Angela Kay Austin

Character Inspiration

2012-02-15T19:49:00.000-05:00

Brian Austin Green, actor

Kiss Kiss Kiss

2012-02-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Ahhh Valentine's Day. What is it that makes you love (or hate) the day so much? I am like so many others, I've had my fragile love affair with V-Day.

Whether single or in a relationship (depending on where I am in a love affair,) I've attended the all black affairs, had the ladies' night out, curled up on my sofa with my lover, or just watched a movie with a bottle of wine.

But, why does Valentine's Day hold such an elite place in all our hearts?

Historically, the significance and origin of Valentine's Day is a bit scrambled to say the least. Depending on which tale you choose to believe, maybe the day birthed from the tales of Chaucer, or they mark the history of one of the several historical figures (that can be found) who carried the name Valentine at a point in history that fits with the timeline of the holiday. Who knows, the day has been added and removed from calendars throughout history.

What makes us treasure: hearts, birds, red, white as it relates to Valentine's Day?

Does this look familiar:

The rose is red, the violet's blue,

The honey's sweet, and so are you.

Thou are my love and I am thine;

I drew thee to my Valentine...

(I thought I thought of this as a kid..BRILLIANT! No, Gammer Gurton Garland, or any one of a number of poets before or after him who loved this particular form of poetry.)

Share some of your beautiful Valentine's Day poems with me. I'd love to read them.

Rules for writing fiction

2012-02-06T14:20:00.000-05:00

As written for The Guardian by Hilary Mantel, novelist and short story writer.

1 Are you serious about this? Then get an accountant.

2 Read Becoming a Writer, by Dorothea Brande. Then do what it says, including the tasks you think are impossible. You will particularly hate the advice to write first thing in the morning, but if you can manage it, it might well be the best thing you ever do for yourself. This book is about becoming a writer from the inside out. Many later advice manuals derive from it. You don't really need any others, though if you want to boost your confidence, "how to" books seldom do any harm. You can kick-start a whole book with some little writing exercise.

3 Write a book you'd like to read. If you wouldn't read it, why would anybody else? Don't write for a perceived audience or market. It may well have vanished by the time your book's ready.

4 If you have a good story idea, don't assume it must form a prose narrative. It may work better as a play, a screenplay or a poem. Be flexible.

5 Be aware that anything that appears before "Chapter One" may be skipped. Don't put your vital clue there.

6 First paragraphs can often be struck out. Are you performing a haka, or just shuffling your feet?

7 Concentrate your narrative energy on the point of change. This is especially important for historical fiction. When your character is new to a place, or things alter around them, that's the point to step back and fill in the details of their world. People don't notice their everyday surroundings and daily routine, so when writers describe them it can sound as if they're trying too hard to instruct the reader.

8 Description must work for its place. It can't be simply ornamental. It usually works best if it has a human element; it is more effective if it comes from an implied viewpoint, rather than from the eye of God. If description is coloured by the viewpoint of the character who is doing the noticing, it becomes, in effect, part of character definition and part of the action.

9 If you get stuck, get away from your desk. Take a walk, take a bath, go to sleep, make a pie, draw, listen to music, meditate, exercise; whatever you do, don't just stick there scowling at the problem. But don't make telephone calls or go to a party; if you do, other people's words will pour in where your lost words should be. Open a gap for them, create a space. Be patient.

10 Be ready for anything. Each new story has different demands and may throw up reasons to break these and all other rules. Except number one: you can't give your soul to literature if you're thinking about income tax.

Voices from the Heart

2012-01-27T14:40:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to drop by Voices From the Heart on the 27th to read my latest post.

Author Call for Romancing the Pen

2012-01-27T13:52:00.002-05:00

2012 is here, and Romancing the Pen's author line-up for the new year is open and FREE to all authors!

If you have a book, blog, or appearance that you'd like to discuss and promote, contact Angela for more information about appearing on Romancing the Pen. Join authors like: Denyse Bridger, LaVerne Thompson, Meredith Bond, Kelly Abell, Roseanne Dowell, Ginger Simpson, Rachel Brimble, Kim Smith, Nana Malone, and more. Visit Romancing the Pen to see the full list of previous guests.

And Romancing the Pen is a Goddess Fish blog tour partner!

Your appearance will be promoted via approximately 30 listservs, Angela Kay Austin's newsletter, blog, website, FaceBook, and Twitter pages.

Happy New Year!

Conquering your fears...

2012-01-25T20:46:00.000-05:00

What does it mean?

Does it mean to completely eradicate any and all apprehension you may have at the simple of thought of something? Or does it mean to peacefully exist with that slightly irrational piece of yourself? Is it even irrational?

Lots of people fear:
-heights
-water
-public speaking
-the dark

Me...what is my fear you ask? Bridges. There was a time when I thought they were beautiful...truly architectural wonders. Then, there was a time when I preferred to look vs. drive over them. Then, it turned into only driving over them at night.

Now, it's freaking maddening. The idea of driving over one a year from now would have me researching ways to avoid driving over it ;-) I simply don't understand where it came from.

Fast forward, for work, I had to drive from Tennessee to Arkansas. In order to do that, I had to drive across this...

...and not at night!

So, as I researched flights, trains, buses, etc. I really took a look at myself, and wondered just how far I was willing to go to avoid driving over that freaking bridge.

Finally, I decided that was a far as I would go. Why spend hundreds of dollars on anything, when I could simply hop in my car and go. Did I mention that the train would take 10 hours, and that it cost $300 one way! By car, two hours and a tank of gas.

I threw my suitcase in the car, grabbed my phone, and headed for that $#@! bridge!

Have you ever in life felt like something literally crawled up your leg, slinked up your back, and some way wormed it's way into your heart, and slowly squeezed?

Well, I have, and it's not fun...not at all.

But, happy dance time, I FREAKING DID IT! YES YES YES. And not only did I do it once...I did it TWICE!

I haven't conquered it, but...it hasn't conquered me!

Have you ever had to fight against a crippling fear? (I hope you won.)

One day I will...

2012-01-20T09:10:00.000-05:00

Save up enough money to actually be able to afford something in Ginza (Tokyo).

Congratulations Michelle!

2012-01-16T23:52:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone who hopped along with us on Friday, January 13th!

I hopped along with you because there were so many great authors, and I wanted to reacquaint myself with a lot of them. Some were new to me and, of course, that made my "to be read" list grew!

I don't know why, but that freaking list never seems to go down. Every time one drops off, there are so many more added.

At the moment, I'm going through a non-fiction phase, so it might take me a while to get through the backlog on my Kindle!

But, anyway, that brings me to my announcement...

The winner of the Kindle from the Friday, January 13th blog hop is...Michelle Bledsoe!

Congratulations Michelle! Thank you for hopping along with us, and joining in on the fun.

Character Inspiration

2012-01-15T08:09:00.000-05:00

Dwayne Johnson, movie actor and wrestler

Blog Hopping Friday

2012-01-13T13:17:00.000-05:00

Blog Hoppers...

If you're staring at the big eyeball in the other post, I guess you're asking yourself..."What is Angela doing?" Yeah, yeah, I know. I don't write horror, but this blog hop is made up of authors from all genres, so I guess you'll just have to hop along to meet us all, and get to know a little more about us all.

If you dropped by my site before you began the hop, start here:

I hope that you will drop by my contest page to enter my January contest!

If you've clicked through the other sites, click the button below for your next stop.

Friday, January 13th Blog Hop

2012-01-10T23:28:00.000-05:00

Rules for writing fiction

2012-01-06T14:06:00.000-05:00

As written for The Guardian by A.L. Kennedy, novelist.

1 Have humility. Older/more experienced/more convincing writers may offer rules and varieties of advice. Consider what they say. However, don't automatically give them charge of your brain, or anything else – they might be bitter, twisted, burned-out, manipulative, or just not very like you.

2 Have more humility. Remember you don't know the limits of your own abilities. Successful or not, if you keep pushing beyond yourself, you will enrich your own life – and maybe even please a few strangers.

3 Defend others. You can, of course, steal stories and attributes from family and friends, fill in filecards after lovemaking and so forth. It might be better to celebrate those you love – and love itself – by writing in such a way that everyone keeps their privacy and dignity intact.

4 Defend your work. Organisations, institutions and individuals will often think they know best about your work – especially if they are paying you. When you genuinely believe their decisions would damage your work – walk away. Run away. The money doesn't matter that much.

5 Defend yourself. Find out what keeps you happy, motivated and creative.

6 Write. No amount of self-inflicted misery, altered states, black pullovers or being publicly obnoxious will ever add up to your being a writer. Writers write. On you go.

7 Read. As much as you can. As deeply and widely and nourishingly and irritatingly as you can. And the good things will make you remember them, so you won't need to take notes.

8 Be without fear. This is impossible, but let the small fears drive your rewriting and set aside the large ones until they behave – then use them, maybe even write them. Too much fear and all you'll get is silence.

9 Remember you love writing. It wouldn't be worth it if you didn't. If the love fades, do what you need to and get it back.

10 Remember writing doesn't love you. It doesn't care. Nevertheless, it can behave with remarkable generosity. Speak well of it, encourage others, pass it on.

Snoopy Happy Dance!!!

2012-01-05T23:20:00.002-05:00

Give Me Everything is a story idea that came to me in bits and pieces, literally. After having a conversation with a close male friend about his divorce, this story was born.

So often we look at the relationships from women's point of view, very rarely from inside of the man's head. Kendis Washington spoke very loudly to me. But, the love of his life spoke a little more softly. After I took time to get to know her, I understood why. She was afraid to love again, of course. But, not because she didn't want love because it had hurt her and left an ugly scar.

I hope that readers will enjoy this book as much as I loved writing it. It made me cry, and it made me laugh. I think it will touch your heart.

Blurb: He’d sat on top of the world... the perfect woman, a daughter, and a job that made his father proud. Now, Kendis was divorced, and his daughter wasn’t really his. At least, he has a good job...at Brady and Associates, the firm that sends him to Maryland for their client, Eastover. Eastover, one of Maryland’s largest commercial real estate developers, is on a mission to take over older, outdated malls.

She’d been through the wringer in her personal life, and now LaKia thinks the only thing she can control is her career as Marketing Director for a small commercial real estate company. She’d always wanted marriage and children like her best friend has... but she’s given up on ever finding her own Mr. Right.

Until Kendis. He gave her everything, and she gave it right back.

Available from Vanilla Heart Publishing!

Voices from the Heart

2011-12-27T08:37:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to drop by Voices From the Heart on the 27th to read my latest post.

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-25T14:27:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays!!!

Christmas' Journey!

2011-12-22T06:30:00.000-05:00

It's here! Please drop by Red Rose Publishing's Twelve Days of Christmas, and purchase your copy of my first holiday release.

Blurb: Christmas Davis wanted to give something back to the community she loved. But, that opportunity was lost to her. Although won by another, would his ambitions allow him to help those in need?

Presley Marino knew she might say no, but she was the only person he wanted. Together, they could change things in the hometown they both loved. That part would be easy, but convincing her and his brother wouldn’t.

Would they allow an uneasy history to silence a need for change, or would they force a new beginning?

One day I will...

2011-12-20T08:08:00.000-05:00

Take my very own hand-made gondola ride.

Red Rose Publishing's Twelve Days of Christmas Releases

2011-12-19T14:19:00.000-05:00

I know I've been buzzing about it for awhile now, but it's almost here! My very first holiday release!!!

This short story touches my heart because it deals with a lot of what's happening today in America. Everywhere we turn, there continues to be reports of foreclosures, abandoned homes, their impact on their communities. Without the people living in those communities continuing to believe in the "American Dream," the values of the homes still standing in these affected communities would continue to fall.

In Christmas' Journey, I take a look at one woman's attempt to make a difference.

Blurb: Christmas Davis wanted to give something back to thecommunity she loved. But, thatopportunity was lost to her. Although won by another, would his ambitions allow him to help those in need?

Presley Marino knew she might say no, but she was theonly person he wanted. Together, theycould change things in the hometown they both loved. That part would be easy, but convincing herand his brother wouldn’t.

Would they allow an uneasy history to silence a need forchange, or would they force a new beginning?

And don't forget to drop by Red Rose Publishing to take a look at these new releases for the Twelve Days of Christmas...

December 19

Under the Mistletoe by Vanessa Alexander Johnson
A Medieval Yule by Kay Manro

December 20

A Very Kinky Christmas by Michelle Cummings
Love Lifted Me by Jen a Galifany

December 21

A Master for Christmas by Aline de Chevigny
The Figgy Pudding Disaster by Jennie Andrus

December 22

Secret Santa by Destiny Wallace
Christmas' Journey by Angela Kay Austin
Kids and Christmas by K. D. Manasco

December 23

A Devil for Christmas by Jennifer Mueller
Sweet Surrender by Marilyn Lee
Christmas Blus by K. T. Bishop

Character Inspiration

2011-12-15T10:48:00.000-05:00

Timothy Olyphant, movie and television actor

Rules for writing fiction

2011-12-06T14:05:00.000-05:00

As written for The Guardian by PD James, novelist.

1 Increase your word power. Words are the raw material of our craft. The greater your vocabulary the more effective your writing. We who write in English are fortunate to have the richest and most versatile language in the world. Respect it.

2 Read widely and with discrimination. Bad writing is contagious.

3 Don't just plan to write – write. It is only by writing, not dreaming about it, that we develop our own style.

4 Write what you need to write, not what is currently popular or what you think will sell.

5 Open your mind to new experiences, particularly to the study of other people. Nothing that happens to a writer – however happy, however tragic – is ever wasted.

Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors

2011-12-03T09:12:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to drop by Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors for the chance to read FREE romance stories by some of your favorite authors! Every Saturday!

And of course, for the opportunity to win some fabulous prizes!!!

Voices from the Heart

2011-11-27T08:36:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to drop by Voices From the Heart on the 27th to read my latest post.

One day I will...

2011-11-20T11:05:00.000-05:00

Sip a glass of wine at an outdoor neighborhood cafe...right next door.

Character Inspiration

2011-11-15T07:45:00.000-05:00

Gary Dourdan of "CSI Las Vegas"

Rules for writing fiction

2011-11-06T13:50:00.000-05:00

As written for The Guardian by David Hare, playwright.

1 Write only when you have something to say.

2 Never take advice from anyone with no investment in the outcome.

3 Style is the art of getting yourself out of the way, not putting yourself in it.

4 If nobody will put your play on, put it on yourself.

5 Jokes are like hands and feet for a painter. They may not be what you want to end up doing but you have to master them in the meanwhile.

6 Theatre primarily belongs to the young.

7 No one has ever achieved consistency as a screenwriter.

8 Never go to a TV personality festival masquerading as a literary festival.

9 Never complain of being misunderstood. You can choose to be understood, or you can choose not to.

10 The two most depressing words in the English language are "literary fiction".

Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors

2011-11-05T09:10:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors for the chance to read FREE romance stories by some of your favorite authors! Every Saturday!

And of course, for the opportunity to win some fabulous prizes!!!

Feel For Lumps, Check Your Bumps

2011-10-29T21:05:00.002-04:00

In honor of my grandmothers, my mother and I walked with thousands of others in the annual Memphis installment of the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure!

Find a race near you!

Donate!

Voices from the Heart

2011-10-27T08:33:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Voices From the Heart on the 27th to read my latest post.

One day I will...

2011-10-20T10:01:00.000-04:00

Watch other people walk on it :-)

Blogging at Coffee Time Romance

2011-10-19T11:25:00.000-04:00

I'm blogging all day over at Coffee Time Romance's Coffee Thoughts.

I've chatted several times at CTR, and loved it! This time, I'm doing something a little different, and I hope that you guys will pop by and join me for a few hours.

Character Inspiration

2011-10-15T08:42:00.000-04:00

Morris Chestnut, movie and television actor

Rules for writing fiction

2011-10-06T13:44:00.000-04:00

As written for The Guardian by Neil Gaiman, short story writer and novelist.

1 Write.

2 Put one word after another. Find the right word, put it down.

3 Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.

4 Put it aside. Read it pretending you've never read it before. Show it to friends whose opinion you respect and who like the kind of thing that this is.

5 Remember: when people tell you something's wrong or doesn't work for them, they are almost always right. When they tell you exactly what they think is wrong and how to fix it, they are almost always wrong.

6 Fix it. Remember that, sooner or later, before it ever reaches perfection, you will have to let it go and move on and start to write the next thing. Perfection is like chasing the horizon. Keep moving.

7 Laugh at your own jokes.

8 The main rule of writing is that if you do it with enough assurance and confidence, you're allowed to do whatever you like. (That may be a rule for life as well as for writing. But it's definitely true for writing.) So write your story as it needs to be written. Write it honestly, and tell it as best you can. I'm not sure that there are any other rules. Not ones that matter.

Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors

2011-10-01T09:09:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors for the chance to read FREE romance stories by some of your favorite authors! Every Saturday!

And of course, for the opportunity to win some fabulous prizes!!!

Voices from the Heart

2011-09-27T08:32:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Voices From the Heart on the 27th to read my latest post.

A Talk With Author, Writing Coach, and Editor Smoky Trudeau Zeidel

2011-09-17T14:14:00.000-04:00

When it comes to writing, is it better to study it, try it, dream of doing it...what?

I think you feel it, dream of it, want it, study it, and try it. I've always loved all things creative. There are many days, as a child, I sat mesmerized by music, TV, theatre, or just stared into a painting trying to find every subtle nuance I could.

I read everything put in front of me as a child. I wrote poetry, and entered contests. I never won anything, and I think it dissuaded me a little. Somewhere along the line, I made the decision to jump back into it again, and entered college with a strong desire to study theatre. That led me to a few bit parts (non-credited) on television shows. Quickly, I decided that maybe I was more the radio/TV person, and I pursued and obtained a degree in communications.

I loved every moment I spent in radio and television, but my desires changes and so my direction changed, and again I pursued another degree...this time in marketing. After accomplishing that goal, I worked in the business world for years.

Only after being laid-off did I really begin to take a look at all the twists and turns in my life, and wonder...why I never went after a degree in writing. Why had I stopped writing? -- my first love.

Join me at Romancing the Pen, as I discuss writing with Smoky Trudeau Zeidel.

Here's more about Smoky...

Smoky Trudeau Zeidel is the author of two novels:On the Choptank Shores and The Cabin; short stories, and twononfiction books especially for writers: Front-Word,Back-Word, Insight Out and LeftBrain, Write Brain, 366 Writing Prompts and Exercises; and a photo/essaycollection about the beauty of the natural world, Observations of an Earth Mage, all from Vanilla HeartPublishing. She has published short stories and poetry in literaryjournals such as CALYX and online e-zines such as TheFoundling Review, and was a 2003 Pushcart Prize nominee. She was thelead editor for Vanilla Heart Publishing’s 2010 Nature’s Gifts anthology.

Finally succumbing to her bohemian spirit and need to livenear the mountains and the ocean, Smoky moved to Southern California in 2008,where she lives with her husband and daughter in a ramshackle cottage in thewoods overlooking the San Gabriel Valley and the San Gabriel Mountains beyond.An ardent outdoorswoman with a deep reverence for nature, when she isn’twriting, she spendsher time hiking in the mountains, camping in the Sierras,splashing in tidepools, and fighting the urge to speak in haiku.

Character Inspiration

2011-09-15T11:39:00.001-04:00

Idris Elba, movie and television actor

From Volunteer to Author

2011-09-10T18:13:00.001-04:00

Over the past week, more and more, the news has shown us the images and sounds of 9/11. Sights and sounds that created fear, anger, and sadness in me 10 years ago. But, now, those images have begun to dim in my mind.

Old movies started my love affair with New York, I attended college in DC, and I lived in Pennsylvania. So, 9/11 touched my life on many many sides.

As I sit here, in a local coffee shop in TN, and count the number of police cars passing by my window, I can not begin to imagine the levels of heightened security elsewhere in the country. And the sights and sounds that had dimmed are fresh and vivid. The paranoia that consumed so many of us feels almost as strangling, now.

What would we do without the men and women who walk invisibly beside us every day protecting our ability to let the images we don't want to remember fade?

This week, my guest at Romancing the Pen, Nancy Lennea discusses a little bit about volunteering and how she worked as a 9-1-1 operator on 9/11 (maybe I can get her to visit again, and tell us more.)

Visit Romancing the Pen to read more about how Nancy's experiences as a volunteer shaped her new release from Red Rose Publishing - Love to the Rescue.

Here's more about Love to the Rescue:

The clashingrelationship between tomboy Josie Miller and fellow paramedic-firefighter, Pete Thayer, escalates after he realizes Joe is not just one-of-the-boys. Pete has asketchy history and has earned a reputation for one-night stands in the smalltown of Parmenter, New Hampshire nestled between the Mercy River, themountains, and the state college. Since he arrived a year ago, Josie suspectshe is hiding something. Something too horrible to share, even with her. Workingside by side, Joe loves her job, and Pete.

They respond toaccident calls, medical emergencies, and fast-moving forest fires amid sparksof another kind. Joe’s clumsiness and baggy uniform work against her when sheyearns to be the kind of woman Pete wants like the pretty blonde they mustrescue after her car hits a moose.

Outsideinfluences come to play when the sister of Pete’s alleged victim shows up andaccuses him of something even worse…her sister’s recent death. Once on track tobe a doctor, the sister’s betrayal and lies caused Pete to run far away andkeep women at a distance unless they agreed to share his bed…and nothing more.

Pete plans toskip town while Josie worries she has given her heart to a monster. His bossand the local police back off and he professes his innocence to Joe. Afterkissing her senseless, she lets him into her bed until her bothers intervene.Both keep an eye on Pete. A suicide note, some well-landed fists, stolenmoments of love, and a desire to listen to their hearts lead these two heroestoward a climax filled with tension, pain, bloodshed, and atonement.

Rules for writing fiction

2011-09-06T13:38:00.000-04:00

As written for The Guardian by Esther Freud, novelist.

1 Cut out the metaphors and similes. In my first book I promised myself I wouldn't use any and I slipped up during a sunset in chapter 11. I still blush when I come across it.

2 A story needs rhythm. Read it aloud to yourself. If it doesn't spin a bit of magic, it's missing something.

3 Editing is everything. Cut until you can cut no more. What is left often springs into life.

4 Find your best time of the day for writing and write. Don't let anything else interfere. Afterwards it won't matter to you that the kitchen is a mess.

5 Don't wait for inspiration. Discipline is the key.

6 Trust your reader. Not everything needs to be explained. If you really know something, and breathe life into it, they'll know it too.

7 Never forget, even your own rules are there to be broken.

I miss this type of story being told in Hollywood

2011-09-04T23:36:00.002-04:00

Okay, I know I'm late, but OMG The Help. This movie reminded me of why I first fell in love with story telling.

The ability to evoke emotion. To bring someone into your world. To have someone care about the characters in your story.

There aren't many stories that have moved me like this one: Imitation of Life, Children of Men, Rosewood, Passion of Christ are a few.

I was born and raised in Tennessee. As I watched the story, I remembered all of the reasons why I left Tennessee. As a child, although not to the degree captured in The Help, Tennessee was divided. What as white was white, and what was black was black. And everyone else had to pick.

I remember my mother pointing out walled up doors or fountains in the back of stores as she told me of how there was a time when blacks had to use them.

When I left Tennessee, I wasn't sure if I'd ever come back, but for all it's faults, I have to admit, I love the south. The majority of the people I've met in the south are kind and generous.

But, like anything, there are still a few small minded folks out there who strongly hold onto old world thoughts. This story: Mississippi hate killing is an extremely sad example.

Movies like The Help remind us of our past, and hopefully will stop us from making the same mistakes again. People, in so many small ways, can be quietly strong. And their strength can help power change.

I absolutely loved this movie, and the song "The Living Proof" was a beautiful way to end the movie.

Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors

2011-09-03T09:08:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors for the chance to read FREE romance stories by some of your favorite authors! Every Saturday!

And of course, for the opportunity to win some fabulous prizes!!!

Voices from the Heart

2011-08-27T08:31:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Voices From the Heart on the 27th to read my latest post.

One day I will...

2011-08-20T09:58:00.000-04:00

Touch one. Will it bite?

Best and worst bestselling authors?

2011-08-18T19:04:00.004-04:00

Thursday, Aug 18th: Who, in your opinion are the best and worst bestselling authors out there in the market and why? Question provided by affiliate author Amy Romine.

Wow. Never expected this one. But, honestly, for me, there probably isn't a worst bestselling author. There are authors whose voice, writing style, or genres don't interest me. But, that just means the stories don't work for me.

Recently, there have been a string of YA novels turned into movies and television series. With one, the movies proved to be more interesting than I originally believed they would be, but with another...I believe there was one book too many. With yet another, neither the books nor the movies captured my attention, fully.

I absolutely loved the Sookie Stackhouse series of novels. Virtually gobbled them up. You would think I wouldn't like the cable series, but I loved it, too. Although it has it's own identity, which continues to pull away from the book series.

So, I guess, I don't believe there is a such thing as worst bestselling, but some of my favorite best bestselling authors are: Jeaniene Frost, Charlaine Harris, Zora Neale Hurston, Toni Morrison, Terry McMillan, and so so many others.

Why?

The answer to that one is simple enough...they tell stories I want to read.

Character Inspiration

2011-08-15T07:37:00.002-04:00

Hill Harper of "CSI NY"

OMG!-The value of sitting a manuscript down and walking away

2011-08-07T07:14:00.001-04:00

How do you feel when you finish a manuscript? Excited? Empty? Relieved? What?

Me? Well, I think I feel a little of all of these, plus some. But, one thing for certain...after I finish a manuscript, I usually ship it off to my critique partners, and rest until I have their critiques.

Then, I sift through crit after crit, use some and throw some away.

At the moment, I'm editing two pieces. One of those pieces is a novella, which I let sit for quite a while.

Wow! I can't believe the things that both my critique partners and I missed.

When I first began to use critique partners, I'd write a few chapters, ship it off to them, get those pages back, review and incorporate their suggestion (well, some of them,) and ship those pages off again. The process, for me, did not work. Unfortunately, this poor ms fell into that pool of mss.

The better process for me is to finish the piece, do a basic round of edits while the characters are still fresh, then send it to my critique partners. Then, when I receive their feedback it's on the whole ms vs. pieces of it. Also, I don't bog them down with numerous re-reads of the same pages, and I get the complete crit I need to make the story better.

Forgetting the character and story, and becoming reacquainted with them has allowed me to find ways to deepen the characters and story.

What is your process for editing?

Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors

2011-08-06T09:07:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors for the chance to read FREE romance stories by some of your favorite authors! Every Saturday!

And of course, for the opportunity to win some fabulous prizes!!!

Rules for writing fiction

2011-08-06T03:45:00.001-04:00

As written for The Guardian by Johnathan Franzen, novelist.

1 The reader is a friend, not an adversary, not a spectator.

2 Fiction that isn't an author's personal adventure into the frightening or the unknown isn't worth writing for anything but money.

3 Never use the word "then" as a conjunction – we have "and" for this purpose. Substituting "then" is the lazy or tone-deaf writer's non-solution to the problem of too many "ands" on the page.

4 Write in the third person unless a really distinctive first-person voice offers itself irresistibly.

5 When information becomes free and universally accessible, voluminous research for a novel is devalued along with it.

6 The most purely autobiographical fiction requires pure invention. Nobody ever wrote a more autobiographical story than "The Metamorphosis".

7 You see more sitting still than chasing after.

8 It's doubtful that anyone with an internet connection at his workplace is writing good fiction.

9 Interesting verbs are seldom very interesting.

10 You have to love before you can be relentless.

Voices from the Heart

2011-07-27T08:30:00.001-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Voices From the Heart on the 27th to read my latest post. This month, I'm discussing the remake of the classic fairy tale.

This is an interesting topic for me because I don't really know how I feel about it. On one hand, I'm a part of the camp that asks "Why can't we write something new?" On another, I question turning something for children into something very adult. And then on yet another, I like removing some of the old stereotypes of the damsel in distress waiting on her "hero." Too many hands, I know :-)

So, where do I stand on this issue? You'll have to visit Voices From the Heart to find out. And while you're there, tell me what you think.

Free Read @ Truly Madly Deeply Romance Authors

2011-07-24T13:52:00.004-04:00

Twenty-six writers of various genres have all joined together. Truly Madly Deeply Romance Authors allows us to have a little fun with our writing through contests, giveaways, and free reads.

Every Saturday, you'll be treated with a new never before seen piece from one of the member authors!

My first FREE READ, based on Monica's beautiful song "Love All Over Me", is posted. Today would be a great day to sit back with a glass of sweet tea or lemonade, and read my post, as well as, any of the other wonderful posts the authors have waiting for you!

Here's the blurb for my "Love All Over Me".

Tamara Blanden lost the love of her life in an accident. An accident she couldn't control or change. She made a promise that she didn't keep. Jerome Blanden knows he is the reason she won't keep it. But, he will correct his mistake. And Michael Armstrong will help him. Even if he doesn't know it, yet.

If you had to write yourself as a character what would you be like?

2011-07-21T12:45:00.004-04:00

QUESTION: If you had to write yourself as a character what would you be like, what kind of book would you be in (go nutz.) Question provided by affiliate author Amy Romine.

I have thought about this before; I've even had people ask me point blank if any of my characters are based on me or my life (of course, the answer is no.) Well, not exactly. They are based on things I've heard, seen, care about, would love to do, etc. And physically, I normally base my characters on: actors/actresses, musicians, etc.

But, if I absolutely had to :-) I guess my character would be a woman who definitely was strong minded, which would help to make her successful in business, or whatever she pursued, but also creative. A woman who had found a magical way to balance career and family. Able to lunch with girlfriends, and travel the world with her man and children. Her stories would be filled with passion for family, travel, and food. With perhaps a little hint of the magical. Why magic? Because why not :-) What would her superpowers be? Part Storm (X-Men), Wonderwoman, and maybe a little Catwoman. That's right...Catwoman!

One day I will...

2011-07-20T09:54:00.001-04:00

Go to the place Bogie made famous!

Have you ever fallen in love with one of your own characters?

2011-07-16T22:19:00.004-04:00

My guest this week on Romancing the Pen, Brien Michaels, discusses his love affair with his heroes.

I have to admit...I have taken a slight fancy to one or two of mine. Also, one of my favorite authors, has a male vampire hero that simply makes my knees melt. Love him!

I would love to cast a magic spell that would make him float off of the pages of one of her books. Yea, baby!

Check out what Brien has to say at Romancing the Pen this week.

Blurb (and cover art unofficial):

The Mayans had it right. The apocalypse began on December 21, 2012, but the world slipped into darkness in a way even the most pessimistic of doomsdayers could never have foreseen. The Earth’s population had been flourishing as usual, but in the blink of an eye, it was cut by more than half. By the morning of December 22, every female on the planet was dead.

In a world with no women, what are the men to do? Some swear off sex forever. Some take their own lives. But some turn to the remaining men, desperate for sexual contact. Eduardo Harvelle is one of those men, but when he meets Lincoln James on board The Miracle, a cruise ship promising to take the two of them as well as dozens of other men to meet the last woman in existence, his entire perspective changes.

Character Inspiration

2011-07-15T11:34:00.002-04:00

Benjamin Bratt, movie and television actor

IMRR Bookclub

2011-07-15T09:30:00.000-04:00

When I made the decision to throw my heart into my writing, and jump off the sidelines,one of the first groups I was introduced to was IMRR Bookclub by a friend and author. At that time, our home was on multiply.com.

The authors there shared information, techniques, war and success stories, and more. It was an introduction to writing that I truly treasured, and never forgot. I carry the comradery I received there with me, and try to give back to others I meet in the same manner.

Here are a few more of the specifics for you directly from IMRRBookclub.com.

In February 2001, IMRR Bookclub (originally Interracial Multicultural Romance Readers) was formed as a gathering place for readers of interracial and multicultural romance in response to the increasing number of romance books featuring Black, Latin and Asian heroines in relationships that crossed racial and cultural boundaries, much like the readers purchasing those books.

A short time later, RICH Writers, IMRR’s sister group for aspiring authors of interracial and multicultural romance was created to foster and support those interested in pursuing a career in romance.

IMRR Bookclub and RICH Writers celebrates the authors of Interracial and Multicultural romance whether their genre is contemporary romance, Christian fiction, erotica, paranormal romance or everything in between and the readers who love and support them.

Visit IMRR Bookclub for more details.

What good are blogs for brand name building?

2011-07-14T14:06:00.004-04:00

QUESTION: Do blogs or serializing your novel on line really help build your brand name? Question provided by Alternative-Read Affiliate author Wendy Woods.

Okay, I'm going to answer this question from a few angles: reader, writer, and marketer.

Reader: I love the connection I get when I stumble upon any information about authors, actors, musicians I love. And when it comes from "them," I treasure it even more. When I can interact with it, OMG!, I am in heaven. I feel like part of their entourage!

Writer: Because I know how it affects me as a reader, I attempt to provide my readers with the same connection I love and crave. I want them to know what spurred story ideas, to know when a new piece will be available, to let them know what else is going on--in general, beyond my writing.

Marketer: Social media, series, free reads, contests, etc. are great tools for developing new inventive ways to connect with and maintain relationships with readers, other authors, and potential publishers.

It is a way to strengthen readers knowledge of you and creating a bond, but there's also the chance that they won't like you. There is a delicate balance.

How do you really feel about e-publishing?

2011-07-11T06:30:00.001-04:00

Join me July 11th, as I guest blog at Chick Lit Writers of the World about a subject that always gets me going.

e-Publishing and eBooks.

Before I was e-published, I don't think I really thought once about buying a book electronically. When I made the decision to submit to an e-publisher, I read everything I could about it.

But, it wasn't until after my books were released that I truly understood what it meant, and how people felt about it. Authors, readers, friends, and family.

Drop by Chick Lit Writers of the World's blog, and let me know what you think about it.

Rules for writing fiction

2011-07-06T03:40:00.001-04:00

As written for The Guardian by Richard Ford, novelist and short story writer.

1 Marry somebody you love and who thinks you being a writer's a good idea.

2 Don't have children.

3 Don't read your reviews.

4 Don't write reviews. (Your judgment's always tainted.)

5 Don't have arguments with your wife in the morning, or late at night.

6 Don't drink and write at the same time.

7 Don't write letters to the editor. (No one cares.)

8 Don't wish ill on your colleagues.

9 Try to think of others' good luck as encouragement to yourself.

10 Don't take any shit if you can possibly help it.

Stop aspiring and just be

2011-07-04T08:02:00.000-04:00

This July 5th, author Amanda Arista drops by Romancing the Pen to talk about her love for writing, and her journey to becoming a published author.

Blurb: Violet Jordan thought the fairy tales her mother wove were just a way to get Violet to sleep, not a way to prepare her for the apocalypse she is the key to preventing. When she becomes a midnight snack for werepanther Spencer Haverty, his infectious bite invokes the first element of her destiny. When Violet’s budding instincts allow her to save a boy’s life, she realizes this new gig may come with perks: a slimmer figure, the attention of a handsome Guardian, and insights into her future embedded in her mother’s stories. But as push comes to claws, can Violet make the fatal strike against the men threatening her new family, her new home and her first boyfriend in ages?

Amanda is giving away a $25 Amazon or B&N gift certificate! Visit Romancing the Pen on July 5th for more information about how you can win.

Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors

2011-07-02T09:06:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors for the chance to read FREE romance stories by some of your favorite authors! Every Saturday!

And of course, for the opportunity to win some fabulous prizes!!!

Voices from the Heart

2011-06-27T08:29:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Voices From the Heart on the 27th to read my latest post.

For Leslie Esdaile...

2011-06-24T21:57:00.005-04:00

The romance community has come together to help support the fundraising efforts of the family of Leslie Esdaile. You may know her as LA Banks.

One of the reasons, I love writing for Red Rose Publishing is because it has authors like LA Banks. In my mind, I thought...hey, I could have a career like hers. She's written for everyone: Dafina, Arabesque, Genesis Press, Pocket Books etc. She's even penned a graphic novel.

With so much respect in the writing community, she's even had the opportunity to introduce the President of the United States, Barack Obama.

Please visit Leslie Banks' Auction site for more details on how you can contribute to this effort, and the Leslie Esdaile Fund. You could also visit her website, or Red Rose Publishing for more opportunities to donate.

The disappearing pieces of my childhood

2011-06-24T07:53:00.000-04:00

Recently, I saw a brief story on CNN about the ten brands that will disappear in 2012. The list included: Sears, Sony Pictures, American Apparel, Nokia, Saab, A&W All-American Foods Restaurants, Soap Opera Digest, Sony Ericsson, MySpace, and Kellogg’s Corn Pops.

As a child, I think my parents took my brother and me to Sears for something or another every weekend. And if we needed an electronic appliance for anything, it was definitely purchased from Sears. They had the best guarantees and warranties around.

Do you remember when everyone had to have a Nokia phone?

Corn Pops. Wow, my brother and I would eat one box in a couple of days because we loved them so much. It was delicious and sweet. And our parents would let us eat it! We didn't have to beg for it.

MySpace. How did they lose so much ground so quickly to their competition? But, I have to admit, I don't even use my MySpace page any longer.

What does all of this mean?

When I have children, will anything from my childhood exist? Will I need to take my children to a museum to show them the things I grew up with?

Will they look at me in total amazement, and say "Huh. You actually had to hold your phone it, wasn't combined with your televisions?"

One day I will...

2011-06-20T08:46:00.001-04:00

See Dentro de los Jameos del Agua for myself.

This photo of Spain is courtesy of TripAdvisor

What do the holidays really mean?

2011-06-20T07:02:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was Fathers' Day. What did it mean to you? For that matter, what do Mothers' Day, Valentine's Day, or any other holiday mean?

Every holiday, I find myself running around like crazy trying to figure out what to do? What to buy?

I saw a fabulous repeat of Frasier the other day. It was all about their father's birthday, and how the two of them try to "out do" each other year after year. To the point of driving themselves absolutely crazy.

Because I was recently laid off, my parents support and love has been so invaluable that the holidays don't seem to be big enough for me. There is no way I can repay them for all they've done for me over the past year.

Dinner at a five star restaurant or the neighborhood dinner seem comparable. A movie and a play are not exciting enough. Nothing is good enough.

Then, with the sweetest sincerity, my father doesn't seem to care. But, instead, is perfectly content with being surrounded by family: wife, children, and grandchildren. And neckbones. Do you know what neckbones are? Something I haven't eaten in nearly fifteen years or better.

Wow. Is life really that simple? Family. Good friends. Southern food.

Maybe that's why I love to write Romance. To indulge in the simplicity of life.

Tell me about your holiday.

Electronic Book Club Extras

2011-06-19T22:35:00.003-04:00

I'm excited to announce that the companion cookbook for Sweet Victory is now available from Vanilla Heart Publishing!

There are all other sorts of goodies, too: bookmarks, recipe cards, ebook club discussion questions, etc.

For more information visit Angela Kay Austin's Books or Vanilla Heart Publishing's EBCE!

What are you goals for scene setting as an author?

2011-06-19T03:48:00.003-04:00

This week on Romancing the Pen author Chelle Cordero shares with us why she has great passion for research and setting the scene for her readers.

Hyphema: Bleeding in the eye caused by trauma… Matt Garratti, a paramedic from New York, moves his wife and son to North Carolina to work at his dream job as a flight medic. Pakistani born Sudah, his wife, receives frosty stares and insensitive comments from their new neighbors. Before long, Matt wonders if he is pursuing his dream or bringing his family into a nightmare from which they may never wake.

Drop by Romancing the Pen, and tell us what you think!

Character Inspiration

2011-06-15T09:29:00.003-04:00

Adam Rodriguez of "CSI Miami"

Great fan fiction

2011-06-11T21:21:00.004-04:00

This week on Romancing the Pen, Vila SpiderHawk drops by to share with us a great piece of fan fiction.

With this short piece, she introduces us to Klaus one of the characters in her novel Forest Song: Little Mother available from Vanilla Heart Publishing.

Blurb: Forest Song: Little Mother continues the narration of Judy Baumann's adventures in the woods from the Vila SpiderHawk novel Forest Song: Finding Home. In this volume, Judy reluctantly moves from her teacher's house into a home of her own. She helps the forest denizens hide Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany and in the process finds a new way to relate to her mother, learns to count on and honor her powers, rescues a friend from Dachau, and discovers sexual love. She also learns to cope with loss and to go on in spite of disappointment. In the end she becomes a mother in an unconventional way. A story of trial and healing, this is a beautiful tale of a young woman s coming of age.

Drop by Romancing the Pen to meet Klaus and Vila!

Rules for writing fiction

2011-06-06T03:35:00.001-04:00

As written for The Guardian by Anne Enright, essayist and novelist.

1 The first 12 years are the worst.

2 The way to write a book is to actually write a book. A pen is useful, typing is also good. Keep putting words on the page.

3 Only bad writers think that their work is really good.

4 Description is hard. Remember that all description is an opinion about the world. Find a place to stand.

5 Write whatever way you like. Fiction is made of words on a page; reality is made of something else. It doesn't matter how "real" your story is, or how "made up": what matters is its necessity.

6 Try to be accurate about stuff.

7 Imagine that you are dying. If you had a terminal disease would you finish this book? Why not? The thing that annoys this 10-weeks-to-live self is the thing that is wrong with the book. So change it. Stop arguing with yourself. Change it. See? Easy. And no one had to die.

8 You can also do all that with whiskey.

9 Have fun.

10 Remember, if you sit at your desk for 15 or 20 years, every day, not counting weekends, it changes you. It just does. It may not improve your temper, but it fixes something else. It makes you more free.

Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors

2011-06-04T09:05:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors for the chance to read FREE romance stories by some of your favorite authors! Every Saturday!

And of course, for the opportunity to win some fabulous prizes!!!

Alternative-Read's Thursday Author Blog Hop

2011-06-02T07:28:00.001-04:00

THIS WEEK'S AUTHOR BLOG HOP QUESTION FOR THURSDAY, JUNE 2nd IS ABOUT: Writing scenes(Part One): How would you define a 'twist'? Do you use a twist in every scene or just at the end of the book? Question provided by affiliate author L. P Robinson (Part two is next week!)

I discussed this with a writing friend, and I think for me, it depends on what I'm writing.

I don't write thriller/suspense, as a norm. But, I think in certain types of writing twist after twist, is expected and encouraged. I think they add to the "tension" of a suspenseful thriller, similarly so in horror, paranormal, etc. The author leads you in one direction, and then snatches that safety net from up under you, and sends you in a completely different direction.

My plots will definitely have twists because I don't want to reader to figure out how or when or why things are going to happen, even if they think they know what will happen. But, perhaps, not as many as other genres.

My "voice", the way I tell a story, dictates my plot twists.

Voices from the Heart

2011-05-27T08:28:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Voices From the Heart on the 27th to read my latest post.

What influences your decision to buy? Cover? Blurb?

2011-05-26T03:00:00.004-04:00

QUESTION: Put on your reader's hat. When shopping for a book, what do you look at to help you make a decision whether or not to purchase? How important is the cover art compared to the blurb?

Question provided by affiliate author Ginger Simpson.

I debate this with friends and other writers often because, personally, as a reader, the first thing I do is read the back cover blurb. Then I flip it over and read the opening scene of the first chapter. The cover art is probably the last thing I check. Of course, all of this goes out of the window if it's an author that I love. Then, I just pick it up blindly...hoping that this one is as good as the last one :-).

Recipes by a "foodie," who is not a chef

2011-05-25T23:10:00.009-04:00

Eating, for me, is incredibly pleasureable. I absolutely love the smells, anticipation, and first bite. And dread the last one. Whether in a five star restaurant, a good friend or family members home, or a hole in the wall...if the food is good, then I am there.

For my book, Sweet Victory, a thread of the story involves cooking. I did a ton of research in preparation for it. As a result, I did a lot of "at home" testing. Burned a lot of pots. Definitely gained a few pounds.

I am not a chef by any stretch of the imagination, and I can affirm that it almost never looks like the picture...unless it's one from Rachel Ray's television show. She is my hero. Are there words that adequately describe Anthony Bourdain?

I'm working on some companion pieces for my book Sweet Victory, and let's just say I firmly respect every one that's ever baked a buttery silky sweet potato pie or grilled shrimp without drying it out. And exactly how do you get fish not to stick to aluminum foil when it's grilled? How many ways can you cook scallops?

I have a new found respect for the amount of patience, creativity, and artistic ability it takes to plate a wonderful meal that makes you want to come back for seconds!

How do you pick a hero?

2011-05-21T23:22:00.003-04:00

You know, I thought about this the other day because one of my friends was told his hero was not likeable enough. But, I thought his hero was appropriate for "his" story. I felt he'd written the true account of that man's struggle.

I've written attributes for heros that I thought people may disagree with, and so, I scrubbed them. Which made me sad because I knew no one would ever see those characters. But, now, I think differently. I stay to the character as it unfolds, and I let them tell "their" stories. I think one day someone will discover some little jewel neatly tucked away on one of my computer hard drives.

Drop by Romancing the Pen this week. Mary Abshire visits with me, and tells us how she came up with her hero and why.

Blurb Catching An Evil Tail:

Half-demon Jessie Garrett wants to live a normal life among her friends and keep her soul catching ability a secret, but supernatural creatures keep popping up in her world. Adding to her struggles, her vampire lover remains out of the country, and when he offers no valuable explanation as to why he hasn't returned, she wonders if she should move on without him.

As if Jessie doesn't have enough worries on her mind, the demon yearning to seduce her shows up at her home. She longs to liberate herself from the debt she owes him, and when he asks for her help, she jumps at the chance to make a new deal with him—one that will guarantee her freedom. The only catch? She has to send the soul of a werewolf to hell.

Love, trust, and loyalty are on the line. Torn between her feelings for her vampire boyfriend, a hot Alpha wolf, and a demon vowing to protect her, Jessie must figure out her heart's true desires.

Does coordinating my wardrobe make me geek?

2011-05-13T20:59:00.003-04:00

Okay, does the fact that I love this t-shirt, and want a matching hat and socks make me the biggest geek around?

Maybe no one should answer this question :-)

Coming Soon from Vanilla Heart Publishing!

2011-05-07T18:57:00.012-04:00

Okay, so I've been sitting on this news for a minute, but for those of you that receive my newsletter you found out about this recently.

Vanilla Heart Publishing has contracted my short story, Scarlet's Tears, and my novella, Sweet Victory!

Scarlet's Tears is available in Kindle version from Amazon.

When you lose everything you love, how are you supposed to believe it won't happen again?

The knife at her throat didn't frighten Scarlet Anderson. In fact, it was a relief. Finally, she didn't have to worry any longer about living another empty day. She'd be reunited with the ones she loved.

Joshua Davis had faced a lot of challenges in his life, his faith and the love of his family had seen him through his latest battles. But...no person could help him now. How had he managed to fall in love with someone who'd stopped loving herself? And what was he supposed to do?

For her employees, Victoria James quits her job to save theirs. That decision loses her the man she thought she loved. And sends her to back to Memphis, TN with everything she owns to face a neglected and forgotten relationship with her grandfather.

Everything she has is stolen. Chad Kirkpatrick, her childhood love, the first man to break her heart, now a police officer, comes to her aide.

Can she move forward, and put her past behind her? Will Chad forgive her?

Coming Soon from Vanilla Heart Publishing!

News stories, Festivals, and Nightmares

2011-05-07T16:55:00.002-04:00

My guest, this week, on Romancing the Pen discusses just how she uses the world around her in her books.

I thought it was funny that she says one of her t-shirts reads "…Be Careful or you might wind up a character in my novel." Because I tell people that all of the time. I am quick on the draw...to take a picture of something so that I won't forget the details. Everything around me is fair game!

Please drop by, and share with us your thoughts!

Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors

2011-05-07T09:04:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors for the chance to read FREE romance stories by some of your favorite authors! Every Saturday!

And of course, for the opportunity to win some fabulous prizes!!!

Rules for writing fiction

2011-05-06T03:32:00.001-04:00

As written for The Guardian by Geoff Dyer, author.

1 Never worry about the commercial possibilities of a project. That stuff is for agents and editors to fret over – or not. Conversation with my American publisher. Me: "I'm writing a book so boring, of such limited commercial appeal, that if you publish it, it will probably cost you your job." Publisher: "That's exactly what makes me want to stay in my job."

2 Don't write in public places. In the early 1990s I went to live in Paris. The usual writerly reasons: back then, if you were caught writing in a pub in England, you could get your head kicked in, whereas in Paris, dans les cafés . . . Since then I've developed an aversion to writing in public. I now think it should be done only in private, like any other lavatorial activity.

3 Don't be one of those writers who sentence themselves to a lifetime of sucking up to Nabokov.

4 If you use a computer, constantly refine and expand your autocorrect settings. The only reason I stay loyal to my piece-of-shit computer is that I have invested so much ingenuity into building one of the great autocorrect files in literary history. Perfectly formed and spelt words emerge from a few brief keystrokes: "Niet" becomes "Nietzsche", "phoy" becomes "photography" and so on. Genius!

5 Keep a diary. The biggest regret of my writing life is that I have never kept a journal or a diary.

6 Have regrets. They are fuel. On the page they flare into desire.

7 Have more than one idea on the go at any one time. If it's a choice between writing a book and doing nothing I will always choose the latter. It's only if I have an idea for two books that I choose one rather than the other. I always have to feel that I'm bunking off from something.

8 Beware of clichés. Not just the clichés that Martin Amis is at war with. There are clichés of response as well as expression. There are clichés of observation and of thought – even of conception. Many novels, even quite a few adequately written ones, are clichés of form which conform to clichés of expectation.

9 Do it every day. Make a habit of putting your observations into words and gradually this will become instinct. This is the most important rule of all and, naturally, I don't follow it.

10 Never ride a bike with the brakes on. If something is proving too difficult, give up and do something else. Try to live without resort to perseverance. But writing is all about perseverance. You've got to stick at it. In my 30s I used to go to the gym even though I hated it. The purpose of going to the gym was to postpone the day when I would stop going. That's what writing is to me: a way of postponing the day when I won't do it any more, the day when I will sink into a depression so profound it will be indistinguishable from perfect bliss.

Voices from the Heart

2011-04-27T08:27:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Voices From the Heart on the 27th to read my latest post.

Inspiration in the form of hope

2011-04-23T13:41:00.003-04:00

This week, I welcome author Drea Becraft to Romancing the Pen. Her novel, Live For The Todays was inspired by watching events unfolding in the lives her loved ones.

Vengeance is only a mouse click away, but what happens when you fall for the one your suppose to hate? Diane Miles lets very few people into her life, and the ones she calls family she never lets go of. But what is she to do when her best friend is dying and her whole world as she knows it is about to be torn apart.
Chase Griffin is in shock when a woman accuses him of treating one of his employees wrongfully. When she takes over his system making it impossible to work, he doesn't know whether to strangle her or spank her till she begs for mercy. When he discovers who his local vigilante is, strangling is the last thing on his mind as she becomes his rock during the last days of his sister’s life.

Visit Romancing the Pen for more!

What is your writing technique?

2011-04-06T22:58:00.004-04:00

I thought about this, recently, as I cruised through the aisles of my local wine shop.

In February, I relocated from Maryland to Tennessee. Habitually, I drive to my favorite wine shop; pick up one of my favorite bottles, and I know my weekend of writing is set. Stare out of the window; write; a sip of my favorite cabernet...perfect Saturday.

But, wait...I have not been able to find my favorite cab or my backup (a tasty red zin) anywhere! What has this cold cruel world come to? Am I going to have to order them over the Internet and have them delivered to my new home or will I be forced to try others :-)

Okay, so trying others isn't soooo bad. But, it did throw a monkey wrench into my normal routine.

Have any of you every had something unexpected throw you off of your routine, and it couldn't be changed back?

Rules for writing fiction

2011-04-06T03:23:00.002-04:00

As written for The Guardian by Helen Dunmore, poet, novelist, and children's writer.

1 Finish the day's writing when you still want to continue.

2 Listen to what you have written. A dud rhythm in a passage of dialogue may show that you don't yet understand the characters well enough to write in their voices.

3 Read Keats's letters.

4 Reread, rewrite, reread, rewrite. If it still doesn't work, throw it away. It's a nice feeling, and you don't want to be cluttered with the corpses of poems and stories which have everything in them except the life they need.

5 Learn poems by heart.

6 Join professional organisations which advance the collective rights of authors.

7 A problem with a piece of writing often clarifies itself if you go for a long walk.

8 If you fear that taking care of your children and household will damage your writing, think of JG Ballard.

9 Don't worry about posterity – as Larkin (no sentimentalist) observed "What will survive of us is love".

Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors

2011-04-02T09:02:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors for the chance to read FREE romance stories by some of your favorite authors! Every Saturday!

And of course, for the opportunity to win some fabulous prizes!!!

Voices from the Heart

2011-03-27T08:26:00.000-04:00

Don't forget to drop by Voices From the Heart on the 27th to read my latest post.

Sex in Water?

2011-03-26T17:00:00.003-04:00

So, you write erotica, or any type of Romance, and you're wondering just what out of the box thing, place, toy, or whatever can you add into your "sex" scenes to keep the reader interested.

Berengaria Brown drops by Romancing the Pen to discuss sex in the water.

“Tempting Tenealle” blurb:
Continuously overwhelmed by an unending inundation of visiting cousins, Tenealle decides the only solution is to buy a bigger apartment. Evan’s selling an apartment that is perfect for her. In fact, Evan and his partner, Faris, are perfect for her. How can she concentrate on renovating an apartment when she’d much rather be in their bedroom?

Evan has inherited his Great Aunt Enid’s apartment and doesn’t want to refurbish it, so is looking for a quick sale, even though his partner, Faris, can see its potential. They both see enormous potential in a relationship with the totally delicious Tenealle, despite her myriad cousins, too. But which cousin tried to harm her. And why? And what is the story about the fountain?

Don't you hate it when...?

2011-03-19T14:41:00.003-04:00

No matter who you are, or what you do...it's important to you. Right? Don't you hate it when people around you patronize the things that you love? You don't do it to them...do you?

Author, Tina Donahue dropos by Romancing the Pen, and shares with us her opinions about this.

Here's Tina's latest...

Cursed by a jealous rival over a man, Jasmine’s conventional world spirals into one of insatiable desire, forcing her to seek pleasure no matter the danger. Haunting Key West’s nightlife, she meets Mike, a commanding lover with psychic power and a guarded past. Desperately craving his potent masculinity, she lures then imprisons him so he’s always available to feed her passion. Not about to be any woman’s prisoner, Mike uses his power to secure his freedom, capturing her instead. Moved by her underlying vulnerability, he’s determined to find the source of the curse and defeat it. Under his masterful rule, her yearning evolves into rapture as she surrenders to his hunger for her and the emotional connection that lies beyond.

Buy Link: http://store.samhainpublishing.com/the-yearning-p-6248.html

Character Inspiration

2011-03-18T02:52:00.001-04:00

Rain, actor, Ninja Assassin

Setting the scene?

2011-03-12T22:07:00.003-05:00

The funny thing about setting the scene or stage for me is that it's not done by me. It truly comes to me from my characters. I believe it's helped me keep each story that I've written, so far, unique and different.

M.S. Spencer fellow bestselling Red Rose Publishing author visits Romancing the Pen this week, and she discusses setting the scene/stage. And what happened when she realized she'd set a scene/stage she knew absolutely nothing about.

Visit Romancing the Pen, and let us know what you think.

A week of contests!

2011-03-08T20:48:00.003-05:00

My friend Denyse Bridger is having a week long party!

Recently, she had her debut release with Ellora's Cave, Hide and Secret. And in honor of it, she's having a week of contests.

Drop on by her blog, and take a look. You just might win!

Rules for writing fiction

2011-03-06T03:17:00.001-05:00

As written for The Guardian by Roddy Doyle, novelist and screenwriter.

1 Do not place a photograph of your favourite author on your desk, especially if the author is one of the famous ones who committed suicide.

2 Do be kind to yourself. Fill pages as quickly as possible; double space, or write on every second line. Regard every new page as a small triumph –

3 Until you get to Page 50. Then calm down, and start worrying about the quality. Do feel anxiety – it's the job.

4 Do give the work a name as quickly as possible. Own it, and see it. Dickens knew Bleak House was going to be called Bleak House before he started writing it. The rest must have been easy.

5 Do restrict your browsing to a few websites a day. Don't go near the online bookies – unless it's research.

6 Do keep a thesaurus, but in the shed at the back of the garden or behind the fridge, somewhere that demands travel or effort. Chances are the words that come into your head will do fine, eg "horse", "ran", "said".

7 Do, occasionally, give in to temptation. Wash the kitchen floor, hang out the washing. It's research.

8 Do change your mind. Good ideas are often murdered by better ones. I was working on a novel about a band called the Partitions. Then I decided to call them the Commitments.

9 Do not search amazon.co.uk for the book you haven't written yet.

10 Do spend a few minutes a day working on the cover biog – "He divides his time between Kabul and Tierra del Fuego." But then get back to work.

Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors

2011-03-05T09:01:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to drop by Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors for the chance to read FREE romance stories by some of your favorite authors! Every Saturday!

And of course, for the opportunity to win some fabulous prizes!!!

Voices from the Heart

2011-02-27T08:25:00.000-05:00

Don't forget to drop by Voices From the Heart on the 27th to read my latest post.

Truly, Madly Deeply Romance Authors

2011-02-19T20:39:00.005-05:00

Don't forget to drop by Truly, Madly, Deeply Romance Authors for the chance to read FREE romance stories by some of your favorite authors! Every Saturday!

And of course, for the opportunity to win some fabulous prizes!!!

Erotic vs. Mainstream Romance?

2011-02-19T20:15:00.003-05:00

What is the reader really expecting when they make the decision to purchase an erotic novel instead of a mainstream romance novel?

Author, Rachel Leigh discusses this, and how it affected her as she wrote her first erotic novel.

Blurb: Laura Markham needs to forget – just for awhile. Be someone else for change – live as her parents will never have the chance to. And for Laura, that means leaving the City for the English countryside and doing just what the hell she feels like…wherever she feels like doing it…

British stockbroker, Stephen Cambridge knows by going home to his country retreat two days early, he’s likely to surprise his contracted interior designer. And when he finds out she’s the woman who performed the solo masterbation show for him on the inward bound journey, Stephen will do anything to further convince her to miss the outward bound train and stay with him forever…

Visit Romancing the Pen for more!

Character Inspiration

2011-02-18T02:46:00.000-05:00

Jared Padalecki, "Sam", television's Supernatural

What happens when you just can't take any more?

2011-02-12T17:18:00.008-05:00

Charlie Costigan has a secret. Home life gone from bad to the worst when she protects her mother from another vicious attack by her drunken father. Midnight. Clothes thrown into an old suitcase, she races for the bus with a letter to an unknown aunt and uncle. “This is my daughter. Embrace her as if she were your own.”

Determined, Charlie begins again. Alone with her secret.

Visit Romancing the Pen for more!

Leave a comment @ Romancing the Pen, and get a FREE download of LOVE & CHOCOLATE-a collection of short stories and recipes by eleven Vanilla Heart authors.

Truly Madly Deeply Romance Authors

2011-02-09T08:08:00.003-05:00

Twenty-six authors representing various genres and publishing houses have come together to bring you Truly Madly Deeply Romance Authors just in time for Valentine's Day! Every week of the year, you'll be able to read a FREE read by one of TMDRA's fabulous members. Of course, there will be an opportunity to enter contests and win prizes! Visit today, and sign-up for TMDRA's newsletter...you don't want to miss a thing.

Rules for writing fiction

2011-02-06T03:15:00.002-05:00

As written for The Guardian, by Margaret Atwood, poet, essayist, and novelist.

1 Take a pencil to write with on aeroplanes. Pens leak. But if the pencil breaks, you can't sharpen it on the plane, because you can't take knives with you. Therefore: take two pencils.

2 If both pencils break, you can do a rough sharpening job with a nail file of the metal or glass type.

3 Take something to write on. Paper is good. In a pinch, pieces of wood or your arm will do.

4 If you're using a computer, always safeguard new text with a memory stick.

5 Do back exercises. Pain is distracting.

6 Hold the reader's attention. (This is likely to work better if you can hold your own.) But you don't know who the reader is, so it's like shooting fish with a slingshot in the dark. What fascinates A will bore the pants off B.

7 You most likely need a thesaurus, a rudimentary grammar book, and a grip on reality. This latter means: there's no free lunch. Writing is work. It's also gambling. You don't get a pension plan. Other people can help you a bit, but essentially you're on your own. Nobody is making you do this: you chose it, so don't whine.

8 You can never read your own book with the innocent anticipation that comes with that first delicious page of a new book, because you wrote the thing. You've been backstage. You've seen how the rabbits were smuggled into the hat. Therefore ask a reading friend or two to look at it before you give it to anyone in the publishing business. This friend should not be someone with whom you have a romantic relationship, unless you want to break up.

9 Don't sit down in the middle of the woods. If you're lost in the plot or blocked, retrace your steps to where you went wrong. Then take the other road. And/or change the person. Change the tense. Change the opening page.

10 Prayer might work. Or reading something else. Or a constant visualisation of the holy grail that is the finished, published version of your resplendent book.