Hello my friends (and new ones coming by),
today I have the wonderful author Kat Bastion coming over for this weeks Author Take Over. She has written a Guest Post with a topic that lies close to my heart. I have to admit, it tore at my heart string reading this Guest Post.Also, please notice the AWESOME giveaway in the end (Rafflecopter).
So, without anymore delays... please welcome my friend Kat - make sure to give her a big hug!!!
Risk Taking, Rule
Breaking, and Other Contrarian Tendencies…
Do you like to paint outside the lines?
When familiar choices are on the menu, do you
ever try something new?
After “follow me” is uttered, do you ever find
yourself wandering in the other direction?
{smiles slowly}
If you answered yes to any of the above, you
might be a contrarian.
Risk Taking
As I experimented through life, I ebbed and
flowed between belonging and standing apart. Through school, “fitting-in”
brought feelings of security, a nurturing environment that fostered the bonds
of friendship. But every time I dared to break away from the crowd, growth
occurred. And the feeling was amazing.
Some gave praise for my actions, others
criticized…
Ultimately, the path chosen had been ruled by
my need to discover myself while exploring the countless facets of the world
around me. With each risk, decisions were made by being true to my heart,
consequences be damned.
Of course, the safest risks are calculated.
Have I ever leapt off the edge without knowing if I could fly? Yes. Did I sometimes
fall flat on my face? You bet. Lessons learned along the way teach those who
take leaps of faith to choose their cliffs wisely.
I now go into any endeavor with certain
questions in my mind:
“What’s the worst thing that can happen?”
“How much am I willing to lose if I’m wrong?”
“Can I employ factors that will help me succeed?”
“Is there any upside to the downside?”
“How much am I willing to lose if I’m wrong?”
“Can I employ factors that will help me succeed?”
“Is there any upside to the downside?”
If I’m willing to live with the worst-possible
scenario, I take the chance and jump. And hope a soaring thermal protects me
from the jagged bottom.
And if I’m wrong?
It had better be a spectacular fall…
How has risk taking related to my writing?
With my wild spirit, I need to go on a true
adventure in my stories. My inner explorer has to traipse into territory
uncharted to satisfy the wanderlust in my heart.
Several workshops I attended after I’d drafted
my first manuscript talked about the cyclical nature of different genres,
expounded on how to take advantage of what’s hot, and schooled us in the traditionally
accepted plot layouts.
I fell asleep.
None of their craft methods spoke to my daring
nature. Methods of using outlines certainly didn’t fit the way I enjoyed to
write. Formulaic techniques threatened to suppress the passion I had in telling
stories.
And then I rebelled…
Rule Breaking
A wise man once told me innate talent is
unteachable. “Try to train a natural
shot, and he’ll miss the side of the barn by a mile.”
So with faith in my fundamental abilities, I
wrote like the true pantster I was, relying on gut instinct and intuition.
After I’d drafted two manuscripts, I read an
article advising new writers not to
write in first person point of view. The author went on to describe the difficulties
in connecting the reader emotionally to the other characters.
While such a warning might have waved off
those who play it safe, I smiled and accepted the challenge. With a bit of
research and a lot of skill sharpening, I began writing Forged in Dreams and Magick in first person. Later, I received
validation that my gamble paid off when contest judges praised my ability to do
so.
Another contest judge who awarded my writing
the win in Best Paranormal Romance said she doubted the story could be written
where readers connect emotionally with two heroes over two time periods in
100,000 words.
Did you hear a suggestion in there? I
couldn’t. All my daring nature heard was a challenge. With great defiance, my
inner voice said with conviction, “Game. On.”
Rules aren’t laws. They’re guidelines meant
for the masses. For the most part, they keep us safe.
If you stray from common advice?
Be the exception to the rule.
Contrarian Tendencies
Turn left on occasion, instead of always going
right. Question why you would make a safe choice, and perhaps venture into
taking a risk.
The new perspective might surprise you.
By expressing our individuality, we
distinguish our work from the deluge of books on the market. Although there are
advantages to being similar to best-selling novels, there are far greater
rewards to being unique among your peers.
Instead of emulating stories told a thousand
times, dare to be one of a kind.
In a review of my latest release, Bound by Wish and Mistletoe, Leslie Fear
from The Indie Bookshelf wrote, “She has a way of telling a story like no other
author I’ve read.”
My inner contrarian beamed.
And Robert Frost described the notion so
eloquently in his poem “The Road Not Taken” in the last lines…
“I took the one less
traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
About Kat Bastion:
On a never-ending, wondrous path of self-discovery, Kat throws her
characters into incredible situations with the hope that readers join her in
learning more about the meaning of life and love.
Her first published work, Utterly
Loved, was shared with the world to benefit others. All proceeds from Utterly Loved, and a portion of the
proceeds of all her other books, support charities who help those lost in this
world.
Kat lives with her husband amid the beautiful Sonoran Desert of
Arizona. Visit her blog at www.talktotheshoe.com,
her website at www.katbastion.com, and
her Twitter account at https://twitter.com/KatBastion
for more information.
Kat's Books:
Isobel
MacInnes wakes up in present-day California, lunches in medieval Scotland, and
by ten days’ end, falls in love with a man and his country, only to lose them
in a heart-wrenching twist of fate . . .
Found in the arms of her second soul mate . . .
Forced to balance the delicate strands of
time between two millennia . . .
Shocked by revelations rewriting the very
foundations of history . . . of
everything.
Isobel,
a rising-star archaeology student, is dropped into two ancient worlds without
warning . . . or her permission. Her fiery spirit resists the
dependency thrust upon her. Amid frustration at her lack of control, she
helplessly falls in love. Twice.
She
struggles to adjust to the unimaginable demands of two leaders of men—a laird
in the thirteenth-century Highlands and a Pict chieftain in a more ancient
Scotland. Isobel transforms from an academic, hell-bent on obtaining archaeological
recognition, to a woman striving to care for those she loves, and ultimately
. . . into a fearless warrior risking everything to protect them.
Read my review here
You can buy Forged in Dreams and Magick here:
Desperate
to honor a life-long promise, Susanna MacEalan escapes her abusive clan with
the fierce determination of never falling under the power of a man. Ever.
Aggravated
by shallow-hearted pursuing lasses, Robert Brodie, commander of his clan’s
elite guard, has foresworn scheming women. Forever.
When
magick transforms Brodie Castle into a Christmas wonderland, the two despondent
souls find solace in a most unexpected place . . . each other’s arms.
Amid
a whirlwind of escalating events, Susanna’s traumatic past threatens Robert’s
ability to protect the one woman meant for him. In a harrowing moment, as her
fears and demons coalesce, will hope, faith, and love be enough to save them?
You can read my review here
GIVEAWAY:
This one is international :-)
You can win a SIGNED paper copy set of
Kat's books!!!
Just enter the rafflecopter below and cross
your fingers! The Giveaway ends Monday, and the winner have 48 hours to respond
on my email, otherwise another winner will be found.
