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Burning Questions -- The Answers...

Happy Monday All,

Here's hoping everyone had a great weekend! Mine was busy. Saturday we had offspring soccer game. Sunday we went to church and then we had family time. In the evening, offspring and Daddy went off to have time together (ran errands and hung out) while I watched the Season 3 Premier of Once Upon A Time (which was really good, by the way! Totally not the Peter Pan we're used to from the animated movie). I think it'll be a good season.

Last week I asked everyone to post or email their "burning questions" about my writing. A couple of you left me some really good questions, so today I'm taking the time to answer them:

Susan M. asked:  I notice that you write in first person, present tense Is there a reason you chose this? Is it difficult and will your future books be written in this tense?

My answer:  My Third Realm Romances (what All’s Fair In Love & Lion is, and the subsequent companion novels that are in the same world) are all first person /present tense. I’m not sure why that happened. I just know when I wrote AFIL&L, I tried to write it the more “conventional” way (3rd person, past tense), and it just didn't have the right “feel”.  So I had it as 1st person present tense and it just flowed for me.  My future books—the Immortal Dream Series—will be in the more “conventional” way (3rd person, past tense). I did that with Immortal Dreams as a challenge to myself, and it actually worked well for that series, but it doesn't work for the Third Realm Romances. I’m not positive to why this is, I guess it’s mostly because every story has its own quirks.  Just about everyone I've talked to about writing present
tense 1st person has asked me if it’s difficult. I guess it just depends on the day and my mood. Most of the time, when I’m writing a novel whatever makes that novel flow works for me. This isn't to say I never run into roadblocks—far from—but, I guess if I’m immersed in a story the style comes to me reasonably easily. The hardest part is switching from Immortal Dreams to the Third Realm and switching styles. However, when I’m immersed the style and the writing is flowing, it’s not real hard.


Tonette asked:  Are you going to stay with novels or are you branching back out?(I know you are a poet and songwriter, as well).

My answer:  My primary focus will remain being a novelist. However, I haven't ruled out writing more poetry and lyrics (in fact, I've written some poems and at least one set of lyrics in the last 6-7 months). I'm pretty open to wherever I'm inspired. But yes, I plan to focus mostly on my novels.

Stay tuned for tomorrow, folks! I've got a special treat--an official blog book review. 

Have A Marvelously Merry Monday!

Comments

Tonette Joyce said…
Oh, nice, Bethany...great answers.
I think people who don't write don't always understand that the piece itself, whatever it is, TELLS you how it wants to be written...well, rather.You hear the story and so, the POV in your mind, and each work is different.
I guess it's hard to explain.
Anyway,keep writing whatever comes to mind!
Bethany said…
Tonette,

It's okay, I understood what you were saying and you're absolutely right. The story does let the author know how things should be done and if the author listens, it's possible to make something awesome happen.

Thank you for dropping by and commenting! :-)

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