SHE’S BACK!!!!

I’m back! Refreshed, renewed, retired! Yep, you are looking at a free woman. “Free! Free! Thank God Almighty, I’m free at last!”

Okay, nursing wasn’t that bad. In fact, except for the physical demands it made on my body in the last few years, I loved nursing as much as I love writing. I always felt blessed that I got paid to do something I had such a passion to do…take care of children.

One thing you have to know about me is that I love children.  From newborn to adolescents. I won’t say every color because to me no child has a “color”. I even love baby animals of all kinds.  Oh, except spiders.  And cockroaches.  I even loved my baby brother…at least, until he was old enough to drive me crazy.

I know there are people who don’t understand loving children other than their own. To me, all children are MY own. I truly believe it takes a village to raise a child, but admit, there are certain members of the village who shouldn’t come near children. Most often because the “adult” hasn’t grown up themselves. But give me a child and they’re mine forever!

Children have this remarkable ability to see the world in black and white. To a child, you aren’t a flawed person; you are either good or bad.  They are very direct and honest until someone teaches them to lie. Everything is new and watching them learn about the world around them is fascinating.

They’re not perfect. Nothing can be crueller than a child. Their honesty has to tempered with empathy. Because they’re born with only knowledge of themselves, they have to be taught to care about others and their feelings. All without depressing their natural need to evolve.

Kids are loving and hurtful. Uneducated and wise. Silly and capable of maturity beyond their age when disaster faces them. What’s not to like about a child? So, though I have to leave my first love, nursing sick and injured children, I’ll look back at all the kids in my life and tell them thank you. Thank you for the woman you made me today. And thank you for all the years of joy, tears, aggravation, and gratitude you gave me. I’ll always be there for you guys!

The Importance of Promotion

Everyone knows I’ve been promoting my new release, but I wonder if I should have been doing more. And a lot sooner. I didn’t seriously start promoting the book until its release day and from what I’ve seen on TWRP author loop, a lot of people start getting the word out much earlier. They do blog tours for up to 2 weeks before the release date, they send the book out to reviewers not on TWRP reviewer distribution list, they have A LOT of give-a-ways, do blog hops (where there are several other authors involved), and the list goes on.

I feel like I’ve been doing pretty well locally. After all, I’ve talked about my writing for years wherever I go. All my doctor’s offices, the dentist, chiropractor, etc. But once all of these folks have bought the book, then what? Who will I sell it to then?

I guess my question is, what should I have done differently? I think this question is pretty relevant as I think there are several others in our group that are on the cusp of selling. This info can prove helpful to them, too. Or they may already know how to promote their book much better than I’ve done.

Using the internet is a given. You can set up Events on Facebook and invite everyone that you think can make it there. Like signings. Why invite someone who lives hundreds of miles away when you know they won’t drive all that distance? But then again, you never know. One gentleman and his wife drove 225 miles to come to my first signing and I didn’t even know him. We were both from the same small town, but that’s it. I was SO amazed that he’d do that.

I really don’t want all of these posts to be self-serving, but like I said earlier, others can benefit.

My question is: if you’re close to publishing, do you have a ‘Battle Plan’ in place to promote/sell your book? Where did you get your advice or idea, and are you willing to share?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Speaking of promotion, here’s the bottom line from The Romance Studio review, which gave me a 5 Heart rating.

“Overall, this author has done an exceptional job of penning this novel, of which I want to read again and again because it showed that no mother should give up hope of finding their child alive after they’ve been abducted.”

Is that cool or what? {big stupid grin}

If you want to check out my book, here’s a link: The Wild Rose Press

Are All Romance Novels The Same?

I had a little trouble sleeping in the wee hours, and I got to thinking about what people who don’t like (or probably have never read) romance novels say about the genre.

“They’re all the same. They have to be, since they all have the same ending.”

Every year, several thousand romance titles are published. According to the ROMStat Report, there were over eight thousand romance titles published in 2010.

How are that many different romances written each year?

I decided to look at it backward. (No surprise. I do a lot of things backward.)

HEA

Every romance novel (no matter what subgenre) has an *HEA ending. (*That’s Happily Ever After for the uninformed.)

In fact, that’s part of the definition of a romance novel. It has to have an HEA (or at least satisfactory) ending.

To get to an HEA ending without it being the same as all the others, you must have

CONFLICT!

The exclamation point is there because to be really good, it has to be conflict that’s on steroids. By that, I mean conflict can’t be so-so. It’s got to have emotional punch.

The example given in most workshops on conflict the hero is a fire fighter and the heroine is an arsenist.

And to carry conflict like that, you’ve got to have

GREAT CHARACTERS

Characters who are strong enough (or find the strength) to stand up to that conflict on steroids.

If the hero is a fire fighter, has should probably come from a family of fire fighters for seven generations. Fire fighting/rescue has to be part of the hero’s DNA.

And he has to love it. Has to volunteer to work anytime someone needs a day off. Has to have a house full of awards and a collection of fire fighter helmets from all over the US and the world covering his walls. And his art is made up of pictures of the great fires.

The heroine is an arsonist, and she loves what she does. She isn’t sick. When she started, she had a reason for setting those fires. And it got in her blood. She loves the smell of the fire, the feel of the heat on her face, the excitement that happens when it’s discovered and the thrill when, ultimately, it’s extinguished.

She has pictures of the same fires on her wall.

PLOT

To carry the entire thing, you must have an intriguing plot. I wish I could say that’s the easy part. It’s not. It’s easier, though, when you know your people and the reason they can never in the course of the world ever be together.

You, and only you, are the only person who can get them to that particular, very special HAPPILY EVER AFTER.

And it can never be the same as any other book because nothing else is the same.

Now, write it. 🙂

Related articles

• Romance She Writes (nhwn.wordpress.com)
• Romance, HEA, and Life (staciebrown.wordpress.com)

Games

“We deserve to be forgotten. ”

“Perhaps, perhaps.”

Can you guess what that quote is from? Yeah, don’t bother, It’s from the Halo anniversary video game. Not sure why, but I found it intriguing. Maybe its all the Sociology, philosphy, and such classes I’ve had this week. Stupid college, making me think!:p

After closing my Philosophies of Life book a moment ago, and taking a bite of melted fruit snacks, I realized that today was in fact friday, and that I had fallen asleep last night without writing for today. In the next panicked moments I grabbed the laptop from Nathan, told him to play Halo, and began to think of a subject. He threw out various topics for me; Video games, movies, cleavage, food….you know, guy stuff. But in the end I decided to just take a shot in  the dark and start writing without a topic in mind, like I usually do.

You never really notice the intense amounts of creativity that go into some things. Halo, for example, showcases a large rounded pistol with purple spikes sticking out of it. The gun is called a Needler, and those spikes explode. See what I mean: Imagination. Nathan insisted that I mention that there is a plasma pistol that shoots “green sparkly balls of happiness…that happen to kill people”.

I know I can’t do the video games any justice, but in the past few weeks I’ve seen so many different concepts and things that spark my interest that I can’t help but thank games for getting the muse going sometimes. Games are highly visual(Duh), and the best ones, in my opinion, are heavily plot driven. You never know what will get you thinking. For example, I do not enjoy westerns. Just in general, i find them boring. But I’ve watched Nathan play Red Dead Redemption, and It caught my attention. It is the story of a former outlaw whose wife and son are kidnapped and he must team up with the US Marshalls to catch his old posse and save his loved ones so he can go live peacefully on a farm….or something like that. The point is, I sat there watching the game slack jawed by how sucked in i was. I may not write a western, but I was inspired on one level or another to write.

So this week, instead of a question, I challenge you, in whatever free time you have, to wikipedia or google a few random games, read their plots, and see if you can find one to make you think.

I Have a Title!

 I heard from my editor at Forever, and we have both a title and a pub date for the first margarita book. A HERO TO COME HOME TO will be available 15 June 2013. Yea!!

The series name will stay the Tuesday Night Margarita Club, which is also a yea!! for me. I like that a lot — and *I* thought of it. Something *I* thought of is sticking! That doesn’t happen often.

Of course, you’ll be hearing way more about it as the time comes closer. I’ll be creating a Facebook author page, doing a new website (once we have the final cover to work off — the mockup is gorgeous!) and having some contests when it comes time. And I’ll remind you about everything. I know. I’m having a squee moment, but I love this book and want everyone in the universe to love it, too.

Have a good weekend, guys!

 

Patience

I love ghosts stories–no secret there. The problem is over the last few years there have been very few of them written. In paranormal romance, ghosts stories have been practically non-existent. The sub-genre has been full of demons, werewolves, shapeshifters, and of course vampires. Even the Horror genre has been rife with the same old, same old–werewolves, vampires, and zombies. Oh my!

Ah, but on a recent trip to Barnes and Nobles, I was delighted to see ghosts stories. Not in the Horror section or in paranormal romance. But in the mystery section. Yes, ghosts are making a come back. I’ve got my fingers crossed that soon we’ll seem flitting about in romance and horror again. 

Most new writers are advised don’t write for the market. Write what you would want to read. I’ve got a plethora (always wanted to use that word) of ghost stories written. So maybe now, my time has come. 

Time will tell if patience is truly a virtue. 

Do You Need Permission?

As most of you know, I’ve been on a blog tour the last couple of weeks. The last blog stop will be on the 31^st btw. But something was said on one of the comments the other day that I’d like to expand on. And that’s giving yourself permission.

Huh? What do I mean by giving yourself permission? Just that. Give yourself permission to not be the perfect mom, the world’s best housekeeper or any number of things that keep you from doing what you want the most. I’m going to assume it’s writing (since this is a blog about writing).

Years ago, I thought I could never write an entire book. Then this story started bugging me…big time. I finally listened but still wasn’t sure if I could do it. Yes, I was afraid. (Aren’t we all afraid of something?) I thought about it long and hard and finally gave myself permission to try. Whatever the outcome, at least I would have stepped outside my comfort zone and given it a shot.

It wasn’t easy. Nothing worthwhile ever is. I took classes at the community college, then joined a romance writers group, went to conferences and workshops, networked, took online classes. i.e. I worked at learning the craft. I admit I’m slow, but I kept plugging along. Now all these years later, I’ve published my first book and I’m looking forward to cranking out more. I’m receiving good feedback and reviews on the book, which validates my efforts.

All because I gave myself permission.

So I’m telling you, whatever you’re passionate about, whether it’s writing, quilting, crafts, photography, scuba diving, go for it. I don’t care what your age is, that’s just a number, anyway. Take classes, find a support group, and pursue that dream, that passion. What have you got to lose? (Um, not a thing.)

Give yourself permission! You’ll be glad you did.

Linda Trout

Grave Secrets

The Wild Rose Press

Making it Shine

I read once, “There’s no such thing as true originality.”

I was horrified. How could someone say there’s no originality in the world? What about the original way I put together an outfit? (I managed my mother’s dress shop at that time.) What about the way impressionist artists paint? The books innovative writers create?

The person went on to say everything is built on something else. All we can do is find a new way to copy someone (or something) else.

After pouting a while, I had to admit they were right. Whatever we do, we’re using something that’s already here, and we got the idea from something around us.

Reversing that, there’s no such thing as a perfect copy, either. No matter how hard a person tries, she can’t do exactly what someone else has done. No one is perfect, and few people can copy anything perfectly.

Even the monks who dedicated their lives to making perfect copies of the Bible made mistakes. Sometimes letters were backward or shaped differently. And sometimes they even left out entire paragraphs and had to start the page all over again. (Let that happen three times in one day, and wouldn’t it make you want to burn down the chapel?)

According to the big boys, there are only so many story themes.

Jessamyn West, an IPL volunteer librarian, says the seven
basic plots are:

1 – [wo]man vs. nature

2 – [wo]man vs. man

3 – [wo]man vs. the environment

4 – [wo]man vs. machines/technology

5 – [wo]man vs. the supernatural

6 – [wo]man vs. self

7 – [wo]man vs. god/religion

Interesting, isn’t it? Every story ever written can be boiled down to one of those themes.

There’s probably a list like that for romance stories, too. I can’t find it this morning. (Hint: if you plan to write and publish your blog in one morning, don’t research something like romance plots on the web, because you never want to come back and finish.)

Okay, trying to remember here because I couldn’t find the list. I’m talking themes such as “Secret Baby,” “Polly Pureheart,” (I’ll take your daughter or your ranch!) and “Miss Innocent meets and falls for Mr. Evildoer.”

But if there are no new plots or themes, how can we keep our books from sounding like a poor ripoff of someone else’s?

(Think GONE WITH THE WIND compared to the Bette Davis movie, JEZEBEL. JEZ isn’t a bad movie, and has great actors, but coming on the heels of GWTW, it’s very forgettable.)

My best suggestions–First we get deep into our stories so we can make them uniquely our own. Get to know the characters so well, we can expose the sparkle that makes every human special.

Be picky with word choices. Close isn’t good enough. As the one and only (at this moment in time, anyway) we’ll be really good to them by feeding them only perfect words.

Do something different with our metaphors and similes. (The first thing that comes to mind is usually what we’ve heard again and again, till readers are ready to blow chow.) So look for something different.

“Ever had a day that felt like you’d tried to put socks on a rooster?” (Jamie Deen)

“Careful as porcupines making love.”

How about, “A day without orange juice is like a day without hives,” or “She was stuck on him like a tongue to a frozen pole.”

Maybe, like the man said, we can’t be totally original, but we can make our versions shine!

Just remember, don’t be boring. 🙂

   And nourish the child within. 🙂

College!

AH! Ok, ok I know! Before you all yell at me for being AWOL for a month, I would like to explain myself. Here goes: I’m an 18 yr old. I forget what day it is during the summer and I usually remember it is actually friday about the time my dad walks in the door at 9:00 PM. Last friday was my first full day on campus, and I was busy moving in and doing leadership workshops to write. I know, excuses excuses. But here I am, and I remembered that tomorrow(or today, if you’re reading this), is friday. I promise, and will keep my promise, to post every friday(except for midterms and finals). That being said, YAY!

So far on campus I’ve discovered that, as long as I keep going to the gym at 6:30 AM, and refusing to use the elevator(I’m on the 5th floor), the freshman 15 can’t happen. Also, by getting involved you can find A: and friend with a car, and B: a friend who has a kitchen and is willing to cook. I have found that, even though my roommate is a night owl, and I enjoy sleeping all night, that we can function. Little things like this I find incredibly helpful, So I thought I would ask my favorite group of intelligent ladies(and dudes, sometimes) for a little advice. So, what do you guys have to say about this whopper of a topic?

yours truly, the KT monster!

One Project Done, Another Started

Have you ever been on a plane that’s running behind schedule (ha! who hasn’t?), and they’re in such a hurry to get the debarking passengers off and the new ones on that you know the flight attendants would be heaving them if they were allowed to?

That’s kind of where I am right now. I finished Copper Lake Confidential late Tuesday night, and now there’s this kind of frantic gotta-clean-gotta-get-groceries-gotta-run-errands-gotta-do-laundry stuff going on before I sit down to write the proposal for the next book.  It’s a quick yea!!! (we had colossal shrimp with a Greek pasta salad to celebrate last night) and an oh no!!! at the same time. I’d be heaving stuff in the proper direction if I could, clearing the decks and heading for the gate for some hopefully smooth flying.

Too bad I’ve found that heaving stuff only rearranges the dust and dog hair and make for a bigger mess than before.

But I intend to get everything done and get this baby away from the gate soon!