As you're reading this, I'm probably still sleeping in the crow's nest about to enjoy another day of rest and relaxation while the sun beats down on me warm and comforting. Nothing like a little Spring time in Phoenix to cheer up this ninja pirate. I'll be back next week with something boring to put you guys to sleep on hump day; but in the meantime, I've lined up one of the best to cover for me today. You all know her as that wonderful erotica writer, Dee S. Knight and her "sister" Anne writes the sweetest contemporary romance in the market today. Give it up for our guest pirate!

***

As writers, we're totally consumed with words-the style, the quality, the grammatical correctness, the tense, the appropriateness, the number, the... ACK!! Before you know it, you're curled up in a corner with a glazed look in your eyes, mumbling verses like:

I write them short
I write them long,
But still can't weave
An author's song.
My keyboard's hot
But still no words
That sound much more
Than worthless turds.

Been there, done that. No matter how hard it is to write and re-write, words are our business and their importance can't be overlooked. Here's an example of how vital communicating the right word can be.

The Lone Ranger was ambushed and captured by an enemy Indian war party.

The Indian Chief proclaims, "So, you are the great Lone Ranger. In honor of the Harvest Festival, you will be executed in three days. But, before I kill you, I will grant you three requests. What is your first?"

The Lone Ranger responds, "I'd like to speak to my horse."

The Chief nods and Silver is brought before the Lone Ranger, who whispers in Silver's ear. The horse listens, then gallops away.

Later that evening, Silver returns with a beautiful blonde woman on his back. As the Indian Chief watches, the blonde enters the Lone Ranger's tent and spends the night.

The next morning the Indian Chief admits he's impressed. "You have a very fine and loyal horse but I will still kill you in two days. What is your second request?"

The Lone Ranger again asks to speak to his horse. Silver is brought forward, and once more he whispers in the horse's ear. Silver takes off across the plains and disappears over the horizon.

Later that evening, to the Chief's surprise, Silver returns with a brunette, even more attractive than the blonde. She enters the Lone Ranger's tent and spends the night.

The following morning the Indian Chief says, "You are indeed a man of many talents but I still kill you tomorrow. What is your last request?"

The Lone Ranger responds, "I'd like to speak to my horse....alone." The Chief is curious but he agrees and Silver is brought to the Lone Ranger's tent.

Once they're alone, the Lone Ranger grabs Silver by both ears, looks him square in the eye and says, "Listen very carefully you dumb ass horse. For the last time, BRING POSSEEEE"

 

Poor Lone. So, how can we tell if we're communicating the right words? Well, there are a few of ways I use. I won't kid you, they're all difficult as heck, but they work most of the time.

 

1. Find overused words like really, that and just and only. I use two ways to do this and both are good.
   Use the Search feature. Each time one of those words is found, read the sentence and make sure the word is required for the meaning you're trying to convey. If not, cut!!
   Read your work out loud. Yes, all of your work, even those hotter than blazes sex scenes. If you have to take a flashlight into the closet to be alone, I can't emphasize enough how helpful this can be, and for more than finding unneeded words.


2. Reading aloud helps you notice words repeated in close proximity. *He wore a serious expression. "We're in serious trouble," she said. "Yes," he answered, "I've hardly ever been in such a serious position."* And that's before they got into bed.


3. Unneeded words bog down your writing. Pay particular attention to the ending of sentences and words immediately after verbs. *He shrugged his shoulders before answering.* What else would he shrug? his shoulders is not needed. *"Get out," she said to her.* If there're only two people present, leave off to her. *Her heart pounded in her chest.* Well, yeah. *I must get out, she thought to herself.* Yes, if she's thinking, she's doing it to herself, no need to say it.


4. Turn your work over to someone else to read. The trick here is to find someone you trust. It's okay if they like you, but it's not a necessity. J As long as they'll be honest about what they read and help you make your work as powerful as possible-meaning with the right words used in the right way-you're okay. The sad truth is, the same way you easily see errors in someone else's work, your critique partner will see them in yours. Damn it.


5. Think about what you want each scene to mean. Does each sentence, each paragraph help you accomplish your goal? I can't tell you the number of times I've had to cut words I really, really love because they don't help the scene get where it needs to go. The same goes for scenes within chapters. This is tough to get used to, but if you read your work and you're going through 2-3 pages of narrative, take a step back and make sure you can't turn that into dialogue or action. Readers have short attention spans and often don't appreciate your genius in narrative. What's a writer to do? Cut!


6. And of course (which are unnecessary words, but hey...), make sure the word you've used is the word you meant to use. As shown above, there's a big difference between posse and uh, you know, the other word. But if you need another reminder, here you go.

 

It was a hot Saturday evening in the summer of 1964 and Fred had a date with Peggy Sue. He arrived at her house and rang the bell.

 

"Oh, come on in!" Peggy Sue's mother said as she welcomed Fred in. "Would you like something to drink? Lemonade? Iced tea?"

 

"Iced tea, please," Fred said.

 

"So, what are you and Peggy planning to do tonight?" Peggy Sue's mom asked when she brought the drinks.

 

"Oh, probably catch a movie, and then maybe grab a bite to eat at the malt shop, maybe take a walk on the beach..."

 

"Peggy likes to screw, you know," Mom confided.

 

"Really?" Fred raised his eyebrows.

 

"Oh yes," she continued. "When she goes out with her friends, that's all they do!"

 

"Is that so?" asked Fred, incredulously.

 

"Yes. As a matter of fact, she'd screw all night if we let her!"

 

"Well, thanks for the tip!" Fred said as he began thinking about alternate plans for the evening.

 

A moment later, Peggy Sue came down the stairs looking pretty as a picture, wearing a pink sweater set and a pleated skirt, and with her hair tied back in a bouncy ponytail. She greeted Fred.

 

"Have fun, kids!" her mother said as they left.

 

Half an hour later, a completely disheveled Peggy Sue burst into the house and slammed the front door. "The Twist, Mom!" she angrily yelled to her mother in the kitchen. "The damn dance is called the Twist!"

 

Thanks for letting me sub today-I feel so like a Pirate! Also, heaven knows, I don't have all the secrets about word hunting. Please share your techniques, problems or questions.

Ahoy and BOO to ye, Mateys!  We here on The Revenge are honored and excited to have Sourcebooks Casablanca debut author, Loucinda McGary (aka Aunty Cindy in the Bandita Lair), back for a post-launch, return visit.  Loucinda is wrapping up a whirlwind October that has pretty much been a promotional marathon.  For the skinny on her debut novel, The Wild Sight, the inside scoop on her first month as a published writer, and the low down on some paranormal activity – keep on reading! (And there's prizes so really, get to reading.  What are you doing still reading this intro?  Read the dang interview already…sheesh.)

 

 

Bo'sun:  First off, the really easy one.  Tell us about The Wild Sight.

Loucinda:  Ah yes, the book of my heart! My "baby" that is at last on the shelves of bookstores… SOMEWHERE, though apparently not in Bo'sun's neck o the woods. PFFFT!

The Wild Sight: An Irish tale of deadly deeds and forbidden love is a romantic suspense with paranormal elements. It's the story of Donovan O'Shea, who is cursed with the clairvoyance the Irish call "The Sight." Donovan has spent fifteen years trying to deny his so-called gift, but when circumstances force him to return to Ireland, it all comes crashing back with a vengeance. He becomes embroiled in two murders, one recent and one not, and meets a beautiful woman who can't possibly be his half-sister.
 
Bo'sun:  I'll find this book by hook or by crook!  Now, has this first month of being a bonafide published author with a book on the shelves been what you expected?  If not, how has it been different?

Loucinda:  In some ways it has exceeded my expectations. In others, it has been frustrating and stressful. Getting wonderful reviews, including a star from Publishers Weekly, has been a dream come true!On the stressful side, there was a snafu at the Sourcebooks' warehouse, and The Wild Sight did not get shipped with the other October releases. I had an in-person launch party scheduled for Oct. 5th and the books were not available ANYWHERE! ACK! Luckily, I received my author copies the day before the party, and several people received their Amazon orders, so there were some actual books at the party. Not only that, but people I did not know and who didn't know me asked for my autograph. That was a real thrill!

For two weeks, I kept going into my local bookstores only to be told that "the books are on order" or "we had copies but they are already sold out." Now I know this latter situation is a GOOD thing, but I was still frustrated. Finally, on Oct. 18th I went into my local Barnes & Noble and found copies on the shelf! I was in new author heaven!
 
Bo'sun:  Okay, that sold out bit is AWESOME!  I know you've been on a Wonderwoman blog tour this month, did you ever guess how much promotional work you'd have to do when you decided to write Romance?



 



 

Loucinda:  I dunno about Wonderwoman, more like Exhaustedwoman (Aunty reveals ginormous E on her chest). This is my 15th blog appearance in the past 30 days, not counting my regular postings on my two group blogs and my personal blog. I also gave one live presentation (on internet promotion no less!) to a writers group an hour's drive from my house.So in a word, "no" I didn't think about the amount of promotion involved in launching my debut novel way back when I first started writing it. However, everything I've heard and read says that the more times people see your name or book title, the more likely they are to remember. I wanted to do everything in my power to get the word out about The Wild Sight, plus so far, I've had a ton of fun doing it! Of course, I won't know for sure how well I've succeeded until I get some sales figures, but I gotta believe this has all helped build the buzz.
 
Bo'sun:  Can I get one of those Big E shirts? I so need one.  Being a member of the Romance Bandits means having access to some great published authors (and fantastic as-yet-unpubs too!).  What's the best advice you received before the big release and what advice do you wish you'd gotten that you didn't?



 



 

Loucinda:  First and most importantly, let me say what a thrill and a privilege it is to be associated with this fantastic group of women! They are all amazing and multi-talented and sometimes I feel like a slacker in comparison. But that's the best part… there is NO competition, only support! We are all on our very individual writing paths and yet we all share and support one another. I think the genuine caring and friendship amongst all of us is what makes our blog so successful.Plus, the Banditas KNOW how to party! I think that's the most valuable advice they've all given me. CELEBRATE! It's so easy to get caught up in the daily grind, or to focus on the negative at the expense of the positive things going on in your life. Let go of that negative and embrace the positives!

Have faith and believe in yourself and your abilities – this is the advice I wish I'd paid more attention to when my Banditas and other supportive family and friends tried to drill it into my hard head. I still struggle sometimes to give myself proper credit, or even the benefit of the doubt, but I am getting better.
 
Bo'sun:  If seeing your first book on the shelves doesn't make you pat yourself on the back, I may have to come over there and shake some sense into you!  As Halloween is just a couple of days away, tell us a bit about the paranormal elements of your story.  How did you come up with the idea?  Do you believe in "the sight"?  Have you experienced any paranormal activity in real life?





 

 

 

 

Loucinda:  I've always been intrigued with the notion of "second sight" or clairvoyance. Being of Irish heritage myself, I grew up with this notion, but I'd never heard of it being associated with a man and that idea is what led to me writing The Wild Sight.My hero, Donovan hears and sees things that other people do not, but in the course of writing the story, his "gift" evolved into more than that. Instead of simply having "visions," he actually moves into a shadowy world "between" this one and the past. This ability first manifested itself when he was a young child and he played with two other boys who happened to be Bronze Age Celts (and may or may not be his ancestors). Interestingly enough, this ability is stronger around the Celtic holy day of Samhain, which we currently celebrate as Halloween.

At one point in the story, my heroine, Rylie observes Donovan interacting in this alternate realm and says that he looked like her idea of a ghost, "…almost like you weren't quite there." In this other reality, Donovan's personal demons become all too real and he must literally do battle with them. I had lots of fun writing those scenes, even if they weren't exactly planned.

As for my personal paranormal experiences, they are pretty limited. I had an out-of-body experience once, and both anesthesia and jet-lag give me dreams that are way too vivid to be enjoyable. I know a couple of people who claim to have "the Sight" but I'm reserving final judgment until they win the lottery.

Bo'sun:  If that lottery thing works out, I do hope you'll hook a pirate up.  Think of how much rum we could buy with 10 million dollars!  Time to turn it over to the crew and our loyal free-loaders…errr…..passengers?  Do you have any good unexplainable stories to tell?  What kinds of paranormal experiences have you had?  The spookier the better.  And one lucky commenter will win their very own copy of The Wild Sight so comment long and often.  (If you just can't wait to get your hands on this awesome book, click the cover above and order it today!)

 

Occassional Guest Pirate and one of the coolest ladies I know, Santa O'Byrne returns to the ship to bring us a little group participation.

There’s a house I pass on the way to the bank.  It’s a square red brick house set back from the road a bit.  It’s façade as non-sequential as its shape.  Mirror image windows set on either side of a plain black door while above it a porch door opens onto nothingness.

Every day, like clockwork, a woman walks the perimeter of the yard to the left side of the house.  Dressed in grey sweats that inexplicably blend into the background, she sets her pace along imaginary lines, her face hidden beneath the bill of a baseball cap pulled low over her eyes.

Then she disappears as quickly as she appears.  Is it because the weather turns warmer, negating the need for such heavy armor?  No sooner has my writer’s mind set about continuing the story she’s started in my head, the building begins.  Truckloads of wood planks follow the delivery of tall metal posts set ten feet apart along the same perimeter she walked.  Do the tread marks from her sneakers create a plum line for the builder?

More questions spring to mind.  Deeper mysteries yet to unfold.

The planks went up next, taller than any man, rivaling the height of the house next to it.  Curtains in the windows lifted on the left side seeming to chance a sidelong glance at what was being done right in its own backyard.

Does your writer’s mind work this way?  Do you see the world around you unfold like a story waiting to be told?  Why don’t you tell me how this story unfolds for you and I’ll tell you how it continues to unfold for me.

The Romance Writer's Revenge presents another fantastic guest blogger.   With her debut novel, The Wild Sight, hitting shelves October 2008, it's only a matter of time before this author's career shoots straight to the stars.  Loucinda McGary, a.k.a. Aunty Cindy on the Romance Bandits blog, blends suspense and magic while still delivering a satisfying love story.  She was generous (read: brave) enough to agree to an interview so without further ado, I give you my chat with Loucinda McGary.

 

Loucinda, welcome aboard and thank you for blogging with us today.  We can't offer the cabana boys you ladies keep in the Bandita Lair, but we do have a rather generous crew of Hotties.  Feel free to flag any of them down should you need a drink.  Or a foot rub maybe. Or you just want to, you know, try one on.

 

Why thank you, Bo’sun! As you know, Aunty likes her hotties tall and lean (a la Hugh Jackman, Eric Bana, and Paul Bettany) and a foot massage is almost The Best Thing Ever! What’s not to love about having a hottie at your feet?

 

Having one on his knees. J But lets get down to business. Your debut release, The Wild Sight, hits shelves October 1.  I'm stealing a page from the Bandita book and asking if you could share with us your *call* story?

 

Actually, I never get tired of telling this story, because truth really is stranger than fiction. And the truth is that I met my editor in an elevator at RWA’s National conference in Atlanta. My room was on the 20^th floor and there were already two people in the elevator when my roomie and I got on, headed to breakfast. One introduced herself as an editor, and when she saw my Golden Heart finalist ribbon on my name badge, she asked me about it. I told her I was a finalist in romantic suspense and she said, “I’d really love to read your book.” And gave me her business card. Her name was Deb Werksman and she was acquiring for a new romance line for Sourcebooks.

 

Of course, I sent her my manuscript as soon as I got home. No, she did not buy it, though it took her six months to reject it. L However, at the urging of my CP and fellow Bandita Jo Robertson, I sent Deb a query for my work in progress. Three months later, she asked to see the partial. Then, on July 27, 2007 she called my house to ask me to submit the entire manuscript. I was out to lunch with three of my best friends and when I got home, my DH started babbling incoherently and shoved a piece of paper at me. He had answered the phone and when he realized it was an editor, he wrote down every single word she said, because he knew “…Cindy will kill me if I screw this up!” (And he was correct, I would have! J)

 

I emailed her the whole thing and promptly convinced myself that there was no way a manuscript ever sold to the very first editor who read it. Happily, I was wrong! On the morning of September 14, 2007 my ringing phone awakened me from a dead sleep. I am not a morning person, and everyone who knows me knows better than to call before 9 a.m. Expecting some dire emergency, I answered only to have Deb Werksman identify herself and say she wanted to buy my “beautiful book!” After I screamed “Oh my God!” in her ear about nineteen times, she told me she wanted to release the book in the fall of 2008. I believe it is the first romantic suspense in the Sourcebooks Casablanca line. 

 

So there you have it – I sold my manuscript to the very first editor who read it, and I met her in an elevator. Truth really is stranger than fiction!

 

I love *call* stories. They always give me goose bumps.  Someday…someday. Where was I?  Oh yes, tell us about The Wild Sight.  Especially Donovan O'Shea. If that isn't the perfect name for an Irish hero, I don't know what is.

 

Faith and begorra, Bo’Sun! Like so many of my characters, Donovan arrived with his name intact, first, middle and last. But I did use some Irish census data (broken down by county) to come up with authentic names for many of the characters in the book.

 

The Wild Sight is actually my third romantic suspense manuscript. The previous two were set in Italy, and since nobody was exactly beating my door down to buy them, I decided that I would set my third book in Ireland. The DH and I are both of Irish lineage. In fact, his maternal grandmother emigrated from Ireland to America and he still has relatives who live there. However, they live in Northern Ireland, not the Republic. This is the Ireland I’m most familiar with and the one I chose to write about, even though I’ve never seen another contemporary romance novel set there.

 

Makes sense. But The Wild Sight is more than a contemporary romantic suspense, isn’t it?

 

Yes, all of my romantic suspense tales have what I call paranormal elements. In my first book, the hero and heroine may or may not be reincarnated 15^th century lovers. The heroine of my second book receives “messages” from her recently deceased aunt in her dreams. I have always been fascinated with the Celtic notion of second sight, and decided to use it in my third book. Most of the time, female characters seem to be the ones who have this ability, so I started thinking, “…what if a man had it?” And that is when Donovan Joseph O’Shea appeared. J Here’s a bit of the back cover copy to whet your appetite:

 

He was cursed with a “gift”

Born with the clairvoyance known to the Irish as “The Sight,” Donovan O’Shea fled to America to escape his visions. On a return trip to Ireland to see his ailing father, staggering family secrets threaten to turn his world upside down. And then beautiful, sensual Rylie Powell shows up, claiming to be his half-sister . . .

 

Was it difficult to convince an editor a book that starts with the hero and heroine thinking they are brother and sister would sell? 

 

*ahem * Technically, the hero never believes she is his sister… But, I will say that I had several people who read the opening chapter or heard the idea react with, “EWWW!” One went so far as to tell me I’d never sell the book (Never say never!). I knew it would probably be a “make it or break it” issue. However, my critique partners were very supportive and said they couldn’t wait to see how I got my characters over this huge stumbling block. You’ll have to let me know how I did after you read the book.

 

As for my editor, the possible half-siblings turned out to be one of the things she loved about the book! Have I mentioned how much I LURVE my editor?

 

Can you tell us what's up next?  What are you working on now?  Sequels maybe?

 

As a matter of fact, I am working on a sequel. When my editor told me she wanted to buy The Wild Sight, she said in a rather off-hand way, “You did intend for this to be a series, didn’t you?” And I said, “Sure!” even though I’ve never before written a sequel. GAH!

 

But did I mention how much I LURVE my editor? Plus, she’s a very smart woman, so if she wants a series, then I’ll write one.

 

Here’s hoping she likes my latest ideas and decides to buy the sequel!

 

I think you'll find big fans of series here on the ship.  What about it Wenches?  Since Ms. Loucinda here is just starting on her whirlwind promotional tour, and we are honored she included us in her itinerary, how about everyone give her a little info on what makes you pick up a book?  What makes you buy it?  And what makes you tell all your friends about it?

 

Yes please! I’d love to know, and I’ll give away some Bailey’s Irish Crème filled chocolates to one lucky commenter.

We here on the Romance Writer's Revenge are proud to welcome, once again, Erotic Romance author, Toni Blake.  Toni is a favorite here on the ship and definitely a total pirate.  No one could create heroes the way she does and not be a pirate.  Without further ado, the lights are up and the cameras are rolling, and here's Toni.

 

 

If you’re young, you might not know that the above is a paraphrased line spoken by a character named Norma Desmond in the 1950 movie, Sunset Boulevard.  And now that you know that, you might be thinking:  Hey, I thought this was a blog about writing, so what does a movie have to do with writing? 

 

Lots, actually.  In fact, so much that I couldn’t begin to cover it all in one tiny blog post.  So in this blog post I just want to talk about “writing as acting.”

 

Now I myself am a victim of severe stage fright.  I’m pretty sure this links back to some bad elementary school experiences, but whatever the cause, I’m not comfortable “performing” in front of others, be it on a stage or in front of a video camera.  (Although I do these things from time to time anyway, because a girl’s gotta confront her fears, right?)  Anyway, despite my dislike of being on a stage, when I’m writing a book, I feel I’m every bit as much an actress as Julia Roberts or Reese Witherspoon.  (Okay, not really, but bear with me.) 

 

I may not be up on a stage or screen, but I’m still performing a role – in my head.  And then I’m putting it on paper.  At any given moment, I am my book’s heroine, hero, or a secondary character to whom I’ve given a point of view.  Because if reading a book can be equated to watching a movie, then writing a book is like making the movie.  And the best movies and books hinge on emotion.    

 

My main job, when I’m at the keyboard, is to be deep inside my point-of-view character’s head at all times and make sure I’m conveying their world, experiences, thoughts, and emotions in a way that the reader will feel.  I can’t leave anything out if I want the character to be complete, and by the time I finish a book, I want the reader to feel they know my characters so well that they could probably tell you, (within reason, of course,) what that character would do in almost any situation.  I want the reader to completely relate to the heroine and be totally in love with the hero. 

 

And how do I try to accomplish this?  I “get inside their skin.”  (The characters’, not the readers’. ;) )  Actors do this, too.  I’ve read that Johnny Depp spends time preparing for roles by dressing as his character dresses or doing things his character might do.  And as many of you probably know, Daniel Day Lewis stays “in character” on the set for the duration of every movie he shoots.  Like these guys, I spend a lot of time with my characters up front, in my head, before I ever write a word of their story, and when I do finally sit down to start writing, I am “in their skin” and I see myself as acting their roles. 

 

In my new book, LETTERS TO A SECRET LOVER, my main characters have very diverse backgrounds and differing personalities.  Rob’s past is a difficult one, and seeing myself as “acting” his role when I wrote his point of view gave me a sense of connection to him that I don’t think I could achieve otherwise.  Writing Lindsey was easier – I’m actually a lot like Lindsey, at heart – but writing her role was still just as much a job of acting to me, (figuring out her lines, her facial expressions, her reactions,) as it was writing.

 

There are probably as many methods for characterization as there are writers, but the “writing as acting” analogy works for me, thus I consider it a big part of my process.  So how do you get close to your characters?  Does the idea of being an actor when you sit down to write work in your mind?  Why or why not?  And for readers, how do you liken books to movies?  Do you see the book you’re reading like a movie in your head?  Do you imagine your favorite stars in the “roles”?

 

And of course, I’m happy to chat about pretty much anything – craft, industry, other stuff writers can learn from movies, LETTERS TO A SECRET LOVER (now available in a bookstore near you ;) ), or whatever else floats your boat – or, I should say, your pirate ship. J

My sincere apologies for the lateness of this blog.  Server issues, gotta love technology.  But better late than never!  Here's Santa.

Manga.  Sounds like an exotic fruit our fair pirate lasses may have come across while transiting through the South Pacific’s Cook Islands.  Alas, not so my hardy wenches and deckhands.  Manga is the Japanese word for comics.  These stylized books have their roots in ancient Japan, but their images were said to have morphed from exposure to the comics American soldiers had with them during World War II.  Here in the United States, Manga really began to reach the masses during the 70s and 80s.

Who knew?!

I’ll tell you who knew – my 11 year old daughter.  I’d heard about these books but had never seen one until she came home with one from our local library.  Now, you can call me a snob but I never considered Mangas to be ‘real’ books capable of telling a story with substance.  I was to be disabused of that notion in very short order by my daughter and that book she carried home.

You see, the book she’d gotten was an adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo & Juliet’. I’d expected it be populated with doe-eyed characters with little bubbles of modern verse escaping half-moon smiles.  Instead I found Shakespeare – chapter and verse.  Huh.

Still I hesitated and called my trusty Shakespearean whose son, close in age to my daughter, is an avid Manga fan.  She assured me that exposing children to the classics in any format was a very good thing.  Fair enough.

Well, my daughter raced through the book, fell in love with Romeo and Juliet, was quoting Shakespeare for weeks afterwards and asked what other Shakespearean plays I’d recommend.

So that got me to thinking.  If Shakespeare can be transformed into a Manga why not other classics?  Say – Jane Austen.  Now, I can hear the gasps, so please bear with me.  Until recently, I’ve been a Jane Austen purest.  No novels about Mr. Darcy and any progeny he may have had.  No Captain Wentworth for the 24^th century.  But what about  a black ink rendering of Mr. Darcy emerging drenched from the pond at Pemberly?  Or Mr. Knightly chastising Emma for her meddling ways?  Or Elizabeth Bennett’s refusal of what has to be the worst proposal ever spoken between clenched teeth?

More news on the Manga horizon for me because it’s already being done.  Jane Austen’s beloved ‘Pride and Prejudice’ is already in Manga format.  As a matter of fact, one of our own lusty pirate lasses has a Jane Austen Manga as her avatar on the Eloisa James/Julia Quinn BB.  Delightful.  Looks like I can have my Mr. Darcy in ink after all! 

What say you my pirate friends?  I'm sure there are already Mangas straight from the classics lists.  Can you see A Christmas Carol or The Adventures of Tom Sawyer retold?

And what of our beloved romance novels?  I, for one, can see Christina Dodd’s paranormal series easily translated into this medium.  My knees weaken at the thought of having Mary Balogh’s haughty Wulfric raising his quizzing glass at everyone. Mmmmm.

Friends, it seems I’ve been reformed.  What of your own books or works in progress?  There some incredible debut authors whose books will be out in the next few years.  I think it’d be fantastic to see some of those books in this format.  In fact, I’ll go out on a limb about my own manuscript, ‘Sweet Melissa’ as a Manga.  I do have that scene under the pergola behind Melissa’s restaurant when Jake backs her against the post and begins to show her she is as delicious as warm peach cobbler drenched in vanilla bean ice cream. 

What do you think, my pirate lads and lasses?  Is Manga the wave of romance’s future or just another fantastic way to tell a tale worth retelling in another way?  Come aboard and share your own thoughts.  I’ll be popping in throughout the day to chat with you all.

Thanks, once again, for letting me aboard one of the best pirate ship blogs out there!

I had a very schizophrenic reaction to being asked to blog with the pirates today.  Terri responded to one of my comments hinting that she may ask me to guest blog someday and then Hellion chimed in saying “Yeah, Irish should guest blog”.  I read their posts and thought… Yea, this is cool.  The cool kids want me to come out and play with them.  This is so awesome.  Sure I can blog.  This’ll be fun!  So I posted that sure I’d love to come be a guest blogger. 

 

The day wound down, I scrolled back over the posts for the day and thought… Holy #$%&, what the hell did I agree to?!  I don’t blog.  That’s not who I am.   I have nothing interesting to say.  I read.  I comment.  Every once in a while I say something semi-noteworthy.  I’m not a blogger.  I’m a poster.  Actually, I’m a weenie lurker most of the time.  When I get my courage up I post (and let’s face it - how much courage do you really need to anonymously state your opinion while sitting comfortably at your desk in your home, who knows where, wearing bunny slippers and drinking tea?).

 

Then a thought hit me…  I can be a blogger.  Why not?!  There was a time I didn’t think I could ever leave home, but I did.  I moved 2,000 miles away and lived in a different city, living with people I’d never met before, doing a job I knew nothing about and survived a riot and an earthquake.  There was a time I didn’t think I could be in a healthy relationship and I’m a happily married woman now.  There was a time I didn’t think I had what it took to be a mother and I’m a mother of two happy, fairly healthy, semi-intelligent children seemingly headed for college and not the State Penn. 

 

There was a time I didn’t think I could write anything beyond a grocery list and … you guessed it… I’m writing.  Nothing monumental, but the snippets I have are coherent and make sense.   My 43 year old self is capable of so much more than my 18 year old self because I’ve changed.  I’m not the same person I was then, but every now and then, the insecurities and doubts surface.  So much of who we are and what we think we can accomplish is formed in our childhood and stays with us in some form for most of our life.

 

I grew up the sixth child of seven in an Irish Catholic middle class family.  My therapist could tell you with very impressive words and lots of examples why I am the way I am, or to be more accurate, why I was the way I was.  But basically the upshot is that I have baggage.  Most of us have baggage and most of it we accumulated between birth and 18 years of age.  Good or bad, the people and experiences in our lives form us.  We all grow up with a perception of who we are. 

 

We’re all familiar with the typical stereotypes – jock, cheerleader, druggie, geek, the quiet one, the outgoing one, the nerd, the brain (and just so you all know I’m not completely out of the loop, we now have the goth girl and the skateboarders).  In families it can be the caretaker, the screw-up, the controller, the baby, the negotiator, the black sheep, and my personal favorite – the enabler.  That last one actually sounds like a super hero, doesn’t it?  Anyway, you get the idea.  Whether it’s an image given to us or one earned, it defines us until we decide to be more than the labels put upon us. 

 

I know I could pull a couple of the descriptions from above and slap them right on my forehead.  The funny thing is that some of them applied to me once and no longer do and vice versa.  I could have stayed the way I was and let my baggage define me, but chose instead to travel a different path.  Even with that being said, so many times when asked if I’m capable of a certain task I don’t look at my confident 43-year-old-woman self, I look at my insecure 18-year-old-girl self, and respond accordingly.  A more accurate description would be I’m a little bit of both and depending on the day one is stronger than the other.  Today I’m the happy, well adjusted wife, mother, writing, BLOGGING woman.  There was a time none of that description seemed possible.

 

My husband once told me a story about a classmate of his that has always stuck with me.  This guy was from a pretty messed up family and acted out a lot.  He ditched school, vandalized things, but his favorite thing to do was set things on fire.  When he was 17 his family moved out west.  He came back to his 10 year high school reunion a changed man.  He, basically, grew up.  He'd identified the problems in his life and fixed them.  Wore a suit, had a steady lucrative job and couldn’t wait to come back and catch up with all his old friends. 

 

Except no one saw the grown up man, all they saw was the kid who liked to set things on fire.  By the end of the evening he was pretty weary of everyone’s attempt to put that old label back on him.  He hasn’t been back since and I’m guessing he won’t be.   I went to my grammar school reunion about ten years ago and I had the strangest reaction to the greeting “Wow, you haven’t changed a bit!”  I felt like giving a PowerPoint presentation on how much and in which ways I’ve changed since they saw me last.

 

It’s corny and simplistic in a sense, but I truly and with all my heart believe one of life’s greatest gifts is our ability to change.  Our past does not have to define who we are or where we’re going.  And nothing touches or moves me more than a novel that drives that point home.  One of the things I love most about the romances I read (apart from the obligatory HEA) is that the redemption or growth of the hero or heroine plays such a huge part in so many of my favorites.   It does something wonderful to the human spirit to read about someone just like yourself, who isn’t perfect, or is as far from perfect as you can get, that learns and grows and ends up with their own HEA.

 

So, tell me how you’ve morphed into the person you are today.  Are you the same person you were in your teens, twenties, thirties?  Do you like where you are in life more than where you’ve been?  Do we have any head cheerleader/valedictorians who dated the football quarterback out there?  What book contains your favorite redemption/metamorphosis storyline or character?  What type of character do you think is harder to write - a flawed character or a perfect, larger than life character?

Hellion: Hello, Leslie, and welcome aboard the Romance Writer’s Revenge. *much shouting and rambunctious cheering from grog-warmed crew and passengers; Hellion stun guns Sin who rushes up for an autograph* I said after the interview, Sin. I’m so sorry, Leslie, the ship has been abuzz since I’ve told them you agreed to this interview. This is a huge opportunity!

Leslie *not looking the least concerned*: Can I have some of that? *pointing to the grog*

Hellion: *handing her grog as she barrels on* I mean, when you said you’d answer any question, I suddenly realized I’d get to find out which of the Bombays did in JFK. I’m very curious who the shooter on the grassy knoll was. I’m hedging my bets that it was Virginia, since she was later picked off. So am I right? And are the Bombays primarily Republican or Democrat…or do they play the wild card and vote Independent? How will they be voting this November, you think?

Leslie: *blank-faced* Sorry. That information is classified. The Bombays made me take the blood oath too. As far as politics, they are split. Liv and Gin are obviously liberals. Dak is more or less apathetic, I'm afraid. Paris plays things close to the vest and all Carolina can think about is getting more grandchildren. If one of the parties introduces that as a platform - she's likely to vote for them.

Hellion: That Dak! *giggling, clearly crushing on a completely fictional character* Okay, now, I suppose we should probably explain what you write about to those who haven’t read your books yet. You write a mystery-romantic series of books about a family of assassins. The first one was about Gin Bombay, a mom just like you or the Boatswain, trying to make ends meet and get that monkey off her back by the name of Vivian the PTA Nazi—and oops, Gin happens to also be an assassin. Cue chaos and laughter. How did you come up with this series? And what’s been the most fun about writing this series so far?

Leslie: I was writing a completely different warped novel when I had a dream about the Bombays. The name Gin Bombay popped up and the whole family wouldn't shut up so I had to sit down and write about them. I think the bizarre situations are my favorite things to write. I love tormenting my characters. I guess I have a little pirate in me.

Hellion: *roguish look* Don’t we all? Do you find the cat-o-nines particularly effective on unwilling characters? No? Oh, sorry, pressing on. I’m particularly amused by the dating problems Gin had in the first book. It is Karma times ten when she meets the man of her dreams, and he happens to be the bodyguard of the guy she has to kill. I know you say repeatedly that none of this stuff is based off your real life; however, Gin manages a Girl Scout troop; and coincidentally, so do you. Gin lives in the Midwest; coincidentally, so do you. Gin is married to a hot Aussie-former bodyguard…tell the truth, you are too, aren’t you?

Leslie: You got me! It's true - I live in the Midwest, have a Girl Scout troop and am married to a Bodyguard. He's not Australian though. That would be pretty hot. I guess it's true you draw upon what you know and some of these situations may have actually happened (the part about the Girl Scout training is 100% accurate - right down to the video) but I am not training my girl scouts to be killers. Although it was funny that at a Pampered Chef party, the leader of the local boy scout troop said she was afraid of my girl scouts so maybe there's something there. *looks thoughtful, then hopeful* Is there a merit badge for piracy?

Hellion: Not yet, but we’re making some to distribute at conferences. Like a Jolly Roger with writing quills. *poked by Boatswain* Never mind. Are you going to RWA this year? Will you be doing a book signing? Do you do book signings in Missouri? Any plans to do so?

Leslie: Not a firm believer in transitions, are you?

Hellion: No, no, I’m very focused. Look, an undead monkey. *uses her gun to shoot monkey, which immediately bounds back to life and starts eating another banana*

Leslie: I LOVE undead monkeys! I will be in San Francisco for the book signing at RWA and I'm signing in Chicago at the Spring Fling conference. I don't have anything lined up in Missouri but that's just because I'm lazy.

Hellion: Damn, I knew I shouldn’t have changed my plans about the Spring Fling! I’ve got to start pirating more. *shakes head* Guns Will Keep Us Together hit the shelves just last month (and incidentally flew immediately into my cart and came home with me), and features Gin’s brother, Dakota Bombay, a complete and total hottie with great hair. I have to ask this very important question about Dak—which hair gel was discontinued that he misses so much? What is he using now?

Leslie: Well, Dak goes with the big ticket items. It's something he can only order off Sephora (which he probably wouldn't like me telling you). It was an extremely traumatic time in his life. I can't say what he uses now - but would be shamelessly open to endorsements (Hello, PRADA?).

Hellion: You really are a pirate. *laughs* It seemed in Gin’s book (and this may be totally wrong), but Gin seemed slightly less klutzy than Dak. Am I wrong in this assumption—do women make cleaner hitmen, you think? I remember thinking in the first book, Dak seemed so suave, so…smooth, but in reality, he’s rather (adorably) goofy.

Leslie: Of course, women are far more lethal than men. Look at the pirates Anne Bonney and Mary Read, who staved off an attack while Calico Jack and the others huddled below decks. History doesn't lie!

Hellion: Very true. And when he went to hang, she said, “If you had fought like a man, you wouldn’t have had to die like a dog.”

Leslie: I prove my point. As far as Dak, he looked so suave in ‘Scuse Me While I Kill This Guy because he was only a superficial character. Once he had his own book, we got to see him in an average setting - and everyone looks goofy in an average setting. I'd like to tell you I'm writing this while wearing haute couture but instead I'm wearing sock monkey jammies.

Hellion: *tsking* Looking the part of a pirate is very important. *hiding her I Love Jack Sparrow pjs beneath her coat* Never mind, moving on. Also in this book, you brought back a family favorite: Coney Island, the carny. Now this philosophical showman was funny in the first book, but he really brings something to this book. Okay, maybe that’s because you described him as a Daniel Craig and therefore every time he made it onto the page, I wanted to peel off an article of clothing, preferably his…but I was curious: will he be playing a more central part soon? Say his own book, where he gets to be all philosophical and hopefully occasionally naked? And more importantly, do you suppose I could have a role in that naked part? *jabbed in the ribs by the Boatswain* What? Have you seen Daniel Craig?

Leslie: Book 4 - which I'm currently working on - is all about the Conester. And yes, he's totally hot. As for the loofah scene, I think I'd be more partial to having you oil him up as a gladiator or something like that. Anyway, I'm having fun with it. He has a much dryer sense of humor than the other Bombays so I'm trying out two points of view in this book - the other being the heroine.

Hellion: Oil, loofah, I’m totally flexible—you don’t mind telling Coney that, do you? *poked yet again in the ribs by Boatswain* Right. Oh, yes, your third book in the series is about Missi, who has the fun task of creating toys for all the assassins. What’s her book going to be about? Can you tell us? And her sons are about to come of age where they will do their first kill, aren’t they? Will that play a part?

Leslie: Actually, the boys had their first professional kills at 15. Missi's book takes place on a cheap, Canadian rip-off of Survivor. The boys help her out, but are secondary characters. I imagine they will have their own book someday.

Hellion: That sounds fun! I am so excited about this book…and Coney’s book. Okay, okay, last question, and I’ll let you go back to that important task of writing Coney’s book…and putting in that scene where I get to loofah, oil, whatever him. *jabbed again* What? I am serious. Fine. What’s the single most important thing you think new writers should keep in mind when they’re trying to push through and finish their books?

Leslie: Just get it done. And if you don't like it - move on to the next book until you nail it. Gin's book was my fourth full manuscript and I learned a lot from the first three (but I'd rather walk the plank than ever see them in print) but I knew with Gin's book that this was it.

Hellion: *looks at crew* Look, she subscribes to the “As IF” mentality. Imagine that. *tries not to look smug, fails* Okay, okay, I’ll stop hogging the interview now. *trampled by Sin* Leslie, I think you’ve been an excellent interrogatee, um, guest pirate—and I suppose I should give my crew an opportunity to ask you some questions. Crew?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve found people, men in particular, to be fascinating. While the love of the written word has been in my blood for as long as I can remember, the very nature of human nature never ceases to amaze me. And as a writer, I find my male characters, both hero and secondary, enthralling. And I wonder to myself – Just what are they thinking?