As authors we build up this view in our minds, we picture our characters and build up a relationship with them. That can be a problem when it comes to cover art. Over the years I had many discussions with authors about there covers and finding pictures that fit their mind’s eye view of the hero and heroine. Expecting the reader to see things as we do, reminds me of the days before Facebook. We went into chat rooms and massaged people all around the world with no idea of what the people looked like. A kind of blind date...
IN ROMANTIC NOVELS, DOES SIZE REALLY MATTER?
This blog was sparked by reading an anthology of short erotic stories. I publish romance and erotic romance, but I do read erotica. It is my way of defining where erotic romance becomes erotica, and sometimes there is a very fine line. I enjoy Anthologies as you can read a variety of styles in a relatively short space of time. The book was presented well and promised 50 short stories from new writers of erotic fiction. What I got were fifty very similar and sadly, rather uninspiring stories. The plots were thin even for short stories, and the sex scenes...
MONDAY BLUES…. ARE SOME DAYS BETTER THAN OTHERS?
Monday blues, no, not for me thank you. I never get that Monday morning feeling, though I would be lying if I said I didn’t dread and even put off some jobs. A job I don’t enjoy is writing rejection letters, yet I never put it off. It is a thing that is best done quickly, though I am always aware, that it is someone’s hopes and dreams I am rejecting, for whatever reason. It is a job I have to do. So what about you. Do you suffer from the Monday blues? Or are some days better than others? ...
NEW ON THE BOOKSHELF AND BOOKS WAITING IN THE WINGS
It is a glorious Sunday, and I wanted to let you know about a couple of books due out soon. First off Out of the Shadows (Shadow Warriors Book 1) by Gabriella Hewitt. Is now available for pre-order at a bargain price of $2.99 for the E-book. The release date Jan 26th. This is the first in a series of three stories by Gabriella Hewitt. Book two will follow shortly, and we are hoping book three by the end of the year. When the last shadow warrior falls, so will all humanity. With each demon he vanquishes in service to the Aztec sun...
IS BEAUTY IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER?
This has been a bone of contention for me for quite a while. So much so I wrote a book called, Beauty In Every Form. It is a book on positive body image. This has been on my mind this morning. I talk to a lot of authors, artists, models. And most agree that the way the media depict the human form is not realistic images are routinely photoshopped, every blemish removed. The catwalk models are subject to unhealthy eating regimes to keep them thin. Yet as a society we still see it as desirable. The last time I mentioned this...
GOLLY GOSH! JUST WHEN SHOULD I USE A PROFANITY IN MY WRITING?
WTF: the F-word, fudge, frick, flippin’ heck! This is just my opinion as an author and publisher. I am not advocating that you need to use profanities, but in some scripts, it sometimes sounds really silly if you don’t. An example would be a hard-hitting crime story would hardly use dialog like, “That dang, dog-gon, mother flipper, stole my car,” it is just not realistic, and as a reader, I would feel it rather patronizing. You could get around it by simply saying, Tony the mafia boss swore loudly. Better that than, gosh, goodness, jeez. Strong language is a matter...
GESTURES THAT SHOW WE CARE.
I was working on a piece with an author the other day on how to use the description of body language in stories to deepen the emotions between characters. The conversation was long, but I thought it might be interesting for writers to look at some of these points. In life, men are sometimes not great at vocalizing affection. And a good way to do it in stories is to youse body language. Some examples would be, the way he wraps his arm around his partner, taking her arm when walking along, holding hands, offering a hand to rise from...
WHAT DO YOU READ IN BED?
I was considering this as I was reading last night. Do you read in bed and if so what? Have you ever fallen asleep while reading? I read an interesting comment about this, saying that a lady, fell asleep while reading and added characters and plot to the story she was reading. I was wondering if anyone had experienced the same? I have always found I do a lot of plot layout while waking up in the morning. There is something about being laid there relaxed that makes it a creative space. Do you find the same? Or do you...
A NEW BOOK HOT OFF THE PRESS!
A new book hot off the press A Woman’s Secret by C.L. Koch is now available for pre-order at a bargain price of $2.99. The release date is February 9th. I have to say, another stunning cover by Jessica. We will be having a chat with the author in a few days. In the meantime, let me tell you a little about the story. A Woman’s Secret is a coming of age story set in the early part of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. This steamy, historical romance, combines a complex mixture of intrigue, spies, and pirates. *** Hannah Bingham...
USING WEATHER TO SET THE ATMOSPHERE FOR A STORY.
I would not advocate the weather being the main point of the story, especially in a romance, but it can be a useful tool in setting the atmosphere in a story, adding tension, or deepening the point of view or getting into the mindset of a character. A couple of examples. In a plot, you could add jeopardy by making it too cold, or a blizzard making it too dangerous to go outside. It can build tension, making the story feel claustrophobic. You can deepen a point of view by showing how the fur of a collar feels on the...