When you don't know what you don't know

At the day job, when we're training someone, we always encourage them to ask questions. The problem is, you can't ask questions when you don't know what you're missing.

When I start a new book, I take the "pantser" approach. I dive into the story and then figure out what I don't know as I go along. Normally, that isn't a problem, and there are often times when I have to halt the action to do research. Researching can be fun, but it can also be distracting. While I was writing my first book, I went on so many different tangents that it took me two years to write that book. Fortunately, in learning the process, I was reminded that I needed to stick to my theme, to tell the story I started out to tell and let the rest of it go (perhaps as fodder for future writing).

I'd wager eighty percent of research doesn't make it into the novel, but it's critical information. The problem comes in when you let it take you away from the story you're writing. As a pantser, I don't know what I don't know, and when I stop for research, I learn important details that color the story. For instance, when you're recovering from ACL surgery, you do not do "open chain" leg lifts. And then I get distracted by what exercises you would do, and pretty soon I've lost the focus of my story in favor of writing a recovery plan for someone post surgery.

This is where I stop to take off my pantser hat and buckle down as a professional writer to determine the story I want to tell.

Time to refocus. Yes, I need to know the research information, but that's background. Now I know more about the process and can avoid incorrect information, include relevant information, but that isn't the main focus of the story. That information gets put into a file labeled "authenticity," but likely isn't necessary to my plot.

Now that I know what I didn't know, it's time to write the rest of story.

Character Interviews

In every book I write, there's always one elusive character, one where I'm not sure what they're all about. That's the point where I stop and consider who they are, what's their backstory. What makes them who they are. (I think I need to develop interview questions for those characters!)

As an author, we have to be careful not to draw one-dimensional, cookie-cutter characters. Even the bad guys weren't always bad (unless they're sociopathic, but that's a different story altogether). In THE ARCHITECT, I had to interview the ghost to find out what his deal was, and even then, there was more to the story (which I often don't discover until I keep on writing). In the current work in progress, my protagonist was keeping secrets from me, and I got as far as Chapter 5 in the first draft before I stopped and said "hey, wait a minute. I don't know enough about you." Putting on the brakes, I started writing down questions. How did she get to where she is today? What's her history?

When I start writing a new story, I begin with goals, motivation and conflict. It's a good start, but can still be fairly flat without knowing why they have those goals and what pushes their buttons. I knew their goals. I had motivation, and conflict, but I still didn't know enough about my characters to move the story forward. Generally, it takes several chapters before they start "talking to me," but this particular character wasn't talking.

Here are some of the questions I'm asking her:

• How did you get this job?
• What are your credentials?
• What's at stake if you fail to execute your directive?
• What are your afraid of?
• What makes you question your ability to successfully execute your job?
• Tell me about your family life. Are they instrumental in your career choice? Do they support your career choice? Do they encourage you or do they expect you to fail? 

She is mindful of her choices and decisions and especially conscious of her own state of mind. I think that's where I'm running into trouble. She sets a higher standard for herself, a level of confidence and knowledge she wants to project and share, so as I look for those doubts, she's pushing me away and denying that they're there (but nobody's perfect...)

A little secret about THE ARCHITECT, the first hero failed his job interview and had to be replaced.

I'm moving forward with the next in the series. My protagonist passed her interview, but I still have much to uncover!

The new release is on sale now!

Pick up your copy today.

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Oh, I'm Being Followed by a Moonshadow

We had a supermoon this week. Did anyone see it? Officially, it was Tuesday night, but I happened to be up in the middle of the night on Monday night (Happy New Year!) and as I paddled into the bathroom, I looked out the window and saw...

Shadows. At three o-clock in the morning. The moon was casting shadows. Have I mentioned my life is a musical? Enter Cat Stevens.

Tuesday night I was watching the news with my husband and they were advertising the supermoon, and I told my husband I'd already seen it - or close to it - and I told him it made me think of Cat Stevens. This is where he turns to me, brow furrowed. So I sang for him. His response, "You were awake enough to think of that?"

Hey, if I'm moving, I'm awake, and I was moving. Yes, I was awake enough to break into song. Quietly, mind you, but singing at three a.m., nonetheless.

"Did it take long to find me? I asked the faithful light./Did it take long to find me? And are you gonna stay the night? o-o-o-oh..."

Songwriters: Cat Stevens / Yusuf Islam

Moonshadow lyrics © BMG Rights Management US, LLC

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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.

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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.

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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.