Happy New Year!
It’s 2016, and I’m trying something new.
This year, I’m going to blog.
I’ve wanted to be more active on here for a while now (besides just popping in to post about releases and such). While that sounds pretty straightforward, it took me a while to figure out how to do it.
You see, I’ve never been much of a blogger.
I’m still not.
Most of my available writing time is devoted to writing, well, books. Given my chosen career, I always figured that was as it should be. Even now, the majority of my time will be devoted to whatever book is in the queue (so if you were worried about this interfering with my production schedule, don’t be).
It occurred to me, though, that some of what helps build those books might make for fun blog fodder. I really enjoy writing Shades Below. I come across so much cool music, learn about so many interesting places and people and things over the course of my research.
Sadly, I wade through so much material, it becomes necessary to make some tough calls. Much of what I enjoy learning about doesn’t make it into the series.
But now I’m going share it with you.
Below is a list of what you can expect to see on this blog in the coming year:
- Monthly Updates– my current word count, the song I’m writing to at the moment, what I’ve researched recently, as well as general news and an excerpt from the WIP
- Shades Below Location Notes– if you’ve read any Shades Below books, you know the city of San Francisco is almost as big a character as the characters themselves. There’s a reason for this: I personally visit and explore most of the locations mentioned in the books. These posts will include my own personal notes, photos, and impressions, as well as corresponding excerpts from the books.
- Audible Research– over the course of researching Shades Below, I’ve listened to San Francisco gangster rap, Romani-influenced manele and jazz, Civil War ballads, and marching songs from World War I and World War II. In these posts, I’ll share a few of my favorites, and talk about the role they play in the development of the books.
- Shades Below Cookbook– I love food. I mean, I really love food. Those of you who have read my books know food often gets prime placement. I’m super stoked for the chance to share a combination of recipes; both my own, and those I’ve researched for character and cultural development.
I plan on cycling through these topics more or less regularly. Stay tuned! I hope you’re as excited as I am!
L.J.K. OLIVA 