Libraries, Ireland, and the Book of Kells

Hello! I’m LK Hunsaker and like my fellow authors here at Lindsay’s Romantics, I’m a library fanatic. As we’ve already heard inspirational stories and ways to help support your local library, I was trying to think of something different to add to the theme.

The library is indeed a magical place, and I often walked into town as a child to grab the next adventure. When you’re in a very small town in the middle of cornfields, you have two options for adventure (well, two safe and legal options): imagination and books. They work together.

Instead of regaling about my own hometown library, then or now (although I’m so proud of my local library that has just upgraded and spread with the community’s incredible help!), I thought I’d share an adventure in real life that includes both imagination and books: a trip to Dublin my husband and I took in 2008.

I have to say that overall, Dublin was not my favorite tourist spot. It’s very … well, touristy and packed full of university students who don’t exactly represent down-to-earth old-time Ireland. However, it was worth the time there just to find Trinity College’s library.

I wish I could have taken photos of the library itself. It’s not horribly large, but it is two stories and old-time with its dark wooden shelves and railing and flooring. And all of those books! What most people go to see, though, is what Trinity hosts:


The Book of Kells

This is not the actual book. It’s one of the very large posters in the (very crowded) room before you get in to see the book. Completed in 800 AD by Scottish and Irish Monks, The Book of Kells is actually quite small and thick. It holds the texts of the four gospels with gorgeous illustrations. In fact, only two of the pages, handwritten pages, are not illustrated.

The book, and a few other rare old texts, are carefully concealed in glass boxes in one of the library’s rooms where visitors can walk along and marvel at the artistry of the combined words and illustrations, and by how well preserved something so ancient can still be. For a writer-artist, this was an incredible view.

Unfortunately, no photos are allowed. That’s necessary, of course, since flash photography does degrade fragile materials, and the room itself is kept fairly dark for preservation. I may have to break down and order the  CD (or maybe the screensaver since it’s much less expensive!) so I can actually look through the book. As it’s in Latin, I won’t be able to do more with the text than marvel at it, but I guess sometimes that’s good enough.



Libraries do indeed hold treasures. Some of these, if not all, are rare and priceless.

A book need not be over 3,000 years old to be priceless, however. I consider my set of a few old copies of the Hardy Boys series priceless, although I found them rather cheap in an antique shop. There is something about being pulled into a story and characters that can’t replaced by any other feeling in the world. Visit your own library to find out.

~~ ~~
If you would like bookmarks for your local library for any of my books, contact me through http://www.elucidatepublishing.net with the library’s address and a contact name.
~~ ~~

Alas, I didn’t find any leprechauns, unless you count this little guy,  but there’s always next time.

Here’s to your own adventures!

sources:
http://www.tcd.ie/about/trinity/bookofkells/
http://www.thebookofkells.com

~~
LK Hunsaker
~Literary Romance with an Artsy Twist~
http://www.lkhunsaker.com
http://lkhunsaker.blogspot.com
~~

An Exciting Time to be Indie!

“More and more, you will see books and publishing ventures aimed at very specific niches.”

Richard Curtis, literary agent, quoted by James McGrath Morris in The Huffington Post




I was indie when indie wasn’t cool, as the song says (well, it says something like that).

Back in 2003 when I finished writing my first novel to be complete, Finishing Touches, I was already beginning to research the publishing industry to figure out what to do with the book once the writing was done. I’d learned about Writer’s Market and several of the big online Market spots and had used both while hunting a publisher for my children’s story. Wow, that first rejection does sting. I suppose they all do, but the first one shoves deeply into a new writer’s soul like no other, as it brings a bucket full of reality with it. I learned a lot trying the traditional path with that book although it was really just a little side project for my kids. Research led to more research, to the way novels are published, the way the industry works.

Scary thing, the book industry.

I wasn’t scared, however, as much as disheartened. Publishers want a certain genre, and particularly whatever genre is best selling at the moment. My book didn’t fit any publisher or agent I found. It’s a mutt: a half breed, if you will. Just as too often the mutts are left in shelters while the purebreds are taken home, I didn’t see much chance to get my own mutt out there.

That is, until I found companies offering to take your mutts, uh books, under their shelters and give them homes, for a small fee. So the research shifted. Sometimes the fees weren’t so small. Sometimes they didn’t have the kind of home I wanted for my book. Sometimes they were complete rip-offs. I read lots of forums to find authors talking of their experiences and read the fine print on each company’s site. When I found Infinity Publishing, a small independent company out of Pennsylvania, I knew my book would be comfortable there.

During this week of indie publishing posts, I’ve enjoyed all of the experiences by authors willing to do things differently. Back in 2003 when I decided to go that route, self-publishers were truly the mutts of the writing world. And not only the mutts, but the dirty unkempt disease-ridden mutts.

Still, I figured it was my only shot, other than switching to write a genre that “fit.” I’ve never been one to fit, though, or to give in.

My experience with Infinity was wonderful. They answer emails immediately. They pick up the phone in person. The books turn out beautifully and they help with formatting when you need it. Within a few weeks of sending my files to them, I had a box full of my first novel! How exciting is that??

Ah, then comes the marketing but that’s a story for a different post. I’m trying not to be too long-winded.

So, very long story short, my next two books went to Infinity, as well. But I never stopped researching, following publishing trends, especially indie publishing. It also wasn’t being called that yet – there was a debate as to whether authors using POD services were actually “self-published” and much yelling about it by experts of some sort, so when I started a group for those writers doing it on their own, I called it indie publishing, in the vein of indie musicians. I was often asked just what I meant by “indie author” and was glad to explain. My group grew quickly. It seems lots of mutt authors were looking for homes.

Within the 7 years since I began, the indie scene has begun to burst, and I can’t be happier to see it.

My research, though, took me to another path. My two newest books, Off The Moon & Protect The Heart, are published by Elucidate Publishing, my own company. It entails a heck of a lot more work and a huge learning curve, but it also makes my books less expensive and gives them much better distribution. (This post is too long already to go into the process, but I have an indie publishing section on my own blog and I’ll add that there soon.) EP is in process of expanding to include other independent authors whose themes match its orientation: a writer’s artist colony of sorts. We offer print books, with assistance if needed to set up ebooks at Smashwords.com (see below for all of the raving about how wonderful Smashwords is! I fully agree, and it’s the best way for authors to dip their feet into indie publishing). Watch EP for the newest authors to join the team!

A warning for writers considering going independent: it’s not the easy way. Make sure to research your options first. Watch for companies who will cost you more than you can afford, not only monetarily. Talk with other indies (or read blogs such as this). EDIT! and get critiques. We serious indies are dismayed by all those who put out first drafts because it makes our mission harder. Be prepared to do all of the footwork yourself. It takes a lot of time. Can you afford it? Do you have the stamina and determination? It takes plenty.

It’s also an unbelievable feeling, once you’ve gone through all the work and hold that gorgeous book in your hand, to know YOU did it.

Good luck!

I’ll be around to answer questions if anyone has any.

LK Hunsaker
~Literary Romance with an Artsy Twist~
http://www.lkhunsaker.com
http://lkhunsaker.blogspot.com
http://www.elucidatepublishing.net


-- 

New Release! Protect the Heart

Protect The Heart
LK Hunsaker

Elucidate Publishing
May 31, 2010
198 pg trade paperback
& ebook 

A Home Front Story
sweet romance, any age

Blurb:

Entrenched on his father's farm in southern Idaho's Snake River Valley, Abraham Luchner pulls up roots to join the war effort. Joined by his friend Cameron Terry, an impulsive adventure seeker, Abe determines to sever ties at home in order to minimize distractions. His greatest connection with his beloved canyon and farm is in the form of charcoal sketches he works on each night to escape his present conditions, as well as the letters Cameron reads aloud from his beloved.

Maura Laerty has been claimed as Cameron's betrothed in the eyes of the community. Determined not to become a war widow or caregiver of one more soul who needs her ongoing assistance, she refuses his proposal, at least until he returns. Despite her efforts, Maura soon finds herself saddled with responsibilities that tax her resolve and turn the townspeople away. Her greatest ally comes from a twist of fate as winding and unpredictable as the great Snake River itself.


Excerpt:

“Good afternoon, Miss Laerty.”

She jumped at Cameron’s voice, amazed she hadn’t noticed his car pull in front of her house as she stood admiring her flowers. Maura shoved the indecent thoughts out of her mind while she faced him. “Oh, good afternoon, Mr. Terry. You aren’t off already, are you?” She couldn’t help but stare at Cameron in his olive green uniform. It made her heart hurt. She didn’t want him to come back like those men at the other end of the home. With his risk-taking and high spirits, she was awfully afraid he would.

“I have nearly two full days yet. Abe and I are in town to get ready is all. Thought I would start getting used to it.” He stepped out and offered his arm. “I hoped to take you for a walk around town.”

“I’m afraid I have plans.”

“You have plans?” He looked alarmed.

“Yes. I was on my way to the home. They’re expecting me today.”

“Oh.” His face relaxed. “Well, I don’t suppose I could change your mind, seeing as I have only two days left and all?”

“For now. Two days left for now, you mean, Mr. Terry. And I expect you to come home walking, by the way. You do know I expect that.”

He bowed. “I will do my best to accommodate you.”

His grin was too charming. She had to pull her eyes away. “I do need to go in to the home for a bit, but I suppose I could leave early. Would you like to come for dinner? Father would enjoy the extra company.”

“I would be honored. Please, allow me to drive you and I’ll pick you up after if you’ll give me a time.”

Maura couldn’t refuse. After all, Cameron was leaving. She might as well enjoy the company, also, while she could. “You are welcome to bring your friend along, if you would like. You say he’s in town with you?”

“Abe? Yes, he’s in town. But he has ‘errands’ to take care of, so he says. Trying to make sure everything is set for his father while he’s away, I believe. I told him I’d have my younger brothers stop by now and then to offer help. He seems to appreciate it, but he still worries.”

“His father is in good health, though, I hear.”

“Oh yes. For a man nearly sixty, he is in good health. They are close, however, and Abe worries he will work too hard there alone. Not like you and your father or me and my own, where we put up with each other only as we are related by circumstance. If anything happens to Abe, the old man will be devastated. His world centers on him.”

“Lord willing he won’t be away long, then. Or you.”

Cameron lifted her hand to kiss her fingers.

She blushed. “We’re in public. What will people think?”

“They’ll think you’re inclined to become my wife. As I’m inclined to think you might, also.”

“Mr. Terry…”

“Please, Maura. Cameron. At least do me the favor of using my first name and allowing me use of yours.”

“I believe you have already taken that liberty.”

He grinned. “And I believe you are starting to bend to my request. But we’ll talk more of it later, after dinner tonight when we take a stroll.”

Download the first 10% (appr. 20 pgs) to peruse HERE

~~~

PROTECT THE HEART benefits military families:

$1.00 of every $7.95 PRINT sale directly from http://www.ElucidatePublishing.net
and $2.00 of every $4.95 EBOOK sale directly from  http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/15621
goes to BooksforBoots.org to help families of injured service members visit them as they recover. [print books will be personally signed and come with bookmarks]

Other fundraisers for the military in the works. Watch my blog or sign up for my newsletter for details.

LK Hunsaker
~Literary Romance with an Artsy Twist~
http://www.lkhunsaker.com
http://lkhunsaker.blogspot.com

--

Cover Art: A Different Perspective

Hello! I’m coming at this cover art theme from a slightly different place than those authors before me. I’ve enjoyed reading their thoughts on the subject as both writers and readers because I think about the topic a lot. I’m an author, as well, but I’m also a cover artist, at least for my own. The two I’ve done for other writers are not yet out so unfortunately I can’t show them. I’ll have to make do with my own.

When planning a cover, I have three big thoughts in mind: 1) what do I want it to say?  2) how do I pull a reader in with it? & 3) how do I do what I want to do?

I study covers in bookstores. When one pulls me in I pay attention to why it did. Most often it’s a combination of color and subject. Nature will pull me. Blues/greens/purples will pull me. Travel scenes will definitely grab me, particularly when it’s of Italy, Scotland, Ireland, or a beach somewhere. On the opposite hand, too much black, red, or nudity turn me away. So do covers that look like elements were pulled from here and there and just smashed together. It has to flow. A cover that doesn’t flow implies a book that doesn’t flow, fair or not.

My first cover was for my own first novel and I created it during a graphic design class.

The story of Finishing Touches is about a young widow of a somewhat famous painter with a new baby trying to find her own direction. She’s also an artist but hides from it for several reasons. She lives in a loft overlooking the Illinois River and spends much of her thoughtful time staring out at the trees she loves. For this cover, I wanted a somber but not dark feel, therefore the muted trees and deep greens and browns, plus the touch of yellow to lighten it. The girl is actually a conte crayon sketch I did back in my late teen years. I scanned it, took the yellowed paper background out, and colorized it to fit the cover. The paintbrush was a quick computer drawing added for theme and for the rule of 3. All artists know the rule of 3 when it comes to design. I use it here several times: paintbrush/title/girl, upper trees/yellow text block/lower trees, & upper border/middle/lower. Three looks much more artistically balanced than any other number of elements.

I’ve recently finished an update of this book to put out as second edition ebook format and so decided I needed an updated cover for it. This is what I have so far. It could very well change. This background is an actual photo taken of the Illinois River by a family member who was kind enough to run around Peoria and grab photos of some of the places in my books so I could put them on my website. (Helpful people are always a true blessing for authors!)  I wanted it brighter this time but with enough of the same elements to look like the same story. The background (and back cover if I decide to put it in print, also) looks like canvas. The photo was manipulated with a watercolor filter to look like a painting.


For my Rehearsal series, which features a dancer who helps support her best friend and his up and coming rock band, I wanted of course a musical theme, but also a 70s look since it begins in 1974. The problem with this one was … where do I get the picture of the musicians and dancer without breaking copyright? I solved it the hard way: I drew them. The good thing about that was I could make them just the way the are in the book so they are perfectly represented in a way that can be hard to do with stock photos. It also cost nothing ;-) … that is, nothing but a heck of a lot of time!  A Different Drummer (book 1) also uses a photo I took at a concert some years ago, faded out and small enough not to see who the band is but enough to get an actual concert audience, as well. Again, the rule of 3 comes in more than once.

The Highest Aim (book 2) has the band more on the move and the characters changing roles, growing up, moving along.  Part of the book is set in Edinburgh where one of the main characters is from, and so the photo of Scotland’s National Monument on Calton Hill. The road photo is mine, as well. The band is modeled after some rather big musical names which I won’t reveal, but changed to fit each character as I see them.

 
I have to admit, though, the next cover is my favorite so far:

 Off The Moon is set half in NYC and half in the little lake town of Bennington, VT. Boats and water play a large part in the story, as does the sky and moon, along with the struggling relationship between Ryan and Kaitlyn. This one is a combination of three photos: two of my own and one a photographer friend provided [www.inescreations.com] in exchange for return promo. ;-)

As I’ve yet to be able to visit Bennington, I had no photos of the lake there, so I ‘cheated’ and used a lake down the road instead. Sometimes a photographer/artist gets very lucky, as I did with this one. The picnic table and two people in the picture were there waiting for me to capture them when I went to get photos, as was the little pontoon in the background. The perfect shot. Amazing luck. (Yes, I do have their knowledge of and okay to be featured, but not to announce who they are.)

The window ledge was harder to get, but with some assistance to get into a public building that actually has a cement ledge, I had all of the elements I needed for what I wanted to say. This is a thoughtful novel, an exploration of an evolving relationship with plenty of complications, and highly nature symbolic. I would like to have added a dog to it, but putting too many elements on a cover only creates confusion and looks messy.

You’ll notice that I don’t have pictures of sexy men showing their wares on my covers. My apologies, as I know they’re a huge draw. However, I’m on the milder side of romance and although you’ll find plenty of sensuality, you won’t find detailed sex scenes. The relationship is the feature. The psychology behind the relationships, in particular, are the focus. I need to be sure that is reflected in my covers so readers don’t expect something they won’t get. My heroes are, however, quite sexy and charming, even when they don’t know they are. ;-)

So, this is the story of novel covers so far. As a thank you to Lindsay for hosting this blog and the cover art theme week, I thought I’d debut my newest. The next-to-come novel is due next month! Instead of saying anything about the story, I’d love to know what you think it will be about just from the cover art:



LK Hunsaker
~Literary Romance with an Artsy Twist~
http://www.lkhunsaker.com
http://lkhunsaker.blogspot.com
---

The Good & The Bad: Reviews!

Two nights ago, I found a new review for my newest book. I opened the link and sat and stared at it. Did I want to read it? *deep breath* This is someone I know, an author who tends to be as critical with reviews as I am. Yes, I have it coming to hear the ugly truth about my work along with whatever praise I can hope for, since I do share my honest opinions when giving reviews. I’m nice about it. I don’t want to deter a writer from writing (although my feeling is that if a writer CAN be deterred due to a bad review or two or three, maybe that’s just as well).

This book is my fourth. As long as I make some of my books, it’s the equivalent of about 8 or 9 romance-length books. It’s also the deepest and most powerful story I’ve written. I expect to hear about that, about issues I’ve raised some readers may not appreciate. That said, I also think I’ve learned a heck of a lot over the thirteen plus years I’ve been novelling (I do realize that’s not a word, yes, but I’m a writer and it’s artistic license). And I hope with each book that growth will show.

I cheated. My son read the review for me while I clenched my eyes and held my breath (exaggeration – writer’s license).

When it came to this part, I unclenched and grabbed a huge breath of relief:

“This book shows how much LK has grown into her craft. Her characters, especially Ryan and the girl, Kaitlyn, are as I expect from LK; deep, believable and ones the reader can both root for or want to slap upside the head at times. As far as the writing itself, it’s concise and flows extremely well. One of her best efforts yet. I read it in less than a week, sacrificing many hours of sleep to finish it.”
A.L. Marquardt, author of “A Reason To Hope” http://almarquardt.com/blog/?p=217

*whew* (Yes, there is a character you’re supposed to want to slap upside the head at times!)

I’ve been fortunate with my reviews and have received some incredible words. Here are a mix of some of the highlights from all four books:

"Really classic, soul-moving stuff. It is unforgettable... The romance was described exquisitely -- gorgeous, living-eternally writing! ...you have created a masterpiece ... I absolutely could not put it down."
Marilyn Savage Gray, author of "The Real Shakespeare"

“In the style of most great storytellers, Ms. Hunsaker has created a cast of characters that captivated me, had me on the edge of my seat, not even wanting to close my eyes at 4am. Though I am known for not wanting to stop reading in the middle of the story, I can scarcely recall a time that I have become so engrossed in the lives of the characters so totally. I very much look forward to reading the next three stories.”
Dee of dee and Dee Dish … About Books
http://deeanddeedish.blogspot.com/2006/11/rehearsal-different-drummer-by-lk.html

“Very raw. Very intriguing. When I settled down to continue reading, I finished OFF THE MOON in one sitting. At the kitchen table. On a laptop. With my arse going to sleep on a hard wooden chair.  Yes, the story is THAT compelling.”
Lainey Bancroft author of The Trouble with Tessa
http://www.elaineforlife.com/LaineysBlog/tabid/463/EntryId/144/OFF-THE-MOON.aspx

"I just finished reading your book. I'm kind of overwhelmed. As someone who has written lyrics and short stories for years, I'm amazed that such a complex person and story can be created, and told in such beautiful, thoughtful detail. I feel like I know her now, like I've been inside her thoughts and her life."
Lynda, a reader via email

Of course, with the good comes the bad and I’ve also heard such comments as “slow pacing” & “melancholy style” & “LONG” & “do I HAVE to suffer through reading this”! Seriously, although it wasn’t an actual review. At this point, I’m glad to say it makes me laugh to remember that comment. An author has to keep her feet in the dirt while her head is in the imaginative clouds, after all.

All readers have different interests and wants from their fiction. All authors will hear about it from readers who don’t quite care for some aspect of their work. It’s part of the job. Reviews are like taxes: a cost of writing, and a necessary thing that can sometimes be joyous and sometimes feel evil.

At the end of the day, if you hang on to words like these:

 

“LK, it was a pleasure to read FINISHING TOUCHES. You took a very difficult and poignant subject and gave it real soul and heart, without ever being sentimental. Jenna is very much a real person whom I could follow with profound interest.”
Lindsay Townsend, via email

“It's quite something... Very intense, very visceral, very emotional, very intelligent, ultra romantic, and Loraine's  attention to the slightest detail, particularly in her protagonist's thought patterns…, is outstanding. I'm impressed.” [about Off The Moon]
Francesca Prescott, via email list

and then remember the dirt on your feet, you should have plenty of room to grow while rooted. So, a huge thank you to reviewers and readers who take the time to let us know both what you like and what you don’t.

LK Hunsaker
~ Literary Romance with an Artsy Twist ~
http://www.lkhunsaker.com
http://lkhunsaker.blogspot.com

Off The Moon: Home – A Special Fit

A big Hello to Lindsay and all the Romantics. Is it me or does that sound like a music group?

I’m glad my blog tour, hosted by CRR Promotions, stopped here at the Pink Blog. Since I try to adapt my subjects to each blog as possible, I searched my mind for a “special” theme related to my new book, Off The Moon, and came up with Home. Not just any home, but the right home, the home where our characters find a special fit.

How many of you have moved homes more than once? More than that? According to TimePage.org, my generation is that of the nomad. We’re risk-takers. We came from “an unprotected background” and have a tendency to be alienated. Trying to fit somewhere when you have the natural tendency to be a nomad can be difficult. Look at the way so many of us are constantly on the move. Few of our parents, other than those with travel jobs, strayed far from their home base and families. If they needed more space, they built on. Moving was rare once a household was established. And yet, it’s hard to find many of us who have lived in fewer than three homes during our lives so far. I’ve lived in ten different dwellings, but fortunately am now settled until I’m too old to maintain the place. Of course, things change and you never know.

I’m one who believes a home chooses us as much as the other way around. It’s much more than a place. It’s a feeling. Of all of those places I’ve been, only two have been truly comfortable. Most were okay for temporary purposes. Two were near soul-killing. It was the place. I didn’t fit. Something inside when I was young told me the state where I grew up was not where I belonged. The east called out. As I settled in a place I chose, a place that felt comfortable, I made an incredible discovery: things that bothered me in those other places hardly have an effect here. My whole inner nature feels more at peace.

So how do we relate that to our characters?

Ryan, my POV character, was an Army brat and talks now and then about having to move. He especially mentions one place he felt at home. It still calls out to him even though he’s grown up and has chosen New York City as his residence. He likes NY, not only because his job is centered there, but also because it reminds him of nomads (which he is, also). Residents go about their own business, not connecting to each other and not noticing that he doesn’t connect. He fits and he doesn’t, and it’s a comfortable place to be. He visits his brother’s family in Vermont now and then and enjoys the visit but remains detached from the place. It may be his family’s home, but it’s not his. He is never fully at ease there (for reasons beyond place but we’ll stick with place for this post) and relaxes upon return to his NYC loft.

And then he finds Kaitlyn, an unwilling transport to the city. She’s homeless and even more disconnected than Ryan. The difference is that she doesn’t deal with it as well as he does. She needs connection. She needs Home. Ryan senses it in her. It draws him in and pushes him away. As other people become involved in the decision of where she should be, against her will, Ryan has to choose to give in or to fight.

“You can’t tell someone where their home is. Trust me, I know. I lived in lots of houses. Lots of towns. It’s only home if it feels like it to you, not because someone says it’s supposed to be. This one was her choice.”

By the end of my stories, my characters not only find their special mate, but they also find their special place: their true home. I suppose I do so because it has been such a deep issue personally.

How about your special place? I would love to hear Home stories!

--------

PREORDER Off The Moon now!

http://www.elucidatepublishing.net/books.html

free US shipping through Nov. 27, discounted outside US

Off The Moon website:

http://www.lkhunsaker.com/OffTheMoon/main.html

Also, be sure to check my blog for novel-related features. I have an interview with NYC drummer Gino Scalmato up, as well as an interview with singer/songwriter Vicki Blankenship. More to come! http://lkhunsaker.blogspot.com

Off The Moon

LK Hunsaker

"Riveting" Ryan Reynauld is immersed in a world of music, parties, and temporary companionship. Having risen to the top of the pop charts, his biggest concern is objecting to the way his music is produced. That is, until he finds a young woman standing on a window ledge. Against the advice of family and friends, and through media attacks and fan protests, Ryan determines to care for her himself, making a promise that threatens to destroy his career.

Convincing the skittish girl she can learn to trust again comes with a steep price. Sometimes the path to recovery begins by allowing your world to implode.

Elucidate Publishing
November 2009
Print ISBN 978-0-9825299-0-4
Ebook ISBN 978-0-9825299-1-1

Thanks for letting me chat here today, Lindsay!

---------
Next up: Pushing Boundaries with Trauma and Genre
hosted by Maryann Miller, Nov. 21
http://its-not-all-gravy.blogspot.com/

The full tour itinerary is available at http://www.classicromancerevival.com

Don't forget to leave your comments!  One person from each blog will be drawn to receive a signed, mailed copy of the short story LK has written as a bit of a prequel to Off The Moon, called Toward The Sky, plus there will be a signed print book drawing for anyone who comments on at least 8 blogs! Winners will be posted at http://www.classicromancerevival.com/blog/?p=1520
--

Moons and Wolves: Metaphorical Symbolism in Reality Fiction – LK Hunsaker

Why do wolves howl at the moon?

Well, they don’t, of course. Not in reality. They howl while the moon is out and literature – yes, we writers – perpetuates the howling wolf at a full moon scenario so often they are forever intertwined. Why not? Myth and legend are powerful things. In a strange way, they help us rationalize our world when nothing else makes sense. And it can be a lot of fun.

I don’t write paranormal, but I couldn’t help jumping in on the paranormal event here since I do draw on symbolism that comes from supernatural events to create metaphor in my next-to-come, Off The Moon.

The biggest superstition I pulled was that of the full moon relating to insanity. The book title is a hint at the heroine, Kaitlyn, who could be an actual case study for a psychologist (and may become that). It’s said that there are more “crazy” happenings and more suicides under a full moon. Statistics don’t verify that, but it’s so ingrained in our cultural myths by now that statistics hardly matter.

I hear you scientist type people out there groaning about now. But few will deny the power of the mind. Do strange things happen because of the full moon? Yes, I’m quite sure they do. Why? Because so many of us tell ourselves they do and thoughts are highly self-perpetuating. In other words, because we expect strange things to happen, we help cause them to happen or we relate it to the full moon when otherwise we wouldn’t.

I also used the wolf symbol as a metaphor. Wolves are strong animals, and familial. We all know the phrase, “wolves mate for life.” Wolves are also seen as lonely because of their mournful howl. In my novel, Ryan has a thing for wolves although he thinks of himself as rather an antithesis of a wolf. He’s independent but only to the point he has everyone else doing everything for him, pop star fashion, and he thinks his temporary companionships are all he wants in between his musical freedom. The wolf touches his soul, though, and he can’t deny its spirit within himself. Some authors have a hero turn into a werewolf to show his powerful animal nature. I have my anti-hero draw on his wolf spirit to turn into a hero.

Off The Moon is reality fiction highly steeped in symbols and metaphors often used in the paranormal world. The mating of the “crazy” heroine with the “wolf” anti-hero brings about sparks diffused by the calming symbolism of water.  

Happy Halloween!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About the Story:

"Riveting" Ryan Reynauld is immersed in a world of music, parties, and temporary companionship. Having risen to the top of the pop charts, his biggest concern is objecting to the way his music is produced. That is, until he finds a young woman standing on a window ledge. Against the advice of family and friends, and through media attacks and fan protests, Ryan determines to care for her himself, making a promise that threatens to destroy his career.

Convincing the skittish girl she can learn to trust again comes with a steep price. Sometimes the path to recovery begins by allowing your world to implode.

Watch for my Book Tour next month, hosted by CRR Promotions!

LK Hunsaker
www.LKHunsaker.com
http://lkhunsaker.blogspot.com

~Literary Romance with an Artsy Twist~

Traveling with LK Hunsaker

I love to travel. Thank you to Lindsay for allowing me to kick off the Travel special where you’ll hear from several romance authors about different modes and concepts of travel. From me, you get reality.

This is a photo I took from the window of an airplane on the way to visit a friend in Michigan. I’m also a photo bug so the amount of travel photos I’ve collected over the years of living in six states and two countries, plus the many, many trips we’ve taken in and around and between could fill tons of books by themselves. I won’t bore you with all the details and will keep the photos here limited. Maybe I’ll collect them into books some day.

Until then, what I do with many of my travelogues is include them within my stories. All of my books include real places along with some occasional unreal places based somewhat on real towns. My hometown served as one backdrop for Finishing Touches, the place Jenna is raised. I don’t name it. I do grab descriptions from it. The places that are named and highlighted in the novel are Peoria and Chicago. The setting moves back and forth, with each city being a character in itself that shows Jenna’s state of mind wavering. Peoria is safe for her. It’s her adopted city and she knows it well but it limits her because of her history there. Chicago is the mostly unknown exciting and frightening pull that metaphors her wish to expand herself, to move forward.

I know Peoria well. It’s the closest real city to my own hometown and was where we found the mall and splurged with an occasional fast food trip. I should say I know the main streets of Peoria well, the connecting roads that took me where I needed to be. I stayed on those main roads, afraid of getting lost. Yes, I do get lost easily. I may love to travel, but I have no sense of direction. *sigh* My visits to Chicago, on the other hand, were brief and few but fully exciting. I was enamored with Lake Shore Drive and the vibrant life of the city. I adored walking the Loop and visiting the Art Institute. The Loop is mentioned within Finishing Touches. The Art Institute and my favorite painting there are in Rehearsal, somewhat bonding the books although they are separate stories.

Chicago does play a small role in the Rehearsal series, especially the Sears Tower (never mind they renamed it now). Its main setting is a small city about thirty miles west of Boston. Why? I used to live about thirty miles west of Boston and I adore Massachusetts. The fictional town of Lakewood doesn’t resemble where I lived. Being that we were on a military base, it wouldn’t work for the story. However, Boston is there, as is Concord and Salem. Since the series deals with a touring band, I’m able to throw in a lot of places we’ve lived and visited with small glimpses. One highlight is River Street in Savannah, Georgia. I also lived about 35 miles outside Savannah at one point. Yeah, I’ve been around. ;-)  Raucous, my fictional band, spends one Halloween on tour walking River Street. I had fun with that. They’ve also been to Branson, Missouri, where we did a family vacation a few years back, and if you find any other place highlighted there, it’s a good chance there’s a personal connection.

Two of the main characters of Rehearsal were raised in eastern Pennsylvania and one went to college in western Pennsylvania, which happens to be where we live now. The funny story with that is I decided to make Theil College Evan’s alma mater long before we ever decided to  move close enough to it to drive up and get photos.

So, on to the next-to-come. In 2002, we were able to make a quick visit to New York City. That’s the adopted city for Ryan, my hero (or anti-hero) of Off The Moon, due out this November. One of the places we went to listen to a musician friend perform is in the story, as is the general atmosphere of walking the sidewalks of Manhattan at night. The other main setting is Bennington, Vermont, and a small confession: I haven’t been there. Yet. That’s my next vacation goal. Why is it set there, then? I needed a scenic area with a big lake that was close enough to NYC for quite a few car trips back and forth and yet far enough to be a wholly different environment. Online research is great, but I’m anxious to get there and take photos.

I have albums set up on my website to show scenery from each of my novels. They are still in progress and more will be added, but there are enough to give you a feel of where my stories take place.

LKHunsaker.com

Today I was scanning in old photos from Idaho. I’ll have to set a book there soon.

Thank you for taking this short journey with me. I look forward to the rest of the travel series here!