It’s all about the reading experience. This is a well known fact. At least in my experience it has been.
Through the years I spent solely as a reader, the authors I loved created worlds where I could simply vanish. *poof*
That was the pleasure of journeying between the book covers.
Hours spent with imaginative characters eased the other stresses in life.
Then one day I sat on the couch and started writing a story. That became a new adventure and carried me into new realms of magic.
I will be honest, despite years of education; I discovered there was much to learn. ;)
In a million ways it has been the best thing for me. I mean those years spent learning to put my stories into my computer and eventually onto paper. Then the culture shifted and digital ink has become the biggest invention since the printing press. (saw a tv program ranking Kindle #52 in top 100 21st cent. gadgets)
Here we are now on this Internet webpage, where I write about my joy of story telling and the modern tools with which to share them. Yowza!
And guess what? It still comes down to the reading experience for each individual reader. Readers want to delve into the imaginative worlds and journey next to each character as if they are right there with them. Readers want to feel and understand the story they are reading.
That’s a very particular concept when it comes to writing paranormal. Writing magic and sending you on a journey you may have never experienced before is definitely one of my favorite challenges.
So when I write about wind-riding or being confronted by a daemon when he isn’t supposed to be able to see the invisible heroine, those story elements are super charged with magic and fun.
Then we have the not so magical aspects like… Do you really know everything about your mother? Would you even want to?
Frankly, since I’m an author sandwiched between mother and daughter characters, there have been challenges when writing their stories.
Daughter Shayla was very disgruntled to discover her mother Claire knew about wind-riding, the magic in their shared locket and the fact that Shayla’s conception had mystical significance. Naturally, these secrets qualify as important things mom never told Shayla.
About Claire? As a mother, she really didn’t want her daughter Shayla knowing about childhood difficulties, her deep-seated angel issues and the crimson boots of bling. (ß this is my modern term…one which annoys character Claire… ;)
It’s all in the ‘stuff mom never told you’ and would you really want to know if she ever did.
But if you think about the story differently, you discover that Claire had excellent reasons for keeping certain information to herself. As parents, we all want to protect our children from the big bad world. (okay, crimson boots have nothing to do with the big bad world)
So keeping secrets for protective reasons is usually acceptable as a parent.
As an author? vbg
Keeping story secrets can be fun. Sometimes revealing those secrets in little pieces of plot bunny tracks can literally make us dance in anticipation.
At any rate, thanks to digital ink, story secrets can be spread across the ‘net with awesome delight.
Let’s not forget that the enjoyment for your leisurely moments can and does affect how we feel as we go about our other real life duties.
So take a break. You've earned it. Curl up with a magical book, explore the world in a way you've never experienced and indulge in the magic! Now that's pure ambrosia for your romantic spirit.
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If You Missed these Plot Bunny Tracks:
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Amazon Kindle: Concentric Circles (Shayla's story)
Claire: the Lost Fae ~ Available Now
Wyndy: in a Heartbeat ~ Short Story [here]
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Peace & Love be with you always.
~ Aithne Jarretta
