Guest - Sheryl Brennan
Category: Writing and Poetry

Good morning everyone! Today we have guest Sheryl Brennan who will be talking about one of the great SF type characters - The Geek.

Sheryl Brennan brings the past to awe-inspiring light with her debut book Celtic Sacrifice. Sheryl is not only an author, but also a mother, has a degree in business, and volunteers her time and expertise. Sheryl's writing experience ranges from journalism and corporate communications for non-profit organizations to Web content editing. She's a member of the Romance Writers of America, Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, Heart of Carolina Romance Writers, Kentucky Romance Writers, and Louisville Romance Writers. She currently lives in Louisville, Kentucky with her three beautiful daughters.

To start the day off with a bang...  Sheryl Brennan is offering a Free Desktop Image for all those that Signup for Sheryl's News Letter for the rest of October.  

HOWEVER

Those that Sign up today get an extra special treat.  You will receive an e-gift basket filled with a few nice things just for you and be entered into a drawing to win an autographed copy of Celtic Sacrifice!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Score one for the geeks!


If you were stuck on a deserted island and could only pick one personality type to be stranded with, who would it be? The hunky, six pack ab, chiseled chin, toe-headed blond who makes your mouth water just looking at him? That whole Blue Lagoon dream would probably end after 24 hours if you were more butch than Butch himself, now wouldn't it? And every girl wants a guy to rescue her, doesn't she?


Although the other hero character types are most certainly manly and appealing to our damsels in distress, my personal favorite is the one you can count on to make a radio out of a coconut and some spare parts he found washed up on the beach: the professor.


The professor is the guy who is coolly analytical. He knows every answer when you play trivial pursuit. He's logical, introverted, and inflexible, but once the heroine turns his head he is genuine about his feelings. No mind games here.


By day, he may be a computer engineer, accountant, or lab rat. He likes cold, hard facts, and statistics, so if you go toe to toe with him, you'd better have the data to back it up. The up side to this guy? He's honest and faithful, and won't let you down. Not only will he have calculated the exact longitude and latitude of your position to broadcast on that homemade coconut radio, but he will have a plan B and C in case it doesn't work.  


The professor is one of the most underestimated character types. He can be extremely calculating, highly intelligent, rational and an excellent strategist. However, this can also make him extremely arrogant. After all, he knows his IQ score is higher than 90 percent of the population.  


The pursuit of knowledge and the usage and implementation thereof are favorite activities of professors. This can range from the inconsequential, to the extensive inner workings of political culture, computer design, or magic lore.  


Of course, like the rest of the archetypes, he comes in many forms. Usually the stereotypical academic spends 10 years in obscurity studying his chosen craft. He wears thick BC (birth control) glasses, but may have upgraded to tortoise shell, aviator style frames too. He may have a slightly balding head with wildly unmanageable tufts or have fantastically thick locks cut in military style.  


He prefers plain and unassuming clothes because they are more comfortable to read and research in, but if he is a high-powered financier, he may be just as comfortable in an Armani three-piece suit. He may live on the edge of financial existence, or have the best of everything and want to share it with his special someone. The possibilities are endless with this archetype!


Character growth for this guy is fairly simple. He learns that other people have good ideas too, becomes more tolerant of the "little people", and realizes that he underestimated the heroine. Why, he may even discover that she is SMARTER than he is. He, he, he.  


So chalk one up as won by the "geeks" of the world. Without them, we would have no inventions, medical breakthroughs, or space programs. There would be no need for Star Trek conventions or Dungeons and Dragons tournaments and the sports trivia from the other archetypes would never stop.


Now it's your turn. Can you think of any books or movies where this archetype plays a starring role?

Sheryl

To Contact Sheryl: Simply log on to www.sherylbrennan.com or www.underdogpress.com . While your there, send me an email so I can add you to my newsletter distribution list. I love to hear from readers.

LINKS
UnderDog Press
www.underdogpress.com
Sheryl Brennan
Sheryl.brennan@yahoo.com
http://sherylbrennan.com/
http://www.myspace.com/sherylbrennan
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/3/2A0/511
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bVcYxsdl84Y


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you've enjoyed meeting Sherryl. Don't forget to follow her directions to enter her contest!

--Lynda

10:56 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Mwahaha!
Current mood: drained
Category: Writing and Poetry

I'd never heard the utterance above until I met my bf. In AIM, I typed, "What's that supposed to mean?" He said, "It's an evil laugh." Duh! I'd just heard it come out of every villain's mouth in one way or another! Though I don't always sit here when I'm trying to write mean and dirty going, "Mwahaha! Mwahaha! I'm going to get you, my pretty." Usually I have to do a one-eighty on my "perfect" world, since as you know every great book should only spiral down into a vortex of hurt/pain/tragedy...so the end is fabulously heroic and love triumphs all!

We each have our ways to villainize characters, even when they're based on ourselves. I mean aren't I a villain for saying no to my bf's suggestion of a restaurant if it's his night to choose, or if I cut someone off? Wouldn't I be a villain if I don't donate money to charity, or if I found money but didn't return it? Okay, so none of this is way bad...like root of evil stuff. But it can be the building blocks. For instance if I wanted to show what a rat my villain was why not use all that stuff? Of course, somewhere there it'll have to get physical, and I've seen my share of low blows on WWE wrestling. (Though I still say, "What happened to a fair fight and morals?")

I think the most important thing for a villain to be is SUPER bad. Sure you can have a baddy, but he generally will only be labeled a henchman. Mwahaha...my bad guy kidnapped a kid and held it for ransom! Not that's a bad guy, but what if he kidnapped a kid knowing it had an illness, then put the meds out of reach, and in affect tortured the kid while goading the police and parents that they wouldn't be able to save the child? Now go farther and think about this if the villain was a woman. See the stereotypical twist? The big difference overall is that the villain can't just do bad stuff, he or she must have some inherent tick that makes them think that their way is right, though it's not by society/moral standards.

I will tell you that my villains are a grade C, but I'm working to make them an A! I think my best villain to date was Kacela Theron with his henchwoman Judith, who also played an important role among my group of heroes. By showing Kacela extolling his power, and how he treated those he felt were beneath him (including children) I started to layer his evilness. Yet even when I was writing I didn't know until the end what made him so demented. Let's just say I was shocked myself by what came out. How things ended up sure didn't appear in my outline!!

The best way to make your readers really hate (or empathize with) your villain is to make his stakes personal, and to show an insight into him/her that will make the readers' perception concrete. As an example, think of Sylar from HEROES. We all knew he was a baddy from the beginning, going around slicing people's heads open to steal their powers. But we really didn't know anything about the man. Then we got to see him with his mother, to see why he became what he did. And this season, which is devoted all to Villains (see they're super popular) the writers gave us a couple twists I sure didn't see coming. Though each new secret added another layer, and changed the dynamic Sylar has with the heroes. So now we wonder is he friend or foe? This is a dichotomy that should be played with. The not knowing in itself can add to the tension, and hints that things may go from bad to so much worse in 60 seconds or less will keep readers flipping those pages.

In short, don't make your villain vanilla. Do something different, though not necessarily complex or you may be wishing you didn't have so many ends to tie up. Be sure to drop clues, but not so many that you give it all away! Readers need the villain to be mysterious, yet like a place to start to figure out the puzzle of his/her mind. Mwahaha!!

Currently reading : Sorcery And The Single Girl (Red Dress Ink) By Mindy Klasky

3:23 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Doing The Nasty
Category: Writing and Poetry

Villains are a fun bunch. Every writer I talk to thinks so. I find them devilishly hard (pardon the pun), because my tendency goes to taking the villains I create and turning them into heroes in their own stories. It's actually very good advice from wonderful writers to make a villain a hero, because really, who exists to be evil just for evil's sake? Certainly not any characters I really want to invest in, yanno?

On the other hand, I love reading about villains turned around. Reformed rakes, former screw-ups, cowards who find courage, and cheapskates who loosen their coinpurses. I'm always the one asking why the bad guy thinks the way he does, and more importantly, if the love of a good wo/man is enough to straighten him out. I am continually half-hoping for sequels to books with good, complex, meaty villains just so I can see them change into potentially great human beings, or at least redeemed ones.

Something I don't care for is the tendency to use the shorthand of sex to make villains villainous. You know what I'm talking about--the villain is the one who's got a non-vanilla sex life, and there's always at least one episode of skanky villain sex to create the stark contrast between the down and dirty nastiness versus the oh-so-pure-unicorn-farts sex that the good guys are having. Now, if there's a reason for villains to be having "on-screen" sex, then fine, build it into your story. But if there's just sex in there to up the skank factor, you're probably better off skipping it, because I sure will as a reader. Sometimes less is more.

As a writer, I try hard to make my characters--all of my characters--believable and sympathetic in the sense that even if you hate them, you can still sorta see where they're coming from, and how someone could end up in that position, however unenviable it is.

--Xandra

2:35 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Guest - Dahlia Rose
Category: Writing and Poetry

Good morning everyone!

This week we're discussing 'The Dark Side' and we're fortunate to have with us, guest Dahlia Rose, an author who will be discussing how the 'Dark Side' meshes with the creation of the Collette Sisters. I'm sure you'll find it as interesting as I did.

A best selling author of contemporary and paranormal romance with a hint of Caribbean spice, Dahlia Rose was born and raised on a Caribbean island and now currently lives in Charlotte, NC with her four kids who she affectionately nicknamed "The children of the corn" and her biggest supporter/long time love. She has a love of erotica, dark fantasy, Sci-fi and the things that go bump in the night. Books and writing are her biggest passion and she hopes to open your imagination to the unknown between the pages of her books

Oh, and make sure you leave a comment. Dahlia will be selecting one lucky reader to win a free autographed copy of The Collettes Trilogy.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The Creation of the Collette Sisters.

Three vampire sisters born of blood!  The idea shot through my head and I rushed out of the shower covered in soap to get a pen before the idea begun to fade. That happens a lot, Shower ideas. Maybe it's the hot steamy water or the smell of passion fruit and shea bath gel that opens my senses but some of my best ideas come in the middle of my shower.

But anyway back to the vampires. I wanted the sisters to be different that any vampires out there. And I wanted them to be dark. I have a good author friend who coined the phrase "If you are going to be a vampire, be a bloody vampire."  That was the premise of my girls. Triplets born of undead parents who have known nothing else but being a vampire. Even though they had the task of saving the world from an untold evil, they were going to be predators and yes they drink blood!! (Laugh). Each of these books came out in e-book with Phaze Publishing and now they will be in one complete print volume from September 29th 2008. Each of these characters had to deal with situation that was outside normal for them.

Sola Collette, the first sister was patterned to be the ultimate predator. She knows how to fight, to kill and how to find her super. Her night job, a stripper where she can get a pint or two from unsuspecting men in the VIP room. Until it gets raided by the police. That is how she met her mate a cop named Gideon Godspeed. He had to be just as dominant as her for the parks to fly. This combination made for some explosive sexual scenes especially when Sola gets irritated. She bites…

Luna Collette, the second sister in the trilogy has a spunky attitude. She is also a lesbian and proud of it now. Well now she is, after being hunted because of her sexual nature. In book one, a nemesis was eliminated. Now his daughter a vampire hunter is on the prowl for revenge. Who knew that she would be the second person in a bigger piece of a puzzle? I wanted Luna's character to be outside the norm, to explore the ultimate sexuality that we know vampires have in their personalities. She was persecuted for her sexual orientation and it caused her to be jaded about love in the present day. I thought it would be difficult to write female, female love scenes but the characters took on a life of their own and they basically told me where they needed to go. Book 2 received excellent reviews including a five star review from Rainbow Reviews who deal with GLBT themed romance.

Willa Collette, The last sister and the final part of this trilogy. The betrayal has been found out and they are all worn torn and battle weary. They all think they must stick together at all cost but Willa knows she must leave.  Willa's character was by far the tamest of all three sisters. But yet she was the most powerful. I gave the personality that matched the old saying about lions lying with lambs. There was more to her than anyone realized. She was the glue that kept everyone together and in the process she found her strength and her mate in one fell swoop. The final battle between the sisters and their nemesis I placed Willa in charge…Plot twist huh? Yes no one would expect the quiet demure sister to the battle general and lead them into a war of good against evil. But she pulls it off and does it marvelously.

Now you have seen in depth the sisters that I created and fell in love with myself. I look at them as if they were family and I felt so proud when I saw them develop in each step of these stories. So I hope you find them intriguing and pick up the full volume today from Phaze!

To win a free copy of The Collettes Trilogy, I will make a drawing from the people who comment to this blog.


Hugs and Cheesecake!
Dahlia Rose
Websites
www.thedecadenceofdahlia.com
www.myspace.com/bajandahlia
http://www.hearttoheartwithdahliarose.blogspot.com/

The Collettes Trilogy

'Three sisters, one amulet. To save mankind they must do the unthinkable
Together in one print volume: the exciting sage of the Collette sisters - Sola, Luna, and Willa - and their quest for the amulet and mystical spells that allows vampires to live in the sunlight.

Three sisters born of undead parents, they exist in the shadows of humanity. Now as their three hundredth birthday looms so does their destiny. Divided they find love and fate are twisted in one strand of their undead lives. Together they face betrayal and a fight for survival, not only for themselves but for mankind.

Look for Sands Of Passion (Print Volume) in October also from Phaze Publishing (www.phaze.com)

11:12 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

Gosh! 13 Things?
Current mood: bookish
Category: bookish Writing and Poetry

1. Be careful what you say and where. You never know who will overhear your comment, so don't gossip about others or vent unless it's in a closed room with your friends. Word does get around.

2. Make sure you want your business dug up. Chances are that whatever you put on the internet at your site will be able to be found by the most random of people. And if a Joe next door can find it, who says an agent or editor can't?

3. Practice your craft! Some of us have been writing a long time, but unlike old dogs we can learn new tricks. In fact, we must to stay marketable. So don't think you know it all. You may have the basics down pat, but the market is always changing.

4. Persona sells. Make sure that you can sell yourself. Learn to be presentable and be able to hold your own in a social setting. On some occasions you will be forced to mingle…and just imagine one day you could be dining with your editor or agent at Nationals!

5. Make writing friends. These people, male or female, will have your back and be there when you need them! They will understand all your quirky nuances, because most of us writers are strange folk :0)

6. Be web savvy! These days you need a website. So make sure you know some rudimentary basics. Even if you hire a designer, you need to know what your marketable points are as well as those niche points that make you stand out from the crowd. And it's always good to know how to get your hands a little dirty with the behind the scenes snafus in a pinch!

7. Budget! Money is tight everywhere, but authors aren't making what they used to. Not that the bygone paychecks were a mountain of mullah. You will likely have to promote yourself, so be wise with how you invest those hard-earned $$s!

8. Be seen as much as you can. I'm not saying to be a social butterfly and spend your kids college tuition on conferences. I'm saying it never hurts to have a good web presence, especially if you're eyeing e-publication. Be able to tap into veins of promotion, as well as making friends who can guide you when you're in the dark about something. I know one fellow author who's on over 100 Yahoo Groups. ;0)

9. Know how to tap into your inspiration. We all get stuck. It's a fact in writing. But you need to know what can get you out of the funk. Is it cookie dough ice cream, a walk through the bookstore, or a drive to the local grocery store that gets you back in the game? Whatever it is, make sure you know when to flip that switch!

10. Be imaginative! These days any where you look, you'll see products in movies, tv, games, and books that bear striking resemblance. Do something that makes you unique. Just make sure it's not too way out there, or an agent or editor may shy away. I know this item can be tough, especially when you're stressed and on deadline, but give yourself an imagination day where you can brainstorm those new projects to work .. you've sprung yourself out of deadline hell.

11. Go to meetings! I love my local meetings, but gas prices and over commitment are keeping me from seeing my friends and learning from them. Take every chance you can to socialize! Writing is a lonely business, and you need some interaction with people of your own kind ;0) Sometimes this can save your sanity when the normal home-life plus work is at a breaking point.

12. Pack light! When you're traveling be sure to learn to pack less than everything and the kitchen sink. I know, you're saying but I'm a woman, and I have to be prepared. Ditto that little mantra for me. But on the other hand think about lugging those suitcases or carry-on bags through the airport, especially if you're sprinting for a connecting flight, the next train, or to catch a cab when you're running late. You will be so glad you've slimmed down to a single bag…or two. And when you can't pack those must haves (can you say freebies or swag), ship them to your destination! But be certain to check the postage so you won't be surprised at the total when you hand over those boxes to the nice USPS/UPS/DHL clerk.

13. Always make your deadline. I know, I know…I screwed this one up last week. But this reminder is one of the most important things to remember. You want your agent and editor to believe you're dependable. You don't want them to be forced to rearrange a publishing schedule because you were late with your final draft, line-edits, etc. In fact, make a schedule that keeps you on track. That way if you leave yourself a leeway week, you might just come in at the buzzer with a few minutes to spare. Remember life has a way of screwing up anyone's best laid plans.

Currently reading : Magic And The Modern Girl (Red Dress Ink) By Mindy Klasky

5:25 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Plausible Eroticability
Current mood: pensive
Category: Writing and Poetry

Mr. Xandra and I recently stood in the great room of our house and looked up at the 11-ft ceilings, and admiring the walls we'd just finished painting a lovely color that reminds me of chocolate silk pie. "That edge is uneven right there," he said.

"Where? I can't see a thi--oh, yeah, now I see it." In spite of my awesome almost-expert job of taping and prep work, a little blotch had gotten under the tape and made the edge where the ceiling and wall met look just a little wobbly. Of course, his tendency to load up the brushes with extra globs of paint is equally to blame, but hey--we know our faults and we paint anyway. "You know, it's just a little thing. Nobody will notice."

"I notice."

"Look, it's eleven feet in the air. It'll pass the ten-foot test. Nobody will notice, and I'm not getting up there with a q-tip and trying to fix it because that always makes it worse."

"But it's fixable, and to not do it would leave the job undone."

"Honey, think about it. None of our friends are going to go over our walls with magnifying glasses looking for flaws in the paint job. It's a great job. And anyway, if people are bored enough over our house to be looking at a fingertip-sized line of uneven paint, then we have bigger problems as people to worry about. Now I'm going to try to slip some writing in before the kids get up."

Of course, once I sat down at my laptop, my usual stuck-age hit me full-force. I haven't been writing enough lately, haven't been making word counts, or even taking full advantage of the time I have to write. My critique partner has been harassing me and asking, "why are they not having hot, sweaty, nasty, hot mansex again?"

"Well, I'm stuck in this plot-thing in between the naked times," is usually my lame-ass excuse.

But in thinking, I realized that it was more than plot, because I know plot. I can see plot, and when I can't, I roll around in post-it notes both real and virtual until I do. I study it. What I realized was that it wasn't the plot that gave me trouble...it was the plausibility.

A little bit o' background here--I'm currently working on a really hot M/M erotic romance right now and for various reasons, it's been going slowly, even when I do have the time to work on it between family stuff. And I think I might just know why.

As erotic romance writers, we naturally write highly sexually-charged stories. That often means there's sex in the first chapter. What we have to do as writers, however, is come up with plausible reasons that two characters that our readers haven't had that much time to get to know yet would not only hop into bed together, but do so in a way that the readers want along for the ride.

There's this concept called plausible deniability found often in politics and business situations, as well as involving my kids and "science experiments." It basically says, "Gosh Mom, I didn't know she'd dump all the vinegar in all the baking soda when I dumped half a cup of it in a glass and made the vinegar bottle really easy for her to pour and left them right in front of her." In any situation of "innocent until proven guilty" this means that as long as Elder Spawn was not directly caught in actively performing mischief, he gets off with the ability to declare the situation an accident and escape grounding.

There's a similar theme at work in erotic romance. We're charged with the task of developing situations that have plausible eroticability. To encourage the reader to suspend enough disbelief to get to know the characters while seeing, or after having seen them naked and horizontal (or vertical and you get the idea), for just long enough for us to continue reeling them into the story. Now this is a concept not limited to erotic romance--it's true for all stories, the reader suspension of disbelief. But since sex is one of the most universal and common things we all share, and one tied so much up in individuality on an atomically personal level, that that suspension of disbelief has to be damn good and damn thorough.

A sexual relationship is one of the most intimate and personal things to anyone, and erotic romance writers are tasked with showing motivations for engagement that have to speak to enough readers for the suspension of disbelief to be widely accepted. Geez. No wonder I've been so slow on going lately. It's damn intimidating when you think about it.

--xandra

7:46 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Guest - Rowena Cherry
Category: Writing and Poetry

First, my apologies. I thought I posted this on Monday but, clearly, I didn't. Just goes to show what a cold can do to you. But it's here now, so enjoy!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This week's guest is the amazing Rowena Cherry who has an energy level many of us would envy. For those of you who aren't familiar with Rowena, here's a brief bio...

Heroines get more hero than they bargain for....

Rowena Cherry has played chess with a Grand Master and former President of the World Chess Federation (hence the chess-pun titles of her alien romances).

She has spent folly filled summers in a Spanish castle; dined on a sheikh's yacht with royalty; been seranaded (on a birthday) by a rockstar and an English nobleman; ridden in a pace car at the 1993 Indy 500; received the gold level of the Duke of Edinburgh's Award; and generally lived on the edge of the sort of life that inspires her romances about high-living alien gods.



---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENEATH THE SURFACE…  A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A TALK SHOW HOST

"In space, no one can hear you scream…" That was the byline for ALIENS

On the radio, no one can see your face…all the world can hear your chair creak, but they cannot see you. That can be a very good thing! I am an internet radio talk show host for two irregular shows.

Crazy Tuesday ( http://internetvoicesradio.com/CrazyTuesday.htm )
 is when I blog aloud with guests. It's unrehearsed, live reality radio, warts, bloopers, sniggers and the occasional admonition to guests to stop doing the washing up while the world listens.

The other shows are Cherry-Picking specials, so called because I cherry pick the best Sundays of the year from the Defenders Of Wildlife calendar. They are Bear Awareness, Sea Otter Awareness, Wolf Awareness, Manatee Awareness.

Why do I do a series of shows around animals? In my opinion, it is a great opportunity to show that Romance authors are intelligent, educated, responsible, caring people who think about more than the sort of scenes we're notorious for. With a bit of creativity, we can increase awareness of endangered animals and also promote ourselves and our novels in an entertaining and subtle manner.

On Sunday 28th September, I was scurrying around the internet, pulling the evening show together. The process is very much like a duck gliding across a lake. Above the waterline, everything looks serene.20Beneath the surface, webbed feet are churning.

Yesterday, I had six scheduled guests, including one reader who was going to help me co-host the show. Today four dropped out, but I found one stand-in.

"But, I don't know anything about sea otters…" one of them wailed by email.

"Go here!" I replied, having taken two seconds to google.
http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=SEA+OTTERS&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

Pick a site from the list. Make a make a custom .. of it so it's easy to quote on the radio) "

By the way, here's how to do a ..:
"First go to Amazon (or an otter site, or youtube) highlight and copy the long url you want.
"Go to ...com
"Paste your long url in the long rectangular box.
"Go to the Custom box (smaller) and type in the words you want to use to identify your url for example http://...com/Rowenas-Otters

Click the button to make things work. Your new url will automatically be on your clipboard. Open a doc and paste what's there. See!  Open an email and paste...

"Next," I instructed, "choose four points/facts about otters that you REALLY want to share, and four more that you can share if someone else picks up on the same thing. (If they do.... you chime in with an "Oh, I loved that fact!" and discuss it with the friend who thinks the same way you do)."

Then I shared the three points that I wanted to discuss, and where I might digress into romance .

Otters are WEASEL FAMILY (scent glands)
HOW MUCH HAIR THEY HAVE (Hairy chested heroes discussion).
NO BLUBBER (hero/heroines who carry a little weight).

"We could," I suggested, "all, while we are on the air, go look at an otter image, and show how we each would describe it (competitive describing) to showcase our skills as authors. We can also brainstorm what it would be like to be a human trapped in an otter's body. (Shapeshifting/being cursed 101), and of course, discuss our pet peeves about environmental bad behavior."

If you would like to see how we got along, visit http://www.internetvoicesradio.com and look for my name. Rowena Cherry

By the way:
 On Tuesday October 7th from 10.00 am Eastern Time until noon, Author Marketing Expert Penny Sansevieri and her web designer will share professional promo tips and also analyze what is wrong with Rowena's website http://rowenacherry.com on my Crazy Tuesday radio show.


Rowena Cherry



Website: http://www.rowenacherry.com
Interactive family tree: http://www.rowenacherry.com/familytree/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=671077032
Chat with Rowena on GoodReads.com http://www.goodreads.com/profile/Rowenacherry

Knight's Fork is a futuristic romance which combines a traditional quest story (loosely based on the Greek hero Perseus) with a taboo romance around the issue of genetics and the royal need to breed.

It's "Helen of Troy" with morals.

A Princess from a "superior" race was married to an alien Prince as living proof of a political alliance. At the time of the marriage/peace treaty no one thought that the Prince would become King of his people, and that an heir would be necessary. The union is star-crossed. After many fruitless years, the Queen (as she now is) realizes that her only hope of keeping the peace is to find a sperm donor from her own race who has the same eye color as her alien mate's, whom she can trust, and who is not too closely related to her.

When he says "No!" the stakes are too high for her to give up.

Rhett is an ambassador and a knight who has taken vows of chastity and purity.  Everyone believes that he is "too good to be true" and that he must have a sordid secret, a chink in his moral armor. His own world gets too hot, so he jumps at the chance to go on a year-long quest to uncover or else lay to rest a buried skeleton in the family closet. Little does he know that there is a stowaway aboard.

12:59 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Review - Hex Appeal
Category: Writing and Poetry

HEX APPEAL
By Linda Wisdom
Sourcebooks Casablanca
ISBN: 13-978-1-4022-1400-4
October, 2008

Tthheeyy'rree back! The entire gang -- Jazz, Nick, Krebs, Irma and Fluff and Puff and they're joined by some new and interesting friends.

But this time Fluff and Puff are in real trouble. They've been accused of eating a were weasel and Jazz is determined to prove their innocence...even though one of the mischievous slippers hacks up very incriminating evidence in front of his accuser. And that's not all. Jazz, Nick, Krebs and even Irma are having nightmares that Jazz first blames on spicy Thai food but it soon becomes apparent food isn't the culprit. The question is who is behind the terrifying nightmares? And are they also to blame for framing Fluff and Puff for murder?

HEX APPEAL, Ms Wisdom's newest witchy tale, is just as sassy and fast moving as 50 WAYS TO HEX YOUR LOVER. Jazz is still the 'shop-a-holic' witch with a penchant for buying sweet bakery scented body lotions. Nick is still, yum, Nick - the vampire you love to love. Krebs is still a cutie and Irma... well, Irma is still irascible but I think she's starting to mellow a bit. But in addition to this great crew, we now have a new pair of stiletto heels, Croc and Delilah, who can change color to match whatever outfit Jazz is wearing and who are, ahem, just a bit of sluts but they're lovable sluts.

HEX APPEAL is simply one great read, filled with sensuous characters, laughs, and a bit of wild adventure. If you loved 50 Ways, I know you'll love this book. In fact, I'm so confident that I'm offering a give away of HEX APPEAL. Here's how you can get your free copy:

Email me at LyndaK.Scott @ Gmail.com (yes, there is a period after the K in my name but there aren't any spaces) and put HEX APPEAL DRAWING in the subject line. I'll put your name into a drawing at the end of the week. Then I'll let my fluffy buddy, Wookie, select the winner.

But wait! Here's an even better deal!! If you join my newsgroup by Friday, your name will automatically be entered in a drawing for BOTH 50 WAYS TO HEX YOUR LOVER and HEX APPEAL. Each member of my newsgroup will be eligible to win simply by being in the group. Again, I'll have Wookie pick the winner at the end of the week. She so loves to play with pieces of paper...  especially if I want them back! LOL

To join my newsgroup, send a blank email to:
LyndaKScott-Newsgroup-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

-- Lynda

12:56 AM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment

Thirteen Things I Know About Writing
Category: Writing and Poetry

Okay, since I missed last week, I had to shuffle around and my list has changed a bit.

1. While you don't absolutely, die-hard need it, having power helps, because you can use electronic devices, and also you write better when you're not distracted by the sure knowledge that everything in your fridge is slowly going bad and will inevitably lead to the need to clean your fridge inside, out, top, and bottom.

2. (Here's where the real list starts) What makes you a writer does not make you an author. Writers write. Good, bad, purple, grammatically incorrect, deathless prose or ad copy, writers write. Authors submit, publish, sell, and promote. You cannot be an author without first being a writer, and you cannot stay an author without going back to being a writer.

3. There will always be somebody better than you. S/he'll be luckier/more clever/get a better deal/write faster, submit your great idea first/find just the right word more often/win more contests or contracts/and climb higher on the charts than you. Deal with it and don't write for her or him.

4. Writing is not a spectator sport. Writing isn't something that happens to you. It is something you do, and you must treat it like something to be done and not something done to you.

5. Consequently, like anything else you do, you will need to learn how to do it if you want to do it well or safely. If you want to continue doing, you must continue learning.

6. Story is Character, except when it's not. Sometimes Story is Plot, but never forget that Plot happens to Character to bring about changes. Story is rarely ever just words or the way you string 'em together.

7. Story is Not You. Very rarely does any sane reviewer or reader loathe the author even if they loathe the story. If you take it personally, you will spend more time bandaging up your bruised ego than nurturing your fertile imagination.

8. Understand that the nature of the beast means you can't help but take it personally. Make time to grieve and develop coping skills--healthy coping skills that don't include internet tantrums--for when you inevitably run up against someone who did not like your story.

9. Feed Your Head. Rome wasn't built in a vacuum, and neither are good stories. Stories--all stories--speak to the human experience and the human condition at their heart. You can't speak to the human condition if you aren't living it.

10. Embrace the Concept of Revision. Revision is not evil, and there is no shame in understanding that your work can only improve with a critical eye and an editing pencil. Put your inner diva away and welcome that editor with open arms.

11. Become Adept at Pseudo-Schizophrenia. There are certain important times when that editor from 10 above will need to be stuffed in the closet, bound and gagged and rendered unconscious for good measure while the creative part of you plays. You have to find ways of doing this without costly psychiatric treatment, psychotropic drugs, or shock therapy. Manage the different parts of yourself and make sure, for Pete's sake, that the right part is working at the right time.

12. Writing Isn't Everything. You do have to take time off, even when writing is both productive employment and guilty pleasure. Accept this, plan for it, and let the guilt go, or else spend half your time dodging the warning signs of major burnout. There are writers who don't take breaks and don't let it go, and most of them seem to have cycles where burnout strikes on a semi-regular basis. Personally, I can't see how the rest of my life wouldn't explode into toxic goop if I let that become part of my routine.

13. Accept that some days, the writing won't come. Not to say give up at the first sign of challenge, but there are just some days where life intrudes and you'll find more productivity in letting go of the guilt and putting the writing on hold for a few hours or days in order to set other things straight. And you'll be happier and more eager to get back to it.

-xandra

12:11 AM - 1 Comments - 2 Kudos - Add Comment

13 Things I learned About Writing - well, 14 Things <g>
Current mood: happy
Category: Writing and Poetry

Ooohhh - thought provoking and headache inducing ROTFLMAO!!!

here goes...

1. Writing that million dollar best seller doesn't happen overnight. Five years later, I'm still trying.

2. Many writers, whether they write for the small or big publishers, still have to work for a living as well. Yes, writing is work as well as pleasure, but writing for a living is something we all strive for. Some get there, some don't, but the journey is still awesome.

3. Even writers, no matter how dedicated, need a break. I learned to be kind to myself and have a day off now and again where I could just read and veg out.

4. Cats like to help you type. They also like to lie across the laptop because it's warm.

5. Music inspires me. So does the shower when I'm stuck on a scene, or a drive in the car with the music on. Don't ask me why, but it works for me.

6. Writing is solitary - for me, anyway. I write alone with my music and cats. Having people around when I'm writing distracts me and makes me self conscious. I have my little room and squirrel myself away in there.

7. I've learned not to brush off compliments. I write to give pleasure, and if people find pleasure in my writing and give me a compliment, I accept it. If they can give it, I can accept it. (and deep down, it makes me feel so good)

8. My fantasy worlds help balance the reality of life. I live my fantasy worlds when I'm writing, and hey! I enjoy it! Then when I finish I face reality. Nothing wrong in loving my fantasy.

9. I've made great friends on the internet, both readers and other authors. The internet has opened up a whole new world, and if it wasn't for my writing and love of reading, I'd never have found those wonderful people and new worlds.

10. True friends understand when I disappear from view while writing and working. We catch up when we can and have fun. A little fun is important in life. Equally important is don't forget your friends and family - they're a part of your life.

11. Writing can flow, or it can stick. Keep pushing onwards. Have a break if need be, but always come back.

12. Everyone has their opinions on stories, good and bad. Take the good with gratitude, and the bad ... well, take it, like it, lump it, or leave it, but don't dwell on it. Life is too short, and everyone is entitled to say what they think, as long as it's not mean or hurtful.

13. Obvious plot flaws in movies and films become glaringly obvious *sheepish grin*. That's what plotting your own books does for you!

14. okay, I know there's no 14 in this list, but hey, I'm too far away for anyone to smack me! So here goes - PERSEVERE, SMILE, SOLDIER ON AND KEEP WRITING AND READING!

cheers
Angela..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

4:01 PM - 0 Comments - 0 Kudos - Add Comment