Villains

What is it about a villain that so intrigues us? We want to understand what makes them tick, why they do what they do. Sometimes in real life we’ll never know. In our books, we’d better. Villains have to be as clearly defined as the hero/heroine. I remember a quote from a movie or TV show: One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter. It's all perspective.

Villains have their own goal, motivation, and conflict. Otherwise the villain is a caricature, a cardboard cutout. This happened to me in my current work-in-progress. I knew a character was the bad guy. Because I didn’t delve deeply into his motivation, he came across as flat. Thank goodness for my critique partner who pulls no punches.

Although it’s been said over and over again, a strong hero needs a strong villain. Someone to challenge the hero. What kind of hero would triumph over a wimp? So we, as writers, have to make that villain so strong that in the dark moment, the reader really fears the hero won’t succeed.

I always enjoy listening to actors speak about why they chose to act the villain in a movie and how they prepared for the role. They will come up with a complete backstory explaining why the character is so bad. Just as we make up backstory for our heroes, we have to know our villain’s backstory. Like our hero’s backstory, we don’t share everything. It’s sufficient that we know.

Diane Burton’s heroes and villains chase each other across galaxies or across the country. In her science fiction romance or romantic suspense books, you’ll find kick-butt heroines, heroes strong enough to fight beside them against the bad guys. For more about her books, see her website:  www.dianeburton.com

The Birth of a Story

A few years ago, as I sat in the car outside of a convenience store, an old payphone on the side of the building started to ring.  I’d been to this store a million times and hadn’t even realized a payphone was still there.

No one was around eagerly waiting for a call, and everyone walked by it, not even giving it a second glance.  No one answered it.  As it rang on, I wondered who would be calling a payphone in this day and age when everyone has a cell phone?  How would they have the number? Should I answer it?  If so, what would they say?

 Too late…the ringing stopped, unable to deliver the message it intended to deliver.  

As I mulled over this, my character introduced her story by saying, “It was about a month ago I stopped being a redhead.”

Thus, birthed my story, DESTINY CALLING. 

My story process

           

            I’m always curious where stories begin.  Wondering how the mind works, as I’ve noticed that often the writers mind appears to be wired just a little different.  Such as my immediate assumption, as I struggled to open the sticking door to our garage was that… this was how I was going to die. A murderer would break into the house and as I fumbled with my weak grip to flee from death…and failed. 

When I told my husband this he said, “It’s probably from the change in temperature.”

            True, but still a possibility that I may perish as this opportunity awaits the mass murderers that are lurking in my imagination. 

            Or when the neighbors were building the house next door and I was pretty darn sure there was a body buried in that pile of dirt and putting the house up was merely a guise to hide the corpse…

I’d like to share the 80,000-word story that was birthed from a ringing payphone.  Here’s a taste of what grew into DESTINY CALLING.

Vengeance lures 21-year-old Hope Hallows back to the outskirts of Pittsburgh, not just to the family who abandoned her, but also to the breeding ground for malevolent beings, which feed off despair. Gifted with the ability to infuse euphoria or utter desperation with her touch, Hope must face both her inner demons and the ones walking the earth. Struggling with forgiving her family, and resisting the man enticing her with the power of the Underworld, she discovers she's a pawn in a bigger game played by a merciless ruler who doesn't lose.

I don’t have a beautiful cover to post with it, yet.  It only exists in my mind right now, and you don’t want to go there.  It can be a dark, scary place. 

If you’re a reader, what interests you about the stories you read or the authors that create them?  If you’re a writer, how are your stories conceived?  Thanks for stopping by.

Simple Techniques in Writing Deep POV

Simple Techniques in Writing Deep POV

By V.S. Nelson

Writing in Deep POV (point of view) has become increasingly popular over the past twenty plus years. Although it has been around for quite some time, it has become the most popular POV for writers, not only in romance but most popular fiction genres. It is also the most desired POV by many editors and agents currently seeking submissions.

So what is deep POV and how is it used?

Deep POV is third-person subjective which digs deeper into the soul of the character which takes the readers into the head and heart of the character. This allows your story to be seen and felt by the reader as though he or she is actually experiencing the characters thoughts and most inner most feelings. What the first-person POV accomplishes with the I narration the deep POV accomplishes uses the third-person he narration. The reader will see scenes through the viewpoint of the character, feel the same pain the character does, and see the same scene as if the reader is actually part of the story

Using deep POV an author can eliminate using terms like she thought, he felt, and he saw. Phrases that were once necessary to let the reader know what was inside the character’s head are replaced with the character’s thoughts in italics or actions that show, not tell what is going on in the scene from the characters point of view.

I have given you a few examples of changing the standard third person writing to deep POV third person below.

3^rd person POV

Mary believed she loved him. Sitting down on the sofa she made the decision to tell him tomorrow when she saw him.

3^rd person Deep POV 

I love him. I need him. I’ll tell him. Sitting down on the sofa….

3^rd person POV

Alice danced around the room. It is ridiculous, he said to himself, the way she acts after a couple of beers. Mark smiled and handed her another beer.

3^rd person Deep POV

Alice danced around the room. God, she’s a light weight. Grinning, Mark handed her another.

So what do you think? Is Mark planning on getting her drunk? Add a few more sentences and see where the story takes you.

Where the first-person narrator doesn’t have to identify his own feelings and thoughts as being his own, the third-person deep POV character does not have to repeatedly tell his readers what he’s thinking, hoping, seeing or feeling. Readers automatically understand the character’s thoughts, hopes, visions and feelings.

In addition to the above, the author who uses deep POV doesn’t have to use markers to tell readers what a character feels or thinks. The author can simply remove a few telling words to accomplish this same effect. I’ve provided you with another simple example.

Mary reluctantly held out her hand to the stranger. She thought that there was no way in hell he could be the ideal date she was promised by her best friend. She wondered how she could back out of this blind date gracefully. Remembering her high school days when people talked about cooties, she pulled her hand back quickly and felt the need to wipe her hand on her slacks.

Mary reluctantly held out her hand to the stranger. There was no way in hell he could be the ideal date Susan promised her! How she could back out of this blind date gracefully? Pulling her hand back quickly, she unconsciously wiped her hand and his cooties on her slacks. 

Can deep POV be too much… Yes.

Sometimes staying in POV for the length of an entire story or chapter can cause your reader to become antsy, almost to the point of feeling claustrophobia. Remember to draw back, give the reader a breather and step away from that deep POV while filling in the blanks by shifting your story telling/showing.

Personal Insights into Deep POV.

When writing in deep POV remember to use words and phrases only your character would use. Your audience has come to know and love your character just as much as you do and your audience will know the minute you drop the character’s true self, be it in dialog or in the deep POV writing. A character which is known as a God fearing man will not use excessive cuss words while your typical bad boy will. If you write historicals do not use modern language when you are in deep POV. I know that is simplifying things, but it shows the point I am trying to make. Like an actor’s script, let your character’s play the role they were hired to do.

Deep POV is also a great tool for stirring up conflict. By using a variety of words; nouns, verbs and adjectives you can reveal your character’s true emotion in POV. Use words which are meaningful to the character. Think personal rather than impersonal. The only thing holding you back is your own imagination.

If you’ve not experienced writing in deep POV, I encourage you to give it a try. From what I’ve experienced, most readers today like the close relationship with the characters in the novels they have selected to read. Practice writing deep POV by getting into your character’s head. Study their speech and thought patterns then bring them to life on paper by applying the simple techniques deep POV offers. Compare the before and after versions and choose which works best for you and your scene.

 

DANCER OF THE NILE and Renenutet the Snake Goddess

VS sez: One from the Archives. I just sent the new book, Magic of the Nile, back to the formatters so hopefully it'll be out in  a week or so.

One of the aspects of writing paranormal romances about ancient Egypt that I enjoy most is being able to include the gods and goddesses in the action. Isis, queen of the gods, and Horus the Falcon appear in pretty much every book of mine but then I search for a way to feature a lesser-known (to us) deity as well. For my latest book, Dancer of the Nile, I started with the idea that Nima, the title character, was the daughter of a disgraced priestess, who had been granted one final wish by the snake goddess Renenutet. The wish wasn't for the priestess, but for her child, to be redeemed in the future, at some time of dire need.

As she grew up, Nima wore her amulet with the sacred bead faithfully, but she wasn't sure the wish would be granted.  and when the enemy kidnaps her, she begs the goddess Renenutet to help her, with no result. The ancient Egyptians relied a great deal on amulet beads, wearing them in life and placing them inside tombs to help the spirit of the deceased win safe passage to the Afterlife. King Tut, for example, had 143 small amulets made of gold, carnelian, faience and , turquoise placed inside the wrappings of his mummy, including one that was serpent-headed.  Here's the description of Nima's amulet from the novel, as Kamin, the hero examines the bead:

Holding her hand carefully in his much bigger one, Kamin examined the single glazed oval bead, about two inches long, threaded on a simple black leather thong, knotted loosely to circle her wrist. Pale aqua green in color, the flat bead under the glaze had a partial hieroglyphic on one side and a raised, snakelike design on the other, with two tiny enameled flowers flanking the reptile’s head. 

During the course of the novel, Nima encounters her patron goddess (not going to give any spoilers here).  I described one such encounter last year in this column, when the novel was still in the Work In Process stage. You can read that post here. For today, here's another short snippet of an exchange between Nima and the somewhat testy Great One Renenutet:

“Foolish girl, you squander the weapons I gave you.”

Renenutet—for it was the snake goddess herself, in human form—reached past Nima’s shoulder, holding out one hand. The remaining three snakes flew through the air to her like tiny arrows, wrapping themselves around her wrist to create a fabulous bracelet.

Heart pounding, Nima sank down on the bed.

Stroking the living bracelet as if to calm the snakes while frowning at Nima, the goddess said, “You can’t call the snakes of Nebu merely to amuse yourself, girl.”

You didn’t exactly provide me a scroll of instructions with the gift. Nima bit her tongue as she left the bed to go to her knees before the Great One. “I’m grateful for your continued assistance, my lady.”

I’m proud to say DANCER OF THE NILE hit the Amazon Best Seller list the first day, in the Romance=>Ancient World category. Thank you to everyone who purchased the book, giving it such a terrific head start,  and I hope you’ll enjoy the story!

DANCER OF THE NILE is AVAILABLE on Amazon   Barnes & Noble   All Romance eBooks  iTunes

And here's the latest Kay Perry video for her song "Dark Horse" - she portrays the magic of ancient Egypt in her own wonderful style - enjoy!

Is It Your Imagination, Or Did You Just See a Ghost? #PNR #ghosts

I feel a little like Rod Serling of The Twilight Zone saying this, but…imagine this: You’re sitting in your office, typing a ghost story, and your eyes lift to the open doorway because “something” just moved.

Was it a trick of the eye? Nobody else is home. The dogs are sleeping at your feet. It’s a cloudy day, but was it a trick of the sun? No. The sun doesn’t reach that part of the hallway. So it must be your imagination. Sure, that’s the simple answer. But was it?

I tell this story because it recently happened to me as I was writing and I have good reason to believe I’m not alone. I believe in ghosts, mostly because I’ve had things happen to me that are hard to explain. For instance, my grandmother passed away when my son was very young. She had knitted him a sweater that was too big for him to wear before she was gone.

One day, I decided to see if the sweater fit him, all the while, worrying about my grandfather and how lonely he was. He didn’t like visitors. Didn’t talk much on the phone. Well, the sweater fit my son perfectly on that day. And as I carried him down the steps, wearing the beautiful white sweater Mema had made, thinking of my grandfather, the phone rang.

I picked it up and it was Pop-Pop. He wanted to come over for a visit. I’d invited him several times, and offered to come to his house. But this day—the day the sweater fit my son and my Mema’s presence was strong—was the day he reached out to me.

Sure, it could be a coincidence. But I doubt it. I know in my heart that Mema nudged him. I still treasure that visit and felt like I wasn’t just visiting with my Pop-Pop, but my Mema was there with us, too.

So that blur…that trick of sunshine…don’t be so quick to dismiss it as something of this world. Maybe you have company and someone very special is watching over you.

 

 Haunted Love
Romance...and ghosts   Available now at  Decadent Publishing  and  Amazon

About Joya:

Joya Fields has had over 100 stories and articles published in local and national magazines. Her debut novel, a romantic suspense, was a NJRW GOLDEN LEAF WINNER FOR BEST FIRST BOOK OF 2012 and was nominated for RT Book Reviews 2012 Indie Press/Self-Published Contemporary Romance award. She's since released five more books.

     Over the years, Joya has taught arts and crafts, worked in public relations, owned a daycare center, helped her children raise prize-winning 4-H livestock, competed in three marathons, and even spent a year as a Baltimore Colts cheerleader. Joya loves spending time with her high school sweetheart/husband of over twenty-five years, two very supportive children, and two pugs who follow her everywhere. www.joyafields.com

Find Joya:

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=joya+fields

Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5395700.Joya_Fields

Twitter: @joyafields

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/JoyaFieldsAuthor

Paranormal Tendencies!

I'm trying to remember the first paranormal romance I ever read. I can't remember. In my teens I was a fan of Gothic romances. Barbara Michaels had some scary ghosts!

It may have been the old Silhouette Shadows books, which were very hard to find back in the day!  I would scour the romance shelves at the UBS looking for those.

Then I found Buffy--and Buffy fanfic. A few other vampire books started to appear. When ebooks came out I was an early buyer, as long as I could use Paypal because we didn't trust those shopping carts with the credit card! Ellora's Cave had paranormal romances galore, and even scifi romance.

Since those early days I have been able to find all the paranormal romances I have time to read! I've written a few paranormal novellas, but all in the same 'world'.

Something has been stirring in my brain, wanting to get out!

I recently rewatched a couple old shows --Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and Charmed. I had never watched the first season of Charmed, so that was fun. I reread the Harry Potter series. Thoughts, impressions, visuals of ivy covered gothic buildings are churning, a new world is forming, flashing in and out of my thoughts.  I started taking notes. I think I'm onto a new writing idea--so much so I decided to change my blog and website banner. Not divorcing scifi romance, just adding more!

I've heard that paranormal romance is dead, but I don't believe it. I think too many readers and writers still have paranormal tendencies!

~Melisse
http://melisseaires.com

New Column at USA Today Happily Ever After Blog

I'm cross posting this from my own personal blog because I’m super excited to announce that Joyce Lamb, Curator of the Happily Ever After (HEA) blog at USA Today, invited me to write a twice-monthly column revolving around (drum roll!) => science fiction & fantasy romance books! Sci-Fi Encounters  .

Starting today, I’ll be giving a “signal boost” to SF&F romance in my new column and hoping Readers will weigh in too. I’ll try to provide a mix of news, author Q&A, reviews and reader views, with my opinions sneaking in on occasion. I’ll have fun talking about a mix of established authors, small press and self published. I will no doubt talk on occasion about paranormal (and we do talk about science fiction here at Paranormal Romantics sometimes).

My first special guest at HEA is S. E. Smith, a USA Today and International Best Selling author of science fiction romance. If you look at the Top 100 books on Amazon right now, her novel Hunter’s Claim is #1 for books and kindle in SFR and she has four more books in the Kindle Top 40 for that category as well. S. E. was fun to interview! 

If you want to send me suggestions for “Sci-Fi Encounters” please use the scifiencounters at gmail dot com address. Don’t forget to check out the lists of new releases that Joyce posts for you weekly on the HEA blog – my column can only hit a few highlights of all the many books that come out every month.

Still here? Well, why don't we hop on that transporter pad and beam on over to the column at USA Today/ HEA?

The Appeal of the Hot Alpha Male

In Paranormal Romance there are men who will steal your heart while taking down bad guys, running packs, prides, or controlling vampire corporations (as an example, of course. There are many other delicious variations). 

I love reading about hot alpha men who make their own rules. My heart stomach flips when I see the strong male lead show his love in a way that he's unaware of. When the others around him realize he's fallen. Most of all, when he tells and shows the heroine just how far he's willing to go to protect and save her. 

At the same time, a hot alpha male story needs a strong heroine who can go toe-to-toe with the hero. No doormats! I want a woman who I can look up to. A woman who is worthy to make that strong man fall head-over-heels in love. 

On March 8, 2014, ten authors will be bringing you their favorite Alpha Males in a sexy boxed set of all heat levels. 

For those who love alpha men, what is it that draws you to them? 

A Discount For You: 

I can't wait until this set releases. And guess what? We're going to price it at 99 cents for a limited time! It's our way to give back to the fans for their support of our writing dream. I love you guys. 

Blurb: 

He makes your heart pound and melts your resistance away. He promises you a world of passion and you find it impossible to resist his dark charm. When he catches your eye across the room, you know he means business. He could be an executive, cop, shape shifter, or a bad boy looking for a little fun. Once he has you in his sights, you can't get away—and after one sizzling night in his arms, you won't want to. He’s Tall, Dark & Alpha. The alpha male is the ultimate indulgence…the richest dark chocolate…and we’re offering him to you in abundance.

Delve into the sensual worlds of award-winning authors: Randi Alexander, Koko Brown, Sam Cheever, Delaney Diamond, Eve Langlais, Afton Locke, Dawn Montgomery, Farrah Rochon, Paige Tyler, and Eve Vaughn. Immerse yourself in the alpha male experience.

There will be contests-a-plenty on release week at the Tall, Dark & Alpha Facebook Page! 

When your present is in the past...

When I first set out to write "Blood of the Pride" it wasn't a hard choice to figure out where to set it. It was automatically going to be my hometown of Toronto, Ontario - CANADA! After all, where else could I set it and keep it feeling so realistic?

But the odd thing was that I wrote it while living in the US - Pennsylvania, where I emigrated in 2000 after marrying a sweet-talking American who wooed me through fanfiction fan emails. By the time I wrote BotP I had been in the US for a few years and far, far away from the Toronto I knew and loved.

When I returned to Toronto for a visit I was astonished at how much had changed - especially in the downtown core. Stores had closed and opened, buildings torn down for condominiums, the old pinball arcades I knew in my youth now trendy boutiques.

But my Toronto still existed - in my mind and in my books. When Rebecca and Brandon run around the city either chasing or being chased I still see my old Toronto, the city where I played pinball in one of the parlors on Yonge Street until 2 am before grabbing a panzerotto and heading for the all-night Queen Street streetcar. Or maybe visiting the Silver Snail, the best comic shop EVER, down on Queen before wandering into Bakka, the best science-fiction bookstore and puttering up into Chinatown.

I realized that by the time you write about a city it's already passed you by - or most of it has, the expendable bits. The landmarks and the memorials might remain but a lot of the simpler stuff, the smaller stuff like a hot dog vendor or a hole-in-the-wall bookstore have warped and changed with time.

It's a bit humbling to think that I captured a part of history in my writing. My Toronto, my memories of what it was like and what it won't be again as time moves on and change takes over. I'm wondering if anyone has read or written about a city and then gone there - were you disappointed in what you saw, what was or wasn't there from the book?

All I know is that my Toronto isn't what's there now. And while it's a bit exciting to see the changes it's a wee bit sad...

Sit! Stay! Write!

I have a big writing list this year. It's bigger than I've taken on before...well, that's not true. I'm pretty prolific when it comes to writing, but I'm more of a fly by the seat of my pants kind of girl. I write what I'm in the mood for, and I've had that freedom for most of my career.


That's not the case right now. I have series I need to continue, and time has come to get it going. The exciting thing? Most of the stories are paranormal!! I get to visit some of my very favorite characters. Three main series I'm planning to either finish or continue this year are sooooo different. They require different mindsets and I love the lines equally.






F*** Like Bunnies Series:


Werebunnies--irreverent, sex-crazed shifters who are visited by other paranormal creatures like vampires, succubae, zombies, kitsune and more! Bunny Ball is due this year.


Creating Home Series:


Werewolves--warm, loving creatures who crave home and love and laughter. Highly emotional and so much fun. Down to earth--the kind of werewolves that make a reader kind of wish they were a werewolf. Book 3 (as yet untitled) is on the writing list.


Justice Fraternity Chronicles:


Superheroes--super humans who use their powers for good. These men and woman are amazing, over the top and expect the same for their love lives. Fallen Love is nearly done, the story of Sparrow. When the love of his life turns bad, Sparrow is left to raise their daughter alone. His sacrifices draw the attention of Erin, a doctor specializing in superheroes. Together, they'll face Esmerelde, Sparrow's former lover. Anything short of victory means certain death.






Different stories, different themes, different tones---all paranormal!! I'm so excited. Now, back to work!

Need something while you wait for the new stories? Try Alice's Dragon.


Dragon Charmer—taking care of your pesky dragon problem—for a price.

Business is good for Alice, right until her dragon goes crazy and bites off her arm. To make matters worse, a tall, dark stranger kills the cash-cow dragon before her eyes.

Instead of dying from her wounds, Alice finds herself under the tender care of Bade, a gentle-handed Bulgarian far from home with secrets in his satchel.

If they can scratch each others backs, the secrets might live on and Alice might still have a job. She’s never backed down from a challenge, but she’s in for more than she bargained for with the tall, dark stranger.


Buy Now at Amazon 


All the best,
Stephanie Beck
www.stephaniebeck.net