Top 5 Favorite Reads of 2017

We laughed, we cried, we went on adventures, we fell in love, and we reviewed it on Goodreads.  That's right!  2017 was, hopefully, full of great reads for all of us.  Though not all of these books were new releases, here's a list of my Top 5 Favorite Reads this year:

5.) FISH AND GHOSTS by Rhys Ford

This book was sexy and surprisingly fun.  I had no idea what to expect going into it which was probably part of what made it so entertaining.  I had never read Rhys Ford before but now I definitely get the appeal.  While the main characters were pretty standard fare as far as Romance novels go it was the setting of this one that ultimately won me over.  I won't spoil anything for you but if you like truly imaginative ghost stories with a side of erotica then this won't disappoint.

4.) LEO LOVES ARIES by Anyta Sunday

I read a lot of Romance this year, what can I say?  Venturing bravely out of my usual Paranormal Fiction genre, I picked up this charming Contemporary Romance by well-known M/M author Anyta Sunday.  It was a sweet, non-perilous (There's always peril in Peril-normal Romance), slow-burn story that had me hooked pretty quick.  The characters (All of them, not just the MCs) were completely lovable.  It'll leave you with that warm, fuzzy, feeling that any HEA romance should.

3.) THE MAGPIE LORD by KJ Charles

This dark, steamy, supernatural historical thriller took me entirely by surprise.  A mystery disguised as a romance.  I fell so very much in love with this one and KJ is now one of my favorite authors.  Please do read it.  PLEASE.

2.) THE SONG OF ACHILLES by Madeline Miller

I'm still crying nearly a full year later.  This was my first read of 2017 and oh man, it will hit you hard.  This isn't your average retelling of a classic.  This is pure poetry.  Invest in tissues first.

1.) ROMANCING THE WEREWOLF by Gail Carriger

It feels like a holiday gift that I would end up reading my favorite book of the year as my last book of the year. (Bonus points that it also took place during the holidays.)  Add to that the fact that I've read all of Gail's books and this one is now my favorite to date.  I might be biased since it featured my favorite couple of her's but this novella was SO GOOD!  Not only do I think it's her best Romance writing but I also feel she's at the top of her Humor game in this one.  I laughed out loud so many times.  This was a reunion story worth the wait.  Thank you for the Christmas present, Gail.  We can definitely tell it was made with love.

What were your favorite reads of 2017?  Did we happen to read some of the same titles?

Oh yes, and just for fun...

My Least Favorite Read of 2017

GEMINI IN DARKNESS by Clarissa Ross

There's a reason some books are out of print...


Here's to looking forward to more great reads in 2018!  You can follow along with my reading journey on Goodreads if you'd like.

Cheers! x

Blog Revival & 2018 Plans

SURPRISE!

That's right.  I've revived this old blog space.  I gave the built-in blog platform on my website a try for nearly a year (That's a fair enough shake.) and didn't really like it.  I prefer this format SO much more.  As you can see, I'm still working on updating and adding things but this will be my blog home now.  If you'd like to receive updates whenever I post, please scroll on over to the right-hand side and sign up through Bloglovin'.  Thanks!

I'm not even going to worry about deleting old posts here.  It's kind of fun to see the progress I've made.  And I won't be importing the past several months of posts because they were mostly just updates.  I think because I didn't like that platform it ended up deterring me from ever wanting to post anything there.  One of my many plans/goals for 2018 will be keeping up with my blog a bit more.  I've had a few people ask me in person if I blog or say that they would like to see me blog more.  So, NOTED.  Here I am.

2018 PLANS

The thing I'm looking forward to most in 2018 is the official re-release of ROAM through NineStar Press on July 30th!  I'm so happy this story has the opportunity to find a wider audience and I can't wait to see what they do with the cover art.  I feel insanely lucky to know that one of my favorite designers, Natasha Snow, is lined up to create it!  She's one of the best out there and I've read a number of books that she designed covers for.  Truly exciting!  The cover pictured above is actually a mock-up from the first test print when I was self-publishing.  I threw it together really quick just so I could try out a printer and see if they would work out for me.  There are only two physical copies that exist with this cover and one sits on my bookshelf in my writing nook to remind me of where I started.

Here's what else I've been planning and contemplating for the coming year:

WRITING GOALS

I'll probably be fairly busy in this area with the ROAM release.  Any other designated writing time I have will be put toward writing The Dead Oaks: Book Two (Which I've already started.) and a super secret manuscript that I plan to submit to my publisher once it's finished.  Also, as mentioned earlier, building up this blog space.

ART GOALS

At the end of this year, the thing that I feel I lacked doing most in this area was actually keeping up with my Etsy and Redbubble shops.  Thank you to everyone that bought something with that Riverdale Jughead illustration on it because I sold a number of those and that kept me motivated!  I think selling art can be difficult because you just want to draw what you feel like drawing and worrying about how well it will fit onto a marketable product is both annoying and, at times, stressful.  Right now, I'm only really offering the items Redbubble can make and mini-prints in my Etsy shop (Plus, a few sketchcards.).  I haven't made a solid decision on what other forms of art I could offer but I do have a couple of ideas that I might explore. If there's some specific item you'd like to see, let me know! Mostly, I just want to keep drawing and painting and see what happens from there.

I will have three pieces on display at the Stranger Things Art Show at De Nada in San Angelo, TX this coming March.  So come check it out if you're in the area!

PERSONAL GOALS

Oh, you know, the usual culprits.  Fitness is definitely on the list along with eating healthier.  Those should just be daily goals in general but holiday snacking is what makes you think of it more. *guilty smile*  Scrapbooking, organizing, and hopefully taking a trip.

Another personal goal will be to allow myself time to actually relax every now and then and to enjoy my successes without immediately feeling the obligation to jump into a huge new project.  I left myself feeling burnt out and exhausted many times this year or feeling like I hadn't achieved enough (When my achievements were actually insanely awesome!).  No more.  I'm going to start being as nice to myself as I am to everyone else.  Self care isn't just a trend.  It's important.

And I'll end this list off with a fun one.  MORE READING.  I have a new Instagram Author account (Still have the old account but it's just for art now.) where I'll be updating all of my Current Reads along with doing so on Goodreads.  I've toyed with the idea of posting book reviews here but I don't really think people engage with those as much.  You're going to read what you're going to read no matter what anyone else's opinion on it is.  So, I might try to find some other fun way of sharing what I'm delving into. :)

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!  Thank you for all of your support and friendship this year and I definitely look forward to seeing what we all accomplish next year!

Cheers! x

NEW RELEASES

AMAZON

The Julbock by Dez Schwartz is now available on Kindle.

(Yule themed M/M Paranormal Romance Short Story)

UPCOMING BOOKS

ROAM

M/M Paranormal Dreampunk

July 30, 2018

Official re-release through NineStar Press.

THE DEAD OAKS: BOOK TWO

YA M/M Paranormal

Coming Spring 2018

The second in THE DEAD OAKS series.  Jasper, Wes, and Liv tackle personal demons, haunted houses, and something truly terrifying.  Graduation.

5 Character Creation Tips

I've mentioned in previous posts that I receive a lot of questions on my process of creating characters.  So, I am going to attempt to break it down for those that are interested.  These are the techniques and inspirations that work best for me but everyone is different, so feel free to pick and choose which things you'd like to try for yourself.

Since I've already written about the basics of character creation, I'm going to assume you already have a character established and that we're now working on fleshing them out so that they will be a fully individual and original character.  Generic tropes are boring for everyone.
 
Write A Character Sheet

I usually write my character sheets in the same notebook where I've outlined my story.  This is so you can easily reference all of those little details that you might have to refer back to while writing (i.e.- Physical Attributes, Strengths, Weaknesses, Personality Traits, etc.).  It doesn't have to be long.  Mine are usually written in bullet points and only take up half a page for each character.  These are your building blocks so don't feel bad if each description is only a few words;  you'll be constructing more along the way.

Create An Inspiration Board

This is incredibly easy and not very time consuming (Unless you want it to be.) since Pinterest exists.  Look up some quotes, mood setting photography, and maybe even some actors/models that match the vibe you want for your character.  Pretty self-explanatory and extremely fun.

Curate A Playlist

I like to use Spotify for this but use whatever service you prefer.  Personally, I make a playlist for each book and certain songs reflect certain characters.  However, making an entire playlist dedicated to one character would also be useful.  Just don't go overboard.  I try to keep my book playlists at 20-30 songs.  So, for a single character, I'd probably only make one with 5-10 songs that would effectively score their story arc.

(vibes // Vincent Roam)

Cast The Role

This can tie in with the Inspiration Board tip.  You don't have to do this but a lot of writers do.  Thinking of an actor/model/etc. as a "face character" is a fantastic tool once you begin writing.  It helps you envision things like expressions, tone, and body language.  Try to think of at least three people you would "cast" in your role. 

Playtest Them In Action

I mentioned this tip in a previous post.  It's very important to play out scenes in your mind more than once, or even to act them out for yourself, before you write them.  It forces you to really conceive all of the ideas, mannerisms, and feelings your character would be grappling with in a situation.  Also, it helps with constructing dialogue.



I hope these methods help you out with your process!  I've found they're a great way to develop characters and have a lot of fun in the process.

If you've created a number of characters already, are there any special habits you've formed along the way?  I'd love to hear them!

Thanks for reading!
Dez ☿

Meet My Characters: Benny the Werehuahua

In this week's "Meet My Characters" blog linkup, I'm going to give you a little more insight into a ROAM fan favorite.

Benny, the Werehuahua

Benny is a staple in the ROAM series and such a fun character.  I feel his enthusiasm really jumps off the page.  Most readers tell me that he's their favorite (Beside those who have fallen for Dacey, of course. haha).

Technically, Benny would be a "reverse" Werehuahua.  Yes, it's exactly as it sounds.  He began life as a chihuahua, found himself cursed, and now becomes a human every day and reverts back to his natural form every night (No full moon necessary.).

For being a cursed creature, Benny is actually extremely positive and joyful.  I think he views his condition as more of a blessing than a curse and is actually kind of worried of it ever breaking.

I've had Benny's character in my back pocket for some time.  Originally, he was a silly little thing that I created for a Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG (Throwback Thursday, much?) over a decade ago and I always knew that I wanted to use him in an original story.  He finally found a forever home in ROAM. (Fun Fact:  He and an early version of Ethan Roam both came from that RPG.  They met when Ethan walked in on a guy [Benny] drinking out of a toilet.  haha)

In the series, he becomes both Dr. Grady Hunter's pet and employee (depending on his physical state).  He befriends Ethan and considers himself a loyal protector of his small misfit family.  Unless food is involved.  Then it's every man(dog) for himself.

(Ethan & Benny illustration by Whimsy and Noir)

Where does he go from here?

Benny will be traveling soon.  You'll have to read HUNTER for more clarity on that.  :)


Thanks for reading!  Also, a quick update:
I now have an official website and will soon be importing my blog.  I'll be sure to let you all know when it's up and running over there.

-Dez ☿

Meet My Characters: Dacey Sinnett & Marcus von Rottal

Joining in again with the weekly blog linkup hosted by WhimsyAndNoir!  This week's characters are ones that I've written about before here.  However, I know I have some new readers, so I'd like to reintroduce them!

(vibes // Dacey Sinnett & Marcus von Rottal)

Dacey Sinnett & Marcus von Rottal

Dacey Sinnett and Marcus von Rottal are my leading vampires.  Well, one is much more than that but I'll leave it to the books to give you that story.  They are featured in the ROAM series and helm their own story as antihero protagonists in the prequel, The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett.  They're also perpetually entwined in, an admittedly, unhealthy and deeply passionate relationship.  I tend to refer to them as my "problematic favorites" for a reason.

The invention of Dacey's character was rather serendipitous for me.  At the time of writing the first ROAM book, I had a vague plan in mind for Ethan Roam's journey.  I won't post spoilers but those that have been reading along with the newest book, HUNTER, will probably know what I'm referring to here.  It was an "idea" but the roles hadn't really been cast, so to speak.

Enter a chapter where I have to tackle a definite issue in Dr. Grady Hunter's life.  He was always meant to have a literal tryst with Death (*wink*) in the form of a vampire.  It was a solid life event for his character that I wasn't going to back down from.  In order to move the story forward, I had to create a vampire that I felt would have been compelling enough to entice someone as guarded, jaded, and sharp-witted as Grady.  And thus, Dacey was born.

I definitely looked to the works of my favorite writer, Oscar Wilde, for inspiration.  In many ways, Dacey is my take on a vampiric iteration of a mixture of Oscar himself and his most famous character, Dorian Gray.  Then, I sprinkled a bit of 80's neo-romantic goth vibe on top and ended up with a character that I absolutely adore writing.  And definitely one that would keep Grady, and pretty much everyone else, on their toes.

Dacey is a natural telepath and insatiable flirt.  Wouldn't you be too, if you could easily read the minds of everyone that was attracted to you?  He was born in 19th century France and worked as a cabaret pianist and street illusionist until he became a vampire.  From there, he joins forces with his sire, Marcus, as the second half of a deadly duo of dandies bent on commanding an existence based solely in pleasure and luxury.  That is, until everything begins to go wrong. 

(vibes // Marcus von Rottal)

Once I had made the big decision about Dacey's ultimate destiny, it became quite clear that I needed to map out his backstory and share it with readers as well.  I felt the best way to do this was to ease the audience in with a moment that would link both the prequel and segue this "idea" into the sequel.  Marcus' appearance at the Halloween party in ROAM was precisely for this purpose.  At that time, he's simply introduced as Dacey's sire and former lover.  The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett tells that story in full and establishes the setup for the events that will transpire in HUNTER.

 ("The Picture of Dorian Gray" ~ Oscar Wilde)

Marcus is an Austrian aristocrat that took up procuring and dealing occult antiques (Usually "black market" as they're almost always stolen.) in order to maintain his preferred lifestyle.  Circumstances lead him to meet Dacey and, for both, it's love at first sight.  He finds himself spending the rest of his existence with a chaotically possessive obsession for keeping Dacey at his side.  He's clever, manipulative, and not the least bit afraid to leave a situation with blood on his hands or his dinner jacket.

Whereas Dacey wants to explore everything and everyone that the world has to offer, Marcus has a sharp singular focus -- and that's Dacey.

Where do they go from here?

Currently, you can read more about them in HUNTER, which is available chapter by chapter, bi-weekly on Wattpad.  I'll be releasing the Kindle and paperback editions later this Spring.  They will also be returning for more action in the forthcoming novel DREAM WEAVER.

Don't be afraid to leave comments letting me know which characters you'd like to see featured here.  I'd love to hear your suggestions or thoughts on the ones I've already posted!  Also, please feel free to play along with the blog linkup.  I can't wait to meet your characters as well!

As always, thanks for reading! ♥

~Dez~

Meet My Characters: Ethan Roam & Dr. Grady Hunter

WhimsyAndNoir is hosting a new weekly blog linkup for creators to share their original characters!  You can join in on your own blog by using this graphic and linking back to her and/or sharing your characters through social media with the hashtag #MeetMyCharacters so that everyone can find each other.

This week, I'm featuring my two main leads.

Ethan Roam & Dr. Grady Hunter

(Dr. Grady Hunter & Ethan Roam)

Ethan & Grady are the two main protagonists of the ROAM series.  If you're reading the books then you probably already know them well.  I also illustrate them from time to time, which you can see on my IG.

Ethan is one of the first original characters I'd ever created.  His first iteration came into being over a decade ago in a role-play group.  His powers were much different back then (He used to just be a telepath.) but his personality was exactly the same. (Fun Fact: Benny the Werehuahua was another character I created at the same time for the same group.  So, they've actually been friends for a while. *wink*)

I loved his character so much that I knew I needed to bring him to life in story format.  Creating that story was a long on and off process over the past few years but everything finally clicked together and I began officially writing ROAM in 2015.

(Ethan "vibes" // Inspiration)

Ethan is a musically inclined college student that very quickly finds his life turned upside down by the onset of inherent supernatural powers that he was previously unaware of.  He has the ability to dream travel, among other things, and his powers only intensify as the story moves forward.

Ethan isn't exactly shy but he is a bit clumsy and self-deprecating.  He's also adorably innocent and overly optimistic; traits that both impair him and bolster him through his life's journey. 

(Grady "vibes" // Inspiration)

Early on in the story, Ethan meets Dr. Grady Hunter in a peculiar introduction that ultimately teams them together as partners (both professionally and intimately).

Grady's backstory is as interesting as his current one and I won't lie, I have definitely thought about writing a Grady-based prequel.  No promises.  For now, his personal history is divulged to the reader through dialogue and memories.

Grady is another character that I first created several years ago.  Originally, I'd planned to write my first novel about him and what is now his past.  Ultimately, that never came together but once I thought of combining his story with Ethan's everything fell into place.

Grady, a bit older than Ethan, is a mysterious and charming alternative healer.  At least, that's what he wants you to believe.  Really, he's a British monster hunter haunted by personal demons with questionable motives of his own.

He's quick-witted, handsome, and fairly formidable in a fight.

Together, Grady and Ethan find that they make a rather dynamic duo; whether that means facing paranormal foes or finding balance and comfort in each other.

Where do they go from here?

I'm currently on the last few chapters of writing HUNTER and then you're going to have to wait a bit for more of  them.  I know, I know.  I'm evil.  BUT it's really important to the timeline of the overall story that I go ahead and write the spinoff, DůO, before rejoining you with Ethan and Grady in the third installment, DREAM WEAVER.  They won't be disappearing anytime soon, however.  I'll still illustrate them and I'm sure they'll show their faces in other projects that I have cooking up.  I honestly can't imagine not working with them in some capacity on a fairy regular basis because (though I love all of my characters) they are my favorites.

If you're a writer, artist, etc. that has created original characters and would like to join in, please visit WhimsyAndNoir for more details!

Thanks for reading!

~Dez~

Author Q&A: Getting Into Character

Today I'm taking the time to answer a few questions I've received over social media so that the information is available to everyone.  Recently, I've mostly been asked about my characters so I'll devote this post just to them.  Here goes!

You deal with a lot of different characters in your books.  Do you have an organizational system to keep up with them?

Instant guilt trip.  I wish I were more organized!  haha
What I have are several notebooks filled with character details.  They are not curated in any sane or functional manner.  I just know where each one is in which book if I ever need to refer back.  I really do need to make an actual character compendium at some point to make my life easier but for now my process is flipping back and forth through various spiral notebooks. 

I'm an aspiring writer but I feel like I need to improve at making my characters relatable.  Your characters feel very real when I'm reading about them.  Any advice for a beginner?

Thank you!  Knowing people feel that they can relate to my characters means a lot to me.  As far as advice goes, I recommend fleshing out your characters as deeply as possible.  It's much more than just their appearance or what will happen to them in the story.  You have to know their hopes, fears, passions, distastes, and quirks.  Above all, give them each a central motivation that they never stray from in all of their actions.  I plan on writing a blog post about character creation in the near future, so I'll get more detailed with this then.  Another helpful practice is to "run scenes" with yourself.  You will sound crazy but do it anyway.  Speak the dialogue out loud; act it out.  It's a great way to decide how you'll describe their expressions and tone.  If you want your characters to feel real, you have to convince yourself that they are real.

Dacey was my favorite character in ROAM and I enjoyed getting a story all about him [in The Revelation of Dacey Sinnett].  Are there any other ROAM characters that you plan on giving their own books to?

It's something I've considered but that I don't have any definite plans for.  There are two spin-off stories in the works that I've mentioned before but neither will feature a ROAM character as the lead. Although, they will have cameos or play supporting roles to the new characters.

Feel free to send questions my way any time!  I enjoy hearing your feedback.

Thanks for reading!
~Dez~