If I could...

Skate. Ice skate to be exact. I did years and years (and years!) ago when I volunteered with the Special Olympics. When I think of how excited I was when I did little twists and turns and I really thought I was something when I mastered skating backwards (keep in mind that some of the Olympians I worked with were already running circles around my butt!)

Well, as I watched women's figure skating finals for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics last night, the respect I have for these athletes rose to new heights! Not that I have not noticed it before because Ice skating is my favorite part of the Winter Olympics with Ice Dancing being my all-time fav. However, I’m not going to talk about that here today. I missed the powerful music this year! What can I say...

Let me say this—Kim Yu-Na. The young woman from South Korea is phenomenal and her scores proved it to the world. If you didn't see this event, find it, watch it--you won't be disappointed!

(photo credit: Dimitar Dilkoff/AFP/Getty Images)

Then there was Mao Asada representing Japan. She skated an excellent program.

(photo credit: AFP/Getty Images)

And enough cannot be said for Joannie Rochette from Canada. The courage, the poise this young woman showed under the circumstances was awe inspiring. Her mother would have been proud. Her father watched from the stands with tears in his eyes.

(photo credit: Yuri Kadobnova/AFP/Getty Images)

4th place went to Mirai Nagasu. She is only 16! It was her first Olympics and I think the United States has a true winner here. This youngster is on her way up.

(photo credit: Yuri Kadobnova/AFP/Getty Images)

Rachael Flatt, another United States skater is 17 and was concerned about an essay that was due for school! Again, one to watch.

(photo credit: Yuri Kadobnova/AFP/Getty Images)

Kim Yu-na, South Korea - GOLD, Mao Asada, Japan - SILVER, Joannie Rochette, Canada - BRONZE

(photo credit: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Ahh, if I could skate...

Growl and roar-it's okay to let the beast out.-© J. Hali Steele

Series vs Stand Alone

Hi!


As I was going through my books I wondered about the prevalence of series to stand-alone novels.


I prefer a great character whose adventures I can follow through a series. I also like series (like Christine Feehan's) where the books are set in a world and are stand-alone-but-connected with sometimes an appearance by characters revealed in previous books. I think a great series which sells well would enable the author to write full time. (Always a plus!) I don't read (or see) too many stand-alone books anymore, except in straight romance, horror and fiction. Is this a growing trend in paranormal romance & other genres?


What do you think?


And do you prefer series over stand-alone books?

I hold these truths to be self-evident

Hello everyone. Today, I’m talking about truths and myths in writing. 2010 marks the 2nd year I’ve been writing for publication. It’s also the 2nd year that I’ve been working with editors and I have to tell you, I’ve learned some stuff.

I’m reminded of the line from Pocahontas: “If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you’ll learn things you never knew you never knew.” Boy, I never knew I didn’t know so much about writing until I became a serious writer.

Now keep in mind, these are just things I’ve learned. Your walk might be different.

Myth 1:
“If you write about a plus-sized heroine, you’ll never get the book published.”

I find this one funny and fascinating all at once. Let’s face facts, folks. Most of us women aren’t slim. Do we wish we were? That’s debatable. Who better to write about the struggles, joys and triumphs of a chubby girl than, well, a chubby girl? Women have hips. We’ve got curves, and ya know something else? Men like it. And what’s more? These like-minded women find it refreshing to read about a curvy heroine.

Busted: A good portion of the heroines I write about have meat on their bones and I’ve found publishers for each one of them.


Myth 2:
“If you choose to go into e-publishing, you’ll shoot your career in the foot before you even start.”

Someone told me this before I’d ever signed my first contract and the advice came from a print author that’s seen pretty good success. Needless to say, I was devastated. I agonized over this conversation for weeks. In the end, I said screw it and so began my career. I may not be deemed a success by her standards, but then, the last time I checked, she wasn’t signing my paycheck. The e-pub business is a bright and shining star on the horizon. There’s never been a better time to be an e-pubbed writer.

Busted: visit my website if you don’t believe this one.


Myth 3:
“The use of ‘was’, ‘ly-words’ or ‘ing-words’ are strictly forbidden in writing today.”

Think again baby! Everything in moderation. Sure, if you have a paragraph littered with ‘ly-words’ and ‘ing-words’, it’s gonna stick out and maybe you’re weakening the impact. Reevaluate the writing. You can use these things. Don’t clog your narrative with them. Think less is more and choose your words wisely. These things are like glittering jewels. The greater frequency you use them, the gaudier your prose. Just saying.

Busted: listen to your editors. They’ll let you know when enough is enough


Myth 4:
“If you find a storyline that ‘works’, keep doing it. Just be sure to change the names and location.”

Nothing has the capacity to kill a writing career or make your readers grow bored with reading your stuff faster than seeing the same thing over and over again. I know there have been plenty of times when I’ve bought a new paperback book from a best selling author or bought an e-book from big names or small that I’ve looked forward to only to get two chapters in and say “Haven’t I already read this before?” Sometimes I’ll halfheartedly scan to the end and sure enough, predictability all the way. Sometimes, I don’t finish the book. That’s sad.

Busted: Not this time. Always stay fresh in your writing. It’s vital.


Myth 5:
“Can’t figure out the plot of a story? Dump sex in it and no one will notice. You’ll sell tons!”

This may fly with some people, but readers are getting smarter about where to spend their dollars. I know I’ve been ticked spending bucks on a book that seems to be one sex scene after the other with no “meat” in between. I need to know why the characters are doing it, what drives them, how it’s going to help or hurt their relationship, will there be something lasting afterwards. Sometimes I read a book and at the end I’m asking “What was the point of all that?”

Busted: Not this time. Think up a plot then fit the rest in accordingly. The book can still be hot, but in the end, it’s always a story. Beginning, middle, end. Period.


Myth 6:
The “you can’t do that” theory. People will tell you “you have to write darker”, “you can’t use humor in every situation”, “you can’t make your hero an xxxxx”, “if you’re not writing this way, it’s not correct”, or (my personal pet peeve) “if you read this person, you can really improve your own writing.”

My answer to this? It’s my story and I’ll write how I want to. Writing is as unique to a person as a fingerprint. You have to find your own voice and style. Don’t model someone else. Be different. Be fresh and realize truths about yourself. Sit down and find out what you really like to write. What makes you happy. For me, I’m a comedic writer. I’ll always be this way. I believe that making someone laugh can go a long way in helping through the ills of life. Can I write dark? Yes, but it doesn’t make me happy and it sounds stilted and forced. This is me. And it’s okay.

Busted: Absolutely! Don’t be someone else, because ten to one, they’re trying to be someone else, too. Find your niche and let your imagination soar. You’ll be glad you did.


Well, thanks for reading along with me today. Do you have a myth of your own to bust or have you found a solid truth over the years? I want to hear it!

In Praise of Nerds

So my two year old was walking through the house yesterday holding a balloon my husband had given to me for Valentine’s Day. It’s shaped like a heart and it says I LOVE YOU on it. Very cute. He’s talking to himself and saying things like ‘This balloon (sounding a lot like Baoon in his two year old speak) is for Mama. This Balloon is for Maw-Maw (my mother in law). This balloon is for Uma (My Mother.) It was so cute. He really wanted to give his I Love You Balloon (and somehow even though it was my balloon, it is now his balloon. LOL) to all of the women in his life that he loves.

This isn’t necessarily related to this post. I just thought it was a cute story.

My blog today is about fixing the bad boys. When we read these books—and especially the Paranormals because in the Paranormals we are adding an element of what is standardly thought of as evil and making it what some might call good or heroish—we know right off the bat that most of these guys are not upstanding young men on the right path in life. (I mean how did they get bit my that Vamp in the first place…)

But in my current WIP (that’s Work in Progress for those of you who don’t speak writer) my hero is a bit of a nerd. Unlike his brothers, he’s not always darting out into fights or trying to kill the bad guy.

So my question for all of you out there is how do you feel about nerds and have you ever read one in a book that you really liked?

Best to all of you

RR

Links to Knowledge

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What color was that?

Most of my characters have the same color eyes. The Kind cats are green. The Angels are blue.

So far I’m not worried because I did a chart when I started these stories. It got lost in my computer crash but it only takes 30 seconds to find it using my backup program. No big deal. I go hunting and pecking through documents and there it is. Actually there are about 20 of them—all titled Character Traits. A couple did have Character Traits and the story initials behind them. Anyway, I open a few. OMG!

I ask myself, “Self, what were you thinking?”

Self replied, “Guess you weren’t thinking. You gave them all the same color eyes, it should be okay. Green if they’re cats, blue if they’re angels, right?” A sly smirk appeared on Self’s face. “If they were human you didn’t seem to care much one way or the other—you gave them brown or hazel for the most part.”

Self is such a smart ass.

“Yes, Self, the cats are all green, angels are all blue. Humans have different color eyes, too. But aren’t there variations of those colors?”

Smiling smugly, Self said, “Hell yes. Knowing you it varied from emerald to jade to forest green. With the blue, I’ll bet you had a few sapphires, some blue as a summer sky and even a couple of twinkling, starry midnight blues.” Self is really grinning snidely now. “Didn’t someone have eyes the color of whiskey, amber or chocolate?”

Right. I don’t like Self much at the moment. Mainly because the smart ass is right. However, Self didn’t do the chart—I did! And for each character the note says either green, blue, even brown—period! Who the heck has whiskey colored eyes anyway, or chocolate eyes? Isn’t amber the color of whiskey?

“Umm, amber varies in color, and so does chocolate. There’s light and dark-”

“Shut up, Self. I don’t need this right now, not a few scant chapters from the end of a 45K+ novel. I don’t need it.” Chin in hand, resting on elbow, I ask Self, “Is it a big deal if I said the eyes were chocolate brown as long as I didn’t specify light or dark chocolate?”

Self looks thoughtful. “Well, if you’re sure you didn’t specify, I guess it’s okay. Wouldn’t look good though for sky blue eyes to suddenly become midnight blue or violet? I guess blue would work as long as you’re sure you said blue without the added colorful description resembling the one you just added to that character.” Self’s finger was pointed at my computer screen. “Probably nothing to worry about.”

Finally, Self is making sense.

“Yeah, you’re right.”

Still, I felt my brow furrow in worry. Who the hell had violet blue eyes, that’s a freaking flower? I peered at Self, who has one green eye and one brown eye—both were filled with devilishness. Here it comes!

“Remember what your editor said though when you gave someone sienna colored skin and later called it brown. She made you clarify that because sienna varies from light brown to dark brown depending on whether or not it’s raw sienna, burnt sienna. And there was the time with the platinum blonde and the ash -”

**THUMP! CLASH!! BANG!!!**

I locked the door, checked it twice. Enough of that. Wringing my hands together, I headed back to my computer.

“Now where the hell is that list…”

Color Chart

Finally, I have a free read about a stallion shifter at: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/WC/story.htm CHECK IT OUT!

He has whiskey brown eyes!
Growl and roar-it's okay to let the beast out.-© J. Hali Steele

Cover Artist Spotlight: Natalie Winters

Natalie Winters has a vocational commercial art degree, an associates in art, and a BS degree.

She does freelance work for Samhain Publishing, Loose ID, Total E-Bound, and Sapphire Blue Publishing.

Natalie also does bookmarks, biz cards, display boards, websites, and covers for authors.

Some of my favorite covers are:

Natalie also won the prestigious Ariana Overton Award (Ari) for Best Cover Art in 2009!

Natalie Winters is also a pseudonym of writer Mandy M. Roth.

OMG, I've contracted a disease!

I really haven’t, but the title of the post captured your attention, right? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Also, in the interest of no hard feelings, I’ve recently adopted one of Julia Child’s sayings as my own “No explanations, no excuses and no apologies”. This is exactly how I see things--how I've always operated--so if I offend anyone with subject matter in this post, it’s not intentional, just my blogging opinion.

So diseases. Not suffering, I am, however, in something of a pickle. I’m dealing with a huge case of writer’s block—not block exactly, it’s more like brain fatigue. I know where I want this book to go. I’ve even got it outlined. I just can’t get my brain fired enough to propel my fingers to actually type the words.

Oh jeez, words. Where do they come from? How do I know they’re gonna be the right choice?

Do you see how it is?

In this situation, I would tell myself to take my own advice and work on a new short piece. Fat chance! Yes, I’ve got ideas for stories that should get me through 2011, but my brain refuses to unstick itself from the giant suck of the Molasses Swamp. Some people will say go read a book and that’ll get my pistons firing. Been there, tried that. Nope. Others will say get out of the house, go see a movie, etc. Yeah, did that too. Nothing. Still searching for that miracle cure for this disease.

How did I even get to this pass? This sort of thing just does not happen to me. I’m always busy with writing. I never stop, right? Well, hello brick wall. I’ve smacked into it so hard you can see the impressions on my forehead. Sigh.

I think there are a number of things that have contributed to brain fatigue. Constantly thinking up topics for blogs, doing promotions for releasing books, dealing with edits, getting together submission packets, blah, blah, blah. Some of the promotional stuff I really like. Some, not so much. You may not think these types of things sap a writer’s strength, but have them build up over time and baby, they’re deadly. A writer is pulled in hundreds of directions and eventually, there will be no more energy.

Add on top of that housework, laundry, cooking countless dinners, cleaning up the kitchen, yada, yada, yada, and it’s a wonder I’m not dead every night.

And don’t even get me started on the social networking aspect of life. If I don’t log on, my fans don’t feel connected. If I post too much, then some people get annoyed. Where’s the happy medium? What am I supposed to be doing?

I still don’t understand the concept of Twitter. Is this site supposed to be for promotions or what? If not and I don’t have the followers, what’s the point of putting anything in the status line? In this, I’m so glad there’s a limit of 140 characters. Any more than that and I might have to stab out my eyes with a pen.

Quite frankly, I have found Twitter to be very pro-print author books and not a whole lot of chatter about e-published ones. I mean, while I hear every once in awhile about e-published books buzz, the great bulk of it is about New York authors. While that’s great and everything, it’s frustrating for us in the e-publishing (or “minor league”) world.

And while, I’ll admit, I find it supremely funny when agents make fun of submissions (because, let’s face it, we’ve all done the same stupid stuff they’re making fun of—actually, I just did one of those things last week and I’m snarky like that too) I’m not sure it’s professional to put it out there in a social networking forum.

Not to mention I really think Twitter is serving book pirates more than anyone else.

Then there are the Yahoo loops, email, on and on it goes—all time sucks. To infinity—except I’ve dropped out of a lot of Yahoo groups because I don’t have the time and I really don’t think they make that big a difference…

…and Yahoo blows. I had to change my email address because of them.

Do the big authors in the literary world ever deal with this? Maybe, maybe not. The biggest ones have their ghost writers, promotional companies, events planners, assistants, etc., so I personally think the jury is out on that one. Of course, maybe they do have time what with writing the same book over and over, just changing the location and names of the characters… (Yeah, I went there and you know you’ve read authors who do exactly that)

But I digress from my original statement that I have a disease. My brain’s apparently tired and I really need my muse to kick in and tell me where to go—in my writing that is. Of course, there’s always the chance I’ve intimidated myself with this super cool outline of what will be an awesome book—if I can just write it…

Sigh. Having multiple books contracted is great, don’t get me wrong, but I’m looking forward to the next few months because I won’t have a book releasing then. Maybe I can finally relax and the words will flow again.

Of course, I’ve never been really productive in the winter months anyway. Stupid groundhog. When is open hunting season for that rodent, anyway?

So, that’s where I am. Stuck in the quicksand and needing someone, anyone, to pull me out and get me going. Hint, hint. Friends, anyone, are you reading this?

I honestly think that being a writer is a bit like being a contestant on Survivor. Outwit, Outlast, Outplay. Is it more a concept of writing the best, writing in a popular, trendy genre, kissing the most butt, talking to the right people, having a better voice, a better publisher, the best idea? Who has the ins and outs of the writing game? The endurance to continue? Who will be the last writer standing?

While we’re on the subject, isn’t it interesting that everyone thinks they can write a book? And what’s even sadder is this dreck sells. Oh, my husband cheated on me with a woman from South America so I divorced him and now I wrote a book. Oh, I’m a quirky former governor who did questionable things and can see foreign countries from my backyard, I think I’ll write a book. Oh, I’m a celebrity who has kids, I think it qualifies me to write children’s books. Oh, I’m married to a popular 1990’s comedian so I think I’ll write a cookbook. I could go on (and so could you I’m sure)

Seriously? I wish I had that kind of luck and not have to work at getting a book published with New York.

Ugh. See, my brain’s working, but that power’s not being funneled to where it needs to be. Suffice it to say, being part of the publishing world is still a mystery and I don’t understand a lot of it, don’t know if I ever will. I just try to keep my head down and write—except it’s not working for me right now LOL

While you’re waiting for me to get my act writing together, let me share this good news with you. This past Monday, I had a new book release. Unraveled Souls is my historical/paranormal book and is near and dear to my heart. Honestly, I think I love writing historical more than any other genre, so add a bit of the paranormal to it and I’m golden.

I hope you’ll consider adding it to your electronic library. It’s one of the best things I’ve written so far.

Blurb: Noelle Radliffe can communicate with ghosts. They haunt her nights and show her dreams of things that haven’t yet occurred. When she has a vision of a dead lion and sees the name of a man, she searches the city to find him only to become sidetracked by an addiction she can’t fight.

Enter Nicholas Pemberton. Although charming and charismatic, he hides a secret, one that is deadly as well as mysterious. He’s a shape shifter and the urge to change into a lion is a battle he constantly wages with himself, second to the recently discovered obsession he feels for Noelle.

As the two fight their mutual attraction to each other, Nicholas attempts to elude the local police force intent on linking recent murders to his name, while Noelle continues to seek peace in her life and to understand her purpose. Their connection is too strong to ignore. As passion ignites, so does the danger. Lives are threatened and destinies collide, but will love be enough to save their souls?

Buy Link: http://tinyurl.com/yhs7jp4

Author website: http://www.sandrasookoo.com

Book video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K54iCYvt_A

Since it's still Tuesday, I thought I'd add a second post...

I thought you all might like to hear just how nuts I currently am. I blame this on being super-duper tired lately but here goes.

I love my Kindle (I've blogged on this topic before) and I think I'm going to hopefully someday get the IPAD. Anyway. I keep a running list of books on my Kindle. I read them in order on the Kindle from the bottom of the list to the top of the list with any new purchases I make showing up on the top.

Then after I have read the book I am reading, I go to www.goodreads.com where I rank the book and review it. After I have done that I then go to Storycasting.com where I cast the book. After that I delete the book and read the next one on the list. This order of things has become a compulsion for me.

For the record, I do not wash my hands all the time, clean, lock doors over and over, and I freely step on cracks on the sidewalks.

But, yes, ladies and gentlemen, Rebecca Royce has gone over the edge into the deep end of the pool.

I blame motherhood.

RR

My Thoughts on Things...

So lately I've been doing a lot of book promotion on here or interviewing other authors or talking about books...I guess today I'll be taking about writing in general and publishing and reviews and lots of different subjects.

We'll call this, Rebecca's Random Musings. Shall we?

It's not that early as I write this, 7:30 AM is a very reasonable time to be awake, however I've been up since 5:30 thanks to my four month old son so while 7:30 is downright civilized, 5:30 was hell. On mornings like this, I'm always glad to see the sunrise.

I've been reflecting a lot lately on writing and I couldn't pinpoint exactly why this was until I realized that exactly a year ago, I made my first sale. It was this week--I know because it's the same week my kid's have from school every year--that I made the sale. I've learned a lot since then, I hope.

What do I know now that I didn't know then?

I live very close to NYC and perhaps it's the location or maybe it's just luck, but I've been very blessed to know a lot of professional actors. Not the Hollywood kind (although some of them do head out to LA) but the Broadway professionals. Just recently I had lunch with one. She told me as I was lamenting about a review 'Look Rebecca, if you believe the good ones, you have to believe the bad ones so don't read them at all.'

She was right. I do read them still...more of a curiosity thing at this point than anything else or, to be fair, to see what the reviewer thought of the book as a reader, but I don't live or die by them anymore. I hope the reviewer liked the book...I'm grateful and happy when they do but if they don't it doesn't sideline me for twenty-four hours.

What else have I learned?

There's nothing in the world as important as a good editor. I've had three. They've all be fabulous. Bless you ladies.

In my heart, I'm still a voracious reader and a huge fan.

A lot of writers stop reading. They just don't have the time. This seems counterintuitive to me. I became a writer because I love to read. Someone said (and I really can't remember who at the moment) that with the invention of the laptop computer everyone decided they could write a book. The tool of the personal computer made it easier for people to do. I can see how this is true. I'm sitting in my living room right now, baby attached to my side, as I write this. If I'd had to put him down somewhere to do this, it would be much harder. Having said that? If everyone who loves books...and don't writers by nature love books?...stop reading them who is going to be left to buy our books?

I love reading. Frankly, if I had the time I could read two books a day. I'm a huge fan. I love established authors and new authors. I love Goodreads because I can talk to other people who love books. Something gets lost if it all becomes about our own writing and never anyone else's. The best writers I know LOVE other people's writing. They rave about other authors, learn from them, have joy in the work other people do. It's not an ego thing.

Also, in the last year I've found that I am equally as excited about other people's success as I am my own. When Annie Nicholas' Bait released from Liquid Silver Books, I was beyond thrilled. I remember when she first wrote that. It couldn't be better. If Sandra Sookoo makes a sale, it's a great day. J. Hali Steele has a huge fan base and that is thrilling to me, she's earned it and she's so incredibly talented. Another writer friend just got 'The Call.' If you're a writer, you know what I mean, she made it to the big time. That is great news. I love to see other writers have success. It's so inspiring to me. I can't wait to see what RKCharron is writing and where it goes!

I'm waiting with baited breath for Lora Leigh's next Breed release. (It's Jonas!!) I haven't lost my joy for reading.

Also, someone said something like (and I'm paraphrasing here) "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results." My resolution for this year: If something is not working in my writing, I'm going to stop doing it. If something has to be changed, I'm going to change it and not let inertia keep me from moving forward.

Best to all of you and all of your writing and reading.

RR