Karilyn Bentley's Blog, page 11

Aliens and Witches, Oh My!

With over thirty books under my belt, I struggle to find plots that are new and different. There are only twenty plots in the world and I’ve probably written every one of them. As an author you have to start looking outside the box for ways to keep the writing fresh and interesting to not only your readers, but yourself. 
A close friend of mine, who writes science fiction and is very successful, was asked by Amazon to invite other authors to write in her world. I don’t have a science fiction following, but she asked me if I would be interested and I jumped at the opportunity. I’ve always wanted to write about funny witches and then I threw in an alien. Yes, this western historical/contemporary author was stepping out of her well worn box and writing about stuff she has very little knowledge of. Space…that final frontier. 
What came out is a book that I absolutely love. I agreed to write this short novella in January and then in February, my life sort of fell apart. My loving, funny, 84 year old father became ill and I spent a lot of time with him and my mother until he eventually passed away. 
This book, which is supposed to be humorous was written in the hospital, while I sat with my father. If it had been typed on paper, there would have been places stained by tear drops. In the end, it’s become one of my favorite stories simply because I know the emotional place I was at while writing this story. And yes, it did come out funny - not sad. But the story also reflects the importance of family, no matter what planet you’re from.

I finished the book on Friday, and four days later, my father passed away. This will always be his book. 
Blurb: She needs a mate. He needs a miracle. The Fates think they need each other. 
Time is running out.  Bad-Date Daisy must mate with her one true love...or she could die.  Sure, she dreams of falling in love, getting married, and having children.  But for Daisy, there's an expiration date on her fertility--and who wants to mate with the witch who turns men into onocentaurs, sending them on their way?
But Daisy's spells don't work on Orion Krazolz, who came to earth searching for a witch powerful enough to save his kingdom--and his family. After one encounter with Daisy,  Orion's got other plans.  Now, it's up to Orion to convince Daisy to follow him back to his planet--the same planet that destroyed all other witches years ago.  Will Daisy risk her life to find a future with her one true love or were the Fates wrong all along about Daisy and Orion? 
Available only on Amazon

RELEASE DAY FOR SUMMER HEAT - by Kathy Ivan

16 All New SCORCHING HOT Romances from NY Times, USA Today, and International Bestselling Authors!!!
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Guaranteed to make your blood run hot. Passion, steamy nights, excitement, and suspense. Something to suit every reader's taste. Grab a cool drink (you'll need it!), find a hammock, and curl up for an unforgettable escape. 

1: Caridad Pineiro, Under the Boardwalk - A passionate night under the boardwalk brought them together, but can Chase and Natalie rekindle that lost love in just one night? 


2: Nina Bruhns, Fast and Flirty - The top-secret package STORM Corps transporter Kade Maddox is hired to deliver turns out to be way more trouble—and a whole lot sexier—than he ever anticipated. 

 3: Rebecca York, Outlaw Justice - Will a surprise reunion with her old lover save her life when she flees from a homicidal husband? 



4: Jennifer Lowery, The Fall (Book #2 ATCOM series) - The last thing ATCOM agent Brendan Devayne wants is to settle down, but Mia Lawrence makes him think twice… 

5: Taylor Lee, Jared: (Book 1, The Justice Brothers Series) - The rookie cop learned the hard way that when tangling with the Justice Brothers, Justice—like Love-- isn’t always fair or easy. 

6: Traci Hall, Festival by the Sea - Al Cooper’s too bad to be a cop and too good to be a crook; Darcy Smith can’t get enough. 

7: Stephanie Queen, Beachcomber Heat - This summer’s heat wave on Martha’s Vineyard is breaking records, but so is the crime wave. The combination is causing a wave of red-hot dangerous desire between Dane and Shana. 


8: Kathy Ivan, Sex, Lies and Apple Pies - A televised baking competition brings them together. But deceit, intrigue and revenge are on this menu. Can their love survive? 

9: Jackie Ivie, The Hunted - LeeAnn’s got business in Miami. Bring on the sun. Sand. Sexy men to look at. The last thing she expects is to be someone’s target. 

10: Michele Hauf, The Geek Gets The Girl - Mistaken for the IT geek? This sexy CEO is about to learn the intimate operations of his company—up close, and personal. 

11: Rachelle Ayala, Bad Boys for Hire: Ken (Bad Boys for Hire Series, #2) - After Jolie Becker is left at the altar, her friends secretly hire a hunky beach bum to cheer her up. 

12: Katy Walters, Sands of Seduction - Clary escaped to a place of sea and sand, a place of passion and seduction. 

13: Melissa Keir, Protecting Her Pigg - Arson and fire bring them together, but what will cause the most damage…the arsonist bent on revenge or their own stubborn ways? 

14: Dani Haviland, Pool Boy Wanted (No Experience Preferred) - He’d never known a woman before, and that’s just how she wanted him. 

15: Jacquie Biggar, Summer Lovin’ - Can two mismatched lovers find a way past their mistakes, or will they keep their lonely hearts forever guarded?

16: Angelique Armae, Dark Wolf - When Highland wolf Callen MacHendrie catches intern Miranda Kendrick stealing his prized sword, the term wild romp takes on a whole new meaning.

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Everyone Knows an Ant Can't... Using the Senses when Writing #MFRWorg #Thursdayblog #amwriting

Lift a rubber tree plant! From the old song “High Hopes” (Frank singing You Tube)  
But we’re not here today to talk about an ant being strong. Have you ever just sat and watched an ant scurry about? Or watch a leaf by the toe of your shoe in great detail? And then note the colors, the smells -- truly becoming immersed in the object?
Or sitting in a coffee shop and seeing a hunky cyclist at a table tying his shoe laces bunny ear style. You make note of his pro-looking outfit. The sweat dripping from his forehead. His scruffy beard. (Oh my, I’m finding my imaginary guy desirable!)
Writing details is important because it relays senses to the readers and invests them emotionally.
The five senses are: Tasting, Hearing, Smelling, Feeling, Seeing. From “The Five Senses” by Dr.William K. Pediaopolis (Senses),  we have this definition: "A system that consists of a group of sensory cell types that responds to a specific physical phenomenon, and that corresponds to a particular group of regions within the brain where the signals are received and interpreted."
The five senses have to be incorporated into our writing. Otherwise, our work is boring, even lifeless, unresponsive. Who would want to read that?
Tasting–Enables us to distinguish food choices. Say, I bought a slice of lemon
pound cake. It’s the color of yellow daffodils and has a bit of white, nearly translucent, icing dribbled over the top. When I take a bite, the sharp lemon hits my tongue in a pleasing way, followed by the sweet sugary frosting. Both flavors complement each other. I like the taste so much, I want to make it last forever and chew slowly.

Hearing-is about the sounds we distinguish. Perhaps, the coffee shop uses real mugs and our imaginary cyclist knocks his against a plate. The ring from that hit captures our ear, and we turn to see who made the noise. Suppose there is a lot of hustle and bustle in the store and all the comings and goings distract us. There’s the snap of a newspaper. The zip from a laptop case. The scuffing of shoes. Someone sneezing.
Smelling-Enables us to distinguish odors. As Mr. Cyclist carries his brew to the table, a breeze pushes a whiff from the coffee toward us, teasing our nose and we have to have a drink now! The scent of coffee is greatly appealing to many people, but maybe not to others. Taste is tied with Smell.
Feeling-Distinguishing the quality of bodies. Back to the lemon pound cake—I touch the corner to break it off and feel the crisp outside edge. As I pull my section away, little crumbles fall to dot my plate. I press my finger to the crumbles. They are soft and light.
Seeing-Mr. Biker has finished his drink. I watch him push his mug and plate to one side. He drops the balled paper napkin on top of the empty plate. He bends over and reties his shoe in the bunny ear fashion.
In college, I took an Art Appreciation class. One of the assignments was to find a spot and observe for twenty minutes. I sat upstairs in an area which overlooked the gathering spot below. I noted the color of the furniture-blue, but not navy blue, fabric with silvery specks. And off to one side sat a guy from one of my classes. I watched him read and occasionally, glance up when someone passed by. He wore jeans, not too faded, and a white button down shirt. His hair was nearly black and had a wave.
Sounds stalker-ish? LOL. The purpose of the class was to heighten our awareness for when we studied paintings. To note details.
Writing details can make the work sing, but too many can cause a book to be tossed aside. Writers have to have a good balance in their work.


As a reader, do you notice when a writer uses the senses? As a writer do you use some senses and not the others?
Pretty soon, Hattie will be up to new tricks in Temporarily Insane. For more information, go to: Amazon
      

@sloanebcollins Writer's Block is an Evil Thing #amwriting #PlottingPrincesses #MFRWorg #writinglife #SullivansofMontana

I’ve been really stuck lately on my current work in progress.  Like STUCK, stuck.  I hit over the halfway mark, and I didn’t know what needed to happen next.  So I worked on editing the first half.  Searched Pinterest for more inspiration.  Tried writing just whatever, scenes that weren’t interesting.  Tried plotting an outline.   I even created book covers for all five in the series, hoping it would get me going (it did give me plots for books three and four!).  Worked on character development worksheets.
Etc., etc., etc. (said with Yul Brynner’s accent in “The King & I”.)
I had taken a brief hiatus from my French book sequel, and the prequel, because I had a dream about five cowboy ranching brothers, and they were clamoring for me to start writing their stories.  I’d hoped to enter it in a contest last year, but didn’t finish in time.  So with my Sullivans of Montana cowboy story, I wrote and wrote until I reached the point where the hero and heroine finally get together (you know what I mean). 
Then I got stuck.  In lava.  Which hardened until I couldn't write.
I know how I want it to end (thanks to my critique partners!!), and even though the hero and heroine just spent a night together, it’s not going to be smooth sailing.  So they were in limbo—and that limbo I left them in was not all hearts and flowers.
I finally chained myself in front of the computer last week, and stared at a blank white page, with the clock ticking a death knell.  That white page really mocked me to the point it was just hateful.  Just to get even with it, I typed CHAPTER TWELVE at the top of the page.  “Take that, you blankety-blank page.”
I stared at the two words I’d written, the cursor blinking at me, and finally started writing from the heroine’s point of view.  I got to a certain point and ALMOST head-hopped to the hero’s POV.  Then I realized this chapter should be from HIS POV, so I saved the document and opened a new BLANK WHITE PAGE (oh, woe is me).  But this time the words flowed better, and I ended up with 400 words (GO, ME!).  It’s not a lot, but it’s more than I’ve written lately.
So if you ever hear anyone say “I should write a book. It won’t take me long, because writing is SOOOO easy,” smack ‘em upside the head.  Writing is NOT easy.  Except maybe if you’re Nora Roberts. <grin> 
It’s hours of plotting, planning, pantsing even, torturing your characters, then rewriting and torturing some more.  Because readers don’t want a boy meets girl, they fall in love, happy ever after.  Where’s the payoff in that?   Readers want a couple to have obstacles to overcome, right?  Real life is messy and complicated, so fictional characters should share some of that, THEN get the hearts and flowers happy ever after. 
If you’re an author, what do you do when NOTHING is working and you’re stuck like glue…or mired in quicksand? Readers, do you want the complications before the big payoff?  

Ups and Downs of the Writer-ly Road by Sasha Summers @sashawrites #10thbook #milestone book

I love writing.


Nothing like seeing your ideas, the people in your head, in print. Yep, it's terrifying. Slightly nauseating.


And completely Awesome.


I'm blessed to be able to do something I enjoy. My 10th full length novel came out last month - a small accomplishment for some. Huge for others. I'm pretty proud.



But that doesn't mean it's all good stuff.
I write for Harlequin Blaze, their spicier imprint. My 10th book was my first book with them. The next in the series is out in November. That will be my last Blaze. Again, I realize I'm lucky to be writing for Harlequin Western and Entangled Publishing - but I admit I'm bummed. I think, as writers, we tend to look ahead--characters, stories, settings--that could be. Knowing they won't be, for now anyway, is a bum deal.
And yet, if there's one thing I've learned on my magical jaunt down writer-ly road: things change. Better to keep going than to get bogged down with the disappointments or what-ifs. It's not always easy, but no one ever said writing was easy.
"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." - Ernest Hemingway

Ups and Downs of the Writer-ly Road

I love writing.


Nothing like seeing your ideas, the people in your head, in print. Yep, it's terrifying. Slightly nauseating.


And completely Awesome.


I'm blessed to be able to do something I enjoy. My 10th full length novel came out last month - a small accomplishment for some. Huge for others. I'm pretty proud.



But that doesn't mean it's all good stuff.
I write for Harlequin Blaze, their spicier imprint. My 10th book was my first book with them. The next in the series is out in November. That will be my last Blaze. Again, I realize I'm lucky to be writing for Harlequin Western and Entangled Publishing - but I admit I'm bummed. I think, as writers, we tend to look ahead--characters, stories, settings--that could be. Knowing they won't be, for now anyway, is a bum deal.
And yet, if there's one thing I've learned on my magical jaunt down writer-ly road: things change. Better to keep going than to get bogged down with the disappointments or what-ifs. It's not always easy, but no one ever said writing was easy.
"There is nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed." - Ernest Hemingway

Michelle Miles: Reboots and Sequels

A weekend not so long ago, I visited my local library. I realized for the first time they had movies and music available for check-out. I was in heaven! Who KNEW? And why didn’t *I* know? And what’s really awesome is – it’s FREE! So the kid and I perused their selections we each found something to check-out.

One of them was Ghostbusters (1984). He asked if he could get it and I, of course, said SURE! I forgot how silly that movie is. It still makes me giggle. And there are tons of quotable lines throughout. Such as:
I looked into the trap, Ray.
Dogs and cats living together! Mass Hysteria!
Mother pussbucket.
Okay. So. She’s a dog.
(Later my BFF reminded that, back in the 80s, the Button Craze was going on and people had buttons that said, “Okay. So. She’s a dog.” That comment resurrected those brain cells that were long gone and it reminded me of the denim acid-wash jacket I had COVERED in them. No lie.) We watched it twice. The kid thought it was so great I had to buy them both. And now there’s a reboot coming out starring Melissa McCarthy and Chris Hemsworth as the secretary. I can hardly wait to see how that turns out!  I got to thinking about the reboots and big budget sequels Hollywood is doing lately and did some digging. I had no idea there were so many movies that are going to be rebooted, not to mention sequels to some older movies. Star Wars: The Force Awakens seems to have done remarkably well plus we got to revisit some of our favorite characters. I understand there’s going to be a whole new franchise with the Star Wars movies thanks to the powerhouse Disney backing it (honestly, Rogue One looks AMAZING. See the trailer on YouTube HERE).  And there’s going to be a sequel to the 1982s Blade Runner with Harrison Ford reprising his role as Rick Deckard (is he or isn’t he a Replicant?).
Anyway, here are some other reboots tentatively coming between 2016 and 2020 according to IMDB.Com:Barbarella – A TV Series. SERIOUSLY? The movie was…just… Why do we even have to go there? Maybe it will be better on TV...Starship Troopers – UGH. Do we have to? The first one sucked.The Neverending Story – This could actually be good with the new technology today. Let’s hope they don’t screw it up. I loved this movie back in 1984.Highlander – Okay all I have to say is there better be a HOT SCOT named Gerard Butler in that.Romancing the Stone – NO. Just No. No one can be a better Joan Wilder than Kathleen Turner.Logan’s Run – The original was pretty cool when it came out in, oh, 1976 with Michael York. I’m curious to see what they do with it on the reboot.Okay I realize this list has more of a science fiction/fantasy slant. But I’m sure there are others we can imagine rebooting. What do you think? What movie would you like to see rebooted?

Michelle Miles is an avid movie watcher, writes romance, drinks coffee and loves SF/F. You can learn more about her books at http://www.michellemiles.net .

@lsfabre A Trip Back in (#British) Time: #Oxford, #Egland #MFRWorg

In recent years, thanks to my husband’s job, I had several opportunities to visit England. While he attended meetings and slaved away on projects, I wandered about, sightseeing and eating. The first stop on one trip was Oxford, a great way to step back in time as well as indulge my huge fan-crush for all things Harry Potter.
Oxford began as a river crossing for oxen, and later, a military encampment. In 1066, Oxford Castle was built and included a monastic community with a chapel and living quarters. While the exact date for the founding of the educational institution is unknown, evidence indicates the religious order included teaching as early as 1096. Attendance exploded in 1167 when King Henry II banned English students from attending the University of Paris. 
Currently, the University is composed of 38 different colleges, of which 35 offer undergraduate studies. While almost all colleges provide the same courses of study, they were founded at different times and tend to attract different types of students, and as such, have different “flavors.” One of the most notable is Christ Church, founded in 1524 by Cardinal Woolsey and re-founded and renamed by King Henry VIII after Woolsey’s fall from power.
I took both a walking tour of Oxford, which included a discussion of the University’s role in the country’s political and religious struggles. In 1555, for example, three Anglican bishops were tried and burned at the stake for heresy. A cross of cobblestones marks the spot now. Along the way, our guide pointed the oldest structure still in use in Oxford (on the left).
A tour of Christ Church College provided a chance to see the dining hall that inspired Hogwarts’ Great Hall. One notable difference was Harry Potter’s dining hall had four rows of tables, while the College dining hall has only three. We weren’t able to enter the hall until after lunch because it is still in use. Among the many notable graduates of Christ Church College is Charles Lutwidge Dodgeson—better known as Lewis Carroll. Our guide pointed out a number of objects (a small door in a wall, long-necked fire-dogs in the dining hall fireplace) that probably inspired subjects in the author’s fantastic tale.

My only regret was that I wasn't able to spend more time in Oxford. After his work was finished, we had to return to London, but that's another story....

Liese Sherwood-Fabre woking on a "Holmes Family Mystery" series, featuring the Great Detective at 13 and his family. You can read more about her works, check out some free materials, and sign up for her newsletter for a FREE short story by visiting her at www.liesesherwoodfabre.com 

I’ve Been Called to Serve #juryduty #RssosSisters #MFRWorg

The MOST DREADED letter EVER came in the mail last week—you know what I mean—Jury Duty.
Since I’ve turned eighteen, I’ve received a yearly summons to do my civic duty and serve on a jury. I didn’t serve for five of those years while attending college. But once I graduated, I served yearly until I married and had kids. With little ones at home, I found taking time was harder to do. Then the kiddoes hit high school and since, I’ve only been called a few times. *Crossing fingers* that will continue to be the case.
Honestly, I don’t mind serving. I find it interesting even if sitting around all day and nothing happens. I take a book and needlepoint. I make friends around me and if called to a panel, make friends there.
On the last panel I sat on, the defense attorney picked apart every single phrase of the charge and did so with every potential juror. This went on forever. I swear the judge napped. So when he got to me, he said, “And here’s the juror with my favorite last name.” Everyone turned around and looked. “Batman.” Being polite, I nodded. He began his shtick of dragging things on. I’d had enough especially in light of him focusing on my last name. I said, “If you do your job, and she does her job, I’m positive I can do my job.”

The attorney was shocked. The judge chuckled. The other potential jurors went, “Yea, what she said.” Obviously, they’d had enough too.
He continued on and on. Finally, we broke for lunch. Great relief.
After lunch, he started his spiel again. This time, another man commented about how the whole process was dragging on and several other jurors said again, “Yea, what he said.”
I think the attorney got the message. He sped his program up.
So after all the time waste, we were sent to the hallway to wait. Then names were called out, and the people picked for the jury were the ones I’d label milquetoast. Nice, plain, ordinary folks. Not troublemakers like me and the other guy and the engineer on the first row who could calculate the space between sprinkler heads. LOL
Have you ever served on a jury?
In Temporarily Employed, my romantic comedy mystery, Hattie has to go to court and fun stuff happens. Find TE at: Amazon
 

These are a few of my favorite things @sloanebcollins #PlottingPrincesses #Kittylove #Maine

In this everyday hectic, fast-paced, not-so-nice world, I  need to remind myself to stop and smell the roses.  Not always literally, although I did do it on the way out of work one late night last week.  But find something that gives me happiness and pleasure.  
For instance, every night when I am on the way home from work, I can’t wait to get to the house and open the door to find all four kitties waiting for me.  Of course, I recognize they want their dinner, but I like to think they want to see me, too. J
There’s nothing like kitty snuggles, no matter what time of day it is.  This past Sunday it rained all day long.  I’d planned to spend the day writing, and had just gotten things ready to go, sat down in my recliner, and Moms jumped up on my lap.  She pretty much stayed there all day, snuggled into the blanket.  So I decided to spend quality time with her since we don’t always get it.  Oliver even spent some time on my lap, laying next to his Mummy. 
Something else that just makes my day is when my husband texts me out of the blue.  He’s not a texter by nature, so when he does, I treasure them.  He’ll usually send pictures of the cats, but it still means the world to me.
I had lunch with a friend yesterday, the woman I worked for in Tampa.  She’s the loveliest woman, and we had a great time talking.  Connecting with friends from the past is fun, but it makes it even more special when we pick up right where we left off. 
I love photography, and taking nature photos.  So every vacation we go on, I’m always looking for that perfect spot for the perfect photograph.  I usually end up with at least one favorite picture from each vacation.  Something to look at later and remind me of what a great trip it was.  And they’re all pretty much great trips, because my husband researches every vacation for months ahead of time, all so we can have the best trips.  One of my favorite days ever was our first trip to Maine.  We set out one morning in the fog to drive all the way to Lubec, the Easternmost town that is the first to see the sunrise.  The fog hung over us the entire day, but it was made the day even more unique.  We ended up at one of the lighthouses, and trekked down the rocky path to the beach – I swear it was like visiting a different planet.  The beach was all rocks, surrounded by more rocks, and while we could hear the waves lapping on the shoreline, we couldn’t see the water.  It was awesome!


Books are a huge part of my life, and I truly savor them.  Love to curl up with a good book, a cup of tea, and lose myself in whatever world the author has created. 
One of the best things, however, is when I have a great writing day, or even an hour.  The words are flowing, and I know just what needs to happen with the storyline and characters.  I really need another one of those…actually another ten of those so I can finish my current work in progress.

How about you?  What do you do to unwind and relax?  Anything unique or out of the norm?