Category Archives: Romance Books

July 9, 2016 · 6:06 pm

Off to my version of the Wonderful World of Oz…RWA2016!

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In just a few days, I leave for San Diego for the 2016 RWA annual conference. Can I tell you just how excited I am?! I’m like a kid waiting anxiously for Christmas morning. I’m like that 18-year-old waiting for the college acceptance letter to come via snail mail. I’m like that bride-to-be the night before her big day. I’m like….okay, you get it!

This will be my third RWA conference. The first one I ever attended was in 2014 and that conference shaped my life to come. Dramatic much, you ask? No, not really. I’ll tell you why.

At the RWA14 conference held in San Antonio 2 amazing things happened that turned my life as I knew it then, completely around. First, I met the person who would become my first editor at The Wild Rose Press. I had submitted my manuscript Skater’s Waltz to WRP after winning a contest. Rhonda Penders was the judge and she asked me to submit. I had been exchanging emails with this editor for the champagne line for a few weeks, and she told me she would be at the conference and would like to meet up, so we arranged a time to do so. When we met she told me that  by the time I got home from the conference there would be an acceptance letter in the mail from WRP for my book, along with a contract. I was so stunned I couldn’t put a coherent sentence together. A legitimate publisher was going to put my book into print! Momentous event number 1.

Life changing event number 2 was when I met, talked with, and cried to Nora Roberts. Oh, and got a picture with her, which currently sits on my writing desk. Why did I cry, you ask? It was NORA ROBERTS!!!! And she was so damn normal and nice. We spoke for a few minutes ( well, I babbled between sob sniffs!) and she encouraged me wholeheartedly to go all balls out for my dream of writing and publishing romantic fiction.  She said no one could write the romance story I wanted to tell but me. Me! Holy Macaroni!

Holy Macaroni!

She said she knew she’d be seeing my at the Literacy Book signing someday, at my own table.

I left that conference with enough enthusiasm and good will to last until the RWA15 conference. At that one, I volunteered to work at the Literacy Book-Signing and was assigned to Jayne Ann Krentz! No crying this  time, but she was amazing. I learned an awful lot about being a gracious and  receptive author from her.

This year, RWA16, I’m volunteering at the Librarian’s luncheon and moderating 2 courses with some of my fav authors. Oh, and I’m doing the Literacy Book signing this year as …drumroll…. a SIGNING AUTHOR. God bless Nora Roberts’ prediction.

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So, if you’re in San Diego this year, join us for the Book signing. If you’re a first time RWA conference attendee, whether you’re an author or a reader, be sure to look for me around the Marriot and in classes and stop and say Hi!

And remember: dreams come true every day, in every way. You just need to dream them.

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Filed under Author, community advocacy, Contemporary Romance, Life challenges, Literary characters, love, NHRWA, Romance, Romance Books, RWA, The Wild Rose Press, WIld Rose Press AUthor

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July 6, 2016 · 9:12 am

An interview with author Charlotte O’Shay

I love when I can introduce you to new authors to me who are making their mark. CHARLOTTE O’SHAY is such an author. Her new book, THE MARRIAGE ULTIMATUM is garnering rave reviews. Recently I “sat” down with her (virtually, of course) and found out what makes her tick.  Stick around after the interview, because she’s got a treat for you in the form of an except from her new book. Here’s Charlotte:

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Part 1: The Writer Questions

  1. What drives you to write? The people in my head. It feels good to let them out. Romances of all genres got me through tough times when I needed a happily ever after. I want to give that escape to someone else through what I write.
  1. What genre(s) of Romance do your write, and why? I write Contemporary because I live in NYC. I’m inspired by the energy of the moment, the fast pace, the right nowness of the city and I try to capture that in my stories. But someday I’d like to write an historical set in Colonial/Revolutionary era America.
  1. What genre(s) of Romance do you read, and why? I read everything. Fiction, non-fiction, biography. I’ve read some great authors through my association with The Wild Rose Press. I now have more favorite authors in historic, paranormal and YA genres. I love suspense but not horror.
  1. What’s your writing schedule? Do you write everyday? I try to even if it’s only a page at night. I seem to get a lot done during the cold weather months when there’s less to do outdoors.
  1. Give us a glimpse of the surroundings where you write. Separate room? In the kitchen? At the dining room table? I write best at a desk in our family room on a desktop. The desk faces the wall with an old New Yorker poster and I have a bulletin board off to the side with motivational quotes and favorite photos.
  1. Are you the kind of writer who needs total quiet to compose, or are you able to filter out the typical sounds of the day and use your tunnelvision? I’m very good at filtering out sounds or else I wouldn’t survive the noise of Manhattan. I like total quiet but that’s not reality.
  1. Do you listen to music while you write, and if so, what kind? If not, why not? When I’m not writing I love music of all kinds and going to concerts. I always have the radio or Pandora on. I love to learn lyrics. I really admire lyricists who can express a wealth of emotion in a phrase or two. It’s a skill I’m trying to develop. But I never listen to music while I’m writing.
  1. How did you come up with the plotline/idea for your current WIP? As a lawyer I worked with families in crisis. I met lots of women who struggled to keep their families together against all odds. So my debut novel has those elements. My current WIP A Model Engagement came from a still ongoing news story I follow. I started playing the what if game and my heroine came from that process.
  1. Which comes first for you – character or plot? And why? That’s hard to say. My debut was definitely character driven. I saw both H/h very clearly from the start. But my WIP started from an idea I got watching the news so I had the problem or conflict first.
  1. What 3 words describe you, the writer? Introspective, curious, caffeinated

The Person Questions:

  1. Tell us one unusual thing about yourself – not related to writing! This city girl didn’t get a driver’s license till age 29. Is that unusual enough?
  2. Who was your first love and what age were you? A third grade classmate. I wrote him a love letter.
  3. If you could relive one day, which one would it be? Think GROUNDHOG DAY, the movie for this one – you’ll have to live it over and over and…. Any of the days I spent on the Amalfi coast with my family a couple of years ago. It’s my emotional and geographical happy place.
  4. Do you like a guy in boxers, briefs, or commando? Boxers!
  5. If you had to give up one necessary-can’t-live-without-it beauty item, what would it be? I could never give up my lipstick.
  6. What three words describe you, the person? Analytical, shy, stubborn
  7. If you could sing a song with Jimmy Fallon, what would it be? My Shot from the musical Hamilton
  8. If you could hang out with any literary character from any book penned at any time line, who would it by, why, and what would you do together? Jo March from Little Women. Jo is my book twin.

Bonus round

I love the Actor’s Studio show on Bravo, so this is my version of it:

  1. Favorite sound ~ my dog snoring softly at my feet while I write.
  2. Least favorite sound ~ fire engine siren
  3. Best song every written ~Too difficult to choose one. Desperado (Eagles) Every song in the musical Hamilton
  4. Worst song ever written ~ Havin my Baby by Paul Anka
  5. Favorite actor and actress Liam Neeson, Emma Stone
  6. Who would you want to be for 1 day and why? (It can be anyone living or dead)or Fictional? Pippi Longstocking to be an adventurous little girl again
  7. What turns you on? Good smells: a sexy cologne, fresh mown grass, ocean air, chicken in the oven, jasmine, gardenia, hibiscus
  8. What turns you off? Lack of a sense of humor
  9. Give me the worst 5 words ever heard on a first date (here’s mine: “Is that your real hair?”) “I had onions for lunch.”
  10. What’s your version of a perfect day? Awaken when the sun comes through the window, coffee and newspapers, a long walk on the beach, cook dinner for family or friends, write until bed.

Charlotte O’Shay

Bio

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Charlotte O’Shay was born in New York City into big family and then married into another big family all of which provided her with enough drama, noise and inspiration for a lifetime of stories.

Negotiating skills honed at the dinner table led her to a career in the law. After four beautiful children joined the crowded family tree, Charlotte gladly traded her legal career to write about happily ever afters in the City of Dreams.

THE MARRIAGE ULTIMATUM

Blurb:

TheMarriageUltimatum_w9979_100-3

Dead-end job? Dreary apartment? Disastrous love life? Check, check, and check. Toddler who makes it all worthwhile? Absolutely. Juggling work, college, and the care of young Alex was never Sabrina’s plan.

But Sabrina’s dreams are bigger than any curve ball life can throw at her. Her top priority is keeping her small family together, no matter what the cost.

Vladimir Grigory doesn’t believe in dreams. He earned his position at the top of New York’s corporate ladder with his own sweat. His empire is his baby, and he’ll destroy anyone who threatens it. Even the sexy employee who challenges him on every level.

When the New York tabloids and the world call him the baby daddy of Sabrina’s son, Vlad believes Sabrina is part of a plot to expose the secrets of his past. He threatens to destroy her future. But since Sabrina has secrets of her own, she has no choice but to agree to Vlad’s marriage ultimatum.

 

Excerpt

“What’re you doing creeping up on me like that? Who are you?” Her gaze narrowed in on him even as she took a step back.

He stared right back, sinking into eyes so mercurially gray then green, then gray again, it was like he’d fallen into the turbulent depths of the Atlantic. With her wild eyes, untamed hair, and skintight clothes, she was a mermaid and absolutely the answer to this sailor’s prayers.

She shoved an unruly swath of hair back over her shoulder, all attitude. One hand was on her hip and the other fiddled with the hem of her sweater. His gaze tracked her every move.

Her chin angled up. “Seen enough? You know what they say: Take a picture, it’ll last longer.”

Buy Links

The Wild Rose Press: //   Amazon: //    Kobo:  // Barnes & Noble:

 

Find Charlotte here:

Website: //  Facebook: //  Twitter://  Author Page:

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Filed under Contemporary Romance, Life challenges, love, Romance, Romance Books, The Wild Rose Press, WIld Rose Press AUthor

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July 5, 2016 · 9:07 am

Writing Pet Peeves, Part Trois…

We all have pet peeves (something that a particular person finds especially annoying.) As a writer, I have a gaggle of them, all related to writers and writing.

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I have seen every single one of the following in either a book – or several!- magazine articles, and on-line. In no particular annoyance level order, here are the ones I feel are the most egregious:

  • IRREGARDLESS is not a word. You mean, REGARDLESS, when you write: without paying attention to the present situation; despite the prevailing circumstances.  Ex: Regardless of what you have done, I will always love you.
  • LITERALLY means it actually happened. Not that it FIGURATIVELY happened: FIGURATIVELY means: departing from a literal use of words; metaphorical:  EX: gold, in the figurative language of the people, was “the tears wept by the sun.”
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  • IRONY does not mean something that is unexpected. IRONY means: a state of affairs or an event that seems deliberately contrary to what one expects and is often amusing as a result: EX: the irony is that I thought he could help me.
  • It’s I COULDN’T CARE LESS not, I could care less, which means you actually DO care!
  • YOU’RE means you are. YOUR means: with the person or people that the speaker is addressing: EX: what is your name?
  • A LOT is ALWAYS 2 words, not one. ALWAYS!!
  • petpeeves9
  • You BEAR weight with your BARE hands
  • you give TWO things TO someone else. In addition, you give it to me, TOO. Got it??
  • You LOSE your keys if your pants are LOOSE.
  • THEY’RE means they are. THERE is a direction or a place ( THERE it is!!!) THEIR denotes one or more people ( THEIR noses were red from the cold weather)
  • If you try to form a contraction of COULD HAVE it is not could of. That is because there is no contraction of COULD HAVE. It is, simply stated, COULD HAVE.

So, those are actually most of my writing pet peeves. Tell me yours. Let’s discuss……

In my most recent book, THE VOICES OF ANGELS, not one of the above pet peeves is present! Promise!

Blurb:

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Love is the last thing Carly Lennox is looking for when she sets out on her new book tour. The independent, widowed author is content with a life spent writing and in raising her daughter. When newscaster Mike Woodard suggests they work on a television magazine profile based on her book, Carly’s thrilled, but guarded. His obvious desire to turn their relationship into something other than just a working one is more than she bargained for.

Mike Woodard is ambitious, and not only in his chosen profession. He wants Carly, maybe more than he’s ever wanted anything or anyone else. As he tells her, he’s a patient man. But the more they’re together, Mike realizes it isn’t simply desire beating within him. Carly Lennox is the missing piece in his life. Getting her to accept it-and him-may just be the toughest assignment he’s ever taken on.

Buy Links: Amazon /// TWRP /// Kobo /// Nook

If you need to find me, you can:  Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//

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Filed under Author, Characters, Contemporary Romance, Life challenges, love, MacQuire Women, Pet Peeves, research, Romance, Romance Books, The Voices of Angels, The Wild Rose Press

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July 1, 2016 · 9:16 am

Writing Pet Peeves, Part Deux – Mea Culpa

So yesterday I put up a piece about  my number one pet peeve and I heard from A LOT of you. On facebook, via my email, I even had one phone call. Based on those responses I have two mea culpas to offer.

#1. I, in no way, shape or form, meant to slam writers who are self-published. I was making a dig about big publishing houses and the apparent lack of fact checking and it came out wrong – much to my embarrassment and chagrin. Every self-published author I know spends countless hours on self-editing, in addition to paying for professional editing, to ensure their work has no mistakes. I know this. So I apologize ten thousand times if I offended any and all self pubbed writers. I truly do.

#2 I heard from many of you that your dictionary definition of PRONE was, to lay flat. That is true. It is. BUT, the continuation of the definition is: to lay flat COMMA face downward ( to lay flat, face downward.) That comma is there for a reason, folks!!! When you get a back massage, you are prone. When you are sleeping on your stomach, you are prone. When you are a sniper and hidden in a blind waiting to strike, you are prone.

The reason I was on such a rant yesterday was because I read this line in a new book: “(THE HEROINE – I won’t name her!) was prone on the bed. (THE HERO) wrapped her legs around his waist and bent to kiss her on the lips.” Now that you know the true definition of prone, picture this sentence. The heroine is face down – according to the author (Prone, remember?). Her man wraps her legs around his waist ( PICTURE THIS, PEOPLE! Her butt is facing him) and kisses her on the lips. How? Did she spin her head around like in the Exorcist???

Get it??!!

Okay, no more rants. If you write prone as a movement and you mean the character is on their back, just know if I read your book, I will be disappointed in you ( I’ll still love you, but I’ll be disappointed!)

My next blog will feature the top most annoying writing pet peeves. ( Mine and every other author’s!)

In my most recent book, THE VOICES OF ANGELS, no one is prone.

Blurb:

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Love is the last thing Carly Lennox is looking for when she sets out on her new book tour. The independent, widowed author is content with a life spent writing and in raising her daughter. When newscaster Mike Woodard suggests they work on a television magazine profile based on her book, Carly’s thrilled, but guarded. His obvious desire to turn their relationship into something other than just a working one is more than she bargained for.

Mike Woodard is ambitious, and not only in his chosen profession. He wants Carly, maybe more than he’s ever wanted anything or anyone else. As he tells her, he’s a patient man. But the more they’re together, Mike realizes it isn’t simply desire beating within him. Carly Lennox is the missing piece in his life. Getting her to accept it-and him-may just be the toughest assignment he’s ever taken on.

Buy Links: Amazon /// TWRP /// Kobo /// Nook

If you need to find me, you can:  Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//

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June 30, 2016 · 9:17 am

Writing Pet Peeves

Okay, this may be a rant – sorry if it sounds like one.

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I’m reading the brand new release of one of my all-time favorite authors and I found a mistake a fact-checker should have caught. This is the second time in a week I’ve found this particular mistake – the other was in an older book by a different fav author.

What the heck has happened to  fact checkers in the publishing industry? These are not self published books where I would expect to find errors – these are from two of the BIG 5!! Here’s the mistake – remember: it’s the same one I found in two different books: both writers used the word PRONE to denote a person lying on their back, face upward. WRONGWRONGWRONG!!! SUPINE means lying face upward, prone means lying face downward. Why does this bother me so much, you ask? Well, I’ll tell you.

When I was in nursing school in the late 1800’s (!) we used to write our nursing notes by hand. It’s all done electronically now. I wrote a note once on a comatose patient that read  “Pt. appears comfortable and is lying prone in bed.” I got reported to the Director of Nursing by the patient’s doc and a written warning note was placed in my academic file. Why? Because the patient had a tracheostomy tube and was on a ventilator and there was no way on God’s green earth he could have or should have been laying prone ( which means on his stomach) because he wouldn’t have been able to breathe. And the reason I got written up was because if the patient’s family had ever sued, the legal chart would have gone into evidence and court and I would have looked incompetent ( as would the hospital) for placing the patient in position that obviously could have killed him. The note should have read : “Pt. appears comfortable and is lying supine in bed.”
Here’s the easiest way to remember the difference ( if you don’t have a dictionary handy) “When you are SUPINE you are looking up at the PINE trees, ergo, you are on your back. When  you are PRONE you have you face pointed downward, or as I remember it: Face PLANTED downward.

Got it??

I’ve got more writing pet peeves, but this is enough negativity for one day. Do you have any? Let’s discuss, because I know there are thousands!!!!

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Filed under Author, Contemporary Romance, Dialogue, Editors, Life challenges, Literary characters, research, Romance, Romance Books

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June 28, 2016 · 9:18 am

Introducing: Sara Walter Ellwood

I’ve met so many wonderful authors this past year and I’m so happy when I can introduce you to one. Today, I have Sara Walter Ellwood with me and she’s giving you a little sneak peak at her newest book HEARTLAND.  It sounds fab! And check out her bio pic at the bottom here: she has amazing eyes!

 

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Blurb:

Sex, drugs, and country music. That was the lifestyle for Emily Kendall, a Texas girl who hit it big on the country music charts—until she found herself pregnant and battling addiction. Now out of rehab and seeking a new life for herself and her unborn child, Emily returns to her hometown of McAllister. The last thing she’s looking for is trouble, no matter how good it looks in uniform…

A widower, single father, and former Army Ranger struggling with PTSD, Sheriff EJ Cowley has his own demons to battle while keeping folks safe. The last thing he needs is a troubled celebrity speeding through town in her bright red Maserati. But when someone from Emily’s past threatens her safety and the peace of McAllister, EJ has no choice but to protect her. And soon both will learn there’s more to the other than meets the eye. And that wounded hearts can love again…

Excerpt:

Emily refolded the two pairs and headed out to the display of jeans. As she put the pants back into their slots, she glanced around to see if anyone was close enough to see her. Her heart pounded in time with the fast beat of the song playing over the sound system as she reached the cubbyholes marked maternity. With another discreet look around, she picked out three pairs in her size and headed back to the tiny dressing room.

The jeans fit perfectly, but how the hell was she going to buy them? She refolded the pants, tucked them under her arm, and went to the shoe section. While she looked for a pair of boots, she devised a plan. If she was lucky, maybe no one would notice she’d bought maternity jeans.

“I personally like Justin boots, but I work in mine.”

She sucked in a breath at the low timbre of EJ’s voice behind her. Was he everywhere in this town? Turning with a box of boots, she smiled. “It would seem that we have something in common then. I’ve always like them, too.”

He raised a brow and a side of his mouth quirked up when he noticed the boots she’d chosen. A basic pair used mostly for riding and work. “You taking up cowboying now?”

She set the clothes she’d chosen on the bench beside her and sat to try on the boots. As she slipped off her flip-flops, she dug a pair of socks out of her purse. “Not that it’s any of your business, but I need a pair of boots to ride in.” She looked up at him with a smug smile. “Now that you know why I’m here.” She looked over his uniform. Tan polyester blend shouldn’t fit a man that sinfully well. “You’re obviously working. I want to know why you’re following me.”

He rubbed a hand over his chin and averted his gaze. “I…eh… Saw you come into the store and wanted to ask if you’d join me for coffee.”

Was he asking her out on a date? Trying hard and failing to stop her heart from speeding up at the possibility, she pulled on her socks. “I don’t drink coffee.”

“Well, then I guess you’ll have to join me for lunch.”

As she tugged on one of the boots, she looked up at him. His pewter eyes held a challenge in them. She pulled on the other one and stood. Damn, they were too tight. Ignoring the pinching of the boots, she put her hands on her hips. “Tell you what. You can drink coffee and I’ll drink tea, how does that sound? I had breakfast not too long ago.”

He glanced at her feet, then knelt down in front of her.

“What are you doing?” She took a step back, but he caught her foot.

“You look like you’re trying to stuff your feet into a shoe three sizes too small.” He squeezed around her booted foot, then glanced up at her. “Boots are supposed to fit like a glove not a vise.”

Holy hell, he looked hot down there. She couldn’t get enough air in her lungs.

EJ stood and pulled the next size off the self. “Try these.”

He was close enough that every breath she took filled her senses with his clean outdoorsy scent. How could a man smell this good?

“Are you a boot salesman as well as the sheriff?” Did that husky voice belong to her?

“I know something about boots.” He grinned, showing off straight white teeth and full kissable lips.

Stepping back, she bumped into her pile of clothes on the bench, knocking them to the floor in front of him. Before she could bend to pick them up, he knelt and gathered up a pair of the jeans. When he shifted his surprised gaze to hers, she trembled as icy fear replaced the heat of attraction in her gut.

She knelt next to him and took a deep breath. In a low tone, she said, “Yes, I’m pregnant, but I’m not ready to let it be common knowledge.”

He refolded the jeans and set them on the bench. “Then your secret is safe with me. How were you planning to buy these? The clerk would see what they are.”

She set a folded pair on top of the one he’d placed on the bench and shifted to sit beside them. “I know. I was hoping I could distract her enough that she wouldn’t notice what she was ringing through.”

He leaned against the shelf of boots behind him. “Not a half-bad plan.”

Needing to do something besides stare at him, she lifted one of the boots out of the box he’d given her and pulled it on. A much better fit. She slipped into the other boot.

“You could let me buy them.”

If you’d like to see more excerpts check them out here: https://sarawalterellwood.wordpress.com/singing-to-the-heart/heartland-book-3/heartland-excerpts/

Buy Links:

Kensington://   Amazon: //   Barnes and Noble://   iTunes://   Google: //  Kobo:

Bio:

Sara Walter Ellwood (8)

Although Sara Walter Ellwood has long ago left the farm for the glamour of the big town, she draws on her experiences growing up on a small hobby farm in West Central Pennsylvania to write her contemporary westerns. She’s been married to her college sweetheart for over 20 years, and they have two teenagers and one very spoiled rescue cat named Penny. She longs to visit the places she writes about and jokes she’s a cowgirl at heart stuck in Pennsylvania suburbia. Sara Walter Ellwood is a multi-published and international Amazon bestselling author of the anthology set Cowboy Up. She also dabbles in the paranormal genre with her The Hunter’s Dagger Series, which was previously published under the pen name Cera duBois.

 

Author Links:

Website//  Blog://  Facebook://  Twitter://  Goodreads:

The other books in Singing to the Heart…

Heartstrings_250x375Heartsong_250x375Heartland_500x750

Heartstrings, Book 1 and Heartsong, Book 2 are also available in ebook and print

Heartstrings: Amazon:

Heartsong: Amazon:

For other vendor links and book information check out my website page: https://sarawalterellwood.wordpress.com/singing-to-the-heart/

 

 

 

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June 23, 2016 · 9:26 am

Dedications. They mean more than you think…

Do you read the dedications in the front of books? I do. I think it’s cool to try and figure out why the author decided that  person was the one to whom the book, the author’s baby, was deserving of a praise-filled mention. After all, it was the author who wrote it, not the person it is dedicated to. The author put in all the blood, sweat, tears, and work into the story. Shouldn’t they, by rights, dedicate it to themselves?

Okay, that’s a dumb question, but I think you know what I mean.

Do authors choose the person to list the dedication based on something they might have done for them? Helped them with research, maybe, so the mention is like a thank you, then? Or perhaps the idea for the story came from the person it is dedicated to? Could it be the dedicatee is somehow connected to the book? Is it their story told from a fictional viewpoint?

Is the dedicate-ee a lifelong friend who suffered through the endless revisions, deletions, and plotholes with the writer? Or is it a loved one whom the author wanted to publically acknowledge?

So many questions, and I’ll bet each writer chooses a dedicatee for a different reason.

All of my books have been dedicated to someone in my life I love. My first book I assigned equally to my husband and daughter, the two halves that make my heart whole.

I’ve dedicated another book to my best friend – a woman who not only has supported me through my endless attempts to establish a published writing career, but one from whom I have learned so much  about life, sharing, and unconditional friendship.

I have a Christmas story coming out this year I’ve dedicated to one of my wonderful sisters-in-law because the family in the story could be her own. It isn’t – but it could be, and I knew she’d appreciate all the humor, pathos, and family love woven into it.

So, if you’re a writer, how do you choose who dedicate your work to? Let’s discuss…….

My most recent book, THE VOICES OF ANGELS, is dedicated to my mother.

Blurb:

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Love is the last thing Carly Lennox is looking for when she sets out on her new book tour. The independent, widowed author is content with a life spent writing and in raising her daughter. When newscaster Mike Woodard suggests they work on a television magazine profile based on her book, Carly’s thrilled, but guarded. His obvious desire to turn their relationship into something other than just a working one is more than she bargained for.

Mike Woodard is ambitious, and not only in his chosen profession. He wants Carly, maybe more than he’s ever wanted anything or anyone else. As he tells her, he’s a patient man. But the more they’re together, Mike realizes it isn’t simply desire beating within him. Carly Lennox is the missing piece in his life. Getting her to accept it-and him-may just be the toughest assignment he’s ever taken on.

Buy Links: Amazon /// TWRP /// Kobo /// Nook

If you need to find me, you can:  Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//

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Filed under Author, Contemporary Romance, Family Saga, Friends, Life challenges, love, MacQuire Women, Romance, Romance Books, Strong Women, The Voices of Angels, The Wild Rose Press, WIld Rose Press AUthor

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June 21, 2016 · 8:53 am

How Pinterest made me a better writer! (or, Into the mind of a Writer, part II)

There’s a running commentary of questions in my brain in any given moment on any given day.

How did we cook on the fly before microwaves? How did we keep in touch with one another before cell-phones ruled the world? How did we communicate before the internet and email and texting? Does anyone know how to parallel park anymore? Do people actually still talk to one another at meal-time?

There’s a lot going on in my head at any one time and I certainly can’t remember a life before we had all these gadgets and  inconvenient conveniences.  But there is one computer application that has made me a much better writer because I can tell you exactly what I used to do before it was invented: waste time looking things up!!!

I’m talking- as if the title of this piece doesn’t give it away – about Pinterest. Before I had my boards all lined up on the Pinterest app, I spent a great deal of time flipping back and forth through files and notes to ensure I didn’t mess things up with my characters and storylines. I had a bad habit of not remembering that the hero had blue eyes on page 5 when I gave him green ones on page 200. I gave the heroine short curly red hair in the first introduction and then straightened it to hip length when she met the hero ten pages later. Dumb mistakes. Dumb.

For a while I tried flipping through fashion magazines so I could find pictures of what I envisioned my characters looked like, but most magazines had the same ads in each one, so nothing new was found, and all the celebrities of the moment were featured in each one, as well, in the same poses, etc, so there went the variety I needed.

When I discovered Pinterest I felt as if a dream I had never thought to ask for had somehow magically come true. I could spend hours – literally! – flipping through all the boards, categories, and other people’s boards to find what I wanted — and I did! Now, if I find a picture of what I want my character or her house, or even her pet to look like, I save that picture to whatever board I’m working on. My current favorite boards are AFTERNOON TEA and GEMMA, two new books I’m writing.

I don’t know who thought up Pinterest, but if I ever find out, I’ll be sure to write them and give them a big thank you from me. It is so much easier now to visually keep track of what my peeps, their clothes, what they eat, etc, look like. I usually print out the salient, important, pictures for my story/vision boards, so I can have an even quicker reference when I’m writing. You can see my current one for the GEMMA book ( not the real title, yet) on  a previous post.  All the factors of the book I need to know at a simple glance are on that board, the rest on the board on the actual Pinterest site.

If you are a visual person like I am, Pinterest is a great way for a writer to see their book come to life. And it’s not only a great application/site for writers. I know a few brides-to-be, and moms-to-be who also take advantage of the boards. But it doesn’t stop there. There are travel boards, architecture boards, pictures for refurbishing and rehabbing your house.  There are boards for people who are cat obsessed ( I know a few!), book cover obsessed ( me too!), hot guys obsessed ( duh! of course!)Whatever your imagination or needs dictate, you will find pictures and boards for it on Pinterest.

Using Pinterest as a writing tool has truly made me a better writer because I am more consistent, much more descriptive in my writing, and I have more time to actually write now that I don’t need to stop and look things up!

So… do you use Pinterest? let’s discuss…..

This board has all my book covers

Here’s where you can find me, other than Pinterest!:

Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//

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June 16, 2016 · 9:21 am

Into the mind of a writer…

I thought I’d give you a little glimpse into what I do during the day, from a writing perspective. Writing’s not all rainbows and unicorns, with award winning phrases tripping from your tongue and onto the keyboard all day. Nope. It’s hard work, lots of thought, and some days you wind up with more deletions than written saves.

When I work, I already have the gist of the story plotted out. I also make a vision board now for each new book for a number of reasons. One, it helps me to remember what the characters each look like so I don’t have to continually look back at my character notes to make sure I give them the same color eyes and hair from day to day. Two, it keeps me focused on the current story I want to tell. Without the board in front of me, propelling me to keep writing the story, I have a tendency to open up other files and work on other things…or troll through pinterest…or facebook. None of those are productive. Third, it actually helps me with the character dialogue. When I see the characters in front of me, I can actually hear how they talk, see how they move their mouths, listen to the way they phrase words, how their faces contort and twist  and move, and I can envision the dialogue speaking from their lips.  I know that sounds…well…weird…but it’s true for me.

Here’s a glimpse of my current vision board for my newest work in progress, book 2 in my cooking series.

visionboard

If you look closely you can see pictures of my hero and heroine, and on either side of the board are images that pertain to each of them. Yes, it’s a lot of work – some may call it plain busy work – but I am a visual person. I see things in their entireties and individually much easier than having to conjure them up from my imagination. This board keeps me on track, focused, and prevents me from making character mistakes.

So, that’s a very tiny glimpse into my day.

Yeah, I know…I have a great life!

When I’m not writing -and even when I am! – you can find me here:

Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//

 

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June 14, 2016 · 9:09 am

Summer reading – the beginning….

Someone who read a recent blog of mine blog asked me “why do you re-read your old writing texts and “how to” books over the summer? Didn’t you get enough out of them the first time? Did you miss important stuff? Instead of answering the question directly, I asked this instead: “Haven’t you ever read something – a book,or an article – that was just so good you read it again just for the pleasure of it?” The answer I got back was typical of most people: “No. Once I read something, that’s it. I’m done.”

A sad, but a very common occurrence among  people. Most people will see a movie more than once if they like it – this is evidenced based fact: look at how many movie DVD’s are sold each and every day, not rented. Or, they will listen to a song endlessly. But to re-read a favored book? Not happening.

I’ve read Gone with the Wind  13 times. Cover to cover. And I could read it again tomorrow if I had the time to devote to it.

I’ve read To Kill A Mockingbird 8 times. I can quote descriptions and dialogue when prompted.

Last year I re-read every “In Death” book by J.D.Robb again, starting with the first one in the series, Naked in Death and finishing with the most current one, straight out. I didn’t read anything else until I finished all of them. Re-reading the list in order, the way it was written, was very powerful for me.  I could see and watch how J.D.Robb grew her characters with each book, building on their personalities, using their individual backgrounds to advance the plot and the series characters themselves. It was  like taking a master class on how to develop character and plot arcs effectively. I gleamed so much valuable information and writing development wisdom from re-reading the series that has helped me enormously with my own writing.

To me, re-reading a favored book is more pleasurable than seeing a favored movie over and over again. Don’t get me wrong – I’ve seen The Birdcage at least two dozen times – and every time I laugh while I quote the dialogue! But to spend time to re-read a book, one that gave you such treasured hours of pleasure, one that, every time you read it, you learn something new, or find something new from, something you didn’t see before, is to me one of life’s most wonderful ways to spend a few hours.

Re-reading my writing craft books and texts brings me the same pleasure, because every time – EVERY TIME – I find something, some tidbit, some phrase of wisdom, I didn’t see when I read it the last time. And to me, that is time so valuably spent.

What’s your favorite book? When was the last time you read it? Why not get reacquainted and read it again? Believe me, you’ll be happy when you do.

here’s my current favorite book, and LOOK! – it’s mine! It was just recently voted THE BOOK OF THE WEEK over at AuthorShout

THE VOICES OF ANGELS

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Love is the last thing Carly Lennox is looking for when she sets out on her new book tour. The independent, widowed author is content with a life spent writing and in raising her daughter. When newscaster Mike Woodard suggests they work on a television magazine profile based on her book, Carly’s thrilled, but guarded. His obvious desire to turn their relationship into something other than just a working one is more than she bargained for.

Mike Woodard is ambitious, and not only in his chosen profession. He wants Carly, maybe more than he’s ever wanted anything or anyone else. As he tells her, he’s a patient man. But the more they’re together, Mike realizes it isn’t simply desire beating within him. Carly Lennox is the missing piece in his life. Getting her to accept it-and him-may just be the toughest assignment he’s ever taken on.

Buy Links: Amazon /// TWRP /// Kobo /// Nook

If you need to find me, you can:  Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//

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