Project Threshold: Team Talise: Division 2 by Craig Crawford

11/5/2023

Multi-volume, horror-and-science-fiction author Craig Crawford introduces us to the second volume in his genre-mashup series, Project Threshold, “Team Talise: Division 2”:

Talise Randall leads Division-2, dropping in to protect us while trying to keep her own team safe. With minor psychic powers and learning from Kali who’s even more powerful, Bodi and Milla complete their ranks. Team Talise goes head to head with an unstoppable entity, an otherworldly jealous boyfriend, a haunted museum, a Victorian home with much more than a ghost, and her team discovers what happens to all those lost socks from people’s dryers.

These short stories are like the best parts of a novel! Without the intervening scenes and setups, we get to enjoy the good stuff immediately!
The author has a real knack for description, the pictures in my mind form effortlessly. He has a good balance between prose, action and dialogue.
I can't say a lot more without giving away spoilers. The first story was downright scary. The second story was scarier! You get the idea. All of the stories are scary.
Don’t get me wrong, the author has woven in some funny bits also and I dearly love to laugh and chuckle.

Team Talise gets 4.9 stars from me!

You can buy this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Project-Threshold-Team-Talise-Division-2
https://www.goodreads.com/-project-threshold-team-talise
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/project-threshold-team-talise
https://www.thriftbooks.com/project-threshold-team-talise-division-2

You can connect with the author:
https://twitter.com/CRAIGLCrawford
https://www.facebook.com/CraigLCrawfordWriter
https://craiglcrawfordbooks.com
https://projectthreshold.com

I reviewed the first book in this series here: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/p-t-team-berger
I reviewed the third book in the series here:
www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/team-riker-by-craig-crawford
I reviewed the fourth book in the series here:
www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/project-threshold-finale
I have reviewed the fifth book in the Project Threshold series, Season Two: "Team Berger": www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/p-t-season-2-team-berger
I have reviewed the sixth book in the Project Threshold series, season two, "Team Riker":
www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/project-threshold-season-2-team-riker

I have reviewed another book by the author:
https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-beginners-guide-to-being-evil-by-craig-crawford
I have reviewed another book by the author:
www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/zombunny-by-craig-crawford

Tags: alien, demon, ghost, paranormal, supernatural, science fiction, urban fantasy, horror

Copyright © 2023 Mark L. Schultz except for the author’s introduction

57 Comments

Craig Crawford link

11/7/2023 08:19:33 am

Hi Mark, Good to be back and thanks for doing this again. I appreciate the review and the things you had to say.

Writing this, I had those moments of hesitation and maybe guilt because it felt like I was doing exactly what you were saying: writing the "good" stuff and leaving out the boring transition stuff. It felt a little like 'cheating' because I was skipping the "down time" with the characters. I don't think this format would work well for every story but it seems to work here because the focus is on the missions, interspersed with glimpses of the MC's private lives which sometimes intrude upon the stories and vice versa.

Mark

11/7/2023 08:50:36 am

It's my pleasure to welcome you back to the Word Refiner channel. Thank you for booking this event with me. You had many choices to promote your series and I am grateful to be a part of that.

I think I understand what you are saying. While you haven't crafted a complete novel you have hinted at their lives when they are not involved in a mission. I am reminded of most any episodic series on TV or streaming somewhere. It works quite well for me. Not everyone wants to wade through a long novel of several hundred pages. However, I do enjoy those long stories. I am loving your books also and I am looking forward to reading Team Riker soon.

First questions.

Where did you find the name Talise? Is it significant for you personally?

Craig Crawford link

11/7/2023 09:04:23 am

Names are an interesting process for me. When I start with a story, the idea or premise always comes first. Once I have a rough story outline in my head characters start to pop up and into place.

Sometimes names hit me and other times I go looking for them. I use a site called behindthename.com and other times I just google names using a variety of criteria.

For Project Threshold I started with Berger's team. As I added to the serial I got the inspiration I would need other teams--his team wasn't the only one out in the field so there had to be others. Next came Hannah Riker and I based her and her team up in Alaska because it's rich with mythology, cryptids and all kinds of strangeness.

Finally came Talise and she popped first. I didn't have her name and I scoured my sites and ended up stumbling across Talise on a google search. Native American in origin I liked the sound of it: I wanted a strong female character who is both smart and savvy and Talise sounded powerful saying it. And it "felt" right for the character. And so Talise Randall came into being.

Mark

11/7/2023 11:16:53 am

I love that story. Many authors use websites devoted to popular names or baby names when they are seeking names for specific periods of time or places.

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?

Craig Crawford link

11/7/2023 11:53:21 am

'Back in the day' I had a book of like 100,000 baby names. Now I use the net and sites, but I keep the book for nostalgia :)

My writing routine involves getting that initial push from my muse. I get the idea, the continuation, etc. Then I sit down, and usually I'll goof off for a few minutes, checking in on Twitter, pulling up files or what not to kind of settle into my space. I'll que up music if I'm in that mode or want a particular beat in place and then I open the file if I've got something going. Otherwise I start a new word doc. Then I just feel my way through it.

Did it last night with the 2nd set of Project Threshold stories. Berger's team has been giving me troubles: I know where it's going but not the order and what happens in sequence. Last night I had a mini-revelation and a story that I thought was going to fit later into the series is actually going to start it off and it leads perfectly into a second I have going. The 2nd I couldn't get a handle on but I now know it's because I had initially imagined it later in the series and it's now #2. And yes, I did fiddle about for a bit after opening the file, created a playlist of tunes and played a game of solitaire to let my mind wander. Then it all came into view and away I went. It's not done but it's at the next start point and I'll finish it this week. :)

Mark

11/7/2023 01:30:04 pm

Nice book. A good thing to save.

That is quite a process. I think a lot of authors have similar experiences. Many have told me they write out the story to see how it ends. It sounds like another set of stories for Team Berger. Your fans will be pleased.

New question.

Now that your book is published, is there anything about it you would like to change?

Craig Crawford link

11/7/2023 01:48:20 pm

Project Threshold 2 will pick up shortly after the finale of the first set of stories and all of the survivors will be back for more ;)

There's one story focusing on Talise and Kali that I'd tweak the ending on. I ended it the way I did for a reason but in the aftermath of publishing it, I don't think I gave the reader enough information and follow through for them to realize that Project Threshold protocols were still being followed and acted on--without giving anything away :) Any guesses on which story?

Mark

11/7/2023 06:49:30 pm

That sounds good to me and your other fans.

My guess is the story about the Victorian house.

New question.

What do you do to launch a new book when it is first published?

Craig Crawford link

11/7/2023 07:05:30 pm

Actually it was the 2nd one--can explain it to you some time :) #4 was also left that way for a reason but we'll get to that ;)

This is my first serious go around so I'm still learning marketing but I tried to prepare as best I could. Two years out I knew this was going to happen so I spent a lot of time researching marketing, how to release books, how and where to advertise and other things to keep track of.

I slapped up a calendar on my wall at the beginning of this year to keep myself on track. I have a newsletter that comes out the 17th of every month and I organized some preliminary ads on two different paranormal/supernatural podcasts because I think that's where some of my audience is.

I also did lots of research on the horror crowd, trying to get demographics down. I took a hard look at what my budget for advertising and marketing really is and have been trying to make the best use of the money I do have to get the word out. I am always thinking about 3-6 months down the road as to what I'm going to do.

It has changed or shifted based on ads and new things I learn. I am planning some serious facebook/amazon/google ads come January though I have been refiguring--trying to decide whether I should be focusing my ads on the compendium of all four novellas or to spearhead ads toward Berger's book in the hopes readers will become fans and pick up the others. I'm still going back and forth on it.

I also laid out plans to do a press release locally and contact local businesses in town who support local artists and authors--that's happening now.

I probably spend 10-20 hours a week working on marketing projects right now. It cuts into my writing, but the minute a story gets rolling inside my head I put the marketing stuff on the back burner until I get my story out. Then it's back to it.

I am really intrigued and into the marketing side of writing because it feels like a puzzle to be put together over time.

Mark

11/7/2023 09:07:16 pm

You are one of the most organized authors I have met. So few authors worry about selling books until after publishing and their front door is still on the hinges. You have done well with your preparations. That is a good amount of time to spend on marketing, 10 to 20 hours a week. It is quite a puzzle.

You mentioned working on the local angle. One of my favorite blogs is about pursuing the local author angle. How to be a marketing star right where you live. Another copy-and-paste link or search the title in the box below: https://annerallen.com/2019/08/hometown-book-marketing/

I would add a few tips, seek out literature teachers at the high school and college level to share in their class and there might be a club in the school. Local newspapers are a good resource for an interview as well as local cable access. There might also be a broadcast arts curriculum and/or a club at the high school and college level. Have some questions ready to hand the interviewer if they seem uncertain.

If there are tourist destinations try and place your books with the local author angle. Museums, gift stores, motels, hotels, tourist attractions are all possibilities. Keep a box of books in your trunk. Get a counter-top holder for a few books, paste a picture of the cover on the holder behind the books and put re-ordering information on the back of the holder.

Consider renting a table at a comic convention, county fair, farmer's market or a flea market. Have free swag to hand out such as a bookmark and sell mugs or posters. There are so many ways to be the 'local author' I doubt I have exhausted the list of possibilities.

I hope this information is useful.

New question.

Have you ever participated in a book blog tour, why or why not?

Craig Crawford link

11/7/2023 11:08:16 pm

I've published quite a few short stories and working toward longer works, I read a lot and heard a lot from other Indie authors about what a pain marketing is. Armed with that knowledge, I decided early on I needed to learn the game and started researching. Then when Project Threshold happened I kicked it into gear and started investigating and reading everything I could.

I live in a university town so I will tap into that as best I can and also see if I can talk to someone in the schools. Appreciate the advice! I'll read the article you posted too.

Last summer I went to a small monster con and ran across 3 authors with tables so that is next on my agenda. I've got my name in on a table for a con about an hour away next year and I'll look for others. I have trademarked the Project Threshold logo and actually have decals and hats with the logo on it :) I am going to start in on that circuit and see where it leads me.

As for book blog tours I've heard of them but do not know much about them or how to get into that arena. Yet :) I've done interviews for a few different presses now and am always happy to talk writing. Where I work there is a staff group who promotes staff and when they found out I write they booked me for a book-talk. I prepared heavily for it because it's easy to get nervous in front of people but it went well and there were probably 40 people who attended via Zoom and in person. It was fun so I am always watching for more opportunities. I am going to run my press release and aim it at the college newspaper as well as other newspapers in our state.

The more I learn the more it seems that you have to keep trying everything you can think of and steadily just keep putting your name out there. No one thing will catapult you to the next level, but it's the cumulative effect.

Mark

11/8/2023 08:33:52 am

It sounds to me like you are doing everything right.

So many authors are dismayed when they realize that they are responsible for marketing their book even if they are published with a traditional publisher. Most publishers do little more than listing a book on their website and they call that marketing. Another factor holding authors back is that many tend to be solitary creatures, writing starts as a solitary process and many don't want to do any more than needed beyond writing more books. They feel ill-equipped to market and promote their books because they haven't done the research that you have.

Cons, conventions, of any sort are a lot of fun. The Orlando comic con is this month and that is a large 4-day event, one of the biggest in the nation. I have been twice and am skipping this year.

Here are two more copy-and-paste links for your edification:
Create The Biggest Audience For Your Book https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2022/07/18/reach-readers-book-marketing
@thecreativepenn @beckyrbnsn
Do This, Not That – Blog Tours https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2020/06/do-this-not-that-blog-tours

I have a pretty deep list of book reviewers and another list of book promoters on my Twitter page. Click on the 3 dots under the banner picture to find the lists. These are not recommendations merely people who offer these services, I know you will check carefully before approaching them.

New question.

Speaking of marketing, why did you pick me to help promote your book?

Craig Crawford link

11/8/2023 10:11:34 am

I got very disillusioned with traditional publishing. I submitted novels regularly, went to several writer's workshops and conferences and never got very far. It was going to the conferences and workshops--I was able to pay a fee and pitch directly to agents which was a nice thing and it was only about $30 per session. I always used the first half of the pitch talking about my book, but I also spent the second half quizzing agents about their processes and what they looked for and so on.

What I started to discover was that even at the agent level, there's a very narrow window of the types of stories that the big publishers will buy and even though agents (and publishers) talk about wanting "new" and "Fresh" stories, it's only a half truth. They want "new" stories that fit a certain mold which is hard to glean what that actually means.

Adding to that, I kept hearing how the big publishers started and have been doing less and less marketing for their authors which seems to be the case. Given that, what's the advantage of even signing with these "big" publishers. From the stats I've seen, most of the books coming out from traditional publishing barely sell 3000 copies, so they have no inside edge or intel on the markets either.

All of that prompted me to realize marketing was going to be on my back regardless and I started trying to learn what I could.

And it is a shame. I think most writers, by nature, are not extroverts and they need those go-betweens to do the marketing because those personalities know how to talk up product and throw out the highlights of a novel. Writers are in a tough spot right now, having to let their creative energies loose but then having to fit in this whole marketing nonsense.

On topic now :) When I came across your promotion page, I did a lot of looking into you. I went to your website, checked out some of the authors you'd talked to, and did do some homework to make sure you were even legitimate. I've been approached by several groups and people claiming to be able to help me push my books to stardom (insert eye rolling).

Your site and words are very straightforward, which caught my attention. You didn't and don't make outlandish claims about what you can do for an author. You are also not charging hundreds or thousands of dollars for your promotion services. I think it's your genuineness about what you offer and everything else combined that gave me confidence to take a chance and hire you. And I do not regret it (insert confident smile).

Mark

11/8/2023 12:21:28 pm

Brilliant to spend some of your time picking the brains of agents. What you discovered about agents and traditional publishers matches what I have been thinking for a long time. Publishers have such a narrow profit margin they simply don't take chances on unknown writers anymore. They are only one failed book launch away from closing the doors for good. The industry has undergone a multi-decade contraction, and we are left with only 5 big publishers. So many other publishers at all levels have disappeared.

Agents don't get paid until a contract is signed then they get a bite of a pitifully small advance and every book sale. That advance has to be repaid to the publisher through book sales also. Unless the book sells huge quantities there is not a lot of money to go around. Many agents have second or third jobs. Would you like fries with that?

I certainly understand the disillusionment when you discovered how the sausage is made.

Thanks for vetting me carefully. I hate the people that guarantee to sell x-number of books. They never explain when I ask how they can do that. The only thing I promise is exposure and I will work hard to get as much of that as possible for a book.

New question.

How do you think your book relates to the world we live in today?

Craig Crawford link

11/8/2023 01:04:09 pm

Agreed on your points. I listened to a husband/wife team: he wrote and she had worked in advertising and promoted his books outside even Amazon. They talked about how the big 5 were so blind to the changing markets. Before, they had a captive audience--people went to bookstores for books. When the market changed, they didn't have ANY marketing info on readers other than trends and sales. It left them floundering when Amazon came along and started gathering data on their buyers.

And yes, agents are middlemen/women at best and caught too.

On the marketing front, my caveat to all authors and writers is that the moment someone starts offering you alllllll kinds of success, make them pin it down in a contract. I had one place telling me how they were going to advertise on all the major social media outlets but when I pinned them down it was like 1 tweet per week or one ad on Instagram, and they wanted big money. I called them on it and they tried to defend themselves with excuses, but I walked away.

Project Threshold is about monsters and extra-dimensional threats, yes. And actually there is a decent sized fringe culture who are into the paranormal, supernatural and the idea of extra-dimensional worlds that may bleed into ours. So I think this set of stories will sit well with them.

However, I think Project Threshold is relevant on the personal front. It's about a group of people doing a dangerous job they don't often even get thanked for. Ever. While "normal" people go about their lives, completely unaware, this relatively small group is keeping everyone safe. Compare that to the military, police, firefighters--any job where there is a danger factor and I think people can relate.

Harris Berger wrestles with this all through his stories. He loses friends on the job, but it also ultimately costs him his marriage and close ties with his family simply because he can't talk about what he really does. And Riker is truly secluded outside the bubble of her team.

Mark

11/8/2023 03:31:44 pm

Good observation about the little amount of data that traditional publishers rely on. Almost nothing compared to what the 'Zon gathers on all of their customers. They dribble that data as little as possible. Authors get sales and royalty information but nothing about the people who have bought their book.

Amazon does give authors a chance to connect with their readers through the author page. The author can place a lot of information about their website and books, they can also post their blogs on the author page. If the reader clicks through to the website, then there is an opportunity to get their email address and maybe the visitor will sign up for the author's newsletter.

The newsletter provides an important option to bind the reader closer to the author and build a base of fans and superfans. A contest or two will help identify who the superfans are and then you can create a paywall for exclusive content for the superfans. It all takes time and effort of course.

I love Harris Berger; he is a soul in a lot of pain. He has a strong spirit.

New question.

What is the one thing you hope readers will remember from your book?

Craig Crawford link

11/8/2023 03:56:04 pm

Yes. I have both and though I haven't had a lot of interaction on either yet, I keep at it.

And yeah--Harris is a good guy. We just caught him at a dark time in his life.

As for my stories and what what I hope the reader remembers....just that no matter how dark things get, there are still glimmers of hope in there. Enough to keep going.

Mark

11/8/2023 06:05:39 pm

I like that thought. As long as you are breathing and somewhat ambulatory there is hope.

You are right. Listen to Berger, he doesn't give up. Perhaps he listens to you. There is one guarantee, if you don't put the work in nothing that you want will happen by itself. You have a great track record and I am certain you will have success.

New questions.

Do you have a classical author or poet you admire?

What popular modern authors have influenced you?

Craig Crawford link

11/8/2023 07:46:51 pm

I hadn't consciously realized how much hell Berger went through in my stories until our talk--I owe him an apology at the least!

Favorite classical authors? Several but Roger Zelazny is at the top. He and his Amber Chronicles were my baptism into fantasy and science fiction. I tried emulating him early on. I just like his writing style. For horror it was classics like Poe and Lovecraft but two others stand out: Ambrose Bierce for a story called The Damned Thing (maybe this will give you some insights into subject matter for Talise's stories) and David H Keller. Keller wrote a story that has stuck with me since my first read: The Thing In The Cellar--it's online for free. Both what I consider the creepiest.

Popular modern authors--again lots. Marcus Sakey wrote a book called Brilliance--a new take on X-men style "powers" and he writes well. Simon Greene wrote a series called The Night Side which is amazing--it's a mix of horror, sci-fi and interdimensional. And not quite books but a group called Small Town Monsters do documentaries on supernatural topics but have backed some books on the fringe.

Mark

11/9/2023 08:03:20 am

Emulating styles can be a good way to begin learning how to write. Fan fiction serves a similar purpose.

I don't recall the name of the first science fiction book I read. I was probably 9 or 10. It included a dog that could speak in a person's thoughts. I read a lot of Asimov, Poul, Herbert and many others. I was introduced to fantasy when I was given a set of 3 fat books, The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. I read The Hobbit after that. Then I read the LOTR 2 more times before I graduated from high school. I read several stories by Poe and Lovecraft. I was burned out on horror after that for a long time. I think I would enjoy the works of Sakey and Greene.

I loved Asimov's Foundation. I would like to read it again to see if it still holds up after all these years. Thomas Covenant, Unbeliever was a wonderful story and I loved Anne McCaffery's Dragon Riders of Pern. With time traveling dragons a great blend of sci-fi and fantasy.

New question.

Have you ever been asked for writing help or to mentor a fledgling writer?

Craig Crawford link

11/9/2023 09:23:27 am

I know all of those names and read many of them. I'm not on it currently but apparently Apple TV did a series on Asimov's Foundation and a friend said it's really good. I like Poe and Lovecraft but they are very methodical in their story telling and they can be a tough read. I really like Fritz Leiber and Fred Saberhagen too.

For mentoring I am doing that right now. I've met a couple of people on Twitter who I have been talking writing with and helping where I can. Also where I work, a coworker there jumped off the sidelines and is writing a scifi/YA. He has been picking my brain on the writing front. It's cool being able to answer questions about my processes in order to help these others.

However I am wary of offering them information without trying to push my creative processes on them and I offer advice with that caveat. When I was in college and took writing courses and when I have come across writing "professionals" and "authorities" they were always pushing about the proper way to write. It rubbed me the wrong way, mostly because the standard ideas about how to write are not often aligned with how I do it, and if I had listened to them I don't think I would have written as well or as much.

To my mind every writer has their own style, their own idiosyncrasies and their own writing mannerisms and if you're going to mentor someone, you don't get in the way of what "feels" correct and comfortable to them. You're supposed to be guiding them forward, not dictating how to do it "properly" and I am very conscious of that when people are asking me for advice.

Now there are some basics like grammar and spelling and creating sentence structure that flows and you have to understand those basics and master them before you can mess with the form. Beyond that, every writer develops their own unique work habits and you should never get in the way of it.

Mark

11/9/2023 11:48:26 am

You are passing along your knowledge in an ethical way. I appreciate that a great deal.

Every author does develop their own methods and procedures for writing a book over a period of time. Their author's voice is developed also. There are so many ways to write a book also. There is no one-size-fits-all. I can tell you are giving good guidance.

New question.

What software do you use to write and publish your books, and why do you use those?

Craig Crawford link

11/9/2023 12:06:49 pm

Thanks. I want to be a good steward of the craft, not the definitive on the subject. It's like you said--there are lots of ways to tell stories and I'd feel awful if I pushed someone off in a direction that ran counter to their own path.

I do most of my writing on Word. I got a PC desktop as my first real computer and I've always felt most at home using it. I use Microsoft Excel for keeping track of my submissions. I have used Final Draft for screenplay writing.

I use phone apps like Evernote for when I'm out and really need to write something down.

I use Dropbox to store files, and for my newsletter I have been using Mailerlite. I have my two websites on GoDaddy but they've been irking me this year so that may change. I primarily use Wordpress for my website though Godaddy has teamed with Elementor and it's not bad. I tried an Elementor account but trying to get it to sync with my existing Godaddy site was a nightmare and I dropped it.

I have used the Submission Grinder and Horror Tree sites for getting leads on where to submit short stories. I also subscribe to AuthorsPublish.com and they have given me good leads on presses to submit to. I subscribe to several Indie presses and author newsletters to get updates and find out what's out there to read.

At first I didn't think I used much beyond Word and Excel, but turns out I do :) :) :)

Mark

11/9/2023 02:12:22 pm

MS Word has users around the world! It has a huge installed user base. What a lot of people don't know is that it has 20 versions of English that correspond with other countries such as Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Zimbabwe to name only a few. Nearly every author I have spoken with uses Word also.

You and I use the PC version but there are a lot of Apple fans that use a version designed for their platform.

You do use quite a few apps for your writing business and that is good. They all help you do your work more efficiently your way.

I save my proofreading work daily; I attach it to an email that sits in the draft folder until all four passes are done.

Thanks for sharing about all of your writing business tools.

New questions.

Who is the easiest character to write in this book?

Who is the hardest character to write in this book?

Craig Crawford link

11/9/2023 02:51:04 pm

Word is just so versatile. Last year someone on Twitter was telling me about using the "speak aloud" feature within Word to help with editing. Didn't even know it was there but I have found it helpful going back through my stories. It's a very monotone voice but I can "see" my words in a whole new way, using it.

Easiest character to write: Honestly I think the MC's, main characters, both protagonists and antagonists are the easiest. Mostly because I spend a lot of time getting inside their heads. I always want to know them inside and out so when I write them, I just KNOW how they're going to talk, act, their little idiosyncrasies, etc. and it makes it easy writing scenes because I know them well enough to understand how they're going to play off of everyone else they encounter.

When I first started writing I nicked (I love that word and find myself using it more and more) a "Character Development Questionnaire" from an online creative writing course I took in college. It had about 20-some questions to ask your MC's about. I took it and expanded it to 76ish, asking everything from religion to favorite pants. I filled it out for all of my MC's, good and bad before I really started writing and it gave me the tools to just sit and go.

I don't use it as much now--somehow I think about my MC's and they flesh out in my head and I 'know' them. Don't ask me--probably because I used the questionnaire for so long, but it's what I do. And so when I start writing if flows pretty fast.

The hardest characters for me to write are often the secondary or the characters who only show up for a bit. I don't think as hard about them, and they tend to not have a huge stake in things, though sometimes they're tricky because they will have a direct impact on my MC's or the story and I have to be careful how I handle them.

The other hard is characters with really complex psychological issues because I have to know them and all of their traits, and how to handle them in all kinds of situations. I wrote a fantasy novel (as yet unpublished) with a main character who is DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder or Multiple personalities) and I did a ton of research on that beforehand because I wanted to know as much as I could. Now there's a lot of controversy over DID which gave me some wiggle room but I wanted to stay as close to what is known as I could to represent the character as realistically as I could.

It really is probably my favorite novel so far if I have to pick one. I got emotionally close to Rabbit, writing that book, and it was one of the hardest to write because I had to take apart each scene with him, deciding if I had truly represented the way he would act and react in every situation.

Mark

11/9/2023 06:26:33 pm

The Read Aloud feature, under the Review tab, is one of my tips for self-editing. You can also read it aloud yourself. I also recommend reading aloud or silently from the end one paragraph at a time. I have a lot more tips on my latest blog on the Words For Thought page elsewhere on my website.

That questionnaire is a great idea. It reminds me of a guest blog on my website by Rick Hall. He created a website that is free for authors the last time I checked. You might find it useful. Copy and paste time: https://www.wordrefiner.com/guest-blogs/character-creation or hit the search box below.

DID is an interesting phenomenon I have seen it in real life.

New question.

Have you ever had the experience of the story swerving in a different direction than planned, as if a character was driving it?

Craig Crawford link

11/9/2023 07:16:22 pm

I like the read aloud feature--I catch a lot of mistakes with it.

I posted my questionnaire on my website for people to download at will. If it helps writers, why not? I'll check out Rick Hall's site.

To answer your question, absolutely. Happens often. I think I know where stories are going and then they shift sideways--and most often because characters go in different directions. I wrote a YA sci-fi trilogy about genetically enhanced people and the end of the first book rewrote itself because the MC's weren't buying what I was selling :) I intended to go one way and they dictated another and as soon as I quit being stubborn, everything worked itself out. I pub'd a story called A Murmuration of Starlings and it was supposed to be a monster story. Casey, who was "supposed" to be seeing a monster in flocks of starlings just wasn't into it. And her dads weren't cooperating with me either. The story finally bogged down--they were basically telling me it wasn't working and to go find another angle. It took me the better part of a week before the new idea popped and suddenly Casey was getting messages from the birds--she was much more content with that approach and the minute I gave in to their vision, the story finished itself in less than two days.

I am a firm believer that I am not in charge of the story. Once it gets loose on the page, it's up to the characters as to how it plays out. And I am perfectly okay with the relationship--some days, I'm just along for the ride, chronicling everything I see going on inside my head.

Mark

11/10/2023 09:00:03 am

I am not a writer and what you are saying seems strange to my mind. But I have heard it so often that I accept it and marvel at the mysterious way inspiration works in our minds. Your chronicling works quite well and results in magnificent stories! Stories I love reading.

New question.

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?

Craig Crawford link

11/10/2023 09:41:10 am

Yeah. I don't know how else to explain it, but I "know" when a character speaks if it's something he/she would say or even do.

My son read my scifi/YA and we argue about this all the time. The first book he asked if I was going to kill off a character that was really mean and nasty to my MC, and my answer was, "I don't know. It's not up to me." He did not like that answer :) "You're writing it, it's up to you," was his answer and I told him it was in fact, not up to me but the world and characters.

If I believed in a multiverse I might tend to believe perhaps this other world I write in might actually exist and perhaps I'm just "seeing" into it and writing down what I observe . . .

As for outlines, I don't. I'm what they refer to as a "pantser." I get the idea for the story and sometimes I have a rough idea of how it ends. Then the world starts to unfold and I get the core Main Characters and they start to come alive. Once I have enough to work with, I start writing and the rest of the story just shows up. Seems odd, but it's how I do it.

Project Threshold started with Berger's Cave story. When I really thought about the serial it just ballooned and I wrote the mermaid story and then the first Chicago story. It was then I realized there was more than one team and it's when Riker and her crew came into being. I wrote three of those and realized I probably needed anther team and while Talise and company were forming I realized I needed a way to pull them all together and the idea for a finale started bubbling.

I wrote most of Riker's stories but then went in and wrote the first two Talise stories. Then the third Talise, which sets up later things. Then I wrote Berger's 3rd and finished Riker's. Then the finale hit me all at once and I wrote the first of the three stories. After, I finished Talise and wrote the other two finale pieces. Berger's last Chicago story happened at the very end--I had one idea that just wasn't working and then rereading the rest of his it all fell into place and the idea for his last story popped up and I wrote that in one evening.

Now I put them all through LOTS of edits, tweaking some things, adding, removing to get all of the stories to work together, but that's how this all unfolded. For a standard novel I write from page 1 to end and I don't get ahead of it. With the short story format, however, this worked, jumping around.

It may seem chaotic but I trust my muse and my process and it works. ;)

Mark

11/10/2023 12:31:47 pm

You certainly are a pantser! You might be one of the purest pantsers I have met recently.

I love how that all came together for you. It works for you and many others. Obviously, your muse has not let you down.

New question.

Do you have a defined space for writing at home, or do you prefer to write in a coffee-shop?

Craig Crawford link

11/10/2023 01:10:14 pm

I would be curious to see stats on how many writers are pantsers vs. plotters.

I have a multilevel house and we turned one of the bedrooms into writing room. My wife has a desk and laptop in there too but mostly it's my domicile. I have reference books, my desktop, collectibles and pictures on the walls to add ambience but it's where I do 90% of my writing.

I'll write in public spaces sometimes. I'll vacate my work office and sit at a table in a mall and write during lunch or find some place where I can either tune people out or not get interrupted too often. I make notes when something really important pops up too.

Mark

11/10/2023 03:38:05 pm

That sounds like an office I would love. I had a nice office to work in when we lived in Oregon. With housing so much more expensive in central Florida I gave that up.

I can pleasure read almost anywhere; I have no problem tuning out almost all noisy environments. For proofing, a reasonable amount of quiet is helpful.

New question.

Action, dialogue, or narration; which is easiest to write?

Craig Crawford link

11/10/2023 04:07:18 pm

I was serious when I said at some point I have ADHD. I didn't get it diagnosed until recently but my mind does flit about from thing to thing. For some reason this has helped my writing because I think of all these little details and don't forget to incorporate them. The other positive side of it is I have the ability to hyper focus: I can literally shut the world out anywhere. I have written stories in my crowded mall at lunch time because I can tune out the noise, people, everything and concentrate on my story. It's got its disadvantages too, but it is beneficial to my writing.

The first duplex my wife and I rented, my writing area was at the back of the living room and she would watch TV while I wrote. I was able to ignore the TV and zero in on my screen without trying. I wrote like that for five years until we moved and I got a real writing space.

The easiest part to write: dialogue. I feel like I know my characters, how they speak and talk and conversations just flow and come naturally. I am comfy writing dialogue.

Narration can be a little tricky but most times it's manageable.

Action is more difficult for me. Often I will write it but I am blocking out the scene I see it happening in my head. I literally write where everyone is standing, how far away they are from people--going through what everyone is doing and splatter-gunning the entire scene down on paper. Then I go back in and remove anything that's not necessary for the reader. It's a process I'm slowly getting better at, but I still sometimes need to just write it all down and clean it up later. I think part of it is wanting to be precise and make sure Berger is close enough to actually backhand someone when in reality he starts the scene halfway across the room :)

Mark

11/10/2023 05:59:23 pm

ADHD, the gift that keeps on giving! I have a touch of it also and have made full use of hyper-focus over the years.

While action sequences might be hard for you, your method for crafting riveting action works well. Some authors get too much detail and the action really slows down. Short choppy sentences rather than long sentences work best for action, in my opinion. The spatial placement of characters is just as important as eye color or the brand of a truck. Speaking of brands, I recommend to writers to leave brands out of their descriptions, unless it is critical to the plot. This lets the reader fill in their favorite brand and avoid irritating others who don't like that particular brand.

New question.

Of the five senses which is the easiest to write and which is the hardest?

Craig Crawford link

11/10/2023 06:59:01 pm

Agreed on action. Just like regular description, you need enough to keep your reader able to follow what's going on but not so much it's not action anymore :) And yes, I think action should have a sense of urgency.

I'd say sight is the easiest because that's where we're most oriented and familiar. I can pretty easily describe what I can see and in this day and age I can look up anything on the net and get a physical look at it. For Talise's story, IT Walks a helicopter crashes. According to Hollywood it would have exploded in a million pieces throwing black smoke and shrapnel. However, I went online and looked up military helicopter crashes and lo and behold, most vehicles don't explode like in the movies :) :) :) There were videos and I watched several to get a sense of it.

I think touch can be hard because, while there are general commonalities it's harder to run out and convey the strange unless you can find it. And I think there are fewer different words for how things feel to the touch: rough, smooth, cool, hot, but get beyond that and it gets more challenging.

Smell has a lot of descriptors available and so does taste.

Sounds . . . that can be difficult too, especially in the horror realm where you want to convey something unique. Again, in the story IT Walks, I wanted my unknown to have a unique sound to it but something the characters might equate to something else--like how people rationalize as best they can based on what they're familiar with.

I thought touch was my hardest but I think I changed my mind and sound is the most difficult for me to describe and convey.

In the end I'd guess all authors start with 'what they know' of all the senses and go looking for other descriptors from there.

Mark

11/11/2023 09:17:16 am

Most authors agree that sight is the easiest to describe.

You are correct, Hollywood distorts reality in many ways not just helicopter crashes! Almost everything they touch is altered and bears little resemblance to truth and real life.

I enjoyed the team's response to the sound of the monster in It Walks.

You are right. Authors start with what they know and pull out or pull up a thesaurus. Thank you, Roget!

New question.

Have you ever done any theater, written a play or any screenwriting?

Craig Crawford link

11/11/2023 09:46:29 am

I acted and worked behind the scenes in high school theater. I was in a couple of productions and I think it helped me in writing to block-out scenes in my head, visualizing where people are standing in relation to what's going on. I know I think of scenes in my stories in that way.

I have a YA paranormal called Ghost Boy which I wrote about seven years ago and I pitched it at a writer's conference. One of the agents suggested I turn it into a screenplay and said I should read a book called Story Maps by Daniel Calvisi on how to do it. Which I did. It was a great book on screenplays: how to set them up and put in all of the components My writing buddy and I split the cost of Final Draft and I converted Ghost Boy to a screenplay. Haven't done much with it beyond a couple of submissions but it's there.

Mark

11/11/2023 12:32:05 pm

Very good! You answered my next question about how screenwriting has helped you to write stories. No worries, I have many more questions.

You haven't sold that screenplay though, it seems accomplishing that is about as easy as getting a traditional publishing contract. Here is a blog from another one of my favorite bloggers about aiming for a smaller screen. Copy-and-paste time or hit the search box below. https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2019/07/26/turn-your-book-into-a-tv-or-streaming-series

New question.

What kind of marketing, besides working with me this week, are you doing or planning on doing for your book?

Craig Crawford link

11/11/2023 01:00:41 pm

Agreed--it seems more like a lottery situation or you have to know people on the inside to get either. Thanks for the link--I'll check that out.

As for marketing, I am offering a continual trade: if people will read the first book, I'll send them ARC via email and if they review on Amazon and/or Goodreads I'll send them a physical copy. I've had some success with this and the aim is to get the word out.

I am also working on a press-release this weekend in order to get ready to send out in the next month to papers around the state. I'm also going to contact a local bookstore and coffeeshop about carrying my books. I've got a newsletter to get out and I'm prepping to do some Facebook and Amazon and Google ads--probably not all 3 so am researching on all of them to see what my best use of money is. And I'm looking for Cons to attend next year--this feels like a 2nd full time job these days, but I understand the long term so it's worth it :)

Mark

11/11/2023 02:59:51 pm

Winning the lottery is a good image. The odds of meaningful success are quite high in both.

If there are any little, curbside libraries in your area leave a copy or two in them.

Ads seem like a very tricky thing. Some authors swear by one and swear at the other. I wish you success in that endeavor.

I love going to cons. They provide many opportunities to talk with authors.

New question.

How do you know when a book is complete, and you should stop working on it?

Craig Crawford link

11/11/2023 07:11:34 pm

Yeah on all. I have a lot of little libraries around town so I will have to try those. As for ads, I am going to try different avenues and see what works. We'll see as time goes on. The Cons seem good but we'll see.

As for complete books, it's a feeling. For Project Threshold, I have this idea that when I complete three full sets of stories I will be done with it and be complete but we'll see. Most stories I get this idea in the back of my head that it will be good. I have a Darby Xanthe series which sci-fi / horror series which I believe will be 5-6 books in length and it will be done but it's my guestimate.

Mark

11/11/2023 07:59:31 pm

Don't forget bus stops or park benches also.

Being the total pantser you are, that sounds about right. There are always prequels and side stories also. It will go as long as you want or can stand it. Some authors get tired of writing in the same universe or with the same characters so something new and shiny can be quite attractive.

New questions.

How much research did you have to do for this book?

What were the major topics?

Craig Crawford link

11/11/2023 08:07:46 pm

Yes. There are always unexplored options and I keep looking :)

As for research I did a lot. From little things like helicopter crashes to Alaska, I was all over the place. I looked up extra-dimensional theories to military rankings to mermaids. Every story had some sort of research tied to it for mythology and military organizations. I love the digital age for the ability to research almost any place, topic and locale. IT's like having the World Book Encyclopieia at your fingertips always.

Mark

11/12/2023 08:28:05 am

Yes, the digital age has allowed for research on nearly every topic imaginable. This is one area that AI will likely have a big influence on. By bringing the most relevant information to a specific query the researcher's work will be shortened. There is a downside, of course, nuance may be sacrificed if secondary results are not given a cursory examination at least.

Way before the internet, when I was a boy growing up on a small farm, I had a set of World Book encyclopedias and a set of World of Science encyclopedias also. There was also a multi-volume set of the classics that were condensed. I spent many hours in all of those. Perhaps my favorite was the unabridged, illustrated Websters dictionary. That thing was huge! It was full size and several inches thick. Many tiny pen and ink drawing on each page and a few full color illustrations as well. I wish I still had that.

New question.

How much time passed from when you got the idea to write your book; then actually starting to write the book?

Craig Crawford link

11/12/2023 11:49:34 am

Really, AI, at least for now, is just the next level of a Google search--it's able to scan the entire bank of knowledge at its disposal and kick it back to you offering suggestions for all kinds of things. Now it can also start making larger judgement calls (I won't say better at this point, but).

We had World Book Encyclopedia too. It was basically the internet of the day :)

To answer the question, I wrote The Cave story and sent it out for several months before it got picked up . However when the editor asked if I'd think about writing a serial, it took me probably 2-3 weeks to wrap my head around the idea and then start coming up with other story ideas. The 1st story got picked up in September and I recall that I didn't start in on more until October of 2020.

However, once I wrote one the rest started coming. I think I paused a week here and there as I came up with Riker and then Talise's team but then I jumped into overdrive. Considering it was the holidays, during which I hardly ever get much writing done, I was totally enthralled and just started writing one after the other. From October to the end of January I wrote the other 18 stories for Project Threshold. I was completely into them.

I think it helped that they were short stories with a common thread as opposed to a regular novel in that, as you stated before, the format allowed me to skip all the connections and "down time" scenes. Most of these run 3-6000 words a piece and I could essentially write a self contained story and then move onto the next.

After a break, I took another six months or better rereading, editing, tweaking the story lines and so on, and then went through other rounds as I waited for the publishing side of things to catch up.

Mark

11/12/2023 02:24:21 pm

That was quite exciting for the stories to flow out of your fingers so easily! You were really on a roll, and I don't mean jelly! I bet your muse welcomed the break while you were editing.

New question.

Going back in time, did you do any kind of creative writing, even back in grade school?

Craig Crawford link

11/12/2023 03:49:37 pm

I remember liking writing in school. It was about middle school when everything kicked into gear. I met a new group of friends (including my current writing buddy) who introduced me to science fiction and fantasy. They also introduced me to role playing games--classic Dungeons and Dragons. While I liked playing, I discovered I liked running the game more so I ended up always DM'ing. It was telling the story for the players that excited me the most..

I also had good teachers in junior high and high school who either recognized I was into writing or had some talent for story telling and they encouraged me. I had an English teacher named Betty Rosse who actually submitted one of my stories to a magazine. It didn't get picked up but she pushed me and encouraged me. Dan Gogerty and Peg Graham were the other two who gave me free reign to write whatever came to my imagination. I credit them a lot of credit.

Mark

11/12/2023 06:07:26 pm

Your writing talent was showing! Very cool. I love that your teachers were so supportive.

New question.

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?

Craig Crawford link

11/12/2023 06:32:56 pm

I have three. One is my buddy from junior high school. He was writing when I met him and he has always read my stories. He understands my writing style and we've been doing this for so long he can point out anything and I never get offended or take it personally when he picks through my stories. I've got two others who will read stories for me to give me their feel and gut perception of the stories which I can work off of to see if it played out the way I hoped.

Occasionally others will come along who will read for me but I count on my core crowd for feedback and suggestions to make my stories better.

I do think you need outside eyes to read your stuff and get honest detailed feedback. Otherwise you're still essentially writing in a vacuum. A writer friend of mine actually gives alpha/beta readers questions to answer after they finish so she can gauge whether or not her story worked the way she wanted and hoped.

I think the hardest leap of faith for a writer is letting others read your work because you're putting your words out there for someone else to like or hate, get or get confused by. It's good though because no matter your goals, your main goal as an author is always to deliver a story that has punch and power, taking your reader out of the everyday world and pulling them into yours for a while.

Mark

11/13/2023 08:04:55 am

Three buddies who have your back. That is marvelous. You are so right! Every author needs honest, detailed feedback to improve in their craft. Some authors are separated from family or friends and don't have that critical resource to depend upon.

Your writer friend with questions for the beta readers is not alone. Quite a few authors provide a few questions to the betas. Off the top of my head, they are in the minority compared to those that don't ask specific questions.

That leap of faith is well put. That fear and trepidation that writers' experience is akin to my feelings when I return a manuscript to an author.

New questions.

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?

Craig Crawford link

11/13/2023 09:46:21 am

I need to do the questionnaire thing too because then you can gauge the effects of your story based on that. I do not rely on family because one, many of them are not into the same kinds of genres I am. Second, that familial bond would make me distrust whether they were being honest or just not wanting to hurt my feelings.

As for my readers, I usually give them a complete copy and edited at least once. I know the spelling and grammar I can clean up and I want them focusing on the story itself and not the minor stuff I can get later. My exception to that rule is my best friend who has always been reading my stuff. He always goes beyond the basics and while he'll correct the typos and grammar he's always got an eye to the flow and pacing and overall story.

I usually send them word docs so they can edit directly and make notes if they choose to.

Mark

11/13/2023 12:13:09 pm

That's why I would not make a good beta reader. I would be tripping all over the spelling errors. They jump off the page at me and jolt me out of the magic spell an author is trying to weave. That being said, I am able to re-enter the author's world but not as quickly as I would like.

You have a good system set up for your beta readers.

New question.

Do you reward the alpha/beta readers in any way particular?

Craig Crawford link

11/13/2023 12:20:30 pm

I always offer them signed copies of books. For my best buddy who is close by, I will buy him beers and help him with other projects. I do appreciate their efforts to make my stories the best they can be.

It's also why I don't give them stories until they are pretty clean--as you said, I don't want them stumbling over the little things but concentrating on the story so I can get real feedback. I think readers feel like they're helping cleaning up the minor stuff, and those are easier to pick out. It's harder to give details on why a scene didn't work or a dialogue is sounding off--I can't even always verbalize that myself, just that I know it's not correct.

Mark

11/13/2023 04:18:27 pm

Many authors do likewise, based on my interviews. An autographed hard copy is a wonderful gift for a book lover.

Last questions.

You mentioned that you work with an author or two with beta reading. Do you connect with a group of authors in a critique group or writing support group?

If so, how many critique group members show up for the meetings usually?

Craig Crawford link

11/13/2023 04:22:00 pm

I don't work within a group. I've never found that one group that worked for me. As I've found the writing community on Twitter, I've gotten to talking to several authors and a couple have approached me about reading their works. Where I have time I'll do that, but at present I don't have time to help in that capacity on a regular basis. I tend to wait for opportunities to show up and work them into my schedule when I can.

Mark

11/13/2023 04:48:42 pm

That might be the best. Some authors have had poor experiences. At least one author mentioned a group that only the group leader was published and if the other members didn't write like he suggested he would denigrate their efforts.

Our allotted time has come to an end. Thank you, Craig for being a fabulous guest on the Word Refiner channel. You have been so generous in sharing about your experiences as an independent author. New authors have much they can learn from you.

Until next time, keep on writing.

Craig Crawford link

11/13/2023 05:07:17 pm

Thanks Mark. I appreciated you pushing my thinking on all these different topics. I have added your site as a resource for finding new paths to market, advertise and advance my writing. I look forward to doing this again!

Have a good one.

Craig

Project Threshold: Team Talise: Division 2 by Craig Crawford

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