Talk about your books: Dracula's Secret.

 

Yesterday, I was meditating about my books - what I'm going to do this year, what my goals are, what I want for my writing.

 

I heard a very clear message that said, "Talk about your books." I thought I'd start at the very beginning with Dracula's Secret. 

 

The idea of Vlad Tepes being born female came from a nightmare. In it, I dreamed that Dracula in a dress was talking to Napoleon's generals for the Peninsular campaign. They didn't listen to her, so she went outside, changed into men's clothes, and they proclaimed her genius. 

 

Other than this being a weird insight to my brain (I don't normally dream about Napoleon, I promise), this image stuck with me. The folk tales of Dracula's violent behavior made sense if someone had been born a woman and was trying to keep her people safe. 

 

  

From there, I wondered what kind of person could love someone like that. That brought me Lance Soliel, a man with his own darkness.  I based him on Daniel Craig. 

 

And two dark characters needed someone to bring them hope, and thus John Jante, one of my favorite characters, came to my vision. 

 

He's based on my Charming Man, who is very pretty and smart. But he doesn't like having his picture posted, so you will just have to take my word on it. :) 

 

If I were to jot down what tropes this story uses, I'd say:

 

Morally gray characters searching for redemption, age-gap relationship, international intrigue, fast burn, and fallen angels.

Photo blast.

Never miss an action shot.

 

The Oregon Coast.

Lady MacBeth claiming her crown. 

Some Weinmar Germany atmosphere.

Hi there!

 

 

Hair flips are always in fashion.

Pleasure is self-care.

 

The ancient Greek philosopher Epicurus,  taught that what is pleasurable is morally good and what is painful is morally evil. To quote:

Epicureanism divided pleasure into two broad categories: pleasures of the body and pleasures of the mind. Pleasures of the body involve sensations of the body, such as the act of eating delicious food or of being in a state of comfort free from pain, and exist only in the present. One can only experience pleasures of the body in the moment, meaning they only exist as a person is experiencing them. Pleasures of the mind involve mental processes and states; feelings of joy, the lack of fear, and pleasant memories are all examples of pleasures of the mind. These pleasures of the mind exist not only in the present, but also in the past and future, since memory of a past pleasant experience or the expectation of some potentially pleasing future can both be pleasurable experiences. Because of this, the pleasures of the mind are considered to be greater than those of the body. Emphasis was placed on pleasures of the mind rather than on physical pleasures.

(Yes, this is from Wikipedia. Yes, I know.) 

(By Unknown artist - Marie-Lan Nguyen (2011), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1447258)

He had many more things to say, but the concept of pleasure, of the delights of both mind and body had stuck with me. I believe that pleasure can be the medicine we need to survive the dangers of life.

I seek delight through many venues and for many reasons. I have a marked tendency to melancholy and worry. If I am absorbed in the luscious sensation of the perfect red lipstick on my lips, then I am more likely to remain in a healthy mindset. 

This summer, I plan on seeking delight in as many ways as possible. What could you do for your pleasure? 

Love,

Linda

 

P.S. Don't forget - I'm still having a sale over at my website. So if your pleasure is about books, come on over. ;)

Happy Pride.

Yes, it's been a hot minute since I've been here. I have had both knees replaced since I last posted and I have energy again! It's amazing how much life changes when you are in pain every day. :)

Black History Month

 In order to celebrate history recognizing the influence of Black Americans, I want to share this list of 150 Black-owned businesses in North America!

Get Your Neat Stuff Here!

Also to help create a more equal society, here are my  posts on writing inclusive fiction.

 Don't Surf in Sewage

Okay, You Screwed Up. 

How to be More Diverse in Your Writing 

Well, I'm back and breathing.

 Hello, beautiful readers!
 

2023 has been, well, difficult. My beloved stepmother died in March, finally free from her dementia. I traveled to Ireland (hooray!) in May, where I promptly picked up pneumonia (boo). I spend all of June healing from that infection. I'm waiting (and waiting and waiting) to get to a surgeon to schedule my first of two needed knee replacements. I got Covid at end of August, and now, in the beginning of October, I have a cold.

So, a whole lot got put by the wayside, including you. While I've had this time to reflect, I realized that I want to make life more fun. And I thought - who doesn't like getting snail mail? I'm thinking of creating a proper, old-fashioned mail newsletter. Do you dig the idea? It would come out twice a year, interspersed with any small updates, probably sent on postcards. Tell me if you would like this!

Second, I wanted to update you on my writing. :) I'm working on two co-authored books. The first is with my long-term collaborator, Shea MacLeod, and is the fourth book in our fabulous Dream Factory series. My new co-author, April Aasheim, creates incredibly witchy novels, especially the Dark Root Series. We are working on a new series that follows her Dark Root Ancestry series. Wow! I'm so excited to work with such brilliant women.

Lastly, I'm brainstorming on a brand new book that will incorporate steampunk with my love of Middle Eastern history. It's still in the idea phase, so no firm updates yet.


Let me know if you would like to have a pretty newsletter show up in your meat-space mailbox.