Seven Facts About Chasing Monsters

This cover was also done by Terra Weston

Chasing Monsters is my current novel. That was an interesting time in my life, as these facts will tell you. The novel attempts to answer the question... What happens when a paranormal investigator befriends a demon with a soul?

1. This novel was inspired by a Friedrich Nietzsche quote: "When chasing monsters, one must be careful not to become one."  I got all SORTS of ideas from that quote, and I ran off with it. My husband gave me a Nietzsche book of quotes. I've learned that while Nietzsche was interesting, he was also a raving lunatic that hated women and Christians. The book starts dry and dull, becomes insightful and ends wacky. I suspect his rambling came from the syphilis that eventually killed him.

2. My main character, Noelle, was named after a beautiful ghost child I dreamed about. My Noelle doesn't look like her. Ghost Noelle was about seven years old with curly brown hair and big brown eyes. The freaky part is, I went apartment shopping with my sister that afternoon and she got the apartment right across from the cemetery I dreamed Noelle was from. No, I didn't look for her, but I'd like to. That might be a great paranormal adventure.

3. The investigators in the novel are real people : I was a member of Edmonton Paranormal at the time. Yes, they knew I was writing the book, and yes, those people knew they were in it. I changed their names, and didn't divulge ALL of their personalities---there was some poetic license. I don't recommend using friends as characters. It's hard to maintain their privacy while remaining true to their personalities.

RIP Gary Larsen Photo by: Julia Hollman

4. One character was as true as I could make him: Because about two months after Gary asked if he could be in the book too, he died. He's 'Joey', and I strived to make his character as real as he was in life. I met him first at my Meatcutting Class, at NAIT, and when I came to Edmonton Paranormal alone, he was the only person I knew. I wanted Gary to have some kind of legacy, because he was only 50 years old, and a kind man who led a quiet life. I don't want him forgotten.

5. Jake's house doesn't exist, but if it did..: I placed it between the towns of Busby and Legal. You would use the left-hand turn off from Legal, and it would be about half-way to Busby. I used to drive that way all the time to meet with my last remaining critique partner, and I liked the area for a story.

6. Oh, and the church exists too: My bestie and I went for a road trip to find museums and we took a few back roads. We were a little bit lost when we found it, so I can't tell you where it is. I'm not even sure I'm showing the right picture, but it was a historic site, and I remember it being white with silver turnip top structures.

I THINK this is.... not sure. We saw lots of churches that day

7. BONUS FACT: The woman who designed this cover, as well as the ones for Thoeba and Aphrodite's War is now a country singer and songwriter. Her name is Terra Weston, and while country music isn't my thing, she'sDAMNED talented. Oh, her voice! I had NO  idea she could sing! I tried to include a link, but it didn't work. Terra, if you read this, can you comment with something?

Official Announcement About 'Chasing Monsters'

I rewarded myself with this bead. It looks like Nequam.

At the actual time of this writing, it's Tuesday. I've just finished the first draft of my third novel, CHASING MONSTERS. I'm hyper and I'm wiped. I'm ecstatic and relieved. I wasn't sure if I could do it.

Note to self: Never write characters based on your friends, or your current obligations. It's not polite to make poetic writer's license for people you like. If you've read this blog long enough, you know I was a paranormal investigator for a time. My main character's name is Noelle, and SHE is a paranormal investigator. For the record, I did not become a paranormal investigator just for the novel. I was invited, and I jumped at the chance because I REALLY wanted the experience. It was so cool, and taught me so much! To Edmonton Paranormal's credit, they asked me to be Client Care Consultant even though they knew I was writing the novel.  They thought I would be approachable and nice. (My reaction was something akin to "Have you even MET me?!") They'll be in the acknowledgments.

A lot of things happened from the beginning of this novel to its conclusion. Some things exciting, some things uncomfortable. One of our team members, who asked if he could be in my novel, passed away two months after I said yes and it hurts to know that he'll never see how heroic I made him look. Or how I tried to show the world the interesting little Dane he was. Well...he was special to us. We all loved him. CHASING MONSTERS will be dedicated to the memory of Gary Larsen, and those of you who knew him might just recognize him in the book. I hope. He's not around to give me any feedback to his character.

This is Gary Larsen. RIP, Sweetie <3

This is the plan. I'm taking a week away from CHASING MONSTERS. I want to come in with fresh eyes when I edit the crap out of that manuscript. I intend to be finished all three, four or five of those revamps by Christmas before I hand it over to Staccato Publishing. No, it's not because it NEEDS changing. It's because the book has evolved considerably, for the better, and the entire work needs to make sense.

In the meantime, I won't be idle. I have a lot of research to do--starting with Egypt, and I need to establish a timeline for a new novella series. Wish me luck.

I'm also going to take the time to enjoy one of my hobbies: canning. I'm also going to harvest my garden and clean up my poor, neglected yard. It looks abandoned, with weeds past my waist. I wish I were exaggerating. I'm 5 foot four and a half.

So don't be surprised if I'm not here next Thursday. And don't be surprised if this blog isn't about writing if I am. Don't worry...I got it ;) I just have some work to do.