Guest Post – Writing the Fight

As part of the Write By the Rails Endless Possibilities Blogtour, I’m happy to welcome Nick Kelly to my blog to talk about writing fight scenes.

When Pip asked me to write about building fight scenes, I was shocked. “Phoenix Rising” starts with a big bang and a prison break. Agent Braun loves to blow things up. That’s part of what makes the juxtaposition between her and Agent Books work.

I love to write science fiction, cyberpunk, and riding that edge between suspense and horror. My current projects include the cyberpunk Leon “Catwalk” Caliber stories, and the Urban Samurai series that I write with my blushing bride and co-author, Stacia D. Kelly.

Fight scenes are easy. Fight scenes are an excuse to engage in one of my favorite things – martial arts. Stacia and I are certified self-defense instructors. We often teach women’s self-defense. Translation: She teaches, and I put on the FIST suit and get punched and kicked for hours on end. We own swords, batons, knives, and all sorts of objects with which a person can defend herself. (That includes the occasional lamp or collectable figurine.)

I admit that not everyone can throw these elbows, knees, punches, kicks and choke holds. Even for those of us who are trained, things can still go wrong. The FIST suit only covers so much real estate. Last year, while we were staging a fight scene for “Ichi”, Book One in the Urban Samurai series, Stacia threw a roundhouse kick higher than I expected. The result was a very painful few weeks with a broken rib.

Pain makes writing a scene easy. Break your rib and you can explain the acute pain of the break, the long-term aching in your body, the limitation of your movement, how it affects your breathing, and even how you have to need to alter your sleeping pattern. I use this type of experience to translate a Hollywood fight scene into something the reader can feel. An experienced fighter completes a session in seconds, not acrobatic, overblown, extended movements. (and never the Hollywood Headbutt).

Below is a very short snapshot of a fight scene in “Catwalk: Messiah”, the first book in the Leon “Catwalk” Caliber series.

The slight glimmer of metal rolled from the alley, a simple cylinder that looked like a soda can. Three meters past the alley’s edge, it erupted into brilliant white light. Delilah tried to avert her eyes, falling to her hands and knees, facing away from the illumination. Even squeezing her eyes tight, the brilliant light flashed in her brain. She could only imagine its effect on the vampires.

She struggled to make out the shapes. Everything was a blur. Her heart was in her throat. To her right, she saw three figures, heard a scream, and then could find only two. She blinked repeatedly to clear her vision. There was a loud snap and then only a solitary figure remained upright. The other fell, its silhouetted head gone from its body.

The remaining figure leapt in her direction, and she prayed it wasn’t attacking her. She squeezed her eyes tight. Every breath felt like forever. She wanted to scream, but couldn’t. The combination of shock and fear paralyzed her.

She opened her eyes again. The brilliant light was gone. She could make out figures, but her head still shook with fading fireworks. What had happened and was it over?

“This is all your fault, you shocking ****!”

She swung her attention to her left, getting a foot under her and standing up, disoriented and afraid. Though the stars and flashes still pounded against her skull, she saw the bloodied, angry face of the lead vampire. Fangs bared, he screamed as he approached.

Raising her hands in self-defense, she realized she still had the pepper spray. In a fury, the vampire batted it away. One quick shove and she fell backwards. As she struggled to sit up, the blonde vampire was atop her. He made a sound, half hissing, half growling, his mouth open just a few centimeters away. His face had been punctured by the glasses, the blood filling the creases of his skin.

Suddenly, he was gone. His sound was cut short as he was yanked backward. There was a sickening sound of flesh impacting something solid. It was repeated, with interspersed cries and howls.

Finally, there was silence.

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Nick Kelly is a veteran musician, trainer and speaker.

His musical travels have taken him all over the United States, singing with the band Division, or entertaining local DC-MD-VA crowds with the energetic cover band, Just Wanna Play.  He has played everywhere from the Virginia Wine and Garlic Festival to Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

Nick’s public speaking engagements have helped hundreds of business owners to understand the necessity of “Communicating Effectively with Purpose” and “Developing and Understanding Your Vision.” He presents to coaches and parents on the importance of health, understanding of the glycemic index, and the massive energy drink market.

Nick is an Internet Safety advocate, and an ambassador for Enough is Enough online safety. He has written on the subject for Prince William Living and Fredericksburg Parent magazines.

He is the author of the Leon “Catwalk” Caliber cyberpunk series, which debuted in the 2001 comic, Independent Voices 3 and continues in novels with 2013′s Catwalk: Messiah. He co-authors the Urban Samurai series, beginning with 2013′s Ichi.