Happy Friday & writing goodness!
Happy Friday, peeps! So I had one of those “aha” moments last evening as I was staring blankly at my whiteboard, trying to figure out why the hero in Shoot to Thrill seemed kinda one-dimensional to me. Background? It’s told in first person from the heroine’s point of view, so we never get to see inside Jonah’s head, just get to know him by his actions.
So as I’m looking at the whiteboard that’s chock full of Arin’s details, I realized I really, really needed to get to know Jonah. You might think this is basic math, but again, we’re in her POV, not his, so those things that would flow naturally when writing in multiple POVs gets stretched out a bit here. I mean, I know the basics and a lot of background info on the guy, but i didn’t know what the worst thing that had ever happened to him was. Nor did I know what gave him nightmares. See what I mean?
This is where I’m kind of a freak about my process… To me plot and character are interwoven so tightly that I can’t just plot the book out, because I don’t yet know how the character, as he or she develops, will change that plot. Case in point, I found out something absolutely horrible about both my hero and heroine yesterday. I made them tell me the worst thing they had ever done. And you know what? It was a common theme for both of them–they were ashamed they’d used their power and/or influence to hurt someone, even if the person in question deserved it. And then that led me to the theme that has been dancing in the back of my head since I started writing this book… vengeance.
Right now I have two more chapters to write–finish up a fight scene, and then the finale. But until yesterday, and my white board moment, I just couldn’t go there, because both of my characters had to give up something BIG in order for those last two chapters to drag the reader (and me) right along with them.
And this is why authors are nuts. LOL!! Have a GREAT weekend!!
Absolutely gorgeous outside…
And I’m stuck inside analyzing survey results!
Working from home today since I ponied up my office for some folks in transition. Let the cats out in the backyard and opened the windows.
SO wish I could be out there with them, but guess I’ll have to settle for making sure Max isn’t up a tree again!!
I dreamed a story last night!
Well, at least part of one. Haven’t done that in years. And better yet, it’s actually something viable to follow up on later! Super jazzed!
Oh Wednesday, how I love thee…
Seriously–it’s not Monday, and we’re on the downhill slide to Friday! I’ve got a fun mentoring session planned for my AFSO21 peeps this morning at 0800, and last night I wrote my requisite 1,000 words, so all in all, I’m purty darned happy. How is YOUR Wednesday treating you???
Misc Ramblings–Summerland & Brotherhood free to borrow on Amazon…
Good news!! If you’re an Amazon Prime member and have a Kindle, The Summerland and The Brotherhood are up now available to check out for FREE!
Swing on by when you get a moment!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Summerland-ebook/dp/B004P8JJGO/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_1
http://www.amazon.com/The-Brotherhood-ebook/dp/B004T349J2/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpt_3
On the writing front, spending this last day of my long weekend working on the LAST chapter of Shoot to Thrill!!!
Samhain’s SAMMIE Awards…vote if you’ve got a moment!
Curtains up! Light the Lights! The SAMMIES are coming, all right!
Soooo, totally not asking folks to do blind voting for my book, but if you read Behind Blue Eyes and enjoyed it (or any of Samhain’s books), then please take a moment to cast your vote! It’s super easy through survey monkey, so no e-mail addies to enter or any of that jazz.
Only four categories, so easy sneezy!
Reader’s Choice Best Cover Art eBooks 2011
Reader’s Choice Best Cover Art Print Books 2011
Reader’s Choice Best eBook 2011
Reader’s Choice Best Print Book 2012
Please go to http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BQG585R to cast your vote. Voters are permitted three choices per category. Voting begins today and runs through March, 19, 2012.
The survey allows each participant to vote once. The blue links for each book/cover are hot and will take you to Samhain Publishing site so you can look at the cover or read the blurb for each book listed. Cast your choice for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each category. Then scroll to the NEXT button at the bottom of the page, this will take you to the next category. Repeat until you get to the last category. When you have voted for your choices, be sure to click on the DONE button at the bottom of the last page so your vote will count. Remember, each reader gets to vote once for the poll.
Thanksgiving Weekend overview…
I was thinking how relaxing this long weekend was, until I realized everything we’d done.
Thursday: Rescued Max from the next door neighbor’s tree (he’s a housecat who still has his front claws; he gets all amped up racing around the backyard then finds himself up a tree with no idea how to get down). Luckily, it only took me and the hubster and a five-foot ladder.
Thursday: Decorated entire house for Christmas (we’d done the outside stuff last weekend when it was pretty outside), then cooked ham dinner. Note to self: Ham is good in concept, but not something that rocks my world after a year of not eating meat. Next year? BLTs!!
Friday: No early Black Friday shopping, but we did go out and about to pick up a few things we needed to finish decorating, then headed back and decorated the tree, then to Enid Lights up the Plains, our downtown tree-lighting/fireworks ceremony.
Saturday: went shopping for much-needed food, since we gave away the rest of our ham to the next door neighbors, then chilled and watched football (I actually wrote!!!!!!)
Sunday: Wrote, watched football and wondered where the heck the long weekend went as I spent two hours in the kitchen making this week’s soup (Tuscan Ribollito).
So how did your weekened go??
Awesome new book release–Dani Worth’s Kithra series!
My friend Dani Worth’s AWESOME book releases at Samhain Publishing today!
This book is full of sci-fi goodness, with three main characters you’ll absoloutely adore! Pick it up via Samhain or Amazon or any eBook retailer.
Random Thought…when did Headline News become TMZ??
Because that’s kind of what it reminded me of when I was on the elliptical trainer. Michael Jackson’s Doc’s trial all day long. Guess I’ve been out of the loop for too long…