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Monday, January 21, 2013
This Deserves a Reward
First off, today we recognize Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
Seems such an appropriate day for our first African American president to take
his second oath of office. History meeting history.
Second off, I’ve got nothing. It’s (very) late Sunday night
as I write this and I’m afraid I, for lack of a better phrase, blew my writing
wad on Saturday. I was determined to finish the rough draft of book 2 in the
Anchor Island series so I’d have 6 full weeks to revise before my deadline.
When I started writing Saturday morning, I thought I had 3 scenes to write and
I’d be done. Oh, silly me.
One of the best things I’ve learned as a writer is to trust
my characters. I had no plans for a secondary character to hand the hero his
ass, but she did. I had no plans for the heroine of book 1 to do the same, but
she did. I never planned for the heroine to tell a secondary male character who
had been after her throughout the story that he was barking up the wrong tree. But
she did.
All of these scenes unplanned, but were necessary to the
story. That’s the thing about trusting your characters. They really do know
what they’re doing.
In the end, I wrote over 5000 words and 20 pages before
finally reaching THE END. At which point I happy danced around the room. In my
head. I was way too exhausted to do any real physical activity.
So what is my point?
Good question. I have no idea. How about we go with rewards? I definitely
deserve a reward after this weekend and few things are as rewarding as reading
a good book. If you were looking for a book reward this week (or month), what
would you reach for? Old or new. Any genre (even non-Romance.)
Labels:
books,
characters,
reading,
rewards,
writing
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13 comments:
If you can happy dance at the end of a hard writing day Terri, then you are definitely on the path to fulfilment.
No point to the blog? Don't worry. The physical vacuum is thought of as nothingness but in fact it is full of interest and structure. Virtual particles coming into existence then fading back into nothing. Just like a writer's mind with characters really. The characters that persist then make it into the book!
On the UK kindle forums there is a section listing free e-books together with their ratings. I'm finding some very good new authors there.
http://www.kuforum.co.uk/free_ebooks/latest/?&catID=49
I think that many not-so-well-known authors are offering their work free for a short time in order to become better known. A bit worrying for you guys perhaps, if very good novels can be downloaded for free.
I don't think it's a problem though, just a good marketing ploy. When I find a book that I really like I will download the author's other (non-free) books, so everyone is a winner!
AND I won't be waiting for the free version of 'Meant To Be'. I know that's going to be a winner already! *smile*
You are proof, Q, that putting a book up for free for a limited time can be a results-getting marketing move. It's almost like a gamble, as you can't be sure the readers will pay for the other books, but many authors have had good results with it.
My brain was like a wet noodle when I wrote this last night. But I've slept, so I'm a little better today. And I have something to do for my editor, so that's a good thing!
Can you give us a couple names of new authors you've found? I don't think we can access .uk stuff from this side of the pond. :)
Lately, I think my go to is anything Grace Burrowes. I love her writing, she is fresh and new....all her characters get to me....
Her new one is coming very soon, Lady Eve's Indiscretion. ...
I also love anything Eloisa James and finished the Lady Most Willing, a book using three different authors for three different parts of the story...LOVED it.
And lastly, I have a new go to, that whenever I want to feel good I go to parts of it....Paris in Love....yup, I have that by my bed and read pieces of it all the time.
Love to hear what anyone else is reading (lord knows that is how I find new authors to read...)
Hope
I have a couple of the Burrows books on my Kindle. And I think I brought a print version of one home from Nationals last year. She has a kind of intensity in her writing you don't see as much anymore. I need to get around to those.
Read all of Eloisa but this newest with Quinn & Brockway. Been a little busy. :) Loved Paris In Love. While I was reading it, I kept stopping to read snippets to Kiddo. I'm not a re-reader but that one I could glance through again.
I read ONE GOOD EARL DESERVES A LOVER (Maclean) and A NOTORIOUS COUNTESS CONFESSES (Long)--and I adored them both. The first for the best heroine I have read in a long time--she's definitely in my top 10 of favorite heroines; and the second for the hero, who is beta but all the best beta in the world.
Of course, both are part of a series--the second one is further in a series than you would pick up. You don't need to read the others to enjoy this book, of course, but there is a revisiting character that if you HAD read the other books, it was the sort of scene you were waiting for.
Congratulations on your THE END!! Huzzah!
Cheers for finishing the book, Ter! That's an impressive total for a single writing session too.
I always have at least one book that is my carrot book. I promise myself that if I accomplish X, then I can have the carrot. My practice goes back to the days when I sometimes had seventy-five essays to grade in three or four days, and I would reward myself with a chapter for every five or so essays I marked. Today I have to complete two sections of a marketing article and a review before I can read an ARC of The Wanderer, the first book in Robyn Carr's new Thunder Point series.
I second Hellie on the MacLean heroine and the Long hero. Both are among the most engaging romance characters I've encountered. I'm also fathoms deep in love with the hero of Manda Collins's January 29 release, How to Entice an Earl, and I adored The Autumn Bride, the first book in Anne Gracie's new Chance Sisters series.
Since you have a kindle, may I suggest Barbara Cool Lee and her first Pajaro Bay Story. She's a fellow chapter member and though I haven't read this...because I don't have a kindle...she's told me all about it and it sounds like a west coast equivalent of Anchor Island... And I really like Barbara!
What a wreck of a weekend! I got my edits done, too. But had little energy to dance. I walked outside of Starbucks and the sun hit me and I knew what happens when a cat hits a strong sunbeam. I had to sit down and read for awhile. Nice, warm, sun...
I'm reading How To Be A Woman by Caitlan Moran and snickering constantly... A nice reward! I know you enjoyed Jenny Lawson's book...this is a nice follow up. By a different author who lives in a different country.
I'm taking notes! You rarely praise a book so highly, Hellie, so I'll look them up. I'm ashamed to say I've yet to read MacLean. Must fix this.
Janga - I'm currently reading one you recommended a while ago. A Hometown Boy by Janice Kay Johnson. Very serious subject matter but very well done. Glad I picked this one up. (Or put it on my Kindle. Same thing.)
Mo - I'll hunt up both of those books. A west coast version of Anchor sounds interesting. Which reminds me, I just created some promo stuff for Anchor is Cafe Press. Needs more work, but I now have a cute logo for the island.
Can you give us a couple names of new authors you've found? I don't think we can access .uk stuff from this side of the pond. :)
Amazon UK and Amazon US are linked so the books are probably offered free on your side of the pond .... many of the authors are American.
Most recently I downloaded and read B A Morton's 'Mrs Jones' for free. This is rather similar to J D Robb's 'In Death' books which I also enjoy. I have now bought Morton's other e-books.
Today I downloaded Rebecca York's 'Hot and Dangerous' for free. York is of course a well known author but one that is new to me. The book is highly recommended by Nora Roberts and Jayne Ann Krenz no less! It's next on my TBR
Established authors are also following this strategy. For example yesterday I bought four bundled books by Jennifer Blake 'Louisiana Plantation collection' for only 70p (less than half a dollar)
The competition is clearly intense and you need something very special in your writing to ensure success!
Congrats on the big finish, Ter!
I've been knee deep in Sarah Mayberry books lately. I am really loving her characteries, stories, plotting. It's been a long time since I've found an author that just satisfies on so many levels. The unusual thing about her books is that each and every one is so different with such different characters but with such good stories. I'm a sucker for series and loving the same ole, same ole over and over again, but SM books have changed that a bit for me.
I started with a few of her new ones and now I'm working on her backlist. I have yet to read one that I didn't love. I think I just love her voice and the characters she creates. You should try her. I think you'd like her.
Thanks for the specific names Q. Yes, lots of competition. I think last I heard there's something like 1 or 2 million books up for sale on Amazon. No wonder it's so hard to stand out.
Irish - I'll go look her up now. I can always use another strong Contemporary voice to study and enjoy.
I am reading Firelight by Kristen Calihan which I am loving. I find myself re-reading passages, just to savor her way with language.
Up next is No Proper Lady by Isabel Cooper. I had to get it, the tag line is 'Terminator meets My Fair Lady'.
Congrats, on finishing!
Di
Hey, Di! I didn't expect to see so many new-to-me authors today. I've never heard of those two either. Must check the Kindle store.
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