Jennifer Becton's Blog, page 33
February 4, 2014
What’s up Next?
My blog suddenly developed a popup ad, and I don’t do popup ads. Finally, I discovered that the theme was to blame, so I had to change it. Sorry for the inconvenience. Now, on to the post….
Since I began writing full-time, my goal has been to publish a book every six months. I’ve been trying to make this goal a reality, but it’s just not happening yet. Maybe as I get more books under my belt, I’ll be able to streamline my process and publish more books in a timely manner. But I’m not willing to sacrifice quality for speed.
Having said that, Moral Hazard is currently being copy edited, and I’m working on the cover. It will be out as soon as possible.
For the remainder of this year, I’m setting a new goal. I’m not quite able to write, edit, and publish two full-length novels in one year. So I’m going to attempt to complete one full-length novel (the next in the Southern Fraud series) and a shorter, novella-length work. If time permits, I might add a second novella or short story to the mix.
So what’s my next project? While Julia and Vincent take a short break after the publication of Moral Hazard, I’m going to work on my first novella! And guess what. It’s another work in the Personages of Pride and Prejudice Collection.
Can you guess which character will be the star?
February 2, 2014
January 24, 2014
Photo Friday: Jan. 24, 2014
1. I’m working on a photo collage for my stairway and found a box of 9 frames at Lowe’s for $25. Then, I had fun printing out old family photos. On the left is my mother dressed like a conehead. On the right, my father-in-law wearing a sailor hat and standing next to a cow.
2. I’m very grateful that Darcy has a nice warm stall next to her friend Muffin on a cold winter’s night.
3. DH went to check on Darcy of his own volition and caught a shot of her taking a sunbath. Isn’t she cute?
January 22, 2014
Big News! Cats Are Not Dogs
Some weeks back, I read this article titled “Your cat hates you” about a study called “Cats Hate Owners.” This study mimics one first performed on humans and then on dogs to determine the level of attachment between a mother and child and then a dog and human.
When left alone or with a stranger, does the child get excited to see mom when she returns? Does she go to mom to seek comfort?
Yes.
When left alone or with a stranger, does the dog get excited to see her human when she returns? Does she go to her human to seek comfort?
Yes
When conducted on cats, they found the opposite was true. Cats do not go to their people to relieve their anxiety.
Well, this just in.
Honestly, I don’t know why they even wasted money on this study. Unlike dogs, cats are not pack or herd animals. They do not find comfort in contact with their pack. They find comfort in escape or hiding. (The cat in the video did explore the stranger in the room. My cat would never, ever have done even that.)
Hater?
Meet Puttytat. She appeared on our doorstep as a kitten and decided we looked dumb enough to turn into her servants. She is not an ordinary housecat. She is all about the law of the jungle: eat or be eaten. She runs when the doorbell rings. She hides from even the quietest guest. She hunts and fights and is a serious cat. She also snuggles on my lap every night. She waits for me to sit and then immediately holds me down. She likes to be scratched, and she head boops me. She gives me slow blinks, which is how cats show affection. She finds comfort in hanging out with her humans, but she does not seek me out when she feels anxious. Not ever. [Aside: just now the mail woman honked from the driveway and Puttytat ran out her catdoor and onto the porch into the freezing cold. That's a high fear-level.]
If the same study had been conducted on my cat, she would have jackaled around the room trying to find an exit, and then upon finding none, she would have squished herself into a corner and mewed stressfully until she got out. She would not come to me to relieve her anxiety. But does that mean she hates me?
Uh no.
That means cats are not the same as dogs (or baby humans for that matter). Cats are cats. They behave differently.
January 17, 2014
How to Write a Novel YOUR Way
Take Our Survey!Today, I began a new series on Indie Jane. Please stop by to read my tips for being true to yourself as you begin the novel-writing process.
Sometimes people ask me if I think they should write a novel. Here is a flow chart that will answer that question for you:
January 16, 2014
Yo Momma: Regional Dialect Question
As you may know, my family hails from the Northeast, but I have lived in the South all my life. I always say I speak Southern and Yankee, but sometimes word choice flummoxes me.
How do you refer to your parents when speaking to someone else (someone who is not your sibling) about them? I often hear and read people–Southerners in particular–refer to their parents as “Mom” and “Dad” (or variations of those nouns) to this unrelated third party.
Example: Momma had to go to the doctor today.
This always leaves me wondering how they knew that my mother went to the doctor, and I didn’t get the news. They mean their mother went to the doctor, not mine. Why don’t they use the adjective “my”? After all, my mother and their mother are not the same person.
Since I was taught to say “my mother” or “my father,” I kind of assumed this might be a Southern speech pattern. But my husband, who is 100 percent Southern, does not do this. He will call them Mom and Dad when speaking to his sister, which makes sense. They share the same relationship to the people in question. On the other hand, my husband is not a grammar person, so I’m not sure I can go by his speech patterns alone. After all, he’s an engineer who thinks “indubidently” is a word. (Spoiler: he means indubitably.)
So I ask you…do you refer to your parents as Mom and Dad to unrelated people? Or do you use an adjective? Is this a regional phenomenon?
January 15, 2014
Venice, Vivialdi, Castrati?
My fabulous story editor Beverle Graves Myers has a new book out. Isn’t the cover lovely? Here she is to tell you all about it.
Exciting news! WHISPERS OF VIVALDI, the final book in the Tito Amato mystery series has been released. It’s available in hard cover, trade paper, and as an eBook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and Apple. Find the links on my website.
Venice, 1745. An age of reckless pleasures and baroque excess. While rival theaters wage war for audiences and official favor, Tito Amato must discover the composer of a purloined opera. His sleuthing turns deadly when Maestro Torani is murdered and Tito himself becomes a suspect.
What people are saying:
Publishers Weekly: “I found myself constantly changing bets on whom the ultimate villain would be.”
Amazon 4 & 5 star reviews: “An elegant romp” and “A complex historical mystery set in magical Venice.”
Kirkus: “A satisfying conclusion.”
Saying goodbye to Tito is hard. I’ve been writing him for nearly fifteen years, and he’s become a part of the family. I’d like to thank everyone for supporting me along the way, and I hope you enjoy Tito’s last outing. Don’t be shy about letting the world know what you think of WHISPERS OF VIVALDI. Please tell a friend or post a review on the site of your choice.
Best regards,
Bev
January 14, 2014
Hair
Hair. An odd topic for a writer’s blog, but I’m writing about it anyway.
All my haircuts eventually turned into a variation of this flippy mushroom hair.
I have naturally wavy hair, and a little more than a year ago, I decided to stop blowing it out straight. I didn’t realize I was making a controversial choice. I thought I was just tired of looking like Carol Brady.
My wave pattern, hair density, and texture mean that I have a lot of hair, and almost every stylist deals with bulky hair by thinning. In perfect conditions and with a scorching flat iron, I had straight-as-a-board hair. But then I went outside, and I got Carolized.
This summer. (Apologies for the selfie)
I decided I didn’t want that look anymore, and I started wearing it wavy. I actually love my wavy hair, but I’ve gotten lots of comments: What would happen if you brushed it? (Mondo frizz) Why do you wear it clumpy like that? (Because that’s what waves/curls are. Groups of hairs that have the same wave/curl pattern) Etc.
It took me a while to get used to my new look, but I love having big, messy hair now. And it’s helping me learn to place the proper amount of value on the opinions of others and to enjoy my hair for what it is and stop fighting with it.
Randomosity
I wish I had a remote control thermostat, so I could turn up the heat before getting out of bed.
It wasn’t supposed to rain today, but it is. Stupid weather forecast.
January 12, 2014
January 10, 2014
Photo Friday: Jan. 10, 2014
1. Nude Karaoke: Yes, it’s a thing. No, we neither caught the show nor participated in it. This photo was taken in Printer’s Alley in Nashville in case you wondered.
While traveling last week, I came down with the mother of all colds and ended up in the hotel room most of the trip. I’d hoped to finish some work in the car, and that didn’t happen either. I was pretty much out of it the whole time.
2. Yes, another cat picture. Puttytat likes to lord over her humans.
3. The “Polar Vortex” came our way, and Darcy was forced to wear her blanket. She really hates that blanket, but it kept her warm on those cold days and nights.
