Laurell K. Hamilton's Blog

I had people who were doing the National Novel Writing Month send in their votes to see what was kicking their butt the most on their novel: character or plot. The vote was very close. Also, many seemed to be having problem with both, or a combination of both, so I decided I'd give a few tips for both those pesky characters and that twisting plot.

Characters:

1. First problem is usually when you can't get a character to have a distinct voice in your head, let alone on paper. The person you've t...

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Your regularly scheduled blog is being preempted by breaking news. Ok, its not breaking news since I've known for awhile, but the announcement has gone public. I'm a team player and I would have been happy to wait for a group announcement but since that's not happening here goes.

The Anita Blake TV show on IFC is not happening. Now no wailing and gnashing of teeth about it. In the two years and some change since I sold the rights to my series its been very educational. I know a great deal...

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The book has driven me from sleep. Driven me from sleep and cuddling beside a perfectly, wonderful warm husband. I woke at 4 AM from a dream about football and I was either a player or a coach, but it was like I never saw myself and I was more a camera looking out, so I'm assuming I was a man, but didn't feel different, just weird. The last of the dream was Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs taking the helmet camera off of me, and joining the crew for a laugh at how I had marks on my forehead from...

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So many of you are doing the National Novel Writing Month and apparently many of you have hit the wall. Writer's block you call it, but really that's a very specific problem. What you actual have is just that moment when the book slows down. It happens. Its happened to me over the years with lots of books, not ever book, but enough. I'm writing book 30, so I know a few tricks to jump start the creative motor, and I'm happy to share.

1. Change desks. Change where you are writing. I have four d...

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I say I don't believe in fairytales, and yet I've written eight books about fairie princess, Merry Gentry, and her search for true love, a father for her children, and a king to sit on the throne with her as queen. What I wouldn't realize for years was that the entire idea for Merry came out of the very fact that I didn't believe in happily-ever-after. I've said loud and long that I never believed in that whole Prince Charming fantasy of some perfect man coming to rescue the fair damsel and m...

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Several people have asked why Jean-Claude has only been on the phone, or asleep, for the last two books; Blood Noir and Skin Trade. My answer, well the books take place out of town and Masters of the City don't travel lightly and without a lot of political planning. But it was only as I sit down to make notes for Bullet the next regularly scheduled Anita Blake novel that I realized what my subconscious had been playing with. Remember in Blood Noir where we talk about needing to let the other ...

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Divine Misdemeanors, who's first chapter is up on our website, is the next Meredith Gentry book. It hits the shelves December 8th 2009! Merry is back in L. A. with Doyle, and Frost, Rhys and Galen, Sholto and Mistral, and all the gang. We also have her back working at Grey's Detective Agency, because even a fairie princess needs to earn a living.

Flirt that comes out February 2nd 2010, is an Anita Blake novel, but its a surprise book. I got the initial idea, and it was a new idea for Anita...

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You're about to benefit from my impatience. Doiling out the second paragraph of the first chapter of Divine Misedeamors a line a day is driving me as crazy as doiling out the first paragraph of the first chapter of Divine Misdemeanors was driving me a day or so ago. Then my impatience led me to put up the entire first paragraph. Did you guess? Yes, here is the entire second, third, fourth, and fifth paragraph. I hope I get the PDF of the entire first chapter soon so I can stop teasing you...

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I had this great idea that I'd put a line a day of the first chapter of Divine Misdemeanors up on Twitter, which would also hit Face Book, and would through techie help be disseminated through my Forum, and My Space, but having done it for two days it's driving me crazy. It's like no progress. If I was a fan of someone's writing it would just drive me to distraction in such little bits. So I've talked to my publisher about getting the PDF fo the first chapter and I will put it up when I get i...

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My doctor cleared me for the gym tonight. Yay! So here's the workout. All exercises are 3 X 12 which is 3 reps of 12 each.

Flat bench dumbbell press - a paltry 10 pounds but the goal is no more injuries.

Incline Press machine - 40 pounds. Yay!

Dumbbell fly again only 10 pounds but it was done on the pilâtes ball, and again goal is no more injuries.

Seated overhead shoulder dumbbell press 10 pounds on the ball.

Standing upright row again with 10 pounds. Bah, but I'll get to go back tomorrow...

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