Bree Bennett's Blog, page 2

Forward-Thinking Angst

I’ve always written with the focus of examining tough subjects with respect and a little bit of humor. I started outlining Ariana’s story today and let me tell you, the humor is going to be hard to write.

I always keep documents open with ideas for other stories than whatever is in progress, mostly so that ideas don’t get lost, but also so that I can keep clues going about future books within my current ones. (I’m a sucker for long-haul foreshadowing and symbols. I lovingly blame Patrick Rothfuss for this.) By the way, there are fourteen hints in Broken Records for future books, and of those, five deal with Ariana.

I’ve avoided anything with her story because it is a hard one, and involves themes very close to my own life. Still, I feel those themes are Ariana’s, and need to be told. When I came up with some ideas today, I knew it was time to write them down.

But oh, man. The angst. Her story is two books away (the order right now is Lucy, Nico, Lettie, Ariana, Matteo, Dante, Sophia, Elena, but the last three may move around), but I thought I would warn you in advance. Matteo’s story is much lighter because, hey, it’s Matteo, so at least Ariana’s will be followed by our favorite goofball.

For now, I’m taking a break from the outline and listening to some Steve Martin stand-up to counter the mood. Back to Nico after that.

Forward-Thinking Angst

I’ve always written with the focus of examining tough subjects with respect and a little bit of humor. I started outlining Ariana’s story today and let me tell you, the humor is going to be hard to write.

I always keep documents open with ideas for other stories than whatever is in progress, mostly so that ideas don’t get lost, but also so that I can keep clues going about future books within my current ones. (I’m a sucker for long-haul foreshadowing and symbols. I lovingly blame Patrick Rothfuss for this.) By the way, there are fourteen hints in Broken Records for future books, and of those, five deal with Ariana.

I’ve avoided anything with her story because it is a hard one, and involves themes very close to my own life. Still, I feel those themes are Ariana’s, and need to be told. When I came up with some ideas today, I knew it was time to write them down.

But oh, man. The angst. Her story is two books away (the order right now is Lucy, Nico, Lettie, Ariana, Matteo, Dante, Sophia, Elena, but the last three may move around), but I thought I would warn you in advance. Matteo’s story is much lighter because, hey, it’s Matteo, so at least Ariana’s will be followed by our favorite goofball.

For now, I’m taking a break from the outline and listening to some Steve Martin stand-up to counter the mood. Back to Nico after that.

Bree Bennett

Q & A

Broken Records has been out for six months now, so I thought I’d have a little fun. Time to answer some questions that I’ve received in one form or another!

Where the heck is Eli and Nico’s story?

It’s coming, I promise. Like Broken Records, there are some sensitive topics that I want to thoroughly vet and treat with the utmost care. It is a lifelong writer’s goal of mine to work against harmful stereotypes, especially when it comes to mental health. This was one of the reasons I eventually took Lucy’s diagnosis out. Many times a diagnosis is not cut and dry, and in the end, the story wasn’t about that - it was about Jack and Lucy. 

Why didn’t Jack and Lucy go to therapy? They needed it!

This is an interesting one that I’ve seen proposed by readers not just of mine but many books, and with other scenarios as well. Just because it wasn’t on page doesn’t mean that they did or did not. It just wasn’t conducive to the plot. I promise, I am pro-therapy.

There wasn’t a lot of steam. Where’s the sex?

Earlier drafts had a lot more explicit scenes, but in the end, it didn’t feel right for this specific couple. Jack’s had more than enough crazy sex scenes in his life, and I wanted the whole thing to feel more like Lucy’s perception of the world. 

Future books though? (smiles evilly while looking at a drafted shower scene)

What really happened between Jack and Prince Harry?

Oh you know, just that one thing that happened one that one time.

Are all those rock history stories true?

Anything regarding rock history outside of Jack’s personal experience is true. However, I cannot attest to the Osmond family’s love of karaoke, nor Josh Groban’s need for a scuba suit. That’s all Jack.

Are we going to hear more from the rest of the family?

Of course! Nico and Eli’s story is coming, and I have plotted out Ariana’s, Matteo’s, Elena’s, and Lettie’s already. Lettie’s is next. Just wait till you meet Andre.

Can’t I just have more Jack and Lucy instead? I want to see Jack living on a farm.

Jack and Lucy will always be there and part of the stories. That’s what family–blood or found–is all about. However, their dedicated love story has been told and I have no plans to make them main characters going forward.

Your writing is quirky and there are too many big words. What’s up with that?

These are valid points. I’ll touch on the easiest first. I use big words because I love words. It has nothing to do with intellect or trying to make a book seem highbrow. And sometimes, the right word can be just so scrumptious. (see: verisimilitude in Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material).

My writing is quirky because, when compared to the status quo, I am quirky. But so many people that are considered quirky are just individuals who just want to see themselves in what they read or watch. This isn’t a “Not Like Other Girls” trope (which, by the way, I’ll have to write an entire post about sometime). Romance is a genre that has growing representation not just of different races, genders, and sexualities, but of different personalities. Everyone deserves contentment in their life. I’m never going to relate to a heroine who is excited about Manolo Blahniks, and a reader that does may not relate to Lucy. And that’s okay.  We can both exist and celebrate each other as readers. 

Do you have any other series that you are working on?

Ah. This is a scary question. As a new indie author, I have been inundated with advice on the correct way to do this. That means building a brand, focusing on a specific sub-genre, and other ways to market myself. Going beyond that? Pick a different pen name and then market THAT brand. 

The problem is….I like reading everything and I like writing everything. I’ve struggled with focusing on one genre, and I realized it just isn’t going to happen. I’m going to have books that some readers like, and some that they don’t but others will. If that affects sales, I’m okay with it, and I’ll be having so much fun that it won’t matter. 

What I’m trying to say is…I’ve got a alien/pioneer standalone romance and a polyamorous paranormal four-part series in the hopper. Surprise!

Q & A

Broken Records has been out for six months now, so I thought I’d have a little fun. Time to answer some questions that I’ve received in one form or another!

Where the heck is Eli and Nico’s story?It’s coming, I promise. Like Broken Records, there are some sensitive topics that I want to thoroughly vet and treat with the utmost care. It is a lifelong writer’s goal of mine to work against harmful stereotypes, especially when it comes to mental health. This was one of the reasons I eventually took Lucy’s diagnosis out. Many times a diagnosis is not cut and dry, and in the end, the story wasn’t about that - it was about Jack and Lucy.

Why didn’t Jack and Lucy go to therapy? They needed it!This is an interesting one that I’ve seen proposed by readers not just of mine but many books, and with other scenarios as well. Just because it wasn’t on page doesn’t mean that they did or did not. It just wasn’t conducive to the plot. I promise, I am pro-therapy.

There wasn’t a lot of steam. Where’s the sex?Earlier drafts had a lot more explicit scenes, but in the end, it didn’t feel right for this specific couple. Jack’s had more than enough crazy sex scenes in his life, and I wanted the whole thing to feel more like Lucy’s perception of the world.

Future books though? (smiles evilly while looking at a drafted shower scene)

What really happened between Jack and Prince Harry?Oh you know, just that one thing that happened one that one time.

Are all those rock history stories true?Anything regarding rock history outside of Jack’s personal experience is true. However, I cannot attest to the Osmond family’s love of karaoke, nor Josh Groban’s need for a scuba suit. That’s all Jack.

Are we going to hear more from the rest of the family?Of course! Nico and Eli’s story is coming, and I have plotted out Ariana’s, Matteo’s, Elena’s, and Lettie’s already. Lettie’s is next. Just wait till you meet Andre.

Can’t I just have more Jack and Lucy instead? I want to see Jack living on a farm.Jack and Lucy will always be there and part of the stories. That’s what family–blood or found–is all about. However, their dedicated love story has been told and I have no plans to make them main characters going forward.

Your writing is quirky and there are too many big words. What’s up with that?These are valid points. I’ll touch on the easiest first. I use big words because I love words. It has nothing to do with intellect or trying to make a book seem highbrow. And sometimes, the right word can be just so scrumptious. (see: verisimilitude in Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material).

My writing is quirky because, when compared to the status quo, I am quirky. But so many people that are considered quirky are just individuals who just want to see themselves in what they read or watch. This isn’t a “Not Like Other Girls” trope (which, by the way, I’ll have to write an entire post about sometime). Romance is a genre that has growing representation not just of different races, genders, and sexualities, but of different personalities. Everyone deserves contentment in their life. I’m never going to relate to a heroine who is excited about Manolo Blahniks, and a reader that does may not relate to Lucy. And that’s okay. We can both exist and celebrate each other as readers.

Do you have any other series that you are working on?Ah. This is a scary question. As a new indie author, I have been inundated with advice on the correct way to do this. That means building a brand, focusing on a specific sub-genre, and other ways to market myself. Going beyond that? Pick a different pen name and then market THAT brand.

The problem is….I like reading everything and I like writing everything. I’ve struggled with focusing on one genre, and I realized it just isn’t going to happen. I’m going to have books that some readers like, and some that they don’t but others will. If that affects sales, I’m okay with it, and I’ll be having so much fun that it won’t matter.

What I’m trying to say is…I’ve got a alien/pioneer standalone romance and a polyamorous paranormal four-part series in the hopper. Surprise!

Bree Bennett

Maintenance Type Thingies

Hello all, and Happy New Year! I’ve been unavailable for a few months but I am back and ready to write more for you, but just for today, I’d like to give a few updates.

1) If you follow me on Instagram and Facebook, you already know that Mother Road’s release is delayed. It wasn’t where I wanted it, and I wasn’t in the headspace to make it right yet. Stay tuned for more updates on Nico and Eli’s story.

2) Addicted to the Alpaca, Bonkers for the Badger, and Secret Baby Trope have all been removed from Amazon. They were originally just a short little bit of fun and it was just time to sunset them. That being said, you can always reach out to me for bad alpaca or badger puns for free!

3) In addition to Mother Road, I’m also working on a paranormal story that I am both excited and nervous about. It’s as bizarre as most of my writings and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I tried to explain one character to my husband and he thought I was just tipsy. However, I did give my two kids a G-rated summary of the first few chapters and they thought it sounded exciting, so kudos there?

Once again, thank you for making 2020 so enjoyable and for all the support you gave me (and Jack…and Lucy…and Larry the pig). I hope you are all healthy and safe, and I look forward to providing you with more stories soon!

Love, Bree

Surprises!

Happy September! It’s been a while since I’ve written and it has been busy, both within my writing world and outside of it. There’s a lot of research going into the next book, and I’ve been head down into it.

I teased a few surprises coming on my Instagram and Facebook, and two of them have been revealed. First of all, the e-book for Broken Records has a new cover! I’m very picky about cover models but I finally found one that had the Jack Hunter smirk. I crack up every time I see it.

The second surprise is that Nico’s book has a title! Mother Road will be available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited in December 2021. This story has evolved a LOT over the past five months. I’ll have to detail the different iterations once it’s all done—many of those have been split off into other sibling’s stories. I hope that the final product conveys the spirit of Nico, his love interest, and of course, the Mother Road itself.

Surprises!

Happy September! It’s been a while since I’ve written and it has been busy, both within my writing world and outside of it. There’s a lot of research going into the next book, and I’ve been head down into it.

I teased a few surprises coming on my Instagram and Facebook, and two of them have been revealed. First of all, the e-book for Broken Records has a new cover! I’m very picky about cover models but I finally found one that had the Jack Hunter smirk. I crack up every time I see it.

The second surprise is that Nico’s book has a title! Mother Road will be available on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited in December 2021. This story has evolved a LOT over the past five months. I’ll have to detail the different iterations once it’s all done—many of those have been split off into other sibling’s stories. I hope that the final product conveys the spirit of Nico, his love interest, and of course, the Mother Road itself.

Bree Bennett

Rock Star Poetry

Like Lucy, I’ve always been fascinated by rock history. I had a turntable in my bedroom as a teenager, and I can clearly remember THE MOMENT when I put The White Album on for the first time. I also had a massive crush on George Harrison, despite the fact that I was clearly a lot younger.

I found a box of all my old writings and found this poem I wrote for English class when I was a junior in high school. It’s about as Lucy Meyer as you can get. Enjoy the weirdness of my 16-year-old self.

“If Only George Harrison Went to my School”

If only the Beatles were 18 again,

And living right next door to me,

And if only George Harrison went to my school,

And was a senior at (school name here).

George and I would be the best of friends,

Driving to school together each day,

And we would have the same schedule,

With first period History to start the day.

He would help me with my Algebra,

While I’d help with his American HIstory,

And, as for Chemistry, we’d both agree

The whole class is one big damn mystery.

We’d experience the magic of Drawing I,

And share the volleyball nets in Gym,

And of course, take a class in Parenting,

with our electro-babies, Ricky and Kim.

We wouldn’t be together just during school,

When academics weren’t the most important thing,

Cheering for the home team at all the games,

And be crowned Homecoming Queen and King.

And one bright Spring day, during the third quarter,

My George would turn to me with all his might,

And say shyly, in that accent of his,

“Hey, love? What are you doing on Prom Night?”

I, of course, would say, “Nothing,” and the deal would be done,

And I’d go pick out a shimmery sky blue dress,

And George would go rent a bright black tux,

With shiny shoes, and a smart blue vest.

That night, he would pick me up in a long limousine,

With our friends, John, Paul, Ringo and their dates,

And we’d head off to a lovely sociable restaurant,

Where there was no meat (which everyone hates).

After the meal, we’d head to the dance,

With the prom theme of “Medieval Dream,”

And, walking through the palace-like entrance,

I’d be a princess, or so it would seem.

And with my Prince George by my side,

And our courtiers (Paul, Ringo, and John),

We’d spend the night dancing and laughing,

And staying happy till the break of dawn.

But, of course, George Harrison doesn’t go to my school,

Nor are he and the Beatles 18 again,

My George is really fifty-eight, married, and happy,

And I don’t think he’ll go to high school again.

But if ever I see George Harrison’s face,

In magazines, newspapers, and other things,

I’ll smile at him, and give him a wink,

And look at my Homecoming King.

And if I should have the chance to really meet George,

Even though he’s now a husband and dad,

I’d give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek,

And say, “Thanks for the best prom I never had.”

But until that day, all I can do is wish

And use my imagination as my only tool

To bring my George Harrison back to me

Oh! If only George Harrison went to my school!

Oh, man. So much to explore here:

I hated Chemistry class with a passion.

I still can’t hit a volleyball so I’m not sure why Teen Me added that in.

I loved my electro-baby in Parenting class and totally named it Ricky after Ricky Nelson.

I was a vegetarian in high school, and all the Beatles were as well. Vegetarians, not in high school. That would invalidate the poem in the first place.

Now knowing what I know about the Beatles and their personalities, there’s no way a prom would have gone as smoothly or legally as this one.

This was written the year before he died, so you can imagine how heartbroken I was when he passed.

This is literally a poem about George Harrison going to prom with me and treating me like a princess. I’m pretty sure I was always destined to write romance novels.

Until next time (or the next weird thing I find in this box),

Rock Star Poetry

Like Lucy, I’ve always been fascinated by rock history. I had a turntable in my bedroom as a teenager, and I can clearly remember THE MOMENT when I put The White Album on for the first time. I also had a massive crush on George Harrison, despite the fact that I was clearly a lot younger.

I found a box of all my old writings and found this poem I wrote for English class when I was a junior in high school. It’s about as Lucy Meyer as you can get. Enjoy the weirdness of my 16-year-old self.

“If Only George Harrison Went to my School”

If only the Beatles were 18 again,And living right next door to me,And if only George Harrison went to my school,And was a senior at (school name here).George and I would be the best of friends,Driving to school together each day,And we would have the same schedule,With first period History to start the day.He would help me with my Algebra,While I’d help with his American History,And, as for Chemistry, we’d both agreeThe whole class is one big damn mystery.We’d experience the magic of Drawing I, And share the volleyball nets in Gym,And of course, take a class in Parenting,with our electro-babies, Ricky and Kim.We wouldn’t be together just during school,When academics weren’t the most important thing,Cheering for the home team at all the games,And be crowned Homecoming Queen and King.And one bright Spring day, during the third quarter,My George would turn to me with all his might,And say shyly, in that accent of his,“Hey, love? What are you doing on Prom Night?”I, of course, would say, “Nothing,” and the deal would be done,And I’d go pick out a shimmery sky blue dress,And George would go rent a bright black tux,With shiny shoes, and a smart blue vest.That night, he would pick me up in a long limousine,With our friends, John, Paul, Ringo and their dates,And we’d head off to a lovely sociable restaurant,Where there was no meat (which everyone hates).After the meal, we’d head to the dance,With the prom theme of “Medieval Dream,”And, walking through the palace-like entrance,I’d be a princess, or so it would seem.And with my Prince George by my side,And our courtiers (Paul, Ringo, and John),We’d spend the night dancing and laughing,And staying happy till the break of dawn.But, of course, George Harrison doesn’t go to my school,Nor are he and the Beatles 18 again,My George is really fifty-eight, married, and happy,And I don’t think he’ll go to high school again.But if ever I see George Harrison’s face,In magazines, newspapers, and other things,I’ll smile at him, and give him a wink,And look at my Homecoming King.And if I should have the chance to really meet George,Even though he’s now a husband and dad,I’d give him a hug and a kiss on the cheek,And say, “Thanks for the best prom I never had.”But until that day, all I can do is wishAnd use my imagination as my only toolTo bring my George Harrison back to meOh! If only George Harrison went to my school!Oh, man. So much to explore here:

I hated Chemistry class with a passion. I still can’t hit a volleyball so I’m not sure why Teen Me added that in. I loved my electro-baby in Parenting class and totally named it Ricky after Ricky Nelson. I was a vegetarian in high school, and all the Beatles were as well. Vegetarians, not in high school. That would invalidate the poem in the first place. Now knowing what I know about the Beatles and their personalities, there’s no way a prom would have gone as smoothly or legally as this one. This was written the year before he died, so you can imagine how heartbroken I was when he passed. This is literally a poem about George Harrison going to prom with me and treating me like a princess. I’m pretty sure I was always destined to write romance novels.

Until next time (or the next weird thing I find in this box),

Bree Bennett

Broken Records is Available!

I am rising like a zombie from my sickbed to tell you that the book is HERE, y’all. You can get the eBook through Amazon or free on Kindle Unlimited. Thanks to everyone who helped make this happen.

Once I am up to full health again, I’ll post a bit more (and hopefully give you some extras!). Besides, that grizzly bear of a brother Nico needs his story told.

XOXOXO