Writing tip
Don't get overwhelmed by the big picture. Writing an entire book is daunting.
Set a daily goal that is small enough not to overwhelm you. Today I'll write one page. Today I'll write this scene. Today I'll write this conversation. All these small steps will get you to your goal.
Do you set daily, weekly or monthly writing goals? If so, what works or doesn't work for you?
Cindi Myers
www.cindimyers.com
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Are You Alone Out There?
Today I had a wonderfully productive critique session with my friend Rebecca Russell, who wrote two books for Silhouette Romance and is now writing a mystery. We've been writing buddies for twenty years come September. That's longer than a lot of marriages! Over the years what we've written has changed. I started out writing historical romance, then went to paranormal romance and short contemporary, then Harlequin American. We've read each others' "stuff," from sweet to spicy, from light to dark, from ordinary to bizarre. Today we ate at Cafe Brazil, remembering our critique partner, Kara Lennox, who is now in California. (Please note the menu, Kara. Gosh, we miss you already and you're barely gone!)
Before Kara left, we had a critique session "party" at a local ceramics studio to make geckos for her new home in California. I have to say, the geckos turned out great. We had a good time painting them and thinking about where they might end up - a patio, a tree, or someplace as undefined as the future, stetched out in front of a new life in a new place. I guess it's weird to say this, but whenever she looks at her geckos, she'll think of us! (Which one of those cute little critters do you think I painted?)
Before Kara left, we had a critique session "party" at a local ceramics studio to make geckos for her new home in California. I have to say, the geckos turned out great. We had a good time painting them and thinking about where they might end up - a patio, a tree, or someplace as undefined as the future, stetched out in front of a new life in a new place. I guess it's weird to say this, but whenever she looks at her geckos, she'll think of us! (Which one of those cute little critters do you think I painted?)The important thing that I wanted to post is that having friends who are also writers is very important. While family may support us or think everything we write is great, a good critique partner will tell you what you didn't do so well. Or if you family isn't so supportive of you getting up early or staying up late to write "those silly books," your writer friends will understand and listen. When you've decided that everything you've written is horrible and you'll never sell it, your critique buddies will tell you what you've done right, what scene made them laugh or cry, and what character touched their heart. If you don't live near other writers, then try an online chapter of Romance Writers of America, or even Facebook. I've just gotten on there to meet up with my high school classmates. There are so many writers and readers on Facebook that the task will be narrowing down which ones to become friends with.
I hope that if you are writing, you are not alone. The pro
cess of sitting in front of the computer or leaning back with the laptop is a solitary pursuit by definition; only you are writing the book. Having other writers to talk to makes the process from idea conception to the words "The End" so much easier. Rebecca and I met when we "newbies" attended a local all-genre writing conference at The University of Texas at Dallas. Kara met us when she moved to Dallas, but we didn't become critique partners until some time later. We now have a new critique buddy, Gay Kiser, who is unpublished at the moment. But we're working on her ...
cess of sitting in front of the computer or leaning back with the laptop is a solitary pursuit by definition; only you are writing the book. Having other writers to talk to makes the process from idea conception to the words "The End" so much easier. Rebecca and I met when we "newbies" attended a local all-genre writing conference at The University of Texas at Dallas. Kara met us when she moved to Dallas, but we didn't become critique partners until some time later. We now have a new critique buddy, Gay Kiser, who is unpublished at the moment. But we're working on her ...Next month I'll be in Orlando, Florida on the 21st, so maybe I'll have some more fun photos to post now that I've learned how to do this. Rebecca and I are leaving our husbands and children at home to go on a girls-only trip to celebrate our twenty year friendship. We're taking our laptops and a lot of ideas to share. Happy writing and reading, everyone.
What works for me (writing advice)
What works for me…
Might not work for you. It’s a concept I’ve been mulling lately as I'm back in school teaching another year of school, where I have to individualize learning to best reach all my students. I was thinking about this concept as I read an article in a writing magazine that said, “write every day, even if it’s for 20 minutes” and also gave other such advice as “keep a journal”.
It’s great advice, sure. But I don’t do either and I’m a published author of 21 novels. I write in big spurts, and then will go weeks and sometimes months without writing a thing. That “20 minutes” the author advises is spent doing all those things I didn’t do during that intense focus on writing.
But that’s me. My big on and off spurts are how I balance and prioritize my time, and that’s what I’ve learned works best for my life. During the school year my priority is on my family and my teaching job. Writing is a distant third, unless my deadline is around the corner. Over the summer, I can easily make writing number two and devote 40+ hours a week to my craft.
To me, writing is like dieting. For some, Jenny Craig works. For others, it’s South Beach. For someone else it’s Weight Watchers. Others are naturally skinny and don’t need to do a darn thing. The same holds true for writing. There are plotsters, pantsters, and there are those who create scrapbooks, those who have three ring binders stuffed full, those who interview their characters, those who enter contests, those who sell the first time…the list goes on. Everyone is different, which is logical. As each writer should have a unique, individual voice, each writer will have his or her own individual writing style and system, that, through trial and error works for him or her.
This system, or process, is personal. I see too many writers get bogged down in the “how” they should be writing and trying to follow some system or formula and thus they lose the actual writing. If something isn’t working after a few tries, perhaps that technique isn’t for you. Just because it works for a NYT best selling author or your critique partner doesn’t mean that the approach is perfect for everyone. I know writers who get up at 4 AM to create before their family wakes. I’d die if I had to get up at 4 AM. When my alarm goes off at 5:25 for work, it’s already far too early. I know writers who run every chapter by a critique partner, and there are others who do that only on rare occasions.
Don’t be afraid to do some personal assessing and figure out what works best for you if you're trying to write a novel, or writing anything actually. Try new things and techniques, but don’t lose faith in your abilities or talent if someone else's ideas fail to work. Remember, what works for one person doesn’t mean it will work for everyone. So reassess and find something new. Writing should be a happy time—a creative and pleasurable escape into your mind. So just like trusting your own inner voice with your story, don’t be afraid to take advice, but don’t be afraid to trust your gut if it tells you that advice isn’t for you. After all, just as it’s your story, it’s your process. There is no one writing process answer for everyone except for passion, persistence and putting your fingers to the keys.
Michele
Bachelor CEO, July 2009
Baby in the Boardroom, Feb. 2010
Might not work for you. It’s a concept I’ve been mulling lately as I'm back in school teaching another year of school, where I have to individualize learning to best reach all my students. I was thinking about this concept as I read an article in a writing magazine that said, “write every day, even if it’s for 20 minutes” and also gave other such advice as “keep a journal”.
It’s great advice, sure. But I don’t do either and I’m a published author of 21 novels. I write in big spurts, and then will go weeks and sometimes months without writing a thing. That “20 minutes” the author advises is spent doing all those things I didn’t do during that intense focus on writing.
But that’s me. My big on and off spurts are how I balance and prioritize my time, and that’s what I’ve learned works best for my life. During the school year my priority is on my family and my teaching job. Writing is a distant third, unless my deadline is around the corner. Over the summer, I can easily make writing number two and devote 40+ hours a week to my craft.
To me, writing is like dieting. For some, Jenny Craig works. For others, it’s South Beach. For someone else it’s Weight Watchers. Others are naturally skinny and don’t need to do a darn thing. The same holds true for writing. There are plotsters, pantsters, and there are those who create scrapbooks, those who have three ring binders stuffed full, those who interview their characters, those who enter contests, those who sell the first time…the list goes on. Everyone is different, which is logical. As each writer should have a unique, individual voice, each writer will have his or her own individual writing style and system, that, through trial and error works for him or her.
This system, or process, is personal. I see too many writers get bogged down in the “how” they should be writing and trying to follow some system or formula and thus they lose the actual writing. If something isn’t working after a few tries, perhaps that technique isn’t for you. Just because it works for a NYT best selling author or your critique partner doesn’t mean that the approach is perfect for everyone. I know writers who get up at 4 AM to create before their family wakes. I’d die if I had to get up at 4 AM. When my alarm goes off at 5:25 for work, it’s already far too early. I know writers who run every chapter by a critique partner, and there are others who do that only on rare occasions.
Don’t be afraid to do some personal assessing and figure out what works best for you if you're trying to write a novel, or writing anything actually. Try new things and techniques, but don’t lose faith in your abilities or talent if someone else's ideas fail to work. Remember, what works for one person doesn’t mean it will work for everyone. So reassess and find something new. Writing should be a happy time—a creative and pleasurable escape into your mind. So just like trusting your own inner voice with your story, don’t be afraid to take advice, but don’t be afraid to trust your gut if it tells you that advice isn’t for you. After all, just as it’s your story, it’s your process. There is no one writing process answer for everyone except for passion, persistence and putting your fingers to the keys.
Michele
Bachelor CEO, July 2009
Baby in the Boardroom, Feb. 2010
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Who Me? Interviewed?
It’s such a pleasure to be among all the wonderful HAR authors here on the blog. I’ve gotten to “know” so many more of them than I would have without it. Reading their blog posts and especially their interviews is always a delight, and I wish I had more time to comment. As Rascal Flatts sings, “Life is a highway” and some days I feel like I’m going 80 mph.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Reading. I hadn’t read romance for several years, and then my best friend steered me to Susan Elizabeth Phillips after reading the first few pages of It Had to Be You to me over the phone. I was hooked. After that, I consumed books, both single title and category. One Christmas I went out and bought as many Christmas themed category books that I could find. Of course I had to try writing one, and that led to another and another and another…
How did you make your first sale?
My short contemporary entry won The Maggie contest, and Mary-Theresa Hussey requested the full manuscript. To my surprise, she liked it enough to buy it for Silhouette Romance.
How long have you been published?
Rachel’s Rescuer was a March 2001 Silhouette Romance, so eight years total, although it doesn’t seem like it was that long ago. I had five books with Silhouette Romance before the line closed. My first HAR was published in 2008, so I’m a relative newbie here. I have to admit that I love writing for HAR even more than I did for SR. I think it’s the small town feel of HAR that makes writing them so enjoyable.
What helps inspire you when you write? Do you have any ‘rituals’ (like music, candles, a favorite scent) that helps you find your writing zone?
Music. Lots of music! I have 612 songs on my playlist of which 169 are designated as “writing” music (those romantic love songs), 134 are “walking” or upbeat dance music for when I need some pep, and the rest are Beach Boys, 50’s and 60’s oldies and a few Christmas songs. (Yes, I'm a music junkie.) If those aren’t enough, I listen to Pandora and have set up my own stations. If you haven’t tried Pandora, it’s free! And then there are all those candles…
Tell us about your family and where you live
I was born in and have returned to live in the biggest city in Kansas. No, not Kansas City. ;) Between then and now, I’ve lived in a small Kansas town and on a Kansas farm. My four daughters also live here. The two youngest live with me, the oldest of the four lives three blocks away, while the next oldest lives a little over a mile away. The two oldest have 5 children between them, now that my youngest granddaughter was born August 10. I also have a step-granddaughter. Every Saturday night we have Family Night and get together to talk and sometimes play board games. You’d think we see enough of each other during the week, but Saturdays are when we’re all in one place. It can get crazy with all the little ones, hubbies and an occasional friend or two.
Do you have any talents readers might find interesting?
Web design, although I don’t consider it a talent. I began playing around with it years ago and ended up enjoying it so much that I do it for real now. Drawing has never been one of my talents, but web design gives me the opportunity to work with colors and shapes, a real break from working with words, but still "creative."
What were you doing at midnight last night?
I was particpating in one of my newest guilting pleasures: Playing on Facebook. I dragged my feet about joining and now can’t stay away. Shameful, isn’t it?
If someone gave you a million dollars what would you do with the money?
I’d give a portion of it to charities, pay off my daughters’ houses (if their hubbies would let me), and buy myself a modest but roomy house. One never knows when family will return, or so I’ve learned--the hard way. Then there’s the dream of taking a Mediterranean cruise…
What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?
Cactus. I spent tens day during the summer before my senior year in high school with 20 other teens on a working trip into Mexico. We stayed on a garlic farm that was used as a school in the winter months, and we painted the dormitories, both inside and outside. Because there was no refrigeration, we went into the nearby small village for food each day. Our adult “chaperones” insisted we try some of the more exoctic offerings. I’m usually not brave enough to try something new, but the cactus was great!
What are you reading now?
Honestly? Nothing, although I really enjoyed Susan Wiggs' Just Breathe about a month or so ago. I recently bought Barefoot, a women’s fiction book by Elin Hilderbrand and Judy Blume’s Smart Women. I read at night, but since I’ve been working on deadlines, reading has taken a back seat. Soon, though. Very soon.
Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?
Yes, in the blink of an eye! I took a taste test at the State Fair a few years ago and passed it. I don’t drink coffee, so Pepsi is my caffeine fix.
If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
Greece, hence the dream of a Mediterranean Cruise. Ireland is my second choice. I’d probably like either one so much that I’d want to stay.
Are you working on anything at the present you'd like to share?
The Rodeo Rider is the first in a series of books set in the fictional town of Desperation, Oklahoma. The second book, Bachelor Cowboy will be out in January next year. I recently sold two more books, so I’m currently working on book #4 of that series and learning everything I can about Native Americans in Oklahoma. The heroine of the book is half Cherokee, and the research is proving to be more interesting than I’d ever imagined. Oh, and that heroine? She’s a surprise relative of one of the characters in The Rodeo Rider.
Describe your writing space.
My desk is neat and tidy, with only a pen, a paper, and my computer monitor. I can look out my window and see the ocean pounding against the rocks on the shore. Wait a minute. That’s my dream writing space. In the real world, my desk is covered with just about everything imaginable, including two fish and a cat. During the day I work on websites and chase grandkids. Writing is done at night. There are always snippets of notes from both littering my desk and sticky notes hanging on my monitor. My two-year-old grandson (he’ll be two on the 24th), likes to climb on my desk and steal M&Ms from the jar that resides on my desk and is rarely empty…unless he eats all of them. There are books everywhere, along with piles of paper that always need sorting. The window looks out onto the side of the house next door. My daughters and I switched rooms a couple of months ago, so there are still boxes to be sorted that wait patiently for me to find the time. There never seems to be time.
What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
For a long time, I had a sign that hung above my desk that said, "Nobody is born published," so my advice is to read, read, read. And never, ever, ever give up on your writing. If you give up, you’ll never know if the next book or article or short story might have been The One. As far as selling that first, it always happens when you least expect it.
What inspired you to write your first book?
Reading. I hadn’t read romance for several years, and then my best friend steered me to Susan Elizabeth Phillips after reading the first few pages of It Had to Be You to me over the phone. I was hooked. After that, I consumed books, both single title and category. One Christmas I went out and bought as many Christmas themed category books that I could find. Of course I had to try writing one, and that led to another and another and another…
How did you make your first sale?
My short contemporary entry won The Maggie contest, and Mary-Theresa Hussey requested the full manuscript. To my surprise, she liked it enough to buy it for Silhouette Romance.
How long have you been published?
Rachel’s Rescuer was a March 2001 Silhouette Romance, so eight years total, although it doesn’t seem like it was that long ago. I had five books with Silhouette Romance before the line closed. My first HAR was published in 2008, so I’m a relative newbie here. I have to admit that I love writing for HAR even more than I did for SR. I think it’s the small town feel of HAR that makes writing them so enjoyable.
What helps inspire you when you write? Do you have any ‘rituals’ (like music, candles, a favorite scent) that helps you find your writing zone?
Music. Lots of music! I have 612 songs on my playlist of which 169 are designated as “writing” music (those romantic love songs), 134 are “walking” or upbeat dance music for when I need some pep, and the rest are Beach Boys, 50’s and 60’s oldies and a few Christmas songs. (Yes, I'm a music junkie.) If those aren’t enough, I listen to Pandora and have set up my own stations. If you haven’t tried Pandora, it’s free! And then there are all those candles…
Tell us about your family and where you live
I was born in and have returned to live in the biggest city in Kansas. No, not Kansas City. ;) Between then and now, I’ve lived in a small Kansas town and on a Kansas farm. My four daughters also live here. The two youngest live with me, the oldest of the four lives three blocks away, while the next oldest lives a little over a mile away. The two oldest have 5 children between them, now that my youngest granddaughter was born August 10. I also have a step-granddaughter. Every Saturday night we have Family Night and get together to talk and sometimes play board games. You’d think we see enough of each other during the week, but Saturdays are when we’re all in one place. It can get crazy with all the little ones, hubbies and an occasional friend or two.
Do you have any talents readers might find interesting?
Web design, although I don’t consider it a talent. I began playing around with it years ago and ended up enjoying it so much that I do it for real now. Drawing has never been one of my talents, but web design gives me the opportunity to work with colors and shapes, a real break from working with words, but still "creative."
What were you doing at midnight last night?
I was particpating in one of my newest guilting pleasures: Playing on Facebook. I dragged my feet about joining and now can’t stay away. Shameful, isn’t it?
If someone gave you a million dollars what would you do with the money?
I’d give a portion of it to charities, pay off my daughters’ houses (if their hubbies would let me), and buy myself a modest but roomy house. One never knows when family will return, or so I’ve learned--the hard way. Then there’s the dream of taking a Mediterranean cruise…
What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?
Cactus. I spent tens day during the summer before my senior year in high school with 20 other teens on a working trip into Mexico. We stayed on a garlic farm that was used as a school in the winter months, and we painted the dormitories, both inside and outside. Because there was no refrigeration, we went into the nearby small village for food each day. Our adult “chaperones” insisted we try some of the more exoctic offerings. I’m usually not brave enough to try something new, but the cactus was great!
What are you reading now?
Honestly? Nothing, although I really enjoyed Susan Wiggs' Just Breathe about a month or so ago. I recently bought Barefoot, a women’s fiction book by Elin Hilderbrand and Judy Blume’s Smart Women. I read at night, but since I’ve been working on deadlines, reading has taken a back seat. Soon, though. Very soon.
Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?
Yes, in the blink of an eye! I took a taste test at the State Fair a few years ago and passed it. I don’t drink coffee, so Pepsi is my caffeine fix.
If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
Greece, hence the dream of a Mediterranean Cruise. Ireland is my second choice. I’d probably like either one so much that I’d want to stay.
Are you working on anything at the present you'd like to share?
The Rodeo Rider is the first in a series of books set in the fictional town of Desperation, Oklahoma. The second book, Bachelor Cowboy will be out in January next year. I recently sold two more books, so I’m currently working on book #4 of that series and learning everything I can about Native Americans in Oklahoma. The heroine of the book is half Cherokee, and the research is proving to be more interesting than I’d ever imagined. Oh, and that heroine? She’s a surprise relative of one of the characters in The Rodeo Rider.
Describe your writing space.
My desk is neat and tidy, with only a pen, a paper, and my computer monitor. I can look out my window and see the ocean pounding against the rocks on the shore. Wait a minute. That’s my dream writing space. In the real world, my desk is covered with just about everything imaginable, including two fish and a cat. During the day I work on websites and chase grandkids. Writing is done at night. There are always snippets of notes from both littering my desk and sticky notes hanging on my monitor. My two-year-old grandson (he’ll be two on the 24th), likes to climb on my desk and steal M&Ms from the jar that resides on my desk and is rarely empty…unless he eats all of them. There are books everywhere, along with piles of paper that always need sorting. The window looks out onto the side of the house next door. My daughters and I switched rooms a couple of months ago, so there are still boxes to be sorted that wait patiently for me to find the time. There never seems to be time.
What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?
For a long time, I had a sign that hung above my desk that said, "Nobody is born published," so my advice is to read, read, read. And never, ever, ever give up on your writing. If you give up, you’ll never know if the next book or article or short story might have been The One. As far as selling that first, it always happens when you least expect it.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Please tell me I’m not alone!
The subtitle for this blog post ought to read: Dumb Things I Gotta Confess. (grin)
My blog last month was all about the excitement of getting ready to leave for the Romance Writers of America’s annual conference. In fact, I’d even said the following in my post:
“However, the plane leaves tomorrow morning and--prepared or not--I’ll be on it.”
Well...umm...I wasn’t.
That’s right--I missed my plane!
Okay, I’m so not a frequent flyer. But punctual is a different story. I arrived at the airport in plenty of time to check my baggage and wait for my flight. Even had time for a leisurely breakfast in a concourse restaurant with my carry-on bag by my side and a good book in my hands. For someone who flies once a year, I felt like a seasoned traveler.
Breakfast over, with still more than an hour before my flight, I freshened up and took my time heading to the short line at the security checkpoint.
Well, who knew that once you walked past the first dividers at the checkpoint, that tiny little line actually went on and on and on, weaving in and out and up and down and back and forth on a never-ending path to the ACTUAL checkpoint?!?
No worries. Still an hour to go before my flight.
I couldn’t understand why the woman with the two little boys who stood a path-length row behind me seemed so harried. The boys kept telling her their plane didn’t leave for another thirty minutes.
I didn’t see why the elderly couple a half-row back looked so anxious.
I had no clue why the woman up ahead with the two carry-ons, oversized handbag, and three plastic convenience store carrier bags had cornered an attendant and seemed to be negotiating frantically (and unsuccessfully) with him.
Then I saw how swiftly the line was moving--not!--and everything became magically clear.
No problem. Still fifteen minutes to go before my flight left.
I made it through the checkpoint without a problem and hurried my pace just a bit to get to my gate with three minutes to spare!
Well, who knew they actually closed the doors of the plane before the scheduled takeoff time?!?
I’d been on plenty of flights before where we’d had to sit around for last-minute passengers to board. Guess this wasn’t one of them.
So, my flight plans were rescheduled, putting me on a plane that would leave three hours later.
No big deal. We all know wait time is like a gift to a writer and reader. The good thing about this experience was I had time to sit and finish my book!
The bad thing was...I felt like the world’s biggest idiot.
Please tell me I’m not the only person who has ever done something silly like this!
All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
My blog last month was all about the excitement of getting ready to leave for the Romance Writers of America’s annual conference. In fact, I’d even said the following in my post:
“However, the plane leaves tomorrow morning and--prepared or not--I’ll be on it.”
Well...umm...I wasn’t.
That’s right--I missed my plane!
Okay, I’m so not a frequent flyer. But punctual is a different story. I arrived at the airport in plenty of time to check my baggage and wait for my flight. Even had time for a leisurely breakfast in a concourse restaurant with my carry-on bag by my side and a good book in my hands. For someone who flies once a year, I felt like a seasoned traveler.
Breakfast over, with still more than an hour before my flight, I freshened up and took my time heading to the short line at the security checkpoint.
Well, who knew that once you walked past the first dividers at the checkpoint, that tiny little line actually went on and on and on, weaving in and out and up and down and back and forth on a never-ending path to the ACTUAL checkpoint?!?
No worries. Still an hour to go before my flight.
I couldn’t understand why the woman with the two little boys who stood a path-length row behind me seemed so harried. The boys kept telling her their plane didn’t leave for another thirty minutes.
I didn’t see why the elderly couple a half-row back looked so anxious.
I had no clue why the woman up ahead with the two carry-ons, oversized handbag, and three plastic convenience store carrier bags had cornered an attendant and seemed to be negotiating frantically (and unsuccessfully) with him.
Then I saw how swiftly the line was moving--not!--and everything became magically clear.
No problem. Still fifteen minutes to go before my flight left.
I made it through the checkpoint without a problem and hurried my pace just a bit to get to my gate with three minutes to spare!
Well, who knew they actually closed the doors of the plane before the scheduled takeoff time?!?
I’d been on plenty of flights before where we’d had to sit around for last-minute passengers to board. Guess this wasn’t one of them.
So, my flight plans were rescheduled, putting me on a plane that would leave three hours later.
No big deal. We all know wait time is like a gift to a writer and reader. The good thing about this experience was I had time to sit and finish my book!
The bad thing was...I felt like the world’s biggest idiot.
Please tell me I’m not the only person who has ever done something silly like this!
All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Romance Heroines
The recent news story about people stranded inside an airplane for hours got me thinking…how in the world would I cope in a situation like that? I'd like to believe I'd act the part of a romance-book heroine--keep my composure, calm crying babies, whip out my secret stash of tools and fix the broken toilet. Or maybe sneak people off the plane when the flight attendants weren't looking--you know, save the day for all those helpless passengers. I wish I was capable of extra-ordinary actions when under duress, but the sad truth is I am not a romance heroine and could not have done any of those things--except maybe calm a crying baby.
If truth be told I'm just your average Joe…or Josephine. I obey rules. Don't break laws. Scoop the poop when I take the dogs on their morning walk. Say Please and Thank You. Hold the door open for old ladies and moms with strollers. I cave in to others to keep the peace. And I don't speak up when someone cuts in front of me in line. That's why I live vicariously through the heroines I write in my romance books.
Romance heroines are gutsy. They take chances and break laws--for the right reasons. They aren’t afraid of what other people think or say about them. They’re willing to sacrifice their own happiness for others. They're passionate about causes dear to their hearts and they always put others' wants and needs before their own. And they WILL speak up if someone butts in front of them in line. A romance heroine is the kind of woman I aspire to be on a daily basis.
What qualities in a romance heroine do you admire most? Or is there a romance heroine from a book you've recently read that stands out in your mind?
Marin
Samantha's Cowboy August 2009
A Cowboy Christmas December 2009
www.marinthomas.com
If truth be told I'm just your average Joe…or Josephine. I obey rules. Don't break laws. Scoop the poop when I take the dogs on their morning walk. Say Please and Thank You. Hold the door open for old ladies and moms with strollers. I cave in to others to keep the peace. And I don't speak up when someone cuts in front of me in line. That's why I live vicariously through the heroines I write in my romance books.
Romance heroines are gutsy. They take chances and break laws--for the right reasons. They aren’t afraid of what other people think or say about them. They’re willing to sacrifice their own happiness for others. They're passionate about causes dear to their hearts and they always put others' wants and needs before their own. And they WILL speak up if someone butts in front of them in line. A romance heroine is the kind of woman I aspire to be on a daily basis.
What qualities in a romance heroine do you admire most? Or is there a romance heroine from a book you've recently read that stands out in your mind?
Marin
Samantha's Cowboy August 2009
A Cowboy Christmas December 2009
www.marinthomas.com
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Can a writer love their characters too much?
A few months ago I stumbled across one of those celebrity interview shows featuring Russell Crowe. I believe it was The Actor’s Studio, but not positive. One of the questions asked was whether he loved the wonderful characters he portrays. Russell Crowe's answer was a resounding NO. He said something to the effect that if you love a character or a person too much, you overlook their faults. And by doing so you were overlooking the opportunity to create an extraordinary character. The faults and weaknesses are what give them depth and make them stand out. Say what you will about Mr. Crowe’s temperament, love him or hate him, he’s an amazing actor. His response struck a chord with me as a writer. We’ve all been taught that perfect characters are boring, but does loving them too much get in the way of writing good characters? Exploring their faults and weaknesses does make them more human. I think it gives us as readers something to identify with. By loving them, possibly we’re missing out on the opportunity to create extraordinary characters. What do you as readers and writers think? Can a writer love their characters too much? All those favorite characters on your keeper shelf, do you love them because they are so good or because of their flaws?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Let the Sun Shine in!
August's Household Cleaning Tip
Looking for an inexpensive alternative to store-bought window cleaners?
2 cups water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dishwashing liquid
Gently stir these three ingredients and pour the mixture into a squirt bottle. It does a great job of cleaning glass and mirrors, dries quickly, and costs a fraction of what you'd pay at the supermarket. And because it doesn't contain ammonia or alcohol, its a safer alternative for families that have small children and pets.
Lee McKenzie
http://thewritersideoflife.blogspot.com/
Looking for an inexpensive alternative to store-bought window cleaners?
2 cups water
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dishwashing liquid
Gently stir these three ingredients and pour the mixture into a squirt bottle. It does a great job of cleaning glass and mirrors, dries quickly, and costs a fraction of what you'd pay at the supermarket. And because it doesn't contain ammonia or alcohol, its a safer alternative for families that have small children and pets.
Lee McKenzie
http://thewritersideoflife.blogspot.com/
Monday, August 10, 2009
Late but Breaking News
News
Laura Bradford is thrilled to announce the debut of the first book in her southern sewing circle mystery series with Berkley Prime Crime (Penguin). SEW DEADLY (written under the pen-name, Elizabeth Lynn Casey) will release August 4th. This kick-off title for the series earned a 4-star review in this month's issue of Romantic Times! To learn more, including the locations and dates of her upcoming mid-west signings, please visit her website. Pamela Stone is celebrating her second sale—When Hanna Falls—to American Romance.
Mark Your Calendar
August 11: Four wonderful new reads from Harlequin American Romance will be in stores tomorrow. This month’s covers are posted in the sidebar.
August 18: An interview with Roxanne Delaney here on the blog
TBA: An interview with Daly Thompson here on the blog
To find out more about American Romance’s September releases, please visit eHarleqin.com.
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Why do you read romance books?
Hi all!
Sorry for posting my blog entry late. I’ve been running behind since returning from the Romance Writers of America conference back in July. The conference was wonderful – DC and the hotel beautiful! I gave a workshop with Kathleen Scheibling, the senior editor for Harlequin American. While I thought our presentation was going well, the fire alarm went off, and we had to evacuate. There were many theories floating around about why it went off – fire in the kitchen, bomb threat, water leaking from a sprinkler somewhere – but I wonder if it wasn’t because of how I ramble when I’m nervous. I kept teasing a friend who attended our workshop that she pulled it to put me out of my misery or her out of hers...
However, the Q & A portion of the workshop continued as we walked down the eight flights of stairs to the street and up a steep hill to the lobby entrance, so at least some of the attendants were interested in what we had to say about writing mini-series within series. So, although cut short, I guess it had gone well.
I have substantially more nerves about a speech I’m giving this Thursday at a women’s literary club. After booking me to speak over a year ago, they’ve almost cancelled me because some of their members strongly object to what I write. How can anyone object to romance? To happy endings? I know – it was probably more the sex to which they objected. But since they booked me following a newspaper article that had dubbed me the “Steam Queen” I thought they understood what I write.
So my plan is to let them know how popular romance fiction is – the most popular of any other genre of fiction – and that I write for the biggest publisher of romance – a company now celebrating its 60th anniversary. I have facts and figures, graphs and pie charts, but I’m wondering if that’s the best approach. Especially since I don’t want another fire alarm pulled on me – or worse! Maybe I need to share with them why readers love romance books as much as we do. I can tell them why I read – as well as write romance – but please share with me your reason for reading romance. I’d love statements from people all over the world.
Thank you for your help!
Lisa Childs
Sorry for posting my blog entry late. I’ve been running behind since returning from the Romance Writers of America conference back in July. The conference was wonderful – DC and the hotel beautiful! I gave a workshop with Kathleen Scheibling, the senior editor for Harlequin American. While I thought our presentation was going well, the fire alarm went off, and we had to evacuate. There were many theories floating around about why it went off – fire in the kitchen, bomb threat, water leaking from a sprinkler somewhere – but I wonder if it wasn’t because of how I ramble when I’m nervous. I kept teasing a friend who attended our workshop that she pulled it to put me out of my misery or her out of hers...
However, the Q & A portion of the workshop continued as we walked down the eight flights of stairs to the street and up a steep hill to the lobby entrance, so at least some of the attendants were interested in what we had to say about writing mini-series within series. So, although cut short, I guess it had gone well.
I have substantially more nerves about a speech I’m giving this Thursday at a women’s literary club. After booking me to speak over a year ago, they’ve almost cancelled me because some of their members strongly object to what I write. How can anyone object to romance? To happy endings? I know – it was probably more the sex to which they objected. But since they booked me following a newspaper article that had dubbed me the “Steam Queen” I thought they understood what I write.
So my plan is to let them know how popular romance fiction is – the most popular of any other genre of fiction – and that I write for the biggest publisher of romance – a company now celebrating its 60th anniversary. I have facts and figures, graphs and pie charts, but I’m wondering if that’s the best approach. Especially since I don’t want another fire alarm pulled on me – or worse! Maybe I need to share with them why readers love romance books as much as we do. I can tell them why I read – as well as write romance – but please share with me your reason for reading romance. I’d love statements from people all over the world.
Thank you for your help!
Lisa Childs
Saturday, August 08, 2009
ON THE WAY TO( THE CONFERENCE...
On the blog in July I wrote about being a little nervous about the conference and the flight. I hadn’t been on a plane since I wrote Texas Heir. The story involved a plane crash. All the research into plane crashes made me a bit leery. I knew it was all in my head so I had no problem boarding the plane. I was excited. The time had finally arrived to go to DC.
The plane was extremely warm and several people complained. The stewardess said once the plane took off it would get cooler. It didn’t. It got hotter. I was soaked with sweat, as was everyone else. The complaints started again and we were told to be patient. At this point, I think everyone on the plane knew something was wrong.
I had an aisle seat. A guy had the window seat and he closed the shade, or whatever it’s call. You know how small those seats are. The back of the other seat is right in front of you. I felt as if I was in a dark, deep hole and I was getting claustrophobic. I had just finished a book where a little girl falls into an abandoned well. I was getting that suffocating feeling as if I was in that hole.
I leaned over and asked the guy to please open the shade. He said, “Why? It won’t let any air in.”
I replied, “I’d just like to see the sky, clouds, something.”
Hearing the desperation in my voice he opened the shade. I could breathe again. The pilot came on the intercom and said there was a problem and we were returning to Houston. People demanded answers, but they didn’t get any. I was just trying to breathe. We were told to buckle our seat belts and that we would get details later. The plane became very quiet.
We landed safely and fire trucks surrounded us. We were told to stay in our seats. Firemen came aboard in aluminum looking suits with high powered extinguishers and went into the cockpit. Evidently there was a short in the AC unit. After about ten minutes, we were told to quietly and quickly leave the plane. After that we were instructed where to go to board another plane.
I thought I had about all the excitement I could stand so I called my husband. I was ready to go home. He didn’t answer. After dropping us off, he went to the Bass Pro shop and evidently guys don’t take their phones in there. It’s like a shire or something. So reluctantly I boarded the other plane and went to DC. And had the time of my life! Now I enjoy writing but I don’t want to personally experience some of the scenes I write.
The conference ended too quickly. I saw a lot of the American authors and got to visit, and met some new ones. Dinner at the Ritz with Kathleen, Johanna and Paula was wonderful.
The plane was extremely warm and several people complained. The stewardess said once the plane took off it would get cooler. It didn’t. It got hotter. I was soaked with sweat, as was everyone else. The complaints started again and we were told to be patient. At this point, I think everyone on the plane knew something was wrong.
I had an aisle seat. A guy had the window seat and he closed the shade, or whatever it’s call. You know how small those seats are. The back of the other seat is right in front of you. I felt as if I was in a dark, deep hole and I was getting claustrophobic. I had just finished a book where a little girl falls into an abandoned well. I was getting that suffocating feeling as if I was in that hole.
I leaned over and asked the guy to please open the shade. He said, “Why? It won’t let any air in.”
I replied, “I’d just like to see the sky, clouds, something.”
Hearing the desperation in my voice he opened the shade. I could breathe again. The pilot came on the intercom and said there was a problem and we were returning to Houston. People demanded answers, but they didn’t get any. I was just trying to breathe. We were told to buckle our seat belts and that we would get details later. The plane became very quiet.
We landed safely and fire trucks surrounded us. We were told to stay in our seats. Firemen came aboard in aluminum looking suits with high powered extinguishers and went into the cockpit. Evidently there was a short in the AC unit. After about ten minutes, we were told to quietly and quickly leave the plane. After that we were instructed where to go to board another plane.
I thought I had about all the excitement I could stand so I called my husband. I was ready to go home. He didn’t answer. After dropping us off, he went to the Bass Pro shop and evidently guys don’t take their phones in there. It’s like a shire or something. So reluctantly I boarded the other plane and went to DC. And had the time of my life! Now I enjoy writing but I don’t want to personally experience some of the scenes I write.
The conference ended too quickly. I saw a lot of the American authors and got to visit, and met some new ones. Dinner at the Ritz with Kathleen, Johanna and Paula was wonderful.
Cathy Gillen Thacker, Cathy McDavid, Johanna, CC Coburn.. me and Kathleen.
Kathleen and I at the Ritas.
Cindi and I after the Ritas.
Cindi nor I won the Rita, but it was an amazing night. It was great to see two Americans flash on that big screen.
Next year for Nashville, I’m thinking about driving, or at least talk the hubby into it.
Linda
www.lindawarren.net
2009 RITA® Finalist TEXAS HEIR
Linda
www.lindawarren.net
2009 RITA® Finalist TEXAS HEIR
Caitlyn’s Prize – July ‘09
Madison’s Children – Oct ‘09
Skylar’s Outlaw – Jan ‘10
Madison’s Children – Oct ‘09
Skylar’s Outlaw – Jan ‘10
Friday, August 07, 2009
Just Relaxing by Megan
Seems summer has passed me by without enough of that "sitting and doing nothing time" I remember as a kid. However I've just been forcibly relaxed: my doctor prescribed muscle relaxers for my neck, which went into spasm after a car bump (aka collision).
It turns out my body takes about a week to adjust to new medications.
Taking just one of these pills impairs my ability to type. That's not good for a writer trying to get a proposal to her editor. :( I sent an email to my friend, who then asked me if the relaxers made me dopey or grumpy. Had she seen me giggling as I typed, she would have known.
Dopey. Definitely.
The next day, I was at work at our town's independent bookstore. My friend's question popped into my head, but it came to me as "does the pill make you gropey or dumpy?" Gropey? Dumpy? I laughed out loud.
For about an hour.
I started thinking of the Seven Dwarves and tried to figure which Dwarf I'm most like when not on meds. Doc? Maybe. I do have rare moments of wisdom. Grumpy? Oh yeah, unfortunately. :) Dopey? More often than my kids would like. Sneezy? In the fall and spring. Sleepy? Every afternoon, but most days I can sneak in a quick nap. Bashful? You bet. Happy? Almost all the time. :)
The FedEx guy came in about the time I realized this about Happy, and I wore a huge smile (probably more like Goofy than a Dwarf). He let me know what he brought, and as usual, it was a box from Penguin Publishing. We usually make jokes about him bringing me a penguin (why'd you smash it in that box?), two little penguins, etc. But knowing I was liable to start cracking up again, I refrained from joking and began to sign my name.
Did you know my name is Penguin?
Yep.
Fortunately I only got two letters in and was able to do a quick correct, but I had started to laugh (again) and told him what I'd done, blaming the drugs. He laughed too. And guess what? The guy's got a memory on him--and I've got a new nickname.
I can't be the only one with a resistance level this low. Any of you want to confess your silly moments when medicated? Misery--and hilarity--love company.
Pen--er, Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com
p.s. For anyone curious, I got through presenting the workshop at the RWA National conference last month without disappointing my co-presenter, embarrassing myself or being ill in public. I consider that a success!
It turns out my body takes about a week to adjust to new medications.
Taking just one of these pills impairs my ability to type. That's not good for a writer trying to get a proposal to her editor. :( I sent an email to my friend, who then asked me if the relaxers made me dopey or grumpy. Had she seen me giggling as I typed, she would have known.
Dopey. Definitely.
The next day, I was at work at our town's independent bookstore. My friend's question popped into my head, but it came to me as "does the pill make you gropey or dumpy?" Gropey? Dumpy? I laughed out loud.
For about an hour.
I started thinking of the Seven Dwarves and tried to figure which Dwarf I'm most like when not on meds. Doc? Maybe. I do have rare moments of wisdom. Grumpy? Oh yeah, unfortunately. :) Dopey? More often than my kids would like. Sneezy? In the fall and spring. Sleepy? Every afternoon, but most days I can sneak in a quick nap. Bashful? You bet. Happy? Almost all the time. :)
The FedEx guy came in about the time I realized this about Happy, and I wore a huge smile (probably more like Goofy than a Dwarf). He let me know what he brought, and as usual, it was a box from Penguin Publishing. We usually make jokes about him bringing me a penguin (why'd you smash it in that box?), two little penguins, etc. But knowing I was liable to start cracking up again, I refrained from joking and began to sign my name.
Did you know my name is Penguin?
Yep.
Fortunately I only got two letters in and was able to do a quick correct, but I had started to laugh (again) and told him what I'd done, blaming the drugs. He laughed too. And guess what? The guy's got a memory on him--and I've got a new nickname.
I can't be the only one with a resistance level this low. Any of you want to confess your silly moments when medicated? Misery--and hilarity--love company.
Pen--er, Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com
p.s. For anyone curious, I got through presenting the workshop at the RWA National conference last month without disappointing my co-presenter, embarrassing myself or being ill in public. I consider that a success!
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Life and labyrinths
Last week, a friend invited me to walk a labyrinth. In my head I pictured tall, meticulously pruned bushes with lots of possibilities, some leading to dead ends. Not so, I soon learned. Those are mazes.
A labyrinth, which has no walls at all, is a series of curves and pathways. If you stay inside the lines, the path eventually leads to the center of the labyrinth. The one my friend and I walked was in the yard of an Episcopal Church near Seattle Center.
I loved walking the path and following all those twists and turns. Loved passing my friend as we both moved along. In my mind, the labyrinth is a metaphor for life. We all experience our share of ups and downs and ins and outs, but no matter what happens, we somehow continue on, learning and growing and hopefully, getting it right.
Writing is like that, too. Sometimes we get it right, sometimes not, but the only way to succeed is to keep growing and learning.
I’m curious- have you ever walked a labyrinth or a maze? If so, did you take any life lessons from the experience?
Wishing you growth and learning and good things,
Ann
www.annroth.net
A Father for Jesse
July RT Top Pick!
A labyrinth, which has no walls at all, is a series of curves and pathways. If you stay inside the lines, the path eventually leads to the center of the labyrinth. The one my friend and I walked was in the yard of an Episcopal Church near Seattle Center.
I loved walking the path and following all those twists and turns. Loved passing my friend as we both moved along. In my mind, the labyrinth is a metaphor for life. We all experience our share of ups and downs and ins and outs, but no matter what happens, we somehow continue on, learning and growing and hopefully, getting it right.
Writing is like that, too. Sometimes we get it right, sometimes not, but the only way to succeed is to keep growing and learning.
I’m curious- have you ever walked a labyrinth or a maze? If so, did you take any life lessons from the experience?
Wishing you growth and learning and good things,
Ann
www.annroth.net
A Father for Jesse
July RT Top Pick!
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Two summer recipes
Since summer is half over (already!) I thought I'd better share both of these summer recipes with you this month. Both look scrumptious!
Spicy Melon Boat
This is one of my favorite summer dishes. It's perfect for picnics or outdoor BBQs, but keep in mind it's not PG rated.
20 servings
1 large watermelon, carved
2 cantaloupes
2 15-oz cans pineapple chunks, drained
grapes
cherries
blueberries
other fruit in season
Tequila Sauce
1 cup tequila
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup grenadine
Shape fruit in cubes, balls or slices. In a large mixing bowl, combine all fruit. In a separate bow mix the tequila, orange juice, powdered sugar and grenadine. Pour Tequila Sauce over fruit and mix. Fill the watermelon shell with the fruit mixture. Refrigerate overnight.
Enjoy,
Ann DeFee
***********************************
Potato Salad
My mom's potato salad... Just typing it makes me think of family get-togethers. Our first taste of the year was usually Easter (to use up the boiled eggs, making it a very colorful salad sometimes), and we'd continue to have potato salad throughout the summer. Mom didn't allow us in the kitchen, and she didn't use written recipes or standard measuring devices. A "cup" of some ingredient meant a cup from the cupboard (or a mug); a teaspoon was the one we ate with and a Tablespoon was the one we served with. Mom cooked from experience, and her food was delicious. We still haven't been able to duplicate her fudge recipe, more's the pity.
I've learned a few things while trying to cook Mom's specialties, so below is MY potato salad recipe with the changes marked (*). Enjoy!
My potato salad recipe:
5 lbs red potatoes, boiled, peeled, and diced
3-6* eggs, boiled, peeled and diced
≤-1* small jar sweet pickles, chopped
1/2 jar Miracle Whip or till it looks right
Splash of pickle juice
Several shakes of celery seed
1-2 Tb sugar*
*Optional: squirt of mustard and/or some chopped white onion
Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com
Spicy Melon Boat
This is one of my favorite summer dishes. It's perfect for picnics or outdoor BBQs, but keep in mind it's not PG rated.
20 servings
1 large watermelon, carved
2 cantaloupes
2 15-oz cans pineapple chunks, drained
grapes
cherries
blueberries
other fruit in season
Tequila Sauce
1 cup tequila
1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup grenadine
Shape fruit in cubes, balls or slices. In a large mixing bowl, combine all fruit. In a separate bow mix the tequila, orange juice, powdered sugar and grenadine. Pour Tequila Sauce over fruit and mix. Fill the watermelon shell with the fruit mixture. Refrigerate overnight.
Enjoy,
Ann DeFee
***********************************
Potato Salad
My mom's potato salad... Just typing it makes me think of family get-togethers. Our first taste of the year was usually Easter (to use up the boiled eggs, making it a very colorful salad sometimes), and we'd continue to have potato salad throughout the summer. Mom didn't allow us in the kitchen, and she didn't use written recipes or standard measuring devices. A "cup" of some ingredient meant a cup from the cupboard (or a mug); a teaspoon was the one we ate with and a Tablespoon was the one we served with. Mom cooked from experience, and her food was delicious. We still haven't been able to duplicate her fudge recipe, more's the pity.
I've learned a few things while trying to cook Mom's specialties, so below is MY potato salad recipe with the changes marked (*). Enjoy!
My potato salad recipe:
5 lbs red potatoes, boiled, peeled, and diced
3-6* eggs, boiled, peeled and diced
≤-1* small jar sweet pickles, chopped
1/2 jar Miracle Whip or till it looks right
Splash of pickle juice
Several shakes of celery seed
1-2 Tb sugar*
*Optional: squirt of mustard and/or some chopped white onion
Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com
Monday, August 03, 2009
My Turning Point
Ever have a time in your life that’s a turning point? One big turning point for me was when I decided to stop teaching school and try writing. That was the year my son started third grade and my daughter started first.
Oh, I wrote. But I also became a room mom, a tutor, and a church volunteer. I baked cookies and casseroles and sat at the kitchen table and helped with homework every day at 3:30. As the years passed, I drove the kids to church and soccer and baseball and tumbling classes and tutors and swim team. (Oh, have I spent hours at the side of a pool deck!) I stressed over grades and proficiency tests and dances and middle school drama.
And through all that, I wrote and wrote and wrote and even sold a few books. Time moved on.
This past June, I encouraged my son to go to summer school before his freshman year in college. He really wanted to go, and I thought it was a good idea. After all, I had done it-and even met my husband then. So last month, he and I flew down to Alabama and I dropped him off. We rented a car and he drove me to Tuscaloosa. I took him out to lunch, and over to the grocery store to get some snacks and bottles of water. And then we went to the dorm.
It only took us two trips to carry up the four duffle bags and groceries to his room. Around us were lots of kids in the same situation. Little by little, I watched him become a little cooler and cooler toward me. Pulling away.
Finally, when we put that last bag on the floor, I asked him if he wanted me to make his bed. He shook his head and told me he was just fine. And, as I looked at him, I knew he was.
Oh, I had planned to be so great and so cool. I was going to smile and offer words of wisdom and warnings about having ‘too much fun’. But all I did was try not to cry. This time, he was the one who was giving out hugs. This time, he was the one patting my back. Telling me that everything was going to be just fine.
How many times had I said that exact thing to him over the years?
I nodded, turned and practically ran from that room, trotted out to my rental car, and then –finally- in the privacy of that little Subaru- I cried. Okay, I'll admit it. I cried the whole way back to the airport.
On Saturday, he’ll come home for a week! He’s already asked if I’ll take him shopping. So for just a little bit more, I’ll bake him some cookies, run him to the mall and generally fuss…and then we’ll take him back to school.
I have high hopes that this time I’ll cry a little bit less, but I kind of doubt it. I’m going to miss him…but what I’ll really miss is those days of noise and mud and bikes and trails of snacks leading down to the basement. I miss washing machines full of swim suits and towels and baseball uniforms. I miss Scooby Doo on the TV and trips to McDonalds.
I’m sure very soon I’ll look back on these days, remembering it as a time of transition…and the beginning of other new things to come. But at the moment, I can’t help but feel a little bit out of sorts.
Anyone have any college stories to share? Either of when you went off to school…or taking your child? Any suggestions or laughs would really be appreciated!
Shelley
Oh, I wrote. But I also became a room mom, a tutor, and a church volunteer. I baked cookies and casseroles and sat at the kitchen table and helped with homework every day at 3:30. As the years passed, I drove the kids to church and soccer and baseball and tumbling classes and tutors and swim team. (Oh, have I spent hours at the side of a pool deck!) I stressed over grades and proficiency tests and dances and middle school drama.
And through all that, I wrote and wrote and wrote and even sold a few books. Time moved on.
This past June, I encouraged my son to go to summer school before his freshman year in college. He really wanted to go, and I thought it was a good idea. After all, I had done it-and even met my husband then. So last month, he and I flew down to Alabama and I dropped him off. We rented a car and he drove me to Tuscaloosa. I took him out to lunch, and over to the grocery store to get some snacks and bottles of water. And then we went to the dorm.
It only took us two trips to carry up the four duffle bags and groceries to his room. Around us were lots of kids in the same situation. Little by little, I watched him become a little cooler and cooler toward me. Pulling away.
Finally, when we put that last bag on the floor, I asked him if he wanted me to make his bed. He shook his head and told me he was just fine. And, as I looked at him, I knew he was.
Oh, I had planned to be so great and so cool. I was going to smile and offer words of wisdom and warnings about having ‘too much fun’. But all I did was try not to cry. This time, he was the one who was giving out hugs. This time, he was the one patting my back. Telling me that everything was going to be just fine.
How many times had I said that exact thing to him over the years?
I nodded, turned and practically ran from that room, trotted out to my rental car, and then –finally- in the privacy of that little Subaru- I cried. Okay, I'll admit it. I cried the whole way back to the airport.
On Saturday, he’ll come home for a week! He’s already asked if I’ll take him shopping. So for just a little bit more, I’ll bake him some cookies, run him to the mall and generally fuss…and then we’ll take him back to school.
I have high hopes that this time I’ll cry a little bit less, but I kind of doubt it. I’m going to miss him…but what I’ll really miss is those days of noise and mud and bikes and trails of snacks leading down to the basement. I miss washing machines full of swim suits and towels and baseball uniforms. I miss Scooby Doo on the TV and trips to McDonalds.
I’m sure very soon I’ll look back on these days, remembering it as a time of transition…and the beginning of other new things to come. But at the moment, I can’t help but feel a little bit out of sorts.
Anyone have any college stories to share? Either of when you went off to school…or taking your child? Any suggestions or laughs would really be appreciated!
Shelley
Sunday, August 02, 2009
JULY WINNER!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS Lynn! You’re the July winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Ann Roth, Michele Dunaway and Cindi Myers through their Web sites.
To enter the contest simply leave a blog comment and your name will go into the drawing. Easy and painless. And FREE BOOKS.
So check back often and be sure to leave a comment. Good luck!
To enter the contest simply leave a blog comment and your name will go into the drawing. Easy and painless. And FREE BOOKS.
So check back often and be sure to leave a comment. Good luck!
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Summer Lovin'
Twenty years ago, I was pregnant through the heat of summer, and our house lacked central air conditioning. To add to the strain, I was enormous.
Yes, every pregnant woman feels huge, but consider this: I’m five feet, one inch tall. My younger son, who turns twenty next week, weighed ten and a half pounds. Even though I had a caesarian section, the doctor had to struggle to get the baby out. He was that big.
Well, here I am again, enduring a pregnancy in the heat of summer. Wait! I’m not expanding my family, except in the figurative sense. See, my heroine is pregnant, and she’s generously sharing her discomforts as well as her joys with me.
For her, though, the heat’s not so bad, because she’s giving birth at Thanksgiving. But in fiction deadline world, I’m writing about her now, which means I’m on a different timetable.
Find all this confusing? Imagine how I feel. Still, after eighty-four published books, I should be used to celebrating Thanksgiving in August. And while I have to put up with those annoying prenatal doctor visits, I also get to feel a baby moving inside me again.
Did I mention I’m also eating pie at Thanksgiving without gaining an ounce? Wish I could actually taste it.
The book’s working title is The Surrogate’s Surprise, and it should be out sometime in mid-2010. It’s the second book of my new Safe Harbor Medical series, part of the Harlequin American line. The first book, still without a confirmed title, has a due date of February 2010, and the third, with a Christmas setting, will be issued in December 2010.
While we’re on a medical theme, I should mention my September 2009 release, Doctor Daddy. Both hero and heroine are obstetricians, but the heroine doesn’t have a baby in this one.
Thank goodness. One pregnancy per summer is my limit.
Yes, every pregnant woman feels huge, but consider this: I’m five feet, one inch tall. My younger son, who turns twenty next week, weighed ten and a half pounds. Even though I had a caesarian section, the doctor had to struggle to get the baby out. He was that big.
Well, here I am again, enduring a pregnancy in the heat of summer. Wait! I’m not expanding my family, except in the figurative sense. See, my heroine is pregnant, and she’s generously sharing her discomforts as well as her joys with me.
For her, though, the heat’s not so bad, because she’s giving birth at Thanksgiving. But in fiction deadline world, I’m writing about her now, which means I’m on a different timetable.
Find all this confusing? Imagine how I feel. Still, after eighty-four published books, I should be used to celebrating Thanksgiving in August. And while I have to put up with those annoying prenatal doctor visits, I also get to feel a baby moving inside me again.
Did I mention I’m also eating pie at Thanksgiving without gaining an ounce? Wish I could actually taste it.
The book’s working title is The Surrogate’s Surprise, and it should be out sometime in mid-2010. It’s the second book of my new Safe Harbor Medical series, part of the Harlequin American line. The first book, still without a confirmed title, has a due date of February 2010, and the third, with a Christmas setting, will be issued in December 2010.
While we’re on a medical theme, I should mention my September 2009 release, Doctor Daddy. Both hero and heroine are obstetricians, but the heroine doesn’t have a baby in this one.
Thank goodness. One pregnancy per summer is my limit.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Craft Idea--Blessings Box
Blessings Box
My best friend of 46 years received this as a gift from her great-niece and shared the idea with me. It's especially wonderful to have on those days that nothing seems to be going right.
Buy a small (no larger than 8 X 10 inch) box with a lid from a craft store. Either wood or heavy cardboard will do. It should be unpainted and undecorated, because you'll be doing the designing!
Paint and add stickers, glitter, or stencil small drawings or short inspirational messages on the outside of the box. Whatever suits YOU. Also paint the inside. When all is dry, add a small notepad of paper and a pen or pencil. The pad can be glue to the lid of the box for safekeeping.
Whenever you think of a small blessing that makes you smile, whether it's the sun shining after a rainy day, the way a kitten's whiskers tickle, or the simple blessing of a child's smile, write it on one of the note papers, fold it, and put it in the box. When you're down and need a pick-me-up, go to the box and take out one "blessing" to read. It will lift your spirits in the gloomiest of times to be reminded that even in the midst of a storm, there are many blessings to be thankful for.
Roxann Delaney
http://roxanndelaney.com
My best friend of 46 years received this as a gift from her great-niece and shared the idea with me. It's especially wonderful to have on those days that nothing seems to be going right.
Buy a small (no larger than 8 X 10 inch) box with a lid from a craft store. Either wood or heavy cardboard will do. It should be unpainted and undecorated, because you'll be doing the designing!
Paint and add stickers, glitter, or stencil small drawings or short inspirational messages on the outside of the box. Whatever suits YOU. Also paint the inside. When all is dry, add a small notepad of paper and a pen or pencil. The pad can be glue to the lid of the box for safekeeping.
Whenever you think of a small blessing that makes you smile, whether it's the sun shining after a rainy day, the way a kitten's whiskers tickle, or the simple blessing of a child's smile, write it on one of the note papers, fold it, and put it in the box. When you're down and need a pick-me-up, go to the box and take out one "blessing" to read. It will lift your spirits in the gloomiest of times to be reminded that even in the midst of a storm, there are many blessings to be thankful for.
Roxann Delaney
http://roxanndelaney.com
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Romantic Moments
I'm going easy with today's post--easy in terms of length, but not in terms of thought...
Your thoughts, anyway.
What do you find romantic? What makes your heart melt and your eyes mist?
For me, it's a quiet dinner somewhere with good conversation. It's about giving a date some thought. It's about the day-to-day moments--an unexpected card, a bouquet of wildflowers, a gentle touch to my face.
How about you?
~Laura
*I hit the road next week for a 5-city tour of the midwest to promote the first book in my new Southern Sewing Circle Mystery Series with Berkley Prime Crime. Specifics on the tour can be found at my website: www.elizabethlynncasey.com. If you're in any of these areas, I'd love to meet you!
Your thoughts, anyway.
What do you find romantic? What makes your heart melt and your eyes mist?
For me, it's a quiet dinner somewhere with good conversation. It's about giving a date some thought. It's about the day-to-day moments--an unexpected card, a bouquet of wildflowers, a gentle touch to my face.
How about you?
~Laura
*I hit the road next week for a 5-city tour of the midwest to promote the first book in my new Southern Sewing Circle Mystery Series with Berkley Prime Crime. Specifics on the tour can be found at my website: www.elizabethlynncasey.com. If you're in any of these areas, I'd love to meet you!
Monday, July 27, 2009
Did any of you catch the interview with Nora Roberts on NPR, Saturday, July 18th? Those of you at the RWA Conference in DC probably missed it, unless you saw it in person. I was sailing down the Patapsco, approaching Bodkin Point that morning. It was a beautiful day: sunny, breezy, not too hot (so unusual for the Chesapeake this time of year). I listened avidly, thrilled that our convention was getting national attention! Afterward, I wasn’t so excited. In fact, I have to admit the spot bugged me. Not Nora’s interview; she was direct and professional. She’s a good spokesperson for romance writing. But Scott Simon’s barely concealed snicker was quite irritating. He seemed to think the whole thing was a big joke. Most irritating, he thought we would laugh with him. When he read the opening lines of a romance he had attempted to write—and pitch to an editor—I cringed. It was as bad as it could get: sappy, cliché and completely without heart. He tried to save himself by admitting that he realized he had written a parody, but I didn’t buy it. There was too much “of-course-I’m-better-than-this” in his voice. I got the impression that Nora wanted to smack him.
I came away after listening feeling a little like Rodney Dangerfield: when are we going to get some respect, anyway? There is consolation. Remember how well we’re doing as an industry? Sales of print romances are up and digital is exploding with the advent of all the new e-book readers. I heard one author at conference say that every time a new version of Kindle releases, her back-list sales spike. In this time of recession, people are turning to romance as a way to escape from the bad news that seems lurk around every bend. Romance brings hope, faith, passion, happiness into our lives. And love, most important of all. I think that if readers are buying our books, that’s all the respect we need.
Maybe that’s all we’ll get.
But—on the assumption that you meant well—thanks, Scott Simon. You brought our convention and our writers into the national spotlight for a brief moment. You also tried to make it personal by attempting to put yourself in our shoes. Now, please, go out and read a romance. Be entertained and charmed and take the experience seriously. Respect the writing and the genre. There are lots of romance stories out there to choose from: passionate, sweet, suspenseful, inspirational, fantastic, some just downright bizarre. They all offer one sure thing that life so seldom does: a little love. Just what our world needs now.
Friday, July 24, 2009
Outside of a Dog
A writer friend sent me this Groucho Marx quote and it made me smile. I hope it makes you smile, too.
This is Blue, a heart-wrenchingly adorable Bearded Collie who was adopted by the good people at Sheepie Hollow. You can read Blue’s story here.
Read a book. Hug a dog. Have a wonderful summer.
Until next time,
Lee
The Writer Side of Life
“Outside a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.”
This is Blue, a heart-wrenchingly adorable Bearded Collie who was adopted by the good people at Sheepie Hollow. You can read Blue’s story here.Read a book. Hug a dog. Have a wonderful summer.
Until next time,
Lee
The Writer Side of Life
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Writing Advice
Here's a writing tip from Jacqueline Diamond:
Analyze books that you love, particularly those that were published recently (rather than classics). Diagram a couple of plots chapter by chapter. Retype a few passages that you find particularly effective—openings, in particular. This is tedious and time consuming, but you'll be amazed how much you learn.
If you're an author or aspiring writer--have you ever tried to diagram a book or break down a plot? If so, what method did you use and was it helpful?
Jacqueline Diamond
www.jacquelinediamond.com
Next book: Doctor Daddy, HAR, September
Analyze books that you love, particularly those that were published recently (rather than classics). Diagram a couple of plots chapter by chapter. Retype a few passages that you find particularly effective—openings, in particular. This is tedious and time consuming, but you'll be amazed how much you learn.
If you're an author or aspiring writer--have you ever tried to diagram a book or break down a plot? If so, what method did you use and was it helpful?
Jacqueline Diamond
www.jacquelinediamond.com
Next book: Doctor Daddy, HAR, September
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Limping Home from Conference (With Photos)
I've limped back to Dallas from sightseeing and "conferencing" in Washington, DC. Well, actually, I flew back, but there was a lot of walking in the airport!
My husband joined me for the trip this year and we went to Washington, DC
on Monday. On the first day of sightseeing I discovered that I'd forgotten to pack any walking shoes, but that wasn't going to stop me from taking the Metro to Union Station, then walking around town. I wore my favorite Clarks sandals, which seemed fairly sensible to me, and we set out. Here's my husband, Chuck, standing outside the Capitol.
on Monday. On the first day of sightseeing I discovered that I'd forgotten to pack any walking shoes, but that wasn't going to stop me from taking the Metro to Union Station, then walking around town. I wore my favorite Clarks sandals, which seemed fairly sensible to me, and we set out. Here's my husband, Chuck, standing outside the Capitol.I developed a huge blister on my right foot about the time we hit the Air & Space Museum on The Mall. I braved the crowds and saw the one museum that I hadn't gotten to see in 2000, when the RWA Conference was in DC before. (This was especially important to me because of the July 20th 40th anniversary of the moon landing, which I clearly remember since my roommate, her family and I stayed up most of the night.) Then we took a cab back to our hotel.
On Wednesday we rented a car and I went to see my cousin Suzie, whom I hadn't seen in at least 40 years. She was the one person in our family who had an exciting job, working for the State Department all over the world. Now she lives in Reston, VA, a short drive from Washington.
On Wednesday night we took a twilight tour of Washington, which ended up 
being mostly during the daylight because the sun doesn't set until after 8:30 pm. We saw most of the monuments, beginning with the White House. Here's my friend and fellow N
orth Texas Romance Writers of America aspiring author Gina Nelson, standing in front of the White House. We also saw the recently completed World War II Memorial, important to me because my father served in the Pacific during the war. The Washington Monument is in the background. We ended up in Arlington, VA at the Iwo Jima memorial, which is very impressive at night.
being mostly during the daylight because the sun doesn't set until after 8:30 pm. We saw most of the monuments, beginning with the White House. Here's my friend and fellow N
orth Texas Romance Writers of America aspiring author Gina Nelson, standing in front of the White House. We also saw the recently completed World War II Memorial, important to me because my father served in the Pacific during the war. The Washington Monument is in the background. We ended up in Arlington, VA at the Iwo Jima memorial, which is very impressive at night.So then the conference started, and I got to meet some new 
Harlequin American authors and see some old friends. Here's a photo of new author C. C. Coburn, a very interesting Australian who lives part of each year in Colorado, and (right) a friend from previous years, author Cathy McDavid. This photo was taken after the RWA Awards Ceremony at the ballroom in the Marriott Wardman Park hotel, where the conference was held. Previously I had a wonderful conversation with Linda Warren, a fellow Texan, who was nominated for a RITA award.
I also lunched with , Barbara White Daille, Laura Bradford and other authors, along with editors Kathleen and Johanna. Also, I spent time with another fellow Texan and new Harlequin American author, Pamela Stone. My critique partner and friend, Kara Lennox, was there and roomed with fellow Harlequin author Carla Cassidy. I'm sure I saw many others, and I apologize if I have forgotten to mention your names. It was a very exciting but tiring week!
I'm off to finish my new proposal for Kathleen and send it in post haste (as I am already woefully late.) And then I'm going to come up with some new ideas for more Texas stories, because I've been told they are still in demand, especially cowboys and ranchers. And since I do live in Texas, I might as well do the research, right? Even if it requires me to spend lots of time with good-looking, slow talking, tight jean-wearing, cowboys. Please, no pity. I'm a big girl. Have a great month, whether you spend it at home or away, getting your own blisters.
Monday, July 20, 2009
It's a Mistake
The other day I did something I don’t usually do. I reread one of my books. In a fit of writer’s block, I picked up ABOUT LAST NIGHT, a Harlequin American Romance released in February 2004. This book is one of those special ones. It outsold the rest of the line that month. It got 4.5 stars from RT. The funny thing, my editor didn’t like my hero. She kept saying, “I would never stay with a man like that.” But women do, and the book jumped off the shelves because she had the vision to let me keep Shane Jacobsen as he was. In fact, I had to stet the first line that copyeditor changed, and made them change it back.
Normally I don’t reread what I write, at least not right away, because I’ve already read the story about five or six times before I even sent it in to my publisher. Then I’ve read it again and again as the book went through revisions, copy edits and line edits. Yet, with all these things, mistakes can be made. I was reminded of this fact this week when a reader found an error in a Silhouette author’s book. A friend posted on a list serve that the reader wanted to know if she should let the editor know. The question then became, should she?
As an author, we want to hear from the reader first if you are so bothered by something. First, it’s our name on the cover. Second, editors are busy. Once the book is published, the fact that the hero got out of his truck on one page and into his car on the other isn’t something an editor has time to deal with. The book won’t be reprinted. An editor isn’t going to go search and try to figure out who made the mistake either. Yet as the author, I will. Why? Because my name is on the cover and I’m a perfectionist. I’ve put my heart and soul into the story. While I can’t necessarily change it, I want to know.
In my Harlequin NASCAR, HART’S VICTORY, on page 243, the spotter says “Pit car on pit road next pass.” Eke! It’s a pace car, and of course as a NASCAR fan (go #14) I know that.
But you know what? It’s my mistake. I wrote it that way in the original draft, and because I type really fast and a P is a P, pit and pace got jumbled in my mind, as they did my poor spotter. But I didn’t catch the mistake on edits. Neither did the NASCAR editor or the copy editor. Or my editor. Or anyone else for that matter. Still, I’m the one frustrated. It bothers me.
In EMERGENCY ENGAGEMENT, another Harlequin American, my corrections never got inputted. Production’s fault this time as they sent the book through without them—one of those glitches that happen. They thought they had the green light to start production on a Friday; my editor and I thought we had that same Friday to make final changes. My editor and I both winced—we discovered what happened after the book came out. And there it is—on one page the heroine had a glass of milk, and on the next it was Gatorade. Yet it didn’t detract from the story, which won Cataromance.com’s best Harlequin American Romance award for that year.
Unfortunately, mistakes things happen. I just read a Dorchester release and noticed a period was missing in one of the sentences. It didn’t ruin the book for me. I’ve found small typos where bat is pat and so forth in others, or thing is think and vice versa. Usually these happen because your brain fills in the blank or auto corrects. Lik U can rede dis. Yes, there are those books out there that are so riddled with mistakes that you wonder if anyone ever read the thing or at least used spell check before printing. I am not excusing those.
I promise you I comb through with a fine-tooth comb, as does my editor. We work very hard to bring you the best book possible. My latest release, BACHELOR CEO, is on the shelves now and I’m praying it is error free. But I won’t read it for at least another few years to find out. But you can, and if you do find something, feel free to let me know.
Michele Dunaway
Bachelor CEO--out now
Baby in the Boardroom--Feb. 2010
Normally I don’t reread what I write, at least not right away, because I’ve already read the story about five or six times before I even sent it in to my publisher. Then I’ve read it again and again as the book went through revisions, copy edits and line edits. Yet, with all these things, mistakes can be made. I was reminded of this fact this week when a reader found an error in a Silhouette author’s book. A friend posted on a list serve that the reader wanted to know if she should let the editor know. The question then became, should she?
As an author, we want to hear from the reader first if you are so bothered by something. First, it’s our name on the cover. Second, editors are busy. Once the book is published, the fact that the hero got out of his truck on one page and into his car on the other isn’t something an editor has time to deal with. The book won’t be reprinted. An editor isn’t going to go search and try to figure out who made the mistake either. Yet as the author, I will. Why? Because my name is on the cover and I’m a perfectionist. I’ve put my heart and soul into the story. While I can’t necessarily change it, I want to know.
In my Harlequin NASCAR, HART’S VICTORY, on page 243, the spotter says “Pit car on pit road next pass.” Eke! It’s a pace car, and of course as a NASCAR fan (go #14) I know that.
But you know what? It’s my mistake. I wrote it that way in the original draft, and because I type really fast and a P is a P, pit and pace got jumbled in my mind, as they did my poor spotter. But I didn’t catch the mistake on edits. Neither did the NASCAR editor or the copy editor. Or my editor. Or anyone else for that matter. Still, I’m the one frustrated. It bothers me.
In EMERGENCY ENGAGEMENT, another Harlequin American, my corrections never got inputted. Production’s fault this time as they sent the book through without them—one of those glitches that happen. They thought they had the green light to start production on a Friday; my editor and I thought we had that same Friday to make final changes. My editor and I both winced—we discovered what happened after the book came out. And there it is—on one page the heroine had a glass of milk, and on the next it was Gatorade. Yet it didn’t detract from the story, which won Cataromance.com’s best Harlequin American Romance award for that year.
Unfortunately, mistakes things happen. I just read a Dorchester release and noticed a period was missing in one of the sentences. It didn’t ruin the book for me. I’ve found small typos where bat is pat and so forth in others, or thing is think and vice versa. Usually these happen because your brain fills in the blank or auto corrects. Lik U can rede dis. Yes, there are those books out there that are so riddled with mistakes that you wonder if anyone ever read the thing or at least used spell check before printing. I am not excusing those.
I promise you I comb through with a fine-tooth comb, as does my editor. We work very hard to bring you the best book possible. My latest release, BACHELOR CEO, is on the shelves now and I’m praying it is error free. But I won’t read it for at least another few years to find out. But you can, and if you do find something, feel free to let me know.
Michele Dunaway
Bachelor CEO--out now
Baby in the Boardroom--Feb. 2010
Friday, July 17, 2009
I'm here but I'm not....
Hi!
I hope you’ll forgive me for the fly-by posting this month. I’m writing this blog entry ahead of time and (fingers crossed) setting Blogger to post it while I’m gone.
Right now, I’m getting ready to leave for the annual conference of the Romance Writers of America, being held this year in Washington, DC.
Getting ready?!?
Well, that’s a bit optimistic. I still have clothes to buy, suitcases to pack, and pages to write, so I’m nowhere near even contemplating the idea of thinking about possibly starting to get ready. (grin)However, the plane leaves tomorrow morning, and--prepared or not--I’ll be on it.
I’m looking forward to meeting with my editor, as well as the other Harlequin American Romance editors, chatting with some of your favorite Harlequin American Romance authors, and cheering myself hoarse for our two RITA finalists.
And maybe even saying hi to you!
If you’re attending the conference and see my name among the mass of nametags out there, please say hello.
All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
I hope you’ll forgive me for the fly-by posting this month. I’m writing this blog entry ahead of time and (fingers crossed) setting Blogger to post it while I’m gone.
Right now, I’m getting ready to leave for the annual conference of the Romance Writers of America, being held this year in Washington, DC.
Getting ready?!?
Well, that’s a bit optimistic. I still have clothes to buy, suitcases to pack, and pages to write, so I’m nowhere near even contemplating the idea of thinking about possibly starting to get ready. (grin)
I’m looking forward to meeting with my editor, as well as the other Harlequin American Romance editors, chatting with some of your favorite Harlequin American Romance authors, and cheering myself hoarse for our two RITA finalists.
And maybe even saying hi to you!
If you’re attending the conference and see my name among the mass of nametags out there, please say hello.
All my best to you,
Barbara
~~~~~~
Barbara White Daille
http://www.barbarawhitedaille.com
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Zen Golf
Zen Golf
My daughter has been struggling with her golf game lately, so I picked up the book, Zen Golf by Dr. Joseph Parent in hopes that it might help the mental aspect of her game. Anyway, while I was waiting for my husband at the train station I began reading Zen Golf and found myself twenty pages into the book by the time my husband knocked on the car window. Okay, so you might be wondering... how does Zen Golf relate to writing?
Examples from Dr. Parent's book:
1) Think outside the box (for example a golfer might intentionally hit into the rough because it gives him a better approach shot to the green) This advice reminded me that allowing a character to act "outside the box" adds another layer of depth to the characterization and makes the character more intriguing.
2) Par for the course (sometimes a golfer needs to set their own par for each hole for that particular day on the golf course. The golfer will become more relaxed when he approaches a difficult hole because he knows he has an extra stroke or two to make his personal par.) There are times I feel pressured into writing or revising a set number of pages a day--if I don’t make that goal, I see it as a failure. But if I set my page goal a little lower I guarantee myself success. If I exceed my goal--even better.
Dr. Parent believes Confidence is necessary to succeed at Golf--the same goes for writing.
1) Conditional Confidence (This kind of confidence depends on recent results on the golf course. A golfer is confident on the condition that he or she continues to play well.) I'm guilty of this. I catch myself feeling more confident after reading a great review of one of my books and less confident when I read a not-so-complimentary review.
2)Unconditional Confidence (Dr. Parent says unconditional confidence arises from connecting with our basic goodness. We believe in ourselves as decent people and in our golfing skills for our level of play.) As a writer I should be able to handle whatever the result of my latest book's success is or isn't. With unconditional confidence my self-worth as a human being doesn’t depend on how well or poorly my next book sells.
How about you--what kind of self-help books have you found useful?
Marin
Samantha's Cowboy (August 09)
A Cowboy Christmas (December 09)
www.marinthomas.com
My daughter has been struggling with her golf game lately, so I picked up the book, Zen Golf by Dr. Joseph Parent in hopes that it might help the mental aspect of her game. Anyway, while I was waiting for my husband at the train station I began reading Zen Golf and found myself twenty pages into the book by the time my husband knocked on the car window. Okay, so you might be wondering... how does Zen Golf relate to writing?
Examples from Dr. Parent's book:
1) Think outside the box (for example a golfer might intentionally hit into the rough because it gives him a better approach shot to the green) This advice reminded me that allowing a character to act "outside the box" adds another layer of depth to the characterization and makes the character more intriguing.
2) Par for the course (sometimes a golfer needs to set their own par for each hole for that particular day on the golf course. The golfer will become more relaxed when he approaches a difficult hole because he knows he has an extra stroke or two to make his personal par.) There are times I feel pressured into writing or revising a set number of pages a day--if I don’t make that goal, I see it as a failure. But if I set my page goal a little lower I guarantee myself success. If I exceed my goal--even better.
Dr. Parent believes Confidence is necessary to succeed at Golf--the same goes for writing.
1) Conditional Confidence (This kind of confidence depends on recent results on the golf course. A golfer is confident on the condition that he or she continues to play well.) I'm guilty of this. I catch myself feeling more confident after reading a great review of one of my books and less confident when I read a not-so-complimentary review.
2)Unconditional Confidence (Dr. Parent says unconditional confidence arises from connecting with our basic goodness. We believe in ourselves as decent people and in our golfing skills for our level of play.) As a writer I should be able to handle whatever the result of my latest book's success is or isn't. With unconditional confidence my self-worth as a human being doesn’t depend on how well or poorly my next book sells.
How about you--what kind of self-help books have you found useful?
Marin
Samantha's Cowboy (August 09)
A Cowboy Christmas (December 09)
www.marinthomas.com
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
I Can Relate
I can relate to so much that has been discussed on the blog the past couple weeks. Michelle, I can certainly relate to having no time. We’ve moved this summer, a move that includes moving my 82 year old mom in with us, buying a new home and getting two ready to put on the market. Plus my very first book, Last Resort Marriage, is out this month and I had a book signing and have been blogging to promote it. See my beautiful cover to the right. Romantic Times gave it a 4 star review. Not too shabby for a first book, huh? WooHoo! I can relate to Lisa’s eco-friendly cleaning tip as I’m trying to get on board with a sophisticated septic system for the first time. City girl in the country. I can double relate to Lisa and Linda’s jitters about National. This is my third conference, but first as a published author. Literacy book signing and meeting face to face with editors and fellow writers. Extremely private person in an extremely public world. Whoa! Megan and Lisa, I am so in awe of you for presenting workshops. And Linda, I’d love some stress relieving tricks myself. As I’m traveling today to National, please excuse my delay in responding to any posts to the blog, but I will answer when I return from National. Looking forward to seeing many of you there.
Pamela Stone
www.pamelastone.net
Pamela Stone
www.pamelastone.net
Sunday, July 12, 2009
The Miscellaneous Stuff
It's been a crazy summer in the Dunaway household. Unlike those headed to RWA, I'm staying home. It's not that Washington DC doesn't hold appeal. In fact, I'll be there in November, same hotel, for a high school scholastic journalism convention.
It's hard to believe that for me, summer is almost over. It's been so busy, and I haven't done anything or really been anywhere. But look at this week.
While everyone is at RWA, I'm going to write the book that's due Aug. 12. My younger daughter has an arts day camp that week to learn how to draw art and anime--and I have to drive her the 40 minutes to get there and then find somewhere to pull out the laptop and work as it's only 3 hours, and not worth my going home.
My older daughter is spending three weeks at Truman State University, living in a dorm with other 7th-9th graders. I drove her there yesterday (7 hour round trip for me). Her class is computers in art and design. However, the entire experience is phenomenal and she grew so much as a person last summer. My good friend Jenny (from high school) arrives into town July 16 for a ten day stay with her daughters. My birthday is July 14, so I might celebrate that. Maybe not. :) I can't pass for 29 any longer.
Next Monday is is a yearbook camp I need to be at for a day. There's still that proposal I need to write. Books to read. Exercise to do. Errands to run. That book that I must finish.
School for me starts July 28, so my "full time" writing days are numbered. But I got a lot accomplished this summer, even though it's the miscellaneous stuff. But when you add it up, it seems more significant.
I have had time to relax, something I don't get to do since 9 months out of the year the alarm goes off at 5:20 AM. I've been reading. There's nothing like finishing a good book about one a.m. and not having to worry about the alarm in the morning.
Michele Dunaway
BACHELOR CEO--out now
It's hard to believe that for me, summer is almost over. It's been so busy, and I haven't done anything or really been anywhere. But look at this week.
While everyone is at RWA, I'm going to write the book that's due Aug. 12. My younger daughter has an arts day camp that week to learn how to draw art and anime--and I have to drive her the 40 minutes to get there and then find somewhere to pull out the laptop and work as it's only 3 hours, and not worth my going home.
My older daughter is spending three weeks at Truman State University, living in a dorm with other 7th-9th graders. I drove her there yesterday (7 hour round trip for me). Her class is computers in art and design. However, the entire experience is phenomenal and she grew so much as a person last summer. My good friend Jenny (from high school) arrives into town July 16 for a ten day stay with her daughters. My birthday is July 14, so I might celebrate that. Maybe not. :) I can't pass for 29 any longer.
Next Monday is is a yearbook camp I need to be at for a day. There's still that proposal I need to write. Books to read. Exercise to do. Errands to run. That book that I must finish.
School for me starts July 28, so my "full time" writing days are numbered. But I got a lot accomplished this summer, even though it's the miscellaneous stuff. But when you add it up, it seems more significant.
I have had time to relax, something I don't get to do since 9 months out of the year the alarm goes off at 5:20 AM. I've been reading. There's nothing like finishing a good book about one a.m. and not having to worry about the alarm in the morning.
Michele Dunaway
BACHELOR CEO--out now
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Household Cleaning Tip for Boats
For our readers out there who own a boat, you'll find Lisa Ruff's boat-cleaning tip helpful this summer--Happy Sailing!
An eco-friendly cleaning tip for people with boats:
Use baking soda, boiling water and vinegar to clean your sink drains. First close the sea-cock, then put 2 tablespoons of baking soda into the drain. Fill the drain pipe with boiling water to just below the "cross-hairs" of the drain. Let sit for ten minutes, then pour a cup of vinegar into the drain. When the acid contacts the base, there's lots of foaming action--it smells awful, but the fumes are non-toxic. After ten minutes, open the sea-cock and let it all drain away. Flush with clean water and you're done. Sweet-smelling again!
Lisa Ruff
www.lisaruff.net
An eco-friendly cleaning tip for people with boats:
Use baking soda, boiling water and vinegar to clean your sink drains. First close the sea-cock, then put 2 tablespoons of baking soda into the drain. Fill the drain pipe with boiling water to just below the "cross-hairs" of the drain. Let sit for ten minutes, then pour a cup of vinegar into the drain. When the acid contacts the base, there's lots of foaming action--it smells awful, but the fumes are non-toxic. After ten minutes, open the sea-cock and let it all drain away. Flush with clean water and you're done. Sweet-smelling again!
Lisa Ruff
www.lisaruff.net
Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Conference, workshops and writing mini-series...
I’m busy getting ready for the Romance Writers of America National conference, too. I’m so excited to see my friends again, to attend informative workshops, to listen to fabulous speakers, and to cheer on our Harlequin American Rita finalists. My critique partner, Lindsey Brookes, is a double finalist in the Golden Heart awards. So I’m going to be cheering myself hoarse. I can’t wait. Fortunately the awards ceremony is after the workshop I’m presenting with Harlequin American senior editor Kathleen Scheibling. Our workshop is about writing mini-series within series romance. We’re going to discuss the when, how and why authors might want to write a series. I’m going to share some of my experiences, and Kathleen is going to share her wisdom and expertise. She’s going to be awesome! (Hopefully I don’t make too big a fool of myself with my nervous rambling. )
I’d also love to hear your comments about mini-series. What do you love about them? Do you have to buy every book in the series before you start reading them? Does anyone prefer stand-alone books that have no other related stories?
Thanks for your feedback!
Lisa
PS: We’re also going to be celebrating Harlequin’s 60th Anniversary! I’m so proud to be writing for the publisher of the books I’ve loved reading for so many, many years!
I’d also love to hear your comments about mini-series. What do you love about them? Do you have to buy every book in the series before you start reading them? Does anyone prefer stand-alone books that have no other related stories?
Thanks for your feedback!
Lisa
PS: We’re also going to be celebrating Harlequin’s 60th Anniversary! I’m so proud to be writing for the publisher of the books I’ve loved reading for so many, many years!
Conference Jitters...
Like so many others I’m getting ready for the National Romance Writer’s of America conference in Washington, DC. Being a Rita finalist gives a whole new meaning to the word nervous. I’ve finally decide to just relax and enjoy this incredible moment in my life. I haven’t accomplished that, but I’m working on it.
It’s been easier the past few days because things have been hectic at my house. I’m working on line edits and trying to keep in mind all the things I need to pack for the conference while getting ready for a book signing on Saturday. My brain is on overload and it’s difficult not to get stressed out. When I feel stressed, I gazed out my window to the lake in our backyard. Something about water is very
soothing to me, and I love watching the ducks and the geese. Some Canada geese have made the lake their home and the pictures are of babies born in April. They’re much bigger now, but still fun to watch.
It’s been easier the past few days because things have been hectic at my house. I’m working on line edits and trying to keep in mind all the things I need to pack for the conference while getting ready for a book signing on Saturday. My brain is on overload and it’s difficult not to get stressed out. When I feel stressed, I gazed out my window to the lake in our backyard. Something about water is very
soothing to me, and I love watching the ducks and the geese. Some Canada geese have made the lake their home and the pictures are of babies born in April. They’re much bigger now, but still fun to watch.
This week I’ve looked out my window more than usual, but once I board that plane I’ll relax and enjoy myself in DC. Rita night will be nerve wrecking, but I plan to enjoy that, too, especially getting to meet Cindi and so many others. I love meeting old friends and making new ones. It’s going to be an exciting conference. I hope to meet some of you there.
Do you have any stress-relieving tricks? Please, please share. I haven’t been on a plane since writing Texas Heir. That will be nerve wrecking too, but I’ll just gaze out the window. And search for water.
Linda
www.lindawarren.net
Caitlyn’s Prize – July ‘09
Do you have any stress-relieving tricks? Please, please share. I haven’t been on a plane since writing Texas Heir. That will be nerve wrecking too, but I’ll just gaze out the window. And search for water.
Linda
www.lindawarren.net
Caitlyn’s Prize – July ‘09
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
1st Conference Presentation
I'm very excited to be presenting a workshop at RWA's National conference in Washington DC next week. And shaky-scared.
Like many writers, I'm a shy person, more comfortable with imaginary people than real ones. And it has little to do with being able to control everyone, as some might suspect. LOL Frankly, I'm much smarter, wittier, and more articulate if I get a "do-over."
What has this to do with public speaking, you ask? Well, it's "public speaking," one of the top fears of 90% of the population. Add in that the workshop will be recorded and you can start to understand my apprehension.
Fortunately, I'm presenting with a really good friend, Kimberly Killion (www.kimberlykillion.com), whose historical, HER ONE DESIRE, is nominated for a RITA award. Not standing there alone is good. Our topic is "The Road So Far: The First Year After the Call," so I'm knowledgeable on the topic, which helps, too.
Does any of this erase my fear? No way. But it eases it some. Kim and I presented the talk to our local RWA chapter and were well-received. This will be the third time we've done the talk, and it gets better, more detailed, and more fun every time.
Not that I'm encouraging anyone to attend! LOL
Do you also fear public speaking? Does anyone have some tips to help me through this?
Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com
Like many writers, I'm a shy person, more comfortable with imaginary people than real ones. And it has little to do with being able to control everyone, as some might suspect. LOL Frankly, I'm much smarter, wittier, and more articulate if I get a "do-over."
What has this to do with public speaking, you ask? Well, it's "public speaking," one of the top fears of 90% of the population. Add in that the workshop will be recorded and you can start to understand my apprehension.
Fortunately, I'm presenting with a really good friend, Kimberly Killion (www.kimberlykillion.com), whose historical, HER ONE DESIRE, is nominated for a RITA award. Not standing there alone is good. Our topic is "The Road So Far: The First Year After the Call," so I'm knowledgeable on the topic, which helps, too.
Does any of this erase my fear? No way. But it eases it some. Kim and I presented the talk to our local RWA chapter and were well-received. This will be the third time we've done the talk, and it gets better, more detailed, and more fun every time.
Not that I'm encouraging anyone to attend! LOL
Do you also fear public speaking? Does anyone have some tips to help me through this?
Megan Kelly
megankellybooks.com
Monday, July 06, 2009
It's Author News Day!
News
The 2009 Rita Awards will be presented in Washington, DC on Saturday, July 18. We're thrilled that two American Romance authors are finalists in the contemporary series category:
THE RIGHT MR. WRONG (Februay 2008) by Cindi MeyersLinda Warren’s TEXAS HEIR(September, 2008) is a finalist in the BookBuyer's Best Contest short contemporary category, and ALWAYS A MOTHER (Superromance—June, 2008) is the sensual contemporary winner in the More Than Magic Contest.
TEXAS HEIR (September 2008) by Linda Warren
Leigh Duncan is delighted to report that she is now represented by literary agent Helen Breitwieser of Cornerstone Literary.
Reviews
Ann Roth’s July release, A FATHER FOR JESSE, is a Romantic Times Top Pick and received a four-and-a-half star review!
A single mom, a troubled boy and a man who doesn't want responsibility may sound like a tired plot for a romance, but Roth's wonderful tale is touching, romantic and timely. Emmy Logan isn't looking to add another man to her life when she moves her son, Jesse, from a gang-infested area to a quiet island. After a lifetime of caretaking, Mac Struthers is looking forward to his freedom. Although they try to fight it, their attraction sparks a steamy romance, but they could end up hurting the boy they both love if they're not careful.
Mark Your Calendar
July 14—Four wonderful new reads from Harlequin American Romance will be in stores. This month’s covers are posted in the sidebar.
July 15—Many of your favorite American Romance authors will take part in the 2009 Readers for Life Literacy Autographing 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel, Exhibit Hall, Washington DC. Sponsored by Romance Writers of America. Open to the public; no admittance charge.
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Taking the day off
Because I posted a recipe yesterday and then enjoyed the day with family and friends, I decided to take today off.
I'll be back next month.
Thanks for your understanding,
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net
A Father for Jesse, a July 2009 RT Top Pick!
(and the fourth and final book of my Halo Island miniseries)
I'll be back next month.
Thanks for your understanding,
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net
A Father for Jesse, a July 2009 RT Top Pick!
(and the fourth and final book of my Halo Island miniseries)
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Recipe of the month
This one of my favorite recipes and it tastes so good. In fact, I just made one for Fourth of July. (To those who celebrate, Happy Fourth!) My Mom passed it to me. Now I'm sharing it with you.
Mom’s Strawberry Pie
One baked, cooled pie crust (recipe follows)
Four-plus cups whole strawberries
1-1/2 – 2 heaping Tbs cornstarch, depending on how juicy the berries are
1 cup sugar
2 Tbs butter
Put everything but the butter in a saucepan. Cook 20-30 minutes until thick, stirring often to prevent burning. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Pour into cooled crust. Let cool or serve warm. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Pie Crust
(makes enough for two bottom crusts of one bottom and one top- this recipe doesn’t need a top crust, so I freeze a baked crust for later)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2 1/2 cups flour
1 3/4 sticks butter, fresh from fridge and cut into chunks
1/4 cup Crisco solid shortening
4 Tbsp ice water
Use the metal blade of the food processor. Pour flour into food processor, add butter and shortening. Pulse (process in short bursts) till crumbly and about the size of peas. Do not over-pulse. Add ice water, 1 Tbsp at a time, pulsing briefly after each addition. Use all Tbsp of water until mixture pulls away from sides and forms a ball. Do not add too much water or it will be tough and not good. Dump onto wax paper and refrigerate 30 minutes. Roll out to fit 9-inch pie tin. Place in the pie tin. Use an aluminum pie tin, pie weights or dried beans to prevent puffing.
Bake for 12-15 minutes. After 8-10 minutes, you can remove the aluminum pan or foil and weights so that the crust browns a little. Set aside to cool.
Enjoy!
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net
A Father For Jesse, a July RT Top Pick!
Mom’s Strawberry Pie
One baked, cooled pie crust (recipe follows)
Four-plus cups whole strawberries
1-1/2 – 2 heaping Tbs cornstarch, depending on how juicy the berries are
1 cup sugar
2 Tbs butter
Put everything but the butter in a saucepan. Cook 20-30 minutes until thick, stirring often to prevent burning. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Pour into cooled crust. Let cool or serve warm. Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Pie Crust
(makes enough for two bottom crusts of one bottom and one top- this recipe doesn’t need a top crust, so I freeze a baked crust for later)
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
2 1/2 cups flour
1 3/4 sticks butter, fresh from fridge and cut into chunks
1/4 cup Crisco solid shortening
4 Tbsp ice water
Use the metal blade of the food processor. Pour flour into food processor, add butter and shortening. Pulse (process in short bursts) till crumbly and about the size of peas. Do not over-pulse. Add ice water, 1 Tbsp at a time, pulsing briefly after each addition. Use all Tbsp of water until mixture pulls away from sides and forms a ball. Do not add too much water or it will be tough and not good. Dump onto wax paper and refrigerate 30 minutes. Roll out to fit 9-inch pie tin. Place in the pie tin. Use an aluminum pie tin, pie weights or dried beans to prevent puffing.
Bake for 12-15 minutes. After 8-10 minutes, you can remove the aluminum pan or foil and weights so that the crust browns a little. Set aside to cool.
Enjoy!
Ann Roth
www.annroth.net
A Father For Jesse, a July RT Top Pick!
Thursday, July 02, 2009
JUNE CONTEST WINNER!!!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS housemouse88! You’re the June winner. To receive your free autographed books please contact Rebecca Winters and Cathy McDavid through their Web sites.
To enter the contest simply leave a blog comment and your name will go into the drawing. Simple and painless. And FREE BOOKS.
So check back often and be sure to leave a comment. Good luck!
Happy Fourth of July and Happy Canada Day!!!!
To enter the contest simply leave a blog comment and your name will go into the drawing. Simple and painless. And FREE BOOKS.
So check back often and be sure to leave a comment. Good luck!
Happy Fourth of July and Happy Canada Day!!!!
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
The truth about...
In doing research for my books, I sometimes conduct in-person, e-mail and telephone interviews. I’ve cornered friends with questions about everything from medical issues to police procedures to Japanese culture to running a public relations agency.
A lot of research these days is, of course, done on the Internet. I thought you might be interested to know a few of the topics I’ve researched for my upcoming Safe Harbor Medical series in the Harlequin American line.
Before I give the details, I should mention that my next book, Doctor Daddy, to be published in September 2009 as part of the Men Made in American promotion, is set in the same local as my previous trilogy, Harmony Circle.
The first Safe Harbor Medical book is scheduled for February 2010. I’m currently writing the second one; that will come out later in 2010.
Here are some topics I’ve been delving into:
1) Childbirth classes and the topics they cover. My husband and I attended one more than twenty years ago, so this brought back some squirmy memories.
1) Adoption issues. Here are a few of the items that adoption agencies look at in conducting home studies: Is the house clean and safe? Is there space for the child? Are both prospective parents (assuming there are two) eager to adopt, and do they have experience with children? How do they plan to take care of the child – day care, or one parent staying home? Or (this wasn't mentioned specifically) Nana the nurturing dog?
2) Premature ovarian failure. Ouch. You don’t really want to hear about this, do you?
3) How to cut a man’s hair (just take my word for it, this figures into Book 2). Start with a location that’s easy to sweep up, such a bathroom or kitchen, or take a chair outside if you don’t need to plug in your clippers. This, too, brings back memories. I used to torture my sons by cutting their hair on the patio, until my husband took pity on them and started driving them to a salon. They now drive themselves to the barber.
4) Duties of a hospital attorney. The hero of my second book is the staff attorney at Safe Harbor Medical.
6) Classes you have to take for a nursing degree in California. Gee, by the time our legislature finishes cutting the budget, who knows what our universities will still be offering?
7) How to get a quickie divorce. This is information I hope I never have to use outside a book.
8) California’s safe haven law, which allows women to safely surrender newborns at a hospital, fire station or other approved facility. Sad though the circumstances may be, this law not only saves lives, it also inspired this series. You see, women keep confusing Safe Haven with Safe Harbor, so there’s a whole spate of babies arriving at the hospital in need of homes…
And no doubt, one of these days, a haircut.
A lot of research these days is, of course, done on the Internet. I thought you might be interested to know a few of the topics I’ve researched for my upcoming Safe Harbor Medical series in the Harlequin American line.
Before I give the details, I should mention that my next book, Doctor Daddy, to be published in September 2009 as part of the Men Made in American promotion, is set in the same local as my previous trilogy, Harmony Circle.
The first Safe Harbor Medical book is scheduled for February 2010. I’m currently writing the second one; that will come out later in 2010.
Here are some topics I’ve been delving into:
1) Childbirth classes and the topics they cover. My husband and I attended one more than twenty years ago, so this brought back some squirmy memories.
1) Adoption issues. Here are a few of the items that adoption agencies look at in conducting home studies: Is the house clean and safe? Is there space for the child? Are both prospective parents (assuming there are two) eager to adopt, and do they have experience with children? How do they plan to take care of the child – day care, or one parent staying home? Or (this wasn't mentioned specifically) Nana the nurturing dog?
2) Premature ovarian failure. Ouch. You don’t really want to hear about this, do you?
3) How to cut a man’s hair (just take my word for it, this figures into Book 2). Start with a location that’s easy to sweep up, such a bathroom or kitchen, or take a chair outside if you don’t need to plug in your clippers. This, too, brings back memories. I used to torture my sons by cutting their hair on the patio, until my husband took pity on them and started driving them to a salon. They now drive themselves to the barber.
4) Duties of a hospital attorney. The hero of my second book is the staff attorney at Safe Harbor Medical.
6) Classes you have to take for a nursing degree in California. Gee, by the time our legislature finishes cutting the budget, who knows what our universities will still be offering?
7) How to get a quickie divorce. This is information I hope I never have to use outside a book.
8) California’s safe haven law, which allows women to safely surrender newborns at a hospital, fire station or other approved facility. Sad though the circumstances may be, this law not only saves lives, it also inspired this series. You see, women keep confusing Safe Haven with Safe Harbor, so there’s a whole spate of babies arriving at the hospital in need of homes…
And no doubt, one of these days, a haircut.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
4th of July Craft for Kids
What kid doesn’t like to wear something goofy on their head when they attend the local parade or firework's show?
Thanks to http://www.familyfun.go.com/ for its Crowning Glory July 4th Craft Idea for kids.
CRAFT MATERIALS:
Flexible measuring tape
Blue and red duct tape
Flexible straws (we used 35)
Pipe cleaners
Star garland, cut into 6-inch lengths
Tacky glue
Pom-poms
1. Measure the circumference of your child's head. Cut a piece of blue duct tape to this length plus 2 inches. Lay the tape sticky side up (A). Adhere the straws to the tape (B), leaving four inches clear on either end. 2. Cut a second piece of blue tape, the same length as the first, and place it sticky side down to sandwich the straws (C). 3. Cut a piece of red duct tape to the same length as the blue ones. Fold it over the bottom edge of the blue tape "sandwich." Fit the headband to your child, then tape the ends together to form a circle. 4. Slide curled pipe cleaners and garland into the straws. Glue pom-poms to the pipe cleaner tops. Bend the straws as desired.
If anyone has a 4th of July craft idea for kids feel free to post it here!
Marin
Samantha's Cowboy (August 2009)
A Cowboy Christmas (December 2009)
www.marinthomas.com
Thanks to http://www.familyfun.go.com/ for its Crowning Glory July 4th Craft Idea for kids.
CRAFT MATERIALS:
Flexible measuring tape
Blue and red duct tape
Flexible straws (we used 35)
Pipe cleaners
Star garland, cut into 6-inch lengths
Tacky glue
Pom-poms
1. Measure the circumference of your child's head. Cut a piece of blue duct tape to this length plus 2 inches. Lay the tape sticky side up (A). Adhere the straws to the tape (B), leaving four inches clear on either end. 2. Cut a second piece of blue tape, the same length as the first, and place it sticky side down to sandwich the straws (C). 3. Cut a piece of red duct tape to the same length as the blue ones. Fold it over the bottom edge of the blue tape "sandwich." Fit the headband to your child, then tape the ends together to form a circle. 4. Slide curled pipe cleaners and garland into the straws. Glue pom-poms to the pipe cleaner tops. Bend the straws as desired.
If anyone has a 4th of July craft idea for kids feel free to post it here!
Marin
Samantha's Cowboy (August 2009)
A Cowboy Christmas (December 2009)
www.marinthomas.com
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Setting Through Senses
I love when an author takes me from my living room couch to wherever it is they want me to go...
An island.
A small town.
A big city.
A library.
A crime scene.
A wedding.
It's my chance to escape, to experience another culture, and/or to live somewhere different for even just a few hours. And when the author can make that setting come alive for me by way of all five senses...even better.
Last year I spent a few semesters teaching a creative writing class at a local community college. Each week, for six weeks, we looked at the basics (characters, setting, dialogue, etc.). Setting, by far, was one of my favorites. It was the one topic that consistently electrified my classroom, session after session.
It was fun to get my students to look at a particular setting by way of their five senses (for example: New York...what would you see, taste, hear, feel, smell) and then to examine it again under different circumstances (New York, once again. This time, though, in a snow storm).
Why? Because using one's senses makes "place" come alive for your reader. If you do it well, you can virtually pick your readers up off their couches and set them down in the middle of your story.
For a reader it doesn't get any better than that.
So let's give it a shot. If you're game, click on comments and try describing a place (your choice) using as many of your five senses as possible. Then we'll see if we can figure out where you've placed us. Or...tell us the name of a book where setting was so skillfully crafted that you actually felt as if you were there.
~Laura
An island.
A small town.
A big city.
A library.
A crime scene.
A wedding.
It's my chance to escape, to experience another culture, and/or to live somewhere different for even just a few hours. And when the author can make that setting come alive for me by way of all five senses...even better.
Last year I spent a few semesters teaching a creative writing class at a local community college. Each week, for six weeks, we looked at the basics (characters, setting, dialogue, etc.). Setting, by far, was one of my favorites. It was the one topic that consistently electrified my classroom, session after session.
It was fun to get my students to look at a particular setting by way of their five senses (for example: New York...what would you see, taste, hear, feel, smell) and then to examine it again under different circumstances (New York, once again. This time, though, in a snow storm).
Why? Because using one's senses makes "place" come alive for your reader. If you do it well, you can virtually pick your readers up off their couches and set them down in the middle of your story.
For a reader it doesn't get any better than that.
So let's give it a shot. If you're game, click on comments and try describing a place (your choice) using as many of your five senses as possible. Then we'll see if we can figure out where you've placed us. Or...tell us the name of a book where setting was so skillfully crafted that you actually felt as if you were there.
~Laura
So Many Questions
Hello Everyone,
First, I want to thank the other Harlequin American authors for inviting me to participate in this interview. I had a lot of fun answering the questions. Secondly, please accept my apologies for posting late. I was on deadline for revisions on Taking on Twins, my next release, and couldn't seem to get everything done (darn day job).
Well, here it goes. I tried to pick questions to answer that were the most fun because that's the kind of mood I'm in today.
1) What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?
A honey bee. I was six, riding my bike down the street, laughing at something my brother said. The next thing I knew...mrumph, hack, cough, cough.
Oh, you probably meant food I've eaten on purpose.
2) What comes first: the plot or the characters?
For me, it's usually a very broad story idea that comes first, and I build on that. For instance, when I wrote His Only Wife, it was when Arizona was having its worst ever forst fire. I was driving on the highway, watching the fire in the distant mountains, and wondered what it would be like to be a wilderness firefighter caught between his job and duty to his family. From there, I begin thinking about the kind of people who would inhabit the story. The plot comes next, but it's bound closely to the characters and from then on, both develop simultaneously.
3) Do you re-read your books once they're in print?
Ugh! No, I don't. By the time my book is in print, I've read it seven or eight or more times. They very idea of reading it again makes me break out in a severe case of hives. However, when I get my author copies, I read the back cover, all the front and back matter, the first couple of pages, and the last couple of pages. Then, I hug the book to my chest, close my eyes and squeal like a school girl.
4) If you were locked in a closet for one hour, who would you want in there with you?
This is an easy question. No one. Between work and family and committments, I get so little time to myself, I'd relish being totally alone for an hour. If possible, I'd bring a good book and a book light.
Which leads to...
5) What book are you reading now?
I just finished Sandra Brown's "Play Dirty" and am ready to read Susan Elizabeth Phillip's latest.
6) Did you ever eat paste or Elmer's Glue when you were a kid?
Yes, both.
7) Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?
Yes, I can absolutely taste the difference and only Pepsi will do. I can also taste the difference between paste and Elmer's Glue, and I much prefer paste.
7) Are you working on anything at the present you'd like to share?
Yes, I'm working on something and, yes, I'd like to share (grin). My -- as yet untitled book -- is part of Harlequin American's first ever continuity. How cool is that? The story centers around the Codys, a modern-day western dynasty. My hero, Dusty, is the yongest son and a champion tie-down roper. While he's pure country, my heroine Maryanne, a marketing executive from L.A., is pure urbanite. The books will be out starting in July of 2010. I hope readers will check them out!
Thanks ago for stopping by and checking out my interview, my friends. I would love to give away a free copy of my June release, Waiting for Baby, to one lucky poster here. I'll pick the winner next week.
All my best,
Cathy McDavid
First, I want to thank the other Harlequin American authors for inviting me to participate in this interview. I had a lot of fun answering the questions. Secondly, please accept my apologies for posting late. I was on deadline for revisions on Taking on Twins, my next release, and couldn't seem to get everything done (darn day job).
Well, here it goes. I tried to pick questions to answer that were the most fun because that's the kind of mood I'm in today.
1) What's the strangest thing you've ever eaten?
A honey bee. I was six, riding my bike down the street, laughing at something my brother said. The next thing I knew...mrumph, hack, cough, cough.
Oh, you probably meant food I've eaten on purpose.
2) What comes first: the plot or the characters?
For me, it's usually a very broad story idea that comes first, and I build on that. For instance, when I wrote His Only Wife, it was when Arizona was having its worst ever forst fire. I was driving on the highway, watching the fire in the distant mountains, and wondered what it would be like to be a wilderness firefighter caught between his job and duty to his family. From there, I begin thinking about the kind of people who would inhabit the story. The plot comes next, but it's bound closely to the characters and from then on, both develop simultaneously.
3) Do you re-read your books once they're in print?
Ugh! No, I don't. By the time my book is in print, I've read it seven or eight or more times. They very idea of reading it again makes me break out in a severe case of hives. However, when I get my author copies, I read the back cover, all the front and back matter, the first couple of pages, and the last couple of pages. Then, I hug the book to my chest, close my eyes and squeal like a school girl.
4) If you were locked in a closet for one hour, who would you want in there with you?
This is an easy question. No one. Between work and family and committments, I get so little time to myself, I'd relish being totally alone for an hour. If possible, I'd bring a good book and a book light.
Which leads to...
5) What book are you reading now?
I just finished Sandra Brown's "Play Dirty" and am ready to read Susan Elizabeth Phillip's latest.
6) Did you ever eat paste or Elmer's Glue when you were a kid?
Yes, both.
7) Can you taste the difference between Pepsi and Coke? If so, which do you prefer?
Yes, I can absolutely taste the difference and only Pepsi will do. I can also taste the difference between paste and Elmer's Glue, and I much prefer paste.
7) Are you working on anything at the present you'd like to share?
Yes, I'm working on something and, yes, I'd like to share (grin). My -- as yet untitled book -- is part of Harlequin American's first ever continuity. How cool is that? The story centers around the Codys, a modern-day western dynasty. My hero, Dusty, is the yongest son and a champion tie-down roper. While he's pure country, my heroine Maryanne, a marketing executive from L.A., is pure urbanite. The books will be out starting in July of 2010. I hope readers will check them out!
Thanks ago for stopping by and checking out my interview, my friends. I would love to give away a free copy of my June release, Waiting for Baby, to one lucky poster here. I'll pick the winner next week.
All my best,
Cathy McDavid
Saturday, June 27, 2009
The Real World
Good characters make the setting real. The reverse is true, too. At writing’s finest, both happen at the same time; a seamless join that carries the story forward. I have to admit that choosing a setting—city or country? seaside or mountains?—is the about last thing I consider when I’m plotting a book. I deal with the main characters first. I give them personalities, then see how they act in juxtaposition to each other. From there, I determine what they do for a living. Last, I put them in a place that fits those parameters. For me, characters are most important because they’re going to make my setting real. Their quirks and foibles, strengths and weaknesses all add up to a story where I hope my readers can lose themselves: Mars or Manhattan, Mt. Washington or Wichita.
I like to use where the characters encounter one another as a way of showing who they are—and who they could become. In Man of the Year, Samantha is thrown into a whole new ballgame when she first encounters Jarrett in a steamy locker-room. He is immediately taken by how poised she is as the only woman in such a blatantly masculine realm. Kate in Baby on Board is horrified to find herself on a boat leaving the dock. Never mind that Patrick, a professional skipper, is at the helm. Patrick is equally horrified to learn she can’t swim and is terrified of the water. The conflict between them is heightened by this setting and the way they both act and react. Hopefully, their reality—being alive in the place—makes the setting more real.
What my characters do for a living is also part of the setting. Kate in Baby on Board is a glass-blower. The fire she works with clashes directly with the water that floats Patrick’s world of yacht-racing. A lot of steam is generated between them which often obscures the love they feel for one another. The working title of that book became Fire and Water, after the setting made itself clear. In my latest book—due out April 2010—Ian’s work as a shipwright is a perfect example of his quiet, methodical attention to detail: he makes the sawdust fly and that makes the boatyard come alive.
So, for me, characters make the setting. The more real I can make them, the more real the world they inhabit becomes. Do you want to come sailing on the Chesapeake Bay, or blow a glob of molten glass into a perfect goblet in Kate’s studio? My characters will lead the way. If I and they do their job, it’ll be just like you were there.
Cheers,
Lisa
Friday, June 26, 2009
I feel like I've been there
The mark of a really good author, to me at least, is if she/he is able to make me feel like I've been to wherever her/his story is set -- even if I haven't. My affinity for this aspect of stories came early with the woods and prairies of Little House on the Prairie, the lonely Alaskan landscape in Julie of the Wolves, and the East Indies of The Swiss Family Robinson.
My love of setting as character today can be found in the books that I keep on my limited keeper shelf. Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon mystery series, which takes readers to various national parks and their differing landscapes -- from the remote canyons of Big Bend in Texas to the humid lushness of the Natchez Trace in Mississippi to the still-to-be-refurbished ruins on New York's Ellis Island. Another mystery author who is a master at making setting a character is Dana Stabenow, who has made the Alaskan bush so real to me in her Kate Shugak series that I'd almost swear I've been there.
And the settings don't have to be real places for them to come alive. J.R. Ward's Caldwell, New York in her Black Dagger Brotherhood series is very real in its dark, dangerous and urban way. And Nora Roberts did such a masterful job describing her fictional island in her Three Sisters Island trilogy that I still want to go there. My sister and I decided we wanted to run the bookstore/cafe combo that figures prominently in the novels.
Those of us who write for Harlequin American often shine the spotlight on charming small towns. It's fun to incorporate aspects of small towns I've visited all over the country -- a bakery from here, a landscape from there, a park from somewhere else.
Who are some of the authors and books that struck you as having very real settings, ones that are a character in and of themselves?
My love of setting as character today can be found in the books that I keep on my limited keeper shelf. Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon mystery series, which takes readers to various national parks and their differing landscapes -- from the remote canyons of Big Bend in Texas to the humid lushness of the Natchez Trace in Mississippi to the still-to-be-refurbished ruins on New York's Ellis Island. Another mystery author who is a master at making setting a character is Dana Stabenow, who has made the Alaskan bush so real to me in her Kate Shugak series that I'd almost swear I've been there.
And the settings don't have to be real places for them to come alive. J.R. Ward's Caldwell, New York in her Black Dagger Brotherhood series is very real in its dark, dangerous and urban way. And Nora Roberts did such a masterful job describing her fictional island in her Three Sisters Island trilogy that I still want to go there. My sister and I decided we wanted to run the bookstore/cafe combo that figures prominently in the novels.
Those of us who write for Harlequin American often shine the spotlight on charming small towns. It's fun to incorporate aspects of small towns I've visited all over the country -- a bakery from here, a landscape from there, a park from somewhere else.
Who are some of the authors and books that struck you as having very real settings, ones that are a character in and of themselves?
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