Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Pamela Clare on Romance, Writing, Her Next Release UNLAWFUL CONTACT, and Life in General.
The day has finally come!! Get the rum and hot crew members ready! It’s time to welcome Pamela Clare to the ship!!
The Lost Chronicles of a Pamela Clare: Act One, Scene One: The Setup.
Sin sauntered across the deck and into the storage chest Hellion presumably kept the gold and extra rum. There was nothing but the old loud speaker and moth balls. She held it up to her lips, waiting for it to click on. A loud, piercing whine screeched through the silence of the ship. “Hello?” Sin looked down at the speaker and scratched her head. “Hello? Can anyone hear me?”
Hellion, with her fingers stuck in her ears, said with a huff, “Yes, wench! Hold it further away from your mouth.” She muttered to herself while Capt’n Jack tried to smooth her ruffled feathers.
Lisa snorted and elbowed Marnee and Ter. “I don’t know why she bothers to use the loud speaker. Everyone knows you can hear her from Tortuga to Australia.”
Sin narrowed her eyes at Lisa. “I heard that.” Bickering ensued through the crew and Sin decided to toss the loud speaker overboard before clearing her throat. “Everyone gather ‘round. Gather ‘round.” Whipping the notebook from her lower back in sheer pirate fashion, “I have the long lost chronicles of one fierce and brave pirate. One that I’ve long admired. I thought I’d share them with y’all.”
The wenches position themselves on the deck in various seductive poses. All of the crew members stopped what they were doing to take notice of the wenches and Sin had to clear her throat once again. “Hello! I swear! You guys have the attention span of gnats! I have the Chronicles of Pamela Clare in my hand and one would think that would earn some respect!”
A hush settles over the deck. Our faithful readers take a pause. “Pamela Clare.” They all said in awe. “THE Pamela Clare?”
Sin grinned. “Well yes. THE Pamela Clare. I told you that I found get my hands on it and here it is! Voila! I’ve even got a verbal agreement that she’s going to come by the ship and have a little chat!”
Loud tittering erupts on the deck of the Romance Writer’s Revenge. “Open it! Open it!” They shout. Sin takes a seat and begins to read from the lost chronicles of Pamela Clare!
The Lost Chronicles of Pamela Clare: Act One, Scene Two: The Interview!
Page 1: What’s a normal day like in the life of Pamela Clare?
P. Clare: Monday through Thursday, I get up anywhere between 4 and 5:30 a.m., write, take a shower, grab some breakfast and head to the newspaper, where I am editor-in-chief. I work all day. No two days are alike. And then I come home around 5-6-ish, make dinner for myself and my son. He’s a senior in high school; my older son is already in college. Then I do whatever I need to do. On bad days, it’s pay bills. On good days, it’s spend more time writing. On Fridays and on the weekends, every spare moment I have goes into writing.
I don’t date. I don’t have television. I don’t go to movies except on the rarest of occasions. (OK, I saw “Fellowship of the Ring” 16 times in the theater…) I rarely party. It’s mostly work, work, work. And that’s okay. When you have a dream, you work for it.
I decided years ago that I could either sit on my butt watching other people live fake lives on TV, or I could live my own life. I cancelled my cable and that was it.
Page 2: What ultimately got you writing your first novel, Sweet Release and eventually moved you into writing your I-Team series?
P. Clare: I love historicals. They’re my first love and that’s what I read. So I knew I wanted to write historical romance. I spent seven years writing Sweet Release as a newly divorced mom working full time with two little kids. Fun. I was thrilled when it sold. Then I wrote Carnal Gift and my personal favorite Ride the Fire. While I was in the midst of writing Carnal, I was talking to my agent about an investigation I was doing of a local cement plant and of the warning I’d gotten from a state official that my life/safety might be in danger. And my agent said, “Why don’t you write romantic suspense because you live it?” And I said, “Sure, all except the romantic part.” And from that conversation the I-Team series eventually came into being. (There’s a Facebook group that I created called The I-Team that includes some of my journalistic colleagues from the real I-Team.)
I had never read romantic suspense before so writing Extreme Exposure was an experiment. I think it went pretty well. J
Page 3: How has your day job, reporter, changed or helped your writing career?
P. Clare: It absolutely helped my writing career. I left academia (archaeology) to write as a journalist, because I knew I wanted to write novels. I thought journalism would give me practice writing. Well, it did more than that. It taught me discipline, and it connected me with a wealth of truly unique, bizarre, scary, incredible, exciting experiences that you just can’t get in a normal life. From interviewing rock stars to being flown around the world to really terrible stuff like seeing horrid acts of violence — it’s been priceless for filling my well as a writer. Grist for the mill, so to speak.
Here’s my bit of advice for this interview: If you want to write, you must experience life. If you don’t push yourself and experience as much as you can, you will have very little upon which to draw. I call it “living at full throttle.” Yep, sometimes you crash (I have done that literally), but sometimes there’s a transcendence to the experience that reveals to you something about the human condition that you never understood before. Those are moments of bliss for me.
Page 4: Tell us a little about your research habits?
P. Clare: My college degree and graduate work is in archaeology, and my career has been in journalism. Both are very research intensive and involve lots of “digging.” I’m a fact addict, and though I would never claim that any book I write is free from any kind of research error, I do work very hard to be accurate, taking only the occasional liberty. Most of the research for my I-Team series has been done on the job as a journalist. There aren’t a lot of women in investigative journalism because it’s confrontational and sometimes dangerous. I’ve had a lot of really unique experiences as a result of my career, and I can probably say with some degree of certainty that I’m one of very few romance novelists who’s had a gun held on her, seen someone get his head shot off, gotten dozens of death threats, had her home broken into by knife-wielding thugs, and had a couple of stalkers.
Page 5: What does it take to go undercover as a reporter?
P. Clare: A sense that you’re a crusader. Journalism is the only constitutionally protected profession in our country. The Founders felt that a free press was essential to guarantee freedom from oppression. Journalists are supposed to act as a voice for the voiceless. We’re supposed to watch those in power. We’re supposed to shine lights into the dark corners and turn over rocks so that we can expose all the wriggling worms — corruption, abuses of power, silent suffering. I believe in that mission with my heart and soul. Not many journalists partake in journalism on that level these days; for many it’s just a day job.
To go undercover, you really have to believe that you can make a difference and change the world for the better through what you’re doing. I suppose that sounds grandiose and naïve, but when you find something unjust and are able to change what’s happening, it’s an incredible feeling. To bring justice into someone’s life is such a blessing. I could tell you stories…
Page 6: I know that you played on your experience of going undercover in a prison to write UNLAWFUL, did that make the book harder to write in the sense that you had an understanding what happened behind closed doors? And how will it affect future books in this series?
P. Clare: Actually, this book is full of experiences gleaned not only from my 24-hour stay behind bars, but also my long focus on reporting prison issues. There are a few topics I’ve specialized in as an investigative reporter, and women in prison is one of them. That experience — both covering stories and being behind bars myself — really make this book easy in terms of filling it with authentic detail. A couple of the cases mentioned in the book are stories I broke — a heroin overdose behind bars and an inmate’s stillbirth due to neglect on the part of the prison guards. In fact, the book is dedicated to the stillborn baby. I definitely feel like my own experience gave me a very real understanding of the issues.
I don’t think it will have an impact on future books because I don’t plan to set any others in the same sort of prison milieu. But I always draw from my own reporting background for the I-Team stories. One other topic I’ve reported on extensively is issues faced by contemporary American Indians, and that’s what’s going to underpin Naked Edge, the next book in the I-Team series.
Page 7: What was your favorite part about writing UNLAWFUL?
P. Clare: I loved getting lost in Marc and Sophie. Marc was a really fun person to inhabit, if I can use that word. I loved his inner dialogue.
I also loved getting to use my prison slang. I’d waited years to do that!
I loved writing about two people who are so attracted to one another that it’s almost a force of nature for them.
I also loved showing the stuff that happens behind bars and opening that up in a fictional context.
Page 8: I feel like the relationship that Sophie and Marc share is a little more special (they share a past, which I’m super excited about!) than the bonds between Kara and Reece and Tessa and Julian. Can you tell us a little bit about what it took to write each relationship and how they all differ?
P. Clare: Sophie and Marc, as you point out, have known each other since high school. When people connect during those really vulnerable years, the bonds can be very strong. Neither Marc nor Sophie has forgotten the night Marc took Sophie’s virginity. And although the present very much intrudes into their relationship, there’s always that deep affection, that remembrance, underlying their feelings for one another. There’s one scene in particular that betrays what they mean to each other — the scene in which Sophie recognizes Marc. He’s holding her down, with her wrists pinned. And gradually their hands shift until their fingers are interlaced.
For me as a writer, it was very emotionally rich stuff to draw on. I really feel my characters are real when I’m writing. So when they’ve got interesting stuff in their minds and personal histories, it because a fun thing for me to experience along with them.
Kara’s issue was an inability to trust men, so Reece came along and managed to heal that wound. Tessa didn’t really trust men, either, at least not sexually. She was very cautious. Then along comes Julian, and he turns her world upside down, at the same time proving himself to be the one man she can trust. But the relationship between Sophie and Marc is much more complicated because of past associations and what those meant to each of them.
Page 9: What was the most difficult scene/situation/relationship to write in UNLAWFUL CONTACT?
P. Clare: I spent three very difficult weeks writing the scene were Marc confronts the primary villain (no spoilers here). THREE WEEKS. Getting the flow of the action right from the moment Marc appears on the scene to the moment when the final shot is fired and keeping the emotions intact was very tricky for some reason. Usually action scenes are the easiest ones for me to write.
I also cried my eyeballs out at the climax of the story. I spent probably eight hours writing and crying and went through an entire box of Puffs.
And, of course, the sex scenes. Sex is very difficult to write, in my opinion. Drives me nuts, and not in a good way.
Page 10: What’s one thing that each Sophie and Marc would ultimately change about their past?
P. Clare: For both of them it’s one thing: Don’t lose touch with each other. Marc thinks in the story that if that one thing were different — if he’d kept Sophie in his life — everything would have gone differently, and I think he’s right.
Page 11: How does Marc Hunter compare to your previous heroes- The Senator, Reece Sheridan and über-bad boy turned FBI Special Agent, Julian Darcangelo?
P. Clare: Marc is an über-bad boy in his own way. Convicted of first-degree murder, he’s serving life without parole when the story opens. But there’s more to him than even he is willing to admit. But whereas Julian was very dark inside and out, having grown up without love in his life, Marc at least had a mother and a little sister who loved him. He might seem like more of a bad boy than Julian at first, but inside he’s not quite as dark as Julian. Reece is just the all around Perfect Man. Got to find me one of those.
Sin: Amen Pamela! *making notes to find Julian later on and have my wicked way with him*
The Lost Chronicles of Pamela Clare: Act One, Scene Three: Questions?!
Alright wenches and pirates of the Romance Writer’s Revenge!! Time to get to know Pamela Clare! She’s in the house today to talk about and answer any and all questions. No question is too tough for this pirate!! Make sure to ask LOTS of questions about her next release in the I-Team Series, UNLAWFUL CONTACT, to be released on April 01, 2008!! Inquiring minds are dying for spoilers!
Comment, Comment, Comment! There will be rewards for lucky commenters! (To be announced later today!)
Sin sauntered across the deck and into the storage chest Hellion presumably kept the gold and extra rum. There was nothing but the old loud speaker and moth balls. She held it up to her lips, waiting for it to click on. A loud, piercing whine screeched through the silence of the ship. “Hello?” Sin looked down at the speaker and scratched her head. “Hello? Can anyone hear me?”
Hellion, with her fingers stuck in her ears, said with a huff, “Yes, wench! Hold it further away from your mouth.” She muttered to herself while Capt’n Jack tried to smooth her ruffled feathers.
Lisa snorted and elbowed Marnee and Ter. “I don’t know why she bothers to use the loud speaker. Everyone knows you can hear her from Tortuga to Australia.”
Sin narrowed her eyes at Lisa. “I heard that.” Bickering ensued through the crew and Sin decided to toss the loud speaker overboard before clearing her throat. “Everyone gather ‘round. Gather ‘round.” Whipping the notebook from her lower back in sheer pirate fashion, “I have the long lost chronicles of one fierce and brave pirate. One that I’ve long admired. I thought I’d share them with y’all.”
The wenches position themselves on the deck in various seductive poses. All of the crew members stopped what they were doing to take notice of the wenches and Sin had to clear her throat once again. “Hello! I swear! You guys have the attention span of gnats! I have the Chronicles of Pamela Clare in my hand and one would think that would earn some respect!”
A hush settles over the deck. Our faithful readers take a pause. “Pamela Clare.” They all said in awe. “THE Pamela Clare?”
Sin grinned. “Well yes. THE Pamela Clare. I told you that I found get my hands on it and here it is! Voila! I’ve even got a verbal agreement that she’s going to come by the ship and have a little chat!”
Loud tittering erupts on the deck of the Romance Writer’s Revenge. “Open it! Open it!” They shout. Sin takes a seat and begins to read from the lost chronicles of Pamela Clare!
The Lost Chronicles of Pamela Clare: Act One, Scene Two: The Interview!
Page 1: What’s a normal day like in the life of Pamela Clare?
P. Clare: Monday through Thursday, I get up anywhere between 4 and 5:30 a.m., write, take a shower, grab some breakfast and head to the newspaper, where I am editor-in-chief. I work all day. No two days are alike. And then I come home around 5-6-ish, make dinner for myself and my son. He’s a senior in high school; my older son is already in college. Then I do whatever I need to do. On bad days, it’s pay bills. On good days, it’s spend more time writing. On Fridays and on the weekends, every spare moment I have goes into writing.
I don’t date. I don’t have television. I don’t go to movies except on the rarest of occasions. (OK, I saw “Fellowship of the Ring” 16 times in the theater…) I rarely party. It’s mostly work, work, work. And that’s okay. When you have a dream, you work for it.
I decided years ago that I could either sit on my butt watching other people live fake lives on TV, or I could live my own life. I cancelled my cable and that was it.
Page 2: What ultimately got you writing your first novel, Sweet Release and eventually moved you into writing your I-Team series?
P. Clare: I love historicals. They’re my first love and that’s what I read. So I knew I wanted to write historical romance. I spent seven years writing Sweet Release as a newly divorced mom working full time with two little kids. Fun. I was thrilled when it sold. Then I wrote Carnal Gift and my personal favorite Ride the Fire. While I was in the midst of writing Carnal, I was talking to my agent about an investigation I was doing of a local cement plant and of the warning I’d gotten from a state official that my life/safety might be in danger. And my agent said, “Why don’t you write romantic suspense because you live it?” And I said, “Sure, all except the romantic part.” And from that conversation the I-Team series eventually came into being. (There’s a Facebook group that I created called The I-Team that includes some of my journalistic colleagues from the real I-Team.)
I had never read romantic suspense before so writing Extreme Exposure was an experiment. I think it went pretty well. J
Page 3: How has your day job, reporter, changed or helped your writing career?
P. Clare: It absolutely helped my writing career. I left academia (archaeology) to write as a journalist, because I knew I wanted to write novels. I thought journalism would give me practice writing. Well, it did more than that. It taught me discipline, and it connected me with a wealth of truly unique, bizarre, scary, incredible, exciting experiences that you just can’t get in a normal life. From interviewing rock stars to being flown around the world to really terrible stuff like seeing horrid acts of violence — it’s been priceless for filling my well as a writer. Grist for the mill, so to speak.
Here’s my bit of advice for this interview: If you want to write, you must experience life. If you don’t push yourself and experience as much as you can, you will have very little upon which to draw. I call it “living at full throttle.” Yep, sometimes you crash (I have done that literally), but sometimes there’s a transcendence to the experience that reveals to you something about the human condition that you never understood before. Those are moments of bliss for me.
Page 4: Tell us a little about your research habits?
P. Clare: My college degree and graduate work is in archaeology, and my career has been in journalism. Both are very research intensive and involve lots of “digging.” I’m a fact addict, and though I would never claim that any book I write is free from any kind of research error, I do work very hard to be accurate, taking only the occasional liberty. Most of the research for my I-Team series has been done on the job as a journalist. There aren’t a lot of women in investigative journalism because it’s confrontational and sometimes dangerous. I’ve had a lot of really unique experiences as a result of my career, and I can probably say with some degree of certainty that I’m one of very few romance novelists who’s had a gun held on her, seen someone get his head shot off, gotten dozens of death threats, had her home broken into by knife-wielding thugs, and had a couple of stalkers.
Page 5: What does it take to go undercover as a reporter?
P. Clare: A sense that you’re a crusader. Journalism is the only constitutionally protected profession in our country. The Founders felt that a free press was essential to guarantee freedom from oppression. Journalists are supposed to act as a voice for the voiceless. We’re supposed to watch those in power. We’re supposed to shine lights into the dark corners and turn over rocks so that we can expose all the wriggling worms — corruption, abuses of power, silent suffering. I believe in that mission with my heart and soul. Not many journalists partake in journalism on that level these days; for many it’s just a day job.
To go undercover, you really have to believe that you can make a difference and change the world for the better through what you’re doing. I suppose that sounds grandiose and naïve, but when you find something unjust and are able to change what’s happening, it’s an incredible feeling. To bring justice into someone’s life is such a blessing. I could tell you stories…
Page 6: I know that you played on your experience of going undercover in a prison to write UNLAWFUL, did that make the book harder to write in the sense that you had an understanding what happened behind closed doors? And how will it affect future books in this series?
P. Clare: Actually, this book is full of experiences gleaned not only from my 24-hour stay behind bars, but also my long focus on reporting prison issues. There are a few topics I’ve specialized in as an investigative reporter, and women in prison is one of them. That experience — both covering stories and being behind bars myself — really make this book easy in terms of filling it with authentic detail. A couple of the cases mentioned in the book are stories I broke — a heroin overdose behind bars and an inmate’s stillbirth due to neglect on the part of the prison guards. In fact, the book is dedicated to the stillborn baby. I definitely feel like my own experience gave me a very real understanding of the issues.
I don’t think it will have an impact on future books because I don’t plan to set any others in the same sort of prison milieu. But I always draw from my own reporting background for the I-Team stories. One other topic I’ve reported on extensively is issues faced by contemporary American Indians, and that’s what’s going to underpin Naked Edge, the next book in the I-Team series.
Page 7: What was your favorite part about writing UNLAWFUL?P. Clare: I loved getting lost in Marc and Sophie. Marc was a really fun person to inhabit, if I can use that word. I loved his inner dialogue.
I also loved getting to use my prison slang. I’d waited years to do that!
I loved writing about two people who are so attracted to one another that it’s almost a force of nature for them.
I also loved showing the stuff that happens behind bars and opening that up in a fictional context.
Page 8: I feel like the relationship that Sophie and Marc share is a little more special (they share a past, which I’m super excited about!) than the bonds between Kara and Reece and Tessa and Julian. Can you tell us a little bit about what it took to write each relationship and how they all differ?
P. Clare: Sophie and Marc, as you point out, have known each other since high school. When people connect during those really vulnerable years, the bonds can be very strong. Neither Marc nor Sophie has forgotten the night Marc took Sophie’s virginity. And although the present very much intrudes into their relationship, there’s always that deep affection, that remembrance, underlying their feelings for one another. There’s one scene in particular that betrays what they mean to each other — the scene in which Sophie recognizes Marc. He’s holding her down, with her wrists pinned. And gradually their hands shift until their fingers are interlaced.
For me as a writer, it was very emotionally rich stuff to draw on. I really feel my characters are real when I’m writing. So when they’ve got interesting stuff in their minds and personal histories, it because a fun thing for me to experience along with them.
Kara’s issue was an inability to trust men, so Reece came along and managed to heal that wound. Tessa didn’t really trust men, either, at least not sexually. She was very cautious. Then along comes Julian, and he turns her world upside down, at the same time proving himself to be the one man she can trust. But the relationship between Sophie and Marc is much more complicated because of past associations and what those meant to each of them.
Page 9: What was the most difficult scene/situation/relationship to write in UNLAWFUL CONTACT?
P. Clare: I spent three very difficult weeks writing the scene were Marc confronts the primary villain (no spoilers here). THREE WEEKS. Getting the flow of the action right from the moment Marc appears on the scene to the moment when the final shot is fired and keeping the emotions intact was very tricky for some reason. Usually action scenes are the easiest ones for me to write.
I also cried my eyeballs out at the climax of the story. I spent probably eight hours writing and crying and went through an entire box of Puffs.
And, of course, the sex scenes. Sex is very difficult to write, in my opinion. Drives me nuts, and not in a good way.
Page 10: What’s one thing that each Sophie and Marc would ultimately change about their past?
P. Clare: For both of them it’s one thing: Don’t lose touch with each other. Marc thinks in the story that if that one thing were different — if he’d kept Sophie in his life — everything would have gone differently, and I think he’s right.
Page 11: How does Marc Hunter compare to your previous heroes- The Senator, Reece Sheridan and über-bad boy turned FBI Special Agent, Julian Darcangelo?
P. Clare: Marc is an über-bad boy in his own way. Convicted of first-degree murder, he’s serving life without parole when the story opens. But there’s more to him than even he is willing to admit. But whereas Julian was very dark inside and out, having grown up without love in his life, Marc at least had a mother and a little sister who loved him. He might seem like more of a bad boy than Julian at first, but inside he’s not quite as dark as Julian. Reece is just the all around Perfect Man. Got to find me one of those.
Sin: Amen Pamela! *making notes to find Julian later on and have my wicked way with him*
The Lost Chronicles of Pamela Clare: Act One, Scene Three: Questions?!
Alright wenches and pirates of the Romance Writer’s Revenge!! Time to get to know Pamela Clare! She’s in the house today to talk about and answer any and all questions. No question is too tough for this pirate!! Make sure to ask LOTS of questions about her next release in the I-Team Series, UNLAWFUL CONTACT, to be released on April 01, 2008!! Inquiring minds are dying for spoilers!
Comment, Comment, Comment! There will be rewards for lucky commenters! (To be announced later today!)
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121 comments:
You don't know how excited I am!
Okay, first question this morning, what inspires you to write such alpha heroes? Did you just have a man in mind and you just go from there? Are you a fan of the alpha man other than writing them?
I mean they are so, so, so... masculine! They make your heart beat faster, your blood pump hard, your throat dry out like the Sahara when they appear on the page. It's like I'm seeing them right in front of me!
And as I read the blog, I realized it took you seven years to write Sweet Release. Was there ever a point you almost gave up on it? And how was your experience with getting published?
And welcome to the ship!! Have lots of rum. And wrestle a hot crew member from one of the wenches. They know how to share. They might growl about it at first, but don't be shy. They won't bite.
Welcome to the ship Pamela!
My WIP centers around a investigative crime reporter, so I have looked forward to this day with much anticipation.
First question. Where do reporters find their stories? Is it strictly from press releases or do they find other resources?
You've had a lot of suspense in your own life as a reporter, did you ever carry a gun for protection?
Watching the media on TV I find that reporters are extremely competitive about being the first to break a story. Within the walls of the news room are investigative reporters competing for the same breaking news, and are stories assigned or are they written by whatever reporter unearths the story first.
Sorry if that's too may questions. I'm a little excited:)
I want to congratulate you on the success you've had so far. I loved Hard Evidence and look so forward to Unlawful Contact. Thank you for coming aboard to blog with us!
Thanks for the warm welcome, Sin. It's great to be onboard.
Alphas... Yum! I guess it's my personal preference for Alphas that inspires me to write them. I'm a pretty strong woman — I'm an investigative reporter and editor-in-chief of a newspaper. It takes a pretty strong man to be stronger than I am. So they have to be Alphas. If you've ever sat in a car with a rifle being aimed through the window at you and the guy you're with is shaking and freaking out and you have to get out of the car and confront the guy with the rifle your girly self... well, that's when you'd say, "Can I please have a man who's more of a man than I am PLEASE?" (Yes, true story.)
I'm glad you feel like you can see them. I try to write very visually. I have an image in my mind I'm trying to convey.
As for Sweet Release, yes, I almost gave up. I was a single mom in physical therapy after my mountain climbing accident and working as the arts and entertainment editor of the paper. I just didn't have the time. And a part of me didn't think I could do it. And then my hero, Alec Kenleigh, wrote me a ltter. I still have it. It was actually written by my ex in Alec's voice. It told me that I was the only one who could tell their story and begged me not to give up. It's the nicest thing he ever did for me. I never thought of giving up again.
Next question? See, I'm answering and it's not even tomorrow yet. Not here in Colorado, anyway.
Hi, Lisa,
Yay! Journalism questions! LOL!
The key to a journalist's success is sources. Whom do you know? Who trusts you more than they do the other members of the press? Who will risk their career to leak information to you? You need people — contacts — all over the place. And you need to be in touch with them. They need to trust you, so that when something happens they know they can call you. If you wait for press releases, you will never break a single story — ever.
Most newspaper reporters have an ally at a big TV station who tips them off to things. But mostly it's sources and reading between the lines and knowing how the system works so that you can sniff out a lie. It's curiosity and asking lots of questions.
The investigation that won the National Journalism Award began with us asking a cheeky question. The lack of answer caught my attention. My "news nose" said AHA! And thus began a five-month-long brawl that ended with one man out of a job and my news team (the Dream Team) on the podium at the National Press Club.
Reporters are extremely competitive. But not within the same newsroom, not at good papers. The E-in-C (that's me now) knows what everone is working on and makes sure there's no conflict. Most of the time, reporters have "beats," i.e., areas they're supposed to cover. Courts, cops, environment, prison, women's issues, religion, etc.
And thanks for your sweet words. You can always email me to ask your questions as your book progresses. :-)
Thanks so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to spend time with us today. My question stems from the fact that I'm in my second round of revisions on my WIP and am basically rewriting the whole thing. How many revisions does it take you to get it right? And please don't say you always get it right the first time- I may cry if that's the answer.lol.
And do you have any tips for revision?
Hi, Kelly,
Revisions! Fun! Are these revisions you believe are necessary, or has an editor/agent told you to make them? Whether or not you have to cry depends on how you answer.
I make tons of revisions while I'm writing. I picked up a bad habit from journalism in that I edit while I write. If I'm not happy with something, I can't seem to go on till I am. There seems to be a point with each book where I rewrite a couple sections or where I stop to go through the MS and tweak. But once I'm done, apart from editing, I'm done. I'm just finishing my 8th book, and thus far have never had anything but minor "add a sentence explaining this" revisions from my editors.
Revising is a normal part of writing. It's just a form of editing. Often, I don't fully grasp the importance of a particular moment in the story or of a part of a character's personality until I'm deeper into the story and so I have to go back and rework what's there to make it fit with these new ideas that come to me. So don't feel bad about revising. Think, "Wow, here's my chance to make it ever better!" As my sister, who reads every chapter I write as I write it, knows, I'm constantly change stuff until the MS is done.
I hope long answers are okay...
Wow. Great interview. I too have turned off my TV and am now talking to myself. Everyone else has asked the good questions, so I'll just say how I admire your determination to get it all done, especially when your kids were little. I was talking to one of my adult daughters last night about writing, and told her I never could have done it when the four children were home. It's my time now!
Thank you for spending the day with us Pamela. I discovered the I team series about a year ago when Sin recommened Hard Evidence to me and now I can't wait for Unlawful Contact to be released.
I'm not a writer so no writing questions. But i'm nosy. And madly addicted to dark bad boy Julian. I couldn't help notice (and everytime I re-read the book that line makes me pause)that you thanked a Vince Darcangelo for letting you 'borrow his name and other attributes' in the acknowledgements... Other attributes? Mmmm now that got me curious. Is there a real man out there like Julian? I desperately need one of those and I'm ready to swam across the pond to get myself one.... (though Sin will probably have laid her hands on him first...and she is not the sharing type).
Another question about your Alpha heroes in general. Do you use elements from RL people to write them?
Hi, Pamela!
I read and loved Hard Evidence and am eagerly awaiting Unlawful Contact.
My question is who comes to you first-hero or heroine?
Thanks, in advance.
Di
Pamela,
Thank you for answering my questions. You've helped my research tremendously. I've also found a lot of great information in Hard Evidence. I admire Tessa's character. I love a strong heroine who is passionate about their work, and never backs down from a challenge. You made Tessa so strong, but yet vulnerable. Your creativity shaped her character and relationship with Julian perfectly.
Thank you for offering to answer questions for me through email. You would be a very valuable resource to me:)
Darn! If I'd only stayed up a little longer last night I would've caught your response!
Sneaky pirate!
You've been in a car with a man squealing while you've got a gun pointed in your face? Please tell me you kicked him?
That was a wonderful thing your ex did for you. Do you read it when things get tough with your writing now?
I know that you've been working on Untamed as well (due out later this year, right?) and it's a historical romance. Is it hard to switch mind-sets to write completely different genres like that?
PS. Your writing is very visual. That's what made me such a fan of your writing!
No cheating, Sin, and logging onto as a "stranger" so you have a chance to win one of the books. Pirate.
Hi, Pam, welcome to the ship! *hands her some rum* Is Reece your favorite of your heroes? (I know, it's probably like asking you to pick your favorite of your children...but I gotta ask.) Is there any chance you can introduce Sin to Julian?
Sin has recommended your books to us and I've just started reading them!
I just wanted to say that I admire all your hard work and your drive to make your dreams a success.
Thank you for sharing with us! You are definitely an inspiration!
As a visual writer, do you have to see the scenes play out in front of your eyes (so to speak) before you can write it? Have you ever been writing a scene and realize right at that moment that you have to go back five pages and tweak something to make it work?
Harlot, good question with the thanks. Inquiring minds must know if there might be a Julian out there. LOL
And there is a possiblity that I would share. I'm not that greedy.
Di- loved that question about which character comes first hero or heroine. Does that determine who's POV you stick with the most, Pamela?
Darn it Hellion! Stop reading my mind!
Hi Pamela,
Waving to you from sunny Sydney, Australia where I have just ordered several of your books online.
As a reader of historial fiction, I was wondering who some of your favourite authors are? My favourite historical fiction series is 'The Wilderness Series' by Sara Donati.
Apologies Pamela,
The question from sunny Sydney, Australia was me - TLee
not anonymous
Hi Pamela! Welcome aboard. It's so nice to have you.
You mentioned that you edit as you write, but I was wondering if you were a plotter or a pantser? We've been having some debate aboard the boat the past few weeks about plotting method and would love to hear your process.
Hi, Pamela!
I have read your I team series after Christie recommended it and just LOVED them. I had a question on the gangs you wrote about in HE. It seemed that Tessa was so naive, hunting down gang members so nonchalantly - was that drawn from experience or anecdote?
I have pre-ordered UC and can't wait! After reading the teaser, I might have to get it at midnight at the 24 hr Walmart.
Karen
I will be so jealous if you get it at midnight at Walmart, K. It's so unfair I live in the middle of nowhere where they wouldn't know good fiction if it smacked them between the eyes!
Pamela, I learned about the blog this morning by reading something Christie had written in another room. Out of curiosity I started reading and got caught up.
First, let me say that I think you are an amazing woman and an inspiration to all.
I actually have two questions. Was it difficult to stay interested in your WIP after seven years of working on it?
I admit I've never been introduced to your books before today, but now I'm excited to begin reading. I can't wait to go online today and order a few to get started. Any suggestions on which books to start with?
Sorry, I forgot to sign my name. The last comment about which books to order was from Linda
For those of us who've gotten a chance to read the books, do you have a favorite scene in the books?
I can tell you that one of my favorite scenes is when Julian arrests Tessa for crossing over police lines. Any truth to that scene Pamela? Not to mention Tessa at the batcave with Julian. The shower, anyone?
Or Kara and Reece in his office. :) And at the end of that book, Lord, my heart was beating so fast I thought it was going to leap out of my chest and scoot along on the floor!
Hi Pamela!
I loved Hard Evidence! Julian Darcangelo just absorbed me into his world.
I'm also a writer and have based my series on the FBI alpha male, so when I read your book I was pleased to see that I wasn't so off the mark with things I made up in my head concerning the characteristics Julian had.
I'm also glad to see that I'm not the only one who revises while they write. My editor is constantly nagging about me doing her job for her, but it's the perfectionist in me
What was your reaction when you sold your first book?
Pamela, I wish I had read your interview earlier today. I started my work day with a conference with a young woman who is thinking about dropping out three semesters from having her degree in hand because life as single parent to an 18-month-old daughter,a full time secretary, and a full-time student maintaining a 3.5 GPA is about to sink her. I could have used your story as evidence that the impossible is doable.
Count me as another who will be looking for your books for the first time. Have you used your academic training in your writing?
Linda, I can probably help you out with that question. The first book in the I-Team series is Extreme Exposure. Next comes Hard Evidence and due out in two weeks is Unlawful Contact.
The first of her Historicals is Sweet Release. I've heard Ride the Fire is most excellent and all her reviews are stellar. But I've yet to get my hands on her historicals.
One of my favorite scenes in HE is the one where Julian goes to the newspaper office to get some things out of Tessa's car and her friends are sitting in the parking lot checking him out. It's such a girl thing to do, and how many of us can relate? I know I can!
I think my favorite thing about the scene is when he relized who they were and he worked it by unzipping his jacket and showing his gun. Damn, I love that man:)
I know Lis! That scene was so great! I would be in the backseat drooling. Oogling. Lots and lots of oogling the goods.
I can just see that scene so clearly in my mind with him stalking over there and the girls trying to play it cool. And he blocks them in. LOL And I loved the punishment afterwards!
Dang. More computer issues this morning (it really does hate me!) and I'm missing all the fun. Just got caught up and I have to say, this is an awesome blog and you gals are asking great questions.
I'm relatively new at this writing game and I can't fight the urge to revise as I go so I'm happy to hear it works for you. The problem is, it takes forever for me to make any progress. Very discouraging.
So, how do you know when it's enough and let it go? Some authors say they are never totally happy with it but from the sound of it, you hit it just right everytime.
Thank you! I'm off to shop!
Ah, yes "The Punishment" Like you could call getting sexed up by Julian punishment...
Hi Pamela,
I must say, I loved Hard Evidence. I thoroughly enjoyed Extreme Exposure as well, but there was just something about Julian...
I love the authenticity with which you write. I knew you had a background in journalism, but I hadn't realized until reading today just how much your life as a journalist affects what you write!
I was thrilled to see your answers to Lisa's questions about journalism. My question is, what are your gripes about the journalism field? If you had a magic wand, what would you change about journalists today? What are the things in your newsroom, as the editor-in-chief, that you see as really making your group stand out?
Thanks so much for joining the ship today! I can't wait to read Unlawful Contact as soon as it comes out!
Maggie, hurray for you! I think four kids would have made writing pretty much impossible, particularly as a single mom. I think it's great that you're putting your effort into writing now and doing what you want to do. Go for it! And thanks for your kind words.
Hi, Harlot, :-)
Vince Darcangelo is a friend and former colleague. I told him the day I met him, "I'm going to steal your name for one of my heroes." And I did. I'd say the attribute that Vince has that's most reflected in Julian is street smarts and über-coolness. I miss working with him! As for these alphas, sometimes I draw on traits of people I know, but mostly it's my lusty imagination. Bummer, huh?
Hi, Di!
The hero is most important to me. Once I "know" him, I'm ready to rock. With the I-Team series, I know the heroines already from previous books. But I don't start planning the story until the hero comes to me. His struggles need to underpin the emotional drama of the story, and readers need to be able to love him for the story to work. I fall in love with them, too, believe me.
You're welcome, Lisa. I'm glad the information was helpful. I'd love to be a resource for you. I'm glad you liked Tessa. Not everyone did. She takes some risks, but then I think most investigative journalists take crazy risks. Personally, I just adored her.
Hi, Sin,
Yes. A man with a high-powered rifle came up to my car in the mountains and pointed the rifle at my head through the window. My male companion shook and trembled. I opened the door, got out and held out my hand, while the man with the gun pointed the rifle point-blank at my stomach. When he shook my hand, that forced him to take his finger off the trigger. He later apologized after I told him I was a reporter. He was being paranoid. I ended the relationship with that particular companion because I just don't have respect for that. Sorry!
And, yes, that was the nicest thing my ex ever did. No, I don't reaq it, but I've kept it and will soon be posting it on my new website in the Extras section.
It IS hard to switch sub-genres, but I'm getting better at it. The big difference is mindset and vocabulary. The 18th century mindset is very different than the one we have today. I want to be historically accurate, so I don't write feminist heroines. I want to write men who were men and women who lived according to the customs of their time. Vocabulary is a constant challenge. But I am getting better at switching back and forth. Contemps are by far easier.
And thanks!
I love how you wait for the book to come to you!
I admire authors who can switch it up. I couldn't write a historical if someone gave me the plot line and told me the right vocabulary. I'm just a little too modern for my own good. LOL
And I loved Tessa. It's a toss up between who I loved more, Kara or Tessa. I loved them for two totally different reasons. Determination in a heroine is something I always admire as a reader. Tessa had that hard shell on the outside that just made her perfect for Julian because they were something in each other they were explosively attracted to. That moment on the couch with Tessa crying over him was just so beautiful.
Hi, Mshellion,
Thanks! I adore Reece, as I love all my heroes. He's the perfect guy right from the start. But a part of me finds that less interesting than Julian with his tortured past or Marc with his tortured past and present. I like the darkness of those heroes. I'm very attached to Marc right now.
Jinnu, I hope you enjoy the stories. And thanks! I'm really happy to be here.
Sin — yes and yes. I have to be able to both see the scene and feel the characters' emotions in that scene beforeI can really write it. Emotion is very important to me; it's how I make the characters feel real. And I am constantly going back and tweaking, refining, adding, deleting. I'm always trying to make it better.
Hi, Tlee. Hurray for Aussies! It's getting harder and harder for me to find historical authors I really enjoy. Kathleen Givens and Sue-Ellen Wellfonder make my list. When I need a touch of ancient Egypt, I read Bonnie Vanak. Elizabeth Lowell's early books are amazing. Rexanne Becnel's medieval series was wonderful. But I'm really picky. I want historical accuracy, and I want characters that are real for their time. No "sheroes," i.e, women so strong they don't need a man, or Sensitive New Age heroes. That's not what people were like then.
Marnee Jo, I am a PANTSER! And here's what I do:
I pay loving attention to my characters until they stand 3D in my heart and mind. Characterization is everything. EVERYTHING. When I know them, then I know what they'll do in a given scene. I do a rough outline that's mostly bunk (the publishers demand something). Then I sit down and start at the beginning and let the story evolve. By the time I'm halfway through it, I'm not even looking at that outline.
I keep a notebook on which I write down three things: the action thread, the emotion thread and plot points I need to stress. So if I need to pick up with a character feeling angry, I write that down and why. I write down what has to happen plot-wise (though sometimes it doesn't happen; it changes). And I write down the physical action if there's anything significant. But it's the emotional thread that guides me.
Thank God! I love my historical heroines to be, well, HISTORICAL! I'm tired of the ultra-modern feminist character being cast as a Regency debutante. It drives me nuts! There is a certain "conditioning" I think that society gives people--and I'm sorry, but you just don't think like a post-feminist movement woman if you're living and have been brought up in the 1780s. You just don't. (Okay, you *may* occasionally think that way; but I do believe you don't, for the most part, ACT according to that way because you need to fit in with society.)
How soon did you end the relationship after the COWARD acted that way? Personally I think after befriending the armed man, I would have kicked out the man and let him walk back home. But I hold a fierce grudge.
Hi, Karen,
Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the stories. Makes my day! I've done some pretty extreme things as a reporter, like going to jail or driving my car into an operational coal mine to take photos. Investigative reporters push the limits because we're trying to unmask wrongs that people want very much to hide. Tessa did what I would have done. She was afraid (as I was in the coal mine, where there were armed guards). But she did it anyway, as I would have done, because people need to know the truth. I've been terrified at times — and I do what I need to do anyway.
Linda, thanks so much! No, it wasn't hard to stay interested in the story because I loved Cassie and Alec so much. My characters always become REAL to me (truly real) and I like spending time with them. That's how I see it. Given that most of my historical backlist is out of print and won't be re-released until October, I suggest you start with Extreme Exposure, the read Hard Evidence so you'll be ready for Marc's story in Unlawful Contact. My next historical will be out in November, so if you want to prep for that, read Surrender, the first book in the MacKinno's Rangers trilogy (it was a RITA finalist). I hope you enjoy them! Send me an email and let me know.
Geisha, I'm so glad you enjoyed Julian. I was so attached to him that it was hard for me to start Unlawful Contact. But now I have the hots for Marc. When my first book sold, I screamed. I got a voice mail from my agent, and I was so overwhelmed that I couldn't figure out how to use my phone to call her back. Then I bought champagne. It was amazing. But it opened up a much more complicated world than I had expected. Being an author involves a lot of work besides writing, as I'm sure you know.
Sin, oh, yes, I DO have fave scenes! When Julian arrests Tessa. When Julian rushes to help her, forgetting his 10-codes and breaks the glass door. Kara and Reece when he comes to her hotel and she makes love to him. There are so many, and I always want to know how readers reacted to them. So feel free to tell me how your favorite scenes made you feel. I'm glad the ending of EE had your heart going.
Janga, that's very sweet of you to say! It is hard. It is very hard sometimes. But nothing worth having comes without effort. If I could speak with this young mom, I would tell her that things will get better, that she needs to take it day by day, be as easy on herself as she can and cut things from her life that don't help her reach her goals or parent her child. I don't date. I don't have TV. I don't party. I'm home working when I'm not at the paper working. But I love my kids and I love to write, so the goal feels very worth the sacrifices.
Say what, Sin!?!?! You haven't read my historicals? Ride the Fire may be my favorite book of mine. Bethie and I share an unfortunate history of being childhood sexual assault victims. Nothing I have written has ever come close to being as emotionally draining or fulfilling as Ride the Fire, probably because it helped me release some of that pain.
YES, Linda, I loved that scene too! To me it feels like my characters do these things on their own, so I just love what Julian does there.
Excerpt from HE:
So Tessa's friends wanted a look at him? He would oblige them.
He waited for Irving to leave the lot, then kicked his truck into reverse and backed up until the he was bumper to bumper with the little car, trapping it. He climbed out of his truck and walked up to the driver’s window.
With a buzz, the window lowered to reveal four pretty women, one clearly pregnant. They looked guiltily at him, all except for the knockout blonde. Her gaze slid over him in blatant sexual appraisal, a little smile on her face.
And Julian knew.
Tessa had told her friends she’d had sex with him.
His anger at being watched temporarily overcome by an odd surge of male pride, he unzipped his jacket, let his holster show. Then he leaned down and pulled off his shades. “You ladies seen enough?”
OK, I'm going to be MIA for a while. Got to work on the paper!
I can't get them here!! I swear, they don't know good fiction! I'm about to give up looking around here and see if I can order online somewhere. There's another book I want that's out of publication and people want $85 for it!!
So you're being re-released? That's pretty awesome!
I love that scene! I love it so much!
Uhm, yeah, money is desperately tight so I was going to put off ordering these books but y'all just sold me completely. And I'm almost done with my current read. Perfect timing! LOL!
Sin, I want to be punished like Julian punishes Tessa! I'll be naughty every day, I promise!
Terrio, I always hate what I write. I have my sister and some close friends who read what I write and keep me from deleting it all. I don't consider it completed until I'm happy with it. UC was SIX MONTHS late because I was so insistent that every scene "settle" with me before I turned it in.
Haleigh, I'm glad you enjoyed Julian. I adore him, too, still! My gripes about journalists? Too many are lazy. They don't dig. They don't research. They accept the status quo and believe anything people in suits tell them, whether it's government or corporate CEOs. They don't challenge people in power. To them it's just a job, not a calling, not a battle worthy of constitutional protection. They're not being watchdogs, they're just employees. THAT's my biggest gripe. I find hope in independent and alternative media sources because they're still doing journalism the way Thomas Jefferson envisioned it — asking questions, prying, holding power accountable for its abuses.
Boy, I sound self-righteous, don't I? But I've put my life on the line a few times, so I get to say that stuff. LOL!
Sin, I have no choice but to wait for the story to come. I refuse to put words on the page just to put words on the page. I don't want to write crap. I don't want to be so rushed, that I start churning out books on autopilot. So the story has to be there. I must FEEL it. I have to be talking to my characters, crying their tears, believing they're real.
I love that scene, too, with Tessa crying and her tears breaking through Julian's hard exterior. I'm glad you think they're perfect for each other.
I know you can order the historicals used online from Amazon and on eBay.
And Terrio, please let me know what you think of the stories!
Ok, now serious. NEWSPAPER TO EDIT!
Keep the questions coming. Or let's just chat. Whatever. I'll be back on my lunch break...
And this is fun. Thanks for your enthusiasm.
I know what I was going to ask. Did you do much FBI research for Julian's character?
I sure will. And I forgot to mention, I LOVED E. Lowell's early historicals. Now those were seriously hot men. And that woman writes sexual tension like nobody's business. I love her contemps too, but those westerns are awesome.
And chatting, ooh don't get us started on tangents. LOL
Though a good tangent is always fun.
How's the paper going today, Pamela?
Hellion, you buried under folders or what? I think I saw Capt'n Jack run off with Marn, but I can't be certain...
Sin, the paper is kind of behind today. I wonder why? It's not as fun as hanging with y'all. And, hey, who gave me the rum? THANKS!
I did minimal FBI research (most of my research on that comes, unfortunately, on the other side of things...). Because Julian was working with cops, I did a lot of cop research, including how they would interface with someone like an FBI agent assigned to their unit.
I can't get my hands on any of your historicals here either, not even online, at least not on the French sites...
As for my favorite scenes in HE there are many. I loved the scene in the parking lot and it looks like I'm not the only one. I loved the "Punishment" and I loved when he told her not to forget to mention her friend the "swirly-sucking thing...if you want to share details you might as well be thorough"...So...male.
I loved it when Tessa realised it was him who broke the glasspane and not her attacker.
And the sex scene after Tessa is sent those creepy emails, and how Julian felt a sense of redemption and "clean". And the scene at the end when they are all doing something "normal" like painting the trim. A family/friend gathering and something he thought he would never get or deserve. That and the fact that he wanted to paint the fence on his own. That meant so much considering where he came from. I loved that redemption of the dark tortured über bad boy.
Interesting. Was it hard to get a hold of information like that? I'm asking because in my WIP my computer geek is working with FBI and cops. Most of my research has been done online so far, through the FBI website, but I was thinking about contacting our local PD. Did you run into any trouble? Research wise that is ;)
And the rum is spectacular today. Not to mention, everything in the office has come to a stand still. LOL
And my historical love is Katherine Kingsley. Never read E. Lowell. I've seen her books. Never picked them up. I might have too. I'm currently on a Diana Palmer binge. *smacking hand* This is why my word count is suffering.
Talk about Untamed a little bit? If you've got the time. How's it coming?
Pamela, I can so relate to the screaming. I fell on the floor, laid out spread eagle, just feeling overwhelmed, happy, nervous, excited. Then I called my mom. Luckily she interprets screaming cause that's all I was doing...all while I was still on the floor.
As for the extra work as an author, some days I feel like running away. I'm a librarian, and after being surrounded by books and words all day sometimes I really don't want to see anymore after work. Much less dealing with the accounting side of selling books. I'm also on the FBI's website everyday reading press releases and case files.
But my characters (and sometimes my editor) run my life so I push on. How you do it is mind-boggling!
Then to add to the mix I have a blog about the characters in the series that I try to update every week. I'm such a glutton for punishment *wonders if Julian could come and punish her*
Now I want to read HD again.
*makes note to pull book out of bookcase when she gets home*
Sin - you have to get Lowell's historicals. Start with the Only series (Only His, Only Mine, Only You & Only Love, which were reissued in '03 so might be easier to find. But Winter Fire and Autumn Lover are great too.
Harlot — et vous, Française? OK that was probably grammaticall incorrect in some fashion. It's been about 20 years...
I love those scenes, too. Julian's redemption was so painful to watch, because he really has to break for it to happen. But afterwards, when he feels clean for the first time in his life... And when he tells her that he broke the glass. Somehow that really touched me. (Yes, I know I wrote it but it feels like they do it.)
And, yes, the swirly-sucky thing. LOL! He made me laugh.
Sin, I have no trouble getting really helpful advice from cops because I have a friend whose DH is a SWAT officer AND the two cops who saved my life (the break-in in EE really happened, but it was two men with knives, not one man with a gun) are now friends and answer any questions I ask. One of them gave me a set of real police handcuffs and taught me how to break out of them. So when Marc breaks out of prison, I know exactly how he did it, because I can do it myself in under 20 seconds.
Trivia: I wrote much of UC in handcuffs, breaking out, then locking myself up again. LOL! Call it "Method Writing." But that's what I do. Make it REAL!
Perfect advice, Terrio. I love the "Only" series. Beautiful, beautiful writing. Makes me feel like an amateur!
You can break out of handcuffs? ULTRA COOLNESS!!!!!!
That's a trick I want to learn...you know...just in case I ever get arrested by the NYPD :)
Pamela,
Another reporter question. I've read books that featured a cop heroine who pay informants for information on a perp. Do reporters ever pay their sources, or "gift" their sources I should say?
My heroine carries a gun, and took self defense classes because she has encoutered some dangerous situations in the past. Is it normal for reporters to worry about self defense issues?
Are reporters expected to turn in a certain volume of stories a week? Or does it just depend on the size of the newspaper?
Now that's how you get into a character!
You can break out of cuffs? I bet that comes in handy!
Pamela, thank you for your suggestion on which of your books to start with. I ordered HE and Surrender online on my lunch hour and even paid extra to get them sooner! My local book store has EE in stock so I'm stopping there on my way home.
You seem to really love your characters, and I think that would be necessary in order to write a good story. Do you ever get to the end of a book and not want to let go of your characters? I understand they live on in your book, but is it difficult knowing that you won't be writing about them anymore? Or by then are you already looking forward to spending time with your new characters?
I love Lowell's Only series. Every now and then I re-read them.
Yes, Geisha, I can break out of handcuffs. First, you need a shim... If we ever meet in person, I shall demonstrate.
Lisa, it would be considered unethical for a journalist to pay or "gift" their sources. Anything that can contaminate the authenticity of your information is a no-no. Which is not to say you can't take them to lunch...
And, oh, yes, the self-defence question. I am NRA-trained in self-defense with a gun, and I've been urged to get a concealed-carry permit, but I don't own a gun. I might buy one some day; I've been thinking about it. I've certainly had cause to carry one. I've had two stalkers, both of whom threatened to killed me and one of whom followed me everywhere. I've been attacked by men with knives, and I've had a gun pointed at me twice. I've also had dozens of death threats and "kick your ass" threats. I've sort of stubbornly or perhaps stupidly refused to get one. But I have killer aim. :-)
There is always pressure on reporters to produce. Editors want whatever they can get. At bigger papers, the pressure is somewhat reduced; at smaller papers, like mine, it's relentless. I call it "feeding the maw." The paper is a hungry beast that eats copy and always wants more. At a daily paper, the grind starts early in the morning with editors for various sections gathering all the info they have. The daily paper for which I was editor started much as I've show in my I-Team books, with me meeting with reporters, more often in the newsroom than in a conference room. At weeklies, like this one, the pace is slower, except when you go to press (like today). But I expect something from everyone every week.
Sin, fortunately, I've never had to use my awesome "break out of cuffs" skillz. I don't think I'd do that because they'd probably smack you with a felony.
Linda, thanks so much! I hope you enjoy them!
And, YES, it is SO HARD to let go of my characters. Inevitably, I cry. I wrote a 70-page last chapter for RIDE THE FIRE, because I just couldn't let go. I had to cut it to 10 pages. I cried for SIX WEEKS after saying goodbye to that family.
Every single time, it's like saying goodbye to close friends. The consolation with trilogies is that you get to bring them back again.
Note to Julian fans: He has some very prominent scenes in UC, a result of my inability to let go of him, but also part of his personality. I think he would do exactly those things. The man kicks butt and takes names!
Picture this: Marc armed and trained to kill, on the run from the cops with Sophie as his hostage and Julian on his tail, determined to save his wife's best friend and blow away the bastard who took her hostage... What happens when they collide?
I had so much fun with Marc and Julian's relationship!
P.S. to Linda's question: I call the period after I write a novel my "post-partum period."
My lawd Pamela....stalked and threatened by crazy men?
You're my real life Stephanie Plum!!!!!
What activities do you enjoy on your downtime? Do you even get downtime you incarnation of Wonder Woman?
So Pamela, do your characters ever cause problems for you at the paper? I mean, are there days where you're trying your hardest to be a productive editor, and those characters are running around your head and distracting you?
So many of us suffer through a day job to pay the bills, and then write when we can. It seems though, that you love both things you do - which is awesome!
Yes Pamela, I'm French. Which means that I never get the books I want on the day of their release... Usually about a month after...You can't imagine how frustrating that can be! lol
I read somewhere that you spent some time in Europe but I didn't know you had been to France!
I like series because I know that somehow I'll get to read again about my fav characters. There's always a sense of loss when I turn the last page of a book whose characters I loved spending time with. I read EE after HE so on my first read I saw Kara and Reece just like Tessa's friends. I fully enjoyed reading about them again on my second read after I spent some time with them in EE. And now I can't wait for next book. And I must say that everything you've let out about UC and Marc makes me impatient to read it.
Yes, Geisha, and I haven't particularly enjoyed it. Of course all of this is spread out over 15 years of journalism, so it's not like something happens every day. I quit allowing my photo to be run with my weekly column, and that helped cut down on public confrontations — people at restaurants or in the grocery store who feel the need to share their opinion with me. My fave? The women's locker room. Can a person be naked in peace?
I don't really have down time these days. Too many book deadlines and a full-time job with kids. Mon.-Thurs. I'm at the paper. Fri.-Sun., I write all day, sometimes 18 hours a day, sometimes with little to show for it.
But I love watching historical documentaries. I like going to see movies (haven't been to one for more than a year, though). I like hiking and white-water rafting. I used to quilt a lot. And, of course, I love to read.
Haleigh, yes, my characters do distract me. Though I still feel journalism has a great purpose, I'm kind of done with it. I'm really ready to write full time. When I have to stop writing on Sunday night and leave my characters, I get very upset about it. I think about them through the work day and miss them. I'm always thinking through the book, through the last chapter I wrote and the one I'm about to write. It's on my mind 24/7. Yes, I dream it sometimes, too. So keep your fingers crossed that UC does well. I really want to quit and write MORE BOOKS!
Harlot, my son is a total Francophile. He just turned 18 and know so much about French history. He's been reading scholarly texts on France and studying French since age 10. He knows particularly a great deal about WWI and France's role there. He is a great defender of all things French.
Yes, I did get to France. I was able to visit many places. Ben (my son) says I speak French (poorly) with a Danish accent. :-)
I can't wait for Marc and Sophie's day to arrive so everyone can meet them. My agent and editor believe UC is my best book to date. I hope that's true (though it makes me feel defensive on behalf of the other books -- LOL!). I like series for the same reason. I don't want the I-Team to come to an end. I will BAWL!
I have what... 13 days until UC comes out? I'm going to die. I just know it. Oh Marc and Julian butting heads. Pamela! You're so rotten!
And here's what Marc and Julian shout simultaneously when at last they meet:
"Sophie, get out of the way!"
Cuz you don't want to shoot the woman you care about, right? LOL!
Am I torturing you, Sin?
I think I can hear Sin tearing her hair out from here. LOL!
It's impressive that your son knows so much about French history...when I'm sure most French boys his age don't know half of what he does.
And I think you are torturing all of us Pamela...but that's a good kind of torture...I think.
LOL You're torturing me, and I haven't even started reading EE yet! I'd say that I'm going to pace myself with EE and HE over the next two weeks so it doesn't seem as long to wait for UC, but I'd be lying. Once I start reading a good book, I can't put it down. I've been known to stand at the stove with a book in one hand and a spatula in the other.
I haven't been this excited to read a new book since last June!
P.S. Pamela, I hope UC is a great success so you can write full time too! From all that I've read today, you've earned it.
I think I just pulled some hair out!!
And you know I can't turn away because I'm dying for all things spoilerish. I'm a horrible spoiler slut and you're killing my poor little black heart with your torture!
But I wouldn't be me without saying more! LOL
PS. And I'm going to do my damnedest to get you on the BS list and get you home so you can write ALL the time!
Ter- It's so sad that you know me that well. LOL
Tee hee, what a fun conversation! Anything that tortures Sin is always good fun around here, I say.... LOL!!
Sin, thank you for having Pamela on here today. It totally made my day!
A million hugs and ten thousand kisses.
And Pamela, thank you for being here and being so gracious, and answering all my stalkerish questions. Hopefully one day we'll meet so I can hone my handcuff skills.
Can't wait for UC and to get so absorbed in it that I miss my stop on the train (this happened when I was reading HE). You are an amazing writer and a very courageous woman. Hats off to you.
Mshellion, I'm with you when it comes to historically inaccurate feminism. It appeases modern sentiments, but it doesn't tell a historical story. I personally feel that pressures to be PC have harmed the historical sub-genre.
I think that men have strength for a reason, and that reason is to protect those weaker than themselves. So I dumped the coward very quickly. It was inherent to his character, a real lack of courage. And I just love a protective man!
Linda, I really hope you enjoy the stories! And thank you for the good wishes. With any luck, Marc's freedom will mean my freedom in about a year. BTW, there's a trailer on YouTube. Search for my name on YouTube, and you'll find it.
Sin! Stop! No hair-pullilng! LOL! I DO have a wealth of excerpts archived on my blog...
And THANKS so much for your support!
Marnee Jo, I sense you have a deliciously wicked streak. LOL!
Geisha, you're so welcome! Thanks for having me. It's been lots of fun. Did you really miss your stop? That's pretty cool. LOL! I had one reader tell me she moaned out loud on the subway when T & J were having sex for the first time.
Pamela - absolutely not! *wink wink nudge nudge* I'm the sweet one on the ship.... LOL!!
I sooooo missed my stop Pamela. One minute I'm on 23rd St. and the next I'm looking at the stop for Chinatown! It was worth it though.
As for moaning on the subway, in NYC that's a "normal" thing. Hmmmm....maybe they were reading one of your books :)
As long as they don't hump my leg I can tolerate it.
Evil wenches! And don't fall for Marnee's sweet routine. I did. And you see how she treats me! LOL
And PC, I've read the excerpts on your blog so often, I could recite them!
Jeez, Gei, I can see you brushing people off your leg in my mind. LOL. That could be a wicked book scene. LOL
It's been so much fun having you PC! There's still the afternoon and night left!
LMAO Sin!
Can you imagine Marissa having to do that? LOL. Hmmmm....you know.....
*Pulls out notebook*
LOL. How did I know you were going to whip out the trusty notebook?
Darn it! You know me too well. Can't help it when you randomly come up with great ideas :)
Know that I will be blaming you for only getting 2-3 hrs sleep tonight.
LOL. Glad I could be of service!
Marnee Jo, I'm not sure I can believe you. LOL!
Geisha, I think anyone rubbing my leg might suffer from serious injuries before reaching his destination. EW! LOL! TOO FUNNY that you missed your stop. I blame Julian.
Sin, sorry you've read 'em all! Darnit. Well, the book will be out very soon. There's that widget on my blog that counts down the seconds.
I've got an interview for the next 1.5 hours, but I'll be back...
I'm mentally counting down the seconds on my own. LOL. I tried to take a Tuesday off from my office to read, but it seems as though the Doctor doesn't think that's a good reason to miss work. LOL
I'm off to bed, it's getting late here and I have a crazy day ahead tomorrow. But I want to tell you how much I loved blogging with you today and I want to thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and being so nice. And thank you too Sin. You both made my day.
stef
*hugs* Glad you made it babe! Thanks for stopping by!
Okay, so I made it home (no one tried to hump my leg today). I'm staring at HE and loving stroking the cover wishing it was Julian.
I blame Pamela for making me seem so scary right now. Toally not my fault she writes FOINE,HAUT(said in NY accent)men.
Oooooooooooohhhhhhh Julian!!!!
Pamela, I think you're right up there with Sin for influencing the sales of panty liners and panties :)
Hi Pamela! I'm having a blast reading all these questions and your great answers. Thank you so much for coming out to play with us. And what a great blog!
After listening to Sin going on and on about your books, I finally ordered Extreme Exposure and Hard Evidence. I finished EE in one day and am actually reading Hard Evidence as I'm typing this, LOL. I'm all about multi-tasking. *grin* I love both books and I can't wait for Unlawful Contact! I really hope I'll be able to find it here as soon as it's released. (Here being Finland.)
I've been reading this convo about your life as a journalist with my jaw somewhere in the vicinity of the floor. Holy hell girl, you lead an exciting life! And not only are you a kick ass journalist, you're a great author as well! LOL.
I'm really loving Julian, and I loved Reece. The Alpha male always gets me all hot and bothered. And that office scene in EE? I think I was moaning out loud. *grin* And I'm so enjoying these little spoilers for your next release. I'm just as much of a spoiler slut as Sin is, so I can totally relate to the hair pulling, LOL.
From what I've read here today, you seem to invest a lot of yourself into your heroins and you write a lot about things that you've experienced yourself - which makes for GREAT reading, btw. How much of yourself and your own traits and feelings do you write into your characters?
Lin
Hey there! I'm so sorry I couldn't make it yesterday and missed out on all the fun but I still wanted to congratulate you on this awesome blog.
Having a famous author like PC come here and give us the scoop about her job is just to cool for words!
I have Hard Evidence on top of my TBR after having heard so many great things about it and I can't wait for the long weekend where I'll finally have the time to read it.
Big kudos to Sin and all the pirate ladies, and of course to Pamela Clare!
Sin, it's such a bummer that "book craving" isn't listed as a sickness that can only be treated by a day of reading in bed. Dang it! It should be!
Stef/Harlot, bon nuit! I hope you sleep well. Tell France hello from Benjy. He'll be happy. And you're welcome! I've enjoyed this tremendously. I hope you'll all feel free to email me at pamelaclare@earthlink.net and to stop by my blog any time.
Geisha, I'm glad your ride home was pervert-free today. Have fun stroking Julian! Or at least his image. Sorry it's not the real him. And thanks for the compliment. I LMAO over the pantyliner thing.
Lin, thanks so much for your kind words and thanks for jumping in. I do put a lot of myself into my heroines, but they also seem to be themselves, too. There are things I say sometimes that they say. My view of journalism is absolutely expressed by my heroines. I think they like the same sort of men I'd like. LOL! Each heroine has different aspects of me, I think. Kara is my hardcore journalist self. Tessa is more my girly side. Sophie is perhaps a more reflective side of my journalism personality. Holly is my smutty side. I LOVE HER!
Again, thanks to Sin for inviting me here, and thanks to all of you for your thoughtful and thought-provoking questions. I've thoroughly enjoyed this. I'll keep checking back all evening.
And please know I'm serious! Come play at my blog, where there will be lots of contests, and send me emails. Sin has the addy if you missed it above.
Of course, we're giving away some books here, too...
Hi, Julia, thanks for joining in. I've had a blast here with everyone. And thanks for your sweet words. I hope it's been fun for everyone.
Oh, and Lin, cool about being in Finland. I lived in Denmark for three years and love Scandinavia. My sister lives in Stockholm. I hope to move back to Copenhagen one of these years after I quit the dayjob to write alpha heroes all day. :-)
Pamela,
I have thoroughly enjoyed the time you've spent here today, thank you for taking the time to blog with us. I admire your accomplishments, and what you continue to do as E-in-C. I'll definitely keep an eye on your blog, and don't be surprised if you get an email or two from me:)
You're an inspiration.
*hugs*
Oh, I love living here, and I visit Stockholm pretty often. It's been a while since I've been to Copenhagen though.. I really hope that day comes quickly for you so we can get lots and lots of your alpha males. :D
And I love that Holly is your smutty side - she's a riot!
I'm off to bed with Hard Evidence, it's been a great pleasure reading the conversation and talking to you, Pamela.
Thanks Sin for setting this up, I love you babe.
Lin
Hi Pamela (and everyone else)
I have a family question for you. What do your sons think about your writing? Have they read any of your books? Your experience with stalkers and gun and threats, how do they handle a Mom like you?
Just curious, I hope you don't mind.
Also, I loved HE and I'm looking forward your new book.
Lorie
Hi Pamela,
Sin convinced me to try my hand at this whole blogging thing, so I hope I'm doing it right! RL has been crazy today and this is my first chance to get online.
I just finished reading HE and loved it! One of my favorite scenes was when Julian bought all the groceries for Tessa, including the espresso machine and the potted plant. How sweet was that!? Then at the end, when he was watching the video and he realized that she was sending him a message--I loved that whole scene. I also enjoyed all the others that have been mentioned earlier today.
I noticed on the dedication page of HE that you recognized two police officers and said they'd saved your life on 8/24/87. Can you share what happened? You certainly seem to have had more than the average person's scary encounters!
Thanks for being here today!
Beth C.
Man, this place is hopping today. I leave the comp for a few hours and it's comments galore! LOL!
Pamela, you are an inspiration and this may sound weird but I'm happy you make my life sound boring. LOL! I'm absolutely positive I never could have survived half of what you've done. Amazing!
Are you going to make it to Nationals this summer? I'll be in attendance representing the ship and I'd LOVE to meet you. Not only would it be awesome, it would drive Sin crazy. LOL!
So Pamela, I went back and read excerpts from Hard Evidence and Extreme Exposure from your site after you mentioned that to Christie (I, unlike them, do not like to be totally spoiled, so I didn't read your newest excerpt).
I greatly admire your writing style, but one thing that continues to amaze me is your ability to shift POV within a scene. In most books, I find it distracting and jarring, but in yours, it's flawless! You manage to shift in such a way that I don't even notice for a paragraph or two, and without halting the momentum of the story at all.
Is there a trick to it that you can share with us? Or is it just something that works for you that you don't have to concentrate on?
Thanks for sharing your story with us, Pamela! What a horrifying thing for you to have to go through. I can totally understand why you would dedicate the book to those two officers. I hope the men who broke in were captured and sentenced! You sound like a much braver person than I am, although I guess we never know what we can handle until we're faced with it.
Beth C.
Holy Toledo! I leave, come back, and we've broken the 100 mark!
Pamela I'd say today was a success! I thoroughly enjoyed having you on the ship and I know the other wenches did as well. You put on one helluva blog today! I admire you so much, your courage and your strength. You're truly an inspiration to aspiring authors and to women in general!
Your sons are very lucky to have you as a mother. Your Dream Team is very lucky to have you as a fearless leader. And us readers are very lucky to have you as a wonderful author!
Hi, Haleigh,
POV... It's really an automatic thing for me. Sometime I'm uncertain about where to shift from one to another, but once I've decided exactly where I switch POV, then -- poof! -- I switch. The characters are so real for me that I switch from one character's head to the other.
The key, I think, is making sure that you know what each POV's limitations are. You have to move away from 3rd person into a 3rd person that feels like 1st person. It's so up close and personal that it excludes any omnipotent perspective. Does that make sense at all?
A lot of people goof up by having character who seem to know what their own facial expressions look like. But none of know how we're perceived by others or understand deeply how other other people think. So I used "seemed" a lot, or "tried." They try to understand. They do their best to seem non-threatening, etc. We all have limitations and really living in someone's POV means accepting those limitations. Gosh, I hope that makes sense!
One of these days, if you're interested, we can do a blog or email thing where those of you who are interested in technique can discuss it with me. I've done workshops for other writers on characterization and such. I'd be happy to share it via an email class or something.
Oh hell, this day just keeps getting better and better! A class on POV taught by you? I think I've died and gone to blog heaven!
And Ter, I'm going to ignore your comment about going to Nationals and meeting Pam. Rotten wench.
Hi, Beth,
Thanks so much! You're very sweet. I have to admit that I did a lot of screaming that night. I wasn't all that brave. It made me a tougher person in the end. The two men spent 2 months in jail and were then deported and threatened with two years in prison if they were ever found here again.
Sin, that's so much for inviting me! I'm really enjoying "chatting" with everyone. I hope we can stay in touch! I'll probably drop by now and again, if that's alright. And thanks for your sweet words! You're all very kind. :-)
Sorry, I missed that question.
Sadly, this is the first year for years that I'm not going. I need to save my vacation for friends visiting from Denmark this year and for my son's graduation and his leaving home for college. But I'll be at RWA next year. I've gone every year since 2003, so it will feel weird. Last summer I was a RITA finalist, which was too exciting.
I'm a bit braindead tonight, but I'll keep checking back for latecomers and additional questions. :-)
You all ROCK, by the way.
What you said makes total sense! And it's great advice. I would love to hear more of your thoughts on techniques and an email group or anything like that.
Anybody else falling out of their chair in excitement over doing something like that?
Pamela, thank you so much for stopping by and answering all our questions. It was really wonderful to have you.
And, I love the information you gave on POV. Thank you!!
Holy I can't believe my eyes. You'd do that for us? Man, and that omniscient thing is a BIG problem of mine. LOL!
And Sin - looks like you get the last laugh. I won't get to meet her this summer after all. But, there's always next year!
I had to reread! I missed the part where she generously offered to help us out further!
That would be so appreciated and so welcome. Thank you for the offer!
Terrio, you're welcome. I love to talk about writing more than anything else, so it would be my pleasure. I can't do it till after I'm done with UNTAMED in a few weeks, but then we can plan something.
Marnee Jo, you're welcome. It will be fun!
Thank you Pamela, for your generous offer to help us out (how exciting!) and for all the questions you've so politely answered for us today. It's been so much fun, and I can't wait till Unlawful Contact comes out!
Yes, yes, book comes first. And that gives me plenty of time to tame my chaotic life to fit in some terrific craft time. Perfect!
The other pirates will tell you that's a feat in and of itself. LOL!
I'm all for a little talking about writing with the wonderful Pamela Clare! Learning from one of the best! How can you beat that offer?
Haleigh, Terrio, Sin,
It would be my pleasure. And thanks so much for today. It was wonderful! And Sin, that's very sweet of you to say. :-)
LOL. I think there would be more than three of us on board with that workshop!
And it was my pleasure to host you on the ship! Any time! And every word of praise directed your way was well deserved!
Thanks, Sin. That means a lot to me.
Thanks to all of you! I really enjoyed today.
I'm off to bed. I'll check tomorrow to see if there are other questions. And I think there's going to be a wee contest....
G'night!
What did I miss?
Wait....Pamela teaching a class? Holy bookmarks!!!!!
I would sooooooooo sign up for that.
Last night I snuggled up with Julian and had a great time. It was raining and I armed myself with some soup, chinese food and hot chocolate. It was like date night.
Right now I'm supposed to be writing a new story for my blog, but the coffee hasn't kicked in yet, plus I'm hoping that it would write itself :)
Woohoo! I've got winners! *waving around papers with names* I will make an official announcement on Saturday! Stay Tuned for an informal announcement right here later today!
Hi, Geisha,
I'm glad you had a hot night with Julian. What you described sounds wonderful.
And, Sin, I'm so excited to hear who these winners are! I've got my copies ready to go. All I have to do is autograph them. :-)
Have a great day, everyone!
Alright ladies the time has come for the announcement of the winners!!
Remember Saturday, I will put your names up in a blog! But for now, this will have to do since I don't want to kick Lisa's wonderful blog about Attraction out of the spotlight!
In no particular order:
*drum roll please*
Janga
Stef
T-Lee
and Kelly Krysten
Congratulations!! Please email me at magnificentsin @ aol.com (without the spaces) with your snail mail address and Pamela will get your prize out to you! Each winner will be receiving a book signed by Pamela (which is a wonderful treat!)
Thank you to Pam, who is very generous! And thank you all for coming out and commenting! You made the day great!
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