Harmony Evans's Blog, page 754
January 8, 2013
Writing Books: Goal, Motivation & Conflict
Occasionally, I’m going to blog about some of the writing books that I’ve found really useful. First up, and probably the most important, is Goal, Motivation & Conflict: The Building Blocks of Good Fiction by Debra Dixon. This book was introduced to me by my good friend and fellow Harlequin romance writer, Ann Roth, and let me tell you, it was a LIFESAVER. Before I read and studied this book, I didn’t even know what GMC was and how it is the crux of writing novels.
Quoting Dixon (page 10):
” Commercial fiction readers expect your characters to have goals, be motivated, and to face conflict. They expect you to answer four simple questions:
Who = character
What = goal
Why = motivation
Why not = conflict”
Dixon goes on to explain what each of these four questions are using examples from classic movies, such as the Wizard of Oz and Casablanca. Furthermore, GMC (Goal, Motivation, Conflict) are both internal and external to your characters.
Once I read the book, I looked for examples of GMC in other novels (romance, classic, suspense — even children’s). Even now, whenever I read a new novel, I am looking for the GMC of each character.
Structure is good. Identifying the GMC for each character in my books is an exercise that I enjoy doing (probably the only exercise I enjoy — lol!) and I believe it makes me a better writer. I highly recommend adding this book to your writing library. Thoughts?
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November 7, 2012
LESSON IN ROMANCE Nominated for 2 Categories in the RT 2012 Reviewers’ Choice Awards
I learned today that LESSON IN ROMANCE has been nominated for 2 categories in the RT Book Reviews 2012 Reviewers’ Choice Awards.The 2 categories are: First Series Romance and Kimani Romance.
Now that I’ve peeled myself off the ceiling, needless to say, I am stunned, humbled and very, very happy!
Being a debut novelist, it is indeed an honor to be nominated in the First Series Romance category in addition to the Kimani Romance category with other veteran Kimani Romance authors Farrah Rochon, AlTonya Washington and Kayla Perrin.
LESSON IN ROMANCE is my first novel for Harlequin Kimani Romance. It earned a 4.5 starred review from RT Book Reviews. See all the book covers and nominees here!
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October 19, 2012
Bullying: Choose To Act
Over the years, my daughter has often been teased for her small stature and big brain. But the light teasing elevated to harmful bullying her first year of middle school. She learned very quickly that children can be mean, that adults can turn a blind eye, and that the life isn’t as happy-go-lucky as the Disney Princesses and Little Ponies claim it is.
Bullying was hard on her. She was often anxious and worried and sick to her stomach. And it was excruciating for me as a mother to watch. As a single mom, I had no other options for her but the public schools, and I didn’t learn till much later in the year about the option to transfer her to another school in our district.
I felt helpless and afraid for my daughter. And the guilt was almost unbearable.
I used each bullying incident as a teachable moment. And unfortunately, there were far too many of those. I muddled through offering words of advice, but mainly just listening and loving her. We both cried a lot last year.
This year, I transferred my daughter to another school within our district where the zero tolerance policy against bullying is taken seriously. Although she is much happier, the memories of her bad experiences remain. I pray they will lessen over time, but I know she will never truly forget.
That’s why I feel immense sorrow when I hear about children who take their own lives, or the lives of others, as a result of bullying. Amanda Todd chose to post her suicide note on the Internet, yet there are hundreds of thousands of kids who suffer (and commit suicide) silently.
Today I stand with all of the fabulous authors participating in this Authors Against Bullying blog hop and the children we love. Both our own and those we don’t even know. Children are a gift. We must be a voice for them. We must choose to act. Because when we advocate for our children and take a stand against bullying, we not only show our love, we protect their future.
*****
Were you or someone in your family ever bullied? How did you deal with it? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Post your comments below! Then, click on the links to visit the blogs of the other authors who are participating in the hop!
Mandy M. Roth
Yasmine Galenorn
Lauren Dane
Michelle M. Pillow
Kate Douglas
Shawntelle Madison
Leah Braemel
Aaron Crocco
NJ Walters
Jax Garren
Shelli Stevens
Melissa Schroeder
Jaycee Clark
Shawna Thomas
Ella Drake
E.J. Stevens
Ashley Shaw
Jeaniene Frost
Rachel Caine
Kate Rothwell
Jackie Morse Kessler
Jaye Wells
Kate Angell
Melissa Cutler
PT Michelle
Patrice Michelle
Julie Leto
Kaz Mahoney
Cynthia D’Alba
Jesse L. Cairns
TJ Michaels
Jess Haines
Phoebe Conn
Jessa Slade
Kate Davies
Lynne Silver
Taryn Blackthorne
Margaret Daley
Alyssa Day
Aaron Dries
Lisa Whitefern
Rhyannon Byrd
Carly Phillips
Leslie Kelly
Janelle Denison
Graylin Fox
Lee McKenzie
Barbara Winkes
Harmony Evans
Mary Eason
Ann Aguirre
Lucy Monroe
Nikki Duncan
Kerry Schafer
Ruth Frances Long
Julie Chicklitasaurus
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October 15, 2012
Authors Against Bullying Blog Hop
October 16, 2012 — The tragic suicide of Vancouver teen Amanda Todd, prompted author Mandy Roth to organize a blog hop calling for an end to bullying. The Authors Against Bullying blog hop will occur on Friday, October 19th. I will be participating along with 50 or so other authors. Be sure to follow #AuthorsAgainstBullying on Twitter for the latest updates.
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October 9, 2012
Writing Becomes Me
I’m a writer. Made, not born. Crafted over several years of floundering and not knowing what to do with this artistic talent within me. I used to play piano – a lot! When I was a child, I would spend many hours at the keyboard, practicing my scales, those dreaded Hanon exercises that I actually came to enjoy, and performance pieces. Ensuring my hands and wrist were positioned correctly. Perfecting my fingering. Working on tone and color and dynamics. And I would compose songs with lyrics, and songs with no lyrics at all. All to satisfy this innate need to create something.
I am a writer. Made, not born. Crafted over a lifetime of success and pain, love and loss, broken promises and dreams fulfilled. Now, my need to create, to write, has a purpose of sorts. It’s more than creating a story. It’s creating another life. With a beginning, middle, and an end. It’s exploring the choices my characters make, and reflecting on my own life choices.
I am a writer. Made, not born. Writing becomes me. It IS me. With all my hopes and dreams and frailties. And I’ll pursue whatever writing, whatever story, whatever emotion, is inside me until the day when I can no longer create.
I can only remember.
How does writing become you?
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October 1, 2012
Lesson In Romance: Release Day
Lesson in Romance was released on Kindle today!! It’s been out on Amazon.com and BN.com since my birthday. Wow!
But I have to tell you, I am sitting here in a fog right now. I never thought this day would happen, and all of a sudden it’s here. It’s funny how things sneak up on you.
I started writing 10 years ago…really, as a challenge to myself, and here I am…a published author!
It’s incredibly amazing and humbling.
I only wish my mom, who passed away suddenly on June 2nd of this year at the age of 82, could be here with me at this moment. I know she would have loved Cara and Alex’s story. She always wanted me to be “famous”.
Well, Mom, I may never be famous, but somehow I think, that up in heaven tonight, you’re talking about me.
And you’re proud…
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