Tag Archives: Romantic Fiction

August 16, 2016 · 9:08 am

Something new…

Recently, I signed on with NetGalley, an online book reviewer site. The reason I decided to do this was because I read a lot  of books by new authors,  and I know – personally!- how hard it is to get reviews. Reviews generate buzz about books to people, and as an author, I appreciate how valuable a good review is to finding new readers to read my stuff.  A good review can up an author’s sales. A great review can propel a book and its writer into another stratosphere. Being a reviewer allows me to help the people I know who read my blog find great new and upcoming authors, and writers they’ve never read before.

I made a new page on my website to list the books and their reviews that I think are outstanding and worthy to be read. This is the link: Books I’ve reviewed .  You’ll find well known authors in addition to many names many you’ve never heard of before – but should be hearing about!

My standards for review are the same ones I hope other reviewers will use for me. I won’t write a written review for any book that I can’t give a 4 or 5, to. If a book scores lower than that for me, it usually means the story didn’t resonate with me. That doesn’t mean it won’t appeal to others, tho, and I don’t want to post something negative about it. I’ve read two books recently that I gave only 3’s to because there were so many grammatical and typing errors in the copy I couldn’t actually enjoy the story because of it.

I don’t ever want to be one of those mean reviewers who epitomize the haters gotta hate rule. Those are the reviewers who I always think are secretly writer-wannabes who just can’t – for whatever reason -write the story themselves, so they bash others that do. So. Not. Me!

So, if my humble opinion means anything, I hope you will check back periodically and read about the books I’ve given kudos to.

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

2 Comments

Filed under Author, community advocacy, Contemporary Romance, Kensington Publishers, Life challenges, Lyrical Author, Netgalley Reviewer, New Hampshire, NHRWA, research, Romance, Romance Books, The Wild Rose Press

Tagged as , , , , , ,

July 10, 2016 · 10:19 am

Preparation…or, How overwhelmed do I feel right now?

While I try on everything I own to see what fits and what needs major alternations in prep for my #RWA16 conference packing, I came across this great article on tips for preparing to attend a writer’s conference.

Apropos and timely? You betcha!

Packing is crucial to having a good conference. You not only want comfortable clothes and shoes because you’ll be schlepping hither and yon from workshops to editor appointments to publishing house spotlights, but you also want your clothes to be professional looking. Sweat pants and flip flops are not the way to make a good impression on potential readers or literary agents. You also need to dress for the weather where the conference is. This year it is in sunny California in San Deigo. Currently, wildfires are raging rampantly along parts of California, so I know it’s dry and hot. But….I’ll be in a hotel for 90 percent of the day. A hotel with air conditioning, so I know I need summer clothes with options of sweaters or blazers just in case it’s too chilly.

I’ll be attending my first book signing as an author so I want something pretty in case anyone wants to take a selfie with me (please, from my lips to God’s ears on this one!!!). I’ll be going to a publishing cocktail party so another pretty outfit is called for. Plus the Rita/Golden Hearts award ceremony. Now with outfits goes…shoes. I have many to choose from as you can see from just this one closet, and this can pose a problem. rwashoes

The way I usually rectify and deal with the problem of shoe selection is to develop a simplified color palette to bring with me for clothes. This year, it’s primarily black and white, which you can see here:rwaclothes

This narrows down the choices for the matching shoes. (You didn’t know this was a science, did you?)

Now, I also need travel clothes –  shoes I can slip in and out of easily at the airport security check-in, no pants with belts, and limited jewelry so I don’t set off the metal detector machine.

These are all the decisions that need to be made BEFORE I even pack, so today is devoted to clothing- choosing, washing, ironing, folding, packing.

Goodness, I’m mentally exhausted already!

This is the book I’ll be autographing at the Literacy Fundraising event.

SKATER’S WALTZ

perf5.000x8.000.indd

Figure skater Tiffany Lennox is busy with rehearsals for an upcoming ice show when the only man she’s ever loved comes home after a two-year overseas stint. She needs him to see her for the woman she’s become and not the child he knew to ensure he stays home, this time, for good. With her.

For all his wanderlust and hunger for professional success, Cole Greer comes home wanting nothing more than to rest, relax and recover. He is delighted in being Tiffany’s hero and has a special place in his heart reserved for her. But faced with the oh-so-desirable woman she’s become, he starts questioning his determination to keep their relationship platonic.

When forced by the television network to go back on assignment, Cole – for the first time in his life – is torn between his career and his heart.

Buy Links: If you’re not going to be at #RWA16

Amazon://   Barnes and Noble: //    The Wild Rose Press: //   I-Book:   //  Kobo:

If you need to find me while I’m away, you can:  Tweet Me// Read Me// Visit Me// Picture Me//Pin Me//Friend Me//Google+Me//

 

 

1 Comment

Filed under Author, Contemporary Romance, love, Romance, Romance Books, RWA, The Wild Rose Press, WIld Rose Press AUthor

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

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.

petpeeves10

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.”
  • petpeeves11
  • 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:

perf5.000x8.000.indd

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//

2 Comments

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

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

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:

perf5.000x8.000.indd

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//

Leave a comment

Filed under Author, Characters, Contemporary Romance, Family Saga, Life challenges, Literary characters, love, MacQuire Women, research, Romance, Romance Books, The Voices of Angels, The Wild Rose Press, Wild Rose Press Authoe

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

June 7, 2016 · 8:45 am

A stroll down romance book memory lane…

What was the first book you read that taught you about romantic love?

Pride and Prejudice? Gone with the Wind? Wuthering Heights? The Fault is in our Stars? The Notebook? Lady Chatterly’s Lover?

Okay that last one really shouldn’t be included because it was more about repressed sexual urges than really romantic love, but it is a favorite still with many people.

For me – as with a great deal of people – my introduction to romantic fiction was when I was 11 years old and I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time. I will admit at the time I didn’t know it was about romance, and as an 11 year-old I had some trouble with the flowery prose. But I thought it was a cool story about English history ( hahahahah) and that it had a happy ending, something I knew I liked in a book.

As I matured I realized the book was much more than a simple happily-ever-after story. It was a love letter to the time, craftily weaving a story of personal intrigue and discovery, social mores, and class distinctions. Through Elizabeth, we see the struggles of a woman feeling trapped between doing what is familiar and best for her family ( marry well) and wanting to have a life filled with happiness and joy that only a love match – she feels – will give her. The Bennets will lose everything when their father dies due to the archaic and misogynistic entailment of the property to only a male heir – something not present in the Bennet household. The five daughters must be married off, and married off to hopefully rich husbands.  Lizzy grapples with the idea her future is dependent on a rich man wanting her and a romantic notion that she will marry for love and not social and financial gain.

But it still had that happily-ever-after ending I was so found of.

When I began writing my own romantic fiction, the book became much more to me. I saw it as a blueprint- for lack of a better word – in how the classic hero and heroine must go through obstacle after obstacle before they can come together as a couple and find their joined happiness. The romance story must be layered with emotions and discoveries – not only about the love interest, but the hero and heroine themselves must find out who they are and what they truly want in love and in a partner. The story must be  peppered not only with situations that keep them apart but also characters who place impediments in their way to being together. Misdirection, unknown facts, secrets and the like, all add dimension and layering to the story to make it a page turner and not a snore inducer.

One of the reasons Pride and Prejudice, written over 200 hundred years ago, is still a favorite with romance readers today is because it is a universal story of boy meets girl/boy loses girl/ boy gets girl in the end.

And it has that wonderful happily-ever-after feel to it.

So, what was the first romantic book you ever read? let’s discuss……

here’s my current favorite romantic novel, and LOOK! – it’s mine!

THE VOICES OF ANGELS

perf5.000x8.000.indd

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//

Exciting news, people. I’m having a ‪#‎goodreads‬ ‪#‎giveaway‬ of THE VOICES OF ANGELS. Here’s the link to try and get a paperback copy plus one of my hand painted book boxes to house it in.https://www.goodreads.com/…/show/189562-the-voices-of-angels
And pssssst! Want an even greater chance of winning? I’m going to give 2 lucky winners the chance to get a free e-copy of the book if you do one of these things within the next week: ( remember, you must have a kindle in order to win!!)
1. visit my website on Tuesday 6/7 or Thursday june 9 and leave a comment and follow me on WordPress. Here’s my website link:
https://peggyjaeger.com/
2. Follow me on Twitter anyday! : https://twitter.com/peggy_jaeger
or
3. Follow me on instagram anyday!:https://www.instagram.com/mmj122687/

On June 12th I’ll pick two random winners (so make sure to check back here!) and I’ll get your email addresses, and send a copy of THE VOICES OF ANGELS directly to your kindle, via amazon.
Sound good???

 

Leave a comment

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

Tagged as , , , , , ,

March 8, 2016 · 10:04 am

Let’s talk whirlwinds….

Not the meteorological ones, but the whole writing/publishing/marketing ones. The kind I’m in right now.

First, a disclaimer: I AM NOT COMPLAINING! This is not a blog rant. It is merely a message, a little insight perhaps, into the mind ( and world) of a trying-to-be-famous-middle-aged-romance-novelist-who-is-learning-the-ropes-one-step-at-a-time.

So. I had a book released on February 8, titled 3 WISHES (  A Candy Hearts Romance). There were 40 of us who had CHS titles released from January 3 until February 12. Because of that large number, there were endless blog visits, promos, cross-promo and other avenues for advertising,  we all took part in. And  because of all that, I didn’t get a great deal of my own writing done, especially when I booked my own intense 2 week blog/publicity tour that required me to write a separate essay and visit 10 of those blogs, daily. I know. Add that to the rest of the promo stuff and it is safe and true to tell you I was mentally exhausted. Thrilled with the promo and sales, but dog-tired.

That brings us to the present. I have a new release, THE VOICES OF ANGELS coming out this Friday, 3.11.16, and am in the throes of another promotion frenzy.  Truly – A FRENZY!!! I know I’ve mentioned this before, but I like to repeat things when I am stressed: I want to be the kind of writer who, one day, will have people who will do my marketing for me. And by people, I mean REAL PEOPLE, EXPERTS, and those who KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING (!) so I can just sit happily in my attic and ….write the days away without having to worry about tweeting hourly, putting up facebook posts, connecting on Goodreads ( although I like this!) or tracking novel rank. I want to write, not market. I know I sound like  a whining brat and I apologize for that ( hey, that rhymed!).

Le sigh.…someday. Again – just as a reminder – I am not complaining about any of this!!!!

well…maybe just a touch.

THE VOICES OF ANGELS

perf5.000x8.000.indd

Blurb:

Can she trust her heart to love again?

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.

Available at:  Amazon /// The Wild Rose Press///  Kobo ///  Nook

Find me here:

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

Leave a comment

Filed under Alpha Male, Author, Characters, Contemporary Romance, Family Saga, love, MacQuire Women, Romance, Romance Books, Strong Women, The Voices of Angels, The Wild Rose Press, WIld Rose Press AUthor

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

February 25, 2016 · 10:39 am

The things I learn just to use them in my books…

medium_Writing_Memes_from_Writers_Write10

I came across this little meme today and -surprise! – thought it was perfect for a writing post! Yeah, I know, it always amazes me where inspiration comes from too!

Anyway.

If you know me personally you know I lovelovelove to cook. My mother is not exactly what could be termed “a good cook.” Working 2 jobs during most of my childhood made for many dinners that were thrown together at the last minute with no preparation or thought put into them. Dried, baked chicken with no seasonings served with bland boiled carrots became a staple as did peanut butter and Fluff sandwiches. Is it any wonder when I grew to maturity the desire to learn how to actually cook a meal that tasted good was a necessity?

I scrounged garage sales, discount stores, and the sale racks at books stores for any kind of cooking tome from How-To’s, to 50 ways to make chicken books. Currently, I have over 100 well loved, dog-eared and, frequently used cookbooks in my house. A new cookbook as a present will send me into spasms of pleasure that equal…well, I let you fill that in with your own imagination!

In every book or story I write, someone cooks. Well. The MacQuire women are all superb cooks who can whip up five-course meals for a house full of company in less than an hour. The San Valentino women cook old-school recipes using things we’ve been told are bad for us like real butter, cheese and red meat. No one in the family has any kind of weight problem from eating this way. Interesting, don’t you think?

I use my cooking skill in my books, and I’m still learning new recipes and ways to cook and serve food everyday and I will until I can’t hold a ladle any longer. So…have you ever learned something new just to use it in a book? Or do you incorporate any hobbies or things you love to do into your own stories?  Let’s discuss….

And since we’re talking about cooking, here’s a little sumthin’ sumthin’ from my 3/11/16 release of THE VOICES OF ANGELS.

perf5.000x8.000.indd

“T’isn’t the most nutritious meal I’ve ever prepared in this house,” Addie said, “but at least it’ll fill your bellies.”

“Personally, Addie,” Mike said, “I love sandwiches for dinner and cold turkey is my absolute favorite.”

Addie beamed. “Sure now, you’re just saying that to make an old woman feel better.”

Mike made an elaborate gesture of crossing his hand over his heart. Through unblinking eyes that zeroed in on the older woman’s face, he said, in a voice filled with sincerity, “I swear on my life, these are the best sandwiches I’ve ever eaten.”

Addie and Carly burst into laughter.

“Well now, there’s a sweet man you are. Now, if you’ll excuse me,” she removed her apron, “I’m off. It’s plum worn out, I am. I’ll see you both in th’morning.”

Carly rose and kissed the woman’s cheek. “Thank you for everything, Addie.”

“Oh, darlin’, t’is more than welcome you are.”

When they were alone, Carly sat back in her chair. “That was sweet of you. Addie may look and sound as tough as nails sometimes, but she’s always pleased with a compliment.”

“I meant what I said. I do love these kinds of easy dinners. I’ve made them enough for myself and Cole over the years to appreciate them.”

Buy Links: The WIld Rose Press /// Amazon

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

10 Comments

Filed under Alpha Hero, Author, Characters, Contemporary Romance, Family Saga, love, MacQuire Women, Romance, Romance Books, Strong Women, The Voices of Angels, WIld Rose Press AUthor

Tagged as , , , , ,

December 8, 2015 · 8:40 am

A picture is worth….?

What my characters look like is important to me. I’m one of the most visual people you will ever meet. Yes, I’m nosy, and will ask 1 million questions when I meet you, but…

I will also be looking you over from head to toe. Not blatantly; not rudely; but very, very  intensely. The color of your hair, eyes, the way you carry yourself, the clothes you wear, if you wear flats or high heels… all those things are important to me. And the reason they are is because when I think about you, the person, I get a mental picture of what you actually look like. One of the greatest things about smart phones is when you’re receiving a call from somebody now you can actually have their picture show up on the display  as the phone is ringing so you know exactly who it is  calling. Love that.

But I digress.

Whenever I start a new book and I get to meet my characters, I always look for pictures online or in magazines of people I think they will resemble. For instance, in my most recent novel, First Impressions, Clarissa Rogers in my mind was a young looking Julia Roberts. Think Steel Magnolias. Mid back length curly cinnamon colored hair, flashing chocolate colored eyes. Padrick  Cleary  is a dead ringer for Matt Bomer. A simply gorgeous, delicious man.

mattbomer julia_roberts

When I was writing the book and creating dialogue between the two I actually had their pictures on my desk so that I could refer to them while I was writing dialogue tags and visceral descriptions.  I do this with all my stories. I need to know what my people look like when they are smiling, frowning, crying, and  even eating. It shouldn’t surprise you to discover you can find pictures of just about anyone well known doing anything from sleeping to running, online. And yes I will admit, I feel a little voyeuristic when I do this, but for the creative processes of description and narration it really is beneficial for me to have an actual photograph of  what I think my character looks like.

We live in a very visual society. How we look to others is way more important than it should be, but is a very telling fact. When someone reads my  novels I really want them to get a feel for  what the characters look like. I do this when I read other people’s books. I have a picture in my mind based on the author’s description of the character and I try to liken it to someone well known to me, be it an actress, actor or even a personal friend.  This really gets me invested in the story. I simply love knowing what people look like, characters as well.  I’ve read some stories that will describe the character as, “a young Julie Andrews”  or “Marlon Brando –ish.”  That’s all well and good and it does bring a picture of what the character looks like to your mind. But for my purposes I would rather describe the young Julie Andrews, denoting her short cropped golden blonde hair and centered, angular chin to my reader than to let them fill in the blanks.  This may have something to do with my sense of wanting to be in control of what the reader thinks when they read my words. I’ll have to ponder on that and get back to you…

So, when you write your character descriptions, do you have someone in mind they resemble? Do you, like I do, go online or research through magazines looking for someone who can depict your character to perfection? And if you don’t, then how do you come up with a description? Does it come out of your head? Do you base it on someone you’ve seen on a corner? In the Mall? How does this person jump to life for you so  you can make the character jump to life for me?

You knew this was coming… Let’s discuss…

Coming soon:: 3 Wishes, A Candy Hearts Story 2/8/16 from The Wild Rose Press. Buy Links available soon

perf5.000x8.000.indd

Tweet Me   Visit Me  Read Me

Friend Me   Pin Me   Picture Me

Google+ Me

Buy Links for First Impressions:
Amazon    Wild Rose Press   Nook

Featured Image -- 1345

13 Comments

Filed under 3 Wishes, Author, Characters, Contemporary Romance, Literary characters, MacQuire Women, Romance, Romance Books, WIld Rose Press AUthor

Tagged as , , , , , ,

November 30, 2015 · 10:31 am

NaNoWriMo-done-o! 11/30

It’s official: another November has come and gone and along with it NaNoWriMo.

 

nanowrimo

By midnight tonite  hundreds of thousands of writers around the globe who have been participating in what is charmingly called “NaNo Word Wars” will stop typing, lay down their pens, surrender their pencils and hit Save, then Submit  and verify into the NaNo site to confirm they have at least written 50,000 words of a work in progress.

So, if you participated where did you wind up today? 50,000 words? More? Less? Were you able to write every day, at least a few words, or did you fall into plot holes, POV problems, or just plain writing inertia somewhere along the way? Or did your everyday life and the responsibilities and obligations that go along with it get in the way of your writing? Don’t be upset if you didn’t make the mark for whatever reason. The fact you tried and got something down makes you a winner in my book.

50,000 words is a lot. A. Lot. Figuring that most romance novels fall between 65,000 and 90,000, 50 K could be considered almost done with your next novel.  And novellas can top off between 25 and 35,000.

I made my goal during the third week because I was on a role and have no other life but writing. No kids home to disturb me, and a husband who works 90+ hours per week, leaves me with a great deal of time to do this. And luckily, the book I was working on is the fifth in a series so I knew my characters and where I wanted to take them fairly well. Plus, I’m a plotter. Enough said.

Congratulations on the effort, the success, and the blood, sweat and tears for this year’s challenge. Onward to 2016. It’s only 365 days away!

nanowinnner

5 Comments

Filed under Author, Contemporary Romance, Family Saga, Life challenges, love, MacQuire Women, NaNoWriMo, Romance Books, WIld Rose Press AUthor

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

November 13, 2015 · 10:17 am

Almost 2 weeks into NaNoWriMo…

and I’m still plugging away.

nanowrimo

By the halfway mark, many writers fall into  a plot hole abyss, wrestle with a character who wants to take over the story, or they come to the realization the story line isn’t really keeping their attention. And just for clarity’s sake, this happens to all writers whether they are doing the NaNo challenge or not. The difference in November is that you only have two weeks left in the challenge to fulfill that 50,000-word minimum and declare a win.

Pressure, much? Stress, maybe?

nervous-woman-cartoon

No worries.

The best thing about the NaNoWriMo challenge is the only person you are competing against is YOU. Now is not the time to start editing or switching POV, or changing the rudimentary goals, motivations and conflicts of your hero and heroine. Now is the time to freestyle and just write it all out. December  ( and the rest of the new year )is for editing and refining. Tweaking and changing.

Now, the goal is to write – albeit you want it to be good writing, that goes without saying. But as long as you are pounding forward, getting those fingers on the laptop keys, or writing out long hand, you are winning.

The tagline for my website is Writing is my Oxygen, because I need to write in order to exist, just like I need to breathe in order to live. A day without writing something, anything, to me, is a wasted day. I approach NaNo the same way. As long as I am pushing forward on the story, I am in the positive column. And even if I get to 11:30 pm November 30 and still need 500 more words to get over the finish line, at least I know I got that far.

To me, partaking in the NaNoWriMo challenge IS the win. The 50k words are just the cherries on top.

horatio

Leave a comment

Filed under Author, Contemporary Romance, Life challenges, NaNoWriMo, NHRWA, Romance, Strong Women

Tagged as , , , , ,