Jennifer Bray-Weber's Blog, page 74
November 5, 2013
Link Of The Week- Write To Done
I have found the best link this week! It’s doubly exciting because many of us are deep into our first full week of NaNo and we can use all the help we can get. Would you like to have a free download of a book called The Ultimate Guide To Better Writing? Yes? Well, look no more because that’s the very first thing you see when you go to this site!
How about an article on mind mapping? Done! What about finding a shortcut to polishing your manuscript? Done! This is a wonderful resource for all of us.
Hope you enjoy!
October 31, 2013
Happy Halloween
Double, double, toil and trouble.
Have a safe and happy holiday from all of us here at MuseTracks.
October 30, 2013
New Orleans – Vampires, Witches, and Pirates – Oh My!
A Scot, a DJ, and a vampire walk into a bar. Sounds like the start of a bad joke, right? Throw in a priest and a cop and you have something that resembles my visit to New Orleans this past weekend. I had an amazing time with old and new friends, a photo op with the queen of vampires, a tarot reading, tippling at the Anne Rice Vampire Ball, taking in a bit of the city, and capping it off with an amazing night at the Elms Mansion for the Witches’ Ball. Seriously, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
My buddies – Raven Raye and Judy McDonough
St Alphonsus Church
Confessional. I’m hoping God has a sense of humor.
Anne Rice and her son Christopher. Truly an honor to meet them both.
The man who inspired Anne Rice’s character Armand is about to get a snack. Guess what his name is. That’s right! Armand!
Author, bagpipe player, and Scottish extraordinaire EA Channon
Jackson Square
Marie Laveau’s tomb. Psst…desecrating the tomb will not make your wish come true. Just sayin’.
VooDoo tonics and potions. Wonder if there is anything on the shelf for hangovers.
Pirate selfie
The Witch, the Wench, and the Flapper. Notice how the corset gives me superb posture.
EA Channon and his lovely wife Paulette
Author and funny man Bobby Crutchfield with his beautiful wife Adrianne
DJ Infamous. This dude rocks the house!
Elms Mansion – the picture does not do it justice.
Elms Mansion courtyard – perfect for a masquerade party.
Be amazed by our bewitchiness. (Yes, I know that is not a word. Humor me, will ya?)
Decked out in harlequin-style finery. The mask left indentions in my face.
My new handsome Australian pirate friend, Vlad. He has inspired a new character in an upcoming book. 
October 29, 2013
Link Of The Week
I ran across this site created by author K.M. Weiland and was impressed by it. She has put such a lot of time and effort into helping other writers- it was like finding a forgotten Christmas gift!
I love her discipline and drive- read what she says about her writing routines:
I set aside two hours, five days a week, to write, usually between four and six p.m. I’m a firm believer in Peter de Vries claim: “I write when I’m inspired, and I see to it that I’m inspired at nine o’clock every morning.” I spend the first half hour scribbling ideas in a writing journal, reviewing character sketches and research notes, reading an article on the craft, and proofreading what I wrote the day before. Then I pick a soundtrack, say a prayer for guidance, and dive in.
http://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/
Enjoy!
October 23, 2013
Hump Day Kick Start – Vampire Edition
Song of day: VooDoo by Godsmack
Hump Day Kick Start – for your muse, a writing picture prompt, or just a visual treat.
I will be in New Orleans this weekend attending the Undead Con and the 25th Annual Vampire Lestat Reunion Ball. What better way to celebrate than by kicking it off with a vampire inspired Hump Day Kick Start.
Who are our duo? Is he a centuries old tortured soul about to regrettably dine on his lovely victim? Perhaps he’s tired of his macabre way of life and cursing himself and his thirst. Has he fallen for her, warring with himself as to making her his mate for all of eternity, or to not bring her into his world of suffering? What if he’s just in costume and she’s the real vampire. Maybe they are both vampires from battling territories intertwined in a deadly game, trying to seduce one another before going in for the kill. Conversely, maybe they are lovers, meeting in clandestine against their leaders commands. Getting caught is punishable by death.
*sniff, sniff* Is that garlic on your breath, my dear?
What’s your tale? Let me hear from you.
October 22, 2013
Link Of The Week- Where The Books Go
Do you ever wonder what some of the libraries might look like that will house your book one day? Wonder no more! Look at some of the most interesting, beautiful and diverse libraries around the world. Hope you enjoy this fun link!
October 17, 2013
MuseTracks Guest – Susanne Matthews – Co-Writing
MuseTracks welcomes back guest Susanne Matthews. Today, she talks about her experience with collaborating. So without further ado…
Co-writing: Working as Part of a Team
The old adage, two heads are better than one, is alive and well, and easily proven in the world of Misty Matthews. Misty Matthews is the pseudonym for two Canadian authors living almost twelve hundred miles away from one another. This makes chats at the coffee shop impossible, but we are only a click away on the computer or smart phone. We managed to write an entire novel and a short story without ever having met. We didn’t even speak to one another until after we sold our manuscript to Front Porch Romance. People ask how we managed to write a book together under those conditions. The answer is simple. Coming Home, the first book in the Taking a Chance on Love series, is a product of the electronic age.
Misty and I met in an online chat group last December. We were all trying to hone pitches for novels we wanted to submit, and although none of us were successful with that pitch, we decided to continue chatting together and supporting one another. It was one of the group members who encouraged me to pitch Fire Angel to Crimson Romance, and since that day, we have all managed to officially become authors. Some of us now write for Crimson Romance, others for Entranced, a few write for Sweet Cravings, and still others for Front Porch Romance. We are an active and prolific group. We have shared the excitement and disappointments that are part and parcel of an author’s life, and support one another in all we do. Many times, I have been stuck, and one of them has managed to help me over the writer’s block. When I get down on myself, doubting, my abilities, they rally and pull me out of the gloom. I like to think I do the same for them now and again.
Misty has incredible ideas, and one night, in that chat group, she and I decided to collaborate on a book. One of the group members liked Misty Matthews, so that’s how the name was chosen—her first, my last—and that’s how we write, her first, me last.
Misty is the plotter, and I’m a pantser. She plots the story and writes the first draft of a chapter. I’m detail-oriented, so I do any research, add in details, and flesh out the chapter, but when it comes down to it, without Misty’s plotting, there wouldn’t be a story. When I’m finished with a chapter, it goes back to Misty who reads it, makes any changes she feels are necessary—she knows what’s going to happen next; I don’t—and, once the chapter works, we repeat the process until the manuscript is finished. Once it’s all done, we each take a shot at editing before it’s submitted to an editor for possible publication. We basically did the same thing for the cover art.
Misty
The Taking a Chance on Love series is Misty’s brainchild. We are in the process of writing the second book in the series and hope to release it in the first half of 2014. Since Misty and I also write individually, we make time for our collective efforts amidst really busy schedules. I love working with Misty. She has made me a better writer, and I hope I’ve done something to help her too.
Coming Home is available from Amazon at:
Front Porch Romance :
ARe
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-cominghometakingachanceonlove-1309783-149.html
Smashwords
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/362992
About Coming Home:
Motorcycle riding, high-powered attorney Alana Stewart is a far cry from the shy, teenager who left Chance determined never to look back. Family obligations force her to return to the town that only holds bad memories for her. A stop at her former sanctuary brings an unexpected surprise…the new manager just might be what she needs to get her through the holidays.
Susanne
When sexy, leather-clad Alana walks into the bookstore, Connor Tate, has a feeling he may be in for the ride of his life. Despite the fact that their lives are headed in different directions, they are drawn to one another. Connor is determined to prove to Alana that Chance isn’t the place she remembers, but will his efforts fail when she discovers he hasn’t told her the whole truth about himself?
Can they trust each other enough to take a chance on love?
To learn more about Misty Matthews, visit http://mhsusannematthews.ca and click on the link for Misty Matthews. Like Misty at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Misty-Matthews/526929407395256
October 16, 2013
Hump Day Kick Start – Yachting Edition
Song of day: Heavy by Collective Soul
Hump Day Kick Start – for your muse, a writing picture prompt, or just a visual treat.
Ahoy there, mate!
We’re hitting the water for today’s prompt. Who is our handsome subject with his rugged coolness? Is he a billionaire out yachting for the afternoon near Martha’s Vineyard? Is he an adventurer on a quest to circumnavigate the entire globe on his boat? Is he kicking back before/after a boat race? Is he vacationing? Is he a mercenary? Drug runner? Did he steal the boat? If so, why? Where is he? Who is he with? Who or what is he looking at? Why is his shirt unbuttoned (not that I’m complaining).
Bonus points if you know who this is.
Come on, folks. Let me hear your take.
October 15, 2013
Link Of The Week
This site has been a favorite of our very own Marie-Claude for quite some time. I can see why- information for writers is stuffed into every corner! I encourage all of you to follow the link and see what’s there. Enjoy!
http://writershelpingwriters.net/
Can you name that writer?
October 9, 2013
Hump Day Kick Start – Impasse Edition
Song of day: Closer To The Edge by 30 Seconds to Mars
Hump Day Kick Start – for your muse, a writing picture prompt, or just a visual treat.
Half dressed? Or half undressed?
What do you think is going on in today’s prompt? He appears contemplative. Does he regret having just slept with his boss’s wife? Is he wishing he hadn’t just cheated on his girlfriend? Maybe he is exhausted from a undercover case/boxing match/proving his innocence-you fill in the blank-and she’s ready to relieve his stress. What if he is about to give his lover a spanking.
What about the girl? Is that his shirt she’s wearing? Did they just have a huge fight and now are facing the truth in their relationship? Is she about to seduce the man she’s be in love with since he rescued her from a human trafficking ring/abusive man/drowning? Is she a dominatrix? A movie star giving the new actor on the block a introduction to the big time? What is she thinking?
Lots of play here. Let me hear your take on this pic.
