To promote the release of her debut novel, Eye of the Soul, Terri Rochenski is stopping by my blog today to discuss the most important aspect of fiction writing. But first, here's her book:
Escape.
That should be Hyla’s first thought as her people are chained and imprisoned for no imaginable reason.
Instead, Hyla finds herself traveling through a land void of Natives, with human soldiers pillaging in desperate pursuit of her, and in search of the mystical Pool of Souls—home to the one man who can save her people.
Or so she believes.
Led by her faith in the deity Fadir, Hyla is met along her journey by Jadon—a human male and fierce King’s warrior, and his childhood best friend Conlin—one of the few Natives aware of his Fadir-given Talents.
Protected by Jadon, guided by Conlin, and with an unfailing belief in the purpose of her pilgrimage, Hyla carries on.
Like her, though, another searches for the Pool, and should he gain access first, everyone she loves, and everything she knows, could be lost.
Forever.
You can buy the book at the following links:
Amazon Paperback | Amazon Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Kobo
Now, Terri's perspective on fiction writing:
Ask any reader, writer, editor, or publisher what the most important aspect of fiction writing is and you’ll doubtless hear a variety of thoughts. Plot. Characters. Setting. Description. Showing rather than telling. Yes, they’re all great answers, but without one key element, one all-encompassing aspect, any story is doomed to fail.
What is it?
Being ENGAGEABLE.
If we as readers aren’t drawn in, our senses engaged on another level – that ‘DON’T BOTHER ME I’M IN ANOTHER DIMENSION!’ feeling, then the book will be placed aside in hopes of finding another that will take us from reality.
So how do we engage our reader’s senses? In all kinds of ways.
1 A gripping plot, one that rolls along with twists and turns which raise our brows or drop jaw hinges wide open. The type of story line that keeps us turning (or clicking) pages way too late into the night hours.
2 Characters we feel empathy for, ones whose own problems may or may not mirror our own. They just need our sympathy, our pompoms waving in the wind.
3 Setting and description go hand in hand as far as I’m concerned. Don’t get all flowery full of words and poetic paragraphs I’ll skip over in search of the good stuff – fill our senses instead. Sight, hearing, smell, heck – taste even! Use precise words, ones loaded with meaning.
Why say he walked across the room toward me? BORING. I’d rather see him swagger with a knowing smirk, one that catches my breath and sends my heart all a flutter. State that he smells of wood smoke and the outdoors (YUM!) or that the timbre of his voice sends shivers down my spine.
Ok. Enough of the romance.
Create the scene – the movie – in a readers’ mind. Captivate their attention and make it impossible for them to put your book down. Satisfy their craving to leave this world and enter one of make believe.
THAT is the most important thing you can do when creating a story. Engage a reader and gain a faithful follower, one that will hopefully spread the word of your awesomeness.
Escape.
That should be Hyla’s first thought as her people are chained and imprisoned for no imaginable reason.
Instead, Hyla finds herself traveling through a land void of Natives, with human soldiers pillaging in desperate pursuit of her, and in search of the mystical Pool of Souls—home to the one man who can save her people.
Or so she believes.
Led by her faith in the deity Fadir, Hyla is met along her journey by Jadon—a human male and fierce King’s warrior, and his childhood best friend Conlin—one of the few Natives aware of his Fadir-given Talents.
Protected by Jadon, guided by Conlin, and with an unfailing belief in the purpose of her pilgrimage, Hyla carries on.
Like her, though, another searches for the Pool, and should he gain access first, everyone she loves, and everything she knows, could be lost.
Forever.
You can buy the book at the following links:
Amazon Paperback | Amazon Kindle | Barnes and Noble | Kobo
Now, Terri's perspective on fiction writing:
Ask any reader, writer, editor, or publisher what the most important aspect of fiction writing is and you’ll doubtless hear a variety of thoughts. Plot. Characters. Setting. Description. Showing rather than telling. Yes, they’re all great answers, but without one key element, one all-encompassing aspect, any story is doomed to fail.
What is it?
Being ENGAGEABLE.
If we as readers aren’t drawn in, our senses engaged on another level – that ‘DON’T BOTHER ME I’M IN ANOTHER DIMENSION!’ feeling, then the book will be placed aside in hopes of finding another that will take us from reality.
So how do we engage our reader’s senses? In all kinds of ways.
1 A gripping plot, one that rolls along with twists and turns which raise our brows or drop jaw hinges wide open. The type of story line that keeps us turning (or clicking) pages way too late into the night hours.
2 Characters we feel empathy for, ones whose own problems may or may not mirror our own. They just need our sympathy, our pompoms waving in the wind.
3 Setting and description go hand in hand as far as I’m concerned. Don’t get all flowery full of words and poetic paragraphs I’ll skip over in search of the good stuff – fill our senses instead. Sight, hearing, smell, heck – taste even! Use precise words, ones loaded with meaning.
Why say he walked across the room toward me? BORING. I’d rather see him swagger with a knowing smirk, one that catches my breath and sends my heart all a flutter. State that he smells of wood smoke and the outdoors (YUM!) or that the timbre of his voice sends shivers down my spine.
Ok. Enough of the romance.
Create the scene – the movie – in a readers’ mind. Captivate their attention and make it impossible for them to put your book down. Satisfy their craving to leave this world and enter one of make believe.
THAT is the most important thing you can do when creating a story. Engage a reader and gain a faithful follower, one that will hopefully spread the word of your awesomeness.
And now, a little about Terri:
Terri started writing stories in the 8th grade, when a little gnome whispered in her brain. Gundi’s Great Adventure never hit the best seller list, but it started a long love affair with the fantasy genre.
Today she enjoys an escape to Middle Earth during the rare ‘me’ moments her two young daughters allow. When not potty training or kissing boo-boos, she can be found on her back patio in the boondocks of New Hampshire, book or pencil in hand.
Terri started writing stories in the 8th grade, when a little gnome whispered in her brain. Gundi’s Great Adventure never hit the best seller list, but it started a long love affair with the fantasy genre.
Today she enjoys an escape to Middle Earth during the rare ‘me’ moments her two young daughters allow. When not potty training or kissing boo-boos, she can be found on her back patio in the boondocks of New Hampshire, book or pencil in hand.
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