Running into the Darkness by D. A. Bale Blog Tour Guest Post

Welcome fellow readers! It has been a while since I hosted a blog tour from the wonderful Tribute Books! I'm so happy to have them on my blog again. I have been so busy that I haven't been able to commit to much, but I'm very happy to be helping out for this blog tour. I would like to give a big welcome to D. A. Bale and her new book Running into the Darkness. She has provided a guest post today for you all to read and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. This book sounds good and I have added it to my TBR list, I hope you do the same.

Running into the Darkness by D. A. Bale

Death follows Dr. Samantha Bartlett throughout her life until it claims everyone close to her. There's one powerful man responsible on whom Samantha sets her sights for revenge. The price is her soul. For centuries, sex has been the weapon of men...now it's her turn.

“I never intended to kill the President. As a doctor, I swore an oath to protect life – not take it. But that was before...”

Second year resident, Dr. Samantha Bartlett, is swept from the frigid New York winter to once again confront the sting of death back home – and face those she left behind. But she’s not alone. A strange man she dubs Shades haunts her every step as she seeks answers to the inferno which claimed her grandmother, an eerie reminder of her parents’ deaths. The secrets Samantha uncovers forever changes her image of those she only thought she knew.

Confronted by Shades, Samantha joins a secret underworld known only as the Elite, where a web of power and control is woven deep within governments worldwide. Their sights are set on the power structure of the United States, and Samantha becomes the unlikely key to infiltrating the White House at its most intimate levels.

The quest for blood threatens to destroy Samantha. From the darkness there is no escape.

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Guest Post:

As anyone will tell you, most authors tend to be avid readers.  I’m no exception.  My favorite books typically involve rich characters with layers to peel aside as I delve deeper into the story.  On the surface, they may be strong, tough, and unafraid of speaking their mind when opportunity arises.  But just like in real life, they each have vulnerabilities and areas they hide and bury deep.  That’s when characters get interesting.

Take Jane Eyre, for example.  This classic is a timeless masterpiece I read every year.  It follows the life of Jane from an emotionally charged orphan to a woman who discovers an incredible strength within.  Life as a quiet, mousy governess is non-descript, and she yearns for more even though she deigns to be satisfied with her station and situation.  But when faced with a life-altering decision, Jane makes a choice that places her in danger’s path – yet she maintains a clear conscience, knowing she’d have been enslaved if she’d chosen differently.  Through her struggles, she faces the very real possibility of starvation and death, reduced to begging followed by the humbling experience of accepting a helping hand.  In the end, there is pain but also an enduring peace and grace as she fully comes into her own.  The road to discover her strength of character is what makes this novel enormously satisfying.

In my own writing, I love to explore the vulnerabilities of my characters.  What are their fears?  What makes them angry?  What do they love (and sometimes who)?  Then it’s time to go deeper.  What in the past created their current emotional state?  What secrets do they hide?  Why did they choose a particular career, or was it chosen for them?  What people and situations push their buttons?  I LOVE to push their buttons and wait to see what happens! 

Maybe I’m a little twisted that way. J

I spend an obscene amount of time delving into what makes my characters tick – but that’s what makes them three-dimensional.  That’s what makes them feel like real people to me and ultimately to my readers.  Occasionally, even I’M surprised by the direction my characters take during the writing process.  They seem to have minds of their own.

For instance, in my novel Running into the Darkness, there is a character who was supposed to be a constant through the entire series.  Then as I was writing one day, he came to me in my mind, laid down his gun and said it was better for him to sacrifice his life for the sake of another.  I fought him, told him he was crazy, but in the end I capitulated.  His actions gave him a more redemptive quality he had previously never possessed.  It rounded out his character and brought him full-circle, though it left me in a bit of a quandary for book two.

When we as writers don’t take the time to fully flesh-out the people who make up a story, characters come across as flat, unemotional and therefore uninteresting.  Unless readers can emotionally engage with your “peeps”, they likely won’t come back for more. 

Go ahead and ratchet up the action, the suspense, the drama or the comedy, just don’t forget to let your characters anchor the story.  Readers will thank you for it by buying and recommending your novels.  Then you as an author will find greater satisfaction and identity with your characters.

About D. A. Bale:

Sometimes life emulates fiction.

Life is filled with tragedy and Ms. Bale's writing reflects this reality. However, there is always a silver lining...even if one must spend their entire life searching for it.

In her previous career, Ms. Bale traveled the United States as a Government Relations Liaison, working closely with Congressional offices and various government agencies. This experience afforded her a glimpse into the sometimes "not so pretty" reality of the political sphere. Much of this reality and various locations throughout her travels make it into her writing.

She dreams of the day she can return to visit Alaska.

Find D. A. Bale

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