Today I have the pleasure of sharing a science fiction thriller by author John Coon entitled Under a Fallen Sun! Before I share his book with you, John would like to share with you some great advice on "Painting a Picture with Words."
Painting a Picture
with Words
One of the beautiful things about writing fiction is how it
gives you opportunities to unfold your imagination. What you see in your head,
you can put it down on page after page to share with others. It's so much fun
bringing to life a fictional world filled with interesting characters and
unique settings.
The setting in particular can play a huge role in how the
plot evolves or progresses. It also influences how characters act and react
within the context of the story.
Going into Detail
Settings play an important role in genre fiction. A good
setting can serve as foreshadowing and give a reader clues for what to expect
as the story progresses. The setting itself can almost function as a character
unto itself through the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes that characters
within the story experience there.
Certain settings are tied closely to specific genres. An
old, dark house on a stormy night signals the beginnings of a ghost story or a
murder mystery. A weathered spaceship with scorch marks from laser fire
adorning the walls could be where a space opera adventure unfolds. How you
choose to describe these settings goes a long way to setting the right tone and
atmosphere for the action that unfolds in subsequent chapters.
Settings should include enough detail to allow a reader to
see the place without really being there. Think of how you would describe a
room to a blind person. What details would you focus on that best characterized
the room? That's the approach to take when creating your setting. Your reader,
in essence, is the blind person who is counting on you to describe the room so
they can see it without their eyes.
Avoid Overkill
There's such a thing as including too much description. Some
authors approach their novels as if they are getting paid a princely sum per
word. They will spend page after page on including the smallest details in each
scene before moving forward.
I personally detest this approach to writing. Flowery prose
does not make a story better. Spewing word vomit all over the page does not
enhance a setting. A scene almost always works better when the setting stays in
the background and the focus remains on the characters and the plot.
The approach I take in Under a Fallen Sun, Pandora Reborn,
and my works in progress is to only touch on enough detail to paint a picture.
I prefer to let my readers fill in the blanks with their imaginations. It makes
it a much more rewarding experience when they are allowed to be creative
partners in building a fictional world instead of having everything spoon fed
to them like a toddler.
Ultimately, an author needs to strike a balance with
painting a verbal picture. The setting should be detailed enough to feel alive
and real, but not so detailed that it overwhelms the rest of the story.
~o~
John shares great advice! And there is no doubt that his book, Under a Fallen Sun, follows this advice! So, if you're looking for a great sci-fi thriller, you have to check out his book!
Book Blurb:
Paige is on a desperate quest to find her missing brother Todd. She undertakes a road trip with her friends along the same route where he vanished nearly a month earlier. A broken down car leads them to seek help in Travis, an isolated West Texas town.
Travis harbors frightening secrets. A mysterious energy barrier traps all visitors within the town. Signs of violent struggles are present in many buildings. And horrifying changes have overtaken the few surviving residents.
Efforts to unravel the frightening mystery behind what happened in Travis brings the group face to face with an adversary from across the stars. An enemy they never knew existed has come to Earth. Now the fate of the entire human race could hinge on the survival of Paige and her friends.
Amazon best selling author John Coon delivers a captivating science fiction thriller that explores what it means to be human and the terrifying implications of humanity not being alone in the galaxy.
Here’s more information on the author:
John Coon has
possessed a love for writing since age 12 when he typed out his first stories
on an old typewriter belonging to his parents. For 15 years, John has worked as
a sports journalist. His byline has appeared in multiple publications and on
multiple websites nationwide. John currently writes for the Associated Press
and Athlon Sports. He is a graduate of the University of Utah and currently
resides in the Salt Lake City metro area. John published his debut novel
Pandora Reborn in 2018. Under a Fallen Sun is his second novel.
Here are the purchase
links for Under a Fallen Sun:
Barnes and
Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/under-a-fallen-sun-john-coon/1132423861?ean=2940163092239
Here is the link to his author website and blog: http://johncoon.net.
Here are his social
media pages –
Twitter:
@johncoonsports
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jcoon
To follow along with the rest of the tour, please visit the author's tour page on the 4WillsPublishing site. If you'd like to book your own blog tour and have your book promoted in similar grand fashion, please click HERE.
Thanks for supporting this author and his work!
