Even in the Quietest Moments

From the #MyLifeIsAMusical column...

Did you know I almost titled one of my books with this song? Instead, it ended up being Mist on the Meadow. It was inspired by a moment - a deer coming out of the woods at just this time of year, its breath coming out in puffs of steam in the chilly morning air. It was a "moment of grace," when the world around me stopped so I could appreciate something beautiful. Is it just me? Or have those moments become fewer and further between?

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about a different type of grace. I'm proud to say the band inside me has packed up and gone home, but one of the things I've been practicing is making the world around me "quiet." This is a challenge these days, but a necessary part of my recuperation. Call it meditation if you like.

Because of the season, I've been using Christmas carols (okay, shoot me, but there are several that are quiet and reflective), and as I sit there with my eyes closed trying to quiet my mind and my body, a picture came to mind. 

Years ago, when I was dating the rock star, I'd been triggered by something (my own personal baggage that still creeps up to this day), and went for a walk alone on a dark, winter's night. I went to a place that had always brought me joy - the local tennis courts (fun fact, when I was young, my life's ambition was to become a professional tennis player). As I stood on the corner, fighting my inner demons, it began to snow. The soft, gentle flakes you see in those Hallmark movies. There's something peaceful about snow (which is why Hallmark uses it as a cliche). I turned my face to the sky and absorbed the moment of grace, and that's the moment that has been coming to me now. The silence of the snowflakes. The quiet of the world around me. I don't remember much about the rest of that night - I think I went on to the movie theater and the rock star met me there. I didn't think he would, so it was another happy moment in what started out as a tumultuous night.

I've been taking a hiatus from the writing after the release of DARK SHADOWS. I'd meant to take a hiatus after the previous one, but when the editor prompted me, I figured I had to follow the path she sent me down. Despite having dozens of ideas floating around inside my brain at any given time, I haven't found the motivation to snag one and put it into words. I can't help but wonder if that moment of grace I experienced years ago is asking for its turn considering how often I've thought of it over the past month. Inspiration is everywhere if you're willing to look. But I also need the quiet time right now, the same way I needed it that night lo, those many years ago.

I'm planning a blogcation over the holidays. Taking time out to enjoy the world around me while I still can rather than hide in my office creating alternate realities. Never fear, I'll be back in January, hopefully refreshed and ready to write. Maybe even about the moment of grace that I've been holding onto all these years as a way to quiet my mind. I may be back before the end of the year if sparks ignite. In the meantime, I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving next week and if I don't see you before then, Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays (whichever you celebrate).

 

Focusing your writing

When I first started seriously writing, I had this brilliant idea. I wanted to write a quest for the holy grail, and off I went.

I did research. I took writing classes to sharpen my craft. I read books on writing. In the end, I let the story carry me away, and boy, did it ever.

Research can take you down all sorts of rabbit holes. While I was learning, I learned MORE interesting things, things I wanted to incorporate into the story. As a result, early versions of that novel were quite scattered, even if what I was learning and trying to convey was So Interesting. But it became a runaway horse. The story got too big and got away from me.

I went back to the craft books and learned about theme. Focus. What's this story about? 

Theme

First off, you need to figure out what your story is. Every chapter should move the story forward, one step at a time and not wander off the path. 

A well-known author I've read wrote several books where she liked to show off her research. It dragged the pace way down, and ultimately, I was interested in what she showed, but I would have appreciated her more if it had been presented in a separate book addressing a different theme. There was literally a third of the book that wandered away from the theme to provide the background/history - like "100 years ago..." That deserved its own book. As she wrote it (and it was a voluminous tome) it distracted me from what was happening in THIS book. Theme.

I learned about theme writing my first book. In my "quest for the holy grail," I ran across different interpretations of what the holy grail actually is. Then I discovered different aspects to those interpretations. They are wide and varied, and some are quite interesting, but rather than speculate in my story about all those variations, I needed to focus on one. The history surrounding all the players was fascinating, but is it relevant to what I'm writing? Choose what you want to portray and stick with it. For instance, Knights Templar. I learned so much about them and wanted so badly to use all that I'd learned, but none of it related to my character or her quest. The only thing that mattered was one of the secondary characters (well, two) continued the traditions. It wasn't about them. Avoid things that distract your reader from where you're taking the story. 

Moving the story forward - goals, motivation and conflict

While I was writing, I'd been hoping to write something to rival Indiana Jones. In the end, that's not my area of expertise. I grew up reading romance and horror (odd combination, I know, but it is what it is). My story developed as a romance, with part of the reason being I didn't know what to do with the grail once I found it. Stick it in a storage room, like Indiana Jones? I think not. I suppose I could have written a whole series on a grail keeper and their adventures, but again, that isn't my strong suit. My story turned into a romance, with the grail quest as the theme. My character's goal was to find the grail. Part of the conflict was "does it really exist?" Her motivation was to do something for herself. Chase her dreams. Fulfill her father's wishes for her. Everything she does is in pursuit of that goal, until the romance derails her. More conflict. She has to break rules to pursue her goal. More conflict. The point here is it sticks to the theme. In this case, the grail quest, and not all the possibilities. Even if the goal changes, don't lose sight of the focal point - the theme.

Figure out which details are important and which ones aren't

Again, using my quest for knowledge as the example, my scattershot approach produced lots of avenues that didn't move things forward. They didn't add to the story, but rather distracted from it. With that being said, I was able to include some of those peripheral ideas in my example. My main character is on a quest for the grail. It only makes sense she's not the only one. All the research I did helped me determine which details I could use and forced me to consider which things to cut. Indiana Jones was in competition with the Nazis. My character is in competition with religious zealots - some of those folks that turned up in my peripheral research. I was able to use some of that peripheral research and turn it into important details that all came together to tie my theme up. There are those who pursue the grail for "good" and there are those who pursue the grail for "evil" or greed. Waxing poetic on the details for what powers the grail might originally have possessed are also side quests. What's relevant is whether any of those show up in this story. Speculation detracts. 

Other miscellaneous details. I learned about the region my character was visiting. The vegetation. The population. The culture. Things that are unique to that part of the world. It helps to add "color," although not everything is pertinent to the story. I was able to incorporate certain details that highlight the theme. Some of those details were "oh, that's interesting" but didn't have a place in the story. 

At the end of the day, your story has to have focus. A beginning, a middle, and an end. Set the stage for your story at the beginning. Is there an inciting incident? Something that spurs the character on? As they are spurred on, what obstacles do they encounter along the way? Everything should move toward a climax, when that goal is achieved, or changed, or "all is lost." From there, it should move toward a resolution. All of this should tie into your theme. If I want to explain all about the Knights Templar along the way, even if they're related, those Knights need to have a reason to be in the story. Or if I discovered the grail had magical properties, the divine miracles that happened when it was first "blessed," telling that story probably isn't relative to the present quest. 

Theme is important. It keeps your reader focused and provides a more satisfying reading experience.

Election Day

Surprise. I'm blogging a day early this week. Why? Because I want to emphasize how important it is to vote. 

I'll admit, when I was young(er), it was a privilege I didn't always take advantage of because I didn't have a horse in the race. With that being said, if I had strong feelings one way or the other, I made it a point to get to the polls. Now that I'm a "grown up," I make sure to vote, because I no longer feel like "one vote won't count." EVERY vote counts. So if you haven't already done so, get yourself off to the polling place and make your voice heard.

Happy Halloween!

Do you celebrate Halloween? When I walk around the neighborhood, there are several houses that are decorated with skeletons and spiders and all sorts of fun things. While I appreciate everyone's displays, I was never one to do that myself. Part of it is sheer laziness, part of it is conditioning from a previous life where someone went overboard with cheap-looking displays. Oh, who am I fooling. It's a knee-jerk response to someone who overdid everything, which inspired the opposite in me. 

I have nothing against Halloween. I used to trick-or-treat. Heck, I write scary books, for heaven's sake! I love scary movies (not the slasher type, but the ghouls and ghosts and goblins and witches type). I have to say I was surprised when the school I sent my kids to was anti-Halloween. The kids weren't allowed to dress up or celebrate in any way, shape or form. I understood the school's rationale, and it wasn't worth making a fuss over, but I can't say I agreed with them.

There's a lot of that sort of sentiment going around these days - the "my thinking is the right way" kind of thing. Wouldn't it be boring if we all conformed to the same way of thinking?

But I digress. My favorite scary movie is the original THE HAUNTING. (Yes, you'll note that I included a reference in DARK SHADOWS). When the walls breathe? Gets me every time. Or the pounding moving down the hallways. Another favorite is THE UNINVITED. I loved the way Mary Meredith comes strolling down the stairs, and I was inspired to find out what mimosa smelled like after watching that movie. Yes, these are OLD, Black and White movies (quote from the Big Guy, "Who watches black and white movies?") During the advent of the slasher movies, HALLOWEEN got me. Scary stuff, but that was the ONLY slasher movie I ever liked. You know what other movie I really liked? THE SIXTH SENSE. Nice twist.

Then there are scary books. I have to tell you, after reading THE AMITYVILLE HORROR, I couldn't have that book in the same room with me. Only book to ever get to me, and I read a LOT of Stephen King books. Speaking of, I love reading Stephen King. Oh! Oh! When I saw the movie CARRIE in the theater, there was a big, tough jock a couple of seats ahead of me, and in the end? (if you saw it, you know what I'm talking about), he jumped out of his seat and slapped at it with his hands to chase the spooks away. That was as entertaining as the "shock scene." 

Are you a fan of the holiday? Do you have a favorite scary movie? Scary book? Let's compare notes. I'd love to find a new favorite!

Since it's Halloween, I'm sharing the new trailer with you one more time. It IS kinda spooky, after all. Have you read DARK SHADOWS, yet?

A Day in the Life -- "I'm Okay."

This has been a fun (said with deep sarcasm) month and a half.

So here's the thing. Several years ago, I wrote a book called COOKIE THERAPY about a clumsy heroine. It seemed like the thing to do, and because they often say "write what you know," it was easy to draw from experience. I don't think some people fully appreciate how clumsy everyday life can make you. I even added a bit about "tripping on air" in DARK SHADOWS, because I'm not the only one with that skill.

Let me share with you a page out of my life. While I regularly appreciate the world around me, it can be said I'm not always fully attentive. I take pictures of fun little things that catch my eye while I'm out walking "out and about," but then I trip on the uneven sidewalk while taking a picture of the turkey vulture hanging out by the pond. Just call me Grace.

Recently, I've been paying the price for a lifetime of these missteps. I get a required minimum of exercise every day, so I'm not altogether a lump on a log. With that being said, recently, I had some pain that refused to go away. So I checked in with the doctor. I spent more time than I should deciding on which orthopedic guy to visit because I have a history with several that I prefer not to engage again, and they tend to be highly specialized. Ultimately, I popped in to visit one and yes, I have issues. I've had orthopedic issues for years, but they generally don't rear their ugly heads because of said exercise every day. But I digress. Commence x-rays and MRIs and physical therapy and a treatment plan. Things are starting to improve! Just as I'm reaching the "what's your pain level today?" scale of "barely there," I fall a$$ over teakettle down the stairs one morning. Scratch that. I went down on my derriere. Sitting on the bottom step, I realized I've given myself a good scare. Ooops. The Big Guy heard me go down. Now he's scared, too. He tries to help, which isn't helpful (gotta love that guy, though). After an assessment, no bones sticking out where they shouldn't be, everything seems to be straight. Some bruises, some contusions, one nasty cut, and I decide I'm okay. I'm relegated to the recliner for the rest of the day.

Fast forward a couple of days to the weekend. I'm not feeling right. Can't call the doctor. It's the weekend. So off I go to Urgent Care, because who wants to spend Saturday in the ER? Urgent Care takes one look at me and "because of my age and because of the nature of my fall" (can I slap that guy? I mean, I know I'm getting older, but am I REALLY at "that age?") he sends me to the ER. Where I spend my Saturday. Oh well. So here's the thing. I checked out okay. "I'm okay!" Except for one vital sign which has stubbornly decided to throw a party. "Is this normal?" the ER nurse asks me. NO, It's not normal. They check me three times, but the band isn't going home, and the dancing goes on. The ER doc decides they don't need to keep me just for that and they send me home. "But keep an eye on it."

Okey dokey. Keeping an eye on it. Two days later and the rave is still going on. Am I going to fall back into being "that age?" Am I falling apart? Suddenly, everything is going to stop working? So, per my discharge instructions, I call my regular doc. Fill him in on my escapades and the ongoing rave my body has decided to throw. Bless him, he says he can't justify a case for this being a new problem because my history is so "pristine." (I knew I liked this guy) But now it's something I have to keep an eye on. Likely, the "rave" is part of all the other stuff, the pain, the treatment, the stress. Unfortunately, it means monitoring until the band and all the party goers taking up residence inside me go home just to make sure it doesn't BECOME a new problem.

I've learned a whole lot about my body in the last week. MRIs and CTs show you things you'd rather not know about. And as I told the guy in the ER, every day since the fall, I'm finding new bruises and abrasions I missed from that fateful event. The good news is the initial pain is gone. Now it's just the bruises and contusions.

The Big Guy is still following me around and telling me to be careful on the steps, a week later. It was a one-off. I'm a klutz. I told him if he wants to make sure I don't do it again, let's buy a house without so many steps! Fodder for a new book? Guess I've already been there, done that. It does keep me up to date on ER protocol, however! 

Back to our regularly scheduled program next week...

Is gothic romance dead?

Asking the question about gothic romance makes me feel old. 

I grew up reading Victoria Holt and Phyllis Whitney, among others. These books are written from a single point of view, usually the heroine, and the hero is something of a scoundrel. Can he be trusted? Is the heroine's life in danger?

When I attended my first (or it might have been my second) writers' conference, I met Erica Ridley, who had just released her very first novel - a gothic romance. I spent some time chatting with her, considering my appreciation for the genre. She wrote several books in that first series - Too Wicked, Too Brazen, Too something else. I think I read two of them. While I enjoyed them, and many other of her books, she lost her contract with the publisher. She went indie (not a bad thing!) and started writing more historical romance and less "gothic." When she lost me, however, was when she started writing to an outline. "And then this has to happen, and then that has to happen, and the obligatory XX scene has to be here..." While I don't mind formulaic novels, I do mind them when certain things start to feel forced. Don't get me wrong, she's an excellent author and I would recommend her. What I didn't like was certain things like "Oh, I forgot to include a sex scene, so I'll tack one on at the end." I'm sorry, but if I got all the way through the novel without it, it doesn't need to be there. 

My point is that I don't run across many gothic authors these days. I read an article that says they've rebranded the genre as something else (romantic suspense, perhaps? I don't recall). Sort of like those romance authors who don't write category romance are now said to write women's fiction. Same animal, different nameplate on the pen.

Circling back around... I used Victoria Holt as a model when I wrote my first novel. I won't bore you with how many incarnations that poor book went through as first a quest novel, then an inspirational novel, then a romance novel (sweet, not spicy). In the end, it turned into a gothic romance. As I've been giving it another look, I realized something important. It has multiple points of view: the heroine, the hero, and the bad guy. FIRST, let me point out this was my first foray into "serious" writing, so it had MANY rookie mistakes. As a gothic romance, I should have stuck with one point of view. Okay, so even if I wanted to categorize it as "regular" romance, the multiple points of view I wrote were irregular. What the heck does that mean? 

In a romance novel, you generally do alternating points of view. He says, she says, he says, she says, and so on. In my poor excuse for a novel, the hero has something like five half-page scenes in 30 chapters. Ummm..... Just no. How did it take me twenty years to notice that? Easy, I haven't read it in more than ten years, and I've learned a heck of a lot in ten--twenty--years. 

Book #1
The original title/
cover
2002

Why does this matter? I've remaindered the book, so no one has to read my goofy mistakes anymore. Except a friend asked me recently what ever happened to...? And so I had to look and see if it was worth reviving this book. Hence, Exhibit A. Poorly written. But you know what? The story is still there. It's still good. So can I salvage the story using the tools I've learned lo, these many years? And this brings me to gothic romance.

Book #1
The updated cover/title

It makes the most sense to rewrite the "he says" scenes from her point of view. She sees something. She overhears something. That removes the clumsily inserted "he says" scenes. OR I can write it as straight romance and expand on the he says scenes. Option one is the most appealing to me at the moment. There's really only one chapter where his point of view directly impacts the story. That also means giving him redeeming qualities for the heroine to notice that might not be obvious from the way he treats her (he's deep into grief and acting out rather than dealing with his emotions). Going deep into a character's motivation is one of the lessons I've learned through the years. I've had several unlikeable characters that I've had to redeem (and some that weren't redeemable!). I can handle that. 

Which brings me back to the theme of this post. Is gothic romance dead? Are today's women interested in a slightly unnerving man (who can be redeemed) or have we lived this story too many times in real life and he isn't worth the energy? "Walk away. Walk away." What say you, people of my blog?

Audio Characterizations

DARK SHADOWS releases next week in all but the audio. 💀 Woo hoo! 

My editor was very kind to me this go round. Was it perfect? Heck, no. If it was, what would I need her for? (I need her!) After cleaning things up and doing my "listening proof," the book is on track for release next week. Now I have to concentrate on the audio.

I've used the same narrator for all the Elspeth Barclay novels, and one of her questions up front is always "do you have someone in mind for these characters?" I know there are authors who do idea boards with celebrities they draw from for their characters. I'm not one of those people. I have used an occasional photo, and that's not to say there haven't been celebrities I've thought about when writing certain characters. Case in point, I pictured Jackson Browne (in his MUCH younger days) when I wrote Matt for COOKIE THERAPY. But here's the thing. I know all these characters. They live in my head. How to I convey them to my narrator? I tend to let my narrators do their own interpretations, but that doesn't always work out so good.

When Jude Erin did Horned Owl Hollow, one of the celebrity models I gave her was Lily Tomlin for Abigail Barclay, Elle's mom. A little offbeat. She performed that character beautifully. Fast forward to now. When I told her the next book was on its way, she asked about new characters. I had to consider who she could associate the characters with. Not as easy as you might think when you consider these people are often bits and pieces of people I've met over the course of my life, or completely fabricated. I sent her the list of new characters, and then provided a clue about how they sound in my head. I'm sure she'll do a great job - she always does. 

While you're waiting, I thought I'd share the book trailer with you! What do you think?