Personally, I've skipped around within the genre.  I've tried my hand with paranormal elements and I've tried both contemporary and historical time periods.  I've written both lighter and darker tones.  Some of these things have worked for me and some I'm still working on.  Some things I've really liked, some I feel haven't fit me very well at all.

As I begin something new, I always stop and step back, try to evaluate where I am in my growth as a writer.  I TRY to be unemotional and rational about how things have gone so far. I try to decide what I've learned.

Some of these lessons have been painful.  I think I'll keep those topics to myself, filed away for later blog posts.

Sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised.  Recently, readers have been commenting on my voice. I have a strong narrative voice, they've been saying.  And I've felt more comfortable in my voice lately.  It's a bit gritty, a bit wry, and sometimes even amusing.  (I hope.)

Readers have liked my characters.  That's good news too.  One of my biggest writing challenges has been digging deep into myself to bring truth to characters.  Working on it still, but I know I've come a long way.

But I've tried to figure out what stories I'm trying to tell.  What exactly am I trying to accomplish when I sit down to write?  I usually put external conflicts in my stories.  I like life or death conflicts.  I like it when my characters come close to losing everything and then they figure out what's important, what they can't live without.  I've started to wonder if that's my ulterior motive.  I don't know.

What about you guys?  What is it that you're trying to accomplish when you put pen to paper?  And how does that affect your choices in stories to tell?

Marn is running a little behind but she'll post something marvelously BRILLIANT just as soon as she can. In the meantime, enjoy this amazing proposal video. What woman wouldn't love this??? Dude scores major bonus points for the rest of the decade.

Hug your babies, BBQ your burgers, and don't forget to thank any solider you see for your freedoms. Regular Pirate Babblings will resume Tuesday when Bo'sun reviews Jodi Thomas' new book. Me, I'm going to take around my soldier (Daddy Pirate) who is hanging out today with me and we'll take flowers to our family cemeteries and eat good food and visit. It's a day of family and remembrance. I hope this is a great day for all of you!

I know it's extremely sacrilegious to say, but Julia Quinn can be a bit of a hit or miss with me. I know. I'm going to hell.

The woman has twenty plus novels to her name; they're not all going to be a grand slam, right? Even Nora writes a lemon occasionally, right? And as with any book, I doubt Ms. Quinn has had a unanimous "LIKE" because you can't please everybody, though I imagine there are books that have come really close to total popular approval. (Romancing Mr. Bridgerton comes to mind for me. I adore that book!) In fact, she couldn't go wrong with a Bridgerton novel--and then she finally ran out of Bridgertons.

So really if you think about it, this was a bit like J.K. Rowling trying to write something after Harry Potter. Too much griping about the book not being enough like Harry Potter. Or perversely, too much so.

I enjoyed the experiment of dueling books of Mr. Cavendish and the Duke of Wyndham; and I recognized some of the old-time charm in Ten Things I Love About You--but what really put Julia Quinn back on my must-have-and-must-read-this-now Book List was the reintroduction of some very special and beloved characters from the Bridgerton era: The Smythe-Smiths, the eminently unmusical yet clad with instruments recital playing family of female cousins.

I loved them.

And I still do. If you were remotely a fan of the Bridgertons, this is your series. Best of all, you don't have to have had read a single Bridgerton novel to enjoy the books. The poor Bridgertons have been allowed to live in peace and Happily Ever Afters. This is a series all unto itself. Best of all, whereas it occasionally felt to me that the Bridgertons were a bit too happy to be real--even the one who was horribly widowed--these characters suffer. If you enjoyed the torture that Julia Quinn put her Wyndhams through, the darker, edgier side of Ms. Quinn, you'll enjoy this book. TORTURE! TORMENT! BLACK MOMENTS GALORE!

I think with this series Julia Quinn has taken the best elements of her Bridgertons and the best elements of her darker, more tormented novels--and given us a balance of romance that builds from the solid foundation of friendship, the realistic constrictions of the time period, and conflict that rings true for the characters that would have lived then. It still has the delicious sigh of romance and fantasy--wouldn't we all love a Daniel?--but makes him feel like a real man of his period. And by God, when someone gets ill in her books, they're really ill! Thank you, Julia Quinn! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

If none of these things sold you, the three kids should. (No dogs this time. Only children. I love authors--it's always a dog or a kid who wins the hearts of the readers, isn't it?) But the kids are hilarious, especially Frances, who I adore and not for the obvious reasons.

When Avon shipped me the latest set of books for review, I snatched this one up first. It was the one I had been most waiting for (and hoping for)--and I think a lot of other people are too. No worries. It's every bit as delightful, entertaining, and well-played as you would hope. This book is going on my keeper shelf--and all I can say is, "I highly recommend this book. You won't regret it." 

Summer is almost here and it's time for another Smythe-Smith musical. Brace yourself--you're in for a ride!

Have you read Julia Quinn before? What's your favorite Julia Quinn novel and why? What book are you most looking forward to reading this summer?

I'm a sucker for angst. Black moments are my favorite part of a book, flat out. A half-assed black moment can ruin a book faster than head-hopping can.

So it's no surprise that my favorite books contain a great black moment. But they're difficult (read: almost impossible) to pull off on TV. Take two of my favorite TV shows for example: Castle and Bones. Both star a couple with massive amounts of sexual tension. Both ended last season with hints that the two would finally get together (Ter wrote a great blog about this back in July, at the end of the last season.)

Last season of Bones ended with an "I'm pregnant" cliff hanger. The two of them got together in a moment of grief, and then bam - they're pregnant, living together, perfectly happy in their relationship, have a baby, etc. No more tension, no explanation, nothing. It's not the fact that they're together that bothers me. It's the fact that we missed the good part. After years of growing tension, it was just . . . done.

Imagine a book with four hundred pages of growing tension and intimacy, conflict and fights, suspense an agonies. And just when you're getting near the climax, they're perfectly happy together.

Something vital was skipped, and as a lover of romance, it killed the story for me.

By contrast, Castle ended with an "I love you" cliffhanger as Kate lay dying after being shot through the heart. Very tragic and all that. And just as Terri predicted last year, Kate pretended she hadn't heard up straight up to the last episode. A full year of denial, denial, denial. And we got to watch as both Castle and Kate had to deal with their feelings and figure out what they wanted.

It started to come together.  In this year's season finale, they were finally set up for their first date. It was sweet. I thought it was sweet enough. And then BAM - without warning came one of the best black moments I've ever seen on television. 

Here's a few things that made it work so well:

• it was organic to the story - it played on a weakness the heroine has had the whole show. She's obsessed with the unsolved murder of her mother (she was a teen, I think). The black moment is a final culmination of that weakness.
• it was legitimate - nothing about it felt over dramatic or like they'd gone to far (to me, at least. levels of melodrama are super-subjective).  Castle walked away - and there was no other choice he could have made. Our hearts could break for him, without being pissed he was missing an obvious solution
• there was a surprise twist - as the black moment was building, I thought I knew where it was going. I was wrong. In the four years the show has been on, every time Kate got into trouble, Castle came and rescued her. Again, Kate got into trouble (hanging off the ledge of a building 20 stories in the air, in this particular episode) and I thought Castle would save her. She thought he would save her. For the first time in the show's history, he didn't come and rescue her

What do you think makes a good black moment? What ruins them? Any great examples, from either TV or books? 

It's almost summer and I know you need to some summer reading. Publishers have been gearing up just for this moment--God forbid we be without delightful, enthralling drama to soak up as we soak up sun.

THE COTTAGE AT GLASS BEACH is the classic women's fiction: its arc follows the story of a middle-aged married woman who takes her two girls to a family beach cottage for the summer when she finds out her husband has been cheating on her (he's a politician) and the scandal has been splashed in all the newspapers. While there, she reconnects with her aunt and slowly unravels the mystery of her mother's disappearance when she was a child.

What saves this from being like about fifty other women's fiction novels with similar premises is that this has a lovely layer of Irish folklore, which weaves a sort of compelling charm among the passages. Nora, the heroine, is clearly in need of something a little otherworldly to buffer her realities of a husband who is just too imperfect (and still doesn't know what he wants) and children who blame her for not being able to fix what was broken.

My favorite character was Aunt Maire, and the other island inhabitants who were quirky and generous to strangers. They seriously make you want to find the nearest island and take roost for a summer. And I have a real soft spot for Annie, the youngest daughter (7), who is optimistic and wise beyond her years, especially in comparison to her older, cynical, and angry sister, Ella (12).

Least favorite? Ella. Not only is this book an engrossing bit of women's fiction, but it's practically a how-to book in regards to wayward, obnoxious, hateful daughters. I must have spent half the book going, "Slap her!" or "Send her to boarding school!" In fact, I still hope Nora does. Brat. Of course, the father runs a close second, but he's not in the story enough to get a real read on him. He doesn't actually want to change his ways or give up his girlfriend to salvage his marriage (assuming Nora wanted to, and it's clear Nora doesn't); and he doesn't actually have honesty to just call it final. If anything, his behavior is a reflection of the reasons their marriage fell apart.

In the end though, you realize this isn't a book that is supposed to delve into the relationship of husband and wife, the long and short of marriage, or any of those normal topics you find in books about women's fiction with cheating husbands. No. This is a story about sisters; and this is a story about mothers--and the complicated relationships that accompany each. Those are the stories within that offer real drama and interest for your summer reading and was as compelling as the Irish folklore.(Seriously the folklore stuff had me going, "I want to go to Ireland!" repeatedly. And isn't that what summer reading is about? Make us long for far off enchantments?)

It was good. And for those of you who read the ending first, nothing to fear. (Though I was extremely tempted a half-dozen times and made myself not do it, so you can say the suspense was really good in this book. *LOL* But no worries. No bad endings to ruin your summer.)

If you have room on your summer reading list for some women's lit with a taste of Irish creme at the edges, do give this one a try. I believe you'll enjoy it.

I'm giving away my review copy of THE COTTAGE AT GLASS BEACH to one random commenter. Where would you like to spend  your summer and who would you like to spend it with? What is your favorite Irish folklore? And what are you reading this summer?

It's May...and it's time to get out our planning schedules to determine which movies we'll be clamoring to see in the theaters. Of course, The Avengers has already set the bar high--all those heroes, all that wit, all that action. But I'm not worried. I know the movie that's going to kick every other summer blockbuster's ass. And it's only got one hero.

Or heroine, as it were.

What? The best movie of the summer has a GIRL as its hero?

In a word: YES.

It's called BRAVE, and it's Pixar's newest edition, and of course, everyone is worried how having a GIRL hero is going to translate into dollars, since, well, boys don't like girls and won't watch them in their movies, but girls aren't as narrow-minded about their entertainment.


But there's bows and arrows and some crude humor...and a great adventure--I think the boys will be surprised at how heroic a girl can be. I cannot wait!

In the meantime though, I'm going to work on making my heroine the star of her own book. She should be anyway, but being the boy-crazy author I've always been, I've always been much more interested in the hero--his eyes, his hair, his deep-gravelly voice. And never forget his dark and shadowy past that only the heroine can heal. Bah humbug.

My heroine has a tortured past too! Here she is, just trying to star in her own life and her own father wishes she'd been born a boy--and because she wasn't, wants to marry her off to the man he's always thought of as a son. What's a girl got to do to get some recognition for her skills? And my heroine, Nellie, has some major skills; it's just they not ladylike. Most importantly, she doesn't need a man to give her importance in her life!

I'm sure the heroine of BRAVE will save the day, but still find a guy who wants to play equals with her and not overshadow her; and that's the kind of hero I'm trying to evolve for my dear Nellie, but it's still going to be some work. Broderick is a product of his time.

What movies are you looking forward to this summer? And are your favorite blockbusters finding their ways into your writing? How so?

Last time I blogged about the A in my ABC's of writing I've discovered as I've gotten further along in my writing. Today we're going to talk about B - BALANCE.

There are three areas I think it's important for a writer to think about BALANCE, but let's start with the big one most people think of when they think of Balance: making sure you don't neglect your non-writing life and loved ones while still producing great words on the page.

I'm going to share a secret with you - my writing soars - really comes flowing out of me - when I've remembered to make time for my husband and things that I enjoy. For a romance writer trying to capture that essential feeling of falling in love and HEA, doing something that makes you smile or laugh can really trigger an emotional leap on the page. Now, that works for me even when I'm writing dark scenes. I don't need to be in a dark place in life, just in touch with any emotional high that I can relate either directly or conversely to the scene.

A happy writer is a good writer. Screw all those old men writers who lived angst filled lives - we're writing romance and that means a HAPPILY EVER AFTER. At least for now. And I find that happiness in my daily life helps me find that on the page. Besides, those old goats were writing "literary fiction." Well, it was damn good but let's not go there.

I make sure to fit in at least 1 thing a week that is purely for my emotional happiness. Hikes with the hubby, reading a book, watching a movie. Anything that gives me an hour to balance my real emotions with those I'm trying to put on the page. I cannot say enough about how helpful this really can be for your writing. Give yourself a little balance and you'll find your writing goes better and quicker.

The second kind of BALANCE I think a writer should have is between actual writing and the "other" side of writing - learning the craft and social media/promotion. We've all probably heard "You need a platform" until we could puke. I mean how are you supposed to build a following, have an online writer identify and package your marketability to an agent or editor if you haven't been pubbed yet?

Well you can and it really is important that you do. I'm planning another blog post on this soon so don't worry! But again, with some balance. I've been guilty of spending too much time on Twitter talking with other writers instead of actually you know, doing the writing. Big no-no. But social media is important as a writer and you need to find a way to balance.Use tools to make tracking and posting to multiple social sites easier, consider blog posts part of your word count goals and most of all make sure you communicate when your followers and friends are most active - it will give you the most bang for your buck. Again, I'm planning a post soon with some new tips and tricks I've learned recently.

Lastly, and possibly the one most overlooked, you should think about the BALANCE in your writing. No one wants to read a one note book or characters who don't come alive. We've all heard the idea that even your big bad villain can't be all bad - the most interesting ones are those who are their own hero but for a twist in their character. The biggest laughs almost always come after some highly emotional reveal or scene. Take your reader on that roller coaster ride - the ups and down and twists and turns. Balance. Almost every part of your book benefits from it, from plot to characters to actual technical writing choices.

Where do you have the hardest time finding balance? Do you think the 3 things I've mentioned here are important to keep in mind or would you have included some others? How do you balance your writing life and the real world when it gets hectic? What about balance in your writing?

Yeah, I got to work today, opened my email and realized: "Damn, I forgot to post a Tuesday Review." In my defense, last night I was busy with my Monday Night Creativity Hour(s) with my friend Pam, who works on art while I work on writing. Secondly, I'm also working with Terri on the new class that opened this week--very exciting. And thirdly, well, I didn't exactly have a book lined up that needed to be reviewed.

I have read Kristan Higgins' newest Somebody to Love, which I adored; and I'm reading Tessa Dare's A Week to be Wicked, which I adore even more. So if that counts as a Tuesday review, I think you should run out and buy them both to read, if you haven't already.

In the meantime, we need to catch up to the winners of previous Tuesday Review blogs!

The winner of UNDER A VAMPIRE MOON is DI R! Congratulations, Di!

And the winner of LYON'S LADY is SABRINA! Congratulations, Scapey!

Ladies, please email me with your mailing addresses so I can mail you the books...sometimes before the next decade. :)

What has everyone been reading lately? Does anyone have anything they highly recommend?

(PS, that pic is my youngest when he was only a day old. Awwwhh. I stare at this when he throws a big almost-two-year-old fit. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes.) :)

I started a new story this week. At this beginning, I realized again how much birthing a book and raising it up is like parenting. (Please, bear with me. I spend a lot of time with small humans. I need to draw my connections where I can.)  Also, disclaimer:  I'm generalizing and simplifying for my purposes.

 I started researching it earlier in the month. This time is like the pregnancy of the book, the incubation, the preparation. Because by research I mean the general messy way in which I begin a story. Much staring off into space. Some actual “look stuff up” research. A bunch of muttering in front of my storyboard. That all took about a month this time and now I’ve physically opened a new file in Word and proceeded to type things in it.

Ahhhhh….

The first part of a new story is awesome, when it’s all shiny and new. The characters are so eager to get out of my head and the premise feels so fresh. It’s a great hook! It’s like this tiny, perfect baby—it smells good, has so much potential, and its sheer adorableness is unrivaled.

In short, it is love at first sight.

Then, invaritably, it gets harder. In that middle part, there are all those growing pains. It starts with that first temper tantrum. The whine, the characters who say, “I don’t wanna!” and they push back against my desires and wants. In the middle, I hit that wall where I have no idea what the heck I’m doing. (Please say this isn’t just me, both in parenting and in writing.) At this part, it’s all about just pushing through and hoping I am doing the best for the long haul. At this part, I’m basically just cajoling and browbeating them into acting the way I think they should act. I think this must be the toddler through elementary phase.

And then I get to that point, somewhere about 2/3 of the way in, where I can see how it’s going to play out. I can see it shaping into something that vaguely resembles a cohesive idea. From there, I just guide it to its conclusion. I gentle offer suggestions. I mold instead of manhandle. It’s trickier, though, because there’s so much foundation now, so much to consider.

I taught high school so I’ve seen how adolescents start to pull themselves into what they will become through their teenage years. They become someone that interacts with the world around them, not just someone who is acted upon. That’s how a book usually ends, for me. It shapes itself into something richer in my mind than just words I’ve wrestled into submission. It interacts with what I know of the world and finally it becomes its own world.

So, I’m back at the beginning again, when it’s not hard yet. When it still smells sweet and is full of possibility. And I forgot how exhilarating it is to have a new “baby.” And I’m in love, again. I’m reminded once more why this is the greatest job in the world. Creation. How remarkable and humbling.

Tell me, do you love the first part of a story? Which part do you find the most challenging? Which part do you find the easiest? Any suggestions to hold onto this “start of story magic” throughout the process? (PLEASE, if you have any hints, do share!)