Janet Fogg's Blog, page 40

What happens at writing retreat is eaten at writing retreat!

Writing retreat with Shannon Baker at Casa Caliente!

Editing current manuscript?  Check.
Facebook ads course?  Check.
Brainstorming marketing?  Check.
Flash flood warning?  Check.
Samples of one of today's efforts:

Chapter 1
Chapter 2 
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
The end!

HOW many inches? (Of books!)

I had the very great pleasure of attending World Fantasy Con a few years ago, and fortunately my friend Laura warned me about the bag of books given to attendees.  How wonderful!  Of course I also purchased a few books.  Oh, my aching shoulders—what a heavy carry-on bag and suitcase for my return home.
While in the midst of unpacking I realized yet again that our bedroom bookcase was absolutely stuffed, and my bedside table already groaned beneath two piles of books stacked to the edge of the lampshade.  I put away my suitcase and wandered into our office.  Nope, that bookcase was also full, as was the one in the hallway, and there were three unread books on the coffee table in the living room.  I shrugged and headed back to the bedroom, where I stacked the new books on the floor between my dresser and reading chair.
How many inches waited for me?
For a true picture I would need to include the unread books on my ereader as well as the ten or twelve books tucked here and there on the bookcases.  Oh, and then there’s the thirty-some odd books I have noted on various lists; books I know I want to read but haven’t yet purchased.  Should I count those?  Perhaps not.
Hmmm.  Forty-four inches beside the dresser, approximately twelve inches on the bookcase, seventeen inches on the bedside table, three on the coffee table, and on my ereader I'd guess somewhere in the neighborhood of twenty-five inches.
Books, books, BOOKS! How many inches do you have?

A few Soliloquy reviews and HOLT Medallion Award of Merit

"Soliloquy is a haunting story of love in the past and the present and the question is: Which influences the other? The characters are well-written and precise, and the tension and danger acutely defined... One might say there are two endings to this story, one bittersweet and one triumphant; both are guaranteed to tug at your heart." ~ Toni Sweeney, Author 
"You'll be hooked from page one of this mesmerizing tale, which uses a beguiling method of transport to the past. The prose is smooth and satisfying, and the characters come alive.  Passion and promise fill the pages, as well as fear and deception." ~ D. M. Brown, RT Book Reviews

"Soliloquy, a time travel romance by Janet Fogg is a tightly woven story of a love that transcends time. When concert pianist and composer, Erin Lockhart Meyer, is transported to WW II occupied France, she is thrust into a world of danger beyond imagining. She alone has a slim chance to save not only a houseful of good people but the eternal love of her life, British fighter pilot, Arick Ambrose.
"Fogg has written a romance for lovers of history, story and characters. The plot reaches far beyond the hero/heroine conflict, taking readers to a different time and place, immersing us in a world of heart-stopping threat and soul-wrenching devotion. In Erin and Arick, we see noble and brave characters we admire and care for deeply.

"Fogg is a master at drawing scenes so vivid we smell campfire and feel the burn in our eyes, hear the swell of music to stir the soul and thrill to the first touch of skin on skin. Because I needed to know if and how Erin could defy the Nazis and what would happen to those she cared about and especially if she and Arick could survive the horrific situation, and how they would manage the insurmountable obstacle of living in different times, I sped through this book faster than I would have wanted. I was rewarded with unexpected twists and a romance that rang true. The way Fogg puts her words together and sets the tone and mood should be savored more than my patience could withstand. This is a book I will read again." ~ Shannon Baker, Author

A Prelude to A Serenade to Die For

     “Seems like old times, doesn’t it?” Isabella said. “But you know, Hurricane, just like your nickname, every time you show up there’s a huge mess.”
     “It’s not my nickname,” Cane growled.

--------------

Meet Isabella and Cane, a sultry singer and her hunky boyfriend. In this free "Prelude" we offer a brief glimpse of their passion and the events that drive them apart.

Reunited ten years later in A Serenade to Die For , will a stolen hot rod, a kidnapped father, an ancient Aztec sword, and a deadly chase rekindle their love?

I hope you enjoy their story!

A Prelude to A Serenade to Die For

Read it again, Sam!

“Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened.” ― Dr. Seuss
I might add, then read it again! 
I have books on my shelf that I've read so many times the covers are soft from handling.  Books I open when I'm exhausted, as I'm able to fall easily into a familiar world with familiar friends.  Books I love and respect.  Books I relish.  Books by Dorothy Sayers, Zenna Henderson, David Brin, Nathan Lowell, Larry Niven, Lois McMaster Bujold, Tolkein, Lewis, Julian May, Anne McCaffrey, Mary Stewart, and so many more.
Yes, I adore discovering new authors, especially those writing series.  I'm especially pleased when I'm able to place those new discoveries on my "Read it again"  bookshelf.  Do you have favorites you re-read?  I'll find room on that shelf!

Forever is a Really Long Word

“Wish we could hold these moments in our hands forever.... “

I wrote this phrase in an email to a friend. We were discussing the reaction of her partner to a joyous event, but as I sent the email it occurred to me that in my books, I have the opportunity to create moments that might endure forever. Forever. That’s a really long word. But I take the lives of my characters quite seriously, analyzing every reaction, considering character strengths and flaws, carefully allocating each word they speak. If I’m then able to capture the joy and pain and hidden emotion in their lives, well, I will have succeeded, forever.

Every writer I know spends hours, days, probably weeks, delving into the backgrounds of their characters, to create a true reaction to every obstacle while trimming the cadence of their voice to match an upbringing that is only imagined, yet so very real. So our characters live and breathe. Their goals are ours; their beliefs and love and family, all of it, forever.

And then there’s world building. Whether based on reality or fantasy, that world we create has its own rules, bureaucracy, construction, inhabitants, flora, and physical reality. Our characters live there. For them, that world is as real as it is for me, forever.

I have always yearned for the moments I create in my books to be memorable, to make my readers laugh and cry, to reach their hearts. Now I’m suddenly feeling intimidated. I’ve never worried about whether my book will be pulled off a dusty shelf 40 or 50 years from now to be read or re-read. But it might be, and while 40 years isn’t forever, having my words impact someone’s life 40 years from now feels like forever, to me. So now I've been reminded, I do hold these moments in my hands, forever.

5 Star Review for Misfortune Annie and the Locomotive Reaper!

"Loved it. Felt like a kid watching a Saturday morning western. Annie, Annie, Annie, what other "misfortunes" are headed your way? Waiting for the next adventure!" ~ 5 Star Review on Amazon

Thank you for taking the time to write a review!  They're invaluable to writers!

BookBub ad: A Serenade to Die For

Though I've only recently joined BookBub, I thoroughly enjoy their site, its ease of use, and their recommendations.  Thought I would try an ad with them, which started today, for A Serenade to Die For.  It'll be fun and interesting to review the stats at the end of the week.  Fingers are crossed! 

Such is the Power of Books

I adore this quote from Connis Willis, and I equally adore Dorothy Sayers' Peter Wimsey series.  
“I was on a walking tour of Oxfordcolleges once with a group of bored and unimpressable tourists. They yawned at Balliol's quad, T.E. Lawrence's and Churchill's portraits, and the blackboard Einstein wrote his E=mc2 on. Then the tour guide said, 'And this is the Bridge of Sighs, where Lord Peter proposed (in Latin) to Harriet,' and everyone suddenly came to life and began snapping pictures. Such is the power of books.”  ― Connie Willis, winner of both the Nebula Award and the Hugo Award for best SF novel.
Character development is critical for me as a reader.  If I don't like your character in the first chapter, I'm going to stop reading!  Make me care!

"Placetne, magistra?" 
"Placet." 

A Serenade to Die For - Gripping and Fast Paced Thriller

"A Serenade to Die For starts out with a bang and continues from there. The story sucks you in and doesn't let go. There are so many twists and turns, alliances and betrayals you don't know who to trust." ~ Christi Love4Books.me Amazon review