Madison Layle's Blog, page 6

Whew! It's off!

I just had to say this, because of the emails we've been getting lately from our lovely, wonderful, amazing fans… Falke's Captive, book 2 in the Puma Nights series, is complete and sent off to the editor. Now it's up to Carina Press. We hope you'll be able to download it soon…

So you all can see, we have not been slacking! *grin*

A Peek at Our Technique

For all of you readers out there, I have a question for you: Have you ever wondered what it really took to write a story that captures the imagination and entertains?

For all of you writers out there, I have a question for you: Have you ever loved your readers enough to throw out 50,000 words of a story and begin again?

I've been in this business long enough to hear writers refer to their manuscripts as "their babies", and I know we writers put a lot of ourselves into the stories we right, so I just wondered if you could throw out a story if you knew it just wasn't good enough.

I ask because that's exactly what Anna Leigh and I did. For more than two months we worked on a novel and got to within two final scenes before we had a heart-to-heart chat and discovered that neither of us were satisfied with the outcome. We'd come to our conclusions separately, but together the elements we found lacking just destroyed any chance of the story (in its current form) ever seeing the light of day.

We scrapped the manuscript and started over from scratch. We recycled the characters' names, nixed some, added some others, and more importantly were willing to evaluate the faults and improve on the strengths.

I'm excited to say Anna Leigh and I are in the final stages of wrapping up our new and improved novel, which happens to be book #2 in the Puma Nights series! We'll be sending it to our publisher for consideration soon.

All of this got me to thinking about the way Anna Leigh and I work. It helps that we're the best of friends and we think a lot alike. And that we have similar "author voices", as well as writing styles that are compatible/complementary to each other. But, it also takes thick skin and honesty to work together; otherwise, what happened with our last manuscript in which we were bluntly critical of numerous elements in the tale could've ruined our ability to work together. It's important that we didn't take it personally. We listened to one another and together found a common bond in that there was just something wrong with the story; we'd veered off the path, and we needed to find a way to get back on track.

See how working with a partner is not always a bed of roses? I mean what would you think if your writing partner came to you and said, "Let's start over," after months of hard work on a project that was nearing completion? It's a give and take relationship that demands compromise and focus on a common goal…and that is putting out the best stories we can for our readers.

Since we get questioned a lot about what it takes to work with a writing partner, I thought I'd share a little insight into how we work.

Anna Leigh is the pantser, the type of writer who can sit before a blank screen with just a name in mind and maybe a place and begin writing just to see what unfolds. Me, I'm a planner. I have to plot, keep notes, and sometimes even drawings just to make sure I stay within the storyline. So how can two drastically different writing styles mesh? Ironically enough, we've found a way. Anna Leigh and I "brainstorm" together, which for me is like plotting. We identify key elements or events within the story's arch, key characters and their motivations. We take notes like an outline that can be referred to later. And for settings, sometimes I've drawn them to help us have the same mental picture of where things are within scenes staged there. For instance, in the first book in the Puma Nights series, I diagramed the cabin in which much of the story takes place.

For the second book, after we threw out our first version, I drew a diagram of a mobile lab that's featured in the story.

But when it comes to writing the story, well that's where Anna Leigh's panster tendancies are given full reign. The individual scenes are not mapped out, so she (and I) are free to just write and see where the characters take us with their dialogue and actions. Sometimes, they surprise us. LOL

Writing is such a fun thing to do! I love that I'm able to work with a fellow enthusiast, and that we get to build and explore new and exciting worlds together, and most of all share our imaginative ideas with you. It's awesome when everything comes together; I love happy endings.

Join us this week at Seriously Reviewed

Madi and I are guest blogging at Seriously Reviewed all week. You can find us here: http://seriouslyreviewedarchive.blogspot.com/2011_01_01_archive.html

Make sure you check out all the posts!

Prefer to Listen to Your Books?

Layle and Keaton's latest novel, Falke's Peak, is now available as an unabridged audio book, narrated by Gina Cedarwood.

She needs a vacation. They need a mate. Hearts and lives are on the line when they go...into the wild.

The erotic tale lasts  6 1/2 hours and is available in audible formats compatible with your favorite listening devices, such as iPods, iPhones, BlackBerry or Android mobile smart phones, or you computer. The book (offered by Harlequin's Carina Press) is on sale now via Audible.com, an Amazon company, as well as iTunes.

Buy the Audible Book

Vacation=Freezing Cold=Clear Thinking

So, I do believe I've figured out why I became a writer.

I spent 7 days in central Alaska over Christmas this year. When we walked out of the airport at 1AM in the morning, it was -39 degrees with moderate ice fog. If you don't know what ice fog is, you've never been anyplace that reaches -39 degrees. (Yes, that's MINUS thirty-nine degrees fahrenheit) Imagine fog, but frozen. Little particles of ice floating in the air, making driving treacherous. And breathing. Lungs burn, and your nose hairs freeze on the first inhale. Oh, what joys!

I grew up there. Lived there the first 25 years of my life. Thought I would never live anywhere else because I'm an Alaskan, with an Alaskan heart, an Alaskan way of life. Wow, uh…well… I still love Alaska dearly…in the summer! I thought for years I was a 'displaced' Alaskan when I married and moved to the east coast. Then we moved to the Pacific Northwest and I went WOW!!! I LOVE IT HERE!!! The beauty of mountains and ocean, without  the darkness and cold. But it was just a thought. I hadn't actually been back to Alaska in the darkness and cold since I moved away over a decade ago.

Sunrise at 11am

Hmmm. I went for a small family reunion. I say small, because it was all my siblings (there are 9 of us) and not all their children, and those children's children. (I'm a horrible aunt, I've totally lost count. Let's just say there's a heck of a lot!) But the moment I walked out of that airport into frigid air I hadn't experienced in some 12 years, I… said a few choice 4-letter words and questioned my sanity for going there in the dead of winter.

So how do I figure this led to me being a writer? Easy! I obviously needed to ESCAPE!!!

As I sat in my mother's house-the house I grew up in-one afternoon a couple days after the holiday festivities had come to an end, with my laptop open, listening to a podcast of an 80′s station I listen to at home (Yes, I am stuck in that decade and probably always will be!) I looked out the window on the dusky gloom of 1pm in the afternoon, the trees covered in what should have been a magical fairy land of lacy snow…and went O M G! (Actually I think it might have been a few more choice 4-letter words.) This is so depressing! How did I ever survive with zero sunshine for months on end? I'm not a sun person. I prefer rain, so my present locale is the best, but mostly because I'm ghost white and burn to a crisp in 2.9 seconds flat, but it's nice to see sunshine through a window!

Mom's house around 1:30pm when it's already getting dark.

Then in dawned on me. It was during these long, cold, dark days when the voices started. (he he, little writer joke, don't think I'm totally insane) I was in the 7th grade when I started writing stories, and sitting there, staring out at my mothers snow-covered lawn, watching sunset at 2pm, listening to music I listened to back then, I realized that my stories, the little people in my head, probably kept me sane. They helped me escape the dark.

I'll go back to Alaska every 2 years as I have been for the last 12. But I'll go in the summer when my family will take me to the cabin, or to the boat. When I'll bask in the cool summer breeze while I pull in a 50lb halibut. Thank you, Alaska, for shaping my career. But I'll stick to coming when my nose hairs don't freeze.

There are a few pictures I promised before I went away. Santa Clause House at North Pole, Alaska (it's actually only 11 miles from Fairbanks) And one of Santa's reindeer. Sunrise at 11am over snowy trees (It really is pretty when it's light, and you're inside by the fire.)

Giant Santa you see from highwaySanta Clause House

Actual Santa Clause House

Santa's Reindeer kept out behind the house.

Thank you, and see you in the New Year

Just a quick note to say thank you to everyone who has supported us in the past year(s). We literally wouldn't be here without you, and you are the reason we do what we do.

I'm off to the frozen (reallllly frozen) Arctic to visit family and Santa Clause. I might even post some pictures when I return *grin*. Seriously, my mom lives 11 miles from Santa Clause House in North Pole, Alaska.

I hope everyone has a very happy and safe holiday, and I pray 2011 is good to you.

Falke's Peak is #1 at Carina Press

Madi and Anna are thrilled with the response from readers to their latest release of Falke's Peak. Just one day after its debut at Harlequin's Carina Press book store, the first book in the duo's Puma Nights series landed the top spot in the publisher's Most Popular listing.  It's indeed a pleasure to be included with other such talented authors.

Here's a break down of the top 5:

Falke's Peak by Layle & Keaton
A Daring Proposition by Jennifer Greene
Trouble in Paradise by Jennifer Greene
Like Clockwork by Bonnie Dee
I Heard Him Exclaim by Z.A. Maxfield

Congrats to everyone who made the Top 5 Most Popular. And thanks to all of the readers for their support of Falke's Peak.

Click Here to Buy the eBook

And the Winner is…

Congratulations to EchelonDiva who was the lucky winner in today's drawing for a free copy of our latest erotic romance from Harlequin's Carina Press called, Falke's Peak!

You, too, can have your name in for the next chance to win just by registering at this site. (See link at top right…) It's free to register, no purchase is necessary, and it's SPAM free. As a registered member of our Web site, it also enables you to voice your opinion on our Idle Naughty Thoughts blog.

Interview and Carina Open House

I've been interviewed at Writers Gone Wild http://www.writersgonewild.blogspot.com/. Post date today, Wed, December 15. It's long and in-depth, if you want to get to know how I write.

Also, I'm currently participating in the Carina Press Open House at http://community.eharlequin.com/forums/cafe-social/chat-room/open-house-post-party-carina-press

Stop on by and say hi and meet a ton of wonderful, fun writers!

First drawing winner!

MJ is the winner of the first laylekeaton.com prize drawing.

She got herself a copy of Midnight Mine, released today.

There's still plenty of time to get in for the next one on the 20th, which is for a copy of Falke's Peak from Carina Press.

All you have to do is register on this site. Your email address will always be kept confidential. We never share, and you'll never get junk mail from us!