Robyn Bachar's Blog, page 6

Author Thursday: Interview with Robin D. Owens

Interview1. What flavor is your writing?

I am known for writing animal companions. I write fantasy romance and fantasy for women, and contemporary romance ghost stories. Most are sexy but not erotic.

2. If Ghost Seer was made into a movie, who would you cast to play the characters?

I really don't think in terms of actors, maybe you all could help me out. Zach has some Native American blood and it shows, he's a tough ex-deputy sheriff. Clare, herself, comes from a line of Hungarian gypsies, and completely suppresses her wild side under her accounting background.

3. What is your favorite scene in Ghost Seer?

Ah, that would be a spoiler! But I enjoy when Zach first sees Clare muttering to herself (or, rather, her ghost Labrador spirit guide) and inserts himself into the conversation.
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?

I have just finished The Last Chance Christmas Ball, a Regency Historical anthology by Mary Jo Putney, Jo Beverley, Patricia Rice, Joanna Bourne, Nicola Cornick, Cara Elliott, Anne Gracie and Susan King. Prior to that it was Devoted in Death by J.D. Robb.

I love to reread books in my library, so I've recently read, Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews and Bear Meets Girl by Shelly Laurenston.

5. What are you working on now?

I just finished number four in my Ghost series, Ghost Talker, which will be out in February, 2016, and I am working on a novella in my Celtic HeartMate series: "Lost Heart" which will also be published early next year.
LinksWebsite: http://www.robindowens.comBlog: http://robindowens.blogspot.comFacebook https://www.facebook.com/robin.d.owens.73Twitter: @RobinDOwensBook Blurb When her eccentric aunt passes away, no-nonsense accountant Clare Cermak inherits more than just a small fortune, she receives the gift to communicate with ghosts. While Clare may not believe in spirits, it's hard to overlook the shadowy talking dog appearing on her bed or spectral cowboys tipping their hats to her in the streets of Denver. But when she locks eyes with sexy – and living – Zach Slade, there's certainly no ignoring him either.

A former deputy sheriff, Zach is leaving a painful past behind in Montana for a new life in Denver as a private investigator, a job that has him crossing paths with beautiful Clare. Not that she minds. After the restless ghost of a Wild West gunman demands her assistance, Clare finds herself needing Zach more and more – and not just for help.

Ghost Seer is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

About the Author

RITA® Award Winning novelist Robin D. Owens credits the telepathic cat with attitude in selling her first futuristic/fantasy romance, HeartMate, published in December 2001. Since then she has written fifteen books in the series, Heart Fire the latest in November 2014, Heart Legacy coming out in November 2015.

Her five book Luna series included average American women Summoned into another dimension to save a world. Her Mystic Circle series was a mixture of contemporary urban and romantic fantasy set in Denver.

And her newest stories, about an uptight accountant who sees Old West ghosts and helps them move on, started with Ghost Seer in April 2014, continued with Ghost Layer and Ghost Killer. She's just finished Ghost Talker.

She is profoundly thankful to be recipient of the 2004 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ Writer of the Year award as well as the 2011 Writer of the Year Award, the Colorado Romance Writers Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2010 Best Paranormal and Best of the Best Daphne Du Maurier Award.

NaNoWriMo 2015 Prep: Using Questions to Plot Your Novel

Inquiring Muses Want to Know: Using Questions to Plot Your NovelI spent several years as a production editor working on education textbooks—books that teach teachers how to teach. I learned a lot about the methods that teachers use, and one of the popular teaching strategies I encountered was called inquiry-based learning. In inquiry-based learning students take a scientific approach to problem solving. Students are given a topic or question to research, and they discover the meaning and importance of it through a series of steps leading to a conclusion. I've adapted this technique for plotting a novel.

The main components of inquiry-based learning include
A question related to the topic to be explored (the problem statement)An investigation and gathering of information related to the question (data collection)A discussion of findings (the analysis)A reflection on what was learned (implications or conclusion)When plotting your novel, these steps become
Choosing the main issue your story will resolve (your problem statement)Gathering details related to the issue (motivation, characters, time period, and setting)A discussion of findings (creating an outline)A reflection on what was learned (creating your first draft)Using these steps can help you map out your new novel idea, get you unstuck from an attack of writer’s block, or help flesh out your rough draft. The following examples flesh these steps out.
Choosing your Main IssueProblem Statement (What happens?)Your problem statement describes your plot--the structure of your story. It’s not only a question of who does what to whom during the course of the story, but it’s also a question of what do you want to write about? What is the message you want to send, or the theme you want to work with? In romance, readers expect that boy will meet girl and live happily ever after. In space opera the readers expect that the universe will be saved from evil. Your problem statement is a chance to point out the things that make your story unique.

Gathering the DetailsMotivation (Why does it happen?)Your characters need external and internal motivations for dealing with your story problem. If they’re chasing a murderer, it’s not enough that they want to catch the killer, there needs to be a deeper reason driving them. Think of Batman. Batman fights crime, but he does it because Bruce Wayne struggles to find justice (or revenge) for the murder of his parents.

In romance there needs to be a reason that the characters fall in love (“because they’re the main characters” doesn’t cut it). How do they complete each other? How are they stronger together than apart?
Characters (Who does it happen to?)If you’re not comfortable with your characters, your readers won’t be either. What is your character’s ordinary world, and how does it change during the course of the story? Whether you’re looking for something as simple as a few questions about the character’s background or as complex as a complete psychological profile, taking the time to flesh out your characters gives them depth. (Examples of character questionnaires here.) You might not think your heroine’s favorite flavor of ice cream is going to come up in the story, but you might find a place for it (especially during NaNoWriMo where every word counts!) and details like that can make a scene feel more authentic for the reader.
Time Period (When does it happen?)What is the time period of your setting? If you’re writing a historical, are you already familiar with that era or will you need to do research in order to accurately describe it? How will you locate sources on your time period? If your story focuses on a specific event (i.e. a Civil War battle), it can be helpful to create a timeline of the historical event and then add the events of your novel to it. Timelines can be useful for any story when you have several events occurring in quick succession.
Setting (Where does it happen?)If you’re working with a real-world setting, research it. Find a few location photos and keep them near your writing space for inspiration. If you’re working with a fictional setting such as fantasy, draw a map of your kingdom. Filling in details such as trade routes, topography, and major geographical features can help you work out your storyline and add flavor to your plot. I used index cards to create the layout for the space station featured in my 2015 NaNo project. (I'm sharing more about how I'm plotting this year's NaNo in a later post.)

Discussing your FindingsCreating an OutlineThe outline is the spine of your story, listing the events that happen from scene to scene. Programs like Scivener and WriteWay are great for creating outlines, but note cards can be a quick, easy, and inexpensive method as well. Select 10 cards, numbering the first card 1 and the last card 10. Describe the beginning scene on the first card, and the resolution scene on card 10. Then fill out a card for each step that needs to happen to get from 1 to 10. Once you have 10 cards, additional cards can be added between scenes as needed. These cards can then be used to create a written outline or storyboard. Each card should have the GMC for that scene, describing who the scene is about, what they want (Goal), why they want it (Motivation), and why they can’t have it (Conflict).

Reflecting on your StoryCreating your First DraftIn school a term paper is created from your research, and the same is true with your novel. Once you’ve determined the problem you want to solve and answered the questions related to it, you have the content to construct a story. If you get stuck, reviewing the questions can help you come up with new approaches to your plot. And always, when in doubt, think of what’s the worst thing that could happen to your characters, and then do it to them. To quote Jim Butcher, “My business is making Harry Dresden suffer, and business is good.”
About the Author

Robyn Bachar enjoys writing stories with soul mates, swords, spaceships, vampires, and gratuitous violence against the kitchen sink. Her paranormal romance Bad Witch series, historical paranormal romance series Bad Witch: The Emily Chronicles, and spicy space opera romance trilogy Cy’ren Rising are available from Samhain Publishing. Her books have finaled twice in PRISM Contest for Published Authors, twice in the Passionate Plume Contest, and twice in the EPIC eBook Awards. As a gamer, Robyn has spent many hours rolling dice, playing rock-paper-scissors, and slaying creatures in mmorpgs.
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ZGbTnTwitter: @RobynBacharFacebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRobynBacharGoogle+: http://google.com/+RobynBacharGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/iamtherobyn

Book Info Falling in love has never been so deadly.

Five supernatural thrillers packed with action and romance, each introducing you to an exciting series. Honorable heroes, strong heroines and relentless suspense combine to bring you five page-turners you won’t soon forget.

Veiled Target—USA TODAY bestselling author Robin Bielman: Tess wants revenge, but thrust into an inconvenient alliance with her sexy enemy, she must trust the shifter she’s supposed to kill or risk losing everything.

Blood, Smoke and Mirrors—Robyn Bachar: Hunted by a powerful evil, exiled witch Cat must entrust her fate to the man who betrayed her. Now Lex faces the fight of his life to keep her safe. If they both survive.

Slayer’s Kiss—Cassi Carver: Fallen angels Gavin and Julian have been sent to protect Kara, but she’s determined to track down a killer, even when she realizes her target may be the creature hunting her.

Soul Bound—Anne Hope: Jace is no longer human. Something dark and powerful has taken root within him. Something that that could destroy the one woman he’d sacrifice everything to protect.

Phoenix Rising—Corrina Lawson: Everyone looks at firestarter Alec Farley as a weapon. Beth is the only one who sees a hero. But proving that could be deadly.

Warning: Contains shifters, vampires, witches, fallen angels, a firestarter and troublemaking faeries. Watch out for gratuitous violence, gripping emotion, unconventional sex, some foul language, and a love triangle that gives new meaning to the term hot-wings.

Five Past Midnight is available for only $4.99 for a limited time at Amazon,  Barnes and Noble,  All Romance eBooks, iTunes, Kobo, and Samhain.

Excerpt
“I’ll be here as long as you need me.” Lex looked down at me, seeming sincere, and I shook my head at him.

“Don’t, Lex. You’re only here on orders. You’ll be gone and on to the next as soon as this assignment is over.”

“What if I don’t want that?”

“What if I do? I’m all for the life-saving thing, but I don’t want you in my life again.”

“Are you sure of that?”

Scowling, I took a steadying breath and prepared to launch into an explanation of the myriad reasons why I wasn’t about to go through another round of heartbreak with him, but before I could speak he leaned down and brushed a kiss across my lips.

A warm tingling suffused my body as soon as our lips met, the sort of electric reaction I usually associate with casting magic, but much, much better. He was hesitant at first, probably afraid I’d slap him or zot him with a spell, but when I didn’t object he slowly began to deepen the kiss. My knees went weak as my good sense vanished, and I slipped my arms around him to steady myself. Lex held me close as he continued to kiss me, and I leaned into him. I’d forgotten how well we fit together. He sighed, as though my lips were delicious and he savored them.

“This is a bad idea,” I murmured.

“No, this is a good idea.” Lex nudged me back toward the couch, and I sat down in a less-than-graceful flop. Next he joined me and drew me into his arms.

“Oh yeah? How?” My hormones were obviously happy to see him, but I still had a little bit of brainpower left, enough to be skeptical of the situation.

“Because letting you go was a bad idea. I don’t want to make that mistake again.” His voice was low and strained, and I wished it wasn’t so dark so I could see his expression. I sighed, a mix of old pain and new uncertainty, but he kissed me again and I stopped arguing.

I relaxed into the embrace, returning the kiss passionately. I felt better instantly—safe, warm, desired. Lex stroked my braided hair and let his hand rest at the small of my back. I ran my own hands up and down his back, debating whether or not it would be a good idea to tug his shirt off, but then I felt him unhooking my bra. My pulse jumped, and my magic decided to take that opportunity to wreak havoc on a pair of unsuspecting table lamps. With an electric sizzle followed by two sharp pops the light bulbs flashed and exploded. Startled, we jumped apart, the mood broken. We stared at each other, and I felt a guilty blush heat my face.

“Cat—” he started, and I held a hand up to stop him before he could say anything further.

NaNoWriMo 2015 Prep: Writing Out of Order by Devin Harnois

Writing Out of OrderI’m here to talk to you about the crazy fun of writing out of order. If you’re struggling with your novel, or the idea of writing 50,000 words in a month scares you, you might want to try this.

For the last two years I’ve been writing books out of order. It started when I was stressed out and distracted during NaNoWriMo and didn’t want to give up my winning streak (I’m currently 8 for 8). So I decided I was going to write whatever scene I came up with next, whether that was in order or not. If I was working on a sub plot and got excited about where that would lead, I followed that trail for a while even though the scenes would be spread out in the final book. Or if I couldn’t figure out what happened next, I jumped to a different plot thread.

This made writing so much easier.

I flipped back and forth between the main plot and sub plots, or wrote a random scene with characters just talking. Most of those random scenes became part of other plots or started new ones.

By the end of November I had a 50,000 word book, the start of a new series, and my 7th NaNoWriMo win.

Of course, all along I had a nagging voice whispering that the book would be chaos and a nightmare to fix during editing. I firmly told it, “That’s a December problem.” (This is a powerful phrase to use when battling your Inner Editor.)

Here’s the biggest surprise: it wasn’t nearly as much work as I thought.
My muse is a lovely creature and kept track of where things would generally fit. There was definitely some shuffling involved, trying to decide the exact sequence of events and balancing POVs and things like that. And I had to read through and make sure I adjusted things as needed -- if event A hasn’t happened yet, the characters shouldn’t mention it during this lunchroom scene.

Keep in mind I’ve written and edited a number of novels. If this is your first, you’ll likely have more work to do on your second draft. I suggest writing a second novel before editing the first. Writing a new book will teach you more about story, structure, character, etc than writing a dozen drafts of novel #1.

So back to my out-of-order novel. I had such a good time that when I started a new book I wrote that out of order, too.

“Ok,” you say, “I’m intrigued. But how does that actually work?”

Well, here’s where I tell you Scrivener is your best friend. You can write in any program (I use Google Docs on my Chromebook when I’m away from home) but Scrivener makes organizing and editing a dream.

Here’s a screenshot of my current book, with a few spoilery things blacked out:


The scenes have very brief descriptions to help me remember what happens, and over in the synopsis section at the top right, I put a slightly longer description. The orange flag marks a scene I need to write later.

When using Gdocs, I put the scene info in brackets: [Aiden and Dylan practice fire spells]. I also use brackets to write notes to myself: [Or do they know about this?]. And for missing information such as names. I can get through a whole book with a secondary character named [wolf girl] or [archer].

I’m a gleeful pantser, but this could also work for someone who outlines. You have your scene list all ready to go and jump to what you feel like writing that day. Stressed out and want to write that cool fight scene in the middle of the book? Go for it! Not in the mood for writing that super sad scene while you’re sitting in a coffee shop? Save it for when you’re at home and can cry without feeling self-conscious.
What happens if you write a scene and decide you need to change something? Time for more brackets! Write a note to yourself and move on.What if you hate the scene and it’s haunting you? Write it over again. I’ve written the same scene from two different POVs to see which one was better. They’re all words, they all count for NaNo!

What you’re doing is not fixed in stone. You’re finger painting, building towers of blocks, squishing Play-Doh between your fingers. You’re letting your creative self out to play and this should be fun.

So have fun. Make a mess. I wish you many happy words this November.
About the Author

Devin Harnois has eight published novels and he’d have more if he spent less time on Twitter and playing Dragon Age. He collects skull items and only a strong will prevents his apartment from being overrun by them. Devin lives in Minneapolis with a lazy cat and a wild imagination.

Find Devin at:
Twitter: @devinharnoisWebsite: devinharnois.comEmail: devinharnois@gmail.com

Book Info Welcome to Shadow Valley, a town hidden from the world — and full of monsters. Students at the high school learn how to control their supernatural powers alongside regular classes. Graduation means the freedom to go out into the human world. Failure means being trapped in town for good.

Aiden discovers a new world when his changeling powers manifest. Forced to move to Shadow Valley, he struggles with the fear of his powers and his strange classmates. When he meets bad boy Dylan, a dragonkin, they begin an unlikely friendship. But something dark stalks their dreams, tempting them with their heart’s desire.

When Dylan makes a dangerous choice, will Aiden’s friendship be enough to save him?

How to Make Friends and Not Incinerate People is available at Amazon.

Excerpt
He followed the mass of students to the lunchroom. Seeing the food woke him up but did nothing for his appetite. Do I even want to know what that stuff is? Piles of meat, some of it not cooked, tall bottles full of red liquid, roasted insects. Aiden put a hand to his mouth and started to turn away.

“Hey, new kid.” It was the handsome boy from homeroom, Dylan. “I think you want that side.” He pointed to the other end of the lunchroom where kids were filling their trays from a different buffet line.

“What’s over there?”

The corner of Dylan’s mouth turned up. “Human food.”

A pale boy with hunched shoulders pushed past Aiden and grabbed a tray, filling his plate with raw meat. Aiden’s stomach rolled again, and he tried hard not to breathe in the smells. He followed Dylan to the other side of the room, sure he wasn’t going to be able to eat anything no matter what was over there. Still, he let out a sigh of relief when he saw a pile of salad.

“There’s nothing weird about this, right?” he asked Dylan.

“Nope. Regular human food.”

“Why are there two different lines?”

Dylan shrugged. “Food safety or something. And for the squeamish ones like you.” He smirked again. God, he was handsome.

Aiden thought he should try to eat something, so he got salad and an apple. Dylan got a cheeseburger with a huge pile of fries, and the sight of the meat made Aiden queasy. At the end of the line, he expected to see a cashier, but there wasn’t one. That’s right. Mr. Johnson had said meals were free.

Dylan sat down at an empty table and Aiden set his tray down across from him.

“Who said you could sit there?” Dylan snapped.

Feeling cold, Aiden lifted his tray. So much for making friends.

As he turned, Dylan said, “Hey. I didn’t mean that. You can sit if you want.”

Aiden hesitated. Dylan probably only felt sorry for him. What kind of sad puppy face was he making? Glancing over the room, he looked for Maggie. She was too energetic, but at least she was nice. He didn’t see her, and the tables were filling up. Everybody already had friends, probably ones they knew from middle school, even elementary school.

Holding back a sigh, he sat down across from Dylan. He thought he should say something, but didn’t know what. Thank him? Tell him not to be a jerk? Dylan picked up his cheeseburger and started eating. Aiden poked at his salad.

Some other kids sat at the far end of the table, giving them odd glances. As more and more kids found seats, the side where Aiden and Dylan sat stayed empty. Kids walking by gave them odd looks.

Finally, Aiden had to say something. “Why isn’t anyone sitting with us?”

“It’s me, not you,” Dylan said between bites of fries. The cheeseburger was already gone.

“Why?” Aiden started to worry that he was sitting next to something so dangerous that other monsters didn’t want to get near it.

Dylan shrugged. “People don’t like me.”

Aiden rolled his apple around on his plate. “Why? What are you?”

Dylan gave him a look and there was something in his eyes, a glint or a glow. It made Aiden feel like something small and helpless, a mouse standing in front of a lion. Then it faded and a slight hint of a smile touched Dylan’s lips.

“You’ll find out.”

NaNoWriMo 2015 Prep: Are You Ready For This by Yolanda Sfetsos

Are you ready for this?Hi! I’d like to thank Robyn for including me in this very cool blog series.

I’ve been taking part in NaNoWriMo since 2006, and only skipped one year because I was too busy editing to concentrate on a new book. I’ve managed to ‘win’ each time I’ve taken part, and just love the act of participating in this event. I enjoy popping into the website to update my daily word count, tweet about it, and even try to blog about my progress.

I usually start thinking about what book I’m going to write early on in the year, and then change my mind closer to the date. I did the same thing this year! I was initially going to tackle a very dark futuristic stand-alone idea that’s been building inside my head for several years, but have now decided that I’ll be writing the last book in my RECAST series instead.

I always do the switcheroo. ;)
Everyone tackles a new project a different way. I’ve even tackled different books in a variety of ways. It all depends on the story and how much I know before the writing part actually begins.

So I’m going to chat a little about how I’ll be spending my NaNoWriMo Prep time this October.

Now that I know which book I’m going to spend November writing it’s time to set aside some brainstorming time. I’m not much of a plotter. I used to be a pantser, but I’m not that anymore either. I’m somewhere in between, and find myself brainstorming the book I want to write about a month beforehand. I take a lot of notes, do the required research, make sure I have the character names, and even list the main points of the story. I don’t actually have a chapter-by-chapter plan ready to go, but a pretty good idea of what’s going to happen.

Sometimes I don’t know where it’s going to end, or have a total black hole somewhere in the story that will need to be dealt with later on, but by the time I’m ready to write the story is pretty much playing out inside my head. Of course, the beauty of being a hybrid writer is that sometimes things change while I’m telling the story, which can be a lot of fun.

I’ve already picked out a composition book to jot down all of my ideas and thoughts about RECAST #6. This month I’ll be putting that notebook to good use. Not only to jot down all my initial ideas and make a list of the important events in the book, but also to write down everything that comes to mind during the actual writing process. By the time I’ve met my word count quota, the notebook is going to be filled with scribbled notes.

When it comes to getting involved in NaNoWriMo, it’s not only important to plan ahead, but to make sure that you have fun. And remember, a first draft doesn’t have to be pretty. It just has to be written. Like they say, you can’t edit a blank page… but you can certainly write yourself a 50k-word novel and polish it later.

Also, don’t forget to sign up sometime during the month!

Are you going to take part this year? If so, have you already decided on what story you’ll be writing? Either way: Good Luck!

Thanks for reading,
Yolanda
About the Author

Wife. Mother. Writer. Bibliophile. Dreamer. Animal lover. Intrigued by the supernatural. Horror freak. Zombie enthusiast. Movie & music fan. Slave to her muse.

Yolanda lives in Sydney, Australia with her awesome husband, lovely daughter, and cheeky cat.
Website: http://www.yolandasfetsos.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/yolandasfetsosGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/yolandasfetsos

Book Info All it takes is a little death and mayhem to make a spook catcher’s day.


Sierra Fox has finally inherited her grandmother’s power to destroy demons, but what good is it when her werewolf boyfriend still lies in a coma? Worse, the decision she’s about to make could save him—but ruin their relationship.

If that’s not enough bad stuff on her plate, she’s got a soul to save—the soul of her closest friend, killed by the Lamia that got away.

Another untasty side dish: The Obscurus refuse to give up their relentless pursuit, and they’ve upped the ante. Mace is dead set on blowing up the Spook Catcher Council Tower, and the blowback will have devastating effects on Sydney and for Sierra. At least these demon-obsessed freaks aren’t counting on Sierra having a Goddess and a trusty demonic conduit as backup.

All of this leads to a one-way ride into the abandoned part of town, where the Obscurus plan to summon Legion. With her demon hunter friend by her side, Sierra prepares for the final battle…because even she knows this will be The End.

Warning: Phantasms, wraiths, orbs, demons, all guaranteed to ruin any spook catcher’s day. But you can always count on werewolves, land spirits, and a Goddess. Beware of explosions, demonic obsessions, and the battle that will tip the scales and change Sydney forever.

A STITCH ON TIME is now available in print and ebook from Samhain Publishing.

NaNoWriMo 2015 Prep: Motivational Techniques by Robin D. Owens

Motivational Techniques for NaNoWriMo At first, the excitement of being in NaNoWriMo should give you a good start (it does me). All those other writers pursuing their creative outlet along with you! Get togethers, write ins, forum chats and messages, twitter sprints.

But as the month wears on, and the thrill wanes, you might need to use a few tricks to improve your focus.

ENVIRONMENT
First, check out your standard environment where you do most of your writing to ensure it's comfortable, efficient and not distracting.

Light: What's the light like?

October and gray days have just hit Denver, banishing the sun, especially in the morning when I write. I've started using my lamp with a full spectrum bulb to simulate daylight, as well as putting full spectrum bulbs in my overhead fixture in my office.

But, really, I rarely write with the overhead lights on, so when I turn them off and the desk light on, it's a signal to my brain that I'm moving to creative writing mode.

Make sure you're writing in the right amount of light that suits you, or if in the dark, that you have a backlit keyboard.
TidinessAt the end of deadline, or the middle of NaNo, my desk and office can get littered with research books and notes, scraps of paper showing my wordcount, and a battalion of mugs.

A lot of creative people can work in a mess, but make sure the mess doesn't tip over into chaos that makes you want to avoid your regular writing space.

Note: Also consider the complete opposite to stimulate your brain and fingers. Getting away from it all can be beneficial, like moving to a different area or a coffee house, or library. We have the write-ins during November, but if those don't work for you due to needing music blasting or complete quiet, make sure you keep your regular space welcoming – or find an alternative that will work for you.
Computer!I'm betting that most of us work on a computer (maybe the same computer) for our day job as our writing. Consider changing themes on your computer for your writing versus your day job. For instance, in Windows, the high definition themes can give you a lot of scope in changing the colors of your "paper," menu bars, etc. So does the software program, Scrivener.

Changing from one theme to another also can signal your brain to switch over to writing mode.

I also have a separate, ergonomic, keyboard for writing, as well as a 24" monitor so I can easily compare documents side by side. Much of the time I use an exercise ball as a seat. Find what's good for you and use it.

When purchasing a new laptop, I check out the keyboard to see if I'll be comfortable writing on it. I also spend some hours practicing on it and breaking it in. I do have a backlit keyboard on my main computer.

What else do you do on this computer, or in this space? Pay bills, figure taxes, write your evil aunt Mable? Try not to associate your computer, or your work space, with negative experiences.

So that's your environment. What else can you do?

WRITING RITUALS
Second, do you have writing rituals? A little set of actions that, as I've said before, might trigger your brain into thinking, time to stop day job, or messing around, and create!

Some things you can consider:
Left brain/right brain movement to stimulate the linkage between them, i.e. touch your left toe with your right hand, do some cursive handwriting for a paragraph or two before you sit down to the keyboard, or sketch something.Lighting a candle every time to sit down to write (not near any sort of papers)!Putting on music, a soundtrack you've made for this particular manuscript.Or subliminals (yes, I believe in audio waves and subliminals), I have a full range on my computer that I can use, also a full range on my Apple products – for these you need headphones.Consider other sensual prompts – a collage of images pertinent to your story: hero, heroine, historic old house setting, ghost . . .Coffee, tea, cocoa at hand. Yes, that first sip can get you going. Watch out for cookie crumbs in the keyboard.A COUPLE OF EXERCISES TO ELIMINATE SELF-DOUBT AND BOOST THE JOY OF WRITING
First, for self doubt, write down everything you worry about for this particular story – handwritten – for about 5-10 minutes. Then scratch out those words, rip up the pages, shred or toss them. Your worries are gone. (Note, I've had people figure out what went wrong in their story, so they kept their pages).

Next, especially helpful in the middle of the story: WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN ABOUT WHY YOU WANTED TO WRITE THIS PARTICULAR STORY. Why only you can do justice to this story. What you love about this story. Keep this close.

Now go forth and write good stuff!
As you might have realized, I pulled the above from several seminars I've done. If you have questions, please comment.About the Author

RITA® Award Winning novelist Robin D. Owens credits the telepathic cat with attitude in selling her first futuristic/fantasy romance, HeartMate, published in December 2001. Since then she has written fifteen books in the series, Heart Fire the latest in November 2014, Heart Legacy coming out in November 2015.

Her five book Luna series included average American women Summoned into another dimension to save a world. Her Mystic Circle series was a mixture of contemporary urban and romantic fantasy set in Denver.

And her newest stories, about an uptight accountant who sees Old West ghosts and helps them move on, started with Ghost Seer in April 2014, continued with Ghost Layer and Ghost Killer. She's just finished Ghost Talker.

She is profoundly thankful to be recipient of the 2004 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers’ Writer of the Year award as well as the 2011 Writer of the Year Award, the Colorado Romance Writers Lifetime Achievement Award and the 2010 Best Paranormal and Best of the Best Daphne Du Maurier Award.
Website: http://www.robindowens.comBlog: http://robindowens.blogspot.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/robin.d.owens.73Twitter: @RobinDOwens

Book Info When her eccentric aunt passes away, no-nonsense accountant Clare Cermak inherits more than just a small fortune, she receives the gift to communicate with ghosts. While Clare may not believe in spirits, it's hard to overlook the shadowy talking dog appearing on her bed or spectral cowboys tipping their hats to her in the streets of Denver. But when she locks eyes with sexy – and living – Zach Slade, there's certainly no ignoring him either.

A former deputy sheriff, Zach is leaving a painful past behind in Montana for a new life in Denver as a private investigator, a job that has him crossing paths with beautiful Clare. Not that she minds. After the restless ghost of a Wild West gunman demands her assistance, Clare finds herself needing Zach more and more – and not just for help.

Ghost Seer is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

NaNoWriMo 2015 Prep: Creating a Project Playlist by Kristina Knight

Creating a Project PlaylistI'll let you in on a little secret: I can't write without music. Seriously. My brain stops sending messages to my fingers and I freeze. Sounds crazy, doesn't it? A writer should be able to write from anywhere...and I can, as long as there is music, too.

I know several writers who listen to a specific playlist from the start of a project all the way through edits. I don't do that. My writing process requires different types of music for different areas: when I'm drafting, it's light classical or jazz. No Muzak and no instrumentals of popular songs because I'll wind up singing and not writing. Once the draft is in the can and I'm on to edits, my playlist comes into play, and it will have a little bit of everything from pop and rock to country and even some oldies thrown in for good measure. While I'm editing, the songs on my playlist will help me remember the mood of a scene or the crux of my hero's or heroine's problem...or the song will remind me of the book in general.
Here's a sampling of the playlist behind my Rockers series: Light My Fire, Start Me Up and Call Me.
1985 by Bowling for SoupSpringsteen by Eric ChurchRaise Your Glass by P!nkRing of Fire by Johnny CashLight My Fire by The DoorsDance Forever by Allstar WeekendDaylight by Maroon 5Cruisin' by Smokey RobinsonCome Over by Kenny Chesney(Kissed You) Goodnight by GlorianaHere Comes Goodbye by Rascall FlatsWhat music inspires you? Which songs are on your NaNoWriMo playlist?
About the Author

Once upon a time, Kristina Knight spent her days running from car crash to fire to meetings with local police. No, she wasn't a troublemaker, she was a journalist. Her career took her all over the United States, and along the way she found her very own Knight in Shining Cowboy Boots. Just like the characters from her favorite books, Kristina is living her own happily ever after with her Knight and their Princess.

Kristina writes sassy contemporary romance novels; her books have appeared on Kindle Best Seller Lists. She loves hearing from readers, so drop her a line!
Website: http://www.kristinaknightauthor.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/kristinaknightromanceauthorTwitter: @authorkristinaPinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/authorkristina/Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5827833.Kristina_KnightGoogle+: https://plus.google.com/+KristinaKnightAuthor/posts

Book Info When Hollywood hunk Chase MacIntyre proposes a faux relationship, disgraced L.A. matchmaker Nina Wright can't refuse…until some serious sexiness makes "on paper" happen between the sheets!

Matchmaker Nina Wright might work in LA but she keeps Hollywood types off her client list. She doesn't need their drama and she doesn't like the way so many of them exchange lovers like last year's accessories. But she needs one happy, high-profile client to get her business off the tabloid pages and back on solid ground.

Hollywood hottie Chase MacIntyre wants the gossip surrounding his latest fling to stop and he knows exactly how to do it: show up on his next red carpet with a new woman and once he meets Nina Wright he knows she is the woman to stop the presses. The problem? Once they're under cover, this business-only agreement is definitely too hot to handle…

Start Me Up is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks.
ExcerptShe sat back, crossing her arms over her chest. "You can't be serious."

His posture was the exact opposite of hers. Everything about him was opposite. Where she wore a pretty Stella McCartney blouse and prim pencil skirt, he wore ripped jeans and a tight black tee. Her strappy Manolos hadn't a single scratch. His Dr. Martens had to be from 1999 and looked like they'd cleaned up after one too many groupies in the green room.

You're in control here, Nina. You're the professional. He's the client. Shoo him away like the ass he really is.

Oh, but what a fine ass he has, the part of her brain she was definitely not listening to today said.

"I assure you I'm serious. I need a non-clingy, well-proportioned date for a gala fundraiser in two days and I'd prefer she have no illusions as to what this is about." He sat forward in his chair and Nina was sure she saw his abs ripple. She caught her breath and then forced her gaze from the spectacle and back to those blue-blue eyes. And promptly forgot to breathe again. "The money raised will keep music programs in at least fifteen local schools. To keep the cash coming I need the headlines to be about the event, not my social life."

"Then you should go alone."

"Going alone will keep the gossip rags talking. What I need is a pretty date for a one- night-only performance."

Nina blew out the breath she'd been holding. She didn't believe for a second this was a mercy date situation. More like a mercy hookup. She didn't do hookups. Her business set up marriage minded people who were matched based on an algorithm her aunt developed ten years before. An algorithm that had made the company a go-to in Los Angeles.

She shot a glance out the window at the press corps on the sidewalk below her window.

Well, until this morning, anyway.

"I think you've got my firm confused with…something else entirely, but for future reference—" she typed a few words into the search engine on her computer and flipped the screen to face him "—I am a matchmaker. A noun, meaning one who arranges relationships or marriages." She opened the next tab and gestured to the computer screen. "I am not a madam, although madams are also nouns. There is a very large, very cavernous area between matchmaking and houses of prostitution."

NaNoWriMo Prep 2015: Just Add Water by Debra St. John

Just Add WaterI’m a nighttime shower person. I shower to end my day rather than to begin my day.

You might be wondering why I’ve shared this random piece of information with you. It’s because my evening showering routine has become an important part of my writing routine.

Up until the beginning of this year, I didn’t really have a writing routine. I’d write when I had the time, often going days (or even weeks) without finding time to sit down at the keyboard. When asked, I’d say I get most of my writing done in the summer because I don’t work then. But it had gotten way too easy to skimp on that when other summer activities (vacation, travel, pool, beach…) called my name. When I did write, I would keep track of pages as a way to monitor my progress.

That all changed in January. I wanted to submit a holiday story to my publisher, and since I had to actually get something done on a deadline, I needed a better way to make progress and to keep track of progress. I decided I would set aside a specific time each day to write. And instead of tracking my page count, I’d track my word count.
The time of day I set aside was right after my shower, but before my hubby and I curled up on the couch to catch up on tv shows on the DVR. Setting up an actual routine worked for me. While the water flowed in the shower, so did the ideas. Each night I was able to sit down at my computer and increase my word count. I didn’t set a specific word count goal for each writing session, but I kept a running total, and I also kept track of how many new words I added each night. Switching from page counting to word counting was also inspirational. Those words add up faster than pages, which made me really feel like I was making progress.

With my new writing routine, I was able to finish and submit my Christmas story. It’s being released next month as the first book in my Holidays at The Corral Series. I tried the routine again this summer and wrote and just contracted the second book about Valentine’s Day. Right now I’m knee deep in the routine again and am just about finished with the Fourth of July book.

I’ve also renamed the things I want to do as ‘attempts’ instead of ‘goals’. I’m doing the same thing...writing a book...but the change in vocabulary seems to make it less intimidating. Sometimes something simple as a fresh perspective is all you need to get motivated again. A set deadline from my publisher helps, too, which is why I’ve been working on these holiday stories. In order for them to be released at the proper time of year, they need to be submitted, edited, approved, etc. at specific times. I can’t afford to be open-ended and lax and get to writing when I get to it. I definitely find working toward a hard deadline keeps me on track.

My point is this. A writing routine is vital for success. It works, but you need to find what works for you. Your routine may be nothing like anyone else’s, and that’s okay. Start with some basics:
When you’ll write.Where you’ll write.How long will a session be?How will you track your progress?NaNoWriMo is a great opportunity to begin a routine and let it take shape. You’ll have a built-in cheering section and lots and lots of support. Having something specific to aim for is also helpful. Find a contest to enter. Choose a certain type of submission. And give yourself plenty pats on the back when you make progress...any progress.

Good luck! And along the way, be sure to enjoy the process!

Christmas at The Corral is the first book I wrote using my 'just add water' routine. It will be released on November 4 from The Wild Rose Press.
About the Author

Debra St. John has been reading and writing romance since high school. She always dreamed about publishing a romance novel some day. Her dream came true when she started writing sultry contemporary romance with sexy heroes and spunky heroines for The Wild Rose Press. Although she's a country gal at heart, she lives in a suburb of Chicago with her husband, who is her real life hero.

She is the author of The Corral Series, which includes her debut release, This Time for Always, a Champagne Rose and Rosebud bestseller at The Wild Rose Press. This Can't Be Love and This Feels Like Home complete the series. Her holiday stories are A Christmas to Remember, An Unexpected Blessing (Thanksgiving), and The Vampire and the Vixen for Halloween. One Great Night, Family Secrets, and Wild Wedding Weekend round out her bookshelf.
Website: www.debrastjohnromance.comBlogs: http://heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com, http://bookbeatbabes.blogspot.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/debra.s.john.1

Book Info Maggie Pearson has no time in her busy life for love, but an immediate attraction draws her to a mysterious stranger at The Corral, a local bar. However, any romantic feelings are ruthlessly squashed when he accuses her of having an affair with his brother.

As a divorce lawyer, Van Rawlings has seen the ugly side of marriage too many times to believe in love. But having gotten off on the wrong foot with Maggie, and genuinely contrite over his faux pas, he offers to help her with an upcoming Christmas charity dinner. The more time they spend together, the more he realizes he's never met anyone like Maggie, who gives so generously of her time.

Can Maggie and the magic of the season help Van believe again? In Christmas and in love.

NaNoWriMo 2015 Prep: The Blank Page by Erica Ridley

The blank page: A clean start or a fresh nightmare?As a NaNoWriMo survivor (and the author of ten romance novels) I’d like to offer my Top 3 Tips for getting words on the page.


#1: Writing Caves Are OverratedI used to have the perfect writing environment—a bedroom I converted into an office, and filled with corkboards and reference books and custom shelving to house all my authorly knickknacks.

The best thing about my writing cave: It rocked.
The worst thing about my writing cave: I convinced myself that the magic would only happen while I was inside of it. That I needed the writing cave, the high speed internet, the reference books on their custom shelving, the corkboard and the dry erase board (because why have just one?) and a few solid hours of uninterrupted time with a fast computer and an oversized monitor in order to possibly get words on the page.

Turns out, that’s a bunch of crap. It’s an excuse.

You don’t need paradise on earth in order to be productive. You can write in a notebook, on a laptop, in the Dropbox app on your phone. You can jot plot twists on a napkin while you wait for fresh French fries. You can type a few lines of dialogue on the bleachers while you wait for your kid’s turn at bat.

No, really. You CAN. Will it be lower quality? Try it and see. You may be shocked at how nearly indistinguishable words written while on hold with the power company are with words written whilst rose petals artfully fluttered from the sky inside your writing cave.

Don’t build up myths that prevent you from writing. Trust in yourself. You can do it.
#2: There is No Writers BlockIf I learned anything from watching The Matrix, it’s that there is no spoon. (Come to think of it, I may not have learned anything from watching The Matrix.)

If I have learned anything from battling against my own self-sabotage, it’s that there is no “writers block”. If you’re sitting in front of your computer and you can’t put words on the page, there are typically only two causes:
1) You are wrong about what should happen next and your subconscious is trying to get you to rethink.Perhaps you’re making a character act out of character, or forcing the plot in an unmotivated or illogical direction. When this happens, the easiest way to have a brilliant idea is to go somewhere you can’t write it down. To attract answers, I recommend long walks, a hot shower, or a drive to the grocery store.
2) You are correct about what should happen next and are just procrastinating, out of fear of success or fear of failure or too many good shows on Netflix.The only cure for this is to knock it off. If you know what you should be doing and you have a few minutes to make a dent in it—go for it! You will hate yourself more choosing not to write, than for not knowing what to write.

Write through it, whatever it is. Turn off the TV. Stop worrying about future reviews or whether your royalties will let you buy a new house. There’s time for that later.

Right now, it’s time to write.
#3: Your Baby is Ugly. (As it should be.)
Let’s face it—first drafts are first drafts for a reason. Your first take isn’t going to be perfect, so stop driving yourself insane trying to make perfection flow from the very first word.

As the saying goes: You can’t fix a blank page. You also can’t fix the first draft of every sentence without simultaneously turning it into a second draft.

NaNoWriMo isn’t about creating the final, glowing copy that will earn you the #1 International Bestseller accolades we all dream of. It’s about writing a book.

Much like you have the baby first, then raise it second—first you write the book, then you worry about fixing it.

Plot points and even entire characters can become irrelevant over the course of a first draft. If you spend hours-days-weeks coaxing literary perfection out of words that you’re later going to delete altogether, what was the point?

Write. Writing is the point. When you get to The End, celebrate it. You deserve it.

And then you can edit.
About the Author

Erica Ridley is a USA Today best-selling author of historical romance novels. Her latest series, The Dukes of War, features roguish peers and dashing war heroes who return from battle only to be thrust into the splendor and madness of Regency England.

When not reading or writing romances, Erica can be found riding camels in Africa, zip-lining through rainforests in Costa Rica, or getting hopelessly lost in the middle of Budapest.
Website: http://www.ericaridley.comFacebook: http://facebook.com/EricaRidleyTwitter: @EricaRidley

Book InfoFREE: The Viscount’s Christmas Temptation
Certain individuals might consider Lady Amelia Pembroke a managing sort of female, but truly, most people would be lost without her help. Why, the latest on-dit is that rakish Viscount Sheffield is canceling the fête of the year because he hasn't time for silly soirees. He doesn't need time—he needs her!

http://smarturl.it/tvctamzpr

NEW RELEASE: The Brigadier’s Runaway Bride
After being left for dead on the battlefield, Brigadier Edmund Blackpool is scarred inside and out. He fights his way home only to discover his intended before the altar with his best friend. He'll be the one to marry her, no matter what she wants! But when his new bride disappears with his child, he must reopen his wounds to win the most important battle of his life.

http://smarturl.it/tbrbamzpr

Author Thursday: Interview with Sonali Dev

Interview1. What flavor is your writing?

I’d say sweet with an undertone of hot and a sprinkling of salt. Much like the darkest chocolate with a dash of habanero and sea salt that when it melts together in your mouth is an explosion of flavors.

Seriously though, I like exploring the goodness in people-sacrifice, loyalty, heroism—in the face of tragedy. Ria for all her darkness and her day-to-day struggles with agoraphobia and depression is snarky and cynical but she also craves joy and soaks it up like rain on parched earth. Vikram for all his anger is all that is solid and steadfast and incapable of doing anything without giving it his all. He is rain as much as earth. Together, well, they are dark chocolate with all the trimmings.

2. If this book was made into a movie, who would you cast to play the characters?

Ria is tall, elegant and flawlessly beautiful on the outside and all sorts of damaged on the inside. The Indian actress Deepika Padukone would play Ria spectacularly I think.

Vikram is a bit harder for me to cast, he’s a combination of rough and smooth, of intense and easygoing. Hrithik Roshan could play him in terms of physicality and the gray-blue eyes but Manish Dayal has that sweetness paired with intensity that’s so very Vikram. Plus, have you seen Manish Dayal? Truth be told, I want to cast him as everything.

3. What is your favorite scene in The Bollywood Bride?

It’s this scene when Ria, Vikram and Ria’s cousin, Nikhil go shopping for Nikhil’s wedding clothes on Devon Ave which is Chicago’s Indian shopping district. Ria has had to drag the two men to buy ornate Indian clothes which as Indian American kids they are totally not comfortable with (more like, terrified of). It’s that point in the story when all the conflict and chemistry has come to a head (pun may or may not be intended) but it’s a funny scene. Despite the humor, to me this scene bursts with intensity and angst and all three characters hit their stride and basically turn the story.
4. What are you reading now or what books do you have in your TBR pile?

I’m reading Nalini Singh’s Rock Redemption which is so incredibly delicious. Her Rock Kiss series is basically all chemistry and connection that jumps off the pages and thus far this one is heartgasm after heartgasm.

I’m about to beta read the first in Joanna Shupe’s upcoming Knickerbocker series, Magnate, and I am SO excited about it I can’t even tell you. She writes the most delightful Historicals and I think she was my favorite debut of this year.

Next up is Kimberly Kinkaid’s All Wrapped Up. Her books are also a heat fest and I’m kind of sad that this series in ending, but I have no doubt it’s going to be a spectacular close.

5. What are you working on now?

I’m actually sitting here trying not to chew down my manicure waiting for my editor to get my edits for book 3 back to me. And of course if that’s not enough to seal the fate of said manicure, The Bollywood Bride gets set free into the world tomorrow. So yes, I’m working on breathing and keeping my shoulders a healthy distance from my ears and I’m trying to enjoy it all.
LinksWebsite: sonalidev.com
Twitter: @Sonali_Dev
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sonalidevfanpage
Book Blurb Ria Parkar is Bollywood’s favorite Ice Princess—beautiful, poised, and scandal-proof—until one impulsive act threatens to expose her destructive past. Traveling home to Chicago for her cousin’s wedding offers a chance to diffuse the coming media storm and find solace in family, food, and outsized celebrations that are like one of her vibrant movies come to life. But it also means confronting Vikram Jathar.

Ria and Vikram spent childhood summers together, a world away from Ria’s tragedy-ridden family in Mumbai. Their friendship grew seamlessly into love—until Ria made a shattering decision. As far as Vikram is concerned, Ria sold her soul for stardom and it’s taken him years to rebuild his life. But he’ll risk it all again if Ria can find the courage to face the secrets she’s been guarding for everyone else’s benefit and finally stop acting and start living.

Rich with details of modern Indian-American life, here is a warm, sexy, and witty story of love, family, and the difficult choices that arise in the name of both.



Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and IndieBound.
About the Author

Award winning author, Sonali Dev, writes Bollywood-style love stories that let her explore issues faced by women around the world while still indulging her faith in a happily ever after.

Sonali’s debut novel, A Bollywood Affair, was one of Library Journal and NPR’s Best Books of 2014. It won the American Library Association’s award for best romance, is a RITA Finalist, RT Reviewer Choice Award Nominee, and winner of the RT Seal of Excellence. Sonali lives in the Chicago suburbs with her very patient and often amused husband and two teens who demand both patience and humor, and the world’s most perfect dog. Find out more at sonalidev.com.

NaNoWriMo 2015 Prep: The Valley of Despair by Lisa Nicholas

The Valley of DespairCongratulations! Next month you’re about to embark on one of the most exciting writing challenges around, National Novel Writing Month. If this is your first time, or if you’re an old hand, you’re going to learn things about yourself as a writer that you never knew, and you get to do it in the company of thousands of other writers just like you.

I first did NaNoWriMo in 2001. I was just getting started as a writer. I had written short stories and no novels—but I had an idea. And I loved my idea, so I dove in. Twenty-seven days later, I had 50,000 words on The Host, but I wasn’t finished with the story yet. I finished the first draft that January. No one has ever read it, and believe me when I say, that is a good thing. The Host was terrible science fiction, but I wouldn’t trade the experience for anything. I didn’t win NaNoWriMo again until 2013, with the book that went on to become my second book for Intermix, As Lost as I Get, which came out this past August.

I love writing novels and novellas, more than I ever did writing short stories, and I learned that thanks to NaNoWriMo. If there’s one thing I wish someone had told me when I started though, it’s this: no matter how many books you write, you will always reach a point in the book where you despise it.
I mean full-on hate. Continuing it will seem impossible. The characters are flat, the plot is flimsy, you’ve forgotten how to write a freaking sentence, for crying out loud. This book was a terrible idea and you clearly should just cut your losses and move on to something else.

About this time, a new idea that you’ve been mulling over will start to look really tempting. You’ll think, that’s the book I should be writing. That book won’t suck. And if you’re like me, you’ll hare off and start a brand new book.

But sooner rather than later, the new book will also turn terrible. How could you possibly have thought this was a good idea? But that shiny new idea, over there in the corner. That will make a good book. You should write that instead.

And so on. You can see where this is headed: a bunch of novels started, and none of them finished. And if you’re like me, you eventually start to wonder if you don’t have any good ideas to write at all. Or maybe you’re just a terrible writer and should chuck the whole thing and go watch TV.

But here’s the thing I eventually learned, from experience, and from listening to other writers talk about their experiences: hating your book is a step in the process to finishing your book. I started calling it the Valley of Despair. Other people call it the Dreaded Middle. When it happens seems to vary according to writer. Some can pinpoint the exact page. For me, it seems to happen right around 10,000 words.

My theory is, you’ve written all the exciting intro stuff, and then you’re faced with taking all of it and making something happen with it, and that’s where things get hard. The honeymoon is over, and it’s time to start making the marriage work, so to speak.

Every book you have ever read and loved, and some point in the writing process, the writer more than likely hated every word and wanted to quit and write a better idea. Your favorite book! Your favorite author wanted to bang his or her head against the keyboard, because surely that would produce better prose than the crap they were currently banging out.

You’re not a bad writer, and you don’t have bad ideas. When you hit that point in writing your book in November—and you will, I promise—keep going. Even when you hate every word. Go ahead and hate every word, but write them. It’s a first draft, you can fix it later.

Eventually, things will click back into place. Things will start coming easier. Do it enough times, with enough books, and when you hit the Valley of Despair or Dreaded Middle or whatever you want to call it, you can just sigh and grumble and complain and push on.

Don’t stop writing. I promise you, if you push through even when you hate it, you will eventually stop hating it, and you’ll finish your book.

Good luck, and happy writing!
About the Author

Lisa Nicholas is the author of The Farther I Fall. If she's not writing, she's feeding her story addiction any way she can: raiding Netflix, pillaging her local bookstore and library, and (most recently) tearing her way through the comics archive at Marvel.
Website: http://www.lisanicholas.com/Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/319872.Lisa_NicholasFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisanicholasauthorTwitter: https://twitter.com/lisa_nicholas_Tumblr: http://tumblr.lisanicholas.com/

Book Info From the author of The Farther I Fall comes an action-filled romance in which two lovers discover that the best thing about being lost is having someone find you...

CIA operative Lee Wheeler is glad to be back in the field, even if the assignment is at a backwater station in Colombia—what he considers punishment for crossing lines in an attempt to save his brother's life. Either way, he’s ready for action. But he never could have predicted the action he’s about to get...

Doctor Zoe Rodriguez is in charge of a clinic in a tiny town on the edge of the rain forest. She’s still dealing with a traumatic experience she had in Mexico—a trauma she wouldn't have survived if it weren't for Lee. So when they unexpectedly cross paths again, unresolved wounds rise to the surface, and their mutual passion flares to life.

But when a new threat reveals itself, Lee and Zoe’s reunion takes on echoes of the past that may ruin their chance for a future.

As Lost as I Get is available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Penguin.