Writers;' Wednesday: Some Reviews for You

OK, as I promised, reviews of the books I had a chance to read over the weekend, thanks to flights and long layovers:

I Know It's Over (C.K. Kelly Martin) - Fantastic YA about a teen pregnancy - told from the first person POV of the 16 year old boyfriend. It's beautifully written, heartbreaking in places, and a great, true look at teen romance from an unconventional standpoint. You rarely see the unexpected teen pregnancy told from this perspective. Highly recommended!

Colters' Woman (Maya Banks) - Menage romance (and 1st in the Colters' Legacy series) by a super-successful Samhain/NY author. I hadn't read anything by Maya and wanted to, so I'm glad I picked this one up. I'm going to admit that I found it a little hard to get into - young, blonde, beautiful virgin becomes the love partner to 3 brothers with little to no adjustment to her new lifestyle. Hmm. However, Maya's works are hugely popular, esp. this series, so if you're an erotic romance lover and haven't read any of the Colters' Legacy series, start here.

The Help (Kathryn Stockett) - OK, this isn't a review (yet) because I only read the 30-page free sample I downloaded to my Nook, but I do think I'll go ahead and buy the whole thing. The voice of the servant really hooked me from the opening pages, and I've heard a lot of good things about this historical fiction piece set in the 1960s south.

So there you have it. A pretty eclectic collection, I know, but I have pretty varied tastes. Happy reading!

Monday Mentionables: Some Good Reads

Hi everyone! I've been away for a few days, which means a little neglect of my blog...sorry. BUT I did have a chance to do some good reading on my recent flights, and I'll be back later on to share those with you. Until then, happy reading and writing!

Writers' Wednesday: A Word of Caution about Online Courtesy

I'm pretty sure I've said it before, but it bears repeating: be kind and civil in cyberspace. Please. As more and more of us socialize, do business, and conduct a lot of our lives online, the habits and the courtesies you do (and don't) extend to others will definitely follow your name and online presence.

Why am I talking about this? Recently, on a loop I belong to, one member repeatedly called out other members for not participating, not carrying their weight, etc. In a snarky tone. To me, this is simply uncalled for. People participate in online social networking in a variety of ways and to a variety of extents. What one member can contribute may not come close to what another can. Yet the negative attitude is uncalled for, regardless. There is no faster way to turn off people in your social group/work group/etc. than to convey a nasty tone online. And remember that because people can't see your face or hear your tone of voice, they can't tell if (or whether) you're being sarcastic.

Many (most) of you out there are Internet savvy when it comes to communicating with others, I know. And 95% of the social interaction I see is positive and wholly supportive, especially in my various author groups and loops. But every once in a while, temper or attitude creeps in, and then all too soon the conversation takes a turn for the worse.

Please, please, please don't be that person. Consider your words carefully before you post them online for all to see. It's too hard to take them back after you hit "Send."

Monday Mentionables: The Winner!

Congrats to Harlie Reader, who won last week's drawing to receive one of my ebooks. One Night in Memphis will be coming your way!

Happy Monday, everyone. Prayers to all those affected by the earthquake in Japan - such a terrible tragedy that always makes you realize how much we are at the mercy of Mother Nature and this planet.

Writing for the Ebook Market

In honor of Read an Ebook Week, it's worth mentioning again that ebooks and ereaders have made their way into the mainstream these last couple of years, which is great news for writers as well as for readers. The latest issue of Romance Writers Report, in fact, had a couple of great, informative articles on just that area.

"Put On Your Shorts" talks about how to write a novella and then how to choose a publisher for one. (Tips I found most helpful: simplify the premise; keep secondary characters to a minimum; consider giving the hero & heroine history, so they'll already know each other; write short chapters; tie every event to ONE main problem.)

"Deciding on a Digital Publisher" gives some great advice as well, about sorting through the myriad digital presses out there and choosing one that fits your needs, background, and genre.

Finally, I found the article "Is It Time to Hire a Virtual Assistant?" really interesting. I didn't even know what a virtual assistant was (someone who can help you with your organization/communication/social networking/etc) basically online, from anywhere. While they don't come cheap, it's something to think about if you're strapped for time and still trying to write and publish and market on a regular basis. The website of the International Virtual Assistants Association looks like a good place to start.

Happy writing! Remember that I'll be choosing (at random) one winner from this week's comments to receive his/her choice of one of my ebooks ~ I'll be announcing that on Monday!

E-Readers Abound!

So we have a new security guard at work. I teach in a satellite building, away from the main school campus, and we have a whole two floors and about 15 teachers. Quiet, to say the least. So Jim, the guard, spends most of his time...reading on his Kindle.

The secretary in the building, who loves all things technological (and gets a new cell phone about once a year) spends her down time/lunch break...reading on her Nook.

One of my fellow writers and beta readers recently gave me feedback on my latest novel draft...after reading the file on her Kindle.

Recently, I flew to Florida for a little sunshine and to visit my mom. Brought along 5 books to read...on my Nook.

And the local librarian, who has a regular column in the local paper, wrote a lengthy piece last week...about her Nook.

Yes, you guessed it: in honor of Read an Ebook Week, I'm mentioning e-readers and their growing popularity. I was in the waiting room of a spa last month and saw a young teen, maybe 14 years old, reading on a Kindle while she waited for her mother to come out. At least 3 of my students have an e-reader, and all of them have read at least one of my books on them. The younger generation, is easier to win over; they're used to reading things on screens. The older generation, most of them anyway, prefers their hands on paper (I do too, I'll admit it).

But there's no denying the fact that e-readers have found their way into the mainstream, and I don't think there's any looking back now. Question: do you own one? If so, how much do you use it/like it? If not, would you ever consider getting one?

(**Don't forget that you can also win your choice of my ebooks this week by leaving a comment on any blog, telling me which you'd like to have and why)

Monday Mentionables: Win an Ebook Week!

Hey everyone, it's Read an Ebook Week! That's right, there's an actual week devoted to ebooks - and in case you didn't realize it, the first ebook was actually created 40 years ago! For more cool info about ebooks, click here.

And to help celebrate this week, I'll be giving away a free ebook to one person who leaves a comment between now (Monday) and Friday at midnight. All you have to do is tell me which of my ebooks you'd like to win, and why! If you're not sure, they're all linked over there on the right sidebar...take a few minutes and then let me know.

I'll also be chatting on the Samhain Cafe Tuesday night and giving away one of my ebooks - hope to see you there!

Writers' Wednesday: First Lines

The February issue of Writer's Digest was (as always) chock-full of good articles on craft, success stories, interviews, etc. But the one I found the most helpful was the one on first lines. We agonize over them, revise them, abandon them, pretend they don't matter as much as they do. Bu ultimately, the first line of anything we write is the hook that will (or won't) pull the reader to the next sentence, and the next page, and...well, you get the idea.

Many, many people have talked about what a first line should do. This article, "Better Starts for Better Stories", touched on a lot of the standbys, many of which are worth mentioning again:

*Resist the urge to start too early (one of the best pieces of advice).
*Small hooks catch more fish than big ones (or, hook 'em and then pull like crazy in the opposite direction).
*Start with a mystery.
*Keep talk to a minimum (interesting, since many people will tell you to begin with dialogue. but be careful - you don't want to lose your readers either, and they won't have a clue who's talking from the get-go).
*Introduce your voice.
*Establish a mood.
*Go with a classic (yes, like "Once upon a time" or a close variation)

Some "classics" they quoted, again worth quoting here:

"Call me Ishmael." (Moby Dick)
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." (Pride and Prejudice)
"I am an invisible man." (Invisble Man)
"Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful." (Gone With the Wind)
"Lolita, light of my life, fire of my loins." (Lolita)
"It was a pleasure to burn." (Fahrenheit 451)
"It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn't know what I was doing in New York. (The Bell Jar)

And if you want to read more, here's a Top 100 website that's kind of fun to peruse...

I've both agonized over first lines and, fortunately, had a couple that sprang to me fully formed and never changed. Of the 5 books I've written, these 2 have my favorite first lines - and interestingly, they really never changed from the moment I wrote them.

"Get out!" shouted Dakota James as she threw Sean McCabe's jeans - her favorite pair, she noted bitterly, faded in all the right places - across the room. (from One Night in Memphis) - I think this one works because it immediately sets up the conflict that drives most of the plot: a breakup, fiery and laced with reluctance.

Grant Walker knew it was going to be a long day when he woke up and couldn't remember the name of the woman lying next to him. (from One Night in Napa) - I think this one works because Grant's playboy personality (and how it both gets him in trouble and ultimately changes) is a major focus of the plot.

So...what are your favorite first lines, either ones you've written or ones you've read - and why do you think they work so well?

Monday Mentionables: My Week of Reading, in Review

Back from a week's vacation! Since I spent some time last week flying to Florida (and waiting in airports), I loaded up my Nook and treated myself to some good reads. Among those I enjoyed:

All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins - As I may have mentioned before, I've had the good fortune to meet Kristan a couple of times. Not only is she a talented writer (she's won the RITA twice), but she's a super-nice, funny, warm person as well. But! On to the book...

If you're a writer and unsure of how to create or connect story arcs, look no further than anything by this author. Kristan Higgins is superb at winding together major and minor plotlines and characters. All I Ever Wanted is no exception, with a funny, self-deprecating, slightly overweight heroine who'll do anything to win back the man of her dreams (until, she realizes, that he really isn't, and that good-looking but disdainful guy at the DMV actually is). Funny, touching, and with some great minor characters, I HIGHLY recommend this read.

The Dirty Life by Kristin Kimball (apparently it was a "Krista/in" sort of month for me...) - This one's a memoir by a Harvard grad who's living a "Sex in the City" sort of single life until she interviews a farming entrepreneur from Pennsylvania and falls in love with both him and the farming life. They marry and move to (way) upstate NY, where they start a farm that eventually becomes a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) now serving 100+ community members. She's a talented writer and spends A LOT of time describing both the food they grow and cook (my mom actually made 2 of her recipes, they're that specific) and the labor involved in running a farm, even a so-called "small" one. Really an interesting and inspiring read.

Finally, I read a few short stories for LASR as a reviewer (nope, keeping those anonymous) and came to this conclusion: I'm not crazy about stories where the hero and heroine fall into bed because they simply can't resist each other and then, a few pages later, fall in life-long love for apparently the same reason. Folks, even if it's a short story, there has to be a believable reason 2 people are drawn together and STAY together for the long run, besides the fact that the sex is incredibly hot. Just saying.

So...anyone have any good book recommendations for me?

Friday Fun Facts: From a Man's Perspective

“Women still remember the first kiss after men have forgotten the last” ~Remy de Gourmont

The nice thing about having male friends is that occasionally you can call on them to give you the man's perspective in relationships. Yes, I do often ask my husband for that POV, but believe it or not, not all men are created the same, and they do think and act differently. Plus I think my male friends can be a little more honest because, you know, they don't have to live in the same house with me!

Anyway, I asked one of my friends what a guy thinks about (besides the obvious) when he's first getting to know a woman. This was his response:

He replays every thing he has said in his mind, wondering if he might have said anything "wrong". He thinks about what he should have said to make himself sound more (the things she likes) intelligent, more or less aggressive, more in tune to her. He thinks about the things she has done, said, worn, and smiled at and imagines future situations where he can recall them, knowing these things are pleasing to her in such a way to generate a smile. He wonders if it is real? He thinks about the things in his past that have generated pain in other relationships and does his best to avoid them. He thinks about her flaws and imagines whether or not they are big enough to prevent going further. He wonders if he should wait to call her or if she will call him. he thinks about what it is he can do to impress her, but not in a way to seem too forward. He thinks about his flaws and wonders if she will like him once she is made aware....

Kind of poetic, huh? And lots of information there for a writer to draw upon, too. Seriously, talk to your friends when you're carving out relationships: male, female, young, old, straight, gay...there's such a wealth of experience and advice out there you can draw upon!

Writers' Wednesday: The Brenda Novak Auction!

It's almost time for the annual Brenda Novak Auction! This is a fantastic event organized by a NY Times best-selling author to raise money for juvenile diabetes research. Every year there are some amazing items up for auction, for readers and writers alike. My local RWA chapter is putting together a basket of signed books/author critiques, and I'll make sure to post the link when it's up. The auction runs from May 1st through May 31st, so you definitely have time to think about donating an item. Writers, if you haven't donated, consider doing so this year. The auction supports a great cause AND allows you a terrific promo opportunity as well.

You can find out more information here.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

All Hallmark commercialism aside, today is a perfect day to tell your loved ones how much you care about them. I know, we should do this every day, but we forget, don't we? So take the opportunity today and under the guise of Valentine's Day, spread some love to your friends and family.

And maybe buy a romance novel or two while you're at it! There are some great ones out there...

I love this song, and it's perfect for today. Have a wonderful Valentine's Monday!

Writers' Wednesday: Some Random Thoughts and a Helpful Blog Post

Some random thoughts today:

I really like the covers over at Carina Press (Harlequin's new ebook imprint). Check them out - really lovely.

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At my last book signing, a woman brought in her Kindle for Cat Johnson, one of my fellow romance authors, to sign. Times, they are a-changin', huh?

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And finally, for all your writers out there (or readers interested in one of the painful parts of seeing a book to its final stage, copyediting), here's a great blog post by fellow Absolute Write author Stacia Kane. She talks in detail about copyediting and includes a number of her own edited pages, scanned in FYI. Thanks Stacia!

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Happy reading and writing, everyone!

Monday Mentionables: Finished!

Finally finished (the 5th draft of) Entwined, the contemporary romance I've been working on for about 18 months now. Hoping this will be the last big push, because if not, it's getting put away for a long time. Maybe forever! This latest version is 12,000 words shorter than earlier ones and has one less sub-plot and one less minor character. When I think back about where this story started, it's been through so many changes! You definitely learn as a writer every time you tackle a new story, and some are definitely easier to write than others.

Anyway, one of the conventions I kept throughout every draft of this book was the idea of poetry - the poems are central to the story and to some of the characters' identities. Wrote the last one last night and thought I'd share it with you. I'm pretty happy with the way it turned out :)


It is you, finally, that I have
Found to make me strong, to make me whole, and on
This night even the stars sing down and make me want
To draw my life with you in a thousand different colors. It is now,
I find, I cannot live in this world alone. My existence means nothing if I
Cannot share it with you. You are the other part of me, the part I lost when the sun
First rose, when the universe shattered and separated all souls. I have spent a lifetime
Searching for the one who completes me. No more. You are here, we are one, my love – entwined .

Friday Fun Facts: It's February!!

In the coldest February, as in every other month in every other year, the best thing to hold on to in this world is each other. ~Linda Ellerbee

Five fun facts about February, just because:

1. February is, of course, the shortest month of the year, with 28 days until Julius Caesar gave it 29, and 30 days every four years. According to tradition, Augustus, the Roman emperor, took one day off to add one day to August, the month named after him. We now have February with 28 days, and 29 on leap years.

2. As a result of being only 28 days long (usually) it's the only month that can pass without having a single full moon.

3. The Supreme Court of the United States met for the first time on February 1, 1790.

4. The flower of this month is a violet or sometimes a primrose and the birthstone is amethyst (which represents sincerity).

5. My sister turns 37 this month!! Happy birthday sis!!

Writers' Wednesday: A Massive Storm and a Contest...Both of Which Inspire!

So tell me: how is this massive storm affecting YOU? Unbelievable, the range and volume of it. Here, we're onto our second snow day. Yesterday it snowed until early afternoon, with probably about 8" total accumulation. Then, around 9:00 at night, the lightnsleet began. Sometime overnight that must have gotten worse, because it woke me up, against the house. Today we're supposed to get ice and snow all day.

I have a friend who was supposed to fly out to Hawaii yesterday morning - she made it, barely! And now she is drinking mai tais in Maui, lucky thing.

Here's a contest for both Readers and Writers. You can submit your manuscript starting now, and each week beginning in March readers can vote on excerpts from their favorites. Sort of like an "American Idol" type advancement process, I think, through June. Winning manuscripts will receive editor critiques from Carina Press, and readers can win ebooks every week! Sounds like fun, right? Here's the link.

Now I have to go check the fire and assess the food situation in the fridge (I'm blaming outr Norwegian exchange student, by the way - she spent most of December wishing for snow :) After that, I'll hunker down and write...now I have 2 good reasons to do so!

Writers' Wednesday: ROOM by Emma Donoghue

Just a quick post today, to share the latest book I'm reading, one that I highly recommend, though I'm only 1/3 of the way through: ROOM by Emma Donoghue. The voice of the main character, 5-year old Jack, is terrific. If you haven't read it yet, you should - and if you HAVE read it, what did you think?

To five-year-old-Jack, Room is the world....

It's where he was born, it's where he and his Ma eat and sleep and play and learn. There are endless wonders that let loose Jack's imagination-the snake under Bed that he constructs out of eggshells, the imaginary world projected through the TV, the coziness of Wardrobe beneath Ma's clothes, where she tucks him in safely at night, in case Old Nick comes.

Room is home to Jack, but to Ma, it's the prison where she's been held since she was nineteen-for seven long years. Through her fierce love for her son, she has created a life for him in that eleven-by-eleven-foot space. But Jack's curiosity is building alongside her own desperation—and she knows that Room cannot contain either indefinitely....

Told in the inventive, funny, and poignant voice of Jack, Room is a celebration of resilience-and a powerful story of a mother and son whose love lets them survive the impossible

“Donoghue’s Jack is precocious but entirely believable; his passage out of cloistered innocence more universal than you might think….As for Ma, parents everywhere will relate.”
—People Magazine, 3 ½ out of 4 stars, “People’s Pick”

“Though the story's chilling circumstances reflect the horrors endured by tabloid-famous abductees, Donoghue avoids all sensationalism. Instead, she gracefully distills what it means to be a mother — and what it's like for a child whose entire world measures just 11 x 11.”
—Entertainment Weekly, grade A-

“… Seen entirely through Jack's eyes and childlike perceptions, the developments in this novel--there are enough plot twists to provide a dramatic arc of breathtaking suspense--are astonishing… And while Donoghue…brilliantly portrays the psyche of a child raised in captivity, the story's intensity cranks up dramatically when, halfway through the novel and after a nail-biting escape attempt, Jack is introduced to the outside world. While there have been several true-life stories of women and children held captive, little has been written about the pain of re-entry, and Donoghue's bravado in investigating that potentially terrifying transformation grants the novel a frightening resonance that will keep readers rapt.”
—Publishers Weekly (starred)

Monday Mentionables: Upcoming Author Appearances

Happy Monday everyone! I have a few upcoming appearances to share:

For my local friends, I'll be signing books with a few other romance authors at the Borders in the Galleria Mall on Saturday, January 29th, from 2-4 pm.

I'll also be on a Sweet Romance panel at the Authors After Dark Conference in Philadelphia in August - more details to follow.

And finally, I've just signed up for the Brooklyn Book Festival in September! I'll be at a table with other romance authors - more details to follow.

As always, I keep my appearances listed over on the right sidebar - please stop and say hi if you're ever in the same place I am!

Writers' Wednesday: Be Persistent, Always

"Writing a book is an adventure. To begin with, it is a toy and an amusement; then it becomes a mistress, and then it becomes a master, and then a tyrant. The last phase is that just as you are about to be reconciled to your servitude, you kill the monster, and fling him out to the public." ~Winston Churchill


If there is one piece of advice I give new writers, it's this one: be persistent, and develop a thick skin. That second bit is especially important when it comes to hearing the words "No" from an editor, agent, or even reviewer, but it's also important when that voice comes from inside your own head.

What I mean is that it's really important to keep going, keep trying, and if necessary, write and rewrite no matter how many times it takes to get the story right. Most of you know I've been working on my contemporary romance novel Entwined for about a year now. It's messy because it has a few different plot lines and a twist that can't be revealed until precisely the right momet - and I've been having a really tough time putting it all together.

This weekend I got about 3/4 of the way through my 4th draft when I realized, yet again, that certain elements weren't working.

So I stopped. Opened a new draft. Eliminated a huge plot point that I think has been getting in the way, and now I'm on draft #5. Yes, true. Sigh. It's been frustrating for me, I won't lie. And this may end up being a story that doesn't ever find publication. There are some like that. Still, I'm not ready to give up on it just yet. I think Summer's Song ended up with about as many drafts, and it was about 8 years from first draft to final print publication.

So, new writers, stay strong when your manuscript takes a turn (or many turns) for the worse. Be patient with your characters. Call on your beta readers to help you. And hang in there.

Monday Mentionables: A Day of Remembrance

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, here's his great "I Have a Dream" speech. It's definitely worth watching/listening to. Enjoy & be inspired :)