What's on Your Author Bookshelf?

Oh, my peeps…September has been an exceedingly chaotic month for me. And exciting! If you’ve read my first book, Prophecy, and wondered what happened next to Gryf and Alexandra, the answer is coming in a little holiday novella I’m working on. It’s a companion story written for my readers, so yes, it’ll make more sense if you read Prophecy first. This novella should be out by, or before, the first week of November.

Anyhoo, all this story writing has had me thinking a lot about what I’ve learned about writing over the past two and half years. Specifically, what books I’ve turned to in my quest to educate myself. Which of them would I recommend to a newbie writer? Or to a not-so-newbie writer with the burning desire to learn more.

Here are a few of the staples on my author bookshelf:

THE EMOTION THESAURUS: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression (Angela Ackerman & Becca Puglisi)

If you’re a writer and don’t have this, get it! It is a treasure trove of useful phraseology that has inspired my muse. And the good news is that there’s a whole series of these thesauruses: Emotion, Positive Trait, Negative Trait, etc. They’re all writer must-haves, imo, but The Emotion Thesaurus has been the most useful to me.

NAUGHTY WORDS FOR NICE WRITERS-A Sexual and Spanking Thesaurus (Cara Bristol)

No, I don’t write spanking stories, and yes, this is exactly what you think. But, let’s face it, if an author uses the same set of words for all their make out/sex scenes, then the reader might start yawning. This book has inspired me to get creative with the words I use when writing acts of love in my stories.

 

WRITING ROMANCE—The Ultimate Guide on Craft, Creation, and Industry Connections

This compilation of writing advice from members of the San Francisco-Bay Area RWA inspired and motivated me in my pre-published days. The stories and advice are timeless, and I refer to them still.

RIVET YOUR READERS WITH DEEP POINT OF VIEW (Jill Elizabeth Nelson)

This book introduced me to the concept of Deep POV. Deep POV isn’t for every writer, but when I first read this book I knew the style appealed to me. It fit me. I’m not perfect at DPOV yet, but I’m trying. And as an intro to this method of writing, this book has been a tremendous help.

MASTERING DEEP POINT OF VIEW: Simple Steps to Make Your Stories Irresistible to the Your Readers (Alice Gaines)

First, a confession: This book is not on my bookshelf…yet. It’s on my birthday wish list for my family to buy for me (because they always ask what I want and as I get older I find I want/need less and less). So, one way or another I will have it by early November. However, this book is based on an excellent and informative webinar by Alice which I attended, so technically I’m already familiar with the contents.

THE TROUBLESHOOTERS SERIES BY SUZANNE BROCKMANN

If I need to get into the DPOV frame of mind quickly, I pick up one of Suzanne Brockmann’s books, read a random paragraph or two, and suddenly I’m able to crawl into my character’s head and think like them. That may sound weird, but this really works for me. If Brockmann is not your style, try another author who writes DPOV.

So, there you have a small sampling of some of my how-to-write library. If you’re an author, please share with us in the comments which writing books have helped you.

See you all again on Oct. 30^th…the day before Halloweeeeeeen!

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USA Today Bestselling Author Lea Kirk loves to transport her readers to other worlds with her science fiction romance Prophecy series. She’s an avid Trekkie, Gryffindor, and wannabe space explorer. She’s made one foray into paranormal romance with her Magic, NM vampire novella, Made for Her, and hopes to write more stories in this world.

When she’s not busy writing, she’s hanging out with her wonderful hubby of twenty-eight years, their five kids (aka, the nerd herd), and a spoiled Dobie mix pup.

For more on Lea's books (past, present, and future), check out her:

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The Pro's and Con's of an Overactive Imagination

by Maureen L. Bonatch 

Once in awhile I have someone new to my books comment that I must have quite the imagination. Although the interpretation of this comment comes from the manner in which they make this remark. Sure, sometimes it’s to discuss the storyline or the uniqueness of a character, but other times it’s said slowly, with a pointed look, as if uncertain of the stability of the mind of someone who could imagine such a story.

Those who have an overactive imagination understand—or at least they pretend they do. If they find those like-minded a discussion can be held about whatever unusual thought just passed though their mind with a nod of understanding or excitement at exploring the extraordinary possibilities.

Those who don’t have much of an imagination just might become a little, well, uneasy.

How Much Is Too much Imagination?

• Pro- You can write outrageous, imaginative stories
• Con- Some of the people who read these stories become a little uncomfortable after this peek into the dark crevices of your cranium 
• Pro- Midnight hours of your neighbors’ indicate potential stories of werewolves, vampires or serial killers
• Con- You sometimes lose sleep thinking about these possibilities
• Pro- You can entertain yourself for hours without really doing anything
• Con-Working your imagination doesn’t burn as many calories as you think it should and you can develop the dreaded “book butt”.
• Pro- Nothing you view is completely ordinary if you look long enough
• Con- Glazed staring into space isn’t good social practice—and neither is drooling
• Pro-You can’t stop dreaming about “what if”…
• Con-You can’t stop dreaming about “what if”…

Who's With Me? The Lovers, the Dreamers and Me

 

Explore the dark side of the imagination and preorder 

Evil Speaks Softly today right here.

They were never supposed to meet. Fame came easy for Liv by following in the footsteps of the

female writers in her family. The cycle repeated for decades…until Liv changed the story. 

Her villain doesn’t like the revision—and he isn’t a fictional character. In his story, the bad guy always wins.

Author Bio: Maureen Bonatch grew up in small town Pennsylvania and her love of the four seasons—hockey, biking, sweat pants and hibernation—keeps her there. While immersed in writing or reading paranormal romance and fantasy, she survives on caffeine, wine, music, and laughter. A feisty Shih Tzu keeps her in line. Find Maureen on her website, Facebook & Twitter

Embrace Change for a Magical New Year

By Maureen L. Bonatch

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” – Albert Einstein

One of the most overused quotes, yet most of us continue to ignore the message. Perhaps that’s because most people like to be comfortable and don’t like change…even if it might be good for them.

“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”

– George Bernard Shaw

Yet when you read almost any book, there is always either an internal or external change involved with the character. No one wants to read a book about someone who never experienced any change or growth. We’d be turning the pages waiting for the “black moment” or the “Inciting incident” and all we’d find would be more of the same.

So why not write your own story of growth and progress for 2017?”

Calling all Writers

·      AutoCrit & Grammarly

o   I’ve been complaining (to myself, and anyone who would listen) about my endless editing process forever. This is one of the reasons why I have manuscripts piled up waiting for edits—until I decided no more excuses.

o   I stopped editing the way I always have and invested in new programs to change my process—so far it seems quicker, and better already.

What about you? Does Your Editing Process Need Tweaking?

·      Scrivener

o   I must admit, I haven’t explored this yet, but I’ve wanted to try it for years. I’m not sure why I waited so long (procrastination! Ack- change!) just to look at it. This year I’ll discover if I’m a Scrivener lover or hater.

Any Scrivener Lovers or Haters Here?

·      Text to Speech

o   As a Mac user I’ve had it all along—who knew?! It’s so much more effective than trying to read through my manuscript.

Your Home & Health

I think I’ve chased every diet and fad for most of my adult life. Only one program has ever worked for me, so I went back to it last year, and if I stick with it, it works.

1.    Physical Health

·      The Bad news= there is no magic pill to lose weight.

·       The Good News= Weight Watchers works- if you are ready to commit (don’t ask me about December- but I’m recommitted today!)

·      As for exercise, I blathered on about my treadmill desk last month, so I won’t bore you with that. Check that info out here. 

Brace Yourselves. January= a million diet & exercise commercials.

2.    Keeping Your House Healthy

     

Not much makes me happier than organizing stuff. That’s why I’ve been stocking up all kinds of tips on my Pinterest Board. I’ve tried the cleaning supplies over the door organization & love it and can’t wait to try the wrapping paper over the door organization.

·      Are You an Organization geek, like me? Check out some of the cool stuff I’ve come across on Pinterest here

·      Overwhelmed with emails? Especially after the holidays when everyone wants your email address? You know you don’t want any more emails, but can’t resist the lure of those treasured coupons! Check out this site to unsubscribe from a bunch at once.  

·      Because I spend far too much time in cyberspace, if you follow my blog, I try to share tips like these that I’ve come across at least once a month or more. 

3.    Keeping Your Mind Healthy- Never Stop Learning

They say keeping your mind active and engaged helps keep you young. With the plethora of online courses, there is no excuse not to keep exploring new things.

I admit, I love online classes and have taken a lot, but last year, I ventured into Freelance Writing.

·      You say there’s no time to cram one more thing into your busy day? Here’s some tips I shared on how to find some extra time in your day. 

·      Interested in Freelance Writing yourself? (P.S. This is an affiliate link, but only cause I loved the course!) Here is the course I took- 30 Days or Less to Freelance Success 

·      If you love Pinterest Gina also has a new course on becoming a Virtual Assistant for Pinterest. I’ve not tried this course- but I’ve found all of Gina’s courses/info to be very helpful & Pinterest seems to be hot right now so thought I’d share it. (Also- an affiliate link)

I hope you’ve found something to inspire you to make that change you’ve been considering for the new year. Write your own story and be the heroine you know yourself to be!

What Are Your Plans for the New Year? Do You Make Goals and/or Resolutions?

One of my writing goals for the Month of January is to use my new tools and tricks to finish edits on Book #2 of The Enchantlings Series entitled Not A Chance.

Here’s a little about my first book in The Enchantlings Series- Destiny Calling

Guess What? I changed updated the blurb a little :) 

When the woman who raised Hope is murdered by something not human, Hope loses the only family she knows and discovers one she might wish she never met. With a touch that can make the desperate hopeful, Hope is the answer. 

The only question is if she can deal with sibling rivalry, accept that entities feeding off despair exist, and determine if Griffith is the man of her dreams, or not at all what he seems.  

About Maureen

Maureen Bonatch dreamt of becoming a Solid Gold Dancer. When the show ended, she followed other paths. Surviving motherhood to twins (so far) gave her the confidence to take belly dancing, declare herself a tequila connoisseur and act as biker babe with her alpha hubby. 

Maureen grew up in small town Pennsylvania and her love of the four seasons—biking, sweat pants, hockey and hibernation—kept her there. While immersed in writing or reading paranormal romance and fantasy, she survives on caffeine, wine, music and laughter. A feisty Shih Tzu keeps her in line.

Find Me:

Writing on my Website

Tweeting on Twitter

Pinning on Pinterest

Flapping on Facebook