*Michael Mandrake is the male muse of author Sharita Lira*
Greetings readers. Thanks you Scott at QRI for letting me share my thoughts with you about…well everything.
Okay, not quite.
While I do enjoy some trivial things like celebrity gossip, movies, and the occasional Facebook or Twitter rants, I will mostly talk about things related to books and writing. I am an author after all, and really, who wants to hear my thoughts on politics, hmm?
*blinks*
No, you do not.
So instead, we’ll stick to author things, such as plotting…. Or not. The topic of today’s post is writing paranormal by the seat of my pants.
Now for those who are familiar with my work as Michael, I usually plot everything . If it’s not a formal outline, I write down details that for the story. I’ve even written the dreaded synopsis before the story was done.
Yes, I’ve done that, but with this newest series titled Immortals, I’m basically writing whatever comes to mind.
*gasp*
What? You don’t have a hundred thousand how to manuals within reach?
Blasphemy!
Oh, I know. I should and really, they aren’t far away from where I’m sitting as I write this post. However, let’s put it this way; with this new series, I truly wanted something different. I desired something completely organic and, when you craft a book from your pants, you’d hope that is what happens. All the characters are completely made up in my head and since I don’t (or rather Sharita) doesn’t watch much television, all the weird things that happen in this book are from her warped brain.
*Sharita nods*
What does this new series entail? Hmm, let’s see. Demons, vampires, shifters, and hey, even Lucifer is part of the mix. It is loosely tied to N’awlins Exotica and the paranormal twins books as well, since the three main characters are in book two.
Knowing all this, I’d say it wasn’t difficult to draft these stories. All my ideas are in my brain and for the most part, I know the outcome from all the books.
So why not just plot them, you ask? Because I truly wanted the characters to surprise me. And, as I sit here reading over book two, Immortality’s Gift, they have done just that. I also question Sharita’s sanity after reading these passages, but that is neither here nor there.
Writers are strange creatures, right? Our stories come from a deep place. And when it comes to fantasy, it’s created from something deeper within. Sure, everything has to make sense, which is why beta readers are on standby to tell Shar she’s nuts. However, it could be a great idea even if it doesn’t fit the idea of “sensible.” That’s the wonderful thing about paranormal is everyone’s interpretation is different. The way I write demons is different from any other author. It is however fantasy.
So, perhaps it isn’t a terrible thing to discard the manuals to writing paranormals and/or fantasies to the side. In this instance, I truly believe Shar and I have come up with some interesting stories that will break the mold. As long as the stories aren’t boring, I believe we’ve achieved our goal. Plotting this out might’ve stunted the stories growth or the characters would do what they usually do; forget the plot and go their own way. It could be maddening, but also thrilling for the reader and author.
Thanks for listening to me today with this rather snarky post. If you’d like to follow me, you can do so at Michael Mandrake on WordPress, Facebook, and Twitter.