I Wrote a Guest Post

Happy December!

In other news, want to know why I went indie?

Dylan Callens has a guest post from me on just that topic.

~Read it at the Cosmic Teapot!

Thanks for hosting me, Dylan. Also, awesome site name! 

Geek on,
Deanna

-Twitter @DDGeekWriter
-Facebook
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-Goodreads

NENOREMO Day 29: A Guest Post

NENOREMO BONUS CONTENT

Please welcome Samantha Lienhard, a buddy from grad school and fellow writer/gamer. In honor of Finish Him’s release, she’s here today giving a different take on how video games can inspire the writing process. Share and enjoy!

How Professor Layton Inspired My Horror Story

by Samantha Lienhard

~Buy it here.

I’m both a writer and a gamer, so it’s no surprise video games often inspire my writing ideas. The idea for the zombie virus in The Accidental Zombie was sparked by Resident Evil, the references to yokai in Ace Attorney led to all of my yokai-themed stories, Professor Layton helped me complete my short horror story “Sand,” and—

Wait, what?

Yes. Even though “Sand” is filled with Lovecraftian horror, it wouldn’t be published if not for a cute, family-friendly puzzle series known as Professor Layton.

“Sand” was published in December 2014, but I wrote the first draft several years earlier. You wouldn’t recognize it as the same story. It had a different structure, setting, and even viewpoint character.

The original draft followed James as he watched an old classmate, Algernon P. Lewis, succumb to madness after a trip to the Eureka Dunes. Haunted by music he claimed to have heard there, Algernon believed sand was going to kill him.

I wrote it, polished it, and tried unsuccessfully to get it published. I revised it and tried again. And again. The problem was, “Sand” wasn’t scary. At all. And no matter how much tension I tried to add, something about it just didn’t work.

I finally accepted I had to rewrite the entire story from scratch—and tell it from Algernon’s viewpoint this time.

Now, when I write, I like to have background music. I’d just finished playing Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy, the sixth and final game in the Professor Layton series, so it was on my mind. I put my favorite Layton song, Descole’s Theme, on repeat and started to write.

This time, I structured “Sand” as Algernon’s diary. And with Descole’s music in the background, Algernon changed. Gone was the banker from the original draft. In his place rose up a researcher devoted to uncovering the secrets of the lost Anaian civilization. With this at its core, an entirely new version of “Sand” formed, and this was the version accepted a few weeks later by The Mad Scientist Journal.

So, are the Anaian people the Azran?

Of course not. Professor Layton’s Azran civilization was an ancient culture of highly-advanced people, while the Anaia from “Sand” were an inhuman society that worshiped eldritch gods. The Anaia did not come from Professor Layton—but the idea did.

Without Professor Layton, Algernon would not be a researcher. There would not be an ancient civilization with mysteries for him to unearth. Algernon would have continued life as a banker who got into some generic Lovecraftian trouble, and his story would probably still be unpublished.

And so, baffling though it may sound, it’s the simple truth:

Professor Layton inspired my horror story.

ABOUT SAMANTHA

Samantha's publications include a horror/comedy novella called The Accidental Zombie, a Lovecraftian novella called The Book at Dernier, and a short horror story called "Rokurokubi," among others. When she isn't writing, she can probably be found playing video games. Her gaming tastes are varied, and conversations with her might jump from the latest story-driven RPG to a game about dating birds. You have been warned.

Find Samantha online:

-her website
-Facebook
-Twitter @SamLienhard

~~~

Thanks again, Sam, for stopping by!

Geek on,
Deanna

-Twitter @DDGeekWriter
-Facebook
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-Goodreads

NENOREMO Day 12: The Hills Are Alive...

NENOREMO Day 12

Five more days!

I’m featured with another guest post today. Wondering what songs are behind Finish Him?

You can find out here!

Thanks to Elaine for hosting me!

~~~

Round One, FLIRT
Mark your calendar! Finish Him releases Nov 17 and will be 99c from Nov 17 to Nov 24!

~Add Finish Him on Goodreads

If you read and enjoyed Critical Hit-On, please consider nominating it for Read Freely’s Best books of 2015!

Geek on,
Deanna

-Twitter @DDGeekWriter
-Facebook
-Amazon
-Goodreads

NENOREMO Day 6: Inspiration is a Funny Lady

NENOREMO Day 6

I give you another guest post. Want to know where I got the inspiration for the games and places in Finish Him? Hop over here to find out!

Thanks to Jennifer Loring, another awesome author, for hosting me!

~~~

Round One, FLIRT
Mark your calendar! Finish Him releases Nov 17 and will be 99c from Nov 17 to Nov 24!

~Add Finish Him on Goodreads

Want to help promote Finish Him’s release? Fill out this form to participate in the release blast on Nov 17 or feature the book in another way.

If you read and enjoyed Critical Hit-On, please consider nominating it for Read Freely’s Best books of 2015!

Geek on,
Deanna

-Twitter @DDGeekWriter
-Facebook
-Amazon
-Goodreads

NENOREMO Day 4: What a Cast of Characters

NENOREMO Day 3

Want to know who would play the characters if Finish Him was made into a movie? Well, guess what?

Heidi Ruby Miller just happens to have that info on her blog

Hop on over to see who would play Sonya, Jaxon and others, and while you’re there, explore Heidi’s site. She’s an awesome author!

Thanks for hosting me, Heidi!

~~~

Round One, FLIRT
Mark your calendar! Finish Him releases Nov 17 and will be 99c from Nov 17 to Nov 24!

~Add Finish Him on Goodreads

Want to help promote Finish Him’s release? Fill out this form to participate in the release blast on Nov 17 or feature the book in another way.

If you read and enjoyed Critical Hit-On, please consider nominating it for Read Freely’s Best books of 2015!

Geek on,
Deanna

-Twitter @DDGeekWriter
-Facebook
-Amazon
-Goodreads

NENOREMO Day 2: a Guest Post about Head Hopping

NENOREMO: Day 2

Today, I’m featured over at Brit Babes with a guest post. Interested in the intricacies of writing about the same world and characters from many different perspectives?

Hop on over here to read about my process

Thanks to the ladies of Brit Babes for having me. Special thanks to Lucy Felthouse for getting in touch!

~~~

Round One, FLIRT
Mark your calendar! Finish Him releases Nov 17 and will be 99c from Nov 17 to Nov 24!

~Add Finish Him on Goodreads

Want to help promote Finish Him’s release? Fill out this form to participate in the release blast on Nov 17 or feature the book in another way.

If you read and enjoyed Critical Hit-On, please consider nominating it for Read Freely’s Best books of 2015!

Geek on,
Deanna

-Twitter @DDGeekWriter
-Facebook
-Amazon
-Goodreads

Late News: This Week is the Summer Crush Blog Tour

I’ve been super behind in life this week. I meant to post this on Monday but didn’t and now it’s Friday. Better late than never. The Summer Crush blog tour is going on now…right now. There are some awesome interviews and guest posts (one from me included). There are spotlights and waves and happy dances and all kinds of great stuff, and best of all, there is a grand prize of a $25 Evernight gc.

So follow this link to see all the things and check it all out!

Geek on,
Deanna

-Twitter @DDGeekWriter
-Facebook
-Amazon
-Goodreads

A Post About a Post

It is Tuesday.

And I have news.

I’m guest appearing today over at Boom Baby Reviews.

The topic, you ask. I am discussing the naming of my characters and the relevance of pop culture to such things.

Go have a read! 

As always, thanks for being a friend.

Geek on,
Deanna

On Twitter @DDGeekWriter

And Facebook.

Two Things on a Friday

Good Friday!

Everyone ready for the weekend? I know I am. But before it gets here, I have news.

First, I’ve been interviewed!

PICK SIX with Heidi Ruby Miller

Find out who my celeb crush is, among other things. Thank you to Heidi Ruby Miller for your awesome questions!

Second, I wrote a guest post!

It Started with a Whisper

It’s a look at how Critical Hit-On came into being. Thank you to Simone Pond for hosting me!

Check them out!

And that about sums it up. Everyone have an awesome weekend!

Geek on,
Deanna

On Twitter @DDGeekWriter
And on Facebook.