Kelly Steel's Blog, page 12
April 21, 2014
Mickey J. Corrigan talks about Editors
We are welcoming author Mickey J. Corrigan as she talks about her love/hate relationship with her editor.
Over to Mickey now...
My Editor Hates MebyMickey J. Corrigan
Over the years, my work has been published in various forms: mainstream nonfiction, textbooks, kids' educational books, literary fiction, steamy novellas, how-to magazine articles, news reports, and a novel. So I have worked with a variety of editors. And I'd have to agree with Theodore H. White that: "There are two kinds of editors, those who correct your copy and those who say it's wonderful."Still, I am indebted to my editors. In my early publishing days, these were the people who taught me how to write. By going through my work with a fine eye for grammar, punctuation, structure and detail, my editors showed me how to improve my work. How to be tight. How to get the sentence structure right. And get to the point. How to hook the reader. Be clear. Say something new, say it in a new way. How to let my real voice shine through. You know the drill. My editors made me work and, because of them, my work got better.Over the years, some of my editors became my friends. Some couldn't wait to be done with me. A couple made my life miserable. One time I asked a publisher for a different editor because the person to whom I had been assigned wanted to rewrite my work in her own words. This doesn't work—even if the editor has a better way to say every single sentence. And this particular editor seemed to think she did!So yes, there are good editors and great editors, fun editors and mean editors, and some really bad editors. But the thing about editors is, we writers need them. They make a huge difference in our lives. In fact, they are responsible for transforming our manuscripts into books.Recently I worked with an editor who did not like my characters. This is not a big surprise. I write about women in tough situations, kickass women who are not nice. And I write about silly women who need to get their asses kicked! But this particular editor really came down hard on my manuscript because she wanted to like my protagonists. This made me rethink their personalities. It helped me to soften their edges and, hopefully, please more readers.Editing is a difficult and demanding process. But an important one. I work as a professional editor and I hear it every day from my clients: This is really hard work!Yes, it is. And the results are better books--and better writers.
Mickey J. Corrigan is the author of a handful of novellas and the novel Sugar Babies, a sexy thriller. Her newest novella is the second book in The Hard Stuff Series from The Wild Rose Press. Vodka Warrior is a crazy story about a lonely divorcee who drinks too much, and the body god who moves in next door. A rollercoaster ride of screw-ups, lust and love, Vodka Warrior is a fun, sexy read. (And the editor for the series is fantastic!)Visit Mickey here:www.mickeyjcorrigan.com
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5828647.Mickey_J_Corrigan
Mickey's latest release is:
VODKA WARRIOR
The Hard Stuff: Book #2
A lonely divorcee living in a tacky development in Dusky Beach, Florida, Theresa Tierney is an educated hick and her own worst enemy. She has a wild streak and a bit of a drinking problem, both leading to a few too many bad choices.
When her neighbor’s new roommate arrives, a good-looking body god, Theresa is both curious and disgusted. A brash New Yorker, Vario Fumesti says what he's thinking and looks sexy as hell doing it. The brawny mountain of pumped muscle is mega alpha male. But his frequent hot tub parties with friends from a local strip club fire up Theresa’s anger. In fact, Vario continually makes her feel and do things she isn't expecting.
A series of screw-ups, lust, and love set Theresa on a rollercoaster ride that’s out of control and threatening to jump the tracks.
Read Reviews
Over to Mickey now...
My Editor Hates MebyMickey J. Corrigan
Over the years, my work has been published in various forms: mainstream nonfiction, textbooks, kids' educational books, literary fiction, steamy novellas, how-to magazine articles, news reports, and a novel. So I have worked with a variety of editors. And I'd have to agree with Theodore H. White that: "There are two kinds of editors, those who correct your copy and those who say it's wonderful."Still, I am indebted to my editors. In my early publishing days, these were the people who taught me how to write. By going through my work with a fine eye for grammar, punctuation, structure and detail, my editors showed me how to improve my work. How to be tight. How to get the sentence structure right. And get to the point. How to hook the reader. Be clear. Say something new, say it in a new way. How to let my real voice shine through. You know the drill. My editors made me work and, because of them, my work got better.Over the years, some of my editors became my friends. Some couldn't wait to be done with me. A couple made my life miserable. One time I asked a publisher for a different editor because the person to whom I had been assigned wanted to rewrite my work in her own words. This doesn't work—even if the editor has a better way to say every single sentence. And this particular editor seemed to think she did!So yes, there are good editors and great editors, fun editors and mean editors, and some really bad editors. But the thing about editors is, we writers need them. They make a huge difference in our lives. In fact, they are responsible for transforming our manuscripts into books.Recently I worked with an editor who did not like my characters. This is not a big surprise. I write about women in tough situations, kickass women who are not nice. And I write about silly women who need to get their asses kicked! But this particular editor really came down hard on my manuscript because she wanted to like my protagonists. This made me rethink their personalities. It helped me to soften their edges and, hopefully, please more readers.Editing is a difficult and demanding process. But an important one. I work as a professional editor and I hear it every day from my clients: This is really hard work!Yes, it is. And the results are better books--and better writers.
Mickey J. Corrigan is the author of a handful of novellas and the novel Sugar Babies, a sexy thriller. Her newest novella is the second book in The Hard Stuff Series from The Wild Rose Press. Vodka Warrior is a crazy story about a lonely divorcee who drinks too much, and the body god who moves in next door. A rollercoaster ride of screw-ups, lust and love, Vodka Warrior is a fun, sexy read. (And the editor for the series is fantastic!)Visit Mickey here:www.mickeyjcorrigan.com
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5828647.Mickey_J_Corrigan
Mickey's latest release is:
VODKA WARRIOR
The Hard Stuff: Book #2A lonely divorcee living in a tacky development in Dusky Beach, Florida, Theresa Tierney is an educated hick and her own worst enemy. She has a wild streak and a bit of a drinking problem, both leading to a few too many bad choices.
When her neighbor’s new roommate arrives, a good-looking body god, Theresa is both curious and disgusted. A brash New Yorker, Vario Fumesti says what he's thinking and looks sexy as hell doing it. The brawny mountain of pumped muscle is mega alpha male. But his frequent hot tub parties with friends from a local strip club fire up Theresa’s anger. In fact, Vario continually makes her feel and do things she isn't expecting.
A series of screw-ups, lust, and love set Theresa on a rollercoaster ride that’s out of control and threatening to jump the tracks.
Read Reviews
April 14, 2014
Author Ella Carey talks about Writerly Experience and Giveaway!
Please help welcome Australian debut author Ella Carey. And she's got a kindle copy giveaway of her debut release THE PARIS TIME CAPSULE to one commentater.
Ella on the web:
Facebook Twitter Author Page
The Paris Time Capsule
Writerly Experience …
There are many benefits to working with a writing mentor, and I have been lucky enough to work with the lovely Melanie Milburne. Melanie, as many of you will know, is the award winning, multi-published writer of Harlequin Medicals and Presents novels, while I write women’s fiction.
(Read about Melanie Milburne here!)
First, and foremost, Melanie has become a wonderful friend whom I value and adore. She has a vibrant, lively personality and whenever we start talking it is as if we are both falling over ourselves with so much to say! Melanie is generous with her time and I know that she takes a real interest in many aspiring writers.
I think one of the best things for any aspiring writer is having someone who tells you that your writing has potential. Writing is a lonely business, and when an established writer can pick up a thread in your work and see that it may develop into something worthy, it gives you such a lift!
I first met Melanie seven years ago when I heard her speak. I was writing some novel that I cannot even remember now, but after Melanie’s talk, we started to chat and ultimately, Melanie took my phone number, offered to have a look at my manuscript, and then called me to invite me to have lunch with her and Felicity Roger, whom she had been mentoring as well.
This was, of course, hugely exciting for me, and it was the beginning of many such lunches, that went on for most of the afternoon and probably could have gone on all night too as we chatted so much. There were many topics covered, problems shared and wonderful writing advice dispensed by Melanie, just organically, as things came up in the conversation.
Melanie would read my work and give me feedback. This was enormously helpful, in many ways, in terms of developing stronger characters, structure, building in conflict, and also just helping with the nuts and bolts of writing, and conventions with regards to presenting manuscripts.
Melanie and I have attended several conferences together. These have been special for me, because as well as having the opportunity to spend time with her and with other writers, sharing new ideas with your mentor and then discussing them really can move your writing in directions that are unexpected and wonderful.
I have spent hours and hours refining my own work, studying writing craft, to be honest I have avoided putting my work out there until I felt I was ready with ‘The Paris Time Capsule.’ One piece of advice Melanie gave me was that it was better to wait until you are really ready and think that you can produce something that is your very best.
Then, Melanie kindly offered me the opportunity to write a story alongside her own for the ‘Review of Australian Fiction.’ So, my first experience of publication was alongside my mentor! I would say that was a fabulous thing!
Now, I know I have a writerly friend who is honest and supportive, whom I look forward to spending more time with over the years, and who I know is always there on the end of the phone. I hope that Melanie feels she has exactly the same thing in me!
If you want to ask any specific question about the experience of writing mentors, please feel free to ask Ella!
Inspired by the true story of an apartment in Paris that was abandoned for seventy years. The owner fled Paris on the eve of the Nazi invasion in 1940 … but why did she never return? New York photographer Cat Jordan has fought hard to free herself from the past, but when a stranger dies, Cat finds herself the sole inheritor of a treasure filled apartment in Paris that has been locked up and abandoned for seventy years. A stash of love letters belonging to Marthe de Florian, one of the Belle Époque’s most famous demimondaines, and the appearance of the mysterious Isabelle de Florian’s grandson leads Cat in search of the reasons why Isabelle kept her Paris apartment a secret, and why she left her entire estate to Cat. As Cat unravels the story, she too begins her own journey, realizing that the secrets in the apartment may finally unfasten the future.
Praise for Ella Carey:
"Ella Carey creates an almost impossibly romantic atmosphere."Rachel Edwards, Review of Australian Fiction.
I am so looking forward to the release of The Paris Time-Capsule. Ella Carey is one of the most talented writers I have ever worked with. Roll on release day!'Melanie Milburne, USA Today best selling author
For more information please visit www.theparistimecapsule.com
Read Reviews
BUY LINKS:
Amazon UK Australia India New Zealand
US and rest of the world Amazon US
Enter this Goodreads giveaway...
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey Giveaway ends April 30, 2014.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
Ella on the web:
Facebook Twitter Author Page
The Paris Time Capsule
Writerly Experience …
There are many benefits to working with a writing mentor, and I have been lucky enough to work with the lovely Melanie Milburne. Melanie, as many of you will know, is the award winning, multi-published writer of Harlequin Medicals and Presents novels, while I write women’s fiction.
(Read about Melanie Milburne here!)
First, and foremost, Melanie has become a wonderful friend whom I value and adore. She has a vibrant, lively personality and whenever we start talking it is as if we are both falling over ourselves with so much to say! Melanie is generous with her time and I know that she takes a real interest in many aspiring writers.
I think one of the best things for any aspiring writer is having someone who tells you that your writing has potential. Writing is a lonely business, and when an established writer can pick up a thread in your work and see that it may develop into something worthy, it gives you such a lift!
I first met Melanie seven years ago when I heard her speak. I was writing some novel that I cannot even remember now, but after Melanie’s talk, we started to chat and ultimately, Melanie took my phone number, offered to have a look at my manuscript, and then called me to invite me to have lunch with her and Felicity Roger, whom she had been mentoring as well.
This was, of course, hugely exciting for me, and it was the beginning of many such lunches, that went on for most of the afternoon and probably could have gone on all night too as we chatted so much. There were many topics covered, problems shared and wonderful writing advice dispensed by Melanie, just organically, as things came up in the conversation.
Melanie would read my work and give me feedback. This was enormously helpful, in many ways, in terms of developing stronger characters, structure, building in conflict, and also just helping with the nuts and bolts of writing, and conventions with regards to presenting manuscripts.
Melanie and I have attended several conferences together. These have been special for me, because as well as having the opportunity to spend time with her and with other writers, sharing new ideas with your mentor and then discussing them really can move your writing in directions that are unexpected and wonderful.
I have spent hours and hours refining my own work, studying writing craft, to be honest I have avoided putting my work out there until I felt I was ready with ‘The Paris Time Capsule.’ One piece of advice Melanie gave me was that it was better to wait until you are really ready and think that you can produce something that is your very best.
Then, Melanie kindly offered me the opportunity to write a story alongside her own for the ‘Review of Australian Fiction.’ So, my first experience of publication was alongside my mentor! I would say that was a fabulous thing!
Now, I know I have a writerly friend who is honest and supportive, whom I look forward to spending more time with over the years, and who I know is always there on the end of the phone. I hope that Melanie feels she has exactly the same thing in me!
If you want to ask any specific question about the experience of writing mentors, please feel free to ask Ella!
Inspired by the true story of an apartment in Paris that was abandoned for seventy years. The owner fled Paris on the eve of the Nazi invasion in 1940 … but why did she never return? New York photographer Cat Jordan has fought hard to free herself from the past, but when a stranger dies, Cat finds herself the sole inheritor of a treasure filled apartment in Paris that has been locked up and abandoned for seventy years. A stash of love letters belonging to Marthe de Florian, one of the Belle Époque’s most famous demimondaines, and the appearance of the mysterious Isabelle de Florian’s grandson leads Cat in search of the reasons why Isabelle kept her Paris apartment a secret, and why she left her entire estate to Cat. As Cat unravels the story, she too begins her own journey, realizing that the secrets in the apartment may finally unfasten the future.Praise for Ella Carey:
"Ella Carey creates an almost impossibly romantic atmosphere."Rachel Edwards, Review of Australian Fiction.
I am so looking forward to the release of The Paris Time-Capsule. Ella Carey is one of the most talented writers I have ever worked with. Roll on release day!'Melanie Milburne, USA Today best selling author
For more information please visit www.theparistimecapsule.com
Read Reviews
BUY LINKS:
Amazon UK Australia India New Zealand
US and rest of the world Amazon US
Enter this Goodreads giveaway...
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
The Paris Time Capsule by Ella Carey Giveaway ends April 30, 2014. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
April 7, 2014
Author Jacqui Jacoby talks on Settings
Please welcome author Jacqui Jacoby as she shares about editing...and she's got a kindle copy of her WITH A VENGEANCE as giveaway for one commentater!
Jacqui Jacoby on the web:
Website Facebook Twitter Author Page
Over to Jacqui now...The characters come into the room. The POV follows, keeping dialogue pretty close on its tail. As we begin to write our stories, the elements come together to translate our ideas into fiction. The poor guy left standing out on his own, peering in? That would be setting. The largely overlooked backdrop for what is going on in the novel.Setting is where everything happens.It’s where the heroine sleeps on those soft blue sheets.It’s the bar where the hero works: the smoke in the air, the music, the talk and chatter of the people and that guy at the end who had one too many.It’s the Starship Enterprise with the captain of your choice at command (my favorite is Pickard). Can you image removing the crew to a different ship or even worse, putting them in port or on the ground with the effects as exciting as when they are in space?The Enterprise is background, but she is background with a personality. She is a part of the story and if you removed her, what would they do?Creating this kind of environment for our stories takes a little bit more planning then just giving details of where they are all standing. The use of five senses is necessary to draw the reader in. Statistically, scent remains with us longer than any other sense, sometimes going back years. When I smell those orange blossoms, I can still be pulled back to my childhood. But sight and sound and touch, all of these come into play in creating a setting that comes alive. Feeling the roughness of the bricks we lean against, seeing the fog drift over the lake on a cool morning job. Settings are not an inactive part of our writing process. A setting is what we have to create to give our characters a place to live. If we can elevate that simple idea to one that develops a personality of its own, then we just did our job and took an extra two steps just for the hell of it.Jacqui's latest releasing in print from April 1st!
WITH A VENGEANCE The more she wanted out, the more they dragged her back in!
Daughter to murdered CIA officers, niece to a deputy director, Jaime Walsh has never known life outside the world of espionage. Until a high-action case in Buenos Aires leaves her gutted. Physically, emotionally…and professionally. She’d planned for her long-overdue vacation to be a time to rest and reassess. With her longtime partner Stephen not far behind, it’s a tropical paradise away from work. A paradise where boundaries will be tested.From their training days, Stephen Reid has watched Jaime kick ass while performing what has become his second job—watching her back. But now his feelings have grown.As best friends look at each other in a new light, they like what they see. And Jaime dreams of a new life outside “the company”.Except someone from their past won’t be satisfied until Jaime and the man she loves are hunted to the brink of death. Now Jaime must find the strength to trust her heart and let go of her fear. Before she loses everything…Read an
Excerpt
Read
Reviews
Buy Links:
The Book Depository Samhain Amazon B&N PowellsBooks
Jacqui Jacoby on the web:
Website Facebook Twitter Author PageOver to Jacqui now...The characters come into the room. The POV follows, keeping dialogue pretty close on its tail. As we begin to write our stories, the elements come together to translate our ideas into fiction. The poor guy left standing out on his own, peering in? That would be setting. The largely overlooked backdrop for what is going on in the novel.Setting is where everything happens.It’s where the heroine sleeps on those soft blue sheets.It’s the bar where the hero works: the smoke in the air, the music, the talk and chatter of the people and that guy at the end who had one too many.It’s the Starship Enterprise with the captain of your choice at command (my favorite is Pickard). Can you image removing the crew to a different ship or even worse, putting them in port or on the ground with the effects as exciting as when they are in space?The Enterprise is background, but she is background with a personality. She is a part of the story and if you removed her, what would they do?Creating this kind of environment for our stories takes a little bit more planning then just giving details of where they are all standing. The use of five senses is necessary to draw the reader in. Statistically, scent remains with us longer than any other sense, sometimes going back years. When I smell those orange blossoms, I can still be pulled back to my childhood. But sight and sound and touch, all of these come into play in creating a setting that comes alive. Feeling the roughness of the bricks we lean against, seeing the fog drift over the lake on a cool morning job. Settings are not an inactive part of our writing process. A setting is what we have to create to give our characters a place to live. If we can elevate that simple idea to one that develops a personality of its own, then we just did our job and took an extra two steps just for the hell of it.Jacqui's latest releasing in print from April 1st!
WITH A VENGEANCE The more she wanted out, the more they dragged her back in!
Daughter to murdered CIA officers, niece to a deputy director, Jaime Walsh has never known life outside the world of espionage. Until a high-action case in Buenos Aires leaves her gutted. Physically, emotionally…and professionally. She’d planned for her long-overdue vacation to be a time to rest and reassess. With her longtime partner Stephen not far behind, it’s a tropical paradise away from work. A paradise where boundaries will be tested.From their training days, Stephen Reid has watched Jaime kick ass while performing what has become his second job—watching her back. But now his feelings have grown.As best friends look at each other in a new light, they like what they see. And Jaime dreams of a new life outside “the company”.Except someone from their past won’t be satisfied until Jaime and the man she loves are hunted to the brink of death. Now Jaime must find the strength to trust her heart and let go of her fear. Before she loses everything…Read an
Excerpt
Read
Reviews
Buy Links:The Book Depository Samhain Amazon B&N PowellsBooks
March 24, 2014
Teresa Carpenter on Scene & Sequel Pacing
Please help welcome author Teresa Carpenter, she is sharing with us how she paces her scene and sequels.
STOLEN KISS FROM A PRINCE
The door opened and Katrina walked barefoot into the lounge. She wore a lush white bathrobe that brushed her bare pink-tipped toes. Under it was a white garment trimmed in lace cut nearly as low as the V of the robe.His gaze jerked to hers from the soft swell of her breasts visible in that V. She was so pale there was very little difference between her skin and the white of her nightclothes. Except for the shadows he’d noted earlier.
“Is Sammy okay?” she asked in a voice husky from sleep, her brow furrowed in concern. “Have you called the doctor?”“His injury is not the problem,” he assured her, his brusqueness more for his benefit than hers. “Tessa woke him as instructed, but he will not go back to sleep.”She gave a resigned nod, the action making her head appear too heavy for her slender neck. There’d been no sign of softness or frailness when she attacked him in the nursery. Just fierce protection of Samson.Now he saw how tiny she was, clearly no more than five-four at the most. At six-two he towered over her. The oversize robe didn’t help. Nor did her fiery mane of hair, which she’d tamed into a braid that hung halfway down her back. But without makeup, her skin appeared starkly white against the vibrant color of her hair.“Shall we go?” She moved forward, swaying slightly.He ground his teeth, half tempted to send her back to bed. More than tempted to join her there. He dismissed the inappropriate thought, disgusted with his libido for rising up when his full attention should be on his brother’s family.Samson’s needs came first.“Where are your shoes?” he demanded, focusing on the practical.She stopped and frowned, as if it took an effort to think. He was reminded she, too, had taken a knock to the head.“I’ll fetch them.” The maid disappeared into the bedroom and returned a moment later with a pair of fuzzy slippers. Katrina slipped them on; her pink-tipped toes peeked through the end.She rubbed her forehead. “Would you prefer I take the time to dress?”Yes. There was something entirely too intimate about her in nightgown and robe.“No.” Again he thought of Samson, saw tear trails on pale cheeks. “Let’s go.”He followed her from the room and was surprised when the maid also stepped into the hall.“It is all right, Anna.” Katrina bid the maid. “Thanks for watching over me. You can go now.”“Oh, but I have doctor’s orders,” the young woman protested.Annoyed by the delay, Julian bit back his impatience to address the woman. “What are your instructions? I’ll see she’s cared for the rest of the night.”Clearly upset with the change in circumstances but unable to countermand his authority, Anna outlined the doctor’s instructions. “You must wake her every few hours and ask her questions to make sure she is coherent. If she’s not, or you notice anything strange about her pupils, or she gets sick, you need to call the doctor immediately.”As she spoke, he automatically looked into Katrina’s eyes to check her pupils and found himself lost in the solemn depths. Blinking, he turned to the maid, acknowledged her instructions and sent her on her way. While he took care of that, Katrina started ahead of him.Her actions caused him to scowl. Protocol demanded she follow him. Sighing, he decided to cut her some slack; she had a concussion after all. However, it didn’t escape his notice she appeared to know the way.Though it may only mean she’d asked after where Samson would be, Julian believed it was more than that. She’d probably been the one to put him to bed. He wasn’t okay with that. He’d charged Tessa with taking the boy to his rooms, made it clear he’d wanted her to resume care of the boy.Already his authority was being undermined.Something he would not tolerate.“Mademoiselle—” Damn. What was her name? He quickly closed the distance between them. “I wish to make myself clear. Your assistance with Samson is appreciated. That does not mean I will abide interference with my decisions regarding his care.”“Of course,” she responded as she pressed the button to call the elevator.“Are you mocking me?” he challenged, crowding her.She blinked those big violet eyes at him as she shrank back, making him feel as if he’d chastised an innocent.“No,” she said, and entered the elevator. She moved into the corner, her toes curling into her slippers. She pulled the edges of her robe together and tightened the sash. “I know you want what is best for him.” A wan smile lifted the corner of her mouth. “Otherwise I would not be here right now.”He searched her features for any hint of guile but saw only the ashen evidence of her exhaustion. She looked so fragile he thought of sending her back to her bed. Only the thought of Samson’s suffering kept him resolute.“Excellent.” The elevator doors opened and he waved her forward. “As long as you understand.”They traveled the remainder of the distance in silence. Which made the sound of Samson’s cries all the more grating as they approached the door to Julian’s rooms.Inside the suite, tears stained the cheeks of both Tessa and Samson. The nanny had been walking the boy, trying to soothe him, but upon his and Katrina’s arrival, she began sobbing.“I can’t take anymore.” She thrust Samson into Katrina’s arms and fled.Katrina didn’t hesitate. She wrapped Samson close and started talking to him. “Hey, baby, it is fine. I am here. Does your head hurt?” She kissed his light curls. “Mine, too.”Though he continued to cry, there was no denying Samson preferred the redhead to the blonde. Instead of fighting the embrace by curling up and putting his arms and legs between his body and Tessa’s, he clung to Katrina’s lusher figure.Finding the scene painful to watch, knowing this might just be the beginning of Samson’s trials, Julian moved to the fireplace to start a fire. This was going to be a long night.
Pacing is an important element in a story. It helps to keep the reader engaged. I like to use scene and sequel to help keep the pacing fluid and relevant. Let me demonstrate how the same elements support the setup of the story of STOLEN KISS FROM A PRINCE. In the setup Prince Julian’s GOAL is to protect his young nephew, Sammy, who has been traumatized by the news his parents are lost (and presumed dead). The CONFLICT comes from the fact he believes Katrina, the nanny at the palace his brother was visiting and where Sammy has been staying, told his nephew of the plane crash when there was no need, causing unnecessary trauma. As a result Julian doesn’t want Sammy anywhere near Katrina. Unfortunately, DISASTER, Sammy has bonded with Katrina and the three year old won’t respond to anyone else, including his own nanny.
The excerpt of STOLEN KISS FROM A PRINCE reflects the elements of GOAL, CONFLICT, and DISASTER. Julian returns to his rooms to find Sammy in tears and his nanny unable to soothe the child. Against his better judgment, Julian seeks out Katrina to assist with Sammy (GOAL). When he arrives at her rooms, he’s finds her looking vulnerable and desirable and he questions his right/decision to ask her to help Sammy (CONFLICT). Katrina doesn’t hesitate to offer her assistance. Though she’s injured she accompanies Julian to his suite, and when she sees Sammy’s distress she wraps him in her arms. Watching them, Julian realizes his control of the situation is in jeopardy (Disaster). Below I outline the stages of scene and sequel.
SCENE AND SEQUEL / PACING
SCENE:Ø Goal: Sets up read expectations, gives the reader something to root for on behalf of the characters.
Ø Conflict: Road blocks, complications, and emotional hurdles. Oh my.
Ø Disaster: Establishes the importance of the goal. How badly does the character want their goal? Are they willing to fight for it?
SEQUEL:Ø Dilemma: Reveals character motivation, growth or lack of growth.
Ø Decision: Redefines reader expectations and heightens the tension.
Ø Hook/resolution: Draws the reader into the next scene/chapter or resolves the story.
To keep the reader engaged and the pacing interesting you’ll want to vary the flow and frequency of scene and sequel. For example you may want to run a couple of scenes together followed by a sequel especially in high action sequences. This escalates the pace and energy. Sequels slow the action but reveal emotion.
Another way to use scene and sequel to impact the pacing is to show the scene/action from one point of view and the sequel/reaction from the opposing point of view. It can also be a powerful juxtaposition to write back to back sequels from opposing points of view, showing the characters at emotional odds.
TIP: If scene is focused on one element of story, weave another element into the sequel. For example, in a suspense if the scene is focused on the romance, in the sequel bring the mystery back into play.
Buy Links:Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/mz242tvBarnes and Noble: http://tinyurl.com/mvp22esHarlequin: http://tinyurl.com/lko276c
Teresa Carpenter on the Web:
Facebook
STOLEN KISS FROM A PRINCE
The door opened and Katrina walked barefoot into the lounge. She wore a lush white bathrobe that brushed her bare pink-tipped toes. Under it was a white garment trimmed in lace cut nearly as low as the V of the robe.His gaze jerked to hers from the soft swell of her breasts visible in that V. She was so pale there was very little difference between her skin and the white of her nightclothes. Except for the shadows he’d noted earlier.
“Is Sammy okay?” she asked in a voice husky from sleep, her brow furrowed in concern. “Have you called the doctor?”“His injury is not the problem,” he assured her, his brusqueness more for his benefit than hers. “Tessa woke him as instructed, but he will not go back to sleep.”She gave a resigned nod, the action making her head appear too heavy for her slender neck. There’d been no sign of softness or frailness when she attacked him in the nursery. Just fierce protection of Samson.Now he saw how tiny she was, clearly no more than five-four at the most. At six-two he towered over her. The oversize robe didn’t help. Nor did her fiery mane of hair, which she’d tamed into a braid that hung halfway down her back. But without makeup, her skin appeared starkly white against the vibrant color of her hair.“Shall we go?” She moved forward, swaying slightly.He ground his teeth, half tempted to send her back to bed. More than tempted to join her there. He dismissed the inappropriate thought, disgusted with his libido for rising up when his full attention should be on his brother’s family.Samson’s needs came first.“Where are your shoes?” he demanded, focusing on the practical.She stopped and frowned, as if it took an effort to think. He was reminded she, too, had taken a knock to the head.“I’ll fetch them.” The maid disappeared into the bedroom and returned a moment later with a pair of fuzzy slippers. Katrina slipped them on; her pink-tipped toes peeked through the end.She rubbed her forehead. “Would you prefer I take the time to dress?”Yes. There was something entirely too intimate about her in nightgown and robe.“No.” Again he thought of Samson, saw tear trails on pale cheeks. “Let’s go.”He followed her from the room and was surprised when the maid also stepped into the hall.“It is all right, Anna.” Katrina bid the maid. “Thanks for watching over me. You can go now.”“Oh, but I have doctor’s orders,” the young woman protested.Annoyed by the delay, Julian bit back his impatience to address the woman. “What are your instructions? I’ll see she’s cared for the rest of the night.”Clearly upset with the change in circumstances but unable to countermand his authority, Anna outlined the doctor’s instructions. “You must wake her every few hours and ask her questions to make sure she is coherent. If she’s not, or you notice anything strange about her pupils, or she gets sick, you need to call the doctor immediately.”As she spoke, he automatically looked into Katrina’s eyes to check her pupils and found himself lost in the solemn depths. Blinking, he turned to the maid, acknowledged her instructions and sent her on her way. While he took care of that, Katrina started ahead of him.Her actions caused him to scowl. Protocol demanded she follow him. Sighing, he decided to cut her some slack; she had a concussion after all. However, it didn’t escape his notice she appeared to know the way.Though it may only mean she’d asked after where Samson would be, Julian believed it was more than that. She’d probably been the one to put him to bed. He wasn’t okay with that. He’d charged Tessa with taking the boy to his rooms, made it clear he’d wanted her to resume care of the boy.Already his authority was being undermined.Something he would not tolerate.“Mademoiselle—” Damn. What was her name? He quickly closed the distance between them. “I wish to make myself clear. Your assistance with Samson is appreciated. That does not mean I will abide interference with my decisions regarding his care.”“Of course,” she responded as she pressed the button to call the elevator.“Are you mocking me?” he challenged, crowding her.She blinked those big violet eyes at him as she shrank back, making him feel as if he’d chastised an innocent.“No,” she said, and entered the elevator. She moved into the corner, her toes curling into her slippers. She pulled the edges of her robe together and tightened the sash. “I know you want what is best for him.” A wan smile lifted the corner of her mouth. “Otherwise I would not be here right now.”He searched her features for any hint of guile but saw only the ashen evidence of her exhaustion. She looked so fragile he thought of sending her back to her bed. Only the thought of Samson’s suffering kept him resolute.“Excellent.” The elevator doors opened and he waved her forward. “As long as you understand.”They traveled the remainder of the distance in silence. Which made the sound of Samson’s cries all the more grating as they approached the door to Julian’s rooms.Inside the suite, tears stained the cheeks of both Tessa and Samson. The nanny had been walking the boy, trying to soothe him, but upon his and Katrina’s arrival, she began sobbing.“I can’t take anymore.” She thrust Samson into Katrina’s arms and fled.Katrina didn’t hesitate. She wrapped Samson close and started talking to him. “Hey, baby, it is fine. I am here. Does your head hurt?” She kissed his light curls. “Mine, too.”Though he continued to cry, there was no denying Samson preferred the redhead to the blonde. Instead of fighting the embrace by curling up and putting his arms and legs between his body and Tessa’s, he clung to Katrina’s lusher figure.Finding the scene painful to watch, knowing this might just be the beginning of Samson’s trials, Julian moved to the fireplace to start a fire. This was going to be a long night.
Pacing is an important element in a story. It helps to keep the reader engaged. I like to use scene and sequel to help keep the pacing fluid and relevant. Let me demonstrate how the same elements support the setup of the story of STOLEN KISS FROM A PRINCE. In the setup Prince Julian’s GOAL is to protect his young nephew, Sammy, who has been traumatized by the news his parents are lost (and presumed dead). The CONFLICT comes from the fact he believes Katrina, the nanny at the palace his brother was visiting and where Sammy has been staying, told his nephew of the plane crash when there was no need, causing unnecessary trauma. As a result Julian doesn’t want Sammy anywhere near Katrina. Unfortunately, DISASTER, Sammy has bonded with Katrina and the three year old won’t respond to anyone else, including his own nanny.
The excerpt of STOLEN KISS FROM A PRINCE reflects the elements of GOAL, CONFLICT, and DISASTER. Julian returns to his rooms to find Sammy in tears and his nanny unable to soothe the child. Against his better judgment, Julian seeks out Katrina to assist with Sammy (GOAL). When he arrives at her rooms, he’s finds her looking vulnerable and desirable and he questions his right/decision to ask her to help Sammy (CONFLICT). Katrina doesn’t hesitate to offer her assistance. Though she’s injured she accompanies Julian to his suite, and when she sees Sammy’s distress she wraps him in her arms. Watching them, Julian realizes his control of the situation is in jeopardy (Disaster). Below I outline the stages of scene and sequel.
SCENE AND SEQUEL / PACING
SCENE:Ø Goal: Sets up read expectations, gives the reader something to root for on behalf of the characters.
Ø Conflict: Road blocks, complications, and emotional hurdles. Oh my.
Ø Disaster: Establishes the importance of the goal. How badly does the character want their goal? Are they willing to fight for it?
SEQUEL:Ø Dilemma: Reveals character motivation, growth or lack of growth.
Ø Decision: Redefines reader expectations and heightens the tension.
Ø Hook/resolution: Draws the reader into the next scene/chapter or resolves the story.
To keep the reader engaged and the pacing interesting you’ll want to vary the flow and frequency of scene and sequel. For example you may want to run a couple of scenes together followed by a sequel especially in high action sequences. This escalates the pace and energy. Sequels slow the action but reveal emotion.
Another way to use scene and sequel to impact the pacing is to show the scene/action from one point of view and the sequel/reaction from the opposing point of view. It can also be a powerful juxtaposition to write back to back sequels from opposing points of view, showing the characters at emotional odds.
TIP: If scene is focused on one element of story, weave another element into the sequel. For example, in a suspense if the scene is focused on the romance, in the sequel bring the mystery back into play.
Buy Links:Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/mz242tvBarnes and Noble: http://tinyurl.com/mvp22esHarlequin: http://tinyurl.com/lko276c
Teresa Carpenter on the Web:
Amalie Berlin on her Plotbook and Giveaway!
Please help me welcome author Amalie Berlin today and she has a post on how she comes up with ideas. And she has a giveaway going on at www.amalieberlin.com
And there is a fantastic opportunity for medical romance writers or all writers wanting to try their hand at medical romance. You will get feedback within 24 hours. Read here.
Amalie's latest release is UNCOVERING HER SECRETS and she has an autographed paper copy for one commenter! She's also running a raffle until 4-28-14 at www.amalieberlin.com
Amalie's Website Facebook Twitter
I write category romance, Medical Romance for Harlequin Mills & Boon. Every different line that Harlequin offers has certain things that the readers expect to find in the stories published in that line. This is where you hear the discussions about your stories being inside-the-box or outside-the-box.
Confession: My story ideas? I never have any idea whether I’m really inside that box. I try to get inside it. And I sure as heck sit down in the box when I get there. I just don’t actually know if I fit in that box once I’ve sat, or if my butt has burst one of the corners open and now my tail and fluffy feline backside have sprawled all over the place through the unseemly corner of the broken box(You’ve all seen pictures of cats and funny-sized boxes!).
I know, that’s not helpful advice for anyone. What I am hoping is helpful is sharing how my idea generator works so you can run out and generate unconventional ideas that you maybe can figure out how to get into the box. Or not, maybe you have no box but you just want to come up with fresh(er?) ideas.
This part is no secret. Every writing book on the planet will tell you that the key to plotting a good story is asking What If?. I do not disagree. I ask What If? too. The bit I disagree with is the format for asking this question.When you’re trying to get the creative juices flowing, structure is not your friend. Lists? Lists are left-brained activities, and that thwarts the creativity IMO.
What I do is more like mind-mapping than list making. My PlotBook, which is where I do my scribbling to dream up stories, is a sketch book. A nice hardback sketchbook(graphic arts monkey here, I have a sketchbook fetish), lots of different colored ink pens(black is usually bad for me), and highlighters. My What If? Brainstorms are very visual. Harnessed chaos. I write as fast as I can, I draw lines to connect ideas that appeal to me, I don’t shut down any idea of thought that comes to me. No editing during the brainsplosion!Later, after my dominant right brain has barfed up disconnected ideas all over the place, I go through and start making connections, allowing the left brain to start building the narrative. This generally involves highlighters. Sometimes stickers and more colored scribbles. And it always spawns more brainsplosions on clean sheets of paper.
I’m including a bunch of photos snapped from my Plotbook for Uncovering Her Secrets. Not all ideas on the pages are used, not all the ones that look official and highlighted are used. They are just the starting point, building blocks of story that I wanted to use when I set out to write this book. These were done over a couple days. Sometimes you hit a wall and have to put something down so your brain can make connections when you are busy doing something else. When you start having brainwave again, drop everything ASAP and run back to the Plotbook. You have to harness inspiration when it drifts by.
So, at the start of these storms, I had two thoughts. 1) My editor asked me to write a story set in an urban hospital(She kind of needed to know I could write something normalish). 2) I have hurt myself more times than anyone besides STUNT PEOPLE… and have had some insane Emergency Room experiences – So my only thought was Urban Hospital for Doctor’s Who Got C’s. You could start one step back from that and go with tropes, or character archetypes, or settings, or time periods, awesome inventions, terrible crimes… whatever strikes your fancy. You don’t have to have any spark to start brainsploding. You just have to have paper and writing implement… and the ability to let the wild beast called creativity run free. (And I really really recommend colored ink and paper without lines. If you want to color outside the lines, don’t start off with lines you have to conform your writing to.)
Hospital for Drs Who Got Cs
Hero Exploration
Heroine Exploration.
Betrayal Exploration
Messing Things Up
Miscellaneous Ideas
And there is a fantastic opportunity for medical romance writers or all writers wanting to try their hand at medical romance. You will get feedback within 24 hours. Read here.
Amalie's latest release is UNCOVERING HER SECRETS and she has an autographed paper copy for one commenter! She's also running a raffle until 4-28-14 at www.amalieberlin.com
Amalie's Website Facebook TwitterI write category romance, Medical Romance for Harlequin Mills & Boon. Every different line that Harlequin offers has certain things that the readers expect to find in the stories published in that line. This is where you hear the discussions about your stories being inside-the-box or outside-the-box.
Confession: My story ideas? I never have any idea whether I’m really inside that box. I try to get inside it. And I sure as heck sit down in the box when I get there. I just don’t actually know if I fit in that box once I’ve sat, or if my butt has burst one of the corners open and now my tail and fluffy feline backside have sprawled all over the place through the unseemly corner of the broken box(You’ve all seen pictures of cats and funny-sized boxes!).
I know, that’s not helpful advice for anyone. What I am hoping is helpful is sharing how my idea generator works so you can run out and generate unconventional ideas that you maybe can figure out how to get into the box. Or not, maybe you have no box but you just want to come up with fresh(er?) ideas.
This part is no secret. Every writing book on the planet will tell you that the key to plotting a good story is asking What If?. I do not disagree. I ask What If? too. The bit I disagree with is the format for asking this question.When you’re trying to get the creative juices flowing, structure is not your friend. Lists? Lists are left-brained activities, and that thwarts the creativity IMO.
What I do is more like mind-mapping than list making. My PlotBook, which is where I do my scribbling to dream up stories, is a sketch book. A nice hardback sketchbook(graphic arts monkey here, I have a sketchbook fetish), lots of different colored ink pens(black is usually bad for me), and highlighters. My What If? Brainstorms are very visual. Harnessed chaos. I write as fast as I can, I draw lines to connect ideas that appeal to me, I don’t shut down any idea of thought that comes to me. No editing during the brainsplosion!Later, after my dominant right brain has barfed up disconnected ideas all over the place, I go through and start making connections, allowing the left brain to start building the narrative. This generally involves highlighters. Sometimes stickers and more colored scribbles. And it always spawns more brainsplosions on clean sheets of paper.
I’m including a bunch of photos snapped from my Plotbook for Uncovering Her Secrets. Not all ideas on the pages are used, not all the ones that look official and highlighted are used. They are just the starting point, building blocks of story that I wanted to use when I set out to write this book. These were done over a couple days. Sometimes you hit a wall and have to put something down so your brain can make connections when you are busy doing something else. When you start having brainwave again, drop everything ASAP and run back to the Plotbook. You have to harness inspiration when it drifts by.
So, at the start of these storms, I had two thoughts. 1) My editor asked me to write a story set in an urban hospital(She kind of needed to know I could write something normalish). 2) I have hurt myself more times than anyone besides STUNT PEOPLE… and have had some insane Emergency Room experiences – So my only thought was Urban Hospital for Doctor’s Who Got C’s. You could start one step back from that and go with tropes, or character archetypes, or settings, or time periods, awesome inventions, terrible crimes… whatever strikes your fancy. You don’t have to have any spark to start brainsploding. You just have to have paper and writing implement… and the ability to let the wild beast called creativity run free. (And I really really recommend colored ink and paper without lines. If you want to color outside the lines, don’t start off with lines you have to conform your writing to.)
Hospital for Drs Who Got Cs
Hero Exploration
Heroine Exploration.
Betrayal Exploration
Messing Things Up
Miscellaneous Ideas
March 17, 2014
Calling All Medical Romance Writers!
24 HOURS in M
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1 chapter in 1 day!
Love medical drama and sizzling romances? Why not write your own Medical Romance!
Here at Harlequin Mills & Boon, we’re looking for fresh, new voices and exciting stories! From March 24th, we’re offering a lightning fast assessment of your manuscript – get a response in just 24 hours!
Send us your first chapter and a synopsis between Monday 24thMarch and Thursday 24th April 2014 and the Medical Romance team will send you a response in 1 day! (Sadly we don’t work weekends, so if you submit on Friday, you’ll receive an answer on Monday).
Medical Romance is all about drop-dead gorgeous heroes and feisty heroines! Set in the Medical world, where sensual tension and emotionally-charged conflict runs high, your medical professionals are placed under pressure to save the day – leading to life-changing encounters.
So if you love strong and sexy medical heroes and heroines (see guidelines for more details), send your first chapter and a synopsis to 24hoursinM&B@hqnuk.co.uk and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours!
The Medical Romance team is looking for fresh, new, innovative voices, and at the end of the month, will choose their favourite 3 chapters to go through to a public vote and the chance to win guaranteed mentoring with a Medical series editor*!
Want to know more details? Visit our website for more submission information:www.millsandboon.co.uk/introducing-24-hours-in-m-and-b
Send us your Medical Romance – Sheila, Laurie and Charlotte can’t wait to tri
*Mentorship will be through one submission for a period of up to 6 consecutive months.
Tweet the team: @SheilaHodgsonMR, @lauriecprescott, @Charlo_Murs
1 chapter in 1 day!
Love medical drama and sizzling romances? Why not write your own Medical Romance!
Here at Harlequin Mills & Boon, we’re looking for fresh, new voices and exciting stories! From March 24th, we’re offering a lightning fast assessment of your manuscript – get a response in just 24 hours!
Send us your first chapter and a synopsis between Monday 24thMarch and Thursday 24th April 2014 and the Medical Romance team will send you a response in 1 day! (Sadly we don’t work weekends, so if you submit on Friday, you’ll receive an answer on Monday).
Medical Romance is all about drop-dead gorgeous heroes and feisty heroines! Set in the Medical world, where sensual tension and emotionally-charged conflict runs high, your medical professionals are placed under pressure to save the day – leading to life-changing encounters.
So if you love strong and sexy medical heroes and heroines (see guidelines for more details), send your first chapter and a synopsis to 24hoursinM&B@hqnuk.co.uk and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours!
The Medical Romance team is looking for fresh, new, innovative voices, and at the end of the month, will choose their favourite 3 chapters to go through to a public vote and the chance to win guaranteed mentoring with a Medical series editor*!
Want to know more details? Visit our website for more submission information:www.millsandboon.co.uk/introducing-24-hours-in-m-and-b
Send us your Medical Romance – Sheila, Laurie and Charlotte can’t wait to tri
*Mentorship will be through one submission for a period of up to 6 consecutive months.
Tweet the team: @SheilaHodgsonMR, @lauriecprescott, @Charlo_Murs
March 10, 2014
Author Robyn Rychards Shares Her Writing Process and Giveaway
Please welcome author Robyn Rychards. She's also brought a kindle gift copy of her latest release,
HER KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOUR
for one commenter!
Connect with Robyn around the web:
Website Twitter Facebook Goodreads
Over to Robyn now...
Okay, it’s true confessions time. I pretty much have no clue about writing-craft. Or at least nothing tangible that I can post to help someone else. I haven’t had any formal training through college or writing courses to know how to even begin to attempt something along the lines of a ‘how-to that works for me’. Another thing that makes it even more difficult for me to discuss writing craft is the fact I’m a pantser. In other words, I write by the seat of my pants. Which means having something to share with fellow writers, or aspiring writers, that makes the process more effective is not an option either.
So, I’ll share my process for those of you that may be the kind of writer I am. Hopefully I’m not the only one out there like this… (Eeeekk!) When I am ready to write a story, I have the outline, the characters and conflict in my head, as well as a few key scenes, and then I write somewhat like a frog hopping from lily pad to lily pad, linking one piece of the story to the next until I’m across the pond and the story is done. I like to edit grammar as I go along rather than leave it until the story is complete, so I’m constantly messing with the story as I write it. Once I have the whole tale out of my head and down on virtual paper, I read through the entire thing, adding bits here and there to improve deep point of view or make the scene come alive. But in the end. the basic ingredients for being a writer, in my experience, comes down to natural talent, imagination and a huge appetite for reading. Because if you read enough, it can
teach you how to write.
Her Knight In Shining Armour
She may not need a knight in shining armour to save her, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to look a gift knight in the visor...
Paisley doesn’t need a knight in shining armour to rescue her from her high-powered, abusive ex-husband. She’s got it covered on her own: she's changed her name, liquidated her assets, and has a plan to disappear in the Rocky Mountain National Park.
Psychiatrist Sterling James has absolutely no intention of being anyone’s saviour. The only woman he has any time for is his sister. But circumstances change when Sterling finds Paisley in an unexpected and life-threatening situation. Brought in to the drama of her escape, Sterling finds himself invested, and he can't move on until he knows Paisley is going to be safe.
It should be a simple enough exercise to get Paisley out of the park and into her new life. But nothing is ever as simple as it should be, and Sterling soon discovers that even if her ex-husband buys the set-up, he might not be able to watch Paisley go...
Amazon B&N
Connect with Robyn around the web:
Website Twitter Facebook Goodreads
Over to Robyn now...
Okay, it’s true confessions time. I pretty much have no clue about writing-craft. Or at least nothing tangible that I can post to help someone else. I haven’t had any formal training through college or writing courses to know how to even begin to attempt something along the lines of a ‘how-to that works for me’. Another thing that makes it even more difficult for me to discuss writing craft is the fact I’m a pantser. In other words, I write by the seat of my pants. Which means having something to share with fellow writers, or aspiring writers, that makes the process more effective is not an option either. So, I’ll share my process for those of you that may be the kind of writer I am. Hopefully I’m not the only one out there like this… (Eeeekk!) When I am ready to write a story, I have the outline, the characters and conflict in my head, as well as a few key scenes, and then I write somewhat like a frog hopping from lily pad to lily pad, linking one piece of the story to the next until I’m across the pond and the story is done. I like to edit grammar as I go along rather than leave it until the story is complete, so I’m constantly messing with the story as I write it. Once I have the whole tale out of my head and down on virtual paper, I read through the entire thing, adding bits here and there to improve deep point of view or make the scene come alive. But in the end. the basic ingredients for being a writer, in my experience, comes down to natural talent, imagination and a huge appetite for reading. Because if you read enough, it can
teach you how to write.
Her Knight In Shining Armour
She may not need a knight in shining armour to save her, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to look a gift knight in the visor...
Paisley doesn’t need a knight in shining armour to rescue her from her high-powered, abusive ex-husband. She’s got it covered on her own: she's changed her name, liquidated her assets, and has a plan to disappear in the Rocky Mountain National Park.
Psychiatrist Sterling James has absolutely no intention of being anyone’s saviour. The only woman he has any time for is his sister. But circumstances change when Sterling finds Paisley in an unexpected and life-threatening situation. Brought in to the drama of her escape, Sterling finds himself invested, and he can't move on until he knows Paisley is going to be safe.
It should be a simple enough exercise to get Paisley out of the park and into her new life. But nothing is ever as simple as it should be, and Sterling soon discovers that even if her ex-husband buys the set-up, he might not be able to watch Paisley go...
Amazon B&N
March 3, 2014
Victoria James Talks About Revisions
Author Victoria James is talking to us on a subject...ahem...we all have a love/hate relationship.
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Victoria says...I always knew I wanted to be a writer and in grade five, I penned my first story, bound it (with staples) and a cardboard cover and did all the illustrations myself (if you’ve ever seen my drawings you’ll know how horrible they must have been. I still draw stick figures). Luckily, this book will never see the light of day again.
In high school I fell in love with historical romance and then contemporary romance. After graduating University with an English Literature degree, I married my own hero, pursued a degree in Interior Design and then opened my own business.
After the birth of our first child, I knew it was time to fulfill the dream of writing romantic fiction. I’m a hopeless romantic who is living my dream, penning happily-ever-after’s for my characters in between managing kids and the family business. Writing on a laptop in the middle of the country in a rambling old Victorian house would be ideal, but I’m quite content living in suburbia with my husband, our two young children, and very bad cat. Connect with Victoria on the web:
Facebook Twitter Website Blog Over to Victoria now...
A labor of love: Revisions
If someone had asked me a year ago, how I liked the revision process I’d say I hated it. That’s because at that time I’d only just had my first book, The Billionaire’s Christmas Baby hit the virtual shelves a few months prior. The terror of my first real revisions was still fresh in my mind. But now, with my latest book The Rancher’s Second Chance about to be released; I can say without a doubt, revisions have become one of my favorite aspects of the publishing experience.
I’m not really sure when or how this happened. It took a while, that’s for sure. Don’t get me wrong, receiving a revision email filled with notes still fills me with intense anxiety (open email, scan editor’s words briefly, shut email and head hits desk). That happens. Every. Time. An hour or so later, I’ll look at the email again, this time reading closely. At that point I can grudgingly admit that the letter makes lots of sense.
The next step for me is opening up the manuscript and tackling the bigger, broader issues. This is after about a day where I process, daydream, and come up with a vague idea of how I’m going to proceed. Oh, an email has usually gone out at this point to a writing friend, begging for some moral support.
Once I’ve gone through the entire manuscript, addressed my editor’s main concRound Three, things get a lot more fun. Now, the major changes have been made and it’s more fine-tuning. I love this…then the manuscript gets copy-edited and then the final stage is the galley. I do tend to panic at the galley stage because it’s my last chance to change any wording or find any repetition, etc. It’s hard to finally let go of the manuscript and say you’re ready to send it out to the world…
The true magic happens during the editing stage of the book. This is something I can say for certain. All the angst, the work, the doubt that happens during the revision stage is so worth the end result!
Victoria has a new book out:
Widowed rancher Cole Forrester is all about running his family's ranch and guarding his heart. The last thing he's looking for is love, but when his little sister can't make it home to handle some of her wedding details, he's forced to entertain the event planner, Melanie Simms. Melanie is everything he's not even remotely interested in: she's high-society, complicated, and high maintenance. But when he's stranded with her at his remote cabin in the Colorado mountains, he realizes he's seriously underestimated her. She's hiding something about her past from him, but despite everything, he finds himself falling for the last woman he ever expected, and the first woman to make him want to give his heart and risk everything... Buy Links:
Amazon
B&N
On Goodreads
Enter this Goodreads Giveaway to win signed copies of Victoria's book!
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Goodreads Book Giveaway
A Risk Worth Taking by Victoria James Giveaway ends March 10, 2014. See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win
Victoria James on Revisions
Author Victoria James is talking to us on a subject...ahem...we all have a love/hate relationship.
Victoria says...I always knew I wanted to be a writer and in grade five, I penned my first story, bound it (with staples) and a cardboard cover and did all the illustrations myself (if you’ve ever seen my drawings you’ll know how horrible they must have been. I still draw stick figures). Luckily, this book will never see the light of day again.
In high school I fell in love with historical romance and then contemporary romance. After graduating University with an English Literature degree, I married my own hero, pursued a degree in Interior Design and then opened my own business.
After the birth of our first child, I knew it was time to fulfill the dream of writing romantic fiction. I’m a hopeless romantic who is living my dream, penning happily-ever-after’s for my characters in between managing kids and the family business. Writing on a laptop in the middle of the country in a rambling old Victorian house would be ideal, but I’m quite content living in suburbia with my husband, our two young children, and very bad cat. Connect with Victoria on the web:
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A labor of love: Revisions
If someone had asked me a year ago, how I liked the revision process I’d say I hated it. That’s because at that time I’d only just had my first book, The Billionaire’s Christmas Baby hit the virtual shelves a few months prior. The terror of my first real revisions was still fresh in my mind. But now, with my latest book The Rancher’s Second Chance about to be released; I can say without a doubt, revisions have become one of my favorite aspects of the publishing experience.
I’m not really sure when or how this happened. It took a while, that’s for sure. Don’t get me wrong, receiving a revision email filled with notes still fills me with intense anxiety (open email, scan editor’s words briefly, shut email and head hits desk). That happens. Every. Time. An hour or so later, I’ll look at the email again, this time reading closely. At that point I can grudgingly admit that the letter makes lots of sense.
The next step for me is opening up the manuscript and tackling the bigger, broader issues. This is after about a day where I process, daydream, and come up with a vague idea of how I’m going to proceed. Oh, an email has usually gone out at this point to a writing friend, begging for some moral support.
Once I’ve gone through the entire manuscript, addressed my editor’s main concRound Three, things get a lot more fun. Now, the major changes have been made and it’s more fine-tuning. I love this…then the manuscript gets copy-edited and then the final stage is the galley. I do tend to panic at the galley stage because it’s my last chance to change any wording or find any repetition, etc. It’s hard to finally let go of the manuscript and say you’re ready to send it out to the world…
The true magic happens during the editing stage of the book. This is something I can say for certain. All the angst, the work, the doubt that happens during the revision stage is so worth the end result!
Victoria has a new book out:
Widowed rancher Cole Forrester is all about running his family's ranch and guarding his heart. The last thing he's looking for is love, but when his little sister can't make it home to handle some of her wedding details, he's forced to entertain the event planner, Melanie Simms. Melanie is everything he's not even remotely interested in: she's high-society, complicated, and high maintenance. But when he's stranded with her at his remote cabin in the Colorado mountains, he realizes he's seriously underestimated her. She's hiding something about her past from him, but despite everything, he finds himself falling for the last woman he ever expected, and the first woman to make him want to give his heart and risk everything... Buy Links:
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On Goodreads
January 19, 2014
Author Robin Gianna on Writing Technology
I invited author Robin Gianna to come and talk to us about writing software. Please welcome Robin...
Connect with Robin on the web:Website Facebook Twitter
Over to Robin now...
Do you embrace new technology, or do you prefer to do things the old-fashioned way?
I’m talking about writing a novel! Right now, I fall into the old-fashioned camp, but am seriously considering updating to something else. Though I guess I’m not totally old-fashioned - that would be pen and paper, and I know some authors actually still write that way. I can’t imagine it, but know those who do believe the process of hand writing then retyping their work into a computer helps them see the story better.
I have a Mac laptop, and use its Pages program. But because Microsoft Word is the industry standard, I do have to save it as a Word program before I send it off. However, it’s an easy click to do that.
I’m sure there are lots of features within both of those programs that I haven’t explored, and keep track of my story very simply. I keep my work-in-progress all in one document. Then I keep a second document with names, physical descriptions, and other details about each character. On that same document, I also note how each chapter begins and ends and a brief note about each scene and its purpose in the story. A friend of mine uses an Excel spreadsheet to do this, which sounds like a good idea I still haven’t gotten around to! This simple approach has worked adequately for me so far.
But all the rest of it? I keep research in a cumbersome notebook, and there’s usually a lot of it. Things I’ve printed from the internet, notes I’ve written to myself about the story, all the pre-writing stuff I do for character study and turning points and more scribbled notes as ideas come to me. Frankly, it’s a bit of a mess and takes time to sort through it all when I’m looking for something specific.
Recently, though, a friend showed me her Scrivener program that she had taken the time to learn, and now adores. Another friend (much more savvy about trying new products than I am) has used it for a long time and says she couldn’t write without it.
And it does look awesome! You can break your work into chapters, scenes, and even paragraphs easily. All the research? Stored in one place and easily accessed. Organizing and reorganizing your plot? All there. I could go on and on, but it sounds absolutely great. I know there would be a lot to learn to actually be able to use it, but the technophobe inside of me just might be shoved aside to make it happen sometime this year.
How about you? Do you still do some things the old-fashioned way? What writing program do you use, and are you happy with it? Thinking of trying something new, and if so, what?
CHANGED BY HIS SON'S SMILE A family he didn't know he wanted…When ex-flame Dr. Danielle Sheridan arrives at Chase Bowen's African clinic he's captivated by her… and her little son! Three years ago Chase turned down Dani's surprise marriage proposal—their life was just too dangerous for a family—but he didn't know she was pregnant!
Losing Dani once was hard enough. Losing her twice is not an option. Especially when he's already fallen for his adorable son, Drew. Now Chase is determined to make Dani his again—starting with an undeniable acceptance of her three-year-old proposal!
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CHANGED BY HIS SON'S SMILE
