Rose

The youngest girl of five in what she remembers as a loving family before the Iron Fist reared its ugly head, Rose never saw herself as strong or a fighter.  Even though her father had once told her:  "A rose is delicate and beautiful, but when not handled with care will make you bleed," she has always relied on her big brother.  When the world falls apart he keeps her safe, does his best to teach her how to survive.  However when he is taken by the Iron Fist, she learns more than she expected.   Her struggles happen on so many levels throughout the story and has to deal with it while living among  a people who don't want her among them.

Writing Rose was empowering to me at the time.  My focus was driven by the energy that she discovers is inside her along with the last couple of chapters that were vivid in my mind.   The energy she unexpectedly finds opens her mind to hope just as quickly as the world continuously tries to remove it from her.  Even in this light at the end of the tunnel (so to speak), it teeters between good and bad.  The Syntai meditation is very similar to Tai Chi, but at a level more intense than I had/have achieved.   From the first day I began my practice of Tai Chi, my mind was opened to the flow of energy, and as I continued to learn and practice (seriously practice), I found serenity and fell in love with the flow of energy, which allowed me to write the Syntai meditation. I had not started training in martial arts yet, but from my Tai Chi experience and talking with martial arts students who came through my Tai Chi classes, it wasn't hard for me to see how powerful that energy could be.

Now, I have never endured the physical pains that Rose does (obviously), but looking back, mentally I was right along with her.  I suppose writing her story, her growth into a strength she wasn't aware of, and the mental strength that she has to re-find throughout the story reminded me on a subconscious level that even when it seems the punches never stop coming, you still keep getting up and you keep fighting.   At the time of writing this I did not see myself in the story at all, and honestly, it wasn't until the last couple of times that I read it did I begin to catch glimpses of me.   Maybe that's why I loved this story so much from the moment I wrote it, and why I still really enjoy it...  because to me it's still a story about a hope.

The Syntai

The Syntai people are an alien race who have peacefully integrated into human society.   They live in communities and each community is made of people who are healers, leaders, warriors, and those who were not gifted with any of these three traits.  In this story we meet Zatak who is a Warrior, Astam who is a Trast (a leader), Leeza who is a Sereeness (someone who contains a little of all the traits and a little more, which is a rarity).   One of my favorite aspects of the Syntai is that no matter who they are, they are respected by all.  The greatest warriors, leaders, and healers do not see themselves as any better than anyone else in their Community.  Those who are gifted do not order anyone around, instead their opinions and ideas are followed because of respect instead of a... hierarchy.  Unfortunately for the Syntai, as stated in the prologue, "through the history of human life, every so many years, there would be a war against a certain type of people - claiming they were dangerous and cruel."  It has been gender, color, race, age... and now it against the Syntai.

Zatak, my favorite Syntai, is a warrior that all others look up too.  He has protected his people for many years, and understands the importance of balance - that internal serenity is as important as knowing how to fight.  Because he has survived for so long, the desire to protect his people has rooted itself deep within him, and so has the importance of protecting the innocent no matter who they are.  And when Rose is brought to the Community he is furious, because she is his enemy and yet she is innocent.

Astam is the leader that everyone looks to for what the Community should do.  He too has lived a long life and proven himself to make the right decisions for the Syntai.   He too despises the humans for what they have done to his people, which causes him to not care if Rose is treated unfairly.  As you can imagine, if the leader who is most respected doesn't care what happens to Rose, the rest of the Community is going to see her as an outlet for the wrongs that have been placed upon them, not caring if she is innocent.

Leeza is special among her people.  In a way, she can do no wrong.   For example, even though she is responsible for Rose being brought into the Community, no one is angry with her or treats her any differently than they had before.  Leeza's childlike kindness and wonder, allows the other Syntai to understand why she does not treat Rose as an enemy or someone who can't be trusted.  This gives Rose a small amount of reprieve from the harshness of the Community.

The Cover

I've been struggling with what to share about this book because there are a lot of twists and turns (or at least I hope there are) so I'm sorry that I haven't blogged more about this book.   However the cover art is always a great topic.  As I said before, I don't just slap art on the front of my book, because I've always been disappointed when the cover has no ties to the story.  So this cover has a lot to do with the story.  (I've written about this before, so I apologize to those of you who have read about this cover already.)

The reason Rose's whole back is showing because it was important to me that she isn't hiding from all that happened.  It was never intended for people to think she's naked, sorry my brain doesn't think that way.  (I've always liked when I'm reading a story and something grabs my attention because I realize that's why it's in the cover art or after I read the book I look at the cover and think "oh, that's cool" or "I get it".)  As I've already said there are a lot of horrible things that happen to her.  Most of my female leads go through a lot, but Rose's story is probably the worst (possibly second to Sasha from "Huntsman's Daughter".  Although Sahsa's horrible stuff is on a whole different level - an adult story.)   Also, the fact that Rose is not centered on the cover allows the eye to see that there is light shining upon her, which I feel is important.  Almost as much as the fact that Rose is looking away from the light.   The silver circles, the gash on her neck, and the one on her lower back happen relatively early in the story.  The imperfect black zig-zagging lines happen a little later in the story, but are more important to the story than the two gashes.

Writing "Not Human"

I woke up one morning vaguely remembering the last few moments of a dream.   It was the imagery from that dream that inspired my conscious thought for this book.  I would tell you about it, but the part I honed in on is the end of this story.  Even though the image was so vivid, I didn't start writing right away.  It seems to me that it was a week or two later.   As the story began to strengthen in my thoughts, it found inspiration from something I had read earlier in the year.  It was the first chapter of a book by another indie author.  The book was about Zombies - normally I would never have picked it up, zombies are not something I'm interested in, but I like checking out books by other Indie-authors.  I didn't read more than that one chapter, however what I read kind of stuck with me.  No there are no Zombies in "Not Human", like I said I have no interest in them...  Well, except "iZombie".  (That was a clever show, I don't know how I almost forgot about it.)   Anyways,  the scene in the book creeped me out a little - which was why I didn't read more than the one chapter.  However, it has become quite evident that just because I don't like something, doesn't mean my brain won't create an idea from it.  Which is what happened.  It took the scene, twisted and turned it until it came up with its own scene helping the beginning of "Not Human" to unfold. 

Of all my stories, this one is the darkest.  I hadn't thought so when I wrote it, nor after I re-read it again and again.  In fact, it wasn't until last fall. (Yes, I was reading it again.  I love the story, and when I love a story I always go back and read the book again - which is something that happens with every book I've published.)  When I finished, I looked at my daughter and said "that's a dark story."  She stared back at me and replied, "You didn't think so before?" and I shook my head.  I really hadn't.   It was at the top of my favorites, still is.  Which is strange because it definitely has a Dystopian feel to it.  My daughter insists that it is Dystopian.  To me it's just another story that I wrote that I like to read.  Although, I have to admit she's right - by definition Dystopian is: relating to or denoting an imagined state or society where there is great suffering or injustice.  And there is definitely suffering and injustice in this book.  However, to me, "Not Human" is a story of hope.

Another thing about writing "Not Human" is that it was highly influenced by Tai Chi.  While this story was finding its voice, the images would surface while I was practicing Tai Chi.  A lot of what I was learning integrated itself into the story, both the martial art and the meditation.  I had only been practicing about three years which is nothing in the grand scheme of things, but my mind was heard the whispers of the possibilities, the depths of the discipline, and the strength found in the energy that flows and connects while practicing.    

Music?  Yes, music had a part in the writing of this book.  One song in particular, but it came later.  I had already started writing "Not Human", and I was in the car listening to the radio when "Far Away", by Nickleback came on.  The song was only a few lines in when an image played out.  The feelings which were evoked by the scene allowed me to never lose sight of where this story was going, it became the shining light of hope.  Every time I hear "Far Way", even if it's just a piece of it, my soul connects to the heart of the story - and most times it makes me want to read the book again.
 

Not Human

This month I will be writing about "Not Human".  I know the month has already started, but I don't want to put it off.  (I did get a tad distracted by the new story I started, which is close to finished.  I am also sending Story 16 to the copyright office as soon as I fix a couple of things!  I am hoping to have the cover done so I can have it at the Heritage Festival next month, but the cover is still giving me some difficulties.  If I don't have it done for that, it will definitely be finished for the Romeo HS show November 9th!)   

Here are the basic things about "Not Human":

Genre: Adventure/Fantasy/Young Adult 

Age: 13 and up.
(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: 2013

What it's about: 

Here's the official blurb: 

• Short: One tragic event leads me to a Syntai commune. Here I discover there are secrets that are darker than the world around me.

• Long: In my fight for survival, my attempt to fit in, my desire to not become a horrific person I discovered that there are truths to my past that had been hidden from me, secrets that I was never supposed to learn. They thought they could manipulate me by preying upon my human weaknesses - my compassion, my need to belong, my desire to be loved. They expected the betrayal to cause me to kill for them. 
  
  My name is Rose Tronst and as my father once stated: A rose is delicate and beautiful, but when not handled with care will make you bleed.  

Who: 
Shadow/Rose
Leeza
Zatak
Adam

Where:
This story takes place on Earth.  

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