Review of Victoria Dahl's Latest + Interview + GIVEAWAY!!!

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Victoria Dahl's latest release IT'S ALWAYS BEEN YOU from Kensington Zebra for review.  Then doubly blessed when Victoria agreed to an interview.   And triply (is that a word?) fortunate to have her generously offer a giveaway!  YAY!!  It's a GREAT Monday!

Comment or ask Victoria a question to ENTER to WIN one of the following:

An ARC of IT'S ALWAYS BEEN YOU!

A copy of Victoria's A LITTLE BIT WILD, the first book in the York series.

1 of 5 custom bookmarks.

Victoria Dahl’s IT’S ALWAYS BEEN YOU, is the second book in her historical romance York series and her August release.  I haven't read A LITTLE BIT WILD yet (though you can bet I will) and it's good for those of you in my position to know that IT'S ALWAYS BEEN YOU completely stands on its own.  Not once did I feel lost or out of sync because I hadn't read the prior novel!

IT'S ALWAYS BEEN YOU is one of those books with instant intrigue. Victoria crafts a suspenseful read with characters I rooted for and story questions that made me turn the pages in search for their answers.

I’m a fan of tortured heroes and crafty, independent heroines, and IT’S ALWAYS BEEN YOU has both. The hero, Aiden, believes the love of his life, Kate, the heroine, is dead. Has been dead for a decade. When this novel begins, he is haunted by the resemblance of a random stranger to the woman he could never cast from his heart. And when he confronts the stranger, simply to prove to himself she isn’t the woman he thinks she is, he’s shocked to discover Kate is in fact alive.

Kate has many secrets and has told many lies in an effort to keep herself safe. She believes Aiden cast her aside so many years ago and now is determined to remain unknown, unhindered and undiscovered.

Click for larger image.
Bookmarks are even prettier
in person!

The black moment in this book was riveting and heart-rending. The suspense kept the pace fast and the storyline intriguing. The resolution pushed me to read to the very last page in the novel—not something I often do.

IT’S ALWAYS BEEN YOU is a tale woven from the strongest of human emotions, the harshness of life’s often random circumstances and the double-edged sword of endless love.

You can GET IT HERE in paperback or GET IT HERE on Kindle.

Now Victoria answers a few questions:

What is your writing routine?

I’m not exactly the most disciplined person you’ll ever meet. And by that, I mean I have to promise myself rewards, much as you would a small child. “If you get X words written before noon, you can go out to lunch with a girlfriend!” When I’m on deadline, I know what word count I need to hit every day. It’s often something around 2500 words. I can’t write 2500 words in one sitting, so I’ll normally do one hour of intense writing, which should get me close to 1000 words, and then I’ll take a few hours to brainstorm and write the next 1500.

How do you keep in touch with your readers?

My number one way of interacting with readers is via Twitter. It’s immediate and easy and quick, and it doesn’t feel like work. (See Question #1.) I’m terrible at Facebook and almost as bad with email, sadly. I procrastinate, and then I feel guilty, and then the whole big mass of emails and Facebook messages and guilt hangs over my head like a boulder. That’s when I like to hide in my Twitter cave and frantically tell dirty jokes.

What are you reading now?

I’m just finishing up Courtney Milan’s novella Unlocked, which is beautiful! I’m also reading a couple of non-fiction books about Jackson Hole, Wyoming, as my next contemporary series is set there. I just read a not-yet-released Ann Aguirre book, Enclave, as well as an untitled manuscript from my amazing critique partner, Jennifer Echols. It’s so very nice to have lots of friends who are amazing writers and send me advance work. *GRIN*

What is in your TBR pile?

Oh, my God. What isn’t in my TBR pile? That thing about how nice it is to have great writer friends? It’s also torturous! Because I want to read all of their books and I can’t keep up! Let me fire up my Kindle and we’ll see what’s on it:

The Iron Duke by Meljean Brook
Tempest Rising by Nicole Peeler
Unclaimed by Courtney Milan
Too Hot to Touch by Louisa Edwards
Goddess with a Blade by Lauren Dane
Broken by Megan Hart
Collision Course by Zoe Archer

Do you have a second career? If not, what did you do before you became a full-time writer?

I’m a mom of two, so I spend a lot of my time making sure the house is spotless and the kids eat nothing but home-cooked organic foods. *snort* That’s a joke. But I do spend a lot of time hanging out with them and buying Lunchables at the grocery store. Before I had kids, I worked in financial services and banking. Exciting!

How do you develop your plots and characters? Do you use any set formula?

All of my books start with an idea for one scene. Just one scene, maybe even just a few heartbeats in that scene. In IT’S ALWAYS BEEN YOU, it was the moment when Aidan sees Kate for the first time in ten years. That’s the idea that started the book for me, and then I work back from there. Who are these people? Why is his reaction so visceral and heartbreaking? What happened to bring them to this place? How will he react? That’s where the story always starts. I love that moment of curiosity.

Tell us about your upcoming recent release, IT’S ALWAYS BEEN YOU.

IT’S ALWAYS BEEN YOU is the second in my York family series. I love a tortured hero, and Aidan York has had his share of heartbreak. His own behavior has only added to his torment over the years, and he hates the man he’s become. But when he’s reunited with his first love, Kate Tremont, anything seems possible. Redemption, love, happiness. But nothing is as simple as it seems, and Kate has to convince him that they have no future together. Still, even the most dangerous of secrets can’t stop her from responding to his touch…or his heart.

What are your current projects?

I just turned in the last book of my Donovan Brothers Brewery series! Good Girls Don’t, Bad Boys Do and Real Men Will will be out in September, October and November. And now I’m starting a brand new contemporary series set in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. I don’t have any titles yet, as I’m only nine pages into the first book, but I’m having fun!

Where can we find you online?

On Twitter! www.Twitter.com/VictoriaDahl
My website: www.VictoriaDahl.com
and my email of shame: Victoria@VictoriaDahl.com

Bookmarks are more gorgeous in person!

Comment or ask Victoria a question to ENTER to WIN one of the following:

An ARC of IT'S ALWAYS BEEN YOU

A copy of Victoria's A LITTLE BIT WILD
1 of 5 custom bookmarks

**US/Canada shipping for books**
**International shipping for bookmarks**
*MUST leave contact email**
(otherwise how will we tell you YOU WON?)

Bio:

Victoria Dahl lives with her family in a small town high in the mountains. During the summer she hikes and drinks margaritas (usually not at the same time). During the winter she likes to curl up with a book and a cup of hot cocoa and think about all those poor, freezing skiers working so hard out in the snow. 

Her first published novel, the winner of the coveted Golden Heart for best long historical romance, debuted in 2007. As of the end of 2012, she will have seventeen books and novellas in print in historical, contemporary, and paranormal romance.

Victoria's first contemporary romance, Talk Me Down, was nominated for both the Romance Writers of America® Rita Award and the National Readers' Choice Award. Since then, her books have been nominated for two more Rita Awards, and she hit the USA Today Bestseller list with the contemporary anthology Midnight Kiss!

Read more...

Being an Indie Author with Theresa Ragan

My guest today, author Theresa Ragan, writes medieval time travels, romantic comedy, romantic suspense, and her first romantic thriller, ABDUCTED, was recently released under the name T.R. Ragan.

Theresa has garnered six Golden Heart nominations with Romance Writers of Americafor her work.

She lives with her husband, Joe, and the youngest of her four children in Sacramento, California.

Being an Indie Author

You can make this easy or you can make it difficult.

Yes, becoming an indie author is a LOT of work, especially if you decide to do everything yourself. But it’s all fun if you take one thing at a time and deal with it. Right now, many indie authors are scrambling around, trying to find that magic “thing” that is going to make their book sell. I have days where I feel like OMG I need to get my book on this site and that site. I need to write more blogs and do more interviews. I need to giveaway free books and I should probably fix my blurbs and change my covers.

Maybe I should do ALL of those things. And maybe those “fixes” won’t do me a bit of good. I won’t know until I do it. But I only have so many hours in a day. Stressing and spreading myself too thin is not going to help matters. In fact, it will probably hurt me more than it will help me.

“Happiness is a choice that requires effort at times.”

Random, I know. But I love that quote. I think of it often. Because I think we can find happiness in absolutely everything we do. Even laundry (well, maybe that’s pushing it). Since becoming an indie author, I am busier than I’ve ever been in my life. But I am also happier. I have readers who have read my books. Just typing that last sentence gave me goose bumps. After 19 years of writing, I was beginning to think that might never happen. But it has and the thought that people are enjoying my stories makes me smile.

Like many of you, I have a “to do” list that is growing faster than Jack’s beanstalk. I am choosing not to stress over my growing To-Do list. I am going to take one thing at a time and do the best I can. That’s all I can do. That’s all any of us can do.

I am going to make writing my priority because that’s what I love to do and it makes me happy and I really have an obsession with being happy. Life is way too short to be anything else. If I spend more time focusing on story and characters, delving deep into their wants and desires, the book sales will follow.

I know it. I feel it. I believe it.

My advice is to enjoy the ride. Enjoy it now. Today. Slow down. Breathe. Smile. Have fun.

You can find Theresa:

Email
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Blog
Twitter
Facebook
Goodreads
Smashwords

Read more...

Twitter Style Interview with Mystery Writer Camille Minichino

My guest today is mystery author Camille Minichino, aka Ada Madison and Margaret Grace. This Twitter-style interview is fast and furious and FUN, regardless of the genre you write or read! I found myself laughing out loud while I was formatting the post and reading her answers.

Leave a comment or question for Camille and you'll be entered to win her latest release THE SQUARE ROOT OF MURDER, from Berkeley Crime

Camille Minichino is the author of three mystery series, beginning with her Periodic Table Mysteries. Her akas are Margaret Grace (The Miniature Mysteries) and Ada Madison (The Professor Sophie Knowles Mysteries). THE SQUARE ROOT OF MURDER released July 5, 2011 and is available at your local bookstore or at amazon.

Read the first chapter of SQUARE ROOT OF MURDER here.

Read Camille's fun interview HERE:

What is one stereotype about mystery writers is absolutely wrong?
That we're secretly out for revenge on someone.

What one stereotype is dead on?
That we were not cool in high school but are making up for it.

What do you do to unwind and relax?
Arithmetic.

Why mystery?
Revenge. (See above.)

Are there other genres slivered into your mysteries? Romance? Thriller?
A little romance and a thrill or two.

What, in your opinion, are the most important elements of good writing?
A likeable protagonist, whether cop or serial killer; then a good story and clean writing.

How do you develop your plots and characters? Do you use any set formula?
I plunge in.

What dreams have been realized as a result of your writing?
That someone other than my BFFs would read my books.

How long does it take you to write a book?
The first one took 60 years; the next ones took about 3 months each.

What is your work schedule like when you're writing?
Sleep is overrated.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?
I use a spread sheet to keep track of my story and word count.

Where do you get your information or ideas for your books?
Information from an embalmer cousin; ideas wherever two or more are gathered.

If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?
Louis Buzbee, instructor at UC Berkeley Extension.

What are the hardest scenes to write?
Violence, even a slap in the face.

What are the easiest scenes to write?
Funny repartee.

What are your writing strengths?
Dialogue.

What are your writing weaknesses?
Making the plot complex enough to be interesting and challenging to the reader.

Plotter or panster?
I'm a wing-it-er.

What new author has grasped your interest?
I'm stuck with the old: Ann Parker, Thomas H. Cook, Martin Cruz Smith …

What are you reading now?
"Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro.

Was there an author or sleuth that inspired you to write mysteries?
Patricia Highsmith, especially her Ripley books.

What's your mystery subgenre--thriller, police procedural, psychological, private investigator, cozy?
I write cozy, but I read dark. Love the Dexter books, by Jeff Lindsay.

Do you enjoy reading all kinds of crime fiction, or mostly the subgenre you write?
Everything but the subgenre I write. But no horror or paranormal.

What do you think is a reasonable number of suspects is for a mystery?
No fewer than three, no more than five.

Does your sleuth have a sidekick?
I have 3 sleuths, 3 sidekicks: one cop, one pre-teen granddaughter, one hunky boyfriend.

What attributes do you look for in a sidekick when writing the character?
Complementary to the sleuth, opposite in personality.

When you are first brainstorming the plot, do you start out with the victim, suspects, crime, or sleuth?
Since the sleuth is a given in a series, I start with the victim, then the killer and motive.

Where is the mystery set? Does the setting play a role in the book?
I've done both real and fictional settings. Fictional are easier—no one-way-street problems.

How do you feel about interview questions?
I love them!

Where can we find you online?
Facebook
Twitter
Web
Email
Blog

Camille received her Ph.D. in physics from Fordham University, New York City. She is currently on the faculty of Golden Gate University, San Francisco and on the staff of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Camille is on the boards of the California Writers Club and NorCal Sisters in Crime. She's a member of NorCal Mystery Writers of America and SF Romance Writers of America.

Leave a comment or question for Camille and you'll be entered to win her latest release THE SQUARE ROOT OF MURDER, from Berkeley Crime   *US/Canada shipping*

*MUST* leave a contact email.

Read more...

How Writing Relieves Stress

by Jennifer Bell

Stress is an unfortunate fact of life that everyone will suffer from at some point. However, many individuals are much more susceptible to stress and also suffer from it more frequently. There are many alternatives and treatments that are quite effective at reducing stress, but one of the most overlooked, and easiest, is through the simple act of writing.

Writing can be a therapeutic process with several very distinct advantages, including calming nervous energy and focusing attention that tends to run wild during stressful situations. These two aspects alone are often enough to gain the perspective needed to at least deal with the problems causing the stress, if not come up with an effective solution for them. Writing does not mean an elaborate novella of life's challenges. The style or grammatical correctness of the writing is not pertinent, only that the emotions, stressful situations and responses are documented honestly and thoroughly.

Stress Release Through Writing
The act of writing enables people to deal with many different problems and in alternative ways. Writing forces the mind to focus on the information at hand and also engages both sides of the brain. This is very important, as the inability to focus is often the catalyst that enables a stressful situation to spiral out of control. Focusing all of the brain's energy, both the left and right hemispheres, through analytical and creative activities at the same time, is one of the secrets to stress-relief through writing. The process of forming words, translating situations into text and visualizing events all work to calm and focus the nervous energy that stress fosters.

Journals and Diaries
Writing is extremely beneficial for dealing with stress, but when the writings are kept in an ongoing journal or diary, they are even more effective. Journals and diaries are almost like having a private therapist on call, with advantages like being a source of release and the fact that journals can be revisited time and again for help with future situations. Two keys to keeping an effective journal are honesty and recording all aspects, such as how problems were solved, not just what caused a stressful situation.

Journals can also help with one of the biggest problems that plague individuals suffering from stress, identifying the problem. Many individuals deal with excessive stress daily, without actually knowing what the problem is. This often manifests as outbursts, unintentional behaviors and even withdrawal or depression. Documenting when and where these behaviors happen, as well as who or what was involved, is often the key to discovering the real, underlying problems. The benefits of writing can be far-reaching and dramatic for just about anyone that employs them. Even if it only consists of jotting down some keywords and phrases, the effects and benefits of writing, when one is stressed or frustrated, can be profound.

This guest article was contributed by Jennifer Bell from Health Training Guide. Check out her site to learn more about occupational health and safety specialist training and other exciting health careers.

Read more...

Laurie London Talks Writing & Her Latest Release--Embraced By Blood!

Laurie London’s EMBRACED BY BLOOD begins with immediate tension and ends with a race to the finish and all that conflict is sparked with sexual tension between the hero, Alfonso, and the heroine, Lily, throughout.

Deep within the forests of the Pacific Northwest, two vampire coalitions battle for supremacy— Guardian enforcers who safeguard humanity, and Darkbloods, rogues who kill like their ancient ancestors.
Alfonso Serrano is a hunted man. For months he’s managed to elude the Darkbloods, vengeful foes who won’t rest until he’s dead. But he still craves one dangerous temptation: Lily DeGraff, the sexy Guardian agent he’ll risk anything to protect.
Lily is a wanted woman. Her talent for tracking Sweet—a rare blood type that’s addictive to vampires—makes her a prime target for enemy capture. Her only hope is the stealthy vampire operative who stole into her bed…then left her in despair. Danger aside, Lily won’t let Alfonso near her heart again—until an irresistible hunger threatens to draw them back together… and into an assassin’s snare.

Several elements give EMBRACED BY BLOOD a freshness that often snags the interest agents and editors. While this is a vampire novel, Laure gives her hero and heroine unique twists. Alfonso and Lily are not just vampires, but Guardians to humans, protecting them against another type of vampire called Darkbloods. DBs don’t just feed on humans for sustenance and leave them alive; DBs hunt humans, drain them of blood and life, and sell that blood on the black market. And the DBs are particularly interested in one rare human blood: Sweet, a type which all vampires crave, but one which is addictive.

I immediately saw the multi-layered distinctiveness of this characterization: 1) Vampires protecting humans. 2) Vampires protecting humans against other vampires. 3) A Civil war of sorts, vampire against vampire, a fight which is based more on principle than on the human element. 4) Alfonso and Lily aren’t just trying to hide from human detection, but also hiding from Darkblood detection.

I was immediately intrigued by the premise of a vampire blood which is addictive. It struck me like methamphetamine for humans. A very fresh concept.


Q: Laurie, you’ve designed intricate conflict into your plot with the complication of vampire against vampire. Do you plot your conflict or does it grow naturally as you write?

A: A little of both, actually. The over-arching conflict is planned out ahead of time and I usually know the villain’s immediate goals, but some of the finer nuances of the inner conflict between the hero and heroine come as I’m writing the first draft. I expand on it when I go back and revise.

Q: The idea of Sweet, a type of human blood that is addictive to vampires reminds me of how prevalent and addictive methamphetamine is in our present society and what length people will go to the get it. Where did that idea come from?

A: As I wrote the first scene of the first book, Bonded by Blood, I was trying to figure out why Dom, the hero, would attack Mackenzie. He was one of the good guys and I knew he didn’t want to, that it was against his beliefs, but he was overwhelmed by his baser instincts. As I dug deeper, I knew it had something to do with her blood. This formed the basis for the whole series, where Darkbloods, the bad guys, sell this addictive blood on the vampire black market.

Q: The sexual tension between Lily and Alfonso is strong and immediate. The conflict their relationship history and their attraction add to the story is palpable. I’m a sucker for reunion stories, but they are fraught with emotion and difficult to manage within a complicated plot, and you do it seamlessly. Do you find this added element more challenging to write or does it flow with your plot as the other conflicts do?

A: Thank you! The chronology was very tricky for me to write. Some of the timing and framework of their relationship was set in book one and I had to work within those boundaries. I had calendars and spreadsheets of major events, when and where they took place in book one as well as in their backstories. Because I only loosely plot the stories ahead of time, when I was struck with an idea, I had to ask myself if it was even possible given what we already knew had happened.

Q: I believe paranormal writers choose nether creatures who appeal to them in some way. Why do you write about vampires?

A: Ever since my sister and I saw the old movie Fright Night eight times in a row in the theater, I was hooked on vampires. Shortly afterwards, my aunt gave me an old, beat up copy of An Interview with a Vampire. It’s that deadly mystique that haunts me. He’s that guy you should stay away from but you just can’t.

Q: Every book has something unusual in its history—the origin of an idea, a particular character who keeps trying to take over, a villain who didn’t turn out to be the villain afterall. What is most unusual or memorable about EMBRACED BY BLOOD?

A: I had planned to kill off Alfonso, the hero in Embraced, when he showed up briefly in Bonded. Thankfully, he wouldn’t let me do that.

Q: In what setting do most of your ideas and/or resolutions to problems come? For example, Elisabeth Naughton get a lot of “a-ha” moments in the shower or bath. I get mine while I’m driving. Is there a location or activity where you are most enlightened?

A: I’m with Elisabeth! There’s something about the movement and sound of water and the feel of it against my skin that gets my ideas flowing. Thank goodness we live on a well, otherwise our water bills would be really expensive!

Q: Your setting in EMBRACED BY BLOOD is very well done, a solid modern world where vampire live and roam and fight. World building is one of my greatest challenges. How do you approach your world building for paranormal romances?

A: As a reader, I’m drawn to paranormal worlds that take place in our contemporary world, that exist in secret, just beyond our knowledge. Not only do I enjoy it better as an author because many of the constructs are already in place for me (like writing a historical romance set in Regency England), but as a reader, I like to feel as if I’m a character in the book. If the story is set in a city or world that’s familiar to me, it makes it easier to suspend my disbelief and step into that character. For a brief, brief moment, I did consider making the world open, where humans knew about the existence of vampires, but this went against some of the reasons I find the sub-genre so fascinating as a reader, so I squelched that idea quickly.

Q: Zoe, Lily’s daughter, is a charming surprise in EMBRACED BY BLOOD. I personally enjoy writing and reading children in novels as long as they play a part in the story’s conflict and/or enrich main characters, which Zoe does well. How do you feel about children in romance fiction?

A: I actually don’t like reading romances with children, if you can imagine that. I just don’t find those kinds of stories all that sexy. Heartwarming? Yes. But sexy? No. If things are heating up on the page, I’m always worried where the kids are. The next room? Upstairs? Will they sneak in and spoil the moment? Maybe because that is too much like my real life, I don’t like reading about it. LOL But this was Lily’s story and she came onto the pages as a single mother. I couldn’t NOT write her story because of that. I tried to handle it in such a way that this wasn’t an issue. Zoe was never under the same roof when Lily and Alfonso got romantic, so I, the reader and the author, could relax.

Q: What are you working on now?

A: I just finished page proofs for the Sweetblood story I wrote in the anthology A VAMPIRE FOR CHRISTMAS, which comes out in October. And I’m also working on Tempted By Blood, Jackson’s story, which will be out early next year.

Fantastic interview, Laurie!! Thanks so much for coming and sharing your process and
Lily and Alfonso with us!




Be sure to leave a comment or ask Laurie a question to be entered
to win:

1 copy of EMBRACED BY BLOOD

1 copy of BONDED BY BLOOD
1 of 5 custom handmade bookmarks

**Books US/Canada only; Bookmarks International**

**MUST leave a contact email to be eligible to win!**

A graduate of Western Washington University with a BA in Business Administration and a former tester/programmer for a Fortune 500 company, Laurie London now writes from her home near Seattle where she lives with her husband and two children.

BONDED BY BLOOD, A Sweetblood Novel comes out February 2011 from HQN. EMBRACED BY BLOOD, the second book in the series, is coming July 2011.

You can find Laurie:
Website
Facebook
Blog
Twitter

Read more...

A Novel Approach To Marketing = Authenticity

(Comment for a chance to win a $25 Barnes & Noble Gift Card)

Even before I sold my first novel to Alicia Condon at Kensington, even before I contracted with my agent, Paige Wheeler, I was angling for market share as an author.  As a pre-pubbed, pre-agented writer dreaming of that "someday" call, I would walk down the aisles of WalMart thinking to myself, how did they get here?  Then asking myself, how do I get here?

For years I didn't have the answer.  I looked to everyone else for tips, tricks, advice, direction.  One writer says blog, another says don't bother.  One author says promote out the wazoo, another says, I never promote and I'm NYT.  One agent says, your premise isn't unique enough, another says the same premise is far too "out there".

I did the website, the blogging, the facebook, the twitter.  I took the dozens of classes on craft and storytelling and promotion.  I read.  I wrote.  I submitted.  I queried.

About 8 years later, by the time I signed with my agent, I realized what all published authors realize at some point...most before they even sell:  there is no shortcut, no trick, no "magic beans" as Lauren Dane says.

In the last six months, as I've struggled to cultivate clever marketing strategies in preparation of my upcoming release, I've watched the industry and the changes within.  Like so many other authors, companies and entrepreneurs out there, I've wondered just how to gain the attention of the customers (read: readers) I hope to cultivate soon.  Ultimately, I sat back, frustrated, disheartened and dazed, doubtful there was really any way I could make a dent in the attention deficit that has become our target market.

Taking that break from what felt like an upstream swim helped me settle.  I found myself able to look at the whirlpool from a different perspective and I discovered what I was doing that was holding me back: focusing on myself.

When I decided to dip my toes back in the water, it was with a stronger sense of who I am, where I fit and how far I will allow myself to be drawn into the pull of it all.

I'm a giver at heart.  Even as a kid, I've always enjoyed giving presents more than getting them.  I'm absolutely positive this is some personality disorder that is documented in the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), but in the end, it's just me--good or bad.  So when I waded back to the waters edge, I suppose I did it more authentically.  I utilized twitter and facebook and blogging as a way to give to others -- information, advice, technique, antidotes, gifts, thanks, whatever I felt I had/have to offer.

Not only did it feel good, it felt right.  I felt as if I'd found my groove.  In this economic slump, an environment of dwindling audience and growing competition for said audience's attention, simply giving without expectation of return on investment isn't generally thought of as the first or best plan of action, but it fits me.

The best part is that I've discovered it fits a lot of other people out there, too.  I've had a tremendously positive response and feel like I'm finally settled where I want to be...right on the edge of all the fun where I can watch and participate without getting run over or worn out.

Today I came across an article that validated my search for marketing authenticity.  I want to share a few quote from the article, as I could not illiterate my point of view any better.  The piece was written by Michael Stelzner, co founder of Social Media Examiner and you can find the complete articleHERE -- definitely worth the read.

But here are a few passages that spoke to me...intimately:

• Have you noticed that everything is changing? Your industry advances, ideas expand, products morph and your customers move on. Similar to space travel, everything’s hurtling forward. Nothing remains still. Just when you think you have everything figured out, it all changes!

Um...yes! This is why I stopped trying when my head was spinning 90mph.

• We’ve been treating people like fish. We’ve been taught to simply crawl into a boat, paddle out to where the customers are, grab our reel and cast out on top of customers. Then just jiggle that bait the right way and you’ll be able to force a customer into your boat.

As a customer, I recognize this tactic.  And, no, I don't like it.  It makes me feel...ordinary, forgetable, disposable.

• If you want to connect with customers and attract raving fans, the solution is very simple: Focus on people.

I LOVE this!!

• You can meet the needs of people by helping them solve their problems at no cost. When you help people with their smaller problems, many will look to you for their bigger issues.

• Great content PLUS other people MINUS marketing messages EQUALS growth!

• When you offer great content—such as detailed how-to articles, videos—that focuses on helping other people solve their problems, you’ll experience growth. Why? Because this type of content meets the needs of people. It doesn’t focus on you, your products or your company. It is a true gift to your audience.

• Once the marketing messages are caged, the focus of your company shifts from “What can we sell you?” to “How can we help you?” You shift from pitching products to boosting people.

Now there's a concept -- boosting OTHERS, not just YOURSELF!! Wow, how novel!

• With the old forms of marketing, you pitch and sell. People ignore you and your business is at risk. With the new method, you give gifts, people trust you and you become indispensable.

• The result: You no longer need to sell! Instead, you demonstrate your expertise by the content you produce, the ideas you showcase, the stories you share and the people you attract. By creating a platform for others, you can also build strategic alliances, quickly grow a large following and dominate your industry.

• You have the chance to own the place people go to for help, eliminating your reliance on traditional marketing channels. You can become the center of your industry, niche or local market. And when that happens, you’re launched on an unstoppable trajectory that will take you places you never imagined possible.

Well, there you have it...in theory anyway.  IMO, I love the theory, it works for me, it feels good and I'm going to stick with it.

I'm a big believer in karma.  How about you?  What are your thoughts on this theory?

Comment for a chance to win a $25 Barnes & Noble gift card!

Read more...

The Real Story Behind Pacing...post at Magical Musings

I used to think pacing was all about action. Car chases, shootouts, hostage situation or, if we’re talking about a contemporary romance, it would be a personal crisis or business in immediate jeopardy.


Then I read the most recent Koontz novel What the Night Knows. And I realized that pacing isn’t about action, it’s all about presenting story questions then making your reader wait to discover the answer.

READ MORE >>

Read more...

Positive Self-Talk--Examples

Yes, I know, I'm late.  I promised Tuesday and it's Thursday.  Life--it's my only excuse.

This is the third post in the theme of utilizing your subconscious in writing and life.  While the posts layer upon each other for a deeper understanding, they each stand alone as well.  For more information check out the previous posts:

• The Subconscious in Writing
• Positive Self-Talk? Seriously?

Today I'm sharing a bunch of great examples of positive self-talk you can adopt, alter and make your own. 

I'm the type who always wants to know why something works.  If I get a crap answer, I'll doubt the premise.  If I get a logical or scientific answer, I'm apt to believe.  Or, at least believe until something happens to make me doubt.

So...why does self-talk work?

• Self-talk affects the subconscious mind.  It is the type of talk that chatters constantly in the back of our minds without specific, conscious thought.  Things we think, but don't say.  Things we tell ourselves about ourselves or about our job or our life, but don't rationalize or justify before we say them.
• The subconscious mind is programmed similarly to the way a computer is programmed, so like a computer the subconscious mind will only perform the tasks it is programmed to perform.
• Information presented to the subconscious mind causes both a psychological and a physiological response.
• The subconscious mind does not hold any biases or beliefs other than those that have already been programmed in.
• The brain records exactly what it receives without regard to where it comes from or how it get the information.  The brain doesn't care whether the information is true or false, right or wrong.
• The programming you accept from others and the conscious and unconscious directives, pictures, feelings and thoughts that you transmit to yourself in your own control center of the brain--the subconscious mind.

Those are just some of the reasons.  If you want to get down to the nitty-gritty, I suggest reading The Self-Talk Solution by Shad Helmstetter, which is one of the main sources of my information.  I've gathered other supporting information on this topic from various other experts in the field of psychology.

Before we get into the examples of what we should be saying to ourselves, it would be beneficial to recognize what types of phrases we should not be saying.

What NOT to say:

• Nothing ever goes right.  (a.k.a. Could just one thing go right?)
• I'm no good at ... (fill in the blank)  (a.k.a. I'm not that creative/smart/ambitious)
• Why should I try?  It won't work out anyway.
• I can't get caught up.  (I don't have enough time. This is too much work.)
• I've tried, I can't. 
• What is wrong with me today?  (a.k.a. Why isn't my mind working?)
• It's just not my day.
• I'm so tired.

I've been guilty of just about every one of these in one form or another -- for the better part of my life.  Hence, my generally negative/pessimistic personality for the majority of my years.

Now, I consciously make the effort to change my thoughts around by restructuring my sentences. 

Mini personal story:  At my work, there is one particular doctor who is incredibly challenging to work with.  My self-esteem always seemed to take a hit after a shift with her.  I developed my own "mantra" for self-talk repetition whenever we worked together.  I am enough. I do enough. I know enough.  This short, quick, easy little string of words greatly enhanced my working experience with her and reduced the stress during those days.

Things TO say:

• I'm making progress.
• I can handle this.
• I'm willing to try.
• I am in control of this.
• I am excellent at ... writing/singing/problem solving
• I have a fantastic ... mind/talent/ability with people
• I keep trying.
• I'll get it.

So, here are a few examples for different parts of your life, although they are heavily weighted toward creativity/writing because that is my main audience here.  But you can take the base of any statement and change it to fit your specific situation and/or need.

Most of these are generalized.  I've put options related to how you could tailor them toward your writing life in (parenthesis).

**Remember, the key to making self-talk work isn't simply repeating the words over and over.  But, visualize, feel it, live it and infuse gratitude. 

Creativity: Because creativity is the essence of writing.

It's not a question of whether you can be more creative. The question is only whether you will allow yourself to exercise the creativity you already have. ~Shad Helmstetter

• I see my own creativity as the key that unlocks my true potential (as an author).
• I admire and respect others who use their own imagination to benefit themselves and others (their characters).
• I know others see me and respect me as a creative, resourceful individual (writer).
• I am not afraid to try the untried, walk new paths or search for new or better alternatives in my life (writing).
• Today, I am more creative then ever before.
• Since my imagination has no limits, my creativity knows no bounds.
• The more I practice using my creative mind (writing), the more creative (successful) I become.
• My own creativity allows me to unlock the source from which all ideas flow (bestsellers are born).
• I am a bestseller. I am a bestseller.  I am...oh, sorry.  Got a little carried away there.

Overcoming the fear of failure: Because even multi-published authors fear this with every book.

• I am never afraid to try. I enjoy staying with it and moving forward.
• I give myself freedom to fail and reap the success those attempts have brought me.
• I prepare myself with the knowledge and skill I need to succeed.

Getting more done: Because we writers are consummate procrastinators.

• I place great value on taking action. I see what needs to be done and I do it.
• Both the quality and the quantity of what I do (my writing) is important to me. The rewards I achieve are worth the investment I make.
• I look forward each day to increasing my effectiveness (word count) and accomplishing more.

 Perseverance (and hope): Because no author would succeed without it.

• I have faith, I have courage, I have belief--in myself and my writing.
• Each day I have more hope and conviction in my ability to solve any problem (craft a novel worthy of the bestsellers list).
• I never give up.  I am a winner, and I give myself the energy and belief to come out on top (of the bestsellers list).

Dealing with problems: Because in the publishing industry, there is no avoiding them.

• I like challenges and meet them head on.
• My will, my strength, my determination are always stronger than any problem I face.
• I know every problem holds within itself the keys to its own solution.

Speaking and Writing with Confidence: Self-explanatory.

• I have good ideas and I am able to express my ideas in a clear and interesting way.  (I'm a killer storyteller.)
• People like the way I express myself, and they enjoy hearing my thoughts and ideas. (People love my writing and enjoy reading my novels).
• My mind gives me the words I need, right when I need them.

Positive risk-taking: Because every new character, new plot, new story is a risk.

• To me, a good risk is a bridge to my success and a doorway to greater opportunity (the next contract).
• I am willing to accept those risks which are necessary for the fulfillment of my goals.
• Any risk I accept is a healthy new force in my life.  A challenge and worthwhile goal.  Another win in the making.
• I have the courage to do what I need to do (write on the edge) to get where I want to go (to the best seller's list).

Improving your career: Because if you stagnate in the publishing sea, you get eaten by sharks.

• I enjoy seeking and finding new opportunities in my life (publishing).
• I never allow the word "no" to stop me or even slow me down.
• I look forward and never look back.
• I am creating a bright, positive, successful future for myself.
• I know where I'm going (I will be a bestseller), and I'm well on my way.

Learning to say no (a.k.a. protecting your writing time): Essential skill for every author.

• I carefully guard the time I set aside for things which are important to me (writing).
• My time and energies are gifts which I protect and give by my choice, not the dictates of others.
• Saying no is easy for me.  I am confident, self-assured and in control of my life.

I could go on and on, but I'm sure you get the idea.

I would love to hear some of your own positive self-talk. 

Read more...

Positive Self-Talk? Seriously?

Yes. Seriously.

We all talk to ourselves.  (Writers probably more than most...maybe because we have little people running around in our heads.)  Whether we talk out loud or simply think concretely or even just let background chatter drift through our minds, we are all talking to ourselves all day long.

That talk can be good or bad.  It can support our goals and drive us to achieve or it can gut our drive to even try.  We often aren't aware of what we're actually saying to ourselves.  By neglecting to notice our negative self-talk we may be permitting a continual flow of worry and self-criticism.  But by recognizing the power of positive self-talk, we have the potential to bring about positive change in our lives.

I've struggled with the whole glass half full-glass half empty concept for decades.  I'd venture to say a lot of us have or still do.  The truth is, our outlook -- pessimistic vs. optimistic (I also believe there is a state in between I call realistic) developed long before we had a choice. 

From the day we're born, every word, every thought, every action became imprints placed on our subconscious by others.  Later on, in childhood, adolescence and young adulthood our own words, thoughts and images of how we view ourselves create a lasting impression in our subconscious--those concepts largely a product of how we were raised.

If your young years were filled with positivity, support, unconditional love and accolades at every turn -- you've got a head start.  If you experienced more punishment than praise, more cynicism than support or more criticism than kudos -- you have a little harder road to walk. 

Either way, as adults we have to create our own lives, and with the stresses and responsibilities of everyday life...the truth is...its rough.  If you're a writer (by definition a tad more sensitive than the general population), the roller coaster ride toward publication, or even just attempting to express yourself competently, can take a toll on even the rosiest outlook.

The good news: no matter how positive or negative our early years, what successes or failures we've experienced, how many trophies or trials we've collected, we can all end up in the same place in our individual lives--one of achievement, comfort, contentment and positivity to the level of our own personal best.

The power is in cultivating our subconscious mind.  (No voo-doo involved.  Promise.)

I believe my success with positive self-talk is a result of a combination of techniques.  In the working form, positive self-talk is really a combination of self-talk, affirmations and the law of attraction.

• Self-talk: thoughts regarding ourselves that pass through our mind.
• Affirmations: a carefully formatted, positive statement that is repeated to one's self.
• Law of Attraction: A theory that states "like attracts like" and your dominant thoughts will find a way to manifest, good or bad. 

That said, we all know simply repeating, "I am happy." "I am happy." "I am happy." will most likely lead to a hair-pulling event during which the affirmation slips into something more like, "I'm happy, dammit!"  "Look how frigging happy I am!"  "I'm as happy as a cricket in a freaking frogs belly for God's sake!"  

So, here are a few tips that took my self-talk from mindless repetition to meaningful statements and turned my brain and my perspective around:

Visualize
We all know how to daydream.  That's all visualization is--a daydream.  So, when you decide on the powerful self-talk statements, visualize that statement. 

• Let's say your statement is:  I am patient and flexible.  What would it look like to be patient?  Imagine yourself in a line at the store, relaxed, observing the surroundings, maybe chatting with the person ahead or behind you, with no one waiting on you, no where you have to be.  Imagine you have all the time in the world and waiting another minute or two won't affect your life one way or the other.
• Let's say your statement is:  My daughter and I have a close relationship.  We are open and honest with each other.  What would it look like to be more in touch with your daughter?  Visualize yourself picking her up from school, relaxed, looking forward to seeing her.  Imagine listening, open and accepting, as she talks about her day.  See yourself being the empathetic positive influence you want to be. 

Imagine being your statement.  Being exactly what you want in your life.

Feel it
If you were to feel the patience in the first example above, what emotions would you feel?  What physical sensations would your body experience?

• While you visualize yourself waiting in line, maybe the tension drifts out of your shoulders.  The muscles of your jaw relax.  Your stance eases. 
• Because you're not focused on how slow the line is moving, how that cashier should really think about retirement, how you have so much to do somewhere else, you notice that the woman in front of you is wearing the most beautiful scarf you've ever seen.  
• Maybe you comment on it and make a new acquaintance.  Maybe you just enjoy the pattern and color.  Maybe it even gives you a new idea for a character you're writing or a project you're working on.  Maybe it simply makes you happy. 

That's the great thing about day dreams -- they're all yours!  

Live it
Be the person in your visualization, and apply it to your every day life.  If you are the person with the open, warm relationship with your daughter (which you are--your self-talk confirms it), how would you go through your day?

• Your openness would extend to others.  That acceptance and warmth would transform the relationships you have.  You would be more confident.  You would have closer connections throughout your life.  You would be a good listener, empathetic, warm.  You would be happier. 

Living what you tell yourself you are, creates the very life you want.

Infuse Gratitude
Gratitude in itself is a life-changing force.  The subject deserves a month of posts unto itself.  But I found this concept both a powerful catalyst for moving my self-talk and visualizations forward and a motivating force to continue the self-talk even on a bad day.

When you say to yourself: I am patient and flexible, you follow that self-talk with the sensation of gratitude.  Infusing gratitude into your self-talk often empowers me.  Often it even makes me smile...or laugh.

• Traffic--there is test of patience.  How about: I am so glad I'm patient and flexible, because that means I'm not an asshole like the guy who just cut me off.  Or: I'm grateful my patience keeps me from stressing like that guy who just cut me off.  Man, it would suck to be him.

And what about your relationship with your daughter? 

• Try something like: I'm so lucky to have this awesome relationship with my daughter.  Or: I'm so fortunate to have this gift in my life.

I'll be back next Tuesday with lots of examples of positive self-talk for every area of your life and how to create your own.

In the mean time, if you're interested in learning more about this topic, an excellent book is The Self-Talk Solution by Shad Helmstetter.

Can you share your experiences with self-talk, affirmations or the law of attraction?

Read more...

The Subconscious In Writing

When speaking of the conscious and unconscious mind, experts refer to the Iceberg Principal, comparing the conscious mind as the 10% above water and the subconscious mind as the 90% below water.

The power of the mind to change our perception of ourselves has always fascinated me.  Since I've been writing seriously, about a decade now, I've become even more interested in the subconscious mind and all the ouija board-like promises of creativity, focus, productivity, self-esteem and happiness if we could just control our subconscious.



Here are a few facts.  The subconscious mind:

• Does not judge what you tell it, only takes all information as fact.
• Can not tell the difference between true and false.
• Works 24hours a day.
• Takes everything literally.
• Never says no.
• Only recognizes the present.
• Can be seen as the source of night dreams and automatic thoughts.
• Is a repository for every thought, every visual, every emotion, every incident that has ever occurred in your lifetime.

Over the last ten years I've tried many techniques.  Unfortunately, my biggest problems weren't with the techniques or the information, but with consistency and patience.  What do you mean I have to do it everyday?  What do you mean I have to do it for months to see the result?  Therefore, I didn't get the results I sought and picked up the beliefs of so many others--it's hype to sell books, fill seminar seats, in essence, pad pockets.

But aging has it's benefits.  As does experience.  In the last year or two I've become more patient, more open-minded and more determined (could be translated into desperate, depending on the day) to crack that shell keeping my subconscious out of reach.

And as I've studied the conscious and unconscious mind through the eyes of knowledgeable professionals and tried various techniques created by experienced and renowned researchers, I've seen the benefits and know there are so many more to be cultivated with time, effort, knowledge and experience.  

What I've learned has been worth the wait and there is so much more to discover.  During the month of February, we'll explore the potential benefits and powers of the subconscious mind including topics such as self-talk, affirmations, positivity and some even "further out" (or what my critique partner calls "woo-woo") techniques, such as meditation, hypnotherapy and even tarot.

These topics will directly relate to writing, such as how they've helped me and/or how they could be used in other ways, but each technique could be applied to benefit any aspect of our lives.

I hope you'll come back and join me on this path to understanding and utilizing the power of the subconscious mind to urge us toward achieving our ultimate best and welcome your comments and experience regarding the subconscious and how it has affected your personal and professional growth.

Read more...

Powerful Search Tool for Writers

A searchable information base better than Google?

For writers looking for writing-related information and articles--yes.  And it's called the WRITER'S KNOWLEDGE BASE.

If you're a writer and you don't know Elizabeth Craig already, you're in for a treat.  Elizabeth is an author of fun cozy mysteries, full of entertaining characters and intriguing twists and turns.  She is also a culler of over 1500 writers' blogs where she gathers information from the best articles on the web written by authors of every genre covering every aspect of writing, from first paragraphs to promotion.  After filtering the thousands of articles, she chooses the very best and posts them as links on Twitter @elizabethscraig, ultimately creating a well of quality information available to other writers--or anyone interested in writing.

Awesome resource, right?  Wait.  It gets better.

Enter Mike Flemming, software developer with 20+ years of experience.  Mike has taken all the valuable  and relevant articles Elizabeth has plucked from thousands of blogs and websites and designed a searchable database.  That means a ton of saved time for authors.  Now when you want to search for articles related to, say, character development or social media, you receive writer-specific, quality articles in return with Google-like speed.  And unlike Google, all of the results are relevant to you as a writer.

And it's just beginning.  Mike and Elizabeth continue to improve WKB with advancing technology and input from users.

So give it a try, let Mike and Elizabeth know what you think, and tell all your authorly friends!

Enjoy!

Writer's Knowledge Base's Facebook Page
Writer's Knowledge Blog Page

Read more...

New Year's Giveaway: Day 16, Nicola Marsh

Nicola Marsh is a fabulous Twitter buddy.  I've found wonderful insight and camaraderie with Nicola online.  Her ability to read so voraciously and write so proliferatively, while also mothering and traveling on top of it, absolutely amazes and inspires me!

Nicola is excited to be part of the new Mills and Boon RIVA series, launching this month in the UK, with her title DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX, based on her Twitter addiction! She has a follow up, SEX, GOSSIP & ROCK & ROLL out in May, which may be her favourite book yet! If you’re in the USA, HER BAD, BAD BOSS (set in Alaska) will also be out in May.

Up for win today:
DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX

To enter:
Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)

Book Summary:
Kristi's Stranded Diary: Day 1

Being shipwrecked on an idyllic deserted island for reality TV show Stranded sounded blissful. Until I discovered my Man Friday for the week was Jared Malone (aka he-who-broke-my-heart!).

I mean, of course I'll be fine. I don't feel anything for him anymore. Female viewers might swoon over Jared's tanned gorgeousness, but I know he's just an arrogant, overmuscled heartbreaker!

The cameras are rolling, so I'm off to the beach to face Jared. I just hope I look okay in this bikini!

Upcoming Releases:

• DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX, January & February 2011
• WILD NIGHTS WITH HER WICKED BOSS, January 2011
• SEX, GOSSIP & ROCK & ROLL, May & June 2011
• HER BAD, BAD BOSS, May 2011
• PASSIONATE PLAYBOYS, May 2011
• GIRL IN A VINTAGE DRESS, July 2011

Works In Progress:
She’s currently working on a new book set in glamorous Aussie hotels and a little known (invented!) Greek island. The hero in her current WIP is inspired by George Clooney. Does she need to say anything more?

Contact Info:
Website
Twitter
Blog
Email
 
Tomorrow, the vivacious Delilah Marvelle, historical romance author.

Read more...

Special Edition: New Year's Giveaway -- Review & Giveaway

Sylvia Day's upcoming release PRIDE AND PLEASURE, available January 25th

I was hooked at "the cover".

Yes, I’m still a sucker for a gorgeous cover. Guess you can tell I’m not an e-reader yet. Soon, I hope, but as of this post, I’m still a paper book gal. And, boy was I sucker-punched by the cover of Sylvia Day’s, PRIDE AND PLEASURE.

No, really…I could just sit and stare. (Okay, I did just sit and stare…)

When I finished ogling, I turned the book over and read...

Wealth has its dangers…

There are disadvantages to being an heiress, as Eliza Martin knows well. Fortune hunters flock to her, acquaintances lie and pander, and lately, someone is engineering “accidents” to propel her to the altar. But Eliza will not be bullied, and she will get to the bottom of this plot. All she needs is a man to infiltrate her assemblage of suitors and find the culprit. Someone not easily noticed; a proficient dancer, quiet, and even-tempered.


…so do certain men

Thief-taker Jasper Bond is entirely too large, too handsome, and too dangerous. Who would believe that an intellectual like Eliza would be seduced by a man of action? But the combination of her stubbornness and the mystery makes the case one Jasper can’t resist. Client satisfaction is a point of pride and it’s his pleasure to prove he’s just the man she needs after all…

Oh… My…

I had to open the book and read the first sentence:

As a thief-taker, Jasper Bond had been consulted in a number of unusual locations, but today was the first in a church.

Well, damn. Now I’m hooked. I’m going to have to stop what I’m doing and read until I lose interest.

Several hours and half the book later…no, I’m not freaking kidding…I had to stop reading because I was hungry, I had to pee and the employees at my local McDonald’s where I’d sat down for breakfast several hours prior were shooting me is-she-ever-going-to-leave? glances.

As I closed the book and slunk out of the fast food restaurant, I wondered if the rest of the book would hold up. I often find the second half of novels otherwise well done, lacking.

Sometimes the characters don’t live up to their promises in the beginning. (See my Brava Blog post today for more on promises.) Sometimes the plot peters-out or fragments. Sometimes the story just drags.

None of that happened in PRIDE AND PLEASURE. I read the second half as quickly as the first, with just as much interest. Past the mid-point, Sylvia amped the suspense plot, complicated the romance and kept the pace kicking along.

There are so many well crafted storytelling elements in PRIDE AND PLEASURE, I decided to use the novel as the subject of my first regular column at Savvy Authors, a monthly article reviewing fiction novels from a writer’s perspective and spotlighting effective use of craft. So, if you’re interested in developing your writing to the level of this National Bestseller, Sylvia Day, stop by Savvy Authors February 2nd for my debut column.

Of course, I also suggest picking up a copy of PRIDE AND PLEASURE for yourself, because my description would never transcend the experience of reading it yourself.

Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble.com
Borders.com
Books-a-Million.com
IndieBound.com
BookDepository.com

Read an excerpt: HERE.

Or you can enter to win a copy: Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)

Contact Info:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Tomorrow, A special day for WRITERS! Margie Lawson will be here with a mini-lesson and lecture packets to give away!

Read more...

New Year's Giveaway: Day 11, Kris Kennedy

My friendship with Kris Kennedy developed from a combo of Twitter chat and critque partner intro.  Yet another sweetheart of a person as well as a talented writer of sexy romance.

Kris writes medievals, but works to keep them accessible—both in language and tone—to the modern-day reader.

          "I don’t ‘thee’ and ‘thine,’ I like adventure, and keep it plenty hot."
          ~ Kris Kennedy

Before you write medievals off as not being ‘your thing,’ read one of Kris's stories -- especially the IRISH.  It could be  exactly what a non-medieval lover would, well...love.

And here's your chance to give it a try!!

Up For Win Today:
A sexy romantic adventure, THE IRISH WARRIOR.  This novel is a 2008 Golden Heart Winner and a Fresh Fiction Fresh Pick!  Any way you look at it, THE IRISH WARRIOR is a winner!

To enter:
One tweet and you are entered for the whole month!
Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)

Book Summary:
Inhibited, accountant-minded Senna de Valery comes to Ireland to finalize a deal that will save her faltering wool business. What she gets instead is a cunning English lord with dangerous ulterior motives.

Forced to rely on her wits, not her ledgers, Senna frees an Irish warrior chained in the prisons, and together they flee across the war-torn land of medieval Ireland. But Finian O’Melaghlin is much more than a charming, roguish warrior. He is councilor to his king, on a grave mission to recover military secrets, and has a dangerous agenda of his own.

Read and excerpt: HERE.

Upcoming Releases:

• DEFIANT, April 2011
Set on the eve of Magna Carta, Jamie, one of King John’s chief lieutenants is sent on a mission to bring in an exiled priest who has information that could destroy King John’s throne.  It’s a simple mission, until Jamie comes up against a thief.  Eva, a beautiful, startling woman, not only gets in his way, literally, but upends all his plans. When the rebel barons send an armed mercenary after the priest as well, Jamie and Eva form an explosive alliance, embarking on an adventure that will betray the truth about their identities, reveal their unexpected loyalties, and unleash a passion that could seal their fates forever.

Works In Progress:
Currently, Kris is working on another medieval, as-yet untitled, which will be out in 2012.

Contact Info:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Email

Tomorrow, Alison Kent, prolific, multi-genre romance author

Read more...

Tweaking the "What if...?" of Brainstorming

Sometimes that's all it takes.

When you're brainstorming, try this little tweak to a powerful technique: instead of saying: "What If..." try saying "Maybe..."

I know...so small it sounds stupid, right?  But it works for me. 

When I say, "What if...the sky were purple?"  I feel committed to coming up with a result of the sky being purple. 

If I don't know what would happen in my story if the sky were purple, if I can't come up with an idea of what would happen in my story if the sky were purple, I hit a wall. 

The need to answer the question stifles me.  I feel crowded.  My spine stiffens.  My shoulders start to crawl up around my ears.  Creativity goes on lock down.  

"I don't know!" I want to scream.  "What if the sky was purple? So what?"

The exercise "What if...?" is meant to be a brainstorming doorway to an unlimited number of paths for your stories.  But if the words you're using to kick start your journey never push you across the threshold, then the method isn't working.

Don't give up on the technique...it's an awesome tool.  Just tweak it to fit your own quirky mind.  Like I did.

Instead of "What if..."  I say, "Maybe..."

When I say, "Maybe...the sky was purple," I feel ponderous.  I tilt my chin, look up, my mind drifting as thoughts ping off one another like a computer game of pinball.  

If the big one doesn't strike and everything goes still, I move on to, "Maybe...the sky was red."  And my mind drifts off again. 

"Maybe..." allows me to explore, which is the whole point of brainstorming.

For other people, "Maybe..." might feel too free form and make them jittery.  Still others may prefer the combination of  "If this..., then that..." 

You may have to go through a bit of trial and error to find the perfect fit for you, but when you do, the flow of ideas will have been well worth the time.

Do you have special words or ways of brainstorming?

Read more...