Claire Robyns's Blog, page 9
February 27, 2011
I'm over at...
Romancing the Past today talking about contraceptives and cesarean birth in the middle ages, so please stop by
February 23, 2011
Around the Blog in 7 days
Don't forget to visit Carina Press today to download your February Free eBook Wednesday title.
Other interesting posts I came across this last week:
An in-depth interview with Carina Press editor Deborah Nemeth who talks about suspense and mysteries and what she's looking for.
Kindle gets page numbers from SmartBitches blog, still not sure if this upgrade will apply to Kindle 2 or only be available for the latest Kindle model
An interesting article on curvy heroines in fiction from the new site Heroes & Heartbreakers
Other interesting posts I came across this last week:
An in-depth interview with Carina Press editor Deborah Nemeth who talks about suspense and mysteries and what she's looking for.
Kindle gets page numbers from SmartBitches blog, still not sure if this upgrade will apply to Kindle 2 or only be available for the latest Kindle model
An interesting article on curvy heroines in fiction from the new site Heroes & Heartbreakers
February 21, 2011
Mad Hatter's Plot Hat
Not to imply all authors are mad, but many of us stash away plot ideas for a rainy day. Sometimes it's a cookie jar stuffed with wild scratchings and other times a more ordered folder on our laptop. This stash is the box of chocolates we dip into when it's that time to sit down and start writing a brand new book.
My ideas generally come as characters rather than plots, I don't do much plotting up front from either way. I have a clear idea of the main characters, what drives them and, usually, they come to me in a turning-point scene. At this point, I have no idea whether this scene will start the story or be somewhere down the line. So, instead of a Plot Hat, I have a Scene Hat. I write a couple of pages of the scene (in some cases, up to a full chapter) to record the flavour of my characters, their speech, taste, feel, scent and attitude. As this scene is usually a turning-point, or at least vital to the story, recording this scene also lays the foundation for the story even though I don't jot down anything of the surrounding plot. Sometimes this changes between the initial idea and what I end up writing, sometimes I don't remember what I originally had in mind but the characters I've written speak to me and take me into their world regardless, and their story unfolds.
Why am I rambling about this now? LOL, I've just finished my current work in progress and it's that time again for me. I get to dive into my hat and see what characters and scene I catch for the start of a brand new journey
My ideas generally come as characters rather than plots, I don't do much plotting up front from either way. I have a clear idea of the main characters, what drives them and, usually, they come to me in a turning-point scene. At this point, I have no idea whether this scene will start the story or be somewhere down the line. So, instead of a Plot Hat, I have a Scene Hat. I write a couple of pages of the scene (in some cases, up to a full chapter) to record the flavour of my characters, their speech, taste, feel, scent and attitude. As this scene is usually a turning-point, or at least vital to the story, recording this scene also lays the foundation for the story even though I don't jot down anything of the surrounding plot. Sometimes this changes between the initial idea and what I end up writing, sometimes I don't remember what I originally had in mind but the characters I've written speak to me and take me into their world regardless, and their story unfolds.
Why am I rambling about this now? LOL, I've just finished my current work in progress and it's that time again for me. I get to dive into my hat and see what characters and scene I catch for the start of a brand new journey
February 15, 2011
Digital Dice
Another big digital conference, Tools of Change, is buzzing all over the web this week. It hasn't been long since the big houses came fully (some more than others) on the digital train, but it does seem that finally the consensus is that digital is at least part (some reckon 50% by 2014) of the publishing future.
With everything moving so quickly, with all the consensus from publishers and authors and the entire spectrum of publishing and digital experts, I don't really understand why we, the readers, still slam into so many walls when all we want is to read our favourite author.
I've had my ereader for just under a year now and there's no going back. I love the immediate access, I love being able to carry a hundred books with me in my bag and my entire family loved me a little extra the day I carted off my shedload of books to the charity shop and gave them back their house. So, maybe I've become a little obsessive, but I need a very good reason to buy a paperback print book instead of the ebook version and even then, probably not going to happen.
There are a couple of books I've had my eye on for a few months. These books are available in paperback here in the UK, they're available in paperback and ebook in USA. I've been waiting diligently for the ebook version to become available in the UK, I refuse to buy the paperbook and I'm not going to change my mind. I have now removed those books from my wish list and I'm feeling a little iffy about those authors and publishing houses right now, regardless of where the hold-up is and whose fault it is.
As a reader, I'm no longer interested in where the fault lies. Publisher, author and agent, get talking to each other and sort this out. You are losing readers.
With everything moving so quickly, with all the consensus from publishers and authors and the entire spectrum of publishing and digital experts, I don't really understand why we, the readers, still slam into so many walls when all we want is to read our favourite author.
I've had my ereader for just under a year now and there's no going back. I love the immediate access, I love being able to carry a hundred books with me in my bag and my entire family loved me a little extra the day I carted off my shedload of books to the charity shop and gave them back their house. So, maybe I've become a little obsessive, but I need a very good reason to buy a paperback print book instead of the ebook version and even then, probably not going to happen.
There are a couple of books I've had my eye on for a few months. These books are available in paperback here in the UK, they're available in paperback and ebook in USA. I've been waiting diligently for the ebook version to become available in the UK, I refuse to buy the paperbook and I'm not going to change my mind. I have now removed those books from my wish list and I'm feeling a little iffy about those authors and publishing houses right now, regardless of where the hold-up is and whose fault it is.
As a reader, I'm no longer interested in where the fault lies. Publisher, author and agent, get talking to each other and sort this out. You are losing readers.
February 9, 2011
What am I reading this week
Don't forget to stop by CarinaPress for your free copy of Silver Bound, because it's February Free eBook Wednesday!! I've already got mine.
It's time for me to indulge in a little reading. I've had this one on my kindle for a while now (I haven't even taken one peep) waiting until I could savour and devour without interruption or guilt. I've absolutely loved Karen Marie Moning's Fever series, I'm quite sad this is the end.
Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
Here I go, sliding on the kindle, navigating to the first chapter, the first line... Hope strengthens. Fear kills. Someone really smart told me that once... ta ta, see you on the other side
It's time for me to indulge in a little reading. I've had this one on my kindle for a while now (I haven't even taken one peep) waiting until I could savour and devour without interruption or guilt. I've absolutely loved Karen Marie Moning's Fever series, I'm quite sad this is the end.
Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
Here I go, sliding on the kindle, navigating to the first chapter, the first line... Hope strengthens. Fear kills. Someone really smart told me that once... ta ta, see you on the other side
February 6, 2011
Six Sentence Sunday
Again, from my current medieval scottish wip. This time, Breghan is trying to turn Arran off his intended bride, the one he's on his way to marry but has never met... she's not having much success, lol
"She has a vicious tongue that none can escape; everyone from kitchen servant to castle lord falls foul to her scathing rants." "If I canna keep her screams sweet in bed, I'll keep her mouth busy elsewhere." Breghan was back to believing he'd buried six wives. He was clearly capable of using one up and then going on to the next. "Do you plan to spend any time out of bed at all?"
"If McAllen's daughter is half as bad as you say, then no, at least not with my wife."
February 4, 2011
Cross-Eyed Brain
The last two days, I've been working on developmental edits for my light contemporary romance during the day and writing on my medieval scottish romance at night.
I don't usually multi-task in this way, but I'd thought I'd jazz things up a bit, add some spice to my writing life (sad, I know). I suspect this is going to end badly, badly as in a heroine sipping on a Starbucks latte in her medieval castle while a hero strolls down Manhattan dressed in nothing but leather boots and plaid.
I don't usually multi-task in this way, but I'd thought I'd jazz things up a bit, add some spice to my writing life (sad, I know). I suspect this is going to end badly, badly as in a heroine sipping on a Starbucks latte in her medieval castle while a hero strolls down Manhattan dressed in nothing but leather boots and plaid.
January 30, 2011
Six Sentence Sunday
This week, my six are from the story I'm currently working on, a new medieval romance. Breghan was raised on threats of Arran Kerr, the Beast of Roxburgh, and in this scene she begins to challenge him with everything she's always believed as fact.
"'Tis said you roam the bogs at night to prey upon the souls of restless children," Breghan said daringly.
"Cross your heart, lass," he returned,"the priests would have that only God and the devil may lay claim to a soul."
She could see by the light in his eyes that he was more amused than angry and gave him back the source of that particular rumour. "The Kerrs fight left-handed because the devil rides heavy on their right shoulder."
The gleam slowly faded from his eyes until he was looking at her with dark, mesmerising intensity. "Tell me," he said softly, taking her her hand in his and placing it on his right shoulder, "what does the devil feel like?"
January 27, 2011
How much Scots do you want...
filling up that plaid and boots? I'm over at Romancing the Past today chatting about accents and that all-controversial Scottish burr. Come on over and add your opinon
January 21, 2011
The more you write, the more you write
Which is true about almost everything in life. The more you smile, the more you find something to smile about (and nip those wrinkles in the bud while you're at it). The more you moan and groan, the more disgruntled you become. The more you discover, the more you realise how much is out there still waiting to be discovered.
And when you average 500 words a day, it takes blood and sweat to push that up to 2000 words. But suddenly, it's just as hard to write less.
Yeah, I'm feeling slightly philosophical today :)
And when you average 500 words a day, it takes blood and sweat to push that up to 2000 words. But suddenly, it's just as hard to write less.
Yeah, I'm feeling slightly philosophical today :)
