Reading Books Can Help You Write Books – and Fix Story Problems

 

Photo credit: Unknown creator on Pixabay

 

When I was a kid, I wanted to be one thing when I grew up: An astronaut. And I planned to get there by first going into the Air Force. With this plan in place, I threw myself into learning everything I could about space and jets. My parents probably thought it was cute that I was reading books about jets. But then I became deaf at age 13 and there went my plans to join the Air Force and become an astronaut. Bummer.

 

But I never lost my love for either of those things. But nowadays, my fascination has more to do with space and not jets.

 

I couldn’t travel into space in real life, but as a writer, I could write about these subjects. Not only this, I could write stories of characters traveling through space. I’ve written a children’s book with just such a character, and I plan to submit it in the near future.

 

Meanwhile, I’m writing short stories and poems about outer space, objects in space, and space travel. I even have a poem about something related to a phenomenon discovered in space in my poetry book, Watch This Space (and, no, the “Space” in the book’s title is not a reference to outer space, though when I think about it now, I find it ironic that I wrote a poem about something occurring in space that was discovered JUST from observing space!).

 

One short story I have written, however, left me doubtful about it for a while there. I knew it needed work, but I couldn’t figure out what kind of work it needed, exactly.

 

I got the idea to write this story after reading the science fiction novel Obsidian by Bryan W. Alaspa. A character in that story, an astronaut, thinks about a myth he read that might have something to do with an episode his crew member was going through. I was so fascinated by this myth, that I asked myself one of the most common questions that writers ask to get ideas: “What if?”

 

I decided to explore the possibility of this myth being true in a story! It’s a science fiction story, but I wasn’t happy with the first draft. It just fell short. I wrote it as a parody story in response to a submission call. But when I reread their guidelines and saw the prerequisite “NO ALIENS!” I rewrote the story as a regular sci-fi story and figured it was at least passable. Still, I wasn’t happy with it, so I just put it away for a while, figuring I would go back to it later.

 

I have tinkered with that story ever since as ideas came to me, but nothing really came out of it.

 

Then I was added to an anthology that had a theme which I could fit into this story.

 

And, thankfully, the guidelines didn’t state that they didn’t want stories with aliens. That meant I could submit this story!

 

But I needed to fix it first.

 

The first thing I did was revise the story so that it fit with the anthology’s theme.

 

But even after doing this, I STILL needed to figure out a better ending for the story! The original ending was just too “meh.” And it didn’t really offer any ideas on what happened to my characters.

 

I let the story sit again, deciding to relegate this problem to that “workshop” in my mind.

 

Then I started reading the novel The Martian by Andy Weir. I was sorting through ebooks available to read on my Libby app one day and, remembering how much we loved the movie, I decided to start reading the novel.

 

And reading that novel has helped me figure out how to fix the ending of my story!

 

Like Mark in The Martian, my character is stranded on a planet. He has no way to get back to the shuttle hovering in orbit, and radio communication was destroyed by the hostile aliens he and his crew member were ambushed by. Also like Mark, my character is an engineer. So reading about Mark’s train of thought and actions to figure out how to stay alive on Mars until he is rescued gave me an idea: My character, who is also an engineer, needs to be doing the same thing! Not surrendering to the aliens holding him captive, but figuring out a way to escape and notifying his crew member on the shuttle that he needs to be rescued!

 

With this knowledge, I was able to once again approach revisions of my short story with a fresh perspective. The revisions are going well so far. I’m still reading The Martian, and it continues to inform and inspire me about the thought processes my character should have as an astronaut who is also an engineer. The novel is amazing, and I am glad it has helped me to figure out just what kind of ending my short story needs.

How Writing One Novella Helped Me to Explore New Avenues as a Writer

 

On Monday, March 10, I have a new book coming out. Curse of the Blood Witch is a vampire horror novella. When I wrote this book for NaNoWriMo many years ago, I did not get it to 50,000 words. However, I spent a long time taking it through several revisions, and when I was done with it, the final word count was at   46, 860 words. Still not 50K but still a good enough length to be called a novel.

 

Thing of it is, though, this book almost didn’t end up with a publisher.

 

After years of rejections, I gave up on trying to find a publisher or agent interested in it. I put it away and moved on to other books.

 

Then, one evening, a flock of bats flew over my house. After I posted about this on Facebook, I joked that perhaps they are vampire bats trying to convince me to submit my vampire horror novel once again. One of my friends (an actual friend who is no longer a Facebook friend) jumped on this and encouraged me to do just that. It was as though the bats had spoken! I grudgingly agreed to try to find a home for this book again, not holding out much hope.

 

This was hammered home after I received yet another rejection from a publisher.

 

Frustrated, I threw the manuscript to my beta readers, who dutifully responded with tons of suggestions and help in tweaking the manuscript. I took what advice I felt was helpful, cut gigantic chunks from what I had as a novel, and submitted the now novella-length manuscript off to a publisher. That publisher accepted the manuscript and I was thrilled it finally found a home!

 

But it’s not just this experience with writing a book that I am surprised about.

 

There are a few things, too…

 

I never thought I would write a vampire novel or novella. I love reading these kinds of books, but writing vampire fiction has not exactly been my strength. Ever since I started writing it, however, I have experimented with writing vampire short stories. I feel this is helping me to improve my ability to write vampire fiction.

 

I never thought I would write a story based on an historical figure. The main vampire in my novella is bitten by a vampire who carried the power of Elizabeth Bathory. Several years ago, my oldest created a Halloween costume dubbed a “blood witch.” At that time, I was reading about the life of Elizabeth Bathory. In my reading, I learned that she was exposed to the occult, as her family dabbled in black magic and the supernatural. This coupled with all of the legends of vampirism surrounding Elizabeth Bathory made me come up with a creation of her as a blood witch.

 

I never thought I would write an Alternate Universe (AU) story. Everything in the novella about Elizabeth Bathory is pure fabrication created to make my story work. You could say it’s an AU story, because in this story, Bathory escaped from her imprisonment and she had been an actual vampire. Everything that happens in the story follows what would have happened had she escaped. However, my own fictional version of Bathory is portrayed only in the Prologue. (And, yes, I kept the prologue. I let my publisher decide whether or not to leave it in the story and she said to leave it in.)

 

With this over and done with, I can’t help but think if I might ever end up writing another AU story based on a person in history. Anything is possible, and if this does happen again, maybe I will once again try my hand at writing another type of fiction I hadn’t tried writing before.

 

Books Published in 2024

As another year comes to a close, it is that time again for me to reflect on what books I have had published this year. I know I spaced on doing a post like this for 2023 (a year in which I certainly had more books published), so I’m glad I am able to set aside some time this morning to work on putting together this post on this last day of the year.

 

The year 2024 was a spectacular year for me, as far as writing and books are concerned. For my freelance writing, I changed things up to include submitting short fiction, and I’m glad I did! I had stories accepted at online publications, print mags, and anthologies. This is in addition to the articles, essays and poems I also managed to get published this year, both online and offline. And 2024 was a whole year of me writing my column for First Chapter Plus Magazine! (I came up with 12 ideas for what to write for that column this year! Go, me!)

 

And here are the things I did not succeed in doing this year:

 

• No novel complete
• No script complete 
• No song lyrics turned into a song and released to the public
• No return to Deaf journalism

 

Well, maybe I will accomplish those goals in 2025.

 

But now, let’s talk books!

 

When I was self-publishing books, I was gung ho to publish a book in January. But this year, I took a break from self-publishing my books, so my first book published this year was not released until March. At first, I saw this as a sign that maybe I won’t get that many books published this year. (Yeah, self-publishing spoiled this author into getting used to having a lot of books published in a year!) There was one year that I self-published books when I had a book out every month and managed to get 12 books out in 12 months.

 

Well, I managed to do that this year, too – and WITHOUT self-publishing!

 

I guess you could say that it helps that I have more than one publisher. And that I had a contract for books to be published by a publisher that changed hands in ownership!

 

Yes, there were a lot of ups and downs this year. Two very big downs happened when two of my publishers shut down this year. (And I was aware of other indie publishers also shutting down this year. RIP) But that didn’t sour the rest of the year! And it did not mean that all authors were doomed to have their newly unpublished books left to collect dust on their hard drives.

 

Nah, we authors are resilient! We picked ourselves back up and found something else to do with our books!

 

Either way, I ended up with 12 books published this year. Yay! More are slated for 2025.

 

Here are my 2024 books:

 

 

The Worst Thing You Ever Did (YA horror short story collection)

 

Within the pages of this book are tales of possession and terrors too evil to imagine.

 

An urban legend about a demon-possessed killer in the woods is put to the test by a group of teens who will face the most terrifying of their lives.

 

A cursed comic book turns a young boy into a monster's pawn, all the while transforming him into an evil artist whose creations come to life.

 

A ghoul's gifts to children come with a heavy price.

 

A group of teens celebrating the last day of school awaken the next day haunted by ghostly images of their victims from cruel and horrible events from their past.

 

And a teen boy is tricked into exploring the haunted hallway of an abandoned house, unaware of the evil that lurks within.

 

Just before you think you can walk away from the worst thing you ever did, getting away with a crime no one could ever hold you accountable for, think again! These five stories will send shivers down your spine! Think twice before crossing paths with the unknown, for it will lead you to horrors lurking in the shadows.

 

 

All the Beautiful Things (psychological horror novella)

 

QL likes to collect heads. Not just any heads, mind. The heads of the things he loves. And he likes to keep them all on his special wall of beautiful things, so that even in death, they can still be his forever.

 

QL Buscemi grew up with a hard life. Abandoned at birth, he was raised by his aunt and uncle in an abusive home. That was until his fixation for collecting the heads of dead animals became a problem. Soon he started talking to a voice in his head and acting strangely around other people. Fed up with his issues, his aunt and uncle place him into a home for "special children," despite its reputation for neglecting patients. There, QL encounters even more abuse, neglect and intolerance for his mental health issues, which only get worse since he refuses to take his medication. He finally leaves "the center" after twenty brutal years.

 

Finally free to live on his own at last, a 31-year-old QL becomes infatuated with his pretty neighbor who lives across the street, 20-year-old Danielle Pinota, who is herself finally free of a home where she was a "second mom" to her kid brother. As QL's attachment to Danielle grows, he wants to get to know her better. And keep her close to him forever. But he has to be careful. He always hurts the things he loves. At least if he hurts Danielle from loving her too much, just like he had with his pets, she could still be his forever ... on his wall of beautiful things.

 

  

Watch This Space (poetry)

 

Through a captivating blend of evocative language and vivid imagery, Colclasure takes readers on a journey through the myriad landscapes of COVID and its impacts on society. From the darkest depths of despair to the radiant heights of joy, each poem in "Watch This Space" is a testament to the resilience of the spirit.

 

With profound insight, Colclasure delves into themes of health, love, loss, hope, and redemption. Whether reflecting on personal struggles or advocating for social change, her words resonate with authenticity and compassion, leaving an indelible impact.

 

"Watch This Space" transcends being a mere collection of poems; it is a profound exploration of the experience amidst a pandemic. With each turn of the page, readers are drawn deeper into the labyrinth of emotion, emerging with a newfound appreciation for the beauty and complexity of a sickness.

 

 

Shadows (collection of flash fiction stories)

 

What sort of horrors lurk in the shadows What monsters are waiting to attack?

 

Shadows is a collection of 20 flash fictior stories bringing our worst nightmares to life.

 

From Halloween scares to Christmas creepers, these terrifying tales will take you into worlds of fright.

 

Shadows offers stories of ghosts, zombies demons and werewolves. But not all monsters are creatures of the imagination Be careful who you trust; within these pages are people just as monstrous and evil.

 

 

Nature Therapy (poetry)

 

A gentle reminder of the solace and inspiration that nature offers, and a perfect escape from the noise.

 

In "Nature Therapy," Dawn Colclasure crafts a collection that's both raw and refreshingly earnest. Her poetry, like a breath of crisp morning air, taps into an almost primal connection to the natural world. Colclasure's verses offer a genuine experience of the seasons shifting and the earth's quiet, persistent rhythms.

 

Reading this collection feels like wandering through a serene, untouched landscape—each poem is a snapshot of the simple yet profound beauty that often goes unnoticed. Colclasure doesn't just write about nature; she invites you to feel it, to revel in its purity and to recognize its relentless resilience.

 

"Nature Therapy" is more than just a series of poems; it's an invitation to reconnect with the world outside our windows.

 

 

Monsters and Mayhem: Stories (short collection of micro fiction and one flash fiction story)

 

Beware of the monsters who will strike at every turn! They are on a rampage through neighborhoods, hiding on top of roofs, or lurking within your dreams just waiting to materialize. Beware the scary creatures that could tear you from limb to limb or steal you away into the night! These seven flash and micro fiction stories offer new tales of monsters and the destruction they leave in their wake.

 

 

Triggered:A Collection of Young Adult Horror Stories (YA horror short story collection)

 

Ten girls have been tormented by people who thought it was okay to hurt them. They never expected them to fight back.

 

But they do.

 

Not only do they fight back, but they delight in freeing their inner monsters on anyone who hurts them.

 

Ten girls who have been wronged. Who have been forced to conform. Who have been laughed at one too many times.

 

These girls find the power within themselves to fight back and get their revenge. And make their tormentors pay.

 

 

Other (poetry)

 

Woman. Asexual. Disabled. Neurodivergent. Witch.

 

Take your pick. Any one of those labels can mean rejection, punishment, judgment and even death.

 

We live in a society where women's bodies are no longer their own to do with as they please. Where religious fanaticism continues to persecute and even murder anyone who is not of the same faith. Where people with disabilities are constantly looked down upon while fighting against an ableist society. Where a highly sexualized population harasses and shames anyone who does not wish to have sex.

 

other is a short collection of poems from one such person who is all of those things, who speaks with a voice crying out for equality and acceptance.

 

Vengeance from Beyond (Collection of related horror stories)

 

Halloween is a time when the veil is at its thinnest between the living and the dead.

 

When a vengeful spirit makes contact with forensic psychologist, Essie Histor, the floodgates open for other ghosts to come through as well.

 

As Essie moves from one case to another, she realizes that if a ghost is set on revenge, nothing can stop it from making sure its attackers are delivered vengeance from beyond.

 

 

I'll Be Ghosting You (magical realism novel)

 

Warren Beauchamp wakes up one morning not realizing he’s dead.

 

He can’t figure out why most of his stuff is missing.

 

He starts rummaging through his neighbors’ personal effects and discovers their dirty secrets.

 

His frolicking comes to a screeching halt when his angel guide, Floyd, shows up. Floyd was sent to haul Warren back to “Headquarters” to stand trial.

 

Warren is given a chance to go back to Earth to fix things, and during that time, he adjusts to being a ghost.

 

When it’s time for him to return, however, he has other ideas.

 

 

Home for the Holidays (extreme horror novelette)

 

Mona Townsend was five years old when her mother tried to kill her father.

 

This crime cost her and her brother, Colton, 23, twenty years with their mother.

 

Finally reunited on one December morning, the siblings are willing to forgive all and create a fresh start with their mother.

 

With Christmas coming up, Mona wants to make the occasion extra special.

 

Knowing that her mother has had a long-term rift with her own mother, she and her brother hatch a plan: Why not surprise their mother with a family reunion so that the two women can bury the hatchet and have a relationship again? After all, if she was capable of forgiving her mother for the past, why wouldn’t her own mother want to set things right with her mother too?

 

It was Christmas, after all. A time for miracles and family.

 

But what Mona and Colton don’t know is that their mother had a very good reason for severing ties with her own mother, and that some families are too toxic to appreciate the holiday spirit.

 

 

Christmas Frights (poetry)

 

Christmas is a time for cheer, joy and good memories.

 

Or is it?

 

Within these pages, you'll find a different type of Christmas, with very different Christmas characters!

 

There is the evil elf who goes on a murder spree, a homicidal snowman that comes to life on Christmas morning, and a Santa that will seek revenge on families who don't leave cookies out for him!

 

These 25 poems range from the bizarre to the horrifying. If you enjoy reading Christmas horror, check out these Christmas horror poems to add some scare to your holidays!

 

Thank you to all of the beta readers, editors, cover designers, publishers and members of the writing community who were all a part of helping me to put together these books, write them, polish them, and get them published! You are ALL rock stars!!