Victoria Janssen's Blog, page 88

Hooks and Anchors

I recently heard about an article which talked about paragraphing in terms of anchoring and hooking. I didn't find the article, but this is how I would use those terms.At the beginning of a scene, even if you haven't shifted locations or times, you have to set that scene in the first sentence or paragraph. Think of it like an establishing shot in a movie. The camera shows the place, lighting

RWA Conference 2010 Report, Part Two

The cover of The Moonlight Mistress is featured on Naked Romance this week, with some of my thoughts on it as well.And now back to my RWA 2010 report!Friday was my busiest day. I attended the awards lunch and cheered for the Librarian of the Year Jennifer Lohmann and for the Veritas Award recipient, Gwenda Bond. I then spent some quality time in the bar with Gwenda; her husband, writer

RWA 2010 Report, Part One

At last, my report on the 2010 Romance Writers of America Annual Conference! Scroll down or click the "RWA" tag for more posts and lots of photos. That picture on the left is one of the pretty floor mosaics at the Orlando Airport.I arrived Wednesday afternoon. I unfortunately had woken up way too early so was a bit punchy that whole day. My travel, though, was fine; the plane was about an

Picspam of Rupert Brooke

I haven't done a lot of research on Rupert Brooke (1887-1915); he's not my favorite World War One poet by a longshot, and though he died in Greece while in the army (on the way to Gallipoli), he never saw combat. William Butler Yeats once described him as "the handsomest young man in England," though, and I do agree he was very, very pretty.The Rupert Brooke Society.

Feeding the Muse

I don't actually believe I have a "muse," but it makes a catchy title. The reason I don't like to say "my muse" is that it implies the impetus for my writing comes from a mysterious outside source. If that were true, it would be out of my control. I don't think that's a good thing.So for me, "muse" is code for "my brain." So-called "inspiration" also means, to me, "my brain." As a writer,

Die Herzogin, ihre Zofe, der Stallbursche und ihr Liebhaber

Today is release day for The Duchess, Her Maid, The Groom and Their Lover in German. Read the German excerpt here.Order Die Herzogin, ihre Zofe, der Stallbursche und ihr Liebhaber. (Published by Mira Taschenbuch Im Cora Verlag, translated by Ira Severin.)"Herzogin Camille ist verzweifelt: Ihr grausamer Ehemann will sie umbringen, damit er sich eine junge, gefügige Frau suchen kann, die ihm

Harlequin Party, RWA 2010

The dance floor was small, but lively!Beverly Jenkins does air electric guitar.My new cover flashed on the screen! Then I waited fifteen minutes, camera in hand, until it came up again, so I could take a picture.More dancing.

"i like my body when it is with your body," e.e. cummings,

i like my body when it is with your body. It is so quite new a thing. Muscles better and nerves more. i like your body. i like what it does, i like its hows. i like to feel the spine of your body and its bones,and the trembling -firm-smooth ness and which i will again and again and again kiss, i like kissing this and that of you, i like,slowly stroking the,shocking fuzz of your electric fur,

RWA 2010 - Friday afternoon pics

Christopher Rowe, Diana Peterfreund, Gwenda Bond.Vivian Arend and her hat.Maria Snyder and Mindy Klasky.

Passionate Ink Party Picspam - RWA 2010