Wednesday's Writer's Tip - Four More Ways To Show Characterization #MFRWauthor #writing

 Give the characters a bit of conflict to give a view of them. The conflict can be with other characters, or nature, or society. I'm currently writing a scene with an avalanche of mud and rocks. This is shown from two people's view and they are in conflict with each other. Can make for adding tension to the story.

Here's one that can prove interesting. A moment of truth. When one character learns what they have believed is either the truth or a lie. Can lead to a show of arrogance or a need to rethink their decisions.

Confession - This is often used in stories where one character must confess a secret, a love, a good or bad deed showing the reader and the other characters a slice of their nature.

Choice is another area of revelation. A character is faced with a choice to take one road or another, to do one thing or another. I remember writing a sceen in a book where the heroine a nurse comes upon an accident. She goes to the car and checks the driver who is barely alive. She also hears a boby. She removes the child fron the car and takes her to her own vehicle. One of my critique partner thought she should have stayed with the woman until help arrived. There is such a thing as triage that says when faced with multiple injured take care of the least injured first and then the more injured.

Tuesday's Inspiration - Anne Lamott - Bird By Bird #MFRWauthor #amwriting

Once a year or sometimes more often, I pick up Anne Lamott's Bird By Bird purchased after I heard her speak at a conference. It's not that I'm stuck or something but I just need something to help pull a memory or to trigger wrods. Today when I picked up the book these words struck me as true. "Remember you own what happened to you."

I'm writing a scene in a story where there is a mud and rock avalanche. Trying to put it down led me to think of a time when my husband and I were in Santa Fe for a conference and we were driving along the Ri Grande with the cliffs above us. There was a mud slide. Now we weren't close enough for it to effect our car but the sight of that stuff flowing down the cliff really set my imagination running. Pulling on this memory allowed me to write this scene - at least block it out so I can go back later and put in the emotions of the characters.

So remembering things good or bad that happened to you are grain for your stories. You may not have experienced the exact thing you're writing about but there are events that came close. You can remember your first kiss when writing a character's first kiss. There are many things so, "Remember you own what happened to you" and use this to make your stories sing.

Meandering On Monday with Janet Lane Walters #MFRWauthor #poetry

Meander 1 - The Danger of Setting Goals - With my writing and with everything else, I try to set goals. Some are easy to accomplish. Others seem inpossible. There are some I must get to or I'll end up tearing myhair out. Are they dangerous goals. Not really but they mean making phone calls and being put on hold. I do not like to be put on hold. Don't think anyone does but I start going crazy. Another goal that's becoming hard to manage has nothing to do with my writing. But with information I should have given to my publishers, like who do they send any royalties collected after I'm gone. This is a dangerous thing since it makes me face that I will not live forever. I will try to make these goals soon or later.\

Meander 2 _ Last time I talked about a poem called Fruitfly Fourth of July. Haven't found it yet, but I did find some notebooks that had a lot of poems written down. Actually not a single note book but a dozen or more soI thought why not put a poem in my blog everyweek. They may not be great poetry but I enjoyed writing them and some of them are interesting to read. So here goes.

                                                     The Medicine Men
While lying on my bed of pain, I see
A funny similarity between
The men who came to view my body ill
And those whose feathered dance treat the sick.
These moderns come iwth pills and stethescopes
In hopes of curing all my body aches.
The tribal chiefs of yore too had their trucks
And with their magic hoped to drive away
The demons that reside and hide inside,
And yet I wonder as I lay and wait
If there is more success now than once before.

Meander 3 - Moving forward with another draft of the Wizards of Fyre. This seems to be going well and the words they are increasing. I will not have it done when I thought  it would be. Probably a month later but that's what I must do to make sure the story is what I want it to be. Have nearly finished one of the rights' back books and the story is told much better now. Still sexy and still a fun read but some of the things that needed expanded have happened.

Sunday _ My Book - Pursuing Dr. West #MFRWauthor #medicalromance #humor

                                                         

1. 

I had great fun writing this book and it's rather tongue in cheek. I do write medical romances that follow a more traditional manner but here, I let the silliness out and really had a good time. The characters delighted me, the main pair and all those who made appearances some just cameos but all added a touch of humor to the book

Buy places:

Pursuing Doctor West, https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/pursuing-doctor-west, https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-pursuingdoctorwest-1857662-149.html, https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/562057,
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/pursuing-doctor-west-janet-lane-walters/1122378700?ean=2940152049893



Reviews:

Fun Humorous Medical Romance

By Debbi Cracovia on March 16, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

Janet Lane-Walters once again delivers an humorous fun loving romance. Zelda met Michael West at the age of six when he moved in next door. She decided then and there she was going to marry him when she grows up. Fast forward a number of year and Michael has finished med school and moved back to his home town, joining the hospital Zelda works for. To make matters worse, Michael unknowingly moves right next door to Zelda. Even though he claims to want to avoid the troublesome, bad luck Zelda seems to bring with her, they keep finding themselves together in awarkard and funny situations. Once Zelda decideds she's never going to land the guy of her dreams and makes plans to move to another state, Michael comes to his senses and goes after her.

Funny and Clever!

By Elf on July 6, 2015

Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase

This book is so funny and charming. It was an absolute joy to read!

Once published as Shortcut To Love now Pursuing Dr. West by Janet Lane Walters is the best romance novel I’ve read in a long time. Why? Because it has everything I crave when I sit down to read a romance.

Saturday's Blurbs - Books by Mikki Sadil #MFRWauthor #YA

Blurb for THE FREEDOM THIEF

The year is 1859. The place: a hemp plantation in Kentucky. The era: pre-Civil War. Thirteen year old Ben McKenna is fighting a war of his own, with his parents and brothers. He hates slavery. His family own slaves, one of which is a young crippled boy, Josiah, Ben’s best friend. Ben’s father is going to sell Josiah, and the only way to stop this is for the boy and his slave parents to escape. Ben arranges that escape, and leads the four of them into a world of danger, deceit, and desperation. Slave hunters are on their trail, spurred to travel faster and faster because of the huge reward Ben’s father has put up for their return. A dangerous swamp almost kills Josiah; an Abolitionist family pretends to hide them, but in reality, are only waiting for the right moment to sell them back to slave hunters. For months, they are on the run, fighting treacherous virgin forests who have never had a human try to get through; hiding from the hunters and their dogs; fearing for their lives but having to put their trust into people they do not know. Freedom lies on the other side of the Ohio River, but will they live to get there?

Blurb for CHEERS, CHOCOLATE, AND OTHER DISASTERS

Thirteen year old Alyson Joanne Devlin ( better known as AJ ) is quite content with the life she has. After all, she has two BFFs, Jamie and Julie, a Champion Quarter Horse mare, and a pretty neat family, all living in a small, horsey western town in Colorado. What could be better? Then the new girl comes to town, seemingly with nothing more on her mind than to ruin AJ’s life. She intrudes into the close friendship between AJ, Jamie, and Julie, and suddenly, has the J’s, as AJ refers to them, completely on her side, and AJ is shut out. This new girl, Celine Carroll, manages to wrangle the partnership with Julie and Jamie in cheerleading, leaving AJ to partner with the two most unliked girls in school, Lisa and Amberley. The disasters just seem to keep coming: the very unexpected divorce plans of her parents; a near disastrous fall in cheerleading, orchestrated by Celine; her mare come down with colic, the number one horse killer; and finally, Amberley’s death, after she and AJ have become best friends. And all the while, Celine stands by with the same sneer on her face she had when she and AJ first met. Will AJ be able to deal with the psychological bullying by Celine, and the destruction of so many deeply important relationships?

Blurb for LILY LETICIA LANGFORD AND THE BOOK OF PRACTICAL MAGIC

An eleven year old girl in high school. An IQ of 160. An ancient book of practical magic. What could possibly go wrong?

Lily Leticia Langford is eleven years old, has an IQ of 160, and is a freshman in high school. Lily Leticia has long believed that because she is so much smarter than most people…including adults, of course…she can solve most everyone’s problems. IF they would just listen to her. She is an outcast in school, because of her IQ and her age. She is an outcast with kids of her own age, because of her IQ. Lily Leticia’s three best friends in school are also outcasts: Joseph Spotted Elk, because he is an Indian; Kyle, because he is Jewish in an all Christian high school; and Heather, because…well, just because. When Lily Leticia finds an ancient book in the attic of the old Victorian house her family is renting, her friend Joseph warns her not to take it out of the box it is in. He believes the book was written by Indian witches, and is all about “practical magic,” which meant for the Indians, where to find buffalo for food and hides, how to divert winds that would damage their teepees, and so on. Telling Lily Leticia not to do something is pretty much a waste of time. Besides, with her IQ and a book of Practical Magic, just think of all the problems she can solve! Trouble seems to follow Lily Leticia like a puppy dog, but if you think the past was troublesome, just wait for the future!

Blurb for NIGHT CRIES, BENEATH the POSSUM BELLY: Book One

Cries in the night. Whispers against her cheek. Sixteen year old psychic, Gabriela Gaudet, is awakened night after night by these sounds. The traveling carnival/circus that Gabriela’s French-Creole parents own has come to the small town of Dead Man’s Crossing, Iowa, and the cries and whispers have become loud and pleading .Three small girls. A brutal murder. An entire town that has closed ranks and glossed over this terrible crime as though it never happened. Now it’s up to Gabriela to find the killer, and put the souls of these children to rest. A handsome young man, Remi Duvernay, who seems to come out of thin air, and disappears just as fast, wants to help Gabriela in her search for justice. But there are strange forces in this town that work against Gabriela…to say nothing of six gargoyles who apparently come to life at dark, and, while not wanting to hurt the humans, don’t want Gabriela interfering where she doesn’t belong. And then there are the six women in the high school attendance office, who look perfectly normal…except for the tall, cone-shaped hats that each one wears. Accidents begin to happen at the carnival, and suddenly, the trucks and train cars that bring the carnival trappings are disabled, and nothing can be found in the town to fix them. Danger stalks Gabriela in the high school, in the town café, and on the carnival’s carousel. A web of evil surrounds this town, and threatens to envelop her in its sticky strands. Are her psychic powers and her magic great enough to withstand all that work against her? The Possum Belly waits.

Friday - Mikki Sadil - Talking About Heroes, Heroines and Villains #MFRWauthor #writing

1. Do you write a single genre or do your fingers flow over the keys creating tales in many forms?

I have surprised myself in the stories I write. My first book, The Freedom Thief, is an historical adventure taking place in pre-Civil War Kentucky. My second, Cheers, Chocolate, and Other Disasters is a contemporary story about psychological bullying. The third, Lily Leticia Langford and the Book of Practical Magic, is also contemporary in time, but is a fantasy dealing with magic. And my last book, Night Cries: Beneath the Possum Belly: Book One, is a paranormal/historical mystery. These are all teen and young adult books.

Does your reading choices reflect your writing choices?

Not really. I love mysteries, and my book shelves are full of books by James Petterson, Jonathan Kellerman, Tami Hoag, and Sandra Brown. I also have books by YA authors like Laurie Halse Anderson and Markus Zusak, and a couple of others.

Are there genres you wouldn’t attempt?

Absolutely! Science Fiction is way beyond me, as is true Fantasy where you are building a whole new world. And even though I like historical novels I probably wouldn't ever attempt an historical romance,

2. Heroes, Heroines, Villains. Which are your favorite to write?

Since I write for teens/young adults, I don't have many "real" heros or heroines or villians. In my first book, the hero was a 13 year old boy, and I loved him! In the second, truthfully, my favorite was the "villianess" who seemed to be trying to ruin the 13 year old "heroine"'s life for no good reason. The third book was about an 11 year old girl with an IQ of 160, and she was fun! My last book was the hardest, as the heroine is a 16 year old psychic...but the "bad" guys are not human, and they were also fun to write.

3. Heroes. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or plain imagination create the man you want every reader to love? Do they come before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

So far, I've only had one hero, and he is 13! He was "born" after I started creating the plot, because it made more sense for the story to have a hero rather than a heroine. Ben was created only a little bit from imagination, and mostly from the real life stories I had read in my research about the everyday people who took part in helping slaves escape from slavery before and during the Civil War. Those were the real heros.

4. Heroines. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or imagination create the woman you want the reader to root for? Do they appear before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

All of my other books have heroines, and all of them have come to me and demanded to have their stories told. My husband is not a writer, and he thinks there are times when I have seriously lost my mind...like at 3 am, when I jump out of bed and go searching for pen and paper because a character has awaken me, demanding I write about her. So...do they come from my imagination? Well, I guess so...unless you believe that charactes speak to you BEFORE you've even thought about their story!

5. Villains or villainesses or an antagonist, since they don’t always have to be the bad guy or girl. They can be a person opposed to the hero’s or heroine’s obtaining their goal. How do you choose one? How do you make them human?

I believe a villian, or antagonis, can be just about anyone or anything, and sometimes they are so subtle you don't realize for a while that the person, or "thing', is really the bad guy. My historical novel had several antagonists: Ben's father; the slave hunters; the "Abolitionists" who only wanted to turn Ben and the slaves in for the reward money; and in this story, weather and locations were also the "antagonists," in terms of trying to keep Ben from his goal. In the second book, the "new girl in town" was the bad girl, but no one ever knew exactly why she went to such lengths to hurt the heroine. It wasn't until the end of the book that things happened to draw sympathy to her. The third book...hmm, not sure just who the villian was there, but the Book of Magic sure didn't help the 11 year old heroine! And in the last book, my villian was disguised as a tall, handsome teacher...who was pure evil. There was NO way to make him human!

6. What is your latest release? Who is the hero, heroine and or the villain?

My last book was released on the 6th of August this year. My heroine is a 16 year old psychic, daughter of French-Creole parents who own a traveling carnival/circus in 1935. Gabriela has been hearing the voices of 3 little girls, crying out to her to find their murderer, so they can go to heaven. This is the first of 3 books, and there are many villians in different "disguises" throughout this book, and the series. One in particular who lasts through the 2nd, and possibly the 3rd of the trilogy. On one hand, he is a valued member of the carnival crew. But is he, really? Throughout the series, there are gargoyles and witches who could be working closely with the heroine...or...they could be desperately trying to keep her from finding out the secrets of this small town. Who knows what lies Beneath the Possum Belly?

7. What are you working on now?

I am working on the second of the paranormal trilogy, Night Wings. 

 What are you working on now:

I had started the second of the Possum Belly trilogy, but due to some new factors concerning The Freedom Thief, I have begun serious work on the sequel to this story. Everyone wants to know what happens to Ben when he returns home, so this is what my next book will be.

Where can people find you:

My blog is: http://www.mikki-wordpainter.blogspot.com

http://www.bookswelove.com/authors/sadil-mikki

I'm also on Facebook and Twitter, but rarely, as I don't like social media.

Thursday - My Heroes, Heroines and Villains - Heart Throbs #MFRWauthor #MedicalRomance #spicy romance

This may be one of my books that really doesn't have a villain. Sometimes the hero and heroine seem as though they are their own worst enemies. Other times their friends seem to push them a bit too hard. The heroine has an enemy in that her ex-husband left her the moment he finished medical school and he no longer needed her money. The hero has issues with parents who married and divorced many times.

The Heroine

Magda Malone jammed her hands in the pockets of her white lab coat and felt the fabric rip. Just what she needed to add a bit of anger to what she’d just been asked to do. Why wouldn’t he understand no meant absolutely not?

Her jaw clenched. The temptation to commit an act of violence hovered like a giant thunderhead. She stared out the window of her office on the fifth floor of Rivertown Memorial Hospital and shoved her fury into a corner of her mind.

Sucking in a deep breath, she turned to her colleague and friend. At the moment, she wasn’t sure friend was operative. "Would you repeat your question?"

"Could you come to dinner tonight?" the cardiologist asked.

That wasn’t the portion of the original question she wanted to hear. "I believe there was more."

"Like I said. Nothing formal. It’s not a party or anything."

"Come on. Say what you said before. I need to be sure I’m not going deaf."

"Lin and I want you to meet my new partner. He’s her cousin and a really great guy."

Magda glared. "Ben, I’m not letting you off the hook. What did you want me to do with this man?"

He studied his hands. "Was just a suggestion, not an order."

"And that was?"

"You can show him a good time." He joined her at the window.

She arched a brow. "A good time as in.…" Her voice trailed away. She thought she had grasped his suggestion, but she wanted to hear the words repeated. Then she would stomp. "Does your wife know you’re soliciting?"

"What?" His round face reddened. "That’s not what I ... well, maybe ... just ... couldn’t you make him happy to be in Rivertown? If you two don’t click, you could show him around the ... dating scene. You know what I mean. Lin and I want him to settle here."

Magda shook her head. "Spit it out, Doctor." Anger oozed from the dark corner and colored her voice. "Just how do I accomplish your purpose?"

He stared at the window. "Anything it takes."

"No deal." She clipped the words. Would he understand why she was so angry?

"Mag, come on. Wasn’t I there for you when you needed a shoulder. I need a partner who will stay, especially now."

Magda sighed. Ben and Linda had been there when she’d needed them, but he was asking for too much. "Why me?"

"Men like you. You like them and --"

"Don’t say it." She stalked to the desk and stared at the stack of folders needing her attention. "I don’t want to lose a good friend, but you’re treading on the brink."

"I didn’t mean you had to ... you know.…"

She rested her hands on the cool metal surface. "Let us set the record straight. I choose the men I want in my life. I don’t need anyone, not even a good friend, fixing me up with a man."

"I hear you." He sank on the chair across from the desk. "Lin said you’re bored with the local dating scene. Come to dinner. If you don’t like Eric, you can leave. If you do, who knows what will happen.
Give me one good reason you’re being so stubborn."

Was the invitation his idea or his wife’s? Sure she’dtold her friend about the lack of interesting and eligible men in the area. Did it matter who had dreamed up this scheme? She wasn’t about to accept. Her friends had heard her views time and again. She wasn’t about to repeat them. "What do I always say?"

"You don’t play where you work."

"Sounds like you’ve heard me."

"But --"

"Been there. Done that. Got burned."

He rolled his eyes. "But you received a nice divorce settlement. Give my new partner a chance. What can you lose?"

My independence, she thought. "Goodbye, Ben." She pointed to the door. "There’s a large flock of available women out there who would be glad, even eager, to meet an available doctor. I can name a dozen who are closer to his age."

"So he’s a bit younger. What’s seven years?" He backed to the door.

"Almost half a generation. See you."

He opened the door. "Eric has a thing for older women."

"Good for him. Ask Mabel Gray to dinner."

"Older. Not ancient."

"Tell Linda I’ll call tomorrow. Let her know I feel an urge for a shopping spree."

He groaned. "For what?"

She shrugged. "My vacation. Your soon-to-be baby. I can think of a dozen reasons, but I don’t need an excuse to shop."

"Bye." He closed the door.

Got him, she thought. Her anger changed to amusement. Spare me from matchmaking friends. She reached for the top folder. Her mind wandered from the budget to the future.

Four weeks until vacation and she had plans. Sun, surf, moonlit nights at a singles’ resort where she could meet men who had no desire for a commitment. She wanted a fling or two that allowed her to escape with her heart intact.

Her whirlwind marriage and the divorce a month after he had finished his surgical residency had taught her a painful lesson. Never become involved in a relationship with a doctor. Since the day the decree had become final, she’d controlled her life and she chose the men who shared her bed.

Her pen skidded across the paper and left a red mark. Darn you, Ben. Why had he set her thoughts on days best forgotten? She heaved a sigh and returned to work.

The Hero

Eric Damon Blair III surveyed his new living space and grinned. Though the condo was mostly unfurnished he was pleased with the place he’d bought last week. In the living room he’d created a nest of pillows on the dark blue carpet. Perfect for viewing the huge flat screen TV and for making love.

He strode into the bedroom where the most important item of furniture had been delivered. The king-size bed was ready for the kind of action he preferred. Soft sheets, plump pillows on a firm mattress. Just thinking about using this spot set his heard speeding to send extra blood to his groin. Not yet, he warned. Soon.

He turned and scanned the living area. One of his favorite features was the bar between the kitchen and dining areas. With a couple of bar stools he could eat there until he purchased a table and chairs.

Once he knew his way around town and found some willing helpers he would buy furniture. He closed his eyes and visualized his aides. A sleek blonde. A ravishing redhead. A cuddly woman with brown hair. A sultry ebony-haired siren. All he had to do was meet them and lure them to his nest. That had never been a problem.

No strings. No commitments. He had no intention of traveling the road his parents had worn to ruts. Serial monogamy. He’d lost count of the numbers of step-mamas and step-papas that flowed through his life like a fleet of paper boats launched on a pond. No marriage meant no divorce, the end of every road his parents had traveled.

He flipped the cover of his cell phone and tapped his cousin’s number. Better inform her of his new residence before she phoned the police to report him missing or every hospital between the city and here searching for his body. She answered on the second ring.

“Hi, Lin. I’m in town.”

“Eric, where are you?”

“It’s Damon. Eric is my father and our grandfather.”

She laughed. “Forgot the name change. You’re late. What happened? Traffic? An accident? Were you hurt?”

“None of the above.”

“Then where are you. I’ve been pacing for two hours.”

“In town. Had a bit of luck.” He settled against the headboard of the bed. “Found a place.”

“Aren’t you staying with us? I have plans.”

“I bet you do.” He swallowed a growl. He imagined she had a dozen schemes to match him with a matrimonial-seeking friend or three. He had no intention of camping in his cousin’s guest room. Watching a nesting set of parents wasn’t a scene he wanted to endure.

She laughed. “Caught me. So where is this place and how did you find it?”

“Ran into the brother of a patient. He wanted to sell his condo. Had the money from the trust so I bought. Place is great. Once I’m settled I’ll throw a party.”

“You are coming to dinner tonight, aren’t you?”

“Depends.”

“Eric, Damon, whoever you are. There’s a friend I want you to meet. Ben and I invited her over. You’ll like her. She’s great.”

Score one for men’s intuition. “Forget your schemes.” Damon groaned. “What is it with you happily-marrieds? Can’t stand to see someone unattached? I need no help finding women. That’s plural. Don’t want or need permanent.”

She laughed. “Neither does my friend.  I thought you two would be a perfect match.”

“Thanks for thinking of me. I’ll find my own women. Talk to you later. I’m off to unpack the car.”

“When will we see you?”

“If something doesn’t come up I’ll swing by tomorrow or Sunday. Unless I’m diverted. Imagine you get the picture.”

She laughed. “Sure of yourself, aren’t you? Good luck in the hunt. Don’t expect to succeed. You’re new in town.”

He chuckled. “You’d be surprised. Sometimes being the new face has amazing results. Gives the ladies a new body to explore.”

“You’re impossible.”

“But loveable. Ciao.”

Damon rose from the bed and headed to the door. Time to unpack the stereo system. Then shower, shave, change and hit the local watering spots. Fridays were always social nights at the bars. Surely he’d find more interesting company that an unattached female who needed friends to find her a date. Even if she didn’t admit to being a player in the husband hunt he rarely met a woman who didn’t turn huntress the moment she learned he was a doctor.

Wednesday's Writer's Tip - More on Showing Characterization #MFRWauthor #amwriting

Showing the character in action is important and there are many ways to do this. Last week 4 were mentioned. Today here are four more.

Give the character a tag that can be used to show what kind of person is or she is. She always bites her lower lip when she's nervous and she's nervous a number of times. Another character observing this will know what's happening. He stammers when he can't think of what to say. There are dozens of these tags you can give to show the character, One thing is to pick only one for a character and don't give that tag to others in the story.

re a way to show a character. He towers over everyone. She has piercing blue eyes, His hair is worn in a pony tail. There are many ways to make a physical attribute belong to a character. Here again if you're going to choose one of these to show your characters, chose the one that gives the most mileage. In the first description, you can use more than one of these tags but later, keep to the one. In a book I'm writing one of the characters has wintery eyes. They are cold and gray. Using other words for cold and gray his eyes characterize him.

There are other ways to tag a character ala mannerisms and habits.

For minor characters give them a dominant character type. I have a character in a book who speaks in dialect. You know immediately that she's speaking.

Contrasting characteris is also another way to characterize. One character is brash and bold. Another is shy and sweet. The contrast doesn't have to be blatant. Take two people who are loyal. One could go about showing this in a quiet way and the other be in everyone's face.

Names are another way to characterize. Many people think of a name such as Jane often put together with plain. Think of using the names to show a depth of character or for other reasons. I'm working on fantasy story where one character in each book is related to the others but don't know it. Ari, Larana and Arton. Using the Ar to show the relationship.

Tuesday's Inspiration - Layers #MFRWauthor #writing

Not sure about you but when I start writing a story I leave a lot out. The rough draft is usually perhaps a third of the story. Why do I do it this way. Because I want to see the end, I want to play with my characters and perhaps do a little mind reading. And because I'm not sure what parts of the setting will be important.

Let's look at these points and see what happens later. To me the journey from beginning to the end is the plot. I need to know where my characters are headed and where the journey takes them. Thus I plunge ahead and when I read over the rough draft of the story, I find the plot holes I need to plug when I do the next draft or drafts. Some people writs in such a fashion that each chapter must be perfect before they move along. I admire them but that's not how my mind works. Finding how your mind works is essential to the writer.

The second is playing iwth the characters. Why did they act that who. Do their goals make sense as to the people they are? There are a dozen questions to look at when writing a story and the characters need to make sense. Until I see them in action I don't really know what questions to ask. That's for future drafts.

The third is setting. Some parts of the characters' environments are more important than others. Some are vital to the plot. Setting becomes a sort of character that sits in the background and then starts to come alive and influences the rest of the story.

If I strived for perfection when I started a chapter and couldn't go beyond until I perfected that chapter, my stories would never end or get beyond the first chapter. This is how I tried to write when I began and I found this wasn't my nature. Even now when taking an old story that's out of contract and working on it anew, I find more things to add to the mix. So that's why I write drafts and not stick with one until it's perfect.

As a writer, you have to learn how your mind works in the fictional worlds you create,

Meandering On Monday with Janet Lane Walters #MFRWauthor #amwriting

Meander 1 - Fruitflies - I don't know where they arise but we've been plagued with them for a day or two. I think they arise by spontaneous gestation. 2 pieces of partially eaten fruit were left out and suddenly there was a swarm. We now have fruitfly traps. Not sure what they're supposed to do. When I see the last of the critters, perhaps I'll know. I once wrote a poem called "Fruitfly Fourth of July". Not sure I still have a copy but it was a hit at a poetry reading when I was involved in doing those sort of things. The poem was about all those little things that happened on the fourth of July one year. A lot of little nagging things that were more pests than trouble.

Meander 2 - Having a TV in my study has begun to become less of a temptation. The reason is partly because I've nearly caught up on the old shows I've missed or forgotten or didn't watch since I had no control over the TV when the children were small or my husband had programs he wanted to watch. Now the one in the study is under my control except when the grandchildren come to visit. The other reason is that I've started to use some of my lot of Kindle dollars since the holidays are coming soon. I've read some really good books and one great book. It's fun.

Meander 3 - My writing is going well. Don't think I'll make the November deadline but that's all right. There are a multitude of doctor's appointments coming up and someone has to take him to them. Wizards is into the third draft and this is the one where all thsoe scenes I skipped over are written out in full and when I add the setting and hopefully all the emotional stuff. I've changed some of the hero's stuff to make him more sympathetic and get rid of repetitions. The revision of what is now Seducing the Chef is going well and I've added nearly 2000 words. I hope for a few more to come. I'm typing that in and then it will be ready when the time comes to send it to my publisher for re-issue. It's become a better story with the re-write. Only five more of those to go.

Sunday - My Book - Gemstones #MFRWauthor #Regency #historicalromance

Gemstones is the first and only Regency novel I've written. I think the research got to me. I do have other ideas and maybe someday they'll come alive,

GEMSTONES

Buy:

Gemstones,     http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/gemstones-janet-lane-walters/1104226757?ean=2940011391569, https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-gemstones-563273-160.html,

When Nicola Gordon and her younger sisters travel from India to England, she goes to a marriage she doesn’t want.

Drew Barlow has no desire for marriage, but his distant cousin and Nicola’s grandfather, ran the estates into debt. Drew agrees to the marriage for the money and to please the Dowager, Nicola’s grandmother, but he has no trust for women or for love.

When the two meet they clash and come together, igniting a blazing attraction they cannot resist.

Janet Lane Walter's latest book Gemstones is a stunning tale of the differences between two cultures, English and Indian, and what occurs when two different cultures clash. After the death of her father, eldest daughter Nicola Gordon must take charge of her family, fifteen-year-old Elizabeth, a budding flirt, and ten year old Margaret, a hoyden of the worst degree.

SOME REVIEWS

ByM. Fullingtonon January 7, 2014

Format: Kindle Edition

Gemstones
by Janet Lane Walters

Nicola has been raised in India but when her father passes, she must seek out marriage to protect her sisters and herself. Drew has his own demons. His childhood shaped the man he’s become. Forced to marry for money, he is pleased with a match with Nicola. Unfortunately, their pasts get in the way of their happiness and future.

The dramatic storytelling of British society against the backdrop of a young lady who is experiencing it new, draws the reader deeply into the tale. Nicola is intelligent, witty, and a take charge person. Yet, she’s insecure, unsure of her decisions and impulsive. All things that make her “real”. Readers will want to shake the characters at times for not finding time to talk or share their feelings but when they’ve had such upbringing, it’s understandable and lends more passion to the story.

Ms. Walters shows a deep knowledge for the culture of India and gemstones in this story as she weaves a masterful tale of two people who need to be loved. I wasn’t able to put the story down.

4.0 out of 5 starsGood Book kept me interested

ByLadySam78on April 15, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition

This was a good read! It kept your attention. You loved the heroine and appreciated all she went through. I love the happy endings :)

5.0 out of 5 starsWonderful!

ByJKloppon February 20, 2013

Format: Kindle Edition

Well written novel at an excellent price point. Not trashy and has an excellent storyline that keeps you interested until the last possible second.

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4.0 out of 5 starsNone

ByAmazon Customeron November 25, 2012

Format: Kindle Edition

i enjoyed this book. it was fast paced and fun. characters were believeable. i would enjoy reading books about the sisters also.

1. 

Saturday's Blurbs featuring Books by Tina Donahue #MFRWauthor #paranormal

Blurb for Freeing the Beast – Book One, Taming the Beast

No more Mr. Nice Guy.

Taming the Beast, Book 1

Magic is Becca Salt’s business, but it ain’t happening in her bedroom. The half-witch proprietress of From Crud to Stud performs miracle makeovers for paranormal creatures. Once she’s done with them, they’re out the door hunting for hot babes, not hanging around for a too-curvy, plain Jane like her.

Her newest client is hot, hung, mouthwatering perfection. What could she possibly improve upon?

Eric Diletto. Descendant of Cupid, bred for courtship, courtesy, and all that other gentlemanly junk. What has it gotten him? Dumped time and again for bad boys. He needs Becca’s help for an entirely different reason—regression therapy to release his inner beast. Grrrr.

Two potions later, they’re crawling all over each other. Becca aches for a man who loves her as she is, not because he’s under the influence. But Eric isn’t as impaired as she thinks. And he intends to take Becca here, there, and everywhere—anything to convince her his desire isn’t just the potions talking.

Product Warnings

A witchdoctor’s nightmare. Contains potions with weird side effects, a sorceress with limited magical skills and a yearning heart, plus a minor god who wants to get down and dirty. Bad, bad boy!

Blurb for Surrendering to the Beast - Book Two, Taming the Beast

When she’s good, she’s very good. But when he’s bad, she’s better.
Taming the Beast, Book 2
As a good fairy, Heather is empathetic and chaste to a fault. No bad language, no dirty thoughts, flirting and no sex. But when a satyr named Daemon steps up to her reception desk at From Crud to Stud, she finds herself on the fast track to exquisite corruption.
Daemon is the total bad-boy package with a kiss straight from the dark side. Though he’s here for a supernatural makeover, Heather can’t imagine why any red-blooded woman would want him to change.
A disciple of the god of wine, Daemon has had his share of good times. But sex has never been this good. Heather brings out a new side of him, a side that makes him want to protect as well as pillage.
But Daemon needs a little creative backup to help set his fairy’s naughtiness free. And that means bringing in Mistress Jin. Under the genie’s tutelage and Daemon’s shameless lust, Heather is about to learn what it means to let loose.

Warning: Not your typical bedtime story. May lead to indecent behavior, a taste for voyeurism, discipline, bondage, m/f, m/f/f and f/f action, which will result in screaming orgasms. Proceed with caution.

Blurb for Wicked Takeover – Book One, Wicked Delights Series

She’s just inherited a tattoo parlor…and the hunk who comes with it.

Lauren’s in a helluva mess. Not only has she lost her corporate job, her long-absent father just left her a struggling tattoo parlor along with the virile dude who runs it. Dante’s sinfully hot with a killer smile and inked biceps. Lauren’s full-figured, sorta pretty and wanting him badly. Dream on. She’s here to sell the place as quickly as possible for some much-needed cash.

Dante sees the heat in Lauren’s eyes despite her conservative appearance. He recognizes the dynamite woman she could be if she’d just loosen up and have some wicked fun. Dominance and submission. Making love in a public place. Having her lush body always accessible to and ready for his.

Carnal games that seduce them until lust turns to surprising need and friendship to something deeper that might just change their futures.

Blurb for Wicked Seduction – Book Two, Wicked Delights Series

She’s survived abuse…he’ll teach her to trust passion and love.

Marnie’s getting her life together after escaping a violent relationship, a repeat of her parents’ past. Bearing scars on her arm and leg, she comes to Wicked Brand hoping tattoos will cover the damage and allow her to feel pretty.

Tor can work magic with his stunning 3-D designs and wants nothing more than to see Marnie smile. She’s a rare combination of sweet yet wickedly sensual. The kind of woman a man can’t easily resist.

He doesn’t try. Their sessions at the parlor turn into evenings of steamy delight as they feed their carnal hunger and growing intimacy, playing shameless games that leave them breathless and wanting more.

Paradise for Marnie—Tor cherishes and excites rather than harms, unlike her ex-boyfriend.

When he finds her, he’s ready to do his worst.

Think again. This time, Marnie’s no longer alone.

Blurb for Wicked Times Two – Book Three, Wicked Delights Series

She’s through with love and just wants to have some wicked fun…

Burned by her cheating boyfriend, Jasmina is finished with the thought of forever after with any guy. That fairytale doesn’t exist. From now on, protecting her heart and letting pleasure rule is her motto.

She has the perfect men in mind—Noah and Kyle, two of the hottest cops in town. They handled an altercation at Wicked Brand, the tattoo parlor she manages. When they come back to get inked, watch out.

Deliciously virile, Noah’s ready to play. Kyle’s on board too, liking the thought of a threesome and her submission, bondage, spanking, no strings or regrets.

Sensuous days roll into steamy nights driven by desire, enhanced by yearning the guys hadn’t expected and Jasmina can’t deny.

What began as a sensual adventure could turn into so much more…if she’s willing to take the chance.

Friday - Tina Donahue - Talking About Heroes, Heroines and Villains #MFRWauthor #paranormal #Romanticcomedy

1.    Do you write a single genre or do your fingers flow over the keys creating tales in many forms? Does your reading choices reflect your writing choices? Are there genres you wouldn’t attempt?

I write in multiple genres. Keeps my juices flowing. I love historical, contemporary, paranormal, suspense, you name it.

I like to read just about everything except heavy-duty SciFi, where the story tends to read like a manual. Too dry and uninteresting for me. Probably does have a lot to do with what I write.

Heavy-duty SciFi is definitely one genre I’ll always avoid writing. J

2.    Heroes, Heroines, Villains. Which are your favorite to write?

I love a great hero. A guy who’s strong yet kind with a great sense of humor. Always a joy to write. I love strong heroines too. Feisty ladies who can’t be put down by anyone. And, I also like writing villains, especially psychopaths – you know, the kind without a conscience. Think Ted Bundy.

3.    Heroes. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or plain imagination create the man you want every reader to love? Do they come before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

When I’m outlining my novels, I go online and look at photos of guys I think would be great in the role. I describe what I see in the photos. I could probably work from imagination, but then I wouldn’t get my eye candy fix.

They come while I’m plotting. I see scenes in my head when I’m thinking of a new novel. Don’t see the people exactly – more of what they’re doing, thinking.

4.    Heroines. How do you find them? Do pictures, real life or imagination create the woman you want the reader to root for? Do they appear before the plot or after you have the idea for the story?

Same as my heroes – go online to find women that match what I have in my mind. Or, if I don’t have any ideas, I can get some by looking at photos.

Imagination and life experience create the women I want readers to love.

Like the heroes, the heroines’ personalities come up while I’m plotting the story.

5.    Villains or villainesses or an antagonist, since they don’t always have to be the bad guy or girl. They can be a person opposed to the hero’s or heroine’s obtaining their goal. How do you choose one? How do you make them human?

They generally come about while I’m plotting the story. I know what the conflict will be, so the antagonists tend to pop up as I’m plotting.

Some of my antagonists have mellowed in my stories, but not all. If I am writing a villain, I like to write psychopathic ones – they have no conscience. I’ve read a lot of psychology books about the criminal mind. The public generally believes that a bad childhood leads to serial killing. Not true at all. Ted Bundy had a great home life, a very devoted mother and stepfather. He killed because he liked to kill. Gave him a sense of power – holding someone’s life in his hands. Those kinds of monsters fascinate me. I like to explore what makes them tick.

6.    What is your latest release? Who is the hero, heroine and or the villain?

Surrendering to the Beast, book two in my Taming the Beast series – erotic paranormal/romantic comedy.

My hero is Daemon, a satyr who wants to look fully human. He goes to From Crud to Stud, a makeover service for supernatural beings in New Orleans. There, he meets Heather (heroine) who happens to be a good fairy – no bad thoughts, words, or deeds, ever. Heather’s one end of the spectrum, bad boy Daemon is the other. Watching them come together is like seeing worlds collide. Funny, sexy, romantic and in the end very sweet.

Since Surrendering to the Beast is a romantic comedy, it doesn’t have a villain, so to speak. The closest would be Zoe, a reformed demon who’s an enforcer at the service. She gives Daemon hell, but it’s all in fun.

7.    What are you working on now?

Book five of my Taming the Beast series and another erotic historical series.

8.    How can people find you?

My bio and links:

I’m an award-winning, bestselling novelist in erotic, paranormal, contemporary and historical romance for Kensington, Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave, Siren Publishing, Booktrope, Luminosity, Decadent, and indie. Yay! Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly, Romantic Times and numerous online sites have praised my work, and trust me, I’m forever grateful for that. I’ve had my books reach finals in the EPIC competition, one title was named Book of the Year at a review site, and others have won awards in RWA-sponsored contests. I’m actually featured in the 2012 Novel & Short Story Writer’s Market. Talk about feeling like a freaking star. Before my writing career, I was the editor of an award–winning Midwestern newspaper and worked in Story Direction for a Hollywood production company. Outside of being an admitted and unrepentant chocoholic, I’ve flown a single-engine plane (scary stuff), rewired an old house using an electricity for dummies book, and have been known to moan like Meg Ryan in When Harry Met Sally whenever I’m eating anything Mexican or Italian. Yeah, I like to eat (burp).

You can check me out here – yes, I am everywhere!  J

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Email: tina@tinadonahue.com
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