The cover of Solace: Unchated Territory

I didn't get a chance to go into the cover art for Taken, but it's important to me that I do go into cover art.  I know you can't judge a book by its cover, and I don't.  However, to me, the cover is important.  I love when I'm reading a book and I get to a part where I have to stop reading and glance at the cover.  In that moment,  I think "oh, that's cool!" or "now it makes sense!"   It's probably a just me thing,  but I love it.  😊  So of course, now that I'm in charge of making the cover, I do my best to put a part of the story on the cover.  

The picture above was my first attempt at the cover of "Solace: Uncharted Territory".  The concept had lots of potential, however it is horribly done here.   This was my very first time attempting to make a cover.  The covers for "Taken" were done by a friend of my sister, Tammy Boneburg.  And I loved them, but cover art is expensive even when you're getting a discount.   Plus, more importantly, I had this awesome idea in my head that I really wanted to tap into.  Obviously, I didn't have the skills nor the software.  

This cover never made it to paperback, and I have no doubt that it would have been changed much quicker if I had attempted to use it on a printed copy.  (I've discovered printed covers show a lot more flaws than ebook covers.)   Anyways, the whole concept I was trying to reach across was  that they were on the planet in the Middle of Nowhere (The sky is grey, there's fog that sinks down hiding everything around you, the black trees with branches that have sharp points and no leaves...) and the orange chain that binds them together is "vividly" seen because that is a big deal to me, especially since it's the reason Jack and Karissa don't kill each other.   So there it is.   My failed attempt to portray something I see so clearly in my head.  

Moving forward, I came up with the present cover (pictured above) while trying to create a cover for Solace: Lost.  I had been working on another project at the time (I want to say it was "Not Human" because that was the next and last cover I made with my Dell computer) and I was going back and forth between the two, trying to come up with cover art and titles.   It's kind of funny how I can remember vividly that I was at my oldest son's middle school football game, but I can't remember what exactly I was working on.  Except that the new concept hit me, and I was so excited I couldn't wait to get home.   I knew exactly how to tie the two covers for "Solace" together.  The cover is an image that Jack and Karissa see before they crash land on the planet in the Middle of Nowhere.  The ship had begun to spiral out of control, and when Karissa looks up at the window she sees, not the dark inky universe, but different shades of grey spiraling.  I then, easily, decided that the title had to remain orange because of the chain (I still refuse to let go of that).  The cover was perfect for this book because the landing on this planet and the orange chain result in an outcome that is far from Karissa's expectations.  Giving the subtitle dual meaning.   She is both externally and internally in uncharted territory.  

One of my favorite parts in Solace:Uncharted Territory

Picking a favorite part of this story is like trying to pick my favorite story that I've written, impossible.   However, the part below is one of my favorites because I love the way Jack (or as Karissa calls him: Creature) handles the situation he is in: calm and collected with a touch of humor.  Plus, in this part of the story, we get another glimpse of something that intrigues Karissa, something that doesn't have to do with violence.   

The part below happens before the Tirrapps find them.  Karissa is looking through the information she has on the people of Earth.  She is bored because Jack is unconscious from what she has done to him so he could survive outside of Earth's atmosphere and to prevent him from dying of malnourishment.  But more importantly, because Karissa decided to do an experiment with him, solely for her own curiosity and need for entertainment:  


    I began watching clips that showed how their fragile bodies were capable of defending and attacking - they used to know how to wield bladed weapons, but their fragile bodies didn’t want the honor of hand to hand combat and moved to guns. I continued watching how they lived every day. How they reproduced, showed anger, and... affection. I watched as they would embrace each other and their lips would touch. I tilted my head curiously and pulled up another screen to search for more information. The computer familiarized me with how this was their way of communicating what they called love.
    I had no idea what that was, but mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, mates and friends would touch their lips to different parts of the others’ bodies - mostly on the face, but sometimes hands, neck, and shoulders. I scrunched my nose. It didn’t make sense.
    As the clips flashed quickly through the different kisses it had on file, I began to wonder how lips, without words, communicated so strongly.   It had been my experience--
   “Finding me interesting now?” Creature inquired in a false kindness.
   I quickly turned my head to see he was standing a couple of feet away. I immediately stood up and faced him, hitting the switch that would turn off my research.
    His eyes shifted to the inky black universe. When his eyes focused back on me, there was fire in them.  “Where are we?” he asked, and I glanced down at the screen that showed me.
    “Middle Of Nowhere,” I answered in his language.
    He stared at me as though he didn’t believe me.  “Is that what it’s really called?”
    “It’s what I call it in your language.”
    “And in your language…”
    I shook my head. I found it interesting that he was using a courteous tone, even when I knew he wanted to rip me apart.
    He nodded. “So, now what?” he asked casually as if I was not his enemy.
    I tilted my head curiously at him. I didn’t understand his question.
    “Well, you’ve sent fire through my body and needles through my veins.  I just wondered what you had in mind,” he calmly remarked as his eyes moved to the now blank screens before focusing back on my eyes. “Sexual experiments?”
    I made a disgusted face, and he smiled. I suddenly felt very uncomfortable. I couldn’t figure out what he wanted. He should be furious with me, but he didn’t sound like he was. He should be trying to hurt me, but he wasn’t. He could have killed me, but he didn’t.
    “I’m just trying to figure out why an alien like you would find a way for me to survive, when you’re kind has already killed so many of my people. I mean, if you think about it, you kind of saved me.”
    “No, I didn’t,” I angrily said. I did not save creatures.
    His one eyebrow went up. “No?”
    “No,” I repeated.
    “You’ve tortured me, and now you’re going to kill me?”
    “No.”
    “Well, either you’ve saved me or you’re going to kill me,” he remarked and took a slow step towards me.
    I wanted to move away from him, but I didn’t want him near my controls.  I stepped to the side and towards him, in case he was trying to intimidate me. Plus, I could still prevent him from nearing my controls. He smiled at me and I waited for his attack, but he didn’t move.
    “You haven’t clarified your intentions,” he commented, and I scowled at him.
    “I don’t have to,” I answered.
    “I suppose you don’t,” he replied nonchalantly.
    He suddenly lunged at me, and I almost got away. His fingers wrapped around my wrist, and he immediately yanked me close to him. I brought my knee into his inner thigh and as he bent over, I kneed him in the face, but he didn’t let go of my hand. He looked up at me, swallowing his pain.
    “Didn’t think I learned my lesson?” he scowled, squeezing my wrist even harder.
    I glared at him, and yanked him closer to me. His scowl became surprise. I brought my knee up and caught his outer thigh. I quickly turned my back to him, pulling him over my back and he landed solidly on the floor. He let go of my wrist and I backed away from him. He stood up, and wiped the blood off his face.
    “You are quite remarkable,” he commented. “You’re skills are much more impressive than the others. How long have you been destroying people’s worlds… lives?” he angrily asked.
    I didn’t reply, and he dove at me. I moved out of the way, but as soon as he landed he launched himself at me, slamming me into the controls. I pulled my feet up, and attempted to push him off of me. His hands grabbed my shirt and he slammed me into the controls again. I heard the alarms sound, and this time I kicked him so that his hold relaxed. I quickly kicked him away from me, and turned immediately.  The ship was beginning to fall off course, but that wasn’t why the alarm was blaring. There was another ship much too close to mine.
    Creature’s hand was on the back of my head and in the next second he had slammed my face into the controls.
    “I’m going to win this,” he stated.
    I don’t think so.  “I already told you, you won’t ever win.”

Excerpt From: Amanda Schmidt. “Solace: Uncharted Territory."

Jack

We are introduced to Jack in Chapter 2 when Karissa is "captured".   (Jack is my middle son's favorite guy that I have written.)  Writing Jack was easy and fun.  He is one of those guys that isn't hard to become attached to.  He grew up reading comic books (which ironically gives him a comparison to how he relates to his life among the stars) and attained the rank of Eagle Scout. (I mention these things because its important for you to understand that he has always aspired to be the best he can be.)  He's an elite soldier with a moral compass.  Which I guess explains his seriousness, but that trait does not undermine his sense of humor.   And even with these characteristics, it is his compassion and protective nature, along with his will to survive, that allows this story to evolve.  

Don't get me wrong.  Even with his amazing personality, he and Karissa don't become fast friends.  Even after the chain is put on them Jack tries to kill her.  It isn't until Chapter 7 that reality sets in for him:

     “If I was going to kill you, I’d have already done it,” he reasoned. “Which I almost did, but then I realized if you didn’t die from your wounds, I was probably going to need your help to survive this planet.”
    Ha! I was not going to help him… Although, I suppose, if he thought I was helping him and we were able to get off of this planet, I would still have a gift for Omatha.
    I watched him as he slowly sat down in front of me. As he looked me in the eye, I glanced away. My eyes followed the cord that we had been pulling on.  He wasn’t useless.  He was able to take a broken ship and make it into a safe place.
    “Look, it’s obvious that you don’t like me,” he stated, breaking me away from my thoughts, and I absently returned my attention to him.  “And trust me, when I say that I want to kill you. But right now, I’m putting that aside so that we can survive this planet.”
     At least he was honest. I knew he wanted my death – not that I blamed him. I slowly relaxed and nodded...

Excerpt From:  “Solace: Uncharted Territory.” iBooks. 

It goes with out saying that Jack is intelligent, strong, and determined.  Which he would need to be if he was going to survive not only a future in the universe, but also Karissa.  

I want to write so much more about Jack, but I think the best way to learn about Jack is to read "Solace".  Who Jack is, is so much of the story that to dive deeper into him is me retelling the story.   

Karissa

As I said earlier, I wrote this story with the decision that I wanted to write from the bad guy's perspective.  (This is the sixth story I started, and all my other stories are written with the main character as the "good guy".)  With that in mind, writing Karissa was a little bit difficult to start.  I had to keep going back and revising the way she dealt with things.  Karissa might have been difficult to start, but once I found the right path she flowed from my mind and I ended up with this amazing woman.  (I know I should say character, but it doesn't feel right.)  She is tough and driven.  And unfortunately for her enemies, she is smart, ruthless, and amazingly gifted in combat.   What drives her most, is her need for acknowledgement from Omatha that she isn't a failure.  

Karissa is a woman with numerous sisters (both older and younger), but it is with four of her older sisters that she must compete with for Omatha's nod of approval.  Four sisters who are remarkable in every way: Jazzia, Tania, Algeas, and of course, Sarsa (her biggest rival among the sisters).  Why do her sister's give her such difficulty?  Karissa believes her biggest flaw is that she does not have the looks of Omatha.  She is, as it is said in the first chapter, too symmetrical.  She is also short, the wrong shade of green, and her eyes are not purple.

In the first chapter (which you can read here or clicking the tab above for "Solace") you meet these four sisters, and you also get a glimpse at why Karissa is the way she is.  You also get to see how strong her will is, and how fearless she is.   She hates that she has been sent to Earth - sent there because of a failure on her sisters' part, which she isn't afraid to remind them of.  She has one task to do, and she must figure out how to accomplish the task and return to Omatha with something even better than what Sarsa will have.  

One would think that with her skills and intelligence this would be easy, but where's the story in that?  

Writing "Solace: Uncharted Territory"

Writing "Solace: Uncharted Territory" was the easiest story I have ever written.  I'm not sure why.  All I know is that it only took me a week and a half to write it from beginning to end (obviously not including the editing by other people).  And the only inspiration I had for this book was the desire to write as the bad guy and make the love story one that started out where the main characters wanted each other dead.  

There is no music to share for this book, (in "Solace: Lost" there was, but for "Uncharted Territory" no song in particular drove the story or a specific scene, I can't even recall if I listened to any music while writing this book.     

After writing the first couple of chapters, I do remember thinking what could possibly pull these two together.  She was ruthless, and he was the epitome of a hero.  Then the idea of the chain was born... having them bound together by an unbreakable chain that only the Tirrapps (umm... as Karissa explains to Jack the best translation for what they are is Pirates) that captured them know the secret of removing it.   How to get them into a situation where this would be allowed?  Well, writing that was fun for me.  Their reactions were tricky.  On one hand she has no desire to keep him alive, except she needs to bring him to Omatha - alive.  On the other hand, he wants her dead, but she is the only one who speaks his language, knows what their options are... and more importantly needs him alive.  And thus the story of Jack and Karissa is born.  

From the moment Karissa and Jack meet their lives become a tailspin of catalysimic events that change both of their lives, hurling them both into uncharted territory.    And for Karissa, that's saying something.  A lot has happened to her during her life, but she is stubborn and set in her ways.   The only change she was hoping for was to finally appease Omatha.  Jack's life changes differently than Karissa's.  He is not her, but nothing can remain the same when you've been taken from your world.

Month of September: Solace: Uncharted Territory

Okay so, the last two months didn't go so well.  However I am going to continue and hope I do a better job.  

This month I will be writing about "Solace: Uncharted Territory".  This was not my second book I wrote, it's actually Story 6. It is, however, the second book I published.  😊

Here are the basic things about this book:

Genre: Adventure/Fanatsy/Young Adult

Age: 10 and up.
(I let my kids read them when they were 10. There is suggestive language and mild violence so it's a parental choice. My kids really enjoyed the adventure and characters as do all my fans which spread across the spectrum from preteen to seniors)

Published: 2012

What it's about: 

Here's the official blurb: 

• Short: When I found Jack I knew that my life would change. I just didn’t expect that his desire for my death would send me on a path to accept what I had believed was evil.

• Long: For her entire life, Karissa and her sisters have been serving Omatha. Unlike her sisters, Karissa is always being forced to take on impossible missions across the galaxy (which have brought her closer to death more times than she cares to think about). Years of living under Omatha’s rules has taught Karissa that the only way to survive is to stay focused and get each mission accomplished by any means necessary.  

Who: 
Karissa: Omathan (female)
Jack: Human (male)
Sarsa: Omathan (female)
Torrel: Zarran (male)
Omatha: Omathan (Female)

Where:
Once again we start on Earth, then the story moves to space, the Middle of Nowhere, and Omatha's fortress

I think that covers the blah blah blah part of the book, if you have questions or want more information feel free to ask.