Romance Weekly

 

It's that time again, boys and girls. Sorry I've been quiet the past couple of weeks, but the first-round edits came back on The Knight of Wands, book one in my PNR/UF series to be released next year by Lyrical/Kensington, and let's just say they were no small feat! Still deep in rewrite land, looking for a breadcrumb trail. Yikes. Anyway, I'm back this week to answer the Romance Weekly jackpot questions. Here they are:

How often do you write?

I typically write all day every day, but sometimes must take time off to edit, promote, and make and mail out swag. What about taking time out for life? Yeah, well, it helps that I don't have one. 

Do you think it’s important to your craft to write as much as you can, and as often as you can?

I used to take music lessons and my teacher said something like this: "Practice doesn't make perfect, perfect practice makes perfect." I think that applies to writing, too. You can write like the Dickens, but you'd also better be honing your craft, learning new things, strengthening your weaknesses, and incorporating new insights into your writing. Obviously, you have to write with a vengeance, but you also need to grow and improve and you can't do that in a self-contained writing vacuum.

What is your opinion on the saying “if you don’t write every day, you’re not a writer"?

I think it's total ballocks. If you write, you're a writer. Not an author, perhaps, but certainly a writer. Sometimes, it's not possible to write everyday and I think the whole disciplined daily word count goals and such are great for people who need that kind of motivation. I typically don't. I get up in the morning and write until I can't see straight. I get up to go to the bathroom, deal with problems, and make myself a sandwich, which I eat at my desk. I'm a very driven, self-motivated person. If anything, I need a way to balance my writing with other things, not write more. As Anne Rice once said, "I write obsessively."

The next stop on our little tour is the blog of the fabulous Susan Peterson Wisnewski. Take it away, Susan!

Romance Weekly

 

Welcome to my little slice of this wonderful weekly blog circle. Here are this week's jackpot questions:

How do you respond to someone calling your writing smut or demeaning your work in some other way?

Well, it depends. My books can get pretty dark in spots and it's not everybody's cup of tea. I don't try to hide the fact (far from it), but, even so, a few have found it not to their taste. All criticism hurts. If it's mean-spirited, it makes me angry.  I've only had one one-star review and, while it bothered me, I knew it was an act of sabotage by another author who was jealous of all my good reviews. I know who was behind it and that she's done it to others. I believe karma and the spell I cast will return her bad actions to her in time, probably magnified. I used one of the spells in the book her hired troll attacked. Poetic justice, IMHO. I don't confront. It's not my style. I work quietly behind the scenes in my own way to bring justice about. I don't expect everybody to like or "get" my work, but, in my book (grimoire?), an honest review by someone who didn't find the book to their taste is not the same thing as a deliberate attack by a mean-spirited person who probably didn't even read it.

When critiquing or beta reading, do you ever find the voice of the other author creeping into your writing?

No. Sometimes I wish I could improve by osmosis, but it doesn't seem to work for me. I have to work very hard and very deliberately to develop my voice and hone my skills as an author.

What’s one quirky thing you do or must have around you while writing?

I've been asked this before and have no good answer. Quirky? Can't think of anything. I keep my library of books on the tarot, astrology, and other forms of magic within arm's reach, but there's nothing very quirky about that given my subject matter. I also keep my Edward Cullen action figure on the shelf of my secretary and the tarot cards relating to the book I'm working on displayed sometimes. Right now, for instance, I have the Knight of Pentacles in front of me because I'm plotting that book in my series and want him to speak to me in some way. I suppose that's a bit odd, but it's not like I have a rabbit's foot or anything. 


Thanks for visiting. Time to move on and see what the lovely and talented Jeana E. Mann has to say in response to these questions. http://jeanaemann.net

Romance Weekly

 

 

Oh, my goodness. Is it Tuesday already? Golly, how time flies when your head's in your next book. Speaking of writing, here are my answers to this week's questions about my craft and process:

When writing your novel, do you know how it’s going to end before you write, or do you write from start to finish?

I typically outline before I start writing, so I have a sense of where things are supposed to go. More often than not, the story deviates widely from the path once I start writing it. Even so, I do my best to rein it back to the ending I envisioned. If it veers off in a direction I deem better than the original, I'll follow along and re-plot as I go.  In romances, there has to be a happy ending for the couple in the story, so it's really a question of the degree of resolution and how they get there.

How do the people you know impact your writing? Are you influenced by friends and family for your characters?

Friends and family, no. Bullies and bad actors I've encountered in real life and on social media sites, maybe. Mostly, however, my characters are drawn from research, the needs of the story, and facets of myself. One of the villains in my forthcoming political thriller is based on Rupert Murdoch. The other was drawn from research into sociopaths and serial killers. Who needs to invent monsters when their are so many real-life examples to draw from?

Describe the hero in your current WIP in three words.

Haunted, passionate, resourceful.


Thanks so much for stopping by. Please move on to the next writer in the circle, the lovely and talented Susan Peterson Wisnewski: http://spwwrites.com/blog

Romance Weekly

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn't you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all... About our writing of course! Every week we'll answer questions and after you've enjoyed the blog on this site we'll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask questions in the comment box."

Welcome to my tiny slice of Romance Weekly. Here are my responses to this week's jackpot questions:

What’s your ideal: alpha or beta and why?

Beta, but not wimpy. Why? Because I like men who are thoughtful, intelligent, and sensitive, as well as strong. My heroes might resist the relationship for their own misguided (albeit noble) reasons, but once they relent, they are equal partners with the heroine. I can't stand domineering, controlling men. I could never fall in love with one or expect any heroine of mine to do the same. He might be a diamond in the rough who needs a bit of sprucing up or a wild shade who needs taming or a tortured soul in need of saving, but the only bullies in my books are the villains..

Do you have a male buddy or mate you use for confirmation or inspiration when crafting your heroes?

I have a husband, but he doesn't take an active role in character development or serve as a model for my heroes.   I tend to use tarot cards, astrological signs, and the enneagram to craft my characters. Linda Goodman's Sun Signs describes the attributes of the men of each sign in a good bit of detail. In the case of my Knights of Avalon series (to be launched in 2015 by Lyrical/Kensington), I'm using the four knights of the tarot as the basis for the namesake hero. The Knight of Wands is a fiery Leo; the Knight of Cups is an emotional water sign; the Knight of Pentacles is a stubborn Taurus whose entrenched in more ways than one; the Knight of Swords will be an air sign who uses brains rather than brawn to win the day. Knowing the corresponding zodiacal signs of each card, I read Linda Goodman's descriptions until I find the one that resonates with the hero and story I have in mind. I then might use the enneagram to discover his deeper drivers.

What does any hero have to do to win your heart?

Be noble in his intentions, however misguided they may be, and care about more than himself and his personal agenda. I try to give my characters a world view and values I admire. I try to broaden the horizons of readers a little while telling them a story. Stories were invented to teach us things. I strive to keep that allegorical element operating in mine, but as invisibly as possible. I try not to preach, but there's definitely underlying perspective and themes if readers bother to look for them.


Thanks for stopping by. Your next stop in the circle is the blog of the lovely and talented Sarah Hegger, whose fabulous debut novel, The Bride Gift, is reviewed below. Take a moment to read the review if you would before popping over to Sarah's blog: http://sarahhegger.wordpress.com

Romance Weekly

Oh, my. Is it Tuesday already? How time flies when you pimping your book. Looks like it's time to respond to another set of probing questions on the art and craft of romance writing. Here are this week's slate:

What is the most unusual thing you’ve ever done in the name of research for a book?

Oh, dear. Blush. I hate to think what people would think if they ever saw the search history on my internet browser.  I've searched everything from torture methods to tips for giving the perfect blow job. I research everything. Myths, spells, history, clans, spells, tarot cards, ferry schedules, when the sun rises and sets in a particular place, you name it. I also spend hours driving around Scotland and England on Google maps and read reviews of places my characters visit to get a sense of how people react to the settings. You can find some of the images that inspired each of my books on Pinterest (link is at the top of the page under the masthead).

Name a nonfiction book you’ve read for research that you wouldn’t have read otherwise. Not including writing craft books.

Can I name several? One's sitting beside my laptop right now: Highland Martial Culture: The Fighting Heritage of Scotland by Christopher Scott Thompson. Great little book that includes not only the weaponry, but also the cultural aspects of martial training in days of yore, including the spells and sians they used for protection. I also bought Highland Broadsword Fighting and Lords of War to further my study of the subject. For a half-finished book I'm hoping to pick up again, I bought several books: Sea Room by Adam Nicolson (about the Shiant Islands), The Pirate Queen by Barbara Sjoholm (Orkney folk tales) , Nature and The Human Soul by Bill Plotkin, and The Fish Prince and Other Stories (Mermen folk tales). My languishing WIP, as yet untitled, is about one of the legendary Blue Man of the Minch who gets involved with an oil company spokeswoman during a mysterious spill in the Hebrides. Lots of research went into the world-building, as you can see.

If you could travel anywhere to do research for a book, including back in time, where would you go?

 

Scotland. No question. Time period? I'll have to think about that one. Not 1745 to 1780, I can tell you that much.  

Speaking of Scotland ... it's time to hop over to the blog of my good friend Kate Robbins, who writes fantastic Scottish historical romances. Take it away, Kate!

Romance Weekly

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn't you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all... About our writing of course! Every week we'll answer questions and after you've enjoyed the blog on this site we'll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask questions in the comment box."

. . .

Welcome to my wee slice of Romance Weekly. Here are my responses to this week's jackpot questions:

Do you have recurring themes in your work, either intentional or unintentional?

 

Yes. Absolutely. Intentionally. My romances reflect on the power of love to heal and redeem lost souls. They also touch on some of my deep pet peeves:  the raping of the environment for personal gain, the hypocrisy of humanity, Scotland's long and bloody struggle for independence, the meaning of honesty and freedom, and the belief in a higher power that's loving and forgiving rather than stern and judgmental. And you thought they were just steamy romances, right?

Do you carefully plot your stories or do you plot as you write? Why do you think this particular ethos works for you?

 

Let's just say, the more I learn about plotting the more plotting I do. Writing novels is hard work. Writing good ones is even harder. Good novels tend to follow arcs and have beats where key things happen as those arcs unfold. I usually start out by writing character sketches, including making index cards for their goals, motivations, and conflicts. Then, I try to map out scenes in a line or two that demonstrate these things while following the maps provided by The Hero's Journey and/or Save the Cat. Even when I do all this at the outset, the story takes on a life of its own (if I'm lucky), the characters act against the attributes I've assigned them, and new and better ideas occur at junctures that require massive rewrites and replotting. Even when I have all the elements figured out, once I start writing, it can turn into a bunch of trees with no forest in sight. That's when I summon my excellent critique partner, Sarah Hegger. She's got a knack for recognizing an arc gone bad and helps get me back on track. Thanks Sarah! As to the second part of the question, well, I'm a person who needs tools and maps to help my muse find her way. The more tools I have and the more things make sense, the easier it is to move forward.

Is there a particular genre (within romance) you could never write? Why?

 

There are several, all of them very popular right now. Small town, military, inspirational as it's currently defined. Navy Seal heroes are not my thing. In fact, uber-controlling Alpha-male heroes are not my thing. My heroes are the kind of men I wish there were more of, not the kind I find controlling and macho. I could never love that kind of man and neither could my heroines. I like to play with stereotype reversals in my work. In The Knight of Wands, my next book, the heroine is the one who fears commitment while the hero falls in love at first sight and must fight his possessive nature at every turn to pursue her in a way that will convince her he's not out to steal her freedom. Let me flip the question. What particular genre would I write but am not writing now? Historicals, specifically Scottish historicals. I love history, especially Scottish history, and have studied the history of fashion and costuming for my dollmaking. I think I could write great historicals. I just need a fresh idea and one hasn't occurred to me yet. First, though, I need to finish the novels I've already got planned: Book Two in The Knights of Avalon series, which I'm about three-quarters through; a book I'm about halfway through about a merman who gets caught in an oil spill; and the last two books in The Knights series (The Knight of Pentacles and The Knight of Swords, respectively). I'd also like to do a follow-up to my thriller releasing on August 30, my first non-paranormal dealing with the threats to our freedoms imposed by runaway media monopolies.


Okay. That's it for me this week. Now it's time to move around the circle and see what my fellow romance authors have to say about these same questions. Next stop is LaNora Mangano.

Romance Weekly

"Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn't you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all... About our writing of course! Every week we'll answer questions and after you've enjoyed the blog on this site we'll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask questions in the comment box."

. . .

Welcome to my wee slice of Romance Weekly. Here are my responses to this week's jackpot questions:

 

What is your writing process like?

Truthfully, it's organized chaos.  It also changes with each book because I evolve as a writer with each book. I'm still very much in learning mode as an author of fiction. I've been a writer all my life, and an avid reader of novels, but those don't necessarily translate whole-cloth to the craft of fiction-writing. At present, my process starts with a rough idea. I sit down with index cards and try to work out the goals, motivations, and conflicts for the central characters and a rough idea of plot. I then try to rough out a map of the scenes. Once I start writing, things tend to change. New ideas come to me or I find something didn't work and needs to be rethought. Now, thankfully, I have a wonderful critique partner in Sarah Hegger, who busts my buns when my characters behave inconsistently or my writing doesn't delve deep enough into POV. She sees the forest when I'm lost in the trees and it's enormously helpful! Thanks Sarah, for all your help.

Do you listen to music to enhance your writing?

The short answer is, I don't. Well, I did listen to some Scottish Christmas music (you haven't lived until you've heard traditional caroles on the bagpipe, lol) in the background while I was writing during the holidays, but nothing specifically to inspire my creative muse. I prefer silence when I write. I am, however, deeply moved by music in general. I play the viola (badly and hardly ever anymore) and was a freelance rock journalist once upon a time. Perhaps I should listen to music next time I get stuck for a scene idea. 

What two songs best describe your overall body of work?

At this point in time, my "body of work" consists of three completed manuscripts (under contract but not yet published) and two works in progress. All but one are paranormal romances. The other is a political thriller. When I asked my one beta reader who's read all of my finished books if she saw a common thread among them, she said, yes, all my characters have demons to fight. Not real demons, mind, but the internal kind that get in our way. So, for that reason, I'd have to choose  "Demons" by Imagine Dragons. For the second song, I'd pick either "Losing My Religion" by REM or one of three by The Police: "Every Little Thing She Does," "Every Breath You Take," or "King of Pain." Yeah, my characters suffer a lot of angst. Can't imagine where they get that from, lol.

. . . 

Now, enough about me. Time to head around the circle and see what my fellow romance authors have to say in response to the same three questions, starting with Carrie Elks.

 

Romance Weekly

"Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn't you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all... About our writing of course! Every week we'll answer questions and after you've enjoyed the blog on this site we'll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask questions in the comment box."

. . .

Welcome to my wee slice of Romance Weekly. Here are my responses to this week's jackpot questions:

How did you get the idea for your book?

This is a tough one, since I’ve written several books and there’s been significant evolution as each went from the first kernel of an idea to the finished product. My first book, The Queen of Swords (releasing March 22 from Vamptasy), I can vaguely recall as a reaction to some of the things I was reading on the Internet in response to Twilight. It was clear people didn’t understand the history of vampire literature, so I set out to write a vampire book that referenced the genre.

How did you decide on the title?

I have a devil of a time coming up with titles. All of my books have had several. The title for The Queen of Swords references the tarot card the hero draws which references the heroine. The idea for my second book, The Knight of Wands, came to me on the freeway on my way to the national RWA conference in Atlanta last summer. I knew it would be the first in a series of four, each featuring a faery knight and one or more forms of divination. The light bulb came on as I was plowing through Midtown. The four knights of the tarot. In hindsight, it seemed pretty obvious, but I find most good ideas do. For the series name, The Knights of Avalon, I was sitting at the bus stop with my daughter one morning, debating between two names for the title of the magical island ruled by the wicked fairy queen who enslaved the knights—Avalon, after the legendary island, or something I made up. One of my neighbors drove by in a Toyota Avalon, which I took as a sign from on high.

What motivated you to get the book completed and published? 

I’m a very self-motivated person. It’s much harder to make myself take time off from writing than to make myself write. I started sending out pitch letters to agents as soon as the first draft of my first novel was published. It took several rewrites and giving up on mainstream agents and publishers before I started approaching smaller publishers directly. The convergence of craft and approach resulted in getting contracts for all three of my finished manuscripts at the same time. I guess it was kismet that I publish them all in 2014.

Thanks for listening. Now on to Victoria Barbour's blog to hear what she has to say in response to these questions.