Friday, December 22, 2017
Be A Better Writer Writing Prompt
Her heart
raced as she approached her front door. Trembling, she looked out the
peephole and saw the face of the man who had been stalking her. He had haunted her relentlessly for the past few months. Weren't stalkers supposed to keep themselves hidden? Not him, the man loved making her know he was always there. The police had said they couldn't do anything unless he tried to physically hurt her. That was ridiculous. Weren't those letters enough? What about the little presents he kept leaving on her doorstep? Every package contained something even weirder than the last. Would her nightmare ever end?
Monday, December 18, 2017
Writing Goals for 2018
Hi ya'll! Today I want to talk about my writing goals for the new year. I suppose every writer needs goals to help them stay focused, I know I certainly do. Writing goals are great for helping us accomplish the things we never thought possible. What are some of the ways you keep track of your writing goals? Do you make a list and check off what's completed? Maybe you keep a bullet journal for your writing goals. However you do it, don't let them stress you out. Honestly, what doesn't get accomplished can always come first on your list in the following year.
So, what are my writing goals for 2018, you ask? Unfortunately there aren't too many. Then again, maybe I will be able to accomplish them all!!! * winks at all the people reading this* So here goes nothing:
In 2018 I plan to:
Have my first novel published
Get my author website done
Submit to more anthologies and poetry magazines
Find a physical writing group to join
And there you have it. Those are my goals for the new year. Until next time... LATER DAYS and HAPPY WRITING!!!!!!
So, what are my writing goals for 2018, you ask? Unfortunately there aren't too many. Then again, maybe I will be able to accomplish them all!!! * winks at all the people reading this* So here goes nothing:
In 2018 I plan to:
Have my first novel published
Get my author website done
Submit to more anthologies and poetry magazines
Find a physical writing group to join
And there you have it. Those are my goals for the new year. Until next time... LATER DAYS and HAPPY WRITING!!!!!!
Tuesday, December 12, 2017
The Busy Week of A Writer
Hi ya'll!! I know, I know, I have been falling behind on blog posts once again. Life and several writing projects have gotten in the way. Now I am trying to squeeze in a new post real quick before writing some more of a short story I'm working on.
What has made my week so busy you ask???? First of all I am waiting to hear back from the betas about The Hunt For Amanda and making changes that need to be made to it. Then comes the reread by the betas and edits.
Keeping Mykinze Safe made it to the 50K mark during NaNoWriMo, but it's still an ongoing WIP. I have done so much research for this novel and am still doing my research.
I also wrote my very first children's book and had some betas read it. So that is another WIP added to my already overflowing plate. Not too mention submitting my poetry to different places.
I am also working on two short stories that I'm planning to submit to anthologies. Besides all that writing I have been reading several books to write reviews for and my book for this month's book discussion group. I am hoping to catch a break soon and post the rest of the stuff I learned at the writing workshop in October. But for now... time to write!!
Later Days and Happy Writing!!!
What has made my week so busy you ask???? First of all I am waiting to hear back from the betas about The Hunt For Amanda and making changes that need to be made to it. Then comes the reread by the betas and edits.
Keeping Mykinze Safe made it to the 50K mark during NaNoWriMo, but it's still an ongoing WIP. I have done so much research for this novel and am still doing my research.
I also wrote my very first children's book and had some betas read it. So that is another WIP added to my already overflowing plate. Not too mention submitting my poetry to different places.
I am also working on two short stories that I'm planning to submit to anthologies. Besides all that writing I have been reading several books to write reviews for and my book for this month's book discussion group. I am hoping to catch a break soon and post the rest of the stuff I learned at the writing workshop in October. But for now... time to write!!
Later Days and Happy Writing!!!
Monday, December 4, 2017
Author Interview: Mayra Calvani
Hi ya'll! Today on the blog we will be featuring my interview with author Mayra Calvani. Enjoy and check out Mama Graciela's Secret.
And now for my interview with the amazing Mayra Calvani:
Mamá
Graciela’s Secret
Publication
date: October 10, 2017
Illustrated
by Sheila Fein
MacLaren-Cochrane
Publishing
www.maclaren-cochranepublishing.com
36
pages, 3-7 year olds
Description:
Mamá Graciela’s TENDER,
CRUNCHY, SPICY bacalaítos fritos are the best in town...
Local customers (including
stray cats!) come from all over the island to enjoy her secret
recipe. But when the Inspector discovers that Mamá secretly caters
to so many cats and he threatens to close her tiny restaurant, Mamá
must come up with a plan to save it—and all of the animals she
loves.
About the author:
Mayra
Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has
authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her
children's picture book, Frederico
the Mouse Violinist was
a finalist in the 2011 International Book Awards; her anthology
Latina
Authors and Their Muses
was a First Place winner at the 2016 International Latino Book
Awards; her nonfiction book, The
Slippery Art of Book Reviewing,
was a Foreword Best Book of the Year winner. Her stories, reviews,
interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications like
The
Writer, Writer's Journal, Multicultural Review, Bloomsbury Review,
and others.
She
lives in Belgium with her husband of 30+ years, two wonderful kids,
and her three beloved pets. When she's not writing, editing, reading
or reviewing, she enjoys walking with her dog, traveling, and
spending time with her family. www.MayrasSecretBookcase.com
About
the illustrator:
Born in Queens, New York and living in Los Angeles since 1987, Sheila Fein has always been inspired by the changing world around her. Earning her BA in Design from Buffalo State College of New York, her concentration was on drawing, painting, printmaking, and photography. Sheila's education as an artist has taken her everywhere from Fleisher Art Memorial in Philadelphia to Bath University in England. Today, Sheila Fein runs two figurative workshops, Imaginings Sketch in LA and People Sketchers in Thousand Oaks. She has been featured in numerous collections, magazines, books, solo and group exhibitions. Her paintings and drawings reside in public and private collections. Sheila loves to make the imagination of others a reality and has done so through her commissioned Fein Fantasy Portraits and Interactive Paintings. In addition to being a fine artist Sheila works as an illustrator. She just completed the book "Mama Graciela's Secret" for Maclaren-Cochrane Publishing.
Born in Queens, New York and living in Los Angeles since 1987, Sheila Fein has always been inspired by the changing world around her. Earning her BA in Design from Buffalo State College of New York, her concentration was on drawing, painting, printmaking, and photography. Sheila's education as an artist has taken her everywhere from Fleisher Art Memorial in Philadelphia to Bath University in England. Today, Sheila Fein runs two figurative workshops, Imaginings Sketch in LA and People Sketchers in Thousand Oaks. She has been featured in numerous collections, magazines, books, solo and group exhibitions. Her paintings and drawings reside in public and private collections. Sheila loves to make the imagination of others a reality and has done so through her commissioned Fein Fantasy Portraits and Interactive Paintings. In addition to being a fine artist Sheila works as an illustrator. She just completed the book "Mama Graciela's Secret" for Maclaren-Cochrane Publishing.
Book info:
ISBN:
HC
978-1-365-86153-6
SC
978-1-365-86155-0
ISBN
Dyslexic Font Version:
DY HC
978-1-365-86154-3
DY
SC 978-1-365-86156-7
**This book also has version
printed in the Dyslexic font, the typeface for people with dyslexia.
Go to www.dyslexiefont.com
to find
out more about the typeface.
Suggested
Retail Price - 17.99 Hardcover & 13.99 Softcover 40 % Discounted
Price – 10.80 Hardcover & 8.40 Softcover
Available
through - Ingram
- Discount 40% Returnable
– Yes
MacLaren-Cochrane
Publishing – Discount 40% - Orders@maclaren-cochranepublishing.com
Returnable
– Yes
Publishing
company Contact Info: MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing 1024 Iron Point Rd
100-1478 Folsom CA 95630
916-897-1670
Tannya@Maclaren-cochranepublishing.com
www.maclaren-cochranepublishing.com
MacLaren-Cochrane Publishing
620 Buchanan Way, Folsom, CA 95630 916-897-1670
www.maclaren-cochranepublishing.com
And now for my interview with the amazing Mayra Calvani:
Cassandra's Writing World: What’s your
favorite under-appreciated novel?
Mayra Calvani: The Goldfinch,
by Donna Tartt comes to mind. It did win a Pulitzer Prize and
received a lot of hype, probably because Tartt comes up with a book
every ten years, but a study revealed that the majority of people who
bought the book never actually finished reading it.
CWW: What’s the
best way to market your books?
MC: Start with the
right mindset, one of success. Setup a mailing list early on, even
before your book is published. Likewise, start recruiting reviewers
and form a street team at an early stage. This can be time consuming,
but there are companies who can do it for you. Don’t be all over
social media. Choose one platform and commit to it. Be genuine in
your posts. Your best marketing tool is actually your next book,
especially if you self-publish.
CWW: What kind of
research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before
beginning a book?
MC: Naturally, this
depends on the book. For my YA Egyptian mythological fantasy series,
which I write under a pen name, I did and I’m still doing tons of
research online and at the library. I even took a 50-lecture course
online about ancient Egypt.
CWW: How many hours
a day do you write?
MC: At the moment I’m
writing one and a half hours a day, Monday through Friday, but I’m
working towards increasing this to at least three hours.
CWW: How do you
select the names of your characters?
MC: Sometimes they
just come to me. Other times I search online for names that will fit
with the character’s ethnic background.
CWW: What is your
favorite childhood book?
MC: I don’t have
only one favorite, but I remember that I loved fairytales of all
kinds, as well as Disney stories.
CWW: How long on
average does it take you to write a book?
MC: Depends on its
length. A first draft for a picture book might take me only one day,
but of course editing and polishing may take weeks or even months.
For a long young adult novel of 90,000 words it has taken me up to
two years to complete it. A 25,000-word novella may take me a couple
of weeks to write and several more weeks or months to revise. One of
my primary goals at the moment is to increase my writing stamina so I
may complete projects at a much faster rate.
CWW: What books
have most influenced your life?
MC: In terms of my
writing, the authors who first influenced me the most were Agatha
Christie, Stephen King and Anne Rice. I read them at a young,
impressionable age and they sparked in me a love for mystery and the
supernatural. In the last couple of years, I’ve become a great fan
of Donna Tartt and Joyce Carol Oates. I see Oates as a mentor and
role model, and Tartt is such a master writer at the level of
sentence and characterization that I always learn from her. A pity
that she publishes a book every ten years!
CWW: How do you
develop your plots and characters?
MC: It’s slightly
different for each book, but usually I’ll have an idea that simmers
in my mind for months, sometimes years. When this idea feels ready to
be born into a book I start brainstorming, then creating a very lose,
very flexible outline. I’m what they call a plotser, a combination
of a plotter and a panster. I usually have a good idea of the
beginning and the end, but not exactly what happens in between except
for some pivotal moments in the story. Once I have this outline, I
may still do a chapter by chapter description of what happens or I
may start writing right away. It depends. During the actual writing I
may discover things that steer me away from my initial outline. For
the most part, this is perfectly ok and organic. For my main
characters I sometimes do character sheets, though I have to admit I
don’t enjoy doing these so much. I prefer to open a file in Word
and simply have the character talk to me in a stream-of-consciousness
way. This can be surprising and many times great ideas will arise
from this method. I also may use this method to plot the story in the
brainstorming stage.
CWW: What are your
future project(s)?
MC: My agent is
shopping around another picture book of mine. I’m also working on
book 2 of my YA Egyptian mythological fantasy series that I write
under my pen name Zoe Kalo (www.ZoeKalo.com)
and which I hope will be released next spring. Besides these main
ones, I always have various projects in different types of
development going on, as well as ideas for other books simmering in
my mind. People often ask authors how they get their ideas, but the
question should be how they handle all the ideas they get.
One of my fears is that I won’t have the time to write them all.
CWW: Do you have
any advice for someone trying to get published?
MC: Read as much as possible, especially in your genre. Write the best
book you can possibly write. Don’t settle for “good enough.”
Don’t give it to your mom or husband to edit unless they know how
to edit a novel. Hire a professional editor. If your aim is to go the
traditional route, you’ll have to query agents. www.AgentQuery.com
is a great resource. The current publishing market is tough and even
if your book is great you may not find a publisher, but a lot has
changed and indie publishing is always a possibility. Whatever the
case, stay true to your vision and don’t let anyone steer you away
from your dream.
Thank you Mayra Calvani for joining us and thank you to the readers. Happy Writing and Later days ya'll!!!
Friday, November 24, 2017
Mama Graciela's Secret Book Review
Hi ya'll today I want to share my review for a great children's book I recently had the privilege to read. It's called Mama Graciela's Secret by Mayra Clavani.
Blurb:
MamA GracIela's TENDER, CRUNCHY, SPICY bacalaItos fritos are the best in town...
Local customers (including stray cats!) come from all over the island to enjoy her secret recipe. But when the Inspector discovers that MamA secretly caters to so many cats and he threatens to close her tiny restaurant, MamA must come up with a plan to save it--and all of the animals she loves.
And her's my review:
A wonderful book that children will love! Mama Graciela's Secret is a great book for parents who enjoy reading to their child. It will be an instant classic to any child who reads it. Introduce your child to Mama Graciela. They won't be disappointed. and neither will you!!! I'm not a parent, just a lover of children's books and a proud Auntie! I would read this book over and over to any of the children in my life.
Blurb:
MamA GracIela's TENDER, CRUNCHY, SPICY bacalaItos fritos are the best in town...
Local customers (including stray cats!) come from all over the island to enjoy her secret recipe. But when the Inspector discovers that MamA secretly caters to so many cats and he threatens to close her tiny restaurant, MamA must come up with a plan to save it--and all of the animals she loves.
And her's my review:
A wonderful book that children will love! Mama Graciela's Secret is a great book for parents who enjoy reading to their child. It will be an instant classic to any child who reads it. Introduce your child to Mama Graciela. They won't be disappointed. and neither will you!!! I'm not a parent, just a lover of children's books and a proud Auntie! I would read this book over and over to any of the children in my life.
Sunday, November 5, 2017
Writing Workshop 2017 Part 2
Hi all!!! Today I will be sharing with you what we learned at the recent writing workshop I attended from Author Kirk Judd. Kirk is a co-editor of the book "Wild Sweet Notes 50 Years of West Virginia Poetry. We read that book for my book discussion group a couple years ago and I really enjoyed it. As you can probably tell, Kirk Judd taught us about Poetry. Here are his poetry tips.
Write from the rhythm, or sound of the poem.
Poetry is what you see and hear around you. It's what you experience.
Use metaphors- use one thing to represent another.
The job of a poet is to notice things.
Learn to observe the ordinary and make it extraordinary.
Kirk Judd also taught us a way of coming up with our own metaphors.
Make three separate columns down a piece of paper. Make a list of adjectives in the first row.(hard, soft, etc.) In the second row make a list of concrete nouns (table, chair, etc.) And in the third row make a list of abstract nouns (love, hate, etc.) Write on the bottom of the paper The __________ ____________ of ____________.
Take a adjective and place it in the first blank, a concrete noun in the second blank, and an absrtact noun in the third blank. You can mix them up and use them however you want.
Hope ya'll enjoyed this tips. Until next time... Later Days!!!!
Write from the rhythm, or sound of the poem.
Poetry is what you see and hear around you. It's what you experience.
Use metaphors- use one thing to represent another.
The job of a poet is to notice things.
Learn to observe the ordinary and make it extraordinary.
Kirk Judd also taught us a way of coming up with our own metaphors.
Make three separate columns down a piece of paper. Make a list of adjectives in the first row.(hard, soft, etc.) In the second row make a list of concrete nouns (table, chair, etc.) And in the third row make a list of abstract nouns (love, hate, etc.) Write on the bottom of the paper The __________ ____________ of ____________.
Take a adjective and place it in the first blank, a concrete noun in the second blank, and an absrtact noun in the third blank. You can mix them up and use them however you want.
Hope ya'll enjoyed this tips. Until next time... Later Days!!!!
Tuesday, October 31, 2017
Ghostly Writes 2017
IT'S LIVE!!!!
Ghostly Writes Anthology 2017
Book Blurb
ENTER IF YOU DARE. A new Ghostly Writes Anthology
for 2017, gives you sixteen authors from around the world with
ghostly stories and poems for you to read. Each short story will take
you to a new place, be it the future, present or past.
Plaisted Publishing House is happy to present this
book to you - our readers. Please note that all stories are written
in the English of the country the Author resides in.
Amazon Link
Kobo
https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/ghostly-writes-anthology-2017
- Kobo says it isn’t available in UK…
Google Play
Author Links
Ghostly Writes is a group of Indie Authors from
around the world who get together to produce an ebook for Halloween.
You can find them at www.facebook.com/ghostlywritesanthology
Saturday, October 21, 2017
Writing Workshop 2017
Hi ya'll!! Today was a very exciting day. I was fortunate enough to attend the writing workshop at the Clarksburg Harrison Public Library today. It featured five West Virginia authors who shared their advice and tips in the genre they write in. Needless to say it was very informative and helpful to the attending writers. It was also a lot of fun!!! The featured authors were Michael Knost, Carter Taylor Seaton, Eliot Parker, Diana Pischner Walker, and Kirk Judd. I will be sharing what Eliot Parker shared with us on today's blog. I will be doing a post for each author. Hope you enjoy what I learned and it can help you out. Now onto the best part of today. 😉
Creating Villains That Readers "Love To Hate"
(Eliot Parker, Author from West Virginia)
The most compelling and terrifying villains in Literature are the ones that appear the most human and the most appealing. These are the guys that the reader might secretly find himself cheering for. Everyone has been taken advantage of.
Some examples are:
Annie Wilkes from Misery and Iago from Othello
The reader can't help but like these villains, at least a little. That's because the writer stepped into the shadows in order to better understand the motivation of these characters. Try to see the best in your villains.There should be a part of you (and the reader) who thinks he can be redeemed.
Very few villains consider themselves "bad guys"
Remember that every character has a mother
Give them flaws, soft spots, etc.
They need to have weaknesses.Make them responsible for the problems your protagonist faces..
Avoid making the villain a corporation, disease, war.
Make them at least as smart, strong, and/or capable as the protagonist.
If they remain hidden, create proxies that the protagonist must overcome.
Give your villain the same attention you give your protagonist.
Friday, October 13, 2017
NaNoWriMo Prep 2017
Hi ya'll!! Today I would like to tell you all about my week prepping for NaNoWriMo this coming November.It has been an incredible journey so far (and it's just beginning!!!)
As you have probably already read in a past post, I joined in on Camp NaNoWriMo for the first time this year, and it was a blast!!!! I was able to surpass my word count goal.
Now I am preparing for the big leagues of NaNoWriMo! I am super excited to be giving it a shot. It brings me joy to be working against the clock. (Yeah, I know I'm a little weird...)
Thanks to the help of a very awesome Facebook group called Happy Writing I am getting this novel all planned out. If you would like to join the group send a request. I'll add the link at the end of this post. It is a fun group. #HappyWriting
I started off with the basics, ie. Title, genre, synopsis, etc. Then moved on to my plot thoughts. After that came the characters. This weekend I will be working on world building.
This novel is already becoming something special for me. I love being able to create stories that others can enjoy. And with the help of NaNoWriMo I am hoping that I can learn to stick to deadlines more.
I can't wait to see where this NaNo prep takes me and the story next. Until next time Happy Writing and have fun with NaNoWriMo if you're participating!!!! Later Days!!!!
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=416925415306646
As you have probably already read in a past post, I joined in on Camp NaNoWriMo for the first time this year, and it was a blast!!!! I was able to surpass my word count goal.
Now I am preparing for the big leagues of NaNoWriMo! I am super excited to be giving it a shot. It brings me joy to be working against the clock. (Yeah, I know I'm a little weird...)
Thanks to the help of a very awesome Facebook group called Happy Writing I am getting this novel all planned out. If you would like to join the group send a request. I'll add the link at the end of this post. It is a fun group. #HappyWriting
I started off with the basics, ie. Title, genre, synopsis, etc. Then moved on to my plot thoughts. After that came the characters. This weekend I will be working on world building.
This novel is already becoming something special for me. I love being able to create stories that others can enjoy. And with the help of NaNoWriMo I am hoping that I can learn to stick to deadlines more.
I can't wait to see where this NaNo prep takes me and the story next. Until next time Happy Writing and have fun with NaNoWriMo if you're participating!!!! Later Days!!!!
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=416925415306646
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
Rachel Brimble Interview
Hi ya'll!! Today on the blog we are happy to be welcoming the amazing author Rachel Brimble for an interview.
Rachel lives with her husband and two teenage daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation in 2011. Since 2013, she has had seven books published by Harlequin Superromance (Templeton Cove Stories) and an eighth coming in Jan 2018. She also has four Victorian romances with eKensington/Lyrical Press.
Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America, and was selected to mentor the Superromance finalist of So You Think You Can Write 2014 contest. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.
She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear from you!
Links:
Website
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Facebook Street Team - Rachel's Readers
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Brimble/e/B007829ZRM/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1490948101&sr=8-1
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1806411.Rachel_Brimble
Cassandra's Writing World: What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?
Rachel Brimble: Ooh, that’s a tough one! I really love anything by AJ Nuest and Kelly Moran and I am constantly wishing for their big ‘breakthrough’ moment. I recommend your visitors look up these great romance authors – it’s only a matter of time before they’re riding high. Trust me!
CWW: What’s the best way to market your books?
RB: I wish I knew *sigh* Promotion is tough and made worse by having little to no marketing support from publishers as authors did years ago. I am yet to discover ‘the secret’ even if it exists. Word of mouth is definitely the best way to sell books, but I also utilize social media, blog appearances and online release parties.
CWW: What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
RB: I research very little for my contemporary work – mainly concentrating on a hero or heroine’s occupation if I’m not familiar with it. I usually choose settings I know well. I live in one of the most beautiful parts of England where I have Bath nearby in one direction and the Cotswolds in the other. I am yet to exhaust places within my driving distance
It’s another story for my historical work. That’s takes a LOT of research. Until now, I have only written Victorian so I have learned a lot over the last six years, but my next project is Edwardian so I literally started my research from scratch. It’s one of the best aspects of the job!
CWW: How many hours a day do you write?
RB: I am lucky enough to be able to work full-time around my family and parents so I work 8.30am to 5.30pm (with two dog walks in between) Monday to Friday and then grab whatever hours I can at the weekend. Strictly speaking, I shouldn’t be working at all at the weekend but I’m finding I am more and more now my daughters are getting older.
CWW: How do you select the names of your characters?
RB: By luck! I often start books with character sketches and as I get to know the characters, their names come to me naturally. For my historical books, I scroll through popular names of the time and come up with them that way. I’m yet to change a name halfway through a book, but I know authors often do!
CWW: What is your favorite childhood book?
RB: The Secret Seven series by Enid Blyton – I was addicted to these books and they were the reason I wanted to become an author. I loved the relationship dynamics and the mysteries. So much fun!
CWW: How long on average does it take you to write a book?
RB: From research through to the final draft, it usually takes me 5-6 months.
CWW: What books have most influenced your life?
RB: Not so much books, but authors have influenced my work and work ethic – I especially admire Nora Roberts, Diana Gabaldon and Jill Shalvis. They are prolific and write fantastic stories that give their readers familiarity, yet something new each time. I hope I do the same…
CWW: How do you develop your plots and characters?
RB: I usually start out with a germ of an idea and then scroll the internet for pics of my characters – I then write character sketches which usually confirms their goals, motivations and conflicts. I then write a 3-4 page synopsis, followed by a brief chapter plan. The first draft is written from start to finish without looking back. The hard work comes with the following drafts! I am most definitely a plotter
CWW: What are your future project(s)?
RB: I am currently working on revisions for an Edwardian romance as well as writing the final draft of a new contemporary, which I hope will be the first in an ongoing series.
As for releases, I have a new romantic suspense, If I Want You, releasing November 8th from The Wild Rose Press and book eight in my Harlequin Templeton Cove series, A Stranger In The Cove, releases January 1st 2018.
Do you have any advice for someone trying to get published?
Write, write, write! Writing is a craft that, I believe, anyone can learn. You need to be committed to a project and see if through to the end. Once it’s as good as you can make it, submit to agents and editors – if you are too afraid to put your work out there, you won’t be published unless you’re prepared to go the self-published route. Also, read. A LOT. And different genres because you never know when something will strike a chord with you and maybe even send you in an unanticipated direction. Have fun!
Thank you for sharing with us Rachel!!!! And until next time happy reading and writing!!!!
Rachel lives with her husband and two teenage daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK. After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation in 2011. Since 2013, she has had seven books published by Harlequin Superromance (Templeton Cove Stories) and an eighth coming in Jan 2018. She also has four Victorian romances with eKensington/Lyrical Press.
Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America, and was selected to mentor the Superromance finalist of So You Think You Can Write 2014 contest. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.
She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear from you!
Links:
Website
Blog
Facebook Street Team - Rachel's Readers
Amazon Author Page:
https://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Brimble/e/B007829ZRM/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1490948101&sr=8-1
Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1806411.Rachel_Brimble
There's
safety in solitude…isn't there?
Single
dad and best-selling thriller writer Ethan James has no problem being
Templeton Cove's most famous recluse…until a surprise visit from
the past plunges him into a real-life crime drama just as feisty
nurse Leah Dixon barges her way into his world.
Ethan's
first priority is to protect his daughter. His second priority is to
keep Leah out of this dark web—and that means out of his bed.
Except Leah isn't going anywhere; she's afraid little Daisy is in
danger. Ethan couldn't live with himself if anything happened to
Leah…but pushing her away may be even harder!
Buy links:
Amazon
UK:
Barnes
& Noble:
Kobo:
Cassandra's Writing World: What’s your favorite under-appreciated novel?
Rachel Brimble: Ooh, that’s a tough one! I really love anything by AJ Nuest and Kelly Moran and I am constantly wishing for their big ‘breakthrough’ moment. I recommend your visitors look up these great romance authors – it’s only a matter of time before they’re riding high. Trust me!
CWW: What’s the best way to market your books?
RB: I wish I knew *sigh* Promotion is tough and made worse by having little to no marketing support from publishers as authors did years ago. I am yet to discover ‘the secret’ even if it exists. Word of mouth is definitely the best way to sell books, but I also utilize social media, blog appearances and online release parties.
CWW: What kind of research do you do, and how long do you spend researching before beginning a book?
RB: I research very little for my contemporary work – mainly concentrating on a hero or heroine’s occupation if I’m not familiar with it. I usually choose settings I know well. I live in one of the most beautiful parts of England where I have Bath nearby in one direction and the Cotswolds in the other. I am yet to exhaust places within my driving distance
It’s another story for my historical work. That’s takes a LOT of research. Until now, I have only written Victorian so I have learned a lot over the last six years, but my next project is Edwardian so I literally started my research from scratch. It’s one of the best aspects of the job!
CWW: How many hours a day do you write?
RB: I am lucky enough to be able to work full-time around my family and parents so I work 8.30am to 5.30pm (with two dog walks in between) Monday to Friday and then grab whatever hours I can at the weekend. Strictly speaking, I shouldn’t be working at all at the weekend but I’m finding I am more and more now my daughters are getting older.
CWW: How do you select the names of your characters?
RB: By luck! I often start books with character sketches and as I get to know the characters, their names come to me naturally. For my historical books, I scroll through popular names of the time and come up with them that way. I’m yet to change a name halfway through a book, but I know authors often do!
CWW: What is your favorite childhood book?
RB: The Secret Seven series by Enid Blyton – I was addicted to these books and they were the reason I wanted to become an author. I loved the relationship dynamics and the mysteries. So much fun!
CWW: How long on average does it take you to write a book?
RB: From research through to the final draft, it usually takes me 5-6 months.
CWW: What books have most influenced your life?
RB: Not so much books, but authors have influenced my work and work ethic – I especially admire Nora Roberts, Diana Gabaldon and Jill Shalvis. They are prolific and write fantastic stories that give their readers familiarity, yet something new each time. I hope I do the same…
CWW: How do you develop your plots and characters?
RB: I usually start out with a germ of an idea and then scroll the internet for pics of my characters – I then write character sketches which usually confirms their goals, motivations and conflicts. I then write a 3-4 page synopsis, followed by a brief chapter plan. The first draft is written from start to finish without looking back. The hard work comes with the following drafts! I am most definitely a plotter
CWW: What are your future project(s)?
RB: I am currently working on revisions for an Edwardian romance as well as writing the final draft of a new contemporary, which I hope will be the first in an ongoing series.
As for releases, I have a new romantic suspense, If I Want You, releasing November 8th from The Wild Rose Press and book eight in my Harlequin Templeton Cove series, A Stranger In The Cove, releases January 1st 2018.
Do you have any advice for someone trying to get published?
Write, write, write! Writing is a craft that, I believe, anyone can learn. You need to be committed to a project and see if through to the end. Once it’s as good as you can make it, submit to agents and editors – if you are too afraid to put your work out there, you won’t be published unless you’re prepared to go the self-published route. Also, read. A LOT. And different genres because you never know when something will strike a chord with you and maybe even send you in an unanticipated direction. Have fun!
Thank you for sharing with us Rachel!!!! And until next time happy reading and writing!!!!
Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Making Your Villain More Evil
Hi ya'll! Today on the blog I am going to be sharing with you some ways to make your villain even more evil. Since I have struggled with this one myself, I thought I could let you in on some of the things I've learned during my research.
If you are a member of any writing group, ask them for advice on how to get the perfect amount of evil from your bad guy. They may have some great tips for you, like this one from author Carley Fisher:
For my villains, I like to make them seem like normal people, people who wouldn't cause immediate fear, but then they commit heinous acts. Lure the victims in and then unleash the scary.
You can also read about serial killers and criminals to get an idea of what an evil character should be like. For instance Jack The Ripper, Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, you could search them up and see what crimes they committed. See if you can find the reasons behind the horrific acts they committed.
You need to make your character seem like any other normal person you write about. Even though you are creating a sadistic person, he is still human. You want your character to have at least one lovable trait that will make your readers empathize with them, even if they are so evil that they would make Hannibal Lecter look like a soft, fuzzy kitty.
How can you do this? Simple, ask yourself what made him like this? What caused him to be the way he is? Abuse from someone in his past?Did someone betray his trust? What does your antagonist fear most? Create a backstory for your villain.
Some antagonists are almost mirror images of the hero. They both have the same gifts that they use in entirely different ways. Or they can be complete opposites. Then there are your antagonists who are pure manifestations of evil. The Joker is the type of character a reader can love to hate.
With my first novel, I have struggled with making my villain more evil. I do feel that he is bad in some ways. He has been in and out of trouble with the law since a young age. He even committed some very heinous acts as a child. Still, I feel there is something else missing. I feel that he's not "bad"enough". As I go through and reread the chapters where this character is doing his so called criminal activity, I think to myself... what else has he done? Was there a reason behind his doing this certain act of violence?And what made him want to be evil in the first place?
As I said before, writing groups are a great place to get help with this problem. You can also use Google or Pinterest, or maybe you can talk to police officers or judges. You could even binge watch shows like Criminal Minds or Law and Order. The possibilities are endless when it comes to ways to help figure out your bad guy.
I hope you have found this post to be helpful. Keep creating those villains and happy writing!!! Until next time... LATER DAYS!!!!!
If you are a member of any writing group, ask them for advice on how to get the perfect amount of evil from your bad guy. They may have some great tips for you, like this one from author Carley Fisher:
For my villains, I like to make them seem like normal people, people who wouldn't cause immediate fear, but then they commit heinous acts. Lure the victims in and then unleash the scary.
You can also read about serial killers and criminals to get an idea of what an evil character should be like. For instance Jack The Ripper, Ted Bundy, Charles Manson, you could search them up and see what crimes they committed. See if you can find the reasons behind the horrific acts they committed.
You need to make your character seem like any other normal person you write about. Even though you are creating a sadistic person, he is still human. You want your character to have at least one lovable trait that will make your readers empathize with them, even if they are so evil that they would make Hannibal Lecter look like a soft, fuzzy kitty.
How can you do this? Simple, ask yourself what made him like this? What caused him to be the way he is? Abuse from someone in his past?Did someone betray his trust? What does your antagonist fear most? Create a backstory for your villain.
Some antagonists are almost mirror images of the hero. They both have the same gifts that they use in entirely different ways. Or they can be complete opposites. Then there are your antagonists who are pure manifestations of evil. The Joker is the type of character a reader can love to hate.
With my first novel, I have struggled with making my villain more evil. I do feel that he is bad in some ways. He has been in and out of trouble with the law since a young age. He even committed some very heinous acts as a child. Still, I feel there is something else missing. I feel that he's not "bad"enough". As I go through and reread the chapters where this character is doing his so called criminal activity, I think to myself... what else has he done? Was there a reason behind his doing this certain act of violence?And what made him want to be evil in the first place?
As I said before, writing groups are a great place to get help with this problem. You can also use Google or Pinterest, or maybe you can talk to police officers or judges. You could even binge watch shows like Criminal Minds or Law and Order. The possibilities are endless when it comes to ways to help figure out your bad guy.
I hope you have found this post to be helpful. Keep creating those villains and happy writing!!! Until next time... LATER DAYS!!!!!
Sunday, September 17, 2017
Dirtiest Little secret Blog Tour
Book Blurb:
She is his fantasy…
Ava Jennings has spent her life dedicated to her family’s steel business. So when she catches her fiancé engaging in extracurricular activities under his desk with a coworker, Ava fires him on the spot. With her self-esteem at an all-time low, Ava throws caution to the wind and heads to a well-known, wild biker bar. She’s determined to prove she’s capable of the spontaneous, wicked-hot sex her fiancé was searching for outside their relationship. And she finds all that and more in a rugged, edgy motorcycle mechanic, the one man in the bar who eclipses all the others.
He’s her dirtiest little secret…
Isaac Banks doesn’t talk to members of the Steel Warriors motorcycle club about his painful past. All they know is he’s the best bike mechanic in the state, which is exactly how he likes it. Ava doesn’t recognize him as the awkward kid who used to spend Sunday nights at her dinner table with their families, but she’s sure interested in the man she thinks he is now. She’s from the world he left behind, and he knows he should walk away—but it’s impossible to say no to the woman who starred in all his adolescent fantasies. All he wants is one night to get her out of his system. Because there was no way she could live up to his dreams.
But he’s wrong. One night will never be enough.
Purchase link:
iTunes: https://goo.gl/vWu2iR
Kobo: https://goo.gl/vHyKhU
Excerpt #1
“I’m going to say good-bye to my friends,” Isaac told her, his voice low, slow, and deliberate, “and walk out to my bike. I won’t wait more than five minutes. But before you follow, let me tell you exactly what you’ll get if you do.”
Ava’s heart pounded hard in her ears. At this point, she wanted everything he’d give. She was already so out of her comfort zone, she might as well go all the way. How often would this moment come again?
“I’m listening,” she told him.
“I will push your every limit. I’ll fuck you in ways you never dared. Next week, you’ll still see shadows of the bruises and bite marks I leave on you tonight.”
Her mouth dried up.
“I’ll take you places you’ve never even dreamed of going. I’ll fuck you in ways you’ve never dreamed, and you’ll love every minute. I’ll make you whimper, scream, and beg.”
His words quickened her heart. Her sex felt full and hot and wet. She pulled in a stuttering breath and licked her lips, trying to play it cool. “Someone has a high opinion of himself.”
“And there will be none of that. No mouthy backtalk. No attitude. No bullshit. Just raw fucking. The only thing you’ll be using your mouth for is to scream in pleasure or suck my cock. On your knees. In the dirt.”
Her insides trembled. The picture he painted was terrifying and thrilling at the same time. She’d always believed that fear was a precursor to greatness, the subconscious recognizing what the conscious mind denied. And everything in her gut screamed Yes!
“You’ll never feel so used or so satisfied, and I’ll leave you begging for more.”
He took a step away, creating a buzz of panic in her gut.
“Five minutes,” he said. “Not a second more.”
Author Bio:
Skye’s New York Times bestselling novels are all about enjoying that little wild streak we all have, but probably don’t let out often enough. About those fantasies we usually don’t get the opportunity to indulge. About stretching limits, checking out the dark side, playing naughty and maybe even acting a little wicked. They’re about escape and fun and pleasure and romance. And, yes, even love, because Skye is ultimately a romantic at heart and a happily ever after kinda gal. Skye also writes romantic suspense as Joan Swan, weaving fast paced novels of passion, danger and suspense.
Skye is a California native recently transplanted to the East Coast and living in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington DC with her husband of 25 years. She has two grown daughters in college in Colorado and Oregon. In her free time she loves rowing on the Potomac. She's always learning, attending courses and seminars in art and history and cooking.
Places to find Skye Jordan:
Giveaway Info:
- Winner’s choice of a Kindle Fire and an Echo Dot
Direct Link:
Thank you so much for participating!!
Monday, September 11, 2017
Fiction Cafe - Writer's Group Prompt -First Line Friday
Hi all! Here is my short story for the September 1, 2017 First Line Friday writing prompt. Enjoy and let me know what ya'll think.
"The Attack"
He stared hard at the table as he tried to recall his attacker. The pain in his head was unbearable. He had already taken some aspirin, it had done nothing to help the headache, or his bad mood. He just wanted the nightmare to be over.
The police officer standing across from him was getting restless. They had been in this room for the last two hours. He just couldn't seem to recall anything about this whack job. The guy had jumped him in a dimly lit alley.
Nate looked at his hands on the table. They were covered in scratches. The knuckles on his right hand were busted open from trying to fight back. He had a knot on the back of his head from being rammed into a wall.
“Do you remember anything about the attack at all?” The officer leaned against the wall.
“Not much.” Nate confessed. “It was almost dark in that alley.”
“Why did you go through a dark alley anyway?” He crossed his arms over his chest.
“Because I live a couple streets from there.” Nate shook his head. “I was trying to get home quicker.”
What was with Officer Attitude? Did he think Nate deserved what had happened? How would he feel if he had been attacked?
“Why go through the alley though?” The officer started pacing back and forth. You could have walked on the street like everyone else.”
“It comes out next to my apartment building.” Nate sighed. “I was in a hurry.”
“A hurry for what? Were you involved in a drug deal or something along those lines?”
Seriously? That's where he was going with this? That was crazy. Nate didn't do drugs and he didn't allow them in his apartment. He didn't have a clue why he was attacked. He knew it wasn't for anything like that.
Nate took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. He just wanted to go home and see his wife and daughter. He wanted a hot shower, and some sleep. Instead he was stuck here at the police station being treated like a common criminal.
“No.” Nate raked a hand through his hair, the action making his head hurt worse. “I was going to see my daughter. Today's her birthday and I had to work late.”
“So, you're not involved in anything shady?”
“Of course not.” Nate started to stand up. “Can I go now?”
“Yes, but I'll be in touch. Let me know if you remember anything.”
Nate walked into his apartment building fifteen minutes later. He wasn't ready to see the look on his wife's face when she saw him. She worried that they lived in a bad neighborhood.
He went down the hall to his apartment and froze? Why was the door open? He felt the fear creep up his spine. His pace quickened as he got closer.
He took a deep breath, stepping inside. The place was a mess. Furniture was overturned and pictures were on the floor. He started into the living room when he saw them.
His wife was sitting on the sofa, holding their daughter. One of his neighbors was with them.
“Lisa, what's going on?” He walked over to them.
“Nate?” She looked at him, the fear in her eyes. “Someone broke in. What happened to you?”
“I'm fine.” Nate kissed her cheek. “Are you?”
Lisa shook her head. His daughter looked at him. He was sure Hayley would remember this birthday for a long time.
“Did they take anything?” Nate picked Hayley up, sitting next to Lisa.
“No, but they left this.” She handed him a piece of paper.
Nate read it in disbelief. What on earth was going on here? What had his brother done?
“Why are they saying they want your brother?” Lisa chewed her lip. “What did he do this time?”
“I don't know.” Nate confessed.
He had no idea what his kid brother had done this time. Luke had always been in and out of trouble. Nate was always getting him out of whatever mess he was in. He hadn't talked to him in a couple weeks. That gave him time to do something really stupid.
“I'm calling him.” Nate grabbed the phone.
“Nate, you have to get him to stop this.” Lisa wiped her tears away. “That note says they'll be back.”
What it actually said was if Luke didn't cooperate his brother would be dead, along with his family. Nate had to stop that from happening, somehow.
Sunday, September 3, 2017
Fiction Cafe - Writng Prompt Challenge
Here is my poem for August 23rd's writing prompt in the Facebook group The Fiction Cafe - Writer's Group.
"Top Of The World"
"Top Of The World"
| Got knocked down again, felt lower than I've ever been. Longing to belong, singing a sad song. A dark time needing to see the light, no end to the torment in sight. Where do I go? Things are moving to slow. I need to get away from it all, to a place where I can stand tall. I struggle to make it all better, writing another tear stained letter. Sick of crying late into the night, it's time to rise up and fight. I refuse to let them bring me down, taking my life back I get off the ground. On top of the world is where I'll stand tall, nothing they do will make me fall |