Angela Kay Austin's Blog, page 32
April 6, 2011
What is your writing technique?
I thought about this, recently, as I cruised through the aisles of my local wine shop.
In February, I relocated from Maryland to Tennessee. Habitually, I drive to my favorite wine shop; pick up one of my favorite bottles, and I know my weekend of writing is set. Stare out of the window; write; a sip of my favorite cabernet...perfect Saturday.
But, wait...I have not been able to find my favorite cab or my backup (a tasty red zin) anywhere! What has this cold cruel world come to? Am I going to have to order them over the Internet and have them delivered to my new home or will I be forced to try others :-)
Okay, so trying others isn't soooo bad. But, it did throw a monkey wrench into my normal routine.
Have any of you every had something unexpected throw you off of your routine, and it couldn't be changed back?
Rules for writing fiction
As written for The Guardian by Helen Dunmore, poet, novelist, and children's writer.
1 Finish the day's writing when you still want to continue.
2 Listen to what you have written. A dud rhythm in a passage of dialogue may show that you don't yet understand the characters well enough to write in their voices.
3 Read Keats's letters.
4 Reread, rewrite, reread, rewrite. If it still doesn't work, throw it away. It's a nice feeling, and you don't want to be cluttered with the corpses of poems and stories which have everything in them except the life they need.
5 Learn poems by heart.
6 Join professional organisations which advance the collective rights of authors.
7 A problem with a piece of writing often clarifies itself if you go for a long walk.
8 If you fear that taking care of your children and household will damage your writing, think of JG Ballard.
9 Don't worry about posterity – as Larkin (no sentimentalist) observed "What will survive of us is love".
April 2, 2011
Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors
Don't forget to drop by Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors for the chance to read FREE romance stories by some of your favorite authors! Every Saturday!
And of course, for the opportunity to win some fabulous prizes!!!
March 27, 2011
March 26, 2011
Sex in Water?
So, you write erotica, or any type of Romance, and you're wondering just what out of the box thing, place, toy, or whatever can you add into your "sex" scenes to keep the reader interested.
Berengaria Brown drops by Romancing the Pen to discuss sex in the water.
"Tempting Tenealle" blurb:
Continuously overwhelmed by an unending inundation of visiting cousins, Tenealle decides the only solution is to buy a bigger apartment. Evan's selling an apartment that is perfect for her. In fact, Evan and his partner, Faris, are perfect for her. How can she concentrate on renovating an apartment when she'd much rather be in their bedroom?
Evan has inherited his Great Aunt Enid's apartment and doesn't want to refurbish it, so is looking for a quick sale, even though his partner, Faris, can see its potential. They both see enormous potential in a relationship with the totally delicious Tenealle, despite her myriad cousins, too. But which cousin tried to harm her. And why? And what is the story about the fountain?
Berengaria Brown drops by Romancing the Pen to discuss sex in the water.
"Tempting Tenealle" blurb:
Continuously overwhelmed by an unending inundation of visiting cousins, Tenealle decides the only solution is to buy a bigger apartment. Evan's selling an apartment that is perfect for her. In fact, Evan and his partner, Faris, are perfect for her. How can she concentrate on renovating an apartment when she'd much rather be in their bedroom?
Evan has inherited his Great Aunt Enid's apartment and doesn't want to refurbish it, so is looking for a quick sale, even though his partner, Faris, can see its potential. They both see enormous potential in a relationship with the totally delicious Tenealle, despite her myriad cousins, too. But which cousin tried to harm her. And why? And what is the story about the fountain?
March 19, 2011
Don't you hate it when...?
No matter who you are, or what you do...it's important to you. Right? Don't you hate it when people around you patronize the things that you love? You don't do it to them...do you?
Author, Tina Donahue dropos by Romancing the Pen, and shares with us her opinions about this.
Here's Tina's latest...
Cursed by a jealous rival over a man, Jasmine's conventional world spirals into one of insatiable desire, forcing her to seek pleasure no matter the danger. Haunting Key West's nightlife, she meets Mike, a commanding lover with psychic power and a guarded past. Desperately craving his potent masculinity, she lures then imprisons him so he's always available to feed her passion. Not about to be any woman's prisoner, Mike uses his power to secure his freedom, capturing her instead. Moved by her underlying vulnerability, he's determined to find the source of the curse and defeat it. Under his masterful rule, her yearning evolves into rapture as she surrenders to his hunger for her and the emotional connection that lies beyond.
Buy Link: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/th...
Author, Tina Donahue dropos by Romancing the Pen, and shares with us her opinions about this.
Here's Tina's latest...
Cursed by a jealous rival over a man, Jasmine's conventional world spirals into one of insatiable desire, forcing her to seek pleasure no matter the danger. Haunting Key West's nightlife, she meets Mike, a commanding lover with psychic power and a guarded past. Desperately craving his potent masculinity, she lures then imprisons him so he's always available to feed her passion. Not about to be any woman's prisoner, Mike uses his power to secure his freedom, capturing her instead. Moved by her underlying vulnerability, he's determined to find the source of the curse and defeat it. Under his masterful rule, her yearning evolves into rapture as she surrenders to his hunger for her and the emotional connection that lies beyond.
Buy Link: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/th...
March 17, 2011
Character Inspiration
Rain, actor, Ninja Assassin
March 12, 2011
Setting the scene?
The funny thing about setting the scene or stage for me is that it's not done by me. It truly comes to me from my characters. I believe it's helped me keep each story that I've written, so far, unique and different.
M.S. Spencer fellow bestselling Red Rose Publishing author visits Romancing the Pen this week, and she discusses setting the scene/stage. And what happened when she realized she'd set a scene/stage she knew absolutely nothing about.
Visit Romancing the Pen, and let us know what you think.
March 8, 2011
A week of contests!
My friend Denyse Bridger is having a week long party!
Recently, she had her debut release with Ellora's Cave, Hide and Secret. And in honor of it, she's having a week of contests.
Drop on by her blog, and take a look. You just might win!
March 6, 2011
Rules for writing fiction
As written for The Guardian by Roddy Doyle, novelist and screenwriter.
1 Do not place a photograph of your favourite author on your desk, especially if the author is one of the famous ones who committed suicide.
2 Do be kind to yourself. Fill pages as quickly as possible; double space, or write on every second line. Regard every new page as a small triumph –
3 Until you get to Page 50. Then calm down, and start worrying about the quality. Do feel anxiety – it's the job.
4 Do give the work a name as quickly as possible. Own it, and see it. Dickens knew Bleak House was going to be called Bleak House before he started writing it. The rest must have been easy.
5 Do restrict your browsing to a few websites a day. Don't go near the online bookies – unless it's research.
6 Do keep a thesaurus, but in the shed at the back of the garden or behind the fridge, somewhere that demands travel or effort. Chances are the words that come into your head will do fine, eg "horse", "ran", "said".
7 Do, occasionally, give in to temptation. Wash the kitchen floor, hang out the washing. It's research.
8 Do change your mind. Good ideas are often murdered by better ones. I was working on a novel about a band called the Partitions. Then I decided to call them the Commitments.
9 Do not search amazon.co.uk for the book you haven't written yet.
10 Do spend a few minutes a day working on the cover biog – "He divides his time between Kabul and Tierra del Fuego." But then get back to work.
