Author Appleton

Writing. Fantasy. Sci-fi. Mystery

inspiration

Words beyond the grave

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We all feel lonely at times, even when surrounded by people.

Writing is lonely always, or so it often seems. The horror and the beauty of this is that it makes that time more precious, it feels like being pulled out of reality into a spiritual realm. Suddenly the world of possibility seems not so hard to reach and the hope that burned as a mere ember is a blaze of starlight.

If you feel creative with words or art, then you know of what I speak.

Doesn’t the world seem a limiting place? We hear of limitations. We see restrictions on imagination. But in our imagination the brick walls crumble, giving place to a utopia. Life is all we could ever wish it to be. Every beautiful possibility is ours for the taking . . . because the fear of following those possibilities is in a distant, alien place. A place called the “real world.”

If you feel creative with words or art, then you know of what I speak.

So crumble those walls between your fists. After all, your fists are as powerful as your mind wants them to become. That hero or heroine that you wish to be? You can be them. Limits? Limits are for the undecided, the ever-wary, those whose names will be forgotten in a hundred years.

If you feel creative with words or art, your name can live beyond your life. Your words can be carried from one generation to the next with life-changing, spiritual power.

Q: How do you want your creativity to spread your messages beyond the grave?

No note too small!

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During a recent conversation  with another fantasy enthusiast and writer I was reminded of the importance of note-taking. Even if you have a partial idea for a story or a character, or even a scene, or sometimes a setting… Jot it down immediately.

A pile of sketches and notepads filled with incomplete but promising story ideas are the  foundational materials for The Sword of the Dragon series. I believe that with every writer that pile continues to grow at a rate faster than it is creatively possible to keep up with. In other words, you will always have more story ideas then you have the time to write them.  And this is as it should be.

The creative process, at its core,  requires the mind to be free to explore all story possibilities. Without this freedom the writer becomes trapped in the expectations  they perceive from either their editor, their publisher, or even their reading public.

Keep it fun! Don’t forget that you are a writer because it’s in your blood and you love it.

Very few people want to read material from a gloomy person.  And writing should be a gateway to leading people on fantastical journeys that inspire them to be better individuals than they are.

What some people refer to as writer’s block can often be overcome by referencing your old notes and sketches. These bring the stories you are trying to create to life in your own mind, reigniting your creativity.

Q: How do you use notes and sketches in your creative process?

 

How tragedy strengthens romance in fantasy

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Tragedy grabs our attention more certainly than most any other writing device. Think of it! You fall in love with a character, follow their journey of romance, but then something insurmountable is revealed and the romance can never culminate. In fact, it must come to an end and the characters will never see each other again. They will be left alone in their grief, each desiring the companionship that can never be. Such stories are potent because they grab at our desire for companionship and romantic fulfilment. Some of the best books I’ve read are fraught with tragedy, and romantic tragedies are among the most memorable.

While most people know Star Wars as a film franchise, most do not know that this franchise has been built on the pages of literally hundreds of books. Some of them are among the best fantasy novels that I have ever read. Following the original movies (A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi) a group of writers were handpicked to craft great stories to expand the Star Wars universe. One of those books was Children of the Jedi by Barbara Hambly.

The story’s premise is this: Luke Skywalker, haunted by ominous dreams and guided by a force he cannot identify, journeys to a remote asteroid field. There he discovers the automated Dreadnaught Eye of Palpatine–from the days of all-out war. Taken aboard the ship, Luke is counseled by the spirit of Callista, a Jedi Knight who gave her life to stop the ship once before. Together they must figure out how to stop the ship from destroying a world.

The premise doesn’t do this book justice. Through the Force, Luke and Callista grow to love each other. Their desires for each other will be forever unfulfilled. Their destinies will separate them irrevocably.

I love this story because it illustrates what a story can be. How it can play at our heartstrings. Maybe you’re not a romantic like me, but still you can appreciate the potency of the emotions romantic tragedy plays in fantasy fiction. As I read this book I found myself asking how I would have remembered the story differently if it had had a happy ending to the romance. It would have changed the mood of the book entirely. In fact, it would have weakened the story. Callista’s self-sacrifice makes you love her. Luke’s heartbreak makes you resonate with his sorrow but at the same time admire his steady path as a jedi master. Emotional entanglements are left aside when they interfere with the greater good of bringing peace to the galaxy.

The impression this story had on me ended up influencing the writing of my fantasy novels. I am not afraid to kill a romance, nor to introduce tragedy, because each of these strengthen the reader’s empathy with the characters. The next time you read a novel that grabs your heartstrings, try asking yourself what it was in that story that made it stand out to you and impact your thinking.

Q: Do you appreciate a romantic tragedy?

Reflecting on the future you

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While cleaning and organizing a bunch of stuff recently, I glanced at a couple of manuscripts that I started writing almost ten years ago. What caught my attention was how well the prose flowed. One manuscript in particular brought me back, it is titled The Death Knight Chronicles and I wrote it as a dark follow-up to the primary The Sword of the Dragon series. After years of published writing under my belt I realized how many highs and lows my career has experienced. I’m sure every writer feels the same way.

Do you ever find yourself reflecting on your past accomplishments, much like you do on your past failings? I do. It is unavoidable when the vision for my writing future is to return to that lifestyle of frequent writing, signings, and some speaking engagements.

Sometimes it is only in looking back at our own life that we can grasp a firm hold on our future.

Stories flowing unhindered by multiplied obligations and responsibilities. Time dedicated to pursuing the passion that the soul is eager to set on fire.

But it is in looking back that suddenly my vision for the future is encouraged. Why? Because suddenly I can see an older, more matured and experienced version of that younger, passionate me. I see myself looking around at my growing family, my children pursuing their own passions. Difficult stages of life behind me, lessons learned, greater understanding achieved. It will be a beautiful thing.

And when that future me is turning pen to paper, so to speak, he will have a deeper well of inspiration from which to draw. God will have imparted experience and wisdom that before could not be communicated by written words.

Younger me had failings and successes, and the words poured freely into the stories and articles he pursued. Today’s me is struggling with different things, and growing through greater challenges, being matured as a Christian husband and father.

Nowadays I have a lot to write but not as much time to do it. Wow, future me is going to have a lot to write.

Q: Are you catching the vision for your future self?

Nothing like a stormy sea in fiction

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Nothing is so chilling to the mind as being marooned at sea, or shipwrecked, or worse yet to be drowned in the depths of the sea. The sea has always fascinated me and in my writing I have sometimes alluded to this fascination… and this fear. There are many mysteries still to be solved in its depths, and fascinating histories and myths to which we can set our minds. Whether reading about it or writing about it, the sea offers a humbling reminder of how powerless we truly are in the face of God’s creation.

In my second novel I found opportunity to write a short, albeit fun glimpse of the mysteries of the sea. In Offspring Ilfedo is dragged into the Sea of Serpents, battling the creatures for which the sea is named. But beneath the surface lies a strange sort of city, filled with sentient creatures. They are only seen briefly before Ilfedo is returned to the surface to finish his battle with the serpents, yet it was a nod in my writing to my passion for stories of the sea.

When I was a boy I loved reading about pirates and privateers. I remember one particular true story (and I wish I could remember from which book). This American was engaged to this beautiful young woman and had a close friendship with her Puritan-type father, who was a respected merchantman. This American was in the fledgling U.S. Navy at the time and he had been tasked with hunting a notorious pirate. During his hunt he happened upon his soon-to-be father-in-law and boarded the merchant ship for a pleasant conversation and dinner. Suddenly everything transformed into chaos around him. Barrels that appeared to be filled with legally-traded goods were discovered hide stores of weapons and pirate loot. The merchant’s crew attacked the navy crew and the merchant himself attempted to kill his would-be son-in-law. That American returned home having slain his beloved’s father and–as the story goes–he never revealed the truth of it to either his wife or his mother-in-law. So far as she was concerned her father died tragically at sea at the hands of the dread pirate. If she had only known that her saintly father had been living a dark double-life.

That story and so many others stuck with me.

The creatures of the sea can be terrifying and the lore of large octopus, giant squid, and sharks gives this deep dread of the ocean depths. The loss of such ships as the Titanic and the subsequent discoveries and explorations of it and so many ships that are vastly older make the sea seem to be a time-capsule. Things that are lost there may remain lost for centuries and upon rediscovery their contents can be profoundly fascinating.

If there is any creature on this planet that is as old as the planet, it would have to be contained in the sea. For the land and the mountains were flooded so that for a time the entire world was covered in water until the waters “subsided” that Noah could repopulate the earth. What a thought!

There are depths of the sea that have not yet been explored. It is in constant change, the life beneath it growing even as the ships it wrecks are overgrown with coral. I have an old book simply titled Buried Treasure that documents with text and photos the sea escapades of a treasure hunter. It is fascinating. One account was of a sunken portion of a medieval town. It was reported by the people living along that coast that the bell from the old church could still be heard to toll. Of course everyone else thought they were just making the story up, cast in superstition. The treasure hunter made a dive into the old town and found that entire buildings were still standing, in particular the old church. What everyone had thought to be a myth ended up as being proven right, for it turned out that when the ocean current changed the old bell would bong once again.

Another book I read related the facts and the fiction of old stories of giant sea serpents. There were sightings of those creatures and even one that was caught… and that was the inspiration behind the sea serpents in my fantasy novels.

In exploring the facts of the sea, one is able to expand upon the myths of the sea. In understanding what it is one fears about the sea, one is able to write more honestly about the power of the sea. In understanding how small we are in comparison to nature, one is humbled into acknowledging the power of the Creator. We are the created ones and when we acknowledge that insignificance our writing creativity is empowered.

Q: What aspect of nature both compels your imagination and terrifies you?

How to use music while writing

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Music. Like a literary masterpiece it has the ability to depress your spirits or make them soar. It can deepen sorrow, strengthen resolve, bolster you through tough times, and make sweet moments more memorable. When writing I have found it can be a great ally.

My father loves classic rock and roll, also country music. But he’s not a fan of the ‘pop’ country artists. Something I’ve always appreciated is good story in music lyrics and I think that appreciation comes from being his son.

On the other side of influence is my mother. She loves classical music. From an early age I loved Mozart, Vivaldi, and especially Tchaikovsky and Strauss. How I love the 1812 Overture!

When writing I choose music without lyrics because my mind is distracted by the spoken word when it is creating with the written word. For some writers this may not be true, but for me it certainly is.

Some movie soundtracks make excellent inspiration. My movie soundtrack selections range among Rudy, Thor, Guardians of the Galaxy, Lord of the Rings, The Time Machine, Pirates of the Carribean, and Gladiator.

The key is for the tracks to blend almost seamlessly together. That way it can encourage a certain writing mood for long enough that I can write out a longer scene or even a total chapter.

In the last couple of years I’ve found some modern, digital compositions that work as well. The group Two Steps From Hell has some excellent epic music.

The best way to zone out from the world around me and fall fully into my imagined one is to sit down with my headphones on, computer keyboard positioned before me, my digital manuscript open on the screen, and listen to music with my eyes closed. Sometimes it can take a half hour before inspiration strikes, but when it does I feel like smiling (and often do). Music can so deeply relax my body and yet it keeps my mind sharp.

This year because I’ve not found time to sit and do this my writing has fallen behind. But this is one of the best ways to start a great piece of story. Emotions engaged. Soul inspired.

Q: Do you use music to inspire your writing?

Materialism: the writer’s enemy

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Recently I took my wife and kids to the mall. It is only about twenty-five minutes from our house but I had never been. In fact, it had been a long while since I had been in any mall. Firstly, I am not a big shopper and second, I find malls are filled with clothing above all else (which generally I find clothes shopping boring). We only moved to South Carolina in the past year so there is much of the area yet to explore. But in my trip to the mall I was reminded of the dangers of materialism and specifically how they impede creativity and writing.

After eating dinner we had walked through a portion of the mall. As I said before there were many clothing stores but there were also other shops. The myriad of jewelry stores, a few department stores, various kiosks in the aisle offering anything from bracelets to perfume. Then, on the lower level, there was an apple store. You must understand that I am not an Apple-only customer. My laptops have always been Windows machines due to the flexibility of the programing. However, I bought an iPad2 a few years back and have been thrilled with the quality of the product. Battery still holds almost 10-hours of life. I’ve dropped the thing on a tile floor and still it works seamlessly. But I have never been inside of an Apple store, though many people have told me it is fascinating because they carry the latest gadgets.

I love gadgets. Technology fascinates me and I do not mind spending good money on tech that lasts longer and gives me greater flexibility in my life. My wife stopped at one shop and I walked off with my youngest boys in the stroller to check out the Apple store. When I arrived I stood outside of the doorway and looked in. It looked like fun. But the desire to go in and fiddle with the new tech left me. I found myself thinking about all of the good in life that I have… and I have it without creating new cravings for more stuff.

Do not get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with shopping for good tech. But in that moment I realized that I have all I need. A beautiful wife and four great kids, a house and a bit of land, and a good job. Above all of that is God’s love surrounding and feeding that contentment.

No greater illustration can be given of this struggle than that of Pilgrim’s Progress, in which Christian carries a burden of sin along his journey to the Celestial City. The writer is Christian and the burden is Materialism. Especially in America where we are given so much and given the opportunity for so much more. Materialism consumes many of us. It drowns creativity and exterminates healthy ambitions.

I do not want to be always desirous of the things in this life, I want to be creative in expressing the love, the satisfaction, and benefits I enjoy. Writing is my way of expressing myself and when I write I convey the things that matter most to me and why they matter most to me.

Materialism is the writer’s enemy. Seeking after things only leads to more lust. Seeking instead to find that inner peace and communion with God leads to an abundance of creativity.

Q: How do you view materialism?

The importance of message in story

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While it is important that a fiction piece not “preach” a message to its readers, it is of even greater importance that the story does communicate a message. A lot of stories written today seem to focus on action and romance, or something similar. But the real power in storytelling is to reinforce cultural values, or even to destroy them. We learn best by observing others in what they do and should not have done. We learn by those things… and stories have the ability to mold our thinking.

My first novel, Swords of the Six, delivered a few messages. The heroine in the story fell in love but her life blood was not human and thus in order to give birth to a living child she had to give up her own life. The heroine was left with an internal battle as she realized that giving birth would separate her from her new husband. The story was a message, a way of demonstrating the immorality of abortion and reinforcing the Biblical value for human life.

Without message the story has no real impact on the reader. It becomes generic. Action and romance are necessary elements in story, but in and of themselves they are not sufficient. Story needs soul. Story needs conviction.

Have you ever read The Pilgrim’s Progress or Hinds Feet on High Places? They are allegories of the Christian life and their value to the reader is powerful because it challenges your thinking. It causes you to evaluate who you are, what you want to be, who you want to be, and helps you recognize the flaws and pitfalls in modern thinking. Nowadays many writers are afraid of hurting the reader’s feelings or alienating people by writing messages that the reader disagrees with and that society may frown upon. But that is exactly the strength of literature.

You need to be challenged, motivated, and encouraged. I once used the line that my books were written to “enlighten, enliven, and enthrall people of all ages.” That is still where I stand. Stories have the ability to reach into hearts and change minds. As a Christian I recognize the power of message in story. We need to embrace it and share it with people around us. It will strengthen folks to stand for things wholesome, right, and good. And to live without fear because we know the message is greater than our comfort.

Q: What messages do you appreciate in stories you’ve read?