This Writer's Passion - Vivienne Courtoise

To Cut or Not to Cut

2012-02-19T21:45:00.001-08:00

Many of us are faced with this question – to cut or not tocut.

Editing is such sweet sorrow. LOL

Editing is a difficult process. When we are the editors of our own work, itis three times as difficult. How easy itis to read someone else’s work and advise them what to cut. We cut throughtheir works with the precision of a surgeon at times, showing easily whichsection needs to be amputated. Other times, we use the slash and burn methodwhere we haphazardly cut bits and pieces in order to create a more cohesive workof art.

Imagine if you were an artist – a painter, drawer, orsculptor. (or another visual arts artist) Cutting a section of a painting would seem like cutting off a piece ofyour own body – the arm, or heaven forbid a head. How could your work of artsurvive such a manipulation? And yet, we do this all the time when we write andrewrite. We take beautiful scenes – some tender and romantic, others funny andinspiring and clip them willy-nilly from our manuscripts. Oh, sometimes we can’tquite part with them and we send them to a folder on our computers so thedissection is not as painful. We haveall done this. Usually it is because someone else has read our work of art andhas deemed that particular scene to the dung heap. Of course, they tell you “it’s really quite brilliant, but unnecessary”. “Itdoesn’t move the scene along, no matter how charming” or “do you really need those characters in here?”

Come now, we’ve all heard those words, or read them on ourmanuscripts. Your scene will be tighterand flow better if you just got rid of that scene. You cringe to hear someone tell you to cutoff your baby’s arm or leg. You are certain your manuscript will not becomplete without that essential scene.

Then, much to your amazement, you read the scene without it.You ponder it. You think it just might work. You read it again. Ah, the critique partner might be on tosomething. It does seem to flow muchbetter. Several days later, you read itagain, and for some strange reason, you cannot even imagine the new scene withthe old one still attached. You smile as the story flows better.

Then something really bizarre happens – you actually startto write a different scene to take its place.

Uh, oh, you say – this won’t work at all. How can you add to something when you justcut from it?

This is the conundrum that has puzzled many an excellentwriter. We just cannot leave italone. We cut, we add. We cut, we addsome more. Sometimes it’s the word countthat drives us to add more. We keep looking at the bottom of our computerscreen (you know the section on the lower left hand side) and think – okay Ineed to add so many more words before this is finished.

Before computers it was the page count. We would keep ontyping until we reached the magical 400 pages. Now, it’s all about the wordcount.

Remember that scene you cut? Sometimes, because of this word count, we actually bring out the deletedscene and polish it off, once more adding it to the story.

I know authors who are the master of cutting scenes and justleaving them on the floor. I want to be like them when I grow up. I have to admit I have become less and lessattached to those deleted scenes as I grow as a writer. It’s like the blankie you had as a child. At the time, you are certain you cannot livewithout it. Your day would be miserable if you had to part with it. Now, as agrown up you wonder how you ever walked around with that blankie for all those years. The same is true of your novel’s pages. You cannot image parting withthose little gems of jocularity or sensual scenes of sexual stimulation. Then, as you mature as an author, you realizethe silliness of holding on to something that will merely hold you back as anauthor. Cutting now, does not seem likesuch a bad thing.

The true growth of an author does not only know what to cut,but what to add. We can talk about thatnext time.

Happy writing,

Vivienne

Spring Fling in Chicago

2012-02-12T09:34:00.000-08:00

As a member of Chicago-North, I could not help but comment on this fabulous blog. You might think this is a biased commentary, but having attended the conference several times, as well as other conferences across the country over the years, I feel completely competent in commenting with a certain degree of objectivity. (I promise not to mention too many times how much I adore this city and how much fun it is to live here and do things).

I just received notice on my loop about this blog. Now, first let me stipulate that I have been to the Spring Fling site before and perused it, but this is a classy blog with interviews with several visiting agents and editors. For anyone who is planning on attending Spring Fling, this is a MUST visit! Just click on Spring Fling Blog to open the gateway to great information.

So, what will you find on this blog?

1. Interviews with Shauna Summers from Bantam Dell, Scott Egan from Greyhaus Literary Agency, Ginger Clark from Curtis Brown, LTD., Martin Biro from Kensington, and Sara Megibow from Nelson Literary Agency. These entries were written by Clara Kensie.
2. weather, airport, and other travel information - a very cute post written by Caroline Walters.

What I like about this blog so far, (because I can see there is a lot to add to it) is how easy you can connect to other information about Spring Fling. You can register - which is still open until April 1st!!! The price is great, especially for people who have to travel far. And you get so much from Spring Fling.

EDITORS AND AGENTS COMING

The editors and agents who will attending - include the ones mentioned above, but also Tera Kleinfelter from Samhain Publishing, Megan Long from Harlequin (and if you entered the Fire and Ice contest - she is one of our final judges!!!! Now I know you want to come so you can meet her in person), Paige Wheeler from Folio Literary Management, LLC, Tessa Woodward from Avon Romance, and Cori Deyoe from 3 Seas Literary Agency (who is also one of our final judges for the Fire and Ice Contest).

Speaking of the Fire and Ice contest - the winners will be announced at the Spring Fling. I am especially excited about this since I am the coordinator of the contest. We have been quite busy these past weeks as the entries were coming in. The finalists will be announced soon, and then those lucky authors will have their manuscripts sent to our final judges. As I mentioned above - Cori Deyoe and Megan Long are both final judges for the Fire and Ice contest. Personally, I think it would be fabulous to win the contest AND get to meet the person who felt your entry was the BEST! Don't you want to come even more now?

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Now, I know you want to know who else is going to be there!!!! Some of my absolute favorite authors in the world.

Sherrilyn Kenyon - who is NY Times bestselling author of paranormal fiction (although I consider her premier in romance - because who doesn't love a good romance? And while yes, she has delicious creatures in all her books, at the heart of each one is an excellent romance that keeps you turning the pages) If you are like me, you could not wait to read Acheron's story and were not disappointed when it arrived. I personally was thrilled to see a man reading it on the beach when I was in the Bahamas.

Mary Balogh - who is NT Times bestselling author of Regency romance. Here again, I must add that while I am not the biggest fan of Regency romance novels, her books are so beautifully written that I do not think about reading Regency. I choose her books because of how well they are written. If I cannot put the book down, then you have a fan for life, whether it is Regency, medieval, or contemporary.

Simone Elkeles - who hails from Chicago-North herself, is a NY Times bestselling author of Young Adult fiction. Once again I must comment that I am not a reader of YA books, but Simone has a way of transcending that genre that keeps a reader captivated in the story. After all, even as young girls, we were all attracted to the bad boys from school. Admit it - you were the good girl who just could not keep her eyes off the boy who strolled in late to class, who snubbed his nose at authority but deep down had a heart of gold.

Workshops

Since of course we are all going to Spring Fling to learn more (not just sell our books and meet our idols when it comes to writing), there are more workshops than you will be able to comfortably fit into your day unless you have figured out a way to clone yourself.

Workshops on Craft and Research Include:
Going Beyond Romance to Writing Love Stories
Man Talk
Packing in the WOW
How to Write it When You Can't Be There
Improv for Authors
Contest Diva to Published Author
From Cliches to Keepers
Can This Manuscript Be Saved
Ghost Hunting Through the Ages
What's Love Got to Do With It? Erotica for Beginners
Make Them Believe It
Transmedia Storytelling
Evil 101

Workshops on Business and Writer's Life:
Chat with Sherrilyn Kenyon
The Road to Becoming a New York Times Bestseller
Headliner Q and A
Agent and Editor Q and A
Fearless and Fun Platform Promotion
7 Sentences to a Practically Perfect Synopsis
The Author/Agent Relationship according to Mad Men
Rejection - A Love Story
Dissecting the Novel
Meet the Press on Common Ground: Media Tips, Tricks and Traps
How to Get (and Stay) Published And Live to Tell the Tale
Blog Book Tour Guide
Break into Publishing!
Self-Publish without Sacrificing Traditional Quality
Making a Career Out of Category
Charms for the Writing Life

Publishing Spotlights
Avon with Tessa Woodward
Ballatine Bantam Dell with Shauna Summers
Kensington with Martin Biro
Samhain with Tera Kleinfelter
Sourcebooks with Danielle Jackson

Fire and Ice
Here is a call out to all who entered the Fire and Ice contest. Come to meet the editors and agents. You have worked so hard on your manuscripts, that it's time to pitch them! Keep in mind that if you are a finalist, you want to be at the reception to hear your name being called out! If you are not a finalist, that does not mean you do not have a great story. Pitch your idea to one of the fabulous agents and editors and watch them bite!!!

Booksigning

There will be over 50 authors present. Buy their book and get it signed. Meet your favorite author and gush (yes I said gush, because we all gush when we meet someone we admire).

In conclusion - I hope I have given you more than enough reasons to check out the Chicago-North Spring Fling. Don't just surf the site - sign up and have a great time in April. Chicago is beautiful in the Spring.

Downton Abbey

2012-02-09T20:02:00.000-08:00

Are any of you hooked on Downton Abbey?

This is one of those shows I stumbled across one night with my husband. He loves Netflix. He especially loves looking for different series and, since we both love period pieces, this one caught his attention. To say the least, I am so glad it did. I have become a huge fan of the show.

I am not afraid to admit I am a Downton Abbey fanatic!

The estate, the real Highclere Castle in Hampshire, is stunning to behold. I want to travel to England just to stroll across the estate. Don't you agree?

The show is an interesting peak into the aristocratic family of the Earl of Grantham and his wife, the Countess of Grantham. Of course, one of my favorite characters is the Dowager Countess, played by Maggie Smith, who delivers her lines with just the right amount of smugness and wit that you cannot help but laugh out loud.

The attention to detail in the show with the characters, the settings, and the historical events is fabulous. From the start of the show which highlights what happens to the family when the Titanic sinks and the heir presumptive dies. Of course, the heir was supposed to marry the eldest daughter, but all of this changes now and an unknown cousin is brought into the family fold.

What I enjoy most about the show is the interplay between the aristocracy and the servants. I love the way they all manipulate each other in such polite ways. The servants who have their secret agendas and speak privately with the family in their attempts to wheedle things they want. Of course, there's always the evil servants - the ones you love to hate like O'Brien or Thomas, who makes no bones about his machinations.

Being a historical author, allows me to look at the smaller details like the clothing, the furniture, and even the mannerisms with an eye of appreciation. I applaud the actors for their commitment in bringing this show to fans like me which such love. As a fan, I can see the actors truly love what they are doing.

If you have not seen the show, you have to check out Masterpiece Theater's Downton Abbey.

I really do not want to give too much away, because I want you to watch the show and see what I mean. Yet, at the same time, I cannot help but give you a few tidbits.

When World War I breaks out, even the aristocracy is touched by the tragedy. The heir, Matthew, enlists in the war and, much to the surprise of the family feels strongly about his role. Not being born to privilege, he sees no reason why he should not see battle like the men around him. He has fallen in love with Mary, the eldest daughter, even though she does not love him. She has an arrogance about her which makes one wonder why anyone would fall in love with her, and yet, she is considered the great beauty of the three sisters, and men constantly fall in love with her. She holds her feelings inside and does not realize until it is too late how she really feels about Matthew. By that time, Matthew has accepted she does not love him and has moved on with his life. OR has he really? This is the stuff of a great romance.

But let's get back to the war. Downton Abbey becomes a convalescent home for officers (because of course they cannot open their doors to the common man to recuperate). Matthew's mother suggests the home be used for the officers - since there are so many empty rooms. The earl of Grantham agrees, but Matthew's mother is quite the administrator, which rubs the Countess of Grantham the wrong way. What I found fascinating, was how quickly the countess managed to secure control of her home away from Isobel Crawley (Matthew's mother). She does it in such a way that even a general would applaud her delicate subterfuge.

Watch the show!!! See how politely everything is done. Watch the emotions on the actors' faces as they manipulate the scenes to their best advantage. I think you will agree - Downton Abbey is the show to see.

Vivienne (who feels she must have, at some time in her "other life" been around to see Highclere Castle)

Oscars 2012

2012-01-27T21:00:00.001-08:00

Oscar nominations came out this week. I love Oscars – or the Academy Awards. Eversince I was young, I would look forward to that night – watching all the starsarrive and then the award show – mesmerized by those people who were largerthan life going up to accept an award for something they did that year. I readtons of books about movie stars as a child and teenager, in awe of the moviesmade in the thirties and forties, and even fifties. I loved watching musicalsand comedies from that time. Even when Iwas younger, I would watch old movies every Sunday afternoon from noon until 5on one of those UHF channels (now I am really dating myself). So, I look forward to the Oscar nominationsevery year.

Many years, I am lucky if I have seen one of the Oscarnominated shows because over the past ten years, the ones picked have been sovaried and some were released in limited theaters so I did not get to seethem. This year, I have seen almost allof the nominated shows.

What do all of these shows have in common? I can onlycomment on 7 of the nominated shows, so you will have to excuse me if I do notcomment on one you have seen.

1. The Artist

2. The Descendants

3. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

4. The Help

5. Hugo

6. Midnight in Paris

7. Moneyball

8. The Tree of Life

9. War Horse

The Artist is adelightful movie that brings people back to the age of Hollywood as it was onthe verge of talking pictures. The story highlights the journey of one man whois a silent film star, George Valentin, who is against talkies and is positivepeople will come to the theater to see him, not to hear him talk. It parallelshis story with that of a young girl, Peppy Miller, who is just starting hermovie career. The Artist is a beautifully filmed movie that shows words are notalways necessary to tell a story. The facial expressions of the actors, thebackground music, and the storyline are woven together in such a way that itdraws you into the film and their lives. If you have seen A Star is Born with Frederic March, you will see somecorrelations, but this film takes unique turns that delight the viewer. As you can see, I would give this movie – twoOscars – GO SEE IT!

The Descendantstakes the viewer on a journey through one man’s life as it gets turned upsidedown. Here again you are drawn into themovie through wonderful facial expressions, music, and a storyline that catchesyou off guard. Our main character must deal with the repercussions when hiswife is injured and left in a coma. Hisfamily are direct descendants of the last queen of Hawaii and own a pristineplot of land that has been passed down from generation to generation and at thistime in the story – a decision must be made on what to do with the land at thesame time that he must make some major decisions in his own life. The relationships with his daughters arepoignant and moving and give you a depth in character analysis that a fellowwriter would applaud. Another two Oscars– SEE THIS movie.

Extremely Loud andIncredibly Close – I can honestly admit that I have not seen this movieyet. BUT, I will see it before Oscars –one, because it’s nominated and two because Tom Hanks is in the movie. So, as of this moment, I cannot comment onit.

The Help give usa glimpse into a time period many would rather forget but which is sofabulously written and told, we cannot help but be glad we were a part ofwitnessing it. The touch of humor that makes this story, which if told in adifferent way would break our hearts, allows us to feel with the maincharacters – to laugh with them and cry with them as if we were their bestfriends. When you see this movie, youfeel like the young girl who is writing their story – like you are sitting atthe kitchen table with these brave women who worked in demeaning situationswithout recourse – and listening to their stories. You want to be theirchampions and you do cheer them on every step of the way. I know – another two Oscars. If you have not seen this, rent it, buy it,and watch it more than once!

Hugo is atouching story of a young boy named Hugo Cabret who is orphaned and must findhis way in the world by flying below the radar, all the while trying to keephis father’s dream alive. The fascinating characters he meets along the way inthis train station in Paris show you how he has made this place his home andall the characters who people the station are his surrogate family. He has aunique purpose and we cheer him on – rooting for him every step of the way. Weare intrigued by the stories behind the other characters and long to knowmore. The filming is stunning, but weonce more get a glimpse into the Golden Age of film making when people werepioneers of a medium no one really understood. Go see this for the artistry and the storyline – based on the children’snovel by Brian Selznick. Two Oscars!

Midnight in Parisis such a clever movie and certainly not what I expected from Woody Allen. Whowould have guess a time travel could be so delightful and make you long to findsuch a place yourself. You are swept away in the beauty of Paris, not just incurrent day, but in the Roaring Twenties, then the Belle Epoque. Here again wehave a main character who is a writer – a tortured writer who works inHollywood with an unsatisfying life, who has always dreamed of writing anovel. Imagine having your novel read byErnest Hemingway and Gertrude Stein! The way the story sweeps around and makesa lovely circle charms and delights the viewer. I loved this movie and not justbecause it took place in Paris, or because it brought me back to time periodsthat I loved, but the mastery of storytelling drew me in right away. RENT IT, BUY IT, or BORROW IT! Definitely two Oscars!

Moneyballconfused me at first for its nomination. Yes, I saw it. I love sports so thismovie piqued my curiosity. This is the classic underdog story – the sportsmovie where you are rooting for the team you know is fighting against allodds. In this movie, it’s not only theteam, but the main character. You want to see him succeed. You want this young,brash young man to be right. Think if all the toys from the Island of MisfitToys were on a baseball team together – this would be their team. Now, as I think about the storytelling, Iguess I’m not totally confused by the nomination and yet, at the same time, I’mnot quite sure it’s on the same caliber as the ones I mentioned above. All in all, a pleasant movie – a feel goodmovie, but not one of those movies that would sweep me away and jerk at myheart strings. I guess I can only givethis movie 1 ½ Oscars. Still see it, butyou don’t have to buy it.

The Tree of Life – here is the second movie I cannot commenton because I have not see this one yet. I also know if I will get to see it – it’s been out, and it’s gone. I would have to figure out a way to get ahold of the movie to properly evaluateit. Until then, I will decline. I heard wonderful reviews, it just was notreleased on a large enough scale to be able to go see it.

War Horse – when I was in New York the tickets for seeing iton Broadway were over $500. Yes, that’show much the tickets were going for so I decided no, I would not see it. Then it came out on film and I raced to gosee it. A movie about a horse and seenthrough the eyes of the horse. Here is another time piece that did not have theaudience it should have been able to snag and yet it did not. The filming and storytelling trulybrought us into the mind of thehorse. There are so many scenes wherethe viewer is captivated and cheering for this horse – not even the people, THEHORSE = because you want the horse to survive. You want the boy to see hishorse again. Once more Stephen Spielberghas created a gloriously filmed movie. Please go see this movie and be prepared to cry as it plucks on yourheart strings. Two Oscars for this movieas well!!!!

Do I have predictions for the Oscars? Not sure yet. I am still mulling the over in my brain. Give me a week or two before I am able to give some prediction. In the meantime – go see them if they are atthe theater or rent them if they are already out.

Bonne Chance to all the Oscar nominated movies – I couldn’tpick just one!

Heritage or Ancestry?

2012-01-18T19:53:00.001-08:00

I’ve been working on my edits for Scarlet Moon lately and Ihave come across a particular section I really like – when the readers get tomeet the hero’s parents. My hero’s father was a pirate who caroused around theCaribbean before falling in love and becoming respectable. Of course, is he reallyreformed? He certainly hasn’t lost his flair for dressing – think of a highfashion pirate with a dash of flamboyancy, but who will kill you in the blinkof an eye and walk away without a care. This is the hero’s father.

It got me thinking about heritage and ancestry. When we think of heritage, what comes tomind? Usually we think of what we inherited from our parents. Sometimes it’s away of acting or speaking. Sometimes it’s how we dress or how we decorate ourhomes. Sometimes it’s much deeper than that – it’s our political views or ourreligious beliefs. In actuality, it’sall of those things. According toMerriam-Webster’s dictionary, heritage isthe property that descends to an heir (ah – heir – heritage!! Makes sensenow doesn’t it?). It could also mean somethingtransmitted by or acquired from a predecessor, or something possessed as aresult of one’s natural situation or birth.

What then is ancestry? This would be the line of descent – his lineage – who his ancestors are.

So, what has my hero, Christoff, inherited from his father?

1. His thirst for adventure.

2. His fashionable flair to a point as he wears hishair long and flashes a golden hoop earring.

3. His witty humor

4. His devil-may-care attitude (which hides adeeper need to please others while having fun)

What has he inherited from his mother?

1. His sense of honor as well as his calm reserve

2. His strong ties to his family – real andsurrogate – anchor him through all his adventures

3. His sense of purpose and loyalty

As for the more materialistic side of his heritage

1. The shipping company

2. An extended family living in England from hismother

3. A surrogate family from his father’s days as apirate

4. A healthy inheritance from his parents’ holdingsin Charleston

Let’s take a look at his ancestors – on his father’s sidethere is only his father. If he includes the surrogate family – the Ramparts,then his ancestors are rich and long – going back hundreds of years in England.My hero’s father was orphaned at a young age and made his way on a pirate ship –meeting with Geoffrey Rampart (a hero from a different novel). They became likebrothers and have been together ever since. Their children consider each other cousins. This gives my hero – five cousinsin the Rampart family, not to mention a slew of older ancestors inEngland. On his mother’s side, hisancestors are traced back to an ancient line. His grandfather was one of the originalsettlers in the Carolinas, given the land by the king.

Through all of this, our hero has become his own man. He hasmade his way without the assistance of this ancient line and, while using hisfather’s shipping company to his advantage, he never uses his true ancestry toease his way in society. He actually prefers everyone to think of him as acolonist with a slanted past because of his father’s history as a pirate. He muchprefers the dashing and adventurous side of the family.

Don’t we all do this?

When we think of our own ancestors or our heritage – we pickand choose what we want to tell others. We may keep a scandalous past hidden,or if it’s notorious and can be used to our advantage, then we will share itwith others. For instance, in myhistory, apparently there was a horse thief, so the family name was shortened.It’s a story I heard, but I really don’t know how true is. Another side of my family came over in 1914,landing in Ellis Island. My great grandparents met after they landed in the NewWorld. Another set of relatives can be traced back to the first settlers inthis country – 1654. They settled in New Jersey and one of them even signed theDeclaration of Independence. When Ilooked up this signer, I learned so much about his courage and determinationback then. It’s a piece of my heritage that I want others to know because ofhis heroism. Even further back, thefamily can be traced to Medieval England.

Think about your own heritage/ancestry. How many of you have traced your family’shistory back to its roots? We can now go online to sites like ancestry.com andothers to do searches. We see it all the time on TV – celebrities who tracetheir family history to the Mayflower or even Jamestown. It becomes an integralpart of our life.

I guess it’s important we know about our hero’s and heroine’sheritage. It can shape who they are, what decisions they make, and can help usunderstand what motivates them throughout the story.

My Bodyguards

2012-01-08T10:22:00.000-08:00

I have bodyguards. Yes, I am so important a person that I have bodyguards. Not just one, that would not be sufficient. Not just two, obviously my left and right must be covered. But I have three bodyguards. Who knew when I wrote my last post about writing NOT being a solitary occupation, I would have to include my bodyguards.

No, they are not grizzly bears

So, the questions that arise are - do I write novels that force me into witness protection? The grand exposes that when you read them you are shocked. You wonder why did you not know this about your neighbor or best friend. The novel that shows the seedy side of life and that if the person I expose should discover my whereabouts, it would be history for this author.

No, this is not my bodyguard

Do I write novels that are so controversial I have to watch my back? The novels that involve peeling back the layers of life and showing what is really going on. Perhaps I am writing about issues people hate to discuss or are afraid to speak about because they know they will see themselves in them.

Not alive enough

Or do I write novels that expose the deepest secrets of people I know and love? This is the most difficult one. If I write about those I love, but have changed the names to protect the innocent, I would most definitely need several bodyguards.

These bodyguards follow me everywhere. When I go out, they follow me. When I take my car, they insist on coming too. Even when I leave for work in the morning, they want to come. This is the only time I have to put my foot down. I cannot have my day job marred by the presence of these bodyguards. I have informed the people I work with about my bodyguards. And while many of the stories involving these bodyguards are amusing, I feel they would not appreciate their presence every day. It would hinder my work and their work, and in the end, nothing would get done.

Hmmm - far too long ago

So, who are these bodyguards?

Meet Fox Mulder, Prince Albert, and Queen Victoria. All three are rescues. Fox was picked up about 8 years ago from Anti-Cruelty. My kids fell in love with him and he barked (my husband's one stipulation). After losing Princess (my oldest daughter's dog) last year, we went to Orphans of the Storm and picked up Prince Albert and Queen Victoria. They were not a matched set, but we made them one. Albert is a poodle mix and we saw him online and fell in love with him. Queen Victoria had been dropped off that day when we arrived for Albert. She was so adorable, we took her outside to see how well she got along with Albert. She's a Shih tzu. How did they come by their names? We tried several different names to see what they would answer to and guess what? He answered to Albert, so the names stuck. She learned to get used to her name (her old name was Bella). They have made a lovely family and were exactly what Fox needed at the time when Princess died. The family adored them and still do. They have brought a new life into the family. Each one of the kids has fun with the new babies and Fox acts like a puppy again.

Queen Victoria

Fox Mulder

Prince Albert with my youngest

For me, they have become the new babies in the house and yes, they do follow me everywhere. They are my bodyguards.

Writing is NOT a solitary occupation

2012-01-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am procrastinating again. But I have worked very hard today. I have written about 10 pages today, so I can afford this brief sojourn to my blog.

So, as my title states - writing is not a solitary occupation. I used to think it was, but 2011 has taught me otherwise. I returned to my writing group (the fabulous Chicago-North critique group) and I started working with several authors on the side to hone my craft even more. I started my blogs ((I have three of them - two from my day job, and one for writing). I joined Twitter (find me at VivCourtoise, and I started my Facebook page (Vivienne Courtoise - find me and friend me). Finally, I also joined several online chat groups through My RWA which has kept me not only connected with fellow authors, but has allowed me voice some important questions and find answers I never thought I could find before.

In the past, I wrote, submitted my work, and read from books how to improve. While all of these things were valuable, the most valuable connections I have made have been this year. Even this year when I traveled to New York, I made some fabulous friends while I had fun.

I hope all of you will agree - writing is NOT a solitary occupation. NOW it IS time to get back to that pesky book I've been working on.

See you soon,

Vivienne

Procrastination

2011-12-30T21:14:00.000-08:00

I hate this word. Procrastination.

According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, procrastination is the act of putting off intentionally and habitually; the act of putting off intentionally the doing of something that should be done. The origin of the word is from the Latin - procastinatus - from pro (forward) and crastinus (of tomorrow). The word was first used in 1588.

So, you are probably wondering why I hate this word. I hate it because it is so easy to do. You know exactly what I mean. Right now I am procrastinating by writing about the word procrastination. What I should be doing is editing my book.

Oh, I can justify what I am doing now by saying that I already worked about six hours on my book today. I could say I worked on my three blogs today. I could say I did research for my book today to make it more authentic, but in reality, at this very moment, I am procrastinating. I know I am doing it. I choose to do it. And, just so you know, I do it very well. I am an expert at this.

Most people would not think I am good at this. Most people think I get too much done each day as it is. Some people think I spend too much time doing stuff like this and not relaxing. That's a word for another day.

I can list a million things I do during the day to procrastinate. But here are just a few:
- I play Scrabble online with friends (you know exactly what I'm talking about)
- I check my emails (I have five email accounts)
- I check my Facebook(yes, I have a Facebook account, but I will be honest and say I DO NOT read all the news feeds)
- I check my Twitter (I call this using social media to enhance my career, so I guess it's good for me)
- I play with my dogs (a stress releaser, but still procrastinating)
- I will walk into the kitchen at least a dozen times, thinking about what to make for dinner (then make nothing - I hate cooking)

So, how do I get my writing done? I maximize the time I do write. I know what I want to write, and then I write it. If you told me - you have until tomorrow at ten o'clock to get 5 pages written, not only would I have the 5 pages written, but I'd probably have 5 more done, just because.

This is where I would add another word I have been accused of being - over-achiever. This is a word for another day as well.

SO, as the year 2011 comes to a close - I can be honest - yes, I did procrastinate at times (well, more than a few times), but at the same time, I will admit I did make my goals. I wrote 2 complete novels, submitted to 16 contests, and have attended my meetings regularly. I even traveled to more locations this year than I planned. What's missing?

Publication. (definitely a word for another day.)

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! Let's welcome 2012 by conquering that silly word - procrastination - oh wait, I'll work on that tomorrow - it's not 2012 yet.

What Did You Do?

2011-12-29T18:53:00.000-08:00

This past year was a busy one for me. I did more this past 2011, than I have in most years. I saw this idea about creating a photo journey of what I did this year (or where I've been). These aren't even close. I'm still looking for the pictures from my cruise, but at least you get an idea of how busy I was. Enjoy this photo journey.

What's Next?

2011-12-28T13:51:00.000-08:00

So, I have been working religiously with critique partnerson polishing one of my novels and I keep asking myself – what’s next? Figuringout what is not working is just as hard as making it work. Sometimes I think it’sharder.

My current series takes place in Georgian England around the1740s. I fell in love with this time period as I began to research it. Thereare so many possibilities for my stories and so many different characters fromhistory that are pivotal. This is both exciting and frustrating at the sametime. If you are a lover of history, you know what I mean. You strive forhistorical accuracy but at the same time you are writing a piece of fiction soyou want to bend some of the information for your own benefit. For example, I have Bonnie Prince Charliecausing havoc in one of my stories. He is a pivotal person in history duringthis time because he does cause trouble on English soil. I would be remiss toignore his importance and yet I cannot let him take over my story. My story must always remain the hero andheroine’s story.

So, now I will return to what’s next. Are the historical aspects accurate? Once Icheck over them and look over all the minute details, I have to be sure they donot take over my story. Then I have to make sure there is the perfect blend ofromance and suspense (because this one has political intrigue mixed in).

Sincemy stories are romance novels, the love story between the hero and heroine mustbe foremost, but the intrigue is important to the development of bothcharacters. Here is where having theright critique partners makes all the difference. My partners can tell me if Ihave the right blend. Is there enoughintrigue? Am I answering the right questions? Do the hero and heroine makeappropriate reactions to the intrigue? Will the intrigue pull them apart orbring them together? Finally, how will my main characters respond to the blackmoment? Will they be able to overcome it?

Now you can see how when I ask “What’s next?” I really haveto examine each piece of my book.

I am the type of writer who just writes – writes andwrites. Then I have to go back and readit over. Editing and editing to make sure I have added sufficient emotion anddetails. Once I do that, I have to goback once more and check to see if it all flows together. After that, I need tocheck for historical points. Doeseverything move along and sound realistic and yet maintain the maincharacters? This is not an easytask. Having good critique partners canhelp enormously.

I think in the past I have undervalued the importance ofcritique partners. I have had people read my books, but I have never had themwork on them as much as I am asking them to do so now. I am not sure why exactly. Perhaps it’sbecause I have learned the value of great critique partners. You cannot havesomeone critique for you who will not be honest. You also cannot have someonecritique for you who will tell you how wonderful you are. While this is a niceboost for your ego, it really doesn’t help you if you are not moving towardspublication. The best critique partnersare honest, are willing to devote sufficient time to your manuscript AND arewilling to trust you as well with theirs.

Why is this important? Because itcannot be one-sided. If I gave my manuscript to someone and did notreciprocate, how fair would that be? I realize that sometimes the person who iscritiquing may not need your help (they may have their own partner) but you canstill offer your services to either that person or someone else.

Perhaps you are thinking – well, if I’m not published, whywould anyone want me for a critique partner? You have a set of skills someoneneeds. You may not realize it, but you do. Once you realize what you have to offer, then you can offer away! Give back what you take out of it.

So, now I ask you – what’s next?

Flashmobs

2011-12-20T19:47:00.000-08:00

A growing phenomenon is the flashmob. We've seen all different kinds - the dancing one, the singing one, a combination of both. I am sure there are others out there too, but those are the three I keep seeing . They appear in emails, on tv news shows, on blogs, on twitter, on youtube, and many other places. Everyone seems addicted to the flashmob. I started thinking - what makes a flashmob so appealing to those who witness them in person and to those who stop what they're doing and watch them on tv or elsewhere.

Think about it - the flashmob starts out looking like a spontaneous act. One person walks out in the middle of a crowd and starts dancing or singing (sometimes both). For about ten seconds or so, the person is alone. They are playing a musical instrument or dancing or singing. They seem so brave standing there in the middle of an anonymous crowd. Then, another person walks up and joins them, then two, then four, then more. Before you know it, an entire group - usually more than 20 people are singing and dancing in the middle of a mall or train station (or some other public location). I started thinking about why we are mesmerized.

For me it's like listening to that one pure voice or watching the perfect ballet dancer. You can't take your eyes off them. It touches a part of your heart and soul that does not get touched very often. In this crazy hectic world we live in, we forget about the beauty in the world. Then out of the blue, in the middle of our hectic running around (at the mall, or other crowded location), we hear or see a piece of beauty. We cannot take our eyes off it. We know we have someplace else to be. We know we have something else to do, but we stop and listen. We don't just stop and listen - we absorb the beauty of it.

As more and more people join in, we have to remain rooted to the floor now. It's the expectation of "what else" that keeps us from leaving our spot and going on with our lives. We know we are witnessing something extraordinary. This will not happen again in our lives. If we leave, we will have missed out on something beautiful - like watching a master painter at work. Why would we want to leave when such a masterpiece is being created right before our eyes?

We want to be part of it. We want to see it develop. There's an element of surprise as well. We don't know what will happen next. To us, this spontaneity keeps us riveted. While deep down we know that this flashmob actually took weeks of practice before they came out to perform it in front of perfect strangers. I am always amazed by the people involved because they always look like they are the spectators, then suddenly they are joining in.

Don't you want to join in? Don't you think - why doesn't that ever happen when I'm at the mall? I want to join in. You feel a need to join in and yet you don't want to ruin the perfection of the moment. As more and more people join in, look at all the spectators who pull out their phones. They start recording the flashmob. They call people to tell them about it. Now, this "spontaneous" action starts to look planned. You can tell as more and people join in, how well planned the event actually is. The perfection of the choreography, causes your breath to hitch. You don't want to look away because you are afraid you will miss something.

The flashmob is really nothing like the name intimates. It is neither a mob, nor a something happening in a flash. It is well-thought out. It is well practiced. Most of all it is not happening in a flash. The people who are involved have planned for this moment for weeks, maybe even months. They have timed everything down to the smallest detail. They know exactly when to step in. They know exactly what beat to jump in. They know when to turn and twist. They know when to join in to the acapella voices singing so sweetly.

My question is - have you ever seen or been part of a flashmob? If so, tell us about it. We want to know how it developed.

Special Sayings

2011-12-17T19:41:00.001-08:00

“What’s the point of living, if you can’t feel alive?” This is a key line in the James Bond movieThe World is Not Enough. Words can make all the difference. They can define acharacter. When Electra King says those words while gambling away $1 million,we all hold our breath. You realize those words say so much about her as acharacter. Then when the male villain, Renard says the same words, Bond thenknows that Electra is behind the problems. At first he thinks it’s StockholmSyndrome where she falls in love with her captor, but then he realizes she isthe mastermind in the plot to rule the world.

Why do I bring up those words? I’m a huge fan of dialogueand how it defines a character. We all know James Bond is well-known for hiswitty comebacks that make us chuckle. When Q is introducing his replacement,Bond asks if the man is called R. We expect these lines from a James Bondmovie. It would not be James Bond without those lines. Just like a Batman show with Adam West wouldnot be same without the “Holy Oil Spill, Batman” (or something like that).

We all know someone who has a favorite saying. Something youcan always count on them to say. I have a friend who instead of cursing willsay “Shitake Mushrooms” and another friend who will say “Sugar Honey Ice Tea”.We all know what they are trying to say, but instead of cursing, they haveunique phrases that now always make me think of them. Your characters shouldhave a special saying. Of course not all of them, but imagine if you had acharacter who had a special way of saying something. Perhaps it’s the governess or the heroine’sfather. You don’t have to give the heroor heroine a special phrase, but a supporting character could have that lineand it would spice up the story with humor or gravity.

How do you put it into your own stories?

Easy – think of your own life and the people in it. Who hasa fun saying you could immortalize? Who has a way of saying something thatalways brings a smile to your face? Givethat line to a character in your story. Make them memorable. Make the readersmile when they read your book by breathing life to your characters. They don’t have to be as cliché as James Bondor even Batman and Robin, but they will make your story become your own.

Try this – watch some of your favorite movies and rereadsome of your favorite books. What sayings do your favorite heroes or heroineshave? Write them down. Then start to listen to your family and friends. Writedown their favorite sayings. Soon you will have a list of sayings that you canuse.

Let's Get it Started

2011-12-12T20:31:00.000-08:00

I had this great idea today. Not that I don't have great ideas every day. That's part of the problem. I have tons of ideas. My latest idea was inspired by some fellow writers who are doing a Dr. Who project - where they are skipping from blog to blog.

Since I am a historical writer - let's travel through history together. Everyone who is interested in blogging about a different time period should let me know what time period they would like to discuss. With so many time periods to choose from, this could be a great leap frog event! Every month we will speak of a different time period - moving from Medieval times to the Renaissance to the Age of Discovery and more.

Here's my question - if I set up the time periods - who wants to join me on this journey for the year?

What is involved - you have to post something each month about your favorite time period.

Let's start the year off with a bang - I need twelve writers interested in taking this journey through the years (or our year 2012 - what a perfect way to do this - twelve time periods in twelve months during the year 2012?).

Year End Check

2011-12-11T17:06:00.001-08:00

It’s hard to believe the end of 2011 is so close. As I lookback over the year I decided to check my promise to myself.

Remember at the beginning of the year I made myself apromise – to submit to at least one contest per month. I can readily admit that I did not submitevery month, but I did submit to multiple contests some months. Does this evenout? I don’t know, but I can say I made a valiant effort to do what I set outto do.

So what did I accomplish?

1. I entered 16 contests

2. I submitted 1-6 manuscripts each time

3. I started a blog

4. I joined Twitter

5. I update my accounts regularly

6. I wrote 2 new novels this year – one during thesummer months and one for NaNoWriMo

7. I submitted to 3 agents and 2 editors

8. I attended the RWA conference in New York

What did I gain?

I finaled in three contests and am eagerly awaiting theresults from the last one – the Golden Hearts. I know this will not come untilnext year, but I am confident I will perform better because of all the contestsI entered this year. From each contest Igained the expertise of authors from all over the country. They read my first20-50 pages and gave me insightful critiques. These critiques helped me work outsome of the kinks in my manuscripts. If yousend out the same book to each contest and you get similar results, similar responses,then you know what needs to be worked on. I value their comments, whetherpainful or glowing, all of them help me become a better writer. I hope I was able to incorporate many ofthese changes into my manuscripts. Several judges offered websites or books to assist me.

Some people do not like contests. They feel the judges aretoo brutal. Some writers have had bad experiences with judges who tore theirwork apart. I have not had that experience. Can I say without too much pride that I scored well in every contest?Some scores were higher than others. Some were just a point or two off from the finalists. There were a fewtimes where the scores were not fantastic, but at least none were bad. Nonewere circling the drain and making me feel like a terrible fraud. Every critique re-affirmed my commitment towriting.

The most important thing I learned – to believe my work isgood. Not just good, but great! And Ilearned to listen. I learned that every comment was done to help me. I learnedthat when you enter a contest, you put your heart out there. It reminded me ofwhen I was in high school and the junior or senior prom was coming. I did notget asked, but I did not let it get me down. I invited 5 guys to the prom.Okay, I was turned down all of them, but I did not let it bring me down. I knewthere was nothing wrong with me, but that these guys were not the right onesfor me. I probably would have had a terrible time with any of them. I was savedfrom a terrible time. Everything that happens to us in life is a lesson.Sometimes we learn patience. I was patient and when I did meet my futurehusband, it was the right time. And thank goodness I was patient – the man ofmy dreams, the hero from every romance novel I ever read, walked through mydoor and when he kissed me, nothing else mattered.

What’s my point?

I know I tend to ramble but my point is – I wasn’t meant tofinal in every contest. I was meant to learn from each rejection. I was meantto hone my craft and polish my manuscripts up even more. Do I feel they arebetter? Absolutely. For years, I would send my manuscripts to editors andagents. I would get the form letter saying “no thank you” but never with areason why. I feel these contests gave me those reasons I lacked all thoseother times. When I first joined mywriter’s group, I met several writers who entered contests religiously. Theycalled themselves ‘contest whores’. While it seemed derogatory at the time, I understood what they weredoing. Unfortunately at the time, I did not have the funds to pay for all thosecontests. This time I did, so I dumpedhundreds of dollars into contests to gain a new perspective. Each month, I spent between $100 to $200dollars on entry fees. That’s a whoppingsum, isn’t it? When you add it all up at the end of the year – it adds up toquite a pretty penny.

What else did I promise myself thisyear?

To attend at least one writer’s meeting per month. Have I accomplished this? Yes, I have and insome cases, I have gone to both. I read to my group who gave me invaluablecritiques. I have joined with two other writers and formed my own smallercritique group. This has probably been the most valuable change all year. Bysitting down with my fellow writers, I have been able to talk about my writingand what works. I also can hear what they say, question it, explain my reasons,and finally see the light at the end of the tunnel on what’s working or not andhow to fix it.

I attended the RWA conference in New York. I madeconnections with so many wonderfully, talented writers. I met agents andeditors. I passed out my business cards and spoke to people about writing everyday. At the end of each day, I accomplished exactly what I hoped – I met morewriters and put my name out there. The publicity gamut worked. I started myblog and joined Twitter. I have my facebook page working for me as well.

Next step – publication. Thequestion remains – do I go the route of epublishing or standard paperbackpublishing? Over the next two weeks, Iwill analyze which direction I wish to go and how I will do it.

Here are the steps which will not change–

1. Submit to occasional contests (no need to do somany)

2. Give my book to a published author who offeredto read it and give me a thorough critique

3. Continue to attend my meetings

4. I am working on my group’s contest as contestcoordinator, no less

5. Attend my group’s conference – Chicago-North’sSpring Fling in April

6. Update my blog, twitter, and Facebook accountsregularly

New steps –

1. Create a webpage

2. Pick a small conference to attend

3. Send my manuscripts to agents on a regular basis

4. Submit to editors

5. HAVE FUN doing it!!!!

So, how did you do on your resolutions, OOPS, I meanpromises?

Life's Little Interruptions

2011-12-03T18:51:00.001-08:00

We all have them – those pesky little interruptions thatkeep us from writing. They take all shapes – some are pretty and wrapped inbows, and others are dark and depressing. This past month has been filled with both. I don’t know why, but the endof the year seems to always be filled with both. Far too many loved ones haveleft us, just at a time when we are thankful for our blessings, some of ourblessings leave us. I like to think of them as becoming our guardian angels towatch over us in times of deep need. I can readily admit that life likes tothrow us curve balls. I have my sharejust like everyone else. One of the ways I deal with life’s curve balls is towrite.

I did a lot of writing in November. Of course, it helped that I decided to add tomy insanity by joining the NaNoWriMo. In a way, it helped me deal with life’schallenges and interruptions. At the endof each day, I made myself a promise to write. Even if it wasn’t my bestwriting, I wanted to be sure to write. Sometimes it was hard to find the right words to write down, but othertimes, the events of the day poured out of my soul and on to the page, givingme more inspiration than I thought possible. Those were the days when I filled my pages with words. I would be upuntil well past midnight, even knowing I had to rise early for my paying job.Those were the days when the words flowed easily from my brain.

Unfortunately, because I was busy working on my NaNo, I neglectedmy blog. I tried to tell myself that aslong as I was writing, it didn’t matter where the words flowed – whether it wason my blog or for my NaNo. I think weall justify our writing in those terms.

What do I mean by that? Think about it – how many times have you said – I’m going to work on mynovel today and then you didn’t write a word? But, instead you spent time reading another author’s book. Or you spent time doing research – through textbooks,online sites, movies, or other means. Maybe you did some outlining or worked onyour synopsis. Maybe you worked on acharacter sketch. Maybe you reread the previous chapter and did someedits. All of these things qualify asworking on your novel, don’t they?

Sometimes just living is research for your novels. How isthis possible?

Think about it – your life is filled with interesting people.Oh, they may not be as colorful as Aunt Pittypat from Gone With the Wind, butstill they make wonderful character sketches for people you may place in yournext novel. The man who walks down thealley in the winter time in a down jacket and ZZ top beard and mustache and duringthe summer shaves his head and has no shirt on is an excellent study in humanbehavior. Or the child who is dropped off at the nursery and spends the entiretime coloring the same picture six times because she doesn’t want anyone elseto color it. Think about your favorite movie characters – you remember them andlove them because they either remind you of someone in your life, or becausethey made an impression on you in some way. These are the people we put into our novels. Oh, we change the names toprotect the innocent, but we use bits and pieces of these people to make ourown characters come alive. We rememberthe facial expressions of those people when we are putting our characters intodifficult situations. We think about how they would react in order to make ourcharacters breathe life on the pages.

Secondly, these little interruptions in our life becomegreat backstory for our novels. What motivates us or others in our lives to dothings are the same things we use in our books. I just got done watching iRobotand we don’t know why Spooner hates robots until the middle of the story when we learn he almostdied. A robot saves him and not a woman because the robot is programmed tochoose who has the better chance of survival. This action has helped shape thetype of person Spooner has become. Thesesame things happen to us, oh maybe not so dramatically as they did to Spooner,but still our life is filled with such incidents. Have any of you read Rhett Butler’s People? If you do, it’s an interesting bookfrom Rhett’s POV and you get to see what shaped him as a man and father. Aninteresting twist on the original story which is mainly through Scarlet’s POV. Iwas watching the Emmy’s one night and Modern Family won. The producers spoke about how theyincorporated incidents from their own lives to make the stories onscreen comealive.

They say that in order to write a best-selling book, youshould write about what you know. If youthink about it, authors do just that. They write about their lives and thelives of people they know indirectly every day. They include those funny littlestories into their books. They take the people who touch them in their livesand make them animate a story. They give the characters little twists and turnsin their lives based on what life has given them over the years. I think this is why it’s difficult to writeabout another time period. If you haven’t lived then it’s hard to put yourcharacters into that time period accurately. In order to make it authentic youhave to be inventive – watch movies, read primary sources, visit locations, andbecome one with that time period. They say that good actors do this all thetime – they remove themselves for their current life and try to become thatother person. The same is true of an author – if they want their story to bebelievable, they have to become one with that person.

So, how do we write the best book we have in us? Live ourlives to the fullest. Fill every momentwith little interruptions and fascinating people. When you do this, your bookswill take on a new life. All the badwith the good shape us, shape our stories, and shape where our stories go.

I Finished!

2011-11-26T17:33:00.001-08:00

I know some of my writer buddies did the NaNoWriMo with me. Well, I am pleased so say I finished! Not only did I finish, but I finished with 5 days to spare. Of course the competitive nature in me would not let me lose. I verified my word count and I am technically finished. Although like many of you this just means just the beginning. Now comes the long process of editing my novel so I can submit it to a publisher. I have a feeling that when I am finished editing, it will far longer than the 50506 words that it is now.

So, to my friends who are still working on their NaNo - keep going! You have 5 more days. To my friends who have finished - Congrats!!! You are a winner.

Are you a sprinter or long distance runner?

2011-11-18T12:04:00.001-08:00

I am not a sprinter. Let me repeat that - I am NOT a sprinter. I am more of your long distance runner. I am the tortoise who plods along daily, working at it, working at it, until it's completed. I am NOT the hare.

Some of my NaNo buddies were talking about doing a "sprint". I guess a sprint is when you sit together for a set amount of time and see how much writing you can knock out. I learned about this one night at my writer's meeting. They were getting together beforehand to sprint for about 15 minutes.

I'm glad I didn't know about it until afterwards because my brain works in weird ways. It's hard to force the writing, but one thing I have learned is that if you set aside time each day to write, you can make your goals. I am the type of person who makes time to write. I write each day. I write for several hours each day. Sometimes it's for NaNo, sometimes it's editing something else I've written, sometimes it's my blog I update, but every day I write.

I would compare myself to those kids who play with video games for hours upon end. You know, the ones whose parents are always trying to get them to go outside and play. That's me. I was that kid. I was the kid who read all day long - for hours upon hours. I wrote as a child. I watched old movies. Whatever it was, I did it for long periods of time and on a daily basis. You could almost say I was addicted to writing just like people get addicted to drugs or alcohol. I am not trying to knock down those addictions, but why can't it be like those? Isn't an addiction something you have to do? You feel compelled to do? You have to do or you go crazy? This is my drug. Writing fills my life and gives me a natural high that makes each day feel great.

So, sprinting is not for me.

Although I have to make another confession while I'm at it - I also do not work with a set path. Many people write their outline or synopsis first. Not me. Sometimes I have a general sketch of an idea what I want to happen, but it's usually just the beginning scene and how I want it to end. The stuff in the middle - the inside of the Twinkie - is totally empty. I write the story as the characters dictate it to me. Every so often I run into a little speed bump, something that will not let me go on, but once I resolve that issue, it's smooth sailing.

Happy writing. And if you get a chance to comment - tell me - are you a sprinter or a long distance runner (writer)?

How is your writing going?

2011-11-12T20:41:00.001-08:00

Hopefully you get to write each and every day. I make a point of writing every day. Sometimes I accomplish more than others. I think this is the same for all writers. There are times when we want to write more but life just does not go our way that day. Now, if we lived in a world where we could sit and write all day, imagine how much writing we could get done. Of course for authors who are published and are best-sellers, this is true. But if you are like me, you have another job that helps to pay the bills until you are published successfully.

In my previous post, I mentioned the NaNo. For me it's a competitive thing. When I am writing I like to know I am ahead. I never like to be behind. I know that sounds crazy. How do we know if we are ahead or behind? In our everyday life we can usually plan what we want to write, but we don't always hold ourselves accountable. Through NaNo, there's an accountability factor. You have to post how many words you write each day. I know what you are saying - couldn't people lie about how many words they write each day. You could. You could. That said, we all know how a person would feel if they lied about their progress. Eventually the lies would eat them alive.

While I was tweeting today, I came across an interesting tweet. The 10 commandments of a writer. I found them through Rachelle Gardner's tweet. The site is called The Kill Zone www.killzoneauthors.blogspot.com and the blog title is "the 10 commandments for writers. The very first commandment is Thou shall write a certain number of words per week. This goes directly to the NaNo. With the NaNo you don't have to state how many words per week, but if you follow the chart, you will be writing a set number of words every week. I love the second commandment - thou shall write with passion. This is important because when you write, you don't want to write just to put words down on paper, you want it to mean something. The third one is - thou shall make trouble for their hero. This is entirely worthy of my attention because like many others, we tend to write whatever comes to our minds without thinking of the consequences and how it might effect our main characters. These are just the first 3 commandments. If you want to read the rest, go to The Kill Zone site mentioned above.

I have found that in writing, just like in weight loss, if you don't make an attainable goal for yourself each day, then you will never really succeed at this goal. Remember that the ultimate goal is publication. Take those small steps.

At the beginning of the year, I made a promise to myself that I would submit to one contest each and every month. I have been very good with keeping this promise. I will admit that some months I did not mail anything out, but I did submit in other areas. To this I must say how valuable the critiques had become for me. I read to my group and received critiques from them as well. I also work with a small critique group. On each level, the feedback was valuable and helped me polish my work.

Here are some things I realized - I have written for a little while now. I have several finished manuscripts - some handwritten, and some on the computer. No matter how much I learn about writing, I am not perfect. I can always find something or somewhere I need work. Another set of eyes can look over my manuscript and help me make it better. We are not islands.

So, let's all get back to work. Let's complete those NaNo's. Let's submit to contests. Let's work with others to improve our craft. And remember that even when we are reading and critiquing others, we are learning what works and doesn't work in our own manuscripts. Never close your mind to improvements.

NaNoWriMo

2011-11-05T19:32:00.001-07:00

Have you heard of this before? NaNoWriMo - National NovelWriting Month. I heard other authorsdoing this before in the month of November. They agree to write a novel during the month of November. At first I thought WOW, this is quite anaccomplishment. Other authors have donea novel in a week, and that is what I call insanity. If you’re lucky you write over 50 pages a dayso you can get a 400 page novel finished. If you are not prolific, this is near impossible. I also worry about the quality of the work ifthe author is rushing to get it finished so quickly. Not that writing 50 pages a day isimpossible. On the contrary, I myselfhave sat down more than once and wrote 50 pages a night. The novel ended upbeing 861 pages long and was more a family saga, but I was so motivated to write,I could not stop. This was my firsthistorical romance – and I have to admit it wasn’t the best. Everyone had a point of view. This was before I learned what POV was andhow to use it to my advantage in a story. Someday I will sit down and revise the entire book. But not this month.

This month I am writing a new novel. I decided to tackle the job of writing RobertWellbourne’s story. This is the prequelto my Order of the Golden Apple series. It will be a shorter story – only 200 pages. In order to write thenecessary pages I needed to figure out how many pages per day to write. I knew I needed approximately 1700 words perday which came out to be around 7 pages. If I could keep this pace, I knew I would finish on time, perhaps aheadof time. Once I did this, I startedwriting. Here’s the ironic part – after Idid all that figuring out, I went to my stats page on the site and discoveredthey do this for the writer. Not only dothey figure it out, the keep track of the words you write, how many you haveleft, and they have a lovely graph to show if you are on track or not.

Also on this site is a section for writing buddies. I have to admit something – I did not thinkabout doing NaNo until one of the writers in my chapter announced her decisionto try it. I was hooked. Of course I would do it too! Now we are buddies on the site and we can seehow many pages we all right during the month. Six other authors from my chapter are also doing NaNo. It has brought out the competitive spirit inme. I check to see how many words theyhave written and I compare it to mine. Idon’t know why I want to be ahead, but for some strange reason, it reallypropels me to work harder when I know I am behind one of my writing buddies.

Here’s my question – are any of you also doing NaNo? If you are, what are you writing and how farare you? (See my competitive nature rearing its head again?)

For those of you interested in joining the insanity, thewebsite is: www.nanowrimo.org . Check it out and start your novel too!

Vivienne J

I Hear Voices

2011-10-29T06:58:00.001-07:00

“Why must you write?” These words are asked of the Earl ofOxford in the new movie Anonymous. Theearl replies “Because I hear voices in my head. If I do not write down what they say I know I will go mad.” And at times in the movie, the man doesappear a bit mad to others. He lapsesinto a trance-like state in the theater when his words are being spoken. He shuts himself off in his study, away fromthe rest of the world with his manuscripts to write. He works into all hours of the day and nightputting his prose on paper. He ignoreshis appearance at times. And in the end,he truly feels his words will win the day because he believes in the power ofhis words. In 1839 one of his compatriotscoined the phrase “The pen is mightier than the sword” for his play “Richelieuor the Conspiracy”, but it may as well have been Shakespeare in this movie -Oh, wait, sorry, this movie argues it was a tormented earl who heard voices.

Any good writer will attest to hearing voices. This made me ponder late last night, when Iwas up way past three something odd – how many people 100, 200, or more yearsago were probably thrown into Bedlam or a similar place because people thoughtthem crazy? They may have actually beentormented writers who could not put word to paper. Perhaps they were illiterate but had storiesto tell. This would drive a person overthe edge – hearing those voices but having no way to write them down. They certainly could not tell people they hadthese characters floating around in their heads. Some of the more talented ones became bards –or storytellers. They may have traveledthe countryside telling their stories to fascinated audiences who tossed cointheir way. They understood the power ofa good story but were unable to write them down. Of course once men wrote them down, peoplecould read them voraciously and soon the words were flying off the presses –which was no easy feat back then.

Then, there’s the women. What of women like us, who had stories to tell but were never given theopportunity to read or write. Perhapsthey told stories to their children or a close knit group of friends. Perhaps if they were lucky enough they founda mentor who believed in them. Some mayhave taken on male pseudonyms and published their words that way. Most women were not given credit for havingintelligent thoughts like that. Thinkback on our great writers in the past – how many women do you see? Wouldn’t it be interesting to discover ifsome of these great writers were actually women? Imagine how that would rock the literaryworld. If Shakespeare could have been afrustrated earl, who was really the illegitimate son of Queen Elizabeth I,couldn’t it also be possible that the author was a lady in court? William Shakespeare might have been her ghostwriter – the person who stood before the audience in her stead.

Think about your own literary career. How many of you started other careers firstbecause you were told “You’ll never make money as a writer”? So you did what you were told by yourparents, teachers, or other advisors and got a solid, day-to-day, payingjob. And while doing this job – you wentcrazy because the voices never went away. Oh, they lay dormant for a while, but eventually they started hauntingyour dreams and waking you up at night. They started interrupting you in the middle of important meetings orwhile you were having sex with a partner. Images began to appear. Peoplebegan to take shape in your mind and soon you knew – that even though you hadanother job – you really wanted to be a writer. NO – you were a storyteller who had to write down your story. So, now you do both because life does notlend itself to a creative life. Thosewho create must live a tormented life. They are poor until they sell that first manuscript. Even then, the royalties in this day and ageare paltry so we must continue our day jobs so we can pursue our passion –writing. Just like the Earl of Oxford inthe movie. He had other responsibilitiesto do first. (many he began to neglect when he started writing, much to thechagrin and displeasure of his family).

Writing is a passion. A passion driven by voices we hear in our heads. Driven by stories that need to be told. Don’t be afraid to let them out. Nurture them like they are your children andlet them blossom into fruition. Most ofall – live your dream.

Zodiac Signs

2011-10-24T21:17:00.000-07:00

How many of you follow the zodiac signs? When I was pregnant with my children, I bought one of those name books. In the back of the book was a listing of zodiac signs. I remember pouring over it as I tried to see what my children would be like. I was raised on the zodiac because my mother loved to tell us all about the signs and how we were like this sign or that sign. She always spoke of our moon signs, etc. I don't understand much about the rising ones, etc, but I can tell you that I did read about what my children would be like if they were born under a certain sign. Of course, last year when they decided to add a new sign in the zodiac, my children would not have been what I thought they were in the first place.

So here's my question - when you write your characters, do any of you research the zodiac and create a birthday for your hero/heroine based upon a certain sign of the zodiac?

And if you do use the zodiac signs to help you with your main characters, do you also check the compatibility signs? Do you see which signs would be the best matches? Which ones would not work well? Does this help you build conflict in your stories?

Let me know - post your responses here and let's have a lively discussion. I look forward to hearing your responses.

What's Your Favorite Music?

2011-10-19T16:33:00.000-07:00

Music can set the tone. Can you imagine watching a movie without the soundtrack? For example –imagine Gone with the Wind without its sweeping music that brings youfrom current day back to days gone by where a civilization once thrived and nowhas passed. Imagine Lord of the Rings withoutthe spine-tingling music to make you sit on the edge of your seat when Frodoand the others are hiding with Striker and the Wraiths are coming to killthem. Imagine Ratatouille without itsFrench music to sweep you thousands of miles across the ocean to the Frenchbistros of Paris. The music composers for movies have to look at the movie afterit’s finished and input the music to create the mood.

I listen to so different types of music, it usually dependson the scene I’m writing. Most of the time, I just want background music thatallows me to focus on my writing. I don’tusually listen to music with words, unless the words aren’t important because Ilike the mood of the music so much more. Sometimes, the music is chosen because of my own mood. Many times I purchase the music because whenI heard it during a movie it inspired me to write.

Let’s tackle the different types of music out there.

First, there’s classical music. Once again, it depends on my mood. Sometimes I start off with Handel or Bach,but other times I like listening to Chopin or Tchaikovsky. I have a CD called My Fayre Ladye – Tudor Songsand Chants that get me into the mood of that time period. I think it helps to listen to the appropriatemusic when writing a historical novel. Think about it – when you watch period piece movies, the music needs tomake sense. It needs to follow the movie. If I was watching Pride and Prejudice, Icertainly would not want to listen to current music. Ah, but what about movies that took classicstories and gave them a new twist with updated music? A few examples which make sense are MarieAntoinette and the modern version of Romeo and Juliette. Here’s another – 10 Things I Hate about You,the modern version of Taming of the Shrew. It just would not be the same without the modern music. One movie I love to watch that goes in adifferent direction is A Knight’s Tale with Heath Ledger. It retains its medieval theme but uses rockmusic to tell the story and does it really well. That’s music I like to hear but I don’talways listen to when I’m writing.

Second, I love listening to music from around theworld. Many times I purchase a CD thatfocuses on either a certain area of the world or a theme such as salsa. Here are some of my favorites: Borderlands,Women of the World, Salsa around the World, Latin Lounge and Afternoon inParis. They help to transport me to thatplace by immersing me in the culture more thoroughly. When I wrote Whispering Moor, an 17^thcentury Irish novel, I surrounded myself with Enya, Celtic Woman, ScottishMoors/Emerald Isles, and Clannad. Enyais a fabulous singer who used to be a part of Clannad. I first discovered her when watching themovie Patriot Games. I was hooked andhave several of her albums as well as her Christmas album which is haunting andbeautiful at the same time.

Third, as you noticed from the beginning of this piece, Ilove soundtracks. The list of my soundtracksinclude: all Lord of the Rings, all Star Wars and Star Trek soundtracks. Soundtracks from musicals – Chicago, Wicked,Nine, Phantom of the Opera, Dirty Dancing, or Grease. Some of them are from the movies and some arefrom the Broadway musicals themselves. As you can see, some are purely instrumental and others have songs withwords. Usually the ones with words arenot for deep serious writing. I might bewriting a light scene with a bit of flirtation or humor. In that case, I need my mood to belight. For more intense scenes, I couldpick The English Patient, Titanic, or Immortal Beloved. Of course, there’s always Fantasia andFantasia 2000 when I’m not sure what I want. Sometimes I use those for editing when I just want a bit of fun. If you’ve never listened to The Mask of Zorroor The Three Musketeers, you have to try them out. Don Juan DeMarco sets just the right tonewith “If You’ve Ever Loved a Woman”. Trust me – try it out and you will be hooked as well.

Finally, there are miscellaneous artists who just seem tofit for me. A few of those include JoshGroban, Michael Buble, Adele, Norah Jones, or Justin Timberlake. See, I told you I like different types ofmusic. My list goes on and on. So here’s my question for you – what music doyou prefer when you write?

Character Building

2011-10-10T14:42:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite books when I started writing was Building Believable Charactersby Marc McCutcheon. Remember when I wrote about backstory and discussed howmuch was too much? This book is aperfect example of how you build backstory. We have all done the character sketch of our main characters. Often times much of this information nevermakes it into the novel. Why not? Thinkabout it – remember what I said about too much information. Do not give your reader informationoverload. They will be so bogged down ininformation that the story will not move along evenly or worse yet, the readerwill stop reading altogether because they have lost interest in the story.

So why do you need to know all of this information aboutyour characters? You know the answer to this one. Go on say it now – to make your characters 3dimensional! Exactly. So how do you build believable characters? After I read this book, I used the author’sinventory list to make one of my own. His is more geared toward thecontemporary author, but a historical author could use it as well. There are 14 pages to his inventory list, butwe will just use a few of them here so you get the general idea what I mean.

Name, age, height, and weight all seem like no-brainers,right? You would be surprised how many people forget their hero is 6’4” andthen have the heroine staring into his eyes. The next no-brainers are hair,eye, and skin color. Once again, youcannot state your hero has mesmerizing green eyes in one part and then callthem brown. The reader will pick up onthis in a heartbeat. Consistency is keyto keeping your reader engaged and interested. Body type is also important. Your hero cannot move gracefully like anAfrican cat if you have described him as built like a prize fighter with largehands and a barrel chest. Get thepicture?

A section I like is physical imperfections. What would your character like to changeabout himself? Let’s say he has acrooked nose from being broken in a barfight. He is always conscious of thisfault and even thinks it makes him a bit ugly. On the other hand, the heroine can note how rugged it makes him look –even dangerous. Here is where animperfection can add sexual tension between them.

I like the physical gestures. Women are notorious for these – the constanttwirling of their hair or a distinctive raise of the eyebrow. Men have them as well, but for some reason,we are so preoccupied with other traits, we miss some of the subtle ones. For instance, your hero runs his finger alongthe edge of his suit jacket whenever he stands up. When he doesn’t do it, the other characterswill take note of it and realize something is wrong. Ahhhh – are you getting the messagehere? See how something so innocent as anervous gesture can heighten the mood in a room?

There is an entire page for schooling and furthereducation. If you are writing ahistorical this information could prove valuable in a sticky situation. Let’s say your hero has learned Latin and noone else around him does. Suddenly theycome across some relics with Latin markings. His knowledge is key to solving a mystery. But, let’s say the opposite is true in acontemporary – your hero has only been through high school. He is vying for a major job at his companybut knows they want a college degree. Even though his experience makes him the better man, he might not getit. We need to sense his inadequacy tofeel his pain when he does not get the job. Of course this leads us right in toexperience. Our hero walks into acrowded ballroom in 19^th century London. His skin is bronzed by the sun. How do the other characters see him? Do theylook down upon him because of his suntan? Do they make snap judgments based on this physical flaw? Of course no one knows he is a lord but wasforced into a naval subscription and just spent the last 6 months working on aship, but now we have some backstory that will give your character something toovercome.

There is a full page on goals and needs. What are your character’s long and short-termgoals? What are his long and short-termneeds? This lead directly to your character’s motivations as well. Knowing this information is key to how yourcharacter will react in certain situations. If your hero is searching for theperson responsible for sending him into the ship’s gallows those 6 monthsbefore, his needs must come before his goals. He needs to gain entrance into society, then he can face the personresponsible for his misfortune and perhaps exact revenge. He cannot get into society until he obtainsthe proper clothing and gets past the butler. See what I mean?

The next three pages of the inventory have to do with thehero/heroine’s personality. There is agreat section in the book about personality traits. Think about your character – is he anintrovert or an extrovert? How will hereact in a social situation depends on this. Does your character have any quirks which will give away his trueidentity to perhaps a family member or a dear friend who knows his sooooowell? Suddenly we have a situation onour hands. Our hero arrives at theparty. No one should recognize himbecause his appearance has changed so much over the years. In walks his best friend and he is afraid ofbeing found out. At the same time, helongs to go speak with him, hoping his friend might be able to help himout. Unless, his best friend is the veryperson responsible for his imprisonment. Then his sudden quirk might give him away. The same is true of any eccentricities. Perhaps our hero only picks up his plate withhis left hand and always circles the edge of the plate with a spoon before heconsumes anything. Today we would callit obsessive/compulsive but back in the 19^th century, this would bean eccentric behavior most would overlook if you were wealthy enough.

I love the section on bad habits/vices. We all have them. Some of them are more obvious than others –smoking, drinking too much, swearing excessively. Some are more subtle because we tend to hidethem. Still, these habits make your heromore distinguishable than other men in the room. They also would call attention to him or makepeople act a certain way when they see him. If he is a loud, obnoxious drunk, the hostess could be nodding to herservants to hide the whiskey and move all delicate glasswear to the farthestside of the table. When our hero fallsdown drunk on the floor no one is surprised. But imagine their surprise if he arrives sober and does not touch a dropof alcohol? Now, the attention is on himfor a different reason. The same is trueof admirable traits. Everyone adoresthis man, but for some reason he arrives at the party completely sloshed. What has happened to send this sensible manover the edge? The woman who adores him from afar longs to discover the truthand could possibly be placed in a rather indelicate situation because of hisbizarre behavior.

Phobias, manias, painful memories, pet peeves, and socialaffiliations are all part of what makes your character tick. Some are more important to your story thanothers. The reason this inventory isvaluable is because it allows you to go through it step by step and outlineyour character more thoroughly than you thought possible. Throw in a great mental disturbance and justsee how your plot changes. Yes, all ofthese things plus political affiliation, hobbies, sports, favorite shows,meals, foods, etc make your hero and heroine more interesting. There are more, but I think you get thegeneral idea of where this all leads – a more thorough understanding of yourcharacters. Do this inventory for yourtwo main characters and your story will take on new depths.

Primary Sources are not like Primary Colors

2011-10-01T21:04:00.000-07:00

Let's talk research. Those of you who write historical novels know exactly what I'm talking about. Research is the very core of our stories. Not only that, but in many cases, it's as important as one of the main characters. The historical events that surround your story help drive it and sometimes even divert it, causing conflict in ways even the characters cannot do. The key to writing a believable historical romance is to be accurate in our research. Unfortunately, many of us are not so good at research. Oh, we try to be accurate, but we use resources we were trained to use as children - history books, encyclopedias, etc. Not that we shouldn't use these resources, but there are other resources which can provide valuable information.

A wig curler - bet you didn't know this?

Let's put this into perspective - using history books and encyclopedias is like using the primary and secondary colors in a crayon box. They are good. They are bright and bring color to your manuscript, but using just red, blue, green, yellow, orange, black, and white are fine, but we all know there are gray areas in everything we do. It's these gray areas that can make a plot more interesting. So just imagine using magenta or turquoise or even chartreuse. This is what primary sources can do for your manuscripts.

Pieces of eight - how colonists paid with silver coins

First of all - what are primary sources? They are documents, photographs, speeches, or other evidence created during the time you might be studying. Primary sources include: autobiographies, photographs, diaries, emails (can you believe these are primary sources now?), letters, news film footage, official records (like birth certificates, divorce records, court documents); art, drama, film, plays, and novels during the time period; buildings, clothing, furniture, jewelry, pottery; and of course newspaper articles.

playbill of Edwin Booth - John Wilkes Booth's brother

So now I'm going to give you a glimpse into a few primary sources you might be able to access quite easily when writing your historical fiction novel.

blueprint of the Octagon House

Museums and historical societies: These are some of the most accessible sources. Not just the large city museum you used to go to when you were a student, but the local historical society museums every town has nowadays. They are a wonderful source of artifacts that can give you a glimpse into the past. When you visit your museum, take note of the furniture, the clothing, the jewelry, and even the portraits painted during the time period you are writing. Take pictures, jot down notes, and catalog this information to use later on. When you read a hero regarded the ormulu clock on the mantle, you'll know what it is because you have a picture.

Here are some pictures I have taken at museums that help me when I am writing to bring authenticity to my settings.

furniture from the DeWitt museum

Authentic clothing

portrait that gives us an idea of how women dressed

Washington and Lafayette in a painting

Used bookstores: Several years ago when we traveled to New Orleans for our RWA conference, I happened across an old bookstore filled with used books. As I traveled up and down the dusty stacks I happened upon a few fabulous finds - some diaries written in the 1700s. At first they might not seem like much. They are dusty and the pages are yellowed, but inside was a treasure worth more than the book cost. Inside I found entries that detailed life during the 1700s of a young lady who gave me an insight into her privileged life. Reading her words gave me a chance to use more authentic terminology in my novel.

Re-enactments: You've heard about them. You might have even made fun of them, but just imagine how much research the people have to do who perform in these Civil War re-enactments. Everything they do must be authentic - from the clothes they wear to the words they speak to their actions. They are like players on a stage, but they have spent painstaking hours recreating these people. They do it because they love that time period. Look around your locale and you will be surprised to find several re-enactment societies. If you can't find one locally, travel to a place like Williamsburg, VA to get a total immersion experience. I was lucky enough to do this and it is something I will never forget.

Interpreter as British officer

dancers at the Governor's Palace

Historical sights: of course after speaking about re-enactments, it only seems fitting to mention historical sights - from antebellum homes to battlefields to settlements. In many of these places the buildings have been preserved in their original states, but in other instances, they have been restored. During my recent trip to Philadelphia to see the history there, I was amazed to see a sampling of both. Another fascinating study of preservation vs restoration is in Charleston, SC - visit Middleton Place and Dreyton Hall. One is restored and one is preserved. Either way, you get a glimpse into the past that will move you and give your writing a more authentic feel.

Capitol building in Williamsbrug, VA

a replica of the ship in Jamestown

What's left of Benjamin's Franklin's house in Philadelphia

Documents: birth certificates, death certificates, official documents like court records or bill of sales, and many more. These types of documents can be found through the National Archives, libraries, and the internet. Many of these documents have been scanned and are easily accessible to view from the comfort of your home.

Civil War photo

Newspaper article in Virginia Gazette

record of what John Smith brought to Jamestown

Movies: If you are like me, you like movies based on novels written long ago. Some movies are better than others when it comes to accuracy. I'll tell you one instance that made me smile. Watch the different versions of Pride and Prejudice. Then humor me and watch the Greer Garson version from 1940. Look at the clothes she's wearing, compare them to the ones in the Kiera Knightly version and Colin Firth versions. Then, knowing what you know about that time period - tell me which one is the most accurate. Movies made about different time periods can be horribly flawed, so be careful when you use these. I hate to say this, but I will - I have noticed the British are much better at producing historical movies because they tend to lean towards accuracy - even it looks a little dirtier than what we envision. Keep in mind also that events tend to be changed in the movies to better fit what they want to show us, so as far as those details, be wary.

Now that you know where to look, start creating your own file of these primary sources on your computer so you can easily open them whenever you need. them. One of the things I like to do is create a photograph file of certain documents so I just have to open up furniture and see examples of what I want in my settings.

Backstory

2011-09-22T16:03:00.000-07:00

Backstory - what is it? I think of backstory as the information you get when you meet someone and learn about their life - where they went to school, how many people are in their family, what is their religion, what is their political viewpoint, etc. These little details that have shaped a person over their lifetime. The person they have become in their life depends on so many socioeconomic factors that it is hard to label all of them. If you were to learn all of these things about a person when you first meet them, you won't have anything to discuss the next time you meet - if you even decide you want to spend time with them later on. Think about this - when you meet someone - you don't tell them about your last bad relationship and yet this is an important factor in how you deal with future relationships. Would you bring this up right away in your book as well? You might not - because you don't want the reader to know everything that motivates your character. You want to give hints and then, when the time is right - you reveal it because it's necessary for the plot development (or relationship).

Unfortunately, you cannot be inside your reader's head. You do not know how much is too much or not enough. You can only go with what works for you. Do it move the plot along properly? Then it's in the right place. Does it bog down the action - then it's too much. You would not tell a new friend about Uncle Harry's battle with cancer while you're playing softball, would you? No, but if you learn your friend has a relative with cancer and you can empathize with her feelings, you might reveal it then. So, this bit of backstory is only important at a certain moment in time. Otherwise, you keep that information to yourself. The same is true in a story.

How many of you create a character sketch before you work on the story? You know everything about your character, from the size of his/her shoes, to how many aunts and uncles, to even the favorite ice cream or magazine they read. And yet, when you write the story, it may never come up that he loves to read Cosmo unless something happens in the plot to reveal it. But for your purposes, it's important information to help shape your character. All of these little details can be backstory as well, and yet they can only be revealed when necessary.

What else is backstory? Educational background. Is it important your character attend college? I read a book by Blythe Gifford In the Master's Bed where a female was disguised as a male while at Oxford when females were not allowed anywhere near the place. She was an extremely intelligent female and this educational background of hers was key in order for her to blend in with the men at this university Another instance is Diana Gabaldon's the Outlander. The heroine has a medical background. She is a nurse. When she is plunged into Georgian times in Scotland, it's important that we learn she is familiar with natural healing methods as well as her nurses' training so we can believe she knows how to use certain herbs to help the people she meets nearly two hundred years in the past. The author sprinkles this information into the book where it is needed. If we read about her special skills with herbs earlier on, we would have wondered why it was here when it had no significance to furthering the action along or in making our heroine believable. And finally, in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Darkhunter books, we never really knew anything about Acheron, but boy, oh boy do we want to know! When the book about him finally came out, it was well worth the wait. Acheron was an extremely complex individual and his backstory was so twisted and heart-wrenching, we, the readers, were willing to read a bit more backstory because by this time, we WANTED to know.

By the same token, we would not believe the hero so ready to believe she is someone from the future until we learn about his own educational background. Here is a man who's spiritual upbringing allows him to make the leap of faith that this woman tumbled through a time portal when she finally tells him the truth. Until then, she could not risk telling him this part of her backstory. No one would have believed her.

Here is another example - when I read books by my good friend, Remi Hunter, I can hear the Chicago copper lingo coming through. I know she is knowledgeable about Chicago by her comments and how her character speak. When she is explaining a procedural action, she does it in a way that does not bog down the reader with too much police jargon that I want to roll my eyes and yell out "uncle". She puts in just enough in the right places that I go, "okay" and I can move on and keep working on the story. This is not an easy thing to do, but she does it extremely well.

I have read some authors only start their stories with prologues to get some of the backstory out the way. Others always open with dialogue and wait several pages to include backstory. Every author has his/her own theory about backstory - how much and when to add it. For each author's sentiments there are many totally opposite them. Why? Because it doesn't work for them. I like to go back to my beginning - did you ever walk down the street and wonder - why is that girl with that guy? And when you're on the beach you wonder "how could they read that book? I just couldn't get into it?" There are so many different opinions out there which is why it works in many different ways. SO when you are writing your story, remember there are no hard fast rules for backstory. It all depends on your story and your characters. You will know how much is too much and when to add it or take it out. Listen to the advice of published authors and other friends you trust, but in the end, if it doesn't work for you the way they recommend, then perhaps that is not the way to do it.

Sometimes Conflict is a Good Thing

2011-09-14T21:39:00.000-07:00

Most people do not like conflict in their lives. Othersthrive on conflict. Those who don’t like conflict call the others “dramaqueens”. Those who love conflict, think the other people lead boringlives. Who is right? If you’re a fictionwriter – romance, suspense, etc., then having conflict is necessary. If you donot have good conflict then the reader will put your book aside or worse yet –discard your book in a garage sale or give it away. We don’t want that. Youwant to write a book your reader will read so many times, the binding isfalling apart and the corners are so badly dog-eared it’s hard to find yourreal spot. We all have those favorite books – the ones you kept on your bookshelfbecause you read it every year. It’s the same book you go to for help whenyou’re writing your own book because the conflict was so intense; you pick updifferent information every time. Passages are highlighted and you have post-its sticking out from odd angles. The question remains – how to do you createconflict in your story so intense your reader cannot put down your book?

Layers.

What do I mean by layers? Think of a cake – it only has twolayers and is pretty simple. You have your top layer, the one everyone seeswhen you carry the cake into the room, and then there is the middle – thesurprise if you put something interesting in it like cherries or peaches, andthen the bottom layer. Sometimes thebottom layer is so much like the top layer it doesn’t really surprise you at all. Imagine if you changed the layer. If yourcake was chocolate, you made the bottom layer while marble with red swirls,then everyone would be surprised and probably a bit intrigued why you made itso different.

If you are a writer, thereader can see the top layer of your characters and what motivates them toaction, but if you want to intrigue them, you need to mix it up. You have tochange what you think should happen and make something happen which will makeyour character extremely uncomfortable. This is conflict.

There are many kinds of conflict but keep inmind you need an external conflict and an internal conflict to make thecharacters three dimensional. For example, it’s not enough to strand your heroon the top of a cliff, but put him up there with an sudden case of vertigo, arattlesnake only two feet away, and having to choose between capturing a mostsought-after object or letting go and saving the woman he loves makes yourreader sit on the edge of his seat. Add in this is the only chance he’ll get toavenge his parent’s death and you can see what I mean. Each element heightensthe tension and adds more conflict to your story. It becomes a balancing act.Then make your character do exactly opposite what everyone expects him to do.

Authors who write suspense are great at this. They manage tokeep the reader on the edge of their seat throughout the story. You never knowwhich way the story will really go and just when you think you have it allfigured out, the writer throws in a twist that makes you want to fling the bookacross the room. And yet, in the end, you cannot imagine the story without thattwist. That’s great conflict andsuspense all rolled into one.

So how do you know if your story has enough conflict tosustain it for 250 pages, 300 pages, or even 400 pages? The answer is in thelayers again. You need to make complex characters that are not clean-cut. Ifyou want paper doll figures that do exactly what you want, then your story willnot be bought. It will be just as two-dimensional a the paper doll figures. Worse,if your story is bought, if the conflict is too watered down or bland, thereader will not even go past the first chapter. The sales of your book don't pick up and your editor decides not to purchase any more books.

You need to hit your reader with the conflict from the very beginning ifyou want them to buy into your character and see what happens to them. If youopen your scene with the heroine searching for clues to her parent’s murder,you need to place her in a dangerous situation so she can make a choice thatwill be in direct conflict with her goal. This choice not only will take herfurther away from her goal, but it will make her think about this goal in a newway. Does she really want to find this murderer? Will finding the murderer helpher feel any better? Hell yes!

Okay, so now you’ve decided the heroine has to keep pursuingher goal. She has no choice. She is driven by this desire for revenge sointensely that it will color everything else she does in her life. She cannot makea single decision if it affects the outcome she seeks. If she finds a clue to asecret chest, she now has to find the key, but it cannot be so easy as stumblingacross it. NO, she has to come against some bulwark – something that willimpede her progress to such an extent that she will need to make a differentdecision. Will she go around, under, or through the bulwark. Okay, so now make her do just the opposite ofwhat she wants or needs to do. If shewants to go around it, force her to take the more dangerous route – over it.You have now ratcheted up the tension ten-fold.

How do you turn your layer cake into an onion (and I don’tmean a stinky onion)? Add in the opposing character’s conflict – make itoppositional to the main hero or heroine and twist this person into hundreds ofknots as well. Are you getting the idea now?

Last – if you’re writing a suspense or even a romance –there’s always a third party – a protagonist. And you got it – they have conflict as well. Not only do they have conflict – but theirconflict is in direct opposition to the hero/heroine. Once you throw this person into the mix youhave a completely twisted story that will keep your reader riveted. Now if you’re not sure how to do this –diagram it.

Now you really think I’mcrazy. I can already hear your groans of discontent. Think of your diagram asthree interlocking roller coasters – they are dipping and diving in manydirections, keeping the rider holding on for dear life. In the end, all threeroller coasters have to head in the same direction – a direction that lookslike they will collide and everything will explode. But somehow it magically works out and ourhero and heroine survive, the protagonist is destroyed, and the reader goeshome with a satisfying feeling in his/her belly. Remember that with any goodroller coaster, there will be times when the three parties will look like theywill almost collide. But in the end, some twist will arise to turn thingscompletely upside down and on its side, and that’s when you’ll slip in anotherclue that leads everyone toward the end goal.

Before we had computers, we wrote out books out in notebooks and piles of loose leaf paper. We drew diagrams and used index cards to plot and move things around to our satisfaction. Now there are programs to help us do this. Unfortunately, for those of us who are not computer literate, this can be a daunting task. How do I write down what I want and plug it into the computer when I can just take a piece of paper and draw it? Do whatever works for you. Once you have that diagram and you know where you want it to go, then post it up in front of you so you never forget to heighten the tension.

What do you do if you are a "seat of the pants" writer? Just draw in the part of the roller coaster you know. Draw each character's dips and turns. Add to it as you go along. When your roller coaster looks like it's boring and nothing is happening, add a steep climb and a quick drop - making one of the characters collide with another's course. There! You have conflict. Then when it comes time to write your synopsis - it will be easy breezy lemon squeezy!!!

Good luck.

What is a Beta Reader?

2011-09-04T23:33:00.000-07:00

We've heard of beta blockers and beta males but have you heard of the latest in the editing process - the Beta reader? I was at my writers's meeting one week ago when a fellow author mentioned she was almost ready to send her manuscript to her Beta reader. Not wanting to sound ignorant, I just tucked the information away to look up at a later date.

Today I finally got a chance to look it up. Actually I was reading an article on the RWA PRO loop when I spied the phrase again. Apparently many writers solicit the use of a Beta reader. So I decided to do a bit more research.

A majority of Beta readers do not charge for their services, but a few do. Skilled Beta readers are voracious readers and have a variety of editing skills. Some are good with grammar, spelling, and punctuation, while others are great at character development and plotting. Some are detail oriented and can find inconsistencies in your writing such as the heroine's hair was tied back but then suddenly it was flowing down her back. Finding the right reader is just as important as finding the right critique partner. Each one gives you something you need.

One article states an author needs three things in the process of becoming published - a critique group, an editor, and finally a Beta reader. What successful writers use during their process differs but today, more and more writers find one more pair of eyes, especially unbiased ones can only help. Several Beta readers work for specific authors on a regular basis. You could ask a friend to be your reader but could you trust this friend to be blunt but professional? A friend might be afraid to hurt your feelings. So how do you find this person? Many authors solicit one online. Others will ask critique partners for suggestions. Still others will go through a variety of writing channels to find the perfect Beta reader for them. You must interview the person, perhaps review their work by allowing them to proof a section of your manuscript.

If you like what they do then you've got yourself a reader. If not then you must keep looking. The last thing you need in a reader is the ability to keep mum about your amazing story! So tell me - what do you know about Beta readers? What do expect from them? Lastly how did you find your reader?

Character and Dialogue

2011-08-31T19:13:00.000-07:00

"You've introduced characters in the last five pages who weren't in the book before!" words spoken by Truman Capote in the movie "Murder By Death". Have you ever seen this movie?

"I was wearing a disguise, in a disguise, in a disguise!"

If you want to watch a funny movie with clever dialogue that keeps you guessing all the way to the end, you need to watch this movie. Classic actors like Alec Guiness, Nancy Walker, Peter Falk, James Coco, and many more, are in this movie. The mix of accents and stereotypical characters remind you of days gone by, old black and white movies, and murder mysteries that seem almost too obvious to miss.

While I was watching it, I was reminded of movies like the Maltese Falcon and To Have and Have Not. Peter Falk did a great job imitating Humphrey Bogart as he played a detective. He even used some of the classic lines we remember so well. "The last time I trusted a dame was in Paris in 1940. She said she was going out to get a bottle of wine. Two hours later the Germans marched into France." The allusion to Casablanca can't help but make you laugh. Here's another line - "I don't get it. First they steal the body and leave the clothes, then they take the clothes and leave the body behind. Who would do a thing like that?"

Dialogue can tell you so much about a character. The way they ask questions or respond to others can tell you more than ten sentences of description. When you write your story, you have to be careful how you show, not tell a story. The use of dialogue is a great way to do this. My advice - watch some old movies that do it really well. Many of them are based on novels that were bestsellers. Others are just the result of fantastic screenwriting. Whatever the case, if you need help writing dialogue, listen to the experts.

When Don Corleone says "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse", we know exactly what kind of man he is.

It could be, that like Captain says in Cool Hand Luke "Looks like we've got here is a failure to communicate." So think about what your characters say as not just something to say, but a keyhole view into your character's soul.

A Fitter You

2011-08-24T17:35:00.000-07:00

Step 1: make small goals – just like you do with your writing. “Today I will write 500 words, so today I will do three sets of 5 minute workouts”! That’s a 15 min workout!

Step 2: write down your goals and make sure it’s manageable. In other words – DO NOT say I will exercise 30 minutes a day every day. This will only make you crazy. This is why the 5 minute workouts are easier to accomplish. I would combine my writing goals with my workout goals. For example – for every hour you write, you must stop for 5 minutes to exercise. I don’t mean you do it at the end of writing. NO. You must stop AFTER one hour of writing and do five minutes of exercise. This will keep you motivated and keep your brain focused. It helps clear your brain of extraneous garbage and gives your body a boost at the same time. A win-win situation.

Step 3: DO NOT make a personal weight goal or eating goal. Instead – create a food diary. This is so easy in the day of smart phones and laptops. You can write down everything you eat in your food diary. This allows you to become more aware of what you eat and when you eat. Then you can control this behavior better. If you want to be held accountable – here’s what I do – I type it into an email and then I email a friend. She emails me. And be honest! Trust me, if you have to tell a friend what you ate today, would you be embarrassed or happy? This is better than Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, and Nutrisystem all rolled into one!

Step 4: Choose some exercises you want to do. I will start you off with 5 easy-breezy ones! You don’t have to do mine, but they are a quick way to get on the path to a well-writer!

· Table push-ups

· Chair sit ups

· Chair dips

· Lunges

· Dancing to your favorite song (sometimes this is only 3-4 min)

These 5 exercises will get you on your way to a healthier you! (both body and mind)

Just imagine – if you write 5 hours in one day – you will have done all of these! And worked out for 25 minutes! You are on your way.

Table push-ups – set hands on the edge of the table, shoulder width apart. Lower your torso until your elbows are at a 90 degree angle. Press back up. Repeat for 5 minutes.

Chair Dips – place hands on the edge of the chair with feet below your knees. Lower your body so your elbows are at a 90 degree angle. Press up and then repeat exercise for 5 minutes.

Chair Sit Ups – Sit on the chair with legs slightly raised. Back should be at a slight angle but straight. Lift knees towards chest and then lower. Repeat exercise for 5 minutes.

Lunges – Set hand on chair to balance yourself unless you can do them without the assistance. Place right leg forward with knee slightly bent. Lower your body until your thigh is parallel to the floor and your knee is at a 90 degree angle. Raise up. Do for 2 ½ minutes, then switch to left leg.

So, just in case you're wondering where did I come about this AMAZING information. In another lifetime, I was a certified personal trainer. And yes, I would whip people into shape and they paid me to do it.

Edit, Revise, and Tweak - part 2

2011-08-09T23:01:00.000-07:00

Research is an essential part of editing. If you are like me you have entered a variety of contests. And if you are like me you have received a multitude of comments concerning your research. Being a stickler for research I have hundreds of books lining my walls. I also have a variety of sites I utilize that help me with this research. Just like you I have found some more useful than others, and some more trusted than others. When I get a comment from a judge that questions my research I do verify it. Majority of the time I find I was right on the money, but there have been times when I was wrong. I readily admit that this does happen.

I most appreciate when a judge even offers a website to verify my information. I have even laughed when they gave me the same website I used myself. Here is an example of research I checked thoroughly. In one book, my main characters use the child's game - paper, scissors, rock (or as some people say - rock, paper, scissors) to resolve arguments. Because I knew people would question the validity of using such a game, I looked up the history of the game. I uncovered information to show this game, in some form or another has been used for centuries. Not only was this game played in Europe but China as well. There are records showing this game being used as far back as the 5th century.

Through speaking with fellow writers, I have also come across some valuable sites that allow you to copy and paste your work into their program where they will highlight areas to fix grammatically. I have been able to isolate passive voice quite effectively with this program. But, as with all programs - they are not perfect. Just like humans, they make mistakes because they are designed by humans. Nothing replaces the human eye and human opinion. When someone reads my manuscript they can tell me if I hit the mark in areas a computer program cannot. Did I captivate my audience? Did I hook the reader in that first page?

If you are like me, you always find something to tweak in your manuscripts, no matter how many times you read it over. Admit it - from the first time to the 50th time, you always find something to change. Why? We are human and we continually seek to perfect ourselves. If it isn't a word, it's a sentence or paragraph. Eventually we have to decide when it's finished and ready to send off. Eventually we have to let our baby go for their first walk and let it stumble and fall. And every once in a while, it won't fall. An editor or agent will pick it up, brush it off, and smile because it's exactly what they are looking for!

When that happens, all the editing in the world will be worth it. All those last minute edits will cause you to sigh in relief, knowing you did the best you could do and it was enough! So keep editing and when you think you might be ready - you are.

New Promise

2011-08-04T10:55:00.000-07:00

Nearly 8 months has passed since I made my first promise to enter one contest per month. I often entered two or three per month, so it put me ahead of the game. It also helped because during the month of July I was so busy traveling, I did not have time to enter a contest. I know, I broke my promise, but I really didn't in a way. I worked on my manuscripts. I traveled around the country researching for my manuscripts, and I did tons of editing.

Here's my updated promise - I will still enter one contest per month, but now I will take my previous entries, edit them, and submit them to new contests - hopefully showing how hard I have been working. I hope to incorporate information I learned on my trips into my writing as well. Knowing this, I just have to look over the upcoming contests and decide which ones I will enter. Currently Harvest Moon has been doing the best in all the contests. I have gone over the critiques from other manuscripts and know what needs to be fixed on them. Never let it be said that I cannot take constructive criticism and turn it into blooming flowers!

So, it's time to cultivate my garden and do a bit of weeding at the same time.

It's Been a Long Time

2011-08-01T12:03:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to believe it’s been so long since my last posting. And yet at the same time, I have barely had any time to breathe lately. The conference in NY was amazing. I met so many new people and achieved all I hoped to achieve. I met an agent who was friendly and approachable, I volunteered at the Editor/Agent appointments, and I even got a chance to see some plays. So, what has happened to me since I returned back home?

Actually, I have been on two other trips since then. I traveled to Williamsburg on a grant and then to Philadelphia and Washington, DC on another grant. For me, both of these trips enabled me to expand my writing in different ways. From my trip to Williamsburg I learned more about the time period I am currently writing than I dreamed possible. I participated in authentic 1700 dancing, ate food served during that time, and got to meet people who lived then through the wonderful interpreters. I so longed to begin writing once I returned but within days I was off on my other trip. This one was a bit different but at the same time I learned more about the starting of this country than I ever learned in school. Traveling to the historic sights, meeting people who re-enacted that time, and seeing authentic artifacts brought history alive for me. I was also amazed to see how beautiful the buildings in DC are. Several times I commented about how regal the buildings were – like something I would see in Europe for a king or queen. And this in our own country.

Now I am back and in dire need of inspiration. I need to get my head wrapped around my manuscript writing and not on my blogs or on notes and research. While research is all well and good, the real focus needs to be on my novels. I need to focus on editing one manuscript in particular – Harvest Moon. It has garnered finalist positions in several contests and appears to have the best potential for being bought by an editor. Since this is the case, all else must be put on hold and some deep editing must commence.

As much as I enjoy regaling you with all my travels and the knowledge I have learned, I think it best if I show, instead of tell. If you do not hear from me for the next several weeks it is because I have my nose to the grindstone and am editing. Once I come up for air, I will impart on you the knowledge I have gleaned from this and hopefully you will learn something as well.

The Value of Total Immersion Research

2011-07-16T08:29:00.000-07:00

For many writers research is a dirty word. Especially if they have to research a time period they are not familiar with. For me, a historical author, research is the bones that hold my world together. The words I use to write my story are the muscles and skin that bring my story to life. So I love research.

Recently I had the pleasure of attending a workshop in Williamsburg, VA. Eight fabulous days in the heat and humidity, walking along the very same streets as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Lord De La Ware, and many more. One of my favorite days was when we learned about the economy. We were visited by John Greenhow, a local merchant and store owner in Williamsburg who explained how the credit system worked back then. Their credit system back then works like our debit/credit system. A particular amount of money was placed into your account and you could purchase items based on what you had in that account. That doesn't mean you couldn't purchase items if you had no money in your account. You could, but then you would pay it back once you sold items from your farm or shop. So even back in colonial times, their economy was similar to ours. And just like ours, people were in debt and could not get out.

The apothecary

The brickmaker

The cabinetmaker

The Coffee Shop

The Gunsmith

The blacksmith

John Greenhow - the store owner

The magazine operator

The Milliner

The printer

The silversmith

The wheelwright

The wigs and peruke maker

So many tiny details were made available during my visit to each shop. My favorite was the printers because in my latest story, the heroine operates her father's printing press after he dies. Being able to see how the press works and know she would be able to operate it on her own was important information I could not learn just by looking up printing presses. Interviewing the printer about the process was like traveling back in time to the 1700s and seeing it done firsthand. Knowledge like this cannot be found by reading a book. Seeing a pamphlet being made and actually handling type made me understand the importance of research like this.

I think it's time I travel to England now. After all total immersion research is necessary. See you back in the 21st century.

Conference - Day 5

2011-07-02T18:59:00.001-07:00

Today I volunteered to work the agent/editor appointments. A chaotic orchestration that went off with few hitches thanks to the ladies who worked to keep everything and everyone happy. This is not an easy task with over 100 women and men to be watchful over. I worked the stopwatch and got to call the one minute warning and when the appointments were over. Talk about ultimate control! I did meet two fabulous ladies who helped with the time and when they say “synchronize your watches” they are not kidding!

I had a brief chance to speak with an editor and do a quickie pitch. She was extremely polite because she was on her way to another appointment but for some reason I was booked to speak with her and she was leaving. But as the lovely lady she was, she allowed me to tell her about my story and explained Harlequin historicals only does books that are approximately 80,000 words in length. Since almost all of mine are around 100,000 words in length, this would not work out, but she suggested I send the first 3 chapters to HQN. Later in the day I was told HQN only accepts manuscripts from agents. Hmmm, this was not working to my advantage in the least. About an hour later, I was to meet an agent to pitch. Guess what? Same problem. I go to speak with the agent and once again, she was scheduled to depart at the same time and she had another appointment in a different location. Another gracious lady, Sara Megibow from the Nelson Literary Agency, she said to send her the first 30 pages and a synopsis and gave me her card with the information on it. I did not get to tell her about my very hot and sexy Georgian historical, but she was very polite and I appreciated the chance to send anything to her.

This leads me to the main topic of discussion – the wonderful ladies I have met over the course of this conference. Not once have I been in a discussion with fellow writer, an agent, or editor who has not been completely polite with me. The level of respect was obvious from the moment we began speaking. Even at the appointments where I volunteered, everyone from the other authors to the agents and editors were polite. Even when the noise level became so loud my ears began to ring and I was forced to “politely” remind the ladies to speak softly, they did so without a blink. Even several editors thanked me for the gentle reminders I gave during the sessions.

Once the sessions were over, I headed over the Plaza for high tea. A delightful experience my youngest daughter will be thrilled about because she loves the movie Bride Wars with Ann Hathaway and Kate Hudson where they are June brides at the Plaza. I took tons of pictures and of course wished she were here with me. The weather was glorious and we enjoyed our walk to and from the Plaza.

The awards ceremony remains and I cannot wait to see who wins tonight. Actually it starts in about 40 minutes so I better get dressed and head downstairs. I’ll fill you in on the winners when it’s over.

So here are the finalists:

Golden Hearts:

Anne Barton – Regency Historical for The Proper Miss’ Guide to Bad Behavior

Maire Shelley – Historical Romance for The Dark Lady

Ruth Kaufman – Inspirational Romance for At His Command

Suzanne Kaufman Kalb – Young Adult Romance for Irresistible

Jo Anne Banker – Contemporary Series for Lost and Found

Robin Lynn Perini – Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure for Stolen Lullaby

Ann Charles – Novel with Strong Romantic Elements for Nearly Departed in Deadwood

Diana Van Dyke – Romantic Suspense for Spy in the Mirror

Trisza Ray – Paranormal Romance for The Blood Sworn King

Lisa Connelly – Contemporary Single Title for The Sinners

The Rita Awards

Lauren Willig – Regency Historical Romance – for The Mischief of the Mistletoe

Sherry Thomas – Historical Romance – for His at Night

Irene Hannon – Inspirational Romance for In Harm’s Way

Julie Kagawa – Young Adult Romance for The Iron King

Karen Templeton – Contemporary Series Romance for Welcome Home, Cowboy

Helen Brenna – Contemporary Series Romance: Suspense/Adventure for The Moon That Night

Jodi Thomas – Novel with Strong Romantic Elements for Welcome to Harmony

Virginia Kantra – Romance Novella for “Shifting Sea”

Karen Rose – Romantic Suspense for Silent Scream

Sharon Ashwood – Paranormal Romance for Unchained: the Dark Forgotten

Kaki Warner – Best First Book for Pieces of Sky

Jill Shalvis – Contemporary Single Title Romance for Simply Irresistible

I suggest you check out the books and when you see the Golden Heart finalists on the bookshelves, because you will soon.

Conference - Day 4

2011-07-02T18:58:00.001-07:00

I’m going to be honest – today I played hooky most of the day. I went to the Empire State building, wandered through Macy’s at 34^th street, and then came back for the most inspirational speech I have ever heard in my life. Sherrilyn Kenyon was the keynote speaker today. Let me start off by saying that if you ever have a complaint about your life – whether your regular life or your writing life and you hear her speak, you will realize you have absolutely nothing to complain about. This woman is positively amazing and every step of her life should inspire you to be thankful for what you have in her life and the path you are on. You should never complain about not being published yet or about waiting to hear from an agent or editor. Her story brought tears to my eyes. Having grown up in an abusive family and having dyslexia did not stop her from fighting for what she wanted in life – to be a writer. Not just any writer, but a NY Times bestselling author. Even after hundreds of rejections and people leaving her life because they could not wait for her to be published, she persevered and made a success out of her life. If you ever get a chance to hear her speak, do so and then re-evaluate how your life has gone compared to hers. If you want to hear her speak in the upcoming future, she will be one of the keynote speakers at Chicago-North’s Spring Fling in April of 2012.

After lunch I went to the Sourcebooks signings and have to say how impressed I was with its organization. The tables were arranged neatly and in a way that allowed for traffic flow. Even with a news crew there asking Ms. Raccah questions, the ladies were able to navigate the rows with ease and no one was left standing in a line that was too long or took forever. Very nicely done.

I finally had a chance to meet up with my friend, Lucienne who is also the author of the fabulous series with the teenage vampire – Gina. We chatted for a while and I got to meet one of her authors, Crystal Jordan (Lucienne Diver is an agent for the Deirdre Knight Agency). Before I knew it, Lucienne had to leave for two publishing house parties and I was off to dinner with Margot. We wandered about the city until we came to Bryant Park where we have a lovely dinner outside under the trees. Once we returned to the hotel, we went to the View lounge, took pictures of the fantastic view as the restaurant/lounge made a circuitous route around. I got to tell Margot about several of my books – basically a verbal synopsis of about 5 finished novels. I outlined the GMC of the main characters and when I was done, we realized how late it had gotten. So here I am, typing this up and wishing I had internet so I could post this on my blog. So, see you tomorrow when I get a chance to post this one.

In the meantime, I’m going to do some work – type up one of my constant companions – my notebook of ideas. See you soon.

Conference - Day 3

2011-06-30T06:31:00.000-07:00

This morning began with a fabulous omelet from the hotel. I need to mention this because whatever spices they used made it scrumptious. Armed with enough protein to last me for several hours, I began my day. The hum in the hotel was palpable and it began early. I was downstairs and ready to start before seven and already meetings were being held and networking was going on. Heads were close together as fellow writers discussed their books with editors or agents at quiet (somewhat quiet because of the hum) tables. A section of the lounge was even reserved for networking – a clever idea if you ask me, but one problem – the wireless at the hotel had ceased to operate. I was unable to post my blog for yesterday and I wonder if I will be able to post today.

Went to the opening ceremony with Tess Gerritsen, Steve Barry, and Diana Gabaldon. Questions had been sent in ahead of time for the panel discussion which was lively and thoroughly entertaining. The room echoed with laughter and applause several times as their comments hit a cohesive mark and touched us at the same time. Fellow writers appreciate the tales of how each other started and most of all, we love to hear the bumps along the way and funny tales of bizarre fans, etc. By the time we finished there, I was ready for a bit of networking so I headed to the lounge. Part of me hoped I could connect to the internet but alas, the internet was once again asleep in its bed and unable to be awoken. I think having several thousand women writers who truly enjoy their craft made it far too tired to get up because no one was able to connect all day long. I’m sorry, I failed to mention it works if you want to pay $17.95 per day for your hotel room. I already pay for my phone and my home internet, I did not think I should pay for it here, especially when the hotel claimed to have it free in the lounge area. Okay, I have complained enough for today on that subject.

Margot and I decided to work on her pitch and proceeded to do so when a lovely lady asked if she could share our area. I love meeting new people so I agreed. We realized we had a love for the same jewelry – Lia Sophia. She loved my bracelet and necklace and once I mentioned it was Lia Sophia, she showed me hers. We hit it off immediately and after we introduced ourselves I was thrilled to be meeting Jessica Faust. I have been reading their blog for months now, so it was a pleasure to meet the woman in person. To say she is funny and personable is an understatement. She is so down-to-Earth, she helped melt away all my fears about my upcoming pitch on Friday, and Margot’s as well.

Luncheon was nothing to write home about since the food was unrecognizable, but the keynote speaker was one of my favorite historical writers – Madeline Hunter. When I was feeling a bit disconnected several years ago from the craft, I picked up one of her books and before long, not only was I hooked on her books, but my love for writing my historicals was revived. Thank you, Madeline.

After spending the afternoon seeing Spiderman, (which was fun for all the special effects), I headed back to the hotel to prepare for the Stroke of Midnight reception which proved to be entertaining in big, bold letters! How could it not with burlesque performers as the main show? What a delight to learn about this art form which has had a revival long before the movie with Cher. They sang and danced and made us all laugh at ourselves which in a room full of writers is quite a feat. I received an Honorable Mention for my novel, Harvest Moon, which pleased me. I would have LOVED to have gotten 1^st place, but there is time for that. From this reception I hurried to my own chapter’s reception – a Champagne and Chocolate reception, where I became the unofficial photographer of the night.

Meeting new people and exchanging business cards is so much fun. I met some delightful young authors who are on the verge of their careers and ready to explode. I also got to meet Abby Gaines! This lovely woman is from New Zealand and was nice enough to take my daughter in for a few days when my daughter was traveling. I did not meet her until last night and found her to be just generous and funny in person as she was when we were emailing each other. This society of writers has made me realize how lucky I am to be part of such a great circle of women who not only open their doors, but their hearts to kindred spirits. Thank you Abby!

So, what now? Abby and Blythe Gifford mentioned the Harlequin Pajama party, so off I went. This was a fabulous time. They had hats and masks for us to wear and I quickly donned a bunny mask and my alter ego kicked in. The party came alive after that. I met two young ladies who work for Harlequin’s Social Media in Canada. Here is my shout out to Amy Wilkins and Larissa Walker! I promised them I would mention them in my blog and I have to tweet about them as well. The party was a smashing success and I carried the party with me to the lounge where I chatted with two authors – another one from Canada (by the way, I have met several ladies from Canada lately and they are all wonderful). One of the ladies is a Golden Heart finalist. Good luck, Tirisza (I hope I spelled it correctly because I don’t have my program with me at the moment).

Back at my room, I chatted for a couple hours with my roommates about my day, their day, and what our plans are for tomorrow. See you then, because I am tired.

Conference - Day 2

2011-06-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

This is the day the conference truly starts to hop. Thousands of women converge on the hotel from every state and dozens of countries around the world. The hotel lobby hummed with an increase of excitement as friends greeted each other, some for the first time in person. Others looked for fellow chapter members to connect and register. Lines were everywhere. Where yesterday we could still get on the elevator without a wait, today the lines before each elevator had grown exponentially. Here’s what I do not understand – there is an electronic keypad where the guest types in their floor. Then the keypad tells them which elevator to take - from A to Z. One would think it would calculate the number of requests for an elevator and then direct others to one of the empty elevators but it does not. You must wait for that elevator to close to punch in your number again and then wait for a different elevator. My other complaint is that if you are on a floor above 26, you have to ride the elevator down before you can go up to 28 or higher. So if you caught that – you have to go down before you can go up, and then in order to go back to your own floor, you have to go down several floors below your floor and then go back up to get to your room. Sounds confusing, doesn’t it?

Breakfast at Pigalle’s was not what we expected. I think we just picked the wrong day. When we arrived, we decided to get the buffet which unfortunately got cold before we could finish eating because there as a fan overhead. We asked for it to be turned down low, and once it was, everything was much better. Margot went off to her seminar which left me alone to wander the city because there were no workshops to attend just yet. I decided to get some welcome presents for my roommates who would be arriving today. Once I did that, I went to the lounge with my computer and worked on my blog and my pitch. Being prepared is half the battle. I need to work on my salesmanship-. I need to walk up to other authors and introduce myself. Networking. That’s what they call it.

In the past, I have not been especially good at networking, but remember – this is a new year and I have a new found energy coursing through my body. I will not be afraid to meet new people, to network, and to tell them about my books and what I am currently working. New motto – HAVE NO FEAR.

I used this new motto to go into the city on my own. With no one to wander with me I took off towards Rockefeller Plaza. IT was my goal. I imagined eating lunch near the golden man as my backdrop. But instead, I spied a beautiful square teaming with businessmen and women eating their lunch around an inviting water fountain near Time Warner on Avenue of the Americas. Perfect. Street vendors lined the street and with this new motto – have no fear, I decided to purchase a lunch and sit down and people watch. Did you know you can tell an awful lot about a person by the shoes they wear? I decided to look at the feet as they strode past. No two feet are alike. Sometimes I would look up at the faces to see what the person looked like attached to those feet. Try it sometime – it’s amazing what you will learn. Younger girls/women wear sandals and flip flops when they are out and about. Sensible shoes are worn by women over the age of 35 (sorry, but it’s true) and yet they are stylish. Some fabulous shoes where seen strutting by. Younger women with long legs wore 3-5 inch heels and had no problem navigating the streets and the many holes in the sidewalks because of the grates above the subway system. Men are men. They wear sensible shoes – brown or black – some lace up and some slip on, but as far as I’m concerned the men have it easy.

Did some wonderful networking later that night after returning from the play. I met several ladies who founded Romance University. I recognized the name of their site immediately because I accessed them myself when it came to an editing issue. The ladies were lovely and full of life. Adrienne Giordano is one of the co-founders and has her first book out and it’s part of a series. Buy it! Her website is www.adriennegiordano.com to check out what she has coming out in the future as well. A dynamic lady who made me realize that having NO FEAR is exactly what I need.

Enjoy the rest of your day and I’ll let you know what else I learned tomorrow. Expect to hear about the opening session with Tess Gerritsen, Diana Gabaldon, and Steve Berry. It sounds like a fascinating panel discussion.

Conference - Day 1

2011-06-28T07:28:00.000-07:00

As usual I got up way too early for my trip to NY but just the prospect of seeing the cowboy with the guitar as Cristy calls him filled me with anticipation. For anyone else who has been to NY more than once we call him the Naked Cowboy.

All my little chicks were sleeping as I prepared to leave. I guess it’s difficult to say little anymore when they are so much older but I guess like any mother I still think of my children as little. I don’t think I’ll ever get over the fact that my youngest graduated from elementary school two weeks ago.

So I kissed them all goodbye, a habit I got into early on in my marriage since my husband is a cop (you never know when it will be the last day to see those you love). Told them I loved them and met my sweetie outside for the trip. My husband does not like to fly or I would have brought him along for this trip. My son climbed into the car as well. Tall and handsome, I can say this because I’m his mother, joined us on the trip to the airport. Hard to believe he’s only 17, but there you go – life showing me it hasn’t stopped in the least but continued to move on. My son hefted my suitcase into the back of my husband’s Element and off we went.

First let me say I was shocked by all the limos heading to the airport at 6:30 in the morning. There must be a lot of executives leaving for work at that time. I peered into several to get a glimpse and was not surprised to see older gentlemen looking tense as their limos wove their way through traffic. Just a footnote – I only live 5 minutes from the airport but it took over twenty to get there.

Of course none of this dampened my enthusiasm. As I mentioned before like George Bailey, I love the sounds of ship anchors, plane engines, and train whistles.

Where am I now? In the air above beautiful white clouds on my way to NY. We hit a bit of turbulence a while back – the first time I have ever left my seat while buckled in my seat. A few women screamed. I didn’t see who they were but unless men scream like women, I would venture to say the women were a bit put off by the sudden drop in altitude. My guess is they don’t ride roller coasters like the Raging Bull or it would not have alarmed them so much.

Why didn’t I scream? I had dozed off for a few minutes in preparation for my time in NY because I knew I wouldn’t sleep much. I was a bit jarred when it was over. I nervously laughed to my companion (actually just the guy sitting next to me) because when I woke from the midair flight, I bumped his arm, but otherwise the turbulence merely reminded me of where I was. I don’t frighten easily when I fly.

I’ll be meeting Margot at the airport and we’ll share a ride into the city.

Several hours later:

As all good stories mine continued to progress in true form. Arrived at LaGuardia and needed to find a bus to get to the main terminal because apparently Delta has its own little area separate from the rest. I met Margot with the help of Karen Harris and we secured seats on a shuttle. Let me tell you – this was so much fun! Our driver had to take a group of people to the pier for a cruise first, but he was exactly what we needed to start our trip. Animated and filled with NY flare, he told us all about the sights while maneuvering expertly through the clogged city streets like a professional race car driver. The twists and turns were quickly handled and we got an amazing thrill. I asked about the Cash Cab driver and our driver joked about hoping to ride with him one day and answer all his questions.

After arriving at the hotel, we checked in. My room was on the 26^th floor with an outstanding view of Times Square. We ate lunch at the hotel and had a waitress with the most fabulous NY accent. We knew we had at last arrived!

I have to add a side note – we saw a naked cowboy or should I say cowgirl? She was about 60 something, with her boobs hanging to her navel. On each nipple was a pasty star! Welcome to NY!

Touring NY with Margot, whom I soon realized is a kindred spirit, was perfect. The weather was glorious – only high 70s and sunny! We headed toward Central Park and chatted about Law and Order and how we shouldn’t walk about the park after dark. We are such nerds!

We were in search of chocolate! Margot needed chocolate for the champagne reception so the search was on. We found a very nice girl at what used to be Tavern on the Green who looked up locations for us. Strolling through Central Park was exactly what we needed. Then we headed toward 5^th Avenue. We passed the Helmsley hotel – remember that woman? The Queen of Mean who left her fortune to her dogs? Then we saw the Plaza – the place where all little girls hope to be married in June (remember that movie?). Along the way we were accosted by many men trying to sell us something. Did we scream tourist or what?

At the Plaza we saw Kirsti Alley who looked fabulous! I guess Dancing with the Stars works! We arranged to have High tea on Friday and then we returned to 5^th Avenue. Talk about shops! Bergdorfs, Tiffany, Harry Winstons (we wondered if we could get our jewels for the reception on Friday from there), and more. You name it, we saw it!

And we found chocolate! Bought sooooo much chocolate!

We went into St. Thomas’ and St. Patrick’s cathedrals and said a prayer and, after admiring the architecture, took pictures (discreetly). Then we saw Rockefeller Plaza and took the appropriate pictures with the golden statue behind us.

Have you had enough?

Neither had we. We dropped off the chocolate to find a lovely tray for Margot of Margaritas and water, which we decided to enjoy later. Back at Times Square we went to Juniors to eat their famous steak burgers! We of course had to walk it off! Strolling along (doesn’t sound like we’re working anything off, does it?) the theater district we found our theaters for the upcoming plays as well as Sardi’s for dinner. We also stumbled across a place where I ate before – Pigalle’s and decided to enjoy breakfast there the next day.

Back at Margot’s room we worked on her pitches. To our surprise, after tweaking Nickolai’s story it was after 11! Talk about a full day!

I returned to my own room and worked on my own stuff, called my sweetie to tell him of my day, and showered. One a.m.! Ready for bed and ready for the next day.

My Bags Are Packed!

2011-06-26T12:11:00.000-07:00

Nothing to me is more spine-tingling than the day I leave for a trip! My husband always teases me about this roving spirit I have. I remember a line from "It's a Wonderful Life" when George says the most exciting sounds in the world are: anchor chains, plane motors, and train whistles! I understand completely what he means. When I arrive at the airport on the verge of an adventure, I know that no matter where I am going I will have an inspiring trip! If you are like me, a writer, you always come home from a trip filled with ideas for new stories and new characters.

When I was younger, the sound was train whistles. I knew if I was traveling on a train, I was going to visit my grandparents at the shore (Jersey shore it was). When I met my husband I learned to love airplane engine sounds. My first flight was to Chicago to visit him. I was hooked. I could not even tell you how many trips I have logged over the past 27 years. In the last three years I learned to love a new sound - ship anchors. I have been on three cruises and WOW, I would go again tomorrow if someone invited me.

So, here I go, ready to embark on a new trip. A trip that could change my life. If you are heading to New York - I'll see you there!

Vivienne xoxoxoxoxo

Edit, Revise, and Tweak!

2011-06-23T20:05:00.000-07:00

If you remember, I made a promise to myself in January when I began this blog - to submit to at least one contest per month. I have been on target thus far, and if I do say so myself, I have been doing a great job. Every time I get the results, I am reminded why I write - because I love it. I enjoy creating new worlds and characters. I enjoy telling their stories.

Contests are a wonderful vehicle to fix what needs fixing before I send my manuscripts off to an editor or agent. I am of the mind to not send anything in unless it is finished. I just don't want to be in the position of getting "the call" and not having a completed manuscript to send off straight-away. If there is one thing I have learned from the contests it's that there are many opinions out there. Just like there are many different editors and agents, readers' opinions differ greatly. But when you enter a contest you can learn how to make your manuscript stronger, more cohesive, and most of all - more appealing to the audience you seek.

At first, contests scared me. I was afraid to read what was written about my manuscripts. What I learned was the judges were just like me - authors. Some were published and some were not, but one thing we all had in common - writing the best novel we could. When they read my novel, they are looking at it with a critical eye to help me become published. When I read "I can't wait to read this some day" I am filled with pride over all the hard work.

A few times I have read the following comment - "publishable as is". Once or twice, I have read "needs a bit of polishing first". No matter what the final comments, I know the judge has given up their valuable time to read my manuscript and give me advice. They are not doing it out of malice or jealousy but out of the desire to help me. Trust me, I am more than grateful for the help.

Here's my question to you - what was the most valuable advice your received after entering a contest?

What's In a Name - Apparently a lot if you are Titled

2011-06-11T21:19:00.000-07:00

If you haven’t noticed, I love historical romances. I love to read them. I love to write them. One of the hardest parts is the title. What do you call your hero? Do you want to have a simple Mister? No, that’s too blasé, besides every girl dreams of being swept off her feet by a man with a title. Especially a man with a title who has an incredibly sexy accent. Come on, you know you have fantasized about this, just like me! (wink). What girl hasn’t thought of her prince charming coming in to rescue her? As a child we grew up on Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. Our kids have had Ariel (who marries Prince Eric), Belle (who marries the prince who used to be a Beast), and now Rapunzel (who is really the long lost daughter of a king and queen). Of course the last one did not marry a prince, did she? Okay, so I got that one wrong. But there is the American girl who marries a prince in the Frog Princess. (there! I have redeemed myself!)

Let’s get back to titles.

Since I have problems keeping them straight, I figured I’m not the only one, so a brief refresher course for all of us is probably a good idea. What I really need is a cheat sheet while I’m writing. Something right in front of my face, so I don’t make a huge faux pas and have a historical buff call me to task on it. I used to have a lovely office where all my inspirations were on the wall. Where post-its where stuck here and there to help jar my memory. Where maps and family trees where placed strategically so I wouldn’t have to look far. But once the kids got older, my office got phased out and now I type on my laptop wherever I happen to be at the time – so this leaves no place to hang my post-its. I guess my blog has become my new post-it.

Titles. We all like them but only a few have them.

Order of rank –

King/Queen
Prince/Princess
Duke/Duchess - 24 in England
Marquis/Marchioness - 34 in England
Earl/Countess - 191 in England
Viscount/Viscountess - 115 in England
Baron/Baroness

Duke – call him “Your Grace” if you are a servant. But if you are so lucky to have one as your friend, just call him Duke So-and-So.

Duchess – also called “Your Grace” by servants.

· Children of Dukes/Duchesses – are called “Lord firstname” or Lady “firstname” – as in Lord William or Lady Catherine.

· Sometimes the eldest son of a duke/duchess would also carry a lesser title.

· Wife of deceased duke where the son has now inherited – dowager duchess

Marquis/Marchioness – called “your lordship or ladyship” by servants.

· Friends would call them by their title name – example – Marquis of Summerville would be called Summerville.

· They could also be called Lord or Lady Summerville. The son would usually carry the father’s second title.

Earl/Countess – Known as Earl of Summerville, but would be called Summerville by friends.

· Servants would call them my lord or my lady.

· Daughters are called Lady “firstname” and first born sons are also called Lord “firstname” such as Lady Suzanne or Lord William.

· Any other sons are just called “Honorable John Summerville”. The son would carry the father’s second title until he inherited usually that of viscount.

Viscount/Viscountess – servants called them “my lord/lady” or “lordship/ladyship”.

· Friends just call him Summerville.

· Viscount and Viscountess would be called Lord and Lady Summerville.

Baron/Baroness – are just called Lord/Lady Summerville. Servants call them my lord/lady or lordship/ladyship.

· Their children are just called Mr. Summerville or Miss Summerville.

· They can also be called Lord Summerville or Lady Summerville.

Baronet – would be called Sir William or Sir William Summerville. The wife of a baronet would be Lady Summerville.

Knight – would be called Sir William or Sir William Summerville. The wife of a knight would be Lady Summerville.

So how does a title get passed on?

Some titles are hereditary and are passed down to eldest sons. If there are no sons, the titles are passed to the closest male heir – like a nephew. In very rare circumstances, the title can be passed down through the daughter if there are no males. Otherwise, this title dies out.
Life peerages are different from hereditary peerages because they only last as long as that person lives. These titles do not get passed down to the oldest sons. Life peerages are usually baron or baroness.

The Dreaded Interview

2011-06-07T21:56:00.001-07:00

At some time in our lives, we have all been on an interview. Most of us have been on so many interviews we can elaborate the do's and don'ts of each one – where we did well and where it went horribly wrong. Coming up is the RWA conference in New York City. If you are a published author or aspiring published author in romance, this is the place to be. New York is the one conference no one wants to miss. The hotel gets booked way too quickly and thousands of authors clamor to sign up so they can spend 5 minutes pitching their manuscript to an editor or agent. This is where the interview looms over our heads. How do we prepare for this 5 minute do-or-die moment where we present our babies to another person who will decide if it's good enough to publish?

You can wing it. Come on – you know you've been there. You've thought about this a million times. The thought goes through your head – I'll just walk in and wing it! I don't need to memorize anything. I know what my book is all about. I know my characters. I know the plot. I'll walk in, shake his/her head and then just wing it!
Write out your blurb on index cards – You've done this one too. Before you left for the conference, you wrote down all the important points – the genre, word count, hero's arc and heroine's arc. The main plot points to entice the editor/agent. Then once you got there, you practiced it over and over again UNTIL – you decided – forget about this – I'm just going to wing it!
Worked on your pitch with a partner. You sat down with a fellow writer, someone you trust and did your pitches together. Of course, you both decided they sounded great and you were ready to go. In the back of your mind, you thought about all the things you would change if you were the other person and then realized your own pitch needed work too. But you just couldn't tell your friend because then they would worry that theirs needed work too. Ah, the blissful feeling of ignorance.
If you are member of a critique group, not only have you worked on this pitch with a partner, but you've brought it to a meeting and done it out loud in front of everyone and waited, palms sweating, as everyone told you how to tweak it. This can be a harrowing experience. The moment of dread when twenty people tell you how to fix what you thought was perfect in the first place. (Remember my last journal entry about imperfections?)

The pitch is essentially a job interview. You are applying for the most important job of your life – published author. This is even worse than giving birth. When you give birth, no one sits you down all dressed up in your professional best and asks you to tell them all about this newborn who will come squalling into your life. After all, you don't know what this baby's character arc will be. You don't even know his/her personality yet. No one asks you if you are prepared for the next lord-only-knows number of years to raise this baby. When you bring your book in front of another person, it is like bringing out your baby – presenting it to the world and saying – Isn't this wonderful? You should buy this because I have poured hours upon hours into raising this baby into the perfect book.

If you are lucky, the editor/agent will request either a partial or full manuscript. I have yet to leave an interview without a request. But here's the rub – just because they requested it does not mean they will make an offer. Remember when I mentioned thousands of authors are present? This means many of them (the unpublished like me) will be jostling for a chance to become published. The last time I pitched, I was extremely excited. The editor loved my concept. Loved my hero and heroine and requested a partial. I mailed it off and over two years later still did not hear back. Oh, I waited the appropriate amount of time before sending a lovely email and asking how she was. When she finally responded, it was to tell me she had misplaced my manuscript and finally located it. When she read it – she loved it! BUT – unfortunately they no longer needed strong hero books and wished me luck finding a place for it. WOW! It was good, but now they didn't need it. Makes you wonder if she had read it two years before if her company would have needed strong hero based books.

Okay, so let's go back to the interview – you have now prepared your pitch. I know you have. Whether you decided to wing it, write it down on index cards, OR you practiced in front of a mirror until you knew it by heart, you are ready. ALMOST. Now it's time to find the perfect clothes to wear. What do you mean I have to find the perfect clothes? Shouldn't my pitch be enough to sell me as an author? Wish this were true, but you are a product too. You go along with your book. When you walk into the room on trembling knees to meet the editor/agent, it is your appearance which will make the first impression. The head to toe look. Remember how the hero perceives the heroine for the first time and vice versa? It is the same with an agent/editor and you. When you meet eyes, you immediately do the head to toe scan. DO you like what you see? Does this person look like someone you can trust with your baby?

My advice – be comfortable and professional. If you are not comfortable you will look miserable. Be you. Add the one touch that shows a tiny bit of your personality. Perhaps it's a treasured pin from your great-grandmother or you love scarves. Remember you are part of the product. It makes me think of American Idol. Come on, admit it, you have seen it and heard Simon Cowel state – "you're the entire package". Remember that not only your book will be packaged, but so will you. You will go on book tours. You will meet people. You will speak to newspaper reporters and television hosts (once you sell big-time, which you will). Your picture will be inside the book. If you are historical author – do you look the part? And I don't mean you wear a period piece costume to the interview. I mean do you look romantic and yet serious at the same time? If you're not sure what I mean, look at the pictures of authors you emulate. When you read their brief bio, do you say – "Wow, I want to read her/his books?"

A dear friend at my writer's group – Chicago-North – who was also an actress would come to our meetings right before conference and explain how to pitch. She would give us pointers on presentation and enunciation. Her advice always made me realize that it wasn't just the book that was being analyzed, but me as well. So remember – when you prepare for your pitch, it's like going on a job interview. You have to convince this person you and your book are worth taking a risk on. So what's my advice?

Write it out – what is your brand? Your main characters' arcs?
Practice, practice, practice – I cannot emphasize this enough – practice alone in front of a mirror, with a good friend you trust, and before your group if you have time. You want to be careful of your hand gestures, eye contact, and facial expressions while presenting. Body language is important.
Find the right clothes – remember comfort is important, but the overall appearance is essential.
Relax – I know this sounds hard, but you need to relax. There is nothing worse than shaking hands with the editor/agent of your dreams and realizing too late that your hand was sweaty or shook the entire tie.

See you at Nationals! And . . . knock them dead!

Our Imperfections

2011-05-28T20:22:00.001-07:00

We are continually reminded of our imperfections. No matter what we do, someone always tells us how we did it wrong or how we can improve on it. As writers, we live our life learning from our imperfections. In other words, we learn from critiques. Some of us are lucky enough to be part of critique groups that help us polish those imperfections in our efforts to get published. We sign up to read and during one night, we get over 20 critiques of our writing. Listening to other authors explain what needs tweaking is a painfully valuable experience as any author will tell you. Reading our manuscripts in front of a group of writers can be nerve-wracking, but once it's over, we realize it wasn't so bad, and as a matter of fact the information we get moves us one step closer to our dream – publication.

The read-alouds are quick critiques, but contest entries are the ones that take longer. If you ever judged a contest or been the recipient of a judged-manuscript you know it takes more time to respond to one. You have a score sheet, written comments, and if you are lucky the judge placed comments on your actual manuscript.

I came up with an idea – why not have a mini-critique with a shortened form that is used for the contest entries and yet a bit more formal than a meeting critique with has no real format?

Here's what I see as possible: before the mini-critique session each author should fill out a form that outlines important information for the reader.

Audience
Time period
requests

Mechanics – what needs work the most?

Opening hook – did you want to read on?

Hero – Do you get a sense of the hero and is he sympathetic?

Heroine – Do you get a sense of the heroine and is she sympathetic?

GMC – goal, motivation, conflict – Are the clear for both the hero and heroine?

Use of dialogue – is the dialogue used to move the story along?

Setting – do we get a clear sense of the setting and time period?

POV – is the point of view clear and is there the transition clear?

Just as in a contest, these categories can be given a point value – from 1-5 with 5 being the highest. If the readers can fill this out quickly and just add a few comments before the actual critique session, the author would get a better sense of what is missing.

If we had this type of format for mini-critiques, then when it came time to submit for a contest or to an editor or agent, we would be better prepared for the comments on our imperfections.

Oh, and one final note on our imperfections – some of them, just some of them, are what make our writing unique. Some of them people love. Some of them people hate. In the end, you have to decide which imperfections you want to fix and which ones you want to keep.

The Fit Writer

2011-05-17T08:41:00.001-07:00

Writing is a solitary and sedentary life. We spend an inordinate amount of time before our computers writing. We sit on our bums and type away before computer screens for a good majority of the day using our imaginations and our fingers. Unlike many other jobs out there, we do not get up and walk about for hours upon end. We do not interact face to face with people on a constant basis. We interact via our computers through social networking, instant messaging, skype, and text messages. We may even pick up the telephone and speak to someone on the cell phone, but most of the time, we are in one place for a long period of time. We all know this to be true.

A while back I was a personal trainer (I know this was another lifetime for me). One of the things I noticed happened to many women who came to see me was "splatter butt". This was the ever expanding area of their bottoms due to sitting for prolonged periods of time in a chair. We all know what it looks like. Well, we don't know what OURS looks like because we refuse to look down there, but it exists. It's that part of our anatomy we refuse to see until we are walking along with a friend or loved one and suddenly see our reflection in a window. Then we cringe because we realize we have now inherited the dreaded "splatter butt".

So how do we keep fit? How do we get rid of this awful addition to our bodies? I have read some writers have constructed desktops for their treadmills to combat this. Quite clever if you think about it. Personally I am not coordinated enough to accomplish such a feat so I have to resort to actually putting down my laptop for a set amount of time each day and moving my patookus so I do not get the dreaded "splatter butt". I even created a workout routine for fellow writers so they would avoid this happening to them.

Just out of curiosity – tell me what you do each day to keep yourself fit. Post a comment to say what you do? Do you walk? Run? Do fitness tapes? Do you "Dance with the Stars"? What keeps you from accumulating the dreadful "splatter butt"?

What Type of Heroine are You?

2011-05-08T18:33:00.000-07:00

There are several types of heroines. I was entering a contest the other day – Hearts of Denver and they have a prize for the Unsinkable Heroine. Everyone has heard the story of the Unsinkable Molly Brown. If you haven’t heard the story, you may have seen the movie with Debbie Reynolds where she plays the lead character – a woman whose husband strikes it rich and she is traveling on the Titanic when it sinks. Her pluck and heroism is the stuff of legends today. Even in the more recent movie – Titanic, Kathy Bates played the woman who could not be brought down, no matter what the snobs of high society did to her, she always remained optimistic and stayed true to herself. So I ask - what type of heroine are you?

Many years ago when I first started writing I read a book called The Complete Writer’s Guide to Heroes and Heroines – Sixteen Master Archetypes by Tami D Cowden, Caro LaFever, and Sue Viders. When Tami Cowden signed my book she wrote “Write your characters with love!” The book is well-worn now with post-its marking different sections for me, but one thing still remains clear to me today – many of our heroines do not fall into just one category, but are a combination of different types. I remember when I first read it I thought – wow, I am the Boss. I tend to be overly confident, a bit blunt at times, definitely a workaholic, and competitive. Although I have to admit I don’t like to think of myself as competitive, I do like to win but not at the risk of hurting others. This is where I take on characteristics of other types.

My heroines are take-charge women. They do not like to rely on men and refuse to ask for help if they think they can solve the problem on their own. For several of them, this attitude is a result of their past – a hurt done to them or a family member which colored the way they see men and others in society. For example, Nina had naïve views of love until the man she fell in love with was a married man. Once she learned the truth she did not trust men and vowed to make a way for herself in life without leaning on a man. She became an excellent shot, learned to defend herself by taking fencing lessons, and could ride a horse better than most men in the county. Most men shy away from a woman like her because she is too much of a challenge. No man wants to marry a woman who is strong-willed and independent. Of course, this characteristic of Nina’s becomes her conflict. When she does fall in love with the hero, how can she let down her guard and let him see her vulnerability? In her eyes, this is a weakness. This also gives the heroine the arch she must travel in order to find her “happily ever after”.

I was watching Gone With the Wind the other day and thought about Scarlet. She spends her youth playing on men’s affections and pretending to be a weak, helpless female to garner their attention. In reality, she is anything but a helpless female. She is calculating and cool. Much like her mother, she is the power behind the man. She could not marry a man she manipulates and love him because she does not respect that man. Through the book and the movie we see her grow as a person. She learns to not hide her strength from the men in her life. The one person she still manipulates with her feigned weakness is Ashley. Because of his Southern gentleman mentality he cannot resist coming to the aid of a female in distress. The one man who sees through her actions is Rhett. When he finally proposes to her he does so with a great line – “why don’t you try marrying for fun?” She laughs at him, “fiddle dee dee, fun for you, you mean.” But Rhett counters by telling her she married a boy and old man. Perhaps she should try marrying a man closer to her age. In Rhett she finally meets her match. They do love each other even though she still thinks she loves Ashley. That school-girl crush lingers. In every other area of her life she can handle anything. The falling of the South, the devastation of Tara. The death of her mother and father. Even the death of her daughter. She gets back up and continues to fight.

I may write historicals, but my heroines have more modern sensibilities. They are ahead of their time. They do not shy away from speaking their minds. They are not afraid to fight for what they want. They most definitely will fight for the people they love. When I write I think about women I admire. Women who were not afraid to go against the expected and fight for what they want. They were also not afraid to be soft and gentle when they wanted. I may be a Boss in many areas of my life, but I am also a Nurturer, the Seductress, and the Free Spirit. I can be the Librarian and the Crusader as well. The only person who has ever seen every aspect of me would be the hero in my life – my husband. After all, the only person the heroine is every comfortable showing all sides to would be the hero.

If you want to read a good book on the hero and heroine, look up this book by Cowden, LaFever, and Viders. You won’t be disappointed and then let me know – which heroine are you?

Show, Don't Tell

2011-05-06T19:04:00.001-07:00

Show, don’t tell is a mantra I have heard ever since I was young. Even as a child learning to write in a classroom I remember my teachers telling me “Show don’t tell”. As a child we are told to add adjectives to enrich our writing. So we add them – almost to the point of ad nauseum. For example we were told to write “The small white dog ate the dry brittle bone”. This is just adding adjectives. Not once do I show you what’s happening. All I am really doing is describing what I see but not really bringing it to life. So, how can I make this better? What exactly does it mean to show not tell? Time for a little exercise – I want you to show me, not tell me. Post your best way to show me the following statement in less than 400 characters:

The girl sat at her desk staring at the teacher.

Make me want to turn the page and read more. You have until Monday, May 9^th at midnight. I’ll announce the winner the next day. Good luck!

Four Months Later

2011-04-30T17:29:00.001-07:00

So, it's four months later and how are your goals coming along? I hope you have had some success with your goals. (remember we are not calling them New Year's resolutions – they are promises you made to yourself) My first goal was to attend one writer's meeting per month. So far, so good. I have not only made it to one a month, I even went twice one month. I even shared something during one of my meetings – I read a query letter I wrote. It needed work, but then I knew it would so I went with my eyes wide open and with full expectations of having to put some extra work into it.

My second goal was to submit to one contest per month. Also done. I have submitted to at least one contest per month. Most of the time, it was two contests and each contest I sent more than one novel in for judging. If you know me it's painful for me to let my babies out of my hands but I did it. To say I was nervous was putting it mildly. I was more than pleasantly surprised. Not only did I final for three of my manuscripts, but the other criticism sent my way was all wonderfully constructive. After reading what they wrote, I understood where they were coming from and was able to make changes that made my manuscripts even better. So they are off to the final judges. In the meantime, I am on track for May. I submitted to a contest for May – I sent 4 manuscripts. I figure if I send several, they have to like one of them.

Our next step is what to do next? How do we evaluate what we learned from the contests? Do we feel dejected by the comments? Do we feel buoyed by the positive reinforcements? Do we take it with a grain of salt? Do we disagree and feel they do not know what they are talking about? I look at it this way – each person who reads my manuscript is a potential reader. They may be buying my book in the future when it's on the shelf. I would rather they want to read more instead of thinking I do shoddy work. I want them hooked on that first page. At the end of the chapter, I want them dying to read more and unable to put it down. When they get to the end of my book I want them running to the bookstore or going online to buy the next book. When I read their comments, I listen. I am still true to my voice and my characters, but when it comes to mechanics and tension, I listen. When they tell me the characters need to be fleshed out more fully, I listen.

One of the things I did after reading comments was go to a site called editminion.com. One of the contest judges recommended it so I could check for passive voice. You plug in a section of your text and they will highlight different parts. For kicks I did just that. I copy and pasted a section of my text and saw the passive voice. Now that I see how many times I say "had" in my text I can become more conscious of it.

My new goal is to tighten my text. To make it more active and get rid of the passive voice wherever possible. This I can do each day when I finish writing and I edit my work.

Goals:

To write or edit every day
To submit to one contest per month
To attend one meeting per month
To get of passive voice in my manuscripts

Happy writing.

Vacation is good for the writing soul

2011-04-23T23:20:00.001-07:00

Sometimes you just need to take a break. A mental and a physical break from the writing. That's what I thought I was going to do. I packed my Kindle and went off on vacation. I downloaded several books, prepared myself for a week's worth of endless reading and thought "I am going to give my brain a break". It was a good thought. I'm sure many of you have done the same thing. I felt a need to recharge my batteries. A need to make sure I was on the right track with my book which is almost finished. I had never written a book with a ghost and dream travel before, so I wanted to be sure I was on the right track. So, with time away, I figured my head would clear and I would get a better picture of the story. I took a notebook along just in case I got some ideas to help me out.

My notebook and not my Kindle became my best friend on this vacation. Oh, I pulled out the Kindle several times, but each time I put it back away within minutes because my characters from my current novel were speaking far too loudly and far too clearly to be ignored. There I was on the plane, ready to take off and suddenly I had the urge to continue my story. How I wished I had brought my computer along but since I did not, I had to resort to the old fashioned way of writing – a notebook and pen. Before long, I had written 14 pages worth of notes to bring back with me. But I was far from finished. The next day as I sat on deck, soaking up the sun, I was hit with even more ideas and more notes of things I wanted to tweak when I got back. So, there I was writing again. Another ten pages of notes later I decided I should probably turn over so I wouldn't burn. Too late, my back was nice and toasty.

Pull out the aloe vera and get back to work.

Every chance I got I wrote down more notes. When I wasn't dancing or snorkeling I was writing. Before I went to bed every night I would pull out my notebook and write some more. I was truly inspired. Perhaps it was the Caribbean air that made me long to write. Perhaps it was not the lack of distractions – like television, children, a telephone. Or perhaps my mind was decluttered enough that it could focus on the story. Whatever the reason I relished every minute of it and let my mind just go.

Then something extraordinary occurred. I came up with another story. At first I thought it was going to be the next story in the series but before long I had completely outlined a different story. A story with paranormal elements. Now this was an area I had never dabbled in before, and yet it continued to just sail through me as if I knew exactly how to write it. I jotted down all the notes. I spent an entire day outlining this particular story. I don't even have names yet, but I have the story outlined from beginning to end as well as the main characters' GMCs. If I have learned anything over these past years it's to never doubt myself when inspiration strikes. Remember in an earlier post I mentioned inspiration comes in many forms? Well this time it came while I was cruising along the Caribbean.

The next day another story, just as strong as the other two became perfectly clear in my head. Another book in the Order series. One I had previously begun outlining only this time every detail was there. I knew the heroine and what motivated her. I finally knew what would motivate my hero. Once again, the details fell into place and I had no choice but to write them all down. Ten pages later, I understood the sexual tension as well as what would make them change their directions. I knew the climax and I knew the character's main arc. We have to take these moments when they come because if you are like me, they do not come all the time. Also, because life has a tendency to disrupt our writing in the most inconvenient way, we have to appreciate when life decides to hand these gems to us on a silver platter. This week, while floating around emerald and aquamarine seas, life decided to give me a boost.

Who am I to question inspiration?

Now I am home and it's time to take all those notes and put them into action. With my puppies by my side, my husband content to have me in the room with him, and my laptop on my lap, I am ready to tackle what comes next. Thank goodness I have a hero of my own who understands me and loves when I am inspired. If only you could see the smile on his face right now!!!

The Perfect Query Letter

2011-04-10T11:24:00.001-07:00

If you are like me you have pondered over the perfect query letter time and time again. Let me just start off by saying I am not an expert at query letters. If I was then I would have tons of requests. But like you, I need help. My writer's group is currently having a query night for one of our meetings. To say the least, just the thought of it made my teeth ache and my neck stiffen in horror. The dreaded query letter. Just how the heck was I going to put together a query letter that would work? Okay, maybe not necessarily work, but not suck? How is that? Perfectionist that I am when it comes to letting people read my work, I usually go over my stuff again and again until I let someone read it because I am afraid they will read it and say "What makes this chick think she can write?" I have written dozens of query letters over the years to editors and agents and sometimes I got requests and sometimes I did not. What was the magic formula? I have read may query letter books. How to Write Irresistible Query Letters by Lisa Collier Cool sits on my bookshelf, as does The Writer's Digest Guide to Query Letters by Wendy Burt-Thomas. I have gone over them with a fine tooth comb and analyzed my own query letters. Each time I was positive I had mastered the query letter, I wrote them and sent them off. Limited success. Okay, what was the problem? My writing? My letters? Not quite sure. Like you, I followed their guidelines but I'm still seeking publication.

Now we have the internet. There are even more resources for writing the best query letter out there. I think I may have finally struck gold with the perfect place to find information about query letters. Have you heard of The Query Shark? I recently discovered it by reading Bookends, Literary Agency's site. I have been going over the Query Shark's advice, reading each query and her advice to the authors. Wonderful advice. Some of it applies to me, other times it does not because the genre of writing is different, but the basic advice is always the same. You have to hook the agent or editor in those first few sentences. You need to use your voice and the voice of your characters to get across your novel. Writing bland, formulaic letters will not draw the attention of an agent or an editor. Just like your story must capture the attention of the reader within the first sentences, the same is true of the letter. Here's the main difference – you only have one page to get the job done in a query letter. In only 3 paragraphs you have to tell about your hero and heroine's journey, tell about the basic plot of the story and make it sound unique enough for them to be intrigued, and you must tell them about your writing experience. Easy, right? Nothing is harder for a novel writer than to condense their story into a few paragraphs.

My advice – talk to a friend. Tell someone about your book in just a few sentences and then ask them to be honest – would they pay for that book? If they pause, you're in trouble. Because if they pause, they are going to tell you yes, but they have to think about adding enthusiasm into their response. So, start with a hook – in only one sentence – tell them why your book is unique and they should read it. An example - With a warning of "will shoot on sight" which man would be foolish enough to approach her? Are you intrigued? Do you want to know what will happen? I would. So, now you have their attention, you have to keep it. Make every sentence sharp and to the point. Don't add in extra words. Cut them out. One piece of advice from the Query Shark that I loved was – once you think you have the perfect query, put it aside for one week. Pick it up and then fix it again. I love this advice because it is so true. How many times have you written something and thought it perfect? Then you reread it and went "what was I thinking?" Happens to me all the time. I always find something to fix. My next piece of advice, ask someone else to read your letter. Ask them if it's clear and understandable. Take their advice to heart. You may still want to keep most of it, but there may be some golden gems in their advice that will make perfect sense to you.

Okay, so I have given you my advice on what to do with your query letter. Now get to work on it. And check out The Query Shark. I found so much information I could use I know you will too. Most importantly, be honest with yourself. Even when you think it's perfect, there still might be something you can fix. Good luck. Tomorrow night I have to bring five copies of my query to my meeting and share with others. I'll let you know how it goes. Wish me luck.

Bunnies

2011-04-09T07:01:00.001-07:00

We have bunnies! Bunnies in a burrow in my backyard. One would think that with three dogs, rabbits would stay out of my yard, and most definitely would not build their burrows there, but they have. We found them quite by accident. We did, not the dogs. Albert, my poodle is always on alert and checking every inch of my yard, which for a city yard is quite large. Victoria is too busy looking pretty and sitting on the deck checking out her kingdom to care about bunnies. But Albert is always checking the area, like a good soldier, he looks for intruders. Fox is getting old, so he doesn't check it out as often any longer. I happened to see Albert standing guard one day over a patch of earth, so I went to investigate and low and behold – several small ears were peaking through grass and fur. Upon closer inspection, I saw the bunnies. Adorable.

Albert looked to me for approval. I have to say I was impressed because the dog has been known to kill rabbits that wander in my yard. He was like a proud papa watching over his babies. He goes outside every day to check on them. Of course, to be on the safe side, I go out there with him to make sure he doesn't eat them. They are defenseless and would not stand a chance. The bunnies only need a little more time to be able to hop off. But how wonderful that we have bunnies in our yard so close to Easter. It's a gift of Spring. New life and possibilities.

Spring signifies that start of warm weather, summer coming, and going outside. Just like you, I am looking forward to Spring. After being cooped up inside for months of cold weather, Spring is our chance to free ourselves of those horrible winter blues. The bunnies bring us hope. So, as I sit here, preparing to work on Ice Moon, I feel revitalized and prepared to write for the next several hours, knowing that Spring is here and soon it will be Summer. If you live in a cold weather locale like me, this is most definitely an inspiring time of year.

High Expectations - 2

2011-04-04T15:42:00.000-07:00

I am a finalist! That's right. I am a finalist in the Stroke of Midnight contest with Passionate Ink! To say I am beside myself with joy is putting it mildly. My husband said it is the best birthday present I could get. I could think of one better thing, but I won't mention it here.

Here I can see the results of high expectations. Hard work does pay off. In grand style if we are persistent. Remember my promise to myself after New Years? I wasn't going to make a resolution but a promise. My promise was to submit to one contest a month. I have done it. I have been on top of my game since I made that promise to myself. February - Stroke of Midnight; March - Touch of Magic, Duel on the Delta, the Sheila, and Romance through the Ages; April - Fool for Love and I'm in the process of entering one more.

Those of you who are reading my blog and are following my progress, I hope you are cheering in your seats because I am jumping up and down. I know it's merely a finalist position, but for me, this is huge! HUGE!

High Expectations

2011-04-03T14:31:00.001-07:00

Do you have high expectations? I do. Or at least I am always told my expectations are high. Usually too high for others to attain. I have been told more times than I can count that I cannot expect others to do what I do, or achieve what I want them to achieve because my expectations are too high. If I lower my expectations then life will surprise me instead of disappointing me. I ask this – if I have already lowered my expectations – haven't I already disappointed myself?

I love the month of April and not just because my birthday is in April. I love the way the Earth renews itself in the month of April – at least in North America. I know in different parts of the world, their Spring comes in different months. For me, April is a time to reawaken the senses. Whatever we put to sleep during the winter, whether it is our desire to exercise or our need for sunshine, suddenly when April rolls around, we are suddenly overcome with an urging to go outside. To spend time breathing in the fresh air and letting our hair down. We want to go for long walks again. We take our dogs out and watch them frolic in the new grass as it sprouts in our yards. We see the tulips and other perennials as they pop through the once cold ground. It always bring to mind Easter egg hunts with my kids, where we loaded up the backyard with eggs of purple, pink, yellow, green and blue for them to find. Many times, they were wide in the open (for the younger ones to find) and hidden beneath pots or plants for the older ones. I can hear their laughter as they run about the yard and discover their eggs, plopping them into their baskets and then running to show me their treasures.

Spring is also a time to renew my spirit. After being cooped up all winter long with my laptop sitting on my lap and a blanket wrapped around my toes, I can set up my deck furniture and take everything outside. I am inspired by the fresh air and the blue clouds. I was reading an article in the RWR about working space and how we create it. What inspires us to work better. For many of us, it depends. We need that one space to call our own. The space where once family members see us there, they know not to bother us. For others, our workspace is portable. A laptop we can take anywhere allows us the freedom to use the inspiration around us. My workspace has been portable for many years. I take my laptop to basketball practices, softball games, poolside, and even waiting in the doctor's office. Someone once commented on how I was able to shut out the rest of the world and all its interruptions and focus on what was in front of me. If you are a writer, you know exactly what I am talking about – we learn to focus. We learn to shut out the rest of the world.

Why do we do this? We have expectations. In many cases, our expectations are higher than other people's because we want to be published someday. We want to finish our stories. We don't want to wait until we get home to do this. We will do it wherever we find the time and the small space to do it. We are not good at accepting what life has given us. We want more. Yes, our expectations are higher. We will work a full day and then come home and write until our eyes are so blurry we cannot see the words on the page or until our heads are drooping at the computer. Which is why we often do have high expectations of others around us. We think – "Hey, if I can do all of this, why can't you get the dishes done for me?"

Not unreasonable expectations I think. But then, others do not think like we do. They want to come home, put their feet up and veg out in front of the tv or the video game. They do not want to think about making dinner, doing dishes, throwing in a load of wash, or taking the kids to their myriad of activities. That is our job. After all we took on the responsibility of being a mother the day we allowed a man to inseminate us, right? LOL Sorry, I had to include that, because you know that is exactly what a man is thinking.

Years ago, the reasonable expectation for a woman was to have children and raise them. To do nothing else. Then, after WWII and women joined the workforce in great numbers, the men were away fighting, they learned that women could not only work a full-time job, but raise a family at the same time. And women learned they could do more than just cook dinner for their husbands and keep a clean house. And they realized they wanted to do more. They felt empowered (high expectations). Suddenly, more women were going into the workforce and doing everything, while men were still only expected to go to work, bring home a paycheck and sit and watch tv when they came home. Now, when women start asking them to do more, they say our expectations are too high. (Not mine, mine is a liberated man who helps out. I know, I wonder where I found him as well. Sorry, I'm not sharing. Twenty five years and going strong, ladies.).

So, are my expectations too high of other people? Yes they are. Too bad. I like where I am and I like what I do and yes, I do expect others to give 100% or more because if I can do it and still get all of this done, then so can they. Too bad. I don't think we should have to apologize because others are too lazy to pull their weight in this world of ours. But, alas, I don't think others will agree with me. If my high expectations help me write one more novel or help me on my road to being published, then it is all worth it. So, what in the world does Spring have to do with high expectations? It's time to dust off those expectations, the ones that were dormant all winter long and bring them out. Time to send out the novels we worked on over the winter when we couldn't go outside. They are ready to blossom. We are ready to blossom. Most of all, we are ready to let those expectations take us right to the editor's desk and wow them with our insight and beautiful prose. We are ready to let them world know – I am a writer and I am worth reading.

Immersion

2011-04-01T14:35:00.001-07:00

I was watching the movie "Eat, Pray, Love" and came to a particular scene that made me pause. Julia Roberts has arrived in Italy, rented a room, and is preparing to enter the city armed with a map. She is at a crossroads, not just in the city, but in her life. There she stands, the map in her hand, the wind blowing through her hair and brushing it away with her fingers. She gazes down one long street to another, the immense loneliness swallowing her up as she tries to figure out where to go next. As she enters the coffee shop to order a cappuccino, she is surrounded by dozens of customers, all shouting out their orders and she just does not know what to do. Immersion.

She needs to totally immerse herself in the culture in order to understand it fully. Not only must she travel the country to learn more about herself, but she needs to become one with the people. She cannot be who she is, because she does not fit in there. She is not Italian. She is a tourist. She looks like a tourist. She acts like a tourist. In order for the people to accept her, she must become like them. She must learn to like what they like. She must become acclimated to their culture and their way of life. As she moves on with her life, traveling to India and then to Bali, the same changes must come over her. Each time she moves on, she needs to learn about herself. At each place she still doesn't know who she is. She thinks she will find the answer in each place she goes, but the answer is not at the places she visits, but inside her. It is not until she learns to immerse herself in each culture that she can figure out what her purpose in life truly is. Her anger with others resonates when she meets the man in India. I love when the man tells her the meditation room is within her.

If she cannot master her thoughts, then she is in trouble. Wow! What an eye-opening sentence. As writers, we must learn to immerse ourselves in other people's lives. Unfortunately, we cannot do that unless we open ourselves up. We must learn about ourselves in order to go into depth with our characters. How can our characters truly become alive, if we are not alive ourselves? So, we work on our craft, because we think that is the answer, but in reality, the answer lies within us. We must be true to ourselves and the person we are, in order to make something of ourselves in publishing. The woman thinks she needs to shed all the people in her life in order to be happy – to find that inner peace. For some people, they need that solitude in order to better understand themselves. For others, they need to be surrounded by the people who truly love and understand in order to find that solitude.

Immersion. What do you need to immerse yourself in so you can find that inner peace to write and become the person you need to be? The person you are meant to be? Are you meant to be a published author? Are you meant to be a leader in your community? What is your path in life? Are you so focused on just getting by, that you forgot how to immerse yourself in that inner peace that makes those day-to-day activities meaningful? Shake them off. Shake off the responsibilities. Shake off the shackles that have been keeping you fettered to the way of life that you have forced upon yourself because you think it is what you are meant to do. Now, what do you really want?

I want to go back to Paris. Why Paris you ask? I want to return to Paris, because I found inner peace there. I have been many places in my life, but I have always yearned to see Paris. Ever since I was small, I wanted to see the Eiffel Tower and the other beauties of Paris. It was like Paris was always calling out to me. So, I finally went to Paris last year. Was it as wonderful as I imagined? It was better. Total immersion. By myself, I arrived in Paris, and scared like hell, I had to navigate the city on my own. I found my hotel, I spoke French to the people. I ordered my own dinner and went to see the Eiffel Tower. I was so totally at peace when I was there. I felt like I had gone back in time and I belonged there. I walked along the Champs-Elysees and knew this was where I was meant to be at that time in my life. I could not wait to call my husband and tell him about it. I missed him, but I was where I was supposed to be.

I have felt this way before. I felt like this in New Orleans when I visited the plantation homes. When I was in Charleston and wandered the open fields of the homes built over 200 years ago. Most of the time, I feel at peace when I write. Writing is the most peaceful place in the world for me. I feel at touch with my inner self. I know this is where I am meant to be. Writing. So, I immerse myself in writing every day. It helps center me. It brings me peace. It keeps me in touch with a part of myself that no one truly understands except other writers.

So, immerse yourself in what makes you feel at peace.

Favorite Books

2011-03-27T11:40:00.001-07:00

We all have our favorite books. The ones we treasure, we keep, and we reread over and over again. Different books have different meanings for us. For me, my first historical writers made me salivate for the next one in the series. I cut my teeth on Rosemary Rogers years ago. We all remember Sweet Savage Love. The heroine, Ginny Brandon and the hero, Steve Morgan, left us begging for more. I remember "borrowing" my mother's books and reading them secretly in my room and then putting them back so she wouldn't notice I had taken them. I was hooked. I would go to the library and scour the shelves for more, hiding them in my bookbag so I could read them without my dad calling them "smut novels" and forbidding me to read them.

While looking over the shelves, I discovered other gems – Kathleen Woodiwiss. Ashes in the Wind blew me away and reminded me of Gone With the Wind with its sweeping scope and feel. My favorite Kathleen Woodiwiss novel was Rose in Winter. We feel the plight of Erienne as her father auctions her off to Christopher Seton, and we are enthralled as they learn to love each other. A classic Beauty and the Beast story with a charming twist. Another of my favorite authors at a young age was Johanna Lindsey. If I'm not mistaken, her books made Fabio famous because it was his face we saw on the cover of her books.

Through these authors, I learned to love history more. I became enamored of the finer details of writing a historical novel and knew this was what I wanted to write. My first novel was a contemporary, but soon I found I loved the historical voice and found my niche. So, tell me who you like. Who inspired you to write romance novels? What books did you sneak and read so your parents would not notice?

Job vs. Hobby

2011-03-20T12:11:00.001-07:00

When does writing move from being a hobby to being a job? Is it when you receive that first check? Does it truly take until you get that check in your hands to consider what you do every single day a job? Think about it. When you put down your job on the 1040 form – do you list your job as writer? Or do many of you still list your day job because that's where you get your income from? And think about it – for many writers, the number of hours they pour into this "hobby" is often times equal or more than the hours they put into their day job. And yet many of us do not get paid for it. So I ask again, is it a job or is it a hobby?

Let's dissect this "hobby" of yours. You wake up every morning and, before you leave for your day job, you log on to your computer and work on your WIP (that's work in progress for any newbies out there). You head off to your job. If you ride public transportation, you bring your WIP along with you. You pour over the pages either on your computer or printed out versions and edit during the commute to your paying job. Sometimes you even do some actual writing during the journey. Then you tuck the pages away while you are at the paying job and wait until you have a break at work, whether it's a lunch break or it's a brief break, and you hurriedly pull out your WIP and polish it a bit more. You have to because while you were doing your paying job, the voices of your characters were frantically whispering in your ear to do something. Unable to ignore them any longer, you make any necessary changes or jot down notes so you don't forget them. Then you make a note to work on those points later on. The clock strikes five (or whatever time you finish your paying job) and you leave to go home, your head filled with tons of revisions.

On the way home, you do a bit more polishing, note-taking, or actual writing. For those of you who must drive to and from work every day, your brain is working on what to do when you get there. I know, because I am one of you. I drive to and from work every day and cannot help but think about my book during my journey. I miss those days when I could ride on the train and scribble notes on my legal pad while I commuted. But, I transgress. At last you make it home.

If you have children, you are doing the mom/dad thing – taking them to practices, recitals, games, etc. With your trusty computer or notebook by your side, you are working on your book. You have to – you are a writer!!!! Ah, see, how it fits into your life. You look up periodically while your child is playing and watch them. You cannot in good conscience not pay attention to your child, no matter how much your book and its characters are shouting for attention. After all – your real children need you. The book can wait until later. But we forget that our books are like our children too – demanding attention at the most inopportune times. They must be fed. They must be played with. They must be listened to. If you ignore them, they drive you crazy with their voices.

So now you have finished doing the mom/dad thing. You are finally home. The children are fed, maybe doing homework or watching tv and you have some quiet time. But it's not really quiet time. Remember those voices? They are still there, only now they are more insistent and begging for attention. What do you do? You do what any good self-respecting author would do – you pull out the computer or notebook and begin to work on that WIP. Children are tucked into bed, spouse is busy watching tv or snoozing next to you and you have your laptop on your lap and you are writing. Why? Because you are a writer!!! Doing what everyone else calls your "hobby". You work until your eyes can no longer stay open. You work until something else in your life interrupts.

You finish your WIP. What do you do now? You are a writer. This is not just a hobby to you. Oh, you don't get paid for it. Not in money. At least not yet. But you will. The question remains – how do you get that beautiful finished manuscript into the hands of people who understand your pain? Time for submissions. So, you spend money on mailings, contest entries, paper, ink, stamps, computer programs, and internet. You pay for a website. You purchase books on publishing and writing. You join writers' groups and attend workshops. How do you do this if you are not getting paid by this "hobby"? Of course, like the rest of us suffering writers, you use the money from your day job to pay for all of this. Why? Because it's your job? Because it's just a hobby? There are plenty of hobbies out there that cost money. If you drove race cars for a hobby, just imagine the cost! This is cheap compared to that. If you were into scrap-booking, it would cost you a fortune too. I've been to the craft stores – that stuff is expensive when it adds up. No more than what we do. Trust me!

You do it because it's not just a hobby. You write because you are a writer. You toil over those pages because it is something you love far more than the day job. Unfortunately, it doesn't pay very much when you are starting out. It's like opening your own business. There is a lot of start-up cost, and if you are lucky, it will take off, but in the meantime, be prepared to dump a lot of your income from your other job into it until you can make a profit. Of course making a profit means you have sold a book. Not just one book – but many books. Ask any published author and they will tell you it took them a long time to break even. To even be able to leave the day job before they could rely mainly on the income from selling their books as a living.

Next time someone tells you "it's just a hobby", laugh. You know the truth. They just do not understand the special relationship writers have with their WIPs. Continue to find other writers to hang out with, to talk to about your writing. Attend workshops and critique meetings. Do all those things that bring joy into your life because you are a writer, and like other writers I know, you need to be around people like you. You need to remember you are not in this alone. We all suffer from the misunderstandings of people in the rest of the world you do not hear these voices. Enjoy this "hobby", because one day, when the checks do start coming in, you will be the one laughing – all the way to the bank – because for them – their hobbies won't bring them a paycheck.

The Power of Rejection

2011-03-12T18:00:00.001-08:00

As a writer, the one thing we all learn to handle is rejection. The power rejection has depends on us as individuals. Are you going to let a rejection keep you from going for your dream? Or are you going to learn from this rejection? This depends on each person. I am a firm believer that rejection has the power you give it. Words have power. The written word always has more power than the spoken word because you can read it again and again. So when you read and reread a rejection letter, it doesn't just hurt once, it hurts each time you read it.

My rejections. I have a more than my fair share of rejection letters. How did I handle those rejections? My first book I sent to an agent, who signed me up right away. I think they saw sucker written all over my letter. When they asked for money, I didn't know not to send it. I thought they were doing their job. After one year and no results, they wanted more money. I wanted my manuscript back. I hired a lawyer to get them back because the agent didn't want to give it back. Then the auspicious job of sending out my manuscript fell on my shoulders. I sent it out again and again. I kept a careful chart of who I mailed it to and what the result was. While I sent it out, I wrote another manuscript. Then I sent that one out too.

I kept getting rejections, but had no idea why. I made a decision after the first painful rejection. I would resend it the next day, no matter what. That way, I knew my manuscript was always out there. Then one day I got a letter from a very nice editor, Denise Little, who recommended I join a local critique group. I wrote back and asked her how to find one and she recommended Romance Writers of America. What a revelation! I joined a local chapter and started to learn what was wrong with that first manuscript.

Learning the craft was important to me in so many ways. The first thing I learned about my manuscript was that it needed POV, point of view. I was a head hopper. Everyone in the book had something to say and think. Far too confusing for my reader. So, I worked on the POV and resent my manuscript. Still rejected. Okay, what was the problem this time? Then I started attending workshops and conferences and learned about GMC – goal, motivation, and conflict. Once again, I started revising my manuscript and sending it out again. Some writers seem to write effortlessly – writing the perfect novel and getting published. Others seem to toil endlessly on their manuscripts because the process takes longer. It reminds of when I was in school. A fellow student seemed to have no problem getting straight As, while I had to study all the time. Learning the craft was just like when I was in school. In order to do well in school, I had to continue to learn. I had to try different methods until I found what worked for me. The same is true with my books. The stories are there. They never leave me. I have more stories than I know what to do with floating around in my brain. But, honing my craft so I can become published and share these stories with the world is a dream worth fighting for. A dream worth learning properly. Sometimes the true worth of reaching a dream is the process or path you take to reach it.

Instead of letting a rejection letter stop me from reaching my goal, I am determined to learn from my mistakes. What are you going to do with your rejection? Are you going to let it stop you from becoming published or are you going to learn from it and make your manuscript better? The power is in your hands. Or should I say "words".

Dialogue – I’ve got something to say

2011-03-04T18:45:00.001-08:00

How many of you saw "The King's Speech"? What a wonderful movie with fantastic dialogue. One of my favorite lines is "Because I have a voice". When Lionel Logue is trying to get Bertie to agree to working with him and why it's important that he say what he wants, the soon-to-be-king blurts out "because I have a voice!" So gloriously spoken by Colin Firth as the future king of England.

We have a voice and we all have something to say. But we also say it in different ways. Think about your characters and how you depict them. What they say in the story is just as important as what they do. Many times it's the combination of what they say and do at the same time because sometimes the two can be conflicting. When your heroine pines for the hero but is afraid to speak to him, we get a sense of her character, just like if heroine seduces the hero, but claims to not really be interested in him. When we were growing up we were always told – actions speak louder than words. When it comes to writing – you have to build believable characters so the reader feels the character would truly say "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn" or "Rhett, if you go, where shall I go? What shall I do?" If you have built characters that make the reader feel along with them, then it's not hard for us to see Rhett walk out the door after having laid his heart bare for Scarlet. Just like we can see Scarlet's development into a mature woman when she realizes she truly does love him to say ask him what she will do.

Do your characters ring true or are they saying things that you want them to say, but are against their nature?

Whenever I am writing a story, there comes a point when the characters speak to me. It's that voice inside your head that says "I wouldn't do that" or "I wouldn't say that". Sometimes it doesn't happen until later that night when I'm sleeping. I'll be peacefully dreaming when all of a sudden I hear that little voice trying to wake me and correct some bad dialogue. Dialogue I probably struggled to write. You know exactly what I'm talking about – you get to a scene – you can see it in your mind and you begin to write it. Unfortunately, you know what I am going to say – the scene just doesn't ring true, but it's what you WANT the character to do. So, you force the character to say and do what you want them to do. Then, you go to bed or off shopping or whatever else you do when you take a break from your writing. Suddenly that voice starts whispering in your ear. "Excuse me, remember me? I'm your hero? I want to talk to you about that scene."

At first you try to ignore it because you just slaved over that scene. Maybe it took you hours to write it and you really hate to cut it out when you worked so hard on it. So you ignore the voice. But this voice will not be ignored. After all – just like Bertie said – I have a voice! Your characters have voices and they demand to be heard. You gave them life so now that are living and breathing inside this world you created, you cannot just ignore them and make them be good when they don't want to be good. Or worse – you want them to do something bad and they cluck their tongues at you and say "Oh, no, I would NEVER do that!"

You hate when this happens. But just like your own children – once you bring them into this world, you cannot suddenly silence them. They have a voice and they want to be heard. So, if this happens, rewrite. Rewrite with all the love you give your own children. We all know that each novel we write is like a child to us. Do not ignore them. When we ignore our children, something bad always happens. The same is true with your books – if you ignore your characters, the book will not become what it's meant to become.

Now, let's address your book. It's your voice. The voice you want to be heard. When you write a book, you are putting your thoughts and feelings down on paper. Nothing is more powerful than when someone reads what you wrote and says "YES! I feel that way too!" This is the type of connection you want your readers to have to your writing! So, the moral or message I'm trying to get across is – let your voice out! Listen to what your inner voice says and let it out!

How to Reel Them In

2011-02-26T21:18:00.001-08:00

First impressions are more important than people agree. I was shopping with my son today for new clothes. He said something very interesting for a teenager. His words – a person decides what you are like within the first 8 seconds of meeting. From there, it is up to you to either change or support this first impression. Very perceptive for a teenager. Teenagers are very intuned to their personal identity when it comes to their clothing. They attire themselves in clothes which make them conform to other teenagers so they feel like they fit in. Of course, there are the teenagers who decide to buck against the norm in order to find their way and stand out from the others. In many cases, these teenagers are also trying to figure out where they fit into the world because they know they do not fit in with everyone else.

So what does a first impression have to do with writing?

If you think about it, first impressions have everything to do with writing. In those first paragraphs, the reader decides whether or not they like the book. If they do not like what they read during those first pages, they will stop reading. Just like a person will not pursue a relationship with a person if they are not impressed by the other person's appearance. The first paragraphs or pages are the clothing of your book. You have to take special care to dress the characters, setting, and plot in such a way as to entice the reader. To excite the reader to want to make a personal connection with the book. Think about this – the books you truly love capture your attention in those first pages. We know it as "the hook". If you can hook the reader in those first words, paragraphs, and pages, then they will read the rest of your book.

So, let's think about the beginning of your book as a set of clothing. What makes up the clothing? Your words.

If you're writing a historical, you open with the year and the location. Think about the number of times you have been to a bookstore. You look at the cover. Are you intrigued enough to open the book? Just like when you are looking at a member of the opposite sex. You see them across the room. Do you want to introduce yourself to them? Do they have the compatible features you are looking for in a partner? The same is true for a book. Think about book covers of today. No more do we have the bodice rippers romance novels became famous for, so today, often there are inanimate objects to allow you to make your own images of the hero and heroine. If there is a picture, many times the faces are nondescript to still allow you to imagine the characters on your own. Then you read the back cover. The blurb on the back further entices you. If you are intrigued by the hero and heroine's GMC, you are now hooked.

So, can you reel them in? Not just yet.

Why not?

In order to reel in the reader, you need to dress up the first chapter. Build a world so intriguing the person cannot put down the book. Develop your character's traits that make you swoon for the hero and sympathize with the heroine. Do you prefer your hero to look like George Clooney or David Boreanaz? Is he elegantly charming or roguishly handsome? Will his smile melt your heart or will the width of his shoulders make you shiver with desire? All of these things must come through in those first pages in order for you to want to read on. Now, think about the dialogue. The character's personality must come through their dialogue. This helps elaborate on the character's personality. Does he joke or is he serious? Is he perceptive or is he playfully dense? Think about clothing again – all of these traits are like the shirt, pants, and accessories that create that final image of the characters you will fall in love with.

Finally, put all of this together. Create the perfect person. The one person in the world who will walk into a room and make you melt on the spot. That's what a great book will do. You create a relationship with this book. You remember this book. This book becomes your favorite. The book you pick up again and again. Just like the person you want to have a relationship with, the book is the same way. You lovingly maintain this book. You keep it on your bookshelves to read whenever you need to feel connected again. This is the goal of every writer – to create a book that is so memorable, the reader tells everyone about it, keeps it close by, and never, ever lets it go.

In this day and age of eReaders, we all have those books that remain on our shelves. The classic books we read again and again. When you write the book of your dreams, remember you're also writing the book of someone else's dreams.

Where Setting is King (or Queen)

2011-02-19T16:52:00.001-08:00

Setting has a life of its own. It's true. Think of your favorite movies and books. The ones you love have rich, textured settings. They draw you into their fantasy worlds and make you feel like you are part of it. I am a huge movie buff and with the Academy Awards coming, I am reminded how important setting is to making a movie work or fail. Let's take our favorite movies. One of mine – Gone With the Wind – is also one of my favorite books - would not have been as successful if they had filmed it the same way as many of the previous movies of the 1930s. It needed the scope of color and the huge backdrop of the plantation home to make you believe it. Could you imagine what Scarlet and her sisters were feeling if you did not drive up that tree-lined lane to Twelve Oaks, or be swept away by the wide staircase as she saw Rhett Butler at the bottom? You wouldn't. When you see the devastation of the South through Scarlet's eyes when she's going to train station to look for Dr. Meade, you feel her anguish and pain. Now imagine the movie was filmed in black and white without the benefit of such attention to detail. Gone With the Wind would have been just another movie that year and might not have won all those awards. Of course this is just speculation, but I think you agree.

Let's look at more contemporary movies like The Matrix. Here an entire world is created that is inside another world. A world within computers where connections are made and manipulated. Where humans were fighting to regain control of their world from the machines. The machines look like insidious spiders or octopus as they fly through the air attacking the humans. When Neo is fighting with Mr. Smith in their final battle scene, we see the battle as it occurring. And when Neo goes to see the machines and is carried by the electrical circuits, we envision it. A more recent movie – Tron – attempts to do the same thing. Another world entirely is created in a video game, but the humans are sucked into this world by beings created by the humans. In order to control the world beyond theirs, they have to trick the humans to come into their world. We are mesmerized by the setting as it lights up, by the vehicles as they fly across the screen and decimate all around them. The grittiness of the human world is also evident when the hero goes to the abandoned video arcade in search of his father. Just like in The Matrix, we see the rough edges of the human world in comparison to the world created by the machines.

The set director must take what is written and create a visual world. If the set director for "Lord of the Rings" or "Harry Potter" had not succeeded, we would never have been able to envision the world of hobbits or the world of Hogwarts. Here, the connection between the movie and the book are key. In order for the reader to appreciate the movie, there has to be the same attention to detail. Purists will always argue it wasn't what they saw when they read the book, yet most of us are fully capable of suspending disbelief long enough to realize how much went into creating these worlds. Finding the appropriate locations to film, or building the sets exactly as the mind's eye has seen it.

So, let's get back to our books. Setting as an integral part of the story. In real estate location is key. In books, the same is true. If you write historical novels, you know how important it is to be true to the time period. To have your characters walk and talk as they did all those years ago. But what good does that do you if your character does not sit on the proper sofa. If you have them sit on a Chippendale chair but Chippendale hadn't lived yet, there's a problem. If you wish to have your heroine sip from a Wedgewood teacup you better do your homework.

In order for a writer to be successful in building this imaginary world, he/she must be an architect, an art connoisseur, a fashion designer, a hair dresser, a set director, and even a voice coach. So many of these talents must come into play to create the perfect setting. How do you describe the room where your characters are sitting and enjoying tea? How do you describe the estate as your character sees it for the first time? You must utilize all of your senses and pretend you are the main character seeing it. Will it make your heart race? Your hands sweat? Your eyes tear? Will you freeze in terror? Will you shrink back in fear? As the author you must analyze all these feelings and sensations and be able to put them to paper so the reader can feel it at the same time.

Using one of my own books – The Perfect Curse – we can get a glimpse into Baron Michael Lanier's world the night he first meets our heroine, Cara –

Michael swiped water from his brow as he directed his steed toward the road. The water sluiced over his shoulders as another bolt lit up the liquid darkness. The twisted trees stretched their crooked arms into the night creating a macabre display of characters to keep him company. The sudden thunder set Sagramour on edge and the horse shied a few steps backwards and snorted two mighty blasts from its flared nostrils. Michael patted its sleek neck in reassurance. "Easy, boy, it could be a long night."

As Sagramour plodded over the uneven mud pit which once was the road, the sound of screeching brakes and horses' whinnies interrupted the pelting rain.

"Blazes." Michael stood in the stirrups to get a better view of the darkened road. Just beyond a felled tree, the splintered shards jutting into the air like broken bones, two matched bays bucked and a tipped-over brougham, one wheel gone, another spinning madly, lay in a ditch.

We can sense Michael's world through his own eyes. We sense the dreariness of the night and the gloom surrounding him as he sits on his horse. Are we drawn in? Do we want to know what Michael sees inside that upturned carriage? As the author, I certainly hope so. This is what we strive for – drawing in our readers until they beg for more. This is not possible if setting were not important to the story. Many say setting is another character. Very true. But keep in mind, not only is it like another character, it's more like the air around the main characters. If you do not create the proper setting, your characters are flat and without a richness to make them believable.

Your Bucket List

2011-02-15T18:05:00.001-08:00

So, what is on your bucket list? I saw an ad for places to put on your Chicago bucket list. If you remember the movie that came out a few years ago with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson, it involved two men who were dying and became good friends. They created a bucket list of things they wanted to do before they kicked the bucket. Interesting premise and, ever since then people have been mentioning their bucket lists.

For every writer I know, the one item we all have in common on our list – to become published. Seems easy enough, doesn't it? For those of you who are not writers, it's not as easy as it seems. Oh, there's always the success story of the person who wrote their first novel and sold it right away becoming an overnight sensation. For most writers, publishing does not happen that way. Most of us toil away on novel after novel, sending them out to overworked editors who must read through a slush pile that is taller than most NBA players before finding the one golden nugget that is going to become the next best seller. And even then, it doesn't always happen that way. So, how do we make that one dream on our bucket list come true?

Perseverance.

Now, let's get back to your bucket list. If you don't have one, make one. Why? Because it makes your life more interesting and fun to have a goal in mind. A seemingly unattainable goal you have always wanted. Shoot for this goal. One of my dreams was to see Paris some day. Last year, through the help of one of my daughters I was able to achieve that dream. She had a voucher for an airline ticket that pretty much paid for the entire ticket to Paris. She was worried I would never go if she didn't do this, so I went. One year ago, I flew to Paris and saw all the places I dreamed about. It was probably the most memorable experience of my life.

I asked several of my friends what was on their bucket lists. Many of you mentioned traveling to places like the Greek Isles, Italy, Hawaii, or a Disney cruise with a special someone. Others included activities like skiing, sky-diving, taking up karate, going to the Super Bowl or an All-Star game. What I found interesting about all of these dreams is that each one is attainable. When we first place a dream on this list, we think "well, if I have time, I want to do this. Or if I have the money, I'll do this someday". The problem is that someday doesn't always come. We have to make these things happen. Pick one thing each year and save toward it. Either put the money aside, or the time, and really work toward that one thing. Doesn't seem so unattainable any longer, does it?

Make a plan. Go ahead. Make a plan. Look up the one thing you want the most. Search the internet for what it would cost both in time and money. Now, let's start with the money part. Divide the amount evenly over a certain period of time – making sure the money you need to save toward it is feasible in your budget. Next, see how long it will take you to save that money. Okay, now you have a timeline. Mark a date on your calendar and stick to it. Put the money aside each month, not touching it for anything else. Basically pretend the money doesn't exist. That way, you won't miss it and you won't remember you have it. Until it comes time to pay for that one thing you want to do on your list.

Don't feel guilty. This is a very important part of making your bucket list and sticking to it. Do not feel guilty. Repeat after me – I will not feel guilty. Why? Because the bills will still be there. The children will still be there. The problems will still be there. But for that one moment in time – when you are experiencing the thrill of a lifetime by going after this one thing on your list – you can forget all those problems. (not the kids, because they are a blessing). When you return to your normal life, you will walk a little lighter. You'll have a smile on your face that no one can take away. Most importantly, you can add something else to your list.

So, what is on my bucket list if I already saw Paris? England. I want to see Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, Whitehall, St. James Place, Buckingham Palace, Kensington Palace, and all the other places I have only seen in pictures but include in my books. I want to walk through history and feel it vibrate through my being. I want to close my eyes while I'm in those buildings and imagine what it must have been like to live during that time. I want to tour the countryside and head into Scotland.

And of course, like all my writer friends, I want to be published. So, there you have it – a bucket list. Let me know what's on yours and how you are going to achieve it.

How to Develop Character

2011-02-11T20:35:00.001-08:00

Character. We all have character, but how do we develop character? In our stories, character development is an art. From the moment your character appears on the scene, the reader is either captivated by the picture you've drawn, or they put the book down because they have made no connection. Just like with art, the audience for a character differs. Some people are drawn to the tortured hero in need of salvation, while others prefer the charming rogue with the witty tongue but deep secret. The job of the writer is to draw the character so well in that first scene that the reader cannot help but want to know more.

Think about it. As writers we work on the "hook" to pull the reader in. The one line to make us go "Wow! I want to know what happens next!" An amazing opening line will only take the reader so far. What can an author do to create a character with character? You can read books about character descriptions. Do an in-depth character description before you even begin writing a word of the novel. Some authors do this.

Outline ahead of time: Start with the physical description – from hair and eye color to height, weight, and special features that distinguish your hero/heroine from the other characters. Here's an example of how I jotted down notes on Nina Wellbourne from Midnight Moon
- Nina is average height, with an athletic body because she rides every day, practices archery, and is an expert shot. Living in the Lowlands, she has been able to run free as she sees fit. She also does not wear the usual attire of a lady of court. Her hair is the color of sunshine - golden and she wears it in a long braid that cascades down her back. When it is undone, it curls softly about her oval face that has a smattering of freckles across her nose from being outside. Women in society would scream to have freckles. Her eyes are the color of midnight - black, but they dazzle when she smiles. She has curves that would make any man swoon, but she does not flaunt her features as many women do.

By taking the time to jot down Nina's description ahead of time, when I add a part of her appearance into the book, I can borrow from my notes. When Powell sees Nina for the first time, he may comment about one or two of the features which attract him. The next time he sees her, he might comment on another. Or perhaps when he is alone, a part of her anatomy will spark a reaction. The most important thing is keeping her features and actions true to the picture you have created in your mind. How your hero/heroine is first seen by others in your story is the same way the reader first sees them. If they are seen favorably by another character, then the reader will absorb those good feelings and have a favorable first impression.

First Impressions: We have all heard first impressions can make or break a relationship. We are visual creatures. When we meet someone for the first time, no matter how much we declare appearances do not matter, they have an effect on us. Tonight, I'm watching "A Year of Living Dangerously" with Mel Gibson. When he first appears on the scene, we cannot help but be drawn into his crystalline blue eyes, but the sophistication of his bearing as he strides across the crowded street amidst the harried reporters who jostle for position. If a writer does his job well, they you have envisioned this and long to know more about him. Were you intrigued by the description? I hope so, but chances are you already have a picture of Mel Gibson in your mind, so it's easy to picture what I said. Unfortunately when writing a historical novel, you cannot say your hero looks like Mel Gibson or Chris Pine. You need to use the right adjectives and comparisons to create a vision.

Beyond What the Eye Sees: We all know the saying "Beauty is only skin deep" follows us next. Now our mind's eye has been drawn to the hero/heroine so it's time to intrigue the reader with feelings, emotions, deep dark secrets that motivate our characters. Remember that outline? If we have done our research on the hero/heroine well, then we already know their back-story. Why does Nina live outside London society? What happened to make her keep men at 100 feet or more? Something happened to shape her convictions. As a reader, we want to delve into it further. As a writer, we must make it convincing without being maudlin, but most importantly, we must make the hero care about her enough to fall in love and take that chance she won't return his love. Nina Wellbourne
- age 26. She is the fifth child and twin to Ronald. Her real name is Rowena, but has been called Nina since a child because her older siblings gave her this nickname. When she was 17, she made her debut into society and fell under the charms of an earl. She gave herself to him and became pregnant. Her family hid the pregnancy and had her swept away to have the child at a family home in the Lowlands of Scotland. If I tell you more, I'll spoil the story, but as an author, I hope you are intrigued enough to want to know what happens to our heroine.

Family Connections: "Who we are, is what we are, and what we are is who we are". Ever hear that? We do not exist in a vacuum. We are shaped by our family history. The hero/heroine's parents and their relationship shape how he/she feels about the opposite sex. Brothers, sisters, and other family members and how they are treated also play an important role in the character development. Sometimes family members can be integral parts of the story because of how they interact with the character. And they must interact; even if the hero/heroine has no living family members, the surrogate family members serve the same purpose. They can give a depth of understanding into the character's GMC (goal, motivation, and conflict) that propel them toward future relationships with the other main character.

So, I hope I have given you enough to contemplate. Of course, this mini-lesson character development is far from over. Think of it as a teaser of things to come. Have a great night and happy writing.

The Phantom of the Opera

2011-02-06T19:13:00.001-08:00

One of my all-time favorite movies is The Phantom of the Opera with Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, and Patrick Wilson. I can readily admit I had never seen the play or read the book before seeing this movie. Within the first week of seeing the movie, I saw it ten (10) times. That's right, ten times. I adored the movie. Gerard Butler as the Phantom was tortured and compelling. Emmy Rossum did a marvelous job for her first big role (she was the daughter killed in Mystic River). Patrick Wilson made me swoon as Raoul.

Of course, the inconsistencies are hard to overlook, but the magic of the movie still strikes me today. For instance, the fact that Christine and Raoul were childhood sweethearts did not ring true, considering she was so young when she first arrived at the Opera House, but hey, as a romance writer, I am willing to ignore a few minor details. Many people could not understand how Christine could love the Phantom and Raoul at the same time. As a writer, we are taught to look deeper into the character's motivation. What would motivate Christine to believe the Phantom, to follow him willingly, and to listen to him with such blind faith? One has to go back to when she first arrived at the Opera House after her father died. A father who told her he would send an angel to watch over her. In her child's mind, the Phantom was that angel who came to guide and protect her. She does not equate him with the Opera Ghost at all. The Phantom manipulates the mind of a child because unlike others in his life, she trusts him and does not run away in fear. He uses the tunnels and secret passageways to his advantage – to further this relationship he has built with a child.

Look deeper. That's what writers do when they create a world. We are always talking about GMC – Goal, Motivation, Conflict. They are the driving forces in any novel. What is the hero's goal? What motivates him to make certain decisions? Most importantly, what conflict will disrupt his goals? The same is true for the heroine.

To see if my theory about the main characters' GMCs were accurate, I would need to do more research. I wanted to see the play and read the book. The following year, I saw The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway in New York. How did it compare to the movie? I still adore the movie, but I have to admit the play was very creative and made me wonder about the story itself. Did they pay tribute to the true story?

Last year I traveled to Paris. What a perfect opportunity to read the book. I downloaded it on my Kindle and decided it would be the first book I would read. My first night in Paris, I saw the Opera House all lit up. My breath was taken away and I wondered about the story. Whenever I stopped to eat, I would drag out my Kindle and read more of the story. So much more made sense and, with delight, I saw the connection to each character and how they were portrayed. Andrew Lloyd Webber did a wonderful job taking the essence of each character and bringing them to life. Several main characters were kept out of the play and movie. Characters who would have explained so much more about the Phantom and his underground life. I almost wished they could have been included, but then the romantic elements would have been watered down. Our main characters would not have seemed so heroic. But through it all, I achieved a greater understanding of what motivated each character throughout the story.

The question remains – do I still love the movie? Absolutely. There is something compelling about love triangle – the unrequited love of the Phantom to Christine. The tender love that blossomed between Christine and Raoul. Most of all the innocent love of a Christine to the Phantom which is shattered but then redeemed at the end of the movie. Most of all, I adored the pageantry and music that swept me away to a different time and place.

Isn't that what a good story does?