Veronica Cline Barton's Blog: Mistletoe and Mayhem: Yuletide at Castlewood Manor listed as, "One of the best suspense books of all time." - BookAuthority, page 26

Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Chill Time…(Who am I Kidding?)

No, I’m not in Bergen, Norway (although I will be going back in the spring). I thought I’d have some chill time this week but that’s clearly not happening. Instead it’s full steam ahead with the lovely book 3 manuscript revamps and getting ready for the trip to London next week (So excited!). Checklists are smokin’ this week to make sure we don’t forget anything (cat food, cat sitter, cat litter–the girlz would not be amused).

Weather in London looks to be cool and maybe a little wet during our stay(Yay, rain!). My reading and listening material are locked and loaded for the flight over. Now if only the latest volcano on Iceland doesn’t decide to erupt causing massive airline problems and delays, we’ll be across the pond next week. In the meantime, it’s #WritersDiary time:

[image error]

In the writing world…

Edits, edits and more edits, sprinkled with revisions, revisions, revisions (I’m a little under water at the time). The past few weeks have been very intense, only because you catch the zillion things you couldn’t even to begin to imagine were there, hiding in broad daylight in your manuscript. These are the main areas I’ve been concentrating on:

Flow: As many times as I’ve gone over the new story, I’m constantly checking for consistency and timeframes to make sure things happen when they’re supposed to, with the right people being in the right place when they’re supposed to. I’ve learned with this manuscript, taking lots of people on a trip across the U.S. with multiple stops is a challenge, to say the least—rather like herding cats…
Plot Holes: I know what’s supposed to happen, but does it really? Do the loose ends get resolved? Tiny details matter!
Dialogue: Best check for me is to read the story out loud. If you can’t say a sentence without stumbling, it’s wrong…
Killing the darlings: This is a tough one for me, but deep in my heart I know it’s the right thing to do…
Spelling, grammar, punctuation: there/their, hear/here, “/’; a never ending battle…

[image error]

In the reading world…

This week I’ve had the privilege of reading (and reviewing) Author C.A. Powell’s book, The Last Days of Thunder Child; Victorian Britain in Chaos and Author Suzy Davies’ story, The Cave. The reviews and book urls are below:

The Last days of Thunder Child; Victorian Britain in Chaos: 5 Stars

Exciting, imaginative read! Such a descriptive storyline transported you back in time to the Martian invasion as seen through the eyes of young Seaman Perry, facing his first major mission aboard the HMS Thunder Child, and Mr. Stanley, meek MOD clerk who becomes a leader in a time of chaos and destruction, finding love and a family in the process. Author C. A. Powell weaves a detailed narrative as Martians descend upon the British countryside, destroying cities and towns with deadly gas and heat-rays. You are swept out to sea for the final battle, the two men’s stories intertwining, leaving you guessing until the very end who will prevail. Very entertaining read, highly recommended!

The Cave: 5 Stars

Such an inspirational story of the human spirit in times of crisis, and the unbreakable bond of family and faith. Author Suzy Davies takes us down the path into the cave with the football team, a journey that should have been exciting and fun, that turns into a journey of the unknown with many dangers. We travel between the boys and their families, understanding the joys and sorrows that flood their minds. Human spirit and courage at its best. A great YA read!

[image error]

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/882514

Next in the reading (and listening) queue:

[image error]

https://www.amazon.com/Day-Martians-Martian-Diaries/dp/B077G97B1Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537807214&sr=8-1&keywords=the+martian+diaries

 

[image error]

Big thank you to Mark Schultz and Grizz for featuring me on the Wordrefiner website!

Such a great review for The Crown for Castlewood Manor! Woot, woot!!

It has been quite a while since I have had the pleasure of reading a well-written cozy murder. I confess to being a little squeamish in the presence of a lot of blood and gore. I enjoyed this story so much, there was nothing to make me uncomfortable in this wonderful story about the behind the scenes selection process for an estate to be showcased in a British period drama, similar to Downton Abbey.

I can’t say much more without giving a spoiler, so let me say this about Barton’s writing. Her writing is marvelous! She handles the intricacies of first person POV so well. The story is told from the point of view of Dr. Gemma Phillips. This thoroughly American woman has studied the family history for her PhD. and has an eye for so much of the many decades of culture of British manors and estates. The scene-setting leaves little to be desired, the dialogue, action, and characterizations are simply wonderful in the small village and the stately manor, known as Cherrywood Hall. The clothing and foods of the past get some interesting exposure in this story. I was in suspense most of the time, and quite shocked at some of the plot twists! I have never been very good at guessing who the perp is, in a well-written story. You are going to get a great deal of reading pleasure from this book.

I award The Crown for Castlewood Manor a score of 4.9 stars; the score would have been higher, except for the small handful of spelling errors, I stumbled upon.

See Mark’s and my Q&A: https://www.wordrefiner.com/book-reviews/the-crown-for-castlewood-manor-by-veronica-cline-barton#comments

[image error]

 

Killer shoes…

Him: “Um, there’s a package from Amazon for you.” (Might as well give Amazon a key, they’re here every day…)

Me: “Oh look, it’s my sparkly rock studs!” (OMG, look at those sparkles, Gemma is so approving these heels…)

Him: “Those studs look pretty lethal…” (Better not go barefoot around them, worse than stepping on a Lego…)

Me: “They have a small role in my manuscript…” (Gemma will be annihilating anyone who tries to take these shoes from her)

Him: “Um, are you taking them to London? I haven’t really booked anything that fancy…” (Better order more pounds from the bank…)

Me: “Wear them? Outside? Oh no, these babies are staying in…” (I need a Mega Closet built, I wonder what Kyle is doing?)

Him: “Um—” (Remember, they do not serve chardonnay in the tower. Pick and choose your battles men, pick and choose…)

Cats: “Oh look, Maw’s brought us another Amazon box, yippie!”

[image error]

Back to the grindstone…

Edit/revise, edit/revise, Daisy’s expression says it all…

Welcome to my world friends. Have a great week and weekend!

Crowns and Kisses,

Veronica

P.S. Please remember to leave a review, they’re an author’s best friend. Gemma would approve

Extra! Extra! Veronica’s #WritersDiary! New Topics, New Format, Come on In!

Welcome to the fall re-boot of my blog! We’re just a few days away from the official start of autumn and I cannot wait. Time to get into a new frame of mind, leave the swimming suits behind, and bring out the boots! As I mentioned last week, this is definitely my favorite time of the year. We have more lights going up (yes every day), it’s getting cooler (pumpkin spice everything), and the holidays are just around the corner (including birthdays for kids, grandkids, and nieces, and it’s Kentucky wedding bells for our nephew and his beautiful bride).

We have some great trips coming up as well, can’t wait to share some exciting pictures and stories with you. I’ve reformatted my blog to include topics that had the most interest to readers the past few months. We’ll change things up every week, including a little bit of this, and a little bit of that, to keep current with what’s happening (Just the fun stuff though…). Welcome to my #WritersDiary:

[image error]

In the writing world…

I am super excited to have the 3rd book in the My American Almost Royal Cousin Series written. It’s been an exciting few months of planning, outlining, writing and editing a new story for Gemma and her friends and family. We have travelled the U.S. in this story, starting in glamourous New York City and finishing in beach chic Malibu.

Expect the unexpected in this story as we enter the fabulous, and deadly, world of awards shows and premiers. Castlewood Manor makes it’s world-wide debut, will it be a hit? Gemma, Kyle, Ma-ma, Evan, Aunt Margaret and the cast and crew will soon find out!

For you #RoyalWedding fans, stay tuned for the first one to take place at Cherrywood Hall’s newly opened Wedding Pavilion. History will be made, #JustSayin… More updates on book 3 in the next few weeks, stay tuned—including a sneak peek at the cover designed by my favorite graphic designer (who happens to be my step-daughter, Danielle). Pippa would approve 

Welcome to Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Week 13

Lots of fun getting back into the swing of home life/writing life after the trip to Las Vegas and our anniversary this past Sunday. The weather is cooling down a bit each day, helping me to pretend a cool autumn is fast approaching, even if it is still 85 degrees outside during the day (I’ll take anything under 90 in a flash).  I’m starting to take out my boots, anxious at least for the nights when it is cool enough to wear them. They’re getting a good dust off and polish as I start to plan my fall attire (which for me here in southern California is still summer attire with a pair of boots on—a girl can dream though).

I am changing the schedule and format for future posts starting next week (see below). Time to refresh and reboot for the next season. Today I thought I’d show some more of the pictures and video clips I took on our Las Vegas trip (the only city I know where you can go around the world just walking along the Las Vegas strip) and anniversary dinner at the Ritz Carlton on the cliffs of Laguna Niguel. You’ll also get a sneak peak of the house decorated in its Halloween glory (yes I know Halloween is still 6 weeks away). It’s Thursday, time for Dear Diary:

Las Vegas at Night:

[image error]

Paris casino Eiffel Tower

We had dinner at the lovely Eiffel Tower restaurant which is located on the 2nd floor 9in homage to the Jules Verne restaurant at the ‘real’ Eiffel Tower in Paris.

[image error]

Las Vegas High Roller Wheel

Just like the London eye, you can ride in the attached pods for a 30 minute experience to see the sites and lights of Las Vegas like no other.

 

Bellagio fountains and light show are one of a kind…

This was a view of the fountains from the Eiffel Tower restaurant across the strip. Fountains and lights show run every 30 minutes, spectacular to see

 

Gondolas in the Venice canals at the Venetian Hotel

Love this view of the ‘canals’, and yes you do get singing when you go on a gondola ride

Fact to Fiction; Extracting the Essence from Real Life People, Events and Locations to Use as Writing Inspiration

Truth is stranger than fiction so often—don’t you love it when you’re watching the news, listening to interviews, or reading the papers and BAM! Inspiration bonanza—bells ringing (OK, maybe I played a few too many penny slots last week) as you rush to find paper and pen, phone, or laptop to write or type these ideas down. I look for writing inspiration everyday, no matter where I am. I don’t look for exact representations of scenes or characters to write about per se, but I do look for the one little tidbit that I see or hear that gives me that ‘BAM!’ to get the ideas rolling.

I’m a writer of fiction, not a news reporter or biographical writer. I’m very cognizant and respectful of a real life person’s privacy (I even fictionalized the royal family in my series out of respect to their real life activities). I’m also very respectful of libel and slander laws and trademarks and such—I don’t want to be contacted by any legal teams thank you very much. I don’t need every real life detail, told and shown to the nth degree.

What I do look for is the essence of a person or story, the unique attribute(s) that got me to listen or watch or read about the experience in the first place. The essence that intrigues me could be the sound of a voice, the words used, the color of a dress, the emotions a picture brings up in me. I never know exactly what essence will trigger an idea for me—I try and keep an open mind. It could be the smell of a food at a restaurant, the sound of the wind blowing against the trees. Here’s a list of some of the things that give me the #IdeaEssence to get the writing flow started.

[image error]

People and the things they do…

Friends and family: One of my greatest sources of inspiration. I pull so much from the conversations, dinner celebrations, reunion reminiscing—I think the best essence pulled here is the sense of happiness and joy I feel when I’m around these people. I try and reflect the essence of these feelings in my writings. I want the characters to have these real life feelings and experiences in the story, to make them more lifelike and relatable.

Celebrities: I feel so sorry for the people who have every single moment of their lives in the lime light, but I do love to read about them, I cannot lie. What intrigues me the most is the reactions of celebrities, especially to stressful situations—not that we little people don’t have the same, but we’re not being reported in every newspaper on the planet. I look for facial expressions, hand motions, how they try and get away from the perpetual paparazzi—this is the essence that I look for as a writer. I want my characters who are fictionally famous to have the mannerisms expected, both the good and the bad.

Politicians: Well, um—sorry but right now I don’t have any essence from this source other than eau de pew…#JustSayin

Heroes and heroines: Pure inspiration here for me, what makes a hero do what he/she does? I don’t think that any of us are born heroes or heroines per se—I believe it’s a last second push, something so overpowering that takes over a person to make them do the heroic deed. Is it a good vs. evil push, a save the person in distress? What gives a person superhuman strength to lift a car off someone or climb a building wall unaided? Heroes don’t just have to be superhuman either—acts of kindness, people who help others in need, people who see a bad situation and fix it, these are essence attributes I want in my main characters for sure.

[image error]

Events shape our thinking and actions…

Tragedies and Natural disasters: Everyone of us has experienced something in our life, either personally or of such public magnitude it’s had an impact on our lives. I can remember days of wreaked havoc caused by tornados that flattened neighborhoods, hurricanes that annihilated cities, earthquakes that crushed city infrastructures–the pain and sorrow associated with these events is enormous. The death of public figures, deliberate, fatal attacks, all cause an outcry of human emotions as well, from fear, to sadness, to defeat, to outrage. The essence of these emotions is very powerful, and can greatly enhance a storyline.

Holidays and Celebrations: #RoyalWedding anyone? Santa Clause at Christmas? Now I know everyone doesn’t get as excited as I do when these events occur, but I look not only for the essences of joy and excitement people like me feel, but also the sadness or outrage they might cause to others. (Veronica the killjoy takes particular notice of the more negative sides and the essence they generate, going to have to do something with that girl…

Welcome to Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Week 12

Viva Las Vegas! This week hubby and I took a few days to travel across the desert to beautiful (hot) Las Vegas for a few days for an early anniversary celebration (19 years, married on 9-9-99, it was a software geek sort of thing). We actually got to see some rain driving into hot Las Vegas (at least that’s what I think those drops are falling from the sky, I don’t remember what a rain drop looks like these day, #CaliforniaDrought).

Of course when one is locked in a car with one’s hubby for 4 hours driving across the desert trying to avoid the semi-trucks and really anxious-to-get-to-Vegas-people, there might be a few tense moments, #JustSayin . It’s Thursday, time for Dear diary:

[image error]

Raindrops actually fell on our head…

Me: “Is that rain over there, by the solar farm?” (Driving on I-15, just before Primm, NV)

Him: “Looks like it.” (Dog gone it, I just washed the car…)

Me:  “I wonder if those mirrors are hail proof?” (Yikes)

Him: “I just wonder how much Windex they go through each week.” (Squeegees must be pretty big too, Tim Taylor the Tool Man, Tool Time/Home Improvement kind of laugh)

Me: “I wonder if you could fry a body on a solar panel?” (Always thinking of new mur-dah methods…)

Him: “I-um-err….” (Shakes head, speechless…***Note to self, try and get her to switch genres…and don’t go to a solar farm with her)

****”Sitting in the Nevada desert, the new Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project is covered with more than 10,000 mirrors, each the size of a small house, that track the sun throughout the day and focus it on a receiver filled with molten salt. The salt, heated to almost 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit, stores the energy as heat, so it’s always ready when it’s needed. When the grid needs power, the heat in the salt is released to turn water into steam, which drives generators to make energy. That can happen whether the sun is shining or not.”  https://www.fastcompany.com/3057288/this-huge-new-solar-farm-near-las-vegas-provides-power-even-at-night

 

[image error]

Sonia and her beautiful tiara at Craigdarroch Castle, Victoria…

“Sonia sent me some of her pictures on Twitter, look at the beautiful tiara she’s wearing, doesn’t she look gorgeous? And look, she visiting Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria—I want to go there!” Veronica the romantic said, with just a bit of crown and castle envy.

“What is it with crowns, tiaras, and castles with you and your friends? I mean, give me a beach any day,” Veronica the killjoy said, huffing, chains rattling. Sonia does look beautiful in the picture, I have to admit…

“A beach where it’s hot???” Veronica the romantic screams in terror, picturing the almost royal jewels melting in the heat, dripping off her crowns.

“Oh puh-leaze, I just think that castles are over rated, so dark, clammy and cold. Give me a beach any day,” Veronica the killjoy says, dreaming of white sand and blue skies.

By unanimous decision, the queen, Gemma, Pippa, Sonia and Veronica the romantic vote to place Veronica the killjoy back in the tower (which happens to be very dark, clammy and cold, no blue skies there) for another week. One does not diss the tiara, castles, or crowns, sister….#JustSayin 

 

The pool gardens at the Venetian…..

Hubby and I stayed at the Venetian this trip. I just love this hotel with all the beautiful murals, lights and over the top décor. For just a little while I can pretend I’m staying at a castle of sorts, which makes me smile. The pictures above were taken in the pool garden area at night, the statues, fountains and iron work is just breath taking. Hubby and I love to just walk at night (when it’s just a bit cooler) and just look around. I will say this, there is no place like Las Vegas. 

Confessions of a Newbie Writer; What’s Turning Out to be Important, What’s Not…

It has been just about eight months since my first book was published, and wow, what a ride so far. I’ve been able to interact with and get to know some very talented people on social media and in person, and have built some relationships I cherish very much. When I started the public portion of my journey in February  (ie first book published and the beginning of my social media journey), I was definitely a neophyte in the writing world, knowing very little about publishing alternatives, marketing of books, and establishing a brand as a writer. I had zero social media presence.

Becoming a writer has been a major career/life shift for me—I’ve spent most of my career in the engineering and technology industries for the past thirty years. One thing I’ve learned though from my previous career, is to take a deep breathe and allow yourself some time to assess the situation, and that I have done (or at least started). With this post I thought I’d give you a snapshot of some of the things I find that work, and some, not so much. I’m still in a learning mode, so please keep that in mind. The opinions offered are mine, your experiences may be very different.

[image error]

I kinda know what I don’t know (kinda)…

“Inspiration is only a tiny part of writing. Producing words, editing, selling, and marketing are the majority”—Annie Acorn tweet (@Annie_Acorn)

I love this quite from Annie Acorn on Twitter. Her advice is spot on and she always has an encouraging word and sound advice for those who follow her. Here’s an update on how I’m doing so far, what I think works, and what doesn’t (at least not for me).

Writing: I’ve been very blessed in this arena. My first two books, The Crown for Castlewood Manor and Cast, Crew, & Carnage; the Filming of Castlewood Manor were published as paperback and ebook in February and March of this year. I am currently halfway through writing book 3, and am on target for release in 4th quarter this year. In addition, I write the blog twice a week, and do some inspirational quotes each day. In my mind, I think I’ve been very successful on this front. I’ve had writer’s block many times, but when push came to shove, I was able to break through and get the stories completed. I love my writing time—it gives me a great sense of euphoria and accomplishment. I’ve found my niche, which is very important I think for a writer. If you’re comfortable, the words will flow.

Editing: I will be working with some independent editors for this latest book now that Createspace no longer offers their packaged services. It’s more time consuming, I personally like the concept of a one stop shop that handles editing and cover production. I’ll give updates later on the services I used, and my experiences with them.

Publishing: This industry is in a state of flux, and the main area that I am still assessing. I have not made any queries at this time to traditional publishing firms for representation. I will be going the self-publishing route with book 3, maintaining full ownership and rights to my works. My next step will be to start querying agents for representation in the next 6 months. It would be good to work with a professional to navigate the waters—I think this will be a worthwhile investment of my time.

Sales and Marketing: Just as in any company, job, career, sales and marketing are the key to making it work, or not. I’ve been working hard to develop and represent my brand, particularly on social media, where I have the greatest exposure to the public. I have done some ads on Facebook and Amazon, but have to say it wasn’t as successful as I’d like. I’m reworking my advertising plans and will be pursuing some other platforms to place ads on. I do like the concept of book promotion videos—they are super snapshots to a book IMO and I think they will be well worth the investment to have made.

[image error]

The all important network…

It’s true in every industry or career path I’ve been part of, it’s who you know. for the past few months I have worked daily to try and identify individuals I think I can relate to, as well as ones I think are doing a super job as writers. Engaging in social media is very time consuming, but it’s very worthwhile in my opinion. I truly enjoy interacting with the people I follow and those who follow me. These are the main platforms I’ve been active on since February:

Twitter: By far the most active platform for me, I find the platform a fantastic resource for writers, and is very interactive. Highly recommended. I am looking at Twitter services to help with the Tweet management and execution.
Facebook: Great out reach to family and friends, I have not been as successful as I’d like growing my presence. I will likely utilize some marketing resources for this platform to get some advice and guidance to get better utilization of the platform.
Instagram: Least active to date, but I want to concentrate more in the future. I will be doing more research and consult with some experts the next few months.

Blog: If you’re reading this, then you now I’m trying to reach out on a consistent basis each week. My goal with the blog is to talk about things that I think are of interest, informative and fun—and give you a chance to know me. I will be focusing on tying in more efficient for SEO, one of my major deficiencies to date. I will be looking at some consulting services for this area.

Organizations: Currently a member of Sisters in Crime. Will be joining Greater Los Angeles Writers and Mystery Writers of America within the next few months.

Events: Goal is to attend some national and local writing conferences in Q4 and 2019.

[image error]

Readers and reviews matter….

This is probably the most important area to me, reaching out to my readers and trying to get reviews on the seller sites. My sales and marketing efforts will include some freebies and promos, to be announced in the next few months. I have become a much more conscientious reader myself, always leaving a review for the books I’ve read. The review numbers matter to get the sellers to pay more attention to your books with their sales algorithms. I will be working with some professional reviewers as well to help build my presence.

[image error]

Have some fun, keep inspired…

I do like to have fun, no doubt about that. For me, travel is the biggest source of inspiration, and I’m very fortunate to be able to explore places around the world. I travel with a different perspective now that I’m writing. every place I go, people I observe, situations I experience are all fair game to be used in the next book. I learn knew things every day, which for me, makes life fun and inspiring.

I hope I’ve given you some useful findings. I’d love to hear from you on what you are doing, what works and what doesn’t. Enjoy your week!

Crowns and Kisses,

Veronica

P.S. Big shout out to all the readers, friends, followers and people I follow. Your inspiration and support has been great and is very much appreciated. Thank you! Gemma would approve

Welcome to Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Week 11

Well here we are, last week of August, time to say good-bye to summer and bring in the fall! I’m getting ready for my favorite time of the year, time to start decorating and pretending it’s cool weather (pictures next week). It’s been a very productive, somewhat amusing week so far (tinged with a bit of sadness). I have had the chance to make some major progress on book 3 (on track to be at 50% complete by end of this week (that is before all the editing, revisions, beta reader inputs)….OK my 50% is just based on getting the first draft of the book written (characters laughing wildly). It’s Thursday, time for Dear Diary:

[image error]

It’s wet out there (not), better check the electronics…

Him: “Well, we must not be in a drought any more.” (Dry humor, he does it quite well actually)

Me: “What are you talking about?” (Giving him a look as if he’s gone daft from the drought)

Him: “You know the rebate we received from the water company, giving us $200 to install an electronic monitor to turn the sprinklers on and off to conserve water?”

Me: “Um, yeah…” (Kind of remember, but since we have so little rain I thought having a sprinkler regulator that regulates based on rainfall kind of useless since I can’t even remember what a raindrop looks like anymore, but if the water company wants to hand out $200 checks, go for it, I guess…)

Him: “Well according to the latest electronic monitor reading, we had 5.56 inches of rain in the past 24 hours, so we will be getting a rain skip day…”

Me: “We haven’t had 5.56 inches of rain the entire year, even the succulents are starting to look like dried prunes.”

Him: “Well, read this and weep—wait a minute, better not weep, they may give us another rain skip day….” (Their math is a bit off as well, #JustSayin)

Why is my watering schedule being skipped?

At 06:05 AM, 60 minutes before your Water all zones schedule’s start time, your weather station has observed 5.56 in of precipitation in the past 24 hours. Based on predicted weather in your area, we estimate that your yard will receive approximately 0.0 in of precipitation in the next 24 hours. The estimated total for your device area is 5.56 in of precipitation over a 48 hour period.

Your current Rain Skip threshold is 0.125 in of precipitation. You may adjust the Rain Skip threshold using the app.

Him: “I better check the wiring, I think the gage processor may need a drink…”

[image error]

I have been the recipient of an apport incident (2 actually)….I was privileged to be a featured guest on writer Luna Selas’ recent blogpost, take a minute to check it out (Luna has a top notch blog, link below):

“Apport is the term used to refer to the appearance (or perhaps reappearance) of physical objects, seemingly from nowhere.”– WexfordParanormal.com

Veronica Cline Barton writes mysteries, but her reality is sometimes stranger than fiction. In fact, occasionally, it’s downright…paranormal. Case in point: Veronica has received apports (objects that appear without explanation) from the deceased. The first apport was from her father, and the second from her stepfather. The objects appeared unexpectedly, and both were extremely appropriate to the circumstances.

https://lunaselas.org/2018/08/23/apport-describes-object-appearing-seemingly-from-thin-air/

#YesTheyDidHappen !

[image error]

Telly Tiara Update—the Crown Has Been Found!

Being the almost royal crown sleuth queen that I am, I am proud to announce that a fitting crown has been found for the coveted Telly Tiara award that Ma-ma (aka actress Jillian Phillips) is hoping to hold in her esteemed actress hands one day. I think it looks pretty regal, don’t you? BTW, the Telly is sitting on the gorgeous pink and gray faux fur vest that I will wear even if it’s 90 degrees outside. 

A Reader’s Perspective; 4 Hooks That Make Me Excited to Read a Story

Last week I talked about the 4 steps that disengage a reader, from my perspective. Today I want to talk about the 4 things I look for in a story—the hooks that get me to choose a book and why they get me excited to read. My tastes and requirements are fairly simple really, I need a plot that speaks to me, in a setting I like, with characters I want to learn more about. I mean, that’s not too much to ask is it? Especially if I’m being asked to pay premium prices for these books of wonder (famous authors, you know who you are).

I have a fourth requirement that’s not as tangible perhaps as the other ‘book hooks’, but it’s an important one to me. How is this book going to make me feel when I’m reading it and afterward? My time is important to me, and my reading time is limited. With everything going on in the world, I value the feelings and emotions I go through when reading a story. That value will have a determining say in the books I read. So without further adieu (I do love that phrase), here are the 4 hooks that make me excited to read a story:

[image error]

Plot matters…

I read an interesting article in my Twitter feed last week about whether I was a writer that was plot driven or character driven. I have to say as both a writer and reader, plot and characters are a 50/50 split for me. You can have the best plot lines in the industry but if your characters are meh–well to me that really puts a damper on the plot. Plot scenarios don’t have to run for years as in Gone With the Wind, a plot timeline can be as short as a day, weeks or month. I look for scenarios that will humor me, surprise me, educate me, scare me, pull at my heart strings—these kind of emotions can occur in the space of a day or years.

I like plots having unique twists to them, plots that take mundane routine into a totally new realm. This is true for any genre I’m reading—if it’s romance, why would this couple fall in love and what makes their romance unique? If it’s sci-fi, how is this new world structured, what’s the history or dilemma that would make me want to leave our own problems here on earth and come to your problem filled world? If it’s horror, what uniquity will make me come into your dark world? (just slashing and gashing doesn’t do it for me) Will there be new physical monsters (zombie love), or will we be drawn into the mind of a mad man/woman/person? If it’s a mystery or thriller, am I going to be able to take your elements of surprise and weave together a solution along with your main character’s? (something I appreciate very much, nothing worse than being totally blindsided by an outcome wondering where in the world did that come from?)

[image error]

So does the setting…

I have to admit I like to travel, so I tend to look for stories that will take me to cities and countries I’ve never been to, or to places I have been to and have fallen in love with. This is my personal ‘hook’, not every reader will be the same. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t love stories that only take place in London, New York or Paris (although I must admit they may receive a slight edge). I love small southern towns, castles, alien galaxy bars, ships, fashion houses, shops, restaurants—I’m pretty open when it comes to settings or environments where the storylines are taking place.

My emphasis for settings is to take me as a reader out and about with the characters and plot lines. I’m kind of a social person, I like to mix and mingle, even in a fictional world that I’m a visitor to. I don’t just want to sit in a living room, or at a desk, being told a story (even if it’s in another country). To me a setting almost is like a character itself, I want the chance to get to know it (and explore it) almost as much as I do a human (or non-human) character.

[image error]

Do I want to get to know the characters?

I guess if I’m really honest characters in a story may take 51% of importance to a plot’s 49%. As I stated last week, one of the main reasons I tend to look for storylines that involve a series is because I really do like to get to know the characters, they become like friends and family to me. If I’m reading a standalone story, I like characters that grow or evolve in the storyline, seeing them change with the circumstances interests me. I like knowing the background of a character, what makes he/she/it tick? Flaws of a character are important to know too, I think they make a character more likeable, for none of us are perfect.

Personally, I’m going to lean toward stories that have likeable characters, striving to improve or do good. I like to study evil (or narcissistic) characters to learn their nuances and what drives them to evil (or controlling or manipulative) deeds—but I prefer to see them come to justice in the end, #JustSayin . I’d like to believe that most of us are striving to improve or do good works, so the more examples I can read of people overcoming odds, the better, IMO.

[image error]

How am I going to feel after I’ve read the story…

I’ll use Gone With the Wind as an example of what I mean with this hook. In GWTW, we go through the flirtations of a self centered girl, who becomes a woman as she survives the tragedies and hardships of the civil war and the Reconstruction period afterward. We go through the tragedies of her romances, the death of her child and good friend, and in the end still have hope that the situations of our main character and her supporting cast of characters will improve.

I read this story many times, and with each reading learn new details, and go through new emotions. Not everything has to be peachy keen in a story. I’ll go through hardships and horrors, but I do want to feel hopeful when I put down a book. I read the back blurbs, and a few lines out of chapters before I make a final decision. It’s a good investment, IMO.

I hope I’ve shared some of the things that are important to me and what makes me excited to read a story. What gets you excited to read? Dying to know. 

Welcome to Veronica’s #WritersDiary, Week 10

Week 10 for the #WritersDiary! Pretty amazing to think that summer is coming to an end—the kids are back in school, fall is approaching, and I’m anxiously awaiting the sips of my first Starbuck pumpkin spice latte of the year (OK, I’m pushing it a bit, but it’s been so hot). Living in southern California, where the temperature is perpetually hot with loads of sunshine, fall is more of an assumed state of mind for me, but that’s  OK, it’s still one of my favorite times  of the year. We’re planning some trips to places where I hope to enjoy cooler weather, rain (you know, those water drops that fall from the sky, I think), and enjoy the beautiful colors of autumn leaves. It’s Thursday, time for Dear Diary:

[image error]

So excited about our upcoming trip to London, can’t wait to get some palace inspiration…

Me: “Did you see the list of palaces I want to go to when we’re in London?” (so efficient and on top of things)

Him: “Yes, I got it. We’re only going to be there for a week you know…” (note to self, check out nearby pubs at palace locations)

Me: “Well I found out that we could go to Agatha Christie’s house and go see “The Witness for the Prosecution” which will be playing London while we’re there too.” (Dreams of standing in Dame Agatha’s holiday home, Greenway, absorbing all kinds of writing inspiration. And an Agatha Christie play, be still my heart…)

Him: “Well I’m not sure we’re going to be able…” (Decides to shut mouth when he sees wife’s stare and just get to looking up schedules for trains to the castle locations and now Greenway House. It’s somewhat disconcerting to be married to a mur-dah mystery writer, #JustSayin. Pick and choose your battles men, pick and choose—and don’t forget to look for near-by pubs when you put together your travel plans)

[image error]

So if it’s getting close to fall, it’s time for another faux fur vest….

“I just love this one, with pink and gray, looks so girly. I’m sure Ma-ma would love it,” said Veronica the romantic, staring at the picture on the web, ready to hit, BUY NOW.

“It’s 90 degrees outside, what do you possibly need with another faux fur vest?” Veronica the killjoy says, rolling her eyes, rattling her chains, that are still attached from her previous infractions.

“But the nights are getting colder you know, and these faux fur vests are just right,” Veronica the romantic said, finger now within a micro-inch of BUY NOW button.

“The night temps are in the 60’s, pretty far cry from cold don’t you think?” Veronica the killjoy said, rolling her eyes.

“I think you just might need another week in the tower sweetie,” Veronica the romantic says, hitting the BUY NOW button with gusto.

The queen quite agreed, and poor Veronica the killjoy now has another week of chain and tower fun. Will she ever learn? One does not interfere when there are crowns, boots, or faux fur involved…

 

Some interesting things in the lobby of the Hyatt Embarcadero…

I had to share these pics taken during our stay in San Francisco. This is the bell desk at the hotel that is literally decorated with, bells! I just thought it was very clever, and the old bells got to shine once again. I’d love to do something like this at the house, but with two cats, I have a feeling we’d be subjected to strange ‘ding dongs’ at all hours of the night.

Sunday was World Photography day on Twitter…

I tweeted quite a few times, showing some of the pictures taken this year at home and on travel. We’ve been lucky to have seen some amazing sunsets this year, these were taken at the beach near our condo. I also shared these favorites:

 

The beach view from Malibu and Santa Barbara as seen from the Santa Ynez hilltops…

I love the Malibu beach picture, it reminds me of the view Gemma might see from her cozy beach cottage (which she can’t wait to see in book 3 BTW, she keeps egging me on to get her there, characters!). The view of Santa Barbara is from Hwy 154 in the Santa Ynez hills, taken from one of the pullout areas. It’s one of my favorite pictures—you can even see one of the channel islands out in the distance.

 

One of my favorite restaurants in the Fisherman’s Wharf area in San Francisco…

After our Irish coffee fueled breakfast at the Buena Vista, we walked back along the wharf area, which I am glad to say has been updated and improved dramatically from our stay a year ago. I loved the bright red walls of this restaurant, and the fish with their bubbles. This restaurant made me happy

How to Disengage a Reader in 4 Easy Steps… #SeriesWritersBeware

In addition to now writing my own mystery series, I’m a voracious reader of many other series—have been for over fifty years. There’s nothing I like better than reading the next release to a favorite cozy mystery series. I follow a few famous authors, and I’ve invested years (and considerable $$) waiting for the coveted next release to a series that I’ve grown to love (and I might add, it can be a very long year waiting for the next book release). This is an investment I’m willing to make for the characters I love, however, and is the highest compliment an author can receive from a reader, IMO.

To me, there’s nothing better (or worse) than waiting for the next release of a series to be published, one you’ve waited for with so much anticipation, anxiously awaiting to see if your favorite characters would finally take the next steps in their adventures and life. Oh the joy when the book you pre-ordered shows up in your Kindle, ready to dazzle your eyes. But then, the killjoy when you’ve read a few chapters and wonder, am I reading the same series?

This has happened to me more than a few times in my reading career. I don’t know if it’s because the author has grown tired of a series or set of characters (should every author think about having a cutoff point for a series?) Or, perhaps an author has moved onto another genre or theme? (More power to you, but please be kind and bring things to a conclusion if you do decide to move on…) In some cases I think age may creep into writing, there has been more than one author accused of being less than present when a release to a long running series has no resemblance to prior works (just like any other occupation, sometimes it’s best to know when to retire).

As a reader (and a writer), I think it’s invaluable to keep track of the disengaging steps that can kill a series storyline, and most importantly, lose you readers, which is something no writer wants. Here’s my list of 4 steps to disengage your readers:

[image error]

Step 1: The Character and Personalities of Characters Change Dramatically

One of the things I love most when reading a series is getting to know the main character and his or her entourage. I enjoy reading about their worries and concerns, their joys and dreams. When I can gel with a character it’s an amazing feeling, just like establishing a new friendship, a new bond. This bond will keep me reading and wanting more as time passes (which means I will keep buying your books).

I can accept that just as in real life, things change in a fictional world too, altering a character’s life path—I can deal with that. What I can’t deal with is when a beloved character’s personality and actions change out of the blue, making me wonder who is this person? What happened? I’m not talking about just major changes either, it can be a series of little things such as suddenly bursting into tears every time a hiccup happens (you lose your cozy mystery credibility darling), showing prejudice (where did that come from?), or reacting differently to circumstances you’ve been through many times (don’t you remember the last five books?)

Relationships matter here too, do you really expect me to think you’re now suddenly OK with a person who has been a pain in your backside for the entire series? Or worse, some one who is supposed to be the love of your life flirts with another woman right in front of your fictional eyes (and then gaslights the heroine telling her it’s her imagination)? Something fishy here…

[image error]

Step 2: The Same Storyline Over and Over

I get it as a reader that I’m drawn to a particular style of writing, particular genres that have very established storyline formulas. I’m OK with that. What I’m not OK with is a basic rehash of the same story over and over again that basically just involves a change in character names. This is especially an issue when a character lives in the same house, the same village, doesn’t travel, isn’t really evolving as a character—the readers just get the same circumstances and plot lines. It’s like I’m not supposed to notice, especially when they’re back to back stories? After a while these series become very lame, and once again, a writer will lose readers. It doesn’t take much effort to add in some new twists, new circumstances to keep a series fresh, folks. Milking the masses doesn’t last long.

[image error]

Step 3: Loose Ends That Never Seem to Get Resolved

I can appreciate that just as in real life, sometimes there are no resolutions to a crisis or situation. Some things are always going to be left unsaid, un-done. As a reader, I would appreciate it if a writers could at least give me a sense of closure, or at least a clue, as to which way certain loose ends are going to pan out. As a for instance in a certain series I love, I still have no idea if one of the main characters is a spy/secret agent type, or a philandering gigolo (I can accept a cloak of secrecy for a while, but it’s been six years now, I can handle the truth).  Or in the case of a non-caring mother (or royal in one instance), is she really so dimwitted that she doesn’t see her only daughter starving with no place to live? I can see certain oversights occurring once or twice, but again, it’s now been years…

[image error]

Step 4: The Hook That Never Materializes…

I have come to believe in the power of the dreaded #WritersBlock and the even worse #InspirationVoid that plagues writers much too frequently. Once I become a frequent reader of an author, I’m pulling for her or him to keep writing, always anxious for his or her next book. I know that sometimes, despite one’s best intentions, things just do not come together for a story. It happens to all writers, both the famous and the unknowns.

As a reader, I’ll keep the faith, for a time. If you tell me certain things are going to occur in the next book, please have them occur. There is nothing worse than dangling a major plotline in front of a reader, only to jerk it back on the last page, assuming the reader will be OK waiting until next year’s release. The ploy may work (fool me once), or the reader might just decide it’s time to look for a new series. #JustSayin

My goal for this post was to try and help writers and their readers stay together—many of these ‘disengaging steps’ are easy to correct if a writer will put in the effort. Do you have some pet peeves that kill a storyline/series for you? Did they get resolved, or did you leave? Dying to know…. (your thoughts matter!)