Social Networking and Brand Building

As an author, I’ve heard both opinions on social networking, and I find myself wondering if social networks are invaluable, or if they aren’t worth the time put into them. Can those extra hours, or even minutes, you spend posting on a site here and there make the difference between building a brand and getting lost in the shuffle? Let’s list the pros and cons of social networking, consider them, and see what answers we come to together, shall we?

Con – Time to write another book.

I’ve always been a firm believer in the write another book method of brand building. I put a lot of effort into writing the next book, and the next. I figure that the readers will come if I can keep a steady flow of well written stories coming out, and in some ways that has been true. I do spend some time networking, obviously because your reading this blog, but if I spent hours on sites like twitter, facebook, and so many others, would I really have the time to write? Especially with all the other things that come along in life to take up our time.

Con- If you’re shy, you might not be able to think of things to say.

This tends to be my biggest problem when I try to social network. I don’t always know what to say. Conversations are going on all around me, but I feel like I’m intruding because everyone else already knows each other. So I lurk a lot, and that doesn’t build a social network. It just means you’ll know everyone’s name, but they won’t know yours. lol

Pro- Friends to cheer you on.

These networks of friends can help to cheer you on or cheer you up when life becomes hard. Be it a rejection from that agent you’ve had your eye on, a bad review, or an illness in the family. You’ve always got a place to go where you can talk to someone about it. I’ve often envied this about other authors on yahoo groups I frequent.

Pro- Groups of authors to help you out.

Even looking beyond the obvious connections that you can get from other authors, endless groups of author friends to network with can be a valuable resource. Contests where voting comes into play is one example where social networks come in handy. For example, right now A Librarian’s Desire received a 5 heart review from Sizzling Hot Books, and is up for book of the month on that site because of it. I have received some votes, but because I do not have a large network, I probably won’t win, even if my book might deserve it. It’s a numbers game. (By the way, if you’d like to vote, go here.)
Another way a large social network helps an author is by getting the word out when you have a new release. I’m happy to say I have a core group of readers who seek out and read each new release, but still a wider network means a bigger reader base that I can touch with my writing. For example, A Soldier’s Woman comes out in September, and if I had a supporting network of authors, I might have the potential to spread its release to a far wider number of potential readers.

I still haven’t made up my mind. I think it’s obvious that social networking can be helpful, but how helpful? Personally, I’m not sure how much more social networking I will do, though I will increase the amount some. I decided to do a blogtour in August. (Check out my website for details.) But I think I’m still too shy to be a network queen, on a social network chatting every day.

What about you? What do you think about Social Networking? What Pros and Cons can you list? Do you have any helpful tips for those of us who are less than comfortable with networking? Feel free to share or start a discussion and we’ll see if we can get to the bottom of the best way to build your brand and if social networking is really worth the time and effort put into it.
—
Ava Delany
The Fetish Club Series, The Homecoming Series, and (Coming July, September, and November) The Beginnings Series.
Look for them on Kindle, Allromanceebooks, and many other places where ebooks are sold.

I Wanna Talk About ME by AJ Best

My all time favorite thing to do it go to my Ning groups.

• http://bookblogs.ning.com/
  
• http://romancereadersandwriters.ning.com/

It was here that I was able to find like minded people.  You know, those wonderful people that eat, sleep, and breathe romance books.  I go into the groups and find a book blog,  and head right to the contact page to see if they have a someway for me to say hi. If they do I might say, “Hi, My name is AJ Best and I was wondering if you do author interviews or guest blogs on your site?
Because like Toby Keith says I Wanna Talk About Me!”  The worst they can say to me is no. (Hopefully it’s not because they don’t like that song.)  If they do say no, then I go to another blog and start the process over and over.

What I hope will happen is a buzz will stir and it will sound something like, “Oh, some chick named AJ Best or something like that will be blogging with us next week.”

Then it will build to, “OMG, AJ’s coming on Friday, I can’t wait, let’s go tell Val!”  Now let’s all hope that this is a good thing.  We are trying to not scare away the readers here.

• http://groups.yahoo.com/  There are hundreds of thousands yahoo groups out there and they are varied in subject as well as in context.  You will have no trouble finding local area writing groups, romance writing groups, sci-fi writing groups,  … OK, so you get the point.

  And with most of these groups they have rules as to when you are permitted to promote your work.  Make sure to read the rules CAREFULLY and if they are not crystal clear and the rules seem more on the terms of mud, sit back and watch.   See what the local yokels are up to and go with the flow.  If you still don’t have a clue, then you may be on my wavelength. Now is when you should take the time to contact the group leader and get all the basics down. This makes sure that you aren’t stepping on any toes.  There are many readers attached to these groups, so get in there and start promoting yourself and your work!  If your publisher has faith in you, you should too.

• Going back to step #10 (Get Your Name Out) get your own blog, and blog consistently.  You don’t have to always talk about writing and your books, you can talk about your real life.  Believe it or not readers sometimes put writers up on a pedestal.  They see you as “writers” and not real people. (Yeah, yeah, I hear ya!) So get on your blogs and show them your real side.  (Hold on guys, maybe you don’t want to get that real!)

• Nine chances out of ten your publisher (if you’re published already) will have a blog of their own.  Take advantage of the free publicity man, it doesn’t come around every day.  Your publisher and their team work hard to get your name out there! Make sure to help them along in any way that you can.  But remember, they are working with more than one author, so give them everything you possibly can.  A wise man once told me (and seems he was told from Huey Lewis or Springsteen), “It’s better to have and not need, than to need and not have.”  So give them a blog with cover art even though they created it, it saves them the trip.  Give them your website, I know they have it on file, but that makes it one less thing for them to look up!

• Review sites are another GREAT source of free publicity.  Most review sites that I am aware of will give a courtesy email to the author to say, “Hey, our site reviewed your book!  Come check it out!”  What they really want you to do is make a comment!  Say thanks.  Common courtesy goes a long way in the real world folks.  And while you are thinking about the review site, hit the reply button and say, “Hi!  Thanks so much for the review.  I appreciate the time your reviewer took to review my book.  I was wondering if your site did author interviews or guest blog posts.  I am available any day that you may have available except for Sundays.  Thanks in advance.  AJ.”  What’s the worst that they can say? NO?  Guess what, you are only out a little bit of time if they say no and it’s well worth the effort to make that contact.

So get your tail out there and talk about yourself.  Get out and let the world know who you are and what is going on in your life.  Let them know the real you and the writer side of life as well.  Get them hooked on you and your writing so when the next book comes out, they won’t be able to live without it.  Stop back by next week where we will be talking about Gathering All Your Friends Around.

My Sojourn Into the Mini Urban Romance or My Romantic Urban Short Story

Let’s write a mini romantic story. A short mini story is defined as a short story of 50,000 words or less. In it you must have a hero and heroine, an event that brings them closer together and a resolution to where there relationship is going. At least this is the setup to the story that I use. So, in recognition of my limited space here in my blog post entry here is my mini urban romantic story and you let me know if you like my short story romance.

Mary Magdalene and Elaine live in Elizabeth, New Jersey. They are neighbors in an apartment building located on the outskirts of the town of Elizabeth near the town of Hillside, NJ. Not the best of neighborhoods but for them, it is home. Mary Magdalene is 40 and Elaine is 46. Both are single, African-American women of executive potential if you get my meaning. Both work as freelance writers for a now defunct magazine called Willow Magazine and are also working for the New York Times Magazine. Willow was a magazine for 40 something’s women who are absolutely fabulous. Mary has been dating James for the last ten years. No wedding ring in site as of yet. Elaine is dating a famous individual name shall not be mentioned and has been fending off those who think they are the “right” one for him. But they aren’t.

Case in point- Mary and Elaine were at a club one evening. They were at a listening party for N Radio. It’s a new R & B group. Elaine is the manager for the group so she had to be there. Mary is the publicist so she had to be there. You get the picture. So besides working their jobs at Willow Magazine they also work for a music group schlepping for them. So her boyfriend is the lead singer, Rein. Rein and Elaine have been together since forever-high school to be exact. But they have been friends much longer. They have been through jail, miscarriages (other women) and distance between the two of them.

James and Rein work together as well. You can see it’s a family affair. And the problem with the family affair is that as attitudes grow so does the problems. But things have been good lately. Until Janine comes along. Pretty little miss who thinks she is the shit. Let me tell you something- this weave wearing, fake plastic body with the perfect surgery teeth (yes not lying girls) has no desire to do any God damn thing. Except chase after their men. And they can’t stand the bitch.

After the magazine went belly up the two still worked for the group N Radio.

Mary and James are deciding whether or not to get married and start a family. They have been hemming and hawing for the last year and a half. Some background. See, she had a pregnancy scare awhile back. No not her. Some ho in the back room. But it was a scare that said to her your man is looking for a family. You better step up girl. So they have been discussing it for the last year and a half. Making sure all is well. But you know how it is girls-one thing after another. And then there’s the finances. Can’t have a baby we can’t afford right? How many of us have said that and have a baby that we might not be able to afford to take care of despite a good paying job? Hello girls.

Elaine and Rein are the quintessential couple that has been the distance. You know the rumors, baby mama drama, the fights, the move outs the gets outs and the kick outs. They have seen the money drop and the money rise. But what they never had their own baby scare. Well ladies, far be it for me to tell you that this man HAS got no idea what his woman will not tell him. And the fact that she isn’t not pregnant (four months to be exact) and (starting to show) means that she now has to tell him that she is pregnant. She’s not a happy camper ladies. But Rein has had some major baggage when it comes to his home life and isn’t sure he can be a good father to his children. So this is his time and chance to prove that he is one to her. And girls, she loves her man to death. So me thinks, there’s no worries there.

Pushing the Envelope

As an author of erotic romance, I’m often pressured to push the envelope on the next big sex scene.  The competition to come up with something original, sexy, without being raunchy or gross is an ever-present thorn in my side.

It’s bad enough coming up with a story line that will capture your readers. It’s harder still to incorporate sex scenes that enhance the plot. Erotic romance is hardly about the sex, but more about the emotions and sensations the author’s words inspire.

Ever so often I read a scene in an erotic novel that makes me slap my forehead and say WTF? If a sex scene is inserted just for he sake of “calling” your work erotic, then don’t bother. Also, sometimes I come across a scene that flows well into the plot and storyline, but seems physically impossible! Other scenes I have read are so unbelievably unimaginative that I’ve had to force the images into my head.  Here is where we need to dissect “pushing the envelope”.

I’ll start with the “subtle approach”.  I’ve been guilty of all of the above by the way. And since I have learned from my mistakes, I feel it’s only fair that I pass along this knowledge. 

Subtle love scenes are perfect for mainstream romance. However there still needs  some zest to the scene, otherwise, I believe we lose the “connection” between the characters.  It’s okay to push the envelope and give life to those subtle scenes withOUT being vulgar or over stepping the line into the erotic genre.

for example: Sarah held on tightly to Roman as his body slid against hers. The intense emotions welling up inside her were on the brink of bursting. Her body seemed to float on air as she melted into Roman’s tight embrace, feeling every move he made. She let the sensation take her mind, body and soul. Roman’s body stiffened and she relished the feel of his hard body against her skin, on her, in her.

Okay so, the above example still gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside, without being too dull or too explicit. The reader knows what is going on through the description of how Sarah is “feeling” her lover. It’s pretty much the same for more erotic love scenes.

It’s the words that make the difference.  Now how do we write erotic-love scenes without being too “boring-same-old-thing” or too vulgar. It’s not as simple as many people think.  Coming up with new un-conventional ways for characters to “get it on” is hard work.  (research is great : D ) but putting the right formula together is damn difficult.

Here’s three basic ingredients that I like to use when coming up with my sex scenes.

1. location-this could be the “originality” part, I think exotic locations work best…or dare I say it…public places….yep that is correct…doing it where some “might” see you is a fantasy most people wouldn’t dare try…

2. Fantasy…ah yes the one ingredient that we all have, yet are afraid of speaking aloud.  This is one reason erotic romance is such a guilty pleasure. This is ALSO the part where pushing the envelope can either make a great scene or one that makes the readers eyes burn in shame. I prefer not to burn anyone so I generally play it safe, (sort of) ; ). I do like to push the envelope at times, however if I’m going to do it I make sure that my descriptions are tantalizing withOUT being offensive.

Titilation…As a writer, I want my words to instill certain feelings and emotions in my readers. I want to not only create a vivid picture in their minds, but also induce pleasant feelings in response to the visual stimulus. In order to do this I have to make sure my words paint very vivid pictures in the reader’s mind. The titillation will follow. So, for me at least the way to push the envelope without getting that “ewe” factor, is choosing my words carefully and in a sequence that describes without being offensive.

If this wasn’t a PG-13 blog, I would give y’all an example. However, if you want to check out what I’m talking about, visit Everynight erotica.com and look me up!

until next wed, happy reading!

Emma

Our Friend the Adverb – Meg Benjamin

When I was just starting out in fiction writing, I took a short story workshop at a venerable San Antonio writers cooperative. I wrote a story I thought was okay and brought it to class for critiquing. Most of my classmates liked it, and some liked it a lot. One man, though, sat through the discussion with a look of utter disdain. When things finally died down, he gave me his critique. He’d recently taken a workshop with a well-known writer, he said, and she’d told him that using adverbs was the mark of poor writing. He handed me back my MS, and sure enough he’d marked every single word ending in –ly and told me to delete them all. Now some of the words he’d marked were actually adjectives (leisurely, for example), but never mind. I’d heard that advice before. Get rid of all adverbs before you send your MS off to an editor.

Adverbs Bad!

Frankly, that’s crap. It’s also a great example of a half-remembered rule. What the well-known writer had probably told my critiquer was that it’s usually better if you can find a strong verb rather than a weak verb plus adverb. She could also have said it’s better to find a strong noun rather than a weak noun plus adjective. That’s a good principle, but it’s a long way from saying never use adverbs.

Overuse of adverbs is bad, but saying you can never use them, in effect eliminating an entire class of words from your vocabulary, is overkill. I understand why people embrace these ideas, though. It’s a lot easier to say “Never use them” than to try to figure out what constitutes effective and ineffective use. But let’s face it—sometimes that strong verb doesn’t exist. Or sometimes you like the rhythm of the adverb in your voice. Or sometimes you just feel like using “said slowly” rather than “drawled” (and if you think about it, those two aren’t exact synonyms).

In general, I’d suggest caution whenever somebody gives you a hard-and-fast dogmatic writing principle to live by, particularly if it involves style. I once worked for a magazine where the General Editor refused to consider the word dove as a past tense for dive (it was an underwater photography magazine, so this came up a lot). Now I could show her countless entries in usage guides indicating that dove was, in fact, perfectly acceptable. She didn’t care—she knew the difference between right and wrong. She had her principles.

Personally, I’ve always loved what Groucho Marx once said: “I have my principles, and if you don’t like them…I have others.” In this case, the principle should be If it works, do it.

Inspiration

by Kay Springsteen

I just signed a contract on my fifth work with my publishing house, Astraea Press. This will be my fourth full-length novel there. What’s truly ironic about this particular novel is that it started out as a summertime weekly free read based on different weekly writing prompts a few author friends and I put together. Around the third prompt, the scenes I had written for the prompt took on a flavor, a style and a purpose. A story began to gel, and 80,000 words later, when I announced I’d completed it, my publisher asked to see the draft. WOW! The first, very rough draft went to her as requested and today she sent me a contract.

Now, I joined the writing prompt team for fun. I love the challenge of molding words and crafting scenes based on a prompt. We use one-object nouns as the prompt, and the word chosen must be used in some form in the scene we write. From the opening scene using the prompt “ice cream,” a good friend of mine, Kim Bowman (Wayward Soul, Astraea Press) kept telling me, “You have a winner here. Your characters are great. You need to stop using these scenes as summer free reads and just write the story.”

Of course, I scoffed. I hmmed and hawed. I didn’t see anything special at first. But then the characters developed more fully. I began to see a direction for them and a plotline began to develop. By the time we reached the fifth prompt, which was “cheese,” I was more than halfway into writing this book. Half pantsed (because of the prompts), half plotted, this was a new adventure for me, a devoted loose plotter. But the story moved very quickly. I felt almost driven to write it. My family and friends complained that I was quiet. They wondered if I was ill or if something had happened. In reality, this story was consuming me, demanding I write it.

It was an amazing feeling, knowing I was writing what would become a full-length novel, and it had all started with just the prompt of “ice cream.” I never know where my next inspiration will come from but never in a million years would I have believed a prompt about ice cream would be the start of Heartsent.

Readers: Does it ever interest you to know where the authors you read get their inspiration?

Writers: What’s the weirdest inspiration you’ve ever received and where did that particular inspiration ultimately take you?

Guest – Rachel Brimble – What makes for a great romance?

Welcome our newest author to Let’s Talk Romance. Incidentally, Rachel Brimble is a fellow finalist for the Golden Acorn, though she has finalled in contemporary series romance. Please take a moment to congratulate her.

—-

What makes for a great romance?

Can any of us really answer this question without a lot of thought? As a romance writer with five published novels (number six due out in September, yay!), I still can’t say I know for sure. Does that sound awful? Even as a reader, I don’t know there is one particular aspect of a great romance that makes me shut the book and then aggressively seek the author’s back list. Which I do A LOT and my husband cannot stand, by the way.

Is it the characters? The setting? The plot? The voice?

How are we supposed to pinpoint one thing – I know I can’t. My favorite romance author is Nora Roberts as she is for millions of other romance writers, but try as I might I could not tell another person what it is that makes me chose Nora’s books over the masses of others out there.

Even as I am typing this I am ‘seeing’ certain books of hers in my head. Montana Sky never left me because of the story, the setting, the ‘feeling’ of the book. Maybe that’s what it is – the feeling of the book.

When I wrote my first Victorian historical ‘The Arrival of Lily Curtis’ I was fearful that readers would reject it as unauthentic or too modern sounding after writing four contemporary novels. Did I have the voice for historical? Could I really write a story set in an era that has always fascinated me but I only know a limited amount about – or at least did at the time I starting planning the book!

But I pushed ahead and wrote the Victorian story in my heart, letting the characters I could hear in my head when I went to sleep at night have their voice. The result? My best selling book to date. I am thrilled with its success and am happy to say my second historical was the book that landed me an agent just this March.

I am one of those authors who write across the sub-genres from historical to contemporary to romantic suspense. For example, my latest release ‘Getting It Right This Time’ is a contemporary romance set in a bustling UK city. Nothing could be more different than my historical romances. I do not chose the genre of my next book, the characters do and who am I to argue where and when they want their story told?

So after all my rambling, am I any closer to answering my initial question? Maybe. It’s everything that’s between the pages. From characters to setting, to the feeling and the all important author voice.

I just hope and pray one day I’ll be one of those authors where a reader discovers one of my books and just HAS to read the rest…

Here’s the blurb for ‘The Arrival of Lily Curtis’ – Book Boost’s book of the month.

At the mention of an arranged marriage, Elizabeth Caughley feels her life is over at the age of three and twenty….so she hatches an escape plan. She will reinvent herself as a housemaid. Overnight, Elizabeth becomes Lily…

Viscount Westrop wants nothing more than his legacy to be passed to his own son one day. Even though he feels insurmountable pity for the unborn child already, he knows how much pain a broken promise can cause and will do what is right. But with the arrival of his new housemaid, his plans are thrown into disarray. Lily is funny, feisty and the most beautiful creature on earth – Andrew is thunderstruck. But if anyone suspects how much he wants to ravish her and endlessly love her, Andrew’s lineage will be in peril. And he cannot let that happen…

Buy her book here.
You can visit Rachel at:

http://www.rachelbrimble.com
http://www.rachelbrimble.blogspot.com
http://www.twitter.com/rachelbrimble

Extra! Extra! Read All About It by AJ Best

There are many sites that have great articles regarding various methods of promotion. Hopefully some will spark your imagination and give you some ideas that you may not have previously considered.  You may use one of their ideas and spring board it into another or your could possibly spin it in a totally different direction. Remember if you don’t like it, then do what David Bowie said and make Changes! The whole point is to get out there and research.  If you’ve found this article then you are taking a step in the right direction.  Bear in mind that I don’t promote or work for any of these promotion websites, but I do read their articles on a regular basis.  I find some of their facts, ideas and marketing ploys interesting but some of the information has absolutely no bearing on what I’m working on at the moment.

• http://www.1stturningpoint.com, What I love most about this site is that email reminders when they have posted new articles.  I swear some days I would forget my name if I didn’t have my driver’s license to refer to. Now where did I put that wallet? So, that alone makes this site worth it for me, but wait…there’s more!  These articles are written by authors such as Rowena Cherry and Amber Scott and include great topics such as Email Promotion and Marketing.  This is a wealth of knowledge handed to you on a silver platter, what more could you ask for? Oh, I know I could ask for chocolate, a million dollars, a three book contract and a cabana boy!

• http://www.epicauthors.com/,  This is a great networking site.  Though it is important that you know that you will need to join EPIC to reap most of the benefits that they offer, but you can access their blog and various articles from the main page.  It’s definitely worth your time and effort for to take a look around.  Make sure if you decide that you are going to try joining EPIC that you check out their membership criteria.  There are two levels of membership and you may qualify for one or both of them.

• http://pumpupyouronlinebookpromotion.blogspot.com/, From what I’ve seen there are some decent tidbits here. And the fact that I am a bookaholic and they have contests also has absolutely no bearing at all in my choice to put them in this article.  Honestly it was totally random.

• http://www.bauuinstitute.com/Marketing/IndieMarketingBooksWriting.html, I’ve already found one of my pet peeves brought out into the forefront here and they said I was RIGHT!  Isn’t nice when you can find someone else who can validate you when you think know you are right?  They have great, to the point, information that is very quick and easy to access.  For finding out more about my pet peeve you need to see me in a couple of weeks when I say Gather All Your Friends Around.

• http://writersdigest.com/article/101-websites-2009-general,  Now you need to remember something here, just because I or some other guy on the net says that this site or the next is the best, guess what?  It might not be the best for you. Only you can determine if a site has any relevance to you at all.  We all think that we are giving out the best and most relevant information to our friends and colleagues, but just because it works for me doesn’t mean it will work for you.  So make sure that when you are reading up on things that you take the “latest and greatest” (even when coming from me) with a grain of salt or twelve.

• http://www.amazines.com/Publishing/article_category.cfm?catid=37, Another site that has countless topics that helps me feed my reading ADD.  I can read about nearly endless topics and get new ideas almost daily.  Unfortunately, as with most of of the places I love to visit, I don’t have time to go there every day and most of the time not even every other day.  But it’s great to know that when I need or want them, I can look at their left side bar and pull up my topics and off to my knowledge bank they go!
  

Search the web for sites that you are going to like.  Just because these references do something for me, doesn’t mean that they are going to do something for you.  So, search out different promotional resources.  Follow their advice, or don’t.  Use their ideas or change them.  Jump into the water with both feet, the water’s just fine!

Guest – Karen Frisch – The Dreaded Synopsis: Last Things First

We’ve got a wonderful guest blogger today. Please welcome Karen Frisch.

–
Many writers say they dread writing a book synopsis so much they’d rather write the entire book. Once we find a technique that works we make it a habit, like being a plotter rather than a pantser. Sometimes I’m even a plodder, studying each tree rather than looking at the forest, struggling to find the right words before completing a scene.

I generally assume it will be easier to write a synopsis once the story is finished. All the answers should be there. All I have to do is come up with two synopses, a long and a short.

But since when do our stories cooperate to make our job easy? As I was writing the synopsis for one novel I found challenging in spots, the description of the story seemed awkward. When I read it from the perspective of an editor who would be judging the story by the synopsis, I found flaws in the development of the plot. I had outlined the story first but waited before writing the synopsis.

That’s when I decided there’s something in the process of explaining things in brief that makes the synopsis worth having during the writing process. It emphasizes errors in logic that aren’t always noticeable when you’re writing the story.

It’s the chicken and the egg question. So which comes first?

Multipublished in numerous genres, author Jo Ann Ferguson uses a chart to keep track of events chapter by chapter. For mysteries it allows her to monitor suspects until they are either ruled out or revisited. For my latest mystery I’ve adapted Jo Ann’s chart to reflect various aspects of the protagonist’s life. I haven’t completed the full synopsis in advance as Jo Ann does. (We’ve already established that old habits die hard.) But having some idea of what comes next allows me to maintain a balance between my main character’s professional and personal life, making her more human. With the chart to keep me on track, I expect to reach my destination with fewer major changes once I’ve finished the story. It’s a road map that shows the way not only to the end but helps to create the synopsis painlessly at the same time.

When I’m in plodding mode and need external stimulus to move the story along, even a partially written synopsis is helpful. If I can’t proceed because the pacing has changed, the suspense doesn’t seem sufficient, I need to raise the stakes, or I’ve veered off track, the synopsis frequently offers a solution and silences nagging doubts. It might seem like putting the cart before the horse, but it saves time and aggravation in the long run.

While I’d love to modify my habits, writing is difficult enough without changing what already works. But I’m willing to experiment. Since I’m used to writing the synopsis afterward, I try now to develop the story and synopsis simultaneously. Even if one springs ahead of the other, by the time I’ve finished the novel the synopsis is also close to being done. Either way, I’ve saved myself some grief while staying a step ahead—and I feel much less dread about the synopsis.

Karen Frisch is the author of Lady Delphinia’s Deception, published by ImaJinn Books in March 2011, and Murder Most Civil, published by Mainly Murder Press in 2010. Both are available through the publisher or at Amazon.

Interview With Popular Erotic Romance Author Sascha Illyvich

Hey, Today I have an awesome treat!

One of the best Erotic Romance Authors I’ve ever read is my guest for Wednesday’s Let’s Talk Romance Blog.

Please Welcome Sacsha Illyvich,

 EP: What inspired you to become a writer? Why do you write Erotic Romance?

Sascha: I write because I have no other choice.  Erotic Romance gives me the freedom to get out a lot of emotional baggage with my characters and give them a satisfying ending, one that I don’t always envision for myself. 

EP: What’s your strongest point as a writer?

Sascha: I keep hearing that my strongest points are that I create vivid, lifelike characters and scenes that you can see/feel. And put yourself in.  Being able to write in numerous genres and integrate them all into one form called paranormal romance makes me happy too! 

EP: What part of the book is the hardest for you? Why?

Sascha: The hardest part of any book is when I stop writing them for a few months, weeks, days and then have to get back into the swing/groove.  If the soundtrack I set for the book wasn’t concrete, if the feelings behind the book weren’t solid, then the book is a lot harder to write.

EP: As an Editor what do you look for when selecting a book for a publisher?

Sascha: I look for the book that has the hook I want, the book that is filled with passion and will build our erotic romance line while at the same time doing the author and their voice justice.  I want compelling characters, character conflict and development and that HEA. 

EP: What advice would you give new authors that have been newly published?

Sascha: When an editor talks, shut your mouth, listen.  Then after you’ve processed their advice, ask a LOT of questions and really spend time learning this business. Grow a thicker skin because editors like me will tear you a new one with the goal to be improving your writing.  Follow your passion and don’t let asshole editors (like me) stop you if you really want to be a successful author.

EP: What new projects can we look forward to from you and where, when will they be available?

Sascha: As to when, I’m not sure .Hoping for a pre dragoncon 2011 release on Burning for Derrick, my puma/witch story.  I don’t think there are a lot of books dealing with witches and definite cat shifters and while I’m a wolf person, I wanted to play with pumas.  Burning For Derrick is

 Former Espionage agent Derrick finds himself captivated by the macabre and sultry sounds of Sonja, Ark-Kaotik’s vocalist, a witch with a voice so magical she can influence man or beast to her will.  Whether it’s magic or not, he finds he has to have a taste of her.   

Sonja’s magic is powerful enough to draw in crowds along with would be stalkers.  Luckily most people are easily influenced, except for the one man that she’s destined to meet.  However, there are those who would kidnap her and force her to influence the world to their will, until Derrick steps in. 

Once their destinies intertwine, can Derrick protect her from the radical anti-shifter league that wants to use her voice for evil?  Will she lose her heart to him or be killed in the process?

EP: Where can we find you?

Sascha: Erotic Romance Author – http://saschaillyvichauthor.com              Fetish –http://www.saschaillyvich.com                                                                   Radio Dentata – http://shows.radiodentata.com/shows/unnamed-romance show                                                                                                                             Twitter– http://www.twitter.com/SaschaIllylvich                                                   Erotic Expert – http://www.writesex.net                                                               Editor Blog – http://whitewolfwriting.blogspot.com

EP: Is there anything else you would like to tell our readers?

Sascha: I’m thankful for every last one of you that buys my books.  You make this business bearable.  You make my day. 

EP: How has writing changed your life?

Sascha: I’ll need a liver replacement in a few years.  I’ll need more closet space for my growing lingerie collection.  I’ll need a bigger wine cellar and humidor. 

EP: Where has writing lead you in your career as an Author?

 Hell and back.  Honestly it’s been a good ride. I’ve met some amazing people.  I’m very definitely blessed. 

Thank you for taking the time off from your busy schedule to let me post this about you.

To purchase Sascha’s Books Visit:

shop.renebooks.com Sizzler Intoxications : http://shop.renebooks.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=Sascha+ill

Total-E-Bound Publishing.                                                             http://www.total-e-bound.com/authordetail.asp?A_ID=61

Amazon                                                                       http://www.amazon.com/Sascha-Illyvich/e/B002IYU4J8/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0     

Visit Sascha at his sites, check out his books and take in his advice…I did and after 20 or so years of writing, 5 years trying to get published, I finally am.

Happy Reading!

Emma

Basil Exposition Strikes Again – Meg Benjamin

You all remember Basil Exposition in Austin Powers—the stuffy intelligence chief played by Michael York whose sole purpose was to provide background information for the plot, i.e., exposition. I thought about ol’ Basil today as I was reading one of my favorite suspense writers because it seemed that he’d wandered into the book while I wasn’t looking. The amount of information the author had started cranking out was enough to choke a goat.

Exposition is a real pain in the ass for most writers. You usually need to explain some things that aren’t going to come up in the action, but you need to do it in a way that keeps the plot moving, or you run the risk of putting your readers to sleep.

The usual way to get the exposition in is via dialogue. The hero or heroine has a conversation with someone into which some of the more important info nuggets are tucked. Ideally, you do this a bit at a time, probably out of chronological order, so that the reader can begin to build a mental map of what’s going on. But if a fact is really important, you’re going to have to find a way to build it in more prominently while simultaneously hiding it so that the reader can have a pleasurable head-smack moment when the final plot twist is revealed. And if the connections are going to be particularly intricate, you may have to have one of those Big Reveal scenes in which all the characters gather to piece things together (if you’re writing a mystery or thriller, the villain may well be one of these characters so that she/he can grab a knife and a handy hostage at the end).

But what happens if you’ve got a lot of historical background to include (like Linda Fairstein or Dan Brown) or if you’ve got scientific information that has to be understood (like Kathy Reichs or Tess Gerritsen)? You can’t really drop those factual nuggets into casual dialog, particularly if they involve a lot of detail. Enter Basil (or Brenda) Exposition, a character or characters whose sole purpose is to explain the technical underpinning of the plot. The problem comes in working Basil or Brenda into the story because if their only purpose is to provide technical information they tend to stand out like very sore thumbs.

One way is to put the exposition scenes in an action setting. Maybe Basil is gassing on about the chemical properties of blood while the characters are careening across the countryside to a murder scene, or maybe Brenda gives you the fine points of the medieval theory of cosmology while the hero searches through the library, frantically looking for a clue.

But whatever you do to them, what they’ll do to you is bring your plot to a screeching halt while they fill in the blanks. If the information is interesting enough, readers will probably tolerate it. If it isn’t, you run the risk of having the reader throw the book into the return stack. Fairstein sometimes makes them villains, which, considering the amount of gab they’ve made us sit through, isn’t a bad idea. Other writers make Brenda/Basil a murder victim. I can definitely sympathize. I’m sure many of us have wished we could just kill those suckers off.

Tag, You’re It

by Kay Springsteen

How do you convey emotion without telling what that emotion is?

If you were a TV or movie director, or producer, would you make a movie that was nothing but a blank screen and a bunch of people talking? Maybe every once in a while a light would come on and show who was speaking so people wouldn’t lose track. Would that help?

How about a book? Would you write a book that was nothing but dialogue with an occasional “said John” or “Jane said,” tossed in?

Your characters have a lot to say. And it’s up to you to sort through it all and help them say it. Now, as the storyteller, the writer has a fair idea of how things are unfolding. The writer hears it as the character is saying it, sees it happening as the character does it. The writer knows what the characters feel, what they think, what plans they may be making. The reader has only the knowledge the writer imparts. So a writer may have a firm grasp of the scene, but the reader starts out with absolutely no clue.And that’s where the writer’s job come in. The writer advances the story through action, thinking, dialogue, and narrative, all wound up into a presentable package that the readers shouldn’t want to put down until they get to the last page.

To set up mood in a scene, there is nothing better than action. Clenching fists, punching a wall, stalking away — great demonstrations of anger. Biting fingernails, lip chewing, fidgeting in the seat, shuffling from one foot to the other — great depictions of nervousness. The author can use dialogue here as well. “Where do you think you’re going?” or “I’m not sure I want to.”

In the past, extensive use of dialogue tags and adjectives conveyed the tone to the reader. “Where do you think you’re going?” he demanded angrily. The most recent trend has been to eliminate all but the most common dialogue tags and to limit the use of adjectives, especially those ending in -ly. In the light of this trend, how can the writer make certain the emotions are communicated? With the tag and the adjective eliminated, we have the simple statement: “Where do you think you’re going?” The words themselves show a possible degree of firmness. If two people are in an argument and this statement is used, there is little doubt the words are said with at least a somewhat angry tone. But to emphasize it, the writer has the option of inserting an action. Actions, when used in passages with dialogue are the punctuation that explains the emotion. “Where do you think you’re going?” He grabbed her arm and jerked her back against him. “Where do you think you’re going?” He slapped his palm on the door and slammed it shut before she got it all the way open.

But what if the tone is not meant to be angry? “Where do you think your’e going?” he asked playfully. Take off the tag and the adjective and add an action and the picture becomes crystal clear. “Where do you think you’re going?” With a chuckle, he hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her back into his embrace, tickling her until she burst into helpless laughter.

The actions in your story give the readers a visual to go with the audio they are reading. Combining action in dialogue passages not only keeps the reader immersed in the story but also keeps the story from becoming stagnant and motionless.

As a reader, how do you like to read about the emotions in a scene? As a writer, how do you convey the emotions in a scene?

Social Networking Pet Peeves

I’m a rather picky person. Don’t believe me? Ask anyone I’ve ever come into contact with. There are some things that just hit a nerve with me. And unlike the entire world’s population, I have two cents to give to everyone about everything under the sun. If I would quit giving my two cents, I might be able to pay attention.

I’m going to share another set of pennies with you, even if you didn’t ask.

When I follow an author (in a totally non-stalkerish manner) I’ve been noticing something that just gets my goat. Here’s an example:

(TWITTER) @AuthorJane – new book comes out in one week. Off to clean the bookshelves so I have room.

(FACEBOOK) new book comes out in one week. Off to clean the bookshelves so I have room.  Via twitter

(LINKEDIN) new book comes out in one week. Off to clean the bookshelves so I have room.

So what have I learned here? Not too much of anything. I know that integrating social media sites makes life easier, but it can also cause others to see through you. Each social media outlet has a purpose, so use it toward that purpose.

Twitter is around so you can see the fail whale, sorry I digress, and give tidbits of information about yourself. Unfortunately readers honestly don’t care about how many times you’ve changed a diaper today. The color of your mucus holds no attraction either. Consider holding contests, posting links to your latest blog posts, or even share the love of some of your favorite authors.

Facebook is a whole new critter. I’ve tried to use it, but can’t tear myself from the personal page to check it as often as I should. I honestly got rid of mine before it even started. It’s nice to know your limitations and only work on what will be productive for you. If you spend too much time on the social networks, you could loose out on productive writing time and your next manuscript.

LinkedIn is more of a networking platform than social media. Knowing this, think about what goes on your pages and updates. Your future boss may see what’s on there. Don’t post about the kegger you went to last night, or the amount of ta-tas that were flashed. Post links of your work, current blogs and guest blogs. These things will show a publisher or freelance company what you are capable of.

So now that you’ve fought over the pennies, let me know what you think. I’d love for you to stop by and say hi on my website www.ajbestwrites.com or feel free to stalk me by emailing ajbestwrites@gmail.com.

My Handy Dictionary

Its fair time in New Jersey being held at the Meadowlands in East Hanover NJ. You take the NJ Turnpike to the East Hanover Exit which I think is Exit 3 go around the bend and then move towards your right. And then drive towards the Meadowlands Arena and have a blast. The last time I went there was a couple of years ago. It wasn’t bad. Haven’t been back there since and not because I got hurt. Just haven’t been back there. What does that have to do with the price of tea in china? Not a thing. It’s just summer days and summer nights.

I have nothing to say except I keep a dictionary with me when I read because I get a new word and then have to look up its meaning. I use both the Merriam Webster’s Dictionary and the Webster’s New World Dictionary. It Is a handy tool to have for a writer. You can actually use it to help summarize your book blurb, your query letter and your synopsis. But the best part of having a dictionary handy is for the times when your mind goes blank and you can’t think of how to spell a word. The dictionary also helps when you are trying to do phrases that are foreign or when you are trying to say something a different way. I think that most people really appreciate having a dictionary handy.

In the Merriam Webster Dictionary which is from 1994 it has a couple of sections that I will detail for you. Bear with me while I go through this. It has the preface page that gives you the editorial staff names. If you are like me I look for people that I know. To date none. The next page is the explanatory notes, followed by pronunciation. After that is the continuation of grammar such as verbs, adjectives, adverbs and capitalization. Then the next section is etymology. Usage is next which helps explain both the grammar and etymology sections that came previously in the dictionary.

Then comes the fancy parts of the dictionary. There is a section called sense division and that is essentially explaining how we use certain words, punctuation marks and foreign language words in our vocabulary and writing. This is then followed by cross-reference, synonyms, combining forms, prefixes suffixes, lists of undefined words, abbreviations and symbols, and abbreviations used in the actual dictionary you are using. And then your dictionary begins. At the end of your dictionary is your foreign words and phrases, nations of the worlds, population of places in the United States (not sure why you need that section actually), summary by the states and dependencies for population in the country split by years and Canada. Then you have your signs and symbols sections which include astronomy, business, mathematics, medicine, miscellaneous, reference marks, stamps and stamp collecting and weather.

What have I just described for you- a mini English text. Hahaha! Who would have thought that huh? Not even me. Sorry folks not that smart or forward thinking. But this mini English text will help you write your next novel. Oh and as for your summer, remember your sun-block, money for New Jersey tolls and a good novel-your all set for summer. But you have to wait for the next year’s State Fair for NJ unless you’re heading towards New York.

Writing Saved Me…

The other day I pulled out an old file from one of my saved archive CDs. I opened the file and found several old pieces of works I had written but never tried publishing. The CD was an old Journal from a very hard time in my life. I was in my early twenties at the time; newly divorced and in counseling for domestic violence. I read a particular piece called Little Suzie.

It was a story about a young woman who had at somehow ceased to exist. She woke up one day and found herself standing outside her body, her life, as an observer looking in.  And for the first time she saw what her life had become.

Here is an excerpt from that story,

Little Suzie didn’t move. I could see the bruise darken on her cheek. Tears streak down her face and she wonders what happened. Upstairs she could hear him and Tammy on her bed. It wasn’t his bed. She’d bought it with her own money, before they got married. Everything in her house was hers, she paid for it. After all she was the only one with a job.

My cheek stings. The bruise. What happened. Little Suzie came home and found him with Tammy. Not that she cared. After all, it kept him off her. Really Tammy did her a favor. They had been friends for a long time, until he came between them. But it’s Suzie’s fault, she let Tammy move in. Maybe she knew what would happen, what she wanted to happen. Keeps him off her.

My head is spinning. I feel sick again. Little Suzie is holding her stomach. She makes her way to the bathroom and sticks her finger down her throat. When it’s done she feels better. Always better after.  Head still hurts though. What happened?

I remember. I touch my cheek, and flinch. I see Little Suzie do the same. I’m staring at her and she is staring at me. And we cry.

Pretty intense stuff, but after I wrote this, I made the best decision of my life and left my abuser. I often wonder what would have happened had I never started writing?

Emma