Some Like It Spooky

Good Afternoon Folks,

I like October because it's my birthday month--also because it's Fall and I like cooler weather. I live in the Southern part of Texas, so we get a lot of heat--for most of the year. So I welcome the cooler weather (don't ask me to move, I ain't moving...but I reserve the right to be glad of the cooler weather and to say that it's too hot to go outside in the summer LOL).

But I'm not into spooky stuff that's often associated with Halloween.

"But wait," you say, "what about the fact that you write paranormal romance? You've got a witch in one of your stories and a vampire, too!"

Yes, this is true. And I have liked Twilight by Stephenie Meyer, too. However, these stories are very different from the usual witch or vampire fare. It's safe too call it Witch-Lite and Diet Vampire.

I doubt anyone consider my characters the embodiment of any story centered around witches, vampires, werewolves, warlocks. Granted my vampires do drink blood, but they don't live in coffins and I don't say much about how or if sunlight affects them (at least not so far in Conjure A Man).

I'm more or less like Bewitched (TV show starring Elizabeth Montgomery). Or Sabrina: The Teenage Witch, starring Melissa Joan Hart. I try to go for the "lighter" side of the spectrum, rather than the spooky side. (Although, not exactly the same, but it's easier to akin it to those TV shows than to any other stories).

So what about you? When you write a type of creature that already has different stories about it, do you go for mainstream, or your own interpretation? How do you differ and how do you match up?

Have A Sensational Saturday!

What's The Point?

Good Morning Cyber-Space!

Oh boy, all of a sudden I have this gigantic urge to yell that greeting out. LOL I haven't finished my coffee, so maybe I'll make more sense when I have. In the mean time...

When you're writing a story what is it you want to do with it?

Okay, I'm not talking about the obvious, which is, publish the story...here's what I mean: I'm not asking why you write, but why the particular book you either finished or are working on? What struck you about the idea that made you say "Yes! I need to write this?" Was it something that didn't leave you alone? Or just this wonderful flash of inspiration that made you say "Oh, this one! This story."

For me, the reason I wrote Surreal was because after a long time of being "dry" (uninspired and writer blocked) the idea started taking shape and I got excited about it. I began to enjoy the story as I pictured the scenes and the characters. Their mannerisms, et cetera. I was determined to see the story through.

When it comes to Conjure A Man, a similar situation arose. The idea clicked in my head. I loved the title and thought it spoke to me and thought it would probably catch readers' eyes. I like the characters a lot. Delaney is easily embarrassed by Pierre, when normally a man wouldn't faze her. It's like the connection was there the moment he walked into her living room. So, pretty fun there for me.

So what about you? Why are you writing the story/stories you are? What made you go for the ones you've written?

Have A Fantastic Friday!

Filling The Shoes

Good Afternoon Folks,

Today I was watching my son put on a pair of shoes that were too big for him. They're about 5-10 times as big as his feet. I laughed watching him shuffle forward remembering other times he'd put on shoes that were gigantic on him. Then that gave me an idea for today's blog post, so kudos go to my son for today.

In the published book world there's some big names out there...

Names like Jane Austen.

Charles Dickens.

JRR Tolkien.

CS Lewis.

J.K. Rowling.

Stephenie Meyer.

Stephen King.

John Grisham.

Nicholas Sparks...

The list goes on. Names we recognize. Names that remind people of huge sellers, titles that made Best Seller Lists on things like The New York Times Best Seller List and so forth. There's Newberry Award winners (Shannon Hale comes to mind), those who have gotten a Pulitzer Prize for writing.

Then there's those of us who aren't published. Us aspiring authors who would love to have our names be recognizable (even if we weren't as popular as the list above, just knowing that someone recognized our name synonymous with one of our books that did well).

There's big shoes to fill. Sometimes they're our size. Sometimes they overwhelm us with how large they are. Either way, like our predecessors we have to be sure to put our best foot forward no matter how the shoe fits. It's about willing to admit when something doesn't work and fix it. Or swallowing our pride to allow some one's critique help us improve our writing. Or glowing over comments telling us we did well.

They're shoes we have to fill. The shoes of the author. And only we can find which shoe fits and have our "happily ever after." That might mean finding the right niche, genre, or "voice".

How have you gone about finding the right fit? Does the shoe fit or are you needing to wear big socks to have it fit? Is the shoe too tight, so you have to find one bigger?

Have A Toe-Tapping Thursday!

Best Friends--Books

Good Afternoon One & All,

Today's topic: books (not necessarily works-in-progress or our manuscripts, but books in general):

There's something so friendly about a well-loved book. I've maintained for years that books are some of my best friends:

1. They will never, ever betray you

2. They're always there (even if they're hiding) for you.

Whether you're in a crisis, having a great day, a book you really enjoy has the power to both comfort or lift you up.

The feel of a well-worn cover...the pages, sometimes even the smell is as familair as a human friend.

Obviously it's not the same as having a human friend, but they certain do offer a certain level of comfort and understanding.

You know where you stand with a book. You know whether it's one you've loved for years, or one you just met, or one you decided wasn't one you want to read again. Either way, you know what the story is, and you know exactly how to react and how to be around that book.

While I'd never trade in my human friends by any stretch of the imagination, I am glad I also have books to turn to...whether I'm happy, sad, scared or secure. I know they're there.

What about you? What is it you love about books? Do you have ones with well-worn covers and crinkled pages that "speak" about endless rereading?

Have A Warm-Hearted Wednesday!

"I Have The Power!"

Good Morning Folks,

For those of you who have seen (or remember) the He-Man and She-Ra cartoons of the 1980's those words in the title of this post should be familiar to you (it's what they said after they changed into their powerful alter-egos).

So, what's an author's "power"?

Generally it's the author's greatest strength. Something that gives the author that extra oomph. Oftentimes, it's the ability to create great descriptions, or fabulous dialogue. Or just simply the uncanny ability to draw a reader in (I'm going to cite Stephenie Meyer here as someone who can definitely draw a reader in).

As to dialogue, Kerrelyn Sparks has some humorous dialogue. Kim Lenox creates some really good description. Character--Laura Childs--I still want to know what happens next with Theodosia Browning.

Someone like Nicholas Sparks created a story of tender love and care in A Walk To Remember. For me, John Grisham ups the suspense in his novels.

Weaving sci-fi with romance, Ciara Gold (she had a balance of both. Although, generally sci-fi spaceship inner workings gets me lost since I'm no engineer--although, I do know how to pump my own gas into my vehicle (a talent, to be sure LOL)...but I always can understand sacrifice for one's loved ones--which was one of the themes in her novel, Celestial Dragon). When it comes to spaceships, seeing them on the big screen or TV is easier for me than reading about them. (She has several e-books out, but Celestial Dragon is also in print).

So, that brings me to myself. My greatest strength? I think it's my imagination. I'm able to come up with ideas and way to put them into print by imagining the scene--by imagining what the characters do, say, look like and act. What motivates them. What they're afraid of and what gives them courage.

Like with Surreal--oftentimes I could picture in vague images what the characters would do--but I could definitely "hear" what they'd say. Then I'd take that idea and adjust it for the story. That's generally how that one moved along when I was writing it.

With Conjure A Man--similar thing, except most of the time I come up with my ideas as I write, rather than when I'm laying in bed (which was my problem with Surreal. I'd be trying to go to sleep and ideas would pop in--and I'd have to dream up the whole scene before I could go to sleep!)

When I came up with Conjure A Man my imagination took flight in my dreams. That usually doesn't happen to me. So the next morning I grabbed a piece of paper and pen and scribbled down the general synopsis and then got breakfast and off I went. Now that I'm reconstructing it's starting to take a more precise shape than it did in the beginning.

But it all starts with my imagination.

So what's your "power"? What's your greatest strength--the thing that drives your stories forward? Is it dialogue? Or description? Imagination? Dreams? Is it inspiration that hits as you're thinking/reading/doing something else?

Have A Tremendous Tuesday!

Being All Powerful--NOT

Good Morning,

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend. Mine was pretty good. Not real eventful (other than the fact my husband got annoyed with football, but since I don't really follow football that much, I didn't have as emotional reaction to the Miami Hurricanes losing or the Texans losing). Sports aren't my forte...well, I do like baseball. That's pretty cool...although my team didn't do so well this season *insert puckered lower lip here*.

However, I'm not going to talk about the strengths and weaknesses of a particular team, I'm going to bring it closer to home:

A writer's weaknesses.

Of course, none of us want to think about them. We'd rather overcome them. Which, is exactly what a writer should do to improve one's writing. However, before you overcome them, you have to recognize them. Admit to yourself what points are your strongest and what points aren't.

For me, I tend to go heavy on the dialogue and not so much on description. I know books need a balance of the two, but I find myself wanting to focus more on what the characters are thinking and doing rather than the descriptions of things.

However, writers need to "anchor" their readers. Unless it's one of those books where "floating around in the dark" is important, a reader needs to know where the character is and have some idea of what the surroundings look like (or are, for that matter).

It's not that I don't like describing things, it's just that I don't want to go overboard. I want to make sure that I have a balance. Make sure my characters and readers are anchored in the scene, but also without going to extremes.

Writers have to make sure they place the character and reader firmly in the scene. Sometimes surroundings are important to influencing the action or even the dialogue. So we need descriptions. Which is why I have to remind myself to use description as well as action and dialogue. Make the story, the characters real.

So, what's your weakness? What is it that you have to remind yourself to do?

Have A Melodious Monday!

This Sundae

Evening All,

I haven't really anything real inspired to write tonight. Got a lot on my mind.

The other day I did some writing on Conjure A Man since I finished going through it from page 1. It helped to remind myself a bit. I probably need to add some description, but otherwise, I think it's making some progress.

I've been doing A LOT of reading this weekend. I finished the Kerrelyn Sparks book and I'm about (or nearly) 1/2 done with The Host by Stephenie Meyers.

How about y'all? What's the weekend been like? Did you have fun?

Have A Stupendous Sunday!