S.C. Mitchell's Blog, page 14
December 20, 2016
All I want for Christmas…
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Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.
You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/
If you’re starting your blog hop here, or just hopping over from A. S. Fenichel’s blog welcome.
Today’s topic comes from Leslie Hachtel – If you could get anything in the world you wanted for Christmas, what would it be?
I’m at the point in my life where I’m starting to get rid of “stuff.” Having to move a few years ago made me evaluate all those things I was holding on to. Some while I was packing, but now others that I haven’t yet unpacked. If I don’t use it, it’s time to lose it. I’m working on a much less cluttered life.
Asking for another “thing” for Christmas feels counterproductive. I’d much more prefer consumables.
So in that spirit, I couldn’t say it better than one of my favorite indy musicians Jason Chen:
Now, find out what Leslie Hachtel is asking Santa for, as the Romance Writers Weekly Blog Hop continues at: https://lesliehachtelwriter.wordpress.com/
And check out Leslie’s amazing historical romance, Hanna’s War:
December 15, 2016
Roger’s Bride blog tour.
Today I’m happy to announce a new release from my good friend Sarah Hegger plus a chance at some great prizes in her blog tour giveaway:
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Blurb:
A battle of wills . . .
As the oldest son and heir to Anglesea, it is Roger’s duty to stand tall and strong. But his tough exterior belies the heart of a true romantic, a devoted son who yearns for the deep love he has witnessed between his parents and his sisters and their husbands. However, with the Anglesea family jockeying for a more advantageous position, Roger must marry judiciously.
A fight for the heart . . .
Having spent her childhood watching her mother suffer, Kathryn of Mandeville is determined never to marry. To be as a Viking shield maiden of old is her heart’s only desire. But when her sister Matty runs away to escape Roger’s sensible proposal, Kathryn is forced to help Roger find a more suitable bride. Bound by duty, Roger and Kathryn soon discover they are facing a much tougher fight—the one that is within their hearts . . .
Buy Links
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2fFnXMV
iBooks: http://apple.co/2emgrH6
Nook: http://bit.ly/2fhajip
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2fFOPJ2
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Here’s an excerpt::
Chapter 1
Roger wanted to jab his dagger into his eye. He despised failure, hated it, yet judging by his intended bride’s reaction to his courtship performance, he and failure now shared a bed. Love and war, with a clear plan, a man could manage one in much the same manner as the other. Hadn’t a lifetime under the guiding hand of Sir Arthur of Anglesea set this lesson into Roger’s marrow?
Except, Roger’s courtship had veered from the battle plan.
Lady Mathilda had accepted his flowers with her sweet, lovely smile and even moved her skirts to make place for him beside her. Since then, his plan had moved from disarray into rout. Lady Mathilda should be sighing by now, at least peeping at him from beneath thick dark lashes. He’d watched William turn a woman sweet a hundred times.
In her haste to put distance between them, she inched her curvy hips down the bench, almost tipping onto her pert ass. She pressed a fluttering hand to her throat. “Five sons, Sir Roger?”
“Aye.” He softened his tone. A woman would not enjoy being bellowed at like a man-at-arms. “My mother had four, and the two girls. I wager we could do better.” He gave her a tiny nudge. “Aye?”
Agape, Lady Mathilda shook her head. Her nut-brown hair made a silky swish on the bench.
Too abrupt? Perhaps. He should have refrained from the nudge for certain, but desperation crept through him with each passing moment. “Of course, that is if you are willing, my lady.”
Gentle, his mother had urged. Woo her with sweet words and smiles. Roger smiled.
She stared at him with huge eyes, dark like aged walnut, and gave him her flawless profile.
Mother had chosen well. Lady Mathilda boasted the sort of beauty that would make any man want to strut and crow like a barnyard cock.
“Your lips.” He gave it another try. Please let the spirit of his brother, William, dwell within him now. “Are as ripe as…apples. Red apples, not green. Not the red and green ones either. All red, like…” Jesu, give him strength. Even he could do better than that. “I mean cherries.”
“You are most kind.” Her chest rose and fell with her quickened breathing, and while a man tried not to look, or get caught looking, she filled out the front of her bliaut with a tasty, ripe bounty.
Roger balled his hand into a fist, tempted to punch his own face with it. He made a dog’s ballocks of this. Give him a keep to tear down, a young soldier to train, a horde of marauding Scots. Anything but this.
Still, he’d vowed to marry, and marry he would. Time to do his duty as the heir. At his feet, his favorite bitch peered at him and whined. She understood him, never needed pretty words from him. Why couldn’t women be more like dogs? Only, with not quite so much fur and the bad breath. There must be something they could speak of. He waded into the oozing silence. “Dogs?”
Lady Mathilda clasped her hands in her lap, fingers white about the knuckles. “Dogs, Sir Roger?”
“Aye, dogs. Do you like them?”
“Nay.”
He should talk about her. That last bit of counsel from older sister, Faye. “What do you like?”
“Me?” She started. A flush stained her peachy skin.
Mother had certainly found him a girl to rival Faye in looks. “Aye.”
“I like flowers.”
There, he had done one thing right. “Flowers are nice. And?”
“Um…” She stroked her skirts over her knees. “Silk. I like silk.”
“Then I shall be sure to clothe you in silk for the rest of your days.”
Her head snapped up and she went taut beside him. “The rest of my life?”
“Indeed.” The rest of his life seemed to stretch in front of him like an endless road to nowhere. Did Lady Mathilda perhaps sense his reluctance to marry? “I am sure we will be very happy together.”
Lady Mathilda sprang to her feet. “Aye.” Retreat bellowed from every taut line of her as she scurried away.
Roger received the message clearly. Lady Mathilda did not favor his suit.
Her full hips rocked with the speed of her flight.
It was a pity for her, then, that Roger of Anglesea had decided he would wed Mathilda of Mandeville. Will she or nil she.
****
Kathryn stuck her head around the screens at one end of Anglesea’s hall and tried to signal her sister. Matty charged straight into hell with all Kathryn’s carefully conceived and executed plans. Why could a person not run a courtship like a battle? It would be so much simpler that way.
Matty stared at Sir Roger like the man had sprouted two heads. Blast! What ailed her sister? Sir Roger fit Kathryn’s requirements to perfection. Not much for prayer, Kathryn had spent hours on her knees asking for just such a husband for Matty. They’d been at Anglesea for two days now, and Kathryn’s relief when she met Sir Roger had made it easy to encourage Matty to welcome the match.
She could not fathom, why today of all days, the usually biddable Matty had taken one of her huffs into her head. Lord above knew, they did not happen often, but when Matty took one of her stands, there would be the devil’s work to sway her. The wedding contracts remained unsigned, on Sir Arthur’s behest, until Roger and Matty both agreed they would suit.
Sir Roger tugged at his tunic neck as he shifted on the bench beside Matty.
If only the man had a touch more address. To be fair, however, Kathryn had not aided his courtship because of his honeyed words and pretty gestures. She had explained all this to Matty.
Matty rose and near ran for the door.
Fists balled by his sides, wide shoulders taut, Sir Roger watched her go.
Matty rushed past and Kathryn dropped into step beside her. “What happened?”
With a shriek, Matty leapt away from her. “Kate?” She pressed her hands to her bosom. “You near scared the life out of me. I thought you were him.”
“Father?”
“Nay, him.” Matty jerked her head toward the hall. She glanced back. “Does he pursue me?”
Sir Roger stood, much as Matty had left him, with a tremendous frown on his handsome face.
“Nay.” Kathryn lengthened her strides to keep up with Matty. “What happened?”
Matty stopped, one foot on the bottom stair. “Did you see him?”
“Aye, I did. Great comely fellow that he is.” Kathryn suffused as much enthusiasm as she could into her words. Not as pretty as his brother, William, but Kathryn preferred Sir Roger’s more rugged looks.
Matty shuddered. “He is a brute.”
“Brute?” Kathryn followed her sister up the stairs. “Nay, Matty, but he is a warrior, which is why we agreed you should marry him.”
Matty spun and glared. “We agreed to nothing. You and father said I should marry him.”
“Matty.” It was the first and last time Kathryn would probably agree with their father. “We spoke about this. Remember?”
Matty drooped. Her eyes filled with tears. “I cannot marry him.”
“But why not?” Kathryn climbed closer to her sister. “He may be big and rough, but I enquired everywhere about him. They say he is tough but fair, and kind to his people. Men like this do not come about like the village peddler. We must snap him up while we can.”
“I cannot.” On a soft cry, Matty ran up the stairs.
“But you must,” Kathryn whispered to the empty space. “How else am I to keep you safe?”
***
You’ll find the amazing Sarah Hegger here:
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Sarah Hegger Social Media Links:
Website: http://sarahhegger.com
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/sarahheggerauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SarahHegger
Google+: https://plus.google.com/100057781039257025684
Goodreads: ht http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8202895.Sarah_Hegger
Tumblr: http://sarahhegger.tumblr.com/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sarahhegger7/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahheggerauthor/
Click the image below to enter an amazing Rafflecopter giveaway:
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November 15, 2016
Romance Writers Weekly – Winter is coming.
Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.
You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/
If you’re starting your blog hop here, or just hopping over from Leslie Hachtel’s blog welcome.
Today’s topic comes from Brenda Margriet – Winter means different things to different people. What do you love about winter? Why not share some of your favorite winter photos from previous years. Have you ever written a book set during winter?
Snow, wonderful snow. Does anyone remember this from 2010?
Well that incident inspired a scene in the novel I was writing at the time, Son of Thunder.
In the scene Jord Thorson, the son of the Norse Thunder God Thor, augments a blinding snowstorm to battle Surtr, the king of the fire giants, who has entered Minneapolis through a portal from another dimension.
In the course of the battle, Jord causes the rupture of the dome. Because of the real life winter-time event, the scene was so much fun to write. Here’s just a snippet:
*****
The giant’s voice filled the air, echoing over the noise of the storm. “But even the mighty Thor cannot defeat Surtr.”
A chill, that had nothing to do with the raging blizzard around him, filled Jord’s gut. “Oh crap!” This was not just any fire giant. This was Surtr, the big, mean granddaddy of the fire giants. He launched Mjolnir at it again, but Surtr just shrugged off the blow.
Val flew toward him. Her sword and her entire upper body was charred. “I can’t get close enough to strike him.” She hollered over the storm. “He’s too hot.”
Jord’s instinct was to run, but he couldn’t just leave this behemoth to ravage Minneapolis. Who knew how many lives would be lost? The whole Twin Cities area would be devastated if Surtr was left to rampage through it. What could he do?
“Meet me on top of the Metrodome.” Val nodded at him and soared ahead. He was sure the giant would follow him but getting across the highway should slow the thing somewhat, giving Jord time to think.
***
Find out what happens next in Son of Thunder: 
Available on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/Son-Thunder-Heavenly-Series-ebook/dp/B00BJ64GPY
And find out what Jenna Da Sie loves about winter as the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop continues at: http://jennadasie.com/romance-writers-weekly-winter-wonderland/
And be sure to watch for her exciting new short story in the soon-to-be-published anthology Holiday Hearts.
November 8, 2016
Romance Writers Weekly – Getting down to business.
Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.
You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/
If you’re starting your blog hop here, or just hopping over from Leslie Hachtel’s blog welcome.
Today’s topic comes from Leslie as well – If you’re published, how is the business different than what you expected? If you’re planning to publish, what are your expectations?
Wow, a really loaded question. I grew up with the idea “Write a book. Make money.” It was also a time when writing and editing a book was harder than today (Typewriters/paper copies) and there were fewer people who even finished a book, much less got it published. The same elements that made it easier for me to enter the industry also opened the floodgates for other authors. Now we are awash in authors and books, and there’s good and bad in that.
Things have changed dramatically. There used to be an old adage: All money flows toward the author. It meant you wrote your book, sat back, and the money rolled (or trickled) in while you concentrated on the next book. Publicity was all handled by the publisher, and there was no such thing as social media. Good times for the few who made it.
To gt there you had to get past the “gatekeepers.” Agents and editors with full power to decide what books the public got to read.
Now with self publishing, smaller publishers with lower bars of admittance, and even the big guns having to shift gears and pander to the new winds of publishing, we see more authors jumping in daily, and more competition for the tight dollars consumers pay for reading material.
Truthfully, I’ve given up on the “Make money.” part of the deal. If it happens, it happens. I’m focusing on just writing the next book.
You might ask then why do it at all? I know I do almost every day. And the short answer is, the stories don’t stop coming just because I’m not making any money. My book babies, however ill received, still get to see the light of day, and if someday one of them breaks out of the pack, well, great.
I still have a lot to learn, and many, many more stories to write, so I keep plugging away.
So, what does Brenda Margriet have to say about our industry? Find out as the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop continues at: http://www.brendamargriet.com/blog
Click to check out Brenda’s wonderful new novel, When Time Falls Still
October 11, 2016
Romance Writers Weekly – What are you watching?
Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.
You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/
Check out Carrie’s amazing Love in London series.
If you’re starting your blog hop here, or just hopping over from Carrie Elks’ blog welcome.
Carrie also offers up today’s topic: The new fall TV schedule is here – what are you watching and why do you love it so much? Does what you watch influence your writing?
I’m not much of a television watcher any more. Three years ago my wife and I gave up cable and switched to watching our favorites a bit delayed on Hulu and Netflix.
That said, I do have some favorites in the new fall season.
I’m stoked about season 4 of marvel’s Agents of Shield.
Yeah. Ghost Rider. Nuff said!
I’m also watching the new Luke Cage series right now.
If you think I’m focusing in on superheroes, you’re right. I have a new series of superhero romances on the front burner right now, and I’m soaking in the genre. With comic books I feel like I’m getting back to my roots, and this new series is coming along nicely. Book one is done and (almost) sold. I’m hip deep in book 2 right now, with book 3 on the storyboard.It’s going to be fun.
Here’s a little peek at my Inspiration board for book 1:
His name is Z-Bot, hopefully coming to print sometime next year.
Oh, I’m also watching The Voice, Project Runway, and Lucifer.
Tell me what your watching in the comments below, then hop over to Leslie Hachtel’s blog to find out what she’s watching as the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop continues at: https://lesliehachtelwriter.wordpress.com/
October 4, 2016
Romance Writers Weekly – Release Day Traditions
Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.
You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/
Click to check out Brenda’s wonderful novel, When Time Falls Still
If you’re starting your blog hop here, or just hopping over from Brenda Margriet’s blog welcome.
Today’s question comes from Lyra Parish: When you release a new book, do you have a release day tradition?
Ace by Lyra parish
In short, I don’t. That’s not to say there’s not a lot to do on release day, I just wouldn’t call these tasks a tradition as much as they are a necessity.
First and foremost is checking Amazon to see if the darn thing was actually released. There’s no worse feeling, after doing all the per-publicity, than finding out a glitch, somewhere out of your hands, kept the book from coming out. Argh!!!
Next up is doing a little social media to tell people, “Yes, it’s out.” or “Darn it, something’s wrong.” I’ll do some Facebook and Twitter promos, then write up a blog.
Then I get back to work on my next book. Because nothing I do from here will sell that new release better than having another new release.
So what does A.S. Fenichel do on release day? Find out as the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop continues at: http://asfenichel.com/blog/
And check out her latest release, Tainted Bride:
September 27, 2016
Romance Writers Weekly – To whom, and for how long.
Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.
You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/
If you’re starting your blog hop here, or just hopping over from Leslie Hachtel’s wonderful blog post welcome.
Today’s question comes from Jenna Da Sie– If you had to give up something – TV? Wine? Starbucks? What would it be and share how you handle it (or don’t).
Seeing this I instantly thought about Lent, and the act of giving something up. Then I was reminded of a rather off-color joke which ends:
…and he said, “I can’t have sex with you because it’s Lent.”
She answered, “Oh my! To whom, and for how long.”
I’ve never done the whole Lent thing. Giving something up I like doing completely for a limited time. I’m a ‘life is for living’ and ‘all things in moderation’ kind of guy.
The idea of giving something up that I like doing, never really enters my head, making this week a real challenge.
I did give up smoking when I was in my teens because it was expensive and stupid, but I can’t say I ever really liked it anyway. I could buy a couple comic books for the price of a pack, so that was really win-win.
Let’s see. What could I give up?
Wine – No way.
TV – We did give up cable a couple of years ago, but still have internet (Netflix, Hulu, Etc.) so does that really count? I haven’t missed live TV at all, except for Green Bay Packer games.
Starbucks – Probably, but not coffee. Hard to believe nowadays one comic book costs about the same as a cup of anything at Starbucks.
Probably the hardest thing I ever gave up was comic books. I collected and read the darn things well into my forties.They just got too damn expensive, plus the plot lines turned into running soap operas instead of the superhero stories I grew up with, so i cut that cord.
As for something I currently have that I’m willing to give up? Nope. I’m in a good place. No reason to rock the boat.
So what is Carrie Elks thinking of giving up? Find out as the Romance Writers Weekly blog hop continues at: https://carrieelks.com/blog/
And check out Carries wonderful Love in London series:
September 13, 2016
Romance Writers Weekly – Stranger on a train.
Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.
You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/
If you’re starting your blog hop here, or just hopping over from Jenna Da Sie’s wonderful blog, welcome.
Today my good friend Marc Stevens offers up a writing challenge – Flash Fiction Challenge: Planes, trains, and automobiles (or even boats) give us a quick scene set on/in a moving vehicle.
Fun stuff, and I’ve been playing around with a couple of new characters for a future novel, so here’s a quick peek at them.
Stranger on a train.
Brakes squealing, the dingy subway car lurched to a halt. Doors slid open and grumbling commuters shuffled out.
A seat opened up across from the doors and Katherine slid into it. She let out an exhausted sigh, but let the soft smile linger on her lips. She’d had that dream again, waking her in the middle of the night. This time he’d taken her farther, almost to the point of . . .
Around her, voices stilled.
A lone figure stood in the train car’s doorway. The kind of man that attracted attention in any crowd. A man of mystery, dressed formally but with a dark blue cape on his shoulders, like something out of the past, or the future.
Light from behind cast the form in shadow, but familiarity sent tingles creeping up Katherine’s spine.
It couldn’t be.
As the man crossed into the train, the interior lighting illuminated his features.
Raven haired, a scruffy five-O’clock-shadow darkening his granite jaw, the man scanned the car. Dark, sullen eyes, the kind that burned into your soul, were suddenly directed at her. Eyebrows arched. “Katherine?”
The doors swished close behind him, the train lurched back into motion, as their eyes locked. Trapped in his gaze, her heart thundered in her ears as moments turned into centuries.Then his gaze wavered, dropping to the floor as his cheeks reddened.
Katherine steeled herself. “Damien?”
Her core clenched. Gooseflesh crept up her arms. She’d never met him. Yet, she knew him.
His name, his visage, and his touch were oh so familiar to her. Every night for the past two weeks he’d haunted her dreams, stripping her bare, kissing her crazy, and taking her farther and farther every night toward an inevitable climax. Each night closer, but never there.
He stepped nearer, took the seat next to hers, then gently took her hand. “I thought, maybe, it was time we met.”
***
What do you think? Want to know more about these two? I have a new series percolating that I think they’d fit into perfectly. We will see.
Now check in with the high-flying Marc Stevens, as the Romance Writers Weekly blog tour continues at: https://marcstevenserotica.wordpress.com/
And check out Suburban Spies, part of the Cherished Secrets novella collection:
September 8, 2016
Conquering William – by Sarah Hegger
I just finished reading this book, and it’s awesome:
Publisher: Lyrical Press
Release Date: August 30, 2016
Series: Sir Arthur’s Legacy, Book 3
ISBN-10: 1601839162
ISBN-13: 978-1601839169
Blurb
A practical marriage…
He married for convenience, but William of Anglesea had hoped for more than piety from his new bride. Raised in a convent and thrice widowed, prim Lady Alice of Tarnwych seems like an innocent when it comes to the marriage bed—except for the tentative passion he senses in her touch, and sees in her eyes. It seems the bold knight has a new challenge in alluring Alice. But will seducing his intriguing wife lead to his downfall?
An inconvenient desire…
Everything about charming, free-spirited William defies the cloistered world Lady Alice comes from. Duty brings her to their bed—and a long-held hope for a child. Yet after three indifferent husbands, the desire William shows her awakens her own. Little did Alice expect the powerful feelings he would inspire, emotions that make her ready to abandon her rigid beliefs, and the only family she’s ever known—when William’s life is on the line….
Buy Links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Conquering-William-Sarah-Hegger/dp/1601839162/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8
iBooks : https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/conquering-william/id1088652673?mt=11&at=1010loXM
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/conquering-william
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/conquering-william-sarah-hegger/1123105724?ean=9781601839169
Bio:
Born British and raised in South Africa, Sarah Hegger suffers from an incurable case of wanderlust. Her match? A hot Canadian engineer, whose marriage proposal she accepted six short weeks after they first met. Together they’ve made homes in seven different cities across three different continents (and back again once or twice). If only it made her multilingual, but the best she can manage is idiosyncratic English, fluent Afrikaans, conversant Russian, pigeon Portuguese, even worse Zulu and enough French to get herself into trouble.
Mimicking her globe trotting adventures, Sarah’s career path began as a gainfully employed actress, drifted into public relations, settled a moment in advertising, and eventually took root in the fertile soil of her first love, writing. She also moonlights as a wife and mother.
She currently lives in Colorado with her teenage daughters, two Golden Retrievers and aforementioned husband. Part footloose buccaneer, part quixotic observer of life, Sarah’s restless heart is most content when reading or writing books.
Sarah is the recipient of the 2015 EPIC Award for Historical Romance.
She is represented my Nalini Akolekar of Spencerhill Associates.
Giveaway (to enter please go to sarahhegger.com):
To celebrate the release of #3 Sir Arthur’s Legacy, Conquering William I am giving away 3 copies of Conquering William (US winners may receive their copy as an e-book or paperback, international winners will be provided their copy as an e-book only) and 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards.
To enter, simply become a subscriber to my quarterly newsletter. If you’re already subscribed, or wish to gain additional entries, leave a comment on one of the two blog posts below:
Writing and Research in Historical Fiction: A Peek Into My Method and My Madness
For even more entries, Like my Facebook page and Follow me on Twitter!
Social Media Links:
Website: http://sarahhegger.com
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/sarahheggerauthor
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Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28109716-conquering-william
September 6, 2016
Romance Writers Weekly – Things are getting in-tense.
Welcome to the romance Writers Weekly blog hop, where every week a great group of romance writers answer questions and accept challenges. Diverse in what we write, we are unified in the quest to bring you, the romance reader, a very happy ever after.
You can join us daily on our Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RomanceWritersWeekly/
Ascension by A.S. Fenichel
Now just 99¢
If you’re starting your blog hop here, or just hopping over from A. S. Fenichel’s wonderful blog, welcome.
Check out Fix You by Carrie Elks
Today’s topic comes from the wonderful Carrie Elks – Writing can be in-tense. Do you have a preferred POV (First, second or third person) and do you like writing in past or present tense? How about when you choose a book to read – do the tense and POV come into that choice? Have you ever written or read a book that breaks all your rules yet is so much better for it?
I am very partial to third-person past-tense in reading and writing. it just feels more natural to me. I have read and enjoyed many first-person novels but unless I can really identify with the character, I find it had sometimes to stay in their head in first-person.
That said, I have started writing a novel in first-person that is also present-tense. More as a test to see if I can actually write like this, I also feel the way the main characters point of view changes over the course of the novel makes putting it in present tense more impactful.
Here’s a snippet of Destiny: Cloud Fist
An explosion rocks the ship, throwing me out of bed, and across the cabin. I slam into the wall bruising my head and opening a cut on my left hand. By the time I bandage my hand, throw on some clothes, and make my way to the bridge the hull is already breached and power-suited Korg commandos are on board the Cloud Fist.
“I want those shields up now,” Captain Pulsian is saying as I rush through the hatchway, “and get security to all the main corridors. Keep those commandos off the bridge.”
It’s a relief to see the Captain already on the bridge and in charge. I think maybe we still have a chance. Maybe. It’s my job to be at his side whenever I am on duty and to get to his side whenever there is an emergency like this attack. I’m the ship’s boy, the Captain’s errand runner.
“Anders,” the Captain says. He always calls me by my last name.
“Yes, sir,” I say. Proud to be serving such a great man.
“You’re on Com Two until someone show’s up who knows what they’re doing.”
There’s a body on the floor lying in a pool of blood behind the Com Two station chair. It looks like Matt Chandler, but I can’t be sure. I like Matt. He’s a good guy. But I don’t take time to see if he’s still breathing. I know combat protocol. The Captain drills us all on it constantly. So I sit down in front of the big communications control station.
I know very little about the shipboard communications panel. I’ve never been trained, and I wonder what the Captain expects me to do here. I start to look over the Com Two station to see if it makes any sense, ‘cause that’s orders, and it’s my job to follow the Captain’s orders. It’s to my luck that beside me at Com One is Maura Reuter. She reaches over and flips a few switches on my panel then hands me the head set.
***
I don’t know if I’ll ever finish it. It’s a lot of work to stay in present-tense. I’d love to know what you think of the story and the way I’m telling it.
Let me know in the comments below then slip over to Brenda Margriet’s post as the RWW Blog Hop continues at: http://www.brendamargriet.com/blog
Click to check out Brenda’s wonderful new novel, When Time Falls Still
