Khadija Craddock ...a world outside the outside

BLOG TAG- MY WRITING PROCESS

2014-07-31T00:00:00.000-04:00

My Writing Process

I want to thank the talented, forward-thinking, entrepreneur, author Kish Knight for tagging me into the blog tour. It was she who came up with the idea to collaborate, along with another great author, Dormaine G, to establish Tintd Teen; an imprint of young adult novels with protagonists of color. If you haven't already experienced Kish Knight's young adult fantasy novels then I highly recommend you go on the ride. Beware, pages turn easily so hold on. Learn more about this wonderful person and author on her blog here.

What Are You Working On?

Currently, I'm working on the second novel in the Wak Series. Awakened was the first novel and Descendants is the second. Awakened follows the journal of Alaya Eveland. A junior at Equinox High in Equinox, Florida. Alaya 's passion for running track and field kills her and her mother. Alaya is revived somehow. After her recovery she undergoes difficulty with the guilt of her mother's death and some developing physical changes. Changes that cause her to have an insatiable hunger for something no human would deem edible and she is plagued with prophetic dreams. But as she changes so does Equinox, Florida. People end up dead in their seemly safe city and these murders seem to encompass her. Her peers are getting kidnapped and her crush is one of them. To add to her drastically changing life, Alaya's father has to kill her for existing.

I'm writing Descendants (Wak Series 2), which, continues with Alaya's journey. We get more in depth of who Alaya is and what her role is among the Waks. We learn why she is so important to her dying race and experience her attempt to save them and her family and friends as well as all humans from the demons known as Lyse. Coming soon late 2014.

How Does Your Work Differ From Others of It's Genre?

Most young adult fantasy, paranormal, sci-fi novels are Eurocentric which neglects the melting pot that which is the world. Of course, there is nothing wrong with that because writers want to always represent their culture and ethnicity. What's popular is the echo of the majority group in the population. However, there is still not many fantasy.scifi, paranormal, novels with protagonist of color. Most African American novels are in a different genre, not even close to scifi. My novels are Afrocentric based from my African history and African mythology and religion. That' s not to say I won't pull from...lets say....Asian culture or Hispanic Culture; which, quintessentially is derived from African culture since we all came from Africa and migrated and dispersed or displaced across the globe.

I always like to do a lot of scientific research on my stories. Even though it's scifi/fantasy/paranormal romance it has to make sense scientifically. I know that's strange because as a writer you make up what ever you want. But to me it has to be a logical reason why, even if that why is made up. If lightning is after my protagonist there has to be a reason why besides the gods are after her. It has to be more than that. In the Wak Series, Lyse are the natural enemies of Waks. Lyse blood kills Waks by destroying Waks blood cells. But why? Because Lyse blood creates a hemolysis in the Waks blood thus the demons being called Lyse. I'm also a poet so my writing tends to use colorful descriptions and poetic dialogue. I try to find a balance between the poet in me in the fiction writer in me. I think that's what makes my writings different.

Why Do You Write What You Do?

I write what I do because if I don't I will suffocate. I have all these crazy ideas and visions that pop into my head at any course of the day; awake or asleep. I yearn to get them out. I have to convey my perspective of my world outside the ordinary world we see with our eyes in our mundane daily schedule of coffee, newspapers, and clocking in and out. I want people to experience what I experience. So I try to manifest my world into writing rather it be in a novel or in a poem. I have experienced many things, witnessed many things in my 32 years of life and I comprise that into my novels. I just wish their were 10 of me so I could write more stories.

How Does Your Writing Process Work?

I start with the vision or dream that formulated in my mind. Usually, that vision or dream came with a protagonist all of it's own. Sometimes the vision is very detailed or general. Then I get to know my protagonist. I develop the traits, the name, attributes, idiosyncrasies and the hometown. The hometown is important because it conditions the person. If you are from the projects in New Jersey, the person maybe be a little tougher than someone raised in the suburbs or the country. If the person is from the south the person may be more polite than a protag' from the north. Most of the time during the character development stage I simultaneously think of secondary characters and develop them. After my characters are well developed and research documented on Onenote (Can't live without Microscot OneNote), I begin writing on Microsoft Word. I do like to make an outline of the first few chapters just to get an idea of what I want to convey. Then I let the characters write the story. If I feel like my story is losing it's way I refer to my outline to make sure I get the point across because I can be verbose. I don't plot because the story sometimes changes while writing. It kind of writes it self by listening to the characters. So yes...that would make me crazy.

Who Goes Next?

I'm happy to say on August 7th the talented author, Pamela E. Cash is tagged. She is author of Chausiku - The Gathering Storm Book 1 and of Chausiku - The Secret Gambit Book 2. She is currently working on the third book in the series. Learn more about her work and where to buy here. Enjoy.

Wak Series Website has Updates

2014-06-25T10:40:00.000-04:00

Want to learn more about Waks check out the new Wak page added to the Wak Series Website. I also added some more words to the language dictionary. I added more information on some characters in the story and soon you will be able to download a fun free Wak Guide with inside information you want get from any where else about your favorite characters and the history of Waks and the god who made them. I hope you enjoy the new content. Stay tune for more content will be jogging this way.

Who Said it? Friday

2014-06-20T09:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Game 4 of #Whosaidit?Friday.

These rap lyrics are by one of my favorite artist. These words are visual and puts me into the setting. I feel like I'm ready parts of a novel. So all you rap fans, guess #whosaidit.

Word Of the Day! How Would You Use it in Everyday Context

2014-06-09T09:00:00.000-04:00

Word Of The Day

How Would You Use This Word?

Embroil- verb

to bring into discord or conflict; involve in contention or strife.

2. to throw into confusion; complicate.

Sentence:

It is not my nature to involve myself with such lunatics in my school who wish to only embroil those unlike them into the pattern of being bullied because they rather study than wear high heels and make-up.

Terry embroiled herself into the passionate whims of Cooper; even though, her friends advised her he was a heart breaker.

Who Said it? Friday

2014-06-06T09:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to game 3 of Who Said it? Today's words are well known and easy to guess. This is one of my favorite poems. Perhaps I shouldn't have said that because now I'm being too obvious. Or am I being paranoid? Anywhoooo...

Who Said it?

"The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still"

POETRY THURSDAY!

2014-06-05T09:00:00.000-04:00

Hello Welcome to the third installment to Poetry Thursday. I hope you like it. As usual comments are welcome and sharing is encouraged. If you have a poem you would like share with everyone please feel free. WE would LOVE to read it.

He is the Truth

He painted the truth with his tongue

My thighs quivered

As he delivered

Word by word

Verb by verb

Every syllable fiddled

my skin making me grind

I wanted to

How could I

What is this

liquid deliciousness

leaking from his truth

his dark skin making

me bend in ways

I didn't think my mind possible

I need him

in me

at all times of the day

Word Of the Day: How Would You Use It in Everyday Context?

2014-05-26T08:30:00.000-04:00

I love to learn new words but sometimes remembering the new words isn't as easy as one would like; given the many distractions in life. It's so much easier to just scroll to the list of words so readily available and overly used in your mental catalog, but what fun is that. I find it easier to remember a word if you are able to put it in a few sentences. So Lets learn some new words together.

Word Of The Day

How Would You Use This Word?

Bel-esprit bel-es-PREE noun- a person of great wit and intellect.

My sentence:

Among the suits and gowns of idiots she is the bel-esprit of the ball.

What is your sentence?

Who Said it? Friday

2014-05-23T12:43:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone welcome to Game 2 of Who Said it? Friday. Today's lyrics is from one of my favorite songs. This one should be easy they played this song on the radio over and over again when this person was kind of at the pinnacle of his or her career; I think.

Who Said it?

"What you call a infinite brawl, eternal souls clashin
War gets deep, some beef is everlastin'
Complete with thick scars, brothers ****** each other
Up in prison yards, drama, where does it start?"

Poetry Thursday

2014-05-22T18:24:00.001-04:00

Hello Welcome to the second installment to Poetry Thursday. I hope you like it. As usual comments are welcome and sharing is encouraged. If you have a poem you would like share with everyone please feel free. WE would LOVE to read it.

Leak

Inky fingers pried
my ribs open.
My heart lurched
loud
in ear.
Blink.
Liquid fills hands
pools over
as I try to
close chest.
Blink.
Choke.
Leak.
Pour.
Out.
Legs wobble
gait usteady.
Can't reach exit
blocked by contentment.
I witness
my own
witlessness
I'm dripping
on this
hardwood
Blink.
Feet slips
underneath.
Fall
on back
heart detach
rolls
across room
he picks it up
and eats it.
Blink
my
last
breath
I reach
the only time
I fight
for my
heart back
hands
fall
limp.

-Khadija Craddock c. 2014

Who Said It? Friday

2014-05-16T09:00:00.000-04:00

I love to listen to music and read and sometimes you hear or read something that resonates with you. Sometimes words create a sense of nostalgia. Let's play a game where you have to guess who said what. It may be song lyrics or words from a book or speech or poem. It's just a fun trivia game I hope everyone will enjoy.

This is the first Friday of Who Said it? Friday. Let's see if you can guess this one. This is from one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite artist. Who said this:

"What a night for a dance, you know I'm a dancing machine
With the fire in my bones, and the sweet taste of kerosene.
I get lost in the light, so high don't wanna come down
To face the loss of the good thing, that I have found..."

Poetry Thursday

2014-05-15T12:52:00.000-04:00

So I have been doing poetry writing exercises on Wattpad via poetry forums. It has been a lot of fun. I would like to start doing the same thing on my blog. It's all in good fun; nothing too serious. So every Thursday I will post a poem. Here is the premiere of poetry Thursday. If you have a poem you would like to share please feel free to do so. I would love to read it. Comments of course are always welcomed.

You'll soon be lost to the night
gripping hands hold on to shoulders tight
pulling
descending
arms reaching but missing grasping only dust
macabre thoughts turn brain to rust
drain the sane from light to crust
crumble beneath the eyes
scented tears of innocence fill the cimmerian forest like musk

-- Khadija Craddock

My Interview with Fellow Author Kish Knight

2014-03-06T12:43:00.001-05:00

Kish Knight: Author on the 'Hump' Wednesday: Khadija Craddock: Hump Day is that special day in the middle of the week, where we try to figure out whether the week is just beginning or about to end. S...

Awakened Now Available on Smashwords

2014-01-24T22:58:00.000-05:00

Great News Awakened is now available on Smashwords. It's still 99cent until the end of February. Don't miss out on this special offer. You can also read a sample of Awakened on Smashwords in any format as well as buy in any format. Check out Awakened on Smashwords at https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/399668 and also peep my author page on Smashwords. Thank you.

Awakened: Wak Series 1 Press Release at| New Book Journal

2014-01-19T23:59:00.001-05:00

Awakened: Wak Series 1 by Khadija Craddock | New Book Journal

Want to learn more about Awakened Check out Awakened (Book 1 Wak Series) press release on the New Book Journal.

Interview on iAuthor

2014-01-07T01:03:00.000-05:00

Hello beautiful people. With the re-release of Awakened I aim to reintroduce the book. I have made many changes and although I have edited about 100 times, I went out and got it edited. Learn more about me and Awakened by checking out my author interview on iAuthor. Here is a sneak peek:

What inspires you to write?

I’ve always been creative since birth; it’s embedded in my genes. Thank you mom and dad. My parents are very artistic and creative and so are all my siblings. Writing was something that I was drawn to in lieu of drawing and painting like my twin sister. I get inspired by my dreams and the idiosyncrasies of people. I love to observe people. My students are also a big inspiration to my writing. Teenagers are so dynamic and raw. I could be driving or in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, any where and get inspired by a person’s behavior, the words they speak, their gait, their name, their physical appearance, or even a smile.

Tell us about your writing process.

I start with an idea, a character, a sentence or a paragraph that came to me. I document that in Microsoft’s OneNote. I can’t live without it. I use OneNote to outline my characters, plots, settings, ideas, pictures. I think of my main characters wants and needs and I physical appearance. Then I do research. It’s imperative for me to do research on the subject and the setting ; at well as, know my...read more.

Awakened is Alive Again

2014-01-01T12:42:00.000-05:00

Awakened (Wak Series 1) is now back on the shelves with refurbished parts at a special new year price of 99 cent, but only for a limited time. At the moment it's only available for Kindle and Nook, but stay tuned because in the very near future it will also be available for many other devices. Happy reading.

Nook or Kindle

Want to learn more about the Wak Series click the tab above on the menu bar or click here.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2014-01-01T11:10:00.002-05:00

Wishing everyone a wonderful 2014 filled with love, happiness, health, wealth, inspiration and plenty of stories that evoke thought and emotion.

In Loving Memory of Nelson Mandela

2013-12-05T22:22:00.001-05:00

Poem of the Day

2013-12-05T16:26:00.000-05:00

Wak Series New Website

2013-11-26T22:44:00.000-05:00

Get your daily dose of blood lust, life altering teenage drama, deep secrets, kissing and telling, ex-boyfriends, murder, throwing the person you just kissed over the balcony because you were mad without touching him, by reading Awakened (Book 1 Wak Series). To be re-released soon to a reading device near you, so near it's right on your night stand; but, until then, explore Equinox, Florida and it's not so human inhabitants at the Wak Series website.

Awakened Cover Redesign Reveal

2013-11-21T22:05:00.000-05:00

Well hello there,

So in my previous post I told you I unpublished Awakened (Book 1 Wak Series) so it could be edited more thoroughly. Well editing will be done soon and I want to reveal the redesigned cover of Awakened. I hope you enjoy it. It's not that different from the original gangster. It's nothing fancy just a model representing the protagonist. The model on the cover is different from the first, but the tinting is still blue. The font is different as well. So without further ado I present to you the new cover:

It's been a while...

2013-10-06T01:30:00.000-04:00

Many moons have passed since I last posted. Sorry for that. In my defense I have been very occupied by my children and writers block. I've been feeling quite discouraged and fatigued; so I put my writing on hold. Now I'm ready to get back into writing even if it's only a few lines during the late nights once my children are finally asleep. Recently, the baby, who is now technically a toddler but I still call her a baby, hasn't been sleeping well. That is taking a heavy toll on my health. So I've been working on getting my energy back slowly but surely. Unfortunately I have unpublished #Awakened on Amazon but only for a short while because it's being edited again. I really just want to move on from Awakened, but I can't when I know it could be better. I know it's just my first book, but my mind won't let me move on. I'm like the books scorned ex-lover. I'm also redesigning the cover and I'm publishing a website dedicated to the #WakSeries. It will enclose some of my notes from the series I have stored on Onenote. I can't live without Onenote by Microsoft. Thanks Mom for getting that for me. Stay tuned for the cover re-release.

Chai Time: Book Review: Awakened (Wak Series #1) by Khadija C...

2013-03-02T22:57:00.001-05:00

Hello lovely people I just wanted to share the latest news on Awakened. I'm happy to announce I just received a new book review from the very kind Chaitime. I'm so elated Chai enjoyed my book given she's read so many and still enjoyed mine. Please show your support and check out the blog and share your thoughts and opinions. Chaitime is a great book blog for book lovers and the like. So if you're looking for that next great read, Chaitime writes detailed and entertaining reviews.

Chai Time: Book Review: Awakened (Wak Series #1) by Khadija C...: Hello Readers, I have just finished Awakened by Khadija Craddock . This is a paranormal novel, with a complex and unique mythology. This ...

Happy Heart Day

2013-02-14T09:37:00.001-05:00


Happy Valentine's Day to My to My Wonderful Readers and Supporters

.Kindred Dreamheart.: {Author Interview/Book Excerpt}: Awakened by Khadi...

2013-02-11T12:00:00.001-05:00

Author Interview w/Katrina

Kindred Dreamheart is a wonderful successful blog for book lovers and writers alike. It's created by avid reader and fashion designer Katrina Denise. I was lucky enough to be interviewed by her for my book Awakened. I had fun answering her interesting questions. She pulled out ideas I didn't even know I had buried somewhere deep within. Learn more about Awakened, the characters, the plot and the inspiration behind the story at Kindred Dreamheart. While you're there share the love and leave a comment or two; explore the site and learn about other interesting books. You can also get to know Katrina's fashion designs at her website KD<3.

.Kindred Dreamheart.: {Author Interview/Book Excerpt}: Awakened by Khadi...: About The Novel: Awakened (Wak, # 1) by Khadija Craddock Ebook Published November 20th 2012 Alaya Eveland is an aspiring...

Khadija Craddock ...a world outside the outside

BLOG TAG- MY WRITING PROCESS

My Writing Process

What Are You Working On?

How Does Your Work Differ From Others of It's Genre?

Why Do You Write What You Do?

How Does Your Writing Process Work?

Who Goes Next?

Wak Series Website has Updates

Who Said it? Friday

Welcome to Game 4 of #Whosaidit?Friday.

Word Of the Day! How Would You Use it in Everyday Context

Word Of The Day

How Would You Use This Word?

Embroil- verb

Sentence:

Who Said it? Friday

Who Said it?

POETRY THURSDAY!

He is the Truth

Word Of the Day: How Would You Use It in Everyday Context?

Word Of The Day

How Would You Use This Word?

My sentence:

Who Said it? Friday

Who Said it?

Poetry Thursday

Leak

Who Said It? Friday

This is the first Friday of Who Said it? Friday. Let's see if you can guess this one. This is from one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite artist. Who said this:

Poetry Thursday

My Interview with Fellow Author Kish Knight

Awakened Now Available on Smashwords

Awakened: Wak Series 1 Press Release at| New Book Journal

Interview on iAuthor

Awakened is Alive Again

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Wishing everyone a wonderful 2014 filled with love, happiness, health, wealth, inspiration and plenty of stories that evoke thought and emotion.

In Loving Memory of Nelson Mandela

Poem of the Day

Wak Series New Website

Awakened Cover Redesign Reveal

It's been a while...

Chai Time: Book Review: Awakened (Wak Series #1) by Khadija C...

Happy Heart Day

.Kindred Dreamheart.: {Author Interview/Book Excerpt}: Awakened by Khadi...

Author Interview w/Katrina