L.A. Kelley's Blog, page 23

Author Hebby Roman: Writing Seat of the Pants Versus Obsessive Compulsive


The Princess and the Templar  Raul de Porcelos, a dedicated Knight Templar, is duty bound to bring orphaned Irish Princess Cahira O'Donnell to wed the Earl of Orkney, Raul's lord. But Cahira has a mind of her own and resists the handsome Templar, refusing to relinquish the castle and lands that her family died to protect.

Thrown together by fate, they come to know each other and a forbidden passion is kindled.  Who will be the first to surrender to desire, the warrior-princess or the warrior-monk? Author Hebby Roman discusses seat of the pants verses the obsessive compulsive in writing.Strange name for a blog, but what I'm asking is: which kind of writer are you, a seat of the pants type or an obsessive compulsive type? I personally know lots of authors who have brilliant story beginnings and then they go with it and let the story unravel organically. I envy those writers because for me, beginning a story is about as painful as giving birth. I'm the second type, the obsessively organized, compulsive writer. When I started writing, I was totally freaked out about writing dialogue. I was the Czarina of telling, not showing. I avoided that scary stuff by writing a long outline of my story, detailing every twist and turn of the plot, along with the characters' reactions and feelings.

I wrote my first historical romances from long outlines, and I never had a saggy middle. Even better, my outlines helped me to know what journey the characters needed and how the book should end. Sounds pretty good but then my fellow writers convinced me that adhering to a strict outline stifled my creativity. I listened and realized my characters were feeling the "pinch." They wanted to be released from their strait-laced outline. I decided to change my approach, and I zeroed in on the characters' backstory and their life experiences. I put the h/h together and let the magic begin. I also did a high-level, general outline to direct the overall arc of the story.
For example, in THE BEST BET (my second contemporary romance), the heroine has been strongly influenced by her father to put her ambition above finding love. I leave it to my hero's unwavering patience, unconditional love, and story elements to change her mind, so she can take a chance on love.

THE BEST GAME is a story about two strong, beautiful, and charismatic individuals. The hero's a big frog in a small pond: a handsome ex-jock type and very successful salesman. The heroine is a glamorous New York model. So what's the problem? They're both so accomplished they don't trust the other person to love them for their real selves, warts and all. I had to thrust them into situations where trust could grow between them.

In my historical, featured here, THE PRINCESS AND THE TEMPLAR, I constructed it based on the concept of a medieval version of the Thornbirds, where a celibate warrior-monk, who's also bastard-born, falls in love with an Irish princess. The princess falls in love with the hero, despite his birth and vocation. But the hero feels he has to strive to win her regard and affection to overcome the difference in their ranks. Not to mention, he has to come to terms with what he will do about his vow of celibacy and his Templar Order. History intervenes in the form of the Templar purge, which helps to compel the story to its end. Again, though, you can see how the h/h's backstory propels the romance.

Backstory is key, along with a little bit of obsessiveness in the form of a general outline. When you put the two together and let your characters "talk" to you, they will lead you through the trials and tribulations they need to tackle and overcome in order to fall in love and find their happily-ever-after ending.

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EXCERPT from The Princess and the Templar
The wind rose to a shriek, sounding like a woman in travail. The sea heaved and churned. The ship leaned sharply. Cahira felt her feet slipping. She grabbed for the rail, but her cold hands were too stiff. The rail slipped from her grasp, and she was falling.

Raul caught her in his strong arms. She placed one hand on his broad chest and felt his heart beating beneath his tunic. At the touch of her hand, his pulse leapt and raced. Realizing his response, heat suffused her. She licked her lips and removed her hand. She was steady now, but he didn’t release her. His unfathomable black gaze captured hers and they stood, clasped in each other’s arms.

He bent his head, and his lips were within inches of hers. Her heart leapt, too, plunging in a mad gallop. Was he going to kiss her again? Without thinking, she leaned closer, willing him to kiss her, craving the forbidden intimacy. But at the last moment, he drew back. Her breath stopped in her chest, and she remained perfectly still. Her shoulders sagged, but with her disappointment, came the sharp-edged stab of guilt. For surely, she was a wanton.

He possessed iron self-control. She knew because she’d felt his body’s response, sensed he wanted to kiss her as badly as she wanted him to.

She stepped back and grasped the ship’s rail. “Thank you for stopping me from going overboard.”

He reached out, and his strong fingers cupped her chin, his touch burning her chilled skin. “No need to thank me.” His ebony eyes gleamed, the darker pupils narrowing. His gaze moved over her like a caress. “Your face is as cold as fresh snow.” he murmured huskily.  Without warning, his iron control reasserted itself, and he suddenly released her, clearing his throat. “You should go to your cabin. We can talk about the journey later.” 

How dare he dismiss her? And his smooth words didn’t fool her, either. He hadn’t touched her again to learn if she was cold or not. Nay, the yearning she’d glimpsed in his eyes mirrored the throb in her own body. 

How much longer could they go on torturing each other?
*****

You can find Hebby at:
Website: http://www.hebbyroman.com
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Hebby-Roman/582681221798972

You can find The Princess and the Templar at:
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE

Pulitzer Prize Nominated Author Velda Brotherton Writes about PTSD in Beyond the Moon

With Veterans Day upon us,  Velda Brotherton's  Pulitzer Prize nominated novel Beyond the Moon strikes a timely chord.

1985 - A wounded warrior home from nine years as a POW in Vietnam, a woman grief stricken over the loss of her husband. He touches her and she descends into his disturbed world where they wage a battle to bring him home from the horrors of that captivity. A love story you’ll never forget.

Diaries of men serving in wars as long ago as 1,000 years spoke of suffering from symptoms that match those we identify today as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Many Civil War soldiers returned suffering from what was then known as nostalgia or soldier's heart.  Because there was no treatment, some were sent to asylums, but most of these were closed down after the war. Veterans wandered the streets, many starved to death or froze because everyone thought they were crazy and dangerous and shunned them.

Sadly, many homeless veterans today suffer from this disorder. Not too long ago, these men were labeled as malingerers. As late as the 1980s not much was known about treatment. Then called Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, these men often suffered the same fate as veterans of the Civil War.

In the past two decades, though, various treatments have been tried with some success. Victims are taught to identify what triggers their frightening flashbacks, which appear to propel them back to the killing fields of war. In their minds tall buildings can hide snipers, unusual loud noises are threatening, and dreadful nightmares bring back memories that appear to be stored in the brain forever.

Recent studies have helped define what goes on in the brain of someone affected by PTSD. Doctors are hesitant to “mess” with brain functions, but one study produces an interesting and hopeful step forward in the treatment of stress disorder.

While this disorder is more common among veterans returning from battle, people who undergo any type of traumatic experience can suffer from it as well. Because I've written several books where either the hero or a supporting character suffers from PTSD, I've done months of research and talked to veterans and their spouses about this disorder. It can be debilitating, can disrupt a person's life until they can no longer function well in society or in family life. Many who are effected distrust those around them and feel that no one can love them which can cause withdrawal from loved ones.

Often it can be five to ten years after the trauma before PTSD strikes. Some veterans and their families live with its effects for many years while others are able to somewhat control their upsetting reactions when they return to their previous lives.’

Imagine, if you can, turning the street corner in a quiet town, only to walk into a battlefield. Soldiers lie dying all around you, heat and explosions of mortar fire blasts from all directions. All senses go on alert. No matter how you might want to believe it isn't happening, it is, and you are caught up in the middle of it. Thrown back into a battle so vivid you are there.

During World War II this was referred to as shell shock or battle fatigue, and was misunderstood and seldom treated. Thankfully, today two treatments are found effective for most suffering from this disorder. Counseling and medication.

The best thing you can do if you know someone who suffers from PTSD is listen to what they have to say. Encourage them to talk to you about their feelings and experiences. You may not be a counselor who can suggest solutions, but you can listen with an open heart and mind and try to be supportive. Show that you care.

And don't forget to thank veterans for their service.

Have a question?
Symptoms and treatment for PTSD  

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Beyond the Moon  has been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize nominated book in literary fiction. It is available now in Ebook and paper back. Hard cover coming soon.

Velda Brotherton writes “Sexy, Dark & Gritty” romance and love stories, both historical and more recently vintage novels, with an authenticity that makes her characters and stories ring true. She has been writing for nearly 30 years and enjoys doing research almost as much as writing. Tough heroines, strong heroes, villains to die for, come alive in her novels. Her background in journalism adds a wealth of experiences that lend to her storytelling.






Velda lives with her husband and writes from her home in the Ozarks of Arkansas. Contact her: WEBSITE http://www.veldabrotherton.com
BLOG http://www.veldabrotherton.wordpress.com
FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/vebrotherton

Romance Author Liz Flaherty: Art, Craft, and Magic

Back to McGuffey'sLiz Flaherty talks about art, craft, and quilts.

I grew up loving quilts. I have ones that were made by my great grandmother, my grandmother, and my Aunt Nellie. They’re old and beautiful, with tiny stitches and scraps of memories scattered over them like the leaves that are rustling through my yard these days. While I treasure the quilts and the memories, making quilts wasn’t something I ever truly thought I’d do. For one simple reason.         They are art.
I am a writer. I’ve had nine books published and am still at it. There is little that I love more than writing, but it’s a craft to me, not an art. Some writers are artists, and I writhe with envy when I read their books, but I am not. This is okay with me. I just write.
But then I had grandchildren—they are seven of the things I love more than writing. When I got ready to retire, I was afraid—for one wild, crazy instant—that I would be bored, so I thought why not go ahead and make a quilt for each grandchild? Not fancy like the old ones I have that would require anything artistic of me, but simpler patterns. After all, I liked to sew. How hard could it be?          Ahem.          It could be hard. And it was. Especially since I haven’t had a single minute of boredom since I retired—there hasn’t been time. Five of those nine books have been published in the three and a half years since retirement, six of the seven quilts are made, and I’ve never had so much fun in my entire life.         Quilts tend to consume the person who’s making them. I started out with a 6-inch by 24-inch ruler, a rotary cutter, a cutting mat, and enough fabric for the quilt I was making. I now have many rulers, many cutters, a mat that completely covers my cutting table, and enough fabric to cover a small country.            Years ago, I wrote a book called The Debutante’s Second Chance, a Silhouette Special Edition. In it, the heroine made a quilt. It was incidental. When I wrote A Soft Place to Fall, the heroine opened a quilt shop, and it wasn’t incidental at all. In my newest book, Back to McGuffey’s, Kate is a lover of quilts. In my work-in-progress, Arlie has a quilt room many of us would cheerfully die for. Quilting and writing have over time become inextricably intertwined.         I’m working on Number Seven on my grandkids’ quilts. It’s still a craft to me; I can’t do anything without a pattern and need help choosing fabric every single time. Likewise, I’m working on my Number Ten book and I’m still a craftsman, not an artist. And it’s still okay with me.
What I love, and what maybe is a little artistic, is what is alike in books and quilts. They both have stories to tell, they’ll both be around for children and grandchildren, they both contain beloved memories within their construction. Not big memories, perhaps, like wedding days or births or even bittersweet goodbyes, but ones that lie gentle in the pockets behind their owners’ hearts. When the quilts are used or the books read, the memories slip out and create magic.
And there it is. Whether writers and/or sewists artists or craftsmen, we have the opportunity to create magic. Aren’t we the lucky ones?
Thanks for having me here today. I’ve enjoyed it. I hope you find the magic.
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Back to McGuffey's

The one that got away...Could Kate Rafael’s day get any worse? First she lost her job, then her house burned down and now her ex is back in town. Apparently, Ben McGuffey's taking a break from being a big-city doctor to help at his family’s tavern and reassess the choices he's made for his career.
Ben ends up giving Kate a hand...then giving her kisses...and finally, a second chance. But when a local teenager shows them both a glimpse of what it means to be a family, Ben wonders if having kids in small-town Vermont would clash with his ambitions. Or can he truly come home again…to Kate?



Liz retired from the post office and promised to spend at least fifteen minutes a day on housework. Not wanting to overdo things, she’s since pared that down to ten. She spends non-writing time sewing, quilting, and doing whatever else she wants to. She and Duane, her husband of…oh, quite a while, are the parents of three and grandparents of the Magnificent Seven. They live in the old farmhouse in Indiana they moved to in 1977. They’ve talked about moving, but really…37 years’ worth of stuff? It’s not happening! She’d love to hear from you at lizkflaherty@gmail.comBuy links: http://www.amazon.com/Liz-Flaherty/e/B001J919R4/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1414009408&sr=8-1 http://www.harlequin.com/author.html?authorid=1622 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/liz-flaherty?store=allproducts&keyword=liz+flaherty

Author Larry Farmer: Using Personal Experience to Write a Love Story

Fiction is not always just making stuff up. Sometimes an author draws heavily on personal experience.
Larry Farmer's bio-fiction novelette, The Kerr Construction Company, is about a disenchanted ex-Marine after the Vietnam War. Searching for a new direction in life. Dalhart McIlhenny heads to Gallup, New Mexico, and finds employment in a construction company working with the Navaho, illegal aliens, and ex-bullfighter from Durango.  Far away from fast cars and parties, Dalhart searches for meaning. Finding peace in a callous world seems impossible. Then he meets Carmen.
How much of this story is based on your life? Most of it. After a stint in the Marines during the Viet Nam era, and time spent traveling the world, I came back home to Houston. It was the fastest growing city in America at the time and perhaps the most prosperous. All around was wealth with no substance. People elevated material things over culture. I had seen poverty both in America and during my travels. Rural Mexico was just a few miles from where I had grown up. People traveled in donkey carts and wore shoes made from worn out tires. Wealth sure beat that, but I quickly became disenchanted by the new America. We seemed absorbed with money and much of our social fabric had been discredited, although some of it justifiably.
I needed to get away and reexamine my life, so I bought an old beat up panel truck and started driving. That truck became my home. With hardly a penny in my pocket, I eventually ended up in Gallup, New Mexico, the capital of the Navajo world. The poverty wasn’t pretty, but I wanted to know more. Houston has been my life, but here was a different perspective.
Wanting to get back to my roots, I found a menial job working with both Navajo and illegal aliens. I met the ex-bullfighter who eventually became a character in my story. He was charismatic and smart and became a close friend. It put a very personal face on the immigration issue. This whole immigration thing has been so politicized its easy forget the struggle illegals have in order to carve out a life. Living among them made me face difficult questions about their survival and mine every single day.
 So…the girl in the story.  If you are Dalhart, did a romance with Carmen really happen? Spill the beans, Larry.There was a Mexican waitress. I was sitting at this restaurant at the end of a long hard physically demanding day. While waiting for my order, I looked up from my book and there was this dark skinned goddess who took my breath away. There was this electricity between this girl and me even before we said a word. We tried not looking at each other but couldn’t stop ourselves. She poured a glass of water and her hand was shaking, spilling water on the table even. She was a recent divorcee, living with her mother, also trying to survive and find herself again. When dating back then you always had to be cognizant of racial and social divides, but this girl just knocked my socks down. I didn’t want it to consider racial or social issues. All I wanted to do was be with her.
What was the most difficult part to write? None of it. All of it. It just flowed. It had already written itself into my life and I was simply the messenger.   No spoilers, but was the ending in the story the same as real life? Did you make any changes and why? I made up the ending. Circumstances occurred in my life too complicated to write about and took away from the story. So, I tried to find a place about my relationship with Carmen and make it entertaining and believable. The truth is much my inner search than just the events in Gallup, New Mexico. That’s another story.
Since you’re a nice Jewish guy from Texas did you have more trouble writing a woman’s point of view or a Native American’s? What challenges did you face? I was the only boy growing up in my family of two sisters and three step-sisters. I opened up to a lot of changes brought on by the woman’s movement. It made including a female perspective easier for me. I’m part Cherokee too. I love the Cherokee, one of the Five Civilized Tribes. They endured perhaps the cruelest history when Europeans came. So, meeting Native Americans such as the Navajo wasn’t a new experience. I wanted to present some of their lives, but not dwell on it. The story is not about that, but Gallup and the Navaho were part of the setting.
How difficult was it for a man to write in what is generally thought of as a woman’s field of romantic fiction? I loved the process. I want to say I love women, but that sounds tacky, uncouth, and a little too macho. I like the ying and the yang thing; Mother Nature plotting to keep the species alive and thriving by bringing the two sexes together.  
I’m part of a writer’s club in College Station near Texas A & M. Two of the female members are romance novelists, published by The Wild Rose Press. That’s how I found out about this publisher. I had been writing, developing the craft and decided to give it a shot. My editor suggested I nurture the love story. I thought that was a great idea. I didn’t want to be a strict romance novelist, but I do love a love story. It enhances a good tale.
Since many of your characters are based on real people, have any of them read it? If so, What did they think? I’ve lost contact with everyone back then. It would be great if this story catches on, they recognize themselves, and remember this college educated Texas cowboy that entered their lives. They didn’t have a clue what the hell I was doing there. I didn’t make a lick of sense to them. I didn’t belong, but we ended up fitting in to each other’s lives. Ideally this is how life is supposed to be. I’d like to think they’d read it and say “That son-of-a-gun gave us form.”
Your second novel, I Will Be The One, is due out late 2014. It's also based on biographical experience, this time your Peace Corps experience in the Philippines during the Ferdinand Marcos administration. Was a full-length book more difficult? What new challenges did you face? Once again, it wrote me. I couldn’t get it out of the word processor fast enough. The Peace Corps is so underrated. It was a marvelous experience, but there were some real problems going on where we lived. Violent upheavals in a dangerous place made more so by politics. My best friend in the Peace Corps at first was a girl from Cleveland, but then we got sent to different parts of the county. Next this Southern white conservative became close friends with a smart as a whip, politically liberal, African-American man from Los Angeles. It was a great dichotomy, but we hit it off.
For the story, I wrote about the day in the life stuff, the dangers, the unbelievably horrific poverty, and the insurrection against a dictatorship. I was there for the overthrow. I met Cory Aquino and Cardinal Sin. I saw political assassinations. So, again, I don’t want to make it sound too easy, but the story wrote itself. It told me what to say and I couldn’t get it out fast enough.
Even though this wasn’t a strict romance novel, a deep love story is the foundation. Life as seen from the eyes of two people living in tumultuous times. So out goes my black liberal friend and in goes the girl. I mixed the characters up, shared her life and times, but added some details from his life, too. Funny thing, after all these years he looked me up on Facebook and we reconnected. I found the girl on LinkedIn and she shared even more stories and experiences to enhance the story.


*****
Excerpt from The Kerr Construction Company

“Quitting time, McIlhenny,” I heard Ira shout.“Another five minutes,” I shouted back.“I’ll load up,” he answered. “Oh yeah, another thing.”“What’s that?” I asked when he didn’t follow through.“Didn’t you say you used to play football?” he asked.“Yeah.”“You’re a fast runner, right?”What does that mean? “Yeah,” I answered again.“You better be. This is a stick of dynamite here in my hand.”He lit it and threw it my direction. I didn’t look back until I heard the explosion. There was a hole ten yards from where I used to be.“Come on,” he shouted again, not bothering to laugh. “Let’s go home. Go get your shovel if it’s still there.”Later I thought of Ira’s shenanigans, sitting in the restaurant, savoring the rich garlic aroma. He would have made a good Marine, I decided. I never made it to Vietnam, but I get to tell my grandkids about when I worked for the Kerr Construction Company.I heard Carmen’s voice come from beside me. “You got a look about you, hombre,” she said as she walked over to me and planted a small kiss on my lips. “Is that a smirk? What wickedness are you contriving? Better not leave me out of it.”“Nearly got blown up by dynamite today,” I said as my smirk turned into laughter.“Good Lord, man. How did that happen?”“Aw, not really,” I said. “It’s a long story anyway.”“Don’t eat here tonight, Sweets,” she said with a wink. “Mother has supper ready for us. She’s going to bring up Monument Valley. She knows what the hell we did there. And I ain’t talking the scenery or our intimate little conversations. I’m talking she put two and two together and she knows we’re not virgins.”
“She would’ve suspected what was going to happen even before we left.”
*****Larry Farmer is an ex-Marine who grew up on a cotton farm on the southern tip of Texas. He has two degrees from Texas A&M University where he works in IT. Married with three sons, he writes fiction incorporating experiences from his extensive travels. Find Larry at: www.larryfarmerwrites.com         Twitter @LFarmerWritesPinterest larryfarmerwrites

Writing for a Series: Don’t Tell Me What To Do. I’m a God in My Own Mind.

One Enchanted Evening I’ll let you in on a little secret. All writers have a dark side. Deep down we’re convinced if people would only do everything we say, damn it, the world would be a better place. Eventually each one of us comes to the sorry conclusion we won’t be elected Ruler of the World. The only way to make up for the crushing disappointment is to write. On paper I wield omnipotent power over my fictional realm. I manipulate lives, kill off all my enemies (in print), and create people way more interesting than myself. Not to mention, being adored by millions of fans (in my mind.) The dark forces rise. Mwah-ha-ha.
Then I got the chance to write One Enchanted Eveningfor a series.   
Writing for a pre-existing series has a special set of challenges. Writers do not necessarily play well with others. We are pasty-faced individuals, bereft of social skills. Banished to unheated garrets with quills in hand, we battle wasting upper respiratory ailments. Writing for a series requires unprecedented cooperation and no small amount of patience. Coughing delicately into our lacy handkerchiefs, we must scurry from the garret to interact with real people. It’s hard.
Build from the fictional ground up. The first step in the development of the Lobster Cove series for Wild Rose Press was to appoint a coordinating editor. Rumor has it she didn’t duck fast enough and got slapped with the job. Lord knows, it’s not for the faint of heart. Her responsibility entailed devising the original platform; in this case a small town on the coast of Maine. Stories would cover all time periods; past, present, and future. Full length novels, novelettes, and even short stories were welcome along with an array of fiction genres such as contemporary, historical, suspense, paranormal and, yes, even naughty bits of erotica. Like a real town, Lobster Cove would have diversity in spades.
To rough out descriptive details, the editor solicited suggestions early from those who had an interest in writing for the series. Decisions had to be made concerning the size of the town in both area and population. What were the most logical major and minor industries in a Maine coastal resort area? What were typical occupations? The editor created a master spreadsheet with categories and descriptions of places and occupations, male and female characters, town events, and other reference items writers might need. With the basics laid out, next came an actual town map highlighting streets and locations of buildings and service organizations such as the police department, hospital, and public schools. Local landmarks were chosen and situated. Lobster Cove now had a lighthouse, a centrally located park with gazebo, manmade lake, beaches, and an offshore island.
Submissions opened up. Publishing contracts were signed. New businesses and characters were added to the spreadsheet. The map filled in even more. Slowly, Lobster Cove began to resemble a real town. Places, however, need more than people and buildings. Dozens of other details had to be worked out such as festivals, town events, flora and fauna, and the high school mascot. World-building is a pain. No wonder gods are so cranky.
What do you mean there’s no room for Ye Olde Donut Shoppe? Not even a lousy kiosk? When creating a world from scratch, the author controls the population. Not so in a series. As far as story ideas, it’s first come, first served and all subject to the coordinating editor’s approval. The first person to use a character defines a character. If a contracted story states the mayor is a cross-dressing, Irish-Argentinian cat fancier with irritable bowel syndrome than that’s what goes into the spreadsheet. Anyone else wanting to use the mayor has to take Pedro O’Toole and his kittens, gastroenteritis, and feathered boa as is. Either that or its back to the storyboard.
Lack of control can be a royal pain especially when it comes to the major setting for your story. Food venues seem to be the first to go. It makes sense. Coffee shops, restaurants, or bakeries are all perfect places for social interaction—great venues for story arcs. You may have written a moving, charming, brilliant, and gripping tale about the owner of a donut shop, but if another writer beats you to the punch, and the editor decrees Lobster Cove has enough donut shops, you’re out of luck. Back to the rewrites.
There are additional considerations when coordinating details with other writers. Want your characters to have a romantic walk along the pier on the third Saturday in June? Oops, too bad. Another author has a storm scheduled that day. Have a big denouement in the police chief’s office the last week of September? Pity, another author is having it fumigated.  One sticky problem I had was the name of a particular character. He was a minor, but necessary addition to my story. I couldn’t write around him, but he was not my character. His role had already been defined by another. That meant his name had been selected and it happened to be a name I detest. This is not the name for someone who is an asset to a community. This is the name of a kid who sat next to me in kindergarten, grabbing his crotch and making airplane noises. Seriously, I wouldn’t give a gerbil in one of my stories this name, but I was stuck with it. I gnashed my teeth each time I typed it in.
Another problem is time limits. Writing for a series is not for someone who needs two years to crank out a story. Submission dates are firm. If you can’t finish by the deadline, than you need to shop your work around somewhere else.
Give it up for the team. I had reservations about working on a series. Writing for me has always been a solitary art and I wasn’t sure I could be a team player. I was wrong. Despite minor irritations, working on One Enchanted Eveningwas a blast. It’s good to step out of your comfort zone. It stretches those literary wings.
The foremost pleasure comes from the collaboration with other writers dedicated to infusing life into a fictional town. Lobster Covians (yeah, we had a discussion about what to call inhabitants, too) are an eager talented group ready to share ideas and research. An innocent query into the writer’s loop about a character or place brings a plethora of links, pictures, and helpful hints. Need someone to read a passage from a work in progress to see if it rings true? Just post a query. Someone will answer and give you the benefit of their experience. It’s a warm, supportive community with an enthusiastic cheering squad. I’m proud to be an honorary citizen of the Cove.
Click on the Rafflecopter Giveaway link to enter for a $25 gift certificate to Red Lobster and a $50 gift certificate to Wild Rose Press. Hurry! Giveaway ends Tuesday, September 30.
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Book Review of Doctor Who: The Blood Cell

The Blood Cell by James Goss is an original novel based on the most recent Dr. Who television incarnation. By choice I haven’t watched any of the new episodes and will rate this book merely on its own merits. The narrator is The Governor, the warden of a prison on an asteroid. A new prisoner has arrived. Although known by the number 428, it’s quickly apparent he is The Doctor. As the story unfolds The Governor’s past is revealed along with the reason for The Doctor’s incarceration. Both are convoluted and neither particularly convincing.
Who would like this book? Readers who are die-hard Dr. Who fans and those who enjoy a light fast read would get the most out of it. The story has value with good dialog and pacing, but it’s not the best example of Dr. Who. The surprise ending when it comes is no surprise at all. The innate charm of the television show doesn’t translate well to fiction. Even if the new doctor is a grumpy know-it-all, a good actor can still work with personality quirks and turn them into an appealing characterization. The printed word is harder and, in this case, not as successful. Quirks easily become annoyances. This is not a book that would make the reader want to watch the TV show. The most interesting character is The Governor which is a darn shame. It’s a Dr. Who book. The most interesting character should be The Doctor. The least interesting character is Clara who is bland, colorless, and has no appeal whatsoever. Let’s hope the television version is better.   If not, she needs to be booted off the TARDIS as soon as possible.   

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.

Words for Pictures by Brian Michael Bendis

Given solid encouragement and a template I can make a pretty darn good smiley face. Needless to say, I don’t call myself an artist and have never produced either a comic or graphic novel. However, I have a lot of respect for those who do. Fortunately, Words for Pictures is not a how-to-color book. Unusual in its approach, it explores the business end of both comics and graphic novels. They are odd art forms. Sometimes the writer/illustrator is the same person, sometimes not. The writer’s work is more reminiscent of a script. The artist’s work is similar to that of an action movie director. While a fiction writer writes for a faceless unseen audience, the comic book writer works for a single person—the artist. If the writer doesn’t tell a good story, illustrations won’t save it. If the artist can’t generate the right level of excitement, the story falls flat. Each contributes equally. It is a unique collaborative effort not seen in other types of fiction.
There’s a lot of ground to cover and Words for Pictures does a good job of briefly outlining the pitfalls facing a budding comic book writer or illustrator. Wiggling free from a straitjacket while bound with chains and trapped under an ice floe is a snap compared to breaking into any form of publishing. The odds are stacked against you from the get-go. Bendis is one of the big dogs in the comic world and much of the advice is applicable not just for his field, but others such as fiction or screenplays.
Problems Even though this book purports to approach comics from the business instead of the design end, there is only one chapter devoted solely to nuts and bolts practical advice. That chapter is written by his wife and business manager and reads too light. Other chapters are interviews with different comic book writers and artists. Unfortunately, just because someone can write or illustrate a good piece of fiction, doesn’t mean they can translate that skill into words or provide cogent observations. While Bendis’ work is readable and insightful, some of the interviewees come across as ‘Yo, dude, chillax. Let the creative juices flow and, like, good stuff will happen. Dig?’ Not really, bro, but your artwork is cool.
Who’d like it Despite the problems, the book has a lot to offer. The pages are filled with dynamite illustrations and Bendis gives an insightful, although brief, overview of the business. He is an enthusiastic and engaging writer with a cheerleader’s ‘you can do it’ attitude. Sometimes that’s all a budding writer or artist needs to get started. While the average comic book fan might have no interest in this book, I’d recommend it for anyone who enjoys comics or graphic novels as art forms, or anyone with the desire to create either one.
I received this book from  Blogging for Books  for this review.

Author Laura Strickland: Total Immersion in Writing Historical Fiction

Laura Strickland’s latest release is the historical fantasy, Lord of Sherwood: The Guardians of Sherwood Trilogy, Book Three.

As a writer of Historical Romance, I sometimes feel like the conductor on a bus tour into the past.  Pick up one of my books and I’ll punch your ticket. The bus will fire up with a throaty growl and we’ll disappear into the mists of time for a ride you won’t soon forget.  I've been conducting these tours for a while now, and quite a few people book return trips.
But what makes for successful time travel? Well, if you love writing Historical Fiction and want to set up your own tours, here are a few things you might want to consider.
It’s your tour, and those you take along will only see/hear/smell and taste what you share with them.  So you’d better make sure you don’t leave anything out.  If you make a stop in, say, eighteenth century England and drop by a pub to await the appearance of the Highwayman who features prominently in your story, you’d better give your passengers the full experience. How does it smell when you walk in? Like spilled ale and patrons who haven’t washed in six months?  How’s the ale? Dark and foamy? Pungent with a nutty aftertaste? How are the folks around you dressed? How do their voices sound? Make the world you create a tactile one and your passengers won’t want to get back on the bus too soon.
How much do you personally love this world you’re visiting? I’ve learned that sharing fiction is a bit like osmosis. The writer brings to it a set of emotions and if s/he can convey them properly, they’ll seep into the reader’s consciousness the way water seeps into a sponge.  If you enjoy the way your Highwayman struts into the pub when he arrives, if you notice the way his black hair curls on his neck and the wicked gleam in his eyes, so will your readers. You don’t want to force anything onto your tour members: if you have to persuade them to participate, that wrecks the fun of the tour. You want them drawn into things, so caught up they forget the bus exists.
How immersed are you in your chosen period? For it to be convincing, you have to live and breathe this stuff. You must be aware what your character ate for supper last night, even if it was roasted swan. You have to think about how heavy a knight’s armor is and how much work it takes for your heroine to draw a bath. You should lose yourself in your story, forget what it’s like to live with electricity/television/cell phones for a while, be aware that not everybody in Medieval England is a lord or queen, and that peasants fall in love too. Breathe the fetid air, smell the water in the moat and listen to the music of the times when you write. In short, for truly convincing prose I recommend total immersion, so don’t hesitate to drive that tour bus right into the nearest lake.
In short, your readers will only believe the veracity of your writing if you believe it. So do whatever it takes to engage yourself in your period, and your writing.  Happy time travel!
The Guardians of Sherwood Trilogy - Book ThreeCurlew Champion, master archer, has always known his destiny.  With his cousin, Heron Scarlet, he will become a guardian of Sherwood Forest and further his people's fight against Norman tyranny.  But the third member of the triad is still to be revealed, the woman who will complete the magical circle and, perhaps, answer the longing in Curlew's heart.
Anwyn Montfort has fled disgrace in Shrewsbury and come to Nottingham at her father's bidding.  He wishes her to make a good marriage and settle down.  But the wildness that possesses her refuses to quiet.  She knows she's been searching for something all her life, but not until she glimpses Curlew does her spirit begin to hope it has found its home.
Only the magic of Sherwood can bring them together, and only their union can complete the spell woven so long ago...
For more information on Laura Strickland go to www.laurastricklandbooks.com
Amazon Link

Mark Watney is having a really bad day. Due to a chain of...

Mark Watney is having a really bad day. Due to a chain of accidents the astronaut has been marooned on Mars. Believing he’s dead, his crew left for Earth. He has no way to communicate with either the spaceship or NASA. Not that it matters, because in less than sixty days, he’ll be out of food, water, and air. Yup, a really bad day. Unless he finds a way to survive on a barren planet for four years until the next Mars landing, he will be completely and totally screwed.  
What is Right With This Book? When you think back on your list of top ten books, more than likely most, if not all, will have been read before you turned thirty. The books you loved in your formative years stick to you like hot fudge to hips and stay a happy memory for the rest of your life. You revisit them now and then like old friends and leave with a warm and happy feeling. (After thirty, you are no longer formative. Mostly you are sludge that can only think with a regular infusion of caffeine and/or sugar—at least for me.) I accepted I would like a lot of books, even love some, but none would ever again make my list of favorites.
I was wrong.
The Martian is not just an example of an excellent science fiction book, but one of the best science fiction books I’ve ever read. There…I’ve gone on record and said it. Why is it great? Several reasons. Not only did Weir create a totally engaging hero, the book has a gripping, story that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Will Mark find a food source? Water? A way to communicate with NASA? Can a rescue be mounted or is he doomed to a lonely death millions of miles from home?
The Martian is also surprisingly funny. Science fiction that is heavy on technical data rarely brings a chuckle. Often it is pretentious and stuffy, but Mark Watney faces impossible odds with a hysterical, self-deprecating sense of humor that made me laugh-out-loud.
Finally, science fiction books often suffer from poor characterization, particularly of females. Let’s face it, most are written by men. Women come across as little more than cardboard cutouts stuffed in a space suit. Not so, The Martian. Although Watney is alone on Mars the book’s point of view bounces from him to the mixed-gender crews of the spaceship and NASA. Female characters are fully formed and completely believable.
What’s Wrong With It? Nothing. Seriously, not one single word. I can’t remember the last time I’ve loved a book so much from start to finish. The Martian outshines anything I ever read by Niven, Herbert, Clarke or any of the other supposed grand masters. Okay, if you put a gun to my head, I’ll admit I hate the cover. It’s ugly.
Why YOU Might Not Like It  Some books, even well-written ones, should come with a warning. The Martian is one of them. You will hate this book, not even make it through the first chapter, if you don’t like hard science fiction. What is hard science fiction? It is a story that is heavy on the science and technical details.  I’m a dweeb, I admit it. I love the sciency stuff. If you can’t stand techno-talk, please don’t start this book. You’ll hate every single page, think I’m crazy for writing a glowing review, and make me cry very salty tears. Don’t bother picking it up.
I received a copy of  The Martian  for free from Blogging for Books in exchange for this review.
L. A. Kelley is a co-blogger at The Book Cove.  She writes stories with adventures, romance, humor, and a touch of sass. You can find her at http://lakelleythenaughtylist.blogspot.com

When Fact Collides With Fiction

Blogging today at The Book Cove http://www.thebookcove.com/




Sometimes fiction collides with fact in the most unusual ways. Beverly Nault talks about her novel, Fresh Start Summer . 
This is the story of two towns, one real and one imagined, that came together in an unusual way. Several years ago I began a book series based on a small town filled with folks you’d want to as friends in a setting you’d never want to leave. They would have their share of squabbles, but the quirky and colorful characters would get past their differences to strengthen friendships and their community.
Each title would take place during one season, so I pictured a main street with the changing appearance of trees, from the icicled branches in winter to spring’s promise of buds and blooms. I “planted” cherry trees that would blossom in the spring along cobblestoned walks lit with modern gas lamps, inviting park benches, and curiosity shops beckoning a leisurely visit.  This town would need the perfect name, something referring to the cherry trees. I searched the map and found a small town in Kansas named Cherryvale.  I hoped they wouldn’t mind me using their lovely name.
So began The Seasons of Cherryvale with the first title Fresh Start Summer. As the book released and I began marketing, I’d all but forgotten about the real town until I read a blog comment from a fellow named Richard. He asked me if I knew about the “real” Cherryvale.
Gulp. Yessir. I did. Hope you don’t mind me using your name!
I waited to see the town’s reaction. As it turns out, they did NOT mind at all.  After local inhabitants read the first book, they invited me to not only visit, but also bring my books to their next Cherry Blossom Festival. I graciously accepted and—after having to reschedule due to a freaky spring snowstorm—was treated to a VIP weekend where I had a very successful book signing, an appearance at the library, a private tour of the Cherryvale Museum and saw many sights around town escorted by my new friends, residents of the “real” Cherryvale.
How similar were the two Cherryvales? They were so much alike I was shocked and pleasantly surprised. Both Cherryvales have a B&B, a beautiful town lake, lovely homes, and a quaint Main Street. Also, lots of school spirit as indicated by the high school football game we attended, and of course, challenges that any community has. Everyone has an interesting history—and some even whispered juicy nuggets for future storylines! Everything you might expect from any small town.
One of the most unusual likenesses between book and town was that in Fresh Start Summer a Hollywood crew arrived to film a movie. This sets off events that turn the town upside down. As I arrived in the “real” Cherryvale, a Hollywood crew had just finished filming a movie about “The Bloody Benders,” a notorious gang famous for their short but violent reign in the late 1800’s. (My fictional movie was not bloody, however.)
My favorite similarity though, is that like the fictional town I’d dreamed up, I felt an immediate sense of welcome as soon as I arrived in the real Cherryvale. I continue to keep in touch with my new “neighbors” through social media, and consider myself an honorary Cherryvalian, anxious to return for another visit as soon as possible.
We all want our neighborhoods to be a place of warmth and friendship, and readers yearn to read books to help them escape to a place or to go on an adventure they can remember fondly forever. I believe both Cherryvales fit their bills nicely.
FRESH START SUMMER is a finalist in the 2014 Reader's Favorite Book Award contest in their Humor and Inspirational categories. 
Beverly can be found at: www.beverlynault.com Twitter @bevnault Bev on Pinterest Amazon author pagebev@beverlynault.com
https://readersfavorite.com/book-review/30255