Dark Luck

We're Going Through Changes

2007-07-29T08:09:17Z

Shortly, I shall be making some spiffy new changes to this journal. Have to lock down some of the copyright protected content and remove names and contacts that pertain to me getting my fabulous but fat ass signed up to an agent. It's all legal stuff. Don't worry, my bbs.

I won a copy of the sexorific Ms Annie Dean's ' Your Alibi' and will review soon for you pleasure. So far I am really liking it.

Sheeit. Got so many updates to do. Website needs to be designed and finalised before I buy the space on a server, novel needs polished up AGAIN and I have some contest entries to finish up before August hits.

We am very busy h0r.

Much Love!

Psst anyone want to read the Annie Dean book after me? It's in pdf format.

Update

2007-02-22T09:20:29Z

So I mentioned in my private journal that I had an email from an agent. Well, she is actually more of a representative for her agency. Her name is Edited 27/07/07 - info censored and she works with one of the agencies I already mentioned. She was passed my original submission and liked what I had done and my outline for the novel. She said that her agency do take on International clients and that she would like to see more of the manuscript before reaching any final decisions etc.

I double checked her viability by asking a group i'm with about US agents taking on foreign clients and they confirmed it's no big dealio. I wrote back to her and explained I am in frenzied editing mode and that the novel is not complete because I made major plot changes and I sent her my new outline. I gave her a deadline for estimated completion too.

Hopefully she will accept this.

Meanwhile I am just writing up a storm and in some chapters I have multiple versions because I can't decide which works best. I really need input and can't wait for jennnlee to rip it to pieces!

Now teh serious thoughts...

I would like your thoughts on Rape versus Forced Seduction in fiction. Do you think there is a fine line? Do you maybe think that PC intervention has gone too far? Could you ever like a male character who forced sex on a female character?

I read an article that I can no longer find about this and the author explained that it isn't really rape when the woman is in control - the author being the woman and the one controlling the scene and the action. Is this true in your opinion?

I bring this up because I have a few forced sexual scenes and I would like to do them in a way that doesn't squick out readers.

Folklore: Book One Update & How to Copyright your work

2007-01-29T15:00:00Z

Just to let you know that I will be editing the hell outta previous posts to hide non copywritten info.

Because the first book is coming out of my brain so fast, I am starting to think about the important but boring crap. This pertains mainly to COPYRIGHTS.

I am automatically protected in the UK -

There is no official registration system for copyright in the United Kingdom (UK) and most other parts of the world. There are no forms to fill in and no fees to pay to get copyright protection.

So long as you have created a work that qualifies for copyright protection, that is it falls into one of the categories of material protected by copyright, you will have copyright protection without having to do anything to establish this. It is a requirement of various international conventions on copyright that copyright should be automatic with no need to register.

To help protect your copyright work, it is advisable to mark it with the © symbol, the name of the copyright owner and the year of publication. Although this is not essential, it will let others know when the term of protection started and hence whether it is still covered by copyright, and indicate who to approach should they need to ask permission to use the work.

But to protect my rights in America without having to pay through the nose, I am using the 'Poor Man' method. Here is the basic facts on US copyright law -

The UK is a member of many international agreements where the national law of each country automatically protects copyright work falling within the scope of these agreements.

You should mark your work with the international © symbol, followed by the name of the copyright owner and year of publication.

All western European countries, the United States of America (USA) and Russia belong to the Berne Convention. Under this agreement, you do not have to mark your work in any way for automatic protection to apply. However, it is sensible to mark your work in this respect.

In the USA there is an official register of copyright work, although registration is not a requirement for copyright protection in the USA.

Despite this Berne Convention, America strongly rec's you pay up and register.

The U.S. Copyright Office increased basic registration fees to $45 per application effective July 1, 2006. Fees that changed include registrations, document recordation, supplementary registration, search services, certificates, and additional certificates. Any request received in the U.S. Copyright Office on or after July 1, 2006, for a service whose fee increased on that date must be accompanied by the new fee.

http://www.copyright.gov/docs/fees.html

Back to the 'Poor Man' method, so it isn't 100% guaranteed but it DOES give you a starting ground in any legal shit that may arise. Seal up your work and toddle off to the post office. Send the manuscript to yourself but use a special service like SIGNED FOR on delivery or NEXT DAY so that the time stamp is done then and there and you can prove you didnt use a pre date stamped envelope. NEVER open the envelope. Stash it away until you get the cash to register legally in the US. Now you are covered in most Western countries! Yay for you.

Edited 27/07/07 - content censored

My last thought on this today is to remind everyone not to get too precious about their characters. They aren't real. You don't need to protect them of defend them when someone says they suck. Getting precious means getting wanky and we don't want to end up looking like an asshole as per Ms Hamilton and Ms Rice, do we? No. We do not. We are above that and we have enough talent in us to write and move on. Remember this and let your characters go when you are finished their story.

J L Kane.

Help!

2007-01-24T01:56:33Z

I've been warned that there are several other vampire-erotic books due out 2007 and if I ever want to get mine published I have to move fast and finish Book 1.

I've been writing like crazy and put everything else on hold. I have 16 chapters done and am proofing them but there should be 30+ chapters in this first book. I have now hit a snag. Well, it's the same old one really.

There are three main species of vampire in my books.

Edited 27/07/07 - content censored

What should I do?

On a roll!

2007-01-17T06:49:31Z

So far I have over four full chapters and a full ouline done. I do have sticking points which I will put to you guys as a poll to help me decide after I post the sampler.

Im excited by this book. It really is writing itself but there is a part of me that remembers how my luck goes. When I was writing short stories for English class in High School, I did great and was top of the class. I found that when I just sat and wrote without putting huge effort in that I got the best grades but when I put effort and passion into something, it came out average. Im really worried that this will happen again. Im using a new narrative style and im on new ground with the interweaving plots.

I can't wait for feedback! I am just fleshing out and proofing the existing chapters and will then ask my writing buds to read and opine before I let you lot have a sample and get your opinions too.

The chapters I submitted to those agents were slightly different but I feel the new versions are better and more interesting.

I am also stoked the website is getting done. The HTML is a bitch but the colours suit me and I think it is easy on the eye.

Now it is your turn! What are you currently writing about? Are we ready for a novel writers group at Quills?

2007 ahoy!

2007-01-02T17:20:22Z

Sometimes I can be impulsive and move things too fast for my own good. I don't know why I have this trait or how to slow myself down. I supose it's a reckless, impatient Gemini thing.

The premise and outline for Folklore (book one) is already being touted around literary agents. Scary shit for me since I have that lovely other character flaw of not finishing things! I can talk the talk but can I put pen to paper and finalise the damn stories? SHEEEEIT.

I don't know what I'd do without my special h0rz ilistine and jennnlee. You guys don't know it yet but you are gonna be busy this year reading vampire smut! I loves you for your brains and opinions. I hope you always keep me straight and grounded.

Maybe the series will be spiffy enough to make me a small fortune and I can fly over and take you both out for cocktails! Mnn... tequila...

Anyhoo. The website has been overhauled, the fanfic is being kept seperate for legal reasons and my fingers are sore from typing fanged nooky and emailing.

The agencies I am emailing with work for these companies;

Edited 28/07/07 - info censored

If you have any advice on these representatives, please mail me!

Test

2006-12-27T03:10:13Z

This layout is a test pending formal permission to use the manipulation by tears_of_ruby

NaNo Nope

2006-11-30T15:45:17Z

OK so we can safely say that I won't be finished in one month.

Im struggling with my character universe. I've had them as bibilcal entities, historical travellers and now as modern day 'awakened' vamps with added others like shapeshifters etc.

I know what the individual stories for these characters should be but I can't seem to place them in their own world. Now i'm going off the whole idea.

Plus I have far too many vamps with Greek names!

Urgh.

NaNo complications

2006-11-10T12:58:58Z

"...heroines who begin as emotionless killing machines at the start of the story then grow into people fully capable of love and affection..."

I saw this on the Dionne Galace blog  and it made me think about how so many characters follow this vein but few manage to really pull it off and show some personal evolution.

A perfect example is Laurell Hamilton and her Anita Blake. The character starts off like this but ends up just a vagina who never really falls deeply in love.

My NaNo character (the main one) is Evangeline 'Lucky' Viscala. She is a special breed of vampire because she is a Lilim, descended from Lilith herself. The Lilim are the top of the foodchain since they can do much more than the Gibborim breed of vampires. This character has the usual spiffy vampire gifts like super speed, strength, gravity defiance, self healing and the ability to influence human minds but she can only do these things when she is in her fill Lilim form - that means she has to be drinking blood and her body has gone into suspended death. She can also choose to not drink blood and her body animates to life. This is cool because it means she can eat and drink normally and look more human. Her body is alive again in essence so she can menstruate (therefore have babies too) and do other human things. This also has a downside since it means her vamp powers are dulled and she doesnt heal as quickly - but she can go out in daylight no matter what form she is in.

The Gibborim vampires are weaker with only basic powers likes speed, strength and healing and they die in sunlight.

The Nephili are the spirits of the Nephilim but existing as demons. They get hunted alot so life is pretty shit for them.

Anyway, the story is about 3 brothers who are all Gibborim.

Michael Viscala is a widower with 2 grown up kids. A son and daughter. His son is a lazy, over indulged, self centred playboy and his daughter is sweetness and purity. Michael is head of the House of Asael which means he is top boss. He ends up falling in love with Lexy Conrad, a human woman. He wants her to turn so they can be together properly but she doesnt want to give up her humanity. Will he force her? Michael is not a man anyone ever refuses and his will is always enforced.

Anthony Viscala is the middle brother. He is a rogue. He does whatever he wants and doesnt care about the consequences. He spends his time hunting and killing demons for sport. He loves being a vampire and has no moral issues with it. He also married Lucky centuries back and when the bloodwars began, he chose to fight on the opposite side from her. They were seperated and have a love/hate relationship. Anthony died inside when Lucky vanished just after the bloodwars ended. She had turned sides and the guilt tipped her into insanity. She has been in a mental hospital (hiding from him and everyone else) for decades. Now she comes back a new person and Anthony has to deal with old wounds opening up again. Plus he suspects his wife is the one killing human woman...

Vincent Viscala is a cold and brooding sort. He thinks humans are vermin, demons are sport and the Lilim oppressors of his kind. He doesnt have the capacity for love or kindness and Michael is worried the he is the 'Ripper' killer and what that means ie will he have to kill his own brother?   Life gets a little more complicated for Vincent when he meets a clutzy librarian with the reddest hair he has ever seen. She saves him from certain death and they go on the run...

There are some additional characters too:

Nicodemus & Lucus Paduar - brothers who are Gibborim of another House. Lucus is missing and a reporter named Annie thinks he is the Ripper killer. Nic likes to wear makeup and cross dress but he is a passionate lover of woman and soon his fun is interupted when he has the leadership of his House forced on him by Lucus being in absentia.

Alessandros - Michael Viscala's seneschal. He is madly in love with someone forbidden to him; Acacia Viscala, Michael's young daughter!

Lady Evadne - Lucky's sister. Is she really evil or is evil just a concept that differs from vampire to human? Evadne is another Ripper suspect but she has her own story that wont be told just yet.

These characters are all existing in an undefined future Earth setting. I have to come up with sci fi elements and technology as well as weave in the origins and explanations of the vampires. The Earth is very different in the future and it is alot to get out in between the story arc and subplots!

No wonder my brain wants to explode.

So now that I have revealed my novel, it's your turn! What are you doing and why?