Ric

Why is it that we hate certain words, either spoken or written down.  We all have an aversion to certain words, mostly profanities I am guessing, but is there ever a time to use them?  Is there a space in literature for profanities?  What word makes you cringe when you are reading?  What about in the heat of passion?  Or has bad language become so commonplace that people really don’t take any notice anymore? In romance novels, we try not to influence or writers, most, being ladies use bad language sparingly though if it is in context it would be...

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Just a short post to let you know the new book by Keren Hughes, “Safe” is out today as an e-book the paperback is out shortly viewBook.at/Safe_Keren_Hughes I really love this story, it has elements you might not expect in a traditional romance and it makes for a great read.  I know you are going to be sucked into the story as I was. I would like to mention the cover, the second one from Jessica Greeley.  Her second and third covers are entered for the cover of the month

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Hugh Hefner, founder of Playboy magazine died aged 91.  Hefner began publishing Playboy from his kitchen in 1953. It became the largest-selling men’s magazine in the world, shifting seven million copies a month at its peak.  I am interested in hearing points of view.  For myself I have mixed feelings, it feels like the end of an era.  It is something of an institution but Playboy seems something that should have been consigned to history long ago.  Playboy was the nicer side of that sort of business, but still…   In the 1970s, I went to an event in a hotel...

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Is there ever a line that shouldn’t be cross in literature. Yes? No?  and just who gets to say?   Censorship is a topic that can raise my hackles.  Within reason, I believe there should be a minimum of censorship.  Yes, I believe there have to be safeguards for the young and broadcasters have a responsibility to protect the young.  In the UK we have a 9 pm watershed, meaning that offensive language and scenes of a sexual nature can’t be broadcast before that time.  But for filmmakers, should there be limits?  For publishers should there be limits?   Smashwords have introduces...

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A sad task I have to perform on a regular basis is to reject scripts.  One of the biggest reasons is the story is in need of a good editor.  As an artist and author myself, I know how attached we get to our work and being that close to our work we often lack perspective.  We need someone who can take a step back and dispassionately look at our work.  All creative people need a friend or editor who can give brutally honest feedback.   I have had scripts where the writer introduces themselves as a professor of this or...

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It has been a pleasure chatting with our newest Authors M. K. Smith.  Her book, Finishing the Game is due out on the first week in October and is available for preorder now. I started by asking a little about herself and her home life and about her writing. I’m a bartender/waitress. I moved back to Florida to get my masters in psychology but recently decided to put education off to give myself more time to write.  I have been writing for about 10 years. My first story came to me in a dream. I was standing in my kitchen and there...

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I read a sex scene last night in a script I was considering.  The scene was made a nice change from the usual fare, which mainly consists of the sexual Olympics in every scene.  By contrast, this was a delicately written piece, which read like average people enjoyed making love together.  You could feel the connection between the two.  It was really very touching.  While thinking about it I considered some of the other sex or erotic scenes I had read in submissions.  I remember one where the heroin walked across the room taking off her clothes.  Sounds simple enough...

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