Ugh. Would someone tell me why it's so humid? Why it's the kind of humid where you're sweating as you towel off from a shower, or the kind of humid where the clothes on the line don't dry for hours, or the kind of humid where even the carpet in your house feels damp? Our thermometer reads 88% humidity this AM. Can't it just rain and get it over with, already?
On the brighter side, I am working my way through yet another set of edits for Lost in Paradise, and I have a confession to make: I love this story. Even after reading over it a million times, and revisiting it every few weeks with my editor, I do. It was the first novel I ever wrote, and while it's changed a lot in plotline, my hero and heroine are pretty much exactly the same as when I first conceived them. It's just...it was so easy to write, once I finally sorted out the plot and the conflicts, and I still find all the characters so likable (that's not to say that Mrs. Giggles will agree, but...)
So I'm hoping that readers will feel the same way when it hits the shelves (sometime in mid-late fall, I think). I'm off to fininsh that today and then find a reprieve from the weather (which will include sitting in front of the AC with a tall glass of something cold and yummy, I'm thinking...)
Have a great weekend!
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
TGIF
If you haven't checked out the Tote Bag Contest (above), then make sure you do before Sunday...that's the last day to enter.
AND...I have 2 very exciting contests coming up next week, as part of helping LASR celebrate their grand opening, so make sure to stop back Monday and find out more!!
Friday's Feast
Appetizer
Say there’s a book written about your life. Who would you want to narrate the audio version?
The only person that comes to mind is Emma Thompson...and she's British, so I don't know how authentic that would be. But I do love a British accent, so what the heck. Oh, wait, even better idea: Jude Law, only if I get to look at him while he's recording. :)
Soup
Take the letters from your favorite kind of nut and write a sentence. (Example: Perhaps every avenue needs understanding today.)
Can a seahorse's home ever wiggle?
Salad
If you could go back in time and spend one week in another decade, which decade would you choose?
Pre-Civil War South. Much of the lifestyle and culture goes against everything I believe in, but it's a Gone With the Wind thing: I would have loved to see the plantations stretching for miles, the gorgeous dresses the women wore, and the gentility of the men.
Main Course
Name a song that brings back memories for you.
What song doesn't?? OK, "Lady in Red": I wore a red dress to my senior ball in college, and the guy I was crushing on at the time sang the song in my ear while we danced to it. Sounds a little hokey now, but it was hot, trust me:)
Dessert
Do you prefer to wash your hands in cold water or warm water?
Hot as I can stand it...kill those little germies!
AND...I have 2 very exciting contests coming up next week, as part of helping LASR celebrate their grand opening, so make sure to stop back Monday and find out more!!
Friday's Feast
Appetizer
Say there’s a book written about your life. Who would you want to narrate the audio version?
The only person that comes to mind is Emma Thompson...and she's British, so I don't know how authentic that would be. But I do love a British accent, so what the heck. Oh, wait, even better idea: Jude Law, only if I get to look at him while he's recording. :)
Soup
Take the letters from your favorite kind of nut and write a sentence. (Example: Perhaps every avenue needs understanding today.)
Can a seahorse's home ever wiggle?
Salad
If you could go back in time and spend one week in another decade, which decade would you choose?
Pre-Civil War South. Much of the lifestyle and culture goes against everything I believe in, but it's a Gone With the Wind thing: I would have loved to see the plantations stretching for miles, the gorgeous dresses the women wore, and the gentility of the men.
Main Course
Name a song that brings back memories for you.
What song doesn't?? OK, "Lady in Red": I wore a red dress to my senior ball in college, and the guy I was crushing on at the time sang the song in my ear while we danced to it. Sounds a little hokey now, but it was hot, trust me:)
Dessert
Do you prefer to wash your hands in cold water or warm water?
Hot as I can stand it...kill those little germies!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
A 5-Heart Review and Working on More Edits!
I was thrilled to read my 5 Heart review for One Night in Boston from The Romance Studio!!
"...Ms. Boniface has great talent; her characterizations are wonderfully written, and her plot is fresh and poignant. I confess to the shedding of several tears while reading this book..."
So when I brought myself down from my happy cloud of celebration, I opened my email to find my next round of edits back for Lost in Paradise. Guess I'll be hard at work on those for the next few days.
Meanwhile, enjoy these two animal feel-good videos that were posted to one of my email loops the other day:
Miracle Dog Makes It Out Alive
Dog Adopts Orphaned Kitten
"...Ms. Boniface has great talent; her characterizations are wonderfully written, and her plot is fresh and poignant. I confess to the shedding of several tears while reading this book..."
So when I brought myself down from my happy cloud of celebration, I opened my email to find my next round of edits back for Lost in Paradise. Guess I'll be hard at work on those for the next few days.
Meanwhile, enjoy these two animal feel-good videos that were posted to one of my email loops the other day:
Miracle Dog Makes It Out Alive
Dog Adopts Orphaned Kitten
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Writers' Wednesday: How and Where to Find Story Ideas
Welcome to Writers' Wednesday! OK, here's the thing: many writers have no trouble thinking of ideas for their books and stories. They come up with plotlines on a regular basis; they create other worlds and original characters that clamor for attention.
I am not one of these writers.
When I first began writing novels, I had ideas for 3 plotlines. That was it. I had no idea how prolific writers could simply come up with new stories year after year. In the last few years, I’ve gotten a lot better at developing my creativity, though I still will never be the kind of writer who has 10+ stories floating around in her mind at any given time.
Here are some ways and places I’ve used to get ideas for stories...
1. Writing prompts – I don’t use them as often as I should, but there are a plethora out there. Google "writing prompts," and you'll find a number to get your creative juices flowing.
2. Driving long distances – I’ve come up with the majority of my novel ideas while I’m driving, usually through lonely countryside where I can’t tune in a radio station. Maybe the silence and mindlessness let my subconscious work. I don’t know.
3. Reading the newspaper – There are so many crazy headlines in the paper every single day (“Man Throws Terminally Ill Wife Off Balcony,” “Naked Felon Found Floating in River,” “Pet Terrier saves Family of Thirteen from Certain Death”). Truth is stranger than fiction, indeed – so use it to create a crazy story of your own!
4. Listening to the radio – Again, I love hearing news stories that make you say “huh?” (“Orthodox Teens Caught Drinking in Short Skirts”) but I also love listening to song lyrics and thinking of ways they could translate into stories.
5. Exercising – I run and walk a lot, so again I think the mindlessness, and probably the rhythm of the physical activity, frees up my creative side to work. I do the “what if” game a lot when I run.
6. Dreaming – Yes, I’ve gotten story ideas from weird dreams as well. Usually it’s just a character’s face, or emotional reaction, or a fragmented sentence that sticks with me, but I always write those things down when I wake up. That’s why I tell aspiring writers to keep a pen and paper beside their beds.
OK, now share: where do your ideas come from??
I am not one of these writers.
When I first began writing novels, I had ideas for 3 plotlines. That was it. I had no idea how prolific writers could simply come up with new stories year after year. In the last few years, I’ve gotten a lot better at developing my creativity, though I still will never be the kind of writer who has 10+ stories floating around in her mind at any given time.
Here are some ways and places I’ve used to get ideas for stories...
1. Writing prompts – I don’t use them as often as I should, but there are a plethora out there. Google "writing prompts," and you'll find a number to get your creative juices flowing.
2. Driving long distances – I’ve come up with the majority of my novel ideas while I’m driving, usually through lonely countryside where I can’t tune in a radio station. Maybe the silence and mindlessness let my subconscious work. I don’t know.
3. Reading the newspaper – There are so many crazy headlines in the paper every single day (“Man Throws Terminally Ill Wife Off Balcony,” “Naked Felon Found Floating in River,” “Pet Terrier saves Family of Thirteen from Certain Death”). Truth is stranger than fiction, indeed – so use it to create a crazy story of your own!
4. Listening to the radio – Again, I love hearing news stories that make you say “huh?” (“Orthodox Teens Caught Drinking in Short Skirts”) but I also love listening to song lyrics and thinking of ways they could translate into stories.
5. Exercising – I run and walk a lot, so again I think the mindlessness, and probably the rhythm of the physical activity, frees up my creative side to work. I do the “what if” game a lot when I run.
6. Dreaming – Yes, I’ve gotten story ideas from weird dreams as well. Usually it’s just a character’s face, or emotional reaction, or a fragmented sentence that sticks with me, but I always write those things down when I wake up. That’s why I tell aspiring writers to keep a pen and paper beside their beds.
OK, now share: where do your ideas come from??
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Catch and Release
So I saw this movie over the weekend. It wasn't exactly what I expected (I was thinking light and fluffy romantic comedy, but it was actually much more serious in spots), but I did enjoy it overall.
Mostly, I enjoyed watching the character development and the varying conflicts that built up the romance. If you haven't seen it, and you're a writer (especially a romance writer), it's a good study in how and when to introduce conflicts between your H/H and raise them until you get to your black moment.
There's one character and subplot I wasn't completely convinced of, but other than that, it was an enjoyable view. Here's the trailer, for a bit of rainy Tuesday entertainment. Anyone else seen the movie? Like it or hate it?
Mostly, I enjoyed watching the character development and the varying conflicts that built up the romance. If you haven't seen it, and you're a writer (especially a romance writer), it's a good study in how and when to introduce conflicts between your H/H and raise them until you get to your black moment.
There's one character and subplot I wasn't completely convinced of, but other than that, it was an enjoyable view. Here's the trailer, for a bit of rainy Tuesday entertainment. Anyone else seen the movie? Like it or hate it?
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Unconscious Mutterings
Well, I'm going out of town for a day or so to visit family, so no blogging tomorrow. Be sure to check back Tuesday for something witty and oh-so-interesting, though!
Until then, here are my Unconscious Mutterings (the words are kind of tough this week!)
Until then, here are my Unconscious Mutterings (the words are kind of tough this week!)
- Darling :: My Darling, My Hamburger
- Majesty :: The King and I (remember that great love story??)
- Pebble :: Stream
- Fate :: Destiny
- Instant :: Messaging (which I don't even use, but which is ruining my students' writing and spelling abilities)
- Screen :: Television
- Unplugged :: Eric Clapton
- Dairy :: Farms
- Benefactor :: Sugar Daddy
- Market :: This little piggy went to market...
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