Tag Archives: authors

July 22, 2018 · 1:46 pm

Winding down….

I have to admit I have been remiss these past few days in posting. So freakin’ much has been happening here in Denver, it’s all I can do just to keep up!

Let’s recap.

Thursday was the Kensington Book Signing.

My table was filled with readers all wanting a copy of my newest Lyrical book CAN’T STAND THE HEAT, plus the handpainted bags I give out as swag. I “sold out” within 15 minutes of the 1 hour aloted signing. But I got to hang out with one of my fav Kensington authors Jenna Jaxon.

 

 

Then, the Oscars of the romance reading world, THE RITA AWARDS completed the day with a ceremony filled with heartfelt moments and more than a few heated speeches about the state of the romance book world, and the world in general. The RITAs are a strange mix of glitz, glamour, and casual. Some of the writers wear gowns, sparkly stilettoes, and I spied 2 tiaras. Others wear business clothes – suits or cocktail dresses. Some even wear their comfy jeans and blouses. This diversity in attire -to me- explains the romance writer to the…T ( Heehee). We come from all backgrounds, races, economic statuses, age groups, and styles, yet we all write HEA’s, hunky heroes, and strong women. Love that. Simply, love that.

The workshops have been, for the most part, informative. There was a wide assortment of Indy workshops this year that didn’t pertain to me, since I’m traditionally published. I’ve seen this as a trend in most of the conferences I’ve attended the past few years. More things relating to self publishing than to the more traditional avenue. I don’t know how I feel about that, since I’ll never go Indy ( and you know what they say about never saying never) but I guess it’s a good thing the workshops are offered for all aspects  that comprise the romance publishing realm.

On Friday night I attended the Kensington Books party where the appetizers were the most delicious things I think I’ve ever eaten!! Then off to the Contemporary Romance Writers Awards ceremony, where I was a finalist in  the romantic suspense category for A SHOT AT LOVE.

Stiletto Finalist 2018

I may have mentioned I was a finalist once or twice ( or ten million times!) on the blog. Alas, I didn’t  win, but it was really great to be a finalist in such a prestigious group. The more people who see your name, the more readers you can potentially garner who will like your work. That’s the way I look at it, at least.

So, yesterday, Saturday, was the final day and again – jammpacked!!! I’ll be posting about that later. For now, I need to get to the airport and leave for home, my bed, and my hubby!! Miss them so much!

Look for me here::Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// Book Me

 

Advertisement

1 Comment

Filed under #RWA2018

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

March 2, 2018 · 9:53 am

I’m not Inventor-y…

This week’s topic is a hard one for me because I’m not an inventor-y-type girl. I don’t even like to go to the beach, much less an island. If I got stuck on a deserted island, I’d probably be the first one the cannibals ate, anyway because, you know…I’m chubby! Lots of protein and fat.

But…..

So survival being the name of the game I’d need some kind of device that would be able to turn the water surrounding the island into water suitable to drink. It takes 3 minutes to die without air, 3 weeks without food and three days without water, so the water is a necessity. I know there are currently machines called desalinization thingies, but I’d need to be able to make this on the island from the raw materials around.

Don’t know how I’d do this, don’t have a clue where to being, but….that’s what I’d make. A thingie machine to make clean, drinkable water.

And then once that was off the drawing board and put into practice, I’d find a way to invent a pizza oven. Just saying. Food, you know?

Heehee.

Well, it’s uber obvious I’m not inventor-y, but maybe some of the other authors on this challenge are. Hop on over to their sites to see what they’ve come up with. And if it’s good, I’ll probably make arrangements to be deserted with them so I could survive.

6 Comments

Filed under #Mfrwauthors

Tagged as , , , , ,

February 3, 2018 · 10:42 am

#L&SR Saturday Seven

Saturday has rolled around again like it is wont to do, and that means the Long and Short Reviews Saturday Seven blog is up. Today, I’m telling you about seven of my absolute favorite books from my all-time favorite author ( and her doppleganger. – Don’t worry, I’ll ‘esplain it, Lucy!)

Eleanor Marie Robertson, aka Nora Roberts and JD Robb,  is one of the most prolific writers ever to pick up a pen or tap letters on a keyboard. From the very first book of hers that I read, Irish Thoroughbred, I was sold on her as a writer. She’s pretty remarkable as a woman, too!
In no particular order, these are my 7 favorite Nora Roberts/JD Robb books.

NEW YORK TO DALLAS JD Robb.

Beleive it or not, this was the 33rd book in the series and the first to make me bawl my eyes out. The last 15 pages are so chock full of emotion, love, and devotion that I’m weeping a little just thinking about it right now! The words Roarke says to Dallas – “you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” – make me tingle and weep every single time I read the book.

RISING TIDES Nora Roberts.

Book 2 in the Chesapeake Bay Saga tells the story of Ethan Quinn, a man who survived a horrible childhood of abuse and neglect to grow into the most swoon-worthy of waterman (  fisherman). The moment he holds a tiny baby girl in his arms you simply melt – from the inside and out!

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS Nora Roberts

 

When the twin boys of a single dad ask Santa for a mom for Christmas, well, you just know you’re in for an emotional, joyful, and absolutely darling ride!

 

BLACK ROSE Nora Roberts

Book 2 of the In The Garden Trilogy gives us an older-than normal heroine in 47 year old, divorced Rose Harper. The mother of 3 boys and the owner of her own thriving nursery, she has to deal with a ghost invading her family home, a vengeful ex, and a charming genealogist who’s seriously capturing her heart. I lovelovelove this story because it featured a woman NOT in her 20’s! but one who’s lived a life and still has a long, long way to go before she’s put out to pasture. Love that. The sensuality of the scenes between her and Mitch ( the genealogy guy) are some of the best-written emotional intimacy scenes I’ve ever read.

SAVOR THE MOMENT Nora Roberts. Book 3 in the Bride Quartet, Savor the Moment gives us the love story of wedding baker Laurel McBane, a girl who didn’t grow up in the lap of luxury or wealth and Ivy leaguer to his toes Delaney ( Del) the brother of Laurel’s best friend. Opposites not only attract here, they meld together for life! And I love a story about baking and weddings, any day of the week.

IMMORTAL IN DEATH JD Robb The 3rd book in the InDeath series and one of my favs because it’s the book where Eve and Roarke get hitched. Eve’s reactions, thoughts, and angst about weddings, commitments, and even such mundane things like gifts, makes for some of the best banter and introspection in the early In-Deaths!

CHASING FIRE Nora Roberts. This book introduced me to the term SMOKE JUMPER and the brave men and women who literally jump into roaring flames to help save people and property. Aside from the fabulous chemistry between the H’H, there’s a secondary story of the heroine’s unmarried father and a woman he falls in love with. Both are in their 50’s and the way Robert’s portrays them, their love, and the physical aspect of their intimacy, I felt like she was writing about me or one of my friends ( we are all in our 50’s!) Love that!

When I’m not enjoying reading Nora/JD books, you can find me writing my own stories and interacting with readers here:  Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me// Triber// Book Me

10 Comments

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

July 28, 2017 · 9:32 am

Choices, choices!

 

Paperback, ebook or audio?

Which do you like best? I’m going to answer that question backward. Why? Just listen…

I’ve never been able to listen to an audio book without my attention wandering.

When we first moved to New England ( and even still to this day) we would travel to NYC to visit relatives frequently via car. My husband is the main driver in the family, so I have always been relegated to the front seat passenger side. You can only talk so much in a car before it gets: distracting, boring, tiring, so that means I usually need something to pass the 4+ hours ( without traffic) it takes to get to our destination. I tried listening to audio books when we first started these treks. Five minutes in my mind would start to wander or drift, or I’d slip into sleep. Just listening to someone’s voice – no matter how riveting the book was reported to be – was mind numbing to me. So, not a fan of audiobooks.

 

I had an original Kindle. You know, like ten years ago when it costs $300+ dollars!!

Again, I purchased it mainly because we travel so much and carting heavy books around, because I like to read hardbacks, was getting to be too much in luggage weight. I took the Patricia Cornwall book Scarpetta to England and the flight attendant said I had to stow it because it was so heavy! SO the Kindle seemed perfect. And I do love my Kindle. I have my account and the app uploaded on all my devices from phone to computer to iPad so I am always able to read wherever I am.

But….

There is just something about a book.

I love the way a library and an old book store smells. No, not musty and damp!!! But like you just sense down to your bones the millions of words and pages living in those places. I like holding a book, especially if I’m sitting down in a cozy, favorite chair, by a  warm fire on a cold day. I fully realize it’s wicked easier holding a Kindle when you are standing in line waiting to get on an airplane, or on the subway, and that’s another reason I love my Kindle: ease of holding. If I read my Kindle before bed, though, my brain tends to not shut down easily. A battery of psychologists did testing that postulated this is because the pixels and the other cyber stuff of devices forces your brain to stay awake by stimulating it. Reading a regular book, on the other hand, is calming to your brain.

Ahhh, a book….turnable pages filled with inky thoughts and ideas…something solid, that has weight – both in ounces and substance(!)

SO for me, it’s never really a contest – a real book all the time. ( With Kindle a close second!)

Stop by the other authors in the Blog Challenge and see how they like to read….

9 Comments

Filed under #Mfrwauthors, Author, Contemporary Romance, Life challenges, Romance, Romance Books, Strong Women

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

February 24, 2017 · 9:40 am

What’s in a title? A lot more than you think, #MFRWauthor

badge-blog-challenge-updated

I’m sure this is an easy feat for most writers, but not for me. I agonize over book titles. Are they too long? Too short? Do they convey the correct theme of the book? Do they even convey the theme of the book? Will it be a memorable title, or one that is easily forgotten in the myriad of published books these days?

Titles can, in all truth, make or break a book. Would you have read any of these books if these were the titles?:

  1. The High-Bouncing Lover
  2. The Last man in Europe
  3. The Dead Un-Dead
  4. Mistress Mary
  5. Nothing New in the West
  6. Wacking Off
  7. The Don’t Build Statues to Businessmen
  8. The Kingdon By The Sea
  9. At this point In time
  10. Private Fleming, His Various Battles

I was a bit surprised at a few of them, and I can in all truthfulness say I wouldn’t have read any one of them except for the Dead Un-Dead, because I think it was a cool, really out-there title. To see the titles these books were actually published as, scroll down when you’re done reading.

You can’t, apparently, trademark a  title. I found this out when I wrote my third book, FIRST IMPRESSIONS ( which, BTW was the original working title of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice) and did a  search to see how many books with the same title there were (423). My second book I called THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME. 366 other authors also called their works of fiction that. SO, how the heck can I can up with a title that (1) hasn’t been used before, and (2) will make the random reader interested in it enough to pick up the book and check it out? Again, no easy feat.

I used to make lists, pages of lists, with book titles. Even then, choosing just one was torture.

I’m so lame at coming up with my book titles I  left the naming of my second book in the Will Cook For Love Series from Lyrical/Shine to the editors. They came up with A SHOT AT LOVE. When you read the book you’ll know it’s the perfect title, but I didn’t have anything even close to that I was working with! Thank God for the people in the know who really really really know what they are doing.

Naming your book is an awful lot like naming your child. You want to give it something with character, essence, personification, and beauty. And your book, to the writer, is your baby, your child, your creation, so you don’t want to let it down by giving it a crummy moniker; one that will inspire ridicule and laughter. Honestly, I pity the poor children of celebrities who have been named after fruits, compass directions, and astrological projections. Sad.

See? You probably thought the title was the easiest thing to come up with.  I bet you didn’t know how hard it really was to name a book? Well…at least it is for me!

Here’s what the above titles were actually published as, and thank goodness they were!!!

  1. The Great Gatsby
  2. 1984
  3. Dracula
  4. The Secret Garden
  5. All Quiet On the Western Front
  6. Portnoy’s Complaint
  7. Valley of the Dolls
  8. Lolita
  9. All the President’s Men
  10. The Red Badge of Courage

When I’m not agonizing over naming books, you can usually find me here:Tweet Me//Read Me// Visit Me//Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//

Since this is a 52 week blog hop challenge, here are some other authors who are also taking about how they name their books today. Stop by and check out their blogs.

blog-button200

1 Comment

Filed under Author, Characters, Contemporary Romance, Cooking, First Impressions, Kensington Publishers, Lyrical Author, MacQuire Women, Romance, Romance Books, Strong Women, The Laine Women, The Wild Rose Press, There's No Place Like Home, Uncategorized, WIld Rose Press AUthor

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

November 20, 2014 · 11:36 am

How do you “see” your characters?

My friend was sitting in my writing lair the other day and happened to see a bunch of index cards with color photographs of various head shots with written descriptions next to them. She asked me what they were. I admitted they were my cheater cards for characters. When she gave me that quizzical look we as writers can all describe: brown furrowed, a subtle squint in the corners of the eyes, I explained these were what I envisioned my characters in my current WIP looked like. I like having an actual picture to work from than simply a written description.

How do you see your characters? Are you like me and you need a visual prompt? Or can you simply see the person in your mind and bring them to life on the page?

Up until a few years ago I tried to paint the picture of what my peeps looked like in my head and then transfer it to the written word. The problem I encountered was I needed to keep going back to the original description if I mentioned eye or hair color again, because I would invariably forget how I described them. I got the idea to start using photographs of celebrities, or people I’d see in print ads, one day when the person I wanted to describe looked exactly like a very famous actor. I figured as long as I didn’t state he was dead ringer for my character, but describe his attributes instead, I would be okay.

And I was.

I printed out a picture from an on-line site and then went on to describe his features, including height, approximate weight and body type. From that moment on, whenever I needed to refer to a characteristic again, all I needed to do was look at my picture.

Then I had a divine inspiration: I not only printed the picture, I pasted it to an index card and then physically wrote down every description of the character I might need. Body type, weight, height, any physical ticks or quirks, eye color, hair color. For men, if they would typically sprout a five o’clock shadow by, say, 3 pm., I’d add it. If their chests were hairy, matted, or smooth got included so during the love scenes I wouldn’t have mistakenly “shaved” a guy with hair and made him smooth to the touch.

For the women, waist and bust size along with shapeliness or a lack of it was documented. Were their smiles full, sexy or sardonic?

You may ask isn’t this a bit much to fit all on an index card? No, it’s not.

This system has worked so well for me, I haven’t had a mistaken blue eye substituted for a brown one in years.

However you envision them, however you remember their attributes, whatever works for you is fine.

This is the easiest way for my rapidly deteriorating menopausal memory to deal with information that needs to be repeated.

Leave a comment

Filed under Characters

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

November 13, 2014 · 1:51 pm

Almost half way thru NaNoWriMo…

30 days can be regarded in a number of ways. It’s a full month on a calendar ( if you disregard February and forget the 31 day months); it’s a little over 4 exact weeks; it’s a pay period for most workers, a menstrual cycle, and a billing rotation. It’s the amount of time most people set aside to get a haircut. Psychologists tell us in 30 days we can form new and better habits, changing out old, bad ones. Many contact lenses need to be replaced every 30 days, and you should really change some of your makeup monthly as well.

All those things can be done in 30 days. Most with relative ease.

What’s not so easy to do in 30 days is write a 50,000+ word novel/first draft.

Don’t get me wrong: it can be done. And has.

But it really isn’t that easy.

We’re almost at the halfway time mark of this year’s NaNoWriMo challenge. I’m doing well – better than I expected, really. Right now I’m sitting in my local Subaru dealer getting my car inspected and fixing a recall problem.

And I’m typing. At this moment – this blog entry. But until a minute ago I was working on my NaNo WIP. I’ve found I bring my laptop with me everywhere I go, including to work, and when I can manage it – lunch hours and breaks in the day, – I open my NaNo file and … go.

The goal of 50,000 words can seem daunting. For most, it is. But for people like us who write for a living/hobby/obsession, it’s not as bad as it seems.

Breaking it down to a little over 1500 words per day – or roughly 6-7 pages of  double spaced text – it can be done.

And remember – this is a first draft. It’s not the finished, polished, ready to submit one. That comes later with editing.

I find with this draft I usually do a lot of dialogue. I can always put in the subtext, tags, and descriptions later with the editing, but I like to know what my peeps are gonna say first and take the story from there. Dialogue comes quick to me – probably because I never shut up in real life! But seriously, whatever comes easiest for you – dialogue, exposition, description, or even backstory – go with it. Let it flow and let it go. Like I said, you can always go back later, after the challenge, and make it better.

But get those words on the page now. That’s what the important part of the challenge is. Training yourself to type everyday, to create on a  timeline, to focus your thoughts and words.

So, how far are you at this halfway mark?

 

;

Leave a comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,