Chrissy Munder's Blog, page 42
June 1, 2015
Getting the point across in writing - as taught by the cat
I'm reposting an oldie but goodie today. Partly because this mousie is still kicking around and I tripped over him today, and partly because this still holds true.
Getting the Point Across - [originally posted April 28, 2010]
I walked through the kitchen this past weekend, nothing too unusual there. It was probably around 12:30 p.m. and yes, I was running late when it came to feeding the Vache. I don't know about your animal (should you have one), but Vache can tell time. When that first paw touches me in the morning a quick glance at the alarm clock shows it to be 5:19 a.m. on the dot. Every single day, weekends not excluded. So, I shouldn't have been surprised that Vache had been waiting for over a half an hour for his expected snack, or that he had found a way to communicate his displeasure when it failed to appear. Here's a picture of his method:
Simple. Effective. It got his point across:
You're late.
My bowl is empty.
All I can fill it with is this fake mouse.
Feed Me.
Wouldn't it be exciting if I could hone my writing to that level?
Could you imagine? No more run-on sentences, no more meandering away from the plot point, no more inability to define a character's motivations and actions leaving them open to misunderstanding.
Words as clear as a single image. Simple. Effective. Able to get my point across.
Inspired by the Vache.
Getting the Point Across - [originally posted April 28, 2010]
I walked through the kitchen this past weekend, nothing too unusual there. It was probably around 12:30 p.m. and yes, I was running late when it came to feeding the Vache. I don't know about your animal (should you have one), but Vache can tell time. When that first paw touches me in the morning a quick glance at the alarm clock shows it to be 5:19 a.m. on the dot. Every single day, weekends not excluded. So, I shouldn't have been surprised that Vache had been waiting for over a half an hour for his expected snack, or that he had found a way to communicate his displeasure when it failed to appear. Here's a picture of his method:
Simple. Effective. It got his point across:
You're late.
My bowl is empty.
All I can fill it with is this fake mouse.
Feed Me.
Wouldn't it be exciting if I could hone my writing to that level?
Could you imagine? No more run-on sentences, no more meandering away from the plot point, no more inability to define a character's motivations and actions leaving them open to misunderstanding.
Words as clear as a single image. Simple. Effective. Able to get my point across.
Inspired by the Vache.
May 26, 2015
Welcome Guest Authors: Erin McRae & Racheline Maltese
While I'm more than a *wee* bit unhappy with the way June is barrelling down on us, I'm always excited to see the new crop of summer romance hitting the shelves. The calendar insists summer isn't officially here until June 21st, but I'm a greedy reader, and I can't wait.
Here to kick off my summer reading season with their release, Midsummer, are authors Erin McRae & Racheline Maltese:
If you've ever been involved with a theater company that does Shakespeare, you know that somewhere, there's always a skull, even when you're not working on Hamlet. In Midsummer a real skull found on the grounds gets mistaken for a stage prop by a theater troupe's eeriest actor. While a contemporary non-paranormal romance, Midsummer spends a lot of time with the possibility that we live in a magical world, and never really decides. After all, theater is a type of magic. We all suspend our disbelief and believe, at least for a little while.
But as much as theaters (and theater people), can be okay with the weird, and with hints of magic, an unexpected human skull tends to freak people out. The troupe's reactions to this skull represent some of our favorite parts of this story to write. At one point the direct of the show event declares, when our hero swears it's all no big deal, "There's a skull in my dining hall!"
For everyone who has felt like the only sane man in a sea of peculiar events rapidly spirally out of control, we hope Midsummer's mystery skull b-plot will remind you that your day job could probably be worse.
Blurb:
John Lyonel, a long-time theater professional and teacher, heads to Virginia to play Oberon in the Theater in the Woods’s production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, intending to focus on his work. John is recovering from the tragic loss of his family and needs a break. The last thing he expects is to become captivated by Michael Hilliard, the professional actor playing Puck, especially since John has never been attracted to men, let alone one so much younger.
They rush headlong into an affair which falls apart dramatically over secrets that John and Michael are keeping from each other. A steep learning curve, the gossipy cast of the show, and the sometimes sinister magic of the woods conspire to keep them apart. But stage lights and stars might work their magic and help them define a new future.
Bio:
Erin McRae is a queer writer and blogger based in Washington, D.C. She has a master’s degree in International Affairs from American University, and delights in applying her knowledge of international relations theory to her fiction and screen-based projects, because conflict drives narrative.
Racheline Maltese lives a big life from a small space. She flies planes, sails boats, and rides horses, but as a native New Yorker, has no idea how to drive a car. A long-time entertainment and media industry professional, she lives in Brooklyn with her partner and their two cats.
Together, they are co-authors of the gay romance series Love in Los Angeles, set in the film and television industry -- Starling (September 10, 2014), Doves (January 21, 2015), and Phoenix (June 10, 2015) -- from Torquere Press. Their gay romance novella series Love’s Labours, set in the theater world -- Midsummer (May 2015), and Twelfth Night (Fall 2015), is from Dreamspinner Press. They also have a story in Best Gay Romance 2015 from Cleis Press and edited by Felice Picano. You can find them on the web at http://www.Avian30.com.
Connect with Erin & Racheline online:
Blog | Facebook Page | Erin's Twitter | Racheline's Twitter | Erin's Goodreads | Racheline's Goodreads | Erin's Amazon Author Page | Racheline's Amazon Author Page
Buy Links:
Amazon | AllRomance | B&N | Dreamspinner
Excerpt:
Costume fittings and dress rehearsals means that John finally gets to see Michael costumed as Puck. The human characters are dressed contemporarily, in suits and cocktail dresses that become increasingly disheveled as the show goes on. The fairies, though, are dressed in greens and browns with crowns of strange wildness -- thistles, cornsilk, and Queen Ann’s lace. Michael as Puck looks deeply inhuman, covered in leaves as if dragged in from the wooded grounds. For their first dress rehearsal, it takes all of John’s considerable experience and willpower to actually focus on the play and not Michael. As taken as Oberon is meant to be with Puck, he should actually be able to remember and deliver his lines.
“Whose idea was this?” he asks Michael afterward, catching him before he can change. Michael blinks at him with eyes done up in silver and green. John wants to devour him.
“Do you like it?” Michael asks, more distant and coy than usual, sliding his hands up John’s chest which, like his own, is bare.
All John can do is groan when Michael looks up at him from under his lashes. He stands on his tiptoes to kiss John briefly, and then vanishes. When he reappears he’s Michael again, in t-shirt and shorts, but John can’t forget the image of him transformed.
Here to kick off my summer reading season with their release, Midsummer, are authors Erin McRae & Racheline Maltese:
If you've ever been involved with a theater company that does Shakespeare, you know that somewhere, there's always a skull, even when you're not working on Hamlet. In Midsummer a real skull found on the grounds gets mistaken for a stage prop by a theater troupe's eeriest actor. While a contemporary non-paranormal romance, Midsummer spends a lot of time with the possibility that we live in a magical world, and never really decides. After all, theater is a type of magic. We all suspend our disbelief and believe, at least for a little while.
But as much as theaters (and theater people), can be okay with the weird, and with hints of magic, an unexpected human skull tends to freak people out. The troupe's reactions to this skull represent some of our favorite parts of this story to write. At one point the direct of the show event declares, when our hero swears it's all no big deal, "There's a skull in my dining hall!"
For everyone who has felt like the only sane man in a sea of peculiar events rapidly spirally out of control, we hope Midsummer's mystery skull b-plot will remind you that your day job could probably be worse.
Blurb:
John Lyonel, a long-time theater professional and teacher, heads to Virginia to play Oberon in the Theater in the Woods’s production of A Midsummer Night's Dream, intending to focus on his work. John is recovering from the tragic loss of his family and needs a break. The last thing he expects is to become captivated by Michael Hilliard, the professional actor playing Puck, especially since John has never been attracted to men, let alone one so much younger.
They rush headlong into an affair which falls apart dramatically over secrets that John and Michael are keeping from each other. A steep learning curve, the gossipy cast of the show, and the sometimes sinister magic of the woods conspire to keep them apart. But stage lights and stars might work their magic and help them define a new future.
Bio:
Erin McRae is a queer writer and blogger based in Washington, D.C. She has a master’s degree in International Affairs from American University, and delights in applying her knowledge of international relations theory to her fiction and screen-based projects, because conflict drives narrative.
Racheline Maltese lives a big life from a small space. She flies planes, sails boats, and rides horses, but as a native New Yorker, has no idea how to drive a car. A long-time entertainment and media industry professional, she lives in Brooklyn with her partner and their two cats.
Together, they are co-authors of the gay romance series Love in Los Angeles, set in the film and television industry -- Starling (September 10, 2014), Doves (January 21, 2015), and Phoenix (June 10, 2015) -- from Torquere Press. Their gay romance novella series Love’s Labours, set in the theater world -- Midsummer (May 2015), and Twelfth Night (Fall 2015), is from Dreamspinner Press. They also have a story in Best Gay Romance 2015 from Cleis Press and edited by Felice Picano. You can find them on the web at http://www.Avian30.com.
Connect with Erin & Racheline online:
Blog | Facebook Page | Erin's Twitter | Racheline's Twitter | Erin's Goodreads | Racheline's Goodreads | Erin's Amazon Author Page | Racheline's Amazon Author Page
Buy Links:
Amazon | AllRomance | B&N | Dreamspinner
Excerpt:
Costume fittings and dress rehearsals means that John finally gets to see Michael costumed as Puck. The human characters are dressed contemporarily, in suits and cocktail dresses that become increasingly disheveled as the show goes on. The fairies, though, are dressed in greens and browns with crowns of strange wildness -- thistles, cornsilk, and Queen Ann’s lace. Michael as Puck looks deeply inhuman, covered in leaves as if dragged in from the wooded grounds. For their first dress rehearsal, it takes all of John’s considerable experience and willpower to actually focus on the play and not Michael. As taken as Oberon is meant to be with Puck, he should actually be able to remember and deliver his lines.
“Whose idea was this?” he asks Michael afterward, catching him before he can change. Michael blinks at him with eyes done up in silver and green. John wants to devour him.
“Do you like it?” Michael asks, more distant and coy than usual, sliding his hands up John’s chest which, like his own, is bare.
All John can do is groan when Michael looks up at him from under his lashes. He stands on his tiptoes to kiss John briefly, and then vanishes. When he reappears he’s Michael again, in t-shirt and shorts, but John can’t forget the image of him transformed.
May 19, 2015
3 Ways Writing Takes Courage
April's "lost month" syndrome seems to have carried through into May. Case in point, this post which was due to be posted yesterday. You'll forgive me, right? My monthly focus for May is courage, and in particular how it relates to writing. I've never given thought to more than the old "I am, therefore I write", but in talking with several new-to-publishing authors I've had to take another look at what it takes to do what we do.
3 Ways Writing Takes Courage:
image courtesty of Kristin Nador Flicker Wana Commons/CC BY 2.0
1. When we first take pen to paper we shine a light on our dreams. By doing so we risk failure, or worse. Those things we hold most precious are the ones we clutch the tightest. Sometimes it's easier to give in to our desire to keep our dreams safe and bury them so deep even we forget what they are.
3 Ways Writing Takes Courage:
image courtesty of Kristin Nador Flicker Wana Commons/CC BY 2.0
1. When we first take pen to paper we shine a light on our dreams. By doing so we risk failure, or worse. Those things we hold most precious are the ones we clutch the tightest. Sometimes it's easier to give in to our desire to keep our dreams safe and bury them so deep even we forget what they are.
“A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for.”― William G.T. Shedd
2. Somewhere down the road we have to share our work. It doesn’t matter if it’s with a favorite teacher, an online forum, a beta reader, or (hopefully) a publisher. Sharing our work is hard, lonely, and one of the scariest thing a writer can do. Ask any author you know. Trust me, we’ll go on for hours.
He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.
— Muhammad Ali
3. We have to be honest with ourselves. Readers can tell when we are authentic in our work. We have to be willing to face the hard questions. Whether they deal with emotions and reactions for our characters, or why we are procrastinating when it comes to putting words on the page.
Just be honest with yourself. That opens the door.
— Vernon Howard
But to me, the part of writing that takes the most courage is just when we think we’ve won the battle - we have to be willing to do it all over again.
I'm fascinated by this idea both as an author, and a reader. How about you? If you're a writer, what part of the process did you find the most difficult? Readers, do you ever think of what it takes for your favorite author to share their dreams?
May 11, 2015
Dreamspinner's Daily Dose Discount ends May 25th!
There was a veritable flurry of excited confetti tossing on the Munder blog this weekend. Anyone care to ask why? It's okay. I'll wait ... naaah, I'm too tickled to wait. I confirmed my first guest author in celebration of the 2015 release of Dreamspinner Press' Daily Dose. You know, the event where they release a story a day every day for the month of June? I don't have a story in this year's group, but I did get a few chances to read a couple early on (thank you, kind authors!) and I can't wait for the rest. You can purchase the complete set at a discounted price until May 25th - and then receive a new story every day in June - or you can wait until they are all released and purchase them individually or the entire package at a slightly higher price. Love that Dreamspinner Press gives us a choice.
And if you are an author with a story in the event? There's still plenty of room here for some promo and guest blog posts. Just send me an email ( chrissymunder@yahoo.com ) and we'll set a date.
For a little added incentive - here's a glimpse of this year's cover:
And if you are an author with a story in the event? There's still plenty of room here for some promo and guest blog posts. Just send me an email ( chrissymunder@yahoo.com ) and we'll set a date.
For a little added incentive - here's a glimpse of this year's cover:
May 1, 2015
Let's celebrate 8 amazing years with Dreamspinner Press!
Despite my surprise when May rolls around every year, it's a month I look forward to because it's Dreamspinner Press' anniversary! They're starting out with a confetti-filled bang, offering 40% off all titles published by their first and second year authors, May 1-7! Here's your chance to blast back to the M/M past, and check out some amazing authors.
I'm honored to have been a Dreamspinner Author since 2007 and look forward to my next release with them.
I'm honored to have been a Dreamspinner Author since 2007 and look forward to my next release with them.
Let's just call April the "Lost Month"
That'll work. Because it's May now. Wowser. Where'd it go? For us, it's pretty easy to tell. We put our little fishing shack up for sale on April 4th, and we closed on April 24th. In between those dates there was a whole bunch of driving, and hauling, and lifting, and moving, and fretting. Yeah. You get the idea. And then when all was said and done, there was the collapse. All that hard work comes at a price, you know?
But May is here - spring, warmer weather, flowers - the good stuff - and with it comes renewed ambition and desire to knock some of these WIP's off my darn list. As much as I love my lists, I need to cross some things off before I can add more. And I really, really, want to add more. Time to get to work.
How was your April? Did it vanish in the fog left behind by melting snow? What's ahead for you in May?
But May is here - spring, warmer weather, flowers - the good stuff - and with it comes renewed ambition and desire to knock some of these WIP's off my darn list. As much as I love my lists, I need to cross some things off before I can add more. And I really, really, want to add more. Time to get to work.
How was your April? Did it vanish in the fog left behind by melting snow? What's ahead for you in May?
April 14, 2015
Time for some Tax Relief! #AREBlast - 25% Bargains for APRIL 15
To ease the pain of Tax Time visit All Romance Ebooks TOMORROW APRIL 15 for 25% off a whole host of publishers! Including my co-authored anthologies from Pink Squirrel Press -Winter Warmers & Summer Lovin'! Happy Reading!
Need a little more tempting? Here's an excerpt from Summer Hire, my contribution to the Summer Lovin' anthology:
Jim Carlson had nothing against porn. Being twenty-two and single, he had more than a passing acquaintance with that particular genre of filmmaking, thank you very much. But other than one night his first year in college where he was really, really, drunk? He'd never thought he'd be starring in one.
Was he dreaming? Jim didn't think so. A restless sleeper at the best of times, he had trouble adjusting to new places, and the Vedders' attic bedroom, while cozy, wasn't his familiar campus apartment. He gave the inside of his wrist a surreptitious pinch to make sure, and rubbed at the resulting sting. Okay, he was definitely awake. Option two? This was one of those shock-based television shows, and some third-rate celebrity host was going to jump out of nowhere and yell, "Surprise, here's your gay fantasy".
Either way, Jim couldn't help but check for cameras. Because when he and his friend, Cheryl Vedder, had strolled into the stifling hot garage to meet their new employer; some buddy of her brother's who ran a repair/summer rental business, they'd walked right into a scene from one of his favorite all-adult DVDs.
Cars on hoists? Check. An assortment of tools scattered around the benches alongside the back? Check. Tires piled against the other wall? Country music blaring from the battered radio in the corner? The air itself a heady mix of oil and exhaust? Oh yeah, it was all there. Including the man over by the hoist who made Jim want to slide on over and drop to his knees in the purest time-honored tradition, the better to properly say hello.
Jim savored the view. 'Cause seriously, somehow someone had poked through his DVD collection and put all of his favorites in one drool worthy, coverall wearing package.
He hummed approval at the shoulder-length dark hair pulled into a messy ponytail before letting let his gaze wander its greedy way over each inch of sweaty, lean, and--be still his beating heart--tattooed muscle. The thin white tank and slim waist exposed by the unzipped coveralls completed the picture. Yeah, he was a sucker for the classics. Sue him.
Jim told himself the prickly sensation crawling under his skin was from the humidity, and wiped at the sweat beaded on his forehead as every hunky-mechanic-meets-twink-customer vignette he'd ever beat off to flashed through his mind.
Forget the fun-in-the-sun summer Cheryl had promised him in return for a few hours of mindless labor. Forget the chance to use this break to find a job and a place to live, both of which he desperately needed now that he had graduated and was basically homeless without the security of campus housing. If this was the scenery the west side of Michigan had to offer, his summer was looking up. Sure, there was the whole pesky is he gay/is he straight thing to deal with, but Jim was willing to take the risk.
"O.M.G." Jim breathed as he clutched at Cheryl's arm. "I think I'm in love."
Latest DreamReader Book Chat - Faith & Fidelity
Have you become a DreamReader yet? There's plenty of fun to go around. Catch live chats about your favorite books with fellow readers and learn more about your favorite author during special author events. Here's Monday's discussion on
Faith & Fidelity,
by Tere Michaels, hosted by Poppy Dennison.
April 2, 2015
Time flies
Hey, where did the last two weeks go? *pokes* Where was I? I'll have to get back on the stick after the long weekend. Enjoy, everyone.
March 18, 2015
Waaaaay Back Wednesday! The Clare & Chrissy Show - Inspiration Vs. Perspiration
To help me get past my absolute and utter HORROR that the end of March is upon us, (just how did that happen btw?) I'm reaching waaaaay back and pulling out the August 2010 post of The Clare and Chrissy Show. And if you think I didn't stop and blink that more than 4 years have passed since we had fun with this, think again. I've removed the images from the original post because so much time has gone by and it's too dang hard to remember where the graphics were pulled from, but the excitment and humor we shared still remains. So grab your coffee and confetti and jump on in. Go ahead and leave a comment, and if you follow the instructions at the end of the post, I might still have some of that festive Clare and Chrissy swag to send out.
Look for more of our adventures as Waaaaaay Back Wednesday continues in the coming months!
Welcome to the inaugural post of The Clare and Chrissy Show. We’re so happy you joined us. If you managed to miss our month-long promo, feel free to discover more about us, and this blog adventure here
Otherwise, all you need to know is that I’m Clare London:, ...and I’m Chrissy Munder, and all our details are below...
Clare: Stop bouncing, Chrissy. You’re disrupting my train of thought.
Chrissy: I can’t. I’m excited. Aren’t you excited? Wait, where’s my confetti? I know I brought my confetti.
Clare: Of course I’m excited, but we’re professionals. We still need to finish the intro.
Chrissy: Ooooh, Lookee! We have another new banner.
Clare: Gawd, writers and their shiny things. *pauses to look at banner* We do look cute with our wings, don’t we? Maybe I’ll go back to being a blonde. Let’s start out with many appreciative thank you’s to our too-modest banner maker for all the hard work. We wouldn’t feel nearly as cool without them.
Chrissy: Hey, did we get theme music this time? I really want us to have some theme music.
Clare: No, no theme music.
Chrissy: I’ve already received a request for an audio version of the two of us together. At least, back when the requester thought we were both British. *Sob* I don’t think they want us now. Or me, maybe they don’t want my nasally Mid-western accent. *Sniffle*
Clare: *hands over a tissue* Are you done?
Chrissy: I’m fine, thanks for caring. *blows nose loudly*
Clare: Anyway, we’d like to let everyone know that...
Chrissy: I can hum.
Clare: What?
Chrissy: You know, for background music. I can sit here and hum while we type. Kind of like background music, but not really. Just humming.
Clare: Fine.
Chrissy: Fine?
Clare: Fine.
Chrissy: You do realize that’s the husbands’ equivalent of the "F" word? The wife makes a comment, and he doesn’t want to answer, so he just says "fine" to avoid an argument.
Clare: How about we save that one for another day’s topic. Today, however we would like delve right into something more writerly.
Chrissy: I don’t think that’s a word.
Clare: Pardon?
Chrissy: Writerly. I don’t think that’s a real word. I thought you Brit authors were supposed to be all about knowing grammar and proper English.
Clare: Here's a word. Bollocks.
Chrissy: Mature, Clare. Very mature.
Clare: *coughs* Well, as I was attempting to say before all these interruptions, today’s topic jumps right into the meat of being a writer.
Chrissy: You said...
Clare: Don’t even start.
Chrissy: We do write erotic romance.
Clare: Nope. We aren’t going there. Not on our very first blog post.
Chrissy: Fine.
Clare: An "F" word, you said...
Chrissy: Spoilsport.
Clare: Shush.
Chrissy: *zipping motion*
Clare: What we are going to discuss today is that special spark that goes into our writing. (Or sometimes not). We’re calling today’s topic:
Inspiration vs. Perspiration
Chrissy: Let me set my confetti aside and admit that one of the enjoyable perks of being online as an author is the opportunity to correspond with readers and authors across the globe.
Clare: That’s so true. Meeting new and interesting people never grows old.
Chrissy: Awh, sweetie, you do care.
Clare: *blush* Bollocks.
Chrissy: During a recent online discussion I laughed with another author about her latest published work, and her feeling that the story just seemed to write itself. One of those rare cases when the tale was brought forth more by inspiration rather than perspiration.
Clare: And, based on your treadmill addiction, you know perspiration.
Chrissy: Come on, I showered today just for you. While only a small comment in a much larger discussion, lately we’ve spent time (we should have been writing) poking at that thought. Like many authors I’ve had the stories that traveled from my brain to finished product in lightning speed with hardly a hiccup. My BDSM-lite story, Brush with Desire (based on my own late night shopping trip) is an example of this most wonderful of happenings. As is my science fiction short, A Journey Back . Both of those stories were a joy to write.
Clare: Freeman was certainly a labor of love all the way. And the first short story I submitted to Amber Quill – A Good Neighbor – was a delight to write and, even more wonderful, presented itself in a matter of days!
How many of us remember those times when the words just spilled out, and the only problem was how to write fast enough to keep up with them? When the characters speak their own lines, you can hear the sounds of their hometown and family around them, you can’t wait to write the next scene and find out what comes next… Well, it’s like being in love LOL.
But in my experience, that becomes less frequent - not the being in love, necessarily, just the instinctive writing flow! Those moments of raw inspiration become rarer to find than a blue moon.
*frowns* Is that just me?
Chrissy: Ah but no. The more authors I chat with, the truer I think this is. If I use your being in love analogy I could sadly say it’s similar to a relationship - a few months in, the thrill is gone, but the work remains - and only you can feel if it’s worth the effort to continue. This presents in stories where the process of creation seems never-ending. Each word needs to be wrestled and dragged out letter by individual letter. The plot points seem insurmountable, and my self-doubt ends with the work even now languishing unloved, neglected and unfinished on my hard drive.
Clare: Do you really want me to compare your works-in-progress with your ex-boyfriends?
Chrissy: On second thought, let’s ignore that analogy and quickly move on. Most of us have already met Clare’s alluring and aggravating Muse. He emailed me and demanded I put his picture up or else. He sits on her desk and pokes her when she starts to lag. She may deny it, but I think she’s lucky to have him. I’ve yet to decide on just who my writing totem may be.
Sometimes I think he’s an imposing Pacific Islander named Ralph (*waves*, Hi sweetie, Love you! Call me!), other days a rabid hyena comes to visit and I’m all out of fresh meat to toss in his direction.
Clare: I wondered where that rascal had run off to. But there’s not always any sense to it, is there?
Chrissy: What, Life, The Universe, our relationship?
Clare: No, fool. The writing. A novel involves more words (duh), more planning, more structure. Maybe. So will there be more Perspiration v Inspiration than a short story?
Chrissy: Hmmm, that’s an interesting thought. What would the readers say? The obvious answer might be yes, but I would think it depends on the strength of the inspiration, wouldn’t it?
Clare: How far can that really carry a writer? A fantasy story involves world-building and a delicate balance between scene-setting and info-dump. A BDSM story involves the right mix of stimulation, characterisation and respect. Are either of those easier to write or more torturous compared to any other genre? I wonder.
Chrissy: Just promise me those two genres are well-written, and I’ll wonder less and enjoy more. Is that what creates the magic? The WOW factor? The ability to make the perspiration appear as effortless as the inspiration? Do you think a reader can tell? And, if they can, does it mean we haven’t done our job?
Clare: And what about those darned characters? Some of our heroes merely hold out a hand and we know everything about them – and love ‘em.
Chrissy: You’re on a roll now. I have mentioned you worry too much, haven’t I?
Clare: Excuse *me*? But for some of them – even though they’re a main protagonist – it’s agony to guide, or follow, them through the story to what’s presumed to be their heart’s desire. They seem prone to sulk on their best days.
Chrissy: Sounds like your Muse. *whistles*
Clare: And what about the readers’ response to all this?
Chrissy: More, please?
Clare: Well, we can hope. But obviously they don’t see us working hard Behind-the-Scenes and can only judge a book on its own merits. How come the ones I’ve sweated blood over or which kept me awake with plot anguish at night, aren’t necessarily the ones that are taken to the readers’ hearts?
Chrissy: And the stories that flowed like jackpot coins from a slot machine (where’s some good sound effects when I need them *cha-ching*) are often the ones that readers email me to say they loved the best.
Clare: Um. Me. Right. Brush with Desire. LOL.
Chrissy: Yeah. So you’re special. In many ways.
Clare: *cough* We love ‘em all, right? Though a reader might easily assume an author prefers a story of the first type. One that from the moment inspiration strikes requires minimal effort to produce and edit, and trips so lightly from fingers to the keyboard. I have to say, I really like – and appreciate - those stories.
Chrissy: Call me crazy, but as time passes *I’ve* come to appreciate those stories that call for a bit more perspiration.
Clare: Crazy! Hey, you asked for it.
Chrissy: LOL – I said appreciate, not look forward to. There’s a challenge in a difficult story. It’s a battle won and lost in the mind and only the daily discipline of routine will keep me in the fight. I don’t always win at the keyboard. Sometimes the story doesn’t turn out the way I had hoped, or worse, I end up setting it aside for another time. But for those difficult pieces that I succeed in bringing to page there’s an unmistakable satisfaction waiting for me at the end.
Clare: I can find just as much satisfaction in the bottom of my empty margarita glass, thank you very much, but each to their own. It becomes interesting when the result of the battle may not be some of our best work.
Chrissy: That does happen, or at least sometimes we think that way. We aren’t always our best critic.
Clare: Then we struggle to decide if we should put the story out there and let others be the judge. The very thing that gave us a hard time, may be exactly what intrigues and attracts someone new to our work.
Chrissy: Plus, when a reader comments on a line, or a reviewer understands the intent behind a
character’s words we can take pride in remembering the struggle it took to bring that story to completion, and what we learned along the way.
Clare: Or how about when they point out something in the story we didn’t even realize was there?
Chrissy: We could say that if writing is a journey, then every story written becomes a journey of self-discovery.
Clare: That sounds remarkably apt. Who said that?
Chrissy: I said that. Just now.
Clare: Who said it first?
Chrissy: Me. It’s right here in my notes.
Clare: I think I’m impressed.
Chrissy: Heh. I do have my moments.
Clare: and Chrissy: So, to sum up our topic for today: Inspiration is always welcome, but it’s the Perspiration that helps us see a story through.
Clare: Or – Never Mind the Muse.
Chrissy: *whispers* Do you think he heard you say that?
Clare: I hope not. I have deadlines.
Clare: and Chrissy: Let us know what you think. Everyone who comments on this post by Friday will be entered in a random drawing for a free pdf eBook. There will be two winners selected, each will receive their choice of one story from either of our backlists.
Comments welcomed, encouraged and downright loved!
To celebrate our inaugural post we are also going a bit wild with Chrissy’s confetti. EVERYONE who posts a comment and then sends Chrissy an email at chrissymunder@yahoo.com with their snail mail address will receive some ever-popular (and attractive) Clare and Chrissy swag.
Come on, you know you wanna!
♥
And to learn more about us:
Here's Chrissy! website // blog .
Here's Clare! website // blog .
Look for more of our adventures as Waaaaaay Back Wednesday continues in the coming months!
Welcome to the inaugural post of The Clare and Chrissy Show. We’re so happy you joined us. If you managed to miss our month-long promo, feel free to discover more about us, and this blog adventure here
Otherwise, all you need to know is that I’m Clare London:, ...and I’m Chrissy Munder, and all our details are below...
Clare: Stop bouncing, Chrissy. You’re disrupting my train of thought.
Chrissy: I can’t. I’m excited. Aren’t you excited? Wait, where’s my confetti? I know I brought my confetti.
Clare: Of course I’m excited, but we’re professionals. We still need to finish the intro.
Chrissy: Ooooh, Lookee! We have another new banner.
Clare: Gawd, writers and their shiny things. *pauses to look at banner* We do look cute with our wings, don’t we? Maybe I’ll go back to being a blonde. Let’s start out with many appreciative thank you’s to our too-modest banner maker for all the hard work. We wouldn’t feel nearly as cool without them.
Chrissy: Hey, did we get theme music this time? I really want us to have some theme music.
Clare: No, no theme music.
Chrissy: I’ve already received a request for an audio version of the two of us together. At least, back when the requester thought we were both British. *Sob* I don’t think they want us now. Or me, maybe they don’t want my nasally Mid-western accent. *Sniffle*
Clare: *hands over a tissue* Are you done?
Chrissy: I’m fine, thanks for caring. *blows nose loudly*
Clare: Anyway, we’d like to let everyone know that...
Chrissy: I can hum.
Clare: What?
Chrissy: You know, for background music. I can sit here and hum while we type. Kind of like background music, but not really. Just humming.
Clare: Fine.
Chrissy: Fine?
Clare: Fine.
Chrissy: You do realize that’s the husbands’ equivalent of the "F" word? The wife makes a comment, and he doesn’t want to answer, so he just says "fine" to avoid an argument.
Clare: How about we save that one for another day’s topic. Today, however we would like delve right into something more writerly.
Chrissy: I don’t think that’s a word.
Clare: Pardon?
Chrissy: Writerly. I don’t think that’s a real word. I thought you Brit authors were supposed to be all about knowing grammar and proper English.
Clare: Here's a word. Bollocks.
Chrissy: Mature, Clare. Very mature.
Clare: *coughs* Well, as I was attempting to say before all these interruptions, today’s topic jumps right into the meat of being a writer.
Chrissy: You said...
Clare: Don’t even start.
Chrissy: We do write erotic romance.
Clare: Nope. We aren’t going there. Not on our very first blog post.
Chrissy: Fine.
Clare: An "F" word, you said...
Chrissy: Spoilsport.
Clare: Shush.
Chrissy: *zipping motion*
Clare: What we are going to discuss today is that special spark that goes into our writing. (Or sometimes not). We’re calling today’s topic:
Inspiration vs. Perspiration
Chrissy: Let me set my confetti aside and admit that one of the enjoyable perks of being online as an author is the opportunity to correspond with readers and authors across the globe.
Clare: That’s so true. Meeting new and interesting people never grows old.
Chrissy: Awh, sweetie, you do care.
Clare: *blush* Bollocks.
Chrissy: During a recent online discussion I laughed with another author about her latest published work, and her feeling that the story just seemed to write itself. One of those rare cases when the tale was brought forth more by inspiration rather than perspiration.
Clare: And, based on your treadmill addiction, you know perspiration.
Chrissy: Come on, I showered today just for you. While only a small comment in a much larger discussion, lately we’ve spent time (we should have been writing) poking at that thought. Like many authors I’ve had the stories that traveled from my brain to finished product in lightning speed with hardly a hiccup. My BDSM-lite story, Brush with Desire (based on my own late night shopping trip) is an example of this most wonderful of happenings. As is my science fiction short, A Journey Back . Both of those stories were a joy to write.
Clare: Freeman was certainly a labor of love all the way. And the first short story I submitted to Amber Quill – A Good Neighbor – was a delight to write and, even more wonderful, presented itself in a matter of days!
How many of us remember those times when the words just spilled out, and the only problem was how to write fast enough to keep up with them? When the characters speak their own lines, you can hear the sounds of their hometown and family around them, you can’t wait to write the next scene and find out what comes next… Well, it’s like being in love LOL.
But in my experience, that becomes less frequent - not the being in love, necessarily, just the instinctive writing flow! Those moments of raw inspiration become rarer to find than a blue moon.
*frowns* Is that just me?
Chrissy: Ah but no. The more authors I chat with, the truer I think this is. If I use your being in love analogy I could sadly say it’s similar to a relationship - a few months in, the thrill is gone, but the work remains - and only you can feel if it’s worth the effort to continue. This presents in stories where the process of creation seems never-ending. Each word needs to be wrestled and dragged out letter by individual letter. The plot points seem insurmountable, and my self-doubt ends with the work even now languishing unloved, neglected and unfinished on my hard drive.
Clare: Do you really want me to compare your works-in-progress with your ex-boyfriends?
Chrissy: On second thought, let’s ignore that analogy and quickly move on. Most of us have already met Clare’s alluring and aggravating Muse. He emailed me and demanded I put his picture up or else. He sits on her desk and pokes her when she starts to lag. She may deny it, but I think she’s lucky to have him. I’ve yet to decide on just who my writing totem may be.
Sometimes I think he’s an imposing Pacific Islander named Ralph (*waves*, Hi sweetie, Love you! Call me!), other days a rabid hyena comes to visit and I’m all out of fresh meat to toss in his direction.
Clare: I wondered where that rascal had run off to. But there’s not always any sense to it, is there?
Chrissy: What, Life, The Universe, our relationship?
Clare: No, fool. The writing. A novel involves more words (duh), more planning, more structure. Maybe. So will there be more Perspiration v Inspiration than a short story?
Chrissy: Hmmm, that’s an interesting thought. What would the readers say? The obvious answer might be yes, but I would think it depends on the strength of the inspiration, wouldn’t it?
Clare: How far can that really carry a writer? A fantasy story involves world-building and a delicate balance between scene-setting and info-dump. A BDSM story involves the right mix of stimulation, characterisation and respect. Are either of those easier to write or more torturous compared to any other genre? I wonder.
Chrissy: Just promise me those two genres are well-written, and I’ll wonder less and enjoy more. Is that what creates the magic? The WOW factor? The ability to make the perspiration appear as effortless as the inspiration? Do you think a reader can tell? And, if they can, does it mean we haven’t done our job?
Clare: And what about those darned characters? Some of our heroes merely hold out a hand and we know everything about them – and love ‘em.
Chrissy: You’re on a roll now. I have mentioned you worry too much, haven’t I?
Clare: Excuse *me*? But for some of them – even though they’re a main protagonist – it’s agony to guide, or follow, them through the story to what’s presumed to be their heart’s desire. They seem prone to sulk on their best days.
Chrissy: Sounds like your Muse. *whistles*
Clare: And what about the readers’ response to all this?
Chrissy: More, please?
Clare: Well, we can hope. But obviously they don’t see us working hard Behind-the-Scenes and can only judge a book on its own merits. How come the ones I’ve sweated blood over or which kept me awake with plot anguish at night, aren’t necessarily the ones that are taken to the readers’ hearts?
Chrissy: And the stories that flowed like jackpot coins from a slot machine (where’s some good sound effects when I need them *cha-ching*) are often the ones that readers email me to say they loved the best.
Clare: Um. Me. Right. Brush with Desire. LOL.
Chrissy: Yeah. So you’re special. In many ways.
Clare: *cough* We love ‘em all, right? Though a reader might easily assume an author prefers a story of the first type. One that from the moment inspiration strikes requires minimal effort to produce and edit, and trips so lightly from fingers to the keyboard. I have to say, I really like – and appreciate - those stories.
Chrissy: Call me crazy, but as time passes *I’ve* come to appreciate those stories that call for a bit more perspiration.
Clare: Crazy! Hey, you asked for it.
Chrissy: LOL – I said appreciate, not look forward to. There’s a challenge in a difficult story. It’s a battle won and lost in the mind and only the daily discipline of routine will keep me in the fight. I don’t always win at the keyboard. Sometimes the story doesn’t turn out the way I had hoped, or worse, I end up setting it aside for another time. But for those difficult pieces that I succeed in bringing to page there’s an unmistakable satisfaction waiting for me at the end.
Clare: I can find just as much satisfaction in the bottom of my empty margarita glass, thank you very much, but each to their own. It becomes interesting when the result of the battle may not be some of our best work.
Chrissy: That does happen, or at least sometimes we think that way. We aren’t always our best critic.
Clare: Then we struggle to decide if we should put the story out there and let others be the judge. The very thing that gave us a hard time, may be exactly what intrigues and attracts someone new to our work.
Chrissy: Plus, when a reader comments on a line, or a reviewer understands the intent behind a
character’s words we can take pride in remembering the struggle it took to bring that story to completion, and what we learned along the way.
Clare: Or how about when they point out something in the story we didn’t even realize was there?
Chrissy: We could say that if writing is a journey, then every story written becomes a journey of self-discovery.
Clare: That sounds remarkably apt. Who said that?
Chrissy: I said that. Just now.
Clare: Who said it first?
Chrissy: Me. It’s right here in my notes.
Clare: I think I’m impressed.
Chrissy: Heh. I do have my moments.
Clare: and Chrissy: So, to sum up our topic for today: Inspiration is always welcome, but it’s the Perspiration that helps us see a story through.
Clare: Or – Never Mind the Muse.
Chrissy: *whispers* Do you think he heard you say that?
Clare: I hope not. I have deadlines.
Clare: and Chrissy: Let us know what you think. Everyone who comments on this post by Friday will be entered in a random drawing for a free pdf eBook. There will be two winners selected, each will receive their choice of one story from either of our backlists.
Comments welcomed, encouraged and downright loved!
To celebrate our inaugural post we are also going a bit wild with Chrissy’s confetti. EVERYONE who posts a comment and then sends Chrissy an email at chrissymunder@yahoo.com with their snail mail address will receive some ever-popular (and attractive) Clare and Chrissy swag.
Come on, you know you wanna!
♥
And to learn more about us:
Here's Chrissy! website // blog .
Here's Clare! website // blog .
