Love

As writers of romance, we are expected to focus on the love shown between our hero and heroine. Whether we write steamy, explicit scenes or sweet, off-screen love scenes, they are expected to take place and to demonstrate the feelings our main characters have for each other.

But our hero and heroine are not the only ones who make up our story. Sure, they’re the focus, but they have to interact with other people. Maybe it’s a best friend or a sibling or even a child; they don’t live in a vacuum and they can’t be three dimensional characters without the village that surrounds them. Think of it this way: how boring would YOU be if you never talked to or interacted with anyone but one other person?

The relationships our hero and heroine have with other people are another way to demonstrate love and help provide context for the romantic relationships they’re capable of having. They also provide a way for the writer to reveal hints about upcoming events or reasons for why the hero or heroine act the way they do.

For example, in A Heart of Little Faith, my hero is fairly prickly and at times, unlikeable. But he shows a completely different side of himself with a child:

Her sobs snapped Gideon out of his reverie and he swore to himself. He hadn’t meant to yell at her, certainly hadn’t meant to scare her. He wheeled across the room, around the chair she’d left in the middle of the floor, and into his bed-room. As he pulled up to the side of his bed, he lowered his voice and crooned.

“Shh, sweetheart. It’s okay, honey. I didn’t mean to yell at you.”

Claire rolled over and pulled her knees up to her chest. She stared at Gideon, her breath hiccupping. Gideon reached over and brushed the tears from her face, his hands following the wet trail across her cheek and into her hair.

“I’m sorry, Claire.” He waited and gave her time to focus on what he said.

She sat up and he patted his lap. She climbed into it and he hugged her as he rocked her back and forth. The warmth from her body melted the icy feeling in his heart.

His sister, Samantha, is the catalyst to his relationship with the heroine, Lily. She often appears to meddle, but she does it out of love for him:

Gideon took a deep breath. “Samantha, I know you’re doing what you think is best, but believe me, I don’t want your help. I am perfectly happy just the way I am.”

“Are you?” Samantha asked. “I mean really?”

Gideon closed his eyes for a minute. “Sam, there are a lot of definitions of happy, so yes, I am. Besides, I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can. Okay, I’ll lay off.”

In Skin Deep, the hero has never known love from anyone in his past, except a special teacher who took on the “mother role.” Their bond is special, and is what helped to shape the way he relates to people as an adult:

“This woman saved my life.” He stared at Valerie. “She was there for me when no one else was.”

John rang the doorbell and squeezed her hand while they waited. After a moment, the curtains moved in the front window. A squeal, and the door opened wide, releasing the smell of cinnamon outside. A tiny woman with white hair and a huge smile stood in the doorway.

“John!” she cried as her eyes sparkled. She stood back and ushered them both into the house.

John reached down and gave her a quick hug. Valerie saw the brief look of shock on the woman’s face at the contact, before she hid it from view. This woman knew John well, she thought. Her arms fluttered around John like a butterfly, be-fore they rested lightly on his broad back.

“Hello, Mrs. Mayberry. I’d like to introduce you to my girlfriend, Valerie. Valerie, this is Mrs. Mayberry, my fifth-grade teacher.”

There are all types of love that can be shown in a romance novel. And the more you use, the more complex your characters, and your stories, will be. 

Lexicon of Laughter

Humor is one mode of characterization I rarely use. To my detriment, I've been thinking. The world is so serious. I don't laugh as much as I should. But it feels good when I do.

A character who trips over her own feet would jump off the page like a one-armed juggler. I wouldn't have too many tag lines for a character soothes tense situations by cracking bad jokes.

Jan Hornung, in Seven Steps to Better Humor Writing, says a writer must create an image in the reader's mind in order to make him chuckle, giggle, or smile. A writer cannot shove a pie in the reader's face, trip over his own feet and go sprawling, or make goofy gestures. A writer must use only words to conjure up situations and dialogue that bring rib-splitting, bone-tickling, knee-slapping guffaws, or at least a snicker, from the reader.

Jan says, "Whether or not a writer is personally funny is not important. What is important is that the writer can make the reader think that the characters and situations are funny. One of the greatest humor writers of all time was William Shakespeare, 1564-1616. Those who have read and studied "The Bard" appreciate him for the great comedy writer that he was. He developed characters that played off one another, and he created situations in which his characters could manipulate and interact with each other, resulting in a humorous effect.

Here are Jan's guidelines to writing humor:

1. Don't tell the reader that something is funny. Let the reader discover this for himself. Do this by painting a picture with words that the reader can relate to with all five of his senses. Describe the smells, textures, tastes, sights, and sounds.

As the writer, ask yourself how, why, who, when, and where, as you describe a character or situation. Tell the reader how something smells, tastes, feels, looks, and sounds. Describe why something smells, tastes, feels, looks, and sounds the way it does. And so on. Certainly you, the writer, don't have to address all of these questions, but by doing so, you will cover all the potential bases toward painting the best picture possible.

In Hamlet, Hamlet tells Horatio of his dead friend, Yorick. As he describes his friend to Horatio, Hamlet holds the skull of Yorick in his hand. "Here hung those lips that I have kiss'd I know not how oft. Where be your gibes now? your gambols? your songs? your flashes of merriment, that were wont to set the table on a roar?" In this example, Shakespeare uses Hamlet to bring Yorick alive for the reader. The reader can almost see Hamlet holding the skull in his hand; additionally, the reader can hear the "roar" of laughter from the guests at the table as Hamlet describes Yorick singing or telling a funny story. Shakespeare creates images using words that stir the reader's senses, evoking emotions in the reader as well.

We aren't any of us Shakespeare, nor do many of us want to be. If your character gets hit in the face with a pie, it may or may not be funny. If your character gets hit in the face with a lemon pie, with yellow, gooey blobs of meringue dripping from his chin and snowy drifts of whipped cream sticking from his ears, this paints a picture for the reader that is more likely to be perceived as whimsical. If the pie "splats" across his face, sending wafts of tangy-sweet lemon scent, along with a bit of graham cracker crust, up his nose as he sticks out his eager tongue to bring home the cheek-puckering flavor -- this is a hoot. Now the reader can smell, feel, taste, see, and hear that pie.

2. Use metaphors and similes that bring familiar images into your reader's mind. Used effectively, metaphors and similes say volumes with a few words. A metaphor is a figure of speech using a word or phrase that usually means one thing to refer to something else. Such as Shakespeare's metaphor, "All the world's a stage," said by Jacques in As You Like It. Using this metaphor, this character reflects on how people behave. Shakespeare uses the metaphor to paint an image of a stage in the reader's mind.

Metaphors, such as "his driveway doesn't go all the way to the street," can paint a funny image in the reader's mind of a not-all-there person. Everyone has met someone like this, so the reader can relate to such a metaphor.

A simile is a figure of speech in which the writer compares two unlike items, usually using the word "like" or "as". Shakespeare's simile, "I am constant as the northern star," spoken by Caesar in Julius Caesar, compares Caesar's strong will to the brightest star in the sky.

The simile, "we were wrestling around like two pigs in the mud, only he was enjoying it and I was just getting dirty," shows, not just tells the reader about, a funny situation.

3. Blending description, metaphors, and similes with dialogue is another way for the writer to expand his medium. Metaphors in a dialogue can add a humorous flavor of their own to the story or character. Such as one character might comment using a metaphor, "The squeaky wheel gets oiled." The other character responds with another metaphor, "And the quacking ducks gets shot!"

Similes can be funny in their own right, and added to a humorous situation can make it even funnier, such as, "I'm happy as a mosquito in a nudist colony," creates a humorous image in the reader's mind.

4. Words that portray movement are yet another way the writer can paint a funny picture for the reader. A character that is moving, like an actor on a stage, has more potential for hilarity than one that is not moving. Using action verbs, the writer can create a jovial image and elicit amusement from his reader such as in this example from a helicopter student learning to hover. "I madly made exaggerated corrections with the cyclic. We zigged crazily in mid zag, then zagged wildly in mid zig."

5. Colorful adjectives help the writer paint the exact image he wants the reader to experience. Keep a dictionary and thesaurus handy to look up adjectives that will spice up your writing. If the writer describes "a cow," the reader is left to color in the cow on his own. Use adjectives to describe all five senses as you paint a picture with words. "She was not just a cow but a sauntering bovine beauty with chocolate-bar swirls of milky browns and milk-shake white on a suede background -- the most delicious contented cud-chewer I'd ever seen."

6. Find new ways to say the same old thing. Was the woman large? Or does she look like she's built for comfort rather than speed? Was the man skinny? Or did he have to run around in the shower just to get wet?

7. Satire and irony add humor to the written story also. Irony is the use of words to express the opposite of their literal meaning. Satire is the use of irony or wit to attack something. Be careful with satire and irony; a writer can easily miss his mark, leaving the reader confused.

Jan Hornung's Summary: "Remember to paint that picture using all five senses. Add a metaphor or two, a few similes, action verbs, and colorful adjectives."

Maybe writing a funny line or two wouldn't be that hard, after all.

Friday Friend Joya Field

Please welcome Joya Fields! Joya is the author BENEATH THE SURFACE, a romantic suspense just published by The Wild Rose Press.


Joya, What sort of schedule do you follow for writing? What tends to get in the way?
A writing schedule is very important. After I grab a cup of coffee and take the pug for her walk, I write two or three hours every morning. If I'm lucky, and errands, housekeeping and "mom" duties don't get in the way, I spend another two or three hours in the afternoon writing.

Did you plot or pantser your new release? Did you use any ‘maps’ or
‘sheets’? Why or why not?
Ooh, great question. I teach a plotting class at the local community college, so they laugh when I tell them I'm a pantser. But even pantsers need a plan. For Beneath the Surface, I used a chart/outline, but I wrote it in pencil because I think plotting is important, but spontaneity--letting the characters change my original ideas—is important, too.

Did you slip a real, personal experience into your new release? Can you
tell us what that was and how you changed it?
I used a combination of life experiences. For instance, I think the heroine, Brooke, is a composite of lots of people with disabilities I've met over the years. She's got the strength of some of the clients I met while working at Easter Seals, and she's got insecurities and worries like all of us.

Do you have a favorite food or drink while you write, or as a reward
for so many completed pages?
A hot coffee as I write helps me keep the words flowing, and if I hit 2,000 words a day, I celebrate with a flavored coffee. Chocolate coffee is my favorite!

How do you approach editing and revising? Do you have critique partners
or beta readers?
I can write a draft for a novel in a month, but then it takes me six months to revise. I'm working on that--trying to get more stuff right the first time through. Thank goodness for critique partners and groups! I'm a member of an on-line crit group and an in-person crit group and those guys and gals have helped me in so many ways that I don't think I'll ever be able to appropriately thank them. I think every writer needs honest feedback from people who understand the process.

How long between submission to your publisher and acceptance? Please
tell our followers something about how they worked with you.
I submitted my query to The Wild Rose Press in October, received a "revise and resubmit" request (with specific suggestions) in January, and then submitted a revised manuscript in February. On April 11th (yes, I remember the exact date), I received an offer for publication. Yipppeee.

If you could spend an afternoon with anyone in history, who would it
be—and what would you do together?
Wow, this is a great question. I think I'd like to get a cup of coffee with Albert Einstein and chat with him about how he got his ideas. I've heard he got a lot of his "a-ha" moments while shaving, and I'd like to know if that's true. If so, I might start shaving more often. :)

Joya Fields has had over 100 stories and articles published in local and national magazines and her debut novel, BENEATH THE SURFACE, a romantic suspense, and LOVE DELIVERED, a romantic comedy novella, are now available. www.joyafields.com



She’s fighting to stay independent—he’s determined to protect her no matter what…

Brooke Richards survived the earthquake that took her parents and most of her leg, but she needs time to regroup. A trip to Florida for a state-of-the-art prosthesis and to visit her best friend Linda seems ideal. But the trip turns traumatic when Brooke witnesses Linda’s boat disintegrating in a fiery explosion.

Police officer Garrett Ciavello believes the blast was intentionally set to hide something Linda found on a dive. When Brooke offers her expertise in underwater archeology, Garrett accepts her help with the investigation. But since his fiancée’s death years ago, Garrett has become overprotective, and as they are drawn to each other, Garrett realizes he will risk anything to keep Brooke safe.

Brooke is fiercely independent. Garrett is fiercely protective. Will they heal each other’s wound and find a killer…before it’s too late?

From the novel:
For the first time since the accident, Brooke forgot about her leg. Forgot about all she’d lost and focused on the way Garrett made her feel.
She knew she needed to stop him. She should find a way to resist the temptation to be with him. But for a few minutes, she could enjoy the taste of him, the feel of him, couldn’t she?
He dropped his hands to her waist and softened the kiss before trailing a line of kisses down her neck. A weak cry slipped from her mouth. “Garrett,” she whispered.
She should stop this now before it got any more intense.
He lifted her chin and forced her to meet his brown eyes, smoky with desire. Heat spiraled to her middle and she caught a whiff of his sawdust scent.
“I…I can walk you back to your own room before I head to mine.” His voice broke as he whispered.
She swallowed hard. She couldn’t do this right now with him. Too many obstacles stood in their way. But as she looked in his somber eyes, she realized none of those complications were bigger than her need for Garrett.
“Let’s go to your room,” she said, her voice shaking. She moved her hands inside his shirt and ran them over his tight abs and chest. Heat soared through her body at the feel of him. “Together…”

K is for Kissing

Kissing plays a big part in a romance novel. Whether it's the first kiss, a kiss leading to lovemaking, or the final kiss which seals the hero and heroine's happily every after, each is special. Each has its own feel and purpose. Each is different...even within the same story.

Kisses can be...
Sweet. Tender. Sensual. Erotic. Carnal. Passionate.

They can...
Comfort. Entice. Arouse. Elicit.

They say...
Hello. Good-bye. I miss you. I love you. You're the only one for me.

Sometimes the build up to the kiss can be as exciting as the kiss itself.

Most of the excerpts I post as teasers for my books are kissing scenes. Sometimes it's a first kiss, sometimes not. A kissing scene reveals the chemistry between the hero and heroine. It is both emotional and sensory.

Kissing scenes aren't just thrown into stories for the heck of it. They have a purpose. A meaning. They move the story along and are part of the plot. They show the growing physical and emotional relationship between the hero and heroine. They can even show goal, motivation, or conflict.

They are some of the very best reasons to read and write romance.

Until next time,

Happy Reading!

Debra
www.debrastjohnromance.com

Keeping your Readers Reading

We all know how important it is to have a good opening to draw the reader into your story. The main advice about this can be summed up as:

Open with one of your protagonists.
Open at a pivotal point in the story.
Open with a hook – maybe a question or the first suggestion of a conflict.

My first two lines of ‘Fragrance with Violets’ are:

“Jack Tremayne’s back at Fir Garth,” Mrs Garside said.

 
The delicate china figurine of Peter Rabbit slipped out of Abbey Seton’s hand, and fell to the floor, shattering with a tinkling sound.

 Okay, so I think I covered those points. Maybe Mrs Garside isn’t a protagonist, but Jack is, and his return is pivotal. These two lines also provide the hook and the question: Why is Abbey so startled about Jack’s return that she drops the figurine?

 On Six Sentence Sunday, I’ve used two more excerpts following these first sentences and had a lot of comments to the effect of ‘want to know who Jack is’, ‘want to find out what their story is’, ‘why is she reacting like this’ and, one of the most recent ones (following an excerpt which comes at the top of the second page in the actual book): ‘Intriguing. Now I’m really curious.’

So hopefully I have my readers hooked and asking questions in the first two pages.

Now, how do I keep them reading?

Here’s what I think (in no particular order, just my take on what keeps ME reading a book!)

If you answer some of their initial questions, give them other things to wonder about.

Don’t dump all the backstory in one lump, tease your readers with part-revelations, not obscure enough to frustrate, but intriguing enough to make them want to find out more.

Don’t introduce too many characters too quickly – readers can get confused (and annoyed!) when they can’t work out who’s who and /or whether they are important characters or not. .

Move the story along. Don’t meander into irrelevant events or conversations.

Make your characters ones they can care about, empathise with, feel their emotions, cry when they cry, smile when they’re happy.

Make sure your plot is realistic and not contrived.

Don’t go into excessive description – readers tend to skip it.

Provide cliff-hangers i.e. page-turners. Your readers should want to know what happens next (so that they think , maybe late at night, ‘Just one more chapter’). Some of my reviewers have said they ‘couldn’t put it down’ which, to me, is one of the best things people have said about my first book.

Keep them wondering how the hero and heroine can ever get together for their ‘happy ending’. They know this is going to happen but they need to be curious about how it will happen, when all seems lost.

And finally, don’t hand a solution on a plate to your hero and heroine through some contrivance or coincidence. The reader needs to know they’ve struggled against the odds, overcome their problems, and, most satisfying of all, learnt something about themselves and each other in the process.

But please don’t have the hero and heroine hating each other all the way through the story until the final chapter when they suddenly realise they love each other!

And here am I, with my Kindle and a story I had to keep on reading, even while I was waiting for my daughter and partner to finish their shopping at Disneyworld! 

K is for Knowledge

The idea that knowledge is power is as true for writers as it is for politicians. Writers need to know their characters, their character motivation, the conflict and the resolution. They need to know their books and the people who populate them as well as they know themselves; sometimes even better. If we don’t know our characters and why they do what they do, we can’t write our stories. Well, we can, but the stories won’t make sense, they won’t go anywhere and readers will immediately see the holes.

We all know this. Every class, every how-to book, every other writer tells us this. Why then, is it so hard to describe our book, especially when we have to boil it down to a “30-second elevator pitch” or a 75-word back cover blurb? Maybe it’s just me, but I can have an entire 50,000+ manuscript in my head, know what every character looks like and sounds like and be practically living the plot, but if someone asks me, “What’s your book about?” I stare at them blankly as I scramble to come up with something.

We’re told to try to relate our stories to a “big picture theme,” like Beauty and the Beast or Romeo and Juliet, and then to try to show how it’s different. Classic literary or romance themes are fairly easy for me, and I know why and how my book differs. But there’s always more I want to say.

For example, my current WIP is a contemporary romance with Jewish characters. It’s based on the holiday of Purim and involves hiding one’s identity. Sure, that description is short and sweet, but it really doesn’t tell anyone very much. It doesn’t provide any character flavor—“Jewish” is not a flavor (ask Baskin Robbins) and certainly doesn’t sound enticing enough for even me to read, much less someone else!

I want to describe klutzy Samara with the beautiful voice who drops or spills something every time she’s near the hero; noble Nathaniel who’s a single dad and who hates being the center of attention; perfect, but flawed Josh, who’s so busy trying to “save” Samara from herself that he ends up almost ruining everything. But that would take too many words. And describing the hilarious and tragic holiday of Purim, which provides the backbone to the story? Well, that’s an entire book in Judaism, and I don’t have enough time in an elevator or space on the back of the book to do that.

So for now, until I can whittle all this knowledge down into 30 seconds or 75 words, I’m going to be stuck. Hopefully not for long though!

K is for Kazakhstan

I have never been to Kazakhstan. Or Kentucky.
If I wanted to set a romance in either place, I’d need some self-education. The ideal method would be move there, fulfilling my if-only-I-could dream of becoming a purposeful nomad. Second best, I could travel there on a vacation.
But neither of these are realistically within my grasp, so let’s brainstorm on how I could prepare to write an historical romance set in the Bluegrass State.

1. I could talk with someone who lived there, either in person or online.
2. A Writers Digest book called “Writer’s Guide to Places” lists interesting facts about US states and their major cities. For example, “Kentucky never chose sides in the Civil War, and a Henderson teacher named Mary Wilson came up with the idea for Mother’s Day in 1887.” The book also lists books and websites for further research.
3. I inherited a 1965 World Book Encyclopedia set. The history and terrain sections are still valid.
4. I could check out books from the library. Especially nice are children’s books.
5. Use Google maps and other Google features for correct street alignment.

What sources do you use for setting research?

Welcome Carol Wyatt w/a Morgan K. Wyatt

Please welcome Carol Wyatt, writing as Morgan K. Wyatt. She penned the following:

Laughter in the Bedroom
Recently I was at a romance writer’s retreat where we read our love scenes aloud to each other. One writer chuckled to herself as she confessed she tells her husband that he’s her inspiration for all her love scenes. The other women tittered as if this were a great joke. The idea that we might use real life situations for the steamy scenes seemed amusing, but why should it?
Admittedly, most of us are not paired with some George Clooney clone, although we love our honeys dearly. I bet even George has a few moments when he approaches his latest love and stabs his foot on her abandoned stiletto heel, maybe even her stiletto knife depending on the woman. Sure, we female readers do want a hot scene, but we want it real too.
Authentic includes conflict. A heroine with a difficult name can have her sweetheart mispronounce her name at an inopportune moment making her wonder at his devotion or even causing her to kick him out of bed. I read in a blog by a thrice-married man that he always calls his wife honey because he’s afraid he might call her by an ex-wife’s name.
Think of some of your more memorable encounters, many times there may have been a fumble, but the two of you managed to smooth it over. Old style romances featured a virgin who immediately responds to her experienced lover by having an orgasm her very first time out the gate. Really? How many of us raised on this diet were disappointed by our first time?
A fellow writer planned a romantic picnic complete with wine and music. Her husband didn’t get it and groused about having to eat on the floor. Maybe the guy doesn’t quite understand a romantic setting we’ve created, but when it is explained to him then he is more than ready to participate. The reader can laugh with the couple because she has experienced something similar in her life. You can play with what can go wrong from the woman tripping in her too high heels to the bed breaking.
In the movie, HITCH, Will Smith explains to the woman he tries to impress that he’d imagined things playing out differently in his head. Same thing happens with Ashlee in my first novella RELUCTANT COUGAR by Secret Cravings Publishing when she tries to work up the courage to kiss her date.
They walked in silence for a few minutes as Ashlee debated about the wisdom of kissing him. Glancing around discreetly, she checked for walkers. Finding none, she turned toward Nick. He immediately stopped and held perfectly still, but his eyes were alert as he watched her. No easy way to steal a kiss from a tall man. Ashlee braced her hands on his shoulders as she stretched to meet his lips. Once her lips touched his, his arms went around her and snuggled her close.
His lips managed to be soft and firm at the same time. For a moment, she rested her lips on his, taking in the feel of his arms embracing her. His scent, a combination of some high-end cologne, sweat, and dryer sheet fragrance jumpstarted her libido into coming out of hibernation from the moment he touched her. Months had passed since she last had a man’s arms around her. How did she forget how wonderful it could be? Did having a firm, younger body next to hers make it better? Finding out sounded like a discovery mission to her.
Moving her lips on his, she intensified the kiss. Ashlee’s tongue slipped out, teasing the corners of his mouth and tracing the seam of his lips. Nick’s arms tightened around her as he murmured encouraging sounds, opening his lips slightly. Amazingly, for once in her life, she was the romantic aggressor. Sliding her tongue past his parted lips, she ran it across his teeth before tangling with his tongue, giving Ashlee a sense of power. Nick’s hands dropped to her ass pulling her hips even closer and talk about strong attraction. His stretched long and hard against her belly.
“Nice day we’re having, isn’t it?” a male voice called out.
It couldn’t be Nick; his mouth covered hers. Nick’s hands pivoted her to hide the front of his body from a grinning gardener complete with hedge clippers in his hands.
“Excellent day,” Nick answered.
Why hadn’t she seen the gardener? Cut branch limbs littered the ground indicating he’d obviously been working away for some time. All her thoughts centered on Nick and kissing him to the extent, she missed seeing the man.
“Lots of folks out on a day like this,” the gardener continued, making such broad hints that even a lust-dazed mind could comprehend.
“You’re right,” Nick agreed, touching her elbow to turn Ashlee in the direction of the path.
The gardener’s eyes twinkled a little as he called out, “Enjoy the rest of your day.” Then he laughed as they turned to walk away. Nick assured him they would enjoy the rest of their day, drawing another laugh.
“I think he was spying on us,” Ashlee whispered in case the gardener might hear.
Nick shrugged his shoulders, making a point of taking her hand and interweaving fingers. “What if he was? It may have reminded him of a time when he had a beautiful woman in his arms.” (Find out how to read more and enter my Godiva and Pearls Contest at: www.morgankwyatt.com)

Women when questioned about what would make them look twice at a man or give him their number shocked interviewers by stating overwhelmingly a man who could make them laugh would do it. A man who can make a woman laugh and can laugh at himself relaxes a woman. Dating is hard enough we can use a stress breaker. He also represents the happy feeling, which accompanies laughter.
In the movie, SHIRLEY VALENTINE, Shirley hears a full orchestra while she and her newfound man are making love on the boat. Your character could hear some amazing piano music building to a crescendo when she is with her guy only to remember her next door neighbor is a classical pianist, or it could be a ringtone.
Comic misunderstandings usually merit a laugh. One cell phone service did an ad series about people not hearing clearly. Maybe your heroine thinks her hero wants her to dress up as a nursery rhyme character and she is waiting in costume complete with shepherd’s crook when he arrives home with his old college roommate, Beau Fleet.
Of course, a woman breaking out in laughter at the wrong time can kill a man’s libido just as much as tears. It might help if the woman explains she laughs when she is totally happy, then that makes laughter the absolute right thing to have in the bedroom. Now, I realize this is my opinion and some readers will disagree. They want their scenes without fumbles, confusion, or laughter, but that just isn’t reality.

Morgan will be giving away a free ebook copy of Reluctant Cougar to one lucky commenter today.

Find out more about Carole Wyatt w/a Morgan K Wyatt at:
www.morgankwyatt.com www.datingafterfortyeight.blogspot.com
11/11 Reluctant Cougar-Secret Cravings Publishing
12/11 Christmas Warmth-XOXO Publishing
1/12 Cub in Blue-Secret Cravings Publishing
2/12 Puppy Love-Secret Cravings Publishing

Thanks for being here today, Carol!

J is for Jobs

It's important for your hero and heroine to have a job. Giving them this realistic, everyday attribute can make them seem more human to our readers. A charcter's choice of occupation can also give us a deeper insight into him or her. In real life, many people choose careers based on their personality. This can work for fictional characters as well. Most of my characters' jobs are average, ordinary jobs. (Although I do have one Secret Service agent.) This adds a touch of the familiar and makes them seem like real people.

In my books, I tend to use my characters' jobs as part of the plot, which often leads to or forms part of the conflict.

In This Time for Always, Sharlie works as the manager of a bar. Logan comes back to town to buy that bar. This sets up the external conflict for the former high school sweethearts.

In Wild Wedding Weekend, Noah's carefree job as a freelance photographer proves to Abby how wrong he is for her. She wants someone to settle down with, not someone who travels around the world and is never home.

In This Can't Be Love Zach's disinterest in getting a 'real' job causes friction between the hero and heroine. He's a bouncer...in Jessica's view - based mostly on past experience...this tells her he has no ambition in life.

In A Christmas to Remember, it's Sam's secrecy about his job that first intrigues Heather and adds to the mystery surrounding him. But it's also the thing that could keep them apart and prevent them from living happily ever after.

In my WIP "An Unexpected Blessing", Joe's returned home to his small hometown after a stint in jail and has taken a job with Katy's parents as their handyman. Katy also happens to be back in town because she lost her job and couldn't afford to live on her own. This puts my hero and heroine in close proximity.

In another WIP "This Feels Like Home", Jake is a bull rider, and the danger it poses makes Amber want to keep her distance, even as her feelings for him begin to grow.

What kind of jobs do you give your characters? Are they integral to the plot of your story, or just there for background information?

Until next time,

Happy Reading!

Debra
www.debrastjohnromance.com

Friday Friend Carol Wyatt, w/a Morgan K Wyatt

Please welcome Carol Wyatt, writing as Morgan K. Wyatt. She penned the following:

Laughter in the Bedroom
Recently I was at a romance writer’s retreat where we read our love scenes aloud to each other. One writer chuckled to herself as she confessed she tells her husband that he’s her inspiration for all her love scenes. The other women tittered as if this were a great joke. The idea that we might use real life situations for the steamy scenes seemed amusing, but why should it?
Admittedly, most of us are not paired with some George Clooney clone, although we love our honeys dearly. I bet even George has a few moments when he approaches his latest love and stabs his foot on her abandoned stiletto heel, maybe even her stiletto knife depending on the woman. Sure, we female readers do want a hot scene, but we want it real too.
Authentic includes conflict. A heroine with a difficult name can have her sweetheart mispronounce her name at an inopportune moment making her wonder at his devotion or even causing her to kick him out of bed. I read in a blog by a thrice-married man that he always calls his wife honey because he’s afraid he might call her by an ex-wife’s name.
Think of some of your more memorable encounters, many times there may have been a fumble, but the two of you managed to smooth it over. Old style romances featured a virgin who immediately responds to her experienced lover by having an orgasm her very first time out the gate. Really? How many of us raised on this diet were disappointed by our first time?
A fellow writer planned a romantic picnic complete with wine and music. Her husband didn’t get it and groused about having to eat on the floor. Maybe the guy doesn’t quite understand a romantic setting we’ve created, but when it is explained to him then he is more than ready to participate. The reader can laugh with the couple because she has experienced something similar in her life. You can play with what can go wrong from the woman tripping in her too high heels to the bed breaking.
In the movie, HITCH, Will Smith explains to the woman he tries to impress that he’d imagined things playing out differently in his head. Same thing happens with Ashlee in my first novella RELUCTANT COUGAR by Secret Cravings Publishing when she tries to work up the courage to kiss her date.
They walked in silence for a few minutes as Ashlee debated about the wisdom of kissing him. Glancing around discreetly, she checked for walkers. Finding none, she turned toward Nick. He immediately stopped and held perfectly still, but his eyes were alert as he watched her. No easy way to steal a kiss from a tall man. Ashlee braced her hands on his shoulders as she stretched to meet his lips. Once her lips touched his, his arms went around her and snuggled her close.
His lips managed to be soft and firm at the same time. For a moment, she rested her lips on his, taking in the feel of his arms embracing her. His scent, a combination of some high-end cologne, sweat, and dryer sheet fragrance jumpstarted her libido into coming out of hibernation from the moment he touched her. Months had passed since she last had a man’s arms around her. How did she forget how wonderful it could be? Did having a firm, younger body next to hers make it better? Finding out sounded like a discovery mission to her.
Moving her lips on his, she intensified the kiss. Ashlee’s tongue slipped out, teasing the corners of his mouth and tracing the seam of his lips. Nick’s arms tightened around her as he murmured encouraging sounds, opening his lips slightly. Amazingly, for once in her life, she was the romantic aggressor. Sliding her tongue past his parted lips, she ran it across his teeth before tangling with his tongue, giving Ashlee a sense of power. Nick’s hands dropped to her ass pulling her hips even closer and talk about strong attraction. His stretched long and hard against her belly.
“Nice day we’re having, isn’t it?” a male voice called out.
It couldn’t be Nick; his mouth covered hers. Nick’s hands pivoted her to hide the front of his body from a grinning gardener complete with hedge clippers in his hands.
“Excellent day,” Nick answered.
Why hadn’t she seen the gardener? Cut branch limbs littered the ground indicating he’d obviously been working away for some time. All her thoughts centered on Nick and kissing him to the extent, she missed seeing the man.
“Lots of folks out on a day like this,” the gardener continued, making such broad hints that even a lust-dazed mind could comprehend.
“You’re right,” Nick agreed, touching her elbow to turn Ashlee in the direction of the path.
The gardener’s eyes twinkled a little as he called out, “Enjoy the rest of your day.” Then he laughed as they turned to walk away. Nick assured him they would enjoy the rest of their day, drawing another laugh.
“I think he was spying on us,” Ashlee whispered in case the gardener might hear.
Nick shrugged his shoulders, making a point of taking her hand and interweaving fingers. “What if he was? It may have reminded him of a time when he had a beautiful woman in his arms.” (Find out how to read more and enter my Godiva and Pearls Contest at: www.morgankwyatt.com)

Women when questioned about what would make them look twice at a man or give him their number shocked interviewers by stating overwhelmingly a man who could make them laugh would do it. A man who can make a woman laugh and can laugh at himself relaxes a woman. Dating is hard enough we can use a stress breaker. He also represents the happy feeling, which accompanies laughter.
In the movie, SHIRLEY VALENTINE, Shirley hears a full orchestra while she and her newfound man are making love on the boat. Your character could hear some amazing piano music building to a crescendo when she is with her guy only to remember her next door neighbor is a classical pianist, or it could be a ringtone.
Comic misunderstandings usually merit a laugh. One cell phone service did an ad series about people not hearing clearly. Maybe your heroine thinks her hero wants her to dress up as a nursery rhyme character and she is waiting in costume complete with shepherd’s crook when he arrives home with his old college roommate, Beau Fleet.
Of course, a woman breaking out in laughter at the wrong time can kill a man’s libido just as much as tears. It might help if the woman explains she laughs when she is totally happy, then that makes laughter the absolute right thing to have in the bedroom. Now, I realize this is my opinion and some readers will disagree. They want their scenes without fumbles, confusion, or laughter, but that just isn’t reality.

Morgan will be giving away a free ebook copy of Reluctant Cougar to one lucky commenter today.

Find out more about Carole Wyatt w/a Morgan K Wyatt at:
www.morgankwyatt.com www.datingafterfortyeight.blogspot.com
11/11 Reluctant Cougar-Secret Cravings Publishing
12/11 Christmas Warmth-XOXO Publishing
1/12 Cub in Blue-Secret Cravings Publishing
2/12 Puppy Love-Secret Cravings Publishing

Thanks for being here today, Carol!

Jerk, Jolt and Jump?

My heroine’s heart does all that, and more. My hero’s heart does the same too.

But, while hearts can (and do) thump, pound, and thud with shock and tension (not to mention sexual pursuits), do they actually jerk, jolt or jump?

We use the expressions (or at least I do), but in fact those J’s actually come from elsewhere in the body, and not the heart.

I’ve learnt to be more circumspect about my characters’ hearts after discovering (while editing one novel) that my heroine’s heart had done the 3 J’s a few times, plus thumped , pounded, thudded, and leapt, and her heartbeat had accelerated, quickened, raced, skipped, missed a beat and done so many different things that she was in danger of an imminent heart attack.

What about ‘heartache’ and ‘heartbreak’? Does the heart really ache? Can it actually break? The answer is probably no, but poetry and literature have concentrated on the heart as the centre of emotion.

In the culture of all ages, the heart is everywhere, from the Roman poet Catullus with his heart ‘hardened’ (problem with his arteries?) to J.K.Rowling’s ‘The Warlock’s Hairy Heart’ (what??)

The heart has dominated emotional response and love - think Valentine’s Day and ‘I (heart) -  whatever’.

However, our emotions, feelings, reactions come mainly from our minds, and from elsewhere in our bodies too, not to mention from adrenalin which originates in the kidney.  Not very romantic, huh? 

So, in romance novels anyway, the heart will continue to jerk, jolt and jump.

The Journey

As a writer, my journey to publication has been long and winding, with several rest stops along the way. When I first started writing, I wrote mainly at night while my kids slept. I’d crank out pages during the two hours between the time I put them to bed and me to bed. It was a secretive time, with no one allowed to know about it, much less read what I wrote. Kind of like driving aimlessly on a winding, dark country road, where the only thing you see is what’s illuminated by your headlights.

Once I’d written my first draft, I realized how much I didn’t know about writing. I joined RWA, took on-line classes and entered a few contests. I still didn’t want anyone to see what I’d written, but I knew I needed feedback other than my own. My journey had moved off the single-lane country roads and onto slightly wider, more-trafficked back roads. The visibility was better, but there were more cars to avoid and I needed to have a destination; otherwise, frustrated drivers would honk their horns as they hurried past me.

I got a little braver and attended conferences, where I actually identified myself as a romance writer. I met with agents and editors and pitched my story. I submitted queries and partials to them and waited eagerly for their feedback. Publication was a distant dream; I was in it more for the experience and kernels of wisdom that a few friendly industry experts might wish to give me. I’d graduated to city driving. My reflexes were faster and I could avoid the slower drivers by changing lanes.

I continued submitting my first story to other editors and agents. Positive feedback coupled with eventual rejections encouraged and discouraged me, but I kept at it. There were potholes and construction delays on the highway ramp; I screamed uselessly from the privacy of my own car, but refrained from leaning on the horn. I began writing my second story.

I was wiser and braver now. I found a critique partner for my second story and actually let her see my writing, cringing every time she sent back her response via email, and then smacking my head over all the things she saw—good and bad—that I could not. I creeped out onto the highway, staying in the right lane the whole time

My critique partner alternately boosts me up and smacks me back into reality, depending on what I needed that day. I was braver about submitting, taking chances. I still don’t talk about it, but I was making progress. I’d moved out of the right lane into the center, with an occasional foray into the passing lane (shutting one eye and screaming the whole way).

The day I received my first contract, I announced to everyone what I’d spent the past six years doing. I saw that talking about it didn’t have to destroy my dream and that encouragement and pride from others made me feel good about myself. I could pass even the semi-trucks and as long as I left them plenty of room, I didn’t get run over. I was still on the journey, but had a lot more confidence. And somewhere along the way, I found that it was fun!

Jump Cuts

Many of us were taught by well-meaning English teachers to notify the reader of a transition of time or place. We worked to perfect transition sentences and to use what "Hooked" author Les Edgerton calls various transition techniques to transport the reader hither and yon: flashbacks and flashforwards and location changes, or focusing on another character, as the story required."

Edgerton explains how literature influenced silent films. "MEANWHILE BACK AT THE RANCH" lingered on an otherwise blank screen. When movies first incorporated sound, a voice-over, or a voice over and text pronouncement, delivered notice of every time or setting transition.

The first film to use a jump cut--a transition where the narrative simply jumps to the next scene without forewarning the viewer--was Jean-Luc Godard's "Breathless." Godard had shot 8,000 meters of film, and the producers had a maximum limit of 5,000 meters. Godard had to cut the film down or it would be unsellable. According to Godard, he and his editor flipped a coin at each scene in a sequence and let fate determine which footage to cut. Necessity invented the jump cut.

Some critics hated this new storytelling technique, but others loved it, and "eventually, the new kids on the block ruled." Now screenwriters just write the next scene without any labeling, regardless of its placement in the narrative, chronological or not.

Edgerton says film and television are doing the most in training readers these days. "The astute writer will realize that and write accordingly."

I've received critiques that faulted me for not demarking transitions in character POV, or time and place. In many places, a clarification was needed. At others, though, the flow for the reader seems uninterrupted. Then I debate: do I add words to for a more detailed transition? Or will the reader appreciate the lack of a pause in the action or emotion?

I feel transitions should be long jumps. Maybe triple jumps. But not sack races.

Friday Friend Calisa Rhose

A few months ago I had the privilege of guesting on Calisa Rhose's blog. Today I get the pleasure of introducing her to you here.

Small-town country girl Calisa Rhose lives in a semi-remote area of Oklahoma with her husband, five dogs and one horse. All of her three daughters and their families live within throwing distance. She’s a member of RWA and the local chapter OKRWA. She intends to nurture and continue to grow as an author with the help of her family and supporters.

Calisa, welcome to Heroines with Hearts!
Tell us about yourself.
I began writing, weaving stories as a teen and it never went away. With encouragement from family I finally wrote and began to submit. I’m published with The Wild Rose Press as of Dec 2011—three weeks ago!

Tell us about Home.
My story is one of several books created by Oklahoma authors to hi-light the awesome talent we Okies have in our little fingers (and the rest of our bodies, too) that tells of the travels through time of a cursed scrimshaw doll. HOME is about finding a place to belong when the one place my hero Sam Callahan had always thought would be there wasn’t any longer. War had changed everything for him. My heroine, Poppy Tippen becomes that place of comfort and peace for him just when he thinks all is lost. For Poppy HOME has always been where love is so when she saw the chance to have the man she’s always loved she fights for him and her own place to belong.

How does it fit into the Scrimshaw Doll series?
Poppy is a descendant of the original creator of the curse. But being a modern woman of the sixties she doesn’t hold to wives tales so she chooses to ignore the curse that only true love can break. Is it real? You’ll have to read to find out. HOME is the turning point book in the series as the final historical.

What got you interested in writing?
I don’t even know. I started out with poetry in middle school and it snowballed from there over the years.

What comes first, plot or characters?
Characters usually, but with HOME I think plot created the characters.

What have you learned from being a published author that you wish you knew before you were published?
It takes a lot of patience! And the world of authors is so supportive I was amazed at how quickly I was accepted as one of ‘them’ by all authors I met with my publisher!

(Debra: TWRP really is a very supportive, extremely talented group of authors.)
Any advice for new writers?
Get a few critique partners, join a good and supportive, critique group and then use what feels right to you. Not everything a crit partner says is gold so be careful you chip the nuggets out and save them. Most of all, don’t give up. If writing is your dream—keep after it!

What’s next for you? What have you got in the works?
I have a paranormal series I’m writing and a contemporary cowboy story is in progress. I also have a couple of projects I set aside to work on the cowboy one that I can’t wait to get back to this new year.

(Debra: Oooh. I love cowboy stories!)
Where can we find you and your books?
Get your copy of HOME at The Wild Rose Press and on Amazon.
Find Calisa at her website/blog http://calisarhose.wordpress.com
On twitter @Calisa_Rhose and Facebook @Calisa Rhose
She loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at calisa.rhose@gmail.com



HOME blurb

TAG:
What could a gypsy and a Vietnam veteran have in common?
BLURB:

Silvertown’s outcast, Poppy Tippen, has loved football hero Sam “The Force” Callahan forever. But he never seemed to know she was alive. Now he’s home from the war and she suddenly finds herself comforting him from the demons of “that damn war.” Is his attention merely an escape from the haunting nightmares? Or does she hold the interest of the only man she’s ever truly loved?


Sam Callahan’s only solace from the war nightmares wrecking his life comes in the unlikely form of a gypsy girl with stigmas of her own. He’s known Poppy his entire life, but there’s something different about her now. Something special he desperately wants to hold on to. Can he convince her she’s the only thing he needs to put the past behind him?

I is for Indecision

For as long as I can remember I've wanted to be a romance writer. About fifteen years ago I took my first step toward taking it 'seriously' by joining a local chapter of RWA. This was, and still is, a good decision for my career. I've learned a lot by attending meetings and programs and participating in critiquing sessions, both as a reader and a critiquer.

About ten years ago I took another 'serious' step and attended a writers' conference and pitched to an editor at Silhouette. She requested the full manuscript, but it was eventually rejected, although I did get a very nice, personal letter from her. A few years after that I submitted a query to another editor there, but that, too was rejected.

I was bummed, but not overly so, since rejection tends to be a part of this business. More than being bummed, though, I was stuck. I wrote what I termed 'series' romance, and with nothing new in the works at the time, I'd pretty much exhausted my options for where I could submit my work.

For a while I just let it lie. After all, I had other things going on in my life. Writing was a bit of a hobby.

Then about five years ago I decided if I ever had a chance to get a book published, I had to get 'serious' again. I asked a writer friend about her publisher, but as she was not too thrilled with her house, she recommended I check into The Wild Rose Press, a slightly new small press. So, I did, and it turned out to be another one of those good things for my career. With TWRP I've published three full-length novels, a short story, and a free read. I have another mss in a rewriting/revision stage for them, and am working on another short story to submit as well.

So, after that really long story, here's the indecision part. About a year ago, my editor at TWRP wrote me a really, really nice e-mail, saying she thought I was ready to move on to one of the 'bigger' publishers. To say the least, I was thrilled. While I really enjoy writing for TWRP, my dream had always been to see one of my books in the Harlequin/Silhouette rack at my local book store.

To that end, I'm in the process of polishing up another mss that I'll be pitching to an editor from Harlequin at a conference in April. But the thing is, I don't know if Harlequin/Silhouette is the right fit for me. Do I think it would be awesome to see my book in one of their displays? Yes, but I'm not sure if I'm a 'career' writer. I have a career that I love. Meeting deadlines is not easy for me, just from a time stand point. My first priority is, and has to be, my full time job. Writing on a deadline scares the beejeebies out of me.

And, I really, really love writing for TWRP. I've had nothing but good experiences with them: from the owners to the editors to the cover artists to the marketing department...everything has been wonderful. And with e-books becoming more and more popular, even my shorter stories not being in print isn't such a big deal anymore.

That doesn't mean I can't write for someplace else, too, but if I'm happy where I'm at, and it's working for me, why do I want to? TWRP is a good fit for me. And if I'm writing for more than one place, am I going to be stretching myself too thin? Will I be able to do a good job for both, or will one suffer?

But to have my name on a Harlequin book? That's something I've dreamed about since high school. And to have a dream come true is nothing to turn your nose up at.

See? Indecisive. (And long winded...)

And of course this all may be a moot point, if I pitch and at whatever point in the process get a rejection, all of this worry will be for naught. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.

Until next time,

Happy Reading!

Debra
www.debrastjohnromance.com

Indie Publishing

This could be controversial but here goes!

This week I am about to make a momentous decision – or, at least, I think I’m maybe half way there!

I’ve always balked against Indie publishing – for several reasons:
1) I’ve needed an editor’s approval/acceptance of my work
2) I know I don’t have the technical expertise to format my work
3) I wouldn’t have the first idea how to create a cover for my novel
4) (and I hate to admit to this one!) I’ve tended to think of ‘indie’ publishing  as a kind of vanity publishing, putting one’s work online without any professional editorial acceptance or input.

So why am I changing my mind?

First, because over the last couple of years, I’ve finally gained some confidence in myself and my writing. It’s only taken me about 40 years to get to this point! So I’m thinking that maybe I don’t need an editor’s ‘approval’ anymore.

Why not? This takes me back to the sixties. At the time I was reading every romance novel I could find in the local library. I wrote my own romance novel, purely for myself, but then I started to think my novel was as good (if not better?) than a lot of the romances I was reading. To cut a long story short, I submitted it to one of the very few publishers of romance here in the UK (and also the biggest) and it was accepted. This should have given me confidence, but it didn’t, even though they accepted two more of my novels, and their American ‘partners’ published two of them, and one was serialised in a UK women’s magazine.
I’m digressing. The main point is that none of my novels has ever been ‘edited’ by a professional editor. The publisher who accepted my first 3 novels, and another publisher who accepted my 4th novel, published my stories as I’d written them, and more recently, the same has happened with my latest novels. This means I have produced 6 published novels so far without any detailed professional editing or editorial consultation. Conclusion – they must think my stories and my writing are okay!

Secondly, yes, I’m a wimp. I completely balk at formatting my work for publication or trying to work out how to produce a cover (‘artistic’ is the last word you could use to describe me!). I’ve also been aware of some of the problems other writers have had with formatting their work on the various sites there are out there.

However, I have discovered that there are ‘indie’ publishers who do all the formatting AND have artists to design the cover. In fact, they seem to do everything that 'traditional' publishers do regarding the actual publishing process (formatting, cover design etc). So that covers points 2 and 3 above.

Thirdly – vanity publishing? There are plenty of vanity publishers who charge thousands of pounds/dollars to produce someone’s book. I have no intention of approaching one of these. However, there are also the ‘indie’ publishers who don’t charge any advance fees, either for e-books or printed books. It seems there are very few differences between many ‘small’ traditional publishers and ‘indie’ publishers – although I’m sure someone will correct me if that’s wrong. The most significant differences I’ve seen is that the indie ones seem to get things done a lot faster, charge less for their e-books and print books (which hopefully means more sales) and give the author a larger percentage of royalties. The indie publishers don’t offer much in the way of editing (but then neither do some of the traditional ones) and, apart from some advertising on their websites, they don’t do any publicity – but I’m used to having to do that anyway!

For all these reasons, I may be going the ‘indie’ way. It’s actually quite a scary decision to make, but, as I said at the start, I’m half-way there.

I Is for Imagery

Imagery is painting pictures with words in order to make the reading experience more vivid for readers. You want your readers to see what your characters see, hear what they hear and feel what they feel. It’s showing emotions in concrete ways.

According to the dictionary (Webster’s II New Riverside University Dictionary), it’s “Mental pictures or images; the use of vivid description or figures of speech in speaking or writing to produce mental images; A metaphoric representation, as in music, art, or drama; Representative images, especially statues or icons; The art of making such images.”

How we create imagery in our writing takes skill and practice. Sometimes it involves showing, rather than telling. It’s the use, but not the overuse, of adjectives and adverbs to draw our verbal pictures. It requires us to avoid clichés and trite phrases, and to create new ways of describing mundane things.

Here’s an opening paragraph I created for my work-in-progress. Tell me what you think of the imagery.

Rain poured onto the Manhattan sidewalk in silver satin sheets. Cars splashed water onto the ankles of passersby with enough force to soak through the pant legs of irritated men and puddle inside the high-heeled shoes of unprepared women caught in the storm. Umbrellas prodded one another for space as people rushed from offices to subways, huddled in doorways and flagged down already full taxis in futile efforts to avoid the rain. Muttered curses at the weather mingled with hoarse apologies as commuters bumped against one another in their hurry to get somewhere—anywhere—dry. But those sounds were muted by the shuck-shuck-shuck of windshield wipers and the squeal of brakes on slippery streets.

I is for Internal Conflict

Every good story has a lead character with internal conflict. In a good romance, the internal conflict revolves around the development of her relationship with the hero (or the hero’s developing relationship with the heroine).

Internal Conflict has been defined as, “An emotional resistance within a character which makes him or her hesitate or be unwilling to enter into, continue with, or commit to a romantic to sexual relationship.” (Evan Marshall)

A woman whose policeman husband was killed responding to a domestic fight call might never want to become involved with another cop. Her internal conflict is further complicated by her young son, who has suffered from nightmares since his father’s death. She fears he will be traumatized again if he becomes close with a father figure who has a dangerous job. Her justifiable concern for her son is her rationale for not loving again. Then she meets a nice man who turns out to be a firefighter. Her son likes him. He likes her son. But the woman is terrified by the possibility that he could be killed on the job. How she resolves her inner conflict is the interesting, inner subplot of the story.

A college student is abandoned by a callously unfaithful girlfriend. He grows up to be love ‘em and leave ‘em dater. One by one, his friends settle down and marry. He wants them to keep hanging out, watch Sunday football games in his man-cave, prowl bars on Friday nights for one-night stands. His refusal to let any woman get close enough to hurt him again leads to outer complications. At first, his friends try to play matchmaker because all Joe needs is a good woman. But he resists, and they grow apart. He tries to find younger friends, but eventually looks foolish. He gets a woman boss. His inner fear will be tested and trialed through the story as he lets women try to love him. Eventually he’ll find love, because this is a romance. (He could stay a playboy if the story is a tragedy.)

Without inner conflict, a story lacks emotional depth. Each of us has some deep-seated fear we have to overcome in life. This is part of why we come to earth, I believe. To progress, to heal, to grow stronger, braver, happier. To love.

Friday Friend Emma Lai

It's our pleasure to welcome the very talented Emma Lai to Heroines with Hearts today. Emma has a great backshelf, a new release coming soon, and many other projects in the works as well. It's a delight to have her here today.

Tell us about yourself.
I like challenge, and there’s little I find more challenging than writing (with the main exception being the raising of my now two year old son). The characters demand their stories be told and nag me incessantly until I comply. The characters are very insistent about me remaining faithful to their adventures. As a result, I’ve crossed many genres, levels of heat and delved into areas I’d never thought to.

Tell us about your “Mates of the Guardians” series.
The Guardians are from a planet named Elysia, and their purpose is to protect the interests of their society, which takes them into not only our past, present and future timelines, but also those of other worlds...though none of those stories have been published yet. The Mates of the Guardians series presents short snapshots of how this set of amazing men and women met their significant others. However, a mystery presented itself in the first story that was never resolved, and while it’s barely touched upon in the second story, the third picks the thread up with a new twist added.


The third book in the series, His Capture, Her Rescue is due out soon. Are you planning any more in the series?
There’s at least one more story in the series, but I had originally envisioned five. There’s also a spin-off series that’s more involved in the works. I’ve completed the initial story, but I need to go back and revisit it in light of all that has occurred in the Mates and all that is yet to occur.


What made you decide to write a series?
I never really set out to start a series, but once the world was developed, a set of characters appeared to populate the world, and I felt each of them deserved a happily ever after. As a reader, I’ve often wondered about secondary characters, and in my worlds, if the secondary characters speak to me, I endeavor to tell their story.
I will admit I have a new series coming this year under the pen name L.J. Maisen that I intentionally set out to write as a serial. I’m hoping it will be well-received.

What got you interested in writing?
Since elementary school when I read 200+ books a year, I’ve always been an avid reader, and I’ve always loved writing. I love creating new worlds and the people to inhabit them. Aside from school projects and technical writing, I’d never thought to try my hand at fiction. (Let’s ignore the failed teen romance I attempted when I was ten, because what the heck did I know about romance?) Then I took a year off to finish up my master degree and was reading a lot. I told my husband I thought I could write, and he dared me to deliver. Now, here I am, three years later with multiple titles under my belt.

How long have you been writing?
I wrote my first book in fourth grade. It was titled Glartian the Martian. Then there was the failed romance in fifth grade. Between then and 2008, it was all poetry, school papers and technical documents for work. So, one could say either I’ve been writing for almost 30 years or 3 years. It all depends on how one measures.

What inspired you to write your first book?
My husband’s guilty pleasure is reading romance, the spicy ones preferably. He’s also a fan of science fiction. I write mainly for him though now that I have a wider readership, I try to satisfy their desires as well.

What comes first, plot or characters?
The opening scene comes first. I’m not a plotter. My stories almost one and all come from a dream sequence in which the characters act out the opening scene. They also deliver a rough outline, though the hardest stories to write are the ones where they just give me the opening. I have multiple works in progress because I’m still waiting for the characters to tell me the rest of their story.

How do you come up with the titles for your books?
I try to pick out the main idea of the story and play around with catchy words or phrases. A thesaurus comes in real handy. In some instances, I’ll go back into the story and work the title in or an obvious link to the title in one or two places.

What is the hardest part of writing?
Waiting. Waiting for the characters to tell me how to finish their stories. Waiting for critique partners to get me their feedback. (Sad because they all diligently respond in a week or less.) Waiting for response to the query. Waiting for edits. Can you tell I’m not the most patient of people?

Do you have an interesting writing quirk?
Aside from the voices in my head? Nope. Not that I can think of.

What have you learned from being a published author that you wish you knew before you were published?
I’ve honestly enjoyed the journey just as it has occurred. If I could go back, the only thing I might do differently is use a separate pen name for my erotica, but it’s too late for that. (I’ve already told the editor who first made the suggestion that I’d wished I listened to her.)

What’s the best writing advice you ever received/read?
Stay true to your story. If you don’t love it then you’ll hate it by the time it’s through edits. Edits take a lot of effort, and sometimes time. You read and reread a story until you’re sick of it. Writing what you love makes the journey more bearable.

Any advice for new writers?
Stay true to your story, but also remember once you’ve sold it, editors are trying to help you make it the best it can be for the target audience.

You seem to have a lot of ‘irons in the fire’ these days. Your blog shows you’re working on three manuscripts: including a rewrite of “Not His Usual Type” and a sequel to “Twice is Not Enough”. Plus you have a new release coming soon. How do you keep up with everything and keep everything straight?
I could say that I use the exceptional organization skills I developed as a project manager, that I have a lovely spreadsheet with due dates and timelines. But, I don’t. I take things one thing at a time. Whatever has the nearest due date is normally what gets worked on first. As for writing, I work on whatever interests me at the moment. This is why I have dozens of works in progress. One day, I might apply myself and get a little more organized, but that day is not today.

What is one question you wish an interviewer would ask you?
How’s it feel to be a NYT best-selling author? I think I’m a bit a way from that though.

Where can we find you and your books?
Website: http://www.emmalaiwrites.com
Blog: http://emmalaiwrites.blogspot.com
Facebook: AuthorEmmaLai
Twitter: @emmalaiwrites

Emma, thanks so much for joining us today! Good luck with all of your projects...I know I can't wait to see/read the fruition of them.

Seven Things About Debra

1) I met my husband at a country bar. We learned to dance together and fell in love. The first dance at our wedding was the first song we ever slow danced to at the bar.

2) I think John Deere tractors are sexy.

3) I am fascinated by the Civil War, but am too afraid of the research to write a historical novel about it. Perhaps some day since I actually have an idea for the plot.

4) My husband and I converted and renovated a 1920s two-flat into a single family home: a lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into the process, but we can truly say the house is ours.

5) My 'list' (a la F.R.I.E.N.D.S.) includes - in no particular order: Jon Bon Jovi, Matthew McConaughey, Alexander Skarsgard, Ashton Kutcher, and Robert Pattinson.

6) I spent my 40th birthday at Disney World. I love Mickey!

7) If it's not country music, I won't listen to it. Brad, Kenny, Carrie, Toby, and Eric (Church) are my favorites.

Debra St. John
Sultry romance. Sexy heroes. Spunky heroines.
www.debrastjohnromance.com

7 Facts about Paula

1. My earliest celebrity crush was – dare I admit it? – Pat Boone.

2. When I was 14, I wrote a play about Lady Jane Grey, the doomed 9-day Queen of England in the 16th century. We performed it with my Girl Guide company. My main error was having Lady Jane sipping a cup of tea when tea wasn’t introduced to England until about 100 years later. Hmm, hope my research is better now!

3. I’ve been to every battlefield of the 15th century Wars of the Roses in England – it took over a year to get to all 17 of them. Some are now built over, but others remain as they would have been at the time, and one was in the middle of a pig farm. We avoided the pigs but tramped through thick mud to reach and photograph the battlefield monument.

4. I’ve directed about 15 musicals with teenagers, ranging from the Wizard of Oz (my first effort) to Guys and Dolls. My favourite was Calamity Jane, but look back at my post on June 2010 to see some of the ‘calamities’ that happened during this show. http://heroineswithhearts.blogspot.com/2010/06/funny-moments_30.html

5. I have a great-great grandfather who was a sea-captain but was fired in 1860 for being drunk in charge of his ship (yes, it’s all there in the minutes of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company). According to family legend, he then ran the blockade during the American Civil War, bringing cotton from the Confederacy back to the cotton mills in England.

6. One line of my family tree led me to landed (and rich!) gentry in Yorkshire and Derbyshire, and from there back eventually to King Edward I of England – but the blue blood in my veins is now somewhat diluted (although William the Conqueror was my 35xgreat-grandfather!). Now, where’s my share of all that land my ancestors owned in the past??

7. In 1999, my ex-son-in-law (a computer engineer) brought me a modem to link my computer to the internet – and I said ‘Why do I need to be linked to the internet?’ Ha ha!

Seven Things About Jennifer

Thank you, Katheryn Lane for our award! Seven things about me? I’ve been interviewed a lot lately, and to be honest, I’m a little sick of myself J So, I’m going to try to come up with facts about me that haven’t been floated around ad nauseum.

1.  I’m an only child. Family lore says that my mom originally wanted six kids, but decided against it after having me. I prefer to think that they realized they couldn’t do any better; my parents have been suspiciously silent on this matter. I also joke around with people and say that’s why I’m so terrible at sharing, but I think I’m actually pretty good at it—and hope my friends agree!
2. I was a ballet dancer for many years as a child and spent hours and hours and days upon days in toe shoes. As a result, my toes are funny looking and my husband loves to tease me about them. If he’d spent as much time as I did dancing on his toes a) he probably wouldn’t have been interested in marrying me and b) his toes would be funny-shaped too.
3.  My favorite quote is from Winnie the Pooh: You must remember this: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.
4.  Getting to dessert is the only reason I eat meals. If I could have dessert after breakfast, I’d never forget to eat that meal again. At restaurants, I will often ask to see the dessert menu ahead of time so that I know how much room to save. My father-in-law is the only one who understands that.
5. When I was in college, I kept a package of plastic spoons in my car so that if my friends and I (okay, mostly me) ever got a craving for ice cream, we would always be prepared. And before you think I’m nuts, I went to college in St. Louis, where most places closed by 9 p.m., except for grocery stores. Why I couldn’t purchase a package of spoons from the grocery store, along with the ice cream, is beyond me.
6. I used to ride, train and show horses. Of all the activities from my childhood that I’ve given up, I miss that one the most. It made me feel like I could fly.
7. I really, really, really want to learn how to boost a car. And by this, I mean do that thing I see on TV where they find some wires underneath the steering wheel, rub them together and the car starts. I don’t want to be a criminal; I just think it would be a cool thing to do.

That’s all folks!

More than 7 things you don’t know about me, but could find interesting. Or amusing.

Katheryn Lane gave Heroines with Hearts a lovely award with the stipulation that each principal had to share seven interesting facts about herself. Here are mine:
1. My dad worked for the CIA.
2. I’ve fished in the Red Sea. (Didn’t catch anything.)
3. I went to an all-girl’s high school.
4. I’m an astrologer. (Swear by it.)
5. I went to college to be a physicist.
6. I became a vegetarian so I could cook proper meals for my baby daughter, who could not digest meat. (She’s still a vegetarian. I still like bacon.)
7. I live on a biodynamic farm with cows and chickens. (So much for being a physicist.)
8. I can, freeze, or dehydrate most of my family’s food.
9. I’ve seen gnomes two times, both unexpectedly. When I intellectualized what was happening, they vanished.
10. I’ve discovered that what scares me the most is what I’m supposed to do.