How do you test an author’s ability?

It used to be that in order to read a new author you either had to discover them at the library, have a friend recommend them, or read a random review that really drew you in. Well, now there’s a new way to discover authors. One that doesn’t cost a thing, as long as you own a kindle. With all of the free books available for kindle readers the possibilities are endless for those who want to find new books, new authors and new possibilities.

What I have also found with the free books is a lack of editing. Here is the major problem for the author’s of these free “teaser” books. If a book is poorly edited, no matter how great the story is, it’s not going to inspire my confidence in the writer and certainly won’t encourage me to purchase any further works from that author. After all, if the free book wasn’t edited and it’s THAT obvious that is wasn’t, why would I spend money to read more poorly edited literature. If I wanted something to decipher I’d learn a foriegn language. At least then I’d have a reference for the truth of what was meant.

I love discovering new authors. I love reading. I didn’t used to. I was one of those kids who had a hard time reading. I didn’t learn how to read until I was nearly 9 years old. Considering most children can read chapter books by 7, that’s pretty bad. But it hasn’t slowed my interest in books, in writing, and in sharing my imagination. It also never kept my imagination from running away with me. Just in my avenues for expression.

The moral of this article is this: Edit your work. From the smallest article, to the longest manuscript. If it’s going out into the world, it better be something you’re proud of. If you need an outside editor, find one. Don’t be ashamed to ask someone to read your work. Don’t feel like a failure because you didn’t catch every little error. You wrote the book. It was your imagination that created that work. Heaven knows how long that took and how many drafts you’ve gone through. Give yourself a break and let someone else read it before you send it into the world.

Enjoy writing, enjoy reading and above all, enjoy life.

When do you call a movie a lemon?

I finally got around to watching the latest Twilight series movie, eclipse, and I have to say, I’m not impressed. In fact, there was so much missing that I’m not even sure I can call it anything more than a shadow of the book it was based on. Now I understand that movies cannot last for more than 3 hours without having an intermission. The human body can only hold fluid for so long…but that doesn’t mean you cut out some of the best parts of the book.

So what’s missing? well for one, the major friction between the cullens and the wolves. Oh, you get a brief idea that they don’t like each other, but it doesn’t give anything to say why Bella isn’t going to see Jacob. They don’t even hint that Bella has friends outside the trio dynamic or that she’s worried about them. They left so much out of the camp fire scene that I’m not sure it’s even worth keeping it…

Was there anything I liked…well, yes actually. I love the characters. I think they did the tent scene the best, perhaps even slightly better than the book version, though that was hard to top. The party was awesome, though I would have liked to have seen the driveway in all it’s lighted glory. The fight scene wasn’t bad, but in the book Bella doesn’t actually cut herself. And her hand was broken, not sprained when she clocked Jacob…was a brace really that expensive?

Hopefully they can pull it all together in New Moon, because right now they are missing the Alaskan dynamic. (remember how they refused to help with the whole fight the newborns thing…yeah in the movie, there’s no mention of them at all or anyone else for that matter.) I really like the books, but am losing faith in the movie making process to get the point across. I mean, you had the author at your disposal. You could have asked what the major plot lines were and how they fit into the next book…

Alright. I’ll step off the soap box now. I appreciate the chance to voice my opinion on varying books, movies and other entertainment sources. Have a great week everyone!

The best laid plans of mice and men…

When all you want in life is to be a mother, wouldn’t you plot and plan for that day? That’s just what Taylor Steele attempts to do in Brenda Jackson’s Irresistible Forces. Taylor Steele is an amazing, smart, and beautiful career women with her goals clearly set and every avenue researched. That is until she pulls Dominic Saxon into her plans. From the first encounter to the last, this book sizzles with raw sexual power.

Brenda Jackson is a literary genius adept at creating any scene her imagination can come up with. I look forward to reading more from this awe inspiring author.

Irresistible Forces

A family friendly Christian Romantic Mystery

Romance novels are usually all about the raw emotions two characters feel for each other. Plot is of course a factor, but everything takes a back drop to the romantic inclinations of the writer and the steam produced between the pages. Not so with “Hide in Plain Site” by Marta Perry. This Romantic mystery allows the story to unfold and the romance to remain a muted, balanced backdrop. It’s a refreshing departure from the norm and one I wish more romance writers would consider.

Christian Romance is alive and well with this amazingly well crafted story. I hope everyone has a chance to check out this book. (PS, it’s available on Kindle for free)

Hide in Plain Site, by Marta Perry

 

Romantic Theory: The hunk

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about what makes a good character. It’s not as easy as you would think to come up with just the right mix of personality, looks, flaws, and then put that character into a scene. There are a few elements for a good hunk that are required and some that are subjective.

The required elements:

* The character must have a dynamic personality. Something that attracts the female characters no matter how they look or act. That quality that would make you want to go up to them in a bar, or in my case stay in your corner and blush whenever you look at them.

* The character must have a purpose other than looking good. Characters are not window dressing any more than your shoes are optional in winter. The purpose can be to fill a scene (like a stripper at a bachelorette party). But the point is that they have to have a reason to be there outside of causing a distraction. (distracting readers is not a good technique and often gets your books on the bottom of must read lists.)

So what are the optional characteristics?

*Looks

Yes, it’s true. The way your hunk looks is up to you. They can be mouth wateringly buff, or athletically trim. They can be nerdy or sport business suits tailored just for them. When writing about a hunk it often helps to have visual aids. (No not porn) For me, I like looking to known actors for inspiration.

Say you want a hunk with muscles, eyes that draw you in and a smile that doesn’t quite fit all those muscles. (I’d keep a pic of LL Cool J handy for inspiration).

Or maybe you want more the tall but quiet hunk. Muscles yes, but brains that make you want to actually spend time outside the bedroom with them. (Personally Peter Cambor fits that roll for me.)

Muscles aren’t all there is to a hunk, just as a bad boy attitude is optional on a bad guy. It’s your imagination, whether you choose to use visual aids or not. Don’t be afraid to use detail when first meeting your character. If it’s easier for you, write out all the details and choose which ones will be most compelling to your readers imaginations.

A hunk is important in almost all types of literature, but stands out most in the Romance genre. You can utilize visual aids in any form of character development and it will likely help you stay in character through the entire book.

Good luck!

Keep it moving

Plot is one of those tricky things that not every writer gets every single time. It’s character interaction and story development. It’s history and fact and fiction all rolled up into one seemingly simple word. Deceiving is more like it. Whatever plot is to you, it must move.

I’ve read my fair share of books that take their sweet time laying out the groundwork of the story. To tell you the truth, I’ve put aside more than my fair share of books that got lost laying out the ground work and forgot to get on with the story. You see, it’s not just the writer who wants to know what’s going on. The writer has to keep the reader motivated, keep them moving. You can’t do that when you’re taking three or four chapters to extol the virtues of one character. Yes, it might be vital information that you need to solve the mystery down the road. But if your reader closes the book they won’t ever figure out who did what or why.

Does this mean you can’t have back story, highlights, or information? Of course not. What would a story be without such things. It’s just important, as a writer, to keep in mind the attention span of your reader. Keep the plot moving no matter how much information you are trying to shove into one place. It can be as simple as adding a flash back during a cab ride or using language and the way a character speaks to hint at an international education. Whatever you are trying to say, make sure it’s said in a way that maintains the momentum of the story and doesn’t slow down the readers experience.

OK..off my soap box for now.

We’re all lost at some point in our lives

Nora Roberts is a wonderful writer. Not just because she knows how to spin a yarn. But because she knows how to play characters against each other. Even if you removed the lust and sex from her novels you’d still have something enrapturing to lose yourself in.

The Cordina Family novella’s are just one wonderful example of the varying complexities of this author. I think my favorite story in the entire series is “Cordina’s Crown Jewel”. I’m not sure if it was the story of someone trying to find her place in a world that has little room for lost souls. Or perhaps it is the realism in the characters and their banter that makes this story so much more real than all the rest. It’s a fantastic read and a marvelous example of diversity and challenge.

My favorite passage in the book is toward the end of the book:

“Is that jackass here yet?”

“Hi…I’m the jackass’s mother. We were just pretending not to eavesdrop while they yell at each other in the garden. Care to join us?”

You’ve got to love the fact that this really could happen. I can only hope to react as calmly and with as much humor should a similar situation ever present itself in my reality.

Cordina’s Royal Family: Bennett & Camilla: The Playboy Prince\Cordina’s Crown Jewel

Lightning may forever be changed

A calm night that by all accounts should have been unremarkable is suddenly the beginning of a whole new world. Does it start with this night? Is this just one event in a larger pattern? And just how does a mysterious stranger play into the life of a seemingly ordinary young women? Dean Koontz is a master story teller who has weaved yet another masterpiece of pure fiction. This roller coaster of a book combines realistic events with pure science fiction in a way that is both seamless and enthralling. Readers will not be disappointed!

Lightning

Racing, Comedy and Romance collide

Whether reality or fiction, Speed Dating by Nancy Warren is a fabulous read. From the first paragraph this romantic entanglement both intrigues and enraptures readers. Perhaps it’s the fact that the main female character could be any number of people we all know. Or perhaps it’s the idea that a NASCAR driver is just as human as the rest of us. Whatever the reason, this book is pure pleasure.

Check it out for yourself on Amazon Kindle: Speed Dating

If you thought the net was safe you haven’t read Net Force

Tom Clancy has been a master of mystery and intrigue for years, but he didn’t show up on my radar until Net Force hit stands. I love a good mystery, but only when other elements key into it. This series hits all the right points. A little technology, a few geeks, a villain who hides in plain site…It’s all there for the reading. And the best part is trying to fit all the little pieces together before the last chapter. If you can beat Mr. Clancy to the punch line, you’re a few better detective than I. Another masterpiece from an awesome writer.

Net Force