Technology for Authors

I'm excited to announce that the Romance Writers of America has developed an app for romance readers.

The app is called "Novel Engagement," and it will help you find your favorite author, a book by keyword (topic) and it will alert you when your favorite author releases a new book!  (ahem, Rekindling is currently expected in October due to scheduling issues). If you have an iOS or Android device, it is scheduled to go live today.

They're still fine-tuning things over there, but it appears to be functional.

In this day and age of instant technology and self-service, I am amazed at the things people come up with! Some of us struggle with technology, and while I am pretty computer friendly on the whole, there are days as I get older that I have a hard time keeping up with the constant changes. On the plus side, these changes create job opportunities for other techies who are willing to help out.

In other news, I'm working on a re-edit of some old work. While Rekindling is completed, it needs fine-tuning. To give myself a fresh perspective, I'm taking a couple of days of "time out" (working on the re-edit) and then it will be full speed ahead on the new release. Rekindling is on my editor's schedule for the end of July.

Here's the preliminary elevator pitch/blurb to whet your appetite:

An angry young man returns to his home town, hoping to win back his first love. Instead he has to protect her from the danger that follows him.

After nine years away, Brody Parkhill returns to his home town to consult with the owner of an outdated building for its possible sale. He discovers that the building is leased to a crisis center, and his friends from high school are deeply engrained in its operation. An uncomfortable situation grows worse when his boss sees Brody’s personal connections at the center as a conflict of interest and fires Brody. Now he’s left to face emotions he’d hoped to leave behind in the town he fought so hard to escape.

The last person Cinda Cooper expected to see after a night out was her best friend from high school, Brody Parkhill, the one who was supposed to help her escape her troubled home life. The one she hasn’t seen or heard from for nine years. A series of crimes following his arrival make her wonder if the angry young man he used to be has matured into someone dangerous.

Chapters and Plot Points

While I'm editing Rekindling, I've been bandying around different things.

I have two very good friends who I've tapped to do a beta read of the story. Too often, I leave out very important details that I can see very clearly in my head and that never make it to the page. And they pointed some of those things out to me. One of those points is that they'd like to see more backstory on some of these characters since they have so much history together (they are high school friends, nine years after graduation). So I thought to myself, "what better way to show the past than with a prologue?" And proceeded to write one. Which I hated, and tried again. And still hated. And then sent to one of those friends and said "tell me what you think." Guess what? She hated it too. And the main reason is that this book is Cinda and Brody's story. Not the rest of the gang of friends. AND most of what the prologue covered had been woven in throughout the story (like it's supposed to be).

No more prologue, but there will be additional snippets of backstory.

Another point that they both mentioned (and I'm not writing JUST for them, but when two people bring up the same points, it bears consideration) - The ROMANCE part. One of the ladies said "I would have liked to see Cinda and Brody get together sooner." Translation - get them into the bedroom. One of the things I often wonder about is whether that bedroom door should remain open or closed. I will tell you that I write one of "those" scenes in every novel. It just happens. And then I usually cut it. I get it out of my system. Some of them make it through to the final cut. For some of the stories, "those scenes" are part of the plot. Being aware of some readers' sensibilities, I will admit that I shy away from passing them through to the final version. If the story is strong enough, you don't need "those" scenes. I'm surprised at the number of romance readers who now expect those scenes.

So here's my thinking. I've read some novels in the past couple of years that might have been better labeled soft porn. Historicals where the heroine couldn't wait to lose her virginity, and thus, her reputation. I'm sorry, but if I'm reading a historical, I'm expecting my heroine to live to the standards of her time. For a strong-willed, strong-minded one to jump up every now and then is one thing, but I know one author who took it upon herself to make ALL of her heroines this way. I had to cross her off my reading list, because although I might enjoy a bit of spice in my reading, there are certain genres where it doesn't work for me. You need to put in a bit of angst along with the strong will. There are plenty of authors who can make it work, and I do enjoy them. But back to me . . .

I've given Cinda and Brody their night of passion. Given their strong personalities, it's a bit rowdy, although they are in a bedroom (not all of my characters are that lucky - taking advantage of a beach or a kitchen table . . . but I digress). So the next question that comes to mind - should that bedroom door be open or closed? Do readers want to see all the flying body parts on the page or is it better left to the imagination? Certainly Cinda and Brody are making enough noise that Cinda's best friend can give the reader a pretty clear picture of what she's overheard.  A very brief, very informal poll tells me readers want to see it ON the page. So for now, that's where it is, while I continue to edit.

Is the sex a plot point? Yah, you betcha. One of Cinda's issues is that Brody left. Without her. Nine years ago. And now he's back. So rather than wander through the entire book being mad at him, they make their peace (and make love). But now they have this new issue to deal with. So the book will be stronger for removing a stale conflict that was being overplayed and adding the new dimension of "now what?" Best friends, taking that next step. Is it going to change the dynamic of their friendship?

Okay, I've rambled on long enough. Edits are calling to me. Feel free to weigh in and add your voice to the informal poll. Sex on the page or off? And as far as the prologue? It's already written into the story, where it belongs. Can I add more? Yep. Woven into the story. Where it belongs.

Maintaining Focus while Editing

Yes, that title is an oxymoron.

One of the things I've learned during my writing journey is that, like a sport or a talent or anything else, the more you practice, the better you get. It is NOT like riding a bike. You can get back on and ride, but you have to relearn the skills you've let go. When I was young, I learned to play the oboe. We're talking grade school. A few years ago, DH decided I should have a chance to play again and bought me one for Christmas. We're talking MANY years between then and now. On the plus side, I was able to play a scale. With the assistance of my primers (yes, I still have my "learning to play" books), it was easy to relearn all that I'd forgotten over the years, but while I once played well, even relearning the right notes, I wouldn't subject anyone to the caterwauling that came out of that instrument now.

As many of you know I have a day job. The one that pays the bills. During the first quarter of the year, the day job demands almost all (and often ALL) of my attention. That leaves precious little time to focus on the writing, although I make an added effort to dip my fingers into it so that I don't completely lose everything I've worked so hard to learn. With the work demand ebbing, I've been diving head-first back into my writing.

As the queen of analogies, I'm going to pull out another one. Teachers talk about how much kids lose over the summer months, and that the first month after summer break, teachers work to bring students back to a teachable point. I feel that way! Knowing how this works, I'd struggled to make sure Rekindling was finished so that the hardest part was over.

Who am I kidding? Creating the story is the easy part. The fun part. It's the editing that's the hard part. And that's right where I am now.

Maybe it isn't my lack of focus or the required time away to pay the bills. Maybe I'm just avoiding the hard stuff. Editing is ALWAYS a chore, but an essential chore.

Digressing once more. I stopped before I jumped full into editing to revisit Living Canvas. Since Rekindling sort of follows on from that one, I wanted to make sure I got the copyediting issues straight. (Found at least one inconsistency that I had to correct!) During this process, I realized something, not for the first time. While in the throes of writing, I cannot read it objectively. It's just not possible. That's where I am in Rekindling. Going back to Living Canvas, I was able to find errors I missed the first go round (yes, they've been corrected and a fresh version is available for new readers). I'm no longer INSIDE the story. The point here is that I KNOW there are things in Rekindling that I have to fix, but it is a struggle to find them because the story is playing in my head like a movie, the same way you replay a movie after you walk out of the theater. The initial reaction is to enjoy the experience. It isn't until a day or two later that the odd things jump out at you and you get more critical.

I'm procrastinating, and yet, while editing, it is better to take it slow. To read a couple of chapters at a time rather than buzz through the whole thing so you don't get caught up in the story all over again.

Like a kid back after summer break, I'm struggling to focus on the task at hand. Like a professional, I push forward anyway. I'm proud of this story, the way it plays in my head. I'm working hard to make sure that story comes across on the page. No one else can see into my imagination to do it for me, so I need to press on. And I am. Even if every time I look out the window I stop to watch the dogs next door, or a squirrel hopping from tree to tree, or a cat crawl through the fence.

Speech Patterns

I work for a company where we have acronyms for everything. I recently spent time with some very good friends (who I also happen to work with) and had to smile every time one of them talked in acronyms. You know those cell phone advertisements with Malcolm MacDowell and James Earl Jones where they talk like "kids" and things are "adorbs" etc.? Lots of abbreviations in her speech. I love her to death and I find her speech shorthand "adorbs."

On that same subject, my father-in-law used to have filler words. We'd sit and talk and when he couldn't find the right word, he'd insert the word "outfit." It was an all-encompassing noun filler for people and places and things. I remember sitting at the kitchen table, preparing to work on one of my books and my husband had changed the password on the laptop. Before I could get up to ask him for it, my father-in-law sat down with me and started talking. I wished I could have logged on to record the conversation. His speech patterns were fraught with dialect and the occasional "outfit." I've often thought he would make a very colorful character in one of my novels, but I'll never be able to capture his conversation accurately. It was a unique pattern that is difficult to recreate, and that was probably one of the last coherent conversations we had before he passed on.

Colloquialisms and idioms can be limited to geographical areas and sometimes get lost in translation. When using them in novels, these figures of speech can cause confusion to the reader unless presented perfectly in contest or explained. Which brings me to my morning radio show (I guess I'm still fighting random free association, three weeks after busy season), where they have "Melissa, the joke explainer." She doesn't mean to do it, but in trying to understand it herself, she dissects a joke and explains it, which makes it no longer funny or relevant.

So why this topic today? In my current work, Rekindling, I have a passage that goes like this:

“I never expected you to be the type to drink yourself silly,” she said quietly.

He shook his head, his eyes locked on hers. “Not.”

My critique partner pointed it out to me as confusing and wondered if it was a colloquialism. For my part, I read it as a question asked and answered. A man of few words. Because I greatly respect my critique partner, I'm going back to make sure it makes sense and to see if I need to draw on Melissa, the joke explainer, to make it clear. There's a fine line between showing your character's personality and explaining their personality. Sometimes its necessary to do both, and sometimes you have to let them speak for themselves.

Back to editing. Lots of work yet to do.

Happy Chocolate Chip Cookie Day!

Oh wait. This is where I tell you I'm a cookie-holic. Chocolate chip cookies, to be precise. So maybe I shouldn't celebrate, although I will admit that on my drive to work this morning, I stopped at McDonald's and bought two chocolate chip cookies. Warm, soft, not-yet-set chocolate cookies. And ate them while I was driving. Which made a mess. But they gave me napkins. Which didn't stop me from getting chocolate on myself . . .

Did I mention I'm a cookie-holic?

I won't have anymore cookies today. Promise. So you'd better go out and celebrate chocolate chip cookie day for me.

The behinder I get...

I'm still catching up! Is it Wednesday again already?

I'm working on a post - until I can post it, I have to apologize for being behind! So here's a reminder that from now through May 19, Living Canvas is on sale for the discounted price of $0.99, go to Smashwords and use Coupon Code UU37K when you check out. 

More to come...

Free Association - Random Thoughts

I've been working on Rekindling, which is Cinda's story (the character from Living Canvas).

I should probably preface this blog post by telling you that my mind is spinning a hundred miles an hour after being released from work deadlines, so I'll beg your indulgence.

Back to Rekindling. I'm very excited that the first draft is done and I'm working through the holes. I often have music playing in the background while I write. My DH bought me a new computer for Christmas with Windows 8, and one of the features I've been using is iHeart Radio, the Classical channel (I find classical music more relaxing and less distracting). And then I was distracted. A song played that I haven't heard in a number of years. (Stick with me, I'm about to go random.)

The song was Stella by Starlight. I'm willing to bet most people don't know the song, and those who do probably don't remember it. I remember it because I am a fan of old movies. Old scary movies to be more precise. My husband makes fun of me because many of them are black and white. Stella by Starlight was used in a move called "The Uninvited" starring Ray Milland. (The long-term memory is still intact!) I can't even tell you how I remember the name of a song from a movie, but it prompted me to go and download it (the Liberace version, in case you care).

More randomness - My mother was the one who introduced me to "The Uninvited." Now, we have a song that jumps up from nowhere, with a title carefully filed away in my memory, of a movie that my mother recommended to me. (This is called free association - or as my children tell me, completely random, unrelated thoughts.) And why am I telling you about this? (get ready)

Sunday is Mother's Day! And with that, I'd like to wish my mother a Happy Mother's Day.

Circling back to Rekindling, in preparation for the upcoming release, I'm offering a coupon for Living Canvas to get you ready. And since this has turned into a Series, I need to come up with an appropriate series name. If you have any suggestions, I'd love to hear them. The ties? Kira Ellison is in Touched by the Sun. Her brother, Greg, is the hero in Living Canvas, who marries Audrey, who is Cinda's (in Rekindling) best friend. Come to find out Audrey and Cinda have a circle of friends (some of them showed up in Living Canvas as well), so there's a good chance we'll be seeing more of them.

ANYWAY (did I mention I'm a little scattered?), from now through May 19, if you'd like to buy Living Canvas for the discounted price of $0.99, go to Smashwords and use Coupon Code UU37K when you check out.