tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59816530668288431572024-03-13T13:42:37.602-04:00The Sally ScribblesOn writing: tips, tricks, ideas, thoughts, opinions on every aspect of writing. Including, but not limited to: Behind the scenes, how to improve, come up with characters, settings, plots, ideas, grammar, function, purpose, craft, writing habits, software, hardware, books. Together we are learning, growing, sharing, and loving every minute of it. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-27277824219607594452014-06-28T07:39:00.004-04:002014-06-28T07:39:55.680-04:00Lousy Magnet COVER REVEAL!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirygoXwt3_OHsg25VYXwJJsFSUlaj7mMb9w__gkc9E_pfCPzILI6VU2GJM1Z6CH14uCkv71pXyMxLUe6SJPgjfRpR_YcVNm3VoFRhueUeeX85aeARobNy6DW-H5ddAtHXUnMbIuMtfqyOU/s1600/LousyMagnetBanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirygoXwt3_OHsg25VYXwJJsFSUlaj7mMb9w__gkc9E_pfCPzILI6VU2GJM1Z6CH14uCkv71pXyMxLUe6SJPgjfRpR_YcVNm3VoFRhueUeeX85aeARobNy6DW-H5ddAtHXUnMbIuMtfqyOU/s1600/LousyMagnetBanner.jpg" height="118" width="320" /></a></div>
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Lousy Magnet</div>
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(M/M Novella)</div>
<div class="first-line-indent" style="text-align: center;">
A Fun Spaceship Romp!</div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx91u-OJutOeuG_oAHYFitVZOEWwbk8yFrl1AtMw6X0UMjzR4zwDL4P_XSZBnIi8lPYGouAzeMXt57uxczChHEJQxtuTwZKk6eSYCcPpdmssa_kyZTcXXQeAWIrpMkxiXfIuAL7PhHVWWq/s1600/LousyMagnet600x900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx91u-OJutOeuG_oAHYFitVZOEWwbk8yFrl1AtMw6X0UMjzR4zwDL4P_XSZBnIi8lPYGouAzeMXt57uxczChHEJQxtuTwZKk6eSYCcPpdmssa_kyZTcXXQeAWIrpMkxiXfIuAL7PhHVWWq/s1600/LousyMagnet600x900.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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A fledgling romance separated by over
790 million miles isn't Lee's worst problem. His best friend turned
secret lover wants to keep their relationship hidden. On a surprise
visit home to mars, can Lee convince his boyfriend that he is worth
taking a chance on?
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Lee and Clint haven't seen each other in
over two years. Ever since Clint was deployed to Saturn's moon Titan,
their communication consisted of short emails and spotty voice
messages.</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
The last leave home didn't leave good
memories. Culminating in a confused and livid family, and the
relationship remaining concealed.</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
This time can Lee and Clint keep their
hands off each other long enough to solve their festering issues? Or
will the past replay itself and Lee will be left broken-hearted and
alone... again.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Release Day Party on Facebook!
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<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/319839668173599">https://www.facebook.com/events/319839668173599</a></u></span></span></div>
<div class="first-line-indent" style="text-indent: 0in;">
The release day
party is officially happening from July 31<sup>st</sup> at 8pm until
August 1<sup>st</sup> at 8pm. If you can make it, that's great! Stop
by throughout the day and there will be fun giveaways and lots and
lots of virtual adult beverages and cookies! If you can't make it,
that's totally understandable. Just add your name to the “you're
attending” list and you get automatically included in the grand
giveaway at the end of the party!</div>
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Buy Links: (Available August 1<sup>st</sup>,
2014)</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/">www.breathlesspress.com</a></u></span></span></div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://www.allromanceebooks.com/">www.allromanceebooks.com</a></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/">www.amazon.com</a></u></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
Excerpt:</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
"It's been too long." Dolly
smiled at him across the table. "What has it been, two years?"
She must have realized the last time they had seen each other
happened to be the same day her brother had shipped out. Glancing
down, as if suddenly aware she had brought up a touchy subject, she
fidgeted. Lee hadn't wanted him to go.</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
Twenty-two months, two weeks, a handful
of days, but who's counting—</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
"Something like that," Lee
tried to smile for her but couldn't make it go to his eyes. Instead,
he just settled for a half-crooked grin that he hoped she would read
as sincere. "Are you in town long?"</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
"You want to get rid of me?"
Dolly teased, placing her hand on his.</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
Looking down at her small pixie-like
hands, Lee realized they were just smaller versions of Clint's hands.
The nail beds were the same size and shape. Even her cuticles were
identical. Clint's hands were probably calloused and rough from his
time away. When Lee looked up at her face, all he could see were
Clint's eyes. How didn't he know that they had the same eyes? The
blue of Earth's oceans matched in those two small globes. A pang of
emotion swept over him and knotted in his stomach. He couldn't
identify what it was. Regret? Longing? Sorrow?</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
"What's wrong?" Her soft
southern drawl that she would never be rid of seeped out of her
words. The same drawl that flowed from Clint's tongue every time they
video messaged.</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
Tears sprang to his eyes. Lee would
never call himself an emotional man, but at that second in time, he
missed Clint with body, heart, soul, mind—every bit of his being.
It went beyond reason, as the only thing he longed for in the
universe was a hug from his fair-haired officer.</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
"You miss him that much, don't
you?" Dolly asked as though reading his mind.</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
Lee coughed and blinked furiously.
"Excuse me?"</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
"Lee Louis Love, I've known you
since you couldn't pronounce my last name correctly and called me
Dolly Wafers instead of Waters. We went to first grade together. I
can tell how much you miss him." She started playing with her
fork, then added softly, "We all do."</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
"I..." Lee didn't know what to
say. Dolly was one of his best friends growing up, but he had never
truly discussed his relationships with her. Clint and his affair
needed to remain a secret. "So, what brings you to the Moon? I
was a little surprised to hear from you."
</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
"Truthfully?" Dolly asked. The
waitress returned with Dolly's Coke and a Moon brand beer that was
fairly common around the dome.
</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
"Of course." Lee said.</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
"You."</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
A bit of beer went down the wrong pipe,
and Lee started coughing. His face felt warm, as he hacked into his
hand.</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
"Excuse me?" he croaked out
between sputters.</div>
<div class="first-line-indent">
"I know you are in love with
Clint."</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-2914578377789412302013-09-03T02:51:00.000-04:002013-09-03T02:56:57.336-04:00Behind the Scenes: Author Process Interview Series Featuring Leona BushmanHello Leona Bushman and thank
you, for stopping by on my blog today for my Behind the Scenes:
Author Process Interview series. I hope you found my questions
thought provoking and I hope my readers will find a glimpse into the
author's mind thought-provoking and educational.
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing
Routines/Mechanics</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What type of software do you use
to write? On what type of device do you do your writing? (example:
laptop, tablet, phone, paper/pen, etc.)<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"> I use word. I've tried
others, but yeah. Laptop, usually. I love me a good notebook and
pen.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="2">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you have a writing routine? How
often do you write? <span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">No. I wish. I used to. I was more productive
then.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="3">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When you sit down to write about
how many words do you write in one sitting? In a day? In a week? <span style="color: purple;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">If
I'm having a good day, 7k isn't unheard of. I'm supposed to be
writing 3k a day. *growls at self*</span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="4">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you use outlines? Are you a
pantser or outliner? Can you do both?<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Pantser I'm having to be a
little of both in my War of the Weres series as I had to do up a
proposal. Thankfully, I lost a lot of my notes... LOL
</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="5">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How many works-in-progress do you
have stored on your computer right now? <span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Please don't make me
count...</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="6">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How many pieces are you currently
working on right now? <span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">See answer above...</span></span><br />
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you have another job besides
writing? Do you consider writing a full time job, part time job,
hobby, chore? <span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Right now, I have three full time jobs: being a wife
and mother, writing, and editing.</span></span>
</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing
Inspirations/Process</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="8">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How do you come up with story
ideas? <span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Seriously, I'll be sitting there and ideas will bombard me. I
got a headache about 2 weeks ago because a 7 series book of novels
flew into my head. I will be writing them soon as they won't shut
up. First, must get out two more for the War of the Weres series</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="9">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How do you feel about the "write
what you know" saying? True? <span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Haahahaha only if you know any
werewolves. You need to expand your horizons.
</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="10">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What do you come up with first,
plot or characters? <span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">It's happened to me both ways. But if the
characters aren't clear, I'm definitely not writing the plot.</span></span><br />
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you completed a first draft and
then revise or do you revise as you go?<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> Since becoming an editor?</span></span>
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Both lol</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="12">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How many re-writes do you do prior
to submitting a story?<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> LOL depends on how close to deadline it is
:D</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="13">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How much research do you do prior
to starting a story? How much research do you do as you go? Where do
you do your most research at? <span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">For heaven's sake, before?? LOL
actually, I've got a huge file in my yahoo on Anne Bolyn. I want to
do an historical from that time period. I genuinely like history, so
I don't "do" research. I also like knowledge, so if I find
something interesting, I look it up. It means I need less priory
research and only some for specifics during most books.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="14">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
People say that in order to write,
you must read a lot. How much do you read? Do you read the genre
you write? <span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">YES READ A LOT. I can't read a different genre than the
one I'm currently writing, even though I do a ton of reading.
</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="15">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you include prologues in your
stories? Do you like prologues? <span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Love me a good prologue. I've done
a few.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Marketing/Publishers/Reviews</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="16">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you seek out a publisher call
for a certain type of story and then write that story, or do you
write a story and then find a publisher? <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">I've done both, but as time
constraints hit, I end up writing to calls LOL</span></span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you have pen name? (Don't
worry, not asking you to share your real name.) How did you pick
your pen name? What made you decide to have a pen name?<span style="color: purple;"> <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">LJ Bushman.
Just to differentiate it from my Romances.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ol start="18">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How do you feel about reviews? Do
you read your reviews? How do you move on from a horrible review?
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">Love good reviews. If it's legit, I learn from it. If it's someone
on a hate for romance books, I ignore it.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="19">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you have a blog and/or website?
How do you think having a blog and/or website helps you? (Feel free
to include links.) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">I'm thinking it helps. I'm not as active on my
blog and I think my sales are suffering from that.
<span lang="zxx"><u><a class="western" href="http://www.lbushman.blogspot.com/"><span lang="en-US">www.lbushman.blogspot.com</span></a></u></span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="20">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How many publishers are you
published with? <span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Will be two in October.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="21">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you think more publishers is
better, or is it better to stay with one? If you are published with
more than one publisher, did you start with one and then move to
another? How did that work? Or do you plan on being published with
multiple publishers? <span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I use one for my romance, and one for my non
romance.
</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="22">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Are you self-published or
published through a publisher? Which experience do you prefer?
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">Both, definitely. Why? Lots more support, even from the small ones I
went with. Friendly, etc. And you have an author network.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="23">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ebooks vs. paperback vs. hard
cover? Your thoughts. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">PAPER></span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="24">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Any tips on writing a synopsis?
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"> Don't unless they make you.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="25">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Any tips on writing a good blurb?
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"> Yeah, write it and let your editor take it from there. I'm much
better at helping other's with theirs than doing my own.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing Genres/Heat
Levels</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="26">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What genres do you write now? What
genres would you like to write/branch out to in the future?
Paranormal, thriller, sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy. <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">More mystery
and sci-fi. Oh and I have a steampunk nearly ready.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="27">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There are lots of genres and
sub-genres nowadays. More than there used to be. Do you feel
familiar with them all? How do you keep up with the ever expanding
dictionary of genres/sub-genres?<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> <span style="color: purple;">I'll never be completely familiar
with them as the definitions seem to change more than my kid does.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing: Types of
Stories</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="28">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What length of stories do you
write? Do you find certain lengths of stories sell better than
others? Do you prefer to write a certain length over others?
<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Whatever blows my hair back. I do prefer longer ones.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="29">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Free reads. Do you think they
bring in more readers? (Feel free to include a link.) <span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">I hope so as
I'm going to be writing a few soon. </span></span><br />
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Have you written any pieces in an
anthology? Does it help get more readers to standalone books? Do you
think anthologies sell well? <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">Hahahah I have my fourth anthology
coming out September 25<sup>th</sup> lol I think it helped my sales
a lot. I think it'll continue to do so as people pick it up for A
author, but find they liked D author (hopefully me ;) ) and go and
buy it.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing Background</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="31">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How many stories have you written?
How many published stories have you written? (Feel free to include
buy links here.) <span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">uh.... *head explodes* Will include links of latest
bits
http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&keyword=Leona+Bushman&x=21&y=12</span></span><br />
</div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What type of formal training have
you had with writing? Do you think it has helped or hindered you?
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;">I've had English classes in college and took college levels in high
school. I think they help immensely.</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing Support
Groups/Forums/Nanowrimo/Networking</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="33">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Have you done nanowrimo or any
variation of nanowrimo? Do you think it helped or hindered you? Do
you plan on doing it in the future?<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: purple;"> Love them. Did the campnanowrimo
and forgot to put in my finished numbers
I had it all too!</span></span></div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="34">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you do writing sprints? Do you
think they help? <span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Yes and yes!</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUavdymZJE0410BdQN5n7FqtFkBJ1atVWU3upPMWVKTAWBChwvOQK3r3bXLi1AjSE83Vs7Lz3k9QuZlYhHo6xfEpnReqJJhU4ugDAgNqMDz-mgKingWZkkqiFl5L6yOh9sOUohH9PRFaP/s1600/NAME_600x900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVUavdymZJE0410BdQN5n7FqtFkBJ1atVWU3upPMWVKTAWBChwvOQK3r3bXLi1AjSE83Vs7Lz3k9QuZlYhHo6xfEpnReqJJhU4ugDAgNqMDz-mgKingWZkkqiFl5L6yOh9sOUohH9PRFaP/s320/NAME_600x900.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: blue;">An ex-lover on trial, life as a newly formed werewolf, and a passion
kindled; what's a girl to do? Released from depraved control of a
psychotic lupa, free to find his mate, and a passion kindled; what's a
man to do? </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
Lisa Sanchez is having a bad couple of years. She was betrayed by her
lover and made into a werewolf but she's making the best of her new
life...except when it comes to love. Lisa is out of luck in that
department until Lance arrives in her not-so-perfect life. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
Lance Navarro once saved his mate from the clutches of his ruthless pack
leader by hiding her in a rival pack. Then the packs merged and things
got interesting. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: blue;">
Can Lisa accept that Lance is to be her new mate, and get past the
betrayal of the last wolf who made promises? Can Lance protect her from
the vindictive pack leader? Or will they end up sharing an early grave?</span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=13&products_id=475&zenid=cimnf5h77fssvngcoom27q7do1" target="_blank">Breathless Press</a> </span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-89422955162329210952013-06-23T10:14:00.003-04:002013-06-23T10:18:26.260-04:00Behind the Scenes: Author Process Interview Series Featuring Megan Martin<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
Hello Megan and thank you, for stopping
by on my blog today for my Behind the Scenes: Author Process
Interview series. I hope you found my questions thought provoking
and I hope my readers will find a glimpse into the author's mind
thought-provoking and educational.
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing
Routines/Mechanics</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you have a writing routine? How
often do you write?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I do have a
writing routine. I try to write every day, at least 2k, though I
don’t always end up writing this much, it is definitely my goal.
(Otherwise I would never finish anything)</div>
<ol start="2">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How long typically does it take
you to finish a piece?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I used to be
terrible, I would start things and then take OVER A YEAR to finish
them, but now I am much better. It typically will only take me 2-3
months to finish something.
</div>
<ol start="3">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you use outlines? Are you a
pantser or outliner? Can you do both?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I am some sort of
hybrid of both. I usually make a general outline of where my book is
going, though not with too much detail and the nitty gritty info is
subject to change. You know how characters go, always running off in
one direction with guns blazing without permission.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing
Inspirations/Process</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="4">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How do you come up with story
ideas?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I usually get my
ideas from everyday life like most writers. I find inspiration in the
simplest things. Like a man walking down the highway. A catch phrase
that clicks into something in my mind and spurns a plot theme, a
picture. Things like that.
</div>
<ol start="5">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do the characters just come to you
or does it take a bit of work to get them straightened out?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I have to say both
on this one. I have had characters come to me, whole and full of
their own issues, while I have had others that have taken longer to
evolve.
</div>
<ol start="6">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you completed a first draft and
then revise or do you revise as you go?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I typically revise
as I go, though this doesn’t mean that I don’t make changes when
I go back over it, before sending it out to beta readers.
</div>
<ol start="7">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Are you ever worried about
offending anyone with a character or plot choice? How does that
effect your writing?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-Oh, girl. All the
time! My characters seem to want to do things that people would find
crazy, awkward, or just down-right wrong. I try very hard to let them
do what they want, because in reality, that’s what people do and I
like for my characters to feel as real as possible.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Marketing/Publishers/Reviews</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="8">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you have pen name? (Don't
worry, not asking you to share your real name.) How did you pick
your pen name? What made you decide to have a pen name?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I use my real
name. I considered using a pen name when I first started writing, but
found that I wanted my real name to be associated with what I had
written. I found it to be more rewarding.</div>
<ol start="9">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How do you deal with rejection
letters?
</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-Rejection letters
are a part of being an author and they have helped me grow. I
wouldn’t be the writer I am today without a whole plethora of
rejection letters. <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span></div>
<ol start="10">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How do you feel about reviews? Do
you read your reviews? How do you move on from a horrible review?
</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I definitely read
reviews. Like rejection letters, it is the bad reviews that help me
grow as writer.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing Genres/Heat
Levels</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="11">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What genres do you write now? What
genres would you like to write/branch out to in the future?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-All I write is
romance (of course I am a romance junkie! Lol) I have spaced myself
out across several different romance genres though. Historical,
contemporary erotica, and paranormal.</div>
<ol start="12">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Heat Levels. What heat levels do
you write? Can you write multiple heat levels? Are there any heat
levels that you feel uncomfortable with?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I usually write
toward a higher heat level. There are always some graphic scenes in
my books. ;)</div>
<ol start="13">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you write BDSM? How do you feel
it is portrayed in books today?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I don’t write
BDSM, but I love to read it. I don’t know much about the BDSM
world, not enough to write a book about it, but I find it very
interesting.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing: Types of
Stories</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="14">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What length of stories do you
write? Do you find certain lengths of stories sell better than
others? Do you prefer to write a certain length over others?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I have written a
novella, a novelette, a short story, and a novel. LOL, so I can be
versatile. As far as what sells better, I’m not really sure, but I
know that I, as a reader, prefer to read books of novel length, so I
don’t plan on writing anything short in the near future…though
that doesn’t mean it won’t happen. ;)</div>
<ol start="15">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Have you written any pieces in an
anthology? Does it help get more readers to standalone books? Do you
think anthologies sell well?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I have had the
privilege of being a part of one anthology. The HerStory anthology
that came out in March 2013. To be honest, I loved this experience. I
got to work with a bunch of amazing authors and got the chance to
expand my writing circle. Definitely something that I would like to
do again in the future.
</div>
<ol start="16">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How do you feel about series? Do
you think they sell better? Are easier or harder to write?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I love series. I
love to read them and I’m currently writing one right now the first
of my paranormal series will be published later this year with
Dragonfairy press. For more info click <span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a class="western" href="http://www.megandmartin.com/skin-deep/"><span lang="en-US">here</span></a></u></span></span>.
I think they are a great way to build an audience as a writer, but I
also have found that they post challenges to the writer because you
definitely have to have continuity.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing Background</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="17">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What type of formal training have
you had with writing? Do you think it has helped or hindered you?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I am a junior in
college and an English major. Focusing on English has definitely
helped with my writing. I have been exposed to a lot of classical
pieces through school as well as learned how to perfect my writing as
a whole.
</div>
<ol start="18">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When did you first start writing?
Do you remember your first story? First genre?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-My first story
that I wrote was titled Beautiful Nightmare. A paranormal novel that
ended up being over 125k. WOWZA. It is unpublished and is horribly
written, lol. It was my first though, and I will always love that
story.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing Support
Groups/Forums/Nanowrimo/Networking</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<ol start="19">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Have you done nanowrimo or any
variation of nanowrimo? Do you think it helped or hindered you? Do
you plan on doing it in the future?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I haven’t tried
out nanowrimo, but I would like to in the future. I think it is a
great idea and opportunity to band writers together and get stuff
done!</div>
<ol start="20">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you do writing sprints? Do you
think they help?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
-I haven’t done
sprints before, but they do seem to help out others. I have
considered giving it a try, though I just haven’t yet.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
Thank you so much
for having me Sally! <span style="font-family: Wingdings;"></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Megan’s debut
novella is a Historical Holocaust Romance titled Forbidden Angel.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDViNAa_PWlcaFhAgZU4EqeeT9_S4kcCVCU8scnPLrsOSkFRMc-rKTSkJopp5IVLOP28KXDtPFNlfXlg32-aKnRIb8w5ifmy_TAakHH-Eykcn5sgZVhhTiqydlrm5_dj1J1mpKu1hNlGUL/s1600/Forbidden+Angel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDViNAa_PWlcaFhAgZU4EqeeT9_S4kcCVCU8scnPLrsOSkFRMc-rKTSkJopp5IVLOP28KXDtPFNlfXlg32-aKnRIb8w5ifmy_TAakHH-Eykcn5sgZVhhTiqydlrm5_dj1J1mpKu1hNlGUL/s320/Forbidden+Angel.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Blurb:</b> When
captured by the Nazis, Sarah finds herself in a concentration camp
that not only brings her closer to death...but closer to love.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>
Sarah Brenner, a young Jewish woman, is terrified when she finds
herself in the heat of a railcar bound for a work camp in Nazi
Germany. For years she, along with her mother and sister, had hidden
from the SS, but no one could hide forever. Her hatred for those who
have enslaved them is ever-growing, especially when they arrive and
she encounters the shockingly handsome Nazi doctor who can’t seem
to keep his eyes—or hands—off her.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Aurel Rothstein is
not your everyday concentration camp physician. The endless prisoners
and lack of care he's allowed to give have made him numb to the work
he so coveted. It isn’t until he comes face to face with a
beautiful prisoner that his heart becomes involved with his job—a
forbidden and fatal move to any Nazi.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
When a vile soldier
takes direct interest in Sarah, she will be forced to make a choice
that will change her life forever: ignore the pull toward the
handsome doctor or give in to the forbidden passion he awakens with
only a look. Either way they both risk everything...</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Buy
on Amazon:</span></span><b>
http://www.amazon.com/Forbidden-Angel-ebook/dp/B00AOF9U6Q/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1356715861&sr=1-1&keywords=megan+d+martin</b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVbnaQFfmKF5wY60QMKj4wyLMjBwSEtfj7c710AHZXRS3_XEDK-kzzoyvrTvVa5bEnhywOsr149XfzA0yMsnbRTi9rb4T8Lk2ILk4RGW3nnAnK4wCpFUXuD4sZZA9mKSe5JTxW9Y7me4V/s1600/MeganMartin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvVbnaQFfmKF5wY60QMKj4wyLMjBwSEtfj7c710AHZXRS3_XEDK-kzzoyvrTvVa5bEnhywOsr149XfzA0yMsnbRTi9rb4T8Lk2ILk4RGW3nnAnK4wCpFUXuD4sZZA9mKSe5JTxW9Y7me4V/s320/MeganMartin.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Author
Bio</b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Megan
D. Martin is a multi-published author, mother, student and editor. In
her spare time she enjoys decorating her house with strange things
that do not match, playing her old school Nintendo Entertainment
System, and buying fish for her many fish tanks. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Website<span style="font-size: small;">:</span>
http://www.MeganDMartin.com</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Blog:
<a href="http://www.megandmartin.blogspot.com/">http://www.MeganDMartin.blogspot.com</a><br />
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Facebook:
</span></span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/authormegandmartin">http://www.facebook.com/authormegandmartin</a><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">
</span></span><br />
Twitter:
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/Megan_D_Martin">http://www.twitter.com/Megan_D_Martin</a><br />
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">goodreads:</span></span>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6656963.Megan_D_Martin">http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6656963.Megan_D_Martin</a><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><br />Google+:</span></span>
<a href="https://plus.google.com/115096823539939478098/posts">https://plus.google.com/115096823539939478098/posts</a><br />
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Instagram:
</span></span><a href="http://instagram.com/meeegann"><span style="color: blue;"><u>http://instagram.com/meeegann</u></span></a><br />
Vine:
Meeegann</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Thank you so much Megan, for stopping by! :-)</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-43168040641029304092013-06-16T01:36:00.000-04:002013-06-16T01:36:08.898-04:00BP Blog Hop Featuring Dianne Hartsock for Behind the Scenes: Author Process Interview Series
Hello Dianne and thank you, for
stopping by on my blog today for my Behind the Scenes: Author Process
Interview series. I hope you found my questions thought provoking
and I hope my readers will find a glimpse into the author's mind
thought-provoking and educational.
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing
Routines/Mechanics</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you have a writing routine? How
often do you write?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
To begin with, I get up an hour earlier
in the morning than I need to, to get in some writing before work.
I'm a full time floral designer, so I put in my eight hours, come
home, have dinner. Unwind with my husband. Then I have about two
hours in the evening after he's gone to bed to write. On my days off
I squeeze in as much writing as I can, but still make sure I leave
enough time for my family.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="2">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you use outlines? Are you a
pantser or outliner? Can you do both?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
*chuckles* I love the word panster!
Makes me imagine a person running around pulling down people’s
pants. I think some of my characters would love doing that. But I
think I’m a little of both. I usually have the story thought out in
my head, and the stories usually end where I wanted them to. But a
lot of the time, in between the start and finish, the characters take
me places I’d never imagined going before.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="3">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What atmosphere do you need to
write in? Music? Silence? Any particular snack or drink?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span lang="en-GB">Quiet, with
alternative rock music playing softly in the background. If a house
is too quiet, I tend to listen to every squeak it makes. So
distracting. The only snack I really need is a pot of coffee!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="4">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How many pieces are you currently
working on right now?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Not too many, at the moment. I'm
writing the sequel to my psychological thriller ALEX, which is taking
up most of my time. I do have a contemporary m/m erotic story started
and am doing edits on two stories for two different anthologies.
Besides these, I'm planning the sixth and final book in my SHELTON
series. So, busy as usual!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="5">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you have another job besides
writing? Do you consider writing a full time job, part time job,
hobby, chore?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Although I'm a full time floral
designer, I also consider myself a full time author. I can't put in
as much time writing every day as I would like to, but I make up for
it on my days off work. Also, even when I'm not writing, I'm thinking
about it, usually plotting out scenes in my head when I should be
concentrating on other things. Makes me seem a bit distracted, but I
can't help it.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing
Inspirations/Process</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="6">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How do you come up with story
ideas?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Usually a bit of music or a magazine
picture or something on TV, even a customer at work will catch my
interest and I'll start to build a story around it. I'll think about
it for a few days or a week plotting it out, then one day I'll sit
down in front of the computer and begin to write. At this time I
usually have a beginning, middle, and ending, but everything else
comes to me as I write. This technique works for me because usually
by the time I reach the middle then the ending, things have changed
so much it's a surprise to me as well.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<ol start="7">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do the characters just come to you
or does it take a bit of work to get them straightened out?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
One of my favorite parts about writing
a story is that the characters come to me whole, names and character
quirks and everything. I simply write the story and let the
characters introduce themselves as I go along. I find out about them
in the same way my readers will. The only real difference is that I
know who my bad guy is from the beginning so I make sure to leave
clues along the way so when they're discovered it's not a huge shock.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="8">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you complete a first draft and
then revise or do you revise as you go?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I revise and edit as I go. I would
probably be considered a very slow writer, not moving on until I have
a scene just right. The good part about this, though, is that when
the story is done, it's pretty much done. I have very little editing
to do and only need a few rereads before it's ready for my editor.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="9">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How much research do you do prior
to starting a story? How much research do you do as you go? Where do
you do your most research at?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I usually don't do any research until I
get into the story and the situation calls for it. Most of my
research is done online. And for my m/m romances, I always go to the
Goodreads M/M Romance group for answers. Such a fun, informative
group! And I usually find what I need.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="10">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
People say that in order to write,
you must read a lot. How much do you read? Do you read the genre
you write?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Let's just say I've been a bookworm all
my life. I devour books. And yes, I definitely read the genres I
write in.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Marketing/Publishers/Reviews</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="11">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Do you have a blog and/or website?
How do you think having a blog and/or website helps you? (Feel free
to include links.)</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I do have a blog where I share my books
and am also in a lot of blog hops, which I thoroughly enjoy
participating in. I've met a lot of my writer friends on these hops
and can always find some new books to read. This also gives me a
place to host other authors, which is a great way to meet new
readers. My blog is here: <a href="http://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/">http://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="12">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How many publishers are you
published with?
</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
At the moment I'm with four different
publishers and am looking at several other publishing houses to join.
I love being able to work with a variety of editors and this also
expands my readers group. And it's a fun way to meet other authors
and make new friends.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="13">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Any tips on writing a good blurb?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I once had a publisher I admire tell me
that, before I even write the first line of the story, to write down
the blurb. Say what the story is going to be about in short, concise
sentences. This usually makes for a terrific blurb at the end.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing Genres/Heat
Levels</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="14">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What genres do you write now? What
genres would you like to write/branch out to in the future?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
For the most part I write m/m erotic
romance. Love the genre! Even in the stories I've written that aren't
erotic, with a traditional m/f theme, I still have elements of gay
sensuality included. I can't say I'm interested in writing anything
else.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing: Types of
Stories</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="15">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Free reads. Do you think they
bring in more readers? (Feel free to include a link.)</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think free reads definitely bring in
readers. It's a painless way for people to sample my work then turn
around and buy something more.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Damon's Touch: As Damon's prisoner,
Lacey's love for his beautiful captor grows, but will love be enough
to set them both free?
<a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-damon039stouch-1005996-139.html">https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-damon039stouch-1005996-139.html</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="16">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Have you written any pieces in an
anthology? Does it help get more readers to standalone books? Do you
think anthologies sell well?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'm in four different anthologies and
have stories in two more that will be coming out this summer. As a
fairly new author, having my stories in with other well-known authors
helps draw some much needed attention to my writing. And I think
anthologies sell well because there are so many other people to help
with promoting.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="17">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How do you feel about series? Do
you think they sell better? Are easier or harder to write?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When I first wrote SHELTON IN LOVE I
had no idea it would be the first book in a series of six. (working
on the sixth one now). Each book came with its own difficulties to
write, but in a way they were also easier. I had all my characters,
and though each book can stand on its own, the reader knows right
away that the main characters are in a committed relationship and I
can carry the story forward from there. I find with each new book, I
can go back and also promote the earlier ones and create more sales
that way.</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing Background</b></div>
<ol start="18">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
How many published stories have
you written? (Feel free to include buy links here.)</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It looks like I have 17 published with
two more free reads and two more anthology stories on their way.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>-</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>Shelton
in Love</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon:
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shelton-in-Love-ebook/dp/B0050VHCWS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1352081115&sr=8-2&keywords=dianne+hartsock"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://www.amazon.com/Shelton-in-Love-ebook/dp/B0050VHCWS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1352081115&sr=8-2&keywords=dianne+hartsock</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ARe
Books:
</span></span><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sheltoninlove-547236-145.html"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-sheltoninlove-547236-145.html</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>Shelton's Promise</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon:
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sheltons-Promise-ebook/dp/B005BUFRDE/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://www.amazon.com/Sheltons-Promise-ebook/dp/B005BUFRDE/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ARe
Books:
</span></span><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shelton039spromise-574134-145.html"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shelton039spromise-574134-145.html</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">-</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>Shelton's
Choice</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon:
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sheltons-Choice-ebook/dp/B006PHIRLQ/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://www.amazon.com/Sheltons-Choice-ebook/dp/B006PHIRLQ/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ARe
Books:
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>-Shelton's Homecoming</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon:
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sheltons-Homecoming-ebook/dp/B008G1GK3Q/ref=pd_sim_kstore_3"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://www.amazon.com/Sheltons-Homecoming-ebook/dp/B008G1GK3Q/ref=pd_sim_kstore_3</u></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ARE
Books:
</span></span><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shelton039shomecoming-851589-145.html"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-shelton039shomecoming-851589-145.html</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">-</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>Merry
Christmas Shelton</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon:
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Merry-Christmas-Shelton-ebook/dp/B00AQSESK4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1361744303&sr=8-3&keywords=dianne+hartsock"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://www.amazon.com/Merry-Christmas-Shelton-ebook/dp/B00AQSESK4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1361744303&sr=8-3&keywords=dianne+hartsock</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ARe
Books:
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>-</b></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Merry-Christmas-Shelton-ebook/dp/B00AQSESK4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1361744303&sr=8-3&keywords=dianne+hartsock"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><u><b>Show
more</b></u></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b> </b></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Merry-Christmas-Shelton-ebook/dp/B00AQSESK4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1361744303&sr=8-3&keywords=dianne+hartsock"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><u><b>Show
less</b></u></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b> </b></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>ALEX</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon:
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Alex-ebook/dp/B0053QZHLS/ref=la_B005106SYQ_1_2_title_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1352080365&sr=1-2"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://www.amazon.com/Alex-ebook/dp/B0053QZHLS/ref=la_B005106SYQ_1_2_title_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1352080365&sr=1-2</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ARe
Books: </span></span><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-alex-557204-140.html"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-alex-557204-140.html</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>-Nathaniel</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon:
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nathaniel-ebook/dp/B007FTX0EC/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kstore_1"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://www.amazon.com/Nathaniel-ebook/dp/B007FTX0EC/ref=pd_sim_sbs_kstore_1</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ARe
Books:
</span></span><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-nathaniel-739041-143.html"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-nathaniel-739041-143.html</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">-</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>Philip's
Watcher</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon:
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Watcher-ebook/dp/B0096QRWSW/ref=la_B005106SYQ_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1352080592&sr=1-4"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://www.amazon.com/Philips-Watcher-ebook/dp/B0096QRWSW/ref=la_B005106SYQ_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1352080592&sr=1-4</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ARe
Books:
</span></span><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-philip039swatcher-937624-142.html"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-philip039swatcher-937624-142.html</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>-Wee Willie Winkie</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon:
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Willie-Winkie-Naughty-Nursery-ebook/dp/B00BD2IQLO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361744303&sr=8-1&keywords=dianne+hartsock"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://www.amazon.com/Willie-Winkie-Naughty-Nursery-ebook/dp/B00BD2IQLO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361744303&sr=8-1&keywords=dianne+hartsock</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ARe
Books:
</span></span><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-weewilliewinkie-1055301-145.html"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-weewilliewinkie-1055301-145.html</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>-Without Aiden</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon:
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Without-Aiden-ebook/dp/B00BFWYECM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1361744303&sr=8-4&keywords=dianne+hartsock"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://www.amazon.com/Without-Aiden-ebook/dp/B00BFWYECM/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1361744303&sr=8-4&keywords=dianne+hartsock</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ARe
Books:
</span></span><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-withoutaiden-1061596-145.html"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-withoutaiden-1061596-145.html</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>-Trials of a Lonely Specter</b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon:
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quinn-Trials-Lonely-Specter-ebook/dp/B005V6414O/ref=la_B005106SYQ_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1352080592&sr=1-8"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://www.amazon.com/Quinn-Trials-Lonely-Specter-ebook/dp/B005V6414O/ref=la_B005106SYQ_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1352080592&sr=1-8</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ARe
Books:
</span></span><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-quinntrialsofalonelyspecter-614673-140.html"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-quinntrialsofalonelyspecter-614673-140.html</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u><b>Anthologies</b></u></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>Ad-Dick-tion vol. 2</b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>
Anthology: Eran's Release </b></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon:
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Ad-Dick-tion-Vol-2-ebook/dp/B0080Z7JEM/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1361856314&sr=8-10&keywords=dianne+hartsock"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://www.amazon.com/Ad-Dick-tion-Vol-2-ebook/dp/B0080Z7JEM/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1361856314&sr=8-10&keywords=dianne+hartsock</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ARe
Books:
</span></span><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-addicktionvol2-789107-145.html"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-addicktionvol2-789107-145.html</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>Freaky Flashes</b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>:
</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">m/m
stories</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon:
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Freaky-Flashes-ebook/dp/B00A1CIA18/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1361856314&sr=8-16&keywords=dianne+hartsock"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://www.amazon.com/Freaky-Flashes-ebook/dp/B00A1CIA18/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1361856314&sr=8-16&keywords=dianne+hartsock</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ARe
Books:
</span></span><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-freakyflashes-987769-140.html"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-freakyflashes-987769-140.html</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>Halloween Heat vol. 1</b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>:
</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Costumes</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Amazon:
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Halloween-Heat-I-ebook/dp/B009M7G4PM/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1361856314&sr=8-9&keywords=dianne+hartsock"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://www.amazon.com/Halloween-Heat-I-ebook/dp/B009M7G4PM/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1361856314&sr=8-9&keywords=dianne+hartsock</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ARe
Books:
</span></span><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-halloweenheati-968814-140.html"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-halloweenheati-968814-140.html</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>HER STORY:</b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>
</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Without
Borders</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pagan
Writers Press: </span></span><a href="http://herstoryanthology.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://herstoryanthology.blogspot.com/</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>HOT FLASHES</b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">
anthology: m/m stories</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; margin-left: 0.5in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Breathless
Press:
</span></span><a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=ecuqi0251e7ne01p7b3c0fm8h3&keyword=DIANNE+HARTSOCK&x=0&y=0"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=advanced_search_result&search_in_description=1&zenid=ecuqi0251e7ne01p7b3c0fm8h3&keyword=DIANNE+HARTSOCK&x=0&y=0</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><b>Free Read:</b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>
</b></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Damon's
Touch</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<br /><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.14in; orphans: 2; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 2;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">ARe
Books:
</span></span><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-damon039stouch-1005996-139.html"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><u>https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-damon039stouch-1005996-139.html</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Writing Support
Groups/Forums/Nanowrimo/Networking</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="19">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Conferences. Have you gone to any?
Plan on going to any? What conferences would you recommend to go to,
or to avoid?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My first and only conference so far was
EPICON-2013 in Vancouver Washington earlier this year. It was
fabulous! Had so much fun and the workshops were so informative.
Hoping to go to the one in San Antonio, TX in 2014. Made some
wonderful connections.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<ol start="20">
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Have you done a book signing? How
did that go?</div>
</li>
</ol>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I've done half a dozen book signings,
and though I usually don't sell a lot of books, I meet some great
readers and authors and make some amazing connections. And I always
have one or two of my fans show up, which really makes my day!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPclYi2dcLLPsbhYWOdkm4ojrRx4T2kET0ihJIirNe-eWbaTC4OOq-r1cYjIURvsk_ocryrUwt5Q4AzaknvC12pyvgdGJ7l-ukroAsY3lraJiMJbxmviYSQnCOuQpCp-0yUFafKulHeY3z/s1600/Wee+Willie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPclYi2dcLLPsbhYWOdkm4ojrRx4T2kET0ihJIirNe-eWbaTC4OOq-r1cYjIURvsk_ocryrUwt5Q4AzaknvC12pyvgdGJ7l-ukroAsY3lraJiMJbxmviYSQnCOuQpCp-0yUFafKulHeY3z/s1600/Wee+Willie.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>WEE WILLIE WINKIE</b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Breathless Press:
<a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=12&products_id=420&zenid=v0920qvi64l3tj2sicg5ea1q77">http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=12&products_id=420&zenid=v0920qvi64l3tj2sicg5ea1q77</a></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Blurb:</b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Willie has met an
old flame, but is he willing to give up the decadence of Boston
society for the man he loves?</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
For the past three
years William Wilkerson has led the life of the privileged rich. Head
of his father’s shipping business, Willie indulges in the pleasures
of Boston’s fine young men to his heart’s content. That is, until
he meets Fredrick, the one man who has captured his heart, again.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
As his former tutor,
Fredrick has been declared off limits by William’s father. Fredrick
also believes he's beneath the attention of Wilkerson’s heir.
Willie disagrees, but is he willing to throw away rank and privilege
for the man he loves?
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Excerpt:</b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Fredrick held up his
glass and stared at the candle's flame through the amber liquid. He
took a sip, savored the rich, biting taste on his tongue. He welcomed
the burn down his throat. This was the very last drink he could
afford, and he had to make it last.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A giggle erupted
from the booth in the corner, the one whose curtains were drawn
against curious eyes. A smile tugged at Fredrick's lips despite the
dire state of his wallet. The laugh had been carefree, joyous,
naughty. Fredrick shifted on the cushioned bench. Only a few
straggling customers remained in the dining room. He wondered if any
of them would notice if he shifted his cramped cock as it throbbed in
sympathy with the bright laughter.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Rather than risk it,
he watched the fruit vender outside the window beguile a customer.
Another giggle and stifled moan swiveled his attention back to the
corner. A silk-clad foot and slim calf peeked beneath the curtain. He
grinned even as the delectable sight emphasized his own loneliness.
It had been far too long since he'd had someone in his bed.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
"Excuse me.
Sir?"</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Fredrick looked up,
distracted from his memory of lush lips and white skin and wide,
hazel eyes, and blinked at the stout innkeeper at his elbow. "Yes?"</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A frown fleeted
across the man's homely face at another bout of laughter from the
corner. "If they're disturbing you, I can have Wee Willie take
his guest upstairs. Excuse me, I mean Mister Wilkerson." The man
broke off, flustered by the slip of the tongue.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Fredrick's heart
leaped on hearing the name mentioned. Is William really here? How
could that be? The innkeeper coughed, and Fredrick frowned at the
intrusion into his thoughts. The man was so damned serious about such
a minor indiscretion. "They're no bother. In fact, I'm almost
done anyway." He lifted his nearly empty glass. Hearing a shout,
they looked over in time to see a young man tumble through the
curtains onto the floor. Fredrick caught a glimpse of red hair and an
embarrassed cheek before the gentleman crammed a hat on his head and
strode passed them, face averted. The innkeeper shrugged and
followed, likely to be sure he paid for his drinks.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Fredrick stared at
the silk-clad foot still protruding from the parted curtains. He
loosened his hold on his glass but had no way to stop the wild
hammering of his heart. Before he lost his courage, he stood and
swallowed the last of his brandy, then walked the short distance to
the booth.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>
A grin tugged the corner of his mouth at his eagerness. It had been
three years, after all, and they'd parted in anger. Would William
acknowledge him? His hand trembled as he drew aside the heavy curtain
and allowed his gaze to travel up the silky hose to bright blue
trousers. Blood heated his face when he found the laces undone at the
waist and the silk shirt open to expose white skin and rosebud
nipples.</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
A sigh brought his
gaze up to the pretty face that stirred his dreams. Rich brown curls
surrounded lovely hazel eyes and full, pouting lips. He groaned when
a delighted smile revealed the even, white teeth that had nipped his
collarbone on more than one glorious occasion. "Freddie, is it
you?"</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Dianne Hartsock</b></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Blog:
<a href="http://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/">http://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/</a></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Facebook:
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5981653066828843157#!/diannehartsock">http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/diannehartsock</a></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Twitter:
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5981653066828843157#!/diannehartsock">http://twitter.com/#!/diannehartsock</a></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Goodreads:
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4707011-dianne-hartsock">http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4707011-dianne-hartsock</a></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Amazon Author Page:
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dianne-Hartsock/e/B005106SYQ/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1361897239&sr=8-1">http://www.amazon.com/Dianne-Hartsock/e/B005106SYQ/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1361897239&sr=8-1</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-29472529787079394382013-06-09T10:39:00.003-04:002013-06-09T10:39:59.829-04:00Behind the Scenes: Author Process Interview Series Featuring Caitlin Ricci
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hello
Caitlin Ricci and thank you, for stopping by on my blog today for my
Behind the Scenes: Author Process Interview series. I hope you found
my questions thought provoking and I hope my readers will find a
glimpse into the author's mind thought-provoking and educational.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Writing
Routines/Mechanics</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">1.
What type of software do you use to write? On what type of device do
you do your writing? (example: laptop, tablet, phone, paper/pen,
etc.)</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Whether
on my desktop or laptop I’m always using Google Docs and Write or
Die. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">2.
Do you have a writing routine? How often do you write?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
write full time so after my fiance leaves for work in the morning I
get started writing and barely stop until he comes back home. I don’t
write on the weekends or evenings but I’m usually plotting during
those times.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">3.
When you sit down to write about how many words do you write in one
sitting? In a day? In a week?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Write
or Die is set for 1,000 words every half an hour for me. I usually
sit down for about four hours in the morning before I take a break
and then I do a few more hours of writing in the afternoon. So in a
day I typically do around 5-8k or more depending on how much research
and plotting I have to do. When a story is flowing well I can get a
novel done in a week. Sometimes it takes me longer though if
something isn’t working or if I get edits tossed back to me. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">5.
Do you use outlines? Are you a pantser or outliner? Can you do both?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
do both but usually outlines are reserved for longer pieces or
co-authored works. Outlines are more of just general guidelines
though so I can always go away from them. They’re more just notes
of what I want to see happen in a book and the most logical order of
those events. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">6.
What atmosphere do you need to write in? Music? Silence? Any
particular snack or drink?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Water
or iced green tea and Pandora set to my classical station are what
works for me the most. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">7.
How many works-in-progress do you have stored on your computer right
now?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Somewhere
in the 40s or higher I believe. But I try not to have more than five
current project focuses going at a time. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Writing
Inspirations/Process</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">12.
How do you feel about the "write what you know" saying?
True?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">While
I agree that people shouldn’t write things that they aren’t
familiar with or haven’t researched well, I think that stretching
myself as an author is fun and rewarding. While each character has
some part of me, I’m certainly not all of them and that’s part of
the fun of being a writer. </span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">16.
How many re-writes do you do prior to submitting a story?</span></span><br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It
depends on the story. If something doesn’t feel right then I do a
few minor changes until I like it. But other than that I don’t
re-write before I submit. I do edit but I don’t pour over the
piece. By the time I finish with a piece I’m ready to move on and
so I do. The edits and re-writes I do are as I’m going. I’m one
of those writers that when a story isn’t working for me during the
process I have to go back and really work with it until I like it
again and can work on it. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">18.
Are you ever worried about offending anyone with a character or plot
choice? How does that effect your writing?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">No.
If people are offended that’s fine. I write for me. That I make a
living off of something that I love is a huge bonus and I’m
grateful for the readers that make that happen. But I learned early
on that I can’t please everyone and there are always going to be
people that don’t like one of my stories for some reason or
another. That’s fine and I appreciate their opinions and the
criticisms I’ve learned from since first getting published last
year. Those reviews help authors grow. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Marketing/Publishers/Reviews</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">24.
How do you deal with rejection letters?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Read
them, take what you can from them and move on. Always have backup
publishers ready to go and keep the synopsis you had to write to
begin with. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">25.
How do you feel about reviews? Do you read your reviews? How do you
move on from a horrible review?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Some
reviews are helpful and those usually come from reviewer blogs. I
don’t go on goodreads unless I’m reviewing someone else’s work
for my own blog. Everyone has an opinion and that’s what a review
is. Don’t look at them. Your publisher will get the ones from blogs
and then notify you. I ignore the hateful, personal attack type of
reviews which blogs rarely do so that’s another plus for them. If
there’s something helpful to get from a critical review find that
one spec of information, save it and then move on. Nothing will hurt
your writing mojo than a horrible review and the stress and lack of
motivation is not worth it in the least.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">26.
Do you have a blog and/or website? How do you think having a blog
and/or website helps you? (Feel free to include links.)</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
do. </span></span><a href="http://www.caitlinricci.com/"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>www.CaitlinRicci.com</u></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
and my blog can be found on there too. I like being able to have
everything in one place and connect with readers and my site helps me
do that.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">27.
How many publishers are you published with?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Five.
They’re all different and offer me specific things that I’m
looking for with each story. Because of their diversity I know who
I’m going with for a story before I’m done with it and if my
first choice doesn’t accept it I’ve got others that might and
that are familiar with me and my work.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">28.
Do you think more publishers is better, or is it better to stay with
one? If you are published with more than one publisher, did you start
with one and then move to another? How did that work? Or do you plan
on being published with multiple publishers?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You
should always have more than one because each publisher has their own
fan base and going through different publishers allows you to broaden
your reader base. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">29.
Are you self-published or published through a publisher? Which
experience do you prefer? Why?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Both.
I prefer a publisher because there’s less risk but self-publishing
offers ultimate control and it can come with some very large rewards.
</span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">31.
Are their any characteristics of an editor that make them more
likeable to you?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
like an editor that is professional while still having fun. A bit of
snark and some wit make the process a lot easier. I don’t need to
be loved but I absolutely must be respected. Sometimes new authors
are afraid to stand up for themselves with a bully editor. They don’t
need to put up with that. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">34.
Any tips on writing a synopsis?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Keep
it short and interesting. No one needs to know about all the side
plots at first glance unless they directly impact your characters. Go
through your manuscript and pick out the points that are most
critical to understanding your story. If you have those points and
can flesh them out so that they don’t look like bullet points
anymore then you’re good. It doesn’t have to be complicated. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Writing
Genres/Heat Levels</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">38.
What genres do you write now? What genres would you like to
write/branch out to in the future?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
write every pairing and every genre but historical and I have an idea
for one of those coming up so by the end of the year hopefully
that’ll be changed. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">40.
Heat Levels. What heat levels do you write? Can you write multiple
heat levels? Are their any heat levels that you feel uncomfortable
with?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
write every level from YA to sweet romance to BDSM. If there is a
heat level that I don’t write it would be one with extreme BDSM
including pain to the point of torture and blood play but many
publishers don’t accept those stories anyway. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">41.
If you write romance, do you write M/F, F/F, M/M? What about group
scenes or threesomes?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
write every pairing including trans*. I have written and will
continue to write menage stories but they aren’t what most of my
characters tell me that they prefer. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Writing:
Types of Stories</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">44.
What length of stories do you write? Do you find certain lengths of
stories sell better than others? Do you prefer to write a certain
length over others?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I’ve
written everything from a 3,500 word short for an anthology up to a
100,000 word super novel. Books in the 30-60k range sell the best and
readers seem to feel more satisfied with them. I let the story take
me where it wants to go. Some stories I know won’t be longer than
10k, others I already know are novels before I ever start typing.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">45.
Free reads. Do you think they bring in more readers? (Feel free to
include a link.)</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
do. </span></span><a href="http://www.caitlinricci.com/free-reads.html"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>http://www.caitlinricci.com/free-reads.html</u></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
they’re all available here. I like free reads because they let
readers try out a writing style before deciding to buy a book. </span></span>
</div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">47.
How do you feel about series? Do you think they sell better? Are
easier or harder to write?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Series
will always sell better and I enjoy writing them because I get to
have longer story arcs and explore the other characters that come in
contact with my original pair. It becomes like getting coffee with an
old friend and I enjoy the time I get to spend in their world while
writing stories in that series.</span></span></div>
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<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Writing
Background</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">49.
What type of formal training have you had with writing? Do you think
it has helped or hindered you?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">None.
Writing isn’t a formula and the people I’ve talked to that got
their degrees in writing don’t seem to have nearly as much fun with
it as I do. There seems to be this preconceived notion that to be a
full time author you need to have a degree in writing. That’s not
true. If you want to take a class, go for it. But its not required
and in the end take what you learned and put it to your own voice.
Those people are miserable because they’re trying too hard to stay
inside the lines. </span></span>
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<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Writing
Support Groups/Forums/Nanowrimo/Networking</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">53.
Have you done nanowrimo or any variation of nanowrimo? Do you think
it helped or hindered you? Do you plan on doing it in the future?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
do nanowrimo each year because I like competition. I write more than
the requirement though in far less than a month so while it isn’t a
challenge, it is fun. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">57.
Do you have local writers in your area that you network with?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
do. I’m part of a Colorado gay romance author group and we do
events together throughout the year. This month we’ll actually have
a booth at the Denver Pride Fest.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">59.
Conferences. Have you gone to any? Plan on going to any? What
conferences would you recommend to go to, or to avoid?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
have. They offer different things to different people so I won’t
say that any are good or bad. It’s all up to what you’re looking
for. The one I’m most looking forward to coming up is RainbowCon
2014 </span></span><a href="http://rainbowconference.org/"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>http://rainbowconference.org</u></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thank
you everyone for hanging out with me today and I hope you had fun and
learned a little bit about what it’s like being me. </span></span>
</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39ZAWMj_nFuhAmUOASjdcfrwiC-Kgf9sGTgHOpEV6QD0chtQPfFWozfekt6rHWj8kfV7V3M8lj7gNKYo6xPV1u0KblQ71jVtP13ZNTmIqIW8GwHnOaMcyupdSw0Av-LDifWJZhQSG2Q1O/s1600/out+in+Colorado.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39ZAWMj_nFuhAmUOASjdcfrwiC-Kgf9sGTgHOpEV6QD0chtQPfFWozfekt6rHWj8kfV7V3M8lj7gNKYo6xPV1u0KblQ71jVtP13ZNTmIqIW8GwHnOaMcyupdSw0Av-LDifWJZhQSG2Q1O/s320/out+in+Colorado.jpg" width="241" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">This
collection brings six talented authors from the Centennial State
together under one title, all offering their take on what it means to
be Out in Colorado. These stories explore the cultures and mores of
the state as only native authors can, each bringing a unique
perspective on the diverse peoples and changing attitudes that are
quickly coming to define this state in transition.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">First,
in </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="background: #ffffff;">Something
Old, Something Blue</span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">,
Justin Pauldino, the adopted son of Denver's Italian mob boss, is a
one night stand kind of guy and likes it that way, until his latest
bed partner, Michael Blu, upsets his applecart world enough to make
him consider settling down. When Justin decides to put his best foot
forward with Michael—a third generation attorney, whose father and
grandfather have an unpleasant history with Justin's adoptive
father—Justin's world is turned upside down when his good
intentions set in motion a series of events that will change his life
forever. Then, Joey Graham has demonstrated his </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="background: #ffffff;">Casual
Brilliance</span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">
and landed the job of his dreams out of school; the only catch is
that he has to move to Colorado to do it. Fortunately, Joey's got a
new coworker who's more than happy to introduce him to everything his
new home has to offer. Next, in a yearly tradition, five friends had
gotten together in a cabin in the winter mountains of Colorado, but
one of them has been lost for years. This year, all five friends will
be back together and discover secrets that will change their lives
forever, in </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="background: #ffffff;">Spirit's
Fire</span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">.</span></span></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">In
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="background: #ffffff;">Take
a Bow</span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">,
Brandon's daughter's wedding is approaching quickly, and the nervous
father realizes that if he is to keep from embarrassing his little
girl during the father-daughter dance, he needs some lessons pronto.
But the gorgeous and charismatic dance instructor, Crispin, has
Brandon too distracted to learn when all he can think of is dragging
the man down for some dancing of a more horizontal sort. Next, stuck
in an abusive relationship with the cultured and sophisticated (and
closeted) Ethan, a relationship that is quickly spiraling downward,
Trevor feels </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="background: #ffffff;">Frozen</span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">,
lost and left behind as everything spins on around him. When a sudden
turn of violence forces Trevor to face the tragedy that his life has
become and make a hard choice, it could be the awakening he needs, or
it could be the last decision he ever makes. Finally, being an otter
shifter, though fun, comes with its own set of problems for Lon, not
the least of which is the need to be in his shifted form for at least
a few hours every week. This biological imperative threatens his
budding romance with University of Colorado adjunct professor Corey
when an accident in the back country leaves Lon unable to make his
shift without revealing his furry secret, in </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="background: #ffffff;">Slip/Slide/Snow</span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">.</span></span></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.stormmoonpress.com/books/Out-in-Colorado.aspx"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>http://www.stormmoonpress.com/books/Out-in-Colorado.aspx</u></span></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Caitlin
was fortunate growing up to be surrounded by family and teachers that
encouraged her love of reading. She has always been a voracious
reader and that love of the written word easily morphed into a
passion for writing. If she isn't writing, she can usually be found
studying as she works toward her counseling degree. She comes from a
military family and the men and women of the armed forces are close
to her heart. She also enjoys gardening and horseback riding in the
Colorado Rockies where she calls home with her wonderful fiance,
their dog and Blue Tongue Skink. Her belief that there is no one true
path to happily ever after runs deeply through all of her stories.</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.caitlinricci.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>www.CaitlinRicci.com</u></span></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="mailto:authorcaitlinricci@gmail.com"><span style="color: #1155cc;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>authorcaitlinricci@gmail.com</u></span></span></span></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-72513163859593636552013-06-02T15:03:00.001-04:002013-06-02T15:03:21.936-04:00BP Round Robin Blog Hop Featuring Téa Cooper!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hello everyone! Please welcome Téa Cooper to my blog from the BP Round Robin Blog Hop!</span></span></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSiqiT8juFW3K4v6zSEk8qOEY01YOsHOKXIYYSyol_XEiK23KxgFdOCq_TwvUC-KqsQlH2YLaOYnYTGSuk5Ud2K2M05vthgUzd8ItWXK1nfelcPcis2OzCC7BfUUTIH6CJSNhN7h4GX7p/s1600/TC_The+Protea+Boys_banner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="46" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSiqiT8juFW3K4v6zSEk8qOEY01YOsHOKXIYYSyol_XEiK23KxgFdOCq_TwvUC-KqsQlH2YLaOYnYTGSuk5Ud2K2M05vthgUzd8ItWXK1nfelcPcis2OzCC7BfUUTIH6CJSNhN7h4GX7p/s320/TC_The+Protea+Boys_banner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The
Protea Boys by Téa Cooper</span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">Georgie can
run but she can't hide from the man who stalks her dreams and throws
her ordered life into a tailspin.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">Emotional
entanglement is not on George Martin's to do list. She has turned her
back on her sophisticated Sydney lifestyle, determined to renovate
her parents old flower farm and her shattered ego. However the
challenges prove more than she bargained for until a madcap scheme
comes to fruition and The Protea Boys are born. The team of
efficient, well-tapered six-packs solve her farming problems, but
their leader presents a different kind of challenge—their first
spark of attraction ignites a passion she cannot ignore.</span></div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">Tom Morgan
likes his women “pretty and entertaining,” not “efficient and
driven," but the threat of being co-opted as a wine waiter or
worse, chef in his brother’s restaurant encourages him to take up
what he sees as the highly amusing challenge of managing The Protea
Boys. It is the perfect distraction while he waits for a new
assignment—or so he thinks until he realizes he has found the one
woman he cannot run away from.</span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">Digital
Edition: $4.99 | ISBN: </span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">978-1-77101-991-
0</span></span><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"> |
Length: 49,000 words </span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">Ebook
Page Count: | Publication Date: May 3, 2013 | </span></span><span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">PDF
– MOBI – EPUB |Heat rating 2 (</span></span><span style="color: #030303;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">Monogamous
couples. Infrequent loves scenes with no graphic language.)</span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">Breathless
Press</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CJBFh8LiPruoeXohqSsCzFtdliJwZytsNA3v62ZKn1icyK4GB-4uUdn9E4H14RaJLVkT4VSzY7wyM1FakAmEeLqm8IncQXkxD2sdhejE7bkeg8RJkfYxVkCYxhqA2DFLmF2nNqoS_JlT/s1600/TC_The+Protea+Boys_200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CJBFh8LiPruoeXohqSsCzFtdliJwZytsNA3v62ZKn1icyK4GB-4uUdn9E4H14RaJLVkT4VSzY7wyM1FakAmEeLqm8IncQXkxD2sdhejE7bkeg8RJkfYxVkCYxhqA2DFLmF2nNqoS_JlT/s1600/TC_The+Protea+Boys_200x300.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">Excerpt:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">Copyright
2013, Téa Cooper</span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #181818;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">All
rights reserved, Breathless Press.</span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">A
nonchalant silhouette leaning against the side of the black
four-wheel drive came into view. Tall and lean, with an Akubra pulled
down shadowing his eyes and arms folded across his chest. As Georgie
slammed to a halt, he pushed his hat back and winked at her.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">"What
are you doing here?" she snapped.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU"><i>Shit,
not a very polite way to greet someone</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">It
was a trick. Hillary had played a huge trick on her.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">"Good
morning, Georgina." His laconic drawl made the hairs on her arms
prickle, and his gaze ran up and down the length of her body; she
stopped herself from rubbing her arms just in time. </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">At
least six feet four inches of pure muscle and screaming masculinity.
The mere sight of him made her hackles rise. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">This
was n</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">o</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">t
one of her ridiculous dreams. She groped around, trying to find
something to say, but he offered no help, just kept looking her up
and down, waiting patiently.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">"I
didn</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">t
know it was you," she managed to splutter.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">"You
didn</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">t
know what was me?" he said, green eyes sparkling at her. She
wanted to slap the ridiculous, audacious grin off his face. He was
enjoying every moment of her discomfort.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">"Hillary
didn</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">t
say it was you." She ground the words out between her gritted
teeth.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">"Hillary
didn</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">t
exactly say it was you either—but I guessed."</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">The
whole conversation, if you could call it that, got more idiotic by
the moment.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU"><i>Take
control. I have to take control.</i></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">Blood
pounded somewhere inside her head. "So you</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">re
here to work, not just making a social call?" She narrowed her
eyes, unable to be civil.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">"I</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">m
under the impression I</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">m
starting work today. Hillary said you were expecting me, and I should
turn up at seven o</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">clock
this morning." He stared pointedly at his watch, accentuating
his deliciously muscled forearm. " It</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">s
five to, by my reckoning."</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">"I
didn</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">t
know it was you." Georgie</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">s
brain had stuck, like an old, scratched CD, the phrase stuttered in
her head, and she couldn</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">t
stop it falling out of her mouth. "I didn</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">t
know it was you. Hillary said your name was Morgan."</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">"It
is. Morgan, Tom Morgan." He enunciated the words as though she
had a limited command of English.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">In
an attempt to restrain the recurring urge to hit him, Georgie
clenched her fists.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">"Remember?
I introduced myself after our little adventure with the wombat last
week."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><i>Remember.</i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">How
could she forget? She involuntarily moved her finger to her lips,
unsure for a moment if her memory of his kiss was real or not, but
the glimmer in his eye assured her it was, and she pulled her hand
from her face and stuffed it into her pocket.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">"Then
we spoke on the phone."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">"Yes.
I remember. It's just I didn't know it was you Hillary had
interviewed."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><i>You're
burbling, talking nonsense</i></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">Hillary
had said his name was Morgan, and she hadn't put two and two
together. She dreamed—not dreamed, no, he didn't need to know about
her dreams</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">—of
him as Tom.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU"><i>Tom
of the predatory green eyes with tawny flecks</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">Mr.
Leopard Eyes who was watching her with a deal more than a glint of
amusement. She sucked in a deep breath and exhaled, enjoying the
exasperated puffing sound escaping her lips. Her flesh shivered
despite the warmth in her face.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">"I
can go if you like. It</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">s
not a problem. I was looking forward to the job. Thought it would be
a challenge working for two lovely ladies."</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU"><i>That</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><i>'</i></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU"><i>s
it. That</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><i>'</i></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU"><i>s
done it. The patronizing sexist</i></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">She
clenched her teeth to prevent the words escaping. Sometime in the
not-too-distant future she would explain to this man that she was
running the business and she employed him—not the other way around.
She</span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">'</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">d
played this game before, and she had no intention of falling into the
trap again.</span></span></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><span lang="en-AU">Biography:</span></span></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">Téa
writes contemporary and historical romantic fiction featuring
strong-minded women and sexy Australian men. Love and life Down Under
isn't always easy. Her heroes and heroines have to fight long and
hard for what they believe in before they reach their happy ever
after.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=172&zenid=983od5csls4ke7au31oe9k0kg7"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><i>The
Protea Boys</i></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"> is Téa's
second Australian contemporary romance and her third </span><a href="http://www.crimsonromance.com/upcoming-releases-romance-ebook/passionfruit-poetry/"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><i>Passionfruit
& Poetry</i></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"> will be
published on June 17th. She is currently working on a series of
nineteenth century historical romances set in Sydney and the Hunter
Valley. </span><a href="http://lyricalpress.com/lilys-leap/"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><i>Lily's
Leap</i></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"> is available now and
</span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17983101-matilda-s-freedom"><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"><i>Matilda's
Freedom</i></span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;"> will be released
on July 1st.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, serif;">To keep up
with all of Téa's news visit her website <a href="http://www.teacooperauthor.com/">www.teacooperauthor.com</a>
where you will find links to her blog and social media pages.</span></div>
<div lang="en-AU" style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-69052692366872150272013-05-05T04:23:00.003-04:002013-05-05T04:23:30.567-04:00Special Guest Sunday - Zara Stoneley
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Hello everyone, Please help me welcome my Special Guest this week, Zara Stoneley!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
________________________________________________________________<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hi Sally, and thank you so much for
letting me stop by your blog today.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you follow my blog, you’ll know
that I’ve talked about the importance of ‘voice’ before, and
how finding my own led to me writing the story that was accepted for
publication.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So, what is ‘voice’, where do we
find it, why is it so important?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Okay, I think voice is linked heavily
to being authentic, real, in your writing. If you don’t have your
own ‘voice’ that a reader can relate to, then chances are you
aren’t writing in a way that expresses the real you. And if it’s
not real – people won’t be hooked, they won’t buy it.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In my opinion there are two main blocks
to finding your voice. Firstly, a lot of us spend a lot of time
covering up the ‘real us’, letting it out makes us feel exposed –
after all criticism and rejection hurt a hell of a lot more when
we’ve made ourselves vulnerable! Secondly, when we first start
writing we often concentrate on what we <i>think</i> people want, we
read the books of our chosen market and then, often unconsciously,
try and mimic what we like. (Imitation might be the highest form of
flattery but it doesn’t help as a writer!)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Imagine interviewing people (something
I used to do a lot), all the interviewees have the right background
and qualifications – you know that from their CV, and that’s why
you’ve invited them in. So, who gets the job? Personally, I’m
looking for enthusiasm - the person who is truly interested in the
job, who is there not because they just want a job, any job, but <i>this
job</i>. They’ve done their homework (their CV, or pitch, which was
to the guidelines and addressed to the right person), and they know
why they are the person I should pick. They aren’t giving the stock
answers, they’re answering spontaneously (okay with research thrown
in!), from the heart. I’m sold - I believe in them. They’re
authentic, passionate – and they are being themselves, not
pretending to be the person they think I want.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It’s much the same with that
submission – you do your homework, stick to the formatting rules
etc. but then the story stands out because it grabs attention, it
convinces someone it could be a winner. It sings out. If you can hook
the editor reading the sub then there’s a fair chance you can hook
a potential reader – which at the end of the day is what it’s all
about, isn’t it?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So far so good, but how do you find
that elusive voice, and how do you know if you have? Believe me –
you’ll know when you’ve got it, and if you’re not sure, then
you probably haven’t!
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
You know when you read an email from
someone, and you can actually imagine the person saying those words
out loud? You know they wrote it, because you can hear them. That’s
voice.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think for me, it finally clicked when
I thought long and hard about the characters in my story. Would the
sparky heroine really say “<i>What do you mean you love me, but you
can’t commit</i>”? No, she’d be more like “<i>For fuck’s
sake, what the hell are you scared of? You can do what we’ve just
done and then just turn away and walk can you? Well, if it’s that
fucking easy then go, I don’t want to be in love with a loser like
that.</i>” (Then she’d probably throw something at him!)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But it isn’t just about ‘voice’
in dialogue. What would you do if someone said they were leaving, how
would it feel? Would it be –</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>Kate looked down at the floor and
fought back the tears. He was going, leaving her like he had once
before, years ago. She didn’t want him to go, they had something
that was worth fighting for, she was sure.</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Or is that a bit flat, is it really you
or could someone else have written it? Is this better?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<i>She wasn’t going to damn well cry.
The nails digging into the palms of her hands hurt, but not as much
as the lump in her throat. She swallowed hard, forced herself to
unclench her fists. She wasn’t going to just let him walk out like
he had before. Not again, no way. He was wrong. And she knew that
this time she was going to fight back. She had to.</i></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
You’re giving your characters a
‘voice’, even when there isn’t dialogue. It’s more than just
‘show not tell’. When you express the way they feel, their
emotions you’re drawing on <i>your</i> past experiences. Not some
carbon copy of the last book you read, or the last film you saw.
You’re drawing on real life. Not everyone has the same morals the
same needs, the same desires. Not everyone has sweaty palms when they
feel fear – some people hear a drumming in their ears, or their
heart beat heavy in their body, or a panic that roots them to the
spot….</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Feel it, live it – that is what I
think is at the root of your ‘voice’, because if you get drawn in
then you will stop hesitating and trying to write like you think you
should – you’ll get carried away! Feel the emotion and that
feeling is unique to you, express it in your writing and you’ll be
remembered. And when someone reads what you’ve written they’ll be
hooked. At least for a little while!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>In my latest
novel, ‘Good Enough to Trust’, things finally start to make sense
to Sophie when she hears her mother’s ‘voice’ in a letter she
wrote – it’s important!</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>BLURB</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>GOOD ENOUGH TO TRUST</b> (Good
Enough, Book 2)<br />An erotic romance, including menage, M/F/M and sex
outdoors.<br /><br /><em>Do you trust the boy you loved, or the man you
might?</em><br />Sophie has only one thing on her New Year’s
resolution list – sorting out her life. <br />Losing her parents was
hard, blaming herself hurt more – but was it really her fault, or
was accepting the guilt easier than facing up to the truth?
<br />Retracing her steps was never going to be easy, risking her heart
again is even harder - and when there's two men to choose from will
it be easier to trust the man she's never stopped loving, or the one
that might give her the new start she needs?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>BUY LINKS</b> – <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Enough-Trust-Book-ebook/dp/B00C5W25DG/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1364996500&sr=8-10"><span style="color: blue;"><u>Amazon
(UK)</u></span></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Good-Enough-Trust-Book-ebook/dp/B00C5W25DG/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1364996549&sr=8-9&keywords=zara+stoneley"><span style="color: blue;"><u>Amazon
(US</u></span></a>)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>AUTHOR BIO</b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />Zara Stoneley has been writing
stories for as long as she’s been reading them. She submitted her
first novel, a thriller, to a UK publisher when she was twelve years
old.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
After moving on to romance, she started
off writing contemporary romance with a bit of sizzle, and then
discovered she liked hot and erotic too. Her erotic work has been
published by Xcite Books and Breathless Press. She also writes
contemporary romance under the name Susie Medwell, and her latest
romance is due to be published by Lyrical Press 6<sup>th</sup> May
2013.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Zara loves her family, sunshine, wine,
good food, caffeine, cats, music, writing and reading - but not
necessarily in that order!<br /><br /><b>WHERE TO FIND ZARA</b> -</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Website - <a href="http://www.zarastoneley.com/">http://www.zarastoneley.com</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Blog –
<a href="http://zarastoneley.blogspot.com/">http://zarastoneley.blogspot.com</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Twitter - @zarastoneley</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Facebook –
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/zarastoneley">http://www.facebook.com/zarastoneley</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Amazon author page –
<a href="http://amazon.com/author/zarastoneley">http://amazon.com/author/zarastoneley</a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-22925200134410192722013-03-31T18:08:00.003-04:002013-03-31T18:08:58.875-04:00Special Guest Sunday- Michaela Rhua
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hello everyone and Happy E</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">aster! Please help me w</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">elcome Michaela Rhua as she discusses how writin<span style="font-size: medium;">g isn't for the faint hearted.</span></span></span></span><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">______________ </span></span> </b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Writing
isn't for the faint hearted.</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Isn't
it wonderful when you hear about a writer who has managed to get a
submission accepted and now will be on the road to publication?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
must say, I celebrate each time when I hear of someone who has signed
a contract, particularly if I know them in some way.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Doesn't
it seem all smooth sailing? You have an idea, you spend time writing,
improving, editing, redrafting. When it is all polished it is sent
off and the wait begins. The publisher sees it and thinks it is
fantastic, amazing and wants is desperately. Hey presto you have a
contract.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Errr…NO!</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Not
for this author right here!</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So
far I have five published works to my name. Three stories are in
Anthologies and two solo books. I am waiting on another submission as
I write this. (so fingers crossed for that one too!) The three
anthologies that I am in were sent as a complete anthology, not as
submissions for a call. (The Eclipse of the Blood Moon, Wine and Nine
and The Blood Bar Chronicles Book 3: The Enforcers) So I tend to
think that my story was accepted as the other participants had
fabulous stories that deserved to be out there. In a way I rode the
crest of their wave – I know the others will hurl things at me for
saying so!</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The
other two were rejected! (Guardian Awakening and Truth or Dare) NO, I
hear you say! Surely such a talented writer could not have faced
rejection! Oh yes I did! (says all this tongue firmly in cheek!)</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Guardian
Awakening came back with NO from one publisher. I cried in my red
wine, then was kicked up the rear by my Critique Group, we blog as
The Nuthouse Scribblers. I then sent it to another publisher who sent
it back to me with a R & R (Revise and Resubmit). Breathless
Press liked the bones of the story but it needed more work. I was
fortunate that they gave me detailed feedback which I could work on.
YAY! At least they LIKED it hey!</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">With
Truth or Dare it was a straight NO! Then a R & R from another.
Once I had re-worked it I was curious to know what the first
publisher thought. So off it went and this time they said YES!</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My
new submission is the second book in the Guardian series. I have
titled it Guardian Possession. It has already had a R & R, so it
is with baited breathe that I await a response!</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">You
see, writing is about having some sort of desire for creating
stories. Then it is about trying to make that desire a reality –
through hard work. You may be lucky to get accepted from the word go.
Often, this is not the case. If you do get a Revise and Resubmit
response, then get annoyed, cry on a friend's shoulder, get merry and
think about telling where the publisher to go…then get on and do
the revisions. Work at it, re-craft your story into something better,
fill in the holes and add more to the scenes that need it, give it
depth. It is worth it, honestly it is. I may not be world famous or
rich –but I am writing when I can, I try to take on board the
advice given, whether from fellow authors or editors and I will keep
going. I will leave you with some key words. </span></span>
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Perseverance</b></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Persistence</b></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Determination</b></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Grit</b></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Thick
skin</b></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Why
not add to this list and tell me what else is important?</span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Guardian
Awakening</b></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Breathless
Press:</b></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=13&products_id=423&zenid=aomb93td04ulndo3d5u5rtt8e7"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=13&products_id=423&zenid=aomb93td04ulndo3d5u5rtt8e7</b></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Truth
or Dare</b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.evernightpublishing.com/truth-or-dare-by-michaela-rhua/"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>http://www.evernightpublishing.com/truth-or-dare-by-michaela-rhua/</b></span></span></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>Author
Bio:</b></u></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>Michaela
Rhua Bio.</b></u></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Michaela
Rhua always dreamed of writing but this never happened until she met
the lovely group of ladies known as UCW. Their passion for writing
and encouragement inspired her to see if she could do it too. Now she
loves writing!</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">She
has teenage children and a husband, who also keep her busy. However,
it is whilst travelling into work that she has time to create her
characters and imagine other places in which they exist as her world
skims by the window. Conversations overheard often lead to the birth
of new ideas that she scribbles down in her trusty notebook.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Michaela
is a multi-published author with Breathless Press, Evernight
Publishing and a self-published anthology with authors from The
Nuthouse Scribblers.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>Find
her here:</b></u></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Website:
<a href="http://michaelarhuaauthor.weebly.com/">http://michaelarhuaauthor.weebly.com/</a></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Blog:
<a href="http://www.michaelarhuaauthor.blogspot.co.uk/">http://www.michaelarhuaauthor.blogspot.co.uk/</a></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Twitter:
<a href="https://twitter.com/MichaelaRhua">https://twitter.com/MichaelaRhua</a></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pinterest:
<a href="http://pinterest.com/michaelarhua/">http://pinterest.com/michaelarhua/</a></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Facebook:
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/MichaelaRhua">http://www.facebook.com/MichaelaRhua</a></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvafS__vTAGMAd2fMCK2x9SHTyQDXnjhhOZEyVfzwxM6V3uHlWl4R6Z8LyqzA7_cMNQrCPWOk8tB5UbmblPKjjleVpwVF-KHYzvoymgBA5kOXWdrRcVxZ4l2PcsGQVMBUSk3_6svI9eOL1/s1600/truth-or-dare2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvafS__vTAGMAd2fMCK2x9SHTyQDXnjhhOZEyVfzwxM6V3uHlWl4R6Z8LyqzA7_cMNQrCPWOk8tB5UbmblPKjjleVpwVF-KHYzvoymgBA5kOXWdrRcVxZ4l2PcsGQVMBUSk3_6svI9eOL1/s320/truth-or-dare2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">______________ </span></span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></b></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">
</span><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Wow, Michaela, those are some powerful words. I'm actually writing them on a sticky note and they are going up on my inspiration board. I have a pin board for inspiration that I can stare at when I'm writing. That list needs to go up there. I'm ending the list with "WRITE." So after I'm inspired I go back to write! </span><br />
</div>
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</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-92079810874241424822013-03-24T19:02:00.001-04:002013-03-24T19:02:05.949-04:00Special Guest Sunday- R.C. Murphy
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hi everyone, please help me welcome my special guest for Special Guest Sunday- R.C. Murphy, as she discusses writing rituals. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<b>______________________________</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b> </b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>Odd
Little Creatures of Habit</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b>By
R.C. Murphy</b></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;">
Writers are weird, there is no point in arguing the fact. We sit
around day in and day out talking to the voices in our head. And at
some point, we begin to concoct rituals, habits we feel are the only
way to successfully meet the day’s word/page count goals. Sometimes
there’s no rhyme or reason for what we do. Other times writing
cannot and will not happen unless things are done a certain way.
Here, I’ll give you a few examples.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;">
Music. Every project I start has its own soundtrack. What artists
work for Project A won’t for Project C or D. Sometimes I don’t
know why a certain band jars me out of the scene I’m working on.
Other times, the characters tell me they don’t like the music and
ask for a change. While writing <i>Enslaved</i> I had a heck of a
time with music and sometimes found myself writing to nothing. Why?
Deryck is a horse’s arse. He wouldn’t pick his music. Whereas,
Shayla had her tunes all sorted out and was ready to go whenever I
turned them on. Any time I switched POV (point of view) from one to
the other, I’d have the Great Music Fight all over again.</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;">
Clutter. During the end-of-book rush to meet the deadline, little
things like chores and eating properly tend to get thrown to the
wayside. This is true for about 95% of my house. However, the one
exemption is my desk. See, it is old and tiny with barely enough room
to fit my computer, a lamp, a box of tissues, and a trio of
“companions”—a skull named Richard, and two stuffed skeleton
monkeys. All of the notes I have for upcoming projects are slapped
onto a work board above my desk. On the rare occasion other things
land on my desk—usually from a family member leaving a pile of
laundry or passing off books to read—I have to put everything away,
or at least out of sight. Clutter distracts me far worse than any
noise. Heck, a clown could be hiding in the corner of my office
playing peek-a-boo and I’d be able to ignore it better than a stack
of books on the edge of my desk.
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;">
I’ve heard other writers claim they cannot work without a cup of
tea/coffee at hand. Some must have absolute silence. Others need the
chaos of a café to inspire their muse. Whatever ritual or habit they
form morphs to fit the project at hand. Our minds are far more
flexible than we wish to admit because habits are comforting. Writers
need the warm and fluffy of something familiar when they dig into the
dark goop at the bottom of their subconscious to create complex,
flawed characters and stories. Whatever your ritual, don’t be
ashamed . . . unless it involves licking the soles of shoes, then you
might want to see a shrink.</div>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Enslaved-The-Inbetween-Novels-ebook/dp/B00BFGG2VO" target="_blank">Enslaved </a><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/RC.Murphy.Writer" target="_blank">Facebook</a> <br />
<br />
<br />
<b>______________________________</b><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thank you so much, R.C. for stopping by. I have never thought of rituals that way before, but you are completed right. I know I can't write without a drink by my side, that I can lean back look at what I wrote, take a sip, and then dive in again typing furiously toward the finish line.</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-303770803062712862013-03-17T17:33:00.002-04:002013-03-17T17:33:30.801-04:00Special guest Sunday- Leona BushmanHello, everyone, please help me welcome Leona Bushman in a special about writing.<br />
<br />
_______ <br />
<br />
<br />
Hi <span class="emoticon emoticon_wink"></span><br />
I'm going to
talk about writing. Duh? LOL I recently released two anthologies,
Crimson, and Serviced, with Breathless Press and have things ever been
nuts!! Which brings me to this blog post—finding time to write.<br />
It's
easy to think, "Oh, I'd like to write a book." But harder to execute.
I'm a fast typist. Seriously fast when I know what I want to say. So,
for me, my writing goal is and should be, 3k+ a day when I work
elsewhere. I can tell you right now that I don't make that.<br />
I've had
health issues preventing that and now I'm working three other jobs. All
related to writing and the publishing business, but still, time sucks.
Yet, I have managed to write and edit for my CP. You have to make time.
If you're not feeling particularly creative, edit your own work, read a
book (yes, this is part of writing!), outline the next idea (er, I don't
do this much. I take notes if I need to remember something ;P),
network, read blogs about writing, etc.<br />
Do something. And be honest
with yourself. If you're not feeling well, just networking may take up a
lot of energy. But don't cheat yourself. If it's your dream, your work,
make sure you're doing the best you can. But also, GIVE YOURSELF A DAY
OFF. At least one, better two. Trust me. You'll burn out way faster if
you don't. And, there will be plenty of times, after you have a
contract, that you won't get to choose to have a day off. I didn't have a
day off of my jobs and writing until Thursday. This last Thursday,
since before Serviced and Crimson released, March 1. I did take a few
days slower/easier as I was sicker than a dog on a hot summer day with
no water, but I still wrote, edited, marketed, every day. I think, I may
have done some marketing on Thursday, but I'm going to pretend I
didn't, so I think I have a day off.<br />
Read, write, work, and play.
Your life will be full. And if you have kids, well, you'll forget what
the meaning of sleep is. But when you see your cover, whether the first
time or the thirtieth, it'll be worth it.<br />
Thanks for dropping by today <span class="emoticon emoticon_wink"></span> And now, back to writing!<br />
<br />
<div>
Link for Crimson <a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=18&products_id=426" target="_blank">http://www.breathlesspress.<wbr></wbr>com/index.php?main_page=<wbr></wbr>product_free_shipping_info&<wbr></wbr>cPath=18&products_id=426</a></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Link for Serviced <a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=18&products_id=427" target="_blank">http://www.breathlesspress.<wbr></wbr>com/index.php?main_page=<wbr></wbr>product_free_shipping_info&<wbr></wbr>cPath=18&products_id=427</a></div>
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<br />
<br />
_____<br />
<br />
Wow, Leona, I'm really glad you stopped by. I know I have had the problem of over-working myself. Great advice. Thanks so much for stopping by! Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-67794787658500434482013-03-10T14:03:00.002-04:002013-03-10T14:03:43.511-04:00Special Guest Sunday- Aurelia B Rowl & Allie A Burrow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hello everyone,<br />
<br />
Please help me welcome Aurelia B Rowl & Allie A Burrow to my blog this week for Special Guest Sunday! (Pssst... they are actually the same person) As she talks about pen names.<br />
<br />
______________________________________________<br />
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<br />
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>What’s
in a name?</b></i></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">I've
come across a few blogs and 'expert' opinions </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">since
I started writing which suggest using a pen name is more hassle than
it's worth and, quite frankly, a bit of a waste of time. They (that
invisible group that have an opinion on everything) recommend you use
your real name, or at least a form of it, because using a pen means
you're more afraid of failure. Or something like that anyway... </span></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><i><b>So
why do I use a pen name?</b></i></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><i><b>
</b></i></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><i><b>Is
it because I am trying to hide my real identity?</b></i></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">No,
not at all, I'd say a large percentage of followers on both Facebook
and my main blog could tell you my real name. I'm not ashamed of
writing romance, I'm not embarrassed or desperate to keep it at arm's
length, it just works better for me.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Why
then?</b></i></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It's
for a few reasons really...</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">One
reason is to add an extra screen, a layer of privacy, to keep my
writing persona one step removed from my real life persona. If
somebody Google's my real name to find out more about my role as a
school governor, or in relation to any other aspect of my life, for
example, my political affiliation or religious beliefs (or any other
potentially contentious stuff usually banned from the dinner table),
I don't want them to come face to face with an excerpt from one of my
steamier romance novels.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Another
reason is to protect my young children. I have my private profile on
Facebook where I can happily post photos and talk about them. Yes, I
can apply privacy settings (and do!) but even so, other users can see
the pages I like or places I check into amongst other things, so it
made sense for me to create a profile for my Facebook alter-ego. On
the flipside, it also gives my children the option to distance
themselves from the writer 'me'. They can choose to acknowledge what
I do or deny all knowledge because it's not my 'mummy' name printed
on the covers of my novels, which could be embarrassing for them when
they're older, especially now Allie is on the scene.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">If
you have been following me on Facebook for a while, you may have been
one of the many voters who helped me choose an alternate pen name –
yes, another one! – so that I can keep the more erotic stories away
from the contemporary romance and young adult stories. It added an
extra division between the two personas so that I don't have to make
my 'Aurelia' Page over 18, which would be counter-productive when I
am in the throes of writing a Young Adult romance. </span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">And
then there's the issue with my actual name being unisex. Seeing as
I'm a romance author, I don't really want to be mistaken for a man.
Not that I think men can't write romance, it's just that many will
adopt a female pen name to do it.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>But
don't I want to see MY name on the cover of a book?</b></i></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This
will sound crazy, but it is my name being published. Huh?</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Have
you seen those pictures where there's a printed message and you're
supposed to be super brainy if you can read it because of how your
brain interprets the right words even though the letters are mixed
up? Well, it's just like that. In fact, when I first adopted it,
friends didn't even realise they weren't seeing my actual name
because their brain saw the letters they were expecting to see, even
though they were out of order, and rearranged them automatically.
Yes, my pen name is an anagram of my real name so it </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><u>is</u></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"> my
name on the cover, it just so happens the letters are a bit
jumbled up.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><i><b>Isn't
it hard work keeping two </b></i></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><i><b>Facebook
profiles going?</b></i></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Nope,
not really, especially since a friend suggested using two different
browsers to have Facebook open, one for each persona so I can log
into Facebook as BOTH profiles at once. I'm just kicking myself for
not thinking of it sooner. It works a charm for Goodreads and Twitter
too.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">I
had the foresight to create my alter ego as soon as I decided to try
my hand as a writer so it's been there right from day one and it's
like a uniform I put on when it's time to work. Similarly, I can take
the hat off when it's time to be 'mummy'.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">I've
encouraged all of my real-life friends befriend my alter ego but if
they don't want to, that's fine, and by having a separate profile for
my professional stuff, I'm not ramming my writing updates down their
throats all the time. The visibility is still set to ‘friends’
only – which is generally family, friends and fellow writers –
and I try to steer readers and fans to like my Facebook pages
instead, where I can control the content and who can sees it (e.g.
Allie is set that you can’t see it unless you are over 19). </span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">All
the silly anecdotes of my life are there for public consumption, but
I use codenames for my children instead of their real names. I am
still </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><u>me</u></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">
on my alter-ego Pages, I behave exactly the same and saying the same
kind of things I'd say with my real hat on, so there's not much
difference. </span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>What
are the drawbacks?</b></i></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I
have a rule that I will only take ‘Aurelia’ up to a heat level of
2 (borderline 3 in the case of Christmas is Cancelled) but the
creation of ‘Allie’ now means that anything with more explicit
adult content now has somewhere it can go too. Whereas I had to turn
away guests before on my blog because of the nature of the content, I
can now welcome them with open arms. </span></span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Even
though I don’t intend to write as ‘Allie’ very often – being
the result of a personal challenge to step outside my comfort zone –
my ‘Allie’ blog is just as busy as my ‘Aurelia’ blog, running
the same features on alternate weeks. The only major difference is
that when posting as ‘Allie’ I will happily shout about ‘Aurelia’
and encourage readers to check out my other persona, but when writing
as ‘Aurelia’, I tend to distance myself from ‘Allie’, just to
be on the safe side.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Of
course, by writing across three (so far!) different genres, I
couldn’t help but make things that little harder for myself, and it
does mean I now have to maintain two websites, three blogs, two
Facebook pages (three if you include Serviced), and two twitter
profiles. Not to mention my separate Goodreads profiles, Google+
pages, Pinterest, Amazon etc. </span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">I’d
like to think I stay on top of it all though, and because of the YA
vs. erotica thing, I do believe it is necessary. I know I’m not the
only one who uses </span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><u>two</u></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">
pen names because at least two other author friends instantly spring
to mind.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>Over
to you...</b></i></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">What
are your views on pen names?</span></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Would
you have done things differently, if you were me?</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Do
you write under a pen name or do you think they are unnecessary?</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">If
you do have a pen name, how did you choose it and why did you decide
to use one?</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><i><b>About
the author...</b></i></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><i><b><br /></b></i></span></span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aurelia
B Rowl is a contemporary romance and young adult author, but you can
also find her masquerading as Allie A Burrow, her raunchier
alter-ego.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Aurelia
lives on the edge of the Peak District in the UK with her very
understanding husband and their two fantastic children aged 6 and 4,
along with their mad rescue mutt who doesn’t mind being used as a
sounding post and source of inspiration. They are all used to her
getting too caught up with her latest writing project... or five!...
and she is guiltily counting down the months until she has both kids
at school full-time.</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Writing
as Aurelia B Rowl, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.aureliabrowl.com/christmas-is-cancelled1.html"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><i>Christmas
is Cancelled</i></span></span></span></a></u></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">,
was released by Breathless Press on 21 December 2012. Just a few
months later, Allie A Burrow debuted with her short story, </span></span></span></span><span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.allieaburrow.com/serviced-anthology-vol-1.html"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><i>For
One Night Only</i></span></span></span></a></u></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">,
featured in the Serviced anthology and released by Breathless Press
on 1 March 2013.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1zw2ZPgzFahRNb132XijZS1bTJEA6fyQlXy5PBaXK3gVisyaDSZgMmO9D9IxFwotWbsOX62L1MNGaqrRfPvLvmvj0Ii-kgvWBKviNWSDPIqdvMxgzbCUCEvxUDDZ-xke6U5rkmt8bzOsm/s1600/ciC.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1zw2ZPgzFahRNb132XijZS1bTJEA6fyQlXy5PBaXK3gVisyaDSZgMmO9D9IxFwotWbsOX62L1MNGaqrRfPvLvmvj0Ii-kgvWBKviNWSDPIqdvMxgzbCUCEvxUDDZ-xke6U5rkmt8bzOsm/s1600/ciC.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"> </span></span></span></span>
</div>
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<td width="624"><div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><b>Christmas
is Cancelled</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><b><br />by
Aurelia B Rowl</b></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Matilda
'Tilly' Carter didn't think her day could get any worse, but even
Christmas had just been cancelled.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The
one girl Dean Watson has sworn never to have—never even expected
to see again—just flared back into his life and into his
home—his sanctuary—like she belonged there. Christmas would
certainly be more bearable with Tilly around though…</i></span></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>As
the chinks in Dean's armor appear, Tilly seizes the chance to win
her knight once and for all. She's not about to take no for
answer—not this time—but Dean must resist, even as his heart
rebels and temptation threatens to undermine his resolve.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Win
or lose? Love or honor? Which will Dean choose? Assuming he gets a
choice…</i></span></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER">
<br /></div>
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<td valign="TOP" width="624"><div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Available
from:</span></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=10&products_id=407" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Breathless
Press</span></span></a></u></span><span style="color: blue;"><u><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AR01MNC?ie=UTF8&tag=aubro-20&linkCode=shr&camp=213733&creative=393177&creativeASIN=B00AR01MNC&qid=1356086959&sr=8-3" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00AR01MNC?ie=UTF8&tag=aurbrow-21&linkCode=shr&camp=3194&creative=21330&creativeASIN=B00AR01MNC&qid=1356086879&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Amazon
UK</a><br /><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/christmas-is-cancelled-aurelia-b-rowl/1114675665?ean=2940044325081">Barnes
& Noble</a></span></span></u></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-christmasiscancelled-1026955-149.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All
Romance Books</span></span></a></u></span><span style="color: blue;"><u><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><a href="http://www.bookstrand.com/christmas-is-cancelled" target="_blank">Bookstrand</a></span></span></u></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/285974?ref=AureliaBRowl"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Smashwords</span></span></a></u></span></div>
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– coming soon</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"> </span></span></span></span>
</div>
<table border="0" cellpadding="7" cellspacing="0" style="width: 638px;">
<colgroup><col width="624"></col>
</colgroup><tbody>
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<td width="624"><div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><b>Serviced:
Volume One</b></span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"><b><br />feat.
Allie A Burrow</b></span></span></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>All's
fair in love and war, they say. Come find out if it's true in
these ten stories where soldiers prove that their skills in the
field are only rivaled by their skills in the bedroom.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>For
One Night Only</b></i></span></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Kate
Powell only went and fell for the soldier she’d met just once
before he had to jet off on a year-long posting overseas.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Seven
months in, and Kate is hornier than a blue wildebeest in mating
season with only her battery-powered friend for relief. Her skills
as a pen-pal scale new heights, but then a text message arrives
out of the blue.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Corporal
Mark Butler is back in the country for one night only, and Kate
isn’t about to let the opportunity pass her by. After all, who
needs a vibrator when the real thing comes calling?</i></span></span></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" lang="en-US">
<br /></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="TOP" width="624"><div align="CENTER" lang="en-US" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Available
from:</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=10&products_id=427" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Breathless
Press</span></span></a></u></span></div>
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UK</span></span></a></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-servicedvolume1-1093554-152.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All
Romance Books</span></span></a></u></span><span style="color: blue;"><u><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><a href="http://www.bookstrand.com/serviced-volume-1" target="_blank">Bookstrand</a></span></span></u></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Barnes
& Noble – coming soon</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">iTunes
– coming soon</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<td valign="TOP" width="624"><div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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with</span></span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">
Allie at:</span></span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.allieaburrow.com/"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Website</span></span></span></a></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://blog.allieaburrow.com/"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Blog</span></span></a></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/allieaburrow"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Goodreads</span></span></a></u></span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.facebook.com/ServicedVolume1"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US">Serviced:
Volume <span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;">1</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="en-US"> </span></span></span></u></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
_______________________________________________</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Thank you so much Aurelia/Allie for stopping by! </div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you have any thoughts/comments you would like to add to this discussion, please comment below. I would love to hear what other people have to say about pen names!</div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div lang="en-US" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Also, on a side note, I haven't had a chance to read Christmas is Cancelled yet, it's on my TBR (to-be-read) pile, but I have read the Serviced Anthology Volume 1, and it is hot, hot, hot! Sometimes you may not have time to read a longer story in one sitting, but with an anthology it is easy to read in small slices. Great for those of us with busy lives, when we don't seem to be able to get a break sometimes. Taking a few minutes for yourself and indulge in one of these stories featuring those in uniform. It'll be well worth it. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-77223338878004041802013-03-03T12:49:00.002-05:002013-03-03T12:49:40.761-05:00Special Guest Sunday- Lucy Oliver
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hello everyone! Please help me welcome my special guest today for Special Guest Sunday- Lucy Oliver as she discusses the importance of setting.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hi Lucy, thank you so much for stopping by!</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">____________________________ </span></span><b> </b></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Bringing a
Town to Life</b></span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>By Lucy
Oliver</b></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
An important part of
writing that can get overlooked amongst the more exciting characters
and emotions, is the setting. It doesn’t jump around, rage or
swear, it just sits there, looking pretty. Or sometimes, not so
pretty. Imagine Lord of the Rings without the powerful setting of
Mount Doom, or Jane Eyre minus the brooding moors, or Jamaica Inn
missing the dark, grey forbidding tavern. In these books, the setting
becomes a person in its own right; influencing the plot and the
characters, foreshadowing and adding atmosphere.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
To create a strong sense
of place, the setting must be woven into the story. But what’s the
best way to do this? A single paragraph at the start of the book
isn’t enough and several paragraphs will generally lose you the
reader—no one wants to trawl through pages and pages of
description. The trick is to slot it into the narrative. Have your
characters breathing in the salty sea air, hearing the cry of gulls
above them, feeling the breeze against their cheeks. Every character
has five senses and all of these should be used to bring the setting
alive.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It can help to have a
picture of the scene you’re describing beside you. When I was
writing my medieval romance, I had a photo of a forest on my desk and
glanced at it while my computer was switching on to focus my mind.
Even if your characters are sitting in the lounge, then I want to
know what that room looks like. Drop little hints into the narrative,
rather than a big block of text, so I can picture it.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I read a book recently
where a ballroom was described as, ‘stunningly beautiful.’ Well,
I’ll have to take the writer’s word for that, because she never
told me what it looked like. It’s lazy writing and added nothing to
the book. Don’t tell me what it looks like; show me.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
With Winter Storms, it
was the setting that appeared first; a glimpse of wet cobblestones
and the sound of a breaker exploding a seawall. From that original
image, the town of Haven Bay appeared, nestled at the base of giant
black cliff and surrounded by a raging sea that echoed the powerful
emotions of Carly and Daniel.
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Below, I’ve added an
extract of Daniel’s arrival at the Bay after two years away. Read
it, and see if you can picture the setting in own mind.
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><b>Extract</b></span></div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
powerful sea wind hit Daniel Edwards with the force of a gybing boom.
Hissing</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
between
his teeth, he yanked the wet dinghy painter and cursed as it scraped
red burns</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
across
his hands. It was tempting to toss the rope away and watch the hated
boat bob off</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
into
the ocean, but his teammates would never forgive him; the Olympic
racing craft was</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
worth
a fortune. He never should have brought it out in this weather.
Seeing the lifeboat</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
bobbing
beside a fishing trawler, waves exploding over the deck, made him
realise how</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
stupid
and how lucky he’d been.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
mast had snapped when he reached the jetty, another expense he’d
have to pay</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
for.
Not that he cared very much, when his sponsors discovered he’d
risked the boat in a</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
storm,
they’d cancel his contract anyway. They already had what they
wanted—double</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Olympic
gold medals—now he was superfluous to requirements.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hauling
on the rope, Daniel tied it fast and straightened. Pulling down his
waterproof</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
hood,
he stared across the harbour at the cluster of shops glowing with
Christmas lights;</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
it
hadn’t changed much in two years. Turning to look at the black
cliffs standing like</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
gateposts
either side of the harbour entrance, he recalled her scream and
shuddered.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Should
he have come back?</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
But
Haven Bay was where he grew up and he couldn’t stay away forever,
paying</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
expensive
hotel bills for his family to visit him. And after the Olympics, his
urge to visit</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
had
grown stronger, pictures flashing through his mind like an
old-fashioned projector,</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
images
of places and people, of a girl he had known.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Imogen,
his ex-fiancée, said she’d suspected for months that something
wasn’t right.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Standing
in the hallway of their luxury flat, suitcases at her feet, she
looked at him, not in</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
anger,
but with something akin to pity.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
“There’s
a part of you I can’t reach,” she said.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Daniel opened his mouth to protest, but she held her left hand up,
showing a white</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
ring
of pale skin around her suntanned finger.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I hoped our relationship would improve after you got the Olympic
golds, but it’s</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
worse,
I never know what’s going through your mind. I keep expecting to
come home to</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
find
the wardrobe half-empty and a note on the table telling me you’ve
gone.” Putting</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
hands
on her hips, she stared at him. “I’m not the person you’re
looking for.”</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Daniel gazed now at the lights of Haven Bay. Had Imogen been right? A
face, pushed</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
for
years into the back of his mind, was emerging, growing stronger and
less blurry each</div>
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day.
Two years ago, Carly had broken off their relationship with five hard
words.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
“I do not love you,” she said.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
And, refusing to beg, he left town on the next train. Only later did
he wish he’d</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
demanded
an explanation, but it was too late by then, his pride wouldn’t let
him return.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
So
what if Carly didn’t want to know him? Many other girls did. Until
Imogen showed</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
him
the truth: that he couldn’t love anyone else.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
Slinging a rucksack over his shoulder, he stepped across the floating
jetty to the sea</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
wall.
A rank odour of dead fish, salt water, and rust hit him, scents he
remembered from</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
his
childhood. Boats creaked at their moorings and faint music drifted
over from a pub.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
Brick
steps led up the harbour wall, slippery with rubbery, rotting seaweed
and when he</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
reached
the top, he froze, waiting for the bright flash of a camera.</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div align="JUSTIFY" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
The
setting of Haven Bay forms an essential part of the story, in fact
several reviewers have said they wished they could visit! I’ve put
the blurb below in case anyone would like to see the rest of the plot
and please join me on Twitter—Writingoliver or at my blog:
<a href="http://lucyoliverwrites.blogspot.co.uk/">http://lucyoliverwrites.blogspot.co.uk/</a>.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: medium;">Blurb</span></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Two years ago Carly Roberts split from
her lover, Daniel Edwards, after he caused a terrible sailing
accident that cost her both the use of her right leg and her Olympic
dreams. Unable to watch his climb to double Olympic success, she
stayed in the Cornish village they grew up in, while he travelled the
world.
</div>
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Racked with guilt, knowing he destroyed
her future, Daniel has finally returned home to make amends. But he
didn’t expect to fall in love with her again.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
However Carly has her own life now and
it doesn’t include him. She can’t forgive him for the
catastrophic injuries that changed her life. While the storms of a
Cornish winter lash their village home, can Daniel persuade her to
give him a second chance?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Available from:
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Winter-Storms-Crimson-Romance-ebook/dp/B00AWWZVBY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362073191&sr=8-1&keywords=winter+storms" target="_blank">Amazon US</a></div>
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Winter-Storms-Crimson-Romance-ebook/dp/B00AWWZVBY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362073219&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a><br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Winter-Storms/book-oO5mgFMZSEWxrrcKNeMjTQ/page1.html" target="_blank">KOBO</a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl13a9b7sliF2c08OLp55x8WHN2zN8rj8wmDmC7aeyF1tIwYvnkaIHRKCMkW8jjYhKJaW_6J4EG_whYYOlyxnG0FLVMA4tmOBg6UCi63E7ioNG0eW6da6eukSOC48fe7YFlaKyEn7aQDBT/s1600/pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl13a9b7sliF2c08OLp55x8WHN2zN8rj8wmDmC7aeyF1tIwYvnkaIHRKCMkW8jjYhKJaW_6J4EG_whYYOlyxnG0FLVMA4tmOBg6UCi63E7ioNG0eW6da6eukSOC48fe7YFlaKyEn7aQDBT/s320/pic.jpg" width="220" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">____________________________</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thank you so much Lucy for stopping by. I can see why the reviewers would want to visit there. Amazing. I want to visit there too!</span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-54906160124611357672013-02-24T12:49:00.001-05:002013-02-24T12:49:47.781-05:00Special Guest Sunday- Jacqueline Driggers
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hello everyone! Please help me welcome Jacqueline Driggers to Special Guest Sunday, as she discusses following her dream.</div>
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<br /></div>
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__________________________________ </div>
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<br /></div>
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<b> Following my dream, 30 years later</b></div>
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<br />
</div>
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<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5981653066828843157" name="working"></a>I’ve always
loved books and reading, going all the way back to my childhood. One
of my favorite activities as a kid was going to my grandmother’s
house and packing home old books. And during my early years, I was a
reading demon. I started writing in high school, and when I
graduated from high school in 1979, I wanted to be a writer as a
career choice. But breaking into writing back then was quite
different than it is now.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Back then, at the beginning of the 80s,
the internet was pretty much nonexistent. Desktop computers were
brand new. Laptop computers, ipads, ipods, and cell phones were
still dreams on some inventors drawing board. Back then, if you
wanted to be a writer, you had a limited course to follow. You could
write for magazines or newspapers, but if you wanted to do that, then
you better have a degree in journalism or something like that. You
could go into advertising, writing jingles and ads, yet again, the
college thing. You could write books. But ah, to get into this, you
needed a lot of luck and probably an agent. It was, put plainly and
simply, a hard road to follow.</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So after high school, I spent the next
two years at home with my parents, and learned to cook really well
while I figured out what I wanted to do next. My husband will
forever be grateful for these years. What I ended up doing is to go
to a local business college, where I graduated with honors with
diplomas in secretarial work and computer operations. Turned out to
be a great choice. Then I went on to work as a legal secretary and a
bookkeeper. During this time I continued to write, more as a hobby.
I wrote a Star Trek story for a fanzine put out by a girl I had
connected up with somehow. Can’t remember how now.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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When I turned 30, I entered a new phase
in my life when I got married. During all this, over all these
years, I had continued to write as a hobby. It was how I expressed
myself best. I wrote one fictional story, poems, and some
non-fiction pieces. Which brings us up to now.
</div>
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</div>
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I used to be a big reader, but had
gotten away from it over the years. With the advent of ebooks, I got
back to my enjoyment of reading again. I also had been reading about
the new self-publishing trend. With facebook, and computers, and the
internet, and self-publishing; I kept thinking about how I wished I
had all of this when I graduated from high school wanting to be a
writer.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Then in April of 2012, I opened up my
word processing program and started writing a fictional novel. And
so began the process of my finally pursuing my high school dream of
being a writer. That novel I started back in April is up to 4
chapters now, and I know what I want to do with it. I also have a
cookbook in the works, as well as a poetry and short stories book
too. Besides this, I have the ideas for over 40 separate books.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
But before that, when I first got
online, I started writing. First on the gather website, then in my
blog. I still have that first blog, which was just about me sharing
my opinions on stuff. I simply call it ‘Sharing About’ now.</div>
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-- http://jdshare.blogspot.com/ --
</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Now I have 8 facebook pages and a total
of 6 blogs. Also, I have several groups as well. See my facebook
note for the links for all of these. --
https://www.facebook.com/notes/jacqueline-driggers/links-for-my-blogs-facebook-pages-and-groups/10150947645299887
</div>
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Plus I now have a website as well -
http://emforjd.wix.com/jdwrite --
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have started doing book reviews. And
I have started doing editing work as well. To learn more about my
editing and what I charge, check out my website.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So yeah, some 32 years later, I am
finally pursuing my dream of being a writer. And I’m staying quite
busy these days. Anyone needing an editor, just get in touch with
me. I would love to work with you.</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Want to get in touch with me? You can
do so via my website (link given above), or my writer page on
facebook --
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
http://www.facebook.com/jdswrpg</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
--jd--</div>
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<br />
</div>
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_________________________</div>
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<br />
</div>
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Thank you so much for stopping by Jacqueline!</div>
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</div>
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</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-12486056746719730012013-02-17T11:02:00.003-05:002013-02-17T11:02:59.981-05:00Special Guest Sunday- Gayl Taylor
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<span style="font-size: small;"> Hi everyone,</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Please help m<span style="font-size: small;">e welcome Gayl Taylor as she shares her <span style="font-size: small;">best advice for aspiring authors.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">--------------------------- </span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Hello
Readers! And thank you so much Sally for having me today. Admittedly,
I had a hard time coming up with an interesting topic. I am still a
very new author despite the fact that I have been writing a very long
time. My first book was published nearly a year ago. I am still
finding my way, and discovering what drives a story. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">The
best advice I could give aspiring authors is write something every
day whether it is 500 words or 5000. Don't get too caught up in the
mechanics, it can distract you from reaching the end, and tell the
story that's in your heart. Stay true to who you are. I adore and
immerse myself in many romance genres, especially paranormal or
Regency. I love them, hands down. What draws me to the genre is the
fantasy aspect, the way I am transported to another time or place.
Yet, I couldn't write a Regency or paranormal to save my life. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">So…</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">I write
what I know and I infuse bits of me in everything I write. Each of my
characters can be a reflection of me and my experiences. My books are
contemporary erotic romance with an emphasis on the romantic and
sensual aspects. My characters are not perfect; in fact, they are far
from it. This is what I hope makes them and their story believable to
readers. My characters are flawed, stubborn, willful, sexy, and
loving. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">My
current release, The Hero Sandwich, was co-written with a good friend
and critique partner, Karyn Gerrard. This story is a f/m/f cougar
erotic romance about three people who have endured loss. This story
is close to my heart for many reasons.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;">Links:</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=15&products_id=362"><span style="font-size: small;">Breathless
Press</span></a></u></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theherosandwich-988675-146.html"><span style="font-size: small;">All
Romance eBooks</span></a></u></span><span style="font-size: small;"> </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A4LE62I/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00A4LE62I&linkCode=as2&tag=wwwbreathless-20"><span style="font-size: small;">Amazon</span></a></u></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b>Blurb</b></span><span style="font-size: small;">:
</span>
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;">A wild night of meaningless sex is
all best friends Connie Hollingsway and Nicci Sullivan have in mind
when they approach a beyond handsome, younger man in the Cougar Cave
bar. They soon realize they have taken on more than they bargained
for.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />Barrett
Michaels just found out he was cut from the Double A baseball team he
played for. To drown his sorrows and ease his pain, he goes to the
Cougar Cave looking for a one-night stand with an experienced, older
woman. Imagine his surprise when not one, but two women suggest a
night of mind-blowing sensual pleasure with no strings attached.</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />Can
three lonely people keep pain, bitterness, and grief at bay or will
emotional fireworks tear down the walls surrounding their hearts?</span></span></div>
<div style="color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Excerpt:</b></span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;">As far as Connie Hollingsway was
concerned, she'd just found the meat filling for her hero sandwich.
She cast a quick glance to her best friend, Nicole Sullivan, and
amended her statement to our </span></span><span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>hero</i></span></span><span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;"> sandwich.</span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bass from inane techno music
reverberated off the wood-paneled walls of the club called the Cougar
Cave that she and Nicci were at tonight. Connie's gaze slid back to
the man sitting alone in a booth directly across from them and
further down the wall. The man, in a word, was perfect. Ascertaining
his age was difficult under the flashing strobe lights, plus he sat
directly underneath a neon sign for Budweiser, which cast a reddish
glow over a stunningly rugged, handsome face. The layered and tousled
hair looked as if he had just rolled out of bed. Milk chocolate would
be the way she'd describe the color. Like all young guys, he had a
scruff of facial hair, but Connie's keen eye could make out the sexy
cleft in his perfectly shaped chin. There were six empty beer bottles
in front of him, and he'd just waved his arm to the waiter for more.
A sly smile curved about Connie's mouth. If man-meat was drunk
enough, he may be open and willing to consider her suggestion.</span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;">Leaning toward Nicci to talk about
her idea, the words died in her throat when man-meat stood, shook off
his leather jacket, and hung it on the coat rack attached to the back
of the bench seat. He was taller than she first imagined, a few
inches over six feet to be sure. A skin tight black T-shirt hugged
every valley and plane of his powerful physique. Man-meat was cut,
chiseled, honed, and sharpened into hardened precision, enough to
rival those marble statues of Greek gods. The T-shirt, tucked into a
pair of incredibly tight blue jeans, showed his torso to sculpted
perfection. Fabric strained across rock hard thighs, a muscular ass
and—Connie's held breath whooshed out in a moan—showed off his
impressive package to perfection.</span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;">She had to get a closer look.</span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;">While his build and his aura
evoked a certain maturity, there were no telltale lines fanning out
from the eyes to show he may be in his thirties, nor were there
heavily cut lines around his mouth. Damn, how young was he? Who
cared? He was getting drunk at the Cougar Cave so naturally the man
would be interested in an older woman.</span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;">Wonder how he would feel about two
women?</span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;">***</span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;">I love hearing from readers and
you can find me at the following places:</span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; color: #010101; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;">Blog: http://gayl-taylor.com</span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;">Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/GaylTaylorAuthor</span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;">Twitter:
https://twitter.com/gaylschat</span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #010101;"><span style="font-size: small;">Goodreads</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">:
</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="background: #ffffff;">http://www.goodreads.com/gayltaylor</span></span></div>
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Thank you so much Gayl for stopping by! <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-78499024446407417402013-02-10T01:15:00.001-05:002013-02-10T01:15:18.101-05:00Special Guest Sunday- Dianne Hartsock<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hello everyone! Please help me welcome Dianne Hartsock as she discusses how to keep the romance alive.</span></div>
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_____________________ </div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Keeping
the Romance Alive</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</span>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Hello! As the writer
of m/m erotic romance, I'm often asked how I keep the romance in my
stories and not let it fall into strict erotica, where it's all
action and no passion. It's fairly easy for me to do. I'm a hopeless
romantic! I couldn't possibly write a story without my men being very
much in love.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">For inspiration, I
not only turn to my husband, who loves to romance and spoil me (I'm
so lucky!). But I have an extensive collection of romance novels from
1880-1920's. Talk about romance with angst! These men go through fire
and heartbreak and separation before they reach their HEA with the
person they love. I've shed many tears over these sweet, pure love
affairs.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">I like to approach
my stories with this same goal, having my men find true love by the
last page. Of course they have to suffer first! I want my readers to
feel and relate to their struggles, and cheer with them when they
finally hear those beautiful words, I love you. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">I've been reading
romances since I was thirteen, Jane Austin, Louisa May Alcott,
Charlotte Bronte, all the classics. They write of love as a pure
ideal, something to strive and sacrifice for. I like to think I take
that romantic fervor and apply it to my own writing.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">But I not only read
these old classics. I love the m/m romance gender and gobble up every
book I can find! They not only help sharpen my own writing skills,
but if they can make me laugh and cry, I know I've found an author I
can enjoy and who reminds me what love is all about.</span></div>
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</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">In my newest
release, WEE WILLIE WINKIE, Willie has fallen in love with a man far
below his caste in society. The perfect setting for heartbreak, but
also for true love to find a way to bring two lonely men together.
Yes, I think being a hopeless romantic has made it possible for me to
keep the
</span></div>
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</span>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">romance alive in my
stories!</span></div>
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</span>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRtb4ZG_7sig-wejsGnrc1A01pvuU5HgjjZLSGX88ikpzX3qGR4D2x8H0yXyro_zqicqd42jzIj80clGykVR9b9rd6f4m8ivYua_knKG678v2lpCRXS1niDn9qA-26aK6B7_1F-1kQZnb/s1600/wee+willie+winkie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaRtb4ZG_7sig-wejsGnrc1A01pvuU5HgjjZLSGX88ikpzX3qGR4D2x8H0yXyro_zqicqd42jzIj80clGykVR9b9rd6f4m8ivYua_knKG678v2lpCRXS1niDn9qA-26aK6B7_1F-1kQZnb/s1600/wee+willie+winkie.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>WEE WILLIE WINKIE</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Amazon:
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Willie-Winkie-Naughty-Nursery-ebook/dp/B00BD2IQLO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1360394155&sr=8-6&keywords=dianne+hartsock">http://www.amazon.com/Willie-Winkie-Naughty-Nursery-ebook/dp/B00BD2IQLO/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1360394155&sr=8-6&keywords=dianne+hartsock</a></span></div>
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</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">ARe Books:
<a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-weewilliewinkie-1055301-145.html">https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-weewilliewinkie-1055301-145.html</a></span></div>
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</div>
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</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">For the past three
years William Wilkerson has led the life of the privileged rich. Head
of his father’s shipping business, Willie indulges in the pleasures
of Boston’s fine young men to his heart’s content. That is, until
he meets Fredrick,, the one man who has captured his heart , again.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">As his former tutor,
Fredrick has been declared off limits by William’s father. Fredrick
also believes he's beneath the attention of Wilkerson’s heir.
Willie disagrees, but is he willing to throw away rank and privilege
for the man he loves?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><b>Excerpt:</b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Fredrick held up his
glass and stared at the candle's flame through the amber liquid. He
took a sip, savored the rich, biting taste on his tongue. He welcomed
the burn down his throat. This was the very last drink he could
afford, and he had to make it last.</span></div>
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</span>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">A giggle erupted
from the booth in the corner, the one whose curtains were drawn
against curious eyes. A smile tugged at Fredrick's lips despite the
dire state of his wallet. The laugh had been carefree, joyous,
naughty. Fredrick shifted on the cushioned bench. Only a few
straggling customers remained in the dining room. He wondered if any
of them would notice if he shifted his cramped cock as it throbbed in
sympathy with the bright laughter.</span></div>
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</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Rather than risk it,
he watched the fruit vender outside the window beguile a customer.
Another giggle and stifled moan swiveled his attention back to the
corner. A silk-clad foot and slim calf peeked beneath the curtain. He
grinned even as the delectable sight emphasized his own loneliness.
It had been far too long since he'd had someone in his bed.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">"Excuse me.
Sir?"</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Fredrick looked up,
distracted from his memory of lush lips and white skin and wide,
hazel eyes, and blinked at the stout innkeeper at his elbow. "Yes?"</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">A frown fleeted
across the man's homely face at another bout of laughter from the
corner. "If they're disturbing you, I can have Wee Willie take
his guest upstairs. Excuse me, I mean Mister Wilkerson." The man
broke off, flustered by the slip of the tongue.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Fredrick's heart
leaped on hearing the name mentioned. Is William really here? How
could that be? The innkeeper coughed, and Fredrick frowned at the
intrusion into his thoughts. The man was so damned serious about such
a minor indiscretion. "They're no bother. In fact, I'm almost
done anyway." He lifted his nearly empty glass. Hearing a shout,
they looked over in time to see a young man tumble through the
curtains onto the floor. Fredrick caught a glimpse of red hair and an
embarrassed cheek before the gentleman crammed a hat on his head and
strode passed them, face averted. The innkeeper shrugged and
followed, likely to be sure he paid for his drinks.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
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<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Fredrick stared at
the silk-clad foot still protruding from the parted curtains. He
loosened his hold on his glass but had no way to stop the wild
hammering of his heart. Before he lost his courage, he stood and
swallowed the last of his brandy, then walked the short distance to
the booth.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">
</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">A grin tugged the
corner of his mouth at his eagerness. It had been three years, after
all, and they'd parted in anger. Would William acknowledge him? His
hand trembled as he drew aside the heavy curtain and allowed his gaze
to travel up the silky hose to bright blue trousers. Blood heated his
face when he found the laces undone at the waist and the silk shirt
open to expose white skin and rosebud nipples.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">A sigh brought his
gaze up to the pretty face that stirred his dreams. Rich brown curls
surrounded lovely hazel eyes and full, pouting lips. He groaned when
a delighted smile revealed the even, white teeth that had nipped his
collarbone on more than one glorious occasion. "Freddie, is it
you?"</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Blog:
</span><a href="http://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>http://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/</u></span></span></a></span></div>
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</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Facebook:
</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5981653066828843157#!/diannehartsock"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/diannehartsock</u></span></span></a></span></div>
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</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Twitter:
</span><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5981653066828843157#!/diannehartsock"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>http://twitter.com/#!/diannehartsock</u></span></span></a></span></div>
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</span>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Goodreads:
</span><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4707011-dianne-hartsock"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u>http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4707011-dianne-hartsock</u></span></span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thank you so much Dianne for stopping by. This looks like a really hot read! </span></div>
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<span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><br /></u></span></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-37369988237258669932013-02-03T22:14:00.001-05:002013-02-03T22:24:34.280-05:00Special Guest Sunday- Gerald Hornsby<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hi everyone,</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This week, please help me welcome Gerald Hornsby as he discusses how to become a writer. </span><br />
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**** <br />
<br />
<br />
HOW TO BECOME A WRITER<br />
<br />
Writing is tough work. Don’t let anyone
tell you any different. I know, we all have this mental image of being a
writer, sitting on a stone balcony overlooking a Tuscan or Provençal
vineyard, a parasol protecting us from the harsh midday sun, typing a
few words into a laptop every now and again. A couple of weeks later,
the novel is finished, and off it gets sent to the publisher to become
(yet) another best seller. Ah, the life.<br />
Cue reality stepping in.
Jobs, families, children, social media, even sleep do their best to
interfere with our writing tasks. The distractions for writers are worse
than they have ever been, and it’s so easy to say to ourselves “I’ll
write tomorrow. Definitely.” Then tomorrow comes around, and it’s the
same old, same old.<br />
But the key thing here is forcing people to
write. The habit of writing every day, once learnt, becomes difficult to
unlearn. Consider this: a page of a typical paperback book contains
around 250 words. Anyone can write a page of a book a day, can’t they?
If you did that for a year, you’ll have written a 90,000 word novel.
What were you doing a year ago? Pretty much the same as now? If you’d
have made a commitment this time last year, you would have written your
book. How good does that sound?<br />
<br />
The arithmetic is simple. The
practicality is difficult. Finding time in our busy lives is hard,
especially if you have a full time job, have children at home, or you’re
a carer for someone.<br />
<br />
I can type at around 1,000 words an hour if I
know what I’m going to write. Allow for some thinking time, and you
could say that 500 words in an hour should be straightforward. Writing a
page of a novel should take me half an hour.<br />
<br />
Read any ‘how-to’ on
writing, and they will almost invariably say something like “as an
author, you need to have a space to work, and a time when you shut
yourself off to write.”<br />
<br />
I totally disagree with this. Finding a place
in a house full of children and toys and clothes and washing and games
consoles is difficult at best. So a lot of writers don’t try. “I don’t
have a place where I can write, so I can’t be a writer.”<br />
<br />
Nonsense. My
most productive period as a writer was when I had a full-time job which
took me all over the world, especially driving around the UK and
Europe. I wrote in hotel rooms, I wrote in lunch hours, I wrote when I
got home before I went to bed, I wrote on trains and planes. You must
learn to writer wherever you can.<br />
<br />
I remember watching one of those
“Building a Dream Home” programmes on TV, and one of the main themes of
this particular episode was that the man of the house needed a writing
room, overlooking a forest and open countryside, where he could be
inspired to write his novel.<br />
<br />
After completion, the house had a
wonderful room, with a desk and a laptop positioned for the cameras,
overlooking the forest and the open countryside. “I can now get on and
write my novel,” our man said.<br />
In the catchup 2 years later, the
house was still beautiful “Have you managed to write your novel?” the
presenter asked. “No, not yet,” was the reply.<br />
<br />
You don’t need a special room or house or hut to write. You need a laptop or a notebook and pencil. That’s all.<br />
<br />
Stage
two of my “How to Write” book addresses the when. “When can I write? I
don’t have an hour to myself during the day, what with housework / kids /
cooking / working / etc / etc / etc.” And if you look at it from the
point of view of ‘needing’ at least an hour or free, uninterrupted time
to yourself, you won’t do it. It’s impossible to find that chunk of time
during the day for most people.<br />
<br />
How to address this? Lesson 2 -
learn to write in short stints. Put the kettle on for a cup of tea or
coffee, pick up your work in progress, and write. Don’t wait for the
‘muse’ to visit you. Don’t sit there dreaming of how great your novel
would be, if only you had time to write it. While the kettle is boiling,
write a paragraph. If you’re stuck on your novel, write something else.
I always have at least 3 works in progress.<br />
If you don’t feel like
writing on one WIP, don’t go and mess about on Facebook or Twitter.
Write a blog post, or a short story, or put down into an ideas document
that brilliant idea you had while you were down the shops or driving to
school or sitting in the bath or walking the dog. <br />
<br />
Most of us have
clever mobile phones. Find out if there’s a way you can make voice
recordings. There are a number of apps around for doing just that, and
you can talk into your phone for 20 seconds, and that brilliant story
idea is stored until you can transcribe it later.<br />
<br />
So, to recap, there is one way you can become a writer. Write! And there are two don’ts.<br />
*
Don’t try to create a ‘space’ to write in. Learn to write sitting in
front of the TV, in the kitchen, in bed, whilst sitting on a train /
bus. During your lunch hour.<br />
<br />
* Don’t put off writing until you
have a ‘proper’ time to write. Learn to write in short stints. During
the news on TV. While you’re waiting for the kettle to boil. When you’re
waiting outside school to pick the kids up. Set your alarm for 15
minutes early, and write.<br />
<br />
You need to actually write something
before you can sit on that balcony, overlooking the vineyard. Write a
page of your novel today. And the next one tomorrow. This time next
year, you’ll have written a novel!<br />
This piece was written over a
period of 2 hours, during which time I also walked the dog, prepared and
ate lunch, watched a programme on TV, and took the rubbish out to the
bin outside. And as I type, this first draft consists of 1058 words. The
equivalent of four pages of a novel.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://geraldhornsby.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">http://geraldhornsby.wordpress.com/</a><br />
<br />
<br />
****<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Wow, Gerald, that is something I'm struggling with right now, is trying to train myself to write in little bits and pieces. I find the easiest way to do that is to keep doing it. The more often I do it, the less I have to reread what I wrote, and then pick it up after where I left off. If I write in little chunks constantly, I already know where I left off. Very inspirational and practical.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Thank you so much for stopping by! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-22480864511043145332013-01-27T12:42:00.003-05:002013-01-27T12:45:46.704-05:00Special Guest Sunday - Eva Scott<br />
<br />
Hello everyone! Please help me welcome Eva Scott, as she talks about the inspiration for her book The Reluctant Wedding Planner <br />
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<br />
THE RELUCTANT WEDDING PLANNER BY EVA SCOTT<br />
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<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjya7dvVcb57IAylJJMrjt4DUZlZqMp8sKlkQkA0Wmr2Tv3TzAG8F0hOhsK8_Cj4OqeIT5sbH6FFckKwOlbU-C4oRVhyiG6UAmF_umMLBXGXflEaWLeMxET27PFHqJ5_VElTS15WvNvb5W/s1600/thereluctantweddingplanner-200+%25282%2529.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjya7dvVcb57IAylJJMrjt4DUZlZqMp8sKlkQkA0Wmr2Tv3TzAG8F0hOhsK8_Cj4OqeIT5sbH6FFckKwOlbU-C4oRVhyiG6UAmF_umMLBXGXflEaWLeMxET27PFHqJ5_VElTS15WvNvb5W/s1600/thereluctantweddingplanner-200+%25282%2529.png" /></a><br />
<br />
People often ask me what my inspiration was for writing The Reluctant Wedding Planner and I fumble about for a bit before mumbling something unsatisfactory. I’ve been giving it some proper thought lately and I wonder if I secretly yearn to be a wedding planner or a wedding florist? Imagine organising amazing events for people, events that mark such important transitions in their lives – and you helped made their wedding dreams come true! Between you and me, I don’t think I would have been any good at it. One grouchy bride and I’d be off. Better I stick to writing where I can organise as many weddings as I like and the bride is always happy.<br />
<br />
In The Reluctant Wedding Planner Georgi is shanghaied into helping dashing rural vet, Dr Camden James, upgrade his sister’s wedding as a surprise for the happy couple. I think my favourite scene is where Cam persuades Georgi to try on wedding dresses. Loads of fun.<br />
<br />
See what you think.<br />
<br />
Category – Sweet Romance (Calliope, Musa Publishing) <br />
<br />
Tagline - Not only flowers bloom... <br />
<br />
Blurb - <br />
<br />
Dr Camden James is a rural vet, not a wedding planner, so he quickly feels out of his depth when, in a fit of generosity, he offers to glam up his sister's budget wedding in a secret move designed to surprise her. With only six weeks to make this the wedding of his sister's dreams he needs to move fast.<br />
Stumbling around in the largely female world of weddings he gets a lead on the go-to girl for wedding flowers - Georgiana Mac Intyre. Georgi, reeling from a very public breakup, is not interested in men in anyway shape or form. Not even super-cute vets - even when they are clearly interested in her. <br />
Cam shamelessly uses his story to get her to help. It has all the elements; romance against the odds, true love, orphans (you can't have good story without an orphan or two), and a bride. <br />
<br />
Excerpt - <br />
<br />
“Who the hell are you?” Georgi demanded. “And what are you doing back here?”<br />
Camden James held both palms up in a gesture of surrender. When the lady at the shop counter sent him to the workroom he had hoped for a more welcoming response.<br />
“I come in peace.”<br />
“What?” Georgi couldn’t hear a word over the music. She moved to turn down the volume as the man shouted:<br />
“Me friend.”<br />
She cocked one eyebrow at him, watching as a red flush colored his face.<br />
“Little early to tell, isn’t it? We haven’t been formally introduced yet.” Her heartbeat had returned to normal and she was over her initial fright. Commonsense told her whoever this man was; he wouldn’t get past Irene and the Happy Gardeners if he didn’t have a bonafide reason to do so. Georgi placed the scissors back on the work bench.<br />
“Me florist” she said.<br />
A slow, warm smile spread across Cam's face. He liked a gal with a sense of humor.<br />
“Now that fact we are sure of” he said.<br />
“What can I do for you?” she appraised the man before her, recognition dawning. Mr. Gorgeous, it was hard to forget those blue eyes—or his great butt. He filled her work room with his presence, taking up all the space and the air or so it seemed. This made her feel small and feminine at the same time. Not to mention just a little off kilter.<br />
“I need some help and the kind lady out front felt sure you would be most accommodating.”<br />
“Irene did, did she?” Georgi made a mental note to have a word with dear, kind Irene about meddling in her private life. I can find my own dates, thank you very much. Providing she felt like dating of course, which she didn’t. But for Irene to infer she would be 'accommodating' was a bit much. It was no use rustling up Tall-Dark-and-Handsome as temptation. This was the third time this month Irene had thrown a man in her path.<br />
“Well, I don’t know what Irene told you but I'm not interested in being accommodating.” She crossed her arms to emphasize her point.<br />
“Oh,” said Cam. “That's disappointing. I had my hopes up.”<br />
“Sorry to dash them so quickly but I'm super busy and just do not have time for dating anyone - no matter how handsome they are.”<br />
“I'm sorry” Cam blinked in confusion. “I was only looking for advice on flowers for a wedding. You've been recommended to me by Wendy Richardson. “<br />
Wendy Richardson was one of the biggest wedding planners in Brisbane. Georgi blushed at her mistake. God, she'd even said she thought he was handsome! Hoping he hadn't noticed that bit of her tirade, she wiped her hands on her apron and stepped out from behind the work bench, hand outstretched.<br />
“When you said Irene sent you through, I assumed…I mean, I thought…never mind. I'm Georgiana MacIntyre.”<br />
“Georgiana of Georgi's Garden.” He smiled a slow, warm smile.<br />
<br />
Short bio – <br />
<br />
I live on the Sunshine Coast, in Queensland Australia with my fabulous husband and gorgeous little boy. When I'm not writing romance you can find me out on the water kayaking, fishing or swimming. When on dry land its all about the shoes and the coffee.<br />
<br />
Buy Link – <br />
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<a href="http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_29&products_id=513">http://musapublishing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=35_29&products_id=513</a><br />
<br />
Personal links - <br />
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<a href="http://www.evascottromance.com/">http://www.evascottromance.com/</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/eva.scottromancewriter">http://www.facebook.com/eva.scottromancewriter</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.twitter.com/EvaScottWriter">http://www.twitter.com/EvaScottWriter</a><br />
<br />
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<br />
Thanks so much, Eva, for stopping by. Makes me think that I might want to be a wedding planner too! Sounds like a lot of fun! Then again, that's the great thing about reading and writing, trying on all these different occupations, lifestyles, choices, and living vicariously through it all. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-83324383470850701402013-01-20T09:36:00.000-05:002013-01-20T09:40:07.856-05:00Special Guest Sunday- Téa Cooper<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
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<i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1a1a1a;"> Hi, everyone! I would like to introduce </span></span></span></i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">my special guest for this Sunday-- Téa
Cooper! Wel<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;">come </span></span></span></span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Téa! <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span></span><i><i><br /></i></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">-------------------------------------------------</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Whether
you are a plotter or a panster you have a picture in your minds eye
of your characters. I know I’m stating the obvious! It makes a lot
of sense particularly if you are writing a romance. A hero or heroine
can make or break a story but perhaps my favourite “character” is
their silent partner. The setting. It doesn’t take the limelight
but it is an often forgotten and very powerful tool.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">I
read a review recently of a romance book and the reviewer’s only
complaint was that they didn’t realize until half way through the
book where the story was taking place. Does it matter in a romance?
Possibly not but setting can be a very powerful metaphor and without
it the characters are simply performing in front of a blank canvas.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">The
setting can reflect the mood of the story, change the temperature and
give colour and texture to your characters emotions. It is the
perfect way to carry the reader deeper into the story and allow them
to feel your characters’ mood.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Like
the back story it is not something that can be dumped in several
consecutive paragraphs and then ticked off a list of plot points it
needs to be ever changing and woven through the story like the
threads of gold in an Indian sari.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #1a1a1a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">I
was thrilled when many of the reviews for Tree Change made comments
about the setting. “</span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;"><i>I
could taste the salt on the sea breeze</i></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">…”
and “</span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;"><i>The
description…makes me want to pack up my bags and head for the
coast</i></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">…”
and “</span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;"><i>The
settings are depicted with vibrancy and colour..</i></span></span><span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">.”</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Truthfully
the descriptions in Tree Change were more by accident than design but
it has become something I pay more attention to now, a tool I don’t
intend to waste.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">What
about you?</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Tree
Change Blurb:</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Despite
her success in the Sydney art world Cassia yearns for the idyllic
life she once lead with Jake in their shack over looking the Pacific
Ocean. Seeking closure she falls, like a recovering addict, straight
back into his arms, and out again equally quickly. Not only has
he taken up with his brother's wife but it seems they have a child. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Truth
is Jake is living a lie, sworn to secrecy and hamstrung by a
promise. Cassia’s fey, artistic character and magical body
possess his imagination and his heart. Can he convince her to trust
him long enough to save the crumbling remains of their relationship?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #00000a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Here’s
an excerpt from Tree Change. I like to think the setting adds to Jake
and Cassia’s angst.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #141413;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">A
blanket of silence filled the car. It was palpable. Jake could touch
it, feel it suffocating him. His breathing slowed, and time stood
still. The red traffic light registered through his subconscious, and
he slowed the car to a halt. It had started to rain, and the road
surface was slick and black, the streetlights reflecting shattered
pinpoints of light. Large raindrops bounced on the hood of the car.
He glanced across at Cassia. Her eyes looked big and bruised in her
pale face as she stared through the windshield, focused on some space
beyond.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #141413;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Making
a left-hand turn, he slowed the car, the tires bouncing on the old
cobblestones of the access way. The Harbour Bridge hung, cold and
dark, across the black night sky of the bay. The red and green
navigation lights flickered their warning to the ships passing
underneath. As Jake stopped outside the last apartment at the end of
the wharf, Cassia opened the car door and stepped out into the rain.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #141413;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Buy
Links:</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #141413;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Tree
Change is available from:</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=17&products_id=395"><span style="color: #2e5aa8;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Breathless
Press</span></span></a><span style="color: #283e4a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">,
</span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tree-Change-ebook/dp/B00AFX2UIM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1354306473&sr=1-1&keywords=Tree+Change+T%C3%A9a+Cooper"><span style="color: #2e5aa8;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Amazon</span></span></a><span style="color: #283e4a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">,
</span></span><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tree-change-tea-cooper/1114043037?ean=2940045122146"><span style="color: #2e5aa8;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Barnes
& Noble</span></span></a><span style="color: #283e4a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">,
</span></span><a href="http://www.bookstrand.com/tree-change"><span style="color: #2e5aa8;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Bookstrand</span></span></a><span style="color: #283e4a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">,
</span></span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/tree-change/id585947845?mt=11"><span style="color: #2e5aa8;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">iTunes</span></span></a><span style="color: #283e4a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">
and </span></span><a href="http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-treechange-1007937-149.html"><span style="color: #2e5aa8;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">All
Romance eBooks</span></span></a><span style="color: #283e4a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="color: #141413;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Téa’s
Bio:</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Lurking
in the back of Téa’s brain somewhere was the knowledge that one
day she would write a novel. It probably started with a rather risqué
story in the back of an exercise book at boarding school featuring
the long suffering school gardener - not really the stuff romantic
heroes were made of but it was before she knew any better.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">Life
and few heroes of her own showed her the error of her ways and with a
baby under one arm, a husband and a half built house she entered a
Mills and Boon competition. To her absolute earth shattering
amazement she won second place – the prize was a bottle of perfume!
Next time she determined she would do better.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">But
it was still the stuff of fantasy and her family, a herd of alpacas,
a protea farm and teaching intervened until one day she decided it
was time to do or die. No more procrastination. The characters and
plots that had lived in her head for so long were clamoring to
escape.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">In
August 2011 she got serious and joined Romance Writers Australia,
entered the Harlequin Mills & Boon New Voices competition and to
her horror discovered she hadn’t been – discovered that is. Not
even a bottle of perfume this time. But in reality she had won.
Procrastination was conquered and determination set in. It was time
to get serious.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tree-Change-ebook/dp/B00AFX2UIM/ref=la_B00AG3WHRU_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354875185&sr=1-1">Tree
Change</a> is her first contemporary romance novel and is
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tree-Change-ebook/dp/B00AFX2UIM/ref=la_B00AG3WHRU_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354875185&sr=1-1">available
now.</a> Her second, a historical novel <a href="http://www.teacooperauthor.com/books.html">Lily’s
Leap</a> - set in <a href="http://www.visitwollombi.com.au/">Wollombi</a>,
the time-warp village she now calls home – was accepted by Lyrical
Press and will be published in May 2013. The Protea Boys an
Australian rural romance has just been accepted for publication and
she has recently completed her second Australian historical
novel <a href="http://www.teacooperauthor.com/work-in-progress.html">Matilda’s
Madness</a> - inspired by some of the fascinating characters
haunting the local museum.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, serif;">When
Téa is not haunting the Wollombi museum she can be found
on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TeaCooper">Facebook,</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TeaCooper1">Twitter </a>and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16166990-tree-change">Goodreads</a> or
you can email her at <a href="http://www.teacooperauthor.com/contact--links.html">teacooperauthor@gmail.com. </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">ABOUT
TÉA COOPER…</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5y61sgs67l57Id-BXr5mffqv5JmgJyiE4Apdbq9TjEVMc2z4ZjlNodn1CVTsOuCc7tZ86rmlnH_INLqxo-9F9hX1H2wrN_UVjTxkkxkOIk40r-pyDXC4v86vsIf6aMRE86CxLEHO0IP9x/s1600/tea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5y61sgs67l57Id-BXr5mffqv5JmgJyiE4Apdbq9TjEVMc2z4ZjlNodn1CVTsOuCc7tZ86rmlnH_INLqxo-9F9hX1H2wrN_UVjTxkkxkOIk40r-pyDXC4v86vsIf6aMRE86CxLEHO0IP9x/s320/tea.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Téa
Cooper is an Australian contemporary and historical romance author.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Originally
from England Téa came to Australia via India and a few other places
in between. She has lived in Sydney, on the NSW Central Coast and now
lives in the time-warp village of Wollombi near Cessnock.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">To
find out more about Téa, or to check out what projects she's working
on right now, you can visit her website
<a href="http://www.teacooperauthor.com/">http://www.teacooperauthor.com</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">BIOGRAPHY:</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lurking
in the back of Téa’s brain somewhere was the knowledge that one
day she would write a novel. It probably started with a rather risqué
story in the back of an exercise book at boarding school featuring
the long suffering school gardener - not really the stuff romantic
heroes were made of but it was before she knew any better.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Life
and few heroes of her own showed her the error of her ways and with a
baby under one arm, a husband and a half built house she entered a
Mills and Boon competition. To her absolute earth shattering
amazement she won second place – the prize was a bottle of perfume!
Next time she determined she would do better.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But
it was still the stuff of fantasy and her family, a herd of alpacas,
a protea farm and teaching intervened until one day she decided it
was time to do or die. No more procrastination. The characters and
plots that had lived in her head for so long were clamoring to
escape.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In
August 2011 she got serious and joined Romance Writers Australia,
entered the Harlequin Mills & Boon New Voices competition and to
her horror discovered she hadn’t been – discovered that is. Not
even a bottle of perfume this time. But in reality she had won.
Procrastination was conquered and determination set in. It was time
to get serious.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tree-Change-ebook/dp/B00AFX2UIM/ref=la_B00AG3WHRU_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354875185&sr=1-1"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tree
Change</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">,
her first contemporary romance novel was published on 30</span></span><sup><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">th</span></span></sup><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
November 2012 and her second, a historical novel <a href="http://www.teacooperauthor.com/books.html">Lily’s
Leap</a> - set in <a href="http://www.visitwollombi.com.au/">Wollombi</a>,
the time-warp village she now calls home – will be published in May
2013. She has recently signed a contract for her rural romance The
Protea Boys and has completed her second Australian historical
novel <a href="http://www.teacooperauthor.com/work-in-progress.html">Matilda’s
Madness</a> - inspired by some of the fascinating characters
haunting the local museum.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">When
Téa is not haunting the Wollombi museum she can be found
on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/TeaCooper">Facebook,</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TeaCooper1">Twitter </a>and <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16166990-tree-change">Goodreads</a> or
you can visit her </span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://www.teacooperauthor.com/"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">website</span></span></a></u></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
or </span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=5981653066828843157"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">email</span></span></a></u></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
her.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">ABOUT
TREE CHANGE…</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7Alui5UpDwT9KIkOXQA0xtvO4BTiO-ikneK02d8RSpFvUOy86hueSEGAYej4NVp3OqUDAsprRCuDVKWY9PaxGAZptKEHU1Uwu2mkATeY6iSJwhE4sD7k6DFpLkIj45eDFoOZGzyF6YXT/s1600/book.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW7Alui5UpDwT9KIkOXQA0xtvO4BTiO-ikneK02d8RSpFvUOy86hueSEGAYej4NVp3OqUDAsprRCuDVKWY9PaxGAZptKEHU1Uwu2mkATeY6iSJwhE4sD7k6DFpLkIj45eDFoOZGzyF6YXT/s320/book.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Contemporary
Australian Romance</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Release
date: 30 November 2012</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Publisher:
Breathless Press</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Word
count: 40,000</span></span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">BLURB:</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Despite
her success in the Sydney art world Cassia yearns for the idyllic
life she once lead with Jake in their shack over looking the Pacific
Ocean. Seeking closure she falls, like a recovering addict, straight
back into his arms, and out again equally quickly. Not only has
he his taken up with his brother's wife but it seems they have a
child. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Truth
is Jake is living a lie, sworn to secrecy and hamstrung by a
promise. Cassia’s fey, artistic character and magical body
possess his imagination and his heart. Can he convince her to trust
him long enough to save the crumbling remains of their relationship?</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">SHORT
EXCERPT:</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">She
dismissed his words with a wave of her hand, but her eyes betrayed
her. He knew her too well. The burn of hurt behind their velvety
depths had nothing to do with the here and now, but everything to do
with the past. His fault? Lyle's fault? No one's fault? Just
circumstance.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"I
need answers, and I need them now. I can't go on like this. Either we
are together or we are not. You have to make a choice: Madeleine or
me. I can't be a convenience you can pick up and put down as the mood
takes you."</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"My
feelings for you, Cass, are a million things but convenience isn't
one of them." He shook his head in sorrowful disbelief. How
could she not recognize the bond they had?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Madeleine?"
Her raised eyebrows challenged him.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Right
now I can't explain what happened with Madeleine, but her safety is
paramount."</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Her
body shuddered as if she was trying to lift a great weight. What was
he doing to her? Madeleine, Madeleine, always Madeleine. "I
can't do this again, Jake. I need to go home." Jake slipped
her cardigan over her frail shoulders and then stepped back to allow
her to lead the way past the bar and up the narrow stairs to street
level.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">He
unlocked the car door and held it open. Her skirt caught on the
ribbons of her espadrille. As he leaned down to untangle them, she
flinched. Closing her door with exaggerated care he walked around to
the driver's door and let himself in. He clicked his seat belt into
its clasp before he twisted the key in the ignition. The engine
sprang to life, and he pulled out into the darkened street.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"You
have to trust me, Cass. I know it is difficult, but you just have to
trust me and wait. Everything will be sorted out soon."</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Her
sigh filled the car. "Jake, I can't. How can I? I've tried and
look where we've ended up. Me in Sydney, and you living with your
brother's girlfriend."</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Wife,"
he corrected, regretting the word the moment it left his lips.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Buy
Links:</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=17&products_id=395"><span style="color: #2e5aa8;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Breathless
Press</span></span></span></a><span style="color: #283e4a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">,
</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tree-Change-ebook/dp/B00AFX2UIM/ref=la_B00AG3WHRU_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358124169&sr=1-1"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Amazon
US</span></span></a></u></span></span><span style="color: #283e4a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">,
</span></span></span><span style="color: navy;"><span lang="zxx"><u><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tree-Change-ebook/dp/B00AFX2UIM%3FSubscriptionId%3D0V4JT1H35KWYMF0SKQR2%26tag%3Dnovelrank-21%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB00AFX2UIM"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Amazon
UK</span></span></a></u></span></span><span style="color: #283e4a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">,
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tree-change-tea-cooper/1114043037?ean=2940045122146"><span style="color: #2e5aa8;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Barnes
& Noble</span></span></span></a><span style="color: #283e4a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">,
</span></span></span><a href="http://www.bookstrand.com/tree-change"><span style="color: #2e5aa8;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bookstrand</span></span></span></a><span style="color: #283e4a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">,
</span></span></span><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/tree-change/id585947845?mt=11"><span style="color: #2e5aa8;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">iTunes</span></span></span></a><span style="color: #283e4a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
and </span></span></span><a href="http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-treechange-1007937-149.html"><span style="color: #2e5aa8;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">All
Romance eBooks</span></span></span></a><span style="color: #283e4a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">.</span></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #283e4a;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">ABOUT
LILY’S LEAP</span></span></span></div>
<div lang="" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgO_JdrTp6rqgGMcpvp1ENp5Aq84tIlU7W7M5EAp0zneMrZoGKyMc2zpfC-6FVLwzof1WbDHEH9r48UxUlNqjzABaFEX9XxS-ClXSw8hwoOU2c0LlucmnSo5BSUJb9Yvs-7qSJ1KEZqxx/s1600/book2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgO_JdrTp6rqgGMcpvp1ENp5Aq84tIlU7W7M5EAp0zneMrZoGKyMc2zpfC-6FVLwzof1WbDHEH9r48UxUlNqjzABaFEX9XxS-ClXSw8hwoOU2c0LlucmnSo5BSUJb9Yvs-7qSJ1KEZqxx/s320/book2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Historical
Australian Romance</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Release
date: May 2013</span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Publisher:
Lyrical Press</span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Word
count: 45,000</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">BLURB:</span></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Born
into the privileged society of the squattocracy, Lilibeth Dungarven
finds herself married, widowed and back under her father’s thumb
all before her 21st birthday - a position this feisty and independent
young woman fiercely resents. When she finally persuades her father
to let her accompany a shipment of horses to Sydney, with the added
promise of her stallion winning at the Windsor races she believes
that her life is finally on the right track. That is until she is
bailed up by a band of bushrangers who are intent on stealing her
horses and holding her to ransom - a ransom her father is not
prepared to pay.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">SHORT
EXCERPT:</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lily
could see the pale ribbon of road below cutting through the trees and
the bright blue expanse of sky wide-open in front of her.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
“<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Nero.
You can do it,” she whispered into his sleek, shiny neck and he
snorted in response. Her thigh muscles burned as she tightened her
grasp on his flanks. His muscles tensed in response, attuned to her
body. She gritted her teeth and willed her shaking hands to steady.
“We can do this, Nero. We have to.” Her heart hammered so hard in
her chest she thought it might leap right over the culvert and down
the hill ahead of them.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">With
barely a moment’s hesitation she dug her heels into the stallion’s
flanks and urged him down the hill. The last trees cleared and the
sudden heat of the sun stung her face, then she crouched low over
Nero’s neck. The clatter of his hooves on the sandstone surface
told her they had reached the road. The blood raced through her
veins, pulsing in her ears, a violent and excruciating pounding raged
through her body.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
“<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Stop.”
Tom’s command echoed around her as the blocks of the convict hewn,
sandstone walls reared ahead of her. Surely it wasn’t such a huge
jump for a horse like Nero?</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">She
leaned forward in the saddle and her cheek brushed the dampness of
his neck. Time slowed. With her eyes squeezed tightly shut she sucked
in a great gulp of air and clenched her teeth tightly together. Nero
lifted into the air. His muscles bunched beneath her and he flew over
the chiseled blocks and down the slope. Her knees gripped the saddle
and she dragged the reins almost vertical as they plunged down. Tufts
of wiry grass and small rocks littered the route. She flinched as
Nero’s hooves crashed across them. Gasping in a quick breath, she
prayed for the terrain to level off.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Her
lungs contracted like bellows and what little air remained, whistled
out through her pursed lips. Nero tensed and she shuddered as he
stumbled and then regained his balance. Her heart leapt to her throat
and her wrists twisted as she wrenched on the reins to slow him. He
quivered to a halt. Silver spots danced in front of her eyes and she
gulped in a breath to feed her starving lungs. Nero’s muscled body
trembled and quaked beneath her and white froth flecked his muzzle.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
“<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We
did it, darling Nero. We did it.” The salty tang of his body filled
her nostrils as she leaned over his neck murmuring endearments. She
swayed with exertion and forced her rubbery muscles to respond as she
squinted into the sunlight. Figures on horseback towered above her,
stalled on the road. She had an overwhelming urge to wave her hand
and shriek in triumph.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">But
she resisted; this was her opportunity and she had no time to waste.
She cut away to the right praying her memory of the maps was correct
as she searched for the track leading her to Laguna.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
“<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lil-eee.
Lil-eee.” Tom’s call bounced off the sandstone walls. Shading her
eyes with her hand she stared back toward the culvert wall. It was
empty.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 100%; margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
“<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lil-eee.
Lil-eee.” The sorrowful echo reached her, resounding somewhere deep
in her gut. Her sweat-soaked curls clung to her face as she shook her
head, raging at her ridiculous foolishness. After such an
exhilarating and successful leap for freedom why did she suddenly
feel so melancholy? Her heels bruised Nero’s flanks and she urged
him away in a fast canter.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">-------------------------------------------------</span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Wow, I can really see how setting can change a character's mood, <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;">feelings, actions, and <span style="font-size: small;">disposition. This drums up all sor<span style="font-size: small;">ts of interesting ideas in my hea<span style="font-size: small;">d. Plo<span style="font-size: small;">pping a character down in their element, out of their element, can be a driving force in a story. A character on vacation versus the their daily life?</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 0; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Thank you so much for stopping by </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"> </span></span></span></span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Téa, and thank you for this wo<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;">n<span style="font-size: small;">derful insight on<span style="font-size: small;"> the setting of a story.</span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span></span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue Light, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></span></span></i></span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-71691868192908271442013-01-13T10:45:00.002-05:002013-01-13T10:45:12.438-05:00Special Guest Sunday - Raven McAllan<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Hi Everyone,</span></i></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br />This is a very special occasion! Starting this week on my blog, I will have a special guest on Sunday to discuss writing. This week my special guest is Raven McAllan. Thank you, Raven, for stopping by.</span></i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Crafts
anyone?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">So
what do you consider is a craft? Crochet? Macrame? Water color
painting? Or Maybe you'd say Zumba, ballroom dancing or yoga? </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Does
anyone think of adding writing to the list?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">You
see writing is a craft of many parts. It's not enough to put pen to
paper or fingers to keys, you have to know your characters, reveal
them to your readers and more importantly…to yourself.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">I
think this is one of the hardest things, as an author I personally
can do. Because we are all individuals, and as such all have very
different ideas of how you come to love or hate a hero. We as authors
have to find that fine line that makes the maximum number of people
believe.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">That
can be difficult.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">I'm
one of those people who don't like a lot of description of my hero or
heroine. I like to make my own mind up about how they look. Give me
hair color, eye color height etc…that's fine. I personally, don't
like to be told they look like the actor so and so, or the politician
you know who.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">But
some people do, and I need to remember that. That doesn't mean to say
I do a detailed description of my characters, I don't. It's make your
mind up time. I'm happy if you think hero a looks like actor b and
heroine c looks like the female kick-ass politician D. But
truthfully, as I write he's my idea of a hot-bod, and it doesn't fit
any one person. As long as you have your vision in your head, and you
write that vision, then your readers will get it/him/her.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">In
my latest book, A Shimmer Of Silk,) released Thursday 17</span><sup><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">th</span></sup><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">
from </span><span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.evernightpublishing.com/"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">www.evernightpublishing.com</span></a></u></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">
) which is book two of my series The House On Silk Street, (book one
is Solver Silk ties)I gave general ideas of how my characters looked.
They are very vivid in my mind. However, unless I say er well, my
friend Cairsti's hair, my daughter's eyes and that woman from that
old game show's smile, I can't go into so many details. This is where
I hope I've given you enough to use your imagination. And if you want
to see the heroine as Lily Cole and the hero as Johnny Depp, that's
fine with me.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Here's
a taster or two.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Blurb…</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.22in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Deborah may not know the full
truth of her childhood, but she knows she needs to find her soul.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.22in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">During one of her performances at
Silk Street, she attracts the attention of Oliver, Lord Craster.
Known for his extreme tastes, he sensed a kindred soul in Deborah.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.22in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Persuading her that their needs
mesh proves a challenge, even to a man of his experience.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.22in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Will Oliver be the man she needs
to unlock her secrets? Or will his dominance scare her too much to
even try?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0.22in; orphans: 0; text-indent: 0.5in; widows: 0;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Are the nightmares simply too
strong?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">And
a excerpt</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Oliver
speculated what was going through her mind as she lay on the bench,
her body stretched and her face devoid of expression.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">"Do
it," Luc said. "For the love of God and De…her, do it
now. Do not make her wait. That is cruel."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">He
was not a cruel man. Even as he wondered what Luc had been going to
say, when he had stopped mid-word, Oliver held the candle high and
watched. As if in slow motion the tiny tears of wax dripped and hit
her skin. To him it was a caress, a bite of pain, which would morph
into a swell of pleasure, and a hint of things to come. A gift he
could give her. If he thought they had the chance.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">"Another."
Luc was insistent. "As we discussed. Now. While she is within
herself."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">His
phrasing intrigued Oliver. Nevertheless, he tipped the taper once
more, and created the patterns they had agreed upon. By now his peers
were cheering, the sight of her soft flesh covered in the ribbons of
cooling wax a turn on to all those there. Even if it was not their
own preference, each could appreciate how something so misunderstood,
and called deviant by many, was so necessary to others.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">In
one way it seemed an aeon before Luc indicated he was done. In
another scant seconds. He handed the stub of the candle to Luc and
took his bow, before he turned to the woman still supine in front of
him. With what the watchers would see as theatrical, he bent his
head. To all intents and purposed he was offering a soft kiss to her
neck. In reality he moved and nipped her earlobe. "It is over.
Come, make your bow and let us take you out of here."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">******</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">It
was one thing to agree to accompany Oliver; it was another to do it
with insouciance and style. Deborah hung onto her composure by a
thread. One word out of place, one unaccustomed challenge, and she
feared she would fall to pieces. But deep inside her was an
excitement she had never felt before. The recognition of hope and
arousal that she sensed would over come any negative feelings, or
doubts, within her. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">He
took her hand and tucked it into his as they walked along a brightly
lit, deserted corridor. There were no doors to break the flow of the
walls, just lamps at regular intervals. "We will see no one
unless you wish it. My apartments are mine alone. Nevertheless,
Felton knows you are with me, and I have given him my word, as I did
to Luc, we will do nothing without your acceptance. I promise you
this also. Our life will be ours. Not for us anything others want, it
will be as we desire." He stopped suddenly and pulled her into
his arms.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">His cock pressed against her
quim, and Deborah's breath hitched. Her mouth was dry, as she felt
her juices run. It seemed preferable not to look down, for she was
sure the pantaloons she wore would show the marks of her excitement.
As Oliver's lips touched hers, she opened her mouth and let his
tongue in, to mimic the act she knew they would enjoy later. As he
thrust, she couldn't help but grind her cunt against his prick.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Oliver
lifted his head. "Soon, love. You taste of nectar."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><i>He
tastes of hope.</i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Within
minutes she was standing in a small entrance hall. Deborah looked
round her, hoping to get an idea of the preferences of the man. It
was bland, almost conventional with cream walls and a pale green a
chaise set next to a drum table against one wall. The only splash of
color was a bright gold and red cushion thrown carelessly to one end
of the chaise. Oliver had evidently picked up on her puzzlement.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">"This
is for servants to deliver food etcetera. For visitors to wait in and
for us to pass through as swift as we can. Are you ready? If not now
is the time to say so. You can pull the rope and a servant will
escort you to your room."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Her
stomach was churning but with excitement not fear. The shivers she
felt were those of anticipation, not worry.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">"I
thought this was now my room? To share with you? Are you reneging, my
lord?" His face was a picture of astonishment. Deborah couldn’t
help herself; she burst into laugher. "Oh, my lord, you should
see your expression. It is a sight to behold. Truly, if I ever feel
threatened, uncomfortable, or unable to sustain aught we do, I will
say so. My safe word is sauf." </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">"Your
safe word?" he said slowly. "What do you know of safe
words?"</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">"Nothing
except if we are to discover my limits, we need to decide on one. A
word which if I utter, you will desist immediately in whatever
activity we are partaking. That is not to say you will not return to
the, er subject at a later date, once we have discussed any
reluctance or questions I may have. Ah, Oliver, do you think I did
not know the reasons why this house exists? Even if our, that is mine
and Luc's enquiries, had not told us enough, Lord Dalrey was
insistent we knew where and the likes of whom we were entertaining."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">"And you are happy with
this?"</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">She
giggled. "Until I taste what you have in mind for us, how do I
know?" Deborah thought it was a reasonable question in the
circumstances. "In theory, I know some activities will be good,
some will push me, and strain my thoughts and mind. Indeed, some
things may be beyond my endurance and I cry stop. But which fits
where has yet to be determined. Nevertheless, I wish to see what you
deem suitable for us. I need, I </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><i>must,
</i></span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">discover myself."
She dare not say more. Indeed, she would have been hard pressed to do
so. Deborah had no idea how to describe the turmoil her emotions were
in.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">He
gave her a sharp glance but didn't comment. </span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">"Sauf
it is." Oliver pushed open a door. "After you."</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">An
imp of mischief made her curtsey and she saw the glint in his eyes.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">"One
day, your sauce will be your undoing, my love, I will remember."
</span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">She
was sure he would. In a strange way she looked forward to it.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">I've
given you the general picture. You need to frame it…</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Happy
reading</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Love
R x</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Find me here…</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.ravenmcallan.com/">http://www.ravenmcallan.com</a></u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.ravenmcallan.blogspot.com/">http://www.ravenmcallan.blogspot.com</a></u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="https://www.facebook.com/rmcallan">https://www.facebook.com/rmcallan</a></u></span>
(my page)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ravenmcallan">https://www.facebook.com/ravenmcallan</a></u></span>
(author page)</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="https://twitter.com/RavenMcAllan">https://twitter.com/RavenMcAllan</a></u></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br />
</div>
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</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Raven Bio</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Raven
lives in Scotland, along with her husband and their two cats—their
children having flown the nest—surrounded by beautiful scenery,
which inspires a lot of the settings in her books.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">She
is used to sharing her life with the occasional deer, red squirrel,
and lost tourist, to say nothing of the scourge of Scotland—the
midge.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 200%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Her
very understanding, and long-suffering DH, is used to his questions
unanswered, the dust bunnies greeting him as he walks through the
door, and rescuing burned offerings from the Aga. (And passing her a
glass of wine as she types furiously.)</span></div>
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<br />
</div>
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</div>
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</div>
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<br />
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Wow, that was hot! Thank you so much Raven for stopping by. Loved the excerpt. If you have any thoughts/opinions about character descriptions, or about this amazingly hot excerpt, please feel free to post in the comments below. </span></i><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-68295132767871405002013-01-12T13:52:00.001-05:002013-01-12T13:52:54.893-05:00Ways to Come Up With Characters
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ways to Come Up With Characters</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
**Just letting you know, I'm not
condoning in any way shape or form any sort of plagiarism at all.**</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I just wanted to say that, as this post
refers to using inspiration from other sources for inspiration for
your own writing. I have found that this method does work and the
end result is usually nothing like the beginning inspiration.
Therefore there is no need to feel plagiarism at all.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So, you are stuck coming up with an
interesting character. We've all been there.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What I've found that helps sometimes is
to take references from other sources to help achieve your desired
character.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(NOTE: That certain writing programs
such as Scrivener you can put photos and source material in the
program and bring it up when necessary. It's neat! I haven't had a
chance to play with it, but the blog entry from Aurelia from December
30, has some great screen shots of it.)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Friends, Family, Movies, Books,
Television, Theater, etc.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So, let's combine them.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My heroine, let's call her “Claire.”
I want her to look like Anne Hathaway from Princess Diaries, and I
want her to act like this girl I knew in college, Khloe, who was
really prim and proper, and had a very overbearing mother, and I want
to give her a distinguishing characteristic of having a long scar
down the side of her neck that she is really embarrassed over so she
wears her hair down all the time over it. I want her to work at a
bakery, that her mother disapproves of. She ran off and got married
at 18, and then her husband died. Her mother-in-law owns the bakery.
She's in her early 30's now.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My hero, let's call him, “Gerald.”
I want him to look like Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs, but a little
younger. He is old-fashioned, and acts somewhat like John Wayne in
the movie McClintock. He thinks women should be all prim and proper,
and the mother wants to set them up. He wants to buy the bakery and
tear it down to make room for an old west style saloon that would
cater to the tourists and make him lots of money. He has been
considered a playboy.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
So, there we go. We have two fleshed
out characters. If I were to continue with this story, by the time I
was done with it, there would be no way in knowing that I started off
with the idea of Mike Rowe and Anne Hathaway. They will have become
their own people. However, by doing this I'm getting a solid
foundation of them in my mind.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Don't be afraid to give them bad
attributes. It makes them more human and more realistic to the
reader.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Give them scars, ticks, limps, bad
attitudes, sarcasm, bald, etc. Keep them interesting.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Next up- Where to start?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_14OYKA-zJ__rcz4oOzAFpdeCLEwxGUSF-LpmVJXj4hK4b2nI6yW5iGLtG_Ef30V8QecueL9JccR9xO23EP3WV0IBHqNpG4tz2jaFeZVrvrjQp2xd6Qzi_XlfqGXWZgcgesrLE3txx3BA/s1600/064.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_14OYKA-zJ__rcz4oOzAFpdeCLEwxGUSF-LpmVJXj4hK4b2nI6yW5iGLtG_Ef30V8QecueL9JccR9xO23EP3WV0IBHqNpG4tz2jaFeZVrvrjQp2xd6Qzi_XlfqGXWZgcgesrLE3txx3BA/s320/064.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-34336503090586196582013-01-01T09:53:00.002-05:002013-01-01T09:53:47.381-05:00Being mean to your characters.
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Being mean to your characters.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Once upon a time there was this lady
and everything possibly nice happened to her. She met a guy and they
fell in love, and they lived happily ever after.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
*yawn* Boring...</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As a writer, your characters can become
your friends, family, children, but just because they feel close to
you does not mean you need to be sickeningly nice to them. A story
where everything goes right for the characters is boring.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Let's take Hamlet for instance. (If
you don't know Hamlet, go read it right now... no seriously... go do
it... I'm waiting...)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Our major characters are:</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hamlet</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
King Hamlet- Hamlet's Dad</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Claudius- Hamlet's Uncle</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Gertrude- Hamlet's Mom</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Polonius- Hamlet's Girlfriend's Dad</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Ophelia- Hamlet's Girlfriend</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Laertes- Hamlet's Girlfriend Brother</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you don't really know the story of
Hamlet, but have seen the movie “The Lion King,” same thing.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
OK, so what if Shakespeare had been
nice to Hamlet.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
King Hamlet never dies and they all
live happily ever after.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The ghost never turns up to tell Hamlet
that Claudius killed King Hamlet, therefore never torturing Hamlet
into acting mad and finding out the truth.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hamlet never acted mad therefore
Ophelia never went off and “got thee to a nunery” and drowned.
Also upset her dad died.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Hamlet never stabbed Polonius.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Etc.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
All the complications given to the
characters, whether through their own actions or outside forces are
interesting. If everything nice happens to them then it is boring.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The question the audience would have,
would be “why am I reading this?”</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have to warn about just using outside
forces to affect the characters as that can be perceived as bad too,
as why does only bad things happen to this character? This is a
major problem that people have with the books of the Twilight series,
as bad things just seem to happen to Bella, and she doesn't cause
them, etc. Making the story boring. (Note: This is an example only,
and something I've noticed from reviews of Twilight I have seen.)</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
When I'm writing, I like to think to myself, "Am I being too nice?" </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If I find a boring patch, I make something bad happen. Keeps things interesting. </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CeZpFFQQAEGNGLlUs-PC6o1bMeBSiBqurYbUV24fOYROd-2CkXSQ2srqZfZ1O-6btHM79CB4wipaSIgZc8YhZoUnSRp55zQTbS3Y0y-dHoE4wPKY0I_yif8bjgNAUrGxpbjUB3tN-Pkj/s1600/050.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_CeZpFFQQAEGNGLlUs-PC6o1bMeBSiBqurYbUV24fOYROd-2CkXSQ2srqZfZ1O-6btHM79CB4wipaSIgZc8YhZoUnSRp55zQTbS3Y0y-dHoE4wPKY0I_yif8bjgNAUrGxpbjUB3tN-Pkj/s320/050.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Next Up- Ways to Come Up With
Characters</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-31978430213455591132012-12-30T10:53:00.000-05:002012-12-30T10:58:45.769-05:00How did Christmas get cancelled, Aurelia B Rowl? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">This is a rather special occasion. I would like to welcome my first guest ever to this blog- Aurelia B Rowl!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">She has been so kind to join us and let us know some of the behind the scenes writing process that she has gone through for her debut release <i>Christmas Is Cancelled</i> and some of her process on her current works in progress. Very exciting!</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana,sans-serif;">Take it away Aurelia!</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaF-ojMLT549DuWrLwz0573WbM_Y1jAPNZWsAtnaNV2df1eru35bLjMIlCEnvm9GGciQYv-mNbGw_3Sb5NIDp3sJo9hrIYt7FDNVqBjE9Uh4jAvur53pTiCOBS1tD3IW6Nud2UhWOxzBp/s1600/Screenshot1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOaF-ojMLT549DuWrLwz0573WbM_Y1jAPNZWsAtnaNV2df1eru35bLjMIlCEnvm9GGciQYv-mNbGw_3Sb5NIDp3sJo9hrIYt7FDNVqBjE9Uh4jAvur53pTiCOBS1tD3IW6Nud2UhWOxzBp/s320/Screenshot1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It could come as a surprise to
non-writers, just how much background and research an author has to
do for a story, which, on paper looks straight-forward. There is
still a world to create, even if it’s a contemporary story based in
a real place, and there are still characters to bring to life.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Take Christmas is Cancelled, for
example, and the screenshot I’ve taken my Scrivener project. I’ve
put it in corkboard mode, but would like to draw your attention the
sidebar as well. So what are you looking at?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Let’s start with the main feature –
the corkboard – and the collection of index cards. If you look
closely (but not too closely if you don’t want to risk any
spoilers, even though this was just a draft) and you’ll see the
index cards make up a timeline. Each card represents a year, and if
it’s a busy year, each character will have an individual card as
well as a shared card. This really helped with continuity, and
getting my ages and events straight in my mind, especially as Tilly
and Dean had a past, having known each other for many years before
the book starts.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Now look to the sidebar – the
navigation menu – where you can see lots of folders and orange
rectangles. When I’m creating a place or a person in my mind, it
really helps to try and capture or fuel my mental images with photos
and images off the internet. Unfortunately, these are often licensed
images and I don’t have permission to share them, which is why I
haven’t shown these folders. Having an image to look at, makes it
much easier to then describe my own version in the text and create a
similar image in the mind of the reader. There are also two PDF files
in my research folder of actual walks in the Peak District, which
inspired the Wilds of Bleakden and the Christmas Day walk.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Let us have a look at another image
now…</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiD2vTDiyxznbr2y_j_2NJql0r_VtGAX2LDrvMvXweNBq3wV8DXRmYFEfe53wOYD9h44aSddR3YbcPGQj1Fo56hF7AmhJM9l4WZ5Y0YfhK7zwt5qWOCx2GbnGELK3XuAWWDIiNlGVCPg5R/s1600/screenshot2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiD2vTDiyxznbr2y_j_2NJql0r_VtGAX2LDrvMvXweNBq3wV8DXRmYFEfe53wOYD9h44aSddR3YbcPGQj1Fo56hF7AmhJM9l4WZ5Y0YfhK7zwt5qWOCx2GbnGELK3XuAWWDIiNlGVCPg5R/s320/screenshot2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This is taken from my project file for
<i>Peer Pressure</i>, the series I am working on at the moment. So
far, there are already five books planned for the series and each
book interlinks with another, with the same characters appearing
across the different books. As the series is also based on the
British Peerage system, I needed to have the successions and family
history straight in my mind. So, with the help of MS Word and the
organization chart tool, I set about creating fictitious family trees
for my main families (again, don’t look too closely as there are
bound to be spoilers).</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I also have an excel spreadsheet that
tracks the titles as each generation succeeds to the next tier, for
example, the daughter of an Viscount is ‘The Honourable’, but
once her father succeeds his father and becomes Earl/Marquess (etc),
the daughter then becomes ‘Lady’. It isn’t nearly as straight
forward as it sounds, and required lots of planning and research
especially if the daughter then marries, but it was all good fun.
Just to make things interesting and keep me on my toes, there is a
bill going through parliament right now that could change these rules
again, raising the issue courtesy titles for male spouses as well as
succession rights. But anyway, that’s my problem, and it will all
come good in the end.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
All of this is in addition to the world
and character building, and I have the same sorts of folders filled
with timelines and images in Scrivener that I had for Christmas is
Cancelled. And that’s before I can really get stuck into writing.
I’m very mindful that a secondary character in book one, will be a
major character in another book, so I need to set their character
set-up ready. It’s all very complicated and it feels like I’m
writing several books at once sometime, which in effect, I guess I
am. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Either way, I hope to have book one of
the Peer Pressure series, <i>Bye Bye, Black Sheep, </i>ready for
release during 2013, so keep your eyes peeled for it. For what it’s
worth, the 20,000 words I’ve written so far are <u>great</u>, not
that I’m biased of course.</div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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</div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>About
Aurelia…</b></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6I17aeZrbTI4rVcwkhi93rkvoxx7QItFjB8N6K2DSE34c3NjRl-KtNjpHgOB_cLY86i-khV0vul3iZkLkg3mYYIZBVqig0teOTO1RWndgGA0XhnHXiYstZQ-R9Vid9xJ13hHwqCxVIxqR/s1600/Aurelia+B+Rowl+12-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6I17aeZrbTI4rVcwkhi93rkvoxx7QItFjB8N6K2DSE34c3NjRl-KtNjpHgOB_cLY86i-khV0vul3iZkLkg3mYYIZBVqig0teOTO1RWndgGA0XhnHXiYstZQ-R9Vid9xJ13hHwqCxVIxqR/s320/Aurelia+B+Rowl+12-30.jpg" width="246" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Aurelia B Rowl
is a contemporary romance author but you can also find her
masquerading as Allie A Burrow, her raunchier alter-ego.</span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">She lives on
the edge of the Peak District in the UK with her very
understanding husband and their two fantastic children aged 5
and 3, along with their mad rescue mutt who doesn’t mind being used
as a sounding post and source of inspiration. They are all used
to her getting too caught up with her latest writing project... or
five!... and she is guiltily counting down the months until she has
both kids at school full-time. </span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">To find out
more about Aurelia, or to check out what projects she's working on
right now, you can visit her website </span></span><span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.aureliabrowl.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">www.aureliabrowl.com</span></a></u></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">You can also
find her hanging out on:</span></span></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><b>About
Christmas is Cancelled…</b></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGd4ox9dJi9bt6PZB-2k2_lBNlmFjE9xdp4nFzHSXNhQw0pK8bTKYD-fqgb-VMsk32zWNQyPAYku5FabSCqpSdRlXy7FgP5eBSnTgJKqm8Xwc-vkxbKq3_TkPI_lFK0HUxMe9CNBbnkSQn/s1600/Christmas+is+Cancelled_200x300+12-30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGd4ox9dJi9bt6PZB-2k2_lBNlmFjE9xdp4nFzHSXNhQw0pK8bTKYD-fqgb-VMsk32zWNQyPAYku5FabSCqpSdRlXy7FgP5eBSnTgJKqm8Xwc-vkxbKq3_TkPI_lFK0HUxMe9CNBbnkSQn/s1600/Christmas+is+Cancelled_200x300+12-30.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Contemporary
romance</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Release
date: 21 December 2012</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Publisher:
Breathless Press<br />ISBN: 978-1-77101-938-5</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Heat
level: 3 (steamy)</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Word
count: 40,000+</span></span></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
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<div style="background: #ffffff; line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><i><b>Full blurb</b></i></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Matilda
'Tilly' Carter didn't think her day could get any worse, but even
Christmas had just been cancelled.<br /><br />The one girl Dean Watson
has sworn never to have—never even expected to see again—just
flared back into his life and into his home—his sanctuary—like
she belonged there. Christmas would certainly be more bearable with
Tilly around though…<br /><br />As the chinks in Dean's armor appear,
Tilly seizes the chance to win her knight once and for all. She's not
about to take no for answer—not this time—but Dean must resist,
even as his heart rebels and temptation threatens to undermine his
resolve.<br /><br />Win or lose? Love or honor? Which will Dean choose?
Assuming he gets a choice…</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Y4zIhEoE5PM?rel=0" target="_blank">Book Trailer</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><i><b>Excerpt</b></i></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Tears
welled in her eyes, clouding her vision. She turned and wandered
blindly toward the exit as the first tear escaped, forging a track
down her cheek for the rest to follow. Tilly took in a lungful of air
and then another. Having made a spectacle of herself once already,
she really didn't want to be the cause of yet another scene.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">The
crowds swarmed around her, with students and family members heading
home for the holidays only adding to the usual rush-hour melee of
commuters. They jostled past, threatening to swallow her whole, as
they rushed en mass in the opposite direction, using their briefcases
and suitcases as a battering ram.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">It
was suffocating. She had to get out of there. Breaking into a run,
broken heel or not, she raced through the doors and out into the
biting December chill. Her waterlogged eyes struggled to adjust to
the dark, dreary sky after the bright station lights, but she didn't
dare slow down, desperate to escape the throng of festivities and
merriment.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Carol
singers assembled outside burst into a jovial rendition of "We
Wish You a Merry Christmas," full of joy and happiness. Didn't
they know Christmas had just been cancelled?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">"Ooof!"
Tilly smacked her shin against the edge of a low bench, too dark to
see as she tried to dodge the growing audience. She ended up sprawled
across the bench, dropping the handle of her suitcase with a loud
clatter.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">At
least the pain shooting down her leg gave her an excuse to be crying.
Unfortunately, it meant she had to stop running too. Not good.
Whenever things got too tough, too intimate, or too confrontational,
you could rely on her to make a run for it. Running away was what she
did best...</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">A
tall figure loomed in the edge of her vision, something vaguely
familiar about the man's loping gait. In an effort to see him more
clearly, she wiped her eyes with the back of her hands, then cringed
inwardly at the black streaks now etched all over them. Great. She
could add impersonating a panda to her day from hell as well then.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">The
mascara stung her eyes, rendering her unable to focus properly. She
blinked furiously as the man strode past her, talking into a mobile
phone in a deep voice that resonated throughout her body and made the
fine hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. A surge of
adrenaline rushed to her legs, numbing the pain as her subconscious
told her to run. Now!</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">The
cloaked figure stopped mid-stride as if he'd heard her gasp. "Mike,
I've gotta go," he barked into the phone, hanging up instantly.
He backtracked until he was standing right in front of her, his tone
changing from a growl to one of surprise. "Basmati?"</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Great.
She hadn't heard the nickname for years—nine years, four months
and...sixteen days, to be exact—and even then, only one person had
ever actually used it. She screwed her eyes tightly shut, shaking her
head from side to side. No. No way. There was absolutely no way this
could be happening to her. Not now. Not today of all days... Talk
about kicking a girl when she was down.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><i><b>Links…</b></i></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Buy
links: </span></span>
</div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.breathlesspress.com/index.php?main_page=product_free_shipping_info&cPath=10&products_id=407" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Breathless
Press</span></a></u></span><span style="color: blue;"><u><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;"><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AR01MNC?ie=UTF8&tag=aubro-20&linkCode=shr&camp=213733&creative=393177&creativeASIN=B00AR01MNC&qid=1356086959&sr=8-3" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00AR01MNC?ie=UTF8&tag=aurbrow-21&linkCode=shr&camp=3194&creative=21330&creativeASIN=B00AR01MNC&qid=1356086879&sr=8-2" target="_blank">Amazon
UK</a><br /><a href="https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-christmasiscancelled-1026955-149.html" target="_blank">All
Romance Books</a><br /><a href="http://www.bookstrand.com/christmas-is-cancelled" target="_blank">Bookstrand</a></span></u></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><u><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16284007-christmas-is-cancelled"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Goodreads</span></a></u></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">Barnes
& Noble – coming soon</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma, sans-serif;">iTunes
– coming soon</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">________________________________________</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I would like to thank Aurelia for stopping by. It has been a real treat to have you here. :-) </span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-20508927507928663932012-12-28T22:29:00.001-05:002012-12-28T22:32:01.924-05:00Making the More Active ChoiceMaking the More Active Choice<br />
<br />
This is something that I learned in theater improvisation, and I feel it translates well to writing.<br />
<br />
The next time you read a book, watch television, watch a movie, or go see a live theater show, pay attention to how often "the more active choice," is chosen.<br />
<br />
For instance; Mary needs to tell Bob some really important news. In real life, Mary might just pick up the phone and let Bob know the news. However, that is...<br />
<br />
...boring. *yawn*<br />
<br />
What's more interesting? Let's brainstorm-<br />
<br />
Mary goes to meet Bob at work to tell him<br />
Mary surprises Bob with the news over a candlelight dinner<br />
Mary confronts Bob at his house<br />
Mary rams her car into Bob's car<br />
Mary breaks into Bob's house and writes the news in red lipstick on his wall<br />
Mary forms a flashmob to do a singing and dancing parade for him in the mall, while he is there shopping for Christmas<br />
Mary gets the news tattooed on her breasts and flashes him at mardi gras.<br />
<br />
So, I'm asking, as an audience? Which choice to you is more "interesting?"<br />
<br />
A phone call or one of the other choices?<br />
<br />
Granted, I'm not saying that phone calls don't belong in stories, however, the more interesting choice is often the more active choice.<br />
<br />
I've noticed even with today's modern day gadgets that writers still don't write in scenes where people are texting, and using their cell phones.<br />
<br />
When performing improv, often times we will get the scene "on its feet." Sometimes it is simply getting the characters to stand up and do something that makes the scene more interesting.<br />
<br />
For me, if a scene seems dull, I like to stand the characters up and make them do something.<br />
<br />
Are your characters just sitting at a restaurant not doing anything? Make them get up and dance.<br />
<br />
I know that when I'm just sitting at my laptop typing, I'm not very interesting. I don't expect anyone watching me to be entertained. The basis of the arts is to be entertained, and every small choice counts.<br />
<br />
Active choices are interesting choices. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Next time- Being mean to your characters<br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-15284202579299954622012-12-19T03:23:00.001-05:002012-12-19T03:23:53.647-05:00Every character has their own secrets, goals, and desires.Every character has their own secrets, goals, and desires.<br />
<br />
<br />
Whether it be in a play, novel, movie, or real life. Every character has their own secrets, goals, and desires.<br />
<br />
Everyone "wants" something. Everyone has a goal to get what they want and use different means in order to get it.<br />
<br />
By thinking this way, I find that I can "flesh out" secondary characters really easily. They stop being there just so I have someone my hero/heroine can talk to and start being their own people.<br />
<br />
Now I'm not talking about people who are there because they are set dressing, like the waitress in the restaurant scene, or the mailman when she gets that important letter. I'm talking about legitimate secondary characters like the best friend, business partner or ex-lover.<br />
<br />
Let's dissect a scene.<br />
<br />
Heroine- Susan<br />
Friend of Heroine - Betty<br />
<br />
In this scene, Susan is bitching about the hero to her best friend Betty. (I'm using this scene because I've seen it done a lot. A secondary character is brought in so that Susan doesn't just bitch to herself. It becomes more active if she is talking to someone.)<br />
<br />
Now, in setting up the scene like this Susan wants something. Let's make a list of what she "wants" in this scene.<br />
<br />
Susan wants:<br />
An understanding ear in her friend Betty.<br />
A solution to her problem with the hero.<br />
To hear herself talk.<br />
Someone to console her and tell her she did right.<br />
An opinion of the situation.<br />
etc.<br />
<br />
Now, what does Betty want out of the scene. Remember in real life if you are having this conversation, you aren't just staring blankly at the other person, even though it is their life, their story. You have a life too.<br />
<br />
Betty wants:<br />
To help Susan because she is her best friend<br />
To protect Susan because it was really hard picking the pieces of her shattered love life the last time the hero came to town <br />
To be a sympathetic ear <br />
To convince Susan she is really insane.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
To steal the hero from Susan<br />
To convince Susan she is a whore.<br />
To be a great best friend so that she can plan Susan and the hero's wedding.<br />
To be a great listener because she wants a promotion at the store she and Susan works at. <br />
etc<br />
<br />
If you take it a step farther in your mind, if Betty has a different motive than just a sounding board, the scene plays out in an entirely different way according to what motive each of these characters have.<br />
<br />
When doing improv/acting, or when plotting out a story I find myself trying to approach the characters by determining what they want. What they want can change from scene to scene, but that motivation behind the character can drive the scene. This is what I think happens when people say that a scene gets away from them and the characters take over. The characters get their own motivation, their own "wants" in a story and go for it.<br />
<br />
Remember that what the character can want throughout a story, or a scene can change. That every character has a want, and that can be used to propel your story forward.<br />
<br />
<br />
Next time on "The Sally Scribbles"- Making the more active choice.<br />
<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13602571365119684158noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5981653066828843157.post-71724314972195330992012-12-13T21:50:00.001-05:002012-12-13T21:50:30.954-05:00Improv- Emotionally Lead Characters! ( and Characters with secrets)Improv- Emotionally Lead Characters! ( and Characters with secrets)<br />
<br />
Emotions are interesting.<br />
Secrets are interesting. <br />
<br />
When starting a scene in an improv exercise, whether it be a structured exercise or one where it is a free-form scene, starting the scene with a character with a background is more interesting.<br />
<br />
It is a little like working backwards. I had a pretty large breakthrough in my last novella when I did this. I had a hero and a heroine that hated each other. Every time they were together they were mad, and spit fire at each other. (Not literally, it was a paranormal story, but nothing to do with spitting fire.)<br />
<br />
Finally, I had a breaththrough! I found out WHY they were so mad at each other. She had accidentally broken up his family. He had been pissed off. (It is off with a publisher now, hoping to get it published. We will see shortly and you can see what I'm talking about.)<br />
<br />
Not only did bringing emotionally charged characters into my scene work to fill the scene, it also made it interesting, and bring in that ever important background that they had had together.<br />
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Characters with secrets are the same thing. Instead of bringing into the scene an emotion, they are bringing in a bit of knowledge the other person doesn't know and if the writer is good, the reader doesn't know either.<br />
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Warning: When a writer is doing this, make sure the build-up to the reveal is worth it. There is nothing worse to a reader than finding out the "big bad secret" everyone is tip-toeing around is something ridiculously stupid. If it is something not too major, make it a reveal earlier, and play with everyone knowing that secret.<br />
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Secrets also serve the purpose of keeping a reader around. They want to know why he is acting so strangely, and why she doesn't ever mention that time last winter...<br />
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What comes to mind is the movie, "Sweet Home Alabama." I dearly loved the spitfire attitude the couple has toward each other AND the secret that he had that beautiful glass shop. It was lovely!<br />
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Next- Every character has their own secrets, goals, and desires.<br />
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