Monthly Archives: March 2019

Recently I mentioned to a favorite author how close one of her post apocalyptic series came to reality for me. Did she want to maybe expand on that? Being the brilliant young lady she is she said “Well YEAH” So here she is…JAMI GRAY

Known as The Collapse, the ravaged aftermath of Mother Nature’s fury colliding with man’s merciless need for survival has left civilization teetering on the brink of disintegration. Decades beyond the first brutal years, there are those who believe there is a possible future worth fighting for, worth dying for. Betrayed but not broken, they hold to their code, one considered outdated and useless. Loyalty to each other, shields for those without, warriors born and bred.

Staring into the Abyss…

A funny thing happened on my way to writing a book, fiction collided with reality and left me wondering if there was more than caffeine in my cup of joe the morning I started plotting out Fate’s Vultures.

Now here’s the thing, as a writer I spend my life asking, “What if (fill in the blank)?” Mainly because that’s what writers do. They occasionally surface from their word dens, indulge in some serious people/places/things watching, then disappear to make up stories using what they’ve watched.

So maybe it shouldn’t be so shocking that the circumstances leading to the fall of humanity in Fate’s Vultures is an eerie warning of what we may eventually face in truth.

Mona and I, we tend to meander down creative roads, dabbling here and there on various topics and it was her question of “Did you realize going in to your series, how close or how soon they might mirror our lives?”

To be honest, I wasn’t a happy camper when I started this series. The real world was shifting fast and mean, ripping off blinders I had willingly left on for too long. I won’t go into politics because, well…politics *shudders*, but what rose to the all too public surface was a miasma of pain and anger and frustration that’s been long in the making and with the lid off, it’s boiling over. I think for me, that has been the most heart-breaking thing to face during the last three years.  It didn’t help that trauma and grief were circling my nearest and dearests either.

But back to Mona’s question…as a series writer, I tend to play around with ideas for a long time before I start crafting a universe. Fate’s Vultures initially came into vague shape when I wanted to do something different for the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Consider it a drawback of years of studying various scriptures growing up. I’ve always been fascinated by the prophecies surrounding the End Times, add in my fascination with magic and the unexplainable, it was bound to come up sooner or later.

Yet as I started to shape my world, that focus changed and I started reading papers from leading minds on the future of economics and government structure. Add in real-life situations and the world of the Vultures came into focus. Because of who and what the Vultures are, there was never a chance of a happy start to their story.

They were who they were because of what they survived, that’s the core of the characters. Living in a world consumed by chaos and loss of order, what will emerge will be those who understanding that white and black are simply shades of gray.

Yet you can’t create a grim world without adding light. We can’t live our lives without hope and that’s true whether those lives are a creation of imagination or contain a beating heart. Hope is humanity’s greatest strength and it’s that same hope that pulls us (universal us) through the darkest of times. In the Vulture’s world, that same hope is what will change the world as they know it. It gives them something to reach for, to fight for, and to believe in.

As much as I enjoy spending time in the Vultures’ world, this first arc was always meant to be only four books. Currently the first three books in the series are out, and the fourth and last book, FEAR THE REAPER, is currently sitting on my editor’s desk. I’m hoping for a late 2019 release, but it may be closer to early 2020. You’ll know as soon as I do.

What I can share, without spoilers, is yes, there is light in the darkness and it doesn’t take much for that spark to turning into something that leads the way to hope. In fact, considering the unusual family the Vultures tend to gather, I’m pretty certain I’ll be back to hang with a few familiar faces. Well, right after I finish my mission with the PSY-IV Teams, and then get Gavin’s story out with the Kyn so we can move further into the shadows.

*checks calendar* Umm…okay, so it may be a bit before I return, but the Vultures will be back because this is just the beginning….

 LYING IN RUINS – Fate’s Vultures 1

In a world gone to hell, it’s hard to tell the good guys from the bad…

On a mission to retrieve a kidnapped child, a woman skilled in secrecy crosses paths with a nomadic vigilante bent on revenge. Despite their mutual distrust, the unlikely pair joins forces to hunt a common enemy. Together they must survive the predators picking through the desiccated remains of civilization. What will tear them apart first—their suspicions or their enemies?

• Escape Publishing: http://www.escapepublishing.com.au/product/9781489245656
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XS9BSVF
• Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/lying-in-ruins-jami-gray/1126450833?ean=9781489245656
• iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/lying-in-ruins/id1327657445
• Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/lying-in-ruins

BEG FOR MERCY – Fate’s Vultures 2

Choosing a side has never been so dangerous…

To trap a cunning and illusive predator, a protector forged in a blood soaked history must partner with the cynical heart of a betrayed assassin. Can the wary pair forge a bond of loyalty before suspicions and betrayals tear them apart?

• Escape Publishing: http://www.escapepublishing.com.au/product/9781489255198
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076C9JX8X/
• Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/beg-for-mercy-jami-gray/1127273688?ean=9781489255198
• iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/beg-for-mercy/id1301645100
• Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/beg-for-mercy-11

CAUGHT IN THE AFTERMATH – Fate’s Vultures 3

Vengeance can leave you blind…

Blinded by vengeance, a deadly predator is forced to turn to unexpected allies, only to discover a storm of passion with the one woman who threatens his long-term plans. Caught between a looming conflict and the fallout of a brutal betrayal, will they survive vengeance’s aftermath?

• Escape Publishing: https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781489277022/caught-in-the-aftermath/
• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GSH44HW/
• Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/caught-in-the-aftermath-jami-gray/1129393470?ean=9781489277022
• iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/au/book/caught-in-the-aftermath/id1433966430
• Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/caught-in-the-aftermath

BIO:

Jami Gray is the coffee addicted, music junkie, Queen Nerd of her personal Geek Squad, Alpha Mom of the Fur Minxes, and award-winning author of the Urban Fantasy series, The Kyn Kronicles, the Paranormal Romantic Suspense series, PSY-IV Teams, and her latest Romantic Suspense series, Fate’s Vultures. She writes to soothe the voices in her head.

• Website: http://www.JamiGray.com
• Newsletter:http://eepurl.com/LvoZn
• Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/Jami-Gray/e/B006HU3HJI
• Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/JamiGray
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jamigray.author

 

 

 

I think it was Paul Gillette who first introduced me to the concept of “Easy Writing is

Hard Reading; Easy Reading is Hard Writing’ during a weekend workshop. I remember him attributing the quote to a famous writer but of course don’t remember which writer he mentioned! When I shared the quote recently I thought I’d just check out who said what, when. Well, that’s an interesting question. It seems that’s a very old quote, attributed to a plethora of writers More detail here if you’re interested in the extensive history.

This concept comes up far too often these days when we read books from some prolific authors. Not all of them, of course. Many have spent years honing their craft, and well formed sentences flow through their fingers. They have put in the hours to learn to write clear sentences and they live by the rule of BICHOK. Butt In Chair Hands On Keyboard.

If you want to write books, you sit down and write. If you want to write good books, you sit down and write the very best book you can. In response to the recent plagiarisms of good writer’s books, one of our very best explained how she has written and continues to write good books How Nora Roberts Does It She says it clearly enough any of us should be able to follow her precepts even if we can’t keep up with her schedule.

I’ve been on a reading binge…okay a reading glut. Most of these books are by great authors I’ve only recently discovered. There are a lot of new authors publishing. Once in a while I will take a chance on someone new, and be delighted. Some of them need to slow down, read over their book, have someone else read over their work, and not hit that publish button quite so fast? There is so much good, but so much could also be a bit better with more polish.

Hard writing absolutely makes for easy reading. Practice might not make perfect but it does make for better. Speaking of practice, Fire Dragon and I are off to a Rally trial. I have not put in the practice to make us perfect but we’ll keep working on it.

 

At a recent Agility class, I had our run videoed to record our progress. It was probably

the worst run Biddy has offered in a long time…the earlier ones that day were so much better. And I gotta say I don’t look all that attractive. In fact I look fat. Mainly because I am fat. No one can body shame us the way we body shame ourselves.

Yes, fat body. YES fat body RUNNING. Not fast maybe but still running. Not at the place I want myself to be. Not at the place where my contemporaries who have applied themselves to intense physical training might be but way ahead of those who are going to get more exercise ‘one day’

And they will. I’m seeing more and more people checking their fitness trackers, doing their steps or stretches at airports. Maybe walking around their cars before getting in so they can meet that 250/hour goal. For them, for me, I’m sharing this reality. As long as we keep moving, we will keep winning in this game of life,

 

 

I’ve been noodling with this blog for a while, wanting to share some silly memories…after the news from New Zealand, I thought we could all use a touch of happy

Those of us of a ‘certain age’ remember “Folk” songs. We listened to them, sang them, shared them. And sometimes we believed in them, or at least wanted to believe in them. Looking back it seems that might have been a simpler time, when we thought words sung could change the world. Kind of hard to believe that now, when words are all too often used to hurt, to tear down instead of build up.

But the memories. Oh, the memories. Sitting around a campfire, or a living room, raising our voices in harmony (or lack thereof) Singing of peace, love, and rock and roll. Oh, wait, that  might be another blog.

There were the famous folk singers, but there were also not so famous people who shared their thoughts and love. Like my girlhood crush, Leonard Nimoy, singing Paul Young’s Love of the Common People

 

Living on free food tickets
Water in the milk
From a hole in the roof
Where the rain came through
What can you do, hmmm?

Tears from your little sister
Crying because she doesn’t have
A dress without a patch
For the party to go
But you know she’ll get by

‘Cause she’s living in
The love of the common people
Smiles from the heart
Of a family man

Daddy’s gonna buy you
A dream to cling to
Mama’s gonna love you
Just as much as she can
And she can https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/paulyoung/loveofthecommonpeople.html (for the rest)

Here I am back blogging. It’s been…wow, a while. I’ve started blogs and put them aside to finish ‘later,’ when I wasn’t distracted by sunshine or snow or Salukis or pretty much anything! Let’s see if I can do better. Way back, when I first started taking my writing seriously, a best selling author explained how to engage readers by using ‘theme’ in our books. Research defines theme as a main idea or an underlying meaning of a literary work, which may be stated directly or indirectly. I’ve noticed this while reading, all too often being bludgeoned by the theme of a book. Until I want to say “Okay, I get it, prom dresses are important.” I’m doubt we’d find that sort of theme in a literary work. But I don’t write Literary. I write Romance, in many varied forms. Since I write romance, generally not considered literary work, theme becomes trope, which is an overused theme or device: Hidden Baby, Rich Man and Gorgeous Poor Girl, Muscled Military Man…you know what I mean. And you know generally by reading the title, or glancing at the cover, what you’ll find in that book. Which makes for quick decisions for readers, and some very popular books. Within these tropes, or within popular sub-genres, we find on occasion subtle and often fascinating sub-plot points. Sometimes these lead to greater story or character depth but often they become a sly way for the author to interject…subtext. a hidden or less obvious meaning Subtext or undertone is any content of a creative work which is not announced explicitly by the characters or author, but is implicit or becomes something understood by the observer of the work as the production unfolds. I’ve found great examples in Anne Bishop’s “Others” series. Who wouldn’t want to be able to ‘send in the big guns’ when someone blatantly destroys the environment? Science Fiction and Space Opera are loaded with subtext, too much of which speaks to ‘the more things change the more they are the same.’ Sure we can go to the stars but that doesn’t mean we’ll be better people once we get there. As with subliminal messages (a certain tie, or hat, or color) subtext can shape our future. Gene Roddenberry was a master of subtext, with an implied promise of “We CAN be better.” It seems it will be up to us which path we choose to take.