Author Archives: Marcha's Two-Cents Worth

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About Marcha's Two-Cents Worth

I'm a science fiction author of the Star Trails Tetralogy, retired after two decades working at NASA, defected from my physics training to become a professional astrologer, and various other acts of rebellion. More recently, I've teamed with Pete Risingsun in writing "The Curse of Dead Horse Canyon: Cheyenne Spirits" which was released in July 2020 with all three books in the trilogy now complete. Check them out at https://dead-horse-canyon.com.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Point of view is all about staying inside the mind of a specific character. This means that all descriptions, vocabulary, speech, and level of understanding should be within the scope of what that person knows.

For example, if your protagonist or other POV character is a teenager or child, they are going to see the world through that filter. Thus their comprehension and word choice should be appropriate for someone of that age. The came principle goes for an adult who is deemed highly intelligent. They will see the world according to their assumed education and experience and use more sophisticated speech patterns.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Remember that the basic conflicts in fiction as well as life are man vs. man; man vs. nature; and man vs. self. The more of each that you bring into your plot, the more vehicles you have for building plot as well as suspense.

Your protagonist has to work for what he wants and the harder the struggle, the stronger your reader’s engagement will be. In most plots, there will be an overlap of at least two. Be sure to recognize them for what they are.

Today’s Writing Tip

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It’s a good idea to maintain a timeline for your story to keep track of how much time has elapsed. Depending on the setting, you may get into a new season that will introduce different imagery, adding to your story’s depth.

Obvious, you don’t have to have a day by day accounting unless it’s essential to the plot, but you don’t want to have inconsistencies, either. Using the seasons to show the passage of time is often effective. Most readers can relate, so it’s another way to draw them into the story. Pay attention to the seasons where you live and the best ways to describe the feeling they evoke. Metaphorical meaning can be added this way as well, for both seasons and weather.

What differences are there in saying It was a dark and stormy night in January versus It was a dark and stormy night in July?

Today’s Writing Tip

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If your plot gets stuck, research often helps to get it moving again. Details add credibility to your story and can also provide new plot angles. It never hurts if your reader learns something along the way, whether it’s about the setting or the protagonist’s job.

For example, if you’re writing a mystery, knowledge of police procedure is important, particularly forensics. Getting it wrong will throw readers who know better out of the story and your credibility is lost. The same goes for any other profession. This is where writing what you know works best, unless you’re willing to learn about others through talking to someone or research.

Flooding claims one life, destroys 2900 bridge in Kingsland, forces evacuations – DailyTrib.com – Your Hill Country online news authority

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EDITOR DANIEL CLIFTON Unprecedented is how some are describing the torrential flooding that has killed one person, destroyed the RR 2900 bridge in Kingsland, and forced the evacuation of hundreds of people across the Highland Lakes. But the area might not be out of the clear yet. According to the Lower Colorado River Authority’s hydromet …

Source: Flooding claims one life, destroys 2900 bridge in Kingsland, forces evacuations – DailyTrib.com – Your Hill Country online news authority

Today’s Writing Tip

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Once a story gets rolling, writer’s block is rare. If you get stuck, perhaps you took a wrong turn somewhere with either the character or plot. Forcing a character to do something s/he resists can be a good sign that the character has come alive. In this case, you can often turn him or her loose to see what s/he wants to do. New plot twists can come out that will surprise even you! If you don’t know what’s going to happen next, you can bet your readers probably won’t, either!

If your plot hits a wall, taking a break to do some research will often open things up again.

Today’s Writing Tip

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It’s essential to understand the concept of point of view (POV), which is the character through whom the story is being told. This can be one of the most difficult concepts for new writers to grasp.

The basic categories are single, multiple, and omniscient. Single is used for a first person narrative, but not always. It can also be used for a third person story that only goes into the protagonist’s head. Multiple will get into more than one person’s POV, but in separate sections or chapters. Omniscient gets into everyone’s throughout the story. This can be confusing and is also least effective in connecting your reader with your characters.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Want to write memorable fiction? Then CAP it! Influencing three areas of the brain will do just that. C=Cognitive (facts) A=Affective (emotions) P=Perception (senses) In this case, 3 strikes and you’re remembered!

Facts, even if they’re about the setting, add depth and imagery to your story. If there’s a particular profession involved, learning about what it entails is also beneficial and adds credibility to your character as well as potential plot twists.

For a story to “stick” with your reader, emotional involvement is essential! Which stories can you name that brought you to tears, either due to compassion, sadness, or even laughter? How many can you name that didn’t?

Employing the five senses is also recommended. We live in a world where all of them are used and define our environment. The sense of smell is particularly powerful, whether it’s the aroma of food cooking, autumn leaves, or vehicle exhaust in a crowded city.

This also applies when you’re giving a talk. In fact, I got this idea from a Toastmasters magazine that addressed how to make your speeches memorable.

Star Trails Tetralogy October 99c Book Sale!

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To celebrate being chosen as the RRBC Spotlight Author this month, which thrills me no end, all books in the Star Trails Tetralogy are on sale throughout October for only 99c, including those that are usually free. (Hahaha, just kidding! They’re still free.) This deal includes “The Terra Debacle: Prisoners at Area 51”. If you’re unfamiliar with my series, you can find out more about each story on its website, StarTrailsSaga.com.

Yeah, yeah, I know a “tetralogy” by definition is four books and it’s currently seven. That’s what happens when your characters take over and keep making demands. There’s at least one more coming, but I’m taking a bit of a break and writing a contemporary murder mystery that will (probably) come out first.

And speaking of RRBC (Rave Reviews Book Club), if you’re an author looking to network with other authors and get some of the best support you’ve ever imagined, be sure to check it out here.

bthsreallydoneit copyBeyond the Hidden Sky

FREE on most sales channels (Except Amazon where it’s 99c)

(This story is currently in production as an audio book! Look for it sometime around the first of next year.)

ADOEDarrival2 copy A Dark of Endless Days

 

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A Psilent Place Below

 

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Refractions of Frozen Time

 

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The Terra Debacle: Prisoners at Area 51TheTerraDebacleAudioRGBflatsmall+ copy

Also available as an Audio book narrated by T. W. Ashworth! Try Audible and get two books free!

 

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Star Trails Tetralogy eBook Box Set

Get Volumes 1- 4 in one convenient file for only $2.99!

 

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000039_00005] The Sapphiran Agenda

This is a short backstory to how Thyron joined the Star Trails gang in Beyond the Hidden Sky. FREE on most sales channels!Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000039_00005]

Also available as an Audio Book narrated by T. W. Ashworth! Join Audible and get two books free! If you’d like a special code to get this one free, email me at marcha@kallioperisingpress.com. Reviews are always appreciated.

 

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The Star Trails Compendium

FREE! This is the Star Trails Tetralogy companion volume. It includes a glossary of terms, background information on Cyraria, and a special section for parents and educators who want to make use of the series’ science content as a teaching tool. If you’re a science teacher in the USA and interested in using the series in this manner, feel free to contact me for a free print copy! The Compendium is also available online at the series website.

Today’s Writing Tip

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Using speech to text features can be a great boom to some storytellers or bloggers, especially if you can say it far faster than you can type it. However, be aware that proofreading the result is essential. If you don’t, you may find various unsavory mistakes, such as heroine reduced to heroin as well as various other nasties due to the profusion of homonyms in the English language.

This, of course, requires that you be familiar with them yourself so you recognize when the wrong one is used. One of the most popular ones I’ve seen misused, even from experienced writers, is shutter (noun, outdoor window protection devices) instead of shudder (verb, to quake or quiver).