Join the Fight: Tell Congress That Being an Artist/Author IS a Business!

Like most people, I barely understand most of the legalese involved in tax law.  In fact, until recently, I blindly believed that, as an Author, since I considered myself engaged in business, and everything I read told me I had to file a Schedule C as a sole proprietorship, when I had royalty income, I was engaged in a For-Profit business.  Well, imagine my surprise when the State of Arizona tried to tell me, just before Christmas, last year (Thanks alot Arizona Scrooge!), that because I couldn’t prove a profit (ie, more income than expenses) in three out of five years as an author, I was not, in fact, engaged in a For-Profit Business.

Apparently, being an Artist/Author is one of those areas for which you are supposed to be punished, in the good ol’ US of A (or, at least, in Arizona), thanks to one of a set of “tests” to determine whether or not a business meets the criteria for “For Profit.”  Unfortunately, one of those tests requires a showing of profit — something few authors or artists are familiar with, when it comes to their art.  And, equally apparent is the ridiculous notion that an author or artist should ONLY be engaged in writing/art in order to be classed as pursuing that For-Profit status without proof of said profit margin.  Apparently, we really ARE supposed to starve and end up in the poor-house/bankrupt in order to be taken seriously by the tax laws.

Well, if you’re an author/artist, or family or friends of such, you know how driven a profession this is.  We dedicate every spare moment we can squeeze out of our day for the creation of our creative minds.  And there’s not a one of us who doesn’t intend to someday be able to do nothing but write, paint, etc, etc  full-time.  But we’re also realistic enough to realize that with millions of books printed every day, and hundreds of thousands of artists out there, most of us aren’t likely to ever see our names on or far enough up the bestsellers list or on gallery listing, etc, to make that kind of money.  We hold down other jobs, to pay the bills, and our families suffer as much as we do, for our art.

It’s time to take a stand… So if you’re an artist or author, a friend or family of one, or a fan who wants to see your favorite author/artist/etc continue to create, we need your help.  Follow the link below, sign the petition, and let’s tell the US Congress that being an artist/author IS a business, and we deserve protection and fair regard, as such, under the tax laws.

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/arts-irc-186-amendment/ (yes, I know the link has a mistake… I hit a “6″ instead of a “3″ when typing in the title, and can’t figure out how to change it).

Trailers and Books

I thought I’d share some recently created book trailers with you…   Please feel free to share the link to this post with anyone you think might be interested… And stay tuned for the announcement of a total make-over of www.esthermitchell.com

This first one is a series trailer for my Underground series, available from Under The Moon (www.underthemoon.org).  This is a Speculative/Science Ficiton series that’s received quite a bit of praise, including a Recommended Read from Fallen Angels Reviews, several years ago:

If Science Fiction isn’t your thing, and you prefer a Fantasy world, full of swords and sorcery, quests, warriors, and magic… Have a peek at the following trailers, for my Legends of Tirum series, available from Desert Breeze Publishing (www.desertbreezepublishing.com):

And, as always, you can find out more about any of these books, and more, at www.esthermitchell.com

Aspen Mountain Press Problems Update

Time for updates. Please pardon the style of these, but I’m trying to remain as factual as  possible, and not inject too much of the overwrought emotions I feel into this.  The situation is already emotionally volatile enough.

Here are my updates on the Aspen Mountain Press situation:

On September 21, 2011, the first certified letter I sent, back this past summer, was returned to me, unopened and unclaimed.  In this letter, I had expressed my wish to move on with my work, the expiration of my contracts, and extended an offer of payment to take my covers with me.  The publisher’s failure to respond to either this letter or the e-mail copy sent to her indicates that she is NOT holding to her contractual obligation to answer all communications in a timely manner.  (The letter and e-mail were originally sent the beginning of August).

Due to this failure, on September 26th I sent Aspen Mountain Press’ publisher a second certified letter, this time DEMANDING the removal of expired books from sale and revoking the publisher’s right to continue publication of the third book in the series, under breach of contract and ethics/legal violations.

At the same time, I also drafted and sent a letter to Lawyers for the Arts, in Denver, to see what help they might be able to offer me in this matter.

I have sent an e-mail to the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator, at the White House, as well, and drafted letters for the Colorado Better Business Bureau and the FBI’s Cyber Crimes Division (should I need it).

On September 27^th, I sent an e-mail to the Denver Post, outlining what was happening in facts, and offering them the chance to investigate and write up the story, as well.

Since the post to the publisher’s in-house board I mentioned in my first blog  post on this subject (her post being Sept. 22, 2011), there has been no further real communication from the publisher, and she appears to be ignoring e-mails and letters alike, again.  Still no royalties being paid out.  Still no new book releases.  Still no attempts to remove expired books from sale, or to revert rights first requested and then demanded from authors unwilling to face this uncertain and mercurial atmosphere, any longer.

As I mentioned in my ultimatum to the publisher, posted on my Facebook page (to which she has access as a “friend” still), if the basics of business ethics and publishing standards were not met (ie, honoring contracts, taking down books on which contracts are expired, etc), her chances to rectify the situation without public outcry were destroyed.  I don’t like to be a harda**, and there’s nothing I dislike more than having to take grievances that could have been kept private public – but if one party is unwilling to do the right (read legal) thing, I have to step up.  Not just for myself, but for all the other authors who are, as yet, unable to find their voice.

So, from this point forward, I ask all readers of this blog: Please do NOT buy any books published by Aspen Mountain Press, until you hear that a resolution has been reached.  The authors are NOT getting paid for the books you purchase, and in many cases, the sales are illegal to begin with.

Again… PLEASE DO NOT BUY BOOKS PUBLISHED BY ASPEN MOUNTAIN PRESS UNTIL YOU HEAR FROM ME THAT ISSUES HAVE BEEN RESOLVED.  As soon as I know that royalties have been made good on, contracts have been properly honored, and books have been released from this publisher’s stranglehold, buying a book from this publisher is disrespectful to the author(s) you claim to love.

Dropping the Legal Ball: A Publishing Nightmare Exposed

Midnight has passed.  Silence reigns. But I can be silent no more.  I (along with a passel of other authors) have been asked to keep something to myself that is completely illegal, violating the Copyright Laws of the United States of America — this is something I cannot do.  It is time the silence is broken.

The party performing these illegal acts has a tenuous, at best, right to request me to not say anything — I still have ONE valid contract (for another month).  However, she cannot stop Freedom of Speech, and should she try to sue me over the information I am about to divulge, she’ll find herself in MUCH worse straits than I, as she has been violating Intellectual Property laws for at least a year, now.

Of whom do I speak, you ask?

I’m talking about Aspen Mountain Press, and its publisher.

I’ve been waiting patiently for this publisher to make right things that should have been made right a year ago.  I’ve sent letters  that have been returned, unopened, marked “unclaimed” though they were sent exactly as specified in contracts that have been expired for a year or more.  I’ve sent e-mails, which have garnered no response.

And then, on Thursday, as if to rub salt in an already bleeding wound, this publisher posted a letter to the entire author body of her publishing house, basically looking for everyone who is upset to back off and not question her, anymore.  But the time for her to make requests, and the time for talking about where we plan to go from here, is over.  It was over a year ago, but I gave the benefit of the doubt, extended my waiting time, made excuses in my own mind for why these issues were not resolved,
yet.

The time for negotiation ended nearly a month ago, when my letter asserting what needed to be done was summarily ignored, and sent back to me, unopened and unclaimed.

The time for a still-amicable resolution expired at midnight last night, when the deadline for my final demand for resolution went ignored.

At the time, I promised that if it wasn’t resolved, the kid gloves would come off.  This was no idle threat.  I plan to make good on it, starting now.

Part of that letter sent to all of us authors stated that she wanted any issues kept “within the family.”  I wish I could respect that, but respect is something I believe is earned, not to be expected for nothing.  I’ve given a lot of respect over the past year, by waiting instead of hounding my publisher over contracts that expired and were never renewed, while the books remained up for sale.  I respected her by not demanding every penny those books made in the time since, as she had no legal right to be selling them.  And what did I get for the respect I was given?  Ignored, cheated, and finally told that I’m supposed to stay mute about it.

There’s no reason for me to stay mute.  There’s also no way I intend to respect the wishes of someone who’s done nothing but disrespect myself and a host of other authors, for months to years.  I’m trying to be fair-minded, to take into consideration as much as I can.  Part of me stuggled against naming names even as I wrote this post, or doing anything that might be permanently damaging to a business or person in need of so much guidance and help.  I’m not a vindictive person, and I cringe from the thought of causing anyone pain.

But the truth of the matter is, the pain has already been caused by this publisher, and it’s been caused to myself and others, in a variety of ways.  I can’t speak for the other authors (that’s for them to do, when they feel the time is right for them), but I can speak for myself.  And, in the words of Paul Harvey, it’s time for “the rest of the story.”

Several years ago, I belonged to another publishing house (the now infamous Triskelion Publishing).  When that company went bankrupt, the world exploded for me.  It was the first time I ever faced the horrible truth of the publishing industry – as an author, the deck is stacked AGAINST you.  But the authors banded together, and went to the wall to get our rights back.  And, in the end, we succeeded.  Whether it proves true or not, I like to believe we set a precedent regarding bankruptcy in the publishing industry, that day.

Shortly after, I was approached by the owner of Aspen Mountain Press, wanting to publish something of mine. I was initially leery, but was promised that it would NOT be like  Triskelion.  Eventually, we struck a deal, and I started sending my Project Prometheus series.  The first contract was signed in 2007.  The second was signed the very end of 2007, and the third was signed in November of 2008. Each of these contracts had a 3 year expiration, and could ONLY be renewed by WRITTEN AGREEMENT between the publisher and myself at the time of expiration.

For the first couple of years, everything seemed fine.  I liked the publisher, and while sales were never great, I wasn’t expecting them to be huge, either (I’m a bit of a niche author… I know my work’s not to everyone’s tastes), and I was happy with whatever I got.

Then, in 2010, the first of my contracts expired.  I waited for the e-mail or letter to arrive, stating the publisher’s request to renew my contract.  At the time, I would have happily signed a renewal.  I saw no reason not to.

But no renewal request ever came.

2011 rolled around, and still I was waiting for a renewal request on the first contract.  Not a peep.  Now the SECOND contract was  expired.  No request came for that, either.  I sent an e-mail query regarding both.  No response.  I told myself that it was an e-mail glitch, that the e-mail was just never received.  And I waited.  Meanwhile, books were selling, and I was only getting my contracted royalty amounts when, as the contracts were expired, I SHOULD have been receiving the entire cover price.  But it didn’t really bother me.  I kept watching for the renewals, but I didn’t want to make a pain of myself, so I didn’t send any more e-mails or letters regarding it.

Not until this past summer.  Then, when I decided I needed to get the books taken down and acknowledgement of contractual expiration sent to me, I did exactly as my contract stated, and sent a certified letter requesting not only a letter of confirmation and the removal of the first two books, but also a reversal of the rights on the third book, which is set to expired in November (a little over a month away). At the same time, I sent an e-mail containing the same request.  No response.  Eventually, the letter came back to me, unopened and marked “unclaimed” by the Post Office.

And then the publisher stopped communicating with anyone who e-mailed her or sent her mail. For nearly TWO MONTHS!  She didn’t respond to the stirrings of first concern, and then panic, among her authors.  We were essentially left in limbo.

Like I said, I can’t speak for any of the other authors, but here’s what this whole ordeal has done to me:

The stress of it all put me into a medical tailspin.  I suffer from Acute Intermittent Porphyria, and stress is a major trigger of  attacks.  I’ve been in varying stages of attack (from barely-bearable pain to pain so bad I missed enough work that I’m now losing over $100 on my next paycheck, meaning I don’t know if I’ll make bills the beginning of the month, or not) for weeks now.

I’ve been frustrated enough that my ability to write (and  thus meet my contractual obligations with OTHER publisher) has been  hit-and-miss.

And yet, I’ve seen not one word of apology, not one attempt to make right the things that have broken the relationship between us.

Would I be willing to mend fences?  In most ways, yes.

Would I be willing to let bygones be bygones?  I don’t hold a grudge – but I’m not going to leave my books with someone I can’t trust to not do this again.  Holding onto anger isn’t something I want in my life, and I’m more than willing to let that go and wish Aspen Mountain Press and its publisher well.  However, I’m not an idiot, and once my trust is broken, it literally takes moving mountains to get it back.  My staying, once the trust is broken, is an issue not up for debate – it’s just not going to happen.

What will it take for me to mend fences?  An apology, for starters.  Not just some mealy-mouth bunch of words, either.  I’m talking about a genuine, heart-felt apology, in which the publisher finally takes her full share of responsibility for the events that have transpired, and their effects on me.  And the removal of my books for sale, as well as a letter acknowledging that ALL THREE belong to me, again.  Nothing less will do, and nothing more need be done.  I’m not asking for the world – I’m asking
that the right thing be done.

Until the publisher is willing to face up to her own mistakes, and make amends to the people she’s wronged in recent (and not so  recent) past, I won’t be recommending this publisher to anyone.  In my eyes, at the moment, it’s a case of “Buyer Beware.”  If you’re planning to purchase any of my books, DO NOT PURCHASE THEM FROM ASPEN MOUNTAIN PRESS.  Two of the three books there are being sold illegally, in violation of Copyright Law.

Want to Win a Free Book?

Want a free autographed copy of one of my print releases?

I’m running a very special contest, here on my blog, for my regular readers.  If you’ve purchased one of my books in the past (or if you purchase one now), all you have to do is read it, and then e-mail me a short review of the book you chose.  Not only will your review get posted on my website (and possibly here and on my Facebook Fan Page) along with credit to you for the review, but you’ll also be entered into a special drawing for an autographed copy of TAMIA, the first book in my Underground series, currently available from Under The Moon.

This contest will run until August 31st, so you have plenty of time to get those reviews in (remember, it doesn’t have to be long and involved… But it does need to be more than “good book”…lol)

DAUGHTER OF ASHES Release – Today!

Legends of Tirum: Daughter of Ashes

Time to break out the party hats and celebrate!  Today’s the launch day for a brand new series for me!

Legends of  Tirum is a Fantasy series with Romantic elements that’s been a long time in development, and I couldn’t be more happy or proud to say it’s finally here!

Today’s release of DAUGHTER OF ASHES, the first book in the series, is the culmination of years of work!

So, in honor of today’s release, I’m posting a special excerpt.  Have a peek… tell me what you think… And if you like what you read, pick up your very own copy at Desert Breeze Publishing today!

Excerpt from Legends of Tirum: DAUGHTER OF ASHES –

The streets of the Brassanburg Market were already thrumming with morning business by the time Telyn and Nacaris entered the gates of the city. Telyn smirked at the hawkers — street corner peddlers who screamed their trinkets and wares like birds of prey — who badgered passers-by in the hopes of turning a head by sheer volume. She wondered if they knew how many potential customers they drove off that way. The proprietors of the storefronts and billowing pavilions certainly knew, if the disdainful, irritated looks they cast their street-corner compatriots was any indication.

“Is it always this loud?” Nacaris’ voice carried over the boisterous peddlers, and she turned to grin at him.

“This is the great part of the market.” She always enjoyed watching the subtle battle of wills that thrummed between peddlers and merchants. Trade towns were famous for both hawkers and shopkeepers, and little as they cared for each other, neither would have celebrated the demise of the other. As long as the barter war remained in full force, the powers of trade remained balanced.

Telyn drew her mount closer to Nacaris’, to be heard above the din, as she jerked her chin toward an inn at the end of the street. “There’s where we want.”

He eyed the non-descript building warily. “Are you certain?”

Her grin flashed, wide and wicked. She knew what he thought, but was too diplomatic to say. It looked like a swill house. But she knew that appearance could be deceiving, and this little inn was testament enough to that. “Trust me.”

He cast her a long look, then surprised her by nodding. She’d expected more of a battle.

Telyn turned Bloodcloud toward a stable a few doors up from the inn. She knew the stablemaster, and trusted him to take good care of her horse. She grinned at the man in question as he stepped from the livery doors at the sound of horses outside.

“Ho, Carmyd!”

He blinked into the sunlight, and a wide grin split his scarred face as he swiped a hand over his bald pate. “Well, bless my silver shoes, if it ain’t a grand sight for old eyes.”

With a laugh, she leapt from her horse and into his waiting embrace, breathing in the familiar, comforting scents of leather and horse. Unwelcome tears swelled in her eyes as memory washed over her. Carmyd was an old Gildgard — one of the few that actually managed to survive to a respectable old age and retire gracefully. He’d come to her mother, bleeding and near death from horrific wounds on his face, when Telyn was a mere babe, and his long recovery had made him a semi-permanent fixture in her young life. From Carmyd, she heard the old legends, and learned to ride her first horse. Under his tutelage — and despite her mother’s disapproval — she’d learned to handle blade and bow, though others were responsible for honing her skill.

“Here, now, girl,” he muttered, holding her away to look into her face. “What brings the tears?”

She blinked them away and shook her head, smiling. “It does me good to see your face again.”

He glanced beyond her, and his shaggy brows lifted curiously. “Who’s the stallion?”

Telyn laughed, but couldn’t contain the flush that crept up her neck. “A friend.”

“I see.” He frowned, and then, as if reaching some inner conclusion, shrugged. “What brings you to my fair city?”

She sighed. “Business, I fear.”

His gaze flickered to Nacaris again. “His or yours?”

“Both. I came to see Seoman.”

That gained her a piercing look from her old friend. “What kind of business?”

She batted him away and turned toward Bloodcloud as Nacaris swung down from his own mount. “Don’t pry, Carmyd.”

“I see.” Those two words carried a wealth of meaning, and Telyn sighed. She wasn’t about to explain herself to anyone — especially not Carmyd.

“We need lodging for the horses for the night, at least.”

He nodded, and gestured toward the stable. “You know the way. But, Telyn, a word of caution…”

She turned expectantly. There was something about his tone…

“Aye?”

“The boy you knew is long gone. Have a caution with the man he’s become.”

As she walked Bloodcloud into the stable, those words travelled with Telyn, and concern knitted her brows. What, exactly, did Carmyd mean?

Breaking the Rules: Romance and the Happily Ever After

Warning:  I’m about to make myself largely unpopular with most of the Romance community.

Why?

Because I want to talk about not just bending the rules, but flat-out breaking them.

Of all the areas of fiction that fill library, bookstore, and now internet store shelves, Romance has the biggest market share.  And, at least in terms of the internet, it’s growing rapidly (though this has more, I think, to do with Erotica slowly being lumped under the “Romance” label – and, well, let’s face it, people will ALWAYS pay for a chance to peek into someone else’s sex life – human beings are by nature voyeuristic).  But of all the areas of fiction, the one most in the need of a good shake-up is the Romance industry.

Yes, yes, I know.  You can point to numbers and statistics and claim that Romance is just fine as it is, because blahdity-blah number of units are sold each year, and so on and so forth.  But, if you look a little deeper, you’re going to see something I’ve noticed – that most of those units are being sold to the SAME people.  The die-hard escapists.  The hopeless (or hopeful) romantics.

Now, don’t get me wrong.  There’s nothing wrong with either of these groups (I happen to be very much in the “hopeful romantic” category, myself).  But what I want to know is – what about the OTHER 95% of the reading population?  What about the people who want to know that human beings can connect to one another on more than a physical level, and who also want to see that life’s an adventure, not something to be escaped?  What about the readers who are far too aware of the real world to ever be able (or willing) to escape it?

There’ve been a lot of Romance crossovers in recent years.  Now, there’s Paranormal Romance, Romantic Suspense, Urban Fantasy Romance, Science Fiction Romance, etc, etc, etc.  And this is a good start.  But there’s still a fundamental flaw in the picture.  The Happily Ever After.

Do I wish life was a Fairy Tale, full of HEAs and jaunts around Neverland on a handful of pixi dust?  Hell, yes.  I wish no one ever had to die because someone had a boneheaded idea of fighting to prove their superiority.  I wish people didn’t suffer and die from brutal disease.  I wish we could all ride off into the sunset, and just fade from view at a certain point.

The hopeful romantic in me wishes that love lasted, that everyone felt cherished by someone, and that no child ever suffered pain or hardship.  The romantic in me wishes like hell that abuse, neglect, and torture never happened, and that hate, prejudice, and terror were never born in the human mind or heart.

But the reality exists.  And ignoring it doesn’t make it go away.  So, I’m challenging the Romance industry to take a good look at Happily Ever After, and ask yourself – do you really believe it exists?

Personally, I’m more inclined to believe in Happily For As Long As It Lasts.  And I’m more inclined to believe that some passions, some romances, just aren’t meant to be.  Sometimes, no matter how much we give, how deeply we love, it just never gets a chance to happen.  And maybe the real story is in the love lost, rather than in the sunset kiss.  Maybe the real romance is in what might have been, rather than in “Happily Ever After.”

So, my challenge stands – Take a step outside the box, and ask yourself why this is the unbreakable rule.  Because, speaking from personal experience, the greatest love in life is sometimes the one that never had a chance of surviving.

The Buzz: What is this “Write what you Know” crap, anyway?

    Everyone always advises writers to “write what you know.”  *blinks* Two decades later, and I’m still trying to figure out what that means.  Me, I’m a trivia/research junkie.  Set me loose in a library, and you might never see me again (I literally have to set a time limit on myself when I’m in the library).  I can browse the non-fiction shelves for hours.  Something might jump out at me, and I’ll pull it down and read a little.  If the subject intrigues me, I’ll keep reading.  If not, back it goes.  But I’ve probably still gleaned at least one or two little factoids that might work their way to the surface again, sometime.

 So what do I know?  I’ve pondered the question at length.  I know I don’t know everything there is to know about anything.  I know that even though my opinions are based on facts as much as gut feeling, those opinions are not set in stone, and new evidence or experience can always change them.  How does one write about these things?

The answer is surprisingly easy – you don’t.  This conundrum shows itself in your characters, in how they interact with the world, but you don’t actually WRITE about philosophical ponderings (not unless you want to put your audience to sleep, or you’re writing a deep non-fiction book about philosophy).  Instead, you write about what you LEARN, rather than what you know.  Me, when I have a story idea, I go with it.  I get an idea of what I want to know, and then I go in search of the knowledge I don’t have.  Sometimes, it comes from observing or talking to people.  Sometimes, it comes from places like Discovery Channel or National Geographic.  Sometimes, it comes from hours and hours spent in the library (either my own or public or university libraries), sifting through all the information I can find, and sometimes it comes from extensive, exhaustive online searching.  But I don’t take it for granted that I KNOW the information.  And I don’t stop researching until I get to the point where either the book is finished, or I’ve exhausted every possible avenue I can find. 

Does this mean I always get the information I’m seeking?  No.  Sometimes, after months of exhaustive searching, I have to admit defeat – that there may not be the information, or that I may not be able to get in contact with the people who know it, like I’d want to.  Then, I have to get creative, and try to ascertain the answer from the facts I HAVE learned, using logic.  Sometimes, it works.  Other times, it might not.  But I can always look back at the work and say “I did the absolute best research I could do.”

Paranormal Fiction Mistake #1

To Be Old & Hip:

The 500-year-old Modern Vampire

In all the years I’ve researched, lectured on, and read about vampires, one element has come up time and again when dealing with vampires in fiction, and I’ve grown tired of the clichés.  This cliché is what I call the 500-year-old modern vampire.

Now, this isn’t to say that it’s always five hundred years, or that you’re safe from this cliché, as a writer, if you choose some other number (unless that number is less than eighty).  My general rule of thumb is, if your vampire predates World War II, you’re out of the “modern” era, and therefore need to be extremely careful not to fall into this trap.

And what, you ask, is the trap?  Generally, it’s one that proper research and consistent characterization can help you avoid.  Inexperienced authors (and even some with years of experience writing other genres) like the air of mystery to the vampire myth.  Everyone interested in vampires has read (or at least watched the movie of) Bram Stoker’s Dracula – and everyone’s enthralled with this long-lived antihero.  The problem is that Bram Stoker (like many who came after him) fell into the trap, as well.

If you’re going to make your vampire hundreds of years old, you’re going to have to make some sacrifices for that vampire.  Too often, an ancient vampire will be portrayed in a completely modern light.  I can’t tell you how tired I am of 6’3″, bodybuilder or whipcord-thin, Goth-inspired Vampire heroes from the Middle Ages who treat women as equals and etc, etc.  Call this a rant, but I’ve been studying vampires for over a decade, and if you’re talking about a Revenant (Risen) vampire, you’ve got several major problems right from the start, with the above description.

The assumption is made by too many authors that because vampires aren’t “real” (an incorrect assumption which my years of investigation and study in the paranormal leaves me in the interesting position to dispute), there are no rules or boundaries governing their use in fiction.  This couldn’t be more false, as assumptions go.

Let’s take the cliché vampire hero I listed above and flesh him out a little more, while still maintaining the cliché.  Hmm… let’s call him Vlad (hey, we’re dealing with clichés!), and let’s say he was born, a living human being, in around 1480 CE in the region of Eastern Europe.  Keep in mind the description above.

Now we’re going to set our current story in 2008.  Vlad has been a vampire since around 1500.  Anyone seeing a problem already with our above description?  If not, keep reading.

First problem:  The Medieval and Renaissance people were hardly what I’d call tall.  If you want proof of this, go to a museum in Europe (or look at pictures), and study the suits of armor.  A man topping 5’8″ would be considered a freak or a giant, and unless you’re giving Vlad a nightmarish background as a pariah (or worse), you’re going to have to deep-six the height of 6’3″ and knock him down to a respectable 5’6″- 5’8″ (roughly the height of today’s average woman).  Remember, just because he’s become a vampire, the laws of physical shape still apply – mainly, that he’s not going to grow any taller being dead (or undead) than he was when he was alive.  Study the time period, region, and history of the area you’re planning to use BEFORE you start crafting your vampire character.  It’s going to save you headaches down the road.

Second problem:  Much like the first problem, this is one of physical structure.  The people of Vlad’s living era were stockier, for the most part, than modern people.  No, this doesn’t mean they were fat, or that our guy’s being a body builder is okay.  It means that their bone structures were much more compact and dense.  Particularly in Slavic regions, where this still holds fairly true, today.  Vlad is going to have that same basic structure.  Being a vampire doesn’t magically change his bone structure or skeletal composition to make him tall, lanky, or well-defined.  He’s going to be short and stocky – think Robin Williams, not David Bowie.

Third problem:  The Gothic inspiration.  Okay, now I have a large problem with this, but not for the reasons you might think.  Mainly, I have a problem with it because authors don’t explain it, or how it applies to their character.  Let’s take Vlad as our example, again.  He was born in 1480 as a human.  Probably died in around 1500, according to our model that he became a vampire, then.  Well, that was hardly a “gothic” age.  That was the height of the Renaissance.  Clothing and art were bright and vibrant, full of mythic themes, etc.  For Vlad to have a deep affinity with today’s modern Goth culture, he had to have picked it up sometime later – probably during the Victorian Era, when that was all the rage.  And that is something that needs great explanation, and consistency, from the writer.  Not only do you need to know when he picked it up, but you need to know WHY it appealed to him so much that, of all the eras, he clung to that one.

Fourth problem:  Attitude.  Now, granted, as human beings, our attitudes toward people change as we learn and develop.  It’s not a terrible leap to gather that, on some levels and for survival, a vampire might alter certain attitudes.  But not all of them.  Our example hero, Vlad, is supposed to see women as equals, etc.  Only problem is, women as equals is still an illusion in some areas of even today’s society, and the concept wasn’t even around until the Suffrage Movement, and didn’t really take effect until the mid-1970s.  To a vampire whose last living memories are of the Renaissance, this is going to be a tough idea to swallow.  And if he has an affinity for the Victorian Era (see the comments above on Gothic style, again), it’s going to be even tougher.  Sorry, but this is one guy who’s hopelessly stuck in a mindset of “the weaker sex.”  Trying to change him is going to take a major event – and no, falling in love doesn’t count.  Even a woman rescuing his butt from destruction might not be enough to change his views on women.

On another note about vampires and research, let’s look at the whole 1500 thing.  Anyone know what was happening in the world in 1500?

For one thing, it was the Age of Discovery and colonization of the New World.  It was the height of the Renaissance, and the Protestant Rebellion was fast approaching.  It may have been an age of artistic and scientific enlightenment, but it was also a time of constant war and brutality, and Inquisition still hovered on the lips of the malcontent.  Friction between the Holy Roman Empire and the Roman Catholic Church would have spilled over into the region Vlad hails from, and would color his outlook on religion and politics (of course, this all depends on whether or not Vlad was aristocracy… If he was a peasant, he was likely ignorant of pretty much everything in his world from art to politics, and focused entirely on survival).  His world and how he viewed it greatly depend on proper historical context, and consistent characterization.  If he was a peasant then, he’s going to be little better than a hood, these days.  He’s not going to have a lot of pride or self-respect.  If he was minor aristocracy, he’ll have an inflated sense of self-worth, and aspire to be something greater than he actually is… And it goes on from there.

Vampires, in and of themselves, are complex creatures, and it’s not a simple procedure to create one.  I would recommend that anyone considering (or currently working on) a vampire character check out my blog on vampires from the parapsychological viewpoint, at http://wildflowerpara.wordpress.com

I also offer individual services in helping with research and character development of paranormal creatures.  You can contact me a for more information, if you’re interested.

Underestimating Complete Idiots

Now, from the title of this post, you might infer that I’m going to complain about a bunch of morons.  I’m not.  Quite the opposite.  I’m going to talk about an often-ridiculed and even more often overlooked reference tool – The Complete Idiot’s Guide (or the Dummies books… though I prefer the former for its thumbability – is that a word? *laughs*)

I’ve heard plenty of people, over the years since The Complete Idiot’s Guide books started being published, make fun of or joke about the books.  I admit that some of the subjects seem a little pedestrian to need a beginner’s guide, and that’s probably what spurs the bad jokes.  But I’m equally puzzled as to why these books have obtained such a bad rap.

Admittedly, they’re not scholarly texts and, like most books, they’re prone to the normal amount of errors.  However, unlike most non-fiction tomes on particular subjects, the CIGs don’t drone on about the subject like a university professor who’s taught the same quantum mechanics for four hundred years.  They present the information in an entertaining and informative way, and include lots of little quick facts that are equally interesting to read.  They provide an excellent bibliography of books on the subject, and sometimes (depending on the subject) even provide contact information for agencies or organizations that deal in whatever the subject matter is.  For a writer, this is like striking gold not once, but three times.

First, they provide basic information on a subject which, if you’re doing research for a book and need to find that information, it can be easily assumed that you’re not an expert on it.  There’re often interesting little factoids in these books that prompt me to research in a direction I might never have even thought of, without them.  Do I think these books should be used as the end-all of research?  Well, of course not!  That was never the intention of the people writing them, and if you’re an author, you should already know that you can’t glean all you need on a subject from one source! That’s English 101.

Second, the fact that these books provide an extensive bibliography is kind of like having a library directory right at your fingertips.  Now, even if you’re pretty well-versed in your subject, and don’t need most of the information in the book, this section is still going to come in handy.  You’re likely to find more indepth research material listed here – maybe even books you’ve never heard of, which might provide interesting research on the subject.

Third, the list of contact information.  Now, I don’t know about you, but my biggest problem with research when I’m writing is when I get down to the questions I just can’t answer with a book.  Often, they leave me with an unfinished plot, because I haven’t a clue who to contact, or whose information might be at least largely accurate and trustworthy.  Sometimes, I even need information that trying to find a contact through normal channels makes frustrating (you should have seen me trying to get the information on the NNMC I needed for SHADOW WALKER! lol).  Well, these books provide a list of contact information for people who can provide that information.  As far as I’m concerned, these contact lists are worth the price of the book, all on their own.  I always look to see if there’s a contacts section in the book, when I buy it.

Take it from me, and never underestimate The Complete Idiot’s Guide books.  As a writer, I can personally vouch that they’re a tool you don’t want to overlook.