Tag Archives: Novel

That girl is bad!

One of my favorite TV heroines is Abby on NCIS. The typical goth girl next door!

She is a wonderful three dimensional person. She bowls with the nuns, sleeps in a coffin and loves to main line her caffeine via soda pop.

What is not to love? She is the bomb.

Did I mention she is sexy hot as well?

And the best part she is such a cool science nerd! Bazinga!

I love Abby’s character, smart, witty, vunerable, nice, take no shit kinda girl. Some days she inspires me to be myself, without fear of judgement. And hey, we have the same hair color now!!!!

What do you think? Who is your favorite heroine from cinema or t.v.?

Fantasy Woman Monday

Yes, Yes. I know that today’s title is a deviation from my typical Fantasy Man Monday. However, in the interest of diversity of all kinds I am shifting gears on this Martin Luther King Birthday. All puns intended and intact.

Face it girls. Women are beautiful. We admire other women. You know it is true. We look and we have our own ideas of what is sexy. Admit it. We do look and at times we may model ourselves after beautiful women so that we will feel more sexy and appealing. At the very least we may wish to look more beautiful like XYZ, model, actress, someone we know. The fashion industry is built on the concept.

As a romance writer, I have to think about what makes women sexually appealing. Is there a difference between what a female would be attracted to in a beautiful woman? compared to what a man would respond to? I have to believe this to be true. I wish one of our male readers would weigh in on this conversation. Yes as a romance writer I think I have to create a heroine that the female reader would be attracted to. I know it sounds a little off kilter. But we have to be able to identify with the heroine. Feel sexy in HER skin. Relate to her and want to take the journey with her. We have to want her to get her Happily Every After.

And as another level of respect for diversity….what is the connect to attraction and sexuality if you are gay, lesbian or bisexual or even transgendered?

What are the differences in sex appeal? Or is SEXY just plain SEXY regardless of your gender or or sexual expression? It’s one of those questions I wonder about as an author and psychologist. hummm.

The psychology of attraction. What does it for you?

What do you think?

Writing is a Journey

Writing is a craft, an art, a career, an advocation.  Writing keeps me sane or rather, perhaps it channels my insantiny into socially acceptable norms.  I mean seriously …. voices in my head ….. The state mental hospital isn’t that far away my friends.

I always hope that 2010’s work in progress manuscript will be better than 2009, 2011 better than 2010, etc. I hope that I will be a stronger, tighter writer.  I wish to have a better grasp of voice, of deeper third point of view, get better at showing not telling.  As a somewhat organic writer I always hope to write less.  That is… to spend less time re-writing because of previous days and days of writing myself up a blind alley and finding myself in a plot corner from which there is no return. Delete, Delete, Delete. And lastly of course (for Abigail) I always hope to get better at knowing where to put those damn commas.

I feel the world changing.  I know this time is passing and soon there will be a revolution in my life that will change the face of everything I know.  Perhaps it makes me a little melancholy.  I’m MORE excited for the adventure. 

Writing is a lot of things to me but seldom a destination.  And while writing is so much a solitary occupation it is also rarely a journey one takes alone. Over the next few weeks I might highlight a few of those rare individuals who are brave enough to take this journey with me. So….keep reading…..

Lee Roland.  I brilliant author.  Her voice is clear and deep and a work of art. She broaches themes that sometimes unsettle me and always makes me think.  She presses me to be better than mediocre. Some will aspire to be a hollow reflection of her talent in days to come.  NAL recognized her talent this year and July, 2011 Viper Moon will hit shelves.  I hope she has a long line of success writing for them. She has paid her dues and endured the journey well. We all doubt ourselves at times. Lee didn’t let the negative voices stop her. I hope I can learn from her diligence and strength.

Charlie Allden was one of the first writers who could hear my voice. Maybe even before I could hear my voice. She is amazing. In critique while the rest of us are stumbling she zones in like a laser and knows precisely what to say that will be uplifting and most beneficial. I adore her work and can’t wait for her to get her call. She has given me excellent critique and I have cherished her wisdom. There are times when I know she saved me as a writer. She created a really cool blog for Science Fiction and futuristic readers. It encompass a variety of media, film, books, games. Great Great blog to read. I would love to see this blog, Smart girls SciFi go viral.

Abigail Sharpe is kind and witty. she is one Sharpe cookie *pun intended* She has a command of english that I would aspire to. This woman knows her mis-placed modifiers like they were kissin cousins and always, always, knows where to put those damn commas. Her voice has a delightful sense of humor that keeps me giggling as I read her work. All right, I will confess that sometimes I laugh out loud. Yep, she also will be getting the call one day very soon.

I tease her and say she is my Best Breast Buddy. Abigail heard my cancer story late one night during the 2009 Southern Lights writers conference. I may have been drinking wine and gave too candid a glimpse at the broken heroine inside me.

She was appalled that I had dropped out of follow-up after going into remission. She gave me her oncologist and her reconstruction surgeon. The imp followed up with me and I think if I had not made appointments on my own she would have made them for me and dragged me to them kicking and screaming. You have to have spent a year in cancer treatment to understand how I felt and why I ran from doctors after going into remission. It wasn’t the smart thing to do…no, not at all. Abigail as a cancer surviver knew what I was going through. She became my breast buddy that day. Love you girl. Now we discuss our surgeon’s long eye lashes and just how brilliant he is as the King of Tata’s. 2010 I completed Breast reconstruction surgery. I was gobstobbered at how much that outward change went toward helping me begin to heal some of the inward scars. But that is fodder for another blog, another day.

And then there is Jamie. Wickedly clever, intuitive, gifted, lyrical, Her voice contains lilting prose in almost every sentence. When you read her stories you are truly swept away to a different place and time. You want to cry when it is over for having taken the journey with her and that the time has ended to quickly. ((And NO JAMIE. I’m not blowing smoke your way just because you have my dream agent. pfffttt.))

Right now she is writing a blog that will give you a taste of her wonderful world. “I’m Trying to Do Something”

The Beacon Unpublished CHALLENGE IS ON

I’ve had a lot of contemplation lately on just exactly what I am doing. At first I called myself an aspiring writer. I’ve gone through the phase of…. I’ll be a writer someday. Okay well I’m writing so obviously I am a writer. At one point I somehow thought it sounded more ego boosting to say I’m a pre-published writer. Then I realized that might mean that I actually had a “contract” waiting for it to work through the system to BE published. So that didn’t work. Here I am. I write therefore I am a writer.

If you have decided you are a writer too take this as the challenge. ENTER the BEACON UNPUBLISHED writing contest. I have to tell you three years ago….no one on the planet had ever read a word I had written. I had just almost completed a full length fiction manuscript and NO ONE HAD READ a word I’d written. I say it twice for emphasis folks. I took the first 30 pages and entered the Beacon unpublished. Call me crazy, I know. However, as BAD as that manuscript was. And honey, it was BAAADDDDD. The judges comments were kind and given objectively and they made me feel good about what I was doing while pointing out some obvious ways I could improve the work. It was the most educational experience of my writing career. So the challenge is on. Enter the Beacon. Yes, maybe you would want SOMEONE to read your entry before you submit it. I don’t recommend the cold turkey approach I used. But, at the time…that was me.

Last year I entered the Beacon Unpublished and made the final round. So from scores in the 70’s to the 90’s in one year. Hummm maybe this year I could actually win? We’ll see. But you won’t know unless you enter! The best part is for a relatively new writer you have wonderful critique comments on your work. If you are a more experienced writer then check out who the final round of judges are. You could get your work in front of some pretty impressive people. There is something for everyone. Below are the deets.

DEADLINE APPROACHING – The First Coast Romance Writers 2010 Unpublished Beacon Contest closes for entries at MIDNIGHT, OCTOBER 8.

Please TWEET or Share a link

All electronic contest open to ALL WRITERS who have not been contracted for novel-length publication in the last 3 years, RWA membership is NOT required.

Judges first 30 pages (with optional synopsis) of an unpublished manuscript.

Cost: $25 – $35, Deadline for entry is October 8, 2010.

Each entry will be judged by a published author and a trained judge, with detailed comments on the ms and a simplified score sheet. Our final round judges include an editor AND an agent for each category.

Finalists will have the opportunity to revise before entries are submitted to final round judges.

Final Round Judges:

Chick Lit / Women’s Fiction / Mainstream – (E) Mercedes Fernandez, Kensington; (A) Weronika Janczuk, D4OE Literary Agency

Young Adult – (E) Debra Dixon, Belle Books; (A) Sara Crowe, Harvey Klinger Agency

Historical / Regency Romance– (E) Sally Williamson, Harlequin Mills & Boon; (A) Amy Boggs, Donald Maass Literary Agency

Single Title Contemporary Romance – (E) Georgia Woods, Samhain; (A) Elaine English, Elaine P. English Literary

Contemporary Series Romance– (E) Rhonda Penders, The Wild Rose Press; (A) Michelle Grajkowski, 3 Seas Literary Agency

Romantic Suspense – (E) Tessa Woodward, Harper Collins Publishers; (A) Paige Wheeler, Folio Literary Agency

Fantasy, Futuristic, Paranormal Romance – (E) Leis Pederson, Penguin / Berkley; (A) TBA

Erotic Romance – (E) Raelene Gorlinski, Ellora’s Cave; (A) Laura Bradford, Bradford Literary Agency

Inspirational Romance – (E) Elizabeth Mazer, Steeple Hill; (A) Pam Strickler, Pam Strickler Author Management

For more information, visit http://www.firstcoastromancewriters.com/contest_un.htm or email fcrw_beacon2010@yahoo.com .

Thank you to

My Girl Wednesday

Hump Day is almost past and I have to say exploring the heroine these past few weeks has given me a moment to pause and consider what we all look for in the female stars of our stories.

Is she the tough spunky type ready to fight battles with the hero sometimes becoming part of the problem rather than a solution?

Or is she so capable and kick ass that she hardly needs the hero to conquer her own demons but somehow he completes something missing in her personality so they are a natural fit?

What does your heroine bring to the table for skills, character arch and vunerability?

Feed the Muse

I have been having a very interesting experience while I’ve dealt with pressures at work on the day job, grad school crap, surgeries number 3 of 4 or 5, Corneal Dystrophy with ulcerated corneal abrasion in one eye..My grown daughter returned to husband returning from diployment. Just a whole storm of events that have shaken up the fabric of my personal universe. I haven’t written on my work in progress for a month because of above mentioned excuses.

I know it is more than that. I love the work..but something was bothering me about my writing. My critique partner helped me identify the problem and I think I have a handle on fixing it. But there was a deeper problem in my whole bag of tricks.

I have a strong male pov voice in my writing. I think my heroines pale in comparison. One agent in a gentle rejection commented that my heroine is that ordinary girl next door that is more a prop than real charcter. Okay yes..it stings…but I can’t hate the truth.

I accepted that You know what. Being female doesn’t just give me a free ticket on female pov voice. Damn who would have though it. So being pro-active…I set out to find my female muse. I had to look long and hard for her. She was not easy to pry out of my unconscious mind.

However, she has arrived. I don’t know what is in store for her in the future but I am hopeful. See what you think of her. She has a name but has asked me to keep it quiet for now. She believes names have power and isn’t interested in sharing hers.

She is damaged, some think her shattered even. She fills up the room with her presence just by walking into it. I didn’t plan on that…it just happened. She is funny as hell in a dry ironic sort of way. She has male character arch types combining the Lost Soul and the Bad boy a splash of warrior. Blended with the female crusader. She is vunerable but if you see it she might knife you.

She has very feminine internal thoughts but her dialogue and through processes are very masculine. That is to say…The female content of her thoughts is structured in a masculine organizational pattern. Action/reaction problem/solution. Yet, she is seeking, acceptance, belonging, her place in the universe and a fix for her brokenness.. Although she will never admit to that. Well, I guess I am telling you all this because I’m a little nervous you you meeting her for the first time. I often don’t know what will happen with her. But enough telling…Showing would be in order.

****

“Eden is all talk, talk, talk.” I look around bored with the whole introduction. “She means well but good lord does the female ever shut up.”

“All and all I am getting used to the working relationship with her. I like that she brings me puzzles and lets me solve them. I like telling her what to do. I told her if she quit listening I’m packin it outta here– So far so good.”

“Okay, I’m the monkey on display in her blog today. What do you people want? I’m not giving you a whole back story monologue of what makes me tick.” *tapping my finger to my temple* “I am not so much into that whole touchie feelie, so why do you say that? crap.”

“Shit happens. Often to the best of people on a good day to the worst of people. Karma, she is a bitch and doesn’t take prisoners last time I noticed.”

*I hear Eden again…*

“Oh dear god she is jabbering at me again.”

EDEN: Tell them …

ME to EDEN: Yeah..”I am talking to your freaky friends. Okay. Now sit there and listen while I get thru this the best I can. I told you about poking at me before. Back story is back story. Take notes if you have to but…just shut it. I didn’t want to be paraded out here like your trick pony but you wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“Frankly she black mailed me into this. She won’t let me go do what I want to do until I do what she wants me to do. Yeah this symbiotic relationship is a bitch. I’m working on that angle too.”

**thinking. ** ~I have to admit though, I came to her because Eden is a warrior..not unlike myself. She doesn’t know it. She just hasn’t had the right kind of training. Maybe there is something I can to to help straighten her out. Frankly her life is a mess, but she might be worth the effort.~**

“Okay. So I was born in the 1500’s give or take. I fight for a cause. No hell no, I’m not going to yammer on about the frickin cause That was so not part of this deal. Besides if you knew about the battle ahead you’d be in the thick of it and I’d have to deal with you’re security as well. Not a poison I would pick on a good day.”

*I glare at Eden as I hear her unspoken questions rolling in her mind..Keeps her shut up.*

TO EDEN: “Hey I have a big hairy ass mexican spider that I can just as well turn loose in your study as the big guys…Zip it.” * I Motion with my fingers across my lips for her to zip lips*

“Alright Eden, cripes sakes this is it and I am outtie. Here is the down low for your damn eharmony add between me and your people.”

“I play pool… it is an exercise in control and strategy. I drink tequila or corona with lime. Although I won’t turn down a honey brown when I’m feeling introspective. Yada. Yada. Yada. I like knives and sweet guns. Sig is my recent fav. I work security. I have a lot of experience in the entertainment field organizing and protecting talent.”

~I can see your thoughts even though I don’t want to, and shit sometimes….most of the time, I really don’t want to. The multiple voices in my head, when others thoughts intrude, is enough to drive me insane.~

“No I’m not getting you an autograph from Pink. She lets me play drums with her sometimes for kicks. I respect her privacy. Don’t ask again.”

~That feeling your emotions, seeing your thoughts. It’s just part of the ongoing struggle I have to control my urges.~ *I brush my hand against my leather clad thigh.*

“I don’t like walks on the fu*kin beach and gettin caught in the rain is a real downer. Call 1-800 fu*k-you for a date. Okay is that enough 411 for you Eden??
*****
I steel my thoughts so she doesn’t get any indication of my intensions to help her find her happily ever after. I fear the big spider almost as much as her weapons.

She jumps off the couch and heads for the door. I know it was asking a lot of her to share these things about herself. She is as prickly as a cactus. Some think she is unnecessarily violent. I want to tell her to be safe in her journey and the battles she must fight. I want to ask her if she will be back but I feel so damn needy to have to ask her.

*****

~Damn, yammering female.~

Yes I’ll be back. You keep the fridge stocked with beer, tequila in the cabinet and fix me an occasional rare steak.

*sigh* ~Who else is going to straighten out the fu*kin mess you call a life.~

Latrz Eden.

Fantasy Man Monday

Hi everyone. Personal drama aside. Today is a day to remember Soliders who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their homeland and the freedom we enjoy. My xhusb brother in law is Army. My Son In Law a Marine. My father was an Army Ranger WWII. My Uncle Army WWII, My Grandfather Army WWI and WWI

Thank you to our Men and Women serving in the armed forces.

However, there is just something about a man in uniform…or out of it.

Got to love a man that can do pushups all day long….

Prepared with all he needs in his back pack for sleep overs

Fantasy Man Monday

Thoughts on edification. This week I’ve thought alot about fantasy men in a three dimensional world. While eye candy is wonderful. Our romance heroes become larger than life because of their interaction with heroines we love. They edify each other, becoming more through each other’s eyes. Drawing on an energy of sexual tension that mimics the Tango, they push and pull us to unparalleled heights of palm sweating, heart banging, dry throat, on an erotic roller coaster ride.

So this week my Fantasy Men in the arms of the women that complete them and some times vice versa. Enjoy.

Kiernan and Isobeau from Dragon’s Soul.

Kiernan and Isobeau

Adam and ? from Dragon’s Song (2011)

Peter and Raynia and Chase (Amethyst Desire Novella)

Enjoy one of my new favorite video’s Enigma Principles of Lust.

Fantasy Man Monday

Ah, a new week.

I’m a single girl. Perhaps girl is a misnomer. I’m the single female. Yerrrooowww. I’ll embrace my inner cougar this week. I enjoy the occasional fantasy.

This weekend my 16 year old son’s friend spent some time with us. No, not going there too creapy…don’t jump the gun on me, you’ll get to the wrong punch line. He asked me if I knew…Caleb so and so. I immediately thought of my romance hero character and had to admit I didn’t know this young man’s verson of Caleb. Yet, the name facinates me.

The kid continued, “He’s my cousin and he’s a really nice guy and he’s single…..”

I got the distinct impression a blind date was on the horizon. I’m not sure how I feel being fixed up by my son’s best friend??? with his cousin? Is there some motivation for this bounty of generosity?

“So, how old is *oooohh* Caleb?”

The answer was a stunner. “Oh, I dunno something like 21 to 40, you’d really like him.” Delivered with the nonchalance only a 16 year old boy can have.

When I could breath again I laughed in my mind. Okkaaaayyyy. Age really is irrelevant at a certain juncture. Funny how when you are a mom you can be totally wicked cracked up inside your head and like totally cool outside on your face.

I’m not Stacey’s mom so I have to change the lyrics. “My son’s mom has got it going on. oh oh oh” Something like that huha?

So in honor of the ….Oh I dunno 21 to 40 Fantasy man, this week I have to give equal time to the younger Fantasy Man to counter balance last weeks…ah, hmm more experienced specimens.

David Boreanaz From Bones. What is not to love?

Oh and I signed up on Team Jacob a long long time ago. Yeah, Yeah so you think it’s creepy. Can you say F.A.N.T.A.S.Y.

I have to give equal billing for the Kick A$$ Fae Folk.

And who is this guy… isn’t he just as cute as a button? Okay scratch that along with anyone under 75 years old calling me Ma’am.

My first fantasy hearth throb was a pirate in the Carribean. He had lion golden eyes and central american/jamacian like accent. I’ve forgotten kissing a lot of past flames but I will NEVER forget kissing him in the cool rain, standing on deck of a fleet ship cutting through the aqua blue waters of the Carribean. In my memory he may have favored one of my favorite action hero pirates. While Johnny Depp was nothing short of shear genius as Jack Sparrow.

It was this one who made my heart swell and beat faster to have him kiss Elizabeth at the end.

Who is your younger man heart throb? Who wants to makes you say….If you call me Ma’am I will cut out your tongue…little boy? *Can you tell I’ve been working on a Kick A$$ heroine this week. Sorry.*

Tell us who makes you pulse pound? Share that inner fantasy man.

Kiernan; a Difficult Hero

Yes, Kiernan is being difficult. We aren’t talking at the moment. He isn’t willing to admit he is angry with me so he just shuts up and sulks. Okay, so I couldn’t recognize I’ve missed the story line somewhere. Yes, I’m stubborn.

However, he isn’t being at all helpful to my sincere effort to tell his story. What, does he expect me to do everything?

He’s also not too thrilled about the difficult journey ahead of he and Isobeau to reach their HEA. He probably has some misguided interest in protecting her from harm he has totally clammed up. If he blames me for his pain, I wonder if he thinks I’ll hurt her too?

I’m sure part of the issue is he is such a dominant character. He wants total control, without question. Maybe I’m not willing or able to give him that level of trust. Some how we will have to find our way together to make this book happen.

He is a survivor. We have that in common.

Maybe he blames me for what he had to endure in Dragon’s Mark. The torture he suffered changed him. He has retreated to a harsh dark place that I can’t lure him out of.

Yet, I know Isobeau will.

She is a free spirit who calls on the power of the Goddess for her healing gifts

Yet she’s ready to roll up her sleeves and get the hard work done.

If I could only convince him his redemption lies in Isobeau’s love.

I know Isobeau can find his soul

Thanks to Italian Model Frederica Felini for inspiration for Isobeau.