L.C. Giroux's Blog, page 10

Smart -ish

Okay, I'm a little burnt out. I got back the edits on one book and resubmitted it everywhere while I was going through His Deception with my beta reader and then posted that to Amazon, twice! Don't ask. All the changes didn't make the first submission. I won't make that mistake again. Which is my attitude about almost everything in life. I like learning from my mistakes. I like learning from other people's mistakes even better which is why I am going to start teaching a course on the nuts and bolts of e-publishing at our local university. So yeah, while all that other stuff was going on I was developing the curriculum for a five week course. Really, I don't have nearly enough on my plate. My daughter says I'm super girl without the cape -'cause really who looks good in those?

Sexy -Sensory Perception

I was reading an interesting book on writing sex scenes when you don't feel sexy -Yeah, the life of a romance writer is grueling! The short answer is to tap in to your senses and find something that grabs you. Okay, but for those of you that aren't writers, we all have those times when we are convinced that next to the word hag in the dictionary someone has pasted our picture. This advice works for you too! In my books there is usually at least one scene involving food. First, because I am something of a foodie and second, because food is extremely sensual. It looks good (enough to eat!), smells good (enough to make your mouth water!), feels so good in your mouth (you could cry!), it even sounds good (crunchy? slurp-y?), oh and it tastes good too. As a romance writer it is sensual gold but the same is true for music or clothing or a hundred million other things if you start tapping into the world around you. Once you start, you'll be so turned on all the time it is distracting to other people around you. Seriously!

Smart -Marketing

Usually I direct my blog commentary to readers and they'll get something fun out of this but really this one is for other writers. Have you ever taken a look at the Hermes website. Don't go now -not unless you've got an hour or more to kill. Yes, it is that addictive. There are movies, fun animations, things to learn (the tie video is subtly seductive), games, and crafts. This company sells leather goods that 99.99% of the world can't afford yet their site is as friendly as can be. I don't have the kind of bank to hire so many creative people but I'm not without my own skills (or the ability to bribe them from the 12 year old daughter) so I wanted to play with the standard book trailer. My Lovers and Other Strangers series is about to grow again and to celebrate I added something fun to the site. It is called a Prezi (Think PowerPoint's more fun, interesting cousin). Clicking the arrow moves you through it and I will be adding to it as the series continues (hence those arrows heading West). It will live on the 'Next' page but you can see it below too

Fun -New Cover Image

So I have been eyeball deep in writing to finish His Deception on time. This is the problem with e-publishing, the only person you can blame for unrealistic deadlines is yourself and I am a bitch to work for. Anyway it is done -for at least a couple of hours, and I have to start editing but I do have my cover image. 

I love Jimmy Thomas' images. They are over the top racy but the poses and the expressions are so good that you can take almost any of them and make them 'safe for work' without taking any of the steam away. This one is no exception. In the full image there is not a lot left to the imagination, in that there is a LOT of skin showing. By cropping to just their faces you get something a little softer and more mysterious. Makes you wonder what exactly is going on. Isn't that what a good book cover is supposed to do?

 By the way, His Deception (Lovers and Other Strangers Book Three) should be out on time so check Amazon around the first week in March!

Sexy -Skin

I have skin most women my age envy. This was not always the case, when I was younger I had cystic acne. Not the worst case I ever saw but when you're staring in the mirror at 18 does that really matter. My skin was a big part of the reason I ended up in cosmetics for years; to learn how to cover it up and how to treat it. So what do I use now? I skew toward natural skin care since you want that stuff to absorb. Hey! I try to eat healthy why wouldn't I wear healthy too. The line I am loving currently is Skin by Ann Webb. I use it with my Clarisonic and my skin feels like a baby's -smooth, soft, a little glow-y. I can get away with less make-up and that translates into looking younger.  

Smart -the Big V-Day!

Here is the funny thing about me and Valentine's day. I have never liked it. Never. When I was a kid, all my little guy pals would ask me to look at the cards or little gifts they were giving to the cute girl in class. None of them thought of me like that because I was too much of a tomboy. In some ways that is still true. My DH and I (and the daughter) will have a nice dinner at home. It is just what we do. What you should do is up to you. I think part of the reason I always disliked Valentine's day was the expectations. He doesn't really love you if he doesn't do… If there is no diamond then… Shouldn't the fact that he treats you great the rest of the year mean something? All the commercials are trying to sell you things but as J-Lo sang pre-divorce "love doesn't cost a thing."

Fun -"Honey, don't you get any sun?"

That quote was actually directed at me when I sat down at the Chanel counter in Neiman Marcus in Dallas. My answer was no. Despite having dark eyes and hair, my skin is nearly paper white. I burn in less than 15 minutes, a trait I get from my Italian father, believe it or not. But I currently live in the Northern Midwest so round about now everyone looks half past pasty and I break out the bronzer. I wear it like Bond uses vermouth, you just whisper it over the skin (or glass in vermouth's case). I use the lightest dusting you can imagine over my cheekbones, forehead, down my nose and on the tip of my chin. Not so as to look like I just got back from vacation but so I don't get lost in a snow drift either.

Sexy -The largest sex organ in the body.

Let's talk about sex fantasies. Got your attention did I? My personal opinion is that fantasies are completely healthy and everyone should have them. Yes, even the ones that shock you. Under realistic circumstances, being abducted by pirates is not sexy in the least. But that is just the genre that gets some ladies hot under the collar (or waistband). The woman that has to make a million decisions in a day may fantasize about being dominated so she doesn't have to make any. Fantasies are where your mind gets to play. It is natural and even normal to get swept up in situations that in real life you would find uncomfortable or even objectionable. Don't judge yourself. Maybe your partner is into play acting some out, maybe you don't tell anyone, maybe you tell everyone and start a career as an erotica writer.

Not SMART, Not SEXY, Not FUN

Below is a post by Heidi Cullinan, President of Rainbow Romance Writers. To say RWA's attitude stinks is an understatement but I would expect nothing less than that from the same people that have decided that e-books don't really count. Please if you write romance, or even more importantly if you read romance, pass this around to everyone you can. We live in challenging times where a story with vampires and werewolves is considered wonderful and a story with same sex lovers is wrong. If you don't like it fine, don't read it but don't tell other people that it is unacceptable -especially when you have no trouble taking their membership dues.

– Note: MTM will no longer accept same-sex entries in any category.

from the contest rules for the More Than Magic contest hosted by Romance Writers Ink Chapter of RWA

It's taken me several days to be able to write this blog post, and the worst part of it is that my job isn't done with this. As president of the Rainbow Romance Writers, RWA's chapter for LGBT chapter, it's my job to address the situation. I intend to, but I admit, at this point I keep reading that above line and feeling heavy and tired and depressed. I try to tell myself it's because I've been felled by a pretty impressive cold for over a week and that it's what's making me tired. It's a good story, and I wish I could buy it. But the bald truth is that I read that line, and every time it just hurts all over again.

Fun -When life gives you chaos

I've never really understood that phrase when life gives you lemons… I never get lemons. Lemons I'd like, lemons I'd be able to use. No, what I get is Chaos. This week and last week have been doseys. I have more hobbies than is good for anyone but when things get really nuts I read.This week a new ereader's blog started that is exciting at least to me as both a reader and a writer. It is the Reader's Guide to E-Publishing by D.D. Scott from WG2E. There are lots of good readers blogs out there (KND- Love!) but what makes RG2E different is that it will showcase books across platforms (Kindle, Nook, Kobo, etc.) and there will be Giveaways, tons of giveaways. Not just Ereaders, like I'd turn down a free Kindle Fire if someone gave me one, but books too. This is what gets me excited as a writer. I love introducing someone to my work. I love hearing that they downloaded the freebie and liked it so much they picked up the rest. Because then they aren't just customers, they're READERS.