Time again for a glimpse into the dark with me, your silly but loyal author friend. If nothing I'm consistent. After all, weeks have gone by now since I started this video blog feature and I'm still filming it from the dark cavern of my studio. This time, however, the result is a touch more serious. In the current edition, I talk about some meanings and interpretations behind the title of my latest novel, THALO BLUE. Oh, and this video should put to rest the rumor that I write naked. It doesn't definitively clarify whether I wear pants though.
Other instalments of "In The Dark" are also available. If you have any questions you'd like answered (silly, serious or life-changing), drop 'em at me in the comments below or fire them off to me via Twitter (@JasonCMcIntyre). You can also send me an email at jason @ the farthestreaches.com (without the spaces).
I'm going to go finish the laundry. I've been wearing that shirt since THALO BLUE launched more than a month ago.
Yes, I've wondered about the name of your book, so it's good to get an explanation from the author himself. Hey, you know I'm going to read it anyway because I'm loving On The Gathering Storm, love love loving it. Will need to take a breather before I read Thalo Blue, but it's definitely on the list.
ReplyDeleteGood to see you here again, Jason.
Cheers, Eden
Eden! So glad you could stop in and watch yet another of these silly videos of mine. I appreciate the comment.
ReplyDeleteI didn't want to bore the viewers, but there's actually a good deal more significance to the title, THALO BLUE. Readers who care about that kind of stuff will find it in the pages of Sebastion's story...but I didn't think I could make a ten minute video dissecting it.
And! You're reading "On The Gathering Storm"? And enjoying it? That makes me feel like a million-five. I actually had a feeling it would appeal to you.
Will talk one-on-one soon!
j. //
Jason,
ReplyDeleteso love to see the serious side to my favourite author! Thank you for sharing so many details about the temperment of Sebastion with us...it seems you are quite fond of this character. (im sure you are fond of all of them to some degree) I loved this character very much, as well as his unique take on the world. Like the book, I was wishing the video wouldn't end.. :)
Yup, Kimba, the "In The Dark" videos are meant to be all things: serious and goofy side-by-side. I'm glad you liked this 'deeper' edition. I like to have fun and not take myself TOO seriously, but I'm also very serious about the books and stories I write.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, Sebastion is very near and dear to my heart. I look at him (as I do many of my characters) with a sense of protectionism. I want him to be okay, but not at the expense of himself. I think, in life, it's so easy to give advice to people who are hurting or going through something and, essentially, say, "Buck up" or "Stop worrying" but if it's in their nature to be that way, maybe it's not the best approach. Nor the best advice.
I want Sebastion to be okay. But I don't want him to sacrifice his unique-ness to get through his tough times.
I'm writing a book currently that has a big challenge: to take a character that is completely unlikable (despicable, really) and make the readers fall for him. On the flip side, I'm trying to take a noble character and make him difficult to like while still compelling to follow. As I grow as a writer, I'll take on more of these challenges (because I never want to write exactly the same thing twice) but my bottom line is this: if I'm not fond of a character, I probably won't be able to write him well or in a way that compels the reader to care. That's a big part of what I do.
Don't worry about the videos ending. They seem to be catching on, so I'll make more. I'll keep doing everything I'm doing (and more) until a great many people all shout at me to stop.
I, too, wondered about the title Thalo Blue, and have been pronouncing wrongly LOL. Thanks for the mini science lesson :)
ReplyDeleteI have to apologise for not reading the book yet. I have been stuck editing my latest novel, but am due to publish that very soon, so I should then be able to get back to serious reading. I'm also going to treat myself to an ereader, so it will make it easier for me to catch up on reading all those downloaded books I want to read -- it just takes too long to read them on the computer and I end up getting side-tracked with the internet. I am very much looking forward to finding out what happens to poor Sebastion :)
"Sidetracked by The Internet" --> Chapter Four of my autobiography, to be sure.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping in Maria!
Hey, Jason! Quite cool to see you in your serious writer mode. I'm currently reading Thalo Blue and, of course, I've been completely captivated by this sort of alternative world Sebastion sees. Your brilliance shines once again. :)
ReplyDeleteSo, Darcia, you can honestly say, "I am your captive" and mean it. I like that your use of the word brilliant has reached almost comic standing. You throw it around like you really mean it.
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked the slightly deeper video this time around. I have a decent sense of humour, but I like to share the more meaningful side of what I'm writing about as well. The videos will try to tread lightly between both sides of my personality.
And, in all honesty, if I was gone tomorrow, I feel like THALO BLUE could stand as the epitome of my life's work as a writer. I'm that proud of it.
As always, thanks for stopping in and offering your support, Darcia!
So interesting! Thalo Blue is right there in my... pile? Queue? (How do we say it for ebooks?) Anyway, really looking forward to reading it soon.
ReplyDeleteI hope you enjoy it, Jennifer! (bookspersonally)
ReplyDeleteVery interesting!
ReplyDeleteHad to laugh a little as I can identify about readers mispronouncing the name of your book. Most people seem to think my main character in "Pilate's Cross' is named after a trendy exercise regimen instead of the Roman governor who pronounced Christ guilty. But what can you do?
Looking forward to "Thalo Blue." Peace!
Yeah, I'm reluctant to name any of my characters McDonald, Dahmer or Bundy. Mental associations can be a boon or a hindrance.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the connection to the exercise program will keep eyeballs on the cover of your book just that extra moment longer and the potential reader will check it out. You could always put a close-up of some attractive woman in exercise spandex on the cover of your next edition to capitalize on this. :)
Thanks for watching and commenting, Alex!
Very illuminating. Also challenging because you had to describe without going too far into Sebastian's particular affliction. Well done. Of course I love your use of color in your writing and the idea of a character that needs things to be so specific is really intriguing.
ReplyDeleteAs for snow, I might tell you it tastes like silence and piles up like missed opportunities.
Thanks for the fun post.
Oh wow, Heidi, I really love this:
ReplyDelete"I might tell you snow tastes like silence and piles up like missed opportunities."
Just epic.
Jason, I would never throw words around just for the sake of the way they sound. Well, wait a minute, maybe I do that now and then. Regardless, you have more than earned the 'brilliant' tag. :)
ReplyDeleteWell, hearing from the wonderful and classy Darcia Helle that I'm 'more than brilliant', I feel I can probably die a happy man.
ReplyDeleteAnother thing checked off the bucket list. Thanks, Darcia!