Put a Ring On It: Commitment to Writing.

From bronswirlz13

I was thinking the other day about writing now and writing when I very first began Haven. After my 10+ year hiatus, it was like falling in love all over again. I stayed up all hours of the night, pounding away on the keyboard like a psychotic Mozart, less the innate mad skills to create genius without even trying.

When I made breakfast, I thought about the book. When I took a shower, I thought about the book. When I drove the kids to the park, yep, I thought about the book. I'd lay in bed for hours some nights, plotting and having conversations with the characters in my head. I'd sit up from a half-sleep and frantically scratch ideas on paper using only the insufficient light from my phone. Believe me, I have notes I can't even read, and the ones I can read are mostly nonsensical.

But I was completely in love with my project... I felt like a teenager again when everything was fresh and exciting. No matter how flawed my story might be, it was mine, and I was over the moon.

As time wore on and I made a genuine, till-death-do-us-part commitment, the glory began to fade. It wasn't because I'd lost interest in the project. It wasn't because something newer and more interesting came along. But now, the real work began.

Getting words on a page is the fun part. It isn't a struggle for me to come up with ideas or characters. The work is introducing those things in the way they deserve. We're a team, my story and I, and I want to be the best teammate I can for what's been given to me.

Instead of creating adventures, I found myself removing those things that didn't move the story forward. Plot holes here, irresolution there. I suddenly found I was patching up the relationship between my story and myself, and I didn't even know we were having problems.

According to the story, I wasn't devoting enough time to the characters' needs. Sometimes I took situations too lightly. I tried to work on it. But it's in my nature to make light of something that makes me uncomfortable. Apparently, my characters didn't like that. They wanted me to feel the things they felt so I could share that with the reader.

So, I adapted. I started listening and trying to be more understanding. I made sure to clean up my messes and take out the trash. I was more cognoscente of their plans when I made my own. Over time, our relationship began to flourish once more. Haven hit the shelves with a shiny new wedding band and all.

There have been a few naysayers along the way. Those people who spew out relationship advice left and right even though they've never been a part of a successful one themselves. They squawk like harpies flying overhead, pointing out all the things you're doing wrong. And I'll confess, their bitter words are as piercing as acid-tipped darts on bare skin ... if you let them be.

But I made a commitment to my writing a long time ago. I know I can't live happily without it. Writing has become a part of who I am and who I'll become. I may never be a J.K. Rowling of a success or a Tennyson of beautiful words, but I choose to love our relationship because it's ours. No one else has one like my writing and I do. For that reason, I can't let anyone else tell me how to manage it. I won't compare my relationship to the relationship of others, because no two are alike. When it comes to your writerly marriage, you find what dress fits YOU, because wearing someone else's just won't work.

A writing marriage, just like a real one, isn't always beautiful. You'll have up days and you'll have down. But just like a real marriage, you choose to make it work. The writing isn't going to bail on you, so the ball's in your court to maintain the passion. Ignore what others say unless it's helpful. Just remember, not everyone with an opinion is qualified to have one. Even crazies think they're right.

At the end of the day, it's just the two of you. Enjoy every heartache and every victory, because not only do you grow with each experience, so does your relationship.

Happy writing.

Random Acts of Kindness giveaway

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Thanks for stopping by the Random Acts of Kindness giveaway! Many thanks to Read for Your Future and I Am A Reader, Not A Writer for hosting.

I'm giving away a 3-in-1 prizepack today! Dark Visions by L.J. Smith. This volume contains all THREE books in the series. Due to shipping, this giveaway is US only! Sorry friends across the way.

Kaitlyn Fairchild has always felt like an outsider in her small hometown. Her haunting eyes and prophetic drawings have earned her a reputation as a witch. But Kait's not a witch: She's a psychic. Tired of being shunned, Kait accepts an invitation to attend the Zetes Institute, where she can have a fresh start and study with other psychic teens.

Learning to hone her abilities with four other gifted students, Kait discovers the intensity of her power -- and the joy of having true friends. But those friendships quickly become complicated when Kait finds herself torn between two irresistible guys. Rob is kind and athletic, and heals people with his good energy. Gabriel is aggressive and mysterious, a telepath concealing his true nature as a psychic vampire, feeding off of others' life energy. Together, Rob and Gabriel's opposing forces threaten the group's stability.

Then one of the experiments traps the five teens in a psychic link. A link that threatens their sanity and their lives. And Kaitlyn must decide whom to trust...and whom to love.

 Fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter for a chance to win. This is my first time using Rafflecopter. What are your thoughts on it?

Happy reading!

Lovapalooza Begins Tomorrow!!!

Hosted by Chirenjenzie!!!

Valentine's Day. When someone says Valentine's Day most people automatically conjure up images of love and romance, chocolate and flowers. Women want jewelry and pretty things, while men want ... well, I think we all know what men want for Valentine's -- which is kind of ironic considering the believed origins revolve around saints. Anyway, while those things are awesome in their own right, it'd be expensive to offer the women's choice and illegal (in 49 states) to offer the men's. So as a big thanks-for-being-awesome, Elizabeth Isaacs, LK Gardner-Griffie, and myself are offering our books for FREE for three whole days. Beginning Monday, February 13th at midnight through February 15th at midnight, you can download The Light of Asteria, Tattered, and The Willows: Haven from Amazon at no cost.

If Nora Johnson hadn't been on campus that day she would have never known her true destiny. Helping her friends move into the dorm that she wanted to call home, Nora accidentally collides with mysterious stranger, Gavin Frey. His very first touch sends flames through her heart. The world seems different-something within her has changed.

Nora tries to resume her mundane life, but she is now consumed with the one whose very presence ignited her soul, the one with eyes of emerald. Nora soon learns that an energy buried deep within has been unleashed. She now wields unimaginable power and has become Gavin's source, his strength.

Her newfound joy is shaken when she discovers that Gavin is not who he appears to be and she has been thrust in the middle of a war of mythical proportions. Negativity has allowed all things evil to flourish, the earth is under siege. The fate of creation hinges on the power within her heart. Will she be strong enough to survive?

When tragedy strikes, seventeen year-old Ashton Blake sets out on a cross-country road trip, leaving the comforts of Malibu for the mountains of Kentucky. Along the way, she encounters Gabe Willoughby—the mysterious drifter with eyes like the sea and a knowing smile. Getting to know Gabe raises questions about her past. But no secret can be buried forever, and Ashton soon finds herself in a world where water is air and myth becomes reality.

Just as Ashton comes to accept her newfound heritage, she’s summoned to fulfill a treaty laid down centuries before — a treaty that will divide her love and test her loyalty. In the end, her future isn’t her biggest concern, her humanity is. To run may mean war, but is she strong enough to stay?

What do Sunday afternoon court proceedings, cheerleader tryouts, and a book burning have in common? Katie McCabe is back in action.

After her nemesis Harvey is found guilty and sentenced to community service, Katie wants to believe her troubles are over, but Harvey won’t rest until he gets revenge. When blackmail rears its ugly head, she’s caught between friends and enemies putting her growing relationship with Tom at stake. Books go up in flames and Katie’s world rains down in tatters.

Why So Tense? Writing Past and Present.

Whether you write past tense or present tense is up to you. One thing that's not an option is falling in and out of one or the other.

Example: Bob sees Evie walking toward him, and so he waved hello.

Sees implies it's happening at that very moment, whereas waved means it's already happened. Jumping in and out of tense is not only incorrect, it's irritating as all get out. Your reader will quickly become frustrated.

So, past or present ... how do you choose?

To answer this question, I ask the following: Which do YOU prefer to write? Which lends itself more to the story?

For me, reading present tense is like being beaten repeatedly over the head with a teaspoon. It's irritating and unnatural in my mind. It completely pulls me out of the story until I can get used to it, and even then, I don't really enjoy it. I feel rushed as I read. Granted, my non-creative writing is more present tense, but that's a different post altogether.

I prefer to write past tense. It's what I like to read, and it's what comes naturally. Past tense makes the reader accept things have already happened, and therefore are inevitable. Nothing they can do will change it. For darker stories, this is a priceless advantage. That sense of hopeless, how-will-they-make-it? feeling drives the emotion behind the story. You can practically feel readers' tears as they come to grips with the character's despair or the destruction of their world, and the fact that there's nothing to be done.

A downside to writing past tense is this: The reader knows, if you're writing first person, that the character isn't going to die or suddenly cease existing. You are in the narrator's head. The narrator can't tell a past tense story if they're dead. Mostly not, anyway. I can think of some instances where that would work if, you know, you were a ghost or something. But still.

Another thing to keep in mind is, some past tense writing has a tendency to make you feel like you're reading the past. Sounds idiotic, I know. However, there are times you want to feel the history. If you have a story set in the future, or you have a fantasy/sci-fi/paranormal type of book, what the reader takes in becomes their history as well. It takes you to a new world with a past but also a future. The reader is completely immersed, feeling as if they're a part of it all. This wouldn't work as well set in present tense. Past tense causes a new world to feel real, credible. In my novel, there's a culture who's ancient but still around. Writing in past tense allows the reader to experience their lives from long ago, but connect with them in the present, too.

If I wanted to be dramatic and really draw out the story, I would go present tense, because it's so much more suspenseful. Present tense gives more of a sense of urgency and immediacy. Certain stories work better with present tense, mainly action, thrillers, suspense, and the like. Present tense causes the reader (and the character) to feel as if something is happening right before their eyes. If you truly want the reader to feel what the character feels as it's happening, present tense could be the better choice. It can work wonderfully if you're building a world in the present. Be mindful however, if you have a historical or fastasy-esque setting, and you want to bring the reader presently into the past!

All in all, both past and present have their pros and cons, and whichever works best for you is the way to go, but don't be afraid to experiment with tenses. You never know which might work best!

Which tense do you prefer and why?

Happy writing.

Aspire to Inspire: How Do You Measure Success?

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. ~ Maya Angelou 

I love this quote for so many reasons, but for this post, I love it because it captures the magic of a great book. Books have the ability to change lives. They lead us from the normal and mundane to a world filled with magic and mythology. They remind us what it was like to be teenager again. Books take us to faraway lands we would never see without them. They're our escape.

Think back to a year ago. Can you remember the best-selling books of 2011? Can you list the top ten best-selling authors? Do you know which YA novel held the New York Times #1 spot the longest? 

No? 

Now, think back to a year ago ... ten years ago ... even twenty. What books were your favorite? Which authors shaped your imagination, encouraging you to go beyond yourself and your reality to explore the unknown? That's a little easier to answer, I'd say.

A good book, in my opinion, isn't the one that sells the most copies. It isn't the one people talk about most or that gets made into a movie. A good book to me is one that I read, and it stays with me forever! Nothing changes you like a story. I strongly believe the things I read growing up shaped me into the person and author I am today. 

You have to tell the story that's inside you, not the one you think the world wants to hear. No one can write YOU like YOU. So, when you're feeling low about sales, ratings, or that one persnickety warthog who left a bad review, just remember this: Your story has touched someone and meant more to them than you may ever know. Don't measure success by a standard. Measure it by the life you influence.

A few of my all-time favorite books are ones many people may not know, but I'm eternally grateful to the authors who shared their imagination with the world. It's a better place because of you! You don't know how many lives you've inspired.

Here are a few of my inspirations: 

Mrs Duck's Lovely Day by Vivienne Blake -- This book taught me so much as a kid. In the story, Mrs. Duck travels around, trying to find that one, perfect place. It was in this story that I got to see the ocean for the first time through Mrs. Duck's eye. That's something a kid never forgets!

Goosebumps series by R.L Stine -- Anyone who lived through the 90's as a teen can relate to this. R.L Stine's paranormal world-building and knack for setting the scene in these MG books is great! The kids in the story are so relatable. I always imagined myself creeping up that dark staircase or wandering through the misty cemetery. I love these books to this day!

Song of Fire by Joseph Bentz -- This is a book different than the rest. I can't remember every detail about it. I don't recall the main character's name or details about his life. But I have a vivid recollection of the way it made me feel! At 13, this was the first real novel I ever read. It was the story that made me want to create worlds of my own. After reading Song of Fire, I started writing Haven. A special thanks to Joseph Bentz.

Kailmeyra Chronicles by Elizabeth Isaacs -- The first book that ever made me cry was The Light of Asteria. There's something about Elizabeth Isaacs' writing that touches your emotions like no other. Her writing is so deep and interwoven with meaning and symbolism. She's an author with the ability to shape your life, to cause you to stop and really question yourself.

What novels shaped your life? 

Happy writing!

Persnickety POV: First Person vs. Third Person.

POV is always an interesting subject. For writers, and even some readers, it's a source of great debate. Every person has their own opinions and preferences, myself included. The question then is: Which should YOU choose?

Whichever one you like.

That might seem too straightforward, but really there's no right or wrong answer. Certain genres lend more acceptance to one or the other, but that doesn't mean your story won't sell or readers will ridicule you for stepping outside the box.

So, how do you choose? Let's explore that thought a little further.


Narrative Distance

This is how far from the POV the reader feels from the story. The more distance you put between the protagonist or narrator, the less attached the reader feel from the lead character. Your plot and characters are a couple of things that will help you out when choosing which route to take. You have to ask yourself: Do I want this story to be observed or be experienced? And there's no wrong answer.

Some people don't like first person because they think it takes away from the story itself. I personally favor it, because I'm such a character driven person, and I love being inside their head. I want to experience their journey first, followed by the actual journey. Others don't like third person because it limits how attached the reader will feel to what's happening. If you haven't lived through their angst/joy/triumph first-hand, that takes away from your experience.

Preference plays an important role in choosing between the two. If you feel more at ease and confident writing first person, don't choose third simply because you think it'll sell better with your target genre. A GOOD story will sell itself but only if it's written well. There's no need to force a POV for something as trivial as "the norm" of the genre.


Exploring Narrative Distance

Narrative distance has a few options because, like the term implies, there's distance involved. How much distance is up to you. Here's what I mean.
 

Far Narrative Distance

Evie sighed and decided to put on the first clean shirt she came to.

This is an example of far narrative distance. By using the word “decided,” the author is telling the reader what the character is doing. We don't see Evie make that choice. Using far distances puts the reader on the observation deck, oftentimes getting information the character doesn't even know from an unknown narrator.  

Medium Narrative Distance

Evie spotted the overflowing clothes hamper and sighed. This shirt will work, she thought.

This sentence falls under a medium narrative distance. We've added the phrase, “she thought,” which allows the reader to get inside Evie's head. The reader sees Evie's actions, but they need to see what she's thinking. Medium distances uses phrases like "she noticed" or "she considered" to remind us that we're still reading a story. We can "see" the action, but the mental stuff has to be there because we aren't fully in the character's head.

Close Narrative Distance

 

Evie spotted the overflowing clothes hamper and sighed. No time to do laundry.

This example is close narrative distance. The way we see that is because there aren't explanations from the author. The reader "hears" Evie thinking just as she thinks it. Close distances let the reader see, hear, think, everything at the same moment the character does. If something is contrary to what the character thinks, we have to figure it out as they do.


Choosing Which POV to Use

 

You have to listen to your instincts here and choose the POV you believe work best. If your story is telling you it wants/needs to be in third person, take that into consideration even if it's different than what you're used to. A note of caution, if you choose to write first person, be absolutely certain your character is interesting enough to write about! If you still aren't sure, consider this...

1. Think about the plot.
 
Do you have a plot that revolves around multiple subplots/events? Are there places where the story would drag if the reader was solely focused on one character? Will there be scenes that don't involve the main character, yet need to be explored? If you choose to write first person, you limit yourself entirely to ONE person's head. The reader misses everything the character misses. While it's becoming more and more popular to go between character POVs per chapter, this doesn't always work well! If you have a plot that revolves around one character pursuing their goal, then your POV is optional.

2. Think about the characters. 

In my book, Haven, I I knew Ashton was the focus of the story. I never considered doing anything but first person because A) I preferred it; B) It made sense because the story revolves around her life and journey. If you have a slew of great characters, each with their own vital role to play in the story, third person may be the better way to go. As most people have read the Twilight series, we all know there were times no one wanted to be in Bella's head. (No snarky comments needed here, guys ;) Meyer made an interesting choice to switch to Jacob's POV in Breaking Dawn. While it was somewhat jarring after three books, it was the better idea. The reader gained valuable info on what the wolf pack was doing and missed out on some tremendously boring pregnancy scenes.


The wrong POV can hurt a story and limit its potential, but as long as the story is good, the POV won't matter. In other words, don't worry about your story not doing well from a POV perspective. People have preferences, and you can't do anything about that. Write your story the best way you know how using the best POV for the job. If you feel like you can only do that in one type, then write everything in that type. If you can handle both, choose what feels best for that particular story.

Which style do you prefer to read or write?

Happy writing!

When in Rome: How to be a Successful Hooker

The introduction to your story is imperative. It's the first impression the reader gets for the tone of your writing and book. An opening paragraph is one of my favorite things to look for when buying a new novel.

But what makes a great hook? Let's take a look at the opening paragraph in the prologue for Elizabeth Isaacs' The Light of Asteria.

'Malachi stood at the base of the mountain staring into the chasm of hell. Black clouds billowed over the blood that boiled in the land of the centaurs’ grave. Thunder rolled, as the lightning streaked across the sky in fury. The sun became black as sackcloth. The void grew, and the blood turned to tar that smelled of rotting flesh. Onyx silhouettes, writhing from its depths, crawled to the rim; the ground below their feet withered and died. The slick, obsidian army absorbed any colors of life that surrounded them, and the growing chasm boiled with glee.'

First things first, the imagery and sensory writing here is brilliant. I'm immediately sucked into this hellish place, squinting through the smoke and gagging at the scent of decay. Now we're left asking, ‘What's happening here?’ ‘Why is he in such a place and what are those black creatures?’ It sets the tone of the story and lets the reader know to expect something deep and intense.

Another good example would be Janet Evanovich's One for the Money. She incites a different response from readers with her witty and straightforward approach.

'There are some men who enter a woman's life and screw it up forever. Joseph Morelli did this to me--not forever, but periodically.'

Already the reader is smiling, knowing what's going to come of this story. You can already imagine the humor and history the protag and her friendly foe share. The opening is funny and engaging and leaves the reader wanting to find out just why this character's life is so screwed up … periodically.  

There are a few notions to keep in mind when working on an opening paragraph. Think of this as sort of a checklist:
* Does it express the general tone of your story? If you're writing like Evanovich, does your opening paragraph portray that humor?
* Does it show versus tell? Look back to Isaacs' example. You're drawn in by experiencing the story for yourself. Had she told me Malachi was angry, scared, or vengeful, I wouldn’t have connected with him or the story. Always phrase things so the reader is a part of the story, not watching it.
* Does it show something about your primary character (or someone else important to the story)? Don't forget, this intro will help your readers relate to and care about your main character. If that person has a weakness or flaw instrumental to their downfall, this is a good place to mention that as well.
* Is there a form of mystery or intrigue the reader will spend the rest of the work trying to figure out?
* Does the opening paragraph lead with the object of focus for the story? Don't begin by talking about someone/something that isn't the theme for the story. You want the attachment in the right place.
* Does the hook introduce a main theme? Let's focus the intro to our plot!

So, what opening lines are your favorites?

Happy writing!