wordage

[julesjones]

Slow but steady progress on the third section of the Lord and Master sequel over the last couple of weeks, although with breaks when I was too knackered from job hunt, or from disturbed sleep courtesy of night terrors, LFN disturbance, and earthquakes. It has now topped 15,000 words, and I have filled in the bit at the beginning that I was stuck on last month. predatrix says it's looking good so far.

At the start of the month I was hoping to get it finished by the end of the month -- clearly that's not going to happen, but the end is in sight now. Though I suspect that it's going to take at least another 5000 words, if not more, and they're not going to be flowing easily. Never mind; I have a clear picture of most of the main characters now, which removes one source of problems.

Comments

[growlycub.livejournal.com]

I can't wait! Want many word, want them now! :)

Btw, I got my link for the second Tor book today, Spin by Wilson. I could have sworn though that somebody somewhere mentioned that their second book was a different one!

[julesjones]

That's actually the third book. First one was "Mistborn" by Brandon Sanderson (which I haven't gotten around to reading yet). Spin's the third.

Since they encourage forwarding... With any luck, this is the link to the online version of the first email:
Mistborn

[growlycub.livejournal.com]

Thanks, that worked very well indeed. :)

[metaforgirl.livejournal.com]

I think most writers are essentially optimists. They always think they can do more than is possible. But wouldn't even begin if they didn't think that way. My gf, who is facinating says, 'I could never write a WHOLE BOOK' and so she doesn't. Meanwhile, I'm a schlump and write tons of drivel. Arrogance or optimism.

the LFN thing bothers me. Too creapily like some sci fi sublim brain-fuck technology for me.
Headphones with brain sync alpha beta frequencie stuff might undo whatever disturbing stuff the low HUM is doing.

When I first read your post I thought the night terrors were induced by the job hunt. They certainly are for me, but then I recalled your creepy dream the other night and now I understand.

Can't wait to read your finished book, by the way.

[julesjones]

If I was writing at my normal daily rate, I probably would have finished it by now. Just being slow because various things are draining the mental energy.

The LFN is annoying all by itself, but if you want creepy, it's probably got infrasonic in with it, and *that* stuff can do weird things.I spent a couple of days last year digging up info on infrasonic-induced fear for something on the WnotIP pile.

I'm prone to night terrors and sleep paralysis anyway, but stress is one of the things that can set it off. I usually go months without an episode, but I'd had three or four nights with very mild ones, just waking up with a start, had one night of decent sleep, and then the earthquake episode. So I've been a bit out of it over this last week. :-)

[lisabea.livejournal.com]

Jules...you sound so stressed....sendinga mental maritini for relaxation purposes only...I've had 2.


So. Where should I begin with the backlist?

[julesjones]

Well, the biggest earthquake to hit the UK in 25 years is reasonable grounds for stress. :-)

Backlist depends very much on your taste, because my writing covers a fairly wide range. The shorts at Loose Id are where I'd have to agree with Teddy's rant about ebooks being overpriced. Go for one of the longer books instead -- they're more expensive, but you'll get a lot more book for your money. You can find the exact word counts for my books and links to excerpts on my bibliography page.

The Syndicate is geek humour and leans heavily towards cheerful porn, though Vol 1/2 also has one of the most traditional HEAs in my work. (Vol 1/2 are actually one book split into two volumes, though we wrote it so that you can read them separately. It's essentially a set of short stories that together form a novel.) People tend to either love it or hate it. Earliest professionally published work, and my writing's improved since then. Two sample chapters on the website: http://www.julesjones.com/fiction/syndicate/syndicate1.htm
which you can read as standalone short stories. The Prologue is the only chapter in the whole thing with no sex in it. :->

Mindscan and Pulling Strings are the first two books in what was supposed to be a series, only I got stuck on the third and still haven't written it. Both work as standalones and are about different groups of characters, so don't need to be read in order. Romance in a dystopian science fiction setting, and a good example of "happy for now" endings. Consensual D/s. Fairly dark stories even though they have happy endings.

First Footer in "A Kiss at Midnight" is science fiction about a First Contact team arriving on Earth. I certainly wasn't writing it to press bestiality buttons, since I'm a science fiction fan and my working definition of bestiality is "non-intelligent". But a romance between a human and an cat-like alien diplomat (loosely based on a cheetah, though people will read it as a domestic cat) seems to have squicked one or two people.

Spindrift is the silkie/selkie legend set in the present day. It's a fairly gentle fantasy novel, and still one of my own favourites of everything I've written, fanfic and profic. Ship to Shore is the novella-length sequel.

Dolphin Dreams is the only menage a trois I've written so far. "Slice of life" romance rather than a high-conflict plot, partly because "slice of life" provides some interesting stuff to look at anyway when you've got three guys, two of whom are dolphin shapeshifters who aren't part of human society but are fascinated by it. Purely psychological D/s, which has generated reactions ranging from people complaining that there wasn't any D/s in it (from which I gather they were expecting the standard slamming the sub up against the wall and telling him he's getting fucked whether he likes it or not) to people finding it uncomfortably intense (because the sub is deep in subspace in a lot of the sex scenes).

Lord and Master's the only full length contemporary I've written so far. On the surface it looks like a gay version of a category tycoon/secretary, though this is the one where I really started to understand that I often structure my books in the expectation that they will be re-read, so that people will notice certain things in the first part of the book only on the second time through. In spite of the title there's no overt D/s, but one of the things the book's about is dealing with the power dynamics in a relationship where there's both a large age gap and the potential for abuse of authority.

Some of my shorts are available as free reads, though they're not all romance. Index page here:
http://www.julesjones.com/fiction/downloads.html

[lisabea.livejournal.com]

Jeepers. I think I should ask every author this question. Thanks for cutting through the b.s. I have a clear idea of where to start and Lord and Master has been the one I've wanted to read from the get go. That older/younger thing doesn't need D/s for me to enjoy it. And I've always liked the cover,which is a lame thing to say, but there it is.

I've read the free stuff. Maybe a few times. :)

I'm pretty open to sci/fi and fantasy, although I've held off on the dolphins. Were wolves, Were cats, Were turtles, Were worms. My mind starts to mock and I can't help it. Just read JL / Dick's Were horse and I maintained my dignity. OK, I may have said something Dick about how if you're choosing a were, might as well choose one that's hung like a horse. :)

[growlycub.livejournal.com]

L&M is fabulous. I envy you the discovery! :) It's hands-down my favorite romance novel since my return to romancelandia last June after a 5-6 year absence. It's a true relationship story, which are the best romances and of which they are way too few out there! Thanks Jules!

I don't read erotic fantasy so I've held off on the Dolphins, but they are on my LI wishlist and eventually I'll cave in. :)

I can't wait for more L&M, I can't wait... bounce bounce bounce :) I read L&M 4 times so far (all within a couple of months of purchase), and I guess I'm due a re-read to look for those things I may have missed (although I'm horrible at the subtle stuff).

Enjoy Lisabea! :)

[julesjones]

L&M isn't that deeply layered, but once you know the full reason why Steven holds back for so long from saying he wants more than friends with benefits, you should be going, "Oh, of course" about various things when you re-read the first half of the book.

[growlycub.livejournal.com]

Oh, good! I had already noted certain things related to that. I feel smart now. Down you evil insecurities, down, I say! :)

In L&M the power dynamic that concerns Steven doesn't come just from the age differential, naturally, but have I've always thought that in a relationship where the age difference is the significant factor, it isn't always the older partner who is in charge. I haven't really read a story that explored this topic, but I think it would be interesting.

I have no voices in my head. So I'm always excited when I find an author whose voice speaks so strongly to me.

[julesjones]

The May-December dynamic with the younger one in charge is one that I'd like to look at, but I need to find characters and a plot first. (Though I've been wondering over the last month if I'm the only Torchwood perv on my flist who sees the potential for Ianto to be the top in Jack/Ianto, maybe I should write that when I'm done with the L&M sequel...)

[julesjones]

The cover of L&M really is gorgeous, and I need to update my website to add the Cafepress link to the book's page. I've got a teeshirt of it that I think I'll wear to the romance workshop I'm giving at Eastercon. :-)

Also, Alex reviewed a couple of the solo books. Obviously she's biased, being my crit and writing partner from back when we were writing fanfic, but she's also good at giving the tone of a story without giving away any spoilers:

Lord and Master
Spindrift