Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Tuesday's Inspiration inspired by Stephen King 400 plus rules
Am still browsing through an essay by Stephen King. What I found this time made me laugh and laughter is necessary for a writer. So here goes. This is about rules. "Use vivid words. Avoid the passive voice. Avoid the cliches. Be specific. Be precise. Be elegant. Avoid unnecessary words. These rules and the four hundred--" The quote goes on. What really struck me were the 400 other rules. Couldn't help wondering what they were and wondering what they could be.
Rules for writing. Mr. King is absolutely right about the ones he mentioned and there are more. These aren't rules one knows when they begin writing. They are ones discovered as more and more words are put on paper or show up on the computer screen. They are rules given by the editors, agents, members of our critique group can point out when they are reading your manuscript. For me being specific falls under the It was rule. Avoiding those non-specific words can be hard and I find removing the comes in the revision mode. When I am in the heat of getting the story down I usually break all those rules and probably ones that weren't mentioned. Revision is the time when those rules come into play.
One specific rule I learned early on in my career went something like this "Characters don't exist in a vacuum." An editor handed this to me and I still struggle with getting this rule right.
How about you? Is there a rule of writing fiction that you need to learn how to follow?
Monday, February 4, 2013
Meandering on Monday with Janet Lane Walters #amwriting #JeRoWriMo
Last week on the first of Feb, I began the NJRW challenge. 30,000 words in 28 days. Since I generally write 2000 words a day, this should be a shoe in for me. Except these are new words, I'm working on two projects, One is typing in the revisions of a mss that is hand written. So far have added 1500 words to that. The other is an old manuscript that is being completely re-written. The idea was good but the execution was , not bad but not up to the way I write these days. I came across a real interesting thing while writing. The story starts at the spring equinox but somehow a number of chapters in the time changed to nearing the winter solstice. There was no reason for the change and this meant a major change. How to change winter to summer and keep the peril to the characters present. No snowbound in the summer but I put in a flood. At this point I've written 4200 words there. So much for rewriting.
Another thing I managed to do was get one of two rights back books off to the publisher. And to do the second one. I will say I was very surprised when the former publisher released the third book of the fourth book series before the contract expired. I will honor them for this since there are other publishers who don't do such a thing. I have a friend who can't write the third book of a trilogy because her publisher won't release the other two. They haven't paid her royalties on the two books either. That is a crime, but something we all face with small publishers. I have three who pay on time and always let me know how I'm doing. With another publisher we've gone to yearly reports and that's fine since I only have one book with them. There are two publishers who give me no details on what's been happening with my books. One of these days I'll take action there,
Must get back to work and also plan my short talk at a library on Saturday. A library in a Mall sounds different and interesting.
Books We Love Blurbathon featuring Persephone Cole, A Vintage Holiday Mystery Series by Heather Haven
Persephone Cole, A Vintage Holiday Mystery Series
by
Heather Haven
It’s 1942 and Persephone ‘Percy’ Cole is bucking the odds and pounding the pavement of Manhattan as one of its first female private detectives. Joining the ranks of other gumshoes such as Sam Spade, Lew Archer, and Phillip Marlow, this five-foot eleven, full-figured gal has the same hard-boiled, take-no-prisoners attitude, but with a difference. A shamus with a wicked sense of humor, she’s the mother of an eight-year old son. Whether it be on the Great White Way, the Diamond District, or chocolate-covered corpses, Persephone Cole blazes a trail for all other lady dicks to follow. She finds her holiday cheer in solving crimes of the most deadly kind - murder.
Persephone Cole and the Halloween Curse - http://tinyurl.com/agayofv
Persephone Cole and the Christmas Killings Conundrum - http://tinyurl.com/arm3pxk
Persephone Cole and the Mother’s Day Murders – Coming soon!
Amazon Buy Page for Heather’s books: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004QL22UK
Don’t forget to come back on Feb 6 for a blurb on the books of Sydell Voeller
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Saturday's Excerpt from Hot Spell by Lisabet Sarai
Hot Spell by Lisabet Sarai
M/F paranormal erotic romance
Available from Total-E-Bound (http://www.total-e-bound.com/product.asp?P_ID=1432) as well as all your favorite online booksellers
Blurb
The flames of passion are more than metaphor.
The city swelters in the grip of an unseasonable heat wave. Sylvie endures her solitary urban existence for the sake of her career, but the prospect of a hot, lonely three day weekend proves unbearable and she flees east to the pine-shrouded mountains. Far more at home in nature than in the city, Sylvie doesn't mind being alone in the wilderness, but she's not the only being haunting the glades and the trails.
Aidan is fiercely attracted to the voluptuous beauty he finds sun bathing nude in a high meadow, but he must resist his overwhelming desire for the sake of her safety. The sun-bronzed man with the red-gold hair is cursed with power he knows will destroy her if they give full rein to their passion. Can Sylvie refrain from tempting him? Or will she risk being being literally consumed by love?
Excerpt (PG)
“Are you hungry?” His voice was steady—pleasant but neutral—belying the riotous signals she picked up from his body. “I’m afraid all I can offer is canned chilli, with some wild greens I picked this morning…”
Yes, I’m hungry, she wanted to scream. Hungry for you! Then shame flooded her, damping down her desire. She had promised him she’d behave, that she’d keep her distance and not tempt him. She wasn’t sure that she subscribed to his conviction that their lovemaking would kill her, but clearly he believed it and suffered for that belief. Reminding him of their mutual attraction would just make him more miserable. For his sake, she had to control her carnal urges, difficult as that might be.
“Sounds good to me. At least as appetising as dinner back at my campsite—freeze-dried beef stew.” He rose from his chair and she followed. “Can I help?”
“No, that’s okay. It’ll just take me a few minutes. But come over here first. You’ll like this.” He gestured towards the south-facing windows, the ones near the cots. A gap of about a yard separated the two beds. They stood together in that space, gazing out of the open window.
To the west, at their right, rose the high peaks, jagged and ashen against the orange sky. The sun streamed through gaps between them, loosing shafts of fire into the valley. Far below the fire tower, Crystal Lake was transformed from the sapphire mirror she’d seen earlier in the day to a sheet of beaten gold. The trees surrounding the water were already grey-green shadows, but the lake burned like the caldera of a volcano, brimming with molten lava.
Sylvie caught her breath. It was exquisite—awe-inspiring. Nothing in her city life was this lovely. Nothing had this power to rouse her emotions. A sense of completion, of rightness, settled on her. This was where she belonged. At the same time, her whole body vibrated with a new kind of excitement, similar to sexual arousal but somehow more subtle and refined.
She was acutely aware of Aidan’s bulk beside her and the strong, male scent of his sweat. He radiated heat—a human furnace. That was part of this bliss, too, inseparable from the miracle of the fiery water. Her need for him was a fierce, sweet ache that brought pleasure even without being consummated.
She didn’t dare move. She didn’t want to break the spell. Then she felt his fingers entwine with hers. She sensed the strength in his grip even as her skin burned from the contact.
Sylvie did not turn to him. It wasn’t necessary. She knew what he was thinking. She understood he wanted her. For now, in this endless moment, that was enough. His guilt eased in her presence. She felt his tension dissipate, bit by bit, as they continued to hold hands.
Neither spoke. Neither made any sort of effort to deepen the touch or turn it into something more explicitly sexual. That would have been redundant. They stood together, perfectly connected, until the sun sank out of sight and the flaming lake was extinguished.
Bio
MORE THAN A DECADE AGO LISABET SARAI EXPERIENCED A SERENDIPITOUS FUSION OF HER LOVE OF WRITING AND HER FASCINATION WITH SEX. SINCE THEN SHE HAS PUBLISHED FIVE SINGLE AUTHOR SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS AND SEVEN EROTIC NOVELS, WITH HER EIGHTH, RAJASTHANI MOON, DUE OUT IN MAY. DOZENS OF HER SHORTER WORKS HAVE BEEN RELEASED AS EBOOKS AND IN PRINT ANTHOLOGIES. SHE HAS ALSO EDITED SEVERAL ACCLAIMED ANTHOLOGIES AND IS CURRENTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ALTRUISTIC EROTICA SERIES COMING TOGETHER PRESENTS.
LISABET HOLDS MORE DEGREES THAN ANYONE NEEDS FROM PRESTIGIOUS UNIVERSITIES WHO WOULD NO DOUBT BE EMBARRASSED BY HER CHOSEN GENRE. SHE LOVES TO TRAVEL AND CURRENTLY LIVES IN SOUTHEAST ASIA WITH HER HIGHLY TOLERANT HUSBAND AND TWO COSMOPOLITAN FELINES. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON LISABET AND HER WRITING VISIT LISABET SARAI'S FANTASY FACTORY (HTTP://WWW.LISABETSARAI.COM) OR HER BLOG BEYOND ROMANCE (HTTP://LISABETSARAI.BLOGSPOT.COM).
Friday, February 1, 2013
Books We Love Blurbathon featuring Reluctant Date by Sheila Claydon
RELUCTANT DATE by Sheila Claydon from Books We Love Publishing available at:
http://amzn.to/WNE8Vr
In a rut, and with her love life at an all time low, Claire Harris makes a New Year’s resolution to join an Internet dating agency. Her challenge is twelve dates or twelve months, whichever comes first, unless she is lucky enough to meet Mister Right along the way. On her final date, and convinced that only frogs are left in the dating pool, she is relieved that it’s nearly over…until she meets enigmatic American, Daniel Marchant. The only problem is, his brother has set him up, and Daniel makes it very clear that he’s not interested in dating anyone at all. He is looking for someone to work in his developing conservation research company though, and when he discovers that Claire has the photographic and cataloguing skills he needs, he offers her a dream job in Florida.
But Dolphin Key is not as idyllic as it seems. There are too many secrets and too much heartache. And Claire has her own secrets as well. Not that she is going to share them with anyone, least of all with Daniel, because he must never know he has stolen her heart.
Wonderful story! The story had me from the start to finish, this book was an emotionally good story that had a great romance with humor entwined. I believe anyone who reads this book will enjoy it (LadyAtlantis)
Perfect warming read for a grey,cold winter day Another heart warming romance from Sheila Claydon. (Liz)
Learn more about Sheila's characters and her books at: http://sheilaclaydon.com or http://amzn.to/LJMM16
And do check back to learn all about Books We Love author Heather Haven's books on February 4
Friday's How She Does It featuring Lisabet Sarai
I've never really looked at writing this way - I just write! - but I guess I can
see what you mean. The "how" is the events of the story, which ultimately must
grow out of the characters (who), their situations (what, when and where), and
their motivations (why).
> 1. How do you create your characters? Do you have a specific process?
To be honest, I don't have any particular process for character development.
Once or twice I have tried to produce written character profiles as some books
recommend. I dutifully listed everything I knew about my characters' history,
desires, fears, appearance, and so on. Then I started writing and proceeded to
ignore most of what I'd noted in the profiles.
Occasionally a character will come to me fully fleshed out, but usually I
discover more about them as I write. Also, I sometimes spend days thinking about
the people in my stories before I ever begin writing, figuring out who they are
and what they want.
> 2. Do your characters come before the plot? Do you sketch out your plot or do
> you let the characters develop the route to the end?
Unlike many romance authors, I'm much more plot-driven - or perhaps I should say
situation-driven - than character driven. With one or two exceptions, most of my
books begin with a premise, problem or situation, along with some very rough
ideas of who is involved in the story. So you might say that my plot actually
shapes my characters.
HOT SPELL (the book I'm featuring below) actually began with the title. My
publisher asked me for something short and very erotic. I was playing with ideas
and came up with the title, "Hot Spell", which seemed to fit the "very erotic"
requirement. From there, I got the notion of a woman living in the city,
suffering from a spring heat wave, dying to be out in the forest where the air
was cooler and fresher. That in turn led me to the notion that she might
actually be an Elemental - a supernatural creature of the Earth - without
realizing the fact. Then I needed a hero of course, and decided he would also be
an Elemental - a fire Elemental (leading back to the "hot" in the title). As I
worked on the story further (this was before I'd begun to write) I realized the
key conflict could come from his inability to make love to a mortal woman
because he'd incinerate her.
> 3. Do you know how the story will end before you begin? In a general way or a
> specific one?
By the time I begin writing, I normally have a general idea of how the story
will end. I do not do formal outlines in most cases, but I'll usually have at
least a mental scene list. Often I'll add scenes as I go along. I'm definitely
very linear in the way I write. I begin at the beginning and write straight
through to the end, rarely going backwards or rearranging scenes.
I have had cases where the ending shifted away from my original expectations.
This tends to happen more with longer books. I've also had sudden moments of
inspiration as I drew close to completely a story. That actually happened with
HOT SPELL - but I don't want to give away the surprise by explaining just what
that inspiration was!
> 4. Do you choose settings you know or do you have books of settings and plans
> of houses sitting around?
I focus a lot on settings, much more than most romance authors, I think. You
might even say that the setting is an additional character in many of my books.
I tend to set my stories in places I've visited or lived. Since I've done quite
a bit of traveling, that provides a lot of variety LOL. I've written eight full
length novels at this point, set (respectively) in Thailand, Boston, London and
Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Guatemala (actually I haven't been there...yet),
Worcester and western Massachusetts, San Francisco, and India. If you add my
short stories and novellas, the range of settings grows even wider.
For interiors, I tend to use my imagination, drawing from experience of course.
Are there authors who really use books of house plans?
Even if I don't specifically mention where a story is set, I almost always have
a specific location in mind. (That's the case with HOT SPELL.) Someone familiar
with the area might even recognize it. I can't really picture the story events
unless I've located it in space. For one thing, I believe that location strongly
influences culture and hence characters.
> 5. Where do you do your research? On line or from books?
Both. For stories with a historical component, I'll often read entire books just
to get a feeling for the background. For instance, when I was working on my
novel SERPENT'S KISS, which deals with Mayan mythology, I purchased several
scholarly tomes about the Mayans and their monuments, language and world view.
A number of years ago I had an idea for a time travel romance set in the Angkor
Wat period of Cambodia. I bought, and read cover to cover, two or three books
about the period. Fascinating, especially since I'd already visited Angkor.
Somehow, though, I couldn't make get a realistic image of what life was like.
(In all fairness, that was more than a thousand years ago, and much of the
culture was erased by later cataclysmic events in the country.) Ultimately, I
abandoned the project, though I suppose I might revive it at some point.
I'm not crazy about research. Some authors report that they totally get lost in
researching details. That's not me LOL! I just look for what I need.
6. Are you a draft writer or do you revise as you go along and why?
>
I mostly revise as I go along. I know many experts advise against this, but it
seems to work for me. One reason is that I have a fairly limited amount of time
for writing. When I get to the end of a book, I want to know that it's close to
being ready to submit.
Of course I do edit my first "drafts" but rarely do I make serious changes in
plot or sequence. I doubt I modify more than 10-15% of my first draft in most
cases.
============
--
All's fair in lust and business
NASTY BUSINESS - BDSM erotica from Lisabet Sarai
(https://www.amazon.com/author/lisabetsarai)
Get your copy today! http://tinyurl.com/apbhych
Read an excerpt: http://tinyurl.com/azojwmx
Thursday, January 31, 2013
Thursday's Opening Scene from Requiem Murder by Janet Lane Walters #ammystery
Requiem Murder
By Janet Lane Walters
DiskUs Publishing
Chapter 1
Introit
On Groundhog day when Robespierre, my Maine Coon cat, jumped from his place on the window seat, one thought popped into my head. Company. Who? After following him to the kitchen, I watched him push his bulky, brown and black body through the hinged opening at the bottom of the door. Moments later I peered down the dimly lit stairwell. Robespierre had sprawled in the center of the third step and blocked my visitor’s progress.
“Good grief, Katherine, I hope he’s not planning to bite me again.” Edward Potter, pastor of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, glared at the cat. His voice had risen to a high pitch. “Whatever do you feed him? He’s ever so much bigger than Bitsy.”
The temptation to say my pet fed on pastors was strong. I refrained and fought to control a grin that threatened to blossom. Teasing Edward usually results in a lecture delivered in an indignant voice.
With an air of disdain, Robiesperre stretched. His back rippled in a way I envy. Then he slithered around Edward.
When Edward reached the top of the steps, he turned and peered at the cat. “He’s becoming more brazen.”
“Only toward selected guests. He ignores most people.” I turned my head and Edward brushed my cheek with his lips.
Edward is a dapper little man with an ear for gossip and a penchant for turning even the slightest event into a fiesta or a disaster. He’s astute about church politics. The coffers at St. Stephen’s are filled through his ability to cosset and cajole the elderly population of the church, mainly wealthy women. I partially fit the category, being over sixty-five, and while not rich, I’m at least comfortable.
When he entered the sunlit kitchen, the expression on his face announced a problem. He walked into the living room. Unlike most of my guests, he considered chats at the kitchen table for commoners. In the living room, he perched on the edge of a Queen Anne chair, purchased years ago before antiques became the rage. In the past twenty years, stores selling every manner of old things have spread plague-like in the business district of the Hudson River village where I live.
“You’re tense. How about a cup of mint tea?”
“Not all the tranquilizers in the world will calm me. It’s a disaster, a complete and utter tragedy.” His hands fluttered. The words rolled out like a sermon promising hell and damnation. “How will we maintain the quality of the services? Easter will be a disaster.”
My forehead wrinkled. What in the world had stirred him into this state? The last time had been when one of the altar boys had spilled the communion wine. Had there been a fire at the church? A flood? A plague? The strident fire whistles had been silent for days. What had occurred? Knowing a full and dramatic scene would develop, I wanted mint tea.
“I’ll heat the water. Then you can tell me about this tragedy.” Mint tea is my all-purpose remedy, calming nerves and stimulating the mind, bringing alertness or sleep.
I retreated to the kitchen, filled the kettle and stuffed a silver ball with an assortment of dried mint leaves. While the water boiled, I assembled the pottery mugs, sugar and spoons on a wooden tray.
“Why will Easter be a problem?” I set the tray on a Duncan Phyfe table.
“We may have to cancel the season.” He patted his thinning light brown hair.
I swallowed a laugh. “How can we cancel one of the main reasons for St. Stephen’s existence?”
“Are you making fun of me?” His voice rose in pitch. “I’m absolutely serious.” He accepted a mug. “Mary’s husband has been transferred. It’s a disaster.”
I mentally sorted through all the Marys in the congregation and tried to decide which one’s leaving would cause Edward to fall apart. Who had triggered the word of the day? On another level, the need to giggle soared. Perched on the edge of the chair and holding a tea cup with both hands, Edward looked like a child.
“There are about twenty Marys at St. Stephen’s. Which one do you mean?”
“Mary Hensen, our organist. What will our services be like without the organ and the choir? Katherine, you have to help us until we find a replacement.”
Twenty years ago I resigned my position as organist at St. Stephen’s. My husband’s sudden death had left me with a son to raise and enough money to cover three years of expenses. Once I finished my nursing course, my Sunday schedule had passed out of my control.
“Don’t you think I’m a bit old for the job?”
Edward sighed. “I knew you’d say that. I have a list of people who are willing to play, but none of them want to direct the choir. Could you at least try?”
“What have you done about finding Mary’s replacement?”
“I’ve called the Organists’ Guild. They’ll list us in their newsletter. I’ve sent notices to several colleges within commuting distance, but I really don’t want a student. Our music program is something to be proud of and I dread losing our reputation.”
Pride, I thought. “Perhaps there’s a lesson to be learned from this.”
“Perhaps, perhaps, but we must have music.” He put the mug on the tray. “I’d like you to head the search committee. People respect your musical judgment.”
“And the other members?” I’ve reached an age where I don’t have to like everyone and avoiding those who annoy me has become a game. “A search committee is like a family. I won’t spend time with people I dislike.”
“Beth Logan. Judith and Martin Simpson. Ralph Greene. I believe that’s a good balance.”
Beth is a neighbor who is becoming a friend. For several years, we had worked together at the hospital. Last winter when I broke my leg, we had renewed our acquaintance. She volunteered to be my chauffeur on Sundays for church. I liked the young widow and found her six-year-old son charming.
The Simpsons are also neighbors. There’s something strange about their relationship but their fifteen-year-old daughter, Marcie, had been my piano student until she’d grown beyond my ability to teach. With a sigh, I thought of Judith’s frenetic energy and wondered how much I could tolerate.
The fourth member, Ralph Greene, was a man with a superb baritone voice. Though he took music seriously, he wouldn’t cause any problems unless the committee decided on someone musically incompetent.
“Well?” Edward asked.
“You have a committee head.”
“Splendid. We shall rise from the ashes.”
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Wednesday's Writer's Tip - Minor characters #amwriting
We've all read books that have casts of thousands and some with only a few. Each writer must decide how many characters they want to put in their book. When reading How To Write Mysteries by Shannon OCork, she addresses this issue. "We've already figured we don't want any more characters than we can effectively use."
There are minor characters and secondary characters. Not all minor characters are in the story to be given a name, often they have a function, like being a cab driver who gives the main character a bit of knowledge about the area, or the nurse in an ER who hands the doctor instruments. They may only be shadow characters and once they serve their purpose for the scene they are never seen again.
Some minor characters can be used as bridges to connect one action to another. These characters should be used with care and not dwelled on for if they are given too large a role they could take over the story and steer the reader's view away from the main characters.
So remember to choose just enough characters for your story. Sometimes you will need casts of hundreds and sometimes a few. If a minor character tries to take over the story, there is a problem and you must re-think the function of that character and focus on the main characters.We've all had a minor character try to take the role we've given to the hero or the heroins. Tone them down and give them a story of their own.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Tuesday's Inspiration - Stephen King on Imagery
Who better for the 1000th post on my blog than Stephen King. While I seldom read his books since horror chills me, I do admire his ability to build an atmosphere and use imagery to bring the reader into his world.
In an essay he wrote he daid a lot of things about imagery and how to build this into a story. He mentioned a lot of rules that the writer learns over time. The following quote is one that sang to me. Particularly since I tend to be concrete in my writing, at least that was how I began. Hopefully I've grown over the years.
"Imagery does not occur on the writer's page, it occurs in the reader's mind." Imagery isn't concrete descriptions but imagery are those little bits of description that stimulate the reader to build a scene in their heads. Not only descriptions of places but of people. Sort of like this. The was a messy eater. Better would be The meals of a week or even a month stained his shirt. It's that sort of thing that makes the reader sit up and say wow to the picture formed in their head. The great thing about this is no two readers will invision the man or the scene in the same way.
Mr. King has more to say on imagery and I'll be using them to inspire me in the next Tuesday or two.
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