Merry Christmas and Looking ahead to the new year

Thank you to all the people who support my work. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, or whatever holiday you celebrate in December.

First order of business - Smashwords is doing a year-end sale for all those people who received new e-readers as gifts, and I've included three of my books in the sale. My very first two books (when I was cutting my teeth as an author, so be kind) TOUCHED BY THE SUN and INTIMATE DISTANCE are for sale over there, along with MIST ON THE MEADOW. FREE. If you don't have copies of these books, now's your chance. Be sure to use the promo codes at checkout.

Second - I've been taking some time off to prepare the next EPITAPH book for sale, and to minimize holiday stress, but I'm getting antsy to start writing again. While I've started the next Epitaph book (Liam's story), and I've actually bounced around some ideas for Thad's book (his will be the final installment), I've also been sidetracked by another series idea. The Northwest Suburbs series was fun to write, and I had a thought to write another similar type series about a group of people - friends and neighbors. As my readers, I thought I'd give you the chance to steer my creative process. Sometimes there are just too many stories floating around inside my head, so feel free to let me know which one you think I should pull out first!

Best wishes for the New Year ahead - wishing you peace and prosperity, love and happiness.

My favorite books of 2017

As an author, I'm also an avid reader. Last year, I highlighted my favorite reads for the year, and I thought I'd continue that tradition. I keep a list over at Goodreads of books that are on my Kindle and on my bookshelf, along with the books I've read and reviewed. I have to say I'm disappointed in Goodreads this year - Amazon owns them and they've changed some of their rules. I also play around over at Librarything. Some habits are hard to change. I'm considering a wholesale changeover, but we'll have to see as time goes on. Maybe Amazon will realize readers (and authors) shouldn't be trifled with.

I'm ranking these based on when I finished them, and on the basis that I gave each of them 5 stars. I give books 5 stars if I would happily read each of these books a second time. There were many excellent books that didn't get 5 stars, which doesn't mean they aren't worthy of the list, but there has to be a line of demarcation. You can find out more about the books I read at My Goodreads Review Page. Here are some of my favorite reads from 2017! (Keeping in mind some of these are "older" books and not books released in 2017)

The Duchess Deal - Tessa Dare

Perfectly Honest, - Linda O'Connor

The Cinderella Deal - Jennifer Cruisie

The Girl with the Make Believe Husband - Julia Quinn

Until There Was You - Kristan Higgins

Not Even Past: A Tai & Trey Short Story - Tina Whittle

Perfectly Planned - Linda O'Connor

First Star I See Tonight - Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Heather and Velvet - Teresa Medeiros

Ravished - Amanda Quick

Animal Magnetism - Jill Shalvis

Blatant Self Promotion

I'm entitled to a little self-promotion, right? I mean I DO have a new release hitting the shelves in a couple of weeks. Help support a struggling author so she can retire and crank out more of those books you love. The links to preorder are under the book cover.

Two families, nine siblings. Read the books in the Epitaph series individually or in any order. Each book stands alone. THE ARCHITECT is the fourth in the series.

A | BN | iB | K

A high-profile contract in the famed New Orleans Garden District can bring architect Kathleen McCormick’s dream of owning her own home that much closer, but she’ll have to stifle her fiery temper while she’s on location. The senior project manager is a notorious workaholic and the last associate to work with him got fired amid controversy. Still, Kathleen can’t resist the urge to push his buttons.

Sebastian Brooks’ father likes to remind him that he founded his own firm by the time he was thirty. As Sebastian nears that same milestone, he's checking off the boxes for promotion at a more prestigious architectural firm, including contemplating an engagement with an acceptable socialite. The pursuit feels hollow, especially when his boss lobs an attractive, unpredictable new associate into his path to derail his promotion, a woman who reminds him of all the compromises he’s made in the interest of living up to expectations.

A mischievous ghost in a NOLA hotel decides to play matchmaker, but with a strict non-fraternization policy at work, getting involved could get both Kathleen and Sebastian fired. Caught up in the city’s steamy atmosphere, their unexpected connection throws all their plans into a tailspin.

It's that time of year

Welcome to December.

Christmas is coming early for me this year, so I've been getting into the spirit by listening to Christmas carols and watching Christmas movies. Generally, I only get the "second-rate" Hallmark channels, the also-ran movies that are less interesting and trite and poorly acted... I've been very disappointed in most of those, but Hallmark, in it's holiday spirit, unblocks their channel for a couple of weeks every year at Christmas, so I've actually been seeing their "Gold" movies, and I have to say I've enjoyed the ones I've seen.

Christmas cookie baking day isn't for another week, but I'm already thumbing through my recipes looking for which ones I want to make, and I've decided to share my favorites - my goal is one a day on Facebook and on Twitter until Christmas, so if you need ideas, check it out. Or you can check out all my favorites on Pinterest.

A | BN | iB | K

But wait. There's more! I have a release date for Epitaph 4, THE ARCHITECT - January 2. This is Kathleen's story, and I had a ton of fun writing her. It is available for pre-order, so feel free to go ahead and buy it so you don't forget, and tell all your friends! Links to your favorite outlets are beneath the cover.

"But I don't know how to leave a review"

I saw an interesting post the other day. You've probably seen authors everywhere saying they'd really appreciate it if you leave a review after reading their book. In response to that, the post I read was a survey of reasons why people don't leave reviews, and it was very enlightening.

Why should you leave a review? Every author wants to present the best possible book, and knowing where they connect or disconnect with readers helps them either a) correct what they did wrong, b) do better next time, c) identify where they might be reaching the wrong audience.

"But I don't know what to say." It's simple, really. For example, when you buy the book at Amazon, they send out reminders asking what you thought. I've had some of those reminders ask me a series of questions, which I found very cumbersome and discouraged me from leaving a review, but here's the thing. You don't have to answer all those questions (and I'm not sure they still go that route). When you get that email saying "what did you think?" follow the link. Rate it according to their stars system (with five being "this is the most outstanding book I've ever read" and one being "I'm giving this to the skunk under my porch to read"). Except now they want you to say something! Wait. Don't get scared. All you have to do is say, "I liked this book." This isn't like those second grade book reports, you don't have to tell people the main characters and the plot and the theme and all of that. You just have to offer an opinion. If you feel really brave, you can add why you liked it. "I like this book because I could really relate to that one thing that happened that one time." or "The hero was swoon-worthy." or "The author took me on an African safari, and I could really feel like I was there." On the other side of the coin, you might not like the story. That's okay. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Maybe the author marketed it to the wrong audience. That happens sometimes. Or the heroine was unlikeable. I had an unlikeable secondary character in one of my books, and I heard about it. I knew she was unlikeable, but I underestimated just how much. So I ended up writing a story with her as the main character so readers could see why she was the way she was. Those reviews helped me take the next step - showing you what you couldn't see in the first book when she showed up.

One thing you should NOT do in a review is say "this story sucked" without telling people why.

I just read an old book - I think it was initially published 20 years ago - by a well-known author. I loved the story! When I finished, I did my review, and out of curiosity, I went to read what other people thought of it. Twenty years ago, society was in a very different place, and those people who read it today had some very strong opinions on the societal norms from back then. One in particular that stuck out to me was how one reviewer felt the main character shouldn't have let a man threaten her with his unsolicited, unappreciated sexual advances. She stayed silent and tried to avoid the guy rather than speaking out. Today, women are standing up to these predators, but back then? We've learned our lessons. That part of the story hit a nerve for that reviewer, and I'm sure the author has adapted to the changing times (but that's fodder for another post).

Authors do take reviews to heart. Some reviews fall into the "it just wasn't my cup of tea" category, and we get that. Some reviews we can act on. Like unlikeable characters. Or "I found a whole bunch of misspelled words" (those can be corrected). (By the way, Amazon won't let indie authors publish with a certain threshold of misspellings anymore.) Or "This novel had too much sexual content." Did the author market it as something other than a romance? We can fix which readers we target. Different audiences have different expectations.

To sum up, you don't have to write a book report, but it helps authors if you add a line after you've read a book. Even if it's as simple as "I'd recommend this book to my friends," or "Didn't find it worth the time I spent reading it." You never know when you'll make an author's day with a simple pat on the back, or get them working harder to make it better for next time.

Research and Legends

Happy Thanksgiving!

And yes, I've started work on Epitaph 5!

Research can be one of the most fun parts of writing a book, and its very easy to get lost along the way. I'm taking virtual tours and GoogleEarth-ing places for a "man on the street" view of some of my locales. Along with the "real" is the artistic license part. For what I'm trying to create, a real venue doesn't exist, so I get the fun part of creating a place, kind of like when I went to Scotland and wanted to visit Craigh na Dun. Guess what? It isn't there!

I have been wringing my hands over this next book, wondering how I was going to write it, how I was going to get it right. It's based on legend, and the more reading I did about the various interpretations of the legend, the more I worried it wouldn't work for what I had in mind. Until... Oh, but I can't give away all my secrets just yet! Once I started looking into things, my imagination opened up to the possibilities.

I've always loved folklore. Legends. Campfire stories. This book doesn't precisely fit with the ghost theme, but it does have supernatural flair. The excitement of a new story has taken hold. If I can stop researching long enough to put it to paper, I think we've got a fun one! What are some of your favorite folk stories and legends?

Should book covers reflect characters or theme?

As I commission the cover for Epitaph 4, I'm faced yet again with trying to decide what best to put on the cover.

Through the course of my writing career, I've been to dozens of seminars and read lots of input on what should go on the cover of a novel. The overwhelming truth is that covers don't always represent the best picture of what's inside. Often, it is more about genre. Romance novels show you something sweet (or sexy) on the cover. Cozy mysteries often show cartoonish covers. Some thrillers covers are nothing more than symbols. As an indie author, I try to stick with the genre feel, but I also feel connected to what's inside.

Another secret. I'm from the "less is more" when it comes to description family. With that being said, I outline what my characters look like, but because they are unique individuals, I rarely have a "famous actor" picture in front of me like some authors do. I've been interviewed and asked "who would best portray your characters in the movie version." Heck. I don't know. I had someone ask me that with my very first novel and, after I had time to think about it, I'll admit Antonio Banderas came to mind as a perfect Dominic, and I had visions of Geena Davis as Kira, but as time passes those actors age and no longer fit that vision. THIS book gave me two perfect actor portrayals. The problem with that is trying to meet those expectations with my cover. I don't think Rachelle Lefevre or Jesse Williams will allow me to do a photo shoot to put them on my cover (but you never know!). Instead, I have to select from other cover models who might be "close" to those descriptions. Not an easy task.

Then there's the background. This series is ghostly. The original was inspired by a cemetery. The second by a haunted house. The third is still that same haunted house, but this one goes to New Orleans to uncover its ghost, a party city. Do I show the Garden District? The French Quarter? Lafayette Cemetery? Maybe the place where the ghostly showdown takes place? So many decisions!

When you read a book, do you expect what you see to coordinate with what you read? Or is it just the eye candy that draws you in? Do you even look at the cover again once you've read the book?

How long does it take to write a novel?

One of the most frequently asked questions authors receive is how long does it take to write a novel. The answer isn't so cut and dried.

Some of my favorite authors can put out as many as four books a year. That's one every three months. Can it be done? Absolutely. But that also requires dedication and no outside interference. I asked one of those authors what her process was and she said she writes from an outline. She's a plotter. That doesn't mean there isn't pantsing involved (writing by the seat of one's pants), but she has a roadmap that starts at the beginning and takes her to her destination. That's good business sense, and it helps her meet publisher-imposed deadlines.

For me, my best showing was three books in one year. That's one every four months, and I should point out I can write them faster, but making them readable is a whole other process. I'm also more of a pantser, so derailing can cause unnecessary detours that extend the process, but I like the scenic route. Following the outline superhighway takes away some of the fun of discovery, uncovering hidden gems you didn't know were waiting for you. That doesn't mean I don't work with an outline at all. Like taking a road trip, I have a general idea of what direction I'm going. I just don't always take the straightest route.

Then there are authors who only put out one new book each year. But you know what? That's usually one really good book. One author I've read takes more than a year to write a book - in fact, as long as two years. I wouldn't recommend that process. For starters, you risk losing your audience, and in my humble opinion, that particular author lost interest in her characters in the continuing series and it reflected in the subsequent books. Granted, her books were VERY long, so she needed the extra time, but the stories begin to feel like guests who have overstayed their welcome.

Everybody's process is different, and another thing to consider is word count. How long is your book going to be? And then there's the muse. Sometimes my muse is sitting on my shoulder through the entire process, and sometimes I get stuck in the muddle in the middle and struggle to push forward. Let's not forget outside distractions. Like a day job. Or family responsibilities.  All of these factor in.

The most important factor, in my mind, is being passionate about what you write. You should love every story you tell. In all honesty, I have a couple of books sitting on the shelf that, after re-reading them, didn't pass muster. If I lost interest in them, certainly my readers would, too. So how long does it take to write a novel? As long as it takes to make them "good."

When the Legends Die

FIRST! Congratulations to Laurie, the winner of my newsletter contest. Look for an email in your inbox.

When I was in high school, we had a required reading list, which we were allowed to select from. One of the books I chose was "When the Legends Die" because I've always been captivated by legends. If you've never read it, it's about a Native American boy who is taken from his tribal land and taught to be a vicious rodeo rider. In the end, he goes back to the peace of the land where he was born. I only read it once, and yet it has stayed with me all these years.

I've been doing research into a legend for inclusion in Epitaph 5. Always a fun task, I read a novel, but it did throw me into a panic. My remaining Epitaph books are about the remaining brothers, and the legend I'm reading up on focuses more on women. EEK! So I had to look a little deeper than one author's interpretation (and knowing I could develop my own interpretation, but with a known legend, you don't want to stray TOO far from the original). It does apply to men, as well. Phew!

Developing the ghosts to provide background for each of the Epitaph novels has been an interesting experience. They are their own characters, complete with backstory, with goals, motivation and conflict. Through this process, I always knew Liam's story was going to be just a little bit different than the others, so I'm excited to bring him to the forefront in Epitaph 5. I still need a ghost for Epitaph 6, and while I have ideas, I'm not going to worry about that too much until I 1) finish Epitaph 4, and then 2) write Epitaph 5.

How long does it take to write each book? When can you expect the next installments? I can tell you Epitaph 4 is on target for a January release. I have a date with the editor and the cover artist is working on a composite. As for timing on the other two....

Tune in next week for "how long does it take to write a novel?"

Seasons of change

First, the good news. I've finished what I consider a reasonable version of Epitaph 4! Now the fine-tuning begins, unless I find a critical break in the story. The plan for release is January. Stay tuned.

I've had a great deal of fun writing this series, and I'm winding down to the last couple of brothers. I have some good ideas for Thad and for Liam (had Liam pegged at the start of the series - he's going to take a different sort of direction), but I'm not convinced Bryan merits his own story. That means two more Epitaph books in the wings (unless I change my mind about Bryan).

With the completion of this latest book, I'm looking back over this past year, at the things that went well and the things I can still improve upon. Looking ahead, I have those two books begging to be written, along with a couple of life changes. Relocations. Weddings. Time marches on, and with it come new challenges. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Bragging rights

I was *this* close.

Recently, In'D Tale Magazine announced their RONE awards, and I'm proud to say COOKIE THERAPY was nominated by virtue of a 5 star review (you can read the review here). The winners were announced this past weekend, and while I didn't win, my book was the first runner up in its category. Disappointed? Well, maybe a little, but when I step back and consider the number of books I was up against, all the elimination rounds and different sets of eyes reading it, coming in second doesn't look so bad.

Typing or Writing Longhand

As an author, there are times I have a difficult time working through a plot point. Most of my writing process is done at the keyboard, letting stream of consciousness flow, but there are moments when I end up staring at my computer, waiting for that flash of brilliance. Those are the moments I pick up a pen and a pad of paper.

The first time I did that, it was to outline. I had a book that was going nowhere. No plot, just meandering aimlessly along, so I wanted to give it some direction. I sat down to write down the why and what and wherefore.

Another time, I was on my commute into the Big City on the train and I didn't want to pull out my computer. As silly as it sounds, putting my ideas to paper felt less permanent (in a world where you can delete on your computer without any muss or fuss).

As I've been working through the missing plot points on my current work, I realized something. For my part, when I sit down with pen and paper, it forces me to focus. What do I want to happen? What has to occur to get me to that point? What are the impacts? Like an outline, it gives me a direction to go. Generally, I write random thoughts (although I've been known to do that at my computer, as well, to give myself a road map). Too often when I'm at my computer, I can be distracted by other things. A message notification or that ebook I want to finish reading or all the other things that can take you out of the moment.

There's just something about writing something by hand, a deliberate action, that takes you out of the "what next" and lets you set ideas down to sort through. At least for me. It also helps to organize your thoughts, much like when you need to make a presentation and you can't decide which point to address first. The "spoke" method helps resolve that issue, write all the points on spokes of a wheel, and once you get them all down, it's much easier to sort through what comes first.

As a reminder - for those of you who live in Illinois, I'm going to be at the Schaumburg library on Saturday. I hope you'll stop in and say hello!

After the First Draft

Stephen King will tell you to get that first draft done and then step away. Give it time to marinate. To gel. To set. And then go back and edit ruthlessly.

I was so proud of myself! I finished my first draft of EPITAPH 4, and I thought I'd done pretty well for myself! Sure, there were some areas that needed polishing, but this book came so fast, it was going to be easy-peasy. HAH!

I set it aside, waiting to hear back from my fact checker and going on about my daily life, except as an author, you're always writing in your head. Funny, I should have been forewarned when my subconscious wasn't ready to start in on the next project. That's normally what happens when I finish a book, I can't wait to start on the next one. Oh, I have ideas. I have two, maybe three more brothers whose stories need to be written in this series, and I have general ideas, but no characters speaking to me. Maybe that's because THIS story isn't done.

As I lay awake in bed the other day, reviewing what I'd written mentally, I realized I'd left some VERY IMPORTANT STUFF out of my story. Stuff that was going to change that "perfect" first draft dramatically. But that's why we have to let the first draft marinate, so we can go back at it with fresh eyes to see what we missed the first time around. Daunting? You betcha!

As written, I have 30 pretty good chapters. Unfortunately, the fixes start at about chapter 12, which means revamping more than half the story. The good news: this story came to life very quickly, so I have a path to follow and lots of time to play with before I have to send it to my editor. The bad news: there's a whole lot of work to be done. Just a reminder that first drafts aren't meant to be perfect, but they do give you an excellent starting point for your journey. Now is when the real work begins.

And the Leaves that are Green Turn to Brown

Points if you know who sang the song I quoted for the title of my post!

DH and I took a trip to Virginia this month, just a few days to visit family. Long overdue, we spent our time running back and forth from one sister/brother/nephew to another, most of whom were recovering from a dreaded virus and were afraid to share their germs. We managed to escape unscathed (although DH did have a cold/allergies upon our return). Seeing family you don't get to visit often is energizing, life-affirming. I enjoy spending time with my in-laws and I know DH is happier for having made the trip.

When we came home, Fall seemed to have arrived unannounced. Over the span of those few short days, the leaves had turned to brown and red and yellow and were falling at an accelerated pace. As we took our evening constitutional, the sidewalks were carpeted with leaves big and small. Where did the summer go? As a consolation prize, Mother Nature seems to be having a last laugh by setting record high temperatures to screw with us now that Autumn is officially upon us. In just a weeks' time, many of these trees have already lost their foliage. The narrative remains the same. Time hurries on. Time waits for no man. The earth is shedding the old, preparing for the new. Soon we'll have a blanket of clean, white snow and should we be blessed with another spring, the colors will return, bursting into buds and flowers with the promise of renewal one more time.

Fact checking your work

One of the most interesting, and confounding, parts of writing is doing the research. As I comb through the first draft of my next installment in the Epitaph series, I'm working closely with my "fact checker," a friend who assures me architecture is boring (my main characters are both architects).

When asked, many of us might say our jobs were boring, and that will be true to a certain extent, but the jobs are only subplots to the book as a whole. During the writing process, I strive for a measure of authenticity, which means I have to learn about the professions I don't know much about. With COOKIE THERAPY, I interviewed a fireman I'd met in the grocery store (thank you, Mike). And a fireman neighbor. And a fireman on a writers resource loop. All for the sake of authenticity. It's amazing how four different viewpoints can differ for the same job, or possibly this author didn't quite understand what she was being told. In the end, readers did comment that they appreciated the authenticity of my firefighter's job in the story, so I must have gotten the important stuff right. On the downside, after talking with the firefighters and writing that book, I sat down to watch CHICAGO FIRE on television one night (shout out to Author Marilyn Brant who made a cameo) and for the first time in my life, I found myself saying "that would never happen" while watching a television show. I realize TV depends a lot on suspended belief - fake it to fit it into the one-hour slot - but this was my first experience with knowing the difference. You know what I'm talking about, things like processing DNA in less than a month. It doesn't happen in real life. Likewise, I knew the reality of what would and wouldn't happen on a fire engine. Ruined the show for me!

My process tends to be to get the story down and fix the details later. During preliminary conversations with my architect friend, I wrote the story to what I assumed from what she'd told me. Later, we met again and she corrected my misconceptions, and she gave me more fodder to work with. I met with her once more to run the rest of my work-related scenes by her and she gave me MORE ideas to update. In the end, some of it will be inaccurate (call it artistic license), but for the most part, I hope to get the details right. I've learned something more about what architects do and enriched my knowledge base, and an appreciation for what my friend does for a living.

Can we avoid Natural Disasters?

As Dear Husband and I weigh our options for the future, we've been considering where in the world we might like to live. Watching all the natural disasters that are overtaking the U.S. makes you stop and think. How do you decide where to live?

I'm a big fan of the desert Southwest, and I had proposed places to live like Arizona or Utah or Santa Barbara. Doesn't hurt to have a wish list, right? Watching the wildfires that are burning in that part of the country, from Arizona north through Canada, breaks my heart. I can't even imagine watching everything I own go up in smoke, and for those people affected, you have my sympathies.

And then there are my friends in Florida. What a great place to retire. What a horrific place this past month. Some of the people who live there tend to believe hurricane season is only slightly more frightening than a thunderstorm up here in the Midwest, with the threat of tornadoes. Again, I can't imagine having to abandon my home and wondering what will be left after the storm passes. The destruction that follows in the wake of those storms boggles my mind. Again, my heart goes out to those people, in Houston, in Florida and the islands that have been decimated. I can't even imagine.

Every part of the country has its own intrinsic dangers. Here in Chicago, we do get tornadoes, although thankfully not frequently. I've watched hurricane level destruction happen right here in Illinois, although tornadoes generally don't cover as much real estate as Irma did.

One of my friends in Cleveland posted at article on how that appears to be the safest place in the country to live. No floods, no storm surges, no wildfires. Do they get tornadoes there?

No place is immune from natural disaster. Tectonic plates run all through the continent, so while California might be more prone to earthquakes, that doesn't preclude other parts of the country. And what about the Great Chicago Fire? Yes, that was a very long time ago, and construction has improved since that time to prevent such widespread disaster, but the fires out west are a testament to what could still happen.

As DH and I consider relocating, I try to remember that tomorrow isn't guaranteed, and wherever we end up, Mother Nature is likely to have some surprises in store for us. We're trying to do our part for those in need after these cataclysmic events, and trying not to look over our own shoulders for when its our turn. Like a lightning strike, there isn't much we can do to avoid a natural disaster should it cross our paths.

If you are able to help those who have been affected by Mother Nature's fury, 

please consider donating to the Red Cross, 

or your religions organization's efforts, or another worthy charity.

On Tour!

I'm taking the easy way out today - I'm doing a blog tour this week to tell the world all about THE MIRROR. Some of my fabulous hosts have asked me some fun questions, and along the tour you'll find interviews from when I started writing, to my inspirations, to my favorite movie scenes! Of course there are blurbs, and there's a Rafflecopter to win a gift card for a lucky winner (Amazon or Barnes & Noble). So pop over at any or all of these lovely blogs and join the fun. And the best part? THE MIRROR is on sale this week for just 99 cents. That's less than a buck! Pick up a copy quick.

September 4: Fabulous and Brunette
September 4: Hearts and Scribbles - promo
September 5: Christine Young
September 5: Welcome to My World of Dreams
September 6: Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews
September 6: Deal Sharing Aunt
September 7: Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
September 7: Up 'Til Dawn Book Blog
September 8: K.T. Castle
September 8: Straight From the Library

Giveaways - Amazon vs. Goodreads

As an author, when I release a new book, I often will do a giveaway as an enticement to gain new readers. If you haven't heard my name, you might not be willing to take a chance on my books. The goal, of course, is that if you don't win the giveaway, I've at least gotten your attention and you might consider buying the book. When best-selling authors are selling their e-books for $6.99 and even up to $12.99 (for an E BOOK!), my books are a bargain for $3.99.

Here's the thing - On my recent release, THE MIRROR, I thought I'd try Amazon one more time because ... well Amazon. The results are disappointing. First off, when I actually did a search for Amazon giveaways (and how many people are aware Amazon does giveaways? I had to look HARD to find them), mine didn't show up. The giveaway must have shown up somewhere, because I did get entries. Yes, I shared the link on social media and promoted it. Most of the entrants appeared within the first couple of days. When I finally DID find how to search the giveaways page, dozens of unrelated items showed up in my search, so 20 pages of partially relevant items (none of which included the giveaway I sponsored).

Goodreads has a Giveaways tab that lets you search by genre. Almost three times as many people found my book and requested it, and most of these come in the last few days because Goodreads also sorts for giveaways that are closing soon. And by popular authors. And other sorts that are relevant to what you like.

Let's take this a step further. Of the winners, how many people actually read the book and leave a review? I ran an Amazon giveaway in 2015, and of the three winners, I received zero reviews. Okay, not everybody leaves a review, so I can't say I was disappointed, especially with a population of three, but these are people who buy and one might assume read books. This time, I did get one review that is "most likely" from one of the winners.

For the a giveaway at Goodreads, and generally I give away five books at Goodreads, I often receive reviews from the winners. Granted, Goodreads is a site designed for readers, but by that same logic (not everybody leaves a review), it might be reasonable to assume zero reviews again. However, for the GR Giveaways I've done, I've been lucky enough to receive, on average, reviews from three of those five people who've won.

Different people may have different experiences, but for me, based on the inability to FIND my giveaway on Amazon after the first week when doing a search, and based on the number of entrants, and based on the response of those entrants (i.e., reviews or sales to the people who didn't win), I'll stick with Goodreads.

Symmetry

The post in which I confirm for many of you that I am, indeed, a weirdo.

I was walking in the Big City the other day, on my way back to the office after lunch with Janet, when I happened to look up (it's always a good idea to look up while you're walking, especially in the Big City). And in Chicago, you look ^UP. Maybe it's because my latest book has architecture in it, but I was struck by the symmetry of these four buildings - Presidential Towers (and yes, that's the Willis Tower in the background, pronounced here in Chicago as SEARS Tower). Chicago is full of fine examples of architecture, unusual looking buildings, unique designs, skyscrapers, but for some reason, I'd never noticed these four towers, identical, built in perfect symmetry. Sure, I've heard of the twin towers in New York, and we have Marina Towers right here in Chicago, identical or mirror image buildings standing side by side, but maybe I wasn't paying attention to know what or where these buildings were. Staggered the way they are, at an angle across two blocks, they made an impression on me and my sense of symmetry.

Inspiration is everywhere, and I think I've mentioned that many times in interviews and blog posts and whatnot. I can't say the Presidential Towers inspired me, but they did make the world stop for a moment, not an easy feat in a busy city like Chicago. This might be one of the first instances where I wasn't inspired to write, but what I was writing inspired me to see something I hadn't noticed before.

Often, when I'm writing, I surprise myself by drawing parallels, plot points that conveniently (or maybe subconsciously were created to) come together. There's a beauty in symmetry, something that reaches deep down inside and says "this is the way it was meant to be." 

Biorhythms and the effects on plotting/pantsing

Remember when I told you I'm always working ahead of the class?

This book has been a completely different experience for me. That isn't to say every book isn't different, but my method is generally pretty much the same. I'm a pantser for the most part, and when things get away from me, I step back and plot. I tend to throw everything out there and sort out the mess afterward, but I generally work in a fairly straight line with a few diversions along the way. It can be messy, but its linear.

When I started the research phase of this book, I met with a friend to get background, and to my surprise and delight, she got very excited about my initial visions for the book, asking me questions like "and then what?" And then she said "what about if they do this?" Reference back to where I tell you I make this up as I go along. I learn things when my characters learn them, or when they reveal their secrets to me. So plotting ahead threw me off balance. A lot.

Two weeks ago I told you how I threw at least two chapters worth (and definitely more than two) into the first chapter. This story is gushing out and I can't control the flow! Some stories are like that, I get into the groove and write for hours and hours, and then other stories I have to grunt through every word, struggling to find my way. The problem this time? The scenes are popping up at me out of order. All of them! WAIT! I can't keep up!

Part of this is due to my heroine. She's that sort of person. Leaps before she looks, enthusiastic, gung-ho, full speed ahead. Her boss calls her wreckless and unpredictable - and talented.

I'm not sure if its the phase of the moon (maybe its the effect of the eclipse! or maybe the Perseids) or biorhythms or what. I've been writing scenes like a mad woman, but they're helter skelter. In the wrong order. All over the place. Then I stop and say "but what about this plot point?" or "that plot point?" And then I write another scene that I'll have to tuck in somewhere. This is exhausting! But also exhilarating.

I'm sticking with pushing the blame on my heroine. She's that kind of an "all over the place" kind of person who doesn't want to miss a minute of her life. As an author, my process is completely up-ended, but I'm enjoying the ride.

Just when I thought I had this gig figured out, a character shows up to show me there's more than one way to craft a story!

Are you a pack rat?

Are you a collector? A hoarder? or do you resist the temptation to buy tchotchkes and collectibles? Me? I am not a fan of what I arbitrarily call "junk." When I go on vacation and want to bring home a souvenir, I more often than not talk myself out of it because I don't want to worry about storing things I might never look at again. My recent trend in souvenirs is Christmas ornaments, because at least they're useful. But I do have some collections.

As we contemplate relocating, I've been dreading the thought of hauling along some of my collections that I haven't looked at it in ages, things that I value, but no longer hold any tangible value and are "taking up space." I happened on a store the other day, Rediscover Records. This is where I tell you that for 40 years, I have amassed a fairly large collection of vinyl, most of it rock and roll, everything from Carly Simon and James Taylor to AC/DC and Black Sabbath. I have eclectic tastes. As I talked to the proprietor, we discussed Supertramp and how nobody knows who they are anymore. I have a real connection to most of those records, and while I hate to part ways with them, realistically, I haven't put one on a turntable for probably at least ten years. I'm telling myself I'm supporting local business by donating my collection (or collecting a small consignment fee - thank you, Rich).

I went through a phase where I was trying to digitize my collection so I would have all those records that you can't find anymore. Anyone ever hear of the New Seekers? Not to mention Rick Springfield's first two albums which I'd bet he wishes no one still had copies of. I don't think even the record store would be interested in those albums. Transferring vinyl to digital was a time intensive project, and when the digital phonograph broke, I decided it probably wasn't worth the effort. How many of those songs did I really HAVE to have? And the rest? I could get on digital. No physical storage woes.

This collection represents 40 years of my life. No, this isn't an easy process, but did I mention I am NOT a pack rat? And my desire to not store "stuff" is outweighing my sense of nostalgia. With that being said, I did find some records I don't think I can bear to part with. There must be some way to salvage them, to play them. Maybe I need to try digitizing one more time.

One collection that will follow me wherever I go, one I am NOT parting ways with - my books. Sorry, but every book on my bookshelf has a permanent home. They have earned that spot as "a book worth re-reading" and as such, are a functional part of my life. They are doing more than just taking up space.

So I wave nostalgically at my record collection as I support +RediscoverRecords. I hope the vinyl finds a new home with someone who will love it as much as I did. If you're looking for vintage rock and roll, Rich has a great collection, and now he has most of my old favorites, too.

I can't "write" 55

I've been toying around with the new novel, getting my facts, doing my research, and trying to get it all down on the page.

I have a "rush forward" personality. From the time I was in kindergarten, I was always the kid in school who worked ahead and got scolded by the teachers to wait for the rest of the class (until one teacher in high school actual let me work at my own pace). Once I understand something, I want to learn more, so I blaze ahead.

When you're writing a first draft, that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Following Stephen King's method of writing, get it down. You can clean it up later.

As I get my thoughts in order, I went ahead and sent my first chapter to 1) the person I'm asking for help with research, making sure I get the occupational aspect for my characters right, 2) my critique group to see if I have a viable story. These are the days that make authors want to crumple it up and throw everything away! First, I need to thank Sarah for providing me with the research. I think she was surprised at the vomit that I'd written as a first chapter (it'll get better, I promise!). Second, my crit group took on the role my teachers always had. "Slow down, wait for the rest of the class."

Many times, a first draft is for the author. What do I need to know about my characters? About the setting? About their lives? In my rush to start writing, I threw EVERYTHING into the first chapter. The main characters, the supporting characters (there were ten of them right off the bat), where they are, where they're going, every subplot and conflict. Best description for this? Traffic jam. All of this information is critical to me as an author, but as a reader, it's confusing. I don't need everything all at once.

With the story unfolding in my head and my facts documented, I can now slow down, spoon feed my readers. Let them meet the main characters and what drives them, then peel back the rest of the information as it becomes relevant. Enforce a speed limit.

This is still a first draft, and I'm 10,000 words into it. Yes, I expect a large chunk of those words to disappear upon rewrite, and the first Chapter 2 has already been rolled into Chapter 1, with much of Chapter 1 relegated to the "you can bring this back later" territory.

Chapter 1 is the most important chapter in any book. This is where you draw your reader in, tease them with what lies ahead, but make them want to keep reading to find out. With the ruler to the knuckles from my initial feedback, I can move forward at a more realistic pace and use much of what I pulled out as plot points for subsequent chapters. Yes, I will likely continue to rush forward -- that's what I do, after all. But that's what first drafts are for, and I know I have a support group that will keep me in check so I don't get too far ahead of the rest of the class.

In Defense of Romance Novels

I write romance. It’s more than romance, there is suspense, there is mystery, and in many cases, there’s a touch of the supernatural to give my stories a little bit of extra flavor. I’ve had people I work the day job with snicker when they find out what I write {wink wink, nudge nudge, say no more}.  I’ve had people be shocked and horrified. “I keep imagining this is you in the story.” For the record, it isn’t. My characters are made up. Fiction. The things they’re going through are made up. Fiction. This is not an autobiography. That isn’t to say I don’t include one small piece of my life experience into each of my books. Like walking in a French market in Aix-en-Provence (Heart for Rent, with an Option).

Part of any author’s journey is using those life experiences. How can we write about pain if we’ve never felt it? The loss of a loved one if we haven’t lost someone? We have to draw on our very human emotions.

Another thing that often makes me uncomfortable is talking with people and admitting that I’m on husband number two. I was raised to believe divorce was never an option. Until I got divorced.  I won’t bore you with all the details, but I will tell you I didn’t want to fall into the same trap a second time. For the people who thought my first husband was a good choice, he never was. For those people who didn’t understand what I saw in my second husband, maybe you don’t understand me. He does. I’m living my happily ever after. Is he perfect? A story book hero? Heck, no. But then, I’m not a Disney princess, either. Or maybe I am. Maybe we’re more like Shrek and Fiona.

via GIPHY

A romance novel does not give you unrealistic expectations, as much as people would have you believe that. Women might want a Prince Charming, but along those same lines, men are also looking for their perfect Barbie doll. It’s an ideal that doesn’t exist, and I think everybody knows that. Romance novels empower women to grow, to be who they are, and if a handsome hero happens to show up, all the better, as long as he gives the heroine room to be herself and to grow. A healthy relationship. Romance novels provide strong female main characters. Wonder women, even if they are only a wonder in their own small world.

When I write, my goal is to remind women we don’t have to be afraid of who we are, and not to settle for less than we deserve. Prince Charming isn’t always wearing a crown. Sometimes he’s a big, green ogre who is waiting for someone who can see there’s more to him than Fe-Fi-Fo-Fumming. That’s the realistic side of romance.

Creating a Hero in Six Easy Steps

I've started work on my next in series!

One of the first things I do is to create a "picture" of my characters. What do they look like? Since this is Kathleen's book, I already know what she looks like from her appearance in EPITAPH. And the hero? I'd originally given her one in EPITAPH, but turns out that relationship didn't work out, so I had to create a new man in her life.

How to create a hero in six easy steps.

1. What does he look like? I had an image in my mind, and as I started to describe him on the page, I wanted to check what people would "see" when I described his skin tone, so I Googled it. As a reader, I can see an olive complexion, or a creamy complexion or even bronze. When I Googled the color I chose, it returned pictures of skin abnormalities. Macules or signs of a disease. NOT the results I'd expected. First correction in the new book!

2. What does he do for a living? Many men are defined by their career choice. Are they ambitious? Driven? Biding their time doing what they have to do until they can do what they want to do? Do things come easy to them and, therefore, they don't have to put much effort into it? Did they get where they are due to nepotism or some other relationship and never had to prove themselves? These all help to define his personality traits - who he is.

3. What is his fatal flaw? His Achilles Heel? And/or what secrets does he keep? Nobody's perfect. Maybe blind ambition means he runs over other people in his goal to reach the top. Maybe he has a hidden secret in his past that could ruin his future. Does he rush to judgment, or act before he considers the repercussions of his actions? On the other side of this coin, what makes him Heroic? And maybe he has to overcome his fatal flaw to get to that point (all stories should show how your characters have evolved). Heck, maybe he has a hero complex which makes him both heroic and flawed at the same time.

4. What makes him stand out in a crowd? Why do you notice him? Is it a physical attribute? The way he dresses? The way he speaks? The way he walks? What draws you to him rather than every other man in the same crowd?

5. What is his "go to" gesture? People tend to have tics, or tells. Do not overuse the gesture. I had one early reader of THE MIRROR who said she was starting to worry about Garth's neck. He massages the back of his neck when he's nervous or tense or anxious - Thanks to her input, I fixed the overuse. In TOUCHED BY THE SUN, Dominic had a tendency to tick his fingers off against his thumb. This gesture shows us their frame of mind without telling your audience. It's the old "I can see something is bothering you."

6. Don't forget his backstory. It doesn't have to be dumped on the page, but you need to know how he grew up. Was his family close? Was one or both of his parents neglectful or abusive? Does he have siblings that might shape how he interacts with people? Does he have a role model outside his family who has influenced his life? And just as a random added extra, I read an article once that said you can judge a lot about a man by the way he treats his mother. That isn't always a two-way street, so be mindful of the psychology behind what shapes his personality. Much of this backstory will never make it onto the page, but it is essential for how he responds based on how he is programmed, and as the author, I need to know that.

Catch up with the EPITAPH series. Book 3, THE MIRROR went live yesterday and is now available at all your favorite booksellers!

Starting Over

In case you didn't know, Epitaph 3: THE MIRROR, releases next Tuesday. I got the blessing from my editor, did my final passes, and its now officially done! You can pre-order it anywhere you would normally buy a book and it will automatically show up on your device or ship to you on Tuesday. (TODAY, July 12, You can get $5 off the paperback version at Amazon during their prime days! Details are at the link.)

Normally I've already started the next book, but because this is the third release this year, I decided to wait until this one was done. I was running close to my deadline and didn't want the distraction of "which characters are these, again?" Now that it's "put to bed," its time to move ahead. I have done some preliminary outlining, a starting point, an idea to run with, but since I'm still parked in the starting gate, I thought I'd reach out to my readers for what they want to see.

I envision the next in the Epitaph series as Kathleen's story, but I've also been thinking about the Northwest Suburbs series, a book to follow COOKIE THERAPY. Remember Yolanda from the bakery? What do you think? Do you want to read more ghosts, or do you want to revisit the family of friends in Hoffman Grove? Leave me a comment - I'd love to hear your opinions.

In the meantime, here's a teaser from THE MIRROR

Pre-order your copy of THE MIRROR (e-book or paperback) at:

Kobo

Smashwords

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

Google Play

Apple iBooks

Who said writing is easy?

Can't tell you how many people think being an author is an easy job. You make stuff up, you write it down, easy peasy. Right?

Wrong.

I've been working on comments from my editor for THE MIRROR and I'm exhausted! And I'm still not sure I got it right. We'll have to see after I get the next round of edits back.

The word for today is characterization.

When I wrote RETURN TO HOFFMAN GROVE, I challenged myself to make an unlikeable secondary character likeable by turning her into the main character. That took a lot of work, and I spent a lot of time studying personality traits and psychology and emotional history. And then, when I wrote COOKIE THERAPY, I challenged myself to do the same thing with a hero. Those were some of the most fun books to write. I was stretching myself and I created three-dimensional characters with character flaws along with endearing traits. So I should know what I'm doing by now, right?

When I started THE MIRROR, I envisioned secrets and flaws and all kinds of things, and then I got caught up at the day job and had to set it aside. That was probably the best thing that could have happened, because when I came back to writing, I realized what I'd written wasn't very good. So I started over, and I thought I'd done a much better job the second time around. Unfortunately, some of the first draft problems carried through into the second draft, and most of what's wrong is that the unlikeable heroine I sought to redeem is still unlikeable. She has plenty of psychology and background to justify her personality, but I didn't bring that forward soon enough. Basically, she's a hot mess.

Rule #1. Main characters need to be likeable. If they do something UNlikeable, they need to have a reason. Maybe its something from their past that shaped the way they see the world today. Experience. Maybe its family history. Whatever the reason is, a good author needs to build sympathy for that unlikeable character early on. Consider the movie REAR WINDOW. Jimmy Stewart is a peeping tom. He spends his days with binoculars watching his neighbors. Not very neighborly. Even his girlfriend thinks he's a bit off. But we can excuse him a little because of his ennui, sitting alone recovering from a broken leg. And then we can excuse him later when he uncovers a murderer. He brings his little apartment community together at the end of the movie where all the neighbors watch out for one another. Who knew happiness was waiting right outside their courtyard windows?

And so I'm busily addressing editor comments so that the book will be ready for publication on time.

Fingers crossed!

The Space Between

Generally speaking, I'm usually antsy to move forward once I've finished writing - on to the next one. I found myself feeling that way as I moved to the last "get it ready for the editor" stage with THE MIRROR, except the book that was speaking to me isn't the next one I want to write. Go figure! I should pay attention to my gut, right?

So while I'm sitting here being wishy-washy and indecisive and impatient and a whole bunch of other unflattering adjectives, maybe I'll just share the new cover with you. What do you think? Epitaph 3 - THE MIRROR is Sandra and Garth's story.

When Sandra Meyer's violent ex-boyfriend returns to sleepy Edgarville, Illinois, she turns to the man who stood up to Nick Benedetto back in high school. If brawny Garth Benson will pose as her boyfriend on social media, maybe Nick will go leave her alone. Sandra adores Garth, but she can’t afford any ties to Edgarville. Now finished with a decade of dedicated service as her mother's caregiver, Sandra is planning her exit from this one-stoplight town.

Garth is firmly rooted in Edgarville with the family monument business and a trophy shop that will need a "mom" to his "pop." Garth has wanted Sandra ever since he slugged Nick more than ten years ago. Her secrets run deep, as do the strengths that he admires about her, but whenever he tries to move their casual flirtations from talk to dating, she backs away.

Small town life has strangled Sandra as effectively as Nick tried to when they were in high school. Garth might be the one man who can protect her from Nick, but what he expects in return is too much. On top of that, her deceased father’s unexpected appearance in the mirror of her new home exposes long-held secrets that will change Sandra's view of her family and hometown forever.

When the last tie holding her to Edgarville is cut, Sandra runs as fast as she can, but the world outside her small-town community isn’t all that she expected.

Blogs - guests and hosts

via GIPHY

Undeniably, the hardest part about writing is promoting/marketing.

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been doing guest stints at various blogs to talk about THE TWINS and prepare for the launch of THE MIRROR. It has made me stop to think about all the pitfalls and/or benefits to hosting and guesting.

Would you like to see other authors pop in on my blog? Maybe a "Finding New Reads" feature?

For myself, I almost always schedule my blog posts ahead of time. Because I work a day job, anything I can do to plan ahead keeps me from forgetting things. I've noticed some of the bloggers who've hosted me don't do that, and on my scheduled post day, they're suddenly scrambling for last minute information. Others send me the permalink ahead of time so I know they're all set. Most of them provide buy links to the featured book, as well as for connecting with me. I'm always grateful for their hospitality, even if they don't always do things the way I'd like to see them done (like scheduling ahead or hotlinks instead of links you have to copy and paste). I was at one blog recently where the blogger moderated comments. I don't have a problem with that, as long as they DO moderate the comments. I left her a thank you that never appeared, and anyone else who might want to comment might not if they had to be moderated, or wouldn't get a response from me if the blogger never moderates comments. Blogs are about interaction for me. I LIKE responding to people's thoughts and comments!

I enjoy the character interview posts I've read and done. Authors "become" their characters during the writing process, so there aren't a lot of questions we can't answer, and it sometimes gives readers an extra peek into the character's background or motivations. Those types of posts seem more entertaining than your standard blurb or excerpt, although I like the excerpt posts, as well. That gives you insight into what the author's writing style is.

Guesting and hosting on blogs is fun and I enjoy meeting new readers and bloggers, which brings me back to you - my audience. Would you enjoy seeing guests on my blog? Samples and interviews from other authors to help you find new books to read? What are your favorite types of blogs to read? Interviews? Excerpts? A blurb? Inquiring minds want to know!

The third in the Epitaph series is ready for the editor and on schedule for release late July or early August. If you haven't already signed up for my newsletter, there's a tab at the top of the page so you will get notified on release day!

What did we do without the Internet?

Research can be tedious, and research can be fun.

I'm getting down to the nitty gritty with my editing phase and one of the things I'm trying to do involves shorthand. Anybody remember shorthand? I'm using it sort of like a secret code, or not so secret code, as the case may be. Yes, a million years ago, my mother made me learn shorthand. Yes, I hated it. No, I never used it. So going back at it now, I can step into my character's shoes and say "huh?"

When I wrote my first book, I spent HOURS in the public library, researching and studying and learning about things to make sure my story was authentic. I learned Italian! That was in the late 90's, so we're only talking 20 years ago. Now, much of the information I needed then is readily available on the Internet, in more forms than I could ever want. Instead of reading travel brochures to the Isle of Capri, I could watch a YouTube video and see it. Don't get me wrong, I still visit the library. Still love the library. There is much to be found there, including the fountains of information we refer to as librarians.

Shorthand has gone the way of other lost arts. It still exists, although high school students are no longer able to take classes. Instead of typing classes, now there are keyboarding classes, and those begin in grade school. So where does one go to translate shorthand into longhand and vice versa? YouTube videos are available to people who want to learn this lost art, and there are still textbooks one can use for reference. Lucky for me, I have friends who use it. So I tapped one of them to write me something to see how well I did. High school is a lot of years in the rearview mirror, but I have to say I'm proud that I was able to translate a lot of what she wrote for me! Now, as I near the end of my editing phase, I want to add authenticity to my character, who is struggling to translate what her mother wrote. I have the translation, but I need to see where she would stumble in the conversion of shorthand to longhand.

The Internet has a translator that goes from longhand to shorthand! Is this an amazing world or what? So my project this week is to type in the longhand version and then go back and try to read it in shorthand, annotating what I get wrong along the way (the way my character would). You might think this is cheating. I know what its supposed to say, after all. But with close to 70,000 words in the manuscript, there's no way I will remember the passage verbatim. Seems like a reasonable test of my skills.

Still tweaking, still filling in missing pieces, but I'm on schedule with MAN IN THE MIRROR. I can't wait for you to read it!

When "The End" means starting over

Yay! I've finished my first draft of the Man in the Mirror, the third installment in the Epitaph series. While I'm excited to have typed those two words (The End), this is where the work really begins. Now I have to go back to the beginning and see what I've screwed up in the process. Continuity errors, inconsistencies, gaping holes where I've neglected to provide missing information.

Writing a novel is about more than telling a story, it's about fleshing out your characters and making their story come to life. Even though I sat sobbing over some of my scenes, I was sobbing before I ever transcribed the words that you will read. The trick is getting that same emotion onto the page. My critique partners and I have a phrase we use, "Read what I mean." Too often, the way we feel inside our heads doesn't make it to the page. The words need to go along with what I'm feeling and seeing inside my head, and that's where the second draft comes into play.

Writing is rewriting. You may have heard that phrase used, and it's right on point. Being an author is about more than getting the words down, it's about making sure you've used the right words, about making sure you haven't left out crucial details (except in those instances where it's important to leave them out!), or in some cases, making sure you haven't included information that isn't relevant and slows down the story. And after you've assessed all of that, it's time to go back with the proverbial fine-tooth comb to look for the obvious errors, typos and overused words, etc.  In all, I generally do a minimum four full drafts before I send it to my editor, looking for different things each pass.

I have a tentative appointment with my editor, and then, in addition to all the corrections I made after looking at it with my own microscope, she'll point out those things that are still missing/wrong/need to be addressed.

So no, writing "The End" isn't the end of the process. That's when the real work starts.

I'm on track for release late summer or early autumn. Can't wait to share it with you! After a false start, I think it turned out pretty well! I hope you'll agree.

I saw the sign

There are always moments when writing that you wonder if you should abandon the current work in progress, and then the cosmos steps in to give you a nudge. The next project in my EPITAPH series is called "Man in the Mirror." If you've been following along, you know the titles refer to the "ghost" part of the story. I've had several interruptions to my writing process this spring, between the day job and traveling and personal "stuff," and have questioned myself several times as to whether I'm writing "so much nonsense."

Recently, while touring "Laura," a Creole plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana, the first room you step into has a mirror over the fireplace. The guide stops to tell you about Laura, the woman the plantation is named for, and then she turns a switch and a portrait materializes in the mirror. Kind of spooky! Some of the tourists gasped at the eerie appearance. Me? My sign from the cosmos.

Still writing! A tad behind schedule, but the Man in the Mirror will get done!

Dialects, Alligators and Distraction

As a post-busy season retreat, my DH and I took a trip to New Orleans. Yes, the book with the hero from Louisiana is done, but I may have mentioned he was one of my favorites to write.

One of the sticking points while I was writing THE TWINS was getting the dialect right. While my hero wasn't from the city proper (he's from the countryside near New Orleans), I wanted to add authenticity to his vocabulary, remind readers where he was from without hitting them over the head. I was particularly pleased when one of the tour guides mentioned dialect while we were out and about. People in New Orleans don't have that southern drawl you'll hear in other parts of the South. In fact, they're all over the board. One of the tour guides sounded like she was straight out of New York, and indeed, the other guide pointed that out, that the dialect sometimes mimicked other parts of the country. That made it more important for me to find phrases unique to the area, and while I might have laid it on a little thick with my hero (yes, I'm purposely not using his name - read to the end to find out why), I also didn't give him a twang. Just a soft drawl. In the countryside, they have a softer way of speaking. A gentle lilt to their voice that is unique to that area, and that's what I was hearing and trying to convey.

The population in southern Louisiana is unique to most anywhere else in the United States. They still have French schools much the way we have ethnic schools around Chicago because they are still French to their roots. and African. and Spanish. Creoles, born in America with strong ties to the homeland although they are planted on this side of the ocean. I got some fascinating history lessons along the way.


We went on a bayou tour and our guide wasn't what you'd expect, not straight out of those TV shows about gator hunters or swamp rats -- you know the ones I'm talking about. He had a refined, soft lilt to his speech as he told us about life on the cypress swamps, hunting gators, the way of life.

It was a great trip, and it made me miss my characters! Which brings me back to my hero.

As I get back into my writing groove after a long busy season and subsequent time away, I'd like to thank you for sticking with me by giving a random commentor a Smashwords coupon for a free version of EPITAPH 2: THE TWINS. If you know the name of my Louisiana hero (hey, it's easy to find if you check out my home page - there's a tab at the top of the page that will take you there!), leave his name in a comment and I'll put your name in the hat to win a copy. Winner will be chosen May 31, 2017, using random.org.

Author, Cover or Blurb?

The age-old question continues. When you buy a new book, what attracts you first? Why am I rehashing this age-old question?

Starting with what draws me in - I get dozens of newsletters touting dozens of new books, old books, discounted books, etc. So what motivates me to buy? I've got to be honest. It starts with an author I know, who's work I admire. They're the front runners, by far, but after that? I do believe in giving "new to me" authors a try. There are lots of books that don't get the exposure they need in an over-saturated market. A catchy title might intrigue me, and maybe a cover, but those can't do it alone. I need a strong blurb to go with. Many times I've gotten sucked in by a provocative title, an interesting cover, and read the blurb only to run away. A poorly phrased/worded blurb can be the kiss of death. This is the representation of what's inside the book, and if it sucks, well, I don't hold out hope for the story.

And next, wondering what draws my readers in. I've been promoting the Epitaph series, since they are my latest endeavor, but I have to say I find it fascinating when I have something scheduled for a day, say a guest blog post or interview, and someone buys a different one of my books. Definitely not complaining, but it begs the question of what drew you to that book. I have my theories.

First - the Epitaph series, while there are ghosts in the stories, are still romances. Romantic suspense even (moreso the first and third ones). The covers are dark and mysterious to let the reader know there's something lurking in the shadows, but I've discovered from my ARC readers it wasn't the ghosts that drew them in. They were pleasantly surprised that the story was so much more than ghosts. So maybe I'm not marketing them properly, but I can't imagine a cover that represents a walk on a sunny beach when the hero and heroine are hiding out in a potentially haunted house.

Now, let's move over to Cookie Therapy, my "good to be alive" book. This is the first of my novels where I opted for a shirtless male on the cover (enter my adult nephew inquiring why there's a naked fireman on the cover of my book). I admit, I was nervous about that, but it represented the story. Matt, the fireman, has a reputation, earned or not. Funny thing, after it was published, I read an interview with one of my favorite romance authors who does NOT put shirtless men on her covers. She asked her audience what they thought, and they said they'd rather not see that. And she writes STEAMY STUFF (not erotica, mind you, but the heat is definitely turned to high). So when I'm promoting Epitaph and someone buys Cookie Therapy, It makes me stop to think. Maybe there's something to that half-naked fireman. As uncomfortable as I was about taking that step, that shirtless man has gotten a lot of attention.

Which brings me back to that oft-repeated question. Clearly, my readers know what they're going to get when they see a hot guy on the cover of my novels (which was the point, after all). Would Cookie Therapy have gotten the same attention if the cover was more sedate? And then I think of my favorite romance author who puts sweet covers on her steamy romances. Couples walking hand in hand on the beach, heroes holding puppies... Hey, she does okay. Best seller list, Movie deal in the works. Do I need that gratuitous picture to get your attention?

What do you think?