Piper Shelly's Blog, page 272

Hook me!

Hey everyone! Heads still on a day after Halloween? If not, go get them and shrew.

It’s NaNoWriMo…and I couldn’t care less. I’m not participating, because I hate writing under pressure and the outcome is never something to make me or any of my readers happy. But since it’s already the Writing Month, I’d like to take this as an occasion for a series of posts on the craft itself. I know, many of my fans are also writers, so if you come back once in a while in November, you’ll get great advice from a few fellow authors on how to write and use your wits.

Today I’ll start right off with

THE HOOK

Bait me with your opening.

The opening is a seriously important part, if not the most, of your entire novel. Why? Because it decides whether your book will be bought in a minute or not. Some people say, the mass reader will grant you three paragraphs to hook them with your book. I say, you have exactly one line. If that line isn’t enough for me to be interested in why or how something turned out the way it has to get to this particular moment, I’ll most probably not even finish reading the first paragraph but shove the book back into the empty space on the shelf and grab the next.

Now, it’s not easy to come up with a line as meaningful and intriguing as that. So what can you do to find just the perfect trigger? At this point, I’d like to quote a friend of mine, who made me understand the importance of this quite a while ago. She said, “Try to sum up your entire novel in this very first line.” Duh, how impossible is that?

But then…is it really? In her novel, The Werewolf King, she managed to hook me with a few simple words.

Why, Josef, you make me think the world will end with your calling me here.

Right at this point I absolutely wanted to know A: What happened between her and Josef that calling her was such a great deal? And B: What was going on that the world was at stake?

The tricky thing with this line is, you already have an inkling of what the book will be about, even when you still have absolutely no idea what will come at you. So what do you do? – You read on, because you MUST find out.

One of the greatest hooks I came across was in Larry Brooks Bait and Switch.

All things considered, it was a great night to die.

Heck, what are all things? What led to this person’s acute death? Will he really die? After all, this is only the prologue and you never know about these things. Seriously, for me it can’t get any better than that.

However, if a complete novel in one line is too hard to do, then go for simple. Try to foreshadow the actual chapter, or maybe only the scene.

The previous weeks I’ve been critiquing a lot for another friend of mine. Her dark romances are my all time favorites and she’s excellent with hooks. This is from her yet unpublished novel Darkness Undone.

The sudden hush in the busy little café should have been his first clue that shit was about to fly.

Okay, let’s analyze this. With just a few simple words, she gave a variety of information. We know where the events take place, we get a glimpse at the atmosphere in the café when everyone tenses, and we know that in only a second, something big will happen. These are the three basic points. But there’s one more thing, and personally, to me this is the most important one that made me want to read on. It’s the hero’s voice. Hunter already revealed a very significant trait of this hero: sarcasm, and his relaxed attitude toward the crap going on in his life on a daily basis. I was intrigued by all these aspects in a heartbeat.

Other possibilities to ensnare your readers with the first line are: Shock. A very blatant statement or spicy compliment – this works especially for hot romances. Even humor. Whichever you choose, just put enough info into this line to make your reader guess about what’s coming at him, but don’t reveal too much. Because, like everywhere else, here it is: Less is more.

Joyful writing!

Piper

Fun AND Giveaway

Okay, folks, Halloween is almost here.

Hope you all have your scary masks at the ready.

For those of you who had no luck in the Oktober Giveaway of my romance HER GAME, HIS RULES, don’t pull a face… Here comes the next already. Head over to the interview I recently gave and follow the most simple instructions there to opt for a free PDF.

Some chatting and an GIVEAWAY!

And a teaser just for fun.

Come on, I do want to get to know my readers!

Have a happy Halloween, all of you!

 

Signing with scary laughter,

Piper

You like it? Win it!

Game on! Do you want a nice Halloween present? I’m giving away a signed and personally dedicated copy of this:

LIKE IT? WIN IT!

All you have to do is leave a comment and tell me what part of HER GAME, HIS RULES you liked best. Anything from a complete chapter, a scene, to a moment, or even a single line. The winner will be announced on October 31st. Good luck!

I look forward to seeing what you come up with.

Tagged: publishing

What? A mistake? Damn, no!

Well yeah, here we are…all published and happy!

Her Game, His Rules had a beautiful start, and I keep getting really lovely reviews. On that note, a shout out! to everyone who doesn’t shy away from writing one.

It’s a bit strange…to finally hold your book in your hands. First, you only brush it like this little something could intimidate you. Then you touch it a lot. And it’s fun. LOL. But after two weeks, things return to normal, and the book is just part of your life. I rarely talk about it to anyone other than my critique partners. But then, I didn’t talk about it a lot before either. So yeah, I think that’s just me. As a matter of fact, I have trouble dealing with too much attention. I blush a lot in the weirdest situations. But enough of the private part of me.

I sat down to write this post for a special reason: I need to make up my mind.

As I’ve been told today by my cousin, who just finished reading the book and lifted my ego to the heavens with her praise, there is a major mistake in the novel. ONE WORD. Just one freaking word. Okay, I’m not saying that my novel is otherwise spotless. As in most every book you’ll find the occasional comma missing or maybe even a typo. But that one word is just so out of place that I think about uploading a new file for the press.

Yeah, I could do that. Or… I could leave it. And make a game out of this. What if I even did a giveaway? The one who finds the word fastest gets a signed copy of the novel. Or if there are more to come in, maybe let the game going until Christmas and then pick a winner? How does this sound? (And no, Barbara, you’re already disqualified! Ha ha!)

So, guys, give me your two cents on the matter and we will see what’s going to happen in the end.

Cheers,

Piper

Finally there…

Okay folks, it’s time for the last post before HER GAME, HIS RULES goes into press…

A song for the moment?

It’s still a week until the release as I sit here and write this, but I’m facing a very busy week where I have to spend a few days in hospital with my ten-year-old, so I think it’s okay to do this now.

Her Game, His Rules has become something like my second baby. I started writing the first draft on a one-week vacation in Tunisia in 2009. Ten pages, hand written. I finished the story within one year, revised twice, then kicked it to the trash and started from scratch again. The final edition is a far cry from the original, and this one time I hope to get away with a little self-praise when I say, I’m majorly proud of myself.

Crafting out the characters was like finding new friends. I talked to them in my mind and listened carefully how they would reply. I saw them act like no one else ever will, even though I put hard work into trying to make you all see…

I’ve grown fond of Jona and Julian, and on a childlike fantastical note I hope they will become real in a different dimension. On a collective level of thinking. In all the readers’ minds.

Here’s to my debut novel. May you all enjoy!

Tagged: personal, publication

The Next Best Thing Challenge…

I was tagged by Georgia Lyn Hunter to do The Next Best Thing Challenge.

Here’s how it works:

Answer the 10 questions below
Spread the fun and tag other writers to participate.

What is the title of your book / WIP?

Her Game, His Rules

Where did the idea for this book come from?

I met a young man in London a few years ago. He was very special to me and he had the most angelic hands imaginable.

What genre would your book fall under?

Paranormal YA romance

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Who of you remembers the TV show The Gilmore Girls? Rory Gilmore in her late teens would have been the perfect Jona. For Julian? Honestly, I have no idea… If you know someone, tell me!

What is the one sentence synopsis of your book?

Help came with the most gorgeous face she could imagine.

Is your book published or represented?

It will be released on September 8th by Black Opal Books.

How long did it take you to write it?

About 10 months.

What other books in your genre would you compare it to?

There is a little bit of Hush, Hush (Becca Fitzpatrick) in it mixed with The Last Song (Nocholas Sparks).

Which authors inspired you to write this book?

No author inspired this particular book. However, in general I’m inspired by L.J.Smith, Kerrelyn Sparks, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Becca Fitzpatrick, and Stepheny Meyer.

Tell us anything else that might pique our interest in your book.

I won’t say much. But I’ll give you a sneak peek into one of my favorite scenes.

“Who says I don’t have a girlfriend?” Julian whispered over my shoulder, into my ear. Jeez, the feeling of his arms wrapped so tightly around me…

“Well…you. I mean, you said you weren’t my mother’s lover. And I don’t see any other girls around.” I bit my lip. Shit. There was probably another woman waiting for him somewhere. Someone nice and young, not god-awful like the dragon. When I spoke next, my voice sounded anything but confident. “So, do you?”

“No.” He dragged out the word and laughed softly.

This really shouldn’t make me so happy, damnit. The pounding of my heart annoyed me something awful. Especially when he must’ve caught it with my ribcage pressed so snugly against his chest. And a firm chest it was. “See, that might be different if you were a little nicer to girls to begin with.”

“It might,” he breathed against my skin, his face suddenly too close. “And yet, here I stand, holding you in my arms after only three days.”

An idea was born

I had a very interesting birthday last weekend. Let me tell about it…

So, what’s playing?

The day before my birthday, I participated in a Zumba flash-mob during an event in town. All the excitement before must have busted my brains free, because that night I was struck by a few very interesting ideas. One was the plotline to a novella, which I started two days ago, and now I’m already 10,000 words into the high school drama.

The other idea was inspired by a little notebook and pen my best friend gave me strike midnight of my birthday. I love pretty books. I hoard them in my room, always hoping that the right time will come and I can actually fill them with words. But mostly they stay empty. However, when I opened this new little book, I thought it would be nice to have other people fill it for me. People all around the world. And there…a romantic project was borne. Tomorrow, I’m going to send three of those books out to totally random persons. Read below what they will see when they open it.

Hi,

My name is Piper Shelly, and this is an experiment.

I’m a romance author, thus I live for good, romantic stories. This little book shall become a collection of precious romantic moments of a global experience. There are a few simple rules which I ask you to follow to make this lovely little project a success.

Whoever gives this book to you, please don’t refuse, even if you decide you don’t want to share your moment. I ask that you then pass the book on to someone else. Any random person. Tell them they’ll find all the important information on the first page. Add a smile…maybe a please.

The main idea is to make this book reach as many people as possible in as many places—all over the world, if possible. If you’re going on vacation, or visiting a friend across the country, take it with you and pass it on to someone on the train or a stranger at your destination. Don’t give it to every member in your family as this would narrow the field pretty much.

If you’re game, then here’s the idea:

Think of one special moment in your life, relating to your first real love, the first moment you saw him or her, your first date or asking the one out for a date, even the first kiss maybe. It doesn’t really matter what, only that it made your heart pound like mad and your eyes spark with excitement. The magic of that first time… put it on paper.

Write down how you remember it. If you need one page or several is up to you. But for the simple reason to make this a huge collection, please try to keep it under ten pages.

Don’t keep this book longer than five days.

Sign the text with whatever you like. First name, first and last, nickname, triple X, or pseudonym. I only ask you for one thing. Once you’re done, send me an e-mail and let me know another person has added a special moment. I’ll put up a page on my website, too, where you can—if you want—post the same story in a comment. I hope for many entries. It’s your choice if you want to make it public on my site, but be aware that the original book will be open to anyone. For that reason you have to be above eighteen if you want to join in the experiment.

I ask the one who fills the last page to please wrap the book up afterwards and send it back to me. I’ll give you return instructions on e-mail.

Thank you for taking part in this romantic project!

And now, that everything is said and done, I wish you a wonderful time remembering a very special moment in your life. May it make you smile!

Cheers,

Piper

If you want to be part of this EXPERIMENT online, feel warmly invited!

Tagged: personal, writing

Seriously?

 

Thanks to my lovely CP, Melissa, I cut three complete chapters of GABRIEL last night.

Just for your information: THAT WAS 13,000 WORDS! Bah!

Thought this was worth a post.

 

Oh, and here is the music.

 

 

I’m not weird. I’m awesome deluxe.

As always…some good music while you read.

I could ask you now: Are you a writer? And if you read my posts, you most probably are. But then there’d be nothing much to tell you. So I’ll ask something else. Do you know a writer?

Some of you will nod now, others might skim mentally through all their friends then decide no. Whatever. For those of you who ever came into contact with a writer, I’d like to sort a few things with this post.

First off: We’re not weird. Okay, some might be. Me? – Hell yes! But not all of us are. And I can explain exactly why you think we are, and why, in fact, we aren’t.

So, the most used descriptions of a non-author for an author are: Hangs out in her writer office ¾ of the day. Rather chats with strangers online than meeting her real friends in the pub down the street. Speaks about her characters in her book as if they were real people. Gets up in the dead of the night, just to jot down a few lines that make no sense to anyone. Would rather bring her laptop on a vacation than her family.

Okay, let’s tick them off one by one.

Why do we spend so much time in our office? Duh, because we write. That wasn’t hard to guess. But why can’t we write for about a couple hours every day like others do with their hobbies, then stop and do something else? The simple answer is, because you’re not an author for a couple hours a day. You’re a writer for a lifetime. No stop. No break. No mercy. If you’re devoted to creating entire new worlds, it takes time. Sometimes you’d sit a whole day and don’t get anything done other than maybe bleach the white of the page in front of you with your stares to a whole new level of shiny. Hell, I’ve been know to sitting in front of my WIP and not get a single line written in weeks. But still, even if a writer doesn’t type anything, it doesn’t mean she doesn’t work on it. You’d never guess how busy the mind of an author can be. The Interstate-90 is a walk in the park compared to that.

Why do we chat to strangers so much? Well, because they aren’t strangers to us. We’re all in the same boat. We strive to build the most wonderful world we can, and then bring it down to the page in a way that allows every person who grabs a copy of our book to fully dive in. To feel the same emotions we felt when we wrote it. To step into the story as if it’s happening just inside their front room. But this is only possible, if you have a few friends who read your stuff every now and then and point out what’s missing to build this particular bridge. We lovingly call these friends of ours ‘critique partners’

Why do we act as if the people in our books are real? Easy: For a writer, they are real. As real as your children, or your husband, your boyfriend, or your grandfather. For us, they live. And we speak of them so often and in this strange manner, because we love them. We created them from scratch, and in our vision they are perfect with every little flaw or trait. How could we not fall in love with them? And now think of yourself. If you’re in love with someone, don’t you want to tell the entire world about this person?

Why do we get up in the middle of the night? Or in my case, why do I have a notepad on my nightstand with a pen and a flashlight? Because, frankly, the best ideas hit us in the dark. Most of the time they come, check if we’re still awake, and when they see that we’re just about to drift off, they present themselves to us. At that point, you have no chance to ever remember it in the morning. That’s a fact, believe me. I don’t know how many awesome ideas have gone lost on me, just because I convinced myself in bed I’d be able to remember later. I never did. So I brought this little writing equipment to my bedroom, and whenever an idea thinks it can fool me, dance before me then just disappear, I have an ace up my sleeve. I can take notes, and everything is good the following day.

And here’s the answer to your most burning question. Why do writers not marry their laptops instead of men or women if they spend more time with the damn device anyway? Church doesn’t approve of it. That’s why. And on that note…happy writing!

Tagged: writing

Moving too little – writing too…well a little more

Today I’m telling you a thing or two about me that border on personal.

But first, what’s playing?

In times of online orders and where the costs for gasoline, however high they are at the moment, still allow you to get your groceries with your car, no one’s really surprised about the mass gaining weight. Or, no one should be. If you have a job like mine, accountant in the morning and writer for the rest of the day, you’ve been dealt with a double-tough hand. I sit on my ass for more than ten hours every day. Where in that time, I want to know, should I be able to do enough sports to shape my body to size XS?

That is impossible.

The little I walk is when I need a loo break, or when the postman delivers a package and I have to fly down the stairs to accept it. It takes me seven minutes to get to work and seven minutes to go back again. Not exactly a marathon, you know.

But then, I have to say I’m lucky I finally found my balance. About a year ago, and after nagging me for several months, my friend dragged me to a Zumba class. Some of you probably haven’t even heard of that yet, and in that case I strongly suggest you Google it and then try it yourself. Zumba basically is dance aerobic to Latin-American music. The louder the better, and you do it without a dance partner. In that one hour, where we jump and shake to the spicy rhythms, I can shut down my mind completely, step away from being a writer, and get grounded by just moving. And yes, I dance to songs like the one above, which you should be listening to as you read this, by the way.

During the past year, where I went to the local Zumba class two evenings a week, I got a whole new feeling for my own body and even lost some pounds. I’m loaded with new energy every time I get home. Energy that I can pour into writing as soon as the next morning breaks. And, frankly, how can it get better than that?

Written with Zumba love.

Tagged: personal