Memories in a Box: A Different Outlook On Writing

One month of blogging…

Today marks the one month mark of my official blogging experience. I had no idea what to expect or really what to do. I’ve written notes and different things online for years but this was completely different. This was me, Ashley, not a character I made up. I think that’s been the hardest part about this is I am displaying my actual thoughts and feelings for the world to read and judge. With character writing while most people use it as an outlet it’s not entirely us. There are underlying truths at times but for most of it the reality of that prose is about our character we created or are working to develop, not necessarily the author’s views, thoughts and opinions.

That’s one thing I have pondered a lot about with my book being out there. There are parts of BLOOD PURPLE that are very dark and horrible. Someone might read a chapter and think, holy shit, does Ashley really think like this? That’s one of my fears. No, I don’t think like that or condone the behavior but I do think it makes for a good read, good plots and great character development. What I wanted my readers to see was the bad guys; they aren’t just ‘bad.’ Something happened to make them that way, I want my reader to in some parts identify and feel empathy for my bad guys.

I think that is where I am different in some ways. My bad guys are just likeable. You want to root for them, feel for them. You want them to have something happen that makes them redeeming. When I sat down to write this book it started out in first person and was going to be just about Nikole. After three chapters I was like, Nope this isn’t happening I’m not feeling this. So I went and changed them to third person and decided it was important to capture the point of view of all the major players. That’s why when you read my book, well, books ‘cause BLOOD YELLOW will be out with-in a few months, I hope. You will see the bad guys in a new light. You will be inside their head, feel their pain, see their victories and their failures.

Usually when you read a book the narrator or main characters keep everything focused on the one or two good guys and you associate only with them. You don’t have that chance to develop connections to the others. It is my goal to make you love all of my characters, every one of them. Those of you that know me and my crazy mind know that I don’t want happy endings all the time. I really dislike that every story ends with a happy ever after now days. I realize you read a book to take you away from your everyday life but in reality it isn’t always sunshine and roses. There needs to be depth. That’s why when you read this series you will need to read it from start to finish because the answers won’t occur till the end. And even then, I know how my series ends already and it won’t be what you are expecting. I refuse to be the typical cookie cutter author. Yes there will be romance, there will be sex, there will be what is needed to make a romance come to life but there will also be pain, suffering and obstacles. Because that is life and these characters are very real, on page.

Another thing I refuse to do as an author is continuously add characters to keep a story going or to make readers feel bored with predictability. In BLOOD YELLOW I added two characters that were not in BLOOD PURPLE because I had to. They were in my head and needed to come out because in order for the story to develop properly they had to come alive as well. But in BLOOD GREEN, there will be no new characters. I am not going to add to my world over and over just to keep a series going. I believe in life there are enough stories for one family to stay entertained and survive for decades and that’s how it should be in fiction as well. The course of these books lasts over a four month time span. BLOOD PURPLE ends and BLOOD YELLOW picks up on the very next line for the prequel, and then shoots to three months later. BLOOD GREEN will do the same except there will be no prequel it will just hit you bam.

So this was a bit of rambling but that’s what a blog is right, a ramble. What you should take away from this is when you sit down to read BLOOD PURPLE, I want you to think about the bad guys, think about Hazma, Haydar, Dominic, Derrik, and Leigh. Really focus on what made them the way they are.

And also, for those of you who are saddened that some characters were killed off, don’t worry you will get to see more of them. I love flashbacks, I think it helps bring depth and perception to characters and I think it’s also a good way for our old friends to come back to life without it having to be a dream.

Don’t forget that I am holding a give-a-way to celebrate BLOOD PURPLE, all you have to do is read my lovely new take on Vampires and email me at Ashley@ashleynemer.com or inbox my Facebook account to let me know your favorite character or scene and why by October 25^th 2012. More details the better.

Happy Reading and remember – get lost inside the book because novels are the best adventures you can escape with.