The Jaime Wright Reports

When Cupid Shot Me

2012-02-14T08:54:00.001-06:00

There was nothing romantic about the day Cupid shot me. It was more like taking an arrow in the behind and then trying to sit comfortably afterward. I despised the man. He was cocky, arrogant, self-assured, goading, sarcastic, black-hearted, villainous, and his blue eyes were so blue they sucked you in like Caa the Snake in Jungle Book.

I must have felt the arrow hit me. That's probably why I was so cranky. He showed up at my church, had the guts to become a co-youth leader in my youth group (effectively stealing my thunder as the cool college-age leader), and stole all my friends. They began to time us. Who could last the longest in the same room together. We made it - on average - twenty minutes. Then one of us would beg our leave and depart. Gladly. There is nothing worse than an ogre crashing the party. And, Nate showed up often. Too often. Ogre. Blahk.

I drove to work distraught. Did God pick one perfect person for you or could you marry just about any Godly man and it would just be blessed? If God picked one perfect person, what if HE like the person HE picked, but YOU didn't? I prayed - heartily. Who could I give God as an example of the worst possible person on earth for Him to designate as my future spouse, the father of my children, my hero, my best friend. I thought of Phil. I met him at camp. Physically unattractive - very! - but inwardly a teddy bear of gooey ooze. Ew. I'm not into ooze, but then he'd treat me well. I could grow to love him. Nah. There was one worse. Nate. The Ogre. Oh, Dear Lord, please. Nate. There could be no one worse. No one more horrendous. No one more - unwanted.

Have you ever heard what happens when you pray, "Dear God don't send me to Africa?" That's what also happens when you pray, "Dear God, anyone but him." It didn't help that all our friends got married and we lived in a small town. Our Youth Pastor prophesied we'd start dating by default - simply 'cause there was no one else around. He was almost right.

I'll never forget the three long weeks when Nate disappeared to Columbia (yes the country of Guerrillas and drug wars). I wasn't worried about him. No. I was just ... bored. The tension had been removed from my life. The nasty man who picked on me incessantly, offered no compliments, told me the truth with the tact of Stalin, and who had ripped through the sarcastic digs to tell me I had a "nice face". There's compliments for you. A nice face. Guess it could've been worse.

He had the gall to return home. Tan. Blonde. Strong. In a plaid shirt that smelled of spice. With a smile that said he'd missed me too. But we'd never admit it. Never. Ever. Ever. ;)

(check out more cupid stories http://dianeestrella.com/?p=8424)

One Page Synopsis

2012-02-07T08:52:00.001-06:00

I was going to write an AMAZING blog post today about how to write a one-page synopsis. Since many of us writers are prepping entries for the all intensive Genesis contest through ACFW, the one-page synopsis is just about enough incentive to go hide in my shower.

But on my journey to write the perfect How-To Guide - I ran across The Writer's Alley and found an article that best describes it. SO ... without further ado, may I introduce to you the embedded link. Please click to get some great tips on the one page paper from you know where - Halifax.

Book Report: When the Smoke Clears, by Lynette Eason

2012-02-03T08:52:00.002-06:00

I don't typically deviate from reviews on Historicals, since that's my favorite genre. Although, there was at time when Romantic Suspense or sheer Suspense graced my reading table. Until the authors started losing me with predictable plots, easy to figure out villains, and similar plot lines.

So when Lynette asked if I'd read the book, I thought, "eh - why not? Let's see where suspense has taken us."

"As a member of the North Cascades Smokejumpers, Alexia Allen always takes care of the equipment that keeps her safe. So when she nearly dies in a fire due to equipment failure, she knows something is up. Ordered to take time off while the investigation continues, Alexia makes a last-minute decision to recuperate at her mother's home and attend her high school reunion. Yet trouble seems to be following her, and within hours of arriving home she's involved with murder, arson--and a handsome detective. But the conflicts ahead are nothing compared to the ghosts of her past. As she strives to remember and forgive her family history, she must also decide if the secret she's been guarding for the last ten years must finally come to light."

OH MY GOSH!

Yes. I require 8-10 hrs of solid sleep a night. Yes. My DH gets up with kiddo when she cries so I can accomplish this. (Mostly because I'm a crank if I don't). Lynette screwed it all up for our household. Seriously. I was a crank when DH came to bed because that meant the light got turned out and I had to dog ear the page. I didn't want to stop ... SUSPENSE was KILLING ME! ... and a couple other characters too, but no spoilers - I promise.

I'd never read one of Lynette's books, so I can't compare to previous works of art she may have produced. HOWEVER. Here's a few critical takeaways for those of you interested in losing sleep:

If you get creeped out during a CSI episode, then you'll probably lose sleep for other reasons than the light being turned out - although that would add to the creep-effect.
If you like hunky heroes you won't be disappointed. There's actually TWO in this book. Go figure.
If you still have good friends from high-school, then you'll be even more emotionally invested in this novel.
If you think your home alarm system is fool proof you should READ this novel.
If you like shooting rampages, think a mix of Mark Wahlberg and Bruce Willis, then yep - this one's for you.

I'm back in the market for suspense. At least Lynette Eason's suspense. Unpredictable - ALTHOUGH I WILL SAY! - after much pondering during my work hours, I fingered out the villain and was correct - it wasn't like the villain had a big "PICK ME" sign over their head. It was creepy, without being horror. Who wants horror at 11 o' clock at night? Ok. Maybe Jessica Patch. But, aside from that, I felt as though suspense had returned. In BIG BLACK LETTERS.

Can't wait for book #2 ... hurry it up over there, Eason!

Finishing ...

2012-02-01T09:13:00.003-06:00

I'm finishing my query so I can appease all of you who keep hounding me to press "send" ... talk at ya on Friday with a great book review on Lynette Eason's latest and greatest suspense novel! (Yes, SUSPENSE! I left my world of historicals and was sucked in hook, line, and sinker).

How to write a successful query

2012-01-31T10:46:00.005-06:00

Did you honestly just access my blog to find out how to write a successful query letter? If we kept track of every blog we read to capture the secret to snagging that agent's eye, then we'd probably all moan a bit. We do it, don't we? Expect a perfect formula to appear that gives us instant success.

I'm procrastinating today. I have a query letter written - and rewritten - and critiqued - and rewritten and ... but I haven't pressed send. My issue isn't so much the pursuit of perfection, but the pursuit of the "right time".

When is "the right time"? Maybe I have too much self-confidence. I mean, I fully expect to receive enough rejections to wallpaper my bathroom, but what if that one agent sits up and takes notice? What if they email me for a proposal or - or - or offer a contract of representation at the same time I'm bringing home my newborn from the hospital? Bad timing? Yaheah! Or - work swamps me and I get a measly 2 minutes to write a day. Or - as happened this month, my 10,000 word goal was sliced in half with another bout of the flu bug, a family member's death which resulted in Hotel Wright opening to house family (which I thoroughly enjoyed, but hampered writing), and so on... bad timing.

Is there ever a good time? I can see why writers quit their day job in hopes of making a career at writing. Juggling different colored balls takes me beyond being a clown and puts me in the mind-frame of a perfect candidate for the loony bin.

And then there' s that whole "walk by faith" thing - which I'm really good at when God helps me itemize my itinerary. But, then, I've noticed lately, He enjoys giving it a good chuck out the proverbial window and watching me squirm. So maybe I should just press "send", huh? I mean, truly, an agent will understand if I don't email them back while I'm giving birth to my second child ... right? Or are agents truly the impenetrable fortress' of cruel, judgmental standards we trick ourselves into believing they are? Nope. They're human. I bet they know the pressure the ticking clock brings. So while there are standards, yes, and deadlines, for sure, and maybe the timing will literally just be bad timing ... we're human, we have mouths, we can communicate and see where God leads.

That's the walk of faith, right? Not a guarantee of success as we see it, but a guarantee of success as He sees it. And maybe that's a rejection letter to fill in that empty spot on the wall just behind the toilet. If so ... so be it. A walk of faith is only as adventurous as the amount of faith you pour into it.

... and that is how to write a successful query.

Image: Simon Howden / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Disdainful and Arrogant Heroes - How to Make them Likeable

2012-01-30T10:35:00.003-06:00

This is my hero. I know. Yummy right? Well my hero is about as inviting as straight cocoa out of the can ... Hershey's cocoa. The type of cocoa that tastes great with two cups of sugar added. Otherwise, hello bitter and nasty!

What do you do when you have a hero that isn't "nice"? Let me give you some snippets so you can see how he is presented in the first few chaps of my WIP:

______________"He didn’thave time for this. Michael drew a deep breath as he approached his officedoor. Claudia Weston refused to believe her father was losing his mind. Ithappened. It was reality. But she didn’t want to hear it. How many more tripswould he take to the lighthouse before she would stop arguing with him thatsomething more was wrong? When would she realize he was the medical practitioner and she was the impertinent young lady who had no place managing alighthouse?"

______________“Will he beall right?” she ventured.

“Well, hecertainly won’t die.” Michael mumbled as he immersed his hands in the bowl ofhot water Elspeth had provided before she had left the room with a hankiepressed to her nose.

Claudia frowned.Weren’t doctors supposed to be gentle, kind folk whose only concern was thewelfare of patient and family?

“Brilliantprognosis,” Claudia tried not to snap at him. It was late after all; maybe theman was just tired and short on patience. Regardless of her attempt to show himgrace, Claudia felt her ire rise at his insensitivity.

“Keep the wound clean. Don’t let your fatherpick at the stitches.” He shook his hand over the water and reached for thetowel she extended to him.

“Have you –“Claudiaclamped her mouth shut at the doctor’s dark look.

“No. I’venot found a reason for his delirium beyond what I’ve already told you.” He wasimpatient. She could tell by the way he mauled the towel with his hands.

“My fatherisn’t losing his mind,” Claudia convinced herself she would never dwell onMichael Koski again. Never would she imagine his eyes turning warm when helooked upon her. Even now they surveyed her form with condescension. From herwilted, straight brown hair to her faded cotton, gray skirt.

Can you love a condescending hero who acts like this in the first 15 pages? Maybe. But there's a few keys I'm finding, that are necessary in writing a hero who doesn't come across heroic, or friendly, or even ... warm.

Show his vulnerability. What Claudia doesn't see is what is going on in Michael's mind. His fight to hold her at arm's length. His condescension caused by mistrust of women who speak their mind and live in a man's world. This mistrust having been formed by a mother who abused and hurt him terribly with her scandalous forays into a man's world.
Show his struggle. Michael knows he's rude. He also knows deep down that he's a terrible doctor. His past failures in another town make him wonder if he shouldn't be stripped of his medical license, but his pride insists he knows what he's doing. To admit to failure is to admit to defeat. He will never do that. So he will build defenses that are unconquerable.
Show his attraction. Really, what is a hero if he isn't at least a bit attracted to the heroine. Herein is another struggle. He should be attracted to Claudia's step mother. A virtuous, righteous, church-going woman. Claudia runs a lighthouse - a man's job - visits the town Madame at the brothel for hours doing goodness knows what - and questions his abilities as a doctor. But her mouth ... her lips pucker every time she talks and they're as full as his feather pillow. And, she doesn't back away from his onslaught of insults ... if anything, she's his greatest enemy, for she sees through him, to the depth of his failure.

So hopefully, if the reader knows this, but the heroine doesn't, it can add tension and make them root for revitalization of the hero's heart. If he can be that passionately opposed to a snippet like Claudia Weston who keeps the most questionable of company, then what sort of passion would he show when he sees her through the eyes of her Creator and must come to her rescue in her darkest of hours?

What do you think of "unlikable" heroes? Ever read any? Written any?

A Writer's Chocolate Fix

2012-01-25T09:03:00.000-06:00

Here it is folks ... Homemade cupcakes - you all were craving. I'm delivering ...

Quick N Easy Chocolate Cupcakes

2 C flour
1.5 C sugar
2/3 C cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 C shortening (I used butter)
2 eggs
2/3 C milk
1/2 C hot water
1.5 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350 F. Line muffin cups with paper bake cups. Stir dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, beat on low speed, butter, eggs, milk, water, and vanilla. Add dry goods and mix. Fill cups 1/2 full with batter. Bake 15-20 min or until center of cupcake springs back when touched lightly in the center. Cool completely. (Do not cool in the pan; paper liners will come lose from cupcakes) Frost.

Creamy Fudge Frosting

1/2 C (1 stick) butter
1/2 C cocoa
3 2/3 C powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 C water
dash of salt

Melt butter in saucepan over low heat. Add cocoa; stir until smooth and well blended. Remove from heat. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt alternately with water; beat with whisk until smooth and creamy. Additional water can be added 1/2 tsp at a time if the frosting becomes too thick. If frosting is too runny, add small amounts of powdered sugar to thicken.

THERE YOU GO! NOW GO WRITE! :)

Fudge Muffins with a bit of Exasperation

2012-01-24T09:55:00.002-06:00

Photo used w/ permission from
Michal Marcol
freedigitalphotos.com

I think there's a coup attempt on writers. Seriously. Something thwarts us on every path. Lately, I've been bombarded with Dora the Explorer episodes. My two-year-old's all-time favorite show - EVER! There's a grumpy ole troll at the bridge who sings "I'm the grumpy ole troll" everytime Dora comes near. He sets up roadblocks and she has to solve the riddle, say the rhyme, guess the color ...

I have a grumpy ole troll. It's called my day job. See the lady on the left? That's me - on my WAY HOME!! Piles of work - and I'm not an accountant during tax season. (Yes, Heather, I'm thinking of you right now).

So my 10,000 word count for JANOWRIMO (my own take on Nano) is coming along. How's yours? But it's slow ... I'm close to halfway and I have eight days left. I'm going to make it. But that grumpy ole troll has gotta go. Unlike a Dora episode, I'm going to react in violence toward my troll and toss that paperwork into a filing cabinet made just for it. I have a life ... I'm going to live it! :)

I also found the perfect fix to calm me down after my fight with the troll. I made homemade from scratch chocolate fudge muffins. WITH ... don't stop me now ... homemade from SCRATCH chocolate frosting. Yes. I did. I did. I did. I did. Talk about getting your writing juices flowing. Mix chocolate with exasperation and suddenly I could take down Godzilla. It was THAT empowering!

What empowers you to write and plot and brainstorm and edit all while kicking your grumpy ole troll to the curb?

Morality in Life and Writing

2012-01-16T10:08:00.002-06:00

Do you ever feel like you're back in high school with an enormous moral dilemma? The kind of dilemma where you can simply walk away and in good conscious know you made the right choice, but deep inside, you know that nobody KNOWS you made that choice - so therefore - did your standard of morality have any effect or testimony?

That's where I'm at today. I have a rather LARGE issue that I walked away from (gladly) but it's an issue that affects people I care about. It won't stop affecting them until something is said. To say something means to risk being interpreted as judgmental, holier-than-thou, self-righteous, arrogant, narrow-minded, conceited, jerk-face-moron-who-should-just-go-with-the-flow-baby. I grew up surrounded by a large amount of legalism ... I shrink at coming across as such. Standing up for what I believe in doesn't scare me in the slightest, but when it's an issue shrouded in gray murky clouds ... what to me seems OBVIOUS to other's may seem like I yakking out my nostrils. (That was a nicer of way putting it, I thought).

How do YOU handle morality in life and writing? If you believe the Bible to be 100% Truth and your Guide to life and obedience to Jesus who, for goodness' sakes, deserves some loyalty, then some issues are cut and dry. For example: Do not commit adultery. Hard to argue with that one. Pretty obvious since it's carved into stone by God's fingertip. So I don't commit adultery, I have no issues helping counsel someone against committing adultery - heck - even people who could give a rip about the Bible believe adultery is wrong. It hurts. It stinks. We can write about it, yes, but you strip your hero of any heroism if you tack on a character of adultery. You've lost your women readership because no woman (in their right mind) wants to cavort with someone who is unfaithful. Adulterers are synonymous with the title of "jerk". See? Cut. And. Dry.

Now, for example, we enter the realm of the not-so-cut-in-stone. Let's use ... smoking. Smoking didn't even make it in the Bible, to the best of my knowledge. So break me open a pack of Camels, here I come. Errr. Stop. Talk to many Bible thumpers (myself included in that fond nickname), and I'll argue that the Bible DOES refer to the health of our bodies as the dwelling place of our Savior. A place where Jesus inhabits our heart, our soul, our minds. Beautiful creations - works of art, mind you - that HE would like to see stay as close to His original intention however marred by being born into a sinful place. Taking a smoke would be akin to lighting the middle of the painting on fire and watching it slowly turn into darkened ash - ruin. Sigh. Besides. I like my voice. I don't want to sound husky like Kirstie Alley. It isn't me. Do I unfriend people from Facebook who are smokers? No. Do I stare down my nose in disdain when a friend goes to have a smoke? No. Do I believe they're hurting themselves? Yup. Which is why I usually crack my wry, sarcastic joke and say, "going to suck down some cancer, huh?" They know me. We chuckle. It's a moral dilemma that will be debated for a long time ... I have fellow Christian friends who smoke - can't break the habit - don't want to - some even don't think it's a big deal. If I give my main character a cigarette habit, my guess is the Inspirational fiction market will turn down my manuscript. I'd be considered "edgy". Interesting. Morality tested - who's the judge of murky gray? God? Absolutely. But one could make the argument (although it would hard to convince me) that He hasn't really posted a status update on His opinion about Marlboro.

SO! What do you do when you can walk away from a moral dilemma, but it still remains and it's hurting people and no one is doing anything about it? Has that dilemma ever happened within your church? Where fellow Believers are muddled in the same murky gray you are, and then someone gets hurt, you see it, but they don't? It was nice to walk out of the cloud. I was relieved. But the cloud remains and people are still trapped. Sigh. There is no moral 911 hotline that sends out EMT's to solve the issue. There's just lil' ol' me who not only SAW the hurt but the hurting TOLD me they were hurt. Who speaks for them? Me?

Where is my responsibility ... when others will inevitably disagree and say it's my over-reaction to a non-moral issue and the hurt is the responsibility of the hurting?

Book Report: Where Wildflowers Bloom, by Ann Shorey

2012-01-13T09:39:00.003-06:00

If you're a lover of historical fiction, you will love the most recent Ann Shorey novel. If you're not a historical fiction freak like myself, well get off your duffer and try this one out - you won't be disappointed! :)

Ann Shorey has been one of my favorite historical writers since I first read her debut novel, "The Edge of Light". When I met Ann at a writer's conference in 2009, it was the meeting every fan hopes for. The writer really IS as sweet and kind as you imagined :)!

Here's a brief back cover blurb from Ann's most recent AMAZING work:

"The War Between the States stole a father and brother from Faith Lindberg-- as well as Royal Baxter, the man she wanted to marry. With only her grandfather left, she dreams of leaving Noble Springs, Missouri, and traveling west to Oregon to start a new life, away from the memories that haunt her.But first she must convince her grandfather to sell the family's mercantile and leave a town their family has called home for generations.When Royal Baxter suddenly returns to town, Faith allows herself to hope that her dreams might come true. Does he truly love her? Or could another man claim her heart?

Will she find that following her dreams may not mean leaving home after all?"

Every heroine needs a dream, a goal, a challenge ... and Faith's is to simply run away from her grief. I love that this is Post Civil War fiction. You still have a strong flavor of the War, yet you're not reading about the War or trauma during that time period. The after effects of war can be just as strong, if not stronger, and Ann deals with it masterfully.

Royal Baxter - well anything I say will be a spoiler, so we'll leave him to your imagination. Just beware that every "hero" isn't always who they seem to be. The best of heroes have secrets and mystique and ... scars.

I loved this book. Five stars is never enough for an Ann Shorey novel. The only way to be fully satisfied is to buy the book and read it at least twice. Maybe three times ...

Check out Ann here at her amazing website!

How to Write with the Stomach Flu - JANOWRIMO 10,000

2012-01-10T10:19:00.002-06:00

You don't. Period. There is no way to write when you have the stomach flu. Or in my case, when your 2 year old has the stomach flu. As every writer knows, your laptop is your second child and having the heaving first child anywhere in proximity of your laptop is a recipe for disaster. Yes. I just used a cliche. ~~Shoot me~~.

SO!! HOW'S THE 10,000 WORD IN JANUARY going for you? Amidst the flu, I have pounded out about 2500 words. Some of them are edits so it's a bit hard to calculate actual wordage as I've also cut words. But to the best of my calcs, I have added 2500 words to my WIP and it's SO MUCH BETTER for those 2500.

The plot is driving along marvelously and I am about to introduce my favorite character, Opi Tibbs (Lady Ophelia), the cigar-smoking, trouser wearing, Madame of the local brothel who runs mandatory Sunday School for her ladies every Sunday morning. She's actually loosely based on a real Madame from Colorado, but oh my gosh, is she going to be fun to write. I love the dichotomy between her profound respect for Godliness and her twisted theology for feminine survival and wit. It's going to CLASH with the leading hero's self-righteous fervor and my heroine's desperate need to survive when all she wants is to be a traditional wife and mother. (Yes, there's a twist on historicals - I'm making my heroine NOT want to be independent but she HAS to be - LOL)

So? Word count people! Where are we at? And tell me about one of your favorite SECONDARY CHARACTERS in your WIP!

Book Report: Summer of Promise, by Amanda Cabot

2012-01-06T08:30:00.001-06:00

There are a few author's whose books send me into hyperventilation mode when they arrive in my mailbox. My 2 yr daughter has learned to run and get a paper bag so Mommy can puff into it like the ultimate book nerd. I hope I'm teaching my daughter good habits. Some books simply deserve to be hyperventilated over.

Enter Summer of Promise by, Amanda Cabot. Seriously, if you don't have your breath completely snatched by the gorgeous red dress on the cover, you will by the first page. Frankly, I think this is the best Cabot book yet. And, I've read them all, so I can say that.

Here' s a back cover blurb to whett your appetite:

"Though she had planned to spend the summer in Vermont with her sweetheart, Abigail Harding cannot dismiss her concerns over her older sister. Charlotte's letters have been uncharacteristically melancholy, and her claims that nothing is wrong ring false, so Abigail heads West to Wyoming. The endless prairie seems monotonous, but when her stagecoach is attacked, Wyoming promises to be anything but boring. Luckily, the heroics of another passenger, Lieutenant Ethan Bowles, save the day.

When circumstances--and perhaps a bit of matchmaking--put Abigail and Ethan together, there's certainly attraction. But Abigail is planning to marry another man and return to life in Vermont as soon as she is finished attending to her sister. And Ethan loves his life in the Army and the wilds of Wyoming. When summer ends, will Abigail go back East? Or will she fall in love with this rugged land herself?"

AHHHH, didn't that make you just ... die? Ethan Bowles - okay - don't get me started. He'll make you melt. Like chocolate. In the sun. On a hot summer day. Oooooooze ....

And Abigail is one of those LIKABLE females leads who, while plucky, is realistically inept at certain things. I liked that a lot. Because it seems so many female leads are so head strong that man gets shoved aside and they learn to shoot a gun better than a Navy Seal. Not. So. Here. Abigal TRIES - which I love her need to try - but she still needs her hero. Enter Ethan ... oooooooooze ....

Yes, there's a plot. There really is. And it's woven through the love story like a fine gold thread that keeps you following it until it unravels in the end with a WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED? moment. I can't say more - SPOILER, I am not.

So ... here's to another book that left me needing medical attention. Now that my inhaler has been stuffed into my face, I'm back to normal. Only to anxiously anticipate Book #2 ... due out in ... what? 2013?? AHHHHHHH!! Where's my inhaler???

3 Book Giveaway Winner!

2012-01-05T13:46:00.002-06:00

Marissa is the big winner of the 3-Book Giveaway!! Congrats Marissa, and thanks to you all for "liking" my page on Facebook. I look forward to getting to know you all better and interacting both on Facebook and the blog :)

Amanda Cabot on Meeting New Year's Resolutions!

2012-01-04T06:29:00.000-06:00

I'm thrilled to have an AMAZING author on my blog today, Amanda Cabot. Her new book Summer of Promise is one of her best yet (check back on Friday for a FULL BOOK REPORT!).

From the time that she was seven, AmandaCabot dreamed of becoming a published author, but it was only when she setherself the goal of selling a book by her thirtieth birthday that the dreamcame true. A former director ofInformation Technology, Amanda has written everything from technical books andarticles for IT professionals to mysteries for teenagers and romances for allages. She’s delighted to now be afulltime writer of Christian historical romances. Her Texas Dreams trilogy received criticalacclaim, and Summer of Promise, thefirst book in the Westward Winds series, was just released.

Amanda has some great thoughts today on writer's resolutions and what makes them realistic ... Amanda, welcome!

It’s the beginning of the year, and if you’re like mostpeople, you’ve established at least a few resolutions. For some of us, those resolutions includelosing weight. No surprise, since theholidays usually involve all too many tempting foods. For others, though, the resolutions arewriting-related. Those are the ones Iwant to address. Whether we call themresolutions or goals, the key thing is to ensure that we can meet them. Unfortunately, all too often, we don’t accomplishour goals. I’m here to tell you thatthat doesn’t have to happen. I won’tclaim that it’s easy, but I offer four techniques that can improve theprobability of meeting your writing-related goals.

1. Set a realistic date. It’s already January. If you want to enter a completed manuscriptin a contest on February 1 but you haven’t started writing, odds are that thatparticular date isn’t realistic. Don’tset yourself up for failure. Instead,find another contest with a later deadline or plan to enter this one nextyear. Similarly, if an editor calls tosay she loves your proposal and wonders how soon you can have the completedmanuscript to her, take a deep breath before you answer. Even better, tell her you need to work outthe schedule and you’ll call her back. Then figure out how long it will take, realizing that it’s impracticalto think you’ll work eight hours every day. When you’ve created what seems like an achievable schedule, add in acouple weeks for contingencies. Trustme, you’ll need them.

2. Create a picture of your goal. Mental images are great, but I’m talkingabout a physical picture, one that’ll help motivate you. If your goal is to enter a contest, create apicture of a blue ribbon or a statue with your title on it. If your goal is to send a completedmanuscript to your editor, create a picture of a book cover with your name andtitle on it. Once the picture iscomplete, make a number of copies. Onegoes on the refrigerator, another one on the phone, still another on the TVremote. The purpose is to remind youthat your goal is your highest priority and that snacking, calling a friend orwatching a must-see TV show are keeping you from meeting that goal.

3. Divide and conquer. By that I mean, divide your project intosmall, manageable tasks, ideally ones that require no longer than a day or twoto complete. By doing that, you’ll beable to determine whether or not you’re on schedule. Like the picture, it’s important to have morethan a mental plan. You need a writtenschedule, showing when each chapter (or scene, if you break it down to thatlevel) must be finished. The criticalpoint here is to know whether or not you’re on schedule, and if you’re not, totake corrective action immediately. Thatleads to the last point.

4. Just say ‘no.’ If you’re going to accomplish your goals,it’s almost inevitable that you’ll need to make some sacrifices. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again:writing needs to be your highest priority. That means that email, Facebook and all the other things that take timeaway from writing need to be put in second place. And, if your schedule has slipped, thatafternoon at the mall may need to be postponed until you’ve met your targetdate.

There’s no doubt about it. Accomplishing goals is hard work. It requires determination and discipline. But you can do it. I know you can, because you’re a writer, andthat’s what writers do.

3 Book Drawing! Don't miss out!

2011-12-30T10:59:00.002-06:00

I'm getting lonely ... My Facebook page has stagnated with "likes" :) SO I thought I'd run a contest over the weekend just for fun - because my bookshelves are also getting heavy laden. Here's the scoop ...
for every "like" on my Facebook page that you can garner, I'll put one entry into the drawing for three books - YES - THREE books in one package mailed to your doorstep.

One entry if YOU like my page
One entry for every friend you get to like my page (and your friend gets an entry too!)

Leave a comment or send me an email at jaimejosundsmo(at)gmail(dot)com with your name and the names of your friend's who liked my page.

You'll be entered to win these books:

With a head more suited to bookkeeping than a bridal veil, Ida’s dreams include big business- not beaus.

Ida Sinclair has joined her sisters, Kat and Nell, in the untamed mining town of Cripple Creek, Colorado for one reason: to work for the infamous but undeniably successful businesswoman, Mollie O’Bryan. Ida’s sisters may be interested in making a match for their determined older sister, but Ida only wants to build her career. Ida wants a career more than anything else, so she shrugs off the suitors and pointed “suggestions” that young ladies don’t belong in business. Will it take unexpected love—or unexpected danger—for Ida to realize where her priorities truly lie?

Alaina Morrison loves Jack Kelly. So why won t he realize that all she wants is to get married and begin their new life together? She doesn t need a large home or new clothes or other things. She only needs him to actually spend time with her and to show how much he loves her. As dangerous floodwaters threaten their home of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, will Alaina and Jack allow God to bridge their growing differences with His unifying love?

Crash the wedding and meet photographer Polly Perkins who zooms in on a murder victim. As she studies an endless line of potential suspects from safely behind her camera, Polly finds love staring back at her. Will her uncanny ability to read emotions through a camera lens help prevent another murder—while exploring her own potential for romance?

What are you waiting for? OH YEAH! My Facebook link :) Jaime Wright - Writer and Professional Coffee Drinker ...

Drawing will be held Wednesday, January 4th!

10,000 in 30

2011-12-28T09:56:00.001-06:00

It's not NanoWriMo and it sure ain't 50,000 words ... but whose with me to kick out 10,000 in 30 days? ... wait! BONUS! January has 31 days. Anyone with me? :)

See, I tried for Nano in November, but yeah, it didn't happen. I'm not going to quit though, and if I can top 10,000 yippee, but I'm aiming for a goal that's realistic for January ... and for being 5 months pregnant.

If you're interested in trying, comment with your word count goal - if you can't do 10,000 and need less, hey!! No shame in that! Words are words! :)

Let's have a FUN January resolution - none of this lose weight stuff. Break out the chocolate - words here we come!

When Plotting Crosses into Dreamland

2011-12-27T10:56:00.002-06:00

Writers are notorious for having vivid dreams. We should. We have imaginations the size of record breaking pumpkins. I've been regaled numerous times on writers/authors who have received entire plots for new books in their dreams. They're not alone. So have I.

But do you really want to delve into the plotting world when it crosses over into dreamland? Really? Let's be truly honest. For every AMAZING plot birthed into our subconscious imagination, there are about twenty not-so-inspiring - Alice In Wonderland-like synopsis that will stay filed away in our memories ... and locked ... with a gigantic key. See, writers dreams amazingness, and we also dream craziness.

May I unlock my secret vault for a moment to prove my point:

Dream #1: Tall, dark, handsome and ... married. I realized my blind date (at church no less) was divorced so I went back on Matchmakers.com to research a new date - all while driving my car. Then I spent the rest of the trip ruminating on how to solve the problem of my own husband ... yeah ... that one's staying in the vault of unused dreams.

Dream #2: When Ted Dekker invaded my brain and in a horrific scene, I was tied to a wooden, straight back chair in a cement room. A lone lightbulb hung from a cord over my head and swung from side to side in a hypnotic movement that told stories of past victims. In the shadows was a male form, no face, just darkness - but the glint of a long knife told me my face was never going to be the same again. WHY? Where on earth? Maybe I should write horror ...

Dream #3: Invasion of the dead girl. Speaking of horror ... how about the dream where my home was haunted by a murdered black girl from 1962 during the oppressive years. My heart went out to her - she tried desperately to get to me, beg me for peace ... for acceptance. I started to dig up my back yard and in finding her body, I unleashed horrific secrets she had not meant for me to discover. Her spirit rejected my ministrations of peace and a haunted war began in my home ... YIKES!

Dream #4: I wore a bikini to work where I was training new hires for the day. They weren't impressed. Trust me, there was nothing to be impressed about ... really.

Wait. One. Moment. Now that I write down these ridiculous, vaulted dreams, their premise sounds ... a bit interesting - if not a tad shocking. (Minus dream #4)

When do you stop and give credence to your wacked out dreams? Is there something hidden in them that might lend itself to a SCENE - maybe not an entire book? How do dreams inspire or un-inspire you? Care to share a vaulted secret? :)

VLOG: The Writing Community

2011-12-20T08:31:00.001-06:00

I always seem to cut my head partially off when I vlog (mostly because there's no good placement for my webcam on my work computer). Enjoy my half-decapitated Christmas message to you all ... I treasure each one of you who are my cohorts in "crime", faithful blog readers, encouraging partners, and plain fun people to be with! God has blessed me with an awesome writing community ...

How has the writing community blessed you this year?

Book Report: From This Day Forward - by, Margaret Daley

2011-12-16T10:59:00.002-06:00

The latest HISTORICAL from Margaret Daley is a relaxing, evening read complete with romance, early American history, some light suspense, and a heavy dose of poorly made bread by a struggling heroine.

Penniless, pregnant, andnewly widowed immigrant Rachel Gordon doesn’t believe her situationcould get any worse…until she meets her new neighbors. Shortly afterthe War of 1812, Rachel and her husband set out from England for aplantation in South Carolina, which he had purchased sight unseen.However, while en route, Tom Gordon fell overboard anddrowned, leaving Rachel, frightened and alone, to make a home for herand her newborn. Can a battle-scarred American physician who comesto her rescue also heal her wounded heart?

I enjoyed curling up with a solid historical that wasn't too historical where I had to invest a lot of thought. The flavor of history was there, but the storyline mastered the page. I grew to care about the well-being of Rachel Gordon and engrossed in the difficulties of early American life.

A thoroughly welll thought out plot keeps the pages turning. It's a well-balanced books between character and plot, thoroughly appropriate for a younger reader who's wanting to read historicals, and a great last minute stocking stuffer!

Find out more about Margaret Daley here!

White Knuckled Safety

2011-12-13T09:20:00.005-06:00

My daughter is the epitome of extremes. She's extremely independent and extremely dependent. From the moment she was born, these two traits were evident. More so, than I've seen in other babies (if I daresay).

Her birth was traumatic to say the least. After about six chapters of backstory which I won't elaborate on, she ended up in the NICU and it was about 36 hours before I was able to touch her after she was born. While I was being released from one hospital, my husband was at the other by the crack of dawn, guardian over his baby girl. When I arrived at the NICU four hours after his arrival, he was there, his arm shoved through the incubator hole, and Daughter had her fingers wrapped so tightly around his index fingers her knuckles were white. The nurse told me they had held that pose for four hours. Daughter was not letting go of her Daddy - ever.

Today, this two year old goes to "wook" (work). She traipses over to the top of the stairs. "Wook. Bye bye."
"Bye bye", we reply.
She disappears down the first step, then bounces back up, monkey and blanky firmly in hand, and announces, "HI! 'OME!"
"Hi," we smile, "did you have a good day at work?"
"Yeah!" She hollers. She's ready to fly - she just needs her wings.

When Daughter isn't scared, or hurt, or sleeping, the nurturing most mothers bestow on their children is shrugged off. A hand on the shoulder - shrug. Scowl. I swear, if she knew how she'd say, "don't touch, mommy". A helping hand, "me!" - nope. Can't help. Brushing hair back from her face. "Ahh!" Growl. Oops. Sorry for caring. Daughter's way of "playing" is work. She loves to work. When Daddy cuts wood, she'll spend three hours intensely filling a box with sticks. When Daddy is climbing on the climbing wall, she is there, refusing assistance - and my two year makes it to the top and climbs back down - no prob, Mom. Got it covered. No hand holding. She'll traverse the grounds herself. No stroller. She prefers to walk. Don't help feed her soup, she'll make a mess until she figures it out. See you, Mommy, "wook".

When it's 6 AM and Daughter wakes, a strange cry fills the house - one I'm not accustomed to hear. "Mooooooommmmmy!" Every morning it's frantic, panicked, as though the Boogey Man has risen from beneath her bed. Mommy's still in a stupor so Daddy rescues and Baby Girl comes quickly to my bed, and positions herself. It's a ritual of dependence. Mommy's left arm goes under her back, then she moves my right arm and tucks it around her tummy just so. Note: she does the positioning, not me. Then monkey is snuggled under her left arm, she hands blanky to me so I can find the tag and she thumbs the tag with her right hand. She nudges and snuggles her head under mine until my cheek rests against hers. In the early morning twilight, Little Miss Independent becomes dependent and falls fast asleep.

My daughter has taught me something. In her quest for dependence, she has not forgotten. She has not forgotten that while Mommy and Daddy let her climb, dance, walk, run, fall, jump, leap, and get hurt, they are still there for the deep need. The deep need to be entrenched in protective arms, when darkness falls, when monsters rise up, when sleep evades, and when morning hasn't come yet.

She has not forgotten her white-knuckled grip and while she goes to "wook", or stays " 'ome", she knows that finger or those arms are a heartbeat away. So maybe she's not so independent after all. Maybe it's that knowledge that gives her the courage to take a step of faith. Daddy's watching. Mommy's there. All is well.

When was the last time you gripped your Father's finger with white knuckles, refusing to let go, and slept the soft slumber of a newborn. It's the sleeping that makes my point. White knuckles can be a sign of fear, wide-eyed, sleepless moments. But the white knuckles can also be a sign of safety, hold on tight, Daddy's here, shhhh ..... rest.

In your journey - whether as a writer, a reader, a life-liver ... entrench yourself in His arms, wrap them tightly where you need them, grip His finger, and rest. "Be still," he says, "I am God." Sleep like a babe today, dear hearts ... your dependence draws nigh.

What to do When Life Slows Down

2011-12-12T10:51:00.001-06:00

It's no secret that life has been nuts lately - and I'm not the only one. Strange how December becomes filled with turmoil, trauma, stress, frantic-ness, and the like. In an interview with Vince Gill yesterday he stated something akin to loving the month of December when everything "slows down". What world is he living in?

Something strange happened this morning. I sat down in my fake leather office chair, stared at the Christmas tree my co-worker put behind my computer monitors to cheer me up, and looked at my calendar for the day. It. Is. Empty.

EMPTY.

NADA.

NOTHING.

ZILCHO.

What do I do with a day with no agenda??? I grabbed the Administrative Coordinator's hand and we raced from the office to get coffee for everyone. (Benefits of being head of HR) Once we returned, I leisurely perused the 600+ emails (595 of them being spam) I'd received for work over the weekend. Then I opened my office window for fresh air because the ductwork in our office building is somehow pouring acidic vinegar fumes into my office. (Someone's Christmas cheer is a little too cheery in the next business over!).

Aside from this quick post on my blog, I'm going to dive back into my inbox on my desk which is about three feet high. I might even get some filing done. (Ha.) But the coolest thing? I HAVE A LUNCH BREAK!! I don't think I've had one for - 5 weeks? Literally. I can WRITE MY LITTLE HEART OUT for 60 glorious minutes. Can you hear my ear splitting scream?

What do you do when life magically slows down - even for a day?

Book Report: Love on the Line, by Deeanne Gist

2011-12-09T09:24:00.001-06:00

Wow! It's not Monday anymore? I totally spaced this week and blogging with the holiday insanity of my workplace!! SO this post is a combined - HEY HOW'S IT GOING? with my Friday book report :)

To give Deeanne Gist justice - WOW triple wow, wow,wow. As a writer in the historical romance genre, I think I just threw my pen in the garbage in lieu of this fabulously written novel. (Which is fine, because I don't write my books with a pen anyway ;).

I've loved Deeanne's books since -forever. Notice how I'm on a first name basis with her? Yep. Never met her but she and I got way back. And she keeps surprising me with unique stories.

Here's a few tidbits that set "Love on the Line" apart from other HR novels:

Bird Watching - who puts that in a book? Seriously? Not the first "hobby" that springs into my mind. But Deeanne takes Georgie (our MC) into the world of flock and fowl with gusto. I even started caring about the little red cardinals. And who knew there was a movement in the late 1800's to "Save the Birds" from nothing less than a horrid fate as a spring-loaded hat adornment?
Conceited Hero - I loved him. He was conceited, arrogant, full of himself, too good for her, but DANG it if he wasn't lovable. Gist nailed it with this guy. Perhaps one of my all-time favorite heroes. He was very - male. No womanly emotions made their way into this guy's brain. I would swear a man wrote him.
Passion - Thank you, Deanne Gist, for making a kiss well - kissable. Yes. I kissed the page at the first kiss it was so wonderful. Let's be realistic. In so many books the hero "hauled her to him, claiming her lips and .... sucking the life out of them". Blah, blah, blah. Nope. Not this one. It gave me goosebumpies and tingled my toes but was written so well I wasn't a victim of cliched kissy scenes.
Zingers - I'm not one who understands sarcasm, (ahem), but there are plenty of zingers flinging around in this book. Barbaric insults, underhanded one-liners, and gasp-for-breath offenses. Because I don't get sarcasm, it was so well presented, even I could understand and appreciate the humor. ;)

5,000 Stars for Deeanne Gist's new novel! Young reader friendly if you don't mind Daughter reading a wowzah kissing scene or two, or four. Inspirational without being gag-me preachy, and tighten up your corsets because you might be able to successfully bust a few laces when you laugh so hard you want to faint.

When Good Aint' Good Enough

2011-11-30T08:08:00.001-06:00

Nano started out fantastic! My work lunches were moments of glory - 2,000 words in an hour. I loved the satisfaction. Week #1 flew by with a feeling of hope and success. Then the unthinkable happened - life.

Why don't we calculate in life? By life, I don't mean household chores, work, children, husband, and pets. I mean - gut wrenching pregnancy nausea, hospitalized father, and work that explodes into a job big enough for a team of three.

I could make excuses. So I will. Being four months expectant with child lends toward a severe lack in caffeinated coffee. I blame the coffee ration - for everything. Not really, the whining just makes me feel better.

Nano is not going to be a reality for me this November. My good start was truly a bad omen. But we all have "life" that sets in sometimes. The reality of it is, no matter how hard we try or how good we do, sometimes, it isn't enough. It isn't going to work.

Here's my philosophy for dealing with Nano failure:

1. When life kicks you down, for gosh sakes get back up again! How many times have I seen failure turn into depression turn into a pity party turn into a long bout of accomplishing nada? Too many times.

2. Reschedule. Why can't I have my own NanoWriMo? Who said it HAD to be November, 2011? So I'm considering January. I need to research my schedule, but if you see a huge Nano kickoff in January, don't panic - they didn't officially change the month for 2012 - I did. :)

3. Moan to your crit partner. That's what they do best. They love on you, pat your back, and then give you a swift kick in the pants and say "up and at 'em, stop your whining, it's getting annoying, let's go!" (ok, Anne hasn't reached the kicking part yet - she's just really solid at the lovin' and the back pattin' parts :)

4. Stop ruminating on what you didn't accomplish. Did you write 500 words this month? GOOD FOR YOU! 2,000? FANTASTIC! 15,000? SUPER HERO! 50,000? I AM PROUD OF YOU! If progress was made, relish the moment.

The glass may look half empty but really, it's half full.

Pass the Cheese, Please

2011-11-29T08:38:00.001-06:00

The best part about being a writer is once the chapters are written, snuggling under a blanket and immersing yourself in a re-read. It's a beautiful moment. You words - captured on screen - alive, poignant, sheer cheese ... cheesy. Dripping like Velveeta in the microwave. Excess oils puddling. Mocking. Ruining your fervor.

Ever experience that? What you thought was the next great classic rivals Calvin and Hobbes for humor - only C&H are actually funny. Your hand connects to your forehead leaving a long-term red tattoo and you scream "WHAT WAS I THINKING?!"

So maybe that's a bit melodramatic, but admit it, we all have thought that. Hopefully no laptops or Macbooks have flown threw windows, but even that is tempting. When our words become ... uninspiring, lengthy, chewy, like tough grizzle in an overcooked roast beef.

I have the solution!

No really I do.

Quit.

Yep. I said it. Let out the breath you just inhaled and dig your tongue out of the back of your throat, you might gag.

Quitting is not the standard solution, I realize that. But have you ever quit and then come back later? The words have morphed from horrific to tolerable? Editable? Something you CAN work with and not the black pit of hellish fodder you thought you'd composed?

See? I'm not insane. How many writers have I talked to who reread it the first time and hit DELETE. NO, no, no! Walk away. Put the gun down and walk away. Don't commit murder yet. It might be worth saving. Oil can be dripped off, burnt cheese cut away, too much cheese siphoned out until you have the best chapter you've written in a long time.

This may not be the case with every chapter, but before you act irrationally, quit. Just quit. And go have some cheese and crackers.

And in the storm ...

2011-11-28T08:15:00.001-06:00

It's in the moments of chaos that you encounter the people you need the most ...

When life has drained you of energy ... a friend - a mentor - who seems far too busy to be concerned, share's her time and her concern and prayers and emails. - and in the storm, a warm caress of sunlight.

When life has stolen your joy ... a partner in writing offers support in more ways than one, and truly, the offer was all you really needed. - and in the storm, a shoulder that doesn't droop beneath your weight.

When life has taken your pride ... a passel of friends - some you've never met in person - meet you in a virtual world of words and insists, "take your time - there's no hurry - you can do it - you have not failed". - and in the storm, an eagle soars.

When life has completely overwhelmed ... a little two year old rubs her hand maternally down your face and croons, "mommy, mommy ..." - and in the storm, a soft breeze of peace.

Thank you all for your prayers and support the last few weeks.
My Dad is FINALLY slowly recovering and we see hope ... my December has remarkably cleared and is void of activity (a miracle perhaps?) ... and my friend, who always seems to come to our rescue, is providing us with a Christmas tree so my daughter has something to hang her paper chains on. The blessings of the holidays ... sigh ... you all bless me every day!

Prayers Please

2011-11-18T08:14:00.001-06:00

One of the reasons my blog has been so sketchy lately is my Dad underwent surgery for prostate cancer. Thankfully, the cancer was 100% removed, but what should be a slow but steady progress to recovery is a slow digression.

Over the course of this week (3rd week into recovery), my Dad has had about 10 hours of sleep total. His "insides" were shut down last weekend causing a 3 day hospital stay to get things up and working. He made improvement at home Monday and Tuesday, but now it is Friday again and history seems destined to repeat itself.

My Mom is exhausted with caregiving as it's 24 hrs around the clock. I've tried to get there as I can but am out of vacation time for this year, can't offer to run night shifts as I'm 4 months pregnant and struggling myself with that and a full time work week. My brother and his family have been helping as much as possible, but at this point ... what do we do??

I'm reaching out for prayers because it's all very discouraging and a bit frightening as we try to get this man back on his feet after what doctor's consider a "routine surgery". I don't expect Dad to be out playing kickball anytime soon, but being able to sleep would be a good thing, and relief from extreme pain of lazy/sleeping insides would be ideal!!

If you all wouldn't mind issuing a prayer it would be greatly appreciated ... meantime, I'll blog when I can ...

When Nano Kicks You in the Batooty

2011-11-14T10:05:00.001-06:00

I am a miserable failure. Deluded. Disillusioned. Dumb. All that to say, Nano is kicking me in the batooty big time. You know that great blog post from last week that said, "taking a blog break to Nano"? Yeah. Work sucked it dry. Sucked it like a vampire sucks the blood out of a beet. Really? Really.

On Rachelle Gardner's blog today, she mentions a faux pas of blogging is ranting. So I won't rant. I'll just state obvious facts in good keeping with her fantastic advice (and I am NOT inserting sarcasm when I write that).

Here you go. The facts of Nano's batooty-kick:

I DON'T CARE! I'm still going to write as much as I can. If I end November with 10,000 words instead of 50,000 - I WILL NOT BE CONQUERED!
HOSPITALS COUNT FOR SOMETHING! I'm not one to throw out excuses but between a demanding job, a father in the hospital for cancer surgery, and this annoying thing they call pregnancy (sorry, Baby, Mommy loves you but she ain't no lady on crack who loves to be pregnant) ... well, really. These 3 items alone are times suckers. And I'm not "allowed" slack on sleep - baby again. Wow, these babies really mess you up! :) :)
MY CRIT PARTNER IS KICKING BATOOTY FOR ME! She is rockin' out Nano and I'm so proud. She's a fabulous writer, this Anne Love lady :) and worth checking out.
In the end, I'm further along than I was, AND more convinced than ever that writing is a passion, a must-have, an I-Can't-Live-Without, an achievement that WILL be made, regardless of life, love and the pursuit of sanity.

So, if Nano has stolen your motivation, beat you senseless, tatooed "Failure" on your forehead, and sent your writing world into a vortex of hopeless dreams ... FIGHT BACK! We still have two weeks, people! Two weeks to do great writing and first and foremost - ENJOY what we love to do.

How's your writing world going these days? :)

Nano break

2011-11-09T09:22:00.001-06:00

Breaking for Nano the rest of the week. Praying at least another 5-8000 words! Hope you all do great. Post your reports here :)

Rainy Days and Fairy Dust

2011-11-08T08:57:00.001-06:00

It's a beautiful rainy day outside. Cold, blustery ... the type of rainy day that makes that mug of coffee with the southern pecan cream taste that much more - comforting. When the confines of my office, complete with a view out the window to the rain pelting through pine trees and onto the roof of the ghetto hotel next door, doesn't seem so morbid after all. Maybe the pink sheet hanging in the window of one of the rooms add that spot of color on a black and white day that tips my mouth up at the corners and makes me sip another sip.

What do you like about rainy days? I love how they make me feel productive. Maybe rain is my muse. My imagination takes off like a fairy in a green tu-tu and doesn't stop until I've passed Never Never Land and soared into Narnia.

Can I go against common opinion and say ... I love rainy days?

Book Report: A Bride's Portrait of Dodge City, KS - by Erica Vetsch

2011-11-04T08:03:00.000-05:00

For someone who loves photography, this was a fantastic read :) ... Imagine entering an old photo studio with the chemical smells and the black cloth covering the photographer, the accordion-like cameras and a rugged, bewhiskered cowboy. Sigh. I'm in. All in.

Erica nailed it with this novel. Sucked me into Dodge City which could have been a faux pas of writing as Dodge City has been done and overdone with Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson, and other such notable heroes. Not so with A Bride's Portrait! And, I do want to make that clear. This is a FRESH TAKE ON DODGE with the enigmatic Bat Masterson adding color but not the main heroism.

I thoroughly enjoyed the "double story" line. Along with our main characters, Miles and Adelaine, we also get to enjoy a side romance with Jonas and Fran .... Fran who just about durned drove me crazy. Great character development created a vortex - a black hole - a vacuum from whence the reader cannot escape. You must stay with the book from finish to end.

Miles and Addie are specifically intertwined with pasts that intersect before they even know they did. With histories worth hiding and shame worth keeping a secret, the reader winces with every long-awaited kiss just knowing the explosion of revelation is coming ... and it can't be good.

Gosh I just want to give away spoiler after spoiler, so I'm just going to shut up and recommend you add this to your TBR pile! Now. What are you waiting for? :)

Messing With History? - Guest Post, Erica Vetsch

2011-11-02T08:57:00.001-05:00

I am so thrilled to have good friend and author, Erica Vetsch guest posting on my blog today! For those of you who love to write AND READ historicals - I think you'll find this to be a fantastic post. Enjoy (and check back on Friday for my review of Erica's new book, "A Bride's Portrait of Dodge City, Kansas".

Erica Vetsch is a transplanted Kansan now residing in Minnesota. She loves history and reading, and is blessed to be able to combine the two by writing historical fiction set in the American West. Whenever she’s not following flights of fancy in her fictional world, she’s the company bookkeeper for the family lumber business, mother of two terrific teens, wife to a man who is her total opposite and soul-mate, and avid museum patron.

Tips On Including Historical Figures In Works Of Fiction

byErica Vetsch

In my recent release, A Bride’sPortrait of Dodge City, Kansas, I cast a couple of historical figures ascharacters in the story. Bat Masterson and Charlie Bassett plays the CountySheriff and the City Marshall. These two men held these offices in real-lifeDodge City in 1878, the time when the story is set. Putting real charactersinto fiction can be tricky, but I feel it lends a realism to the story thatreaders enjoy.

Here are a few tips for you to consider if you’re thinking ofincluding historical figures in your fiction.

1. Read.Read a lot about the person. Since Charlie Bassett only gets one brief on-sceneappearance and is mentioned only a couple of times in other places, Iconcentrated most of my reading efforts into learning about Bat Masterson. Iread biographies, historical accounts, and newspaper articles. I studiedphotographs of Bat, his friendships, and his political career. Since Bat is arelatively famous individual, there was plenty of information to cull through.I would recommend, if you can, finding resources that paint your character as ahero, but also some that are trying to ‘show the warts.’ This will give you amore balanced picture of the person. Just as you need to know the backstory ofyour fictional characters, you need to explore the backstory of your historicalcharacters, too.

2. Makesure the character wasn’t provably somewhere else during your story. If yourstory action takes place November 19^th, 1863, in Galena, Illinois,don’t have Abraham Lincoln waltz through. Yes, he did come to Galena upon atleast one occasion, but on Nov. 19^th, 1863, he was otherwise engageddelivering the Gettysburg Address in Pennsylvania. For my story, it had to takeplace in 1878 in Dodge City, because by the next year, Bat had been voted outof office and couldn’t have been the Ford County Sheriff in my story.

3. Includea few details that folks are familiar with. Bat Masterson was a snazzy dresser,was famous for his bowler hat, and he often carried a silver-topped cane. Healso had amazingly piercing blue eyes. I found a photograph of him leaningagainst a plaster pillar, and I incorporated it into the storyline. I also had one of the characters referencingthat if Bat ever got tired of being a lawman, he might have a future as anewspaperman, an allusion to Bat’s later life where he did indeed have a careeras a journalist in New York City.

4. Ifyou’re going to give your historical figure a quirk, make sure there is nothingto the contrary in the historical record. For my story, I gave Bat Mastersonthe quirk of never throwing away any papers. His office is a mess with notes,wanted posters, newspapers, flyers, etc. all over the place and covering everysurface. This was important to the story, and I never found anything that saidhe couldn’t have kept a messy office.As a precaution, I included an author’s note in the front of the book to letreaders know that Bat’s messy tendencies were all of my own creation.

Bat Masterson, ca. 1879

So there you have it. A few tips on how to include historical figuresinto your fiction.

Question for you: Do you like novels that include historicalfigures? Have you ever included one in your own work? Do you have any othertips for peopling your stories with historical figures?

Don't forget to get to know Erica even better! FindMe On Facebook

Find Me On Twitter or Find My Blog!

It's A Vlog! Nano Day Numero Uno Stinko

2011-11-01T09:16:00.000-05:00

LOL I just love intro pics on Vlogs. Look at me - I think someone just bit my behind or something. Anywho - Mornin' ya'll ... here's to Nano Day #1

Am I Crazy? No. Don't Answer That.

2011-10-31T10:32:00.000-05:00

My schedule last week: 3 - 13 hr work days, sinus infection, 1st trimester hurling, 5 hr sleep nights, housework that goes with every wife, youth group Wed night and Fri night ... there's more. I just want to make the point that I'm CRAZY to add a NanoWriMo 50,000 word quota to that type of schedule for the month of November.

BUT I AM DOING IT!! Truth be told, I'll be well pleased if I hit the 25,000 word mark - I don't say that as a cop out, I'm still going for the big 5-OH, but I need a mid-point to work toward.

I realized we always have excuses. Even darn good reasons. But those words knocking around in our brains will never hit that Word doc unless we MAKE it happen. I want to prove to myself that I CAN. And here's a things I'm NOT doing to accomplish this:

NOT signing up for the Nano website - I don't want to take time to monitor other's achievements, or socialize, or whathaveyou. I can write without a website counting for me. This should save me some time.
Not giving up blogging. Yes, maybe I won't post 4 times a week, maybe it'll just be 2, but I can't ostracize myself from the support group that UNDERSTANDS what I'm pushing through. Fellow writers, fellow readers, and people who know that 50,000 words is akin to a writer's Mt. Everest.
Not giving up sleep. Aside from medical reasons, like being prego, I think giving up sleep hinders my creativity. I stare, bleary-eyed, at a blank screen and double my output time because I'm trying to find my brain. I try to find my brain on a good day, I don't need to lose sleep over it. That being said, I will get more disciplined in rising at a decent time to allow for some writing before work.
Not giving up. Period. If I don't make 15,000 words by the end of this week, I'm not going to panic. I'm not a failure. I'm trying. I'm working for it. I'm not going to give up. If I reach 15,000 words by the end of November ... well, darn it ... but really ... I'm 15,000 words ahead of where I was at the beginning of November.

What are you NOT doing to reach your writing goals?

Debut Author Interview! Lisa Jordan - Lakeside Reunion

2011-10-25T06:30:00.000-05:00

So excited to have Lisa Jordan join me today - she is one of the sweetest authors around and it's been so fun to follow her journey to publication. What joy to hear she landed her first contract - and recently just signed for BOOK #2! How wicked cool is that?

Heart, home and faith have always been important to Lisa, so writing stories that feature both comes naturally to her. She has been writing contemporary Christian romance for more than a decade. Her debut novel, Lakeside Reunion, will be released in November by Love Inspired. Her second novel, Lakeside Family, will be released in August 2012 by Love Inspired. Happily married for over twenty years, Lisa and her husband have two young adult sons. When she isn’t writing or caring for children in her in-home childcare business, Lisa enjoys family time, romantic comedies, good books, crafting with friends and feeding her NCIS addiction. Connect with Lisa on Twitter, Like her on Facebook and sign up for her newsletter on her Website.

We chatted a bit about her book, but I really want readers to get to know LISA. Enjoy being a fly on the wall in our recent "get to know you" chit chat :)

Okay, Lisa - you know I'm a coffee drinker, so what's your liquid of choice? Tea or Coffee
Definitely tea! My favorite is Good Hope Vanilla. I love the scent of coffee, but I hate the taste.

Well, at least you enjoy the smell of coffee! :) You're forgiven for being a tea drinker.

Who is your favorite Disney character and why?

Belle from Beauty and the Beast. Other than our shared love of books, she demonstrates courage and grace when she looks beneath the beast’s appearance to find his heart.

If you could have one superpower, what would it be and why?

Invisibility—imagine the writing fodder I could have!

LOL!! I love it! Okay, if you could write anywhere in the world, where would that be?

A nice house overlooking the ocean, but I’d need to have my family with me too.

Ditto on the family-thing. I'd go crazy without mine too. So thinking of family, what's your favorite childhood story? I'm assuming you and your family read stories which helped form you into a story teller today! :)

My sister and I used to have a book called Arty the Smarty. Our mom read it so much we had it recited. We can still recite parts of it. In grade school, I always checked out Nancy Plays Nurse from the library.

What would we find in your car trunk?

Reusable grocery bags, a car care kit, snow brush (in the winter), umbrella

What’s your favorite room in your house?

My living room with its wide archways, original hardwood floors and large windows. The living room is the heart of our home and where we all gather. My comfy writing chair sits in the corner, so I can write and still be present with my family.

What is your guilty TV viewing pleasure?

Okay, I’ve only started admitting this, but Bachelor/Bachelorette/Bachelor Pad franchise. I believe the show is scripted and producer manipulated, but I still have to watch every season for entertainment value.

NO WAY!!! LOL - FINALLY!!! Someone brave enough to admit the fascination with completely manipulated reality TV! :) You're so brave. At least you didn't say NCIS was your guilty pleasure - because there's nothing to feel guilty about with that show ;)

Name one thing (not person) you couldn’t live without?

My MacBook with Internet access. I use it for writing, organizing my photos, keeping my to-do lists in check, and entertainment—books, music, movies.

Your editor and agent are coming for dinner. What would you fix?

Chicken alfredo, spinach salad with strawberries and pecans, homemade Italian herb bread and turtle cheesecake.

Can I come for dinner sometime?? :)

Hey my readers - some cool things are coming down the pike ...
Lisa is holding a scavenger hunt and lakeside photo contest to promote her Lakeside Reunion release. All blog commenters’ names will be added to a drawing for several different prizes. Visit her Lakeside Reunion Contest page for more information.

The token for this blog is a 1980s Blue Ford Taurus.

And let's not forget a snippet about Lisa's new book!

"Bed-and-breakfast owner Lindsey Porter prays she won’t run into Stephen Chase when she returns to Shelby Lake. Five years ago, the cop jilted her to marry another woman, and Lindsey fled town. But no sooner does she hit city limits than Stephen pulls her over for a broken taillight. Despite the past, he’s still able to stir up Lindsey’s old feelings for him. Now a widower and single dad, Stephen recognizes a second chance when he sees one. And he’ll do anything to make Lindsey trust in God and take a risk for love—again."

Read an excerpt of Lakeside Reunion - you won't regret it!

Help me welcome Lisa with a comment of congrats! :)

VLOG POST - Rookies and Vlogging ...

2011-10-24T09:21:00.001-05:00

It's a VLOG! My first very lame vlog post here today - I think the sound is a little quiet so you may need to turn your speakers up a bit if you really care to hear me prattle on about nothing. :)
I have 5 questions about myself that I'm answering today - and then turning tables on you! Please make sure you leave the answers to at least ONE of the 5 questions in the comments field. And, if you don't normally comment, please take the time to do so - I'd love to get to know my readers better :)

Oh - and ever laugh at people's intro video face. I look like I just swallowed a praying mantis here and it's propping my mouth open in a futile attempt to escape ...

I Stink at Blogging

2011-10-21T08:45:00.001-05:00

I STINK AT BLOGGING. There. I said it. How long can I blame first trimester baby brain???

Anyway, we have a fun question time going over on my Facebook page: Jaime Wright - Writer and Professional Coffee Drinker
I'd love for you to join us there. Ask Me any question you want - within reason obviously.

And guess what's coming next week? My first VLOG! (that stands for "video blog" for those of you who are stupid like me and were like "huh?" the first time you heard it). Yes! Monday you get to see my Monday morning face (scaaaary ... you'll all switch to writing in the Horror genre after Monday).

See you then and meantime, pop over to my Facebook page - like me, because I'm insatiably insecure ;) - and then ask away! ...or post something about yourself so I can get to know my .... readers? LOL my friends! :)

A Lesson From Dinosaur Train

2011-10-18T07:56:00.000-05:00

Ever watch Dinosaur Train? Unless you have a little one, you probably haven't. But I love this show. It's the perfect mix of story telling. There's always a plot, and internal struggle, good character development, and humor. I never considered watching a children's television program to learn story structure, but sometimes, the simplicity of a children's story helps me see it more clearly.

Here's two important things Dinosaur Train has taught me:

Unique Characters add to the storyline - King the Dinosaur and Mister Conductor are two good examples. Very creative characters - King, with his Elvis-like talents suffers from stage fright and fear of large groups. The little dinosaurs have to encourage him on and in a sense, hold his hand. He's endearing, a bit needy, and definitely unique-out-the-box. Mister Conductor is the all-knowing train conductor. He knows everything there is to know about dinosaur species, but his pubescent voice and his warm friendliness makes you wish he was in every scene. The main characters are complimented by the more eccentric ones - unique characters bring color.
Habits bring out Personality - Don the Pteranydon has a collection. He collects shells, pine needles, mushrooms, dragonflies, and what-have-you. The other characters love to add to his collection. His collection brings out a little twist to an otherwise boring character. Don is known for his collecting and it's a great feature! What habit brings out your character's personality? Are they an incessant talker, maybe they have a coffee cup in every scene, or perhaps, they chew the end of their hair when they're nervous.

Practice for the day: find a children's program and see what you can learn about important story elements!

Book Report: Wings of a Dream, by Anne Mateer

2011-10-14T08:39:00.001-05:00

An interesting take on the early 1900's - not only do we get a glimpse into the first World War (not a common era for Historicals), but we also get a window to look back into history and the Spanish Flue Epidemic that wasted so many lives. A not-so-often talked about point of history, but one that affected hundreds of families.

The other creative element about Wings of a Dream is that it is written in first person. Rebekah is telling us the story and we truly see events unfold from a very intimate perspective.

I enjoyed how Anne Mateer enveloped her reader and immersed them into the second decade of the 1900's. You can almost hear the buzzing engines of the early aeroplane ... smell the sickness of the epidemic ... taste each kiss ... and feel the buttons of their sturdy shirtwaists.

Anne captures a time period with grace and the story, though it reads a bit more like a storyteller than a novel, is stellar! Bethany House Publishers has done it again - debuted an author who entices us to wait for book #2!

Amazon Description:

Rebekah Hendricks dreams of a life far beyond her family's farm in Oklahoma, and when dashing aviator Arthur Samson promised adventure in the big city, she is quick to believe he's the man she's meant to marry. While she waits for the Great War to end and Arthur to return to her so they can pursue all their plans, her mother's sister falls ill. Rebekah seizes the opportunity to travel to Texas to care for Aunt Adabelle, seeing this chance to be closer to Arthur's training camp as God's approval of her plans.

But the Spanish flue epidemic changes everything. Faced with her aunt's death, Arthur's indecisiveness, and four children who have no one else to care for them, Rebeka is torn between the desire to escape the type of life she's always led and the unexpected love that just might change the dream of her heart.

Buy it here!

Brain Dead but NaNoWriMo-ing It

2011-10-12T09:11:00.000-05:00

This is my brain on baby. Small, worthless - like a dried up apricot on crack. It doesn't help that NaNoWriMo is coming up next month and I made the gutsy - albeit profound - declaration that there is "never a right time to write 50,000 words in a month". I think I forgot that brains are necessary.

I had an ultrasound yesterday because of my horrible history of not carrying to term (I'd have 4 going on 5 kiddos right now, if I did ... I think I'm pleased God is helping raise 3 of them) ... don't be shocked, I make ill-timed jokes like that all the time- sorry ... anyway ... my newest little crackerjack was moving all over the place. How do they do that at 10 weeks with no arms and legs. Like a leech, I tell ya, sucking the life out of me. Good thing it was cute, in an amoeba sort-of way. Because, this little crackerjack ain't going to make NaNoWriMo easy on Mommy. (Grounded for life when you get out, kiddo).

So - tell me your experiences with NaNoWriMo! What should I do? What should I NOT do? What are good expectations? Tips? I'm a rookie... work with me here :)

An Exercise in Loving Your Character

2011-10-11T08:56:00.001-05:00

Are you sure the character you love, is the character I love? Go with me here....

Disney's The Little Mermaid - watch the first minute. No more. What is your FIRST impression of Ariel? Mine? Curious. A bit bossy. Impulsive. Cute.

Along with the concept from last week, regarding reading the first 3-4 paragraphs of your book and seeing if it's snag-worthy to keep reading, what does your character communicate in those first few paragraphs?

First impressions are so important! But sometimes wrong. In reality, Ariel really isn't bossy. But she was a little bit right at the beginning. It didn't hurt the intro, it interpreted well, and the movie went on and we love Ariel.

In my first 3-4 paragraphs, my character was a bit superior, lacking patience and grace. The secondary character was vunerable, attacked, and a bit ... victimized. Unfortunately, those characteristics should have been swapped. I need to rewrite my intro.

That first impression will cause your reader to love your character from the get-go, or emotionally disconnect. And, in fiction, an emotional disconnect is not a good way to start off a book.

So go for it! What does your first 3-4 paragraphs say about the character YOU have grown to love? Read it critically, as though you don't know your character at all. And, if your character has shown up yet in paragraphs 3-4, then we have an even bigger issue .... :)

An Exercise in the First Page

2011-10-04T10:38:00.001-05:00

My first chapter is AMAZING - my first page stinks. During our Crit Retreat, Anne and I went through a practice I HIGHLY recommend for all writers. We stumbled upon the idea quite by accident, (a long story I'll bypass for now).

Tools Needed: a pile of books, a crit partner (or even a fellow reader will do), plenty of table space, your first page of your own manuscript.

How it Works: Anne and I read each other the first page (only!) of about 20 different novels. They weren't all the same genre, however, they were all CBA market - since that's what we're writing for. At the end of each page, we expressed whether, based on those 3-4 paragraphs, we wanted to continue reading, or the author had already lost our interest. YIKES!

We're so accustomed to focusing on our first CHAPTER, I think Anne and I forgot how important that first page is.

Here's some things we found:

The books that lost us failed to help us connect emotionally with the character - right from the outset. One book, in particular, had the character struggling over a picture she'd taken. Whoopee. I was not intrigued. Another book had a first name so difficult to pronounce we kept pausing wondering what it really was. A page held at least four to five character introductions and we had to reread it twice to figure out who was who. One simply painted a beautiful scene but told us nothing beyond how pretty it was outside. And, I can't forget the other book that was in first person and talking about her grandmother. I'm still not sure why Gramma was important to kick-start page 1.

The books that won us had killer opening lines. For example, "My momma always told me a man thinks with his hands first." YOWSERS! That grabbed our attention for no other reason it was CBA market and that was a bit unexpected. Instantly, we were transported into WHY that was the opening lines, and between hysterical gales of laughter, we were - effectively - hooked. Another instantly put us into the character's mind and her plight. It was much more that she was wealthy and in prison. That was enough. Why would a wealthy girl be in prison in Great Britain when she was American? We would read on. Almost ALL of the books nixed scenery descriptions, physical descriptions, or descriptions in general. It was instant conversation, or instant trouble - not new news to us writers, as it relates to chapter one - but how about your first 3 paragraphs???

Finally:

We read our own first 4 paragraphs. We could instantly see our weak spots. They had already been piled into a pile of "not interested" books we'd just analyzed. My character was instantly intriguing because of her situation, but gosh darn it, if she was just downright mean sounding. (Totally NOT my character). Anne's character was emotive, but the emotion came right at the last few sentences - bump it up to sentence one and she had me hooked instantly.

Have you practiced critting your first 4 paragraphs? How about other books?

A Peek Into A Critting Retreat Wkend - Part 1

2011-10-03T10:11:00.000-05:00

I may have gained 10 lbs but it was well worth it. My beautiful crit partner, Anne Love, traveled by train to hold a mini-ACFW conference at my home this weekend! With piles (literally) of pan pizza, custard filled chocolate eclairs, homemade apple pie, tomato soup, and ... wait for it, wait for it ...PRIDE AND PREJUDICE ... we were well prepared for our "conference" to begin.

First on the agenda - hug. We've seen each other at the last two ACFW conferences - go figure we'd both miss this year's for a variety of reasons. So after I accosted her when she stepped off the Amtrak, we loaded her bag into my jalopy and off we zoomed for every writer's dream .... pizza. (chocolate and coffee to come later - carbs first, people).

Second on the agenda - Talk. Seriously, we sounded like two squirrels chattering away in the woods behind my house. I'm not sure we even breathed until I had to threaten to borrow my MIL's Nebulizer to regain my oxygen.

Third on the agenda - Movie. So, let me set the scene. Two historical romance writers, buried in patchwork quilts - (which, Anne - I totally spaced telling you! The quilt you were using was made out of clothes from the late 1800's - My Great Gramma started it and my Gramma finished it) - a burning woodstove, blazing orange and yellow trees outside in my wooded wonderland I call home, leather couches, and a big screen TV. It screamed for Pride and Prejudice. Some brooding Mister Darcy to heighten our romantic senses. A little mouthy but blind Lizzie to succumb to the confident advances of Darcy. It was a must have you when you're preparing to dive headfirst into two very new WIP's and begin to outline the characters, the plots, the projects, and the inciting incidents.

What did we learn from Night #1 of our retreat? That Mister Darcy is to die for. Period. I'm not sure we got too far beyond that as we sucked down English tea and acted like we may have just entered 9th grade.

Have you had an AMAZING weekend or time with a crit partner? What do they mean to you?

Tomorrow: An Exercise in the First Page ...

Treasure in Wrinkles

2011-09-27T10:25:00.003-05:00

One thing I have learned since Iwas a small child is that treasure hunts are intriguing and treasure chests areextremely difficult to find. Add to thatthe difficulty of discovering the treasure map. Treasure hunts require maps, and not ones that have been torn in halfwith its missing partner lost to live in ghostly journals that will never againbe touched by human fingers.

One thing I also learned as a child, is thattreasures chests are not always held together by forged iron hinges withintricate locks, or that maps are not always written on old parchment papersigned by the blood of the treasure’s original master. Perhaps the treasure chest comes in the formof an aged gentleman whose fingertips can pick the strings of a guitar orstroke the canvas with real-to-life portraits of the “old times”. Perhaps the treasure map is written in thewrinkles of a face that, to the irreverence of youth, deserves to be ignoredfor life has passed them by. That’s howit often seems to be with treasures and their maps, they are overlooked.

One thing I learned as a child is that treasures areburied in obvious places, but we’re so intent on getting to the hiding placethat we walk right by. So, I’ve learnedto peer beyond the glasses and deep into the faded eyes. I’m learning to see the wrinkles as lines ofwisdom. I’m discovering treasurescarefully documented and laid to rest in the treasure chests of their minds …waiting to be discovered, wanting to be heard, demanding to be shared.

Back in the Land of the Living

2011-09-26T11:32:00.003-05:00

I took a much needed two week break from blogging. As I mentioned earlier I was brain dead. We found out why. A two month old fetus tends to do that to its mother. Yes, baby #2 is on its way! I'm looking forward to this new addition (pending it's a good sleeper like my current child :) - however, it's not helping my creativity, or my ability to whip out 2000 words in an hour. What a stinker. It'll be grounded the instant it's born. ;)

I also listened with envy to the stories of the ACFW conference. WOW! Did I miss seeing everyone. However, I was in bed by 9 pm the night of the banquet, so I'm not sure my writer pals would've appreciated stepping over my sprawled out, sleeping form on the banquet floor while Carol Award winners were being announced.

What else has happened in this severely long 14 day writing gap??? Not a whole lot besides drinking root beer to settle my stomach and staring at the scale as I drop 5 lbs. How'd that happen. Oh yeah. Pregnancy helps me control my weight - go figure - it's the whole not wanting to eat thing ...

Well, all this to say, I'm back - with a vengeance (as I collapse on the floor in exhaustion). Miss me? I missed you!

When the Brain Dies

2011-09-13T08:31:00.000-05:00

Brain dead this week. ABSOLUTELY brain dead. SO I'm going to take a week off of blogging - I'll be hanging around Twitter and Facebook, so I won't be completely out of it. See you next Monday with more of my ingenious insights :P

:)

Living By Grace - Great New Community!

2011-09-08T06:58:00.001-05:00

*Winner of Jody Hedlund's new book is: LADY DRAGONKEEPER!!*

I am blessed to bring you this special devotional from Jessica Patch and the ladies at "Living By Grace" ...

Living by Grace…Together

What does living by grace mean to you? For me, it means walking each day knowing I am weak, but He is strong. I get tired, He never does. I stumble, He holds me up. I make mistakes, He’s perfect.

So many things pour into me every day. Responsibilities of being a wife, mother, employee, a writer, a woman (if you’re a woman you know what I’m saying). I wear many hats. I love each one. I love each responsibility, but they can all wear me out.

I need my thirsty soul, quenched. I need saturated with His love, with the washing of the water of His Word. I can’t be good at any of the things above, if I don’t first fill myself up with Him.

Can anyone relate?

And because I’m a woman, I like to share. Women love to share, don’t they? My husband is amazed at some of the things I’m willing to divulge to my girlfriends. I love it when a bunch of us get together and talk about life and most importantly the foundation of life. Jesus Christ.

It renews me, encourages me, revs me up, and gives me hope. We bond through friendship and faith. We care for each other, pray for each other, laugh together. It’s a wonderful experience, especially when coffee and chocolate are involved!

“…A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12

Doesn’t this sense of belonging, renewal, and friendship sound wonderful? Wish you could have it on a daily basis?

You can.

I’m honored to be partnering with some incredible women of faith who want to live by grace, together. We want a sense of community and camaraderie with other women. On September 12th, we’ll be launching a devotional facebook community. Living By Grace. We want to invite you to come by and let your souls be quenched, your minds and hearts challenged. Each day an amazing woman will bring the word through a devotional and feel free to mingle, chat, ask questions, and just have a good time.

We’re building bonds of sisterhood through faith and facebook! Come and join us.

Contributing Writers:
Jennifer Slattery, Joanne Sher, Patty Wysong, Lynda Schultz, Maria Morgan, and yours truly - jessica Patch

Check out more about this Devotional Community at Jessica's blog

The Truth About Queries

2011-09-07T08:23:00.000-05:00

*Winner of Susan Page Davis' THE CAPTIVE TRAIL is .... JESSICA R. PATCH!

The nice thing is I know which agents I wish to query. From there ... HELP! One agent's site had a blog post about queries and was very comforting in that, "it's a simple process". Comforting until I started writing that cover page. It's like digging for the biggest nightcrawler you can find and hoping that a fish bites - preferably a big one. Not to compare agents to worms, but really, it's bait and hook. I fish - but I've never been good at it.

Here's what I'm finding:

Casting is a tangled mess. I made the mistake of re-reading a requested proposal that I sent to an agent in January of this year. Granted, they might be swamped, but really, I won't blame them if they continue to never reply. It stunk. Even though dear crit partners hacked it apart before I sent it, it still ... got tangled in a tree, ripped off a few branches, and caused the fish to hop the dyke in search of a pond further away from this crazy writer.
Just cause you put a worm on the hook, doesn't mean it makes it into the water. I think when I sent in my proposal, the worm flew off the hook into the sky and prayed it grew wings before it landed. I put my email address on the proposal - then I moved and my ISP lost my email when the service was temporarily disconnected. Nice, huh? Never - ever - use a static email address. All hail Gmail - but I bet that agent replied and wanted to represent me and guess what - where's the lady's email??? Poor said agent. Staring a bald hook thinking "what dope of a fisherman".
Algae muddies every pond. It's green, it's messy, and it clogs the hook. My query letter as it stands now, is a mass of goop. Just goop. Nothing more. It stinks. 'Nuf said.
Every now and then, someone who's fished before comes along. Ever see that aged fisherman with the lines in his face, the callouses on his fingertips, and that denim cap propped haphazardly on his hair? Yeah. Sometimes we need the more experienced to help us bait the hook before we cast. And ... to help us know where to cast.

SO... calling on the more experienced fisherman ... any nightcrawlers of wisdom you want to share before I wade through more algae just to create murky water?

Book Report: The Doctor's Lady, by Jody Hedlund

2011-09-02T08:04:00.001-05:00

5 Stars for EVERYTHING!

I love it. I really do. Everything about this book is marvelous.

Setting - You can really tell Jody did her research. She had to cover so much territory right along with her pioneer missionaries. From the steamboat in St. Louis, to the wagon, to the horseback, to the prairie, she covered the same thousands of miles as did her characters. And because of that, the reader gets to cover them too! The descriptions are real, the scents are strong, the sounds emanate from the pages.

Characters - I loved the hero in this book. More than the heroine, Priscilla, although she was fantastic as well. Eli just - reminded me a lot of my DH for one, so that helped. LOL But he wasn't the run of the mill hero. He was - a bit stiff. Stiff in a stubborn, strong minded, hard believing, uncompromising way. When snippets of gentleness came out, it even surprised him, but it made me meeeelllllt away. I could feel his gaze burning into Priscilla's back when she wasn't looking. Not an angry gaze ... a hungry gaze. The kind of hunger that wants to love but love isn't reasonable. The type of appetite that wants to consume her as his wife and brand her as his, but life is business.

Inspirational Message - No joking, this novel is inspirational. If you're going to read it just for the story, you might be surprised by the message. But it's expertly woven through the convictions of the characters. It's not preachy or trite, not rigid or narrow minded. It's a calling of the heart to follow greater paths - a path greater than I would have been willing to take.

Romance - Ah, yes. We all love romance. You won't be disappointed. While purely portrayed, the relationship between two people in a marriage intended for business is ripe with longing, emotion, broken hearts, moments of passion, and a need to be together emotionally, Spiritually, and physically. I love how Jody REALISTICALLY grows her characters together through hardships, humor, tears, and attraction.

No joke, this is one of the best reads of 2011 for me! Be sure to read yesterday's post and get to know Jody, enter the contest to win a FREE COPY and check out her TRAILBLAZER CONTEST for $300 worth of prizes! :)

OFFICIAL LAUNCH PARTY for Jody Hedlund's "The Doctor's Lady"!

2011-09-01T06:00:00.055-05:00

It's a Launch Party!!

Ladies and Gentleman - it's here! THE DOCTOR'S LADY is released and ready to order! The long awaited Sophomore release from Jody Hedlund takes you into the wild wilderness of the Great West and follows the path of Eli and Priscilla as they trailblaze west to minister to the Nez Pierce People.

Join us today for a sit down chat with Jody, a chance to win her new book, a chance to enter Jody's Trailblazer Contest and more!! Keep reading ...

I had the chance to talk with Jody about her new book, her writing career and her heart for this story.

Jody, how did you first find out about Marcus and Narcissa Whitman, on whom this novel is based?

During the course of teaching my children, I do a LOT of reading to them. Part of that reading includes “living history” books about real people. When we were reading about the settling of the western part of the United States, I pulled out a children’s book that I have about Narcissa Whitman and read it to my children among the many other books I’ve collected over the years about the Oregon Trail.

Of course, in reading the book, I was fascinated by Narcissa’s story and wanted to delve deeper into all of the “what ifs.” I presented the idea to my publisher and they were interested in it as well. They just wanted me to make sure I ended the book at the point when the Whitmans arrived in Oregon, because unfortunately, the Whitman story ends rather tragically years later when they were murdered by the natives.

What was it about their story that consumed you and intrigued you to write their story?

I was particularly fascinated by the fact that even though Marcus and Narcissa hardly knew each other, they were willing to enter into marriage for the sake of being missionaries. I wanted to explore why someone would choose to enter a marriage of convenience in order to be a missionary, and how that relationship could eventually evolve into a loving marriage (which the Whitmans appeared to have developed by the end of the journey west.)

How did you insert yourself into Priscilla’s story? Did you imagine yourself in her shoes and how do you think you would respond in a similar situation?

During my first draft I put too much of myself and how I would have reacted into Priscilla. In other words, I made her whiny, wimpy, and weak. I know that’s how I would have reacted to the months of wearisome travel. I would have been a complete basket-case!

But my editors didn’t like the original more realistic version of how I created Priscilla because quite frankly she wasn’t very likeable. So they sent me back to the drawing board to come up with a stronger woman, someone who struggled but didn’t let the trials beat her down. I’m learning the delicate balance of creating heroines that readers can relate to but also admire.

Congratulations. You’ve just discovered Puzzle Piece #1,
in Jody Hedlund’s BE A TRAILBLAZER Scavenger Hunt!
If you want to learn more about the scavenger hunt,
and earn 20 extra entries to her contest,
visit this page on her web site:
http://jodyhedlund.com/contest/earn-extra-entries/

Tell us a little bit about what you found most fascinating about early missions to the Native Americans?

The early 1800’s was the height of the missionary movement. The fervor for spreading the gospel to the “heathens” of the world was at an all time high. Young people everywhere believed that the highest calling was to go into full time mission work. And yet, most missionaries were traveling to lands like India, Africa, and China.

Many people believed (similar to Priscilla at the beginning of the book) that Native Americans were resistive to the gospel and that time and resources were better spent elsewhere in the world. However, Eli (based on the real Doctor Whitman) wanted to reach out to the natives and saw that they were in need of the gospel as much as any other people group in the world.

Where are you headed in the future – are we going to see more novels based on actual people?

My next book is NOT based on a real heroine from history. Even though I really enjoy bringing to life long-forgotten women of the past who were courageous and inspiring, my publisher would like me to take a break from the “inspired by” stories. They don’t want me to become branded too narrowly as an author who writes only about true people.

The book releasing in 2012 is set in my home state of Michigan during the height of the lumber era. I’m really excited about the story and some of the themes that I was able to explore. And even though the heroine isn’t based on a real person, I did base the antagonist on a devious criminal who lived during the setting of the book.

Still drinking coffee regularly?

Oh yeah! Very regularly!

I’d love to hear what other hobbies make up the writer we know as Jody Hedlund – because you can’t possibly write 24/7!

My other hobbies when I’m not writing? Drinking coffee and eating chocolate—of course!

No seriously. At this stage in my life because I’m busy teaching my children and being a mom, I spend most of my free time doing family-related things. Amidst all of the busyness, we do try to carve out fun family time each week. We love taking family bike rides together, playing games, and having family movie nights.

Thanks Jody! Now, here's a sneak peak into The Doctor's Lady...

Inspired yet? :)

During the month of September, Jody is running an epic contest with a prize package worth $300! Interested in entering? Here's the link to the contest page:http://jodyhedlund.com/contest/.

This has been so much fun to launch Jody's book! Tomorrow, I'll be doing a Book Report on The Doctor's Lady - but TODAY starts YOUR opportunity to enter a drawing to win a copy of the book.

To enter:
(you can do 1 or all of these options worth 1 entry per option!)
1. Must have a US Mailing Address
2. Leave a comment on today AND tomorrow's blog post featuring this great new release!
3. Tweet about the launch party and add an @jaime_wright so I see it and can add an entry :)
4. Blog about Jody's new release if you've already ordered and received your copy! :)

Winner will be drawn on Thursday, September 8th!

Are you excited yet??? I sure am!!!!!!!!! And my overuse of exclamation points prove it. This is a fantastic book that's kept me glued to it all week and in spare moments between work, child, and life. I can't wait to post a review tomorrow and continue to share what a worthwhile read this is.

In the meantime .... WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!! Start the music, throw confetti, people, 'cause we're havin' a PARTAY!!!!!

Interview & Book Giveaway w/ Susan Page Davis

2011-08-31T06:30:00.050-05:00

I'm so thrilled to be featuring Susan Page Davis on my blog today ! She is a wonderful author with a plethora of creative tales to spin. A new favorite author of mine, I have had so much fun conversing with Susan about her NEW RELEASE!

Captive Trail, by Susan Page Davis

Taabe Waipu has run away from her Comanche village and is fleeing south in Texas on a horse she stole from a dowry left outside her family’s teepee. The horse has an accident and she is left on foot, injured and exhausted. She staggers onto a road near Fort Chadbourne and collapses.

On one of the first runs through Texas, Butterfield Overland Mail Company driver Ned Bright carries two Ursuline nuns returning to their mission station. They come across a woman who is nearly dead from exposure and dehydration and take her to the mission.

With some detective work, Ned discovers Taabe Waipu’s identity. He plans to unite her with her family, but the Comanche have other ideas, and the two end up defending the mission station. Through Taabe and Ned we learn the true meaning of healing and restoration amid seemingly powerless situations.
Captive Trail is second in a six-book series about four generations of the Morgan family living, fighting, and thriving amidst a turbulent Texas history spanning from 1845 to 1896. Although a series, each book can be read on its own.

I spoke with Susan about this upcoming novel and also about her writing journey:

When did you first know you wanted to be a writer, whether or not you ever were published?

I’ve loved writing stories since I was small, and as an adult I wrote magazine articles and worked for a newspaper as a writer, but I didn’t really think I could be a published fiction author until I was in my late forties.

How does your faith affect the stories you create?
A thread of faith runs through nearly all my stories.

You’ve written in a variety of genres, from suspense to romance and now historicals – which genre is your favorite?I’m not dodging the question when I say whichever one I’m working in at the moment. I’m one of those writers who loves variety, which is not always good for the career, but I do love romance and historicals and mysteries and suspense, and…(By the way, my first published books were historicals.)

I read The Crimson Cipher and absolutely LOVED it!! Tell us how you first got inspired to write about ciphers in WWI?I have always loved ciphers (and codes, too). I wanted to write a whole series revolving around this topic. That didn’t materialize, but I was blessed to do a standalone book about it. I believe the editor chose the time period out of several suggestions I offered.

AND NOW you have a new book Captive Trail with the interesting premise surrounding Comanche culture. How did you decide to write about that?I’ve always been intrigued by captivity narratives and have done several books about Indian captives. I have several ancestors who went through it, and I wrote my New Hampshire books (White Mountain Brides series) based on a real massacre there, when a lot of people were captured. I’ve also touched on this theme in my Wyoming Brides books. But the Texas series gave me the chance to explore a new culture and focus on the returned captive in a longer book. I loved telling Taabe’s story. It has a lot of true historical elements in it, but I did make up some things. My research about the Comanche captives in that period was heart-wrenching.

What was the most interesting historical fact you learned when researching Captive Trail?
How difficult it was to get the children back, and how hard it was for them to reassimilate into their families and the white culture. One thing that particularly shocked me was the true story of a white captive boy who later took a captive of his own. That broke my heart.

Tell us a little bit about you! What is your favorite drink of choice when writing?
Iced tea with no sugar, please (Or, “unsweet” tea, as they say here in Kentucky). I have a cup holder on the edge of my desk so that I have no chance of spilling it on the keyboard.

Where is your favorite place to write? (i.e. breakfast nook, lazy-boy, etc)
Desk, definitely. I have all my “tools” handy.

Any other hobbies besides writing?
Reading, genealogy, logic puzzles and ciphers. In the past I did a lot of needlework, but I haven’t had time for that lately.

What is the one piece of advice you would give to writers like myself who are still in the pre-published stage?
Read a lot, write a lot, and pay attention to the small things. They add up.

Thanks, Susan! And as a "thanks" to you, her faithful readers or NEW readers - Susan wants to give you a free copy of her new book Captive Trail!

Rules to enter:

1. One entry for leaving a comment - tell us your favorite Susan Page Davis book and/or your favorite time period for a fictional story

2. TWO entries for blogging about her new release (and leaving a comment here with your blog address so we can see the post!)

3. One entry for emailing me jaimejosundmso (at) gmail (dot) com a picture of you and your favorite Susan Page Davis book :)

The drawing will be open until next Wednesday (Sept. 7th) and you will be notified by email - so be sure you leave your email in our comments section! :)

Kim Cash Tate's new Novel CHERISHED

2011-08-30T09:51:00.000-05:00

Featuring my beautiful friend, Kim Cash Tate ...

her God-inspired novel, CHERISHED

and an God-breathed testimony of forgiveness and grace by Da' T.R.U.T.H.

The Lone Writer…Not!

2011-08-29T06:30:00.002-05:00

I'm so excited about today's post! I met Jessica Patch via Twitter - then Facebook - then blog and I think the only thing left now is to exchange cell #'s for txting. (Hey, Jess - we haven't done this why????).

Jessica is a phenominal gal. If you haven't already friended her on Twitter or Facebook, you at a minimum need to check her blog - stat. ("Stat" is my new favorite word). And, I'm visiting her blog today - so another fun reason to hop over and check it out ;) At minimum, you really need to "like" her author page on Facebook - fun stuff pops up on your newsfeed if you do :)

We were chatting this past week about the amazing treasures we've found in friendship via social media, but also the NEED for friendship - kindred spirits, if I may summon Anne Shirley of Green Gables. So we decided to blog swap this Monday and share just a little bit about what we VALUE in writing/critique/partner/friendships!

Jessica - take it away!
Jaime, blog-swinging with you is too much fun. Really. Thanks for letting me be here.
The act of writing is a sole one. Only I can sit at my computer and craft a story. No one can do that for me. No one can tell the story like I can. No one has my voice.

It’s a lone act.

But it doesn’t have to be a lonely act.

I wrote my first set of mss alone and lonely. While I was writing, I felt connected to my characters—we hung out, we laughed and cried together, but when I shut down the computer and wanted to share it with someone…
No one “got it.” Oh, my friends were excited and still are. They’re my first Beta readers, but they didn’t have the eyes to tell me what was wrong or how to fix them. They didn’t understand the frustrations that a writer goes through or the feelings of angst, the publishing industry and it’s slower-than-a-snail’s pace, the vocabulary of a writer, or the aggravations associated with characters who do not behave.

That’s where writer friends come in.

They’re different. Not better than non-writer friends; they simply “get it.”
I started blogging less than a year ago and in a few weeks time, my eyes opened up to a whole new community, a family if you will. Then I started twittering, and that really helped me develop friendships with some of the commenters on my blog.
Enter Jaime Wright. I’d so live next door to her if I could. Miles separate us, but that’s all. You read her blog, so you know how awesome she is! If you don’t, please click follow and keep up with her.
So many writers out there struggle with the same things I do. As I’m writing this, a writer-friend just twittered me. “Crisis!” and then told me what it was. It was writer related, and I helped her out immediately. Which also brings me to, Get a SMART PHONE if you can. It’s like having your pals around your table all day.
I’m thankful I have a community of friends/family that can lift me up, make me laugh, and put the stank-eye on my ms when needed! I still write alone, but I’m not lonely. Not only have I found good crit partners, but I’ve found friendships that I know will last. Cue the background music and butterflies.
So, have you formed critique partners and valuable friendships with others out there? If not, what’s holding you back? Don’t say a Smart Phone.

Follow Jessica's Blog - Jessica R. Patch
Follow Jessica on Facebook - Jessica R. Patch, Writer

Considering Age

2011-08-24T09:37:00.000-05:00

Today is my birthday and because being 80 years old is just around the corner for me, I've been contemplating what I will be like when that day arrives.

Needless to say, I have an odd feeling I won't fit the image of the wrinkled old grandmotherly type who smiles patiently at the young newlyweds, gently receives a jar of freshly made strawberry jam from their 55 year old niece, and shakes her head at the "modern" and "worldly" worship song choices the 24 yr. old church worship leader plays on Sunday morning.

I might make homemakers around the world look like saints when I'm finished, but I am not a homemaker. Not entirely. But, see, now that's where, after a moment of brief introspection, I reconfirm my original argument that I will not be the normal 80 year old.

Let's face it - I am a mutt.

I realized today, after a day spent around the house, that a portion of me IS a homemaking type. This last Saturday was lovely. I caught up with laundry, did the dishes, and made dinner without the pressure of: "I gotta get to work, hurry up nate and get out of my way, oh shoot! i forgot my grocery list, I have to fix the crashed computer at the store, what IS the devotional for youth group on Friday and, how on earth did I forget my niece's birthday?!

But, I also realized today, that a part of me isn't the homemaking type.

My 7th graders told me I haven't lost my "coolness" factor yet. I guess at 35 you start to wonder. But I don't think I fit the mold of the average smalltown, churched woman. I mean, I highly respect all the things these women do, and don't get me wrong, their endeavors are difficult, challenging and take a special kind of woman. I'm just not sure I'm that kind of woman.

You see, our church offers a quilting class. I like ... quilts. Only I have a distinct issue with ADHD raising it's ugly head after about 15 min. in front of a quilting table. It makes me want to take the table with its mounds of scraps and fling it across the room and start a rousing game of who can drink the most espresso in 2 minutes!

And tea parties. I don't understand them. I love tea!! In a thermos, on the top of a mountain, with muddy shoes and a Nepali Sherpa.

Ball room dancing ... so elegant ... so refined, so ... BORING!! Now, I know I'd look ridiculous, but crank up some Toby Mac and teach me some Hip Hop moves and I would be totally down for that.

Camping. Not in a trailer with a mattress, a gas cooktop, and a generator for my curling iron. But camping, in the wilderness, in a tent, with smokey-smelling clothes, and hot dogs for the 4th night in a row. I want to see the stars twinkling good night at me, not the ceiling of an Air Stream.

That's why I'm not going to be the normal 80 year old grandmother. I'll be the goofy, eccentric, blue-haired lady in the wheelchair when you come to the nursing home. You'll be able to find me. It'll be easy.

I'll help you:

Go down the hall to the nursing home cafe. I'll probably be getting my cup of contraband fully leaded coffee from the teenage cafe clerk that I bribed by promising to convince their mother to let them drive the car to youth group on Wednesday night.

If I'm not there, wind your way to the social room where I won't be playing cards, I'll probably be pounding out old the "oldies" on the piano like, "Ignition" by Toby Mac, or "Changing World" by Kutless, and definitely "Banana Pancakes" by the guy ... remember his name ... Jack Johnson.

Not in the social room?

I'm probably in the back craft room attempting to jump my wheel chair off of a 2" high platform jump that Old Mister Jeremie Higgins built before he passed away going off-roading with his grandson.

Not there? Well, more than likely at that point, you'll find me in my room with my ninety-eight stuffed animals (all named of course, because now that I'm 80 I have an excuse to display my secret collection of stuffed animals). I'll definitely either be studying the Bible, or listening to the old sermons by John Piper. No one preached a sermon like that man! remember the good old days?

Maybe, just maybe ... my head will be bowed and you'll think I'm praying but I've just gone Home ...

Yes, it's true, I won't be a normal 80. But I bet we can all say that, in our own special way!

What Makes a Good Writer?

2011-08-23T08:39:00.006-05:00

Do you ever feel surrounded by magnificence? I'm sure none of the four authors in the pic would claim magnificence as a word to describe their writing. I've met three of the four authors and they eat humility for breakfast.

As a writer, stumbling through the world of writing, editing, queries, waiting, proposals, waiting, rejections, waiting - these beautiful books keep lining the shelves. They entice me and let's be honest - really - make me a teensy bit jealous. If we're all honest, we can't wait to see what our own cover is going to look like. A Women's Contemporary with daisies and a young woman with her back to us, clad in blue jeans and holding a faded photograph. Or maybe, you're YA. Your cover has a teenage boy staring intensely off the book cover with a girl just right of his shoulder wielding a long golden sword. Perhaps, you're like me - historical romance. My book cover would be dark blue, with stormy waters and a lighthouse on a cliff with the faded profile of a Victorian young woman who looks very sad.

But how do I earn that book cover? What makes a good writer? Why - frankly - does Colleen Coble have a beautiful woman in a red ball gown and I have a manuscript in Word document format? Well okay. Have you read Colleen? That's a no brainer. But seriously - what makes a good writer?

I have a theory - outside of the standardized answers of they study the craft, they practice, they write more than one manuscript, etc. My theory goes thusly (I love that made up word):

A Good Writer has passion. These writers LOVE what they do. They live and breathe writing. It's not just a five minute passion twice a week. It's not a hobby they reach into their back pocket for when they're bored. They are WRITERS. Because of this - they have taken the time to learn the craft, study the elements, the nuances that make a good story, and the character development that sucks you in.
A Good Writer knows how to take criticism. Have you ever noticed the bad singers on American Idol? They won't listen to critiques. Even if they're relatively good, when given advice, they insist they have it covered - advice aside. A good writer will let someone - even a virtual stranger - hack their manuscript into shrapnel and then shoot it at them. Ok - maybe not that extreme, but that's how a good critique sometimes feels. My crit partner helped me realize my character was gray - dead - blah - boring. In a few swift strokes, she had developed it only to have me realize I needed to rewrite 3/4 of my book. Bad? Not really. My book is 100% better. Thanks to Anne.
A Good Writer doesn't pretend they're magnificent. They may sustain themselves on humility, but the authors I mentioned above? It's not false humility. It's real. They are truly amazed that they have been blessed to see their books lining shelves at the retailers or being featured on Amazon.com. It's that humility that has helped them grow - taken them places they only imagined - and allowed the experts in the field to help direct their steps. Visit an agent's blog - they'll list all the things NOT to say in a query. "This is the next best seller" - "This book will make you rich" - "This is the manuscript you've been waiting for". Overconfidence and arrogance in your talents will - plainly speaking - ruin you.

A good writer doesn't seek to be magnificent. A good writer seeks to be a writer. Plain and simple. And someday, maybe that magnificent book cover will come, thanks to the talents of a fantastic graphic arts department.

Book Report AND DRAWING: A River to Cross, by Yvonne Harris

2011-08-19T10:16:00.001-05:00

Isn't this a beautiful cover? Gosh I just love it! Yvonne Harris writes a heartwarming story that wraps itself around the history of Mexican vs. Texan. Throw in a handsome ranger and a few gypsies and you have the making of an adventurous love story you'll devour as fast as you can!

The setting is fantastic. I love Texas in the dusty, old west days of yore. Yvonne Harris definitely did her research on the US Rangers and laces some neat history without detracting from the meat of the story.

You won't regret picking this book up. It's a fun, easy read!

AND I WANT TO DO A BOOK DRAWING! I haven't done one in a while and with this beautiful cover gracing my blog it just BEGS to be entered in to a contest to share the story!

Here's how to get your name entered into the drawing:

Post a comment on my blog (include your email johndoe at hotmail dot com)
Friend me on twitter jaime_wright
Send me a twitter message reference the drawing jaime_wright
Like my Facebook page and post a comment referencing this drawing https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jaime-Wright-An-Era-of-Romance-Intrigue/219636768061334
Get a friend to like my Facebook page, have them post a comment referencing the drawing and your name (They'll also get a bonus entry!)
Facebook a link to my blog and leave a comment on my Facebook page so I can visit you!
Tweet an announcement of the drawing with an @jaime_wright included so I can see!

The drawing will be held on Monday morning! So you have all weekend to enter!

Writing Exercises - What Are They?

2011-08-17T11:04:00.001-05:00

A woman passed by my house today. She was about the size of a pea, easily squashed by me if I so desired. I didn't. So I let her pass. (I sound like a bridge troll). She was exercising - and I let out a shout of laughter! Thankfully I was indoors. This was the epitome of stylin' while exercisin'. Her hot pink head band wrapped around her forehead with her blonde/gray pony tail bobbing like I bob for apples. Tiny pink shorts that would maybe fit over my arm. Little white tank top that - heaven forbid - was a little see through. THANK GOODNESS for the pretty hot pink brassiere beneath that sparkled like Brittany Spears on a bad day - which is every day.

AND she was pumping iron as she walked! They resembled baby bottles - filled with nothing. I'm not exaggerating. She wasn't really "pumping" either. They wobbled in limp hands. A tiny misstep and they would tumble to the ground. Her pace wasn't all that fast either - and for the record, though her hair was blonde/gray she was maybe pushing 45. Definitely not elderly.

Fine. Maybe there are a thousand unspoken reasons why she was hoisting empty baby bottles like a ballerina hoists a hay bale. I just want to make the point that exercise - in writing - needs to actually BE exercise!

Writing should be a regular practice. I rode my mountain bike last September. Since then I've gained twenty pounds. Exercise in moderation does absolutely nothing. Writing in moderation will help you maintain but it won't push yourself to creative growth.
Writing should be difficult. Stop whining. Really. Writing is going to be hard. If you want to get better, it's not going to come in packs of 5,000 words in 60 minutes. Can that happen sometimes? Sure. But more often, you'll struggle to reach 1,000 in 60 - and 1,000 good words is what I'm talking about.
Writing takes discipline. Yep. The "D" word. I hate it too. Nuff said.
Writing isn't glamorous. Maybe on a good day, you'll smile brightly at your monitor, tip your head to the side and sprawl in your cute little pink shorts. On a NORMAL day, your hair will be in a thousand directions as you tug and pull looking for an alternative word that doesn't end in "-ly". You'll be stuffed into jogging pants that have seen better days. But for the record, Brittany Spears still doesn't have anything on ya.

What do you think makes a good writing exercise? What is necessary to stay "Fit" as a writer?

How Do Dreams Inspire Your Writing?

2011-08-16T10:00:00.000-05:00

I've always been a dreamer. I don't mean the kind of person who stares into space during the church sermon, or gazes vacantly out the window while transporting themselves to somewhere else in their head. I mean - literally - a dreamer. I have read entire books in my dreams. I start it one night, and the next night I return to my dreamland to finish the book.

One dream in particular stands out. I was reading a newspaper in a little coffee cafe in New York City. The autumn leaves were floating to the ground like orange fairies and my wristwatch was ticking a cadence that seemed especially loud. A man was perched at a table across the room, a cigarette snuffed out in the ash tray next to him, his black hair tousled, his brooding dark eyes scanning the room. I loved him - and his cigarette. It was comforting to know he was there. A new gentleman entered, passed by my table, and left in his wake the distinct smell of Old Spice - and a manila envelope next to my scone. The 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of white paper inside was typewritten. "2 Lays Lane". There it was - the meeting place - I had been undercover for an entire year and finally, I had an appointment with The Man. The one who had spent his reign of terror on his victims. The one who had made my partner go rogue from his place in the FBI. The one who had killed my mother and ruined me. Today - I would kill him.

The next night I returned to my dream and realized the first dream was only the prologue. Dream 2 took me back 12 months and now I was going to learn why I had descended into a path of espionage with intent to kill.

I haven't written it down yet. But it's there. In my head. And in the wrong genre. Sheesh - I write historical romance not suspense thrillers. I ain't no John Grisham, folks.

Dreams inspire me. They take me to places I've never been (i.e. NYC) - they introduce to me heroes I wouldn't normally fall in love with (i.e. hardened, Collin Farrell-cigarette-smoking-bad-boys), and they make me do things I'd never consider (i.e. kill).

A writer can live vicariously through their dreams. A writer can reap bountiful harvest of ideas through their dreams.

How have dreams inspired your writing?

Why You Shouldn't Read Fiction Before Bed

2011-08-15T09:48:00.000-05:00

When you're sleeping, the worst possible sound to wake you up is gunfire inside your house. Last night was a nightmare. I startled awake to the sound of a gunshot - so loud, so definitive, that I instantly knew my husband was dead.

There's something horrifically cold about waking up to an empty bed and just knowing that you're a widow. I wasn't grief stricken. I wasn't even terrified. It was just instant spring into action. I threw the sheet off and catapulted out the bedroom door, grasping the half-wall by the stairwell. The eerie silence that followed the gunshot weakened my knees and I felt my vision go black from the insane surge of adrenalin.

I would not pass out. Opening my eyes, vision focused. There, in the middle of the living room, stood ... my husband. A quizzical grin on his face. His blue eyes twinkling with mirth that told me it was at my expense that he grinned so - humorously.

"The gunshot! Is my baby all right? Who got shot!" My words escaped like my own rapid fire.

"Um," the lines at the corners of my husband's eyes deepen into caverns that flow with barely suppressed laughter. "I sneezed?"

THIS IS WHY YOU DON'T READ FICTION BEFORE YOU GO TO BED! I returned to my haven of rest about ready to lose my dinner. For thirty seconds, I was widowed, my husband was sprawled on his office floor, a mysterious gun had made its way into our home and destroyed my peace. And in another thirty seconds, I was still married, my husband was laughing at me, the gun had vanished, and the novel by my bedside reminded me that the last scene I'd read involved gunfire - rapid gunfire.

Darn my husband's allergies! Sneezing will no longer be allowed in my household after 11 pm. Period.

How do dreams affect your life? Your writing? Tomorrow, I want to discuss how dreams seep their way into our writing ... but today, I'm going to relish in the fact that I'm still happily married to healthy (although still laughing) husband.

Book Report: Blue Skies Tomorrow, By Sarah Sundin

2011-08-12T08:21:00.001-05:00

5 Stars - Because That Sums It Up

I rave about novels all the time, but I rarely give a straight up 5. There's a pattern I look for in new authors who release a string of three or four books ... do their stories get better - or worse. Because let's face it, once that contract is under the belt, a writer doesn't have the five years it took them to master book number one. Book two and three have get pumped out - relatively quickly. I've seen many authors who write an amazing first novel only to write good follow-ups. Nothing wrong with good, but ...

SARAH SUNDIN DIDN'T DO THAT! Book 1 was to die for, Book 2 caused my resurrection because I'd already died after Book 1. Book 3? I just might jump off a skyscraper and let a huge white sheet cascade behind me with a picture of the book cover and the words "READ IT" in huge block letters. (Although, I haven't figured out the landing part, so I'm putting the jump on hold for now).

One thing I've made unique about my book reviews is I don't write my own summary of the novel's contents. Why? Read the back cover. I like to write my THOUGHTS about the book. Blue Skies Tomorrow is no different, although I do need to set it up just a tad.

World War II is in full force when BST begins. Helen is a widow of a war hero with a very young son. Ray holds down the homefront supplies but feels as a man, courage requires more of him. Helen has horrific secrets. Ray has mortifying shame. By chapter two they're well on their way to a good love story. By chapter three, you know it is simply not going to work.

What made me give BST 5 stars?

Content. Sarah went places with this novel I did not expect. At all. She tackled the issue of domestic violence in a setting when it was still expected to be a submissive wife - in the full sense of husband as lordship, not partner. When women did not fight back, but looked inside of themselves to find out what they did to deserve it, because they had to deserve it - right? Issues very real today, are addressed. And when Ray has the reader screaming at Helen, "he's your hero, he's your hero!" - she defends her dead, abusive husband.

Setting. Who doesn't love WWII? It was an era of men in army green, Big Band, homemade pie (with homemade pie crust!), B-17 Bombers, Jimmy Stewart (sigh), and every man in army green was somehow drop dead gorgeous - even if they weren't. What is it about a military uniform - even today?

Hero. A weak hero. I loved it. What an oxymoron. Ray doesn't see inner strength as strength at all. In comparison to his war hero brothers and Helen's dead hero husband, he's tucked away safely in a supply office like a coward unwilling to face a torpedo.Yet he saves Helen - over and over and over - and never sees a hero sometimes is a hero of love - and not war. ... or maybe both.

Heroine. In a way, I didn't like Helen. Because I'm a fighter, I wanted her to be. I told a boyfriend once if he ever talked to me like he talked to his mother, I'd be gone. In two weeks we were over. I have self-respect. Helen ... is a victim of society, expectations, pressures, herself, and a little boy. I couldn't relate to victimization. Then I realized, I really loved Helen ... I was aching for her, wanting to pray for her (and when you want to PRAY for a fictional character, you know the author sucked you and sucked you in GOOD). Helen was a little girl who was never taught to fight for herself - just fight for survival. If you survive, you've succeeded, whether you're happy or not.

Inspiration. Yep.It's Inspirational fiction. So be inspired by faith laced through the book. A book about a preacher, without preaching? Therein lies a true master of the craft - Sarah Sundin.

Need I say more? Are you not convinced? Check it out here and take a peek at Sarah Sundin's site.

UGH!

2011-08-09T21:44:00.000-05:00

Wowsers. Today at work was quite the day! Sorry I missed my blog posting (you all were holding your breath, weren't you?). Unfortunately, this week will be more of the same which means my free time in the evenings will be catch up at home. I'll be off tomorrow and Thursday, but don't stop visiting my blog .. a book review of Sarah Sundin's new novel "BLUE SKIES TOMORROW" is coming on Friday! :)

Inspirational vs. General Market Fiction

2011-08-08T08:59:00.001-05:00

I love inspiration! Coffee inspires me to be a better person. I look into its creamy depths and think - "you love me, coffee, you really, really love me." My self-worth climbs high and my day is brighter.

Okay - sensibly speaking, we all know I'm a french fry short of a Happy Meal, but in reality, we look for inspiration in everything around us. Interestingly enough, I've been reading Amazon.com reader reviews lately, and quite a few readers feel a bit shangheid by Inspirational Fiction.

I'm not quite sure what they expect - but it's not God. They seem to want some warm fuzzies, a good read without too much nasty detail, but throw God into the book and wowsers - I didn't realize just His name was THAT offensive. I mean, I knew it was offensive because Jesus is offensive (don't be offended - He said He was, not me!). But, really, when some readers pick up an INSPIRATIONAL book - they don't seem to connect that to Christianity ... or more specificially Believing faith in Jesus Christ.

So - that being said... what ARE the expectations between Inspirational vs. General Market fiction? What sets them aside? What market do you write in?

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this ... and tomorrow ... I'll regale you with more of the same topic! :)

Hop on over to my Facebook page and answer the question of the day ...

Vision = Effort ... a Perspective of Pain

2011-08-03T08:34:00.001-05:00

I love to climb. Well, I did. Until I gained an unnecessary thirty pounds (of which I've lost 15 so I'm working on that). But climbing is all about perspective. Like writing. Either way you have a length of impossibility to conquer.

My husband says I cry worse climbing than I did having my daughter. Ever watch those tennis players who scream each time they hit the ball? That's me. Only louder. Each time I launch myself upward and try to latch onto a crevice without plummeting 2 inches to my death. (ropes. they help.)

I scream when I write too. Inwardly of course. Yes, that would be funny. A writer balancing their laptop and screaming in effort each time they launch themselves forward in an effort to end a chapter. LOL

Either way ... life's pursuits take - effort. Vision and Effort can sandwich deep thoughts (like my Tuesday post). Vision and Effort must go hand in hand. But Effort requires sweat, pain, stamina, and most all ... a willingness to try, try again. When I climb a 5.7 rock pitch - which to most good climbers is simply a warm up climb - I have to mentally prepare myself. I know, realistically, I won't get it on my first ascent. Maybe not on my third, either. And three ascent attempts are about as much as I can muster becuase by then my muscles are quivering, my fingertips aching, my breath coming in such little pulses that screaming is no longer an option.

SO with effort comes the need to pursue. I have to pursue that 5.7. Maybe all summer. But when I make it - when my lips touch that caribeener and then the rock and then I sit back in my harness and survey the vast landscape from heights I climbed to ... ahhh ... that is amazing.

It doesn't come quick. It doesn't come without pain. I don't come out looking glorious. More like a hippo that just squeezed itself into a harness and blundered its blustering self up the side of a mountain. But I did it. Vision = Effort = Success. And success isn't necessarily measured by your book sandwiched between a beautiful front and back cover with your author name in larger print than the title. Sometimes success is typing "The End". The next climb is coming ... but you conquered this one.

Marked in Scarlet

2011-08-02T08:11:00.000-05:00

I never dreamed I would empathize with a prostitute, or even find myself in her shoes, so to say. I viewed her in all of her wicked sordidness. Stained and soiled by the mark of numerous men, selling herself to the highest bidder, perhaps with pride and certainly with an instinct of survival. Survival. Perhaps Rahab sought it in the only form she knew how, but then what have I prostituted myself to? Maybe not men, but it could be a myriad of things ranging from career to fortune to vanity to pride to safety. Safety. I believe that if I were to define my most important ambition in life, truly I would have to write “safety” at the top of my list.

I once described to a friend that I needed to have all my “ducks in a row” in life. “Since when do ducks swim in a row?” I was asked. “Well, my ducks do – and they quack on demand too.” I sincerely believe that at one point, Rahab believed she had her ducks in a row. She provided for her own safety by sacrificing a part of herself. I do that too. My sacrifice is my sanity, for the sake of planning and scheming and worrying about the next big change, and even small change, in my life. But then, something, Someone threatened her – and my - sense of survival in a way that caused a tsunami to overtake her ducks and drown them, feathers, quacks and all.

The city of Jericho was surrounded by a wall so fortified that the cities’ own endurance was rarely questioned. It was a powerhouse so unshakeable that the gods themselves could not pass through. It was the ultimate wall of safety and survival and the smart people lived behind its security. Until the wind blew stories of a God so gigantic and colossal that suddenly the walls were scrawny in comparison. Those who lived in Jericho lived in denial of an inevitable confrontation. Would their walls hold? No one dared to consider this. Except Rahab. Here the lone prostitute entertained men while entertaining musings of the God of Israel. Did she dare to wonder about God while she welcomed a man to her bed? The ungodliness of such a thing strikes me as a sharp contrast to my life until I pause and consider … do I even dare to wonder about God as I welcome my own means of self-created survival mechanisms into my soul?

As she mused, she grew convinced that the God of Israel was not a God to be challenged. Perhaps, one morning, Rahab stepped to her balcony that overlooked the wall of Jericho and she had visions of it crumbling and crashing to the ground, striking panic in her heart. Were I Rahab, I instantly would have begun to scheme. And I do. My wall of Jericho and my means of continued existence, whatever it may be, is my sanctuary and protection. It’s whatever I hold in this life to be my means of fortification and now that it is threatened, I take to my table like Rahab takes to hers and begin to map out multiple escape routes. The Israelites and their God are coming. They are looming in the distance, threatening my walls, threatening my way of life and promising that a drastic change, a shift of power over my life is on the horizon.

I don’t know that Rahab expected the knock on her door, or the Israelites spies hidden on her rooftop, or the deceitful web she would weave when questioned about the spies’ whereabouts. I do know that somewhere in the course of hearing about the God of Israel and her first visit with the Israelites, Rahab made a decision that would forever change her life. It would be marked in scarlet red.

This decision was unplanned, unexpected, unrealistic, and unadvised. This decision was to reach out and grasp hold of faith. Faith in stories of a God she had not experienced personally. Faith in a dream of a God so immense He could tear down the very walls around her that spoke of power and make them miniscule in His wake. Faith in a God that would rip from her the very existence she’d carved out for herself. Faith in a God that would demand that He be in charge of her survival and safety.

“…swear to me by the Lord that you will show kindness to my family because I have shown kindness to you. Give me a sure a sign that you … will save us from death.”

Her entreaty to the Israelite spies begged for security that she could put her faith in. A sure sign. Something tangible that she could hold onto. A plan. A promise.

“Our lives for your lives!” they cried. “This oath you made us swear will not be binding on us unless, when we enter the land, you have tied this scarlet cord in the window.”

Did her look of faith waver? Did her expectant smile droop in disappointment? I think mine would have. I want to rave, “thanks a lot. I’m willing to trust You and you give me a scarlet cord in return? Way to go God. A piece of cloth? A rope? A bright red woven cord? Where’s the military strategy in that? War is coming! You’re threatening to tear my walls down and I’m asking that You at least let me survive it! Give me some assurance here, Lord … my life is at stake! My security is threatened. Safety has been ripped from my grasp and You give me a piece of cloth?”

So, what’s my recourse? I’ll take the scarlet cord, hang it from my window and then think up my next line of defense. A means to fortify my walls. An escape plan. Two, three, four, five escape plans, for goodness' sakes. Just in case God screws up. I’ll pack my bags. I’m ready to run and I know where I’m going and if that route gets blocked I have an alternate map in mind for a different road on which to flee to my next fortified city that promises … STOP. God? A scarlet cord?
With a startling clarity, I believe Rahab understood, much quicker than I. There’s no cries of protest. No rampages of outrage. She immediately replies, “ ‘Agreed. Let it be as you say.’ So she sent them away … and she tied the scarlet cord in the window.” No question. No argument. Just immediate obedience. Just tie that cord in the window and sit back and wait? Really, Rahab, really. I sigh and squirm as I consider this. Rahab, the prostitute, and her faith shame me.

I have experienced God in a personal way. I can write pages upon pages of ways He has proved His greatness in my life. Rahab has only heard the stories of others and yet without question, this sinful survivalist wraps that scarlet cord in her window, gathers her family to her, and waits to watch the walls fall down in complete and utter faith that God will not fail her now.

No back up plan. No alternate route. Just a scarlet cord. Just a submissive admission of her inability to survive in the face of God and a dependence on His mercy. Oh, that I would imitate the life of that prostitute. That I would hang the scarlet cord that my Lord asks me to hang. That I would watch Him tear down my walls of protection, and shake my foundation, and press on me with His mighty and dangerous Person. Then, in the dust and the rubble and the war cries … as the trumpets blare and the pressure becomes too great … I will see that waving scarlet rope and I will feel His presence descend, then pause, and then pass over me. My weakness held in the grip of the all-powerful God of the Israelites. And, when the dust settles and shows the wreckage of my city at my feet, I will see I am still standing, still breathing. I will know that my life was held in the Hands of the Almighty and that He spared me in return for my faith. Oh, what a Holy God who demands that His power be known and my weakness be plastered in public for all mankind to see. Tie the scarlet cord around my neck! Remind me daily of my open armed, unplanned faith in a God whose Majesty confounds the most brilliant of men.
“But Joshua spared Rahab the prostitute …and she lives among the Israelites to this day.”

In the end, Rahab found her survival and safety in the hands of the God of Israel and she planted her walls there until the day she died. I can only imagine that as she left the destroyed city of Jericho behind, the smell of death and the putrid agony of her memories were set aside. The burden of creating a means for her own survival had been handed off to the only One capable of properly managing it. The only sure means of security. Her Lord. As she stepped forward she looked over her shoulder and up to the window of the home she’d once made her fortress. In the sudden stillness, she realized the war was over and God had willed her to survive. And the breeze blew, and the scarlet cord waved in triumph.

How to Turn Vision into Action

2011-08-01T10:18:00.001-05:00

I have vision. It's not 20/20 - I think it's often 20/0. All vision and no action. Like my guest bedroom for example. I never have guests. Ever. So it becomes a show room. I can decorate it how I please. I CAN! But I don't. It has a bed and a dresser and a candle. Wow. Beautiful, huh?

I have a vision of a story too. About 20 of them. All lined up on my mental bookshelf with amazing covers, glorious plotlines, to-die-for heros, heroines you can empathize with, and settings that frankly, have never been done before.

There they sit. All lined up. Perfectly dusted shelves. I pull out one and open it and am stunned. No words. Just ideas. Just ... vision.

How do you take vision and turn it into action? I have a theory - and this pertains to anything that involves vision - you don't have to be a writer.

1. Determine -
Determine in your mind that vision is worth little if action doesn't follow close behind. No one has ever gone down in history for being a visionary - unless that vision took a form, shape, and produced results. Winston Churchill was a visionary. So was Eva Greenwood - and no one knows who she is. Vision is like faith. I can ANNOUNCE to the world I'm a believer in Jesus Christ, but if I have no action to back that up - well, welcome to Hypocrite Nation.

2. Failure is not a word -
The #1 thing I see a lot of writers do is set goals - then miss them - and then focus on their failure. Focusing on failure does little to fulfill a vision. It defeats, it immobilizes, it voids motivation. Set goals and if they're missed, learn from it - dissect why they were missed - then try, try again. The beaches of Normandy would never have been taken if the vision for the first movement had made them all failures. Can you imagine a beach filled with GI's sitting back and heaving sighs of failure?

3. A Dream
A vision is a dream. Disney has monopolized on the dream factor - almost enough to make a frog believe it could sing opera. So maybe not every dream will come true. Let's face it. Maybe I really STINK as a writer and no amount of practice can make up for sheer lack of talent. Ever watch American Idol? I'm sorry, there are dillusional people on there seeking after their dreams. Nonetheless, dreams are vital - critical - they're what gives us PASSION. So even if I stink - I WILL ENJOY every moment, every word, every plot, every idea. That bookshelf WILL get filled with words ... real books - maybe always to be saved .doc form and never with a big imprint of my favorite publisher on its back. But my dream - lives.

SO yodel away today ... and if you can't sing? Enjoy your off key harmony, because honey, vision needs action ... whether it turns you into a Churchill, or a simple farmer's wife who cans tomatos like nobody's business!!

Finding Beauty ...

2011-07-26T08:36:00.001-05:00

Today I'm on a quest to find beauty. It's Tuesday and already been just - one of those weeks. You know, the type of week where you feel guilty being morose because it's not as if something tragic happened. But, on the otherhand, you could win an award for being Miss CrankyPants and even your husband chewing is enough to send you through the ceiling.

I searched for beauty online. Type in the word beauty on a Google pic search and you're bombarded with women's airbrushed face. That wasn't beauty.

I searched for beauty at work. Nuf said.

I searched for beauty in my car. The radio blared out "tonight, I will love on you tonight - for all we know we might not have tomorrow" Thanks Neo. A one night stand is exactly what I need to fulfill my deep need for beauty. Moving on.

I searched for beauty in my coffee. For a moment, I was overjoyed. Then it got cold.

I searched for beauty in my husband. It's a lot to ask of a man to fill a void in your soul. The kind of void caused by a frustrating week made more frustrating by disappointment, dashed hope, and sleep loss. He came close ... but even he is not beautiful all the time.

I paused. Annoyed. Upset. Overwhelmed. Verging on tears. Was there beauty no where? Was life just a masquerade of emotions. Paint on my happy face and go to work? Be the extroverted comedian people expect me to be? Come up with another one-liner that verges on belittling sarcasm but is just not serious enough to be funny?

Where is beauty on a day that oozes with failure?

Beauty was in the voice that whispered, "you're an idiot." I love that still small voice. I love that God speaks to me in a language I can understand. None of this - "come to me, my Child" stuff that resonates with patronizing platitudes. He told me I was an idiot. NOW THAT IS BEAUTY!

When did I stop looking for beauty in Him? When did I get consumed by my own self-worth that I assumed my beauty would last forever? That life would continue to dose out large amounts of fairies and butterflies? And who said fairies were pretty anyway - I think they're creepy.

"Be still and know that I am God."
Don't be an idiot today. Shut up. Slap that lower lip to your upper one and just - be quiet. Close your eyes and stop looking for beauty in things that fade - yes, that means your kids too. You can't place the burden of your contentment on a 3 yr old, or 10 year old, or even - well, yeah, who said a 13 yr old pubescent boy was beautiful? Well, to his mother, I'm sure he is, but you get my point? The burden of your contentment will squash the ones you love. Suffocate them.

I found beauty in silence. Today I will be silent. Figuratively speaking, because it's not physically possible. But I will dwell in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life. I will gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and I will seek Him in His temple.

Book Report: Delivered With Love, by Sherry Kyle

2011-07-22T09:21:00.000-05:00

5 Stars for Volkswagon Bugs
4 Stars for Great Dialog
3 Stars for Story Setting
4 Stars for Girl Meets Her Daddy
4 Stars for Christian Content
3 Stars for Romance
4 Stars for Young Reader Friendly

I know. Shocker. I'm reviewing a NON-historical novel! But this is a good read. I thoroughly enjoyed it - in fact, I even found myself wanting to go to bed early just so I could read it. Perhaps the lime green Volkswagon Bug had something to do with it - that and the fact the heroine is wearing a sweater turtleneck, only my FAVORITE Autumn/Winter garb.

Volkswagon Bugs - 4 stars just because they're cute and it's green. It's green! But it holds a mysterious love letter that the heroine, Claire, needs to understand. Written to her mother, the love letter is signed with an intial. She's off to find out the author of this letter ... in a Volkswagon Bug.

Great Dialog - Sherry Kyle does a fantastic job of dialog between characters. The conversations - even mundane ones about paint color - become interesting. She captures the characters personalities and plops them into the dialog so you know who's speaking without needing sentence tags to identify. I thoroughly enjoyed a book rich in heavy dialog.

Story Setting - I would have liked to see even MORE of Capitola, California. It seems like such a need place to live and it's where Claire ends up in her journey. But outside of her house, I didn't feel like I got the opportunity to explore Capitola with Claire - or be transported there. Not a deal breaker, by any means, just a reflection.

Girl Meets Her Daddy - Maybe a spoiler, but the plot is fairly transparent and the reader knows where its going. While there's no real relational shockers, it's still a bit reminiscent of Karen Kingsburg, in that the emotional content of a girl needing her father is very real. I thoroughly enjoyed how Sherry Kyle put the reader into the minds of those involved and took us on the journey with Claire - a journey of family discovery.

Christian Content - Don't be shocked. It's an inspirational novel and it's inspiring. I loved the way God was woven through Claire's self-discovery and how she experienced His hand guiding her to places she didn't expect and people she didn't entirely trust.

Romance - it's there and when it's focused on, it's beautiful. But don't read this novel for romance, the emphasis is not the relationship. Although Blake is pretty dropdead amazing - his Mexican enchiladas made me salivate.

Young Reader Friendly - I didn't read anything overtly shocking in this book. Although the history between Claire's mother and father certainly isn't righteous, it's handled tastefully.

ALL IN ALL I really enjoyed this novel. Sherry Kyle did a fantastic job breaking into the world of fiction and she can be proud. Anyone who enjoys a good contemporary novel that's - I'd say - half women's lit, half contemporary romance - will enjoy Delivered With Love.

Color Your Novel - THE END

2011-07-21T08:19:00.000-05:00

I wasn't the only one thinking of colors this week! Check out my blog buddy, Jeanette Levellie!

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE COLOR

Color Your Novel - Part 3

2011-07-20T08:12:00.000-05:00

First and foremost, before I dive back into my montage about colors and their place in your novel I just have to say: I ALMOST RUINED A PERFECT CUP OF COFFEE! I know. A travesty - a tragedy - almost ocurred. I had my cup of Highlander Grogg and almost poured hazelnut creamer into it. You don't. mix. flavor. with. Highlander Grogg.

Just like you don't mix the wrong color with the wrong scene. (did you like the segue? I know. I'm amazing).
Have you ever read a book with a tall, dashing, strong, red-headed hero?
Has a blonde, blue-eyed heroine ever been the sassy, know-it all, stubborn tomboy?
Has a brunette dressed in sunny yellow ever robbed a bank?
When have you admired the sky blue horizon during a funeral scene?

Or CAN you mix the wrong color with the wrong scene to get a right result?
Maybe, the paradox of the "norm" can add "color" to your book? Away with Miss Sassafrass Copper-Haired Heroine and give a little oomf that mousey-haired lady who usually gets labeled as "timid".
Perhaps the sky blue horizon during the funeral is an insult to your character's grief.
That red-headed hero? Yeah. I can't get past that one either. I keep thinking of my whiny little, orange haired nephew and try to imagine him all grown up and heroic. Let me work on the mental picture for a while and get back to you on that!

Color can be pivitol in your scene. Whether it's adding color to describe a setting, or providing a paradox - color can deepen your story and bring it to life.

and sometimes we all just need a little ORANGE in our day ... what's your favorite color of all time?

Color Your Novel - Part 2

2011-07-19T08:30:00.003-05:00

Do you want to know what I'm wearing? I'm wearing a kimono style shirt over a cami, with rolled up jeans for capris 'cause I'm too cheap to just buy jean capris. I have flip flops on my feet.

Not bad huh? Try again?

I'm wearing a kimoni style shirt with purple and orange running rampant over a pale blue background that reminds me of the sky on a playful summer afternoon. My brilliant orange cami peeks out from beneath my blouse and hangs over washed out blue jeans make great capris that complement my bronze metal flip flops.

Better? Why? BECAUSE WE ADDED COLOR! Color brings the imagination to life. Eliminate color from print and while you words may captivate and even enthrall, the sense of SIGHT has been completely left to the discretion of the reader. And while we don't necessarily want to provide the reader with so much detail, we are wise to remember that color, even in words, brightens a stormy day.

Color Overdone: "Elizabeth pulled a red tshirt over her head, the strawberry colored threads were coming apart at the seams. She wore a yellow tank top underneath which didn't really match her khaki pants. The red flip flops on her feet complimented the pink flower in her hair, so Elizabeth was sure she just might be able to walk confidently in spite of her hastily thrown together outfit."

This paragraph starts to lose me. There's SO much color it doesn't add to the scene, rather distracts. I'd prefer to read it more like:

"Elizabeth pulled a red tshirt over her head, its threads coming apart at the seems made her wary that it wouldn't completely hide the mismatched yellow cami underneath. She stared at her flip flops, then her pants, and finally the massive flower she'd pinned to her hair - she was quite the collision of style and color, but she felt confident."

A touch of color provides a scene, and words leave the rest of the moment to the reader's imagination.

Color Adds Emotion:
"He had captivated her with his eyes. Abby caught her breath. John blinked, long eyelashes touching his cheeks before opening. His eyes narrowed and he leaned forward. Abby waited, hoping, that finally he would claim her lips and make her his own. She sensed it - wait - what? Abby leaned back. John fingered her hair for a moment, then winked. 'Another time, perhaps?', he whispered, and then turned his polo-clad back to her and walked away."

Well, that didn't completely lose me. But now let's add a little color and see what happens.

"He had captivated her with charcoal eyes. The type of charcoal that looks ready to catch spark and glow with intensity. Abby caught her breath. John blinked, long, black eyelashes touching his cheeks before opening. His eyes narrowed and he leaned forward. Abby waited, hoping that he would claim her lips and make her his own. She sensed it - wait - what? Abby leaned back. John fingered her hair for a moment, wrapping the golden tendril around his finger and then letting it fall to her shoulder. He winked. 'Another time, perhaps?', he whispered. Abby watched him walk away, the blue polo shirt stretched across his broad shoulders. Shoulders she wanted to lean against. Instead, she was alone."

Is it working for ya? Does color add or detract in these examples? A little color can go a long way to painting a picture. But please save your scene from becoming a kalidescope. We don't need that either.

Tomorrow - why pick the colors we do? Why should a cocky, happy-go-lucky hero be blond instead of brunette? Why should your heroine have blue eyes when she's confident and brown when she's timid? Is there a hard fast rule, or is Jaime just making up crap for her blog?

If you could incorporate one color into the scene you're writing, what would it be - and why?

Color Your Novel - Part I

2011-07-18T09:47:00.000-05:00

My purse is the color of a road construction sign. I realized this when I passed the sign this morning and then looked at my purse. I also learned something about myself in that moment: I did not care. It's a lovely thing to not care that you're camoflaged with the highways work crew - it's also lovely to find out that your brilliant orange purse which you got for $1.50 at a garage sale is truly valued at $70. Although, perhaps its previous owner wasn't so keen on complimenting the county plow.

Color adds vibrancy to life. It's proven. Have you ever been to a Mexican restaraunt? Lime green, fuscia pink, parrot blue, and sunflower yellow are only a few of the party-inducing colors I've seen there. Enter a Mexican restaurant during a mid-Wisconsin winter and you'll rip your shirt off thinking you're on a beach and you're wearing a swimsuit underneath. (no. that did not happen to me. it's figurative).

Color adds a calming effect. Enter a hospital. They seemed to learn the mastery of color in the last two decades. I remember as a child, they loved to look trendy. So the puke green and barf yellow didn't necessarily inspire relaxation before surgery. Now though, a calming yellow graces the walls, even a soft mauve ... all putting me to sleep with the soothing nature of my mother brushing my hair back.

Color communicates personality. Yes. I do sport a brilliantly orange purse. Although the rest of me wears neutrals: brown, black, gray, green, sometimes a deep purple but more often than not, it's the color of the earth. What does this tell you? That outside I'm calm, sensible, and even responsible. But, slap that purse over my shoulder and you just got a hint of my quirky, crazy, sarcastic, ridiculous, frenectic side. Color can be a clue to someone's outer and inner personality.

How do you use color in your novel? If color communicates so much, why is it so lacking in books nowadays? Or is it? THink of your favorite novel. Is color incorporated? Is it missing? What does its presence or absence add or subtract?

Tomorrow we'll discover color in print - but for today, tell me your thoughts on this introductory topic of color in your novel! :)

Featuring - ME?!

2011-07-13T08:37:00.000-05:00

Wow! My pal Jill (and coffee clutch partner) posted an interview with me. It's my first ever interview so I'm excited. :) Check it out today! :)

Jill Kemerer Blog

Another One Bites the Dust - When Your Hero Fails

2011-07-12T10:03:00.002-05:00

A good hero is a failure. Plain and simple - and good looks aside - he just can't get his act together.
My hero: In a previous world, ca. 1865, he practiced medicine in Chicago but when his over-confidence resulted in a faulty diagnosis and treatment, causing his patient's death, he ran away from the memory and a completely shot medical reputation.

A good hero needs to fall. It's what makes them a hero. When they overcome that big fear, that big failure, that one thing that makes them feel like less of a man. In my last book, my hero killed someone - on purpose - in anger. It wasn't an accident, it wasn't just guilt from messing up, it was - plain and simple - unadulturated murder. How does a hero come back from that? How can he win the heart of a heroine when he's undeserving of her love and the purity that comes with it?

A good hero has a big problem. My heroine's father is very sick and he's the only medical doctor who's licking his wounds in a small, mining town in northern Michigan. He's out to prove to himself that he can still be a doctor. He is yet to be humbled. Failure can lead to increased pride and defensiveness or humbling. If the humbling comes too quickly, the story can end before it begins. Unless their humbling now creates a chasm of shame they need to climb out of. But in this case, he's increased in arrogance and is insistent his current diagnosis is correct - while deep down in the recesses of his pride, he wonders if he's not set himself up for a failure a second time.

A good hero will need to struggle. He's not ready to face the error of his ways - that his confidence has made him a horrible medical practictioner. When the heroine reveals her own physical malady to him, now he has to choose - pridefully insist that he can heal her, or seek humility and help from outside resources.

A good hero battles his emotion. It's nice to have confident heroes sometimes. The ones who are fearless in battle. That Celtic warlord who steals the maiden and makes her his lady. The one who never cries, never feels, passionately loves, but has no cracks. But, I think more readers relate to the Gladiator - who fights for revenge, weeps over his lost wife and son, craves to be reunited in the afterlife, and will accept his fate in the arena if only to find sweet release. My hero was abandoned by a mother who desired freedom and wanderlust. He determined to prove his worth to himself from that moment on - for he obviously had no worth if his mother saw no reason to stay. But my heroine sees worth in him - she must be blind - she doesn't know his past failure, his current failure, and his inability to heal her. He will fail again. He will be worthless. He will not let himself love her, so instead, he will judge her - it's what his mother did - it's all he knows.

A good hero conquers. It will all come to a head when my heroine's life depends on the humbling of my hero, the fight to save her, that final surge to lay himself aside in sacrifice and risk everything - his pride, rejection, and possible abandonment. Is it a "been done" tale? Maybe - in the CBA market, we see a lot of self-sacrifice because it identifies with the love Christ showed for His people. But isn't that the greatest love - that a man lays down himself for another? It resonates - it impacts - it doesn't have to mean death of a man ... in my character, it means death of his pride.

A good hero always gives a good kiss. Needless to say, he is a man. So make him kiss well. None of this mamby-pamby "he pressed his lips to hers". Nah. You don't need to eat her face off, but insert some male instinct and make it sizzle (in a Godly sort of way). "he watched her lips move as she spoke and suddenly, he didn't register a word she was saying. He wondered what she tasted like. He decided to find out".

BAM! And that's a hero folks! At least in my book :) - what makes your hero perfect? :)

Hitting the Nightclub Scene in a Novel

2011-07-11T13:48:00.000-05:00

Picture this: you're sleeping soundly when suddenly your bedroom starts illuminating with pulsating light, frequently enough to read a book by and with enough staccato to inspire a migraine. Couple that with erractic bass pounding that turns your pulse into an off beat African voo-doo dance rythm and you have ... my backyard at 3 AM this morning.

I can withstand a lot of things, but when Nature decides to build a nightclub in my yard overnight and waken me, it makes me cranky. I have never, in my life, seen such rapid lightening or heard such thunder without pause. I was shocked my 18 mo old didn't awaken and insist on dancing to the outdoor version of Black Eyed Peas, Boom Boom Pow.

Okay, so it was a thunderstorm - but it was a freak of nature thunderstorm. I daresay even the angels took pause and then ramped up the guardian alert so none of us died. It did bring to mind a nightclub - not even the liquid flow was missing if you count the sheets of rain that attacked my window. And, I did not sleep.

WHY AM I TELLING YOU ALL THIS? Have you noticed the lack of thunderstorms in books? Tornados? Rain? Sun? A fresh breeze? All of the natural occurences of ... oh ... say ... NATURE ... add SO MUCH to a scene. A crack of thunder coinciding with a gunshot can add an element of suspense. A warm summer breeze brushing the lips just before that first kiss can make a heart flip-flop. A violent storm at 3 am in the morning can bring back memories of a rebellious night out at the night club (not my memory - just for the record!).

Weather can all too often be set aside under the assumption the reader sees the day exactly as you see it ...

How have you incorporated the weather into a scene to add color to your verbiage?
HAVE you incorporated the weather?

Book Report: A Vision of Lucy, by Margaret Brownley

2011-07-08T10:50:00.000-05:00

4 Stars Historical Content as it Relates to Photography
4 Stars Romantic Tension
3 Stars Plotline
4 Stars Sense of Humor
3 Stars Young Reader Friendly

Of Maraget Brownley's three books in the series, this one just may be my favorite. A Vision of Lucy is laced with humor and romance while still giving you that authentically historical feel we readers so desire when we pick up a book of that genre.

Brownley does a FANTASTIC job highlighting the history of photography without boring you with documentary-like details and technical specs that make you want to roll your eyes. Instead, she shows you the history through action and thought process of the heroine. It's great! You come away know far more about old-fashioned photography without ever feeling like you just read a history book.

The plotline is delicious, but not creepy or scary. Don't read the book for its suspense. While you wonder about the hero's past and his sort-of darklike persona, it doesn't delve into the realms of mystery where you feel like every page is a page turner. While you'll still want to turn the page, it won't be for the sake of the suspense.

Which leads me to the romance. This is primarily, a historical ROMANCE. No doubt about it, it is LACED with romantic tension and more kisses than I've read in historical romance in quite some time. That being said, while it's doesn't even remotely cross boundaries of sexual tension, it may be a little bit much for a protective mother of a young reader who may not have been exposed to implications and a lip lock that lasts longer than my last trip to Walmart. :) That's a good thing - that wasn't meant as a criticism!

ALL IN ALL - would I keep this book on my bookshelf or sell it at a garage sale? DEFINITELY keep it. It's one I can see reader over and over again. The humor is delightful, the romance is delicious, the storyline is solid yet interesting, the history is extremely well written. Margaret Brownley did a fantastic job in this book and it's a MUST READ for everyone! :)

When Crazy Isn't Good Enough

2011-07-07T08:56:00.000-05:00

Well my week certainly isn't going the way I hoped. Between a toothing (teething?!) 18 month old, a husband and father-in-law laying out a new roof on our house, a severe lack of coffee deprivation, four new hires that need training which means 7 hr lectures from me all week ...

I want to blog. To write. To IMAGINE. What happens to your writing when crazy just isn't good enough? When you're on the verge going insane and you think one more added weight to the balance and it won't tip, it'll just self-combust? Do you retreat into la-la land and live vicariously through your characters? Or are you like me, you fume silently as you take care of life responsibilities and suddenly that awful thing you made happen to your MC looks preferable to your life right now? Ok maybe not. I'd prefer to avoid being plagued by a medical ailment, haunted by a ghost who I am suspicious doesn't really exist and may have a heart that beats that prefers I die instead, and yeah ... so maybe my life isn't so bad.

Seriously though ... what do you do when a week goes by - whoops - make that two weeks go by and you realize your word count is in the negative, your plot is as moldy as the cheese in your fridge and your main character is glaring at you and threatening to charge you legally with neglect?

Going on Vacation

2011-06-29T09:27:00.000-05:00

I'M GOING ON VACATION! at home. But nonetheless, it is a vacation - see you all after the 4th of July and remember ...

Writing is a journey, but one I intend to keep plodding until my shoes wear out!

Peace out :)

When Your Character Needs Therapy

2011-06-28T08:18:00.001-05:00

Ever feel like your character has run so amuck they need a shrink? Or maybe you've sploshed them into the mires of awfulness and you know they should be feeling SOMETHING but you can't connect with the appropriate emotions...

Jeanne Cambell, The Character Therapist is here to help! (Wow, I sound like an infomercial). Jeanne is one top-of-the-line gal. I just love her. She's as cool in person as she is on her site/blog and she's got a backbone. I like people with backbones. They completely understand my sarcastic wit and spit a few one liners back in return. Ahhhh ... bliss.

Anyway, Jeanne has launched an amazing new web site and I am compelled to bring it to my three faithful blog readers ;) (that was sarcasm, btw). She has so much to offer with her services to writers - published, aspiring, or hobbbyests (yes, I spelled "hobbyests" wrong because I'm too lazy to grab a dictionary).

How can you—a published or aspiring writer—benefit?

1) Write characters more realistically.

Using a search engine to find out information about a mental disorder yields a very different result than asking a therapist who has treated those same problems in real life. Instead of getting a bunch of stale facts, Jeanne can help you breathe life into your characters while taking into consideration your unique story world.

2) Plot more feasibly.

Plotting the external conflict around your character’s internal conflict is essential to create tension on every page. Understanding the character’s driving goals and motivation in relation to their emotional state will help you figure out what plot points need to occur to maximize the character’s arc to its fullest potential.

3) Avoid clichéd or incorrect depictions of mental disorders.

Jeanne's passion is helping those not afflicted with mental disorders understand those who are. Since one in four adults have a mental disorder, the likelihood of one of your characters having one is pretty high. But you want every nuance to ring true about the character, not feel cardboard cutout or stereotyped. So pick Jeanne's brain instead of yours to avoid pitfalls of re-writing later.

And here's the scoop on Jeanne - she's not some wierdo like me espousing to know something about her field. She's actually a LICENSED clinician - which means she's uber smart - and she works full time in her field.

Jeannie has been writing ever since she received a diary for her fifth birthday. She began writing angst-ridden middle-grade novels in junior high, often commandeering the family computer for hours on end. After eight years of higher educational pursuits, she moved onto adult contemporary romance and romantic suspense, frequently using her day job as a therapist to generate lots of fodder for her night job as a writer.

Two of Jeannie’s “therapeutic romance” manuscripts have garnered the high praise of being finalists in the Genesis Contest for unpublished writers, sponsored by the American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), of which she is an active member. She writes a popular monthly column for Christian Fiction Online Magazine and has been featured in many other e-zines, newspapers, and blogs.

So seriously ... it's time to at LEAST hop over to her site and see what else she has to offer!

Heroes to Eat and Heroines to Adore

2011-06-27T10:40:00.000-05:00

I spent FAR too much time last week researching head shots of models and actors and actresses to find some sort of visual resemblance to what my MC's looked like in my head. And being in MY head can't be pretty so I'm afraid they didn't look too great to begin with.

With the help of dear buddy Jill Kemerer (who by the way, writes a to-die-for-not-literally-but-almost-blog here), I finally nailed down an online resource chalk full of pictures of actor and actresses. Even obscure ones. And my hero was finally matched to an obscure actor who I have NO clue what he acts in or does so PLEASE no judging ME or my BOOK if he's some pervert-freak from a rated X movie. It's the face. It's all in the face!

To set this up, my current Work In Progress (WIP) is set ca. 1875 in Nibi City, Upper Peninsula of Michigan, in a lighthouse. My heroine, Claudia, is the light keeper by proxy because her father is very ill but she hates lightkeeping and is a romantic at heart, only wanting to fall in love. She's trapped there. And the lighthouse is haunted (or so it seems - not really haunted tho 'cause the CBA market don't likey no ghosts) - her stepmother is on crack (again, not really, altho she's beyond snarky) - her sister is a mute who has a pet goat for her best friend - and she's being courted by a not-so-trustworthy copper miner who seems to love treasure hunting more than he loves her.

How's that for the worst synopsis ever written?

Here's a snippet of my character bullet-list and then the matching pic.

HERO: Doctor Michael Koski - proud and self confident and verging on arrogant / ambitious to prove himself after a mistake turned deadly at his last medical post / convinced Claudia Weston is incapable of manning the lighthouse / and on a mission to have her and her family removed from the position / Will his ambition be overwhelmed by his innate nature to heal and protect?

Heroine: Claudia Weston, Light Keeper - Defensively sassy / circumstances insist she have a firm backbone and is willing to defend herself / secretly a romantic and wishes to be rescued from her overwhelming responsibility to run the lighthouse / fighting her own illness which is threatening to take her mobility / needs a hero, but will fight against him because she has never had a dream come true, surely this one won't either ...

Except I do need to clarify that my heroine has DARK brown eyes not blue, but whatever - move on.

How do you envision your characters? Do you put a picture to the face or just write out a character survey? Do you sketch out a profile pic or you do you just leave them in your head and try to translate it to paper?

Well, I'm off to start the work week - joyful - now that I have an edible hero and an adorable heroine who looks like she might just be EATEN by his darkly, prideful good looks ... I'm going to try to concentrate on new-hire company training. Wow. What a come down! ;)

Coffee anyone?

Can a Commercial Be Magnificent?

2011-06-24T08:34:00.000-05:00

I was going to post a book report today but I'm saving that for later.

Head over to Elizabeth Camden's blog today (great author with a fantastic new book btw - check my review of it here).

She has a great video to share with you today ... her header: Can a Commercial Be Magnificent? Then skip back here (if that's not too much work :) and leave a comment as to WHY that commercial was so magnificent!

Happy Friday and Happy Weekend!

SPECIAL FEATURE: Susan Sleeman's "Behind the Badge" - Win an Amazon Gift Card!

2011-06-22T09:11:00.000-05:00

A special feature today on The Jaime Reports! :)

Enter to win a copy of Susan Sleeman's Behind the Badge and a $50 Amazon gift card!
Susan Sleeman here. Behind the Badge, my second romantic suspense book for Love Inspired Suspense will release on June 6th and in honor of all of you, the readers, I am hosting a special contest on my website for the month of June.
Let’s face it. Without you, the wonderful readers, books would not exist and I wouldn’t be able to wake up looking forward to a job that is fresh and exciting each and every day. Praise God for this incredible opportunity!
Now back to the contest. All you have to do is read the excerpt below then go to my WEBSITE and answer the following question. That's it. You're entered to win.
If you'd like to sign up for my mailing list to learn of other contests in the future you can do that at the same time, too. Full contest rules are on the entry page. Remember only one entry per person.
QUESTION: What item let Russ know the bike was street legal?

SUSAN SLEEMAN is a best-selling author of romantic suspense and mystery novels. She grew up in a small Wisconsin town where she spent her summers reading Nancy Drew and developing a love of mystery and suspense books. Today, she channels this enthusiasm into writing romantic suspense and mystery novels and hosting the popular internet website TheSuspenseZone.com.
Her books include Nipped in the Bud, High-Stakes Inheritance, Behind the Badge, and The Christmas Witness. Also watch for the first two romantic suspense books in her Justice Agency series coming from Love Inspired suspense in 2012 and featuring a private investigations firm specializing in helping those who traditional law enforcement has failed.
Susan currently lives in Florida, but has had the pleasure of living in nine states. Her husband is a church music director and they have two beautiful daughters, a very special son-in-law and an adorable grandson.
To learn more about Susan visit her website, Facebook , or Twitter.

"YOUR SISTER IS NEXT!"
A killer is threatening the life of rookie cop Sydney Tucker's sister-unless Sydney turns over evidence from a drug bust. But she doesn't have the evidence. Not that the thug believes her. Now she and the sibling in her care are under the watchful eye of Logan Lake police chief Russ Morgan…but will his protection be enough?
The killer is closing in, picking off the people and places that mean the most to Sydney. A list that now includes Russ. To protect her loved ones, will she pay the ultimate price-her life?

The Morgan Brothers - Bk 2

Love Inspired Suspense June 6, 2011

ISBN-10: 0373444478

ISBN-13: 978-0373444472

READ AN EXCERPT:

Chapter One

Gunshots split the inky darkness.
Deputy Sydney Tucker hit the cold ground, a jagged rock slashing into her forehead on the way down. She reached for her service weapon. Came up empty handed. She'd stopped after work to check on the construction of her townhouse and left her gun and cell phone in the car.
Dumb, Sydney. Really dumb. Now what're you gonna do?
Inching her head above knee-high grass, she listened. The keening whistle of the wind died, leaving the air damp and heavy with tension but silence reigned.
Had she overreacted? Could be target practice. But at night? Maybe. Hunters did crazy things sometimes.
Footfalls pounded from below like someone charging through the brush. No. Two people. Maybe a chase. One person after another. A loud crash, branches snapping.
"What're you doin', man," a panicked male voice traveled through the night. "No! Don't shoot! We can work this out."
Three more gunshots rang out. A moan drifted up the hill.
Not target practice. Someone had been shot.
Sydney lurched to her feet, dizziness swirling around her. Blood dripped into her eyes. She wiped it away, blinked hard and steadied herself on a large rock while peering into the wall of darkness for the best escape route.
Heavy footfalls crunched up the gravel path.
"I know you're here, Deputy Tucker," a male voice, disguised with a high nasally pitch, called out. "We need to talk about this. C'mon out."
Yeah, right. Come out and die. Not hardly.
Praying, pleading for safety, she scrambled deeper into the scrub. Over rocks. Through grass tangling her feet. Her heart pounded in her head, drowning the prayers with fear.
"I'm losing patience, Deputy," he called again in that strange voice. "You're not like Dixon. He had it coming. You don't."
Dixon? Did he mean the man she arrested for providing alcohol to her teenage sister and for selling drugs? Was that what this was about?
Rocks skittered down the incline. The shooter was on the move again. No time to think. She had to go. Now!
Blindly she felt her way past shrubs, over uneven ground. Dried leaves crunched underfoot. Branches slapped her face and clawed at her arms, but she stifled her cries of pain.
"I hear you, Deputy."
She wrenched around to determine his location. A protruding rock caught her foot, catapulting her forward. She somersaulted through the air. Her knee slammed into the packed earth and she crashed down the hill. Wrapping arms around her head for protection, she came to a stop, breath knocked out of her chest, lying flat on her back in a thick stand of weeds.
"So you want to play it that way, do you Deputy? Fine. Just remember, you can run, but you can't hide. I will find you. This will be resolved one way or another." His disembodied laugh swirled into the night.
The darkness pressed closer. Blinding. Overwhelming. Terrifying.
She was easy prey. Even with her bulletproof vest, a few rounds fired in her direction would take her out. She had to get up.
She rose to her knees, but pain knifed into her knee, keeping her anchored to the ground.
Lord, please don't let me die like this. Give me the strength to move. I need to live for Nikki. She's only seventeen. She has no one.
Sydney uncurled and came to a standing position. Taking a few halting steps, she tested the pain. Nearly unbearable. But she could-no she had to do this for her sister.
Thinking of Nikki, she gritted her teeth and set off, moving slowly, taking care not to make a sound.
Out of the darkness, a hand shot out. Clamped over her mouth.
Screams tore from her throat, but died behind fingers pressed hard against her lips.
A muscled arm jerked her against a solid chest and dragged her deep into the brush.
God, please, no.
She twisted, arched her back, pushing against arms like iron bands.
She dug her heels into the ground, but he was too strong. He kept going deeper into the brush before settling them both on the ground behind a large boulder.
"Relax Sydney, it's Russ Morgan," Logan Lake's Police Chief whispered, his lips close to her ear.
Russ Morgan? What was he doing here?
"Sorry about the hand." His tone said she was nothing more than a stranger instead of someone she'd known for years. "I didn't want you to alert the shooter with a scream. I'm gonna remove my hand now. Nod if you understand me."
She let all of her relief escape in a sharp jerk of her head. His fingers dropped away.
"Once the shooter rounded that curve, you would've been a goner," he whispered while still firmly holding her. "Good thing a neighbor reported gunshots."
Sydney started to shiver and breathed deep to steady her galloping pulse. Air rushed into her lungs. She was alive, but barely. No thanks to her own skills.
"You okay?" he asked, his breath stirring her hair.
"Yes." She willed her body to stop shaking and eased out a hiss of disappointment in her performance as a deputy. "How long have you been here?"
"Long enough to hear the shooter claim he's hit Dixon and is coming after you next," he whispered again, but urgency lit his voice and rekindled her fear. "This have to do with your arrest of Carl Dixon the other day?"
"I don't know," she whispered back. "I just stopped to check on the construction of my townhouse on my way home from work."
"Off duty, huh? Explains why you don't have your weapon drawn."
"I left my duty belt in my car." She waited for his reaction to not carrying, but he simply gave a quick nod as footfalls grated against gravel.
"Shh, he's about to pass us." Russ leaned forward and drew his gun with his free hand, but didn't release his hold on her.
Crunching steps came within a few feet of their location. Halted.
"Can you feel me breathing down your neck, Deputy? I'm inches from finding you." He didn't know the accuracy of his words.
She felt Russ's breathing speed up, upping her concern and washing away the brief blanket of security his arms provided. Adrenaline urged her to move. To keep from panicking, she focused on Russ's unwavering weapon.
The shooter took a few steps closer. Her heart thumped, threatening to leave her chest. Russ tightened his hold as if he knew she wanted to bolt.
The shooter spun sending gravel flying then headed up the path.
As his footsteps receded, she tried to relax taut muscles. The warmth from Russ's body helped chase out her fear and the chill of the night. Thank God Russ was here. If he hadn't come.
She refused to go there. God had watched over her. Provided rescue, just not in the form she'd have chosen.
Not only was Russ an officer from the city police force-a team often in competition with the county sheriff's department where she worked-but a man she'd had a crazy crush on in high school. A man whose rugged good looks still turned women's heads.
She let out a long sigh.
"I know this's awkward," he whispered, "but hang tight for a few more minutes. We need to wait for him to head back down the hill."
She wanted to protest and suggest they flee now, but not Russ. He thought clearly. Taking off now gave the killer the advantage of higher ground, making them moving targets. They'd have to sit like this until he passed them again.
If they made it out of here, which the approaching footfalls told her wasn't at all certain.
They pounded closer. The shooter moved at a quick clip this time as if he thought she'd gotten away and he was fleeing. Or maybe he was heading to her car to lay in wait for her.
As the footsteps receded again, she felt Russ's arm slacken.
"Time to roll," he whispered. "Stay here."
"But I-"
"You have a backup?" He referred to a back up gun officers often carry.
She shook her head.
"Then wait here." He gave her the hard stare that'd made him famous around town and crept toward the path.
She leaned against the boulder and wrapped her arms around the warm circle on her waist where he'd held her. Without his warmth, she couldn't quit shaking. The reality of the night froze her inner core.
She should listen to Russ. Lay low. Wait until he apprehended the killer.
That was the safe thing to do.
The easy thing to do.
The wrong thing to do.
Not for everyone, but for an officer of the law, letting a shooter escape without trying to stop him wasn't an option. Even if that shooter had her in his sights, she'd make her way to her car for her gun and help Russ stop this maniac before he hurt anyone else.
*****
Near the ditch, Russ came to a stop and fought to catch his breath. Taillights on a mud splattered dirt bike roared up the trail. He'd warned the suspect to stop, but short of shooting him in the back, Russ couldn't stop him from fleeing into the dark.
At least he'd accomplished his primary objective. To protect Sydney and keep her alive. Now he needed to alert his men and the sheriff's office to the suspect's whereabouts.
He lifted his shoulder mic and ordered a unit from his office to stake out the end of the trail for the motorcycle and an ambulance in case Dixon survived. Then he asked dispatch to patch him through to the county sheriff's department to make sure they knew he'd taken charge of the scene so none of their hotshot deputies arrived with the hope of usurping control.
He turned on his Maglight and headed up the hill. The beam of light skipped over gravel and lush plants lining the winding path. Midway up, rustling brush stopped him cold. He'd left Sydney higher up. Nearer the lake.
Was a second shooter hoping to ambush him?
He flipped off his light and sought protection behind a tree. His breath came in little pulses in the unusually cold air for a typical Oregon fall. Adrenaline with little time to ebb away came roaring back, but even as the noise grew louder, he resisted the urge to take action.
Maybe it was Sydney. The Sydney he used to know wouldn't have listened to his directive and stayed put. She'd trounce down the hill, her chin tilted at the same insolent angle as when he told her he didn't return her crazy crush her freshman year of high school. Not that he'd wanted to send a beautiful, lively girl like her away. He could easily have dated her, but he was four years older, in college. With their age difference, it wouldn't have been right.
Bushes at the path's edge shook then parted. Slowly, like a sleek panther, Sydney slipped out. He watched until she stood tall on those incredibly long legs he'd admired since she was sixteen before lowering his gun and aiming his flashlight at her.
She jumped. Peered up at him, an impudent look planted on her face. This was the Sydney he'd known as a teen and heaven help him, in less than thirty minutes, she'd sparked his interest again.
"Care to shine that somewhere other than my face." She perched her hand over her eyes, warding off the glare.
He moved the light but not before he caught a good look at a gaping wound running from her hairline to eyebrow, covered in congealed blood. He lifted his hand to check out her injury, but stopped. He wouldn't probe a wound on one of his men's faces. As a fellow LEO-law enforcement officer-he wouldn't treat Sydney any differently.
"I told you to stay put." He infused his words with authority.
"I wanted to help. Wish I'd listened. I tripped over the body." She held out blood-covered hands. Her eyes watered as if she might cry.
Man. Don't do that. Don't fall apart. He couldn't remain detached if she started crying. He'd have to empathize, maybe give her a reassuring pat on the arm. Maybe feel her pain and resurrect all the reasons he'd left his homicide job in Portland.
He changed his focus. Nodded at the brush. "Show me the body."
As a faint whine of sirens spiraled in the distance, she limped into tall grass, a grimace of pain marring her beautiful face. He followed, illuminating the area ahead of her. About ten feet in, she suddenly stopped. He shone his light a few feet ahead of her.
Diffused rays slid over a young male lying on his back. Russ swung the beam to the man's face landing on open eyes staring into the blackness above.
Sydney gasped and swung around him. She rushed toward the main path. Even though Russ knew it was a lost cause, he bent down to check for a pulse. No question, this man hadn't made it and no question about his identity. Carl Dixon, a man every LEO in the area knew from his frequent blips onto the police radar and the most recent arrest for selling drugs.
All that ended with three gunshots to the chest at close range from what Russ could see with his flashlight. Once they thoroughly processed the scene, he'd know better. But first, they needed to vacate the area before further contaminating the scene.
He found Sydney near the path, gaze fixed in the distance, hands clasped on her hips and exhaling long breaths as if trying to expel what she'd just seen.
Haunted eyes peered at him. "He's dead, right?"
"Yeah."
"And what about the killer?"
"Couldn't catch him. He took off on a dirt bike."
Disappointment crowded out the fear on her face. "Did you at least see him?"
"From the back. He was my height or a little taller, but lean. Wore a black stocking cap. The bike has a plate so it must be street legal. I caught the first few digits."
"That's something, then."
Russ didn't want to tell her it would do little for them in terms of searching DMV records as three digits would return thousands of bikes, but he didn't think she could take any more bad news so he kept quiet. "Let's head down to the parking lot."
He gave her the flashlight and urged her to take the lead down the steep hill. Once on solid concrete, she handed it back to him. Holding it overhead, he watched her closely for dizziness or other impairments from her fall. He saw nothing out of the ordinary, but a head injury could mean a concussion. He'd have the EMT's check her out when they got here.
He pointed at a rough-hewn bench. "Maybe you should sit down."
"I'm fine " Her voice cracked and she seemed embarrassed over reacting to the murder.
"It's okay to be upset, Syd. A horrible thing happened tonight."
"I'm fine really. I'll be back to a hundred percent by morning."
Text copyright © by Susan Sleeman
Permission to reproduce text granted by Harlequin Books S.A.

And God Made Coffee ... and It Was Good

2011-06-21T07:06:00.000-05:00

I think when God created the first coffee bean He smiled just a little. I know at the least, He thought of me. Maybe even rolled His eyes - if God rolls His eyes... not sure on that one. Regardless, He knew that aside from Mount Everest and Annapurna, perhaps two of the greatest sights I've ever seen ... and in spite of Tuscany's rolling green hills, the most relaxing place I've ever been ... and even over Montana's crystal blue rivers, definitely my escape locale of preference ... that coffee - COFFEE - would bring me great joy. And it shall be ... to all people.

What is so universal about coffee? And more specifically, have you noticed how writers tend to suck it down like tomorrow is Coffee Armageddon and it will be taken away - thusly. (I'm enjoying this biblical language this morning). I have a theory as to why writers drink so much coffee:

All writers need someone to understand them. And coffee becomes the universal bond. Heck, I gained about five daily coffee clutch friends just over Twitter - because of coffee. And don't let ANYONE tell you that online friendship is only virtual and not real ... coffee binds us, baby, we are like blood sisters.
Coffee is there for you when no one else is. Like at 2 AM in the morning when your MC won't let you sleep and the world has drifted away on a dream cloud.
Sometimes you just need soothed. Look at us. We kill, maime, terrify, make ill, heartbreak, and crush our characters. By the end of my chapters, I'm breathing like I ran a marathon and wondering when the next BOOM is going to fall. Coffee is there. A soothing sip and yes, it's all fiction ... just. fiction. not. real.
ACFW would not exist without coffee. Okay, maybe it would, but think about the last conference you went to. 4 out of 5 writers were walking around with a Starbucks thermos in their hand. It was even applauded that Starbucks was in the hotel. Yes. There would be ACFW without coffee ... population ... 12?

Today I am thankful for coffee. For the crutch that keeps me writing. For the liquid that has branded me. For the aroma of a nutty blend when I first open my office door. For my coworkers who know it's best to bribe the HR lady before greeting her in the morning.

I am thankful ...

Have I mislabeled the coffee/writer crutch? Share your thoughts ... even you tea lovers out there! :)

Does a First Line Make or Break?

2011-06-20T10:08:00.000-05:00

"Halfway down a by-street of one of our New England towns stands a rusty wooden house, with seven acutely peaked gables, facing towards various points of the compass, and a huge, clustered chimney in the midst." - House of Seven Gables, by Nathaniel Hawthorne

I'm not sure how many of you are moved by the first line of a book written in 1851but I love it. It's always been one of my favorites. I'm not sure it'd hold par to expectations of today's readers, but immediately I am transported to a secluded street with a crooked house. It instantly says "creepy" to me. And, I love creepy - the Victorian sort of creepy that's so delicious you shiver, lick your lips, and move on to line number two.

As we consider our first chapters and engaging characters, do you consider that first line? That first plop of the hook in the water that grabs the attention (or loses it) of your reader? Here's a few first liners that have grabbed me:

"There was no possibility of taking a walk that day." - Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte|

"I have just returned from a visit to my landlord - the solitary neighbour that I shall be troubled with." - Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way--in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. " - A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens

"IT is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." - Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austin

Granted, these aren't necessarily the law-abiding sentences of today's book structures, considering A Tale of Two Cities' first line also is the first paragraph. However, regardless of the fact that Mr Dickens has a difficult time pausing for breath and writes similarly to how my pastor preaches, we still have classic - literature that graces our bookshelves (at least mine!) like an old friend reclines on your sofa with no guise of pretention.

First lines make or break it for me, more than anything else. I have to admit, I've placed books back on the shelf at the bookstore because a first line didn't strike me. I'd give some examples, but they weren't written by people now lazing around in the grave, so I'd prefer not to carve the tombstone for a fellow writer's novel.

Regardless, am I just weird? Or are first lines all that? - for those of you with agents, what have they encouraged you to do? Or editors? I am curious. Like a cat. A very dead cat.

Book Report: Friday Off

2011-06-17T08:36:00.000-05:00

I haven't had a lot of time to read lately as I've been working on my book. :) Please accept my apologies for a ridiculously boring Friday report :) - see you all next week with new topics.

Who Your Characters are NOT

2011-06-15T09:53:00.002-05:00

Really? Really. You'd do this to your feet? I think they deserve better. Granted, somehow this makes her feet and ridiculously skinny ankles look chique and sophisticated but I'd like to see her in about twenty years when she's practically crippled from walking on four inch toothpicks.

This is something I would NOT do. Monday is point in case. I stuffed my foot - in a rare act of stupidity - into a heel. Only a 1" heel, mind you, but I looked STUNNING. Until my ankle folded and I went sliding down the wood floor hallway of our office and landed like a hippo lands on asphalt. SPLAT! That is one reason why I don't wear heels. Hippos should not wear heels. Point made. Case closed.

Let's say I'm a character in your latest novel. Isn't it important to identify not only what I am but what I'm not? If you know your MC does NOT wear heels because of an affinity for clutzy flopping across glossy floors, you also have now uncovered a few more characteristics that could add COLOR to your story:

Jaime has no center of balance - therefore she'll likely gravitate to athletic activities that include harnesses (rock climbing) or zip-lines or the ever popular athletic prowess of SIDELINER.
Jaime is probably less focused on being girlie and fashionable than being practical and comfortable. If fashion was her passion she'd deal with the heels and learn to walk properly.
Jaime probably owns flip flops in every color and style.
Jaime more than likely, will mix the fancy with the casual. i.e. wedding dress paired with Isotoner satin slippers. YES! I did. So shoot me.
Jaime may hold other ladies in disdain when they delicately slip and slide over ice covered parking lots when they wear stilettos in Wisconsin in negative ten degree weather. This disdain may disguise a more deep setted emotion that no matter how hard she tries, she'll never be graceful, stylish, or modelesque.
Jaime prides herself in her lack of fear of walking through mud and snow, which also lends itself greatly to being on the edge of wildernessy. But her secret admiration for heels on other people also shows she's not a die-hard adventure chick and therefore probably appreciates a wet wipe at the end of the day for her mudcaked feet.
Jaime isn't prissy, but neither is she all tomboy. She feel a bit inadequate in the realm of femininity therefore she relates better to her male counterparts who also see the impractical as ridiculous. She can justify herself that way and though her male counterparts may not see her as the object of beauty, she has garnered respect as their equal.

And all this from finding out your main character hates high heels ... see how important it is to know who your characters are NOT?

Leave a comment and share one thing your character is NOT and what you can learn about your character through this little practice ...

How to Ruin Your First Chapter

2011-06-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

It's that frustrating first chapter - dead on your laptop - lifeless, like roadkill. There's nothing beautiful about roadkill. Trust me. I live in the country and see it on a daily basis.

Along the lines of wanting a first chapter you can believe in, we also want it to jump off the pages, wow us, entrance us, rival Cinderella for beauty and scent our lives with the sweetness of Starbursts over a campfire.

So what happens when you ruin your first chapter? When you finally sit down and write to your heart's pleasure and then ... crud. You reread that first chapter and that fantastic advice you read on the Jaime Reports yesterday ... fails miserably.

I have a few theories on how to ruin your first chapter:

Don't Write It. How many of you have never taken that leap. Fear of writing nothing but a mess keeps you from popping the lid on the laptop. Or maybe, you're just not sure of where to go with it. You do realize, though, without even a pathetically awful first chapter, you simply don't have a book? So at least write it. Then trash it and start over if you must. But WRITE!
Disengaged Characters. Before you write that first chapter, know your characters. At least a little bit. Sure, they'll develop as the story develops and they'll probably throw you for a loop about midway forcing you to rewrite the entire first half. But at least be attached to your characters. This may require a little daydreaming or plotting before you start that chapter. Don't let your characters disengage themselves from you and become cold, lifeless ... roadkill.
Include Emotion. A dying first chapter is typically void of emotional content. Yes, I want to read about excitement, yes, I want to be entertained, sure a little humor is fantastic, but ... grab my emotions. This is what will engage your readers but also, what will captivate you - the writer. It goes along with having engaging characters. Let them pull at your heart on page one, do drastic things, even terrible things ... having them wallow in their mistakes, or experience heartbreak because of tragedy, or have a drive to succeed at a passion. I read a book recently and page one was so ... unemotional ... it almost made me cry.
Skip Process. There's a few hard core rules you don't want to ignore. But the best piece of advice I've been given by authors, mentors, and coaches is: skip process and rules. Not permanently. Goodness, not permanently, or your book will never be refined. But that first chapter ... just write from your deepest recesses of creativity. Live to write that first chapter and don't like rules and structure beat you up before you begin.

What ways have you conquered that first chapter? What ways have you ruined your first chapter?

Tomorrow: Who Your Character is NOT...

Three Ways to Write a First Chapter That Won't Bore You

2011-06-13T06:53:00.001-05:00

With every great book is a great first chapter. That reality is beat to death at writer conferences, on blogs, in writing email loops, and as short as possible in tweets. Last week, I made the argument that first and foremost, the writer needed to believe in their first chapter. To love it. Lets face it. How often do you love your first chap?

I think we need a different slant on this first chapter biz. I mean, yes we want our readers hooked one line one. Yes we want a potential agent to hit "play" on the boombox next to them on the table when we pitch it and have the Hallelujah chorus announce to the world that our first chapter just hit the big time! (For you conference newbies, agents dont really pack boomboxes. If anything itd be an iPod which would totally be anticlimactic)

(I digress. Probably because I'm writing this on my PHONE cause I cant balance an 18 month old monkey on my lap and laptop.)

We want all that, yes. But I still argue the WRITER needs to be swallowed by chapter one, so chapter two comes pouring after with the creativity of Noah when he built the ark. Now that was hallelujah worthy, folks, for more reasons than just grabbing a passing pair of gazelle's attention.

HOW DO YOU WRITE A FIRST CHAPTER THAT DOESNT BORE YOU, ITS WRITER?

1. ARSENAL. Every good writer has their arsenal. Mine is coffee. Load me up with coffee and we're off to a good start. But truly, that first chapter needs YOUR ATTENTION. Good things don't come haphazardly. This probably isnt the chapter you write while watching your kids soccer game. This is the one you grab your arsenal of whatever helps you concentrate and you whisk yourself off to imaginary places.

2. FORMULA. Its priceless when writing a book. But dont squelch your creativity today. Forget the rules and write your heart out. Sure. Your first chapter may not be in its final form when youre done, but my guess is you're wickedly excited to write chapter 2. And YOU are the first person you need to impress.

3. Finally, reread it and dont be afraid to say you love it. Stop reading it with the eyes of an agent or editor. That day will come. It will have to come but for now, fall in love with your characters, let them percolate on page. Its your chapter. Love on it.

Whats your best experience writing that first chapter?

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Day 2 of Utter Insanity

2011-06-08T10:04:00.000-05:00

I need to get proactive and write blog posts so they're scheduled to post. I have another insane and unexpected day here at work ... I guess I"ll be taking a Blog Break for the rest of the week. I know you'll all miss me terribly! ;) See you next week!!

Unfortunately Work Calls ...

2011-06-07T10:38:00.000-05:00

Ugh. Curveballs got thrown at me today, so I won't be continuing my fantastic FIRST CHAPTER blog posts until tomorrow ... see ya then! :)

Sucked into the Black Hole - A Killer First Chapter

2011-06-06T10:50:00.000-05:00

My first chapter slayed me. There I lay (laid, lied, layed - pick one, 'cause I don't know), on the couch, my laptop overheating becuase I'd typed so fast. The first chapter that had been mostly composed in my head was now on screen - and I was almost comotose. Because it was my bedtime, but that's beside the point.

I know it's important for a first chapter to be a killer for every reader. Well, violence aside, it should pull them into a vortext that refuses to release them until they read the last page. But, How important is it for the first chapter to be a killer for the WRITER?

I would like to venture a few theories over the next few days. Here is Ventured Theory #1:

If the writer doesn't believe in Chapter One, how will the reader? Really now. Be honest. How many times have you written chapter one over and over and finally settled thinking, it's exciting, it's enticing, I'm just overworked on it so it doesn't seem that way to me? I venture to say if you aren't gripped by chapter one, then it's going to be hard to make chapter two, three, four, and so on. I tried it. With my last book. It wasn't until my crit partner helped me replot and reform my characters that i finally rewrote chapter one and was so entranced by it I couldn't stop editing.

What are your thoughts? Can you believe in Chapter One and keep writing if it doesn't grip you?

Characters out of Context

2011-06-01T08:33:00.000-05:00

Like a gun-totin' chicklet, so is an out of place character. I love characters that don't belong. Characters enveloped in something so uncomfortable just reading about them makes me squirm and turn the page to see what happens.

Let me expound with a real life example:

I work in HR. Yes. Go figure. Me - Miss Personality - smoothing over sticky situations. LOL sometimes it's so hard not to explode in laughter (and risk a lawsuit). Regardless, I also field new hire inquiries and manage interviews. Let me see ... there are about twenty different out-of-place stories I could share.

We'll call her Lady Locks. She had jet black hair so coal colored that I'm sure Herbel Essence hair dye had played a huge part in achieving such darkness of night. Her hair fell to mid-back in curls that would make any Victorian heroine reach for - with a pair of scissors to hack off in jealousy.

I first saw Lady Locks as she stepped from her silver Camaro. Not sure if Camaro's are "in" anymore, but she made it look "in". I stared at my hick-town flip flops becuase I'd forgotten to swap shoes in my hurry to get to work and sighed. My hips stuck out like Montana slapped on both sides and my shirt was ready for a trade-in to size XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXL. Little Miss Lady Locks eased her size -0 from the front seat. White linen pants fell just above pedicured maroon painted toes and strappy stilettos that rivaled the Eiffel Tower for height. Her black ruffled chiffon blouse hung perfectly over a black silk cami and her ivory skin was illuminated beneath Audrey Hepburn sunglasses. Sigh.

And then the intrigue started ... and a bit of Jaime's mean-girl was revealed. There is massive and I mean MASSIVE construction outside my office. The entire road is torn up into foxholes and road routes deep enough to swallow a Hummer. Dirt mounds rise 3 stories high and machinery line the road like a parade route. And little miss Lady Locks had to manuever that in forty-inch stilettos and white linen. *insert evil and totally sinful laughter here*.

Lady Locks stumbled, tripped, lips pursed, curled, sneered, hair whipped across her face, glasses tilted, knuckles whitened and she practically fell into the lobby exhaling so loudly I could hear her muttered curse above the backhoe.

She was out of her element ... I was in mine. It added so much tension to the scene. Suddenly I took my size 14 self to the front desk with confidence. Yeah, lady, some of us Wisconsin hicks know when to wear flip flops, Miss Hollywood. You're going to pull snooty on me???

Poor Lady Locks. All she wanted was to drop off an application. But being out of her element had her so flustered and being greeted by a snobbish, self-consumed, snarky HR lady didn't help. Do you see the scene and character setting developing here??

When have you read or witness characters of out of context??

(and for the record ... I was nice to her, I was just feeling snarky INSIDE).

When Your Own Book Creeps You Out

2011-05-31T10:10:00.000-05:00

I have to say, my book gave me bad dreams last night. I've been writing the first chapter (in my head, which I always do first - saves retyping :) and I keep adding the "creepiness" factor to try to draw a reader in yet not cross borders that CBA publishers won't want. i.e. dead body in the first chapter of a historical romance :). So I'm going a different route - with a creepy lighthouse, hysterical step-mother, ill father, and an unnerved heroine.

I dreamt about ghosts last night. I was on a cruise ship that was haunted. It was quite nice actually to get in the "spirit" (lol) of things, being that my book has illusions to ghostly hauntings (however, no faux pax ghosts actually exist). I awoke quite freaked out actually. And, then ... I heard it.

NO JOKE a high pitched wail, so quiet I wasn't actually sure I heard it, drifted through my bedroom door from the outside recesses of my haunted house. I stiffened. Waited. Husband sleeping. No help there. And how DOES one defend against a ghost? Pepper spray sure isn't going to do anything.

There it was again. Ahhhyaiiiiiahhhh .... silence. I refused to open my eyes (I'm not kidding, I AM that much of a wuss). If I opened my eyes and saw a vision like I'd just seen in my dream then heaven forbid, I would scream loud enough to curdle milk in India.

Aaaaaaaayyyyaaaaiiiiiiahaahh .... longer this time. Louder. More insistent. Husband stirs. I squeeze my eyes tighter. Not looking. Not. Looking.

WAAAAAAHHHHHHAAAIIIIIAHAAHHAHAHAH!!!! Husband flips back covers. "That's fine. I'll go get her," he mumbles sweetly.
Oh yeah. My baby. Ha. Wow. Some mother I am.
And then ... as dear husband leaves the room in a stumbling, staggering sleepwalk to rescue our lonely, frightened child, I open my eyes and see a shadow flit across the window. In true, protective mother style, I winced, squeezed my eyes shut and wondered if garlic scared away ghosts in the same fashion as a vampire.

When have your books seeped into your dreams and messed with your reality?

Book Report: The Lady of Bolton Hill, by DEBUT AUTHOR Elizabeth Camden

2011-05-27T09:24:00.000-05:00

5 Stars. Period.

Debut author Elizabeth Camden BLEW ME AWAY with this fantastic new historical novel set in the gilded age of America. Amazon.com gives this description:

Female journalists are rare in 1879, but American-born Clara Endicott has finally made a name for herself with her provocative articles championing London's poor. When the backlash from her work forces a return home to Baltimore, Clara finds herself face-to-face with a childhood sweetheart who is no longer the impoverished factory worker she once knew. In her absence, Daniel Tremain has become a powerful industry giant and Clara finds him as enigmatic as ever. However, Daniel's success is fueled by resentment from past wounds and Clara's deeply-held beliefs about God's grace force Daniel to confront his own motives. When Clara's very life is endangered by one of Daniel's adversaries, they must face a reckoning neither of them ever could have foreseen.

I was blown away at how Camden seemed to merge Regency with American 1879 history and bring them together in a complimentary fashion that was reminiscent of Julie Klassen meets Deeanne Gist. The setting was fantastic - delving into American railroading history was fascinating and I could tell that Elizabeth Camden wanted to be historically accurate while providing a captivating story.

The author did several things I found intriguing - and while I'm not big on a bullet points, I'm thinking it might be the best way to go here:

The hero and heroine were in love at page 1. I wouldn't expect this to work in most novels. But she pulls it off with dramatic tension, insurmountable odds, and family strife that makes you long for Daniel and Clara to come together and finally be FREE to express the emotion and devotion they both feel so strongly.
It pulls the heart strings of anyone who had a high-school sweetheart. Don't most of us have that one person you look back on with nostalgic fondness. The one person who first captured your heart - if only for a brief moment - and left no bad memories in their wake? I loved this sweetness that surrounded Daniel and Clara.
Mystery surrounds one of the characters. In an odd twist, Camden introduces a character who almost seems like their living in another book but the chapters in which they're highlighted are so engaging you don't care that they appeared out of no where. You TRUST the author implicitly becuase you want to see how this random, mysterious, somewhat sinister but victimized character will finally cross paths with Daniel and Clara.
Location. I'm not sure how she did it, but Elizabeth Camden has the readers imagination going from London, to Baltimore, to the Southwest, to a musical emporium to a factory. She doesn't stalemate the reader in one location - which is typically the norm, in all actuality - yet we're smack in the 1870's so it's not like our heroine flies to Arizona and back. Camden was a master at weaving culture into a rich tapestry of characters.

I could go on and on. My first clue this would be a great book was the fact it's a historical published by Bethany House. Seriously. You could pick up any historical with their lablel on it and be swept away for hours. My second clue was was the cover - it's magnificent. Amazing. Beautiful. I was literally entranced by it for about 10 minutes as I studied the dress, the fonts, the colors - but I am a cover-junkie. My third clue was Elizabeth's website - check it out - it's fantastic! And my fourth clue was the first page. It sucked me in with ferocity and didn't let me go.

A Plot Away - Part 3 - Personality, a Dime a Dozen?

2011-05-25T08:39:00.000-05:00

I'm quickly learning that plotting requires not only scene planning, arc planning, inciting event planning, but character planning. If you haven't guess by now, I'm definitely a character driven writer - and reader.

Rather than expounding with my wealth of unpublished experience, I'd like to come from the angle of a reader. Since I devour books like Nacho Cheese Doritos, I've noticed a few "trends" in character personality and appearance that I'm trying to wrap my head around.

1. Redheads - have you noticed? It seems like 2 out of 3 heroines have chestnut, copper, auburn or firey hair - usually curly - described as a "thick mane". First of all, I'm certain some redheads will attest not all redheads have thick manes. Secondly, as much as I love red and am considering going auburn myself this autumn, why are there SO MANY redheaded heroines? Why not ... honey, or coffee, or the ever common ... dishwater? Just wondering. I've vowed to write five novels before I include a redhead.

2. Fiesty, sassy, know-it, emancipated women - I know that in historicals it sort of fits with the era. But really? Must they all be sassy? Must they all be part of the women's rights movement. I'm ALL for women's rights - to a degree - goodness, I'm a working career mom, so non-traditional is my forte. But, really ... I'm trying a new slant in my latest WIP. A character who is forced by circumstances to take on a man's role when all she wants to do is fill the traditional shoes of a wife. Do you think it'll work???

Ok - work calls me this morning, so I can't continue to expound ... so please add ... what are the latest character trends that you see and how do they fit or not fit into your character plotting?

A Plot Away - Part 2 - Character Damage Control

2011-05-24T09:03:00.001-05:00

In reviewing the pitfalls and high rises of being a Seat of the Pants (SOTP) writer, I am reminded of the many times my characters get out of control.

1. Heroine Cries too much - I guess you could still plot this, but really, when I just write from the head, gut, heart - whatever - it seems my girls cry a lot more than I ever do. Crying seems to be an instinctive writer's reaction to express grief or frustration to the reader. My last MS, (manuscript), I deleted about five crying scenes and rewrote them to reflect her frustration or fear in a different way. It deepened my story.

2. Character Becomes a Shape Shifter - have you experienced this as a SOTP-er? Shape shifting characters typically occur when I haven't sat down and developed them. For example, my heroine "Sarah" (name changed to protect the innocent) went from one scene where, when challenged, she challenged back and was full of sass and vinegar. Turn pages to chapter thirteen and when challenged, she shrank into a timid, mouselike creature and wept. Either Sarah was an actress, a manipulator, or - a shape shifter. She had no specific definition of personality. Personlity defines a character. More on that tomorrow.

3. Character changes names - My heroine went through four name changes. Because I hadn't developed Sarah's personality, her name kept changing as she changed. Four rewrites later, her name suits her to a tee. Well, I think it does. My non-existent editor may request a name change. Which I shall do. To make them happy. Because they are publishing me. And writers make editors happy. Period.

4. Character looses their mind - This happened to my villain. "Gregory" went a bit psycho in the last few scenes of the novel. Not that it couldn't have worked, but I didn't plan on it. He surprised me. Now. Here is topic of debate: SOTP writers LIKE it when their characters take them in new directions. Plot too much, and we feel like you've confined them in straight jackets before it's their time. HOWEVER - I'm finding there needs to be a balance between letting my character run around willy-nilly and turn into Jack the Ripper by chapter twenty-eight, or being a bit more balanced. While allowing myself the freedom to let George's mental state turn shaky (which definitely helped justify his actions a bit), I needed to reign him in or he was going to make Marilyn Manson look like Billy Graham. Just sayin' ... THAT is where SOTP writers need to be careful.

How have your characters gone AWRY? Or do your people stay along a well defined path?

Tomorrow: A Plot Away - Part 3 - Personality, a Dime a Dozen?