Deborah Court: My Next Big Thing

Last wednesday, I was tagged by my friend and talented author Lynette Sofras to answer 10 questions about my next release - "Bound by Magic", the second book in my Elven Warrior Trilogy and sequel to "Bound to the Prince".  To read about Lynette's own Next Big Thing, her upcoming romance "In Loving Hate", you can visit her blog - which is very entertaining and worth reading, anyway!

Now here's some info about my own "Next Big Thing" I'd like to share with you:

What is the working title of your book?

Bound by Magic. It's not a working title anymore. When I first thought about writing a story about elven sorcerer Calatin, a character from my debut novel "Bound to the Prince", there was just this one line in my mind. I like it short and simple when it comes to book titles.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

It was very unexpected. During writing my first story about an elf who fell in love with a human woman, I invented Calatin and fell in love with him right from the start. Originally I just wanted some kind of funny sidekick as a friend for my hero, Elathan, who is more the dark and brooding type.

Calatin is my idea of a typical elf. He loves to play dice with trolls, gets drunk and - since he is known for his male beauty in all of the elven realms - he loves to seduce any compelling female who happens to stumble into his arms. But he's also a loyal friend, brave and selfless when it comes to protecting his people. And he hides a hurt, vulnerable sould behind his handsome, smiling face.

What genre does your book fall under?

Although I like to call it H.E.R. (Hot Elven Romance), it's actually a Fantasy/Paranormal Romance.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Ok - I'm thinking big so let's choose actors for all my three elven heroes:

Alexander Skarsgard - he has the height, the Nordic features and most of all, the brooding quality I'd need for my elven prince, Elathan. Anyone who has seen him as Eric in True Blood knows what I mean.

Benedict Cumberbatch - he is an amazing actor (just watch him in Sherlock), and I can think of nobody who has more elven-looking features than him. He'd be my perfect Calatin.

  

Tom Hiddleston - this is just a teaser because I can't reveal anything about my third book in the Elven Trilogy yet but let's say that for my leading man, I need a type that's a bit more sinister and villaineous. Loved him as Loki in "Thor" and "The Avengers".

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Elven sorcerer is cursed by furious ex-mistress and thrown into the human world, bereft of all his magic - right into the back yard of a human female who needs protection from lethal enemies since she knows too many secrets.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency? 

Self-published.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?  

Hard to say. I'm constantly writing and re-writing, adding new scenes. Maybe five or six months. It's still a work in progress.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? 

Since it's part of a trilogy, obviously to "Bound to the Prince". But this story will be very different from the first book.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

Writing "Bound to the Prince" helped me through a very painful time in my life; it was pure escapism when I couldn't sleep at night. This is probably why the story has a certain darkness to it. Bound by Magic was inspired by my character, Calatin. He simply commanded me to write it.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

In all of my elven books, I include elements of Celtic Irish and Scottish mythology, and the language I chose for my elves is real Gaelic. I believe that our whole culture is influenced by those ancient legends, more than we realize. We automatically respond to them, in an instinctive, emotional way.

A damsel in distress on a lonely island inmidst a lake, a brave, tragic knight coming to her on a silver elven vessel trough the wavering mist. Every woman secretly yearns for her very own warrior to save her. And yes, I'm talking about self-confident, modern women who successfully manage their careers and families. Deep inside, we are holding out for a hero. And I don't think that this contradicts feminism in any way. It doesn't hurt at all to be soft and a little bit weak at times. Life is hard enough, don't you think?

Next Wednesday (October 17th), my fellow authors Blak Rayne and Leigh Savage will tell you about their "Next Big Thing" - make sure to check those awesome blogs out!

Writer's Block and how to overcome it

Today, I'd like to speak about a phenomenon that every writer knows and fears: The all-famous "Writer's Block". All authors know this frightening state of mind. You sit in front of your computer for hours without writing a single word, just staring at the screen. You just can't. Your head is a complete vacuum. Instantly, you find yourself doing all kinds of stuff that keeps you away from that horrible blank screen:

- You read gossip and entertainment blogs.
- You check your Amazon page every hour, checking the ranking of your book and having a bad conscience because you know that you haven't published anything in a while.
- You remember that you need to re-watch all episodes of Lost, Moonlight and True Blood. Oh, and Star Trek - The Next Generation, too. Still in love with Data.
- You scan recipe books you haven't touched in years for new ideas about what to cook (even if you absolutely hate cooking, in my case).
- You start cleaning (now this isn't the worst thing to do while having writer's block - at least you have a clean house afterwards).
- You start plundering your chocolate drawer (not so good).
- You listen to Benedict Cumberbatch reading Keats one more time (get the mp3 here).
- You paint your toenails blue.
- You make yourself a sandwich with every ingredient you can find in the fridge.
- You brush your cat five times a day. (And I really don't mean this in a dirty way. I actually have a cat!)

Having done all that, you still haven't brought a single word to paper. Isn't there any hope for your next book ever to be written? After all, you need to feel what you write.

So is it possible to overcome writer's block? Is there any cure?

Oh yes. For me, music is the key. In the past, I've tried out all kinds of music to see what inspires me most when I'm writing. As a very welcome side effect, this caused triggers. In the meantime, hearing certain songs almost instantly brings me in the right mood to write a scene connected with the feeling that particular music awakes in me.

Surprisingly I don't feel like writing romance when I hear typical "romantic" music. For instance, I've written nearly all the erotic scenes of "Bound to the Prince" while listening to "Mr Brightside" by The Killers. I don't know why myself, it's an uptempo song, not a ballad. Maybe it's simply the line "Now she's touching his chest, now he takes off her dress. I just can't watch, it's killing me," subtle but very effective, and it totally works to get me into "the mood."

For action/fighting scenes, I use Skillet's "Rebirthing", and for dramatic, romantic scenes "Always" by Bon Jovi, or "Dear Jessie" (Skillet). Mythic, mysterious scenes can only be properly written with Loreena McKennit's "Mummer's Dance" (I wrote the whole last chapter of BttP listening to it). Movie soundtracks are an awesome way to create feelings, too - especially when you've seen the film many times and know the music to scenes you felt passionate about.

Whatever triggers your emotions, use it! So kick your own ass, sit down and write. It doesn't have to be Pulitzer Prize material, you know. It's just for you. If you really write from the heart, your readers will be sure to love it because they'll feel that your words are true. You could say it's a telepathic connection, but it's so much more.

It's magic.

Love,
Deborah
xxx

Why Women fall in Love with Sherlock Holmes

If any of you have watched the new BBC series, "Sherlock" (in the US, it's available on PBS Masterpiece), you probably have noticed Benedict Cumberbatch, the outstanding elven-faced British actor playing the consulting detective. Since the launch of the show which has, by the way, the most superb writing I've ever seen on TV, many female viewers have found themselves "Cumberbatched" - compelled by the new Holmes's dark chocolate voice and passionate, incredibly dedicated performance. Sherlock declares himself as unwilling to share any human emotions, since they would affect his highly efficient brain. I wouldn't go so far as to say that he's asexual, but he knows how to control his most primal urges, having dedicated his life to solving crimes and bringing criminals to justice.

Now have a look at Dr. Watson, Sherlock's faithful, supportive friend and flatmate at London's most famous address, 221B Baker Street. Martin Freeman brilliantly, perfectly plays him just as Doyle wrote this character - not an elderly doctor, like in the movies, but thirtysomething, intelligent, educated, brave and adventurous. Sherlock would be a boring story if we didn't see the detective mastermind's actions through Watson's eyes.

Watson - nowadays known as "John" since Holmes and Watson call each other by their given name - is a man of honor and integrity, and most of all, a romantic (as was his creator and secret impersonation, Doyle). Wouldn't he be the perfect guy to fall in love with? He's ready to give his heart to the right woman, he's faithful, intelligent (although no genius like Sherlock), brave and adventurous. You could totally imagine him doing the dishes and playing with his kids, a true family man (in Arthur Conan Doyle's original canon he marries, actually), not something one could say about Sherlock, who's a high-functioning sociopath, as he admits himself in the TV series.

But Sherlock is the one who "flicks our Bic", to quote Charlaine Harris. It has always been this way, with every actor who played Holmes, Basil Rathbone and Jeremy Brett probably the most notable among many others. I am quite sure some of them were surprised about the passionate reaction they evoked in their female viewers. But why do we find the detective so sexy when he clearly doesn't need our companionship?

If we were 14-year-old fan girls, a psychologist would say that we felt attracted to Sherlock because he doesn't threaten us with overly aggressive male sexuality (you can also apply this assumption to feminine-looking boyband members who are adored by teenage girls). Since we are adult women, however, we don't raise objections against a bit of sexual forwardness by a man whose attention we crave. So what is it that turns us on about a man who clearly denies his sexual side?

Exclusiveness, and the need to feel special. We want to be the only woman who manages to lure the detective out of his shell. We want to be Irene Adler, the near-genius female adventuress who is actually called "The Woman" by the intrigued Sherlock. Is it too foolish to imagine the wild, passionate beast we'll unleash behind the detective's cool demeanor once we managed to seduce him?

Well, a girl can always dream - even if we end up marrying the good Dr Watson and living happily ever after with him instead. Who knows, maybe there's a wild beast hidden in him, as well?

Yours truly,
Deborah Court




@All characters and pictures are the property of Arthur Conan Doyle, BBC and PBS Masterpiece. No copyright infringement is intended. No monetary compensation is gained. Used for entertainment purposes only.