sexy blathering

2011-11-09T13:30:00.000-08:00

yeah I know- I said I would post more and look what happened. the problem is tomorrow, as in, I'll do it tomorrow. i'm up over 20,ooo of my nanowrimo this year. whoo.
and, a link. cheesy I know, to log on after such a long time with a link, but. I'll do better tomorrow. he he.
Coffee and Cream Christmas Event

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Where: http://whispershome.com/category/authors-blog/

2011-10-06T21:55:00.000-07:00

New readers of the blog are going “oh no! What happened to her?” Old readers are going, I'm sure, “Hmm. She forgot to blog again. It's so easy! Just let one day slip and say, I'll blog tomorrow. I'll finish the rewrite tomorrow. Well, maybe next week. Someone slap me along side the head. I contacted whispers for the editor info so I can send off slave to love. Yeah, I wanted to send it off to harlequin, but, brain freeze. No ego. Or something. Just couldn't do it. So okay, I'm going to send it to whispers. In the meantime, I am almost done with the short “blank.” you may not realize it, but titles are hard. Let's call it Indian love story. It's going to be about twenty thou words or so because plots are kicking my butt. Don't know why. I believe in identifying problems and there it is. So, just a few more days (which admittedly I said a few days ago) and then, I'm sending it off to whispers too, and I have started the ninja short, again, “blank.” Freaking titles! Anyway, I have been writing, just not what I’m suppose to, but fine. Just write.

2011-09-07T22:22:00.000-07:00

I asked myself, do you really want to post tonight? Tomorrow would be so much easier, but then by tomorrow, the next day would so much easier, etc.
yeah, I can see where that is going.
Writing every day takes a certain type of bravery, that maybe I don’t have. It takes admitting that if you skip a day, you have to face that problem, because otherwise it just gets bigger and bigger, and soon a whole week has gone by without posting, then a few more days, then a month.
Very brave, people who conquer that fear of "I haven't written anything lately oh well I’ll just get to it." My type of bravery is more like hiding under the bed, trying not to pee myself. Because I had to really force myself to admit that I haven't posted in a while. denial is so easy.
I haven't written much, but at least I make myself think of plot while working.
I no longer have the old boring, "hiding from the old people staring at vending machines looking for dirty pictures" job. The vending machine part was because dean koontz mentions in one book that there are no laws against subliminal advertising, and that such pictures are in ads, like found on a vending machine. I'm a sucker, what can I say. I also have a dirty mind, so the answer to the question, was there dirty images, will remain unanswered. By me, anyway.
I now have a "stand outside and stare off into space" job, which is great in summer, but I may try for something a bit better, preferably before winter. Especially as it is a "as needed" job, and it's not needed very much. I'm grateful for the jobs, grateful to be hired, even when I hate them so much I’m more grateful when they fire me. (supervisor: come into my office. This is hard to say, but. Me: thank you! I hate you too!! Goodbye!!! just kidding)
see, I thought I had nothing to post, almost went to bed, and now, I have a waste of space post about work. Sigh. I said I would finish the book, slave to love, (as it's now called) and that it would be my birthday gift to myself. Oops. Soon, I’ll be sending it off to harlequin. I think. I hope. That takes bravery, the type of "go out of the cave and see if the dragon is there. If you return a headless corpse, the rest of us will know." And really, of all the job apps and interviews, when you think of it, writing is very behind the scenes, send it off without being involved. Only you are invovled, because you have worked so hard on the novel, so close, that you don't see the flaws. Try it. Write the word flaw on your hand (not in permanent ink, just a thought) and hold it up to your nose. Kind of hurts to focus, kind of hard to read? Yeah, that's a book. Right there. so. Deep breath. Send it off anyway. Soon. Because there is no dragon out there. Scary editors, painful rejections, etc. yes. But no dragons, nothing of physical harm to sending off a book.

2011-08-18T20:31:00.000-07:00

Sigh. I said I was going to post more, and look what happened. A slight improvement, and that was it. And I said I was going to finish my re edit, and guess what. Yeah, not hard to guess. Partly, not a good week. That time of the month, and no I will not blog a lot of details, either you're a woman and know what I'm talking about or you're a guy and don't want to hear it. Anyway, this month, did not throw up, yay, but still sick, cramps, etc. so I cut myself a little bit of slack, but only a little, because I could have worked on the book in the few hours I was feeling normal. And then, last day, i'm thirsty for milk. Milk, evil stuff, that was tasting almost spoiled a few days ago, now tastes fine, and whammo. A case of the runs. More cramps. Life sucks. What was I thinking? How often have I given myself dairy food poisoning via drinking those last few drops of spoiled milk? I buy it myself. Not like i'm wasting someone else's money, but no. I want milk, there it is, cramp and run to the bathroom. Idiot.
Anywho, will try to finish this weekend, a bit behind schedule but not very much. Pretty good for me actually, considering I was a month behind the first re edit. I think a month, maybe two.
And reason number two for being behind is a great one. Two words. Rob Thurman. New Book. Bookworm heaven. A nice thick novel, gone in a few hours, but worth it, the kind of book you hide to read so you can read uninterrupted, which I wish I had done, would have finished sooner. Great novel, it alludes to some earlier stuff but you could pick up just this book and get it. Blackout, that was it. A must read if you like simon green nightside series, or violent dread novels, where characters face all sorts of evil and fight it. Made me want to go write one of my own, but enough. Must finish the re write, finish space pirates then naked warrior, etc.

2011-08-14T12:51:00.001-07:00

I finished most of the rewrite. I had a few notes, less than a few hours work, maybe. Then, phfft. No energy. I looked over the naked pirate re write, (worse than I remember, though I love the beginning) and still no ending, and looked over a few others as well. Telling myself, okay, I just need a break from the rewrite for a bit. Well yes. A little perspective is good, it's okay to take a break near the end, step back, go wheh, then back to work! And the last four words are my problem. Because I have an attention half the size of a anorexia gnat's ass, apparently.
And hopefully, no one is reading this (ha, I good stop right there with that sentence, probably) and thinking, just get back to work, whiner. Why are you wasting time complaining about it?
1) this is a blog about writing, and this is a problem a lot of people have, of starting something like a starving kid in a candy factory then moving on to newer before the old is finish.
2) One must recognize a problem in order to fix it. I really did need a break from the rewrite, and can finish it next week.

So okay, I missed the self imposed deadline. I can still finish by next week, and still need to do a synopsis and cover letter. Then, gulp, most likely off to harelquin.
Till then, I’m thinking I could maybe whip out the naked pirate book in a week. No, really, it's going to take a few months to rewrite, add in missing chapters, re do, rewrtie again a final time, and still work on the ending. I have one, but it's not fitting. Because of the plot, a fantasy, i'm thinking ebooks. Not a big seller right now, but the book has moments that are pretty good, and can help build a following. With the closing of borders, I can't think of any publisher that will be taking this anywhere else. You just don't see fantasy lining the shelves of the local supermarkets. So ebook it is. Still, it's a fun read. Worth finishing, if I can.

2011-08-11T11:45:00.001-07:00

I am almost finished with slave to love. Finally. Again. Still a few notes here and there, and I wanted to add a bit more about how she feels, but maybe not. The book is just a few shy of being sixty thousand. Yikes. The male character definitely grows in the course of the novel, but I don’t know so much that she does, except for a tacked on part at the end. Hmm. Need to work that in earlier and go from there. In less that a few hundred words, or cut something else somewhere.
Then, of course, I would have to type up the synopsis, the cover letter, etc. and get the postage. And mail it off to harelquin, which involves peeing myself. Just kidding. Probably just a lot of psyching myself up to do it.
Good thing I have that goal, even though I probably wont' finish until next week. without it, I would probably still b on the first rewrite.

2011-08-08T00:33:00.001-07:00

So far up to 139 out of 176. the depressing thing is, I did this already. Counted down the pages left, even had a stupid little taskbar to fiddle with and drool over, or whatever one does with those things. And now, it' s like deja vu.
It's like deja vu.
Okay, we all knew that lame joke was coming.
This time, I think I am going to submit it to harlequin, even though loose id rejected it. Because I think re writing it has really helped, some. I don't know if enough for it to get published in print, but it's worth a try. For some reason it's easier to do this story then the Victorian,or the space pirates, I suspect because this is almost done. And I don't have as large a scary gap between here and there, the end.
Just gotta tell myself. The gap between here (where I left off writing) and there (the end bits) is full of choices, some good, choices like bright paths to take. It's not bad until after I write it, until after it's said and done, and I can't change it anymore.
Till then, it could be the next best book. Still, going to finish this re write soon, and by end of next week, get it printed off and shipped out, maybe. I have a friend who not only has word, he has a printer. With no ink, no whoop, I’ll buy it since I will probably use most of it, printing out three chapters plus. Synopsis, cover letter, etc. if I can make myself stick to a time schedule, for once. At least setting a goal will make me feel real guilty if I fail, and I’ll use that to push myself.
Maybe.
It's like deja vu all over again.
Because I was going to finish this last time and went almost a whole month past when I said I would be done.
Deja vu.

2011-08-05T20:33:00.001-07:00

I was planning on writing more but then. Bucking hay. I will never, ever, have a love scene in hay. It is pokey, scratchy, irritating instruments of torture, right up there with sleeping on an anthill.
So why mention it in the blog?
It's not a good enough excuse to not write.
Oh, it is, because it's so very, very tiring, shoving hay bales around all day, but still I could have come home and wrote something.
I was thinking when I thought of yet another book I want to write. This time, while working out various plots, I kept thinking, that doesn't sound like a romance, that doesn't sound like a romance. So I asked myself. Romance is character driven, right? So what characters do you want to write about?
And I thought, the only one was a dull mousy girl who inspires to be different, than bam. It blows up in her face in the first few chapters and she spends the rest of the book fixing it. It sounded like fun. I have several suggestion already, but not going to put anything down until I actually finish something again. So I made myself go do some of the rewrite. A few pages here and there may not be as good as just sitting my lazy butt down and actually writing it, but it's was better than nothing.
I was thinking, for an opening sentence, so many suggestions here, really. Something like
her life really changed when she died, because the day was going so well.
Not good enough. Opening lines need to be real hooks, but it's something to play with.
The car accident that killed her was the best thing in her life, so it was too bad it didn't happen.
Maybe something like that.
Then, she shed s her old self and enters the speakeasy on a dare from her sister. And then, dark brooding hero. The gangster. Maybe.
Before writing it' s like buying a lottery ticket, so many possibilities, until you start to write, and you nail down all those could be paths until you end up with something long and thin and going, why did I write that? So you start again, and for the first paragraph, there's so many ways to go, so many awesome possibilities of bestseller and millions to be made. And it's a breath fo fresh air until you hold it in your lungs, and it tastes of morning breath when you're done.
There's just something so open about starting a novel.
It's the actual finish of them that's hard, or at least, takes work to get to. But the opening? So easy.

2011-07-30T23:27:00.001-07:00

Still chugging along on the rewrite, and yes, I did miss a few scene descriptions. It's like the book is taking place on a tv with no picture, just sound. Yikes. Who wants to watch that?
Now, I’m adding a few faint touches, smells sounds. Except I’m more than halfway through the book, so now when done I need to go back over the first part and make sure I used a few descriptive phrases. Not many, just enough to clue the reader what is going on.
I checked out a few sites for the submission point, looking at submission guidelines. Then, on every one, I looked under new releases and coming soon, because how else would I know if the book is right for that editor? I don't know. Maybe harlequin blaze, but i'm not sure, because I don't know anywhere around here that sells harelquin. Maybe fred meyers, or safeway, if I go to town. Otherwise, I looked on line, but without the money to buy the books, it doesn't tell me much about the kind of books they are publishing, and I think that is an important part of deciding where to publish.
I haven't worked on the victorian one at all, mostly because I hit a few snags. (you would think I would be use to it by now.) a little snag like 'no plot' i'm use to. Or maybe, 'stuck.' no, this plot was deciding if there should be sex in the novel, or make it a christain novel. I still don't feel like i'm good enough for christian novel. I mean, with a erotica, you know why the reader is reading the book. Right off the bat, I would guess for a sex description, and a hot one. Very easy to find, just thumb through romances at the library (no harelquins, I noted.) and pick out what the author likes that that sells well, and ta da. Masterpiece. With a christian novel, it's a bit harder. Do they read for the tips on Christianity? Or do they get read because people like drama, the praying, or seeing god's works? It's a bit harder. So, probably the victorian, which I will force myself to go back to and finish now that I have more plot hashed out, will most likely have sex. Which explains why so many characters are married in books, because victorians aren't exactly known for their bodice ripper parties.

2011-07-29T13:19:00.000-07:00

Lately I realize on one of the mistakes I make when I write. I have talking head syndrome.
Oh, not always, but occasionally it's two people talking, and not much else. I think I what I might do is describe the scene. Every time I break, move characters, or have a new scene. Just a brief description, like (parking lot, half empty, cold, wet, noon. Yellow blouse blue skirt. Him, t-shirt jeans. Dog.)
then, I just incorporate those bits into the writing.

So instead of:
“where did the dog come from?” she asked.
“my neighbors.”
“are they nice people?”
“you should know. You slept with him.”
“oh, those neighbors. I thought you meant the guys across the street.”
“the druggies? No, still don't know them. I'm waiting for their meth lab to blow and wipeout the neighborhood, though.”

we now get:
“where did the dog come from?” she asked. The cold wind bit through the faint sunshine of the late afternoon. The parking lot they walked across was almost empty of cars.
“my neighbors.”
“are they nice people?” she asked, zipping her jacket up over her yellow blouse. Her denim skirt snarled around her legs.
“you should know. You slept with him.” she stopped, her gaze focused on him.
“oh, those neighbors. I thought you meant the guys across the street.” the day darkened. It might rain soon, the gray skies overhead dark with clouds. She shivered lightly.
“the druggies? No, still don’t know them. I'm waiting for their meth lab to blow and wipeout the neighborhood, though.”

okay, maybe not as good, because too much narration interrupts the flow of the dialogue. This is just an example of how to add bits of scenery into a conversation. I realize I skip that quite a bit, yet it adds so much to the setting of a book. Something to work on, anyway.
After reviewing more books on writing, I think my female lead needs more internal conflict. Kind of help balance the book out. I think i'm going to give her a problem, like shyness, or social awkwardness, and have the hero inadvertently fix it. For him, he gains not only freedom but his pride back. Yep. Now, I just got to figure out how to do that.

2011-07-28T14:46:00.000-07:00

Wow cannot believe how long it has been since I blogged! Oops.
I have good excuses like always. Let's cut to the honest one-i'm a lazy procrastinator. Also, I had problems getting a webpage to load. I could watch nettling but the pages weren't loading. Finally took aol off the computer and went through internet explorer to re download it. Ta da. Problem sort of fixed, in that it seems to work fine and no swearing. Amazing.
Currently, I’m working on a victorian romance. Have not really thought where to submit it yet. I was kind of thinking harlequin, maybe not. I hear victorian make a lot of money as people love historicals.
I have about a quarter of the free to love book redone, the book I sent to loose id. Again, have no idea where to submit. Do I go whispers, the old tried and true love them dearly people? Or do the new, scary, more expensive print publisher that is my hope and dream to get someday?
Yikes.
Too many decisions for a lazy procrastinator.
This weekend someone told me about a job “bucking” hay. Which is funny, because romance writers are about rolling in the hay, and here it sounds like the same thing sort of, and totally is not.
Hay is itchy. Scratchy. Annoying.
Heavy.
So very, very, heavy.
Apparently, the farmer goes through with the hay baler machine, and we come by afterward with a flat trailer behind a tractor and stack about four or five high. Pretty easy really, because the bundles only had two strings. So about, forty or sixty pounds each, stacking pretty fast, or carrying them over to the tractor. Some of the guys could lift them overhead and toss them. Repeatedly. I was lucky if I could get it to my waist and on the flat bed, after about two hours.
Still I did learn something. I will never have characters go for a roll in the hay, because the idea is ridiculous. Hay is itchy and I wanted to scratch myself raw. Also, I should empty my pockets before doing the wash, as about a handful went through the wash and was still in my pockets.
And, it scratches. Have I mentioned the itchy factor? Because I have little dots of red on my legs and stomach from using a knee to try and propel a bale up.
Okay, enough of that.
Back to work.

2011-06-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

I heard back from loose id. The answer was a no, but a very nice no. I might try whispers, or look for another spot. I'm going to rethink loose id suggestions and see if I can figure what might be off in the manuscript.
I haven't been writing much, I think because I sold two books last month and made two whole bucks. Oh, worth the trip to the bank. But then, it's an ebook, there is a lot of competition out there. I'm going to have to try harder if I want to get published, and I think I do, the problem is finding a good plot and writing the book the way it needs. I read teresa medeiros, and the book was really good, but a bit flowery writing. Would not do for a gena showalter type book, which I also read. Thank God for libraries. I would go broke feeding my book worm habit.
I just saw the girl with the dragon tattoo. Very good characters, but the plot? I don't know. I keep hearing about how it's so good, and it's like, the young girl getting raped, I get it, it shows she's this tough character, but it had nothing to do with the plot. It could have been told in back story and cleaned up the movie a bit. I mean, it's done well, but I think it may have been in for shock value, which I don't like. And the whole ritual killing had nothing, technically, to do with the girl's disappearance. Still, overall, a good movie, and I’m watching the girl who played with fire.
Not as good Dr. Horrible's sing along blog, though.

2011-06-03T22:58:00.001-07:00

Okay I said I was going to blog a lot more. Oops. Kind of like exercising more, dieting, blah blah blah. Ouch, reality. I have a few good excuses, though. I watched Dr Horrible's sing along blog. If you have never heard of this wonder, you have to go out and watch it. Or not. And then I watched it again. One out of a hundred people didn't like it, and everyone else on netflix gave it five stars. Then I ran around with the tunes stuck in my head, repeating what I remembered of the lyrics. If I had sang aloud, there would be a spot in hell for people like me. Right next to people who sing carols in march. Then I wanted to watch it again. I, personally, want to go out and buy the book and watch the second dvd with extras because I am a nerd.
Nerd.
I have also read a great little horror book by vincent courtney called goblins. The author uses great metaphor and similes and all those other things we spaced on in english class. It made the book a delightful late night read. And the flow was smooth, reading it had a great pace and it was written so smoothly. Hard to describe until you read a bad book.
So, fellow authors, (which refers to a few tumbleweeds and maybe a noisy cricket or two, since that's all that show up) this reminds me to add better descriptions of those all encompassing phrases, or descriptions, or whatever metaphors do.
I also re read a dean koontz, doesn't matter which one, they're all great. I think the man enjoys writing, I think the books are great to read because he draws the story out, not in a boring way, but in a way so that each line is intense, plot impacting, yet flows, the man loves his work.
When I wrote a chapter or two on the newest book, I tried to imitate that feeling, that freedom. I haven't re read what i've done yet, but I think it works better. Some beginner authors want to hurry up and not bore the reader and they just go hell bent for leather, and ruin the act of storytelling, which is to be enjoyed and savored. Slow down, fellow writers, enjoy each line, take time to describe what is needed. Note, what is needed, not just blather on like a boring author.
There's a hint for me to shut up.

2011-05-14T11:37:00.001-07:00

It's been a while since I written. I don’t mean just the blog, I mean anything halfway good, and I don't know why. I think because I submitted to loose id and haven't heard back yet. Yeah, the fact that they asked for the whole thing is good, but a bit worrying that I didn't place the book in a print publisher like I said I would. They just take so long!! I don't want to wait months for a response, because, honestly, deep down I don't have the self esteem, and I think the book might get rejected a bit, and it would take forever to get it published, and I keep telling myself I could write another in a few months. Right?
HA!
look how long it took me just to re edit it.
Sigh.
But, I have doodled a bit on a chapter or two, first chapters, of this or that, a funny mob book, maybe. A pirate novel or two. Yet, I still have the almost finished, really almost finished, needing the last part of the last chapter, of the naked pirate book. And I don't know why I haven't finished it. Nothing seems right on it. I think I’m going to make myself sit down and go over parts of it again. I've re done the first chapter like three times. Procrastination, anyone? Playing at writing are we? Oh yes, it makes the book better, those little tweaks, but they also makes us feel like a writer when we're not. Watch out for them.

2011-04-22T14:44:00.000-07:00

I finished the chapter. And if you're like, what, just now? Well ha ha. Ha ha hahaha. Evil laugh, I’m just not good at it. Yeah, I finished it a while back, baby. Nailed it. Okay I’m lying, I finished it, the nailed it part I don't know. I hope it's good, because I sent it to loose id, thinking, well, it says you get a receipt in one month, so I can tweak endlessly till then right? In like four days they asked to see the whole thing. Oops. Quick re-edit, while sweating buckets. Is it good enough? Will it ever be? I've heard of authors that can endlessly play with stuff, never submit it, because it always needs just one more adjustment. Wow. That's me. Did not know that.
So, I sent it off. 57,000 and complete. I cut the last few chapters because they dragged on, weren't needed, and all from his point of view, which made the plot wonky.
Yes, wonky.
I don't know if it's a word, it just is. Wonky.
Because, the first half is all about her, then his viewpoint. Lots, of his viewpoint. Oops. Wonky.
So now, a few more chapters for her. Less for him. No head hopping, I hope. Strictly forbidden, and was in the original draft. Which is good that publishers say no to head hopping, because I’ve read a few print novels that have head hopping, and now it' s driving me nuts. How can a professional, multi-million publishing company IN PRINT make a mistake that a few people clustered around a keyboard, i.e. electronic print, not make? I mean, how is an amateur, (and I don't mean to insult e-books, some of them are pros, most of them, but still you're looking at a few people, getting paid darn little, not shelling out thousands for a book like big print,) how can a few people online do a better job than a print publisher? Wow. Wonky.
So back to the subject. I sent off the book, now called free to love, or some thing like that. Again, I’m not good with titles. Really.
So it's off, and we'll see how it does.

2011-04-05T17:47:00.000-07:00

So if you don't know me, you're like what happened? So close to the end, then nothing.
Well, it's the start of april, and I have one chapter left. Really, I've had one chapter for a week or so, so technically I finished almost in march. Good enough. I decided not to submit to harlequin because I read on their forums that it takes up to two years to get published. If they respond to the manuscript in a timely manner and do re edits.
Plus, I would have to do a print copy. Loose id, on the other hand, takes email sub. So, I wrote the synopsis, and now I’m waiting a day or two to see how I feel about the query letter.
So, soon.

2011-03-12T23:18:00.000-08:00

Currently, I'm at 70 out of 91. like twenty pages left. It's so, (high voice) Amazing.
Just watched Archer, this cartoon (for adults.) about a spy. they had this great character on tonight, does that constantly. Annoys everyone. Now, I have that voice semi stuck in my head. Amazing! waves hands. Darn tv.
Still, over seventy five percent done. Barely over seventy five percent, and over a month late, but hey, better than nothing. That's what you gotta look at. If I finish this month, yeah it's slower than I wanted, but at least next month I can start submitting, or so.
Wow.
Not as wow as when, if, it sells. And I have to decide where to send it first. and not as wow as it would be, if I had finsihed the re edit back at the start of February, like I was suppose to do. lazy.
I went to my writing club earlier today and I’m still tired. Writing is like sex. A big bunch of effort, gets all fast and furious, then bam, relaxation. Kind of like jogging, too, come to think of it. Just a relaxed, slouch around the house feeling after wards.
I think I did about three thousand today on the pirate book. I have written the ending like so many times, and it just wasn't coming out right, then suddenly, I think, maybe it is. Better than the earlier crap anyway. So I have no idea where I am on that book, and need to do major re editing before submitting.
Which wouldn't be a problem if I was done with the other book. I can see where this is going, with book after book struggling out just to get clogged in the laborious re editing process.
Three pages tonight. Gotta look at the bright side. I did three pages tonight, and will do more tomorrow, which is better than nothing. Barely.
70 out of 91.
There's eighteen days of March left, so if I did a page a night, it might get done. If.
Or, two or three pages like I did tonight, every night until it's done.
If.
but hey, better than nothing.
you want to hear AMAZING????? i almost forgot.
there'a comment on whispers, from someone other than me, that says you're good.
YOU'RE GOOD
I'm like, wow. That wasn't me posting this time, (ahem) or even anyone I know. It's a real person, who likes my writing. That little thought has melted my butter like you wouldn't believe. I made that phrase up. I felt like it, that's why.
YOU"RE GOOD.
amazing. It has honeslty cheered me up considerably. I'm going to back to leaving feedback for other writers, becuase it is so wonderful to get encouragement. sales would be good too, and money, but you know. encouragment is good. I'll take it.

2011-03-06T13:27:00.000-08:00

Okay, here it's March. Nice meeting that end of January deadline. I've only skipped a whole month. From some of the notes in the comments section of the book, it looks like I’ve added about ten thousand words in that one month, and edited about fifty pages. That's a laughable amount compared to what a read editor does. But then, most have offices, or privacy. Most have laptops to take said book and go put in a few hours, and I really just have the main computer or the alphasmart.
Still, I have discovered one thing. I love progress bar. What a useless gadget. That I can't stop updating, like almost every page when the writing is going slow. I'm 64 percent done. Oh yea, couldn't live without that info. I'm 80 percent done going by word count, at fifty six thousand out of seven thousand, which is the minimum required by some publishing companies. Once again, apparently I really needed to know that.
The progress bar gadget does sit on my desktop, though, and hits me with a guilt wallop every time I log onto AOL to screw around. Why aren't I writing? It asks. Update me, c'mon, just do a few pages.
Really, I wish there was a better gadget for writers, one that showed graphs, or word counts for the day. I've seen some on online, but if I go online to update, I’ll just have to stop by the old gaming sites and nothing, believe me, will get done.
And no, I don't want to hear about willpower. This is the real world, so let's be realistic. I don't have willpower, or the book would be done. And sold. Years ago.
Enough fantasy.
Back to the real world of typing for a few hours then updating those progress bars.
Got to know how I’m doing every page, right?

2011-03-02T23:35:00.000-08:00

Currently, I’m behind, like way behind where I wanted to be with the re edit. And I haven't hardly done anything new. Wow, I haven't gone this long without writing in a long time. I think because I've been re editing so much. According to the progress bar, (yeah, progress bar, cool useless toy) I’m on page 56 out of 88, or 62 percent done. And only a month late. And still about twenty thousand to add to it, to get the correct word count for most published books.
Here's the thing. I'm kind of stuck for an ending to the pirate book, which isn't really about pirates or vampires, but a woman who kicks butt when naked. Fighting, that is. Work has picked up a bit, but that is an excuse, I know it. I know there's nights I could have worked on it, just a few pages here or there, which is kind of what I’m doing.
I don't dare send out a synopsis and a query for the re edit because I don't have the book finished yet, and if someone asked to see it, well, I would be screwed, because I don't know if I could get it done quick. Not when it's taking me this long. Plus what if I lose a potential sale, because I skipped much of the laborious process of re editing? But I think the book is much better for it, I really do. This one might have a chance at ink and paper publication, and that's my goal.
Of course, I need to finish the vamp/pirate/naked fighter story eventually. And a few others, then try some christian romance. I'm guessing that's going to be under a different pen name, though.

2011-02-25T13:56:00.000-08:00

Right now I am up to 52 out of 88.
whew!!!!
last post I wasn't doing as well. I did skip editing one sex scene, will need to go over that one more time before final send off, but still. The last thirty pages showed no progress because some of the pages were be switched around, so the page number didn't change, even though the work was being done. Now, I’m past the halfway mark. Don't know where to send it yet, but still. Past the halfway mark finally. Weee.

2011-02-24T10:19:00.001-08:00

Readers (if I had any) may have noticed it's been several days at least since I posted last. You're probably thinking, ah ha, she must almost be done by now. To which I say, hello have we met? I'm a lazy writer. Hence, the blog to make me feel guilty. And I should. Yeah, I have been working at a job, (and oh so need the money.) but still, I could have worked on a few pages here and there. Gotta admit that. Excuses are great, but the writer knows if it's an excuse or not. I could have done better. A few pages. Today, because of the snowstorms on the coast, and lack of work, I’m staying home for the day. Let's see how much I can get done today.
I'm thinking, all of it, but anticipating about one page. Ha ha. Oops, dated reference. I mean, LOL.

2011-02-16T16:46:00.000-08:00

33 out of 87. last night, I was 30 out of 85. Since then I have moved sex scenes around and pieces of fluff, changed dialogue, added reasons for conversations to take place and little things. still, 33 out of 87 ain't too bad. ain't great, but i might make half way by tongiht.

2011-02-15T14:23:00.001-08:00

Right now, i'm at 20 out of 85.
so it's like,what??????
no progress?
Well there has been, really. I was at 25 out of 87, so I added two pages and took off two different pages. And not pages, actually, but lines here and there, which I is a lot slower. I think the first part is really pretty good, almost ready to be submitted. Of course, I haven't really touched most of the rest. Yeah, I got up to 30 or so, and it needs only a little review. By tonight, let's see how I get. I would like to be at 40 out of 8? because then I would be almost halfway done.
So I was at 30 something, went back and changed a major sex scene. It now reads better, I think.
But still. It's almost halfway through feb, I haven’t even finished half the book. And I wanted to be done at the end of jan. ha ha. Sob.

2011-02-06T00:27:00.001-08:00

I have blogged nothing for the last few days. The average person, wandering onto this site, not knowing what a lazy loser I am, is probably thinking, she did this many pages this day, this many that day, so she must be up to-
no.
I was sick with PMS. The usual symptoms, nausea, vomiting, whining. Cramps.
OK, I could have overcame all that and worked but-
no.
I’m to lazy. And grumpy.
But, the point of blogging my progress was not to brag, really, but to make myself aware of my writing habits. So, I now feel real guilty that I haven't written anything in the last couple of days, or worked on re editing. Tomorrow, Sunday, (why is every blog I do late at night?) I’m going to try and edit some more.
Anything is better than nothing. Maybe work on my writing some.
I just saw wolf-man, and I love the classic horror creatures. I did have a idea for a classic vampire, posing as a princess in a medieval setting, maybe I’ll work on that some.

2011-01-31T22:24:00.001-08:00

yesterday, I didn’t do the rewrite, but I did sneak off and write for a few hours. I’m lying. I did a Sudoku and read the paper, and typed about a thousand or so words.
still, it’s writing.
today, I’m at 20 out of 81 of the rewrite.
I know, I know, it's not a lot. But let's say, normally I do about five pages a week and get tired, or bored. if I do a two or three pages a day, plus that five, it's, um, no wait don't tell me. click start, accessories, calculator, let's see, um.
kidding.
it's about seventeen. so about three times as much.
I know five doesn't go three times into seventeen, there remainders. I think you know where you can stuff them, math dogs.
yeah, so, like about three times as much work, and there's a good reason it's going slow. I'm rereading each line, and wondering how to make it better.
With tv on.
Just saw sorority sister, great movie. Loved the plot, the way the first girl gets killed, the set up, the hot tub scene, the soap bubbles keeping everything hidden to the end. Did not like the end of the movie, I don't like the multiple killer endings. I just don't believe more than one person will kill someone, not for something like that.
At this point, the January deadline, probably not going to happen. But let's shoot for the first few weeks in February.

2011-01-30T00:52:00.000-08:00

yesterday i was to 13 out of 80 on the rewrite.

today, 17 out of 81.
okay, not going very fast, that's okay. even a little bit is better than nothing.

I don't have a title yet. don't care. I'm going to push myself to finish the book. why? because I'm a loser who, so far, has spent a lot of time watching tv instead of writing. so much for wanting to write as a career. and yes, almost anyone can, but you have to put in eight hours a day. you're thinking, how does she know? I read a lot. all the best authors, good enough to have their work done and write "how to write blah" books say they write for hours a day. it's how they get done.

2011-01-28T23:48:00.001-08:00

I have been working real hard on the plot for the vamp/pirate book, and on the christian romance book. So far, both are good, with the vamp novel at I think, about thirty thousand, the christian lagging far behind.
I'm up to page 13 out of eighty on the re write, which is pretty good. I was reading some Lisa Kleypas, a great author. If you haven't read her yet, you gotta check out her books, full of fiery prose and action verb romance. Anyway, I noticed she has a line or two of dialogue than a few sentences of description, or comments, or thoughts.
Okay.
So I set that as a goal for myself for the re write. So far it's going swimmingly. I don't know why I like that phrase, it's just stuck in my head. I'm going to try and push myself to finish the novel, because I said I would in January (yeah, what was I thinking? Where my butt kicking machine so I can stand in front of it? Oh wait, I wore it out last week. Oh well.) so I’m going to try for the first part of February. Yeah, not quite the deadline, I grant.
But better a book a few weeks more in the making, than a quick piece of crap. So I keep telling myself when I stop to read something else. Or watch TV.
Two days ago I was on page six of the re write, with doing nothing yesterday. So, pretty good, I think. We'll see how fast I can get it done, then maybe go over it again. Before sending it to whispers. Though if I like it, I might try a more paying market, which is a little scary, because whispers has been good to me, but originally I said I wanted novels in several sites to sell better. More of a household name, sort of thing.
I'm going to keep the christian romance until I get a book that does not need much editing, than I'll know i'm ready to submit to a paying publisher. It's hard to tell how close I am. There's part of the book I like well, then I go over it later and don't like it so much. Then I do.
Anyway, it's worth a shot.
And while you're waiting for my next big book, buy heart of thief! Buy it now, buy buy buy!

2011-01-21T01:56:00.001-08:00

how did i forget to mention this?
Heart of the Thief
will be out on friday, tomorrow.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
girlie squeal.
go buy it, review it, let me know. it will be the new book for the contest. write a note in the comments section, i do sometimes read them. eventually.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Feel that excitment? My fourth ebook publihsed by whispers.

2011-01-21T01:55:00.001-08:00

So I started writing a few chapters of the christian romance. If you're any good as a writer, you should be thinking, the last sentence started out with 'so', and it's not needed. Not a good writer. Well yes, that's true, it's just how I write, and I feel free to toss these useless things (well, so, hmm, anyway. Etc.) into my rough drafts and then edit them out later. I catch myself writing 'she felt' so many times. Thank god the last editor pointed out why it was wrong. Now, I write that sentence, and then the correct one. Later, I’ll remove every trace of 'she felt, was feeling, had felt' crap.
So, anyway, the first paragraph slowed me down a bit. Always a good sign, really. That was sarcasm. So, the first line, and I’m thinking, she's in a bookstore and- why? What's she doing? Why don't I know my character well enough to know what she's doing? If you can't answer what your character is doing and why, you don't know your characters well enough.
She's in the bookstore, unpacking a box for her dear friend who helped her get a job. Yes, lovely, but those are things, backgrounds, plot bits, not character development. Because she's helpful, and feels grateful to her friend for getting her hired at the other bookstore. Oh, yes, better. She's helpful. This will be a driving force later on, as it's more than helpful, she's nice. Charity. Giving. And she feels grateful, so she doesn't take things for granted, maybe a low self esteem, or pays people back. Now I know why she's doing what she's doing.
Anyway, it was just the first thought that popped into my head when I wanted to start writing, was “why don't you know what and why your character is doing? Maybe you don’t know your characters as well as you need to.” Okay, two thoughts that popped into my head.
So ask yourself. Do you know why your character is doing stuff? Well yeah, the plot slowed right there, I needed to move her there, okay. That's true character motivation right there. Because the author needed them to. But your character, to be a character, needs to have an internal reason to do things, even if it's not said. And you need to know it, or you don't know your characters well enough.

2011-01-14T13:00:00.000-08:00

Last blog, I said I was going to blog more often. Yeah, right. I'm also going to win the lottery.
Just got the last edit back from whispers, and I'm hoping it's the last one, that the book will soon be up for sale. Hoping hoping hoping, we'll see.
I reread Dean Koontz Mr. murder, and now I can't remember why. Good book, he has intensity in his writing. So does Lisa Gardner. I'm reading the perfect husband, which is older than her other books I read, only I didn't know that or I would have read it first. Totally awesome book so far, as is all of hers. This one has a thing worth noting, for now. Here's this side character, not mentioned to a quarter of the way through: serial killer profiler quincy. If you're a fan of hers, you know that quincy is later awarded his own series of books. Which is well worth noting, a fantastic author has side characters so good, you love them, so complex you can write whole books about them. My side characters? Outlines, at best. Ouch.
One comment here about side characters. In Heart of the Thief, there's this evil guy, like a Hannibal lecter. The editor filled in a few gaps and gave him greasy hair, gold ring, chest hair, etc. how different is that? I'm thinking Mr. got to kill, she's thinking Mr sleaze. But it works, so good enough, but it's a good lesson, again, in how even side characters need details.

2011-01-01T01:47:00.000-08:00

Above the bar thingy (hopefully my masterful computer jargon is understood, ha ha) on the blog pages there's a link that says next blog, and hitting it a couple of times I’ve noticed something. Every author has a blog. I swear. There's so many author blogs, or there's “oh look at me I’m so cute blogs.”
Okay, author blogs I understand, we're writers. Which is usually a stay at home job, or a hang out and be cool in a coffee shop job, so when it comes to selling, work, connecting, etc. we type. From home, or a coffee type hangout. Hence all the blogs by authors.
But the other type I don't get. Maybe because I don't like to share myself. Not important. Just something I noticed about the use of blogs. You want to tell people everything you did, go ahead. Some of these blogs have a good following (unlike my blog) and I don't see anything wrong with it, I just don’t get it.
Also, speaking of blogs, does everyone like the way I blogged more often like I said would? Yay, me. I would say I procrastinate, but then I would have to look the spelling up, (thank you overused spell checker.) and I was going to do it, but then big fish games released a new game, my favorite show was on, and blah blah blah.
So okay. Enough good excuses as to why I didn't blog more. My editor sent me back the draft for “Thief of hearts.” Well, actually, a different editor, the original one. She's made a few helpful suggestions and comments. Comments. Comments.
I got to admit, she's a better writer than me. Some of her comments are good suggestions. And the ones that aren't good suggestions, are comments about rules of grammar, which I need to brush up on, so they're useful comments, just not suggestions, technically.
This editor, like the last ones i've had, has offered to go the extra mile and explain a few things so that I can become a better writer.
We all know the show don't tell rule. (if you point out a best selling book that breaks this rule, I will hunt you down and kill you with a badly edited best seller. We all know they're out there, now shut up. Pay attention, so you don’t make the same mistakes.) a basic example, for me, that I use a lot, is saying she felt scared.
Characters will use all five senses, but they will not feel, felt or feeling.
Very important. I wrote myself a note, and will remove such sentences from future novels, I hope.
And then I will see an example in a famous book, and be like whatever. You hack. Learn to write, you mega selling author.
A character feeling scared is not feeling scared, they have goosebumps. They can smell the yellow puddle they just produced between their feet. They can have chills walking on their spine. They can taste the forewarning of death, harsh like blood. They can see shadows, see themselves shake, or see a hooded figure with a scythe following them around, maybe a fleshless toe peeking out from under the robe. They can hear their own heartbeat in their ears.
Taste, touch, smell, see, hear, ESP. I don't care, but I must fight the urge to say feel. Was feeling. she/he felt.
The pirate novel is coming along pretty good, about half way done with that, then I stopped to re do thief of hearts, which I just finished proofing and re writing bits and will now send back on Saturday to see how it does. And now, hopefully, it won't have feeling characters in it.
I wrote a book last year for nanowrimo, and hated it. Was sick of it. Put it aside. Now, I’m looking at it like wow I suck. But this part isn't so bad. It's actually good! And then it sucks again. Sigh.
So that's what I will be doing.
Eventually. After I look up procrastination, and then maybe play a few games, and then , well. Eventually.

2010-12-28T09:39:00.000-08:00

I am waiting payout from helium. Now I feel lazy for not writing more articles. Yet somehow, the tv always looks more interesting. Come to think of it, it's why I don't have more books done. So I decided to make myself review last year's nanowrimo. So far, parts of it are less than perfect, and parts of it are pretty good. I just don't know if there's good parts to make it sellable, which is why i'm going to edit it an rewrite sections of it. I seem to recall the end was very lame, racing to the finish line of fifty thousand words in thirty days, so yeah, there's going to be a need for rewriting.
I wanted to post my payout from helium, so others could see, only I don't know if I can get it to work or not. This just the top few articles, grouped by payment for the month. And yeah, you're thinking, a buck and change? For an article? You gotta look at the overall, the payout since the article posted. Plus, some of the articles have been written recently. Part of why I wanted to post it, so people could see that some articles pay better than others. I did a lot of helium articles that might not pay more than a few cents, if even that. But then, some of the writing sucks, too.
I can't believe I said I was going to post and haven't. Hello procrastination.
I had this idea for this invention. It was a copy of the butt of the person who invented word programs. And it was made out of foam, and when the computer screwed up, you got to kick it. Kind of one of those novelty items for stressed out executives. A better use of such a wonderful idea (really, why am I not a genius making a fortune? Oh wait, it's only one idea, and probably not as good as I think it is,)a better use, would be of the author's butt, so the author could kick it when they screw off.
On the other hand, one leg would be significantly larger than the other, and I might get carpal tunnel syndrome in my foot, or metatarsal syndrome. It's been a while since emt class.
If I posted more often, maybe they would be shorter posts and easier to read. On the other hand, would it be worth the bother of looking up? Is it anyway? Oh yes, if you're an author. Got to do something when not writing.

payments are this month first, then for the year, then total since article was written. some have made a nice payment, some are too new to have made more a few cents. but it adds up, especially if i keep writing and getting better at writing.

Furniture restoration:1 of 1 $0.89 $13.55 $17.19

Health benefits of tender coconut 1 of 1 $0.61 $10.97 $19.39

Does Lipozene work? 1 of 2 $0.61 $6.67 $25.33

The anatomy of a frog's tongue 1 of 5 $0.37 $5.11 $11.12

Are new age crystals too occult for Christians 1 of 2 $0.20 $1.61 $2.30

Blackstrap molasses vs. regular molasses: Understanding 1 of 5 $0.20 $1.94 $5.81

Play writing: Character development 1 of 2 $0.19 $1.96 $3.09

What is the difference between a liqueur and liquor 1 of 1 $0.16 $1.66 $5.89

Health benefits of guavas 2 of 4 $0.13 $1.90 $3.18

Fiction writing: The importance of summary 1 of 2 $0.12 $1.23 $2.02

2010-12-12T22:31:00.001-08:00

Okay I haven't written anything in a while.
November is not a good time when doing nanowrimo. Plus, my computer melted down.
There's this program called security tool, and it's a fake bs piece of crap, that claims to have found fake virus and spyware and you have to pay fifty bucks of more to make it go away.
And when I was doing my childish repair (getting mad, swearing, hitting monitor)the thing broke but good. Gotta love american, what a way to speak.
The monitor went out, and I decided I had had enough.
I bought a new computer. Thank god, I backed up most of the writing stuff before it all went to blackout city. But it slowed down nanowrimo, as did sitting around on my butt. Played a lot of tombraider. Spyro. Yeah, I know they're old games, but I recently dug out the playstation and did not have the money to upgrade.
So.
I finished the nanowrimo novel, I have thief of hearts coming out in january.
Last year, I finished my nanowrimo novel, too, and I think I’ll go over it. See if I can I keep up with my writing and see how soon I can get the next book out. The good thing about nanowrimo is realizing how many days it has been since you wrote.
I was watching American dad, the Christmas special. Awesome, freaking awesome.
And right now, some are going, what? That crap? Isn't that the one with the talking dog and the foul mouth baby?
Yeah, that one, and Steve kills Santa and there's this awesome fight scene. Watch the elves, how alive they are, looking at their target, they turn their heads and look at Santa. And you're going, So? Are there not better blogs I could be reading?
No. Pay attention, would be writers.
Each character was an individual; a short scene time of like seconds, and they're individuals. It's amazing if you're paying attention to the small details.
Overall, the episode is pretty good. The moonshiner on the mountain top is a cliche, yet done in a hilarious way. He has this hatred for Santa that encourages him to take the Smiths in, and adds to the dialogue. It gives him a backstory that's not mentioned. Again, an individual.
Some people, (probably a lot, anyone with good taste. Ha ha) won't like the show, saying it's not Christmas. Yes it's disturbing to see a Santa full of holes, but it's also a good reminder that nothing is liked by everyone. Or, as some editors will say, it's proof that people will like any crap. Yes, but this is a long running show with lots of fans. How many editors can say that? Huh? Huh? Yeah. So there. It's a popular show.
Worked for me.
Maybe there's a gas leak in the bedroom, who knows. I loved the show. Thought it was great. Disturbing, somewhat, but great.
The little things cam make a subtle note of reality in writing.
So that's the whole point of mentioning the show. Are your side characters capable of looking around? Do you take the time to spend a few minutes in your head and say, hey, he should do that, or this? Even a walk on part, a quick waiter, doesn't need a ton of dialogue, or backstory, but does need to act realistic for the time that person is the center of attention.
Okay, on top of the new computer, I have a new job.
But enough about the boring stuff, I don't like blogs bout writing that blather on about the family. Some gossip is okay, but if it's writing, talk about writing. Even if it's how tv can point out some good writing.
It's back to writing for me, and back to blogging more often than I have been.

2010-10-19T14:33:00.001-07:00

I just heard back from whispers. The new book, thief of hearts, will be released in jan of 2011.
2011?
That's like, months away. months. (okay two, but still.) I think it's been over a year that I have been struggling with the re writes, and waiting, and editing, and now, finally a year. It's like getting a print book done. A year.
But, good news, I think it's better written than the other two novels. Though, surprisingly, I don't have another book ready to go. oops. I should, since it's been so long, and that was the original plan, to have a book coming out, and another one done. Well, actually, the paramedic novel is almost done. I don't know why I'm dragging my feet on it.
Nanowrimo is coming soon, in another two weeks. I have several plots, already, and plan to just write my big fat butt off.
I blame tomb raider. If Lara croft was real person, I would hunt her down and shoot her for walking off cliffs while I'm frantically hitting the jump button; turning around at bad moments; and other extreme acts of stupidity. Some might say the player is being stupid, but no, really, I'm beating my fingers black and blue on the controls, and she just doesn't do well. Especially swimming.
I think I have just been lazy lately, and need to force myself to write. Of course, that's what nanowrimo is for, and just in time.
I was thinking, maybe, of writing a Christian novel.
Right now, my readers ( if I had any) would be going, wait. Don't you write porn? And bad porn, meaning your editors want to go your last school and beat the English teacher for letting you graduate?
Well, yes.
And it's erotica, not porn.
Still. I have read a few of the steeple hill series. Not too bad. Some of the books were good, no different than a normal novel, except no sex, and a few prayers. And I mean a few. Not like the old days, with maniac Christians, stilted dialogue, unreal endings; smug little bastard do gooder plopping tidbits of scripture that would take a bible thumper two hours to get through. No, the books I read for the most part were enjoyable.
Maybe I just read bad books. I use to be turned off of romance. People would often point out that I was currently reading romance, but I had a defense. It was about aliens, or zombies, or dragons, not romance. It only took a few bad books to turn me off, and a few years to get back on it. Now, I love Sophia Kinsella, )English author, very funny.) Meg Cabot (ya author, but great read, even for adults.) and Lisa Kleypas. (her prose is delightful, and the main reason I stopped hating romance.)
Good luck fellow nanowrimos. Here's to another year of frantically typing those last minute deadlines while dodging internal editors and plot monkeys.

2010-09-20T20:16:00.000-07:00

The editor and I have finally hammered out the last re edit of thief of hearts. Yippee! Whispers no longer says when a book is coming out on their coming soon page. Disappointing. But, I'm hoping someone will tell me when it comes out.
I just read winter girls. I loved it, the thick prose, the absolute teenage angst on every page. I didn't agree with every metaphor, but there was so much that was awesome I just loved the book. It's a must read. Even though it's probably been out for a while and everyone is done talking about it.
That's because I hit the library up constantly. (side note, the library complains they don't have money, but while looking up job listings, you would not believe how much a librarian is paid. And this is a small town! It' s as much as a cop, who's risking his/her life. and to shelve books? An ER nurse makes slightly more, but deserves it. I love the library, but come on.)
Oh, I finished the third book in the hunger games. I loved it. I read the reviews on amazon.com, and yes, the few bad reviews (and there were many good ones) had good points, but over all, I loved it.
And I read the next book in the gone series. As good as the other, but a bit disappointing in that it just drops more clues, it's not the end of the series.
What if I died tomorrow and never hear how it ends? How rude of some authors. I want closure, now. Agh! When is the next book coming out?
I just started David Wellington vampire books, the first two. Also awesome. I don't read just teens books, really. I read his werewolf book first, then 13 bullets and 99 coffins. I have vampire zero coming in the mail. Excuse me while I drag my fingernails down the wall in anticipation.
And the new dexter is almost here. XXXX waiting, really.
But finally, back to the opening. My book is almost out! Wait. That means more waiting until it's here. Xxxx waiting!!!!!!

2010-09-11T00:22:00.001-07:00

I hope I just sent the last re edit off to my editor. I actually finished it a while ago, I just had a hard time with the author bio and the dedication. We'll see how bad it is.
I can't believe how much better this book is then when I first sent it in.
I got a payment again from helium, which now makes me feel bad as I haven't written for them in a while. Darn that laziness.

And just to be funny:
A man is driving down a narrow winding mountain road when a woman comes from the other direction. As they struggle to pass each other she rolls down her window to yell "pig!"
He screams back "old she hag!" and drives around the corner and into the pig standing in the side of the road. If only men would listen….

2010-08-31T16:04:00.000-07:00

I heard back from the editor already, and what will hopefully be the last re edits should be done by sept 9 or so. so the book might be for sale by nov or oct. yippee. this one I want to promote, and maybe send off for a review. but mostly, I'm, just glad it's done. Er, almost done.
I wrote the second to last chapter of the paramedic novel, and the second for a fantasy novel. and I have done nothing on the horror.
I just read the third book in the hunger games!!! loved it. the action scenes are still well written, and the love interest subtle and awesome. I thought it was a great book.
and I gone the third book in the gone series. a bit more disappointing. a great book, but it's not the end of the series. each novel just digs the mystery deeper. Still, if you liked the other two books, you'll love lies.
And I read this crappy book (yes I did a lot of reading in the last few days. ) about these weird shapeshifters, and she kills someone, then later, it is never mentioned again. and the guy falls in love with her, and they end up in a parallel world after he had learned telepathy, and she's all the victim and they're in love and I'm like, what happened to the guy you killed? Seems like you're not exactly an innocent damsel in distress when you're killing someone, by ripping their throat out on a roller coaster. I don't know, maybe it's just me.
I think, the author went one way with the book, discovered paranormal romance and ended up there. It just doesn't quite make sense.
Note to self: do not change genres midstream in a book.
Just, you know, a little tip for myself there.

the b versus the strong

2010-08-20T01:05:00.000-07:00

The difference between a shrew and a strong woman.
It takes more than kicking butt to be a strong woman. You can't swing a sword at the
number of females in books that just aren't quite right no matter how many evils they fight. What about the woman who defeats dragons yet cries over every guy she sees? Hello, find a backbone, woman. How about the very smart vampire chick who gets dumb around a guy? Of course he's innocent! It's as obvious as the halo around his head she mistook for dandruff. I swear, some books are just about that bad.
But let's start with the obvious problem that bothers the most, lately.
What is the difference between a strong woman and just a total B?
Oh, your character is strong, every guy feels how sharp her tongue is. Her comebacks are flippant yet hilarious, and surely every woman will want to be just like her. vanity alert. Here's where a lot of authors screw up. Under all that snobbery and lines you wished you said, there's an immature child sulking, or at least that's what your character looks like.
Creative name calling and throwing things are not examples of a strong women. I know. you should hear me swear when I make cookies. Not me at my strongest. Yet this confusing issue can be solved quite simply.
Let's have a scenario.
An espresso stand. The woman is yelling at the guy. Now, here's a strong woman.
She knows the guy is a child molester, and just caught him looking at a cute little boy. He's bigger than her, but she will defend that child, even if it's not her own. so she yells at the guy. Throws her coffee on him, knowing that she looks like an idiot but willing to risk all to save the innocent.
Now, here's the same scene with a sulking child posing as a grown-up heroine. .
She's running late because she has to put make up on. Some people think driving a car is a priority, but really, you can see just fine using peripheral vision and still get that eyeliner on. Now, she decides she needs an espresso. Yeah, she probably should have mentioned low fat, but she was checking out the ass on cute hottie over there. Now, she's going to yell at some dumb shmuck for not having mind reading powers. She came here one time last month, why don't they remember her drink order? Plus, her period could be starting, it could be a vitamin deficiency, but she's in a bad mood today and just thought of ten funny things to call people that are insulting. Here they come.
Clearly, one is a heroine of strength, one is just a bitch.
Here's another one: your daughter is reaching for a cupcake. You know it's bad, you slap her hand. You saw the dead bug on it. You apologize.
Now, the B, slaps her daughter hand because the girl is fat and makes funny but scathing comments.
Okay, some of the lines a B says is funny. But also, inappropriate.
It's easy to confuse a nice girl with a welcome mat, a strong woman with a short tempered meddler. So many times, a character is considered one or the other by her actions, reasons, and the reader.
Many authors get this confused. Yes, it's great you thought up a snarky line to a dipwad and decided to have your heroine say it. Now, your strong female lead comes off as whiney and childish.
It takes more than kicking butt to be a strong woman. You can't swing a sword at the
number of females in books that just aren't quite right no matter how many evils they fight. What about the woman who defeats dragons yet cries over every guy she sees? Hello, find a backbone, woman. How about the very smart vampire chick who gets dumb around a guy? Of course he's innocent! It's as obvious as the halo around his head she mistook for dandruff. I swear, some books are just about that bad.
But I got to say, reading supposed to be funny short tempered heroines is getting annoyed, especially a good dose of Midol and some shut the heck up would solve everything.

2010-08-16T14:56:00.000-07:00

I heard back from the editor at whispers. the new edits are in, for the whole manuscript, the book should be out soon. the paramedic book is coming along great. I just have a few more scenes, and it should be done, then for tons of re editing.
but first, I'm going to advertise thief of hearts, as soon as I know for sure when it comes out. I think it's my favorite book cover so far.
I just read this great book about a werewolf, but then the back cover said the author died after writing that one. dang. I hate finding a good book then not finding any more by the author. like when lindholm changed her name to hobb, and I thought I had two great authors.
i am still on my horror kick and just read a ted dekker novel. the main character is taking a drugs to have near death experiences, in order to catch this killer. I had to ask myself, do my characters care about anything that much?
and i was reading this book about vampire virus by toro, and there's this great passage where the professor thinks the vamps are coming back, and it's really tight prose, nicely well done. is my writing that good? not by a long shot. time to keep trying.
i love to stop by starbucks and hack away at the alphasmart. if I skip spelling, I can type over a hundred words a minute, or two thousand words before work.
last time I went, I didn't write much on the current story, mostly on a horror novel. I keep thinking of good plots for them, but the writing is so different from romance.
the editors at whispers are some of the greatest, and have helped me immeasurably.

writing tips from avid reader

2010-07-20T14:04:00.000-07:00

There are a few ways to determine if your characters are good enough. I know, I'm not the best writer. Agreed. But as an avid bookworm I do know a good read.
If you are all done writing your book and are going to close the covers on it, ask yourself. Is there anything you will miss about the characters? Does he have an alpha male quirk you just love? There needs to be a yes, here people. If not, your character may not be good enough.
If your characters somehow switched their minds and bodies, would anyone notice? Do your characters all sound alike, act alike, or is there a definite set of personality traits for each person? Would someone say, hey that's what steve would say, or do you have the dreaded cardboard characters syndrome?
Do you love your book enough to write sequels about it, (even if you can't think of any right now, or have no plans to do so) or are you bored with it? If you're bored, it could be you have been plugging along on it for a while and need a break. That's okay, but if it's just plain boring, it's going to be a lot harder for a reader to care.
These are common sense questions yet ones I rarely remember to ask myself.
Another way to help a failing book is to ask yourself, what cou8ld I add just for fun? Never mind if you would never do such a thing, ask yourself anyway.
Would a dragon dropped in the middle help things along? A sudden invention of magic? Another character? And when I asked myself that, I went, oh! Perfect. oh oh. Means the main squeeze is not good enough. John, your failing in your role as alpha male, buddy.
If you think a sudden creature is an improvement to your novel, you need more action. If you wish characters could do magic, there not interesting enough. If you think a funny or heroic character is needed, someone has cardboard syndrome.

2010-07-18T21:30:00.000-07:00

I was looking at the harlequin website, and I'm not sure where the paramedic book would fit in. it's about 30,000 words now, and most books need to be about 50,000. I can think I can make the word count without adding dull pointless crap that just bogs the novel down.
But, I'm not going to stop writing it just because I don't know where it'll be submitted. There's a lot of advice to write for a particular publisher, and that advice can help shape a book and give it a heading. But, there's a lot of books that seem to break the mold. I think that if you are passionate about the book, really in love with it, even if not in love with your writing, that you will end up with a good book, a publishable book, and someone, somewhere, will want it.
So, I'm going to force myself to finish the paramedic book, soon, even though I keep making deadlines and ignoring them as they go by.
Asking myself is this good enough to get published had produced interesting results. The goal is not the end of the book, but better writing, which desperately need to work on.
And, I notice I make excuses, like I can picture a sentence that bad in another book. I'm not reading my material and saying, oh, that's as good as a print novel! But, I think the writing is getting better. I just need to practice, and I think aiming for a publishing company might help. Mostly, I just have to be passionate about the book.

2010-07-09T23:28:00.001-07:00

I just got the cover for the new book and-
O M G
it is awesome. long time readers (if i had any. hear them crickets chirp. lone tumbleweeds roll by.) will know that i have not always loved the covers. yet this one, is delightful.
and i have a new editor. great day to check email, eh?

2010-06-29T22:41:00.000-07:00

Author blogs has been down for a long while. They had a requirement of three posts a month, which really isn't all that much. Yet, I feel like I barely made it. The writing life si not something to post about, really. It's shoving out a chapter here and there, scrawling down a quick note, or bits of dialogue.
Not exactly zintillizing conversation.
Haven't heard from the editor since I sent the last re edits off. Though, the book is on the site. Okay, I don't girlie squeal, but I was thinking it. EEEEE! My book is on the website! Under coming soon.
It's not even out yet, I all ready have two, and yet I still felt a thrill at seeing it.
I'm going to try the paramedic story for print, I think. harlequin has ebooks, I may try them. either way, it's encouragement to write the best I can (which is always saying much. I know.) write the best I can, try fro the best paying markets, and see what they say.
Not that whispers is better or worse than harlequin, it's just harlequin is more famous, gets tons more submissions, so getting published there is a way of saying I must be good.

2010-06-25T21:32:00.001-07:00

Wow, I can not believe how long it has been since I blogged. And I haven't been that busy, which would be a good excuse. No, I just don't feel like talking to people. Probably not a good thing for a writer to say, but there you go.
I just read the dead of midnight, by Catherine hunter. Great book, a mystery, which I normally don't read.
There is definitely a difference in the genres. Romance has long descriptions of passion, mystery long batches of dialogue.
Couldn't say for sure what I liked about dead of midnight. The dialogue is pretty good, moving along for a mystery. Plenty of suspects, motives, etc. great pacing. I don’t know, I just really liked it. Maybe because the tension was so close to a good horror novel.
And of course, every time I read a book I like, I think why can't I write that?
Hah.
Maybe in a thousand years of practice.
Or maybe not so lone.
My editor seems to really like the third book, thief of heart, which will be out soon. I don't know how soon, editing seems to be taking a longtime, yet the changes are small. Still, I have to say I have learned so much working with whispers. I feel like maybe if a miracle happens, luck is on my side, the stars line up in a trillion to one chance-I might sell a printed book. And gasp, make five thou. Last I heard, it's the going rate for a first time romance writer. But hey, five thou is about half what I make in a year (work sucks) so two books a year would be good. I could live maybe on that.

2010-05-25T18:02:00.000-07:00

Even though I haven't exactly wowed the world with my romance novels, and thus probably am not in a position to complain, there is one thing I hate about romance. Well, several things, sometimes, but the one that gets me the most is improbable romance, impossible romance. And no, I don't mean hot sexy guy falls for dopey ditz who thinks she's merely pretty because she has a huge bust and blond hair. Please!
No, I mean romance where the hymen isn't where it's suppose to be, or acts that aren't possible without multi jointed limbs twisted into awkward position. Admittedly, I'm not sure if some positions are possible, and oh dear, don't have a boyfriend to practice with. Here's a question, would a guy mind hearing, honey, let's do this scene, I want to know if your arm can bend that way? I don't know.
I'm willing to overlook some inaccuracies, like dialogue, or someone using equipment before it's invented, because I am a historical idiot, I admit to that.
So, I tried to put some reality in the last book.
Did not go over so good.
My apologies to readers of romance who want reality. Oh wait, there aren't any, because we don't read romance
And I have been a die hard sci fi fan for years.
But sci fi is different, we want a big lump of unreality like an alien, or esp, stuck in a otherwise plausible plot. Romance, come to think of it, because you perfect men (don't exist.) having wonderful sex (does anyone have a love life that?) in perfect settings. Like, how many lovers out in the wild every get up with a stick twinned in her hair, a bug up her butt literally and moss stuck to her shoulders?
Not that I have ever, um hum, made love outside.. no really. I haven't. life sucks.

book reviews

2010-05-23T00:38:00.000-07:00

Just finished reading the two books, infected, and contagious. They are amazing, by scott siegler. Great read. Yeah, some bad language, but the story moves along at a brisk pace, and the little creatures talk.
As an author, I am just amazed at the book. Here are talking blue triangles, not very believable, yet I stayed up two nights in a row to finish the first book. Only went to sleep when it thought I was too tired to do the book justice. Same for the sequel, which I promptly went to the library to get. great storyline, following the tested and true arc of things just keep getting worse. Cranks up the intensity.
Now, I'm rereading a Dexter novel. The books are what the TV series is based on, but with a far different plot. And the writing, is just wonderful. Great pacing. Not exactly a lovable character, yet (dex is a serial killer after all) yet the book is so well written, moves along briskly, a lot of side narration ( the main character talks about himself.) it's just a wonderful read. I'm going to try and find the rest of the series in the library, or just buy them cheap.

2010-05-15T23:37:00.000-07:00

So I keep hearing about how Emma Holly is this great writer, and I get one of her books. It's about a vampire from space, who lives in historical times, marrying a total doofus head. And I'm like, eh, it's okay. Until the sex scene. I don't know, maybe outer space vamps remind me too much of sci fi, where I have certain expectations that aren't met in a history type book. But, then, vampire love bites. Not bites as in this bites, but bites as in,
Fang me baby.
Suddenly, the book is a whole lot more interesting. now I want to be bitten by a vampire.
Why?
Because I have a neck fetish a sudden?
Er, no.
Because all women, (well almost all women, off the top of my head I can't think of any who would say no) most women want that passion, love, o face galore.
It's amazing how hot and lustful these wenches are, coming from a century that didn’t even have the internet to teach them how to behave during sex, or what a golden shower is, but no, these innocent, blushing dip heads are just burning hot mamas, simply get one half undressed and the country side is a burning with love.
Amazing. Really.
Do I run out and write my own vampire novel? No, I recognize that urge now, the that was a good book I can't wait to write one just like it, even though I won't because I'll read another I like just as well and head off on that.
Do I run out and find someone with teeth for a little nipping here and there?
Okay, I wish. But no, no vampire fantasies for me, thanks. Because I realize that the book is about the passion women want, not the fanged alien posing as the perfect male ever. Seriously. He has almost no sweat, no foul odors, ( clearly not human right there. Not even one fart. True alien.) and glows golden and reads her mind for the best sex ever.
Just a little too good to choke down.
But, a good lesson. Write what women want, what they want to experience, that is romance, even if it involves werewolf flying ninjas, or alien brain sucking candy spouting love machines. I don't want a half dead vampire hanging over me, I want to feel what she does, who doesn't? it's why the books sell. Ah ha.
Write the passion deep and hard, the lust high, and maybe the book will sell.

2010-04-14T12:03:00.000-07:00

Just got back the first nine pages. Yes, nine pages. It's going to be a slow edit, possible because of all the changes.
Some of them make me want to beat my head on the wall and say why don’t' you get it? I know I've seen this in other books! I know what I'm talking about, why don't you?
Most of the time, though, it's a good catch, and the advice has been wonderful. Helpful. Enlightening. And if an editor who does this tuff all the time doesn't get what I'm saying, probably a reader won't either. So ignore the head size holes in the wall. they're from working two jobs, really. no, I love my editor, and hopefully nine pages at a time will go quick.
And there were a lot of comments, mostly pointing out how different romance readers think from say, sci fi anime loving, cartoon watching, idiots such as myself. Just got to say it. TITAN MAXIMUM RULES. Tee hee. Love the jokes. oh yeah.
Anyway, just heard back from the editor. Changes are done and sent back.
Whispers has lots of promo opportunities. Once the new book is finished, I'm going to stat promo it major time.
Strangely, I don’t' have another book done, yet, and that was a goal. Finish one book, write another, keep them coming. It's the two jobs thing. I have half a book, which isn't too bad.
Well okay, I'm lying, and not in the good way. I have several half books lying around, I need to finish, because I keep getting ideals.(not plots, just ideals. Character. motivations. scenes plots kick my butt. Darn it.) still, that's what work is for, when not staring at vending machines looking for dirty pictures, work is for idling away time daydreaming about that plot.

2010-04-10T10:58:00.000-07:00

I have just finished reading The sheriff of Yrnameer by Michael Rubens. Awesome book. I was just loving it. It's what I want to write, a sci fi comedy. Yet this book is great, awesome. Hilarious. I must check for a sequel, and wonder why I don’t write this well.
Also, just started Halfway to the Grave by Jeanine Frost.
I hate books where women are attracted to men they hate.
I mean come on, when I hate someone, I hate them. I do not want to sleep with them. is this like- I love your body, but you are a axx hole? I mean is that it? When you want someone, in a love/lust way, I would think the mind is maybe part of the package. You know, like, object of lust must have a personality you can stand.
But this book covers that, by giving the heroine a reason to hate this guy's self (vampire) yet come to realize her image of him is wrong. I'm only less than halfway through the book, so don't quote me on this. It came out a while back but I just got a copy through the library. Yay poverty.
But, there a lot of other books where the heroine does that just that thing, oh I hate you but I want your body, oh, your just a lousy person but I'm falling in love with you. and it's like excuse me? does lust turn a person's brain off? Well yes. But come on. Not that much. Even in my fantasy, there's got to be some redeeming qualities or it's no thank you. you have a nice axx, that I have been admiring ever time you turn around stud muffin, but I'm not sleeping with you. unless your unconscious. Because I hate you.
I just don't get it. You gotta like the guy, to want him. Right? Wrong?
Because I so am not sleeping with an unconscious guy, or one I don't like. There's go to be something there, humor, a bit of spark, something.
The whole, I think vamps suck, but I might change my mind when I get to know you, thing does work for me. and the writing is pretty good. A truly sarcastic heroine.
Which is the next point.
Yeah, sarcasm is good and all, but aren't readers going to get tired of women who are snappy, whiney, PMS types? A good strong buttkicking heroine is nice and all, and the sarcasm is funny, but only so much attitude and the genre is flooded with psycho funny whiners.
Ick.

2010-04-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

I read this great novel by Dean R Koontz ( I don't remember which one, they're all great) about subliminal advertising, and putting dirty pictures into ads. Now, as I was staring at the Pepsi machine in the laundry room, several thoughts occurred to me.
One, yes, that chunk of ice right there, upper left, does look like a penis.
Two, I have spent an awfully lot of time looking for said dirty art among this picture of a pop can sliding into ice.
Three, I have maybe the most boring job ever, since I would rather ogle a vending machine looking for dirty, suggestive things rather than working.
Hallelujah slow jobs.
Lots of time to ogle that there porn/ad.
A good writer should be able to point out, Four, why aren't you writing, weirdo? Excuse me? you're drooling over a picture of a pop can. You like so need a life. Or something.
Well, yeah.
I have started a new book, I think, I'm sure. Since it's been a while since I blogged. (and you thought I wouldn't notice when the last entry was. Oh yeah, my life is so full of excitement, that, um, yeah. Whoopee.) I'm pretty sure I haven't mentioned yet. Another firefighting book, but this one actually has a plot. Plots are hard to come by, shockingly. You'd think they would be easy, but no. A great reason why something is going wrong, is motivation, not plot.. A great pivotal amount of action is a scene, not plot. The reason why someone is doing something is character, not plot. Or I have background. or setting.
Sigh.
Plot is kicking my barely writing, over worked, underpaid, daydreaming butt.
Of course, the fact that I have been fantasizing about sex scene with soldiers, (never mind why. I love a man in uniform. Enough said.) probably doesn't help any, since I don’t have a soldier in any of the books. Blame it on the dirty vending machines. Which I shall have to examine most thoroughly next time I work. But, good news, for all my adoring fans (hello? Do I even have one yet? Listen. Not even the crickets are chirping. Ouch.) I have a few days off thanks to a scheduling snafu. And will be forcing out some more writing. Not just a bit here and there, but trying to finish something.
Oh yeah, readers of romance can rejoice now.

2010-03-07T10:45:00.000-08:00

I heard back from whispers and it's good news. The editor has read the first pages, loves the changes, and thinks the book is now a lot better.
THANK YOU GOD.
Because I was worried there, for a bit. This book has had a rocky start, but if I become a better writer it's worth it. I figure about two or three print books a year would be enough to live on, since that's about a minimum wage job. And a romance book is about five thousand advance, roughly. For beginners.
But let's rip out eyes off that tantalizing future and back to dull reality of the here and now.
Reading other romance books has helped a lot. Look at how the author does the work. Hot verbs. Lots of adjectives. Prolonged kissing scenes that lead to short sex scenes, with sensuous metaphors and similes for the kissing, hard action for the actual sex scene.
You don't want to copy what other authors have done, but allow them to set your own style free. I felt braver about purple prose and using more adjectives after reading Lisa Kleypas.
But mostly, I think, it's the editors who have helped with the writing.
Well that and getting away from work long enough to write.
and-
Thank God they love the book!
on to the next one, soon.

2010-02-26T13:14:00.000-08:00

I keep forgetting to post-working two jobs suck. But, since I still squeeze in writing sometimes, it should be good for me. When I quit I should be use to writing on the fly, so to speak, and hopefully will do better about scheduling more hours.
There is nothing like practice to improve writing.
Although reading helps.
I still love Lisa Kleypas. Not the plots, mind you, or the characters always, but the writing itself is incredible. Awesome. There are not enough adjective for that writing.
Kisses are incandescent. Incandescent. After that, every kiss in my book wanting to be incandescent. I want a man in my life who kiss incandescently.
Her writing inspires me, and I don’t' mean I rip it off, though I would love too. Just paste my name over hers on a book cover and I would be ecstatic to claim it as mine. Alas, my own writing undoubtedly falls far short.
If you're wondering about the glory of the word incandescent, it's just one of many hotfire verbs, adjectives, and descriptions she uses. Her writing is over the top hot, and I read her books when I find them at the library.
She's a trailblazer of what to write.
That said, I went over heart of the thief for like the 1,000 time, and added some better writing. Yes, Lisa Kleypas want-to-be, writing. Not actual copying, but repeating a phrase in my head and asking myself, is this as good as that? would she have written that? if I found that sentence in her book, would I like it or not? Because sometimes, I write like a print novel, and erase it. Because I hate everything I do.
Hello, low self esteem.
Well not hello, because the low self esteem kind of never left, freaking hanger on.
Anyway, read her books for inspiration. Mediate on good writing to improve your own. and practice, practice, practice.
I hope to finish Heart Of The Thief this Friday. today. Becuase I am workign so much, and I think a deadline like the end of a month is good. No reason, it's just a dead line.

2010-02-02T19:40:00.000-08:00

due to a job change, i'll be able to blog more often! yeah! all my fans will be happy. (hello? Anyone there? Not according to the counter.) anyway, to all my non readers, there will surely be much rejoicing that wonderful blog will now have a new post every so often. Oh, yeah, exciting.
I re looked at the last changes I made for whispers on heart of the thief, and I think I was still thinking like a sci-fi writer, which I still want to be. I need to think like a romance writer if I want to write romance.
The original plot had her as a depressed woman needing a hero to come in and rescue her form her depressing life. instead, the editor thinks she comes off cold and bitter. Will yeah, that's why her falling in love with him was suppose to be so good. Only, readers won't stick around long enough to see her change. She needs to be more sympathetic. Enter the adopt an orphan plot. Like duh. Now I know why it's a plot cliché. And I hate plot clichés. As a reader. As a writer, they come pouring out, for some reason. It takes work to write better than clichés, work some writers just don't seem to manage.
And some do. i really like this new writer I just started, shawn grady, who wrote through the fire. So far, it's good. He really knows his firefighting stuff, and describes reno very well. It's got a lot of purple prose, but it's good prose, very well done. I'll finish reading it in a day or so and see how good it really is.
I have about two chapters of a young adult novel I'm working on, and about three or four of the funny one.
I keep wanting to write so far on like every sentence, and I have to stop doing that. it's okay for a blog or a rough draft. Sometimes I have to write badly and go through and edit it out. It's okay to overuse a cliché or something as long as it's edited out.

2010-01-19T20:55:00.000-08:00

I finally got my two jobs to settle down for a while. Now, after finally getting some sleep for the first time in a few weeks, it feels like, I did some more writing.
And even better, because work was forcing me to take a break, I worked out some serious plot holes, I hope.
Anyway, I noticed what I liked best about the lisa kleypas books (new author I started reading. Very, very good.) is the characters and the writing. Writing is very key for me.
Does you sun set, or explode in an array of colors? Does it gently kiss the ground, sinking in to rest after the end of a long day?
I just started tom piccirilli (horror writer, usually) and he writes a lot impact into the scenes, giving the writing a hard edge. Also, there's cliff hangers in the sentences, hints of darkness to come. Overall, the writing has been very good.
That said, I just started a jo davis book. Mostly, because it's about firefighter and I love fire. I know beginner writers shouldn't complain about others that clearly are better (she's published in print, I'm not. Sob.) but, as a reader, she uses a lot of clichés and that makes the books very hard to read, I think. event he characters seem typical and the book just isn't doing it for me, which is a shame, because I love firefighting books. You know what I love about firefighting books? Fires. The men. Fires.
As a volunteer firefighter, I'll be honest. Not that many men have great bodies under the bunker gear. I've seen a lot of beer guts sucked in and gear stretched to cover it.
I still want to write my own firefighting book soon. Because, well, firefighting is one of the few fields I do now well. And I hate reading something like he unreeled the hose toward the structure fire.
The only hose on reel sis usually a booster reel, ie garden hose, and is strictly not allowed to be an only hose at a fire. A preconnect at least is required, and back up lines have to be same size or larger. Period.
The only time I saw a garden hose used was because there was nothing else available. it did keep the fire at bay, but did not do much else.
Okay enough complaining. No clichés in my books, I can't stand them. it works for some, drives me nuts. And always, always, search for the right words to describe action, etc.

2010-01-03T01:37:00.000-08:00

I've recently started working two jobs. I know, blogs about the people themselves are sometimes boring, so I'll skip the details other than to say I have been busy, sleep deprived, and behind on everything.
I managed to sneak in some time to re write parts of heart of thief, and have finished the contract, I think, with whispers.
I have a few ideas for the next book, and now, no time to write it! agh!
Will write more soon. Hopefully.

3rd book accepted!!!!

2009-12-11T15:44:00.000-08:00

Whispers has offered a contract for the third book, thief of heart! Isn't that wonderful? The editor said it still needed a lot of work. I'm lucky they're willing to help an author out with tips and stuff. I absolutely love whispers editors! They do such a great job.
I just hope each book is getting better. I figure a new writer gets about five thousand per published print book. (I made eight bucks off my first ebook, and so far, three bucks off the second.) so anyway, if I can get to be a good enough writer, I think about one or two books a year is comparable to what I make now. (sob.) so I just have to keep getting better and better.
The last editor suggested a writing classes. Not going to happen. Money issues. There was also suggestions of learning more grammar, and I would like to say not going to happen. Brain issues. I'm an idiot. But, darn, I've been speaking English for like almost my whole life and should be able to master basic speech. So, I'm to try and brush up on some editing rules.
Humans lie, for instance, things lay. as in, i'm going to go LIE down. LAY the pillow next to me.
Apparently little things the average person doesn't notice drives an editor nuts.
Still. my third book, whoo hoo!

2009-11-26T00:38:00.000-08:00

I am almost done with nanowrimo!!!!!!!
less than two thousand left. finally.
the first part is pretty good, I think. there are some rocking hot sex scenes. and then, the ending kind of peters out. that's okay. I'm starting book two, which will be part of book one, as far as nanowrimo knows. really, the first book kind of doesn't have an ending. so, I'm going to keep writing, and combine the two before it ever sees daylight, otherwise known as an editor.
and, I have made payout at helium again. if I had thought ahead, i could have used some of the money for nanowrimo donation. but still, another ten bucks probably wouldn't matter.
at least I made one donation this year.
as authors, we should support literacy sites, and as readers. and, bookstores. I can not support a book store enough. seriously. I need more money. or a larger library selection. nah, more money.

2009-11-13T11:12:00.000-08:00

The cat is now hiding in terror. The dog has fled. Is it some new horror creature? No, it's me trying to figure out how to upload a picture at myspace. I hate computers so very, very much. You would think it is as easy as point and click, but no. I can't find the file. So I have to manually search for it, on a computer that is slightly slower than a molasses covered snail in winter. I can't justify the expense of a new computer, not even when the old one is slow I think it was chipped out of granite in the stone age and put together by half blind monks. No, I have to put up with about a minute between page loads. And as I am swearing, I remind myself, I have no patience.
True.
I'm very immature when it comes to getting what I want, like a webpage in under five minutes. Living out in the boondocks is great for the lower crime rates and lower rents but sucks when every technical wonder like on demand video through cable or high speed internet pass you by. Oh we have high speed. It's just not high speed. It's only called that so losers like me on minimum wage wills hell out the big bucks so we can squeal, oh look at the loading bar go, you can almost see it move.
After banging my head a few times (and disapproving a slap along side the head makes you smarter as I am still computer non savvy.) I finally get the picture loaded. Thank god for the wonderful folks at whispers. I love that picture. It is romantic without the typical jokes made at romance reviews (smartbitches.com). I have seen some photoshop horrors, really. And whispers picture is awesome.
So now, after swearing a lot and vowing I hate my computer (it's amazing how many new swear words one can think up while waiting for the computer to load) I have finally got two blogs and no idea on what to say on either one. Whoopee.
Oh, three blogs. Whispers has a blog and I said I would blog on it. Hey, I may not know how to advertise my novel but thankfully they are busting butt helping their authors.
thief of the heart is now in it's third review for being published at whispers. fingers crossed, here's hoping it might be good enough.

2009-11-05T23:47:00.000-08:00

It's time for nanowrimo again, and I wish I could say that I have been too busy writing to be blogging. It's a one month challenge to write fifty thousand words for one book. But really, I have just been dogging it. I don’t' know why. It happens. Hopefully, nanowrimo will pull me out of this slump and back onto the writing track.
I just resent thief of the heart back out to whispers for the third time. I love those people, they put so much of themselves into each book, even from a crappy author like me. okay, like a lot of artist, I don’t' like my own work. On every book, I swear I like the endings better than anything else written in the book. Weird.
Anyway, this is the third book sent to whispers and hopefully they will soon be accepting it. I still haven't gone back over the paramedic story because I'm lazy. There's just no other excuse for it. Okay, so I have written about three chapters, or five thousand words, on a new book for nanowrimo, so even though I am a little bit behind on the word count hopefully I will soon be back in the habit of writing more often. Good writing takes practice and I need all I can get. I don’t' mind being a bit behind on the word count I can type a lot. Some days I can do five thousand in one sitting. true, it's hopped up on starbucks (do you caffeine is considered an upper? It sounds so illegal to call it that.) but still, I have a few days off coming up and it will be a perfect time to hang out in a few choice spots on peck away on my alphasmart.
I love my alphasmart.
I just haven't found anything better yet.
When I get paid I think I will donate something to the nanowrimo. They are a charity and encourage kids to read. If you want to write, you need to get involved in all parts of reading. Including supporting those wonderful people who encourage readers.
check out the lack of typos. yeah, though the snarky commetn pissed me off and was irrelevant it did remind me to make an attempt at being more professional.
though once again, blogging and writing are two differnt things. sheesh.

2009-10-18T19:53:00.000-07:00

I heard back from whispers again. They like the changes, but think the main hero is still a bit wimpy. So much for going for realistic. From now, I'm thinking sex fantasy. Forget reality, it probably doesn't sell many books. We all want fantasy, right?
So I'm thinking, maybe a perfect guy for the next book. Nanowrimo is coming up and I need an easy plot to churn out fifty thousand words in one month. I need to practice my sex scenes, anyway.
So I have a week or two to real tough up my character, which has given me some ideas to know if a hero is a character or cardboard.
here's what I'm going to do to my characters. First, the male is going to be total fantasy. Never mind if real men don't work out that much, or kept hat low body fat. Don't care. Plus, I think characters have to be so great you could put them in a series. Don't be bored with them, or glad to see them go. they got to be great interesting characters. Plus, you should feel like saying, he wouldn't do that. she wouldn't act like that. that means your characters have personalities. If they can do anything in a sequel, you might have cardboard characters, or not well defined ones. Ask yourself if your hero would do a variety of odd tasks. You should know, and your hero should be talking to you, or maybe you just don't know your characters well enough.
You'll notice the lack of major spelling mistakes, this time. I have started using word to type in and transfer it over.
Yeah, a blog is nothing like a book. There are no dead people sitting up or snappy comebacks. Yet, people often tune to a blog to check out the author before reading. So, even though whispers would never publish a book with the typos found in this blog, I should still show some more professionalism.
So in a way, thanks to the loser with the snarky comment even though it's wrong.

2009-10-07T21:46:00.000-07:00

Check out the snarky comment from the third. At first I thought someone who didn't like me figured out who I was because the comment seems personal, but I think maybe it's jealousy.
Yes, there are typos, you find them in every blog, proof that typing very fast is not perfect. quick, maybe, but not perfect. and proof that blogs need spell checker also.
And another fine point I can make-I have read some great books that have boring blogs. And great blogs that are done by boring authors. The blog is about writing, non fiction, occasionally funny writing. It is not how I write, as it's not a blog meant to scare people, or be romantic, or transport you to another world like a book does. Blogging and reading are not the same thing.
I also do not talk like I write, either, since I stutter a bit and edit what I say as I say it, like everyone else. Check out author blogs, a great list of many authors with blogs that are not what the books are like.
It's a good point, though, that I do not write that sloppy, and I do not blog like a professional. I don't spend hours editing the blog like I do the books.
Okay, it's a blog. I will stick to blogging about writing topics because other people's blogs that talk about their kids are boring. Sorry, but they are, sometimes. Are their books boring? Heck no.
But I could use the spell checker more often in word then transfer it over, uh, maybe I'll just ignore the petty comment.

2009-10-07T21:34:00.000-07:00

I read this funny review from smart bitches complaining about whiplash characters, characters that say yes then a paragraph later change their minds for no reason. Now, I'm just starting the Sarah langran novel, missing. The main character, Lori, says yes to a marriage proposal and decides not to go to college and immediately knows it's wrong. Does she have the brains to call him and say oops? No.
Yet the book is a great read so far and I don't know how this talented author does it. There's like almost a whole chapter on this character growing up and stopping by a bar and meeting this guy and not going to college and seeing him getting married after he proposes to her then breaks up with her, and I want to read more. Could hardly put the whole book down.
How does she do it?
I wonder that when I was reading, because the metaphor or analogy or whatever they are awesome, she picks out the best detail to focus on and great characters. Yet, so much personal history and it is still a great book. I can't wait to finish it, but I will have to because I have to work later. Darn it!
I had a few more ideas for space pirates, but ended up writing a good chapter for clueless sally. I don't' know why, I just get excited about different books at different times and so I write what I feel like. Three thousand words in two hours.
And nanowrimo is coming up.
Fifty thousand words in month, which I've done barely the last two years, and should find easier know that I write more and faster.
Still haven't heard back from whispers about the thief of heart book, but it takes a while to reread the whole manuscript. There were little flaws like words left out, and things I decided to change, even though I had edited the book a lot.
It's never enough, there's always something to fix.

2009-10-03T20:12:00.000-07:00

whispers contacted me and suggested a few changes before they would consider offering the contract. surprisingly, small changes. they felt the characters motives weren't discussed enough.
well okay. first,the one character gets her own viewpoint, so just add a few paragraphs showing again whys he made the descision she did.
they felt the man fell in love too soon. well okay. go through and tone his feelings down a bit.
third, they wanted the theif to be shown in a postive light, which means he did not become a thief out of helplessness. so i added a segment where he chose to become a thief. it is, after all, sometimes the lesser of evils.
so, for the next book(s), make sure there are good explantion of what the characters are doing. passion is not the same as love. and protray main characters in good light, get reader sympathy. personlly, i think the poor thief having to turn to life of crime was sympathetic. the poor guy felt hopeless, and found a way to fight back. good motives. i feel for him.
but no. he must be protrayed in a spotlight of love and affection.
space pirates is coming along, so will probably be the next book up. unless i redo the fairy tale one. that would be a huge rewrite, but doable. still. i like writing about the space pirates, and keep cranking the plot up.
i still want to write horror, but, i will force myself to finish a book first.
i jsut finished reading dean r koontz relentless. in like one sitting, sort of. okay, half a sitting, ran to possbile school burning (it wasn't. drats.) and came back to keyed up to sleep so finished it.
never read dean r koontz when you want to go to bed early.
this book was a great example of dangling plot so that readers are hooked for a while.
for the best example, read intensity by koontz. the entire plot takes place in one day. one day. and yet the tension is incredible.
i don't too often dangle the plot bit. i might try and drop a few hints, though, since it works so well for koontz.

2009-09-27T20:49:00.000-07:00

A man is talking with his buddy. He says, "I got into an arguement with my wife. And it ended when she came to crawling to me on her hands and knees."

The other guy says "Wow. What was she saying?"

"She said, 'Get out from under that bed, you coward!' And that ended the arguement."

2009-09-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

i just saw cloudy with a chance of meatballs. great movie, very funny.
and the writing was very nice. every thing mentioned in the first part of the movie was important in the latter part. the jokes kept coming, suitable for kids, funny for adults. the characters were wonderful, a bit cliche, the weather woman is actually smart about chooses to look pretty, the father is a bit odd, but over all, very enjoyable. no one really wants to see an animated deep character but rather an entertaining one. coudy with a chance of meatballs was a must see for people who like movies.
also, i saw nine. did nto like the ending. it ruined the whole movie. i was so glad cloudy with achance of meatballs was better.
so, great writing tip. what did i like about the movie? the characters were amusing, watchable, funny. the writing was catchy, superb, without loose ends. very well done.
now look at your book. do your characters mention something that doesn't appear again? bad author! are you characters enjoyable? bad author! and those are just simple tricks in a kids movie. a kids movie, not exactly a great american novel and yet it has the basics of writing down pat. good lesson, really. the best movies have great plots.
speaking of which, i think space pirates is coming along. i write some at night because it calms me down and leaves me tired. it's wonderful. last time i couldn't sleep i made myself get up, stop thinking, and write for an hour. 2,000 words or so. rhonda has just stolen a ship and the space pirates home world is threatened and they escaped to get help. a breakout fiction novel? maybe not. plot wise it's good, but space pirates? an erotic comedy? okay, maybe not new york bestseller. but what do i care? i live on the west coast.

2009-09-18T18:49:00.000-07:00

still haven't heard back fromswhispers. usually they are considering about a gajillion books, so it takes a while to read through them, pick the best ones, and then get in contact with the authors,tand then over see editing, artwork, sales, web site maintance. i try to be patient, but i do worry, becuase i have lost email messages before. or actually, my old computer has not shown me every email sentto me.
which does not keep me from crawling the walls after work. i haven't got much writing done lately. first, the rejection-that-wasn't from Whispers. surprisingly, badly, it stopped me from writing for a while. they decided to re look a tthe manuscript and it has helped, i think, becuase i wrote about 4,000 words ont he ya vamp novel. pretty good, huh? it was lal in one day.
i love writing. it's like the feeling after sex or jogging, a sort of relaxed zen state afterwards, a burst of enegery during thewriting period. that's if the book is good for me, otherwise, it sometimes drag and i need to try writing something else until i'm all a ga ga over the plot or something.
i think now regardless of the book possbile sale i will keep writing, like any good author does.
so far, i really like the writing breakout ficiton book. it's a good book for writers.
i just finished the newest simon r green novel, the spy who haunted me. very good, just like the others in the series. well worth reading if you like very dark fiction.

2009-09-11T16:31:00.000-07:00

so after the last letter from whispers, (notice how many entries start with the word so? i don't care. it's a blog. it's okay to write this stuff and then edit it out later. )and apparently, someone disagreed that grammar was that imporant. they wanted to give the story a second chance. so i sent it off. again.
and i have to agree with almost everything so far.
yes, my grammar is not all that great. but, i would rather read a great story with grammar mistakes then a perfect but boring one. and i have recommended less than perfect books because i liked the charactes, plot, funny, something. grammar is not something i notice or care about much. hence, perhaps,the crappy grammar.
i was a bit upset at the first letter because it sounded like maybe the editor hadn't read the story, just the synopsis and cover letter. okay, i know rules are important, and they have to be great cover letters, but come on, this is the ebook world. read a chapter, at least, or a paragraph. if the first letter had complained about the story i would have been a bit more okay with it.
anyway,t he editor worte back and said the premise was good, and they liked it so far. sent the rest and they would decide base on that.
so wa whoo. sort of.
because it might still be rejected, so it's not a real great celebration, but at least they like the first chapter. so the piece fo crap story is not a possbile good sotry, and suddenly i like the story better becuase it is closer to being published.
it's a definite wa hoo at least becasue of the compliments. yeah, she needed the rest to decide if it's worth publishing, but still, she liked the start which is pretty good.

2009-09-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

heard back from whispers-not good.
their not going to publish the book at this time. and, i got a nice long letter about my crappy grammar.
wheni went back adn re read the synopsis, yes, there were mistakes. and my first thought? excuses. we were practically friends, whispers and i, and yes, i didn't put as much attention into the cover letter as i should have. and i'm thinking, do i need to? editors complain about authors who think the rules don't apply to them, and i'm thinking, that's niot me, i have other excuses. and yeah, i know rules apply to me, i just didn't do a good enough job, basically, didn't think it was nessecary, becuase i did go over the manuscript to their standars, and double check that part before sending it off. but not the synopsis, which now has left teeth marks in my butt.
so, i am going to make myself wait amonth and re read both parts again, covers letters, synopsis, the whole works, and sent it off somewhere else.
and the editor recommended some books.
okay, i found two out of three, and will consider buying the third next paycheck, maybe. it's a money issue.
and she recommended a class. not going to happen, money issue right now.
and i'm thinking, ouch, when i read the letter.
basically, i don't notice grammar unless it's in the way, and freaking obvious. otherwise, i am all about the plot and characters and the writing. because i am a bookworm and a reader, and a book buyer. it'
s great that editors cry over dangling particples and are heart broken over incomplete sentences. most of us, do give a whoop dang over the whole who/whom issue because we don't know it. and i keep saying lay down, even though it's lie down when dealing with humans.
oops. i just don't care about the language. most people don't.
i care about reading, readability, the joy of a new world.
so, i need to keep writing. sometime, i am going to work on the new teen novel, about the vampire run towns, and hers get destroyed, and then her boyfriends. i know, i am like half way through the plot, and can't figure out the rest. and, i don't know how to topen. so no biggee, jsut start writing crap, and eventually i'll have something to edit.

2009-08-27T23:09:00.000-07:00

i sent in the next book, the one with the thief. i decidedto the heart of the thief, because i thought it sounded romantic. till then, it was june rewrite, or something like that. jully 22 rewrite, i think it was. yeah, not very impressive.
but the last book was called dark heroes because that was the tag on it, and they thought it was a title. to give whisperes credit, i had a chance to change the name if i felt like it. but um, no. i suck at names. really, really, suck at names. i don't know why, because i like the writing in this book, i think it shows improvment over the others. i can hardly wait to hear back from whispers, becuase event hough i think they will publish it you never know. maybe the other books haven't sold, or it's not enough improvment, or they have restritcions now on publishing too many books, or they changed editors, or who knows. but hopefully, they will like the book. i think castle might be redone for harlequin teens. it will need a lot fo reediting, but i think if i aim for a print publisher regardless if it's accepted it willshowmy best effort.
some people might slack becuse ebooks aren't considered as good as print. but here, in ebooks,is darn good practice with soem of the most wonderful people. so defintly give any eboook your best effort.
besides, any fan here might buy the print books.

dark heroes is out!

2009-08-25T11:05:00.000-07:00

so the book is finally published, after counteless revisions. they offered me a few copies but i haven't opened the file yet. i'm sure i'll hate becuase i hate just about anything when i'm done, and all the possbilities have been played out. now, i am almost done revising thief and will send it in by the end of this week.
some of the excitment has faded of course because i'm already focused on thief. next, i dn't know, i might try the castle story with harelquin, or maybe try and finish clueless sally. by the time i send thief if, if it gets published, which i think it probably will, i should be ready to go all out on another book. once accepted and re edited and finished i want to have another book ready to go. just one after another, each one, hopefully, getting better and better.

2009-08-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

i've made payout again at helium. it's a great article writing site that pays when you hit 25.00 bucks or more. i've made payout a lot. anyone interested, leave a note in the comments section and i'll email you the details. i love helium! okay, thirty bucks isn't a lot, but i don't write alot there, and i've made payout every couple of months. pretty good for the little work required.

2009-08-05T16:56:00.000-07:00

so i got my new cover for dark heroes. and, i love it and dislike it.
i love the mask, love the way he is kissing her, and am just totally buggered as to why there's this flowery print stuff on it. it looks kind of like, wehn you had the old cameras and film, and you accidentally shot two pictures on one frame, you know? and there would be ghosts, and overlaps? it kind of reminds me of that.
it's just you know, someone way higher up the whole book publishing scale than me said they liked it. and I know, they sell many many books, i don't. so it's okay to make fun of things as long as you remember other people mkght like it and it's okay to like and dislike differnt things. it's why there is more than one flavor of ice cream, right?
now, bear in mind we have all seen really bad covers. and imean, really bad, like chopped up mish mashes.
(horror music in background) THE DANGERS OF PHOTOSHOP! LIVE, ON YOUR SCREEN. DU DU DU. They looks like, a good example of why you shouldn't photoshop when on drugs. kids, don't try this at home.
but the horror of others covershas made me digress, and reminded me that really, this cover isn't so bad, i'm just not fond of the shadow effect.
the main character is not a wimpy type of women who has anything to do with flowers. the hero does not have anything to do with flowers. i don't get it.
and i hate to complain, because i like everything about the cover except EXCEPT that print on top. i'll make sure to put an image on the side. anyway, It seems like such a small thing to complain about. i mean, i never like girly stuff becasue i feel like it is forced on me. being a woman, and all. maybe it's just me, and maybe other women will say, aw how cute! a femnine thing that has nothing to do with the book! yet it's on the front cover!
i mean, you know, maybe it's just me.
i am hoping to launch a profitable (read, i need money) career and hope this book sells well. also, whispers has just been totally awesome to me, and i would love for them to at the very least break even, or better, make a huge profit. and the rest of the cover is very nice.

2009-07-28T13:21:00.000-07:00

for a while i have been posting, (for all the good it does; no one reads it. isn't that like whistling in the dark? i think this is more like the deaf whistling. unheard.)abotu how to write, and i think we will post about how not to write. the use of royal we is okay if one count the voices in my head. (what? kill someone? not now, i'm busy. okay, later. just kidding.) all good authors should hear voices in their heads, and honestly, we all do, writer or no. it's the voice of the past, the future, your mother, a friend, a clip from an old tv show, whatever. just don't forget who is actually speaking. your muse.
i just started a book, enslave me sweetly. it looks good, starts out okay, she's hiding in the rafters, about to kill someone, an action scene. the description is good, not to much background at once but enough to keep it interesting, and then- disaster. enter the sterotypical male hero with his snide comments. enter the cliche heroine wanting him, if only they could get along. they are forced to work together. oh, big surprise who could see that coming. now, you should be thinking what a b this person is, sayign that about the book. yes, it is mean, and i apologize to the writer, even though what i said is true. i have read a lot of books lately where hero and heroine don't like each other, are attracted to each other, are forced to work together, and um, yawn.
i haven't finsihed the book, but i'll try and read it. it's good enough, i just am on a horror kick again. there is just not enoguh good horror in newport, oregon. agh. anyway- what not to write. the same thing everyone else is. although, this could be a subgenre. like haunted house is a subgenre of horror, as is serial killer and ghosts. if you write a book about a family moving into a huanted house it's not a rip off of other books.
maybe the author likes those types of book, and is thrilled with the plot. yes, i also am working on a ghost story that is similar to many other plots.
there is nothing new under the sun, right?
it's easy to complaina bout other's work, but a real mature person can find just as much fault with their own. so, maybe this wil help me see what's wrong with my ghost story. is it too much like others? not enough and where? it's a good start to fixing the flagging manuscripts.

2009-07-16T23:57:00.000-07:00

so the book must be going well. i checked the whispers site and the book is listed under coming soon, which it has been for a long time. i haven't heard from the layout people, so hopefully everything si going well. i sort of finished the theif story. finished as in, is till have a few scenes to write, i need a last paragraph to wrap er up good, but otherwise, pretty much done. i don't even know the word count, but i do know i have written 4,000 plus words in a couple of days. by the way, i love my alpha smart. i love the word count feature that lets me see why my hands hurt so much, and i love the way i can curl at a book store and star bucks and type for hours beforework. and i love the way it holds so much, becuase i keep forgetting to download.
alpha smart.
if you are at all serious about writing, try it try it try it now.
so, back to all about me.
i still need to redo the paramedic story and sell to changleing, or maybe one of the others, i need to re edit the thief story now that it is almost done. about a month, i think, ( i don't base that on anything i'm making it up) for the theif story maybe and about a few weeks of good writing for paramedic.
the dark paranormal i was working onjust doens't seemto thrill me. i need to find the cool angle and get it back on track.

2009-07-08T16:50:00.000-07:00

i heard back from the editro today. looks like the three lines are staynig in. also, she sent it off to the layout person, who will contact me if there are any problems. i don't remeber this fromt eh first book,but who cares? maybe this is for people who have improved, slightly. oncethe book is published, the current contest (with zero entries) will switch to dark heroes. tell what I can improveon as a writer, and if ia gree, your entered to win your cash back for the book. the theroy, here, is that i will continue to improve, readers will help me to improve, and they will be willing to buy more books if there's a chance they might be free.
anyway, the book has now gone to payout,a dn soon hopefully there will be another cover to display on the ol' blog page. pages. whatever.
the sci fi comedy needs to be redone, and i think i now how to do it. i think i said that before. but now, i am finished, for the most part, with dark heroes and can redo the comedy as soon as possbile, hopefully finsihing in a month or so. we'll see.

2009-06-27T00:05:00.000-07:00

i finished the redit for dark heroes. the editor sent it to me yesterday.
thank goodness, i read very fast.
the writing must have improved, most of the need calrity commetns were in the upper half, and the parts i wrote later needed much less work. amazing how a good editor can help. this is why i am starting in romance.they will publish and teach, unlike print books,that are so hard to break into. i still i want ot do print, someday, and now i feel like i can get there someday.
i loked over the sci fi comedy, and i just don't know. there's not enoguh sex, i think, but maybe its still good becuase it's funny. i think i need to improve it, and in the meantime, i'm writing like three differnt books and eager to finish those becuase i can think of at least tow others i want to do.
my typing speed has improved, too.
so for all you want to be romance writers, looking to learn romance writing, or wanting to improve erotica writng, try try and try. get published if you can, and thank your editor for teaching you. really try to learn. my editor request a whole re write, and when i told her i wnated to improve, she started adding extra comments so i could see what i was doing wrong.

2009-06-21T11:36:00.000-07:00

i went to starbucks and spent an hour just plodding thourgh a chapter of the paranromal suburban story. then, i decided to switch books. when i was scrolling around on my alphasmart, i saw a chapter of the thief story.i started writing, and it took off. i spentan hour typing fast, daydreaming less.
so who cares, if you are a want to be romance writer? or erotica writer?
becuase every author, i think, hits the sam ething. not writer's block, but a slow down. here's where it's fun to be writing more than one story.
the problem?
each character needs to be differnt, and when skipping around, it can be hard to remember if this character would say that, or not.
a good writer is trapped byt hier fiction. your story has to be logical, no matter how magical. and your characters can't break character. it's obvious when you have an sterotype. harder when you have a sublte character. spiderman. he's not quite a sterotype, thought he nerdy book worm turned super hero is becoming one. he's differnt from batman or superman or wonder woman. batman is dark, and known to break bones in modern comics. superman is a man of honor, who is smart to never lie, yet gets caugth inemotional diffculties he can barely understand. yes, i read comic books. the writing has to be intenser to keep younger minds paying attention. and yet, the books are good enough adults read them too. batman doesn't suddenly become a big pile of gooey mush over a pretty women. nor does superman start lying, or give his id away voer nothing. characters. the plot bends aroudnt hem, want to be erotica writer, not the other way around.

2009-06-17T00:50:00.000-07:00

i'm lazy. after pushing myself to finish dark heroes i have taken a few days off from writing. the nice thing, now that i have made an effort to write every day before the last big re write and after the big re write, i now notice that it has been a few days since i have written anything.
i'll get back to writing in a day or so. i have the suburban paranrormal, the castle story, and a new one i was thinking of, but have nothing done except a few notes.
i heard back from the editor, it will be about a week before she is done. so that's not to long of a wait to hear how bad/good it is. hopefully we already did the bad and now were into the good.
check out this sentence.
no wonder he offered to walk her home. her shirt was ripped to her stomach. a free peep show to the creeps of the world.
the editor didn't understand why she was callinghim a creep whenhe had jsut saved her. was this too vague? the creep part refers to everyone she would have met on the way home, and he saw it, and offered to walk her home. he's protecting her, not being called a creep.
but remember.
YOU WANT YOUR READERS TO THINK ONLY WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO THINK.
if the editor was confused, areader could be, andhere is where you lose them. inthe maze of perfectly clear sentence that are not understood. and then the reader remembers they didn't like your book. the last book, and never again buy your work, even though you shown massive improvment.
every book needs tobe as good as you can at the moment, and keep improving. you might get a second chance at those readers that didn't like your earlier work.

2009-06-15T02:32:00.000-07:00

i just sent off the 'hope to God it's the final' final version of dark heroes for the last, i hope last, re edit. now, i wait to hear back from my wonderful/frustating editor.
there are three new lines in it.
they comes from another blog, well known for sexy humor, or just plain fun. their friday video of 'total eclipse of the heart' was just freaking hilarious.
run, your vagina is haunted.
shaved the bush to make the tree look talled is in there too.
for some reason, this dark book came out with a lot of light humor in it.
still, anything that makes people like a book is good, right? so i emailed the blog and told them i used the lines. we'll see if they read the comments.
but in the meantime,
yippee!
done with dark heroes for a while!
back to typing out the next disater to need major reedits before being published. yeah.
i think i started like three books at least since that one was accepted. at least. now, i need to finish at least one past a mid way point and it might get finished, unless i totally re do the sci fi comedy to meet their standards. or do the usual, and do both, a new write and a re edit. becuase one thing is just too simple to finish, no, i have to make work for myself.
ps. they also spell the word the as "teh." yeah, typing dyslexics untie. or whatever.

2009-06-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

i'm up to 140 out of 151 on the re edit. i hope this is it. the editior should lookit over, point out the mistakes and send it back.
interestingly, i just came across this line.
her heart fluttered and slammed in her chest.
now i know, my editor would be saying her heart can't flutter and slam at the same time.
why?
because i had a line where the hero is floating in mid air out her window, his cloak flapping like hands clapping. she told me (i'm guessing proconsuls is a woman, for no reason whatsoever) that if he is floating his cloak isn't flapping, though she liked the line.
i gotta admit, i caught that line the first time i read it. so who is right? how much creative writing can an author do without alienating readers?
it's hard to say, and note the focus of that question. it's not about art, or rules, it's about the reader. who is buying the book. who ultimatly decide the sucess or failure of the book.
you could be the next shakespeare, and ifno one buys your book, good luck getting published again. you could be a horrbile writer, and if people like the book, you've got it made. look at all the hack writers on the NY best selling list. most of them are great, but every so often there's one who makes you wonder how they got published.

2009-06-11T10:47:00.000-07:00

today i asked the posting authors of whispers which is better" a blog or a website?
i found whispers though a blog called elf killing and other hobbies. but i love the website of jennifer estep. she also writes books about super heroes and her website has buildings that move and little interactive things. i could never afford a website like that. especially not with being an ebook writer.
my last novel, forbidden passion, made eigth bucks.
yep. eight whole big ones. long live the economy. yah, ebook from a first time writer.
i am still going over dark heroes, and as much as i have put into this book it had better sell more.
i think the writing has improved, but it's hard to say.
hopefully within a few books i'll be good enough to write print novels, and then the bucks will really start rolling in. maybe even into the three digits. whoopee.
okay, i'm being bitter. poverty sucks.
but at least i was published, and whispers is willing, despite low sales, to publish another book. and it is very good practice. every author goes through this i hate my book thing.
just read the foreword of many modern books. a lot of work goes into first time novels, and mine are sadly no exception.
the good news is i'm one third of the way through the edit. the bad news is i am one third of the way through the edit. it took me two hours last night, so i figure if i chug pop at work i might be able to put in enough late nights when i get home to finish the edit by sometime next week.

i had plans to redo the sci fi funny with whathername being his one true love. now, i have to finish this book re edit. then, i still need to work on the homeless suburban paranormal, and the castle story.
i gotta admit, i like having so many ideas. now if a idea doesn't work out i have so many others to try and get done before the next big re edit.

2009-06-09T11:18:00.001-07:00

going through the old posts i see that i have mentioned doing the same re writes. this blog is a great way to reveal what a lazy ass I am. and it's not big fish games fault, i just need to crack down. i have been writing a bit before the job, not every day, but trotting along pretty well.
I think the sci fi comedy will be redone so that she is his love, as fits in with whispers new policy. i hope i can finish it within a months or so. the only problem is rewrites are done at home, and new books are done at starbucks or elsewhere.
i might be able to work on it at night.
whispers has a newsletter coming out that might have contests in it. i'm going to suggest they check out blogs for prizes since no one ever reads mine.
of course, havinga life to talk about might help. i could offer a penny for every typo spotted but i would soon be broke.
i just finished the heart shaped box, by Joe Hill. pretty spooky. the ghost had a lot of power, but enough to be subtle. over all, it was an excellent book. the scene where he sees the little girl in the back yard gave me goosebumps. the book starts fast enough and keeps going strong. this is a must read for horror fans. though the main character might have been cliche being a rocker with a dark streak his girlfriends where not. and really, the main character was interesting enough i don't care if maybe rocker with a drama past has been done before. this was well worth the money i spent on it.
or would have spent, but i have border bucks from a survey site. i buy newbooks every month or so, fifteen dollars worth. there's no reward for recommending people but i might toss up a link to them anyway, as i love sharing free reads.

2009-06-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

just wrote another 2000 words at starbucks. people make jokes about writing in public, but it's worth it to get out of the house. and peace and quiet. with coffee orders, occasionally, so not to quiet, but still worth it.
so had this idea where two boys,one rich, one poor, chnage places when the rich one dad's loses his job, and the poor one's wins the lottery. except it is way too cliche. the plot is just not working out.
and you know, at home, there's big fish games and direct tv. not exactly easy to work.
speaking of which, i still haven't heard fromteh editor on dark heroes lately. i would guess, on the 2 day of june, that we aren't going for a may publication.
the paramedic story is done, technically, but i need to go over it and add something. a few ideas. something to make it better.
of course, whispers won't take it becuase of their new policy. now, the heroine can only sleep with her one true guy, and not anyone else.
i think i should stick with comedy. people seem to laugh at the work, which is only good when writing funny, and depressing when you're being serious, which i thankfully am almost not.
the nice thing about direct tv with seven HBO and five starz channels is you can never see kung fu panda too many times. or wall-e. i need to tear myself away and get writing. thank goodness for starbucks and other places to sneak off to.

2009-05-17T18:31:00.001-07:00

I started a new book, because, well, i'm an idiot. I haven't finished anything since dark heroes but i'm sure I have started a small library of good books if only I would finish them.
the editor said she was just getting a book ahead of mine and when she finished that, she would get to mine. so great. I pull myself away from netflix and big fish games and now there's a wait. sigh. maybe I should have finished sooner.
i'm guessing at this date i will not be seeing a May publication, but that's okay. there is a paramedic ghost haunting book done, that will probably need re editing, and then be ready in about a month. i could re do it, send it off, and type like heck to finish another one.
the new book is a paranormal, suburan, fantasy, etc. There's always an etc, why write in an easy genre when you can screw them all up?
she a homeless something, who thinks that vamps, werewolves,and others are around her. someone is killing people, like in the books by Simon Green (the nightside- a must read.) or a rob thurman. ever read her? she's good. and very masculine in wriitng. way to go girl.
the new book is very tiring, or maybe it's the new job. i suspect the book is tiring, because I don't usually write this genre, and the plot is being hammered out as i go of course, because to do anything else would be too fricken easy.
so dark heroes is due out soon, in hopefully a month or two, and then we'll see.
the funny sci fi fantasy is done, i'm just not sure were it will fit in.

2009-05-05T23:25:00.000-07:00

i heard back from my editor. she tells me i have done a much better job with this re write, but need to change two scenes. first, the herione can only sleep with one guy, not two, and no spanking scenes.
in real life, spanking has honestly never done a thing for me. and most spankers, that i have met anyway which is admitedly not many, kinda get hung up on spanking and don't want to do a whole lot else.
so, two rewrites already, and i guess the editor has read it. hearing the good feedback makes it worth re writing the book. yes it took a lot of time and effort, which could have been spent writing another book, or as readers of the blog will testify working on the ol' typos, but i wan to grow as a writer, and showing improvement makes it worth it, especially if i don't write long sentences like this one anymore, because this is almost an entire paragraph long.
started a new book, of course, just becuase...i'm an idiot. it's my old excuse, i love it, it works for me. becuase i didn'thave enough halfbooks lying around, okay? so the new one is a woman who marries a vampire over the internet, and gets horrbile advice. it's a comdey, because I like being funny and hopefully am.
YOU WANT THE READER TO THINK ONLY WHAT YOUW ANT THEM TO THINK.
EVERYTHING IS FODDER FOR A BOOK.
okay, i always say the first sentence, well almost always, and i need to work on the second.
oh big news. piers anthony has a website that lists tons of publishers, and gives some advice on which are good or bad. check it out, want to be romance writers. and no, i didn't provide a link becuase he is a famous author. learn to use a search engine. oh fine.
http://www.hipiers.com/publishing.html

2009-05-02T00:00:00.000-07:00

i finsihed the rewrtie for dark heroes onthursday. yeah, know i said weekend in the blog, and told the editor middle of the week, but that was pretty much as fast as it went. there may have been one or two nights i played plunder (darn you big fish! will i never have the will power to tear myself away from yoru games?) but only one or two nights, and there were a lot of nights of late nights. the night before it was turned in, sent off, whatever, i was up to two am.
now, those writers in the land of still to be published might be saying, oh, big baby. two am writing. i would give more than that to be published, you whiner.
okay. but the first book i had published made eight bucks so far.
eight bucks and some odd cents.
some might say it is an investment, others that it's cheating to get a goal, a half step for losers who can't make it in real publishing. what i have to say to that isn't fit to print.
give a drunken sailor a theasurus and sit him on a sharp spike is close to the language i would use.
pardon my french, as the men would say, though i know the f word isn't french.
this second book, which is second only in time, not part of a series, the second book to be written i think shows improvment. obivously i didn't see anything wrong with the first one at the time or i never would have offered to an editor that way.
now, i think, why did i write something so bad? thank god no one reads my blog. becuase the contest is still running, write a review that will help me be a better writer and win your money back. refund. big ebook contest. whatever.
once the new book is up and running, maybe inmay, the contest will switch to that one.
if it's published in may, becuause i haven't heard back from the editor, and she is either crying tears fo joy or throwing her hands up in frustation at having to work with talentless hacks. hmm. wonder which.
eight bucks and some odd cents for the first ebook.
i can imagine.

2009-04-23T22:46:00.000-07:00

so i am working on my book, which means watching netflix. hundreds of movies, instantly to my tv so i don't have to wait and fill the time with work. now you too can screw around in an instant. great invention. this is why atlantis fell, either they were watching tv or playing the underwater version of solitare.
the book is going well, if slower than i thought. i am almost done. yippee. i hope to finish by the weekend or so.
back to netflix. i was watching weeds, and it finally got good. right about the time her dea boyfriend says i know you're a drug dealer. and it ends on a high note, her son has stolen the marijuana and the person coming to buy it has a gun and wants to steal the grass, the other guys have killed the dea agent and want money, and she opens the safe to find it's empty. her son calls to say he has it, just as a cop shows up.
so why was it good? the neighbor was a better character, maybe becuase she has a great personality. it comes through like a steel will.
so, why is this in a blog about becoming a better writer? why do people who want to improve their romance writeing care?
if you watch- you care, so ask yourself why? why do you care about this person over that one, why do you like this character over that one? what part did you like best? if you like the drama, (which surprised me that i did) you should try writing drama, becuase you understand, are interested in it, and are most likely familiar with the standard plots for that genre and know when to break, when to follow them.
every night, when not zoned out on netflix, i am workingont he book. just litle chapters at a time, but it is helpign the concentration. it's a much better way to rewrite then staring at one long page with a half numb brain. this way i focus on small chunks and ensure perfection. ha ha. okay, ensure slightly less mistakes.

2009-04-11T23:49:00.000-07:00

I heard back from the editor for dark heroes, and it's good and bad. They don't exactly like the manuscript. (shouldn't someone have said this before the last rewrite thingy?) but it's not all bad. The editor said it needed a lot of work, and I could switch to a different editor if I wanted. I emailed her back that it was an honor to work with her, since she seemed very strict, and it would probably make me a better writer, something I want since I still want to be a writer. So I suggested we wait until I finish yet another major overhaul, during some time off I have. Wahoo. The vacation has officially started, which means it's time to work.
She agreed to give it as much time as I wanted, and told me there were a lot of things about the writing that she liked.
Despite the seriousness of the tone of the first, I thought the second was much more cheerful, and was happy that there were nice comments in it.
So now, major re doing of the dark heroes, which puts the other books I was thinking of writing into pause, which can be good if I improve the ol' hack writing skills, but bad if I forget and lose motivation and stall off like I usually do. Although, I need to learn to finish a project even with interruptions, so maybe it's a good thing, although-
And that's life. Good and bad.
There were a few definite comments, like they want the heroine with one guy, not two, and a happier ending, and a vauge-ish sort of comment, like weak pacing. Oh dear. I barely know what it means.
So, my fingers need to type till they cramp practically, to get it done, but I think I can do it. I have already have ideas, since imagination is one thing I have in abundance.
So why am I committed to writing so much instead of just plain committed?
Because there are things in forbidden passion I think could have been done better, and now I hope dark heroes will see a definite improvement in writing skill, hopefully because I have improved, and not just because of the editor, unless she wants to do each and every book. Hmm. Better hope I have improved a lot.

2009-04-06T00:54:00.000-07:00

i was watching a 1000 ways to die. it's a funny, sad show, and the narrorator is kinda a butt, but it's still funny. and horribile. it shows all the stupid ways to die, some you can see coming, some you don't. so why is it in a blog about being a better writer? you won't believe the ideas you can get from watching a show like that. true, some of the deaths are too showy, and not very believable. but still. wht a wealth of pointless info.
the new castle book is coming along good, and if i had any readers,they might be asking me, and rightly so, what abotu the last book i was writing? and why am i so few chapters ahead? alas, they have me tagged. a flighty, lazy writer. which does not speak well for my career.
i can make myself write, though.
which does bode well for my future as a writer, i jsut need to make myself sit down in front of my computer. now thik abotu all the people who can't write, or don't like it, or whatever. what a waste if i don't write, sot here is an encouragement, of sorts. i have talent, even though it's not reflected by sales fo the first book, or really even anywahere in the first book, but it hink it's in there somewhere, and maybe i can grow some talent if i keep practicing. goodness knows i think the typing has improved some, i know the speed has picked up.
there's just one rule to remember if you want to be a better writer. you want your readers to think only what you want them to think.
and if they're thinking of how slow the next book is to come out, or stare and the cover and wonder who you are, get writing. they need to think about the book.

2009-03-22T22:17:00.000-07:00

i haven't written in a while (thanks netflix) and can't believe how i get in a slump. i'm still waiting to hear back from the editor. soon, dark supers willbe out, it has a may publication date on whispers. otherwise, when i can i drop by the chats so i can look like i am particpating. of course, a particpating author would be writing.
ahem.
okay, i keep saying i'm going to write, but can't tear myself away from the games or netflix. so, i just need to force myself to work. somehow.
though, even this blog is lame.
anyway, started a new book, four chapters in, or so, about this guy who poses as royalty to gain a castle and gets a snarky princess for a wife, a run derelict darong haunted castle, a few slow knights, and whatever else i can throw in. dang, i need a plot. okay, i had one. i wrote it down.
it's non erotica, which is good,a nd comedy, which hopefully will do good. otherwise, i have cursed prince almost done, which i haven't looked at in awhile.

oh- red neck joke, becuase i like funny blogs.
modernsongs translated:
i can't drive, fifty five
for the redneck: because my truck won't go that speed. i'll lose the deer out the back! or the dog.
for the white trash:
becuase my engine would blow up. if the tires didn't fall off, then i might lose my beer.
for the teen: becuase my dad is sitting in the seat besdie me. when am i getting that driver license?
don't break my heart, my achy breaky heart:
for the redneck: by tellng me your married. c'mon, your sixteen, you gotta be between husbands already.
for the white trash: by enforcing that wash your hands sign in the bathroom. the customers like that earthy taste to their food, really.
who let the dogs out? bump, bump, bum.
for the redneck: becuase i could have sworn they would ride in the back alright. maybe they just need more beer.
for dad: because they are crapping all over my yard? what did i tell you about not letting them out?
for the kids: and why won't they follow me home when i feed them dad's supper?
for the pot smoker: the k9s eating all my pot! who let him out of the patrol car?
okay, the jokes aren't all that great, but c'mon, they're not orginial but i wasn't quoting anyone, just made them while watching tv, which explains why they are not better.

2009-03-14T00:26:00.000-07:00

i was just chatting with other whispers members via their chat at trs. wow. most of them have so much excitment for thier book, plus about a gazillion others ready to be published. ane me? i have a very high score at big fish games. plunder, yeah, got up to level 29, beat that workaholics.
i jsut finished confessions of a shopaholic. very nice, light and funny. i read the book confessions on an undomestic goddess. very funny. i noticed they kind of read the same, but in goddess book,t he character seemed a lot more funny.
ah reasearch.
because that's what i'll say when my guilt pricks to get off my game playing butt, get the nose out of the book someone else wrote and write my own. yeah, it's reasearch. note how well the author has adopted a light tone, and kept it throughout the whole book. note the mild romance building between main characted and nathan.
meg cabot is a good author for the same thing, only in young adult. i always wanted to write young adult. without the erotica, obviously.
i love her mediator series. very paranormal and funny, a real kick butt herione.
so, now i have my (ahem.) research done, and should be writing. oh, wait. i picked up a lawernce block book and need to research something.

2009-03-03T22:22:00.000-08:00

I just watched the last futurama movie. I know, instead of working on my book, right? absolutely. Gee, wonder why I don’t get anything done. Maybe because I chalk it all up to research. is there a movie i jsut have to waste my time on? it's reasearch, got to see what makes it so good. Ah, research, you can never have enough of it when there is a good cartoon on.
So, why do I care if leela and fry get together? That's what makes a blockbuster versus a ten cent rack paperback. Because I love the characters, giggle at the jokes and adore the animation.
Are my characters that lovable? Like, spluh, as amy would say.
I am almost re done with dark supers, now sitting at little over 48,000 words. Awesome. Almost done. Now, I send it back to the editor and then I don't kmow. She'll probably go through it and find like a hundred mistakes and correct them and I'll be like, duh, why didn't I see that? Because I have fried my brains watching cartoons. Spluh.
For some reason, when I worry about money I don't seem to want to write. Usually, the drive for something, even pissy ass pocket change I call a paycheck, makes me want to write. For some reason, I feel tired and depressed, and can barely force my eyes to focus. Time to get another job. Oh wait, I've been looking. Dang. Time to get desperate. Maybe big bucks coming in will make me feel like writing. Otherwise, I might have to use that discipline thing. Maybe make my self write, hunt down a muse or two and tie them up for a while, instead of having them distract me with their glorious swan song. yes, swan song, they sing once when they die. So a daydream, really, has a swan song, because it just never seems as good a second time, days later. Got to write them books, now, when they feel hot on the brain.
Oh wait, gotta say it.
You want your readers to think only what you want them to think.
Which right now is that someone is a bit lazy or they would be writing instead of turning their brain too mush.

2009-02-14T21:03:00.000-08:00

so now i have time off (@#$% job!) for a while, it's time to tell myself-
i have time to write.
i have time to write.
i have time to write.
because writing is what makes a writer instead of a dreamer. ah, so what to write about? you want to write, want to be a romance writer, but can't guess? even with all your time to yourself?
get a big bottle of favorite liquor. drink. wake up. deal with hangover. that' s a good start. or/and
lie back, relaxed, and let your mind drift to what you want.
money, fame, superpowers? want a werewolf lover to howl up your nights or are you worried about the fleas?
longing for a vampire vixen, or worried that she'll have coffin breath?
looking for an alien alpha male who's human enough for you?
most fo what you want, is what other people want.t hat vague feeling of longing, over money, life, or love is shared by the people who will be reading your books once you write them, and edit them, and edit them again, and repeat endlessly.
so, when you have time off, find a way to get in touch with yourself. your wants.
that bitter attitude that finds every flaw is perfect for a comedy. that idle daydream is the next best fantasy.
that complaint that there jsut aren't any good mechanic based romance good be a whole new genre. noticing a loack of zombies novels might not do you any good. there's something about corpses (especially fi you have had to deal one in summer that's been ther a while) that just really kills the mood. trust me.
take a deep breath. think. then write, write, write.

2009-02-05T20:47:00.000-08:00

So I'm watching tv, and I'm thinking
Number one, this is why I don't get anything done.
Number two, why are there little black ants everywhere?
And number three, I don't want to get a cup of milk because I might miss something.
And that's when I notice, in good movies, you don't want to miss a chapter because you know you will miss something important. Even when it turns out to be a red herring, or something, you just get drawn into good movies, they make you think that something is going to happen, and it is so well plotted you want to watch to figure out what is going on.
Which is suddenly a problem when I realize THE ANTS HAVE A NEST UNDER THE TV. The little black bastards. Thank you, lord, for raid and other toxic goodies. Now how much of the movie did I miss? And why do I care? Figure that out and you have a lead for a bestselling book. The movie, by the way, insomnia. A bit slow. Very little appearance by Robin Williams. But still. It’s good, what I can hear of it. I hate movies that mumble
And why? Because a good movie is one where you need to hear the lines to know what is going on. And how is your book? If someone skipped a chapter, does anyone care?
Ah ha. The problem wrong with most books. Just don't care, and just don't need to care.
A good plot so should draw you in, with help from the characters, plus, it needs to have a reason to exist.
You think the chapter with the dog is cute. But it doesn't move the plot. You know what your readers will think? they'll think it's not important (they are right, by the way. And you know it.) then, they think the rest of the book might be the same way, then they think….
It's a problem, and we know why. C'mon now, say it with me.
YOU WANT READERS TO THINK ONLY WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO THINK.
Yes it needs to be said loudly because it is very important. You, the author, are not just god of your little world but a grand manipulator. Why do you think bad guys wore black and kicked cats? Why did good guys wear white and save someone in the first ten minutes? Ta da. Manipulation. A bad guy must be deplorable, not loved, or he is not a bad guy.
Dexter, the series and the book, straddles this line. The main character is a serial killer, but a good one. Clean. Polite. Caring. Kills only bad guys. Not a real person.
He's not leaving innocent people in pieces in the ditch, good ness know. His likableness depends on neatly hiding the bodies of only the bad doers. Such a tidy person.
A real life serial killer? Not likable. Usually.
A clever red herring is planted by letting readers think what you want them to think. a little sleight of hand and people are convinced your false clue is real. It blends in. they think only what you want them to think.
darkwing duck, by the way, is helping by licking up the little black bastard ants.
if you catch the reference, good for you.
it's the name of a disney character and my mom's cat.

2009-01-29T21:15:00.000-08:00

i heard back from my editior. so far so good. most of the changes are syntax. you would think i couldn't even talk, as bad as i write. i don't write english well, but i done talk american good. like totally.
but still, all the parts i wasn't sure of she flagged as needing work. now, i just have to thump brain into working and figure out what would fit very well. ugh.
other than that, i haven't been writing much. the sci fi comedy still needs a bit of work, i intend to finish it as soon as darkheroes is done. it's in editing now, a qaurter way done, so maybe in a few weeks dark will be done and then sci fi should be up in about a month, tops.
and, i got the worksheet from forbidden passion sales.
no one is buying.
well, surprise.
no one has money, it's hard to get a job, i'm not surprised that no one is buying a lot of books, but you know, it's an ebook. cheap.
and i certainly can't afford the usual paperback now. i could sob when i think how long since i have been in a barnes and noble. or borders. and actualy bought something. sob.
ebooks aren't so bad. some are not good writing, some are great.
each one has a short preview so you know if you want it or not. of course, if you're going to write an ebook you need to buy some and read them.
especially forbidden passion. it tells you what not to do. sob.
i have higher hopes for dark heroes.
of course i do.
writing a book is like buying a lottlery ticket. you want it to be a winner, you day dream about spending the fortune, and as for winning. well. somebody has to be on the best sellers list, right?
pretty sure it won't be forbidden passion, however.
sob. need i repeat it? anyone like running gags? no? okay. moving on.
let's see how the rest of the edit goes. and i still haven't seen a book cover yet.

2009-01-23T18:59:00.000-08:00

I just sent a copy of dark heroes off to the editor.
Of course, I still need to reread through the rest of the manuscript. So far, I have been halfway through it repeatedly, an now just need to tweak the ending a bit. (you can never be too good).
Of course, it doesn't help that I am watching the avatar the last airbender. Yes it is a kids show, but it is awesome. There's four nations, of earth, wind, fire, water, and a war, and a few kids who have the avatar with them. this is great character development. Katara started as a scared young girl who has grown up, and after being chased by prince suzko for so long, he is no longer an enemy but a friend, who has also grown from an arrogant prince to a young man who will fight his father for what is right. It is a must see. But I recommend starting from the beginning or it might not make sense. The princess azula is a larger than life character.
It is a wonderful show, well worth watching.
So what does this have to do with a blog on writing?
Because it is very inventive, filled with great characters. Even the side characters like uncle and teachers and kings are not copies of each other, but different and individual.
The idea of four elements is not new, nor is the concept of controlling them. but the shows has interesting ideas about them.
It is based on martial arts, also, so you know it will be good.
The show is a great study in coming of age, mild romance, and portrayal of characters.
Yet, it is a kid's show. Great writing can be seen anywhere, and can be used to teach us something.

when you write really, really bad dialogue

2009-01-19T18:13:00.000-08:00

i am a reader of the blog smart bitches, and they have offered this wonderfully funny link.
http://www.the-isb.com/?p=980
there is some adult content, but i ahve to say- i laughed really hard. i jsut wish i could talk to someone else who has read this, so we can swap jokes.
because this is an all time worst thing ever to say.
now, in real life, i was doing chin ups with some of the guys fromt he ol' fire department. young guys. and three of them did about twenty, i did about ten, good for a women, so good enough, and this one pot bellied kiddo that only dairy queen for lunch did none. none. he couldn't get it up, so to speak. his response, whenthey gave him crap?
of course the women can do more chin ups then me! they're not loaded down with all this muscle!
that was, was, the most stupidest thing i had ever heard. and i have heard some doozies.
now, if someone ran in and said that famous line, in the review, i don't know. i think we would have a runner up.
now consider, why is this in this blog?
BECAUSE YOU WANT YOUR READERS TO THINK ONLY WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO THINK.
and if you think this is an exciting line, really deep and haunted, well, you are so, so so wrong.
becuase i laughed really hard.

2009-01-13T21:45:00.001-08:00

i just saw batman the dark knight. i know, i know, i'm like so far behind everyone else. but the story is interesting to anyone who wants to be a writer, and i don't mean the kill the parents raise a superhero one. look at the basic theme- batman. now look how differnt each plot is in all the movies, inluding the old adam west batman. bop! boff! biff!
it shows how differnt htings can be with out changing the story. for instance, woman falls in love with erewolf. it's been done, really. really, really, been done, as has werewolf and vampire, vampire loves, vampires psychic, etc. so, after all the cries of plagarsim that's on the net now, what does these stories have to do with anything? if you think about it, aliens and et have the same basic principle,. do you know the differnce between a vague ideal and plagarism? it might be good to know that something specific, like santa, is trademark, and vague ideas, like alien on earth, is not. after all, et wouldn't have been created because day the earth stood still came out first. and that was an alien on earth wanting to contact his home planet, and hiding fromt eh government.
but back to batman, because i jsut so happen to be a fan. there's a bit of plot iin this one. there's talk of ideas, and what heroes mean, and sacrifices for the city. very nice. the joker isn't as insane, but that's okay. if you edit your book, or when you're writing it, you can have just about as many plot changes as each of these batman movies. you wouldn't think it, but some writers starts with kids books, add on until it's young adult, spice up for adult, then add jokes for comedic, change thier mind, make someone a space alien-whew! its like writing every batman movies. and each one is pretty good. each was well recieved, and int heir time, each one could have been written at any time. you couldn't do the special effects, or so much violence a while ago, and the dialogue is a bit stiff in the old movie, but you know, they're all pretty good, and each one of your books is too. you don't have to re edit a lot, just enough that you like it, and then ask yourself if a great many readers will like it. ta da. that's it.
i sent the contract off to whispers, and now am waiting to hear from them. an editor should be contacting me soon. yippee, then the fun begins.

2008-12-30T21:31:00.000-08:00

now a published author-twice! will, soon.
looking over old posts, i sent the book to whispers the 6th, and heard back by the 28. dang. they are quick. soon, book two will be published. and that's book two, in a row, not book two in a sequel, because i totally hate sequels, and trying to find book one, or finding book three i want to read right now and won't understand without plowing through the others, or any of the probelms one has with sequels. all my books will be stand alones, i think.
and i will only own light weight furniture.

2008-12-30T21:24:00.000-08:00

oops!
so far, the sci fi comedy, possbily called chad, is at 51,771 for a word count. and i still don't have all the sex scenes worked in, but on the bright side, it means i can cut freely, one of the first books i have been able to chop down and still have a good size word count.
i need to print the contract for whispers, send it off, and finish "chad" before it comes back, because when it does i need to concentrate back on that one until it is all done. should take about a week or two, maybe, to edit.
agh. and i haven't even given any thought to what the front cover will look like. gotta be somethign with a superhero, because a man in the right costume is just so sexy. maybe both hero and cool, one on each side, with her in between, as though choosing. for a book cover, great, but for an ebook, too busy. the simpler the better. i'll work on it.
so take note, want to be erotica writers. here's good advice for romance writers. when you write a book, and think, oh that would make a good front cover, put a copy of that scene somewhere. like, save it as poss. front. then, add a few more, if you like, and choose between them. hmm. maybe i'll find something when i re edit.