One day after working in the yard, I stood back and
took a look at my handiwork. I had just finished pruning my lilacs and weeding
a huge flowerbed. Everything seemed to be glowing and vibrating with a renewed
energy. The yard looked better and felt better.
I always feel kinda bad about cutting back the lilacs,
but then I thought, “The pruning needs to be done, otherwise everything gets
overgrown and suffocated.”
Then it dawned on me that I’ve been doing the same
thing with my writing—pruning and weeding what’s been long overgrown.
For the last two years I’ve been in a cycle of
re-releasing my romances previously published by Amber Quill Press (while
writing new books). I’m rediscovering the stories and characters after being
away from them for many years. Each book is being revised, re-edited, and in
some cases, parts are completely rewritten.
I’ve deleted scenes that no longer work, added new
ones, and given each story a pruning—of dialogue tags, excess words, too many exclamation
points, and yanking other weeds that need pulling from these gardens. As a
result, the books are stronger and better than ever. (And most have fabulous
new covers.)
If you’re editing a short story or a novel, ask
yourself, “What is necessary to this scene? What can I cut?” You might be amazed
to find that tightening a scene or a chapter makes it stronger and helps the
story flourish in the long run.
But I’m not stopping my “pruning” process with my
books. I’m also weeding out other things in my writing world that are overgrown
and need to go—old market guidelines, bits and pieces of story ideas that I no
longer need, short romance stories that never went anywhere… the list goes on.
I’ve sorted through about a hundred file folders and recycled bins full of
paper. And I’ve extended this to my electronic world by deleting unnecessary
files and updating my blog and website.
It’s refreshing to have less stuff to maintain. I now
have a clearer path to what I want to work on next, and I’m not bogged down
with clutter or overwhelmed by “writing weeds.”
Each spring, I ask myself a few questions about my
flowerbeds: What do I want to plant? Where? What died off over the winter that
needs to be replaced? I’m asking these types of questions about my writing life
too, wondering: What do I want to write next? Do I want to go back to writing
horror stories for a while? Finish my next three romance novels? Should I take some
time off from writing?
I don’t have all the answers yet, but I’ll sit in the
garden and think about them!
Writing a novel or a short story is a lot like
planting a flowerbed. First, you need an idea or a basis for the story (a place
where you’ll plant). Then you start the hard work, writing the book (digging
and planting). After your first draft is finished (your flowers are blooming), you
have to edit and revise your work (weed and prune as needed!). Once that’s all
done, you’ll move on to marketing your story (inviting friends over to see your
flowers).
Writing and gardening take time, energy, and
commitment, but in the long run, the results are worth it. After a long day,
you can sit back and admire all your hard work.
Enjoy the summer!
Kelli
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelli
A. Wilkins
is an award-winning author who has published more than 100 short stories, 19
romance novels, and 5 non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and heat
levels.
Her third gay romance, Four
Days with Jack, was released in June 2017. Kelli’s trilogy of erotic
romance novellas, Midsummer Night’s Delights, Midwinter Night’s Delights,and
Ultimate
Night’s Delights was published in spring 2017.
Loving a Wild Stranger was published in
January 2017. This historical/pioneer romance is set in the wilds of the
Michigan Territory and blends tender romance with adventure.
Kelli's third Medallion Press romance, Lies,
Love & Redemption was released in September 2016. This spicy
historical western is set on the Nebraska prairie in 1877.
Her writing book, You Can Write—Really! A
Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction is a fun and informative guide
filled with writing exercises and helpful tips all authors can use.
Visit her website, www.KelliWilkins.com to learn more
about all of her writings, read book excerpts, reviews, and more. Readers can
sign up for her newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/HVQqb.
CATCH
UP WITH KELLI
Here
are a few links to find Kelli & her writings on the web
If you’re like me, your career is on life support. It shouldn’t be. You’ve done some of the things other authors have done to be successful, yet here we are.
Your career is like your body. To remain healthy, we need to put in certain things to our careers and take out certain things. If we were talking about our careers, we need to put time in front of the keyboard. Time for marketing, etc. I could list a thousand things.
But, how about taking out? If we want to be healthy, we remove an over-abundance of carbs or sweets.
But, there are three things that really could be hurting your career. Now, before I go any further, I am going to put it in terms of me. This is truly why my career is on life support. Don’t make it yours.
Chasing Benjamin. I don’t mean my handsome son. I mean that almighty dollar. I am guilty of listening to everyone who says to me that I should write this or write that. I drop what I’m doing and hope to make a little money doing something else. Also, I’m guilty—very guilty—of not writing because I have found another type of second job that should yield that extra money that I’m looking for. It hasn’t happened. I doubt that it will. If you do what I do, you’ll never finish anything. I can’t light on an idea and finish it. It’s sad because I wrote four books that were very well accepted, but can’t seem to find my place in the writing world. I’ve based every decision on money. It has not worked for me. I have to assume, it won’t work for you.
Cause over career. A long time ago, I watched a very talented author decide that she was going to E-pub before it was fashionable to do so. That was fine, but she bad mouthed every traditional publisher and burned all her bridges. I can’t actually back up this next statement with a statistic, so I ask that you be aware of the successful authors around you and see if this statement jives. Very successful romance authors do all the different types of publishing. They Indy Pub, Small Press Pub and Traditionally Pub. I think that is probably the way to success. Don’t decide that any of the above are beneath you. Do not write blog posts burning bridges. Write and publish, however you choose. Try to stay out of the fray. Try to keep in mind that with all the ways to communicate today, sometimes just keeping your business private is hard to do. I suggest, you do that.
The Controversy Button. Today in this country, most people are not moderate on politics. People have chosen sides. I advise you strongly to forget your politics on your pages and in your tweets, here’s why: if I’m right, about half the people are going to agree with you. Sounds nice. But, that means that the other half are going to disagree with you. I used to be VERY political online. It didn’t hurt my sales, but then again, it didn’t help them. And, over the past few months, I’ve had to block and unfollow several people, some authors due to their political rants. It has just been ridiculous. This is only advice, but here is why I say this. If you upset someone with something you post on your author pages, they are going to not only block/unfriend/unfollow you, they are also going to not buy your books, and tell all their friends, “I unblocked Author Jane Doe because I wasn’t listening to all that. I’ll never buy a book from her after what she said.” And, her friends? They are her They could very well say, “Yeah, me too.” I can’t stop you from doing this. It’s your right as an American to say whatever you want. However, taking from the Bible here: just because something is permissible, doesn’t make it profitable and in our case, it could be literally profit.
That is my advice for getting our careers off life support. I hope you’ll let me know how it turns out for you. Put your tushy in the chair and write. Let all these other things go by the wayside. Put your time where it will be useful to your career. I wish you many blessings.
You can find out more about Donna and her books at:
And don’t miss my newest story Liam’s Secret in the upcoming anthology—Masquerade.
♦ ♦ ♦ ♦
Donna Wright will be attending Romancing the Smokies
March 17-18, 2017 | Hilton Knoxville Airport, Alcoa, TN
Romancing the Smokies, a production by Sweet Romance Author Donna Wright, is a romance readers dream with a Emerald Isle event, author meet and greet, an elegant luncheon, book signing, Masquerade Ball including fun casino games, plus tons of swag and giveaways.
Here, readers get to meet their favorite authors and authors get to connect with readers. We have put together authors from every sub-genre of Romance and even some Mystery authors so you, the reader, can make a personal connection and really get to know the authors whose books you’ve loved.
If you are a writer, or if you know a few writers, you know that it can be a strange lifestyle. You also know you can't write if you don't have sense of humor. So, for a change of pace, we offer you some funnies about writers and lightbulbs we have discovered on the Internet.
Z: We are off topic here, y'know. A: We are always off topic, we skip around, mix it up, keep things interesting. Z: This is interesting? A: (Looks offended, since it was her idea) Of course it is, it's humorous. Z: Whatever you say, Gracie. A: Who's Gracie Z: (Rolls eyes) George Burms and Gracie? Hmmm, you remember back in the old days. A: (Feigns ignorance) Moi? I'm not THAT old. Z: And away we go...(said in a Jackie Glenson accent, showing Zi's full age)
How many screenwriters does it take to change a light bulb? Ten. Hero changes light bulb. 2nd draft. Villain changes light bulb. 3rd draft. Hero stops villain from changing light bulb. Villain falls to death. 4th draft. Lose the light bulb. 5th draft. Light bulb back in. Fluorescent instead of tungsten. 6th draft. Villain breaks bulb, uses it to kill hero's mentor. 7th draft. Fluorescent not working. Back to tungsten. 8th draft. Hero forces villain to eat light bulb. 9th draft. Hero laments loss of light bulb. Doesn't change it. 10th draft. Hero changes light bulb.
Or
How many screenwriters does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Why does it *have* to be changed?
How many science fiction writers does it take to change a light bulb?
Two, but it's actually the same person doing it. He went back in time and met himself in the doorway and then the first one sat on the other one's shoulder so that they were able to reach it. Then a major time paradox occurred and the entire room, light bulb, changer and all was blown out of existence. They co-existed in a parallel universe, though.
How many publishers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Three. One to screw it in. Two to hold down the author.
How many mystery writers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Two. One to screw it almost all the way in, and the other to give it a surprising twist at the end.
How many cover blurb writers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A VAST AND TEEMING HORDE STRETCHING FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA!!!!
*****
We'd love to hear from anyone interested in what we do. Anyone who writes us at writingteamcw@yahoo.com with blog in the subject line and leaves an s-mail address, we will send you a gift and add you to any future mailings.
Angelica Hart and Zi KILLER DOLLS ~ SNAKE DANCE ~ CHASING YESTERDAY ~ CHRISTMAS EVE...VIL coming soon www.champagnebooks.com
Vixen Bright and Zachary Zane STEEL EMBRACE http://www.carnalpassions.com/
THE FABLE OF SIN-SIN CINDERELLA Series angelicahartandzi.com
What are the most challenging and the most rewarding aspects of writing?
I'd say the most challenging aspects are far more plentiful. Constant rejection, a long generative process with little reward along the way, an ever-moving target for what your customers (in the case of writing, publishers and editors) are looking for...it's rather depressing if one stops to think about it. All that being said, the most rewarding aspect of writing is knowing that a reader enjoyed your story enough to continue reading your other works. Readers are definitely what makes writing worth pressing through, despite all of the challenges.
Tell us about your latest/upcoming release. What inspired it? Is it part of a series or is it a standalone title?
My latest release (Champagne Books, January 2010) is Friends in Deed, the second novel in my Aston West series of books and short stories. The inspiration for this one came from a brief mention of some bit characters from my first novel, Heroes Die Young (Champagne Books, September 2008), Lars and Elijah Cassus. These twin brothers caught my attention during Heroes Die Young, and I began to wonder what they were like and what they'd been up to since Aston last saw them. Unfortunately for him, they'd been up to a lot of no good.
What are your top 3 favorite paranormal books and movies?
I'd say that my top three are all in the movie arena. Not sure if it would be classified as a paranormal in the strictest sense, but I loved Ghostbusters (the first one...the second not so much). Another good one would be Beetlejuice, and a third would be Sixth Sense.
What character (s) in any of your books is most like you?
I'm not sure that any one character is most like me in all aspects, as much as a part of me goes into every character I create. Aston, as my main character, does share some similarities with me, but not enough to where I'd say he's like me.
What is the most ridiculous thing that you have thought about doing to any of your characters but never did?
Wow...have never really thought about that before. In fact, most of the time, I get my way (it's good to be the master of one's universe, writing-wise) when I want to do things to my characters. But on the flip-side, I'm a fairly benevolent dictator and have never tried to do anything too ridiculous. I would say that I've never forced Aston to settle down with someone, but that might just be because I haven't gotten around to it yet.
In fact, I'd say there are possibly many ridiculous things that I've thought about doing, but just haven't gotten around to yet. The thought of Aston's ship's computer (Jeanie) have a holographic image around the ship has bumped around in my head from time to time, and might just make this list...and then again, it might just happen in the future.
How do you keep track of your world building?
I generally use 3x5 notecards for a lot of the specific details of worlds, characters, etc. I also use spiral notebooks for plots of my novels and loose sheets in a master notebook for my short stories. I'm terrible at keeping track otherwise, and even then, there are far too many times when I'll have to pull out an old story or manuscript file to do some research on what I'd done in the past.
What do you feel are the benefits of the new electronic readers such as Kindle 2 or Sony Digital Book Reader to the environment?
I do think that eReaders will become the new standard for reading books, just like MP3 players have for listening to music. I believe that their full potential still has yet to be reached, because of the high price point, and once the companies selling these devices realize this, a waterfall effect will be seen, just as with MP3 players. The ability to transport several books on a single device, versus lugging around all those paper copes...it'll be like a writer creating several manuscripts on a computer versus typing them all out (and editing) on a manual typewriter. People will look back and wonder how we ever did it before having eReaders.
What impact do electronic readers create on the bottom line for authors in the end? Do you feel they have a negative impact or positive, or no impact at all that you can see?
It all depends on the contracts an author has in place, as well as the promotion an author does. If an author is receiving 15% of cover price on a $30 hardback, then obviously they're going to balk at the idea of receiving even 30% of a $10 e-book. But time and again, we've seen evidence that a lower price point (including under $6 for an e-book) drives more people to try new authors, and if an author is selling 40 e-books a day at $6, receiving 30%...that's going to be more money coming in versus even 15% of a $30 hardback even if it might be selling 15 copies a day (which would be extremely ambitious, especially in this economy).
So, all that to say I believe electronic readers are going to prove a huge positive impact on an author's bottom line. A lower price point will drive more readers to buy, and in greater quantities than expensive hardbacks. Add in higher royalty percentages to offset these lower prices, and it's a win-win for authors.
What other jobs have you had besides being an author?
Being an author is my part-time job. During the day, I work for an aircraft company designing aircraft...which is good, because writing is not something to go into if you're looking for something to pay the bills.
Which authors works do you enjoy reading and do you have any other authors that you bounce ideas of?
I have several authors I enjoy reading...though I hesitate to list any here, as I'll likely omit someone and cause ill feelings. The best way to catch these authors is by following me over at Twitter, Facebook and Myspace where I generally give shout-outs to these authors for their books.
As for other authors I bounce ideas off of, I am part of a critique group here in town which I attend each month. Besides those, I communicate with several authors I've met through the years (both in person and over the internet) and have grown to trust and respect. Again, no lists as I'll definitely end up forgetting someone...
What is your favorite way to relax after a hard day of work/writing? Sleep usually works...and is about all I have time for. ;-)
I also have several spots in town I like to eat or dine at, but more often than not, I'll end up taking my writing with me, and just end up getting more done if possible.
Are you working on anything new that you want to tease the readers with?I do have several new pieces in work, including my third Aston novel, tentatively titled Death Brings the Victory. Another piece (The Cure), which is set in Aston's universe (but doesn't contain him) is a tale of one woman's desire to bring her dead family back to life by finding a cure for death. And of course, I'm always working on several short stories along the way...and have many which are out on submission or under contract for publication. If we asked your muse to describe you in five words, what do you think they may say about you?Methodically driven, stubborn writing masochist
Where can readers find you on the net?
I have a home over at AstonWest.com which is where readers can find out about my latest news, releases, and events, as well as links to my published stories and novels. As I mentioned, I also exist on Twitter (@astonwest), Facebook and Myspace (both under Aston West). And of course, one can also see me from time to time at my usual internet writer's websites (which one can get to through the links page over my site).
Heroes Die Young
Available in E-book and Print
Champagne Books/Amazon
Aston stumbles across a derelict freighter and is drawn into the intrigue surrounding its fate as well as the ship's beautiful, yet mysterious Captain.
I lifted the left sleeve of my black jacket up and spoke through the embedded transmitter. “Can you get me through the airlock hatch?”
“Negative.”
Green indicator lights above the inner circular hatch told me the pressures had already equalized. I stooped over to the left and looked at my reflection in a dark computer screen mounted in the wall. My face was rugged, covered with a few lines and weathered by experience. My once bright blue eyes were dim from the passage of time. I quickly grew tired of looking at myself and pulled the screen from the wall, where it dangled from a large jumble of wires.
It was a mystery which ones controlled the locking mechanism, so to save time, I yanked all of them out amidst snapping sparks and rancid fumes. The screen dropped to the floor and smashed. The door popped loose, just enough where I could put my fingers around the edge. The muscles in my arms bulged slightly as I strained. Finally, the door hit a point where it rolled out of the way on its own and I ducked through the entryway.
“I’m in,” I announced to Jeanie.
“Be careful.”
Inside, I broke into a sweat, from both the physical exertion and the climate controls on-board the freighter. Rulusians were from an extremely warm and humid jungle planet, and liked to make their ships feel like home. My heavy jacket didn’t help matters. Lines of sweat made their way down my face, as I stepped away from the airlock hatch.
I turned my gaze down the entry corridor and saw carnage I wouldn’t soon forget. Rulusian bodies lay on either side of the hallway, burn marks from energy weapons as black patches on a background of dark green skin. The putrid scent of scorched flesh was in the air. I passed an open doorway on my left, and looked inside at crew quarters. More Rulusian corpses lay amidst sparks and clouds of smoke.
I lifted the transmitter again. “You’re sure there isn’t anyone on this ship?”
“Affirmative. All scans show nothing but yourself.”
“This damage is far too recent for my liking.”
“Did the crew abandon ship as we had thought?”
I grimaced. “Doesn’t look like it.”
I continued down the corridor toward the bridge. Dark blast marks lined the doorframe and floor, where an access hatch had been blown open. Smoke particles lingered in the air and I detected a faint chemical odor while my eyes watered. I took slow, cautious steps through the opening and became witness to even more carnage. Ten more Rulusians were collapsed against the wall or slumped over consoles, all roasted by weapons fire. I definitely didn’t need to meet up with the people who had done this. I didn’t get into the scavenging business to be a hero. Everyone loves heroes, but heroes have a tendency to die young.
People often ask me when I knew that I was a writer. Now, I don’t mean, “When did I know that I wanted to be a writer?” which is a very different question. It’s the difference between a little kid saying he wants to grow up to be a fireman and the day the young adult dons his SCOT gear and doesn’t panic.
For me the fateful day was right after Christmas vacation my sophomore year of high school. It had been a different vacation than those I had known. That fall I had started at a boarding school, where it was hoped that I would get a better education than in our local public school system.
One of the many reasons behind this change was it allowed my father to take a sabbatical year off from his teaching job; he was on the faculty of the same public system that I was leaving. My parents were going to spend the winter in Florida. Even then it seemed like an unworthy way to spend a year that was supposed to afford either travel or education, but that was their goal.
Now, at the risk of revealing my age, which is easily in the senior category, I have to say that in those days Florida was far away and even exotic to those of us who lived in the Greater Boston area. Even though the Wright brothers had done their thing and Lindbergh, Post, and Earhart had long since left the stage, flying was still exotic, and average people didn’t go to Florida. Of course, Disney and the Orlando miracle hadn’t taken place so those who did go were mainly visiting Miami and the sun.
My brother and I took a flight out of Logan. It was our first flight. Since Eastern Airlines is long since defunct, I can mention that it was a flight out of hell. So badly was it managed that we arrived many hours late and our parents, along with other waiting greeters, were told that the airline has “lost track” of the flight. But, eventually we arrived, and I had instantly become a dedicated traveler.
There was much about that vacation that was memorable. From time to time I have drawn on it for parts of short stories and poems and even for brief bits of professional papers in my other career as a psychologist. However, I chose only one night spent walking on the beach for the inevitable “What I did on my vacation” essay that my English teacher had required us to write.
Why had I chosen that night? Because of the moon. So full, so bright, yet so eerie. It had been a moon of panic and archetypical thoughts, a moon made for histrionics and adolescence.
Mr. Williams had liked my essay. Easily I had received the highest grade in the class. However, he had criticized my use of adjectives. “Silver” he had written in the space above my words and taken off a few points. What had I written” The white gold moon …” I tried to remonstrate.
“Everybody knows that the moon is silver so that’s the word you use,” had been his explanatory response.
Now I don’t want to be overly critical. He was an admirable teacher, and I learned a great deal that year. But, he was not a writer. At that moment I knew that he was not. I also knew that I was. You see writers think about the words we use; we worry at them; we select them; we say them to ourselves and hear their sound; ultimately we cherish them. We do not use them because they are the words that are expected. At that time I could not have explained to him that alchemy was about gold and therefore that the motivational power of the gold was so much greater than the silver. I could not explain to him that the use of two words instead of a two-syllable word would give more emphasis to the sounds and thereby draw more attention to the phrase. I could not even explain that the unexpected makes the reader think. I simply walked away knowing that Mr. Williams was not and would never be a writer but that I, even at fourteen, was.
Thousands of words later - having written novels, short stories, poetry, and essays: I still celebrate the careful choice of words. I still listen for the sounds as the words leave my fingers and turn into electrons.
Here is a small excerpt from one of my short stories, End Game.
Michael stared at the popcorn ceiling and waited for it to descend – to press him into wine, the last unprotesting whine of death. It was, he iterated over and over in his head, “a consummation devoutly to be wished.” But the damn ceiling did what ceilings will do, it lay suspended above him like an astral plane to which he could aspire but which he would never reach. He lay splayed in comfortable crucifixion across their bed. Naked, semi-erect and incoherent he lay; and she, Merriam, lay next to him.
Could I have written this differently? Obviously. I have played on the homonyms wine and whine; I have deliberately referenced Shakespeare and particularly the painful indecision of Hamlet, which incidentally tell us that the character is intellectual. I coin a word, “unprotesting,” which your spell check will tell you should be “unresisting.” Unresisting does not carry forth the play on homonyms.
“Writers love language.” That is something I know at the core of being. Lots of people write things but aren’t writers. Like that English teacher of years ago, they write what is expected rather than cherishing the creativity of words. Ultimately to be a writer is to become an alchemist of words, we are trying to turn them into our white gold.
Find out more on Kenneth check out his website and video trailers:
Publisher-All Things That Matter Press-Click HERE to view
Memoirs from the Asylum blurb:
What is it like to work inside a state hospital or to be a patient in such a hospital? What is it like to live inside the mind of such a patient? This tragi-comedic novel takes the reader inside the asylum, inside the worlds of three central characters: a narrator who has taken refuge from his fears of the world, a psychiatrist whose own life has been damaged by his father's depression, and a catatonic schizophrenic whose world is trapped inside a crack in the wall opposite her bed. This is the interwoven story of their lives, a story that includes love, sexuality, violence, deaths, celebrations, circuses, and surprising twists. As the plot unwinds, the reader learns a great deal about the nature of futility, frustration, and freedom.
Buy at Amazon HERE or HERE at All Things That Matter Press
I love good bad boys. Oops, don't I mean bad good boys? Nope, not at all. There is a difference, at least to my way of thinking. Bad good boys are the ones I don't trust. They're the ones who pretend to be good, kind, loving and caring, but they're really underhanded, sneaky, and probably snivel and cry when a good bad boy shows up! Now, there are also bad, bad boys who are just that. They're bad and don't care who knows it. They don't have anything good in them and wind up being the ones who beat the women in their lives, kick puppies and rob their grandmothers. Eeewww! But the good bad boys, oh, give me one of them anytime.
A good bad boy is the one who is sexy, confident, loving, kind, protective, a little possessive, good in bed and the ones we love to love. They're also not afraid to be the tough guy when they have to be. They'll punch out anyone who disrespects a woman, kicks a puppy, or mistreats anyone who is unable to defend themselves. They might bend the law in their effort to do the right thing, maybe occasionally, break the law, but only when the law stands between them and their goal to do the right thing. These guys are the perfect man in every way, which is probably why they are written about in so many books.
Some of my favorite good bad boys are Thomas Jane, playing Castle in The Punisher (2004, Lions Gate Films); Mark Wahlberg as Max Payne in the movie by the same name (2008, 20th Century Fox); and Denzel Washington in everything he does, but most recently as Eli in The Book Of Eli (2010, Warner Bros.).
In books, I think Karen Marie Moning's Highlander series has some of the sexiest hunks with Kiss Of The Highlander, which introduces identical twins Drustan and Dageus MacKeltar. I have consumed each new book faster than the author can write them and absolutely love not only the brothers, but also the other men created in this series. Each one is more scrumptious than the next and I could lick them all from head to toe and want seconds!
These are the kind of men I not only love, but also married. Oh yes, ladies, I have my very own good bad boy in my bed every night. He is also just as scrumptious as the make believe men, but he's also very real. He is everything I've ever wanted, the one who treats me like a treasure, and protects me, loves me, takes care of me and the sex, well now…I don't want you to be too jealous of me! J He's a strong, strong-minded, physical kind of guy with a warrior's heart and soul, who still has enough little boy in him to be playful and carefree. That is something I lack and without him to pull me out of my adult doldrums, I'd probably be a hermit who never sees the sun.
He is also the one I model my good bad boy characters after. Even my first published book, Deadly Dreams, (Noble Romance Publishing),had elements of my husband in both the hero and the villain. I continued in that vein in Blood Line, (Noble Romance Publishing), and it's sequel, Ancient Blood, with the character Joshua Kaine. The relationship between Josh and his wife, Jessie, is very close to the relationship my husband and I share. He is also in my characters from Comes An Outlaw, (Silver Publishing), Closure (Champagne Books), One Good Man (eXcessica), and a few I'm still working on. As far as I'm concerned, I've found the perfect mix of good bad boy in the man I married, so why shouldn't I share him with the world through my characters? After all, he is the man we all love to dream of and fantasize about.
Allison Hamstead thought it was love, finally, after all the years alone, someone loved her in spite of the fact she was fat! Not that her size had ever kept her from being successful, but it had kept her far from personal relationships. She’d heard all of the fat jokes ever told, all of the things people in her office said behind her back, and she didn’t miss not having a boyfriend, or dates every weekend. Did she? But now she was in love and she couldn’t wait to introduce him to her best friend, Sarah. And what a mistake that had turned out to be! It wasn’t long before the love of her life and her best friend were living together and Allison was humiliated.
Starting over is never easy, but Allison is determined to do so and moves far from Chicago to the warm waters of Biloxi, Mississippi where she accepts a position at one of the floating casinos. For the first time in her life, Allison feels like she’s truly at home. She loves her job, she loves her boss, who is like a father to her, and she loves being a part of all the excitement going on around her. Except for one little thing…
Her boss’s eldest son, Stephen, is probably the most handsome, gorgeous, and sexy man she’s ever laid eyes on…and he knows it! And for some reason he acts interested in her. Then her mother comes to visit and winds up dating her boss. Her accounts start showing large amounts of money missing. And her ex shows up unannounced and says he wants her back. Can anything else possibly go wrong?
Absolutely!
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Closure by Rie McGaha (blurb)
High in the hills above Albuquerque, New Mexico Detective Zachariah Ellison arrives at the scene of a murder, and not just any murder, but one that definitely falls into the “gruesome” category even for a seasoned cop like Zach. When another body is found murdered in much the same fashion, Zach knows he’s got a serial killer on his hands, and to top it off he’s got an assistant district attorney hounding him about the case. As Zach tries to investigate the crimes while sidestepping nosey Amy Logan, a third body is found and Zach hasn’t a clue as to whom the perpetrator might be.
Amy Logan has worked hard to put herself through school and pay for law school on her own and now that she’s secured a position as assistant district attorney in Albuquerque, she’s determined to do everything she can to be the best prosecutor this office has ever seen. And as if luck was following her, she’s been assigned to the biggest homicide case the city has ever seen. The only problem she’s having is the homicide detective who’s leading the investigation—Zach Ellison.
*~*
Comes An Outlaw by Rie McGaha (Blurb)
Jacob Dobbs is alive. That surprises him considering how many times he's been shot and the amount of blood he's lost. Forced to leave his brother, Luke, lying dead, Jake hurts both inside and out. As soon as he's up to it, he's going to avenge Luke's death and he knows just where to start. Ebenezer Franklin is a big fish in a little pond and has everyone in the town in his back pocket, but that won't deter Jake. As he sees it, Ebenezer is responsible for the shoot and the $5,000 taken from Luke in a rigged card game. But when Jake finally executes his plan, he didn't expect to run into a beautiful woman. Or to kidnap her. Now he has an even bigger problem—she doesn't seem too upset at being kidnapped!
Sex sells. Every writer knows that. Most writers try to make sure they have some good sex in each book. Readers want to peek inside the bedroom, enjoy vicariously, and perhaps even learn something for their own romantic lives. When it comes time to make movies, the actors, directors, and producers want a certain amount of sex, too. Not only does it help bring in the crowds, but it also gives an opportunity for artistic skills.
Because sex is so primordial, so basic, and so widely experienced, it takes real art to make it something new and something special. The horniness of the characters was once enough to excite and even to make some readers blush. If it was a woman character who was aroused, it was as if the censorious skies were about to fall. But, we’re well passed that level of prudery.
Mutual climax was also once considered prurient. The secret by which the male character got his girlfriend to reach orgasm became a holy grail. Now, of course, we realize that female orgasm was more inhibited by cultural norms than it ever was by female physiology. But, there was a time that the portrayal of mutual orgasm was powerful stuff.
The list goes on and on. Oral sex, anal sex, three-somes, necrophilia, bestiality: we humans are a horny and lascivious species. Art becomes limited by the limitations of our bodies, especially those of us who cannot attain the positions of legendary ancient yoga masters and Hindu gods. We have become a culture that celebrates Rabelais and revels in the god Bacchus. Whether it is the fraternity party or the corporate retreat, we are quick to hold a bacchanalia.
What is the poor writer to do? How do we portray sex in new ways, in ways that will challenge and more importantly interest our readers?
Many writers have given up and turned to aggression as a substitute. Sex becomes more foreplay to rage, destruction, and dehumanization than it is a goal in itself. In other works, sex is merely bait – a means by which characters can be manipulated, particularly men being manipulated by evil women. In that regard it seems as if modern writers have gone back to The Bible; certainly the weakness of men in the face of sexual temptation is a constant theme in that “good” book.
As a writer, I take a different approach to sex. Trying, as I do, to see life as a tapestry, I try to portray sexuality and desire as part of the warp and woof of life. While disturbances of that normality can lead to sexual dysfunction and rage-filled acting out, day to day, sexuality should be and is portrayed as being just as normal and part of life as going to the bathroom or eating or even having a conversation. It is, rather, the emotion of love and the acceptance of desire that is for me the artistic high point. The challenge is not to describe yet another position or another place in which to have sex, it is to help the characters appreciate the experience that is happening to them. To me one challenge in writing is to write romance which is meaningful and not just filled with forced emotionality and claims that of some unearned uniqueness.
Here, for example, is a short excerpt from Widow’s Walk in which I try to achieve my artistic goal. It is the first time that the protagonist and her lover have sex.
They stand hugging one another and saying nothing. Slowly, they stroke each other’s body, feeling the nooks and crannies that have been hidden so long. Finally, with one coordinated movement – almost as if it has been choreographed – they lie on the bed. They lie and hold each other tightly as if terrified of ever being parted.
Neither the cold analytic purposefulness of Arnie’s marriage nor the stolid wholesome, unbending love between Mary and Sean had prepared either of them for the intensity of this night. Their hands ply careful channels along each other’s bodies. From time to time, one of them stops the ceaseless exploration to lean over and kiss the other.
Their kisses caress places that have too long been ignored. For the first time in her life Mary experiences the exciting pleasure of a man kissing her nipples; and she enjoys the strange saltiness of this loving man’s body – not just his face and lips, but his arms, and chest, and buttocks. And Arnie, too, is experiencing the electricity of love. He feels his manhood swell and raise itself to new attention. His penis becomes tumescent and it challenges him with its eagerness. When he is sure that they are both ready, he carefully rolls himself on top of Mary. So very gently, using his hand to guide it lest he cause her pain, he inserts his penis into Mary's vagina.
“Ohhh,” she moans with soft pleasure.
“Ahhhh,” he responds.
More than those, words are not necessary.
Find more of Kenneth's work at Sex and Murder Magazine; their issue seven leads with one of my stories. http://sexandmurder.com/
So often those of us who have been called to spend hours in front of that blank glowing screen are asked why. When we could be enjoying a film, a barbeque, our friends or just washing our socks, we toil over plot and setting. Define it as a calling, an addiction, a penchant or insanity; those who write popular fiction have something deep inside them the normal human being does not—characters. Yes…with an ‘s’. Maybe we grew up with a greater than average curiosity about what makes people tick, or in the case of we romance writers, a softer heart that believes nothing is more powerful than love. Whatever it is we few intrepid souls park ourselves in front of a computer and/or carry a composition book and pen wherever we go because not to do so would impoverish our world…and yours.
The ineffable “they” say that most people want to write a book someday. It is the few that actually make it to those two little words ‘the end’ and fewer who manage to navigate the soul-blistering world of publishing. The waiting, the rejection, the learning curve are not for sissies.
Most writers will tell you that there are certain types of stories that attract them. In my case, I write to uplift, inspire, educate and entertain-- a tall order I take it with all seriousness. Like most art forms, literature falls under the influence of trends. Just as television seems to be inundated with crime investigation programs, popular fiction is flooded with revenge thrillers, vampires and fantasy.
Maybe it is our global recession that steers people to escape. Maybe we are drawn to the unknown, the unfeasible or downright unbelievable. Whatever the case, there has been and always will be the deep seeded need for people to experience the world through others eyes.
I write Contemporary.
I write contemporary because that’s what has always attracted me. Before I started to write fiction I was a big self-help and psychology reader. My major in college focused on the human condition. Even when I used to watch a daytime soap, I chose All My Children because it fit the lunch hour timeslot and it did NOT have ghosts, vampires or anything out of the contemporary reality (if you can call a soap 'reality’...lol)
People are endlessly fascinating to me, as is setting. I love to travel and use my experiences to research new locations and character(s). Modern day dilemmas and locales are more accessible and relatable. Not that basic human interest has changed over the generations. A good read is a good read no matter what century it is set because of this unchangeable human nature. Yet, I find modern life very exciting and think we are all fortunate to be alive in this amazing time of change and burgeoning knowledge. How do we deal with this avalanche of knowledge and choice in our present day? Fascinating stuff.
Sub Genre?? The book I just contracted with MuseItHot Publishing is a romantic suspense. (Shadows Steal The Light- Feb 2011) It is not easy to keep track of all the details that make a suspense, a really fast paced and fun read. It was a challenge in the writing---yet at the end of the day it turned out amazing. My Coast Guard rescue at sea, gone wrong book, Against The Current (Phaze Books at Phaze.com) also was exciting to construct with its realistic challenges and the suspense inherent in how these brave men and women handle emergency situations.
Exotic setting?? Most of my works take place, at least partially, in the UK. It has been a home away from home ever since I fell in love with it during a year of University spent abroad in London. Scotland feels strangely familiar as though I have lived there before or belong there. So I write about these people and their beautiful corner of the world. I have their idioms and speech patterns ingrained in my internal ear putting me in a unique position---I can write Brits so Americans can understand them. I imbed explanations of odd idiom or cultural stuff within the fabric of the story so Americans are not left scratching their heads. Yet when I do book signing I often have readers surprised to find that I am not British....a real compliment.
My most recent e-book release through Awe Struck Publishing is set on a beautiful Island off the coast of Naples, Italy. I have holidayed there twice and simply love it. It is a real joy to be able to bring wonderful settings to readers that they may never have a chance to visit. Or maybe they will do because of the sense of character my settings take on. :) Leap Of Faith is a great vicarious vacation.
Guess you can extrapolate that I don't plan any ghosts or vampires in my work anytime soon though I have learned to never say never. As a former Kindergarten teacher, most people would not have expected me to turn spicy romance author, so who knows?? It is the truth in the telling that sets a story above others. A hundred years from now we in the contemporary vein will be sought out as accurate reflections of a time in history when change was the only thing certain and men and women met the challenge with amazing resiliency and courage. That is the stuff of world building to know that eyes unborn will read and marvel. The readers of today will always appreciate something they can sink their teeth into as familiar, yet inspiring because the characters handled their situation in creative ways that uplift, educate, entertain. Hmmm…think I just may have hit on something here.
