One Man’s Thoughts: Balance

What makes it so fulfilling when the hero wins the day or two people ride off together into the sunset? It is not simply the happy ending we as readers relish, but the fact that it was earned. This is done when the protagonists have sacrificed to earn their happily-ever-after through some form of a struggle. It is that sacrifice that balances the scales and makes the ending so sweet. A happy ending should always come at a price.

The author must choose with caution the form or forms this price will manifest. If the cost for a happy ending is too high then the story will be melancholy and leave the reader a bit depressed. If the cost is not sufficient then the efforts of the heroes may seem unimpressive or worse yet: uninteresting. Either way a balance between the cost of the struggle and reward must be struck.

This concept holds true for all types of stories. Depending on the setting and genre of a book dictates the level sacrifice that is required to make an ending satisfy the reader. Here are but a few as an example.

Loss of life; this is an obvious sacrifice that should be used with care. When an author manages to connect readers to his characters and then has them die it has a powerful impact. Used correctly this loss will bond the reader to the story emotionally and reward them well by the end.

Lost love; a character who has sacrificed a relationship of some kind is always a sympathetic figure. Sometimes the loss can be restored by the end or replaced by another, but losing intimate relationship of a lover, family, friend or even pet can be tragic.

Loss of station is the sort of sacrifice that works well particularly in romance. The King or Prince that advocates the throne for the woman he loves is a classic plot device. Power is always sought and the willful surrender of it is a bold gesture.

Loss of innocence is an elusive concept but also powerful to use. In story wrought with strife, even if there is no death, will frequently see characters loose their happy go lucky spirit and this loss can be profound. This is always the most notable in characters that are young women or children. Like loss of life, this sort of sacrifice should be used with care.

Loss of time; this is the default sacrifice. The time characters spend resolving the story’s situation instead of living in peace is the basic cost of any plot. In some cases this is enough and if used in conjunction with another form of loss it can satisfy the need for balance in most stories.

Good stories are about drama. To find drama there must be a struggle in which losses are suffered. Overcoming these losses is what imbues a happy ending with its uplifting affect. After all, if the situation is too easy to resolve then write the book?
—
Michael Matthews Bingamon

Author Spotlight – Missy Martine

This week’s author spotlight is on Missy Martine.

The Pen and Muse said:
“Martine creates a world in which a reader could get lost in and never want to come home.”

Borrow Books said:
” happy to see that there’s at least one author out there who makes her characters strong enough to conquer their baser instincts! Well done MM!”

Sensual Erotic Romance & Erotica said:
“Missy Martine captures your heart with her tale of Cass. With the struggles Cass faces, you are overcome by the heart wrenching story of her past. Table for Three is a must read, scorcher of a book.”

Check out our author spotlight page and see what all the fuss is about.

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Perseverance

Writing, for the most part, is a singular experience. Since I started focusing on writing, I have spent many enjoyable hours at night at my computer, in my office, alone. Talking to my characters does not count.  (See post Jan 10) The point is I am alone. I sit and write, rewrite, delete and rewrite some more. By the end of the evening I feel drained, exhausted and for the most part pleased with what I have done. I go off to sleep, usually later than planned, knowing tomorrow I will do it all again, but  I am determined to be a published author. I persist. I persevere.

Alone only works for so long. I am, by nature, a people person and thrive on interpersonal interaction. I need the give and take to brainstorm and to bounce ideas around. I want to discuss writing techniques, understand if my expectations are realistic. How do you turn telling into showing, change the point of view within the chapter, what about research, and how do you get published. How do you know what agent, what editor to approach? Oh, the dreaded query letter and synopsis, and what about the marketing? The questions just seem to be unending. I didn’t know any writers. There was no one to go to for support. I had to find people who were writers, who remembered what it was like to be a new writer and understood the drive to be published. A quick search on the web and I found the perfect writer’s group, local chapter and all. It was everything I was looking for and more. They welcomed me and asked about my writing with enthusiasm. They encouraged me to keep at it. They celebrated my small success. I am determined to be a published author. I persist. I persevere.

Now, am I strong enough to have my work critiqued? I write for a large corporation. My writing is reviewed, edited, and then the attorney’s have a go at it. I am used to being edited. It hasn’t bothered me before. But it is curious how protective I am of my story. I poured my heart and soul into this story. I plotted and planned for my characters. I laughed and cried with them. How do I distance myself from that? For me, the secret was to put it down for several weeks, let the emotions cool. Now I am ready to polish it, to critique it and make it the best it can be. I am determined to be a published author. I persist. I persevere.

Finally, each week I set a writing goal and actually ‘put in writing’ to make it real. This is where the support group has been most impressive. We blog almost daily with our progress, so alone is not so alone. There are some days that the writing is easy and then there those days when I would rather eat a pint of Cherry Garcia ice cream. But I keep on writing. I am determined to be a published author. I persist. I persevere.

What do you do to persevere?
—
Ruth Seitelman

Me, Myself, And My Voices

 

ME, MYSELF, AND MY VOICES

As a writers, I’m use to hearing voices, and most I welcome. The strongest voices I hear usually come from my characters. They can be very demanding at times–hard to shut out. Though, when they fall silent, I worry.

Other voices I hear are my internal editor, my cheerleader, which lets me know when I have written something particularly brilliant. My logical voice that quietly reminds me when I’m veering off the beaten path, into the tangled forest.

I trust these voices. They have all helped me become a better writer.

But of all the voices in my head, there is one I could have definitely done without. This little voice was always there, whispering, snickering, trying to bring me down. This particular voice I call my, ‘you can’t’ voice.

It had been with me as far back as I can remember. But I learned to ignore it for the most part, until I decided to write. The idea for my first novel had circulated through my mind for a year before the characters became so loud I couldn’t ignore them any longer. Yet, mixed in with my characters was my, you can’t, voice. As I started to write my rough draft, this voice became louder and louder. It over powered the sound of my characters.

“Who do you think you are?” my, you can’t voice said. “You’re not a writer. You’re going to embarrass yourself.”

Not able to quiet my negative side, I stopped writing. I set my manuscript away in my closet, and tried to forget my dream. But thankfully, my characters couldn’t be silenced by this self esteem, crippling voice. So I started writing again. Right on cue, my inner faultfinder started yapping, pushing me down, criticizing everything I wrote. There were days when I could silence this annoying part of my mind, but never for long. It was always there, lurking for any sign of weakness.

Finally, I finished my rough draft. I sat on it for awhile until I decided to join a critique group. When I first joined I lurked for quit some time before I drummed up enough nerve to submit my first chapter. When I received it back–read what the critter had to say–my cynical voice laughed and said, “What did I tell you? You can’t write.”

Embarrassed and beaten, I again set my manuscript aside, deciding to give it up. Though as the weeks passed, my characters started talking again, demanding I listen to them.

I did.

Determined to prove my inner cynic wrong, I signed up for an on-line writing course, and joined another critique group. As I learned, I rewrote my manuscript, and something wonderful happened. I realized I had talent. I realized my story—with hard work–was good.

My self confidence-eating voice is still with me, may never truly leave, but I have learned to ignore it and carry on. Actually, without the pessimistic part of me, I might not have pushed myself to improve.

I would love to hear if any of you have experienced something similar. Do any of you have a, you can’t voice? If so, how do you deal with it?

Thank you for reading. I hope you’ll join me next Saturday. I’ll be talking about what I feel are the benefits of joining a critique group.

Oh no, the Codpiece

Okay it’s the boys turn and what could possible sillier than the codpiece. Yikes. Even the name sounds bad. But in fact codpiece means nothing more than sac or pouch. Until Henry the Eight got his hands on it or should I say other parts in it, the codpiece was actually one of the biggest innovations in men’s tailored fashions to come along.

The codpiece was simply a triangular sack that was placed in front of the man leggings to afford privacy. You see until this point in history men’s leggings afforded very little privacy the legs came up occasionally was sewn in the back and laced in the front or attached to a belt.

This was all fine and dandy when the Doublet (the top jacket men wore) was long and no one could see anything above the man’s knees. When the Doublet hem shortened with fashion the men became exposed. So the codpiece was born.

It gained size and ornamentation due to King Henry then lost its popularity with his Daughter Elizabeth’s reign. With King Henry the codpiece went from being a merely functional piece of fabric, usually several layers thick, stitched to give some support, to being large enough to carry small weapons and Jewels in. Very possibly this is why the man’s genitals are now referred to as the “Family Jewels”.

Although the codpiece was popular through out Europe it was condemned by the church and by the 1570’s almost completely disappears. Most likely Queen Elizabeth’s distain for masculinity and the improvements made to tailoring helped.

What is the silliest fashion statement you have ever seen? I would love to hear from you.

The Tour – The Season

The Season is a unique style of romance site, which is why the tour bus is making this stop. Hope you enjoy the tour.

What you can find there.

This is an interesting style for a site. You can shuffle through information, excerpts, etc on the main site page. After you click next past the owners book ad, you will see the table of contents. You can keep shuffling through the things on the main page, or you can go to any of the choices available in the table of contents.

From the table of contents, you can check out the blog which has some interesting information on recent releases. There is also a forum, though it isn’t exactly buzzing. Next you will find the monthly calender of events, author interview, and giveaway listed in this table of contents as well.

You can vote for the best novels and covers of 09, and check out the top reviewer picks for Dec/Jan. You can even check out the previews of upcoming releases. And if all of this isn’t enough, there are free reads, and contests, and archives to look through.

This site is certainly worth a look. Check it out.

Let’s see what Bev has to say to readers about The Season.

Good day everyone. My name is Beverley Kendall and I run The Season sites. What is The Season you ask? The Season is a site dedicated to bringing readers everything they need to know about current and upcoming historical romances. From covers to review links and buy links from the top 6 online book retailers, The Season tries to include everything a reader would want to know about each book. I’ve branched out to include 4 (four) contemporary and paranormal titles every month. The site does include a blog and a forum and I have LOTS of book giveaways.

1- Why did you decide to start this site?
I decided to start my site from a suggestion Kris Alice made on Twitter. She wanted a place where find a list of debut authors. My sister said why don’t you do a site like that. I thought a site that narrow in scope wouldn’t attract enough visitors and that’s how I came up with The Season. This site would, of course, benefit me because I am a new author who doesn’t have much promotion from my publisher behind me, so this would be ideal for me in promoting my book.

2- When did you start your site?
I started the site in mid-May of 2009.

3- What aspect of the site are you most proud of?
The thing I love about The Season is that not only is it informative, as it shows the cover, the backcover blurb, the specs of the book, buy links and booktrailers, but I think I manage to do it in an attractive enough way to entice readers to stay awhile. I also really love the blog. I think it’s added a much needed meeting place for readers to interact with authors. I also love the fact that I give away a lot of books. I think there’s no better way to attract readers than to give them a sample of what they love to read, might read, or are willing to read.

4- What can we expect from you next?
Regarding the site, I expect I’ll be trying to come up with other ways to attract more visitors, and the stuff that isn’t working I’ll stop doing that. When it comes to my books, my second novel, currently titled THE GAUNTLET, will hit the bookstore shelves January 2011.

5- Anything else you would like A History readers to know?
My debut historical, SINFUL SURRENDER is now available for purchase.

—-
Thanks for taking the tour with us, we’ve been happy to have you along. See you next week.
—
April Dawn

Bound By Love – Release Day Announcement.

Bound By Love is now available through Breathless Press!
I have been waiting for this day for a long time, and it is finally here. I am officially a published author.

—
Innocent Chloe is imprisoned alongside her lover. Now she has two choices: Forget him and return home, or fight her way across continents, and through indenture, just to be with him.

Blurb
Chloe Adderley is on the run from an unwanted marriage and a father who is far more dangerous than she realizes.
Faced with an ultimatum that she can’t accept: marry the man or starve to death in her room, running to her grandmother’s house in Italy seems to be the only choice. She will pretend to be a governess, and hire a ship to take her there. It is a flawless plan. When she is robbed and knocked unconscious, however, she never suspects that the man who finds her will mistake her for a harlot.

Captain Darion Bannon is dismayed to discover that the unconscious woman he has taken aboard is actually an innocent lady. They find themselves falling in love, and Darion admits that he is a Privateer for the Sons of Liberty. When they are arrested for piracy, as the Crown calls it, they face a cruel prison and transportation to the Colonies, and Darion must fight to keep the woman he loves. Only their love can help them survive the cruel twists of fate.

—
April Dawn has decided that every dollar she earns from the sales of Bound by Love, and Crushing Desire from Jan 29-the release date-to Mar 1st will be donated to the needy in Haiti. So, read a book and help people, all at once. For more info check out her website.
Check out Bound By Love at Breathless Press today.
— April Dawn

Excerpt – Bound By Love

We have a sweet little treat that I hear is coming out tomorrow at Breathless Press.
Bound by Love
This book is toasty on the sizzlemeter.

Blurb
Chloe Adderley is on the run from an unwanted marriage and a father who is far more dangerous than she realizes.
Faced with an ultimatum that she can’t accept: marry the man or starve to death in her room, running to her grandmother’s house in Italy seems to be the only choice. She will pretend to be a governess, and hire a ship to take her there. It is a flawless plan. When she is robbed and knocked unconscious, however, she never suspects that the man who finds her will mistake her for a harlot.

Captain Darion Bannon is dismayed to discover that the unconscious woman he has taken aboard is actually an innocent lady. They find themselves falling in love, and Darion admits that he is a Privateer for the Sons of Liberty. When they are arrested for piracy, as the Crown calls it, they face a cruel prison and transportation to the Colonies, and Darion must fight to keep the woman he loves. Only their love can help them survive the cruel twists of fate.

Excerpt
Hearing the sound of heavy boots drawing near to the door, Chloe ran to the bed. Quickly, she covered herself with the blanket and thrust the blade into the folds. She closed her eyes as she heard the soft clicking of a key entering the lock as though it were telling the story of her doom. Her ragged breathing seemed too loud. She held her breath.
She heard someone come in, and the door locked again. She continued to be patient, her pulse went wild, but she remained still. Finally footsteps came toward her, and a hand touched her face softly.
Now or never!
Chloe slid the knife out of the covers as quick as she could. The covers fell away from her breasts, exposing them to the cold air. The peaks went rigid, and a blush covered her skin. Ignoring this fact as best she could, she thrust the tip of the blade against his throat.
Gasping as she met the eyes of the man in front of her, Chloe peered into two dark pits that were sucking her in. Her eyes left his and glanced over the rest of him. He was not what she had expected.
She thought that she would be faced with a repulsive, putrid seaman with dirty hair and a long beard, perhaps even an eye patch. She was alarmed at his clean clothes and rugged, yet handsome appearance. A scar above his eye gave the impression he wasn’t someone to toy with. He was clean-shaven and appeared to be freshly scrubbed. A very masculine smell emanated from him, like salt, leather and sweat. It made her want to put her nose to his skin and breathe deep.
She chided herself inwardly for the wicked thought. Trying not to show the fear and excitement racing through her, she took a breath. She amazed herself as she held the knife steadily in her hands.
“Release me right now or I shall slice your throat, you cad. I’ll not accept your hands on me again.”
“You sure are a feisty little trollop.” He perused her with an infuriating smirk. “Put down the knife. I intend to pay when I have need of your services.”
She tried to appear confident, ignoring his words.
“Give me my clothes, take me to the dock, and let me go, or I’ll kill you!”
Her unflinching eyes stared into his. Heart pounding as though it would erupt from her chest and flee from the room, she tried to breathe steadily. Her hand shook slightly with the dread that coursed through her veins. She was not certain what scared her more, that she was at his mercy, or that she found the thought exhilarating.
He ogled her exposed breasts.
“I rather like you like this.” He smirked.
How dare he stare at her in this indecent manner! Chloe glanced down for a second to jerk the sheet up around herself, realizing her mistake at once. He grabbed her hand and twisted. The knife slipped from her grasp.
Wrenching her other hand back, he held them behind her, forcing her breasts into his chest. The friction of her nipples against the rough material of his shirt sent waves of pleasure through her. She struggled to get away, not just from the man, but from the feelings. They confused her and drew her mind from her struggles.
He pulled her up with him as he stood, the hard length of him pressing against her softness. The blanket fell away, exposing the rest of her ivory body. She strained to keep her legs together in an attempt to protect her vulnerability.
He towered over her; the top of her head came well below his chin. Stronger also, much stronger than he seemed. His lankiness was a facade, for the muscles bulged under his shirt as he held her in a vice-like grip. Dragging her with him as though she were a rag doll, he shook his head resolutely.
“You want to play a game, harlot? Good, we’ll play.”
—-
Mmm. Now that’s tasty. The tastiest thing about this deal? The author is donating all her earnings for this month to help Haiti. April Dawn decided that every dollar she earns from the sales of Bound by Love, and Crushing Desire from Jan 29-the release date-to Mar 1st will be donated to the needy in Haiti. So, read a book and help people, all at once.
Still want more? Come play with my toys.
—
Ava Delany

Where Have All The Knights In Shining Armor Gone?

In the past men use to woo their women and sweep them off their feet. It was expected to catch the eye of a beautiful women you had to work for it. Now men don’t seem to think it is important. I know some men still do this. So kudos to you and keep up the good work. I know you have a woman that feels very special and loved.

I have no intentions for this to be an attack on men. I wanted to help men to see our side and try to understand how as women we see things. We don’t see things like men. We crave romance. Let me give you the definition of romance. In the dictionary it says.

Romance- to court or woo romantically; treat with ardor or chivalrousness.

Romance to me is a feeling you get when you are with that special someone. It makes your heart race and you have to remind yourself to breath. It may be as simple as a wink or a smile. They look at you like they adore you. Or it could be as big as a proposal. He gets down on one knee and asks you to be with him for the rest of your life. You are swept away in a moment you will never forget.

Women want to feel special and cherished. It is an unbelievable feeling when a man can’t imagine his life without you. Romance is instilled in women at a very young age. We all read about the handsome prince that would sweep you off you feet and whisk you off to his castle. Every little girl dreams of her prince charming. Young girls even think about the perfect wedding. It’s just the way we are wired.

When you are swept up into his arms, it’s like everything else ceases to exist. You feel like the two of you are the only ones on the planet. It is exhilarating and the most refreshing feeling.

When women are romanced it quickly turns to passion. This is the part you guys need to hear. Where there’s romance there’s desire. It’s a win win situation. Give her romance and she will give you passion. Isn’t passion the one thing men complain about the most? Now guys you know the secret. Shower you woman with romance and they will burn with passion.

Women are very emotional creatures. We are ruled by our mind and our thoughts. Tap into us emotionally and we are an open book. We need strong emotional ties to our men. It is natural for a woman to want that bond. Go out of your way to make your woman feel special. Think of all the things she does on a daily basis. Doesn’t she deserve to feel special and needed? Let her know you were thinking of her. We aren’t as hard to figure out as you think.

After I wrote this I started to think. Is it really the guy’s fault we don’t get a lot of the romantic things we crave or is it partially our fault. Women use to get wooed but at the time they had very few rights. Now with all the women’s rights we have fought for how can we blame men?  They have been told we are equals. So have we done this to our selves? That is definitely something to ponder.
—
Tabitha Blake

A History – How Much History is Too Much History?

I am often asked about writing historical romance novels…
People have questions like: How did you got started? Did you take a class? Do you have to be a history-phile? How much historical knowledge do you need? How accurate do you have to be? Where do you find historical information?

Well let me answer here and share my knowledge with everyone who would like to know.

How did you get started?

Well, I always loved the dress and manners of the 18th and 19th century. In a world where getting honked at while walking home from school was considered flirtation, there was something wholesome and sweet about the courtships of long ago. Yes, I do know there were rakes then, and there are gentleman now, but the extent to which public rakishness was allowed is the real difference. Not to mention that as a girl hitting puberty, it was much more exciting listening to the flowery words rakes used, than the ones the boys at school chose most of the time. If I had a time machine, I’m sure I wouldn’t choose to go back in time and live there, but a good book is a wonderful way to feel like I am, without the all too realistic plumbing and chauvinist issues.

Did you take a class?

Unless you consider the History and English I took throughout high school and college, no I did not. To prep for submission to a publisher, I read blogs by pubbed writers, agents, and publishers. They were very helpful. I read a lot of historical romance novels throughout my life and because of my love of reading, I also enjoyed a number of history books and classic historical novels. Those can help quite a bit with creating the feel of the time. If you write in Bronte’s era, read her.

How much historical knowledge do you need? Do I have to be a history-phile? How accurate do you have to be?

You do need to love history, but it isn’t really a requirement as long as you can stomach the sometimes lengthy research process. I can’t stress this part enough. You need to know the period. Reading other classic novels, historical romance novels, and history books which focus on your time period can help tremendously. historical artwork can help a lot as well. You need to know what they wore, how they behaved, and what social rules were. There are always exceptions, of course. If you can’t find out if they had pulls or knobs on their doors in 1745, leave it out (The answer is both, by the way, they used knobs or pull rings). You don’t have to include every little detail, peppering details makes for a more pleasant read anyhow.
I always say, do a cup of research, and use a teaspoon of it in your novel.

Where can I find historical information?

There are a number of places to get historical information. I love classic historical novels and history books best. My fav, at the moment, is Daily Life in the 18th Century. I also love to look at educational sites and certain historical blogs. I will warn you, however, double check any info you get on the internet to be certain it is correct. I can’t say it enough. Check, check, and double check all resources, and don’t use wiki sites. Anyone can add to them, even if they have no knowledge of the subject. A wiki site might tell you that Little Women was about a group of pygmy women. If you don’t know that it’s wrong, you might put it in your work. Double check, always.

Good luck as you go forth and discover your love of history.
—
April Dawn

A Rose By Any Other Name…

Anyone who’s ever read Romeo and Juliet is familiar with that phrase. Actually, probably a lot of people who’ve never read that play (wait… is there anyone who’s never read or at least seen it?) has probably heard that phrase once or twice. It’s pretty common. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

Maybe so, but romance characters aren’t flowers, and names aren’t interchangeable. Could you imagine reading a romance novel in which the heroine’s name was Mehitabel? Or with a hero named Atilla?

Almost definitely not. At least, not in a contemporary novel. Okay, maybe not in any kind of novel for Atilla, given how The Hun kind of ruined that name for all future generations. There are some names that probably shouldn’t ever be used at all. However, there are also names which, while they probably wouldn’t be used nowadays, might be perfectly proper for a Regency, or a historical set in the nineteenth century, or something set in the Middle Ages.

I have a really hard time thinking of names for my characters. Even though the characters themselves often come to me fully formed, with their own unique personalities, experiences, and sometimes wiseass comments, they don’t always show up with names. I think they know I have trouble thinking of what to call them, so they decide to torture me by making me work harder. I’ve gotten them nailed, though; I have a list of names copied from a couple of baby name websites hung on the wall beside my computer. (Along with about two dozen other things… you can’t even see the wallpaper above my desk anymore.)

I write contemporary romance. Sometimes with a bit of paranormal thrown in, but always contemporary. I confess to being too lazy to do the research a historical would require, and high fantasy with the whole create-an-entire-world thing makes my head ache. You might think with contemporary, the names wouldn’t be so difficult.

Wrong. It’s 2010. If I consider most of my characters to be in their early to mid-30s, which I do, then they were, in theory, born between 1975 and 1980 or so. Some of the really, really popular names nowadays weren’t as likely to be given to a child back then. Just as an example, how many baby girls do you think were named Madison before Splash came out in the mid-80s? And now just among my daughters’ friends there are three Madisons. In a small town.

Mehitabel might be a funny-sounding name now. It probably isn’t really much of a heroine’s name, to be honest. However, my great-grandmother, in the 1910′s, had a best friend named Mehitabel. They called her “Bel” for short. Names that were common, or at least not unusual, a hundred years ago may not be used at all now. Or may put people in mind of their great-grandparents. In my contemporaries, I wouldn’t be likely to name characters Ralph and Lucille, for example. However, if I was writing a story set in the early 1900s, knowing that those were the names of my great-grandparents who were both born in 1900, the names might work perfectly.

As a writer, accuracy is important. Some writers choose the names that sound good to them; some choose names that sound like they belong in soap operas. (Sorry, but the names I’ve heard in soaps just sound over the top to me.) Unfortunately, those names aren’t always accurate for the time period they’re writing about, or the ethnicity of the characters, or, on occasion, just plain don’t suit the characters’ personality. The names may not be hero/heroine kinds of names.

Writing does involve work. Even in my contemporaries, I have to do some research, though not as much as if I wrote historicals. One of the things often overlooked, including by me, is whether the names that are chosen for all of the characters are the right names for the era, the background, and the types of characters. However, sometimes that’s the most important part.

A rose by any other name may smell as sweet. But a hero or heroine by the wrong name may turn people off from reading your stories.
—
Karenna Colcroft

Interview – Margaret West

Today we are interviewing Margaret West. Greetings Margaret.

How did you get started writing?

I started working for Eon Productions (the James Bond movie makers) and loved the way the scriptwriters developed their storied around the table. I wrote my first novel while working there.

What achievement are you most proud of?

If we’re talking about achievements to do with writing, I think it has to be plugging on even though I was getting enough rejection letters to paper the walls of my house. I wanted to give up so many times. But I’m far to stubborn. If you set yourself a goal, don’t let anyone sway your from it..So many writers give up at this hurdle and its a shame because one publishers slush pile is anothers publication. I received a rejection letter and an acceptance letter on the same day for one of my novels.

What do you dislike most about what you do?

The enforced isolation. I have to be alone and in the quiet to write. Sometimes I feel very disconnected from everything around me especially if I am on a dead line. Thankfully my husband keeps me grounded with lots of cup of tea and gentle reminders about how long I have been in the office tapping away on my keyboard.

Where can fans follow you?

People can catch me on my blog
Facebook
Twitter
Web site

What part of a manuscript do you most enjoy writing?

‘The end’. Yes really lol. When that final paragraph comes together and everything is just right, that’s when I sit back and smile.

What are you working on now?

Well I have done romance, dark romance and , inspirational non fiction. So I’ve written across the board. As I am a working medium and teach various Psychic development classes, this time around I am writing a non fiction novel called A little bit of Spirit . Each chapter can stand alone and will cover all aspects of healing, Trance work, working with the spirit world and lots more.

How would describe your voice?

I usually write in the third voice. I find it easier. But I did write my non fiction in the first voice and it was so much harder. Power to those author who write in the first voice all the time. I take my hat off to them. I prefer to read work written in the third voice too.

What is your favorite television show?

At this moment I love Larkrise to candleford. I love historical romances and this encompasses it all. It’s is a British television costume drama series, adapted by the BBC from Flora Thompson’s trilogy of semi-autobiographical novels about life in the 19th century.

Do you have any pets?

Up to two weeks before Christmas 2009 I had two dogs. Milo was a Japanese Akita. A wonderful gentle giant who gave me endless love and enjoyment. He sat at my feet as soon as I went into the office and that’s where he stayed until I left. He died during an operation . It was unexpected and I was and still am, devastated. Left behind is Chester. A tiny Pomeranian, who sits beside my chair as always. He looks very lost sometimes, but he never attempts to sit in Milo’s place. I think we both know that nothing can replace our gentle, unassuming giant.

Do you have a hobby/favorite passtime?

My hobbie, if you can call it that. Is handbags. I have a handbag room in my house. Yes, you read correctly. How ostentatious, I hear you all mutter. But I just can’t help myself. The whole one side of the room is shelved and holds handbags of every colour, size and description. Not a month, occasion or event goes by when I don’t feel the need to buy a bag lol
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Thank you for visiting with us today.
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April Dawn

Possessed by Characters

Today’s post is all about me and my characters and how they are fighting for control over my mind.  Currently I have two works in progress. The first one is called, Awaken the Demon and is book one in my Demon series. It’s a tale of three generations of demons under Satan’s control. The second book, Evil Enchantress is a story of an agent in the Supernatural Investigations Department searching for a killer who drains the life force from her victims while having sex. She’s a Succubus on the prowl.

Originally, I’d wanted to submit Awaken the Demon to a contest Amazon and Penguin were holding but life got in the way and I wasn’t able to finish writing it. This is my fourth rewrite of this book and it’s frustrating me.

“Frustrating you?  Imagine how we feel being left hanging.”

That would be Missy Green, the heroine in Awaken the Demon. I told you my characters were trying to control my mind.

“Apparently we’re not doing a good job of it as you have still left us hanging. Might I remind you that I do possess powers that I could use on you and make your life a living hell?”

Draco Starr, a demon born in hell and a direct descendent of Satan, loves to throw his powers around, but I’m not afraid of him. I still have control.

“Not for long. I will find a way to take control of you sooner or later,”

He’s a persistent man but I’m still not worried. He’s too busy right now trying to convince the woman he loves that being a demon isn’t so bad after all to deal with me.

“I have my ways.”

That he does. Draco is a fierce demon, having worked for Lucifer for decades, claiming souls. Once upon a time he loved taking lives, but now he’s a softy—

“Watch what you say, woman!”

“She’s right, and you know it, Draco,” Missy adds. “But I have to agree with him on one point. We both are getting tired of being left hanging. You left us in a pivotal moment. Draco and I had just made love—which, as usual, was great…but I’m straying. While Draco is dealing with business, I decided to see Troy and tell him that Draco prefers I not speak to him anymore. I have this whole speech lined up and you closed up the program and now I’m sitting here waiting—”

Little does Missy know but seeing Troy is the worst mistake she will ever make. It could be the death of her.

“WHAT?”

Now on to this other story I’m working on, Evil Enchantress. I’m really digging this story and I love the heroine, Robin Sinclair. She’s a tough agent who has a wounded heart. She’s worked in the SID for seven years and her previous partner whom she loved dearly, was working with the bad guys behind her back. Feeling betrayed, she’s a little guarded now.

“Damn straight I am. And what does my so called friend and boss, Devon do? He saddles me with a newbie detective who has no clue about anything paranormal and to top it all off, he’s always wearing designer suits. Guy drives me nuts.”

That’s Robin speaking. She has issues.

“That is putting it mildly and if she just took the stick out of her ass and gave me a chance she would see just how valuable I am.”

Scott Walker, everyone. He’s not as pushy in my mind and I can’t be more thankful for it.

“I’m not pushy because I know how you think and I know you can’t let us go. Our story is the driving force in your life right now.”

“No, Draco, you cannot kill him.”

“I never said I wanted to.”

“No, but you thought it. Let the poor guy have his time. She’ll get back to us. She’s always coming back to us. We’ve been in her mind for over five years now. This new book will pass but we’re a part of her.”

Missy is right, though I hate admitting it to her. Awaken the Demon is special to me though I can’t really put a finger on why. The whole idea came from a weird dream I had about a woman discovering she is really a demon and falls in love with a big bad ass demon.

“Damn straight I’m a bad ass and don’t you forget it!”

As I was saying before Draco rudely interrupted. From the moment I woke from that dream it’s possessed me.

“Ah, so my powers are working.”

Draco can be so smug. I don’t know why but I just can’t get this demon story line out of my head. I’ve rewritten it several times, changing it here and there, adding in Angels now and I think it has the potential to be a rally great book—

“Then why are you leaving us hanging?”

Missy poses an excellent question. Why am I leaving them hanging?

“Because our story makes you feel high with adrenaline.”

Robin is right. Writing Evil Enchantress is giving me a high. I feel energized, juiced, for the first time in a long time. I’m excited to write this story—

“And what? You’re not excited to write about us anymore?”

“Okay, that’s it. The next time she falls asleep I am taking over her mind.”

“Just calm down, Draco. Let her be. She’s troubled and you taking over her mind won’t help matters any.”

“Maybe not but I would get some satisfaction over it.”

“Look lady,” Robin pipes in. “Their story might be great and all but I’m dealing with a murdering bitch. You can step away from us to go back to that demon story but keep in mind. Doing so, you’re putting several lives on the line. My Succubitch won’t stop even if you put us aside.”

“Just relax, Shiela. Take a few deep breaths and let your heart tell you what to do next.”

That is why I love Scott. He’s always so calm and reasonable. And he’s right. I do need to do what’s in my heart and right now that’s….working on the Evil Enchantress.

“That’s it, she’s mine now.”

“Draco, calm down.”

Now do you see what I mean by my characters wanting control over me? And two of them are demons who could kick my ass without even lifting a finger.

“That might be true but I have some pretty wicked powers of my own. Might I remind you that I can control the weather and unless you want a nasty tornado scooping you up, you’ll stick to my story?”

“Our story,” Scott reminds her.

“Whatever .”

So, you see, I’m tossed. I’ve got a demon straight from hell and an elemental demon fighting for control. And I have no idea which way to turn.  WAIT! I’ve got it! This is normal—okay, maybe not having the characters fighting over my mind but switching between stories. I just did a blog about writers block and while writing it and doing research I found a lot of documents stating it’s healthy for an author to switch between stories.

“Damn it!”

It’s perfectly normal to work on multiple stories at one time. If a writer is stuck in one area in one novel, she or he can switch to another one until the creative juices start flowing for the other one. This is perfect. I don’t need to feel guilty about leaving some of my characters hanging while working on a whole different book.

“We’re domed!”

Okay, I feel so much better now. And I’m off to work on—

“She’ll pick us. She can’t let us go.”

Evil Enchantress.

“Son-of-a-bitch!”

“Take that demon! She loves us more!”

“Robin, behave.”

Today’s ramblings are brought to you by Shiela Stewart

Check out her work at www.shielasbooks.ca

Style Notes: Victorian Steampunk

I love the late Victorian period, 1880 until 1901. And the age that came next, during the Belle Époque, the Edwardian era, which featured the most dazzling women’s fashions. Those giant, sweeping hats and the slim long lines of dresses that were truly spectacular compared to the “shelf bustles” of the late nineteenth century. Though, to be fair, I have had a good deal of fun writing about those bustles in The Yard Man Series.

And I love the emerging industrialization and futuristic gadgetry of the period. Although some romance readers/writers prefer more delicate times, before steam engines and gravity cell batteries, typewriters and sewing machines, I enjoy having my characters interact with machines and gizmos. It adds another layer of atmosphere to the story.

I do not write over the top fantastical Steampunk like, mysteriously powered submarines. But I do love working in a horseless carriage or a majestic airship equipped with a large balloon and sails to catch the wind. My characters also deal with battery run torches and vibrating machines that alleviate female hysteria. Lol!

What amazing energy there was in this period! Suffragettes organizing for the vote and women riding bicycles in pantaloons––of all things!

Science and industry were both advancing at break neck speed. It was no wonder the people of the period obsessively scrubbed their homes when microscopic germs were discovered and linked to sickness. Technology became so overwhelming many citizens sought refuge in the occult/spiritual world. A great number of spiritual charlatans were about and Houdini was ready to expose them!

And how on earth could romance blossom in an atmosphere that was so literally unhealthy? London air was filled with black soot, which in turn, caused those mysterious thick fogs. I guess I believe that love will always find a way.

To concoct my late Victorian romance adventure novels, I added a few thoroughly modern ladies and matched them with dashing and brilliant Scotland Yard detectives. Presto chango! Or is it izzy wizzy let’s get busy? Anyway, I jumped right in and here I am, in the process of completing my second novel in the series!

Will they sell? One can only hope. I should warn other writers about the era. I have been told that Steampunk is hot, but I have also had an editor tell me she thought the period wasn’t romantic. There are mixed signals coming from the publishing world (romance fiction) on Victorian Steampunk. Do take care and stay tuned.

Stay tuned? Oh wait, didn’t that originate in the radio era? When was the golden age of radio? 1920’s? Hm-m.

Jillian
There are fields in time that burn with desire. Meet me there.
Jillian is currently finishing the second book in The Yard Men Series. Set in late Victorian London, Scotland Yard detectives have never been as wickedly sexy or as brilliantly clever. To read more about her latest work in progress, THE SEDUCTION OF PHAETON BLACK, please drop by her website: www.gjillianstone.com
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G. Jillian Stone

Monday Madness – Oh Goody, we’re giving away a goody basket and a book!

Time to announce the winner of our last Monday Madness! And the winner is…

R Tianna

Congratulations on winning your copy of The Soldier’s Return. Thanks to everyone for their entries.

And now for some more fun…
As always, you must be 18 to enter.

I found a nice bin of books on sale at a small bookstore nearby, so you know what that means. The last Monday of the month goodie bag giveaway will have books!
Today we have a goodie bag featuring Susan Wiggs The Maiden’s Hand.

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Roguishly handsome Oliver de Lacey has always lived lustily: wine, weapons and women are his bywords. Even salvation from the noose by a shadowy society provides no epiphany to mend his debauched ways.

Mistress Lark’s sole passion is her secret work with a group of Protestant dissidents thwarting the queen’s executions. She needs no other excitement—until Oliver de Lacey drops through the hangman’s door and into her life.

As their fates become inextricably bound together in a struggle against royal persecution, both Oliver and Lark discover a love worth saving…even dying for.
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Enter to win this novel and other goodies by commenting. If you tell me what you love about Tudor romance, or historical romance in general, you may be quoted in a future A History of Romance post).

Good luck to everyone.

Contest runs until Friday Midnight CA time. Stay tuned for the announcement of the winner on our next contest coming next week for Monday Madness.
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April Dawn