Jamie Beck's Blog, page 14

My Book Birthday!

After a few years of writing, and many months of editing and promoting, my debut book “birth” date is finally here.  A book birthday is an apt term because, in many ways, writing and publishing a book parallels getting pregnant and having a child.

First you work hard to conceive (in this case, a story idea).  Then you let the seed germinate: you outline, write drafts, revise, get advice, and revise again.  You invest yourself in its development, nurturing it with each new day.  Once you finish a manuscript and start to submit it to agents or publishers, people “see” it as real, start to congratulate you and express support and enthusiasm, they give advice, they offer their help.  And then finally, after months or years, the book comes out and you hold it in your hands with wonderment.  Like a baby, it’s something you created from nothing, and that first moment is amazingly surreal.

Then a whirlwind of emotions occurs: excitement, anticipation, pride, anxiety, and even fear.  You worry you’ve taxed your friends’ goodwill too much.  You read sections of the story and immediately see elements you wish you could tweak one last time.  You hope people will “get” the point of the story.  You pray it will sell!

But ultimately, like with one’s children, you don’t have genuine control over anything that happens once the book is out in the wild!  All you can do is hope that everything you’ve done aligns and the book is well-received.

December 9, 2014, Montlake Romance

So tonight, mere hours away from the official launch of the book, I’m going to try to simply toast the fact that I’ve exceeded my original goal, which was to write a love story.  And after the hoopla of tomorrow’s party subsides, I’ll sit back at my desk and keep working on my new project, and try not to obsess about sales and reviews and all of the other things that get in the way of enjoying the process of writing.

Thank you for celebrating with me!

xo-Jamie

Adding Romance to the Season

At this time of year, in the face of twinkling lights and trees and ribbons, we all revert to little kids. Our hearts speed up whenever we hit upon that great gift idea, or plan a surprise for a loved one. Our spirit may soar at the sound of a favorite holiday song, whether it be a classic or something less traditional.

Copyright: kurhan / 123RF Stock Photo

Prior to having kids, I had Hollywood-influenced romantic fancies about Christmas. From the decorations to fireside drinks to sexy lingerie, I planned everything to achieve that ideal. Then real life crashed in, and exhaustion and children took center stage. Romance? Bah humbug.

But now the kids are older, the frenzy less chaotic, and I think it is time to reintroduce a little of my own Christmas past into the present and future.

Copyright: shaiith / 123RF Stock Photo

There are lots of little ways to create a romantic tone in your house at the holidays. Decorative candles certainly infuse an alluring atmosphere and aroma into any room (I love the candles that look like birch bark). Fancy table linens and holiday china, with ribbons and sparkly napkin rings, add a special touch, as do floral arrangements, garland, and ‘frosted’ fruit.  And, of course, there must be soft music.  The classics or jazz renditions of the same cast a warm buzz throughout a home.  So set the stage, send the kids out for an evening, and plan a private dinner for you and your spouse.

Copyright: natika / 123RF Stock Photo

 

I also find that, if you take the time to wrap gifts with extra care, they feel more romantic.  My mother has always been the absolute best at this particular trick.  I have no idea how she turns multiple yards of fancy ribbons into beautiful bows, but she does (and I suspect she single-handedly keeps Michael’s in business!).  I’ll try to remember to snap a photo when her gifts arrive to prove this claim (how do you like that pressure, Mom?).

Finally, read some Christmas romances…those will surely get your blood pumping and put you in a certain mood!  Here’s a few suggestions from some of my author friends:  Jeannie Moon’s This Christmas,  Marian Lanouette and Gerri Broussard’s contributions to the Season of Magic Christmas anthology, or Sugar Jamison’s Have Yourself a Curvy Little Christmas.

So now that I’ve shared my tips, do you have any suggestions of how to amp up the romance at Christmas?

xo-Jamie

The Journey to Publication

In April, 2011, I took my very first step toward a writing career when I sat down to write a romantic women’s fiction novel entitled “Unexpected Song.”  That story will likely remain under my bed forever, but the exercise ignited a spark that led to four additional completed manuscripts, and another in progress as I write this post.

Had I known, when I started, how difficult, competitive, frightening, and exhausting pursuing publication would be, I might not have tried.  “Ignorance is bliss” perfectly describes my first year of writing, and I couldn’t be happier.  Why?  Because had I been afraid to try, I’d have missed out on the ups and downs of entering writing contests, pursuing agents, submitting to publishers, and very soon, launching my debut novel, IN THE CARDS. 

I’m so grateful to all of my family, friends, the many wonderful writers, my agent, and my editor, all of whom have supported me with their encouragement, enthusiasm, and honest feedback.  I hope readers will enjoy this love story, which is rooted in themes of fate, self-discovery, and overcoming fear.

I’m donating a portion of the proceeds from the first two weeks’ sales to New Canaan CARES, so spread the word.  Also, if you’re in the area, I’m hosting a launch party (with a gift basket raffle) on Tuesday, December 9th, at Heather Gaudio Fine Art, 21 South Avenue, New Canaan, CT, from 7 – 8:30 pm.

Stop by and celebrate with me!

xo-Jamie

 

Holiday Love

With Halloween in the rearview mirror, some of the most beloved holidays of the year are staring us all in the face: Thanksgiving, Christmas/Hanukah, and New Year’s Eve.

Most would agree that Christmas and Valentine’s Day are more romantic than, say, Easter. Other holidays, like Halloween and New Year’s, are just plain fun. And then we have the family-oriented, cozy celebrations, like Thanksgiving. I’ve found my preference for particular holidays has changed with age (like so many other things in my life).

As a young kid, I preferred Easter to all others, mostly because of my insatiable sweet tooth. As a teen and young adult, Halloween became a favorite. Who didn’t love transforming into something or someone different for a night and going to a party?

My freehand attempt at The Grinch

Surprisingly, Christmas has never been at the top of my list.  First of all, it’s become so overly commercialized, it is disgusting.  Secondly, I’m not a shopper, so I don’t spend much time in stores or online retail outlets. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.  I guess I’ve turned into the Grinch.

All of this leads me to my “grown-up” favorite holiday: Thanksgiving. It’s always at my mom’s house. A giant gathering of extended family, and sometimes even some friends. It’s loud, there’s an endless supply of comfort food—mom’s home cookin’—and a lot of love. Clean-up? Well, that stinks, but you know the saying about no free lunch.  Even with ten tons of pots to scrub, I’ll still vote Thanksgiving as tops on my list.

The grown-up table at my mom’s house.

How about you? Which holiday do you love best, and why?

XO-Jamie

Rainy Day Romantic Dreams

My mother came to visit my family this past weekend to participate in the Halloween festivities and see a few soccer games. When Saturday turned into a soggy, frigid day, we hunkered down in the family room and got sucked into the HGTV show “Vacation House for Free.”   I’m not kidding when I say I think we watched five episodes back-to-back.

For those who’ve never seen it, the premise is that you can buy a “fixer upper” in your dream vacation location and, with the right upgrades, rent it out for twelve to sixteen weeks per year to cover the costs of owning the house. Some of the locations featured in the episodes we watched included Hilton Head Island, Lake Tahoe, Marin County, and Marco Island.

The original homes were horrible, musty, dated, and in one case, utterly dilapidated. But within a matter of months, these smallish homes underwent amazing transformations, becoming charming, cozy, idyllic retreats. There is something entrancing about watching a renovation and seeing the “before” and “after” images. Perhaps there’s a parallel with why we enjoy a good love story: the hero and heroine also go through major transformations on their way to an idyllic ending.

But I digress, because what the HGTV marathon really made me think about what where I’d like to retire one day. While that decision will somewhat depend on where my children end up living as adults, a big part of me has always been drawn to the west and the mountains.

Of the locations I saw on Saturday, hands-down I’d go to Lake Tahoe for its drop-dead landscape, funky resort towns, and abundant outdoor activities in every season. In other words, it’s pretty much heaven on earth.

If you could retire anywhere, where would you choose?

XO-Jamie

Self-Discovery and Love

There’s a reason why the hero and heroine in my debut, In the Cards, each undergo a significant journey of self-discovery before they fall in love.  Why?  Because I don’t believe you can truly love others until you know and love yourself.

But people change, you argue.  True.  Sometimes those changes bring a couple closer, sometimes they push them apart.  In either case, however, one must understand those internal shifts in perspective in order to communicate and connect with others, and to find compatible partners.  How we, as people, approach that inner journey can also make a difference.

December 9, 2014, Montlake Romance

Consider this snippet between my hero and heroine (Levi and Lindsey):

“So, Lindsey, what brings you to the West Coast? You mentioned leaving a lot of people behind. Why?”

Even if he doesn’t recall rejecting me years ago, I’m not about to admit my fiancé cheated on me.

“I need to make some changes.”

“Obviously.” He raises one brow. “Why?”

“Does it matter?”

Sitting back against a kitchen stool, he folds his arms across his chest again and watches me, waiting. Finally, he speaks.

“Yeah, it matters. You’ll make different changes if you’re searching than you will if you’re running.”

The frame of mind of a person actively seeking self-understanding during quiet times is quite different from that of someone who has come up against a dead end or crisis, especially in the context of a dynamic, living environment like that of an intimate relationship.

For me, self-reflection is something of a reflex, and the image in the mirror is not always pretty.  But at the end of the day, I know myself, my limits, and my needs.  If ever a friendship, familial relationship or marriage does fail, it won’t be because I didn’t understand the one thing within my control…myself!

Do you agree or disagree?

XO-Jamie

Favorite TV Couples

Given my “day” job, it’s no surprise I spend a lot of time thinking about heroes, heroines, and the chemistry that makes a couple work for a reader. To some degree, that’s a subjective call. If you like a tough, snarky heroine, you might not be too excited about the hero falling for a more shy, reserved woman. And as a writer, it’s easy to fall into the trap of my own preferences. I don’t want to write variations of the same couple over and again, so I’m hoping you can help me.

I’m curious to learn about why some couples work for you and others fail. For fun, let’s focus on TV couples for the purpose of this experiment, as most everyone has surely had a favorite or two over the years.

Sawyer & Juliet

To get you thinking, here are some of mine:

Sawyer and Juliet (LOST)

Doug and Carol (ER)

Derek and Meredith (Grey’s Anatomy)

Ben and Felicity (Felicity)

As you can probably tell, I have a history of liking complex relationships and brooding men!

Ben & Felicity

But what about you? Might you have included couples like Friends’ Ross and Rachel, Sex and the City’s Carrie and Big, or Jim and Pam (The Office)? Or maybe you enjoy the banter between Modern Family’s Mitch and Cam (I admit, these two are hilarious). Then there’s the real old school shows, like Cheers’ Sam and Diane?

Tell me, who are some of your favorite TV couples, and what did you love about them?

XO-Jamie

Are You Really Living?

Society has an absurd general belief that life is about hanging on as long as possible. So people [are] often hanging on for the sake of hanging on and not really living… ~ Andreas Fransson

This week, the world lost two amazing extreme skiers—Canadian J.P. Auclair, and Sweden’s Andreas Fransson—to an avalanche in Chile. As I am currently in the midst of writing a series of romance novels based on extreme skiing heroes, this unfortunate news hit me a little hard.

At thirty-seven and thirty-one, respectively, these young men were taken too soon. But no one can deny they packed more thrilling adventure into those three decades than most will experience in seven or eight.

Obviously, Fransson did not wish to live a safe life. The rest of his above-quoted passage reads:

I can go on for days about this, but the important things in life are unsayable, so lets’ just live it out and see what we find behind the curtains in front of the big game we are all playing.

Perhaps their families and friends will find some consolation in the fact that they died while pursuing their passion. It’s about all any of us could hope for, I think.  And while I won’t put my life at risk because I want to “hang on” and watch my children grow into adults, there is something to be said about finding meaning in life through pursuit of a passion.

I think I’ll honor them, in spirit, by naming the next hero in the series after them (J.P. Fransson??), and by carrying a little of Andreas’s philosophy into my daily life.

By the way, here’s a cool excerpt from a video of J.P. Auclair for you to enjoy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IdS6RuTzI4

And one of the two of them skiing together:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97BiLuRYELc

What’s your view: play it safe or push the limits?

xo-jamie

Ethos and Relationships

Take the high road. It’s far less crowded.~ Charlie Munger

I’ve got a love-hate relationship with this quote. I love the message, but hate the fact that it’s true. The high road is less crowded, and that doesn’t speak well for the future of our society.

I don’t want to get priggish or preachy about the disheartening dearth of ethics and morals, but when fifty percent of high school students surveyed don’t think cheating is wrong, we’ve got a problem. And ultimately we all suffer the consequences of the entitled, “short-cut” mentality (hello, financial crisis).

But this blog is about love and romance, so why am I discussing Charlie Munger and morality? Probably because I think the best—and most important—place to employ ethics is in one’s personal relationships.

Whether you are beginning a new relationship or invested in a years-old one, sticking to a code of behavior, a vow, or a promise will see you through a lot of bumps. Those things become an anchor that grounds you as well as a compass to guide you safely through difficulties and disappointments. They also help define who you are, which makes you more likely to choose compatible, like-minded friends and lovers.

If I had to describe my personal ethos in two or three words or traits, I’d choose honesty, objectivity, and fairness.  While my life’s not perfect, these seem to be working for me so far.

How about you?  What’s your ethos?

Xoxo-

Jamie

Birthday Giveaway!

Happy Birthday to me!  You know you are getting close to fifty when you decline jewelry gifts in favor of ergonomic office supplies.  Yeah, I did that!  And since I’m getting what I want for my birthday, I’ve decided to give something away, too.

I’ve got four great books (two hardcover) to giveaway to one lucky reader:

Anita Shreve’s “All He Ever Wanted”

Stephanie Evanovich’s “The Sweet Spot”

Kathy Reichs’s “Bones Never Lie”

Charles Martin’s “Unwritten”

I’ll keep the contest open until Friday at noon and notify the winner via email.  To enter, just leave a comment below answering this question:

How did you hear about the last great book you read?

xo-Jamie