Julie Miller's Blog - Posts Tagged "intrigue"
The more I write, the more I learn about writing. I've always believed that as a teacher, and I'm seeing it firsthand as my writing career progresses. Whether published or not, there's always something to learn from completing a writing project.
I recently finished revisions and updates for the first novel I ever had published--IMMORTAL HEART, a contemporary paranormal romantic suspense--that will be reissued on June 15th. That was 40+ novels ago. And wow, what an interesting trip down memory lane to read through that ms again. There were some obvious updates content-wise after 15 years that I needed to address--giving my techno-wiz heroine a cell phone, changing her videotape collection to DVD's, using flash drives instead of (groan ) floppy disks.
But I discovered that my writing style has changed over the years, too. I discovered a few cliches in the ms--maybe they were fresh back then, but they've been overused now. I discovered that I must have had a favorite word back then because I used it a LOT in that ms (I've changed several of them, played with different phrasing in the new version so it doesn't jump out at the reader the way it kept jumping out at me). Plus, I think I'm a tighter writer now (ooh, that rhymes). For example, I can see that I took fewer chances with breaking the rules of grammar and sentence structure. Some sentences--dialogue, especially--I just wanted to snap in half so that the pacing moved faster and it sounded more realistic to those characters. Of course, I was still teaching full-time when I first wrote that story, so maybe all those rules I insisted my students use were stuck in my head, influencing my style. I hope I've given the story the contemporary, fast-paced tone I use now to go along with (what I'm pleased to discover) the deep characterization that I still have today.
As I begin my next writing project today (a Christmas cowboy novella for an Intrigue anthology I'm writing with Dana Marton and Paula Graves), I'm keeping in mind the evolution of my writing style. No more 'darlin's' unless that hero is from Texas, and even then, probably not. And really, 'galvanized' is a cool word, but I think once in a ms is plenty since it's so unique. I'm giving myself permission to play with those grammar rules. My ms will still be clean and easy to read, but I will break some rules intentionally for certain effects in my story.
But there's something else in that first novel that I want to get back to in my writing. That truly was a book of my heart (in fact, the whole trilogy I wrote featuring that group of characters was a books of the heart project). While I know there are certain requirements in writing now--right tone for the line, required length, certain level of heat, hooks that readers like, etc.--I don't want to limit myself creatively. I want to dream more, let my imagination go, allow myself to feel the joy of writing that I felt back then. For example, in the first book of the next miniseries I'll be writing, I'm already thinking of some tweaks I want to give my hero. Deepen the angst and conflict. Incorporate some things that have touched me in real life recently (he's a Marine). And so on. When I start writing that 45th book, I want to try to recapture that book of the heart feeling. The ptb at Harlequin say that readers are looking for something a little unpredictable and fresh in their books, while still being able to bank on the promise of a particular line. I'm hoping to pull that unpredictability into my story by trusting my instincts and playing a little more.
So that's where I am in my process. Reflecting back on how far I've come while giving myself permission to break a few more of those rules I didn't know about back then that I know now. I'm looking forward to starting my next slate of projects with this new attitude. That'll keep it fresh and exciting for me as a writer, as well as for the reader. I hope!
Feel free to ask a question about writing or upcoming projects. Share what you would consider fresh or unpredictable in the Intrigues/Harlequins you read. Or just share what you've been reminiscing about lately.
I recently finished revisions and updates for the first novel I ever had published--IMMORTAL HEART, a contemporary paranormal romantic suspense--that will be reissued on June 15th. That was 40+ novels ago. And wow, what an interesting trip down memory lane to read through that ms again. There were some obvious updates content-wise after 15 years that I needed to address--giving my techno-wiz heroine a cell phone, changing her videotape collection to DVD's, using flash drives instead of (groan ) floppy disks.
But I discovered that my writing style has changed over the years, too. I discovered a few cliches in the ms--maybe they were fresh back then, but they've been overused now. I discovered that I must have had a favorite word back then because I used it a LOT in that ms (I've changed several of them, played with different phrasing in the new version so it doesn't jump out at the reader the way it kept jumping out at me). Plus, I think I'm a tighter writer now (ooh, that rhymes). For example, I can see that I took fewer chances with breaking the rules of grammar and sentence structure. Some sentences--dialogue, especially--I just wanted to snap in half so that the pacing moved faster and it sounded more realistic to those characters. Of course, I was still teaching full-time when I first wrote that story, so maybe all those rules I insisted my students use were stuck in my head, influencing my style. I hope I've given the story the contemporary, fast-paced tone I use now to go along with (what I'm pleased to discover) the deep characterization that I still have today.
As I begin my next writing project today (a Christmas cowboy novella for an Intrigue anthology I'm writing with Dana Marton and Paula Graves), I'm keeping in mind the evolution of my writing style. No more 'darlin's' unless that hero is from Texas, and even then, probably not. And really, 'galvanized' is a cool word, but I think once in a ms is plenty since it's so unique. I'm giving myself permission to play with those grammar rules. My ms will still be clean and easy to read, but I will break some rules intentionally for certain effects in my story.
But there's something else in that first novel that I want to get back to in my writing. That truly was a book of my heart (in fact, the whole trilogy I wrote featuring that group of characters was a books of the heart project). While I know there are certain requirements in writing now--right tone for the line, required length, certain level of heat, hooks that readers like, etc.--I don't want to limit myself creatively. I want to dream more, let my imagination go, allow myself to feel the joy of writing that I felt back then. For example, in the first book of the next miniseries I'll be writing, I'm already thinking of some tweaks I want to give my hero. Deepen the angst and conflict. Incorporate some things that have touched me in real life recently (he's a Marine). And so on. When I start writing that 45th book, I want to try to recapture that book of the heart feeling. The ptb at Harlequin say that readers are looking for something a little unpredictable and fresh in their books, while still being able to bank on the promise of a particular line. I'm hoping to pull that unpredictability into my story by trusting my instincts and playing a little more.
So that's where I am in my process. Reflecting back on how far I've come while giving myself permission to break a few more of those rules I didn't know about back then that I know now. I'm looking forward to starting my next slate of projects with this new attitude. That'll keep it fresh and exciting for me as a writer, as well as for the reader. I hope!
Feel free to ask a question about writing or upcoming projects. Share what you would consider fresh or unpredictable in the Intrigues/Harlequins you read. Or just share what you've been reminiscing about lately.
Happy Veterans' Day to all our Marines, soldiers, sailors, guardsmen, veterans and their families!
I just completed a story, THE MARINE NEXT DOOR, that will be out in May 2012. Writing it was a wonderful experience for me because I got to feature a hero who was near and dear to my heart--a United States Marine. Why a Marine? Not just because they look so spiffy in their uniforms. Wink I enjoyed it because I got to draw on the veterans in my life for inspiration.
Every year I debate whether I sign up to blog on November 10th--the Marine Corps birthday--or November 11th, Veterans Day here in the US. For as long as I can remember, the 10th was practically a holiday at our house. My dad, a retired USMC veteran from the Korean Conflict, always called us kids to say Happy Birthday on November 10th. In later years, we'd try to beat him to the punch and call him first (or send a card) to let him know we'd remembered the Marine Corps' birthday. There was Semper Fi and Camp Usher and a lot of patriotism and pride running through Dad's blood, long after he retired from the Corps, the Reserves, and went into business and teaching. I never knew him to wear his hair in anything other than a crewcut, and he'd get antsy about getting to the barber if his hair so much as brushed against his ear. Innocent
Dad also made a point of speaking to, shaking hands with, and thanking any active duty or veteran military personnel and their families he met throughout his life. Sometimes, I wondered how he spotted them when they were out of uniform--at an airport, at a gas station, on vacation, etc. Sure, some had bumper stickers that proudly stated their son was in the Army, or they sported a tattoo of the Corps' eagle, earth and anchor on a bicep, or they wore a ballcap like my father-in-law, with the name of the Navy battleship they served on.
But just as often, the people my father greeted looked like you and me. They were normal, everyday people with their families and friends, just going about their business. But there's a shared spirit among the military and their families, I think--an internal radar of one hero recognizing another. They share a bond of pride and honor. They understand duty and hard choices and loss. They command respect and give it when earned. Some laugh well; some think deeply. They know the value of life and friendship and support. They stand and remove their hats and cover their hearts when they see their country's flag or hear the hymn from their branch of the military. And they are humble or practical enough to believe they are/were just doing their job when called to serve or to send a loved one into danger.
One of the few times in my life I ever saw my dad get emotional--or admit to any fear--were the times he sent his younger son--my brother--into an overseas war zone, first as a Marine, and more recently as an Army officer. I see a lot of my dad in my "little" brother. Quiet on the surface. Super smart. Loves structure. Loves sports. Wicked sense of humor. Big laugh. Family man. (See? Lots of heroic traits to put in my hero, Capt. John Murdock Wink) I've been blessed to grow up with the family I did. And while I'm so proud to have these veterans in my family, I'm even more grateful that they're just my dad and my brother (well, there was that phase my brother went through at about 4 or 5 where he took great joy in kicking me in the shins with his pointy cowboy boots when I would have traded him for a nickel, but I digress... Innocent).
My point is this--the men and women we're honoring today are heroes, yes. But veterans are more than that. They're moms and dads and brothers and sisters and sons and daughters. They teach. They play sports. They work in hospitals. They build roads. Thank them, yes. Honor them. But remember, too, to shake their hand and laugh with them and hug them... and call them on days that are important to them.
Do you have a special veteran or active-duty personnel member in your family or circle of friends? An ancestor whose service makes you proud, or adds an interesting twist to the family tree? Share the name of someone you'd like to honor or remember today. Tell a bit of their story, too, if you like. I'll give away a copy of my December Intrigue, NANNY 911, or a backlist title to one lucky poster.
Thank you to our veterans and their families!
Julie Miller
NANNY 911-Dec 2011
SAFE IN HIS ARMS-Harlequin Showcase (UK), Dec 2012
ICE LAKE-(Anthology w/ BJ Daniels & Delores Fossen) Jan 2012
THE MARINE NEXT DOOR-May 2012
Big Book GiveAway this month at www.juliemiller.org
I just completed a story, THE MARINE NEXT DOOR, that will be out in May 2012. Writing it was a wonderful experience for me because I got to feature a hero who was near and dear to my heart--a United States Marine. Why a Marine? Not just because they look so spiffy in their uniforms. Wink I enjoyed it because I got to draw on the veterans in my life for inspiration.
Every year I debate whether I sign up to blog on November 10th--the Marine Corps birthday--or November 11th, Veterans Day here in the US. For as long as I can remember, the 10th was practically a holiday at our house. My dad, a retired USMC veteran from the Korean Conflict, always called us kids to say Happy Birthday on November 10th. In later years, we'd try to beat him to the punch and call him first (or send a card) to let him know we'd remembered the Marine Corps' birthday. There was Semper Fi and Camp Usher and a lot of patriotism and pride running through Dad's blood, long after he retired from the Corps, the Reserves, and went into business and teaching. I never knew him to wear his hair in anything other than a crewcut, and he'd get antsy about getting to the barber if his hair so much as brushed against his ear. Innocent
Dad also made a point of speaking to, shaking hands with, and thanking any active duty or veteran military personnel and their families he met throughout his life. Sometimes, I wondered how he spotted them when they were out of uniform--at an airport, at a gas station, on vacation, etc. Sure, some had bumper stickers that proudly stated their son was in the Army, or they sported a tattoo of the Corps' eagle, earth and anchor on a bicep, or they wore a ballcap like my father-in-law, with the name of the Navy battleship they served on.
But just as often, the people my father greeted looked like you and me. They were normal, everyday people with their families and friends, just going about their business. But there's a shared spirit among the military and their families, I think--an internal radar of one hero recognizing another. They share a bond of pride and honor. They understand duty and hard choices and loss. They command respect and give it when earned. Some laugh well; some think deeply. They know the value of life and friendship and support. They stand and remove their hats and cover their hearts when they see their country's flag or hear the hymn from their branch of the military. And they are humble or practical enough to believe they are/were just doing their job when called to serve or to send a loved one into danger.
One of the few times in my life I ever saw my dad get emotional--or admit to any fear--were the times he sent his younger son--my brother--into an overseas war zone, first as a Marine, and more recently as an Army officer. I see a lot of my dad in my "little" brother. Quiet on the surface. Super smart. Loves structure. Loves sports. Wicked sense of humor. Big laugh. Family man. (See? Lots of heroic traits to put in my hero, Capt. John Murdock Wink) I've been blessed to grow up with the family I did. And while I'm so proud to have these veterans in my family, I'm even more grateful that they're just my dad and my brother (well, there was that phase my brother went through at about 4 or 5 where he took great joy in kicking me in the shins with his pointy cowboy boots when I would have traded him for a nickel, but I digress... Innocent).
My point is this--the men and women we're honoring today are heroes, yes. But veterans are more than that. They're moms and dads and brothers and sisters and sons and daughters. They teach. They play sports. They work in hospitals. They build roads. Thank them, yes. Honor them. But remember, too, to shake their hand and laugh with them and hug them... and call them on days that are important to them.
Do you have a special veteran or active-duty personnel member in your family or circle of friends? An ancestor whose service makes you proud, or adds an interesting twist to the family tree? Share the name of someone you'd like to honor or remember today. Tell a bit of their story, too, if you like. I'll give away a copy of my December Intrigue, NANNY 911, or a backlist title to one lucky poster.
Thank you to our veterans and their families!
Julie Miller
NANNY 911-Dec 2011
SAFE IN HIS ARMS-Harlequin Showcase (UK), Dec 2012
ICE LAKE-(Anthology w/ BJ Daniels & Delores Fossen) Jan 2012
THE MARINE NEXT DOOR-May 2012
Big Book GiveAway this month at www.juliemiller.org
I'm motivated. I'm feeling the urge to accomplish more, to become something more.
A very good friend and I went to an interesting program at a local college last month. We watched the movie, THE BIG YEAR, starring Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson--and then we attended a presentation by the man, champion birder Greg Miller (no relation), the book was based on. We also attended a program on Raptor Rescue and met a brown-tailed hawk that had broken its wing and was being nursed back to health by the organization.
The basic premise of the movie and book and real story it was based on is the quest of 3 different men who love birding (laymen like me call it bird-watching, but the pros call it birding ;)) to have what is known as the "Big Year", where a birder sort of puts his/her life on hold and travels the country/continent to spot as many different species of birds as possible. It's a contest that involves a lot of miles, a lot of money and a lot of dedication. But to a birder, it's the ultimate indulgence and achievement--to be the person who (on record) sees the most birds in a single year. And the best part of the story, of course, being a romance writer--were the relationships that changed and develop over the course of each man's Big Year--finding love, find fame and respect, finally finding an understanding with a father, finding out that family is a priority in life, etc. iow, it's not just the challenge of being #1, it's a journey of self-discovery. It was fascinating, it was funny--and it motivated Linda and me to try a "Big Year of our own.
So, while we're not birders trying to spot as many birds as possible (although I do find myself more aware of birds than ever before), we have been motivated to challenge each other to our own big year--to cheer each other on, to celebrate small victories along the way, and to commiserate disappointments and pick the other up to keep moving forward. Both of us have decided to improve our health this year--and for us the main thing we need to do more of is exercise. So she has pledged to ride her bike 1000 miles this year, and I am going to walk 300 miles. Of course, surpassing those goals is a bonus. But we've set weekly goals, monthly goals. We've rewarded ourselves with practical things like a new sports bra and bike helmet, and with less practical things--a girls night out with strawberry lemonades and a splurge of dessert.
Just as important as the change in activity levels and health, I think, is the mental adjustments Linda and I are going through. We're feeling more positive about our lives, our work and our health. I'm sure it's partly due to the exercise, but I'm thinking a lot of it has to do with the camaraderie. We've been friends since our children were in preschool (her daughter and my son are graduating college in a year!). But we've been busy raising families, writing books, taking care of ill parents, dealing with life. Now, we're making a concerted effort to have contact much more often. That social interaction is invaluable to a solitary writer's life, believe me.
So that's my Big Year. Just this week I was offered a contract to write 4 new Precinct books for Intrigue. I'm presenting a workshop at a national conference with my good buddies BJ Daniels and Delores Fossen. My son is planning his last semester of classes and internship. I'm starting to lose weight. I'm balancing the demands in my life much better than I once did. I'm in a very positive place right now. It's my "Big Year" and I intend to make the most of it!
So what movies/books/people/stories in the news have inspired you to do something?
Share what motivates you. If you also go to the Intrigue Authors blog on 4/6/12, I'm giving away a signed copy of my May 1st release, THE MARINE NEXT DOOR, to one lucky commenter there.
Now get out there and be inspired!
Julie Miller
A very good friend and I went to an interesting program at a local college last month. We watched the movie, THE BIG YEAR, starring Jack Black, Steve Martin and Owen Wilson--and then we attended a presentation by the man, champion birder Greg Miller (no relation), the book was based on. We also attended a program on Raptor Rescue and met a brown-tailed hawk that had broken its wing and was being nursed back to health by the organization.
The basic premise of the movie and book and real story it was based on is the quest of 3 different men who love birding (laymen like me call it bird-watching, but the pros call it birding ;)) to have what is known as the "Big Year", where a birder sort of puts his/her life on hold and travels the country/continent to spot as many different species of birds as possible. It's a contest that involves a lot of miles, a lot of money and a lot of dedication. But to a birder, it's the ultimate indulgence and achievement--to be the person who (on record) sees the most birds in a single year. And the best part of the story, of course, being a romance writer--were the relationships that changed and develop over the course of each man's Big Year--finding love, find fame and respect, finally finding an understanding with a father, finding out that family is a priority in life, etc. iow, it's not just the challenge of being #1, it's a journey of self-discovery. It was fascinating, it was funny--and it motivated Linda and me to try a "Big Year of our own.
So, while we're not birders trying to spot as many birds as possible (although I do find myself more aware of birds than ever before), we have been motivated to challenge each other to our own big year--to cheer each other on, to celebrate small victories along the way, and to commiserate disappointments and pick the other up to keep moving forward. Both of us have decided to improve our health this year--and for us the main thing we need to do more of is exercise. So she has pledged to ride her bike 1000 miles this year, and I am going to walk 300 miles. Of course, surpassing those goals is a bonus. But we've set weekly goals, monthly goals. We've rewarded ourselves with practical things like a new sports bra and bike helmet, and with less practical things--a girls night out with strawberry lemonades and a splurge of dessert.
Just as important as the change in activity levels and health, I think, is the mental adjustments Linda and I are going through. We're feeling more positive about our lives, our work and our health. I'm sure it's partly due to the exercise, but I'm thinking a lot of it has to do with the camaraderie. We've been friends since our children were in preschool (her daughter and my son are graduating college in a year!). But we've been busy raising families, writing books, taking care of ill parents, dealing with life. Now, we're making a concerted effort to have contact much more often. That social interaction is invaluable to a solitary writer's life, believe me.
So that's my Big Year. Just this week I was offered a contract to write 4 new Precinct books for Intrigue. I'm presenting a workshop at a national conference with my good buddies BJ Daniels and Delores Fossen. My son is planning his last semester of classes and internship. I'm starting to lose weight. I'm balancing the demands in my life much better than I once did. I'm in a very positive place right now. It's my "Big Year" and I intend to make the most of it!
So what movies/books/people/stories in the news have inspired you to do something?
Share what motivates you. If you also go to the Intrigue Authors blog on 4/6/12, I'm giving away a signed copy of my May 1st release, THE MARINE NEXT DOOR, to one lucky commenter there.
Now get out there and be inspired!
Julie Miller
