SFF 7 – Page 30 – Jeffe Kennedy Blog

Long Term Series – Managing Those Big Arcs and Dangling Threads

Jeffe Kennedy / October 8, 2017October 8, 2017 / Blog

We’re to get a freeze this week, so I’m savoring these annuals and their intense color. Bittersweet to say goodbye, but I also know I love them partly because they’re temporary.

And I like the cooler weather, having a fire in the fireplace and associated coziness.

Our topic at the SFF Seven this week is weaving in overarching plot lines in a long-term stories, and how to keep those dangling, to-be-continued threads from dangling so much that they distract from the simpler arc of a particular book. Come on over to read more – and weigh in on the egregious offenders.

Jeffe’s Dream Anthology

Jeffe Kennedy / October 1, 2017October 1, 2017 / Blog

Our topic this week at the SFF Seven is: If you were going to be in an anthology with any three authors, living or dead, who would you pick and why? Come on over to find out both my dream – and my reality!

Who’s Looking Over Your Shoulder as You Write? Appeasing the Fandom

Jeffe Kennedy / September 24, 2017 / Blog

One of my faithful desk companions – Isabel has little interest in the stories themselves, but she disapproves of my reaching for the mouse. Good incentive for me to keep typing with no backtracking!

Not as visible – and not as likely to claw me for reaching for the mouse – is everyone else virtually on my desk as I write. By this I mean my readers. And not just any readers – but those passionately invested in the stories, worlds and characters. You know who you are! These are the power readers, the ones who take time to give me personal feedback on how much they love what I write.

And they have opinions. Sometimes strong ones. Again, you know who you are. 🙂

That’s our topic this week: Responding to the fandom – where do you draw the line? (e.g., not killing a character after all) Come on over to get my take.

An Audience of One: Worldbuilding Easter Eggs I Plant to Entertain Myself

Jeffe Kennedy / September 18, 2017 / Blog

Yesterday I did a signing with Sage Walker whose book, THE MAN IN THE TREE, just came out last week. This is a gorgeous science fiction novel that I highly recommend. For the purists, the science is impeccable. An asteroid is equipped with propulsion and manipulated to create a living space inside that will eventually be a self-sustaining biosphere with a population of 200,000. By the time this generation ship reaches its planetary destination in 200 years, those people will be ready to colonize the new world. But when the story begins, the ship, Kybele, is nine days from leaving orbit with a population of 30,000 people. These people are the best of the best, who’ve worked and struggled to be among those granted a position on the Kybele. None of them will live to see the new planet, but they’ll live and eat like billionaires during their time aboard ship – and give their progeny an opportunity like no other.

Except a man has been found murdered. Unless they find the murderer before leaving orbit – a meticulously timed departure – they’ll be taking someone twisted with them. Someone who may have sabotaged Kybele herself. And the guy in charge of tracking down the murderer may be in danger of falling in love with the chief suspect.

So yummy!

Our topic at the SFF Seven this week is worldbuilding as its own reward. What worldbuilding we do that isn’t necessarily about the story itself. Come on over for more.

Three Tips for the Introverted Fan

Jeffe Kennedy / September 11, 2017September 11, 2017 / Blog

Today at the lake I kept my seltzer cold in my Bacchus Bag from St. Martin. Counting my blessings and thinking good thoughts for everyone in the path of the storms.

Our topic this week at the SFF Seven is The Introverted Fan: Three things a fan could say in person or via social media that would help break the ice. Come on over to find out mine.

Writing a Series vs. a Standalone

Jeffe Kennedy / August 27, 2017 / Blog

This week’s topic at the SFF Seven is apropos for me, as THE SHIFT OF THE TIDE releases on Tuesday!

It’s the third book in The Uncharted Realms series. Or the sixth in The Twelve Kingdoms, depending on how you slice these things. For some people these lines are more definitive than they are for me. Our topic is: Working in a series as opposed to working on a standalone book. What are the differences and how much do you plan ahead? Come on over to find out my take.

What Dangerous Topic Jeffe Longs to Write

Jeffe Kennedy / August 6, 2017August 6, 2017 / Blog

Marcella, sister SFF Seven bordello mate and longtime crit partner, sent me this amazing glitter card. She’s been reading – and giving excellent insight on – this series from the very beginning. If I’d had more time, she would have been top in my thank you’s in the acceptance speech. I remember hitting midpoint on that book, The Pages of the Mind, panicking and sending it to Marcella. Braced for her to tell me I’d gone horribly wrong, down some twisted path of no return, I opened her email reply. In which she scolded me for stopping where I did and to keep going, dammit.

I tell you, folks, there’s nothing better to keep you sane than good writing friends.

Our topic this week at the SFF Seven regards Third Rails in Genre Fiction: What subjects are too dangerous for you to touch? Or do you touch them anyway? Come on over to the SFF Seven to find out what mine is.

What’s Your Core Story?

Jeffe Kennedy / July 31, 2017 / Blog

So, this happened.

And it was awesome.

Plus it’s apropos that this week’s topic at the SFF Seven is “What is your recurring theme and how does it manifest?” Come on over to find out about all of it!