Rebecca York's Blog, page 3

India Trip

Norman took so many great pictures in India that it's hard to choose just a few to show you here. But here's an idea of what we saw on our trip.

This picture from Varanasi shows the temple grounds where Hindus burn their dead. Like other tourists, we watched some of the ceremonies from a boat in the Ganges. Most boats are small, with one man rowing and three passengers. But I saw some boatmen rowing up to fifteen people. They must be strong.








A little later in the evening you can see some of...

HABITS OF THE PRODUCTIVE WRITER

Recently I was asked to be guest author for a book-in-a-week challenge group. Of course, that got me thinking about my own writing method. I write two to four books a year, which means I have to keep working at a steady pace.
Long ago, I used to write slowly, then spend a lot of time editing. I figured out about fifteen years ago that I could write fast, then fix any problems later–if something needed fixing. But part of my process is to start each day editing the text I wrote the day...

Cabin Fever?

I'm still stuck in the house two days after the big February snowstorm of 2010. So far, I've edited 90 pages of my WIP. I need to plow through another 40 before I pick up moving forward again. But I'm emerging to shovel. I shoveled a path from the front door to the sidewalk. That took 45 minutes. I keep going out to work on the cars for maybe 20-30 minutes at a time. When I was a kid, I hated "snow pants." Now I love having the ones I bought for our polar bear chasing trip to Churchill. Also ...

Mulled "Cider"7 servings/serving size: 1 cupI served a ve...

Mulled "Cider"

7 servings/serving size: 1 cup

I served a version of this "cider" tonight to my writing group, and everyone wanted the recipe. Here's a version I used in Snack Attack.

I've always loved the taste of hot mulled cider, but the amount of sugar in apple cider is off the charts. So I devised this hot winter drink that tastes a lot like mulled cider–but without that high sugar content. It's easy to double this recipe if you want to serve a large pot of this flavorful hot punch.

6 cups...

Wintry Willow Oaks

We're having our first snowfall in the Baltimore-DC area. Large wet flakes slanting down and making the world beautiful. Here are some pictures of the willow oaks in back of my house. Let's hope the driving's okay tomorrow when we have to go out.

WHAT COMES FIRST, PLOT OR CHARACTER?

What comes first? Plot or character? For me, they've got to develop together. My characters must serve my plot, and my plot must work with my characters. I could think of a great story about a guy who's living alone in a mountain cabin and is visited by space aliens, but what's he doing in that cabin? Why is he alone? How is he going to deal with lizard-like creatures knocking on his door? And the larger question–is the reader going to believe his reactions?

One lesson I learned about...

BELIEVE IN YOURSELF

It's a big cliché in the writing business: "Believe in yourself." Yet it's true. If you don't believe in yourself, who will?

I was thinking about my werewolf series today because the ninth book, DRAGON MOON, is out October 6 from Berkley. Nine werewolf books. Unbelievable. How did I get here?

It all started years ago when I read DARKER THAN YOU THINK, by Jack Williamson. I was fifteen and an avid reader of science fiction and fantasy. That book, about a man being guided into his werewolf...

Low-Carb Pumpkin Bars

I love spice cookies. Now that fall's here, I've been indulging my yen for them by testing this recipe for yummy, low-carb Pumpkin Bars. I think I've finally gotten the right balance of ingredients. The bars are also relatively low fat. And the liquid egg substitute speeds up preparation. All you have to do is shake the carton and pour.

Low-Carb Pumpkin Bars

½ cup butter, softened
½ cup canned pumpkin (not pie mix)
½ cup liquid egg substitute
1 cup Splenda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground gi...

Museum of Crime and Punishment

If you're planning a trip to DC, there's a new museum you might want to check out. The National Museum of Crime and Punishment at 575 7th Street NW, right in the heart of the revitalized downtown area.

They lured me in with a summer special for Maryland, DC, and Virginia residents. If you arrive after 6 pm, when things are slow, you get in for $6. What a deal. Turns out, those hours were perfect because the best interactive exhibits weren't crowded.

The museum starts with historic crime and p

From Noah Fielding

There's a scene in my August Harlequin Intrigue, MORE THAN A MAN, where Noah Fielding wakes up weak and confused. He's survived a near-death experience, but he doesn't know where he is–or what time period he's in. I don't have room in the book to go into his thoughts in depth. But I've written them here, from his POV in first person present tense.

Captivity. Again. But where and when?

Disjointed thoughts swirl through my head, and I can capture none of them. I hear a woman crying. Who is she? Doe