It's All About The GMC...

Happy Thursday All,

Smokey Mountains in
Gaitlinburg, TN, 2013

In writing, editing, critiquing, and being a judge (yes, I've done a little judging for a contest) there's a few things about writing that are true all the way across the board--no matter what genre, no matter if you're a newbie, or best seller, or somewhere in between. Or if you're a "pantser" or a "plotter". And that's organizing your story.

Every writer is different and every writer does this differently. I call myself a "half-in-half" writer because I do a little plotting and I do a little pantsering. But the main things every writer needs whether they do it before they write the first draft, or in the editing process are for every important/main character(s) in one's novel:

Me, at the NWHRWA
Lone Star Conference, 2014

Goal, motivation, conflict.

Yes,  GMC that leads to the actual plot.

Whether you're writing the hero, heroine, villain, whatever character, you have to know their GMC.

I'm not the first author to talk about this, and I doubt I'll be the last. I won't say my way is the only way to do things, it's just one idea of how you can organize your characters' GMC and a method that has worked for me.

Me, holding paperback copy of
ALL'S FAIR IN LOVE & LION
(I believe this was 2014).

In my files I have what I call my GMC Worksheet and I make this up for every main character I write. (Side note: I didn't use one when I wrote All's Fair In Love & Lion), in my writing it became apparent I needed something to refer to so that I didn't write myself into a corner, so here's what I do:

I have the title of the new novel--usually a working title or something that says what the novel will be, if I don't know the title. Like say I write something about a magic coat, but I don't know the title, yet. I'll put "Magic Coat Story"

Below that I have the following information:

GENRE:

Name:

Type of being:

Hair:

Eyes:

Physique (height/weight):

Goal:

Motivation:

Conflict:

I have these categories outlined for every character, and then at the very bottom I put in a basic plot line--I write out a draft of what the story will be about. (By the way, I have "type of being" because I write Fantasy and Paranormal, so not every character is strictly human--although, I do have some fully human characters).

And this is how I organize my work. This is how I know what each story is going to be about. If I can't sit down and start the story right away, I have the worksheet on file and can refer back to it whenever I want. These worksheets help me figure out what direction my story will take, where I am going and what I'm doing. I didn't do a detailed one for each of the Immortal Dreams books because I had a basic idea of what was going on after Book One. But I played with some ideas. But I do use this worksheet for every other novel I haven't written or finished yet. It gives me a chance to hash out ideas.

If you're someone who has trouble getting that first draft written, I

Me at the Botanical Gardens in Arkansas
2013

really recommend doing something like this. It'll help you get started. Whether you're a pantser or a plotter, sometimes playing around with ideas without the pressure of actually being within the manuscript itself can make the difference between writing yourself into a corner and knowing where you're going. I've been on both sides of the fence and I can tell you I do a lot less writing myself into a corner since I started thinking in terms of GMC than I used to do.

But, every writer is different and whatever way you write, you have

to know your strengths and weaknesses and what helps you and what doesn't. No writer is perfect. Trust me. I run across best selling authors who tell me such-and-such thing is their Achilles' heel. It happens. But if a writer learns from his or her mistakes and keeps working, he/she will get better. You don't get better if you don't work on your short-comings and sharpen your strengths.

Hope you all are having a great week! I've been getting a much needed break while waiting for my proofreader to finish with Immortal Love. That doesn't mean I'm not doing anything. I've done some writing and I'm doing some reading and stuff with the family. Also sleeping. Pregnancy is tiring at times.

Have A Totally Tantalizing Thursday!

Updates & Projects...

Happy Tuesday Everybody,

I know I'm doing a lot of inconsistent posting, but as always, I'm very busy.

Recently I sent Immortal Love (Book Three in the Immortal Dreams series) off to my proofreader. Once I get the notes back from my proofreader and get them all finished, Immortal Love will get turned in to my publisher. Then we'll do edits and eventually the book will be released (I believe we're shooting for March).

I also completed a critique for another author who asked for my input on their novel. That took a while because I've been really tired with the pregnancy (and uncomfortable) so everything is a lot slower than it normally would be. But, at least I got it done and sent off to the author, so now that author doesn't have to wait for it anymore.

My thoughts are turning towards the next project. There's about 3 that I'm really interested in getting into. One I'm working on some

research for, one is a spin off of one of my other novels, and another is a project I've had waiting for me for a long time that I'm hoping to complete. Each project is different in the sense of different characters/worlds, so the each have something different to offer. It's pretty exciting to be in this position of being able to pick and choose my next project to work on, but I don't know exactly what I'll do. I guess I'll have to figure out which one is calling the loudest to me.

So what are you all reading these days? Please include the title, author, and genre!

Have A Thrillingly Terrific Tuesday!

It's 2015!

Happy New Year Darling Readers,


I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year's.

The Averie Household continues to be busy. I'm still working on getting Immortal Love ready to turn into my publisher (although, getting closer--thank goodness!)

Christmas was nice. We went to Church for the vigil on Christmas Eve, and enjoyed the rest of the evening as a family. The next day presents were opened and we headed for my parents' house for more presents and Christmas dinner. My father made gluten free chocolate chip cookies and a gluten free apple pie (thank you, dad!) which were both really good. The ham was awesome, too (I can't eat turkey, I'm allergic to it, so Dad had turkey and ham--yes, he loves me!) We hung out with some friends of my folks and family members. The next day (Friday), one of my brothers made it into town and we saw them Saturday for dinner. Sunday we relaxed at home.

This week has been mostly hanging out at home, but busy. I finished reading As You Wish Inconceivable Tales From The Making Of The Princess Bride by Cary Elwes and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's not written as an expose, or even a definitive behind-the-scenes type book, but more like a memory book for some of the cast and crew to talk about their experiences. Cary is tremendously humble. The entire cast and crew very supportive of each other--which I really appreciated. It was nice to read something that was so positive and heartwarming. I laughed out loud in some places and felt for the actors in others. It was a fun read.

The new year brings a flurry of activity for me. Working hard to get Immortal Love turned in. I plan to work on several other writing projects I hope to work on throughout the year, not to mention expecting the new baby sometime this year. Which means I don't know how often I will be posting on the blog. I don't have an assistant (maybe one day!) so I have to figure out how to delegate my time and I have responsibilities in my real life, too. I will try, though.

I wish you all a very blessed, safe, healthy, and happy new year 2015. May it be, as Jason Magnus in the Immortal Dreams Trilogy would say, "awesomeness."

Have A Fantastically Fabulous Friday!

2014 Novels, & Christmassy Reading...

Happy Friday All,

This week has been filled with appointments pretty much every day so I've been kept on my toes.

With Christmas on its way and the end of the year coming, I thought I'd give a look at some of my favorite novels that were released in 2014 (besides my own, of course LOL).

In no particular order, here are some of my favorite novels published in 2014:

YA Category:

CC Hunter's Eternal This is book number 2 in C.C.'s Shadow Falls

After Dark series, featuring vampire Della Tsang. I love how underneath all her prickles and walls, Della feels deeply and is an incredibly loyal person. She's strong, sassy, but also vulnerable. I recommend reading C.C.'s Shadow Falls series, first, before reading Della's stories because these books happen after the events in the first novels. Of course, I recommend reading any of C.C.'s novels! She's an incredibly talented author. To check out my official blog book review of this novel, click here.

Katie McGarry's Breaking The Rules. If you're a fan of her Pushing

The Limits featuring Echo and Noah, then you'll be glad for this novel. Katie's writing is gritty, edgy, honest, and emotional. I don't read a lot of contemporary YA, but I make an exceptions for Katie's novels simply because of her talent and ability to draw a reader into her characters and sympathize with them.

Jennifer L. Aremntrout's Opposition. The final installment in Jennifer's Lux series came out in August and there were several

surprises, but a satisfying ending. I'm not usually into aliens, but Jennifer's work drew me in. I enjoyed Daemon's attitude and him and Katy's relationship.

These are just the YA's that stood out in my mind. It doesn't mean there wasn't any other notable YAs that were released in 2014.

Paranormal Romance:

Anne B. Cole's Souls Entwined. An intriguing and imaginative story. By the end I was fascinated with Anne's imagination and wondered what she'd come up with next. She certainly has unique ideas. I believe she'll pleasantly surprise readers. And nothing is more fun than getting a pleasant surprise from a novel! I have an official blog book review of this novel, which you can find here.

Marie  Hall's Rumpel's Prize. I'm a huge fan of Rumpel & Belle on the show Once Upon A Time, so when I heard about Marie's novel, I was interested to see what kind of spin she'd put on the Rumpelstiltskin story. I was not disappointed. As always, Marie

took a recognizable fairy-tale character and made it her own. I've loved the Kingdom series and haven't been disappointed by her writing. I still have to read Hood's Obsession and Her One Wish, but I plan to. Check out my review of this novel here.


I still have a huge TBR (To Be Read) pile although some are not 2014 releases. This doesn't reflect all the books I've read and/or enjoyed this year, but they stand out.

Now, since we are in the Christmas Season, let me recommend some seasonal reading from all different publication dates (and in no particular order):

Christie Craig's The Cop Who Stole Christmas--a humorous tale released in 2013, that had all the right hallmarks of a Christie novel--romance, suspense, and humor. Lots of fun, with a holiday twist.

Debbie Macomber's The Perfect Christmas, released in 2011. One of my favorite Christmas novels. Debbie has written several Christmas ones, but I especially loved this one. It involves a matchmaker who matches everyone up to their "most suitable" match, but doesn't see any love for himself, until an opinionated woman enters his life and turns it upside down. Heartwarming and fun.

The Night Before Christmas--various editions. I love this poem. So much fun. My offspring has a version of this story that I've read a loud and there's been giggling and great interest in it.

Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Various editions have been published over the years, even though Dickens has been dead for a long time. To me, that says a lot about the man's writing. I'm a big fan of A Tale Of Two Cities, and this story brings back memories of my father reading a version of it to me and my siblings at Christmas time. I wasn't ever a fan of the Ghost of Christmas-Yet-To-Come, but the message is a great one, and the story is worth sharing.

Kerrelyn Sparks' All I Want For Christmas Is A Vampire. If you're a fan of her Love At Stake series, you don't want to miss this one.  It was published in 2008. This novel is Ian MacPhie's story,which ties in Christmas, Kerrelyn's humor, and vampires all in one novel.

Lisa Scott's Holiday Rush--part of her Holiday Flirts! Set (which I haven't read the rest yet, I got Holiday Rush free on my E-reader--I think she was running a special offer at the time that I got the novelette on my E-Reader). This short story, published in 2011, is a fun, quick read, with a Christmas spirit, and Romance. I always wish her short stories were longer, but that would be why they're called Flirts. I've read several of her short stories and have enjoyed every one.

Of course, being a Roman Catholic Christian, I recommend the Gospel readings in the Bible of Jesus's birth. My favorite is Luke's rendition of the Nativity story.

I love Christmas stories and wish I could get one written. I've tried over the years, but they never came out quite right. Maybe someday, though!

What are some of your favorite 2014 releases and Christmas novels?

Have A Fabulously Festive Friday!

Updates, Stories, & More...

Happy Monday All,

I finally got Book Three out to my critiquers, so I'm awaiting their notes, however, I'm staying busy!

This week is full of appointments and things, but not just that, I plan to work on critiquing a novel for another author, and work on this other project I have going. Plus be pregnant. But that's a constant for now.

I'm almost ready for Christmas. Got a few more things to take care of, but I knocked out some of it over the weekend, which was good. How about you?

Recently I read Katie McGarry's new YA novel, Breaking The Rules. I really enjoyed it. The way she pulls in emotion is incredible. Her novels are gritty and have an honesty about them that pulls the reader in.

Once Upon A Time had it's winter finale Sunday night and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a heart-wrenching episode that leaves me really looking forward to March 1st when it starts back up with with the second half of the season. In my opinion, this season has shaped up nicely. And yes, I had been expecting the "showdown" between Belle and Rumpel for a long time--but it was hard to watch just the same. :-(

One thing I love about this time of year is when authors get festive. And I was happily surprised that author Beth Fantaskey jumped aboard and gave us Jess and Lucius fans a little "stocking stuffer" (as she put it) of a story as a guest post for Star Shadow Blog. It was really sweet and fun to read up on those characters again. I really enjoyed Jessica's Guide To Dating On The Dark Side and Jessica Rules The Dark Side. I've read the wedding story, too. I really enjoy those characters.

I'd love to do a short story of Jason and Laney at Christmas time, but I can't do it this year--sorry! But I think it would be fun. I've always loved the idea of doing a Christmas story, I've just never had one that worked.

Anyway, that's what's going on right now. What's up in your world?

Have A Magically Merry Monday!

Magic, Time Travel, Curses & Romance...

Happy Friday Everybody!

Well, we've done it! Made it through another work week...although, just because it's the weekend doesn't mean my work week ends. If the writing/editing/critiquing/whatever I have to do isn't done, I work on the weekends, too. In fact, I almost work every day unless I really feel bad/exhausted. Otherwise, it wouldn't get done.

Another hardworking author is Anne B. Cole, whose Souls Entwined is today's blog book review (another way overdue one!)

Sam Daggett isn't sure what to think when he meets Gretta Dobbs aka "Purple Shorts" (before he knows her name). But soon, he learns she's

strong, determined, and dealing with a serious mystery. One that has plagued her family for generations.

Gretta's family ring is cursed. But what kind of curse and how to break it, not even the spirits of her ancestors (who visit Sam and Gretta) know.

By sending Gretta and Sam's souls back in time into Gretta's ancestors' bodies the two are given the chance to uncover what happened and why the ring was cursed and what kind of curse it was.

Slung back to 1800's Greece, a time full of dangerous pirates, slavery, and adventure, into the bodies of Lorenzo and Anya, Sam and Gretta work to uncover the secrets behind the family, the ring, and the curse (or is it, curses?)

They're not supposed to change the past.

Survival isn't guaranteed.

Can these two young people figure out what's going on before it's too late for them...and Gretta's family?

Enter the world of Souls Entwined, the first in author Anne B. Cole's intriguing and engrossing Paranormal Romantic series.

Souls Entwined is available on Amazon Kindle for your reading pleasure.

Have A Fantastically Festive Friday!

Dreams, Fae, & Book Review...

Happy Thursday All,

I'm overdue for posting this, but I plead life and other things as the reason this hasn't gone up. I don't have an assistant, so I probably need to start keeping a log of To Do list for this blog. (Hey there's a New Year's Resolution right there!)

Anyway, I do want to introduce to you all a novel by author Larynn Ford. Since this is a promised review, it's an official blog book review.

Lynzi Lancaster didn't figure herself for a target until several life threatening incidents happen...all in one week. Who would want to hurt her?

Then there's the dreams. Layne Brady has been long gone out of her life for twenty years. Now all of a sudden she can't get him out of her mind or her dreams.

Magic and reality clash as Lynzi works to make sense out of what's happening to her and Layne struggles to prove that he is very much alive, and still loves her deeply.

If you like a twist on contemporary/western with a hint of the Fae, you'll find In My Wildest Dreams intriguing. I'm always into the unique, and this one definitely delivers.

And, it's on sale! So you can grab yourself a copy from Amazon Kindle today.

For paperback versions check out Amazon paperback and Barnes & Noble.

Have A Totally Twinkly Thursday!