions.
Which of your books is your favorite, and why?
Do you ever read a book more than once? If so, which one?

J. D. Edwards link

3/7/2022 06:43:46 pm

I've heard of Anne McCaffrey and the Pern series, but I haven't read them yet. I'll have to add them to my list.

My most favorite book that I've written is The Priestess of Faerie. It takes place in both Faerie and on Earth and is the culmination of 17 years of work.

The book I've read multiple times and still enjoy is The Hobbit. I'm listening to it as an Audible book right now.

Mark

3/7/2022 08:00:50 pm

I have trouble maintaining focus with an audio book. I find if I speed it up to 1.4 or 1.5 times the normal speed it holds my attention. I am accustomed to reading in noisy environments and learned long ago to block out noise while reading.
But Audio books are a great way to diversify the formats for fans. One good friend comes to mind, his dyslexia is so bad he cannot read but he loves to consume books. Audio books are perfect for him.
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?

J. D. Edwards link

3/7/2022 11:25:36 pm

I can see where audio books can help a person with dyslexia. I'm glad that medium is available to him.

To answer your question, yes, writing has a soothing, spiritual component to it for me. I love writing and finding an outlet for my creativity. Without it, my mind wanders too much. It's a way to focus my ADHD into something productive.

The last question is excellent! This was something I didn't learn right away. When I first wrote The Scions of Faerie, as Brander, I received feedback from George R. R. Martin. He told me my characters were dull and boring. They all talked the same and acted the same. He recommended I give them personalities, make them flawed and "never create a character you're unwilling to kill." I took him at this word and kill at least one main character in each book, including Indomitable. I can count three characters who die in the first 10 chapters, but I always use the death to advance the plot. It's important to tap into the emotions of the characters to make them realistic and allow the readers to connect with them.

I did this in Indomitable and I was writing the scenes in the mindset of Reason Downing when George Floyd was murdered. I had to put the book down for 6 months. There was no way I could be inside the mind of a man like Reason while that was on the news. By tapping into the emotions of the characters, the reader gains a sense of familiarity. They can identify with the character or know someone like that, and it makes the reader emotionally invested in the story.

Mark

3/8/2022 08:30:42 am

Thanks. I am glad you like that question. Many new authors write similarly. The characters all sound the same. To be memorable they need to be different in the mind of the readers. Dialogue is one major way to differentiate between characters. Accents, vocabulary, slang are some of the major ways to make them distinctive.
That is good advice from Martin. He certainly uses it himself in GOT.
I can see how that would be difficult to write from that POV during that tumultuous time.
We are all emotional creatures, and that is a primary means of communication and connection, whether words are used or not. Being able to connect with a character on a page is essential and leads to good writing and reading. I find deep connections with many characters in books I read, regardless of genre. Therefore, I don't read certain genres because the connection can be too deep for me.
New questions.
Have you ever done NaNoWriMo?
If you have, what kind of preparation do you do before it starts?

J. D. Edwards link

3/8/2022 10:57:42 am

You're right, dialogue is a good way to make voices and personalities distinctive. One thing I like to do is make the characters so unique, the reader can tell who's talking without the use of dialogue tags. This is what separates books 1 & 2, from books 3 & 4 in the Faerie Chronicles. My writing style changed halfway through the series, as things tend to do after 15 years. The writing style I developed with The Priestess of Faerie, was incorporated into The Phantom Seer and Indomitable.

As for NanoWriMo, yes I have done that once with The Priestess of Faerie. It was an 83k word book and I completed 69k during the NaNoWriMo period. While I wasn't able to complete the book, I made huge strides. If not for my ADHD distracting me, I would have completed it, I'm sure.

To prepare for it, I created a loose outline of plot points I wanted to hit and made sure there were at least 30 plot points. I knew I wouldn't use them all, but it was good to mix them around if needed. Those who have read the book might wonder why the characters travel around the US so much... that was me connecting one plot point to another. I used the same technique in Indomitable for the issues Eliza dealt with prior to her escape and the troubles she experienced along the way. I use Microsoft One Note to track these things and keep everything organized, so I don't miss out on a good idea or plot point. It also helps with continuity and filling in plot holes.

Mark

3/8/2022 11:38:43 am

Many writers do the same thing. They use NaNoWriMo to jumpstart a novel they want to write. 69k words is a winner in any case! Congratulations.
Using plot points like that is a good idea. Many authors shuffle plot points around as needed for the benefit of the story.
I think travel is an excellent way to make those connections. It makes the story more believable. We have to travel from one point to another also.
I don't think you are the first author to mention MS One Note. I have it on my laptop, but I have never looked at it. It must be a database. Quite a few writers use a Google product for keeping track of those details.
It is important to maintain continuity and avoid holes in the plot.
New questions.
Are you an under-writer or an over-writer? When the first draft is done, do you need to add more to it to flesh it out or do you have to cut material because there is too much?

J. D. Edwards link

3/8/2022 12:05:38 pm

I feel the same way, Mark. Writing 69k words in a month is a great achievement. I never used One Note either until my boss explained how to use it. Basically, its like a notebook within a notebook. You can add a tab for each section and then notes along the side.

For example, with Indomitable, I had several tabs: Calendar, Path of UGRR, Outline, Biographies, UGRR Operators, etc. Under Calendar, I had a note for each month, so I could follow along with Eliza's journey to make sure I didn't miss a day, learn which days were Sunday, holidays, nights when were was a New Moon or a Full Moon, etc. On the Biographies tab, I created a note for each of the characters, their personalities, their motivations, their backgrounds, etc. I had a total of 17 tabs with multiple notes under each tab. I even had a tab for Alexander Huggins' horses and the names of each and who rode them, their color and their personalities. I left most of that out of the story, but it helped me develop the plot and character. If it ever becomes a movie, this will be invaluable to a director.

I'd say I'm an over-writer, but not by much. I've refined my writing process so much, after editing, I cut out no more than 3k, so I try to write at least 85k, knowing there will be some cuts along the way. It's better to write too much, while staying within your target area (for me 80k - 100k words) than to fall short and have to make something up just to fill the pages. Readers can tell when you add fluff just to increase the page count.

Mark

3/8/2022 12:35:36 pm

One Note sounds very useful. That is a wonderful amount of detail. It also sounds like Scrivener. It is a writing and organizing tool. It is very popular with many writers, but I have heard it has a steep learning curve.
As you write many books your writing should naturally improve. The first book is such a learning experience. Some hardcore editors will take an author's first book, throw it in the trash and say, "That was a good learning experience. Now, go write a really good book."
New questions.
Are you talking about sentences, paragraphs or a chapter that didn't survive the final cut?
Do you save the parts that didn't make it into the final version?
Did you cut mostly descriptions, action, dialogue or whole chapters?

J. D. Edwards link

3/8/2022 12:55:06 pm

Great questions, Mark! Yes, One Note has less of a learning curve than Scrivner. It's like using Notepad, but being able to organize your notepads into one portfolio.

When I cut, it really depends on the book. I cut so much out of Brander, but kept the portions in One Note and was able to incorporate them later when I created the Faerie Chronicles and re-wrote it as The Scions of Faerie. The Soul Stones of Faerie and The Half-Blood of Faerie was originally one book called Pangari. I used 3rd person rotated POV, like in Rick Riordan's Heroes of Olympus series, but the book was 150k words. I was told that was too long for a YA novel. I said, "The Deathly Hallows was longer" and I was told, "You're not J. K. Rowling." So I had to split out all the POVs and make two books out of it. The problem is, both books are 83k words, so doing the math, I needed to add 16k more words to The Half-Blood of Faerie. This meant, a new ending. By extending the ending, I was able to advance the plot, but I told that 16k from the beginning of The Priestess of Faerie, which was called Swansa at that time. So when I finally sat down to write The Priestess of Faerie for NaNoWriMo, I had to start from scratch because all of my material had gone into the creation of Half-Blood. When I edited Indomitable, it was only sentences or certain words that were cut or changed. Nothing major, although I rewrote the first chapter several times until I got the POV correct. The start of a book is always the hardest for me because it sets the tone for the entire novel. When I cut, I cut what I feel may be overexplained, duplicated or not relevant to the story. Some call it fluff or "telling" but the cutting all depends on the story itself.

Mark

3/8/2022 05:13:39 pm

"You're not J. K. Rowling, you're not Steven King, you're not ..." I imagine a lot of authors have heard those words or something equally devastating.
Everyone forgets the approximately 100 rejections she endured for her Harry Potter book.
New questions.
Have you ever used yourself or other acquaintances as a starting point for a character in a story? Would they recognize you or themselves in the story?

J. D. Edwards link

3/8/2022 05:35:42 pm

You're right. Both Rowling and King got picked up after many rejections and both had books picked up that wouldn't have been picked up today.

It's funny you should ask about characters. I started out designing Ian Prescott after myself. I used ADHD as his flaw, which includes impulsivity, rash behavior, quick anger, and lack of tact. I patterned Drew Prescott after my cousin, David, and included his rational, calm, steady and diplomatic personality. The way the two interact is based on how we interacted as children.

Those who know me well recognize my personality in Ian. One member of the writing community on Twitter didn't like the book because Ian was annoying. Little did she know that when she was insulting my character, she was actually insulting me. I found that humorous.

Mark

3/9/2022 07:24:41 am

Ian was a well-written character if that reader was annoyed. I share many of Ian's characteristics. I love how you put those two characters together.
Creating realistic characters is not easy. I think many beginning writers use parts of those around them to build their characters in the story. A lot of people are flattered to be featured in a book. I gave permission to an author to create a character based on me. My character seemed like a nice person, at first. Near the end it was revealed that I was helping a thief. The thief killed me when I tried to stop a murderous plot. It was fun for me.
It is not fun for everyone. I heard of one writer's family member who objected to something the character did in the story. That family member quit talking to the author.
New questions.
If you used a close friend or family member in a book, would you tell them or make sure that they wouldn't recognize themselves in the story?
What do you do to flesh out the characters for your stories?

J. D. Edwards link

3/9/2022 08:23:34 am

I think many people would be honored and excited to be used as a character in a book. I know I would be. In The Priestess of Faerie, I put out a call for characters and several responded with interest in being a "good" or "bad" character. I promised not to kill any of the characters, though.

I would let them see if they could pick themselves out in the book first. So far, my cousin David hasn't mentioned anything about Drew, so either he hasn't read my books (shame on you Dave) or he hasn't recognized himself yet, in which case... Surprise Dave!

In Indomitable , the only characters I designed after people I knew were the two patter rollers based off people who annoyed me. I've blocked them on Facebook, so unless they happen to read this interview and the book and then recognize themselves, they'll never know. I really don't believe they'll ever figure it out. Only one person in the world knows who I designed them after and she dislikes them more than I do, so my secret is safe.

I flesh out characters by going into AD&D mode. When I played Advanced Dungeons and Dragons in my youth, I had to make a character sheet. Every character had a personality with strengths and weaknesses. They also each had something in their personality that drove their decisions. George R. R. Martin this a phenomenal job with this on characters who lived long enough to be fleshed out. I believe one of the best-written characters was Lord Varys, or "The Spider." He was what we'd call a Chaotic Neutral. His goal was the safety of the people at King's Landing, so he would serve any leader or do any task that furthered that aim. You could predict how he would respond to a situation based on how it affected the people. I loved that and I do something similar with my characters, based on Martin's early advice on Brander back in 2004/5.

Mark

3/9/2022 09:08:17 am

Volunteering to be a character in a book, good or bad, would be fun for the volunteers and the writer. I like the idea of letting them guess which character was theirs.
The patter rollers were awful people. The kind you love to hate.
Developing characters for DND is just as important as for a book. They need individuality and defining characteristics. One of my clients, Rick Hall, has developed a free tool for authors to assist in that endeavor, here is a copy-and-paste link https://www.wordrefiner.com/guest-blogs/character-creation or you can search his name in the box below because he made a guest blog about it. I have been told it is very useful.
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?

J. D. Edwards link

3/9/2022 09:33:40 am

Thanks for the link to Rick Hall's blog. I'll check it out!

Man, that's a tough question. I think each has their own enjoyment to write. For the protagonist, I enjoy watching the character grow as the story unfolds. In Indomitable, you find Eliza who has a fiery spirit, but knows she needs to keep it in check or be punished. By the end of the book, she's rescuing her rescuer and guiding the course of her own destiny. I love her growth. The biggest antagonist in Indomitable has to be Reason Downing, who is like Captain Ahab hunting his whale. He has an irrational desire to claim his "property" and there are no redeeming qualities about him, except at the beginning of the story. His growth is opposite of Eliza's. While he was kind and gentle in the opening chapter, poisonous words and the greed for power and money corrupt his soul and continue to corrupt him until he's banging on a minister's door, threatening to murder a man of God.

I can't think of anything I hate about Eliza or love about Reason.

Mark

3/9/2022 10:38:24 am

Character growth, whether positive or negative is good in a story. Readers want to see that. Reason's slide into evil is well illustrated and, in his mind, fully justified. You portrayed that well also because every antagonist would be the hero in the story if they were telling it. Point of view makes all the difference.
I hope you find Rick's website useful.
New questions.
Which is more important to a story pace or flow? How do you control it?
What is your writing routine when you sit down to write?

J. D. Edwards link

3/9/2022 11:23:58 am

Absolutely! Both the antagonist and protagonist need a reason for their actions, from their point of view.

I believe pace and flow work hand in hand. One of the areas of Indomitable where I struggled was Eliza's moving from station to station. In her scenario, I had a flow I needed to follow for historical accuracy, but I had to keep the pace quick and interesting to avoid boring the reader. If you read 100 pages of Eliza went to Station A in a cart, met the station keeper and went to Station B in a cart and then met the station keeper and then went to Station C in a cart... That is boring and redundant. Even if historically accurate, it would bore the reader to tears. In OneNote, I created a list of each station, listing it's station keeper, the miles between the stations, Eliza's method of arrival and trouble encountered along the way. Readers complained about over-explaining, and I tried to limit that to improve the flow, but again, it would be historically accurate that each new person would want to know her story. Obviously she told it many times over for her story to be repeated by so many different operators.

When I sit down to write, I put in headphones and play relaxing instrumental music. If I reach a point where I need inspiration, I change up the music. When writing The Faerie Chronicles, I listened to Celtic music and when writing battle scenes, I listened to the soundtrack to Lord of the Rings. Music has a huge impact on how the story evolves.

Mark

3/9/2022 12:11:15 pm

I noticed that she explained her journey to all of the station operators along the way. I thought it odd at first, then realized that each would be curious about her journey so they could see themselves as a part of it. It's only human nature and worked well in that context.
A lot of authors use music for those reasons. I have seen a few include a playlist of music they listened to for their book. One writer had a playlist for major characters and critical scenes.
New questions.
You have already stated that you are a plotter.
Do you always write in a straight line, following each plot point or do you write whatever the muse provides for you at a given moment?
Did your writing process change much from your early books to your current book, or did it stay the same?

J. D. Edwards link

3/9/2022 01:41:37 pm

Great question! I consider myself more of a “planster.” In writing Indomitable, I had to plot more of the story because I needed to maintain historical accuracy, but once Eliza reached Fort Wayne, the trail of historical documentation ended. At that point, I became a fantasy writer again and had to connect Fort Wayne to Amherstburg and Canada. Everything about her journey to Canada, including the Wyandot tribe, the fortifications, the dangers, Turtle Island, the nor’easter, and the stories about the War of 1812, is historically accurate, but there’s no proof Eliza ever experienced these events.

When I normally write a story, I create a list of plot points during a brainstorming exercise and then arrange them in a halfway orderly progression. I have a defined beginning and a defined end, although the ending is always different than what I planned originally. My goal in writing a story is to let the story grow in the telling, as Tolkien would say. I try to hit as many plot points as possible to make the story interesting and draw the reader into the narrative. So while I may add plot points at the beginning, some plot points never make it into the story, while others are added along the way.

Yes, I always write in a straight line, but sections are often cut out of that line and put at different areas of the story during the editing process. Having the plot points defined earlier allows me to write in this fashion. Sometimes, I will get an idea for a section in the story and document it in the OneNote program. I am currently writing a novella for an anthology, where I defined the ending first. Now I am writing this story two meet the ending and am hitting 12 plot points along the way. Some plot points I eliminated while others I combined. I try to let the story build on itself and carry me along with it because if the story is carrying me along, it will carry the reader along also.

My writing process has changed since I started writing the Scions of Faerie nearly 20 years ago. At that time, I was reading an essay by Tolkien, “On Fairy Stories,” where he quoted Andrew Lang as saying, “He who would enter into the Kingdom of fairy must have the heart of a little child.” from the single sentence I wrote the first five chapters. Today, my writing process is much more refined, allowing for fewer massive rewrites when I go through the editing process.

Mark

3/9/2022 02:50:51 pm

Planster is a new one for me. But I understand it to mean you are a hybrid of plotter and pantster. Even though many writers declare to be one or the other I suspect most use whatever works the best for them.
I haven't mentioned this in a while. One of my Guest bloggers, Rick Hall, who I mentioned once already, wrote an excellent piece about non-linear writing. I think it's especially helpful for new writers. Here is the copy-and-paste link: http://www.wordrefiner.com/guest-blogs/non-linear-writing
The story beyond Fort Wayne was just as rich and intricate as the preceding material. Quite enjoyable.
Settling into your writing style niche makes it easier in the long run. Switching genres doesn't make much of difference in how you write.
New questions.
Now that your book is published, is there anything about it you would like to change?
What else are you writing these days?

J. D. Edwards link

3/9/2022 03:28:25 pm

Thanks, Mark. Rick Hall seems to have some good advice. I'll check it out. I'm glad you found the Maumee River Trail section rich in detail. I enjoyed writing that section. In fact, it was the section I enjoyed writing most because I was only constrained by history, not history and Eliza's documented trail.

Now that Indomitable is published, I would change one part based on feedback. I don't want to spoil the ending, but in the epilogue, I wouldn't have any money exchange hands. I think that might have been a bit too over the top. Three years after the Civil War, they wouldn't have had much money because the Confederate banking system was dissolved. Everything they owned was tied up in their cotton plantation and by 1870, they'd sold the plantation and moved to Washington, Kentucky (a city outside Maysville).

Currently, I'm writing a horror novella for a Halloween anthology. The working title is A Samhain Night's Scream. It takes place in Pluckley, England and is based on a true story. It has to be between 15k and 20k words. I'm at 11k right now, so I'm entering the final stretch. Once that's done, I plan to re-edit The Scions of Faerie and The Soul-Stones of Faerie to match my current writing style and create a more fluid transition between the books. I have something else I'm working on, but it's super secret. I'll be revealing it later, after the contract has been signed. Stay tuned for that news!

Mark

3/9/2022 04:26:38 pm

Creativity freely flowed in the river section of the book. Personally, I have always enjoyed reading about Native American habits and mores. Their lifestyles have fascinated me since I was a boy. Then, I imagined living off the land in harmony with nature.
The money thing is somewhat significant, but it doesn't affect the story very much. I do understand your desire to have it accurate though.
Secret projects are exciting and stimulate a lot of interest. I will be looking for that in the future.
New questions.
What do you do to launch a new book when it is first published?
Have you ever participated in a book blog tour, why or why not?

J. D. Edwards link

3/9/2022 04:42:28 pm

That's an interesting question. This is the first time I've launched a new book through a publisher. Prior to this it's been word of mouth and shouting it from the rooftops on Twitter until people mute me. With Indomitable, as soon as Editingle picked it up, I began talking it up in my community, on Twitter, on Facebook groups and my social media accounts. Several weeks before the launch, we did a cover reveal and then a countdown launch. Once it was live, I went back to those same groups and talked it up again and started doing more interviews, like this one. I'm going to continue talking it up for the rest of the year, while plugging my other books when time allows.

I can't say I've ever been a part of a book blog tour. I didn't even know that was a thing, but I wouldn't be opposed to participating in one.

Mark

3/9/2022 05:38:29 pm

You are making good moves to promote your book. Though there are other promotional opportunities that you might be missing because of your work schedule. One of the things you can do is work the local-author angle. If you can get physical copies of your book you can seek to place them in places where tourists frequent. Restaurants, attractions, museums, gift shops and more. It would be good to have a few countertop holders for these locations. Have a full-size picture of your book in the holder, include a website where the books can be purchased at retail. On the back have reordering information for the establishment. Some might buy them at a discount off the cover price, others might do consignment only. You might be able to get this book into the college bookstores also. Don't forget libraries and independent bookstores.
Another avenue to pursue is local newspapers, TV and radio stations, also cable access. They are usually looking for broadcast material. There might be broadcast technology classes or clubs at the college and high school level.
Some fraternal and service organizations such as Rotary welcome guest speakers. There are also book clubs that enjoy bringing an author in.
Always have books in the trunk of your car if you drive or carry a briefcase full of books.
There are more opportunities than I have mentioned here also. I think you get the idea.
I recommend to authors to set aside at least an hour of writing time for promotion every week or two. Promotion and marketing are an ultra-marathon, not a sprint.
From what I understand, a book blog tour involves a number of bloggers who each feature the same book on a different day and the author appears to drop into the blog and they have a chat. Sometimes the questions have been mailed to the author in advance and the answers returned to the blogger. So, the author isn't really there. I could have one or more of the details wrong. Some promoters specialize in that type of tour. I have a list of promoters on my Twitter page and my backup Twitter page.
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?
I know there are many ways to build the outline. Do you do it all on the computer or do you get analog in the beginning, perhaps with sticky notes or note cards?

J. D. Edwards link

3/9/2022 07:52:25 pm

Those are all great ideas, Mark. I'll start working on ways to implement them.

To answer your question, Yes. All the time. Like I said earlier, the ending is never what I imagined. When I wrote the Priestess of Faerie, I never intended to write and epilogue but when I did, it flowed naturally and tied up all the loose ends. Then I wrote a flash fiction piece for a writing contest called The Soul Reaper. It was a 1500 word piece that took place a few months after The Priestess of Faerie. I never intended to merge them, but after my rewrites on the first two books, I plan to create a new Faerie series called, The Dark Realms of Faerie, to explore the Celtic Underworld, Uffern. I had already planned how I wanted to start it when I zoned out while driving and realized I could use The Soul Reaper to bridge the gap between The Priestess of Faerie and The Underworld of Faerie. It fit so perfectly, I can't believe I never considered it before. Unfortunately, I missed my exit by two miles, but it's all good because the story just wrote itself in my mind. Now I just have to put it on paper. Indomitable, too, had a different ending originally, but I like the current ending much better. I changed the ending as I was writing it, in fact.

I wouldn't say I build an outline. That's too rigid for me. I prefer OneNote and a loose collection of 30 or more plot points put in a reasonable order and then move their order around, replace them, or cut them entirely, based on the flow of the story as I'm writing it. I really do try to let the story write itself. When I force it, the story is garbage. My inspiration is much more creative than my imagination. I've already cut 4 plot points out of my anthology novella. It happens. I also know that in the end, it will make the story stronger and flow really well.

Mark

3/10/2022 08:37:23 am

I hope those ideas will be useful for you.
Marketing and promoting a book are harder for some writers than others. Some feel marketing is far more difficult than actually writing the book. After all, writing is a solitary experience for at least the first draft. Promoting is a topic of much discussion in the writing community regardless of genre.
If you use the search box below to look up marketing and promoting, you will find at least two guest blogs and many links to great blogs elsewhere.
Discovering the bridge between the two series is a great story. The muse is not always so kind. One of my clients wishes her muse lived in a closer time zone because the author is regularly woken up at about 2:30 in the morning nearly every night. She keeps a notepad and pen close to her bed. Another client received her best ideas when she was in the shower. I recommended she get a Space pen and a notepad with waterproof paper. That helped her to preserve great ideas.
It seems that the muse pays a visit when our brains are not engaged in writing more often. For a writer struggling to connect I recommend engaging in a simple, favorite activity. Things like vacuuming, gardening, ironing, walking or riding a bicycle, things that allow the mind to rest from high-level activity allow room to hear from the muse. Alternatively, when struggling with a writing block at a particular point in a story, skipping that point and writing an easier section can be useful. Writing about why the block is there, writing in a different project or just free writing, any and all of these could prove useful to work through the block.
Your organizational method works quite well. There are many ways to approach it. I do think some organization is better than none and saves excessive rewriting that many pantsters experience.
New questions.

Mark

3/10/2022 09:00:28 am

Here are the 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?

J. D. Edwards link

3/10/2022 09:29:14 am

You're absolutely right. My best ideas come when I'm distracted. In fact, just this morning I solved a plot point while driving my son to school. It came in the form of a poetic riddle.

I believe narration is the easiest to write. Anyone can tell the story. it's the action that makes the story exciting and the dialogue which "shows" the story and draws the reader in. I am horrible at writing fight scenes, but I'm best at writing dialogue. I imagine it happening in my mind or on TV.

When I write the senses, I refuse to use the word for that sense, or any variation of it. I won't say, [He touched her face.] I'd say, [He ran a long finger down her cheek.] I wouldn't say, [He hated the smell of durian.] I'd say, [The durian's pungent odor assaulted his nostrils.] I don't believe one sense is easier or harder to write than the other. It's all in how you frame your characters to respond to it that draws the reader in and paints a picture in their mind.

Mark

3/10/2022 10:32:13 am

You are right. Narration is the go-to method to deliver a story, especially new writers. In certain genres, such as hard science fiction that can lead to an info dump. Some topics require a lot of research, and it can be hard for a new writer to resist sharing most or all of the exciting things they found out about. That can lead to really slowing the pace of the story. If it continues long some readers will close the book and read something else. It is prudent for an author to share only as much information as needed to move the story forward at that point.
Dialogue, especially when combined with action beats instead of dialogue tags can move the story forward quite well.
You are not the only writer to struggle with fight scenes. Short sentences are best for conveying the sense of fast action and not stretching it out for every detail is a helpful balance also. Some things are best left to the readers' imaginations, this binds them closer to the story because they are filling in the blanks with what they know.
I like how you work with sensory experiences. I think that is genius and fulfills the 'show, don't tell' dictate.
New questions.
Have you ever done any theater, written a play or any screenwriting?
We have touched on marketing a little bit already. Have you bought any advertising on Amazon, Facebook or other platforms?

J. D. Edwards link

3/10/2022 12:11:56 pm

You're right. Narration can lead to data dumps but is a go-to method for many novice authors. In fact, that's how Brander started out. I would have rejected me too, knowing what I know now. I agree about keeping shorter battle scenes and allowing the reader to use their imagination. I'm glad you like the sensory examples I give. It's part of my 12-step editing process, including the removal of dialogue tags.

Yes, I have done theatre. I played Snug the Joiner, a minor role, in A Midsummer Night's Dream, when I was in college. I haven't done any screenwriting before but will delve into that area sometime next month probably. As for paid marketing, I have paid for advertising on Facebook and other platforms. I am judicious in what I choose to avoid being schnookered.

Mark

3/10/2022 01:51:21 pm

Dialogue tags are plentiful. Especially the 'he said/she said' variety. They are ubiquitous and are nearly invisible which works to the reader's advantage. When a writer feels the need to use creativity to, in their mind, decrease the boredom factor many start substituting other words for our friend 'said'. A little of that goes a long way for me. When the use of those words explodes it really detracts from the story. My inner proofreader is triggered, and I am on high alert for misspellings and misuse. I get annoyed when I am really enjoying the story. The spell the author has woven is busted.
Were any of those ad campaigns successful for you? I have heard mixed reports from different authors.
New questions.
What kind of marketing has worked the best and the least for you for this book?
Speaking of marketing, why did you pick me to help promote your book?

J. D. Edwards link

3/10/2022 02:08:53 pm

I've heard that dialogue tags of "he said/she said" are invisible to the reader and maybe they are when reading the book, but when listening to the book as an audio book, they jump out at me. I can't listen to Michael Crichton, God rest his soul, on audio book. It's all I hear and I lose the plot. His writing is the worst I seen with those dialogue tags. That's why I remove them completely.

To be honest, the most successful marketing has been word of mouth and flooding social media with posts about my books. When I say flooding, though, I don't mean spamming the book to via DM to new followers or posting about my book on threads where people aren't asking for suggestions or doing a writer lift for that purpose. No, I block people like that. When I flooding, I mean using all available promotional materials free or paid to get your book out in front of readers. This includes writer lifts, interviews, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc. Posting about Indomitable in Facebook groups dedicated to the area of Ohio she escaped to was quite beneficial because you know those in that group are already interested in the history of that location, so you have a much more fertile field to cultivate. I would say that type of marketing works best for me.

What works least is being annoying with my posts about the book. I need to interact, I need to give back to the community, I need to help others. It can't just be about me and my book. When I turn the focus on myself, it comes off as self-serving and turns people off. When I interact, have fun and lift others up, they are more inclined to lift me up with them. I don't require this, though, or hope for reciprocation. I interact and lift others because it's the decent thing to do and as humans, I believe we all want to do the decent thing. In the end, my success or failure will be dependent on God's blessing in my life and how much or little I honor Him with my actions. God lifts up the meek and brings low the proud.

I chose you because I've gotten to know you over the past 7 years and you're a friendly, helpful guy. As I said earlier, I like to lift people up whenever and wherever I can. I don't shout about it or bring attention to it. I just do my part and I see you doing the same thing. I'd never been a part of your process and wanted to experience it first-hand. I'm glad you chose to have me.

Mark

3/10/2022 03:26:28 pm

I avoid audio books because they are so slow. The only way I can listen is to increase the playback speed to 1.4 or 1.5 times the normal playback speed. I have trained myself to be able to read almost anywhere at any time. I have learned to block out background noise of all types, much to my wife's consternation. (I have retrained my ear for her voice.) At normal speed the audiobook fades into the background within the first page.
I can see where a ton of saids would get in the way of listening pleasure.
I think your social media posting methods are great. Joining conversations when you have something to offer is very natural. When I started on Twitter, I made a lot of mistakes and was very focused on my goals, not helping others. I was blocked quite a bit and deserved it most of the time. Like you, I try to being something to the table. I regret that I cannot spend more time on social media. Proofreading and promoting cause me to limit that activity.
Thank you for that. I like to lift others also.
New questions.
How do you know when a book is complete, and you should stop working on it?
How long did it take you to write the first draft?

J. D. Edwards link

3/10/2022 04:24:09 pm

You're not alone. I think we all make that mistake when we first get on social media. We're excited and want to share that excitement with the world, but when we're focused on only on lifting ourselves up, we fail to lift up the community and are abandoned by that community.

I know a book is complete when I've wrapped up all the loose ends and I'm happy with the ending. If writing a series, I leave the book on a cliff-hanger, so the reader wants more. When my son finished reading The Half-Blood of Faerie, he stomps through his room, throws open his door and yells, "You need to finish the 4th book NOW!"

For the Scions of Faerie, it took me 3 years to write my first draft. Then I spent another year on the 2nd rewrite and 6 months on the 3rd rewrite. This 4th rewrite, I'm hoping to knock out in a month or two. We'll see. For Indomitable, it took me 18 months to write, but that's with taking a sanity break for 6 months during the George Floyd murder coverage on TV. I wasn't in a good headspace to write at that point. I aim to write 83k to 85 for a standard book. I also try to keep my chapters between 10 to 15 pages, so I have a good idea of where I'm at and when I need to start wrapping it up.

Mark

3/10/2022 06:24:15 pm

The ending is almost as important as the first chapter or so. Moreso if it is a series.
Some pantsters have told me they didn't know what the ending was going to be when they start writing. That seems like an invitation for a poor outcome.
Your son is great! I have no doubt he was echoing many other fans. The George Floyd trial was a difficult time for many people. There was much social unrest during that time. That kind of environment is not conducive for connecting with a muse.
New questions.
Going back in time, did you do any kind of creative writing, even back in grade school?
How early was it that you realized how powerful words can be?

J. D. Edwards link

3/10/2022 11:29:23 pm

Great question! As a child, my creative writing was only in my mind. I built vast cities in sand, sticks, rocks, or whatever I had available. I used action figures, Smurfs and matchbox cars to act out my imaginary stories. Each figure had a name, personality, distinct voice and backstory. It wasn't until my senior year of high school that I wrote my first short story, The Quest for Truth, and last year turned it into the novella, The Phantom Seer.

I learned how powerful words could be when I wrote my first love letter to a girl in 1st grade. She was moving away and I wanted her to know I liked her before she left.

Mark

3/11/2022 08:13:41 am

I recall playing like that also as a little boy. Though, I do not recall creating back stories and such like that. I might have but I simply don't remember.
I remember my first crush in the second grade. I was the one who moved away.
New questions.
A lot of new authors struggle with finding beta readers. Because, after the first draft is done, fresh eyes and feedback become very important.
Do you have alpha-readers and/or beta-readers to help you smooth out a lot of wrinkles before publishing? If you don’t, why?
If you do, how did you find them?

J. D. Edwards link

3/11/2022 01:12:21 pm

It seems like we have some shared experiences there. It's funny how little things in our childhood shapes us.

For alpha readers, that needs to be someone you trust implicitly. For me, that's my wife. She will not only find errors, like you do, but she tells me if certain areas don't work. Most of all, she provides honest feedback. For beta readers, I find them online, either on Facebook or Twitter. I've never had trouble finding beta readers.

Mark

3/11/2022 02:23:26 pm

Many authors rely upon a spouse or family member as an alpha reader. Yes, trust must be complete and unconditional for a good alpha reader.
Beta readers are very important also. It's best if at least half of them are familiar with the genre. I think it's necessary that they read a lot in general.
You are for blessed with being able to find beta readers easily. Many authors struggle with that. I provide a list of beta readers on the Twitter page of my main account and my backup account.
I call myself the omega reader, I serve writers best as the last reader after all the editing and rewriting is done. End of shameless, self-promotional plug. ;-)
New questions.
Your wife probably reads your first or second draft.
At what stage in your writing process do you bring in the readers?
Do you give them an e-version like a PDF or a hard copy you printed?

J. D. Edwards link

3/11/2022 02:35:16 pm

Yes, God bless her, my wife reads all of my revisions. I can't believe she waded through so many drafts of The Scions of Faerie before it was published in it's current form. Since that time, I've developed a 12-step editing process, which answers your question about when my wife reads it and when beta readers read it. I'll post it below.

This is my editing process. It can take up to 6 months, so be patient.

1) Grammarly / Spell checker
2) Deep Dive Edit
3) Remove adverbs
4) Remove filler words
5) Grammarly Premium
6) Listen to audio of book
7) Grammarly Premium
8) WordRake or Pro Writing Aid
9) Alpha Reader
10) Grammarly Premium
11) Listen to audio again
12) Beta Readers

As you can see, the Alpha Reader isn't brought in until step #9, 75% through the process. The Beta Reader is the last step. So many authors who ask me to beta read send me their rough draft and haven't even completed step #1. This is why agents only ask for first chapter or first 3 pages. They can tell in the opening pages if you've taken the time to edit your work before querying it. Too many authors just from step #1, to #12, to query. Some skip beta readers entirely.

Authors: You do yourself and your reputation a disservice by rushing the process. Publishing a book is a marathon, not a sprint. I know you want to see your words in print; we all do. But rushing the process can damage your reputation in ways you can't possibly imagine right now. Trust me... Take your time. Follow the process. When you present your work, present your best work. This is the best advice I can give any author.

Mark

3/11/2022 03:49:53 pm

That is a good process. Is step 13 outside editing or publishing?
You are right. A great book is not written. It is rewritten and edited several times. As another famous author once said, easy reading is really hard writing.
In the early days of self-publishing, e-books were quite the novelty and people were buying the e-readers and lots of e-books. Some writers jumped on the bandwagon pumping out e-books as fast as they could. Some of them made a lot of money. Lots of first drafts. With such rough reading a lot of the early adopters decided to never read an e-book again.
Agents can discern quickly whether a manuscript is worth a big read, a full read or not. Good writing is necessary to even get a second look. Agents don't have time to waste reading mediocre writing.
New questions.
Continuing with beta readers.
What kind of questions did you ask them to get the feedback you wanted?
Will you seek out new beta readers or work with the same ones as before?

J. D. Edwards link

3/11/2022 04:43:39 pm

Step 13 is querying or paid editing and then querying. For Indomitable, step 13 was sensitivity readers. As a White author writing about a Black woman's life, I wanted to make sure I was being sensitive to the Black community while maintaining historical accuracy.

To be honest, I only ask the beta reader what they liked and disliked about the story and how they feel it could be improved. When I seek out beta readers, I mix it up and include old beta readers and new ones. Some promise to read it and never get back to me. I never reach out to them for help again.

Mark

3/11/2022 07:58:08 pm

The sensitivity reading was probably a good idea. Did you change much based on the feedback?
Many authors don't ask specific questions. They just want to hear what the beta thought. Quite a few have mentioned the frustration of not getting any feedback from a few betas, so you have company there also.
New questions.
Do you reward the alpha/beta readers in any way particular?

Do you have other writers you connect with, as in a critique group or support group?

J. D. Edwards link

3/11/2022 08:16:17 pm

Yes, the sensitivity readers found many issues that I needed to correct and I'm glad I took the time to make it the 13th step. I haven't been in a financial position to offer any rewards to alpha or beta readers, but I help promote their own work and am willing to beta read for them when the opportunity comes around for them. I don't really have a critique or support group outside of Twitter's Writing Community.

Mark

3/12/2022 07:59:31 am

That sensitivity reading proved quite worthwhile.
Returning the favor of beta reading is good, especially if most of your betas are writers also.
Critique groups can be good and bad. Thats true for any group of people that gather together for a stated purpose, though. Many authors have been in a critique group for years. Some meet annually or bi-annually, other meet monthly. Some for a couple of hours others for a long weekend retreat.
New questions.
What is the most important thing you learned from publishing your latest book?
What are three things, that you wish you knew before you wrote your first book?

J. D. Edwards link

3/12/2022 01:50:22 pm

Great questions! The most important thing I learned form publishing my latest book is patience. I'm not a naturally patient person, but publication takes time if you want it done right.

I've got at least 3 things I wish I knew before I wrote my first book, but my top 3 would be these:
1) Don't rush into publishing. Take your time to edit the book properly.

2) Typing "The End" isn't the end of the writing process, it's only the end of your first draft.

3) Don't be defensive. Listen to feedback and make changes where appropriate.

Mark

3/12/2022 02:53:01 pm

Those are great points. Many authors have echoed very similar thoughts.
Patience and good editing are probably the top two. Good editing does not mean only multiple passes through a spellchecker and a grammar checker. It also means hiring a good editor or learning to self-edit.
Our brains try to show us what we want to see. That is why there are spelling errors and other errors in nearly every book published. Fresh eyes are critical. Putting the manuscript away for several months will be a big help in self-editing. Barring that, change as many things about the manuscript as you can, like font style, font color and size. Print it out with the modifications and read it aloud from the back, one paragraph at a time. Many an author has been shocked by what they found to correct.
Enough of my secrets, let's get back to yours. ;-)
New questions.
Do you have a hero, real or fictional?
What else can you tell us about the historical research you did? That was quite a treasure trove at Duke.

J. D. Edwards link

3/12/2022 05:48:51 pm

Great questions! One of my heroes is Col. George Edwards. I've studied his life and he was an amazing person. All the stories he told (aside from the Wyandots) was true and even the story about saving the Wyandot boy would have been within his character. He had a strong moral compass and loved his country enough to die for it, several times over. George was born in 1772 and near the close of the Revolution, he stayed with his father, Col. James Edwards and two older brothers, to care for their horses while they fought. It's the equivalent of a 10 or 11 year old fixing vehicles on the front lines in Ukraine today. Simply mind-blowing. He learned enough skills to join Daniel Boone in the Northwest Indian War in 1785, when he was only 13 years old. George was a Master Mason and served in the Ohio State Legislature for 12 years. When it came to the War of 1812, he put the lives of his men and horses ahead of his own career and was acquitted during a court martial to stand up for his principals. You don't see many people like that today.

That answer shows up a little bit of the research I did for Indomitable. I researched my family for over 30 years before writing that book and I researched Eliza for 10 of those years. Not only did I research Eliza's life, I researched the lives of everyone she came in contact with. I also research moon phases, weather patterns, laws and technology to ensure everything was historically accurate. Not many people would have sought out an almanac from from 1839 to determine the type of winter Ohio had, but I discovered they encountered a nor'easter, so I had to include that in the book too. Yes, discovering the 100 loose interview pages at Duke was a blessing, but it was just part of the mountain of research I had to sift through. Editingle will be producing a special hardback edition of Indomitable soon, which will include an appendix of facts vs fiction. I wrote an article for the Ohio Genealogical Society about the facts vs the fiction in Indomitable, and it included 122 footnotes. This appendix is twice as long as that article. I think the readers will be impressed by how much of this book is factual.

Mark

3/12/2022 06:59:07 pm

I have no doubt that you went above and beyond the call of duty for most historists. That attention to detail makes a lot of difference.
For me, as a reader, I love details and nuances as long as they support the story without overpowering it. Beware the dreaded info dump.
The deluxe edition sounds like it will be fun. Will it be illustrated? Wood cuts would be pretty, I think.
New questions.
What are some challenges to writing Historical Fiction?
What happens when your historical sources don’t agree?

Jeremy Edwards link

3/12/2022 07:50:18 pm

I'm not sure what will be included in the deluxe edition of Indomitable, aside from it being a hardcover and having a massive appendix filled with facts. We're still working on it.

The biggest challenge to writing Historical Fiction is being historically accurate. Some people play fast and loose with the facts and the story, while based on a historical figure, is more fiction than historical. Indomitable is more historical than it is fiction. The only places I used fiction is where I had to use logical assumptions to connect the historical facts. One such case is in the burning of Rev. Alexander Rankin's house in Fort Wayne. Did it happen? It's hard to tell because there's no documented evidence of it. What we do have is a brick house, built ca. 1840 with a foundation containing a false wall and tunnel. We also have a minister who had been in that house since 1830, using it as a hub on the Underground Railroad. So, what happened to the original house? How could a minister afford a brick house in those days? This is where the fiction comes in. By having the house burned down in 1839 to force Eliza out, we have a logical assumption that the house burned down, and the town rallied around him and donated funds to build a new house... a brick house that would not burn down as easily. That is how closely I weave historical facts into historical fiction in Indomitable. I wanted the story to be so seamless, readers would have trouble telling where facts ended and fiction began. There are many such areas like this in Indomitable.

The disagreement of historical sources was a huge problem in Indomitable. Many people wanted to lay their "claim to fame" as having helped Eliza, that some sources say she went from John Rankin, to a house in Cincinatti. Others say she came across the river in a boat with her husband and then went back for her 6 children while he escaped to freedom. Yet another said she and George escaped separately and met again in Greenfield, Ohio, but she went back to rescue her other 3 children. I bring these up in my article for the Ohio Genealogical Society and why I rejected them, but in a nutshell, I have several sources that agree. I also have two people that all accounts agree Eliza went to. I based Indomitable on the accounts of John Rankin and Levi Coffin, but the most credible was Eliza's personal account given by John Rankin Jr. who was sitting next to her when she gave her account. Anyone who stated that Eliza escaped with her husband, I discounted the story entirely. They must have helped another person escape and confused her with Eliza or they were lying through their teeth. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt that they were simply mistaken. Like with anything historical, you have primary sources and secondary sources. I consider the autobiographies of those we know for a fact helped Eliza to be a primary source.

Mark

3/13/2022 08:05:59 am

That is a good explanation about ferreting out historical fact and separating the chaff from the wheat. I love how you filled in the blanks about what likely happened. It rings true.
The fictional continuity you employed works quite well. I could not discern precisely where a known historical fact stopped and the fiction began.
New questions.
Other than measuring the value of your sources did you encounter any other controversies in the course of researching and writing your book?
What kind of Historical Fiction do you prefer to read?
Real persons or fictional persons in a historical setting?

J. D. Edwards link

3/13/2022 12:22:57 pm

Interesting question. I wouldn't say I've encountered any controversies yet but much of that is due to me leaving the controversial items out of the book. Some have taken issue with the ending as being unrealistic but that's because they haven't learned to forgive so they find it hard to believe others can as well.

When it comes to historical fiction, I prefer books about real people used in a fictional way.

Mark

3/13/2022 01:17:07 pm

You make a great point about forgiveness and human nature. Much of our culture, indeed all of human nature, is about the self. Looking out for number one, if it feels good do it, don't just get even get more, revenge is a dish best served cold, I am sure you can think of others.
We seldom learn something on our own. The most important lessons are learned from another person. Sometimes we aren't even aware of learning something when it is being modeled for us. Forgiveness is one of those things. It has many layers and is quite deep.
I think that stories about real people in their milieu need a different genre name, I think fictional history might be sufficient, as opposed to historical fiction which would cover everything else in that grand category.
New questions.
What is the most valuable piece of advice you have ever received from another writer?
You have published a number of books. You are writing more. Are you writing anything strictly for your own pleasure, not necessarily planning to publish it?

J. D. Edwards link

3/13/2022 04:52:32 pm

Wow, that's a tough question as I've received a lot of great advice over the years. I think the best advice, though, is George Martin's advice to "Never create a character you're unwilling to kill." He gave lots of other advice about changing up dialogue to fit the characters, making them flawed and expanding that flaw to dictate their actions in the story. He told me the reader needs to both identify with the character and care about the character. It's hard to care about a character with no flaws, who has the same personality as the other characters and who the reader knows will never die. In his mind, those characters are boring and it makes the story boring. Terry Brooks also stressed the difference between showing the story, not simply telling the story.

I'm always writing and it's always something that I plan to publish. I may not publish it right away, but I always write with the intent to someday publish.

Mark

3/13/2022 06:01:07 pm

That is good advice. It has been echoed by some other authors also. Actually, each bit there is quite good and helps to make for good writing. There should be no perfect characters just as there are no perfect people. We are all a mix of good and bad. Every main character and sidekicks should reflect that in some way.
Your fans will be happy to know that they won't miss anything, in that case.
Last questions.
Do you have an item or a routine you consider to be your writing lucky charm?
What is the biggest obstacle you face in writing?

J. D. Edwards link

3/14/2022 12:07:18 am

Actually, I don't believe in superstitions and lucky charms. I prefer to make my own luck, but I do have routines when I write. I always have music playing in the background and my OneNote open, so I can reference my material at a moment's notice. Usually, I'm writing in my recliner at night.

The biggest obstacle I face in writing is also my biggest benefit; my ADHD. This disorder is a blessing and a curse. On one hand, I'm very creative, imaginative and can block out all other commotion to hyper-focus on my writing. On the other hand, when I need to research something, I end up getting distracted easily and ending up on Twitter or watching YouTube videos before I realize I'm supposed to be researching something, but I forgot what it was, s I have to close the YouTube or Twitter and start writing again. That's when it hits me and I remember why I got on the internet in the first place. This is another reason I keep notes on OneNote. There's not as much distraction in OneNote as there is looking up websites for information all the time.

Mark

3/14/2022 03:05:48 pm

The harder I work the more luck I have. That is a little bit the same.
ADHD is double edged as you say. Perhaps That is why I am oblivious to the outside world when I am reading. That hyperfocus thing is real.
You are so right about YouTube. It is so easy to go down a black hole and lose minutes and hours of time.
Jeremy, you have been a fabulous guest on the Word Refiner channel. It has been quite interesting to learn about your creative process and your research.
I have another promotion starting tomorrow, so this one must end. I hope to have you here again and we can continue our conversation. Until then, keep on writing.

J. D. Edwards link

3/14/2022 04:05:34 pm

Thanks for having me on your channel and for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to me this last week. It was great learning from you also. I wish you all the best in your future endeavors and upcoming promotions.

Indomitable: The Story of Eliza Harris by J. D. Edwards

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