Forever Endeavor

Cliffhangers - Yay or Nay?

2012-02-15T08:00:00.011-05:00

(Note: these are my thoughts based on my opinion as a READER)

Cliffhangers, by definition, are when a story comes to an end where the main character(s) are, more often than not, figuratively hanging over the edge of a cliff. They (and WE) are left in a stressful situation where something is about to go down.

I think with all the competition out there to snag readers' attention and bring them back for more, some writers are turning to the Cliffhanger ending for help . . . and I think that could be a huge mistake.

What works in television doesn't always work in written fiction. TV is relatively mindless, whereas reading requires a certain level of imagination and time commitment. And, in general, readers need SOME closure at the end of a book as a payoff for that committment.

Now, I think the vast majority of readers are comfortable with what I call the Unfinished Business ending. Where you get to the end and realize that while some big questions/issues the MC faced have been answered/resolved, the result has brought forth more questions that need to be dealt with. BUT, in the Unfinished Business ending, most (if not all) of the initial story arc has been dealt with or resolved...and while the characters still have more business they need to take care of, they (and more importantly the reader) are at a comfortable stopping point.

To use an example most have read: The Hunger Games -- When the book comes to an end, Katniss has survived the Hunger Games and gets to go home a victor. But, to those who've read the book you know there are a ton of things still left unresolved. Her relationship with Peeta being a big one...and what, if any, effects will her "breaking of the rules" bring down on them all. But, for the time being, everyone is safe and on their way home to deal with the aftermath in their own private way.

The Unfinished Business ending gives readers something to think on. Gives them something to ponder while they wait for the next book to come out. And if you've given them characters they can fall in love with, they're going to want to come back for them alone.

But if you end the book on an actual Cliffhanger (I won't name any specific examples, but feel free to in the comments, if you'd life), where you leave the characters in some sort of imminent danger and/or throw a brand new danger that you don't plan to explain until the next book...you run the serious risk of making your readers feel like they're being jerked around, and having them avoid the very thing you want them to come back for. The sequel.

What do you all think: Do the obvious cliffhangers bother you? Do you actually like them? If you hear that a book has a cliffhanger ending are you less likely to buy it until you know the sequel is about to be released? Tracy wants to know these things.

Would You Rather Wednesday

2012-02-01T08:00:00.064-05:00

It's been forever and a day since the last "Would You Rather" question. I've missed treating you guys like my characters and putting you in uncomfortable situations and watching you squirm. ;o)

Now that I'm only posting on Wednesdays, I can't go back to doing one question a week...but I promise to work in at least one a month. So without further ado, on to February's question:

Our world has suddenly turned into an unfortunate dystopian society where our "Capitol" has decided the best way to keep us at bay is to eliminate one of our two major senses. As a favor for our cooperation each citizen gets to choose which sense they have stripped from them.

Note: if you try to revolt, they'll take both from you and every member of your family. (It's dystopian, dudes, it's totally meant to suck)

So, Would You Rather??

A) Surrender Your Vision

or

B) Surrender Your Hearing

The 5 Stages of Querying

2012-01-25T08:00:00.005-05:00

Let me just be clear about something here, querying is an addiction. Much like grief (they go hand-in-hand more often than not) there is a process un-agented writers must pass through in order to come out on the other side of querying, stronger than when they went in. Understanding the stages may help to soften the transition, so here goes:

Stage 1: Excitement
Oh, I can't wait! My manuscript is so freaking unique and my characters are the most lovable, quirky fictional people in the history of fictional people! Every last agent is going to love it! The hardest part will be figuring out which agency to sign with!

Stage 2: OCD/Paranoia
Okay. Queries have been sent, it should only be a matter of time until the requests come rolling in. In fact, there could be one coming in now. I should probably refresh my inbox/iPhone at least one more time before I sign off. Seriously?!? Why haven't they responded yet? What if it got lost in spam? *refresh* How will I know that they didn't get it and they're not just ignoring me? *refresh*

Stage 3: Crushing Despair
I can't believe my query/manuscript was rejected! What was I thinking? Of course it sucks...I suck. All this time I've been fooling myself into thinking I could do this. Clearly I don't have what it takes. I was an idiot for wasting so much time trying to chase a pipe dream. My dog has more talent as a writer than I do.

Stage 4: Anger/Vengeance
You know what? NO! You, Agent X, obviously do not have your finger on the pulse of publishing in 2012. You're going to regret passing on me some day. And when I'm a NYT bestseller don't even think about asking me to blurb one of your author's new books. Okay? Okay. In fact, you're officially unfollowed on Twitter and dis-liked on Facebook. So there!

Stage 5: Acceptance/Determination
Okay, so what if my manuscript wasn't the right fit for Agent X. It happens. I mean, it's not like I like every book that makes its way to the shelves. But, I've worked too hard to give in so easily. There are still approximately 9,000 more agents I could query. If I'm going down it's gonna be in a blaze of glory!

So there you have it, folks. The 5 Stages of Querying. The trick is to recognize which stage you're currently dealing with, look ahead to what's coming next, and always, always remember ... this too shall pass.

Care to share what stage you're in?

Ode to Chace Crawford

2012-01-18T08:00:00.003-05:00

So, I'm boy crazy. To those who know me this is no big secret. But there are a couple men I swear were born for the sole purpose of making my eyes happy. One of those aforementioned men is Chace Crawford!

(Henry Cavill is the other, but that's another post for another time).

For all the hours of pretty he has given me-- newly converted Gossip Girl fan, here-- I wanted to give a little something back. Hence....

Tracy's Ode to Chace Crawford

My darling Chace, oh how I love you

Source

I love you when you're scruffy

source

and when you're all GQ

source

I love you when you're smiling

source

and when you're sultry too

source

I love you when you're sporty, baseball cap and all

source

But if my preppy boy should stumble, I will catch you when you fall

source

I love you when you're shirtless

Source

or in a suit of gray or blue

source

Chace, you're the only one for me

source

But your friends are pretty hot too!

source

To the guys who read this far, thanks for indulging in some girl humor.

And to the ladies...who's your "pretty pretty"?

Negative Review Drama -- Oh Noes!!

2012-01-11T08:00:00.258-05:00

credit

I'm not gonna lie, much as I cringe every time a situation pops up with an author & reviewer having an unpleasant meeting of the minds for all the internet world to see, I can't look away. Like passing an accident on the side of highway, I want to believe I'm better than slowing to gawk at the carnage as it unfolds . . . but even as I drive by, I can't stop myself from glancing at the wreckage out of the corner of my eye (and maybe snapping a picture with my iPhone).

Quite truthfully, I don't plan on reading reviews of my future books unless someone, be it agent, publisher, friend, family or fan happen to point something out to me (and they best only be pointing out the good stuff) in order to try to avoid stumbling into this trap, myself.

As a fellow writer, I can completely understand how a scathing review can cut, and cut deep. It's hard enough to hear someone didn't like what you wrote, but if the review has a potential ranting or snide feel to it (as unfortunately some are wont to do), it's hard to fight the human nature to stick up for something you love.

"Oh really, Mofo, you wants to take it there?"

source

But if I should find myself or one of my writerly friends facing down a review that scalds, I'm going to do my best to dissuade the temptation to respond in any way by pointing out... a majority of people read reviews to confirm what they already suspect.

Most of the time, people know what books they're dying to read and which ones they have zero interest in. Personally, the only time I go checking out reviews is if I've never heard of the book before (which means I wasn't bound to pick it up in the first place) or, more likely, I'm on the fence about it.

When I stop to read a book review, odds are good, I'm either pretty sure I want to read it, but don't know anyone who has & want to make sure it's not a total bomb with a great jacket or . . . I'm pretty sure I don't want to read it, but there's something about the blurb that keeps me hanging in, and I need justification that I'm not being a stupid idiot & missing out on something great.

Justification.

It's my belief that, more than anything, is where reviews come in. They offer an unbiased (even if not always objective and balanced) opinion for those people who are on the fence and looking to have their own suspicions verified. Meaning: one bad review from a reviewer is NOT going to make or break your book in the court of public opinion. And it's not worth the hassle and drama -- for us or the reviewers -- to defend ourselves against their right to an opinion.

Now, I ask you all to bookmark this post for me, so I can be reminded of my current level-headedness should the above situation happen to Yours Truly. :D And, offer up any other suggestions on how we all can avoid the car wreck of inevitable bad reviews.

What The Hell Am I Doing Here?

2012-01-06T08:00:00.078-05:00

Okay, so, that's a loaded question that can be taken several different ways.

But for the sake of keeping it real in 2012, I'm going to admit it's a question I asked myself more than once over the past few months. Now, I can say that I was super busy (which I was) and that's why I went AWOL for a few months, but that's only part of the story.

Truthfully, I was kinda burnt out.

Back in the day, I started a blog because that's what you're supposed to do when you're a would-be author, right? And for a while it was a ton of fun!

But then I realized all I was doing was talking about writing. Now, I love writing. Duh! Why else would I still be hanging around, trying to carve a place out for myself in the slippery slope of authordom? (Not to be confused with authordumb, which is another ailment I often suffer from). That being said...

There's only so much I can say about the craft of writing from my current perspective, and very little of it is stuff the majority of you haven't already discovered for yourselves. Honestly, after a while, I started feeling like Bubba from Forrest Gump, just rambling off all the different ways to fix shrimp, until....

"Well, I guess that's about it."

Since I couldn't think of anything useful or helpful or new to post about every other day, I just sort of stopped posting entirely. And I was okay with that...except, I honestly missed you guys! *group hug*

So, I decided to come back to Blog Land, say screw it to all the "rules" about when I should post and what I should talk about. I'm not going to worry about "building a brand". I'm just going to do what you should do with a blog...have fun with it! I mean, in the end isn't that what we really go around reading these things for anyway ...the personalities behind the blogger?

Oh, this doesn't mean I'm foresaking writing talk (as if I could), just that I'll be sprinkling in more of the rest of me throughout my entries. Meaning...me thinks more pictures of pretty looking men & discussions about my fave TV shows will find their way into my blog posts. :D

So...what all did I miss while I was gone?

Happy Holidays, Y'all!

2011-12-20T07:00:00.050-05:00

Hi, you guys!

Yes, it's me. Like, for real this time.

I know it's been way too long since I've posted anything, and I don't really have a good excuse. I mean, I've been swamped (buying my first house among other things), but everyone gets busy. Really, I think I just needed the break. Seriously didn't intend it to go on for 5 months, but it's amazing how fast time flies when you're not paying attention, right?

The one major drawback to taking such a long sabbatical is . . . I really missed you guys! I promise, I'm going to be back and in the fray again in 2012. In the meantime, I wanted to swing by and wish everyone a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!!

Before I dash away, I wanted to leave you guys with one of my favorite Christmas songs, that actually isn't even about Christmas.

Near Misses are HOT!

2011-07-20T07:00:00.001-04:00

Let's face it, we all enjoy reading about a good snogging every now and again...maybe even like it when things get steamier. That's what romance in any good story is about right? The hugs, touches, kisses, intimacy.

But, in fiction, none of that is as much fun if the "near misses" aren't there. You know, those scenes where the hero and heroine are just about to break and give in to the attraction one--if not both of them--has been trying to deny.

In that moment, they want it to happen. We want it to happen. Everyone wants it to happen.

But...it doesn't happen.

Something stops them before they're able to be fully swept away. Whether it's a pair of teenagers interrupted mid-makeout by a parent, or an adult couple sidetracked by some other force of life, they aren't allowed to cross the finish line.

credit

It's this dissruption--this sense of "Damn it! What would have happened if the phone hadn't rang just then?!?"--that drives us insane as readers and makes us root for the couple to get together even more.

So while all the hand holding and stares of longing are great, and most of us don't mind reading about some good nookie once the couple gets together, it's the near misses that truly set the scene.

The better the near misses and frustration we feel as a result, the better the satisfaction when our heroes finally break through all their barriers. Make sure you don't skimp on this part while you're writing your story...the potential payoff is too great.

Forever is Sexy

2011-07-13T07:00:00.015-04:00

Here's another one I really wanted to repost, mostly because I love anything paranormal...and okay, I have a major weakness for pretty men!

*********************************************

For curiosity's sake, I decided to take a quick gander as to WHY the paranormal market is so booming. From young adult to adult. Dystopian to romance. Paranormal characters are taking the literary world by storm and have been for quite a while.

But why?

I think the answer is pretty simple. Because the larger majority of readers are female. And though we all have different tastes there are some common themes most of us have a hard time denying.

1) We're greedy with the idea of romance. We want to be loved like we're the most important thing in his world. To win a man's heart & devotion for one lifetime is a wonderful thing, but to win it for eternity . . . PRICELESS! (Where is Mastercard with a commercial when I need one?)

Legolas - Lord of the Rings

2) We love men with depth! The more delicious layers we can peel from a man to get to the center of who he truly is, the more we fall in love with him along the way. We melt over the notion of all the late night, post-coital, secret-sharing talks it'll take to begin skimming the surface of the man who's been through so much.

Louis - Interview with the Vampire

3) We're more superficial than we'd like to admit. Yes, we want a man who stirs our heart first and foremost, but that doesn't mean we wouldn't also appreciate it if he had a face & body we could stare at for hours! Immortal men provide the best of both worlds: They possess the wisdom of age & the beauty of youth.

Damon Salvatore - The Vampire Diaries

I think this is just the very tip of the iceberg when it comes to tapping into why, as a reading community, we just can't seem to get enough of the sexy creatures of the paranormal variety.

Any personal faves?

There's Nothing Quite Like Your First Time

2011-07-05T07:00:00.001-04:00

Ever wonder why so many of us (non-young adults) can't seem to get enough of reading stories about teenage love? Not that some YA can't get pretty steamy, but there are far smokier scenes in adult romance novels. So why do we still love our regular doses of young love?

Some of my guesses?

We Miss Being the Center of Attention

Bella & Edward - Twilight

There is nothing like that rush of realizing -- for the first time -- that his sun (pardon the pun, Edward) rises and sets for you. Adult men have just as many responsibilities as we do. A teenage guy can make the girl of his dreams the center of his world.

Their Complicated Isn't Really So Complicated

Elena & Stefan - Vampire Diaries

It may not feel that way, but our lives are fairly unfettered during our teenage years. Emotionally challenging, you bet, but most are spared the worrying about bills, mortgage payments, shuttling the kids to soccer practice. A teenage girl can enjoy falling in love without a mile long To-Do list waiting for her when she gets home.

You Can Only Experience Your First Time Once

Joey & Pacey - Dawson's Creek

First kiss. First love. First sexual experience. First heartbreak. Those things only come along once, and because we don't have any experience with them all our senses are running full tilt. We're constantly caught in a state between terrified and exhilarated.

We Still Believe Fairy Tale Endings Are Possible

Sam & Austin - A Cinderella Story

Not that we all turn into jaded shrews as we age. . . but after we suffer a broken heart or two, we often guard our emotions a little more carefully. After we lose our first love, we tend look at new romantic partners with the hope that he'll turn out to be our Prince Charming. Whereas the first time we fell in love we were sure it was going to last forever.

Those are just some of the reasons why I think I tend to get swept up so easily in a good YA romance. How about you?

It's the Little Things That Count

2011-06-27T07:00:00.004-04:00

I'm in a romance-y frame of mind (must be the warm weather), so bear with me if my post seems to focus a bit more on that theme.

************************************************************

When it comes to romance in literature (whether the main focus or as a side-story) we tend to appreciate the big sweeping gestures. We're not fully satisfied until we've gotten the happily ever after where the hero was willing to risk it all for the sake of the heroine.

Those grand gestures are all fine & good, but it's the little things that make us (and our heroines) fall in love with the hero.

To prove my point, I've borrowed examples from a couple movies I'm sure most of us have seen before:

NEVER BEEN KISSED

Josie realizes how special Sam (Mr. Coulson: AKA -- hottest English teacher. EVER.) truly is when he volunteers himself to ride the Ferris Wheel, despite his fear of heights, simply because she had no one else to ride with. And then he tops it off by telling her he feels like he can really talk to her. *sigh*

27 DRESSES

Jane and Kevin can barely stand each other, until one little song plays on the jukebox in a dive bar out in the middle of nowhere. Next thing you know, they're dancing on the bar and getting hot & steamy in the backseat of his car. Who knew "Benny & The Jets" karaoke could provide the spark for true love?

How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days

Andie and Ben were both secretly using each other in an attempt to further their careers. Neither expected to actually fall in love, but for Andie things changed quickly after an afternoon spent playing "Bullshit" with Ben at a cookout. Watching him interact with his family shot an arrow straight to her heart, where all his smooth loverboy lines had missed the mark.

Bottom line, it's all the little unique pieces of someone that make us fall in love with them. Don't forget to add those things into your stories. We tend to fall in love in fragments, which means our characters should too.

What if I Don't Like Her?

2011-06-20T07:00:00.000-04:00

I'm going to be borrowing a couple of my favorite posts (they belong to me, no plagorism, I swear) from another blog, because I'm curious to see how my peeps think. So, if some of these happen to look familiar, you'll know why.

*******************************************************

We spend a lot of time in our novels -- love stories most especially -- focusing on the hero. Is he cute enough? Strong enough? Sensitive enough? Funny enough? Charming enough? Etc., etc., etc.

It makes sense, because most of us females (and maybe the occasional secure male who's interested in exploring his feminine side) want to put ourselves in the shoes of the lead female character and live vicariously through her.

But what about the heroine herself? Don't we have to like her too?

Unfortunately, there have been quite a few books that I started and eventually stopped reading because the heroine got on my Last. Damn. Nerve.

The hardest part of writing a story geared toward a female audience, can be writing a female character that the majority of readers want to spend more time with. For me, I have to either want to be her -- or at least be her friend -- for me to stick with the gal through thick & thin.

She has to be humble, without being weak.

Elizabeth Bennett -- Pride & Prejudice

She has to be able to take care of herself, and still retain her femininity.

Guinevere -- King Arthur

And she has to be just as willing to rescue the hero as she is to let him rescue her.

Elizabeth Swann -- Pirates of the Caribbean

(Apparently, I have a bit of Keira Knightly fetish -- who knew?)

Bottom line -- It's not an easy job being the heroine. Not only does she have to make the hero fall in love with her . . . she has to make us (the reader) fall in love with her too.

What about you? Anything that a heroine has to do/be in order to keep you reading? Anything that completely turns you off and causes you to close the book, never to return?

My Soul Needs to Laugh

2011-06-15T07:00:00.000-04:00

Do you ever have those days, weeks or even months, where despite having the best of intentions, you often find yourself feeling like this little guy?

Yeah, me too!

On any given morning, there are an endless number of things I wake up telling myself I am, without a doubt, going to accomplish today!!

Write. Walk the dogs. Blog. Get an oil change. Read. Workout. Clean the house. Change the wiper blades I bought 3 weeks ago. Catch up on emails. etc. etc, etc.

And, sadly, on *most* days I don't come anywhere close to making a dent in my self-imposed list.

Then--being the typical first-born child that I am--I get pretty down, stressed and feeling like I'm stuck in a rut.

I'm a loser. I'm a slacker. I have time management issues. I need more hours in a day.

It's taken me a while, but I've learned sometimes I need to pull back on the reins a little and remind myself that life isn't meant to be one ginormous "To Do" list.

Sometimes, I let myself get so wrapped up in what needs to be done, that I forget about my addiction to laughing.

I like to laugh, and I like to make other people laugh.

If I'm feeling uber stressed, it's probably because I've forgotten to give myself permission to lighten up & spend some time doing things that will release the pressure.

One of my current favorite pick-me-ups is www.damnyouautocorrect.com This stuff leaves me in tears!!

I also de-stress by doing online jigsaw puzzles

What about you all? Do you have any favorite websites, movies, activities, etc. that are guaranteed to make you laugh no matter what? Please share!!

Summer Lovin' & A Bucket List

2011-06-08T07:35:00.000-04:00

credit

No, I haven't fallen in love...but the summer is still young (technically, it hasn't started yet) so I'm not giving up hope.

But I AM going to cut back to posting once a week. (Don't worry, Would You Rather Wednesday will be back in the Fall). I learned my lesson last year that most of us are way too busy during the warmer months to post/visit as many blogs as we do when we're stuck in-doors. This way, I'm hoping to be able to get back to browsing everyone else's blogs during the week as opposed to feeling like I have to rush because I've got to come up with three of my own.

***

Enough about the bloggy business.

I've also decided that I want to start a bucket list.

Not one in my head, but I actually want to buy a pretty journal (not that I don't already have a bazillion...I'm a sucker for a good notebook) and fill it with all sorts of things I'd love to be able to try, places to go, things to accomplish before my days come to an end. I think maybe if I have my dreams written down somewhere I might be more driven to strive for them more frequently rather than constantly laying back and waiting for "some day" to come.

Off the very top of my head here are a few things on my bucket list:

** Vacation in Ireland
** Go to Game 7 of the World Series (prefer Orioles, but Game 7 is Game 7!!)
** Find a man I love more than myself and marry him
** Vacation in Australia
** Make the NYT Best-Sellers list
** Have a couple of rugrats
** Take a roadtrip from Maryland to California and back
** Learn to speak Portuguese

That's just off the top of my head, so I'm sure I could fill many more pages with smaller things as well as a few crazy, off-the-wall ideas.

What about you all, do you have a Bucket List? Is there something you haven't done/ experienced yet, but you really hope you do before you die?

Ah, Bloody Hell, Blogger!

2011-06-01T07:59:00.000-04:00

This does not appear to be my week.

Nothing catastrophic has happened, but I'm convinced there are gremlins out to get me. Between a big time snag with a few thousand scantron evaluations at work to a fried motherboard on my laptop to finally falling victim to some of the latest blogger snafus...I'm without a blog post this morning.

I may be down, but I'm not out.

Since my regularly scheduled post has been...erm...delayed, I give you some ManCandy instead.

Ian Somerhalder

As if there might be some of you who don't know who Ian is...he's the actor that plays the deliciously evil/ wondrously conflicted Damon Salvatore on the CW's Vampire Diaries. (If you have not been watching this show shame on you!!)

Ian is a 32 year-old hottie (Sagittarius) from Louisianna who not only owns the most amazing pair of blue eyes EVER...he's also extremely intelligent, has a body to die for, lobbies for animal rights and environmental awareness, keeps himself out of the tabloids...and best of all, can accessorize with scarves and hats in the most manishly sexy way.

Yes, I've used way too many adjectives when it comes to describing Ian, but I believe he's worth it.

Happy Hump Day, All!

Hug an Agent Day

2011-05-27T08:47:00.000-04:00

I hearby declare Friday, May 27th as Hug An Agent Day!

There is no secret that, on most days, literary agents are both lauded & maligned by the unagented segment of the writer populace.

We need an agent. We want an agent. But it can be hard not to get annoyed with what we believe to be their "shortcomings".

What do you mean I have to personalize my query letter to you only to receive a "Dear Author" rejection?!?

Yeah, I know. No sense in preaching to the choir.

But, considering the fact I got back from my big, annual day-job conference last Wednesday and I'm STILL not caught up on all the things I missed while I was gone, I'm feeling extremely sympathetic to literary agents as a whole.

I was gone for a week. One week.

In that one week, I managed to fall woefully behind on blogging, emails, social medializing (this would be the act of interacting with others via social media, just in case anyone is confused), the housework, the work built up on the desk at my day-job . . . and don't even get me started on the amount of behind I am with my WIP word target!

I'm working like crazy to get caught up and it's like trying to climb a steep mountain covered in vaseline (the mountain being covered in vaseline, not me).

It's at times like this, it makes it easier to realize why it can take 12 weeks to hear back on a query letter. Or why we can wait as much as 6 months to hear back on a partial. Agents are always stuck in catch-up-mode just by the sheer volume of work headed their way. And I shiver to think what happens when they take time off for a conference, etc.

Next time you want to rail at the amount of time it takes to hear back from literary agents, or want to grumble over their "holier than thou" attitude toward would-be writers. Keep in mind that maybe they're just super duper swamped too.

So, I think a Hug an Agent Day is called for.

Just please make sure you know said agent and/or have given them sufficient warning as to why you are invading their personal space. We do still have laws in this country and I'm not sure, but I think you can get in trouble for tackling someone for affection they don't know is coming their way.

Happy Friday!!

Would You Rather Wednesday -- The End of Epic Love

2011-05-25T08:26:00.000-04:00

It's been a few weeks since we've had a Would You Rather Wednesday . . . so, of course, I'm going with what feels like a toughie question. And before you complain about the difficult choices of some of these questions -- remember, we're writers. Drama and heartache, it's what we do.

So, without further ado:

If your love-life were to be patterned after one of the long-standing, heartbreaking, bittersweet tropes, would you rather it be like . . . .

A) THE NOTEBOOK: After a few struggles to find your way to each other, you and the love of your life live happily with one another . . . until fate cruelly robs you of truly being able to spend your twilight years together.

B) LETTERS TO JULIET: You love hard & passionately for a short time, and then circumstance (or poor choices) send you on your separate paths through life . . . but in your golden years you're reunited and get to spend whatever time you have left in the arms of "one that got away".

I'm definitely going to have to think on my answer for a while!

Happy Hump Day!!

Game of Thrones

2011-05-23T07:00:00.014-04:00

I’m back. For real this time.

Work convention is now a distant sight in my rearview mirror and I can return my attention back to writerly pursuits once more. Well maybe not all of my attention.

Sunday evenings are now saved for HBO’s Game of Thrones.

I’ve never read the books … but can’t get enough of this series.

From a viewer standpoint, it’s an engaging story with lots of intrigue (not to mention a minimum of one naked person per show… and I’m a bit of a sucker for gratuitous naked people), and who doesn’t love Sean Bean? Okay, maybe people who weren’t big Lord of the Rings fans might not . . . but, I digress.

It may be my imagination, but it seems more and more books/series (written by someone other than Sir Stephen King) are being optioned as television shows & movies these days. And more and more those are becoming some of my favorite television shows & movies.

Coincidence? Maybe.

But the one thing all of these adaptations have in common – the thing I like to keep in mind while constructing my own plots now – there are stories within the story that keep the reader/viewer engaged while the main plot builds its way to the ultimate climax. Having one central plot isn’t enough to captivate the attention of most readers/viewers anymore.

Don’t believe me? Take your favorite television show/movie (doesn’t necessarily have to be adapted from a novel/series) and see how many subplots you can find. Then, after you find them, notice the way they all tie back into the main plot. The better this is done, the more we tend to love it!

And it makes me feel less guilty watching television if I can pas it off as a way of "honing my craft".

Do you have a favorite show/movie adapted from a novel or series you’ve read? Are there any in the works you can’t wait to see?

The Treadmill Writer

2011-05-09T07:00:00.104-04:00

Sidenote: I know I've been on extended leave lately, but I've been rather crazy with the convention I'm planning for work. So bear with me as I'm slow to post and attempting to reply to others using my iPhone. In about 2 weeks, all of this will be over and I'll be back to normal. Or, at least, as normal as I can be. I miss you all.

Treadmill writing. Sounds like some sort of catch phrase for a unique way of getting words onto paper, doesn't it? Like the way Plotters (I've been converted, but that’s a post for another time) may use the Snowflake Method or Cork Story Board.

It’s not. It’s not about how you write, but where you write.

Credit

Over the past two years as I’ve grown more serious about my writing, like everyone else, I struggle to find enough time to sit down to work on my revisions, create a new WIP, and devote a goodly amount of time to my blog (recent vacay notwithstanding).

All of this has done wonders for my skills as a writer, but it doesn’t come without it’s drawbacks. Along with expanding my writing horizons, I’ve also expanded my midsection.

Let’s face it, it can be hard enough to find the time to fit a workout into a busy schedule as it is. Therefore it is nigh impossible for us writers to find the time to fit in both an hour of working-out AND an hour for writing in the same day.

In the latest issue of Romance Writers Report (thank you, RWA) there's an article discussing the growing trend in treadmill desks. Seems some writers have decided they want to have their cake and eat it too . . . wait, you know what I mean. More and more of us are deciding we don’t want to have to choose between being healthy and being a writer (caffeine addictions not included).

That's where the treadmill desk comes into the picture.

Credit

Assuming you already have a treadmill, there are multiple ways to turn your workout space into your writing space as well. Adjustable desks/tables can be purchased for those that have the cash to go that route, or--with a little effort--you can rig your own station.

If you're interested, Google "Treadmill Desk” to get some ideas on how to make yours work for you.

Why bother?

Well, in the twenty minutes it’s taken me to write this blog post, walking at a 1.0 MPH (which is nothing more than a nice strolling pace) I’ve burned 45 calories. May not seem like much, but that’s 45 calories I wouldn't have burned sitting on my rear end at my desk. Imagine what I can do when I use it for my marathon writing bursts, brain storming sessions, or even my personal reading time.

I've only just created mine, but I'm loving it already. Not only am I not having to decide between whether I want to write or be able to wear shorts this summer, but I seem to think more creatively when I'm on my feet and moving around.

Curious to hear if anyone else is using something similar …or how do you attempt to keep yourself active and still get your writing time in?

Play Ball

2011-04-04T07:00:00.001-04:00

Update: I'm going to extend my blogcation for a little bit longer. I'm in the midst of some serious re-writes on my latest WIP and with the A-Z challenge occupying most of you this month, I don't think I'll be missed too much between now and May. I'll still be popping around to say hi though.

In lieu of my celebrating the start of the baseball season here in Baltimore, I'll be taking the week off from the blog. I'll still be swinging around to try to catch up on everyone else's, but won't be posting anything new.

I'll be busy spending quality time with some of my favorite boys.

JJ Hardy

Brian Roberts

Jake Arrieta

and

Nick Markakis

Hi, I'm Tracy. The Resident Book Club Idiot

2011-04-01T07:00:00.028-04:00

So, yeah, second month of the book club and I pretty much completely forgot about it. *face palm*

In my defense, work was a bit crazy in March, and . . . okay, mostly, I've just got completely sidetracked by reading two separate YA series at the same time. Luckily, I've read one of the selections previously, so I'm still going ahead with this post. Feel free to join in if, unlike me, you remembered to read your book.

If you forgot, no sweat. I promise to do better in April.

(Speaking of which, one of the selections is most definitely going to be CITY OF FALLEN ANGELS by Cassandra Clare. What can I say? I'm totally a Jace girl . . . actually, if I'm being honest, I love Magnus Bane more than anyone.)

So, feel free to respectfully post your thoughts in regards to the book(s) you read:

Not quite sure what to talk about? Feel free to steal some of these ideas:
-- Overall did you enjoy the story? Would you recommend it to a friend?
-- Do you plan to read the rest of the series?
-- Who was your favorite character? Why?
-- Were you satisfied with the ending?
-- What do you wish the author had done more of?
-- What do you wish the author had done less of?
-- Were the characters likable? Were they believable to you?

Would You Rather -- Wednesday

2011-03-30T07:00:00.034-04:00

(CONTEST ALERT: David Powers King -- who bears a resemblance to Joshua Jackson of the Dawson's Creek fame -- is having a Candy Princess Monster book giveaway, celebrating reaching100 followers. I decided to be nice and share, plus it gets me another entry in the contest to mention this. So go check it out. David's a good guy and I'm pretty sure he doesn't bite)

Last week: You guys were asked to choose whether you'd rather play the role of Hero, Big Bad or Sidekick with personality.

The hands down winner was the VILLAIN. The majority of you, it would seem, would rather play the role of . . .

Misery -- Every Writer's Greatest Fear

Ever Dance With the Devil in the Pale Moon Light? (RIP Heath)

Me, I'd rather be the one who gets all the killer one-liners! That's right, I wanna be . . .

The Duck Man

So for this week's burning question:

Your trying to promote your latest release and your publisher books you a gig on celebrity challenge reality TV show, would you rather be on . . . ?

A) The Amazing Race

or

B) Dancing With the Stars

How'dya Do, Mary Sue?

2011-03-28T07:00:00.066-04:00

We've all heard about staying away from the dreaded "Mary Sue" type characters. Those MC's we inadvertently make so perfect and/or gifted they are ultimately unbelievable -- and often unlikeable.

A while back, I came across this link. A Mary Sue litmus test, if you will. Not a bad little tool to play around with.

(Be forewarned, it can be a bit of a time suck when you start playing around & checking out all your characters with a test like this -- and if you're like me, you WILL run all your players through the gamut)

It's a fun little check point, but keep in mind that these tests aren't fail proof. It's more about the way you build your character, and why their talents are what they are, that ultimately determines whether a character is Mary Sue or not.

For instance . . . Bella Swan, from the Twilight series.

Bella is often -- believe it or not -- one of the fans' least favorite characters. Granted, she's a human (at least, most of the time) competing with paranormal beings, but she's often out-shined by the characters around her. She's too, "oh gee, my flaws aren't even really all that bad" girl-next-door. Honestly, even the most boring Cullen is ten times more interesting than Bella, in most situations.

Yet in the Mary Sue litmus test, she scored a 15 which would signify she isn't a boring, goody-goody Sue.

On the flip side, you have Jace Wayland from The Mortal Instruments series.

Okay, so that isn't technically Jace, but in my mind Alexander Nifong should be!

Jace scores a 58 on the test which would qualify him as a Uber Sue (and that was with me being generous on some of the questions). Yet to anyone who's read the series, he's one of the most vibrant characters in the crew. His abundant gifts are well-balanced by his shortcomings in a way that makes him feel like a real, flawed human being (or Shadowhunter, whatever)

So in the end, you have the freedom to do whatever you want with your characters. . . just make sure that for every positive they have in their corner there is a potential negative aspect as well. Otherwise, you might end up with the prodigal son/daughter with a dazzling Colgate smile that all your readers end up hating.

What about you guys: Any characters come to mind that you can't believe the author got away with creating so Mary Sue? Or have you read a story with a character who was sickeningly Mary Sue, yet you still liked them anyway?

In Case You Haven't Heard About Amanda Hocking. . .

2011-03-25T07:00:00.003-04:00

In case you haven't heard, Amanda Hocking (something of a indie cult hero) has just landed a pretty sweet traditional four-book deal.

This worries me.

Not about Amanda, she's obviously put a lot of hard work into her writing in order to have obtained her success. I've got no ill will towards her in any way. My concern is that this will encourage a deluge of hopefuls to flock to the indie route, citing her success.

There's no secret that it's oh-so-easy to "e-publish" via B&N or Amazon these days. And, in my opinion, there are far too many people who jump the gun. Not having the experience, editing help or objectivity to put out a product that others will love as much as the author does. Adding to the stigma those who choose to self-publish have to fight through already.

Since I don't have any intention of going the self-pubbed route, myself, you'd think it wouldn't really care either way.

Except, I happen to be a huge ereader user. (Seriously, my Nook and I are starting to look alike) And right now, when I do a search for a topic -- say paranormal romance -- on B&N, the search engine pulls up both traditonal and "indie" titles. Often times the only way to tell the difference is the price (and usually the quality of cover artwork).

I can spot the difference, but does the average non-writing reader realize what they're getting when they purchase a $0.99 book? Now, some self-pubbed work is actually pretty good. But, sadly, a good majority of it is pure crap!

Having no way to quality control the work that's put out there, it's the reading public that will suffer in the long run. And anything that runs the risk of turning off book readers is a bad thing for all of us, no matter what route we take.

Do you all think about or care about this kind of stuff? Have you indie published yourself? If you're thinking about it, have you planned to have a professional editor review it first?

Would You Rather - Wednesday

2011-03-23T07:00:00.051-04:00

Helpless Plea : If anyone knows how to add the share buttons on blogger when they absolutely refuse to be added, please hit me up with an email. Blogger and I are about to throw down.

BTW, thank you all for leaving such awesome comments on my St. Patty's Day blogfest entry. I actually won one of the prizes!!! I'm positive it was because of all the nice things I paid you guys to say.

Okay enough about me.

Last week you all had to decide between living life in Hogwarts or Middle Earth. At first, it looked as though Harry & Co were going to run away with the results, but at the midway point the hobbits came on strong (actually, I think it was the elves, but whatever). Sadly, it wasn't quite enough for them to defeat the wizards, so The Potter won.

Ginny Weasley - Most Popular Girl on Would You Rather Wednesday

Me, I'd rather spend my life hanging around Hobbiton & Rivendell. And at first, I thought I wanted to be Arwen -- unbelievable gorgeous & hooking up with the future King. But then realized I'd get bored waiting around for him to get back from saving Middle Earth. At which time, I decided to become Legolas instead. That way I can be a kick ass fighter and stare at my reflection all day. (Yes, I absolutely would be vain if I was Legolas, thankyouverymuch)

Anyway, now on to this week -- this time we get THREE choices to choose from!

If you were given the chance to star in a blockbuster movie based off the most amazing book you've ever read, would you rather be cast as . . . ?

A) The Hero/Heroine

B) The Villain / Villainess

C) The Comedic Sidekick

How Do You Know When It's Time To Give Up?

2011-03-21T07:00:00.029-04:00

We all know rejection is par for the course in publishing. If you're a newbie you've at least heard about it. If you're a veteran you've probably lived through your fair share of it.

We've also all heard the mantra "it only takes one YES" . . . but sooner or later there might come a point when it's time to give up.

credit

I don't mean writing, in general, because if it's an activity you truly love you'll probably never really be able to walk away from it anyway. I'm talking about how to know when it's time to give up on a particular manuscript.

I've seen some writers abandon a story after one revision and a short round of querying. They deem it time to move on from that particular project and begin working on the next. On the flip side, I've seen those who dig in their heels through multiple revisions and refuse to give up even though they've garnered rejections numbering into the triple digits.

So which should you do??

Sometimes, manuscripts -- through no fault of their own -- just don't get picked up. There might not be anything fundamentally wrong with the premise, the writing or the voice . . . but there's some undefined reason it isn't catching the right people no matter how hard you try.

So how do you know if it's really time to put a manuscript aside for a little while and focus on bringing the next in line up to the query forefront? How do you determine whether you're giving up on a project too soon or wasting time that could be put to better use?

Sadly, I don't have a definitive answer for this because, like everything else in this business, it's a subjective decision. That being said, I've scoured the web for some links that tackle this issue.

Peggy Blair -- How many agents should you query before giving up?

Writer Beware -- When persistence becomes a vice

Book-A-Week -- Calling it quits on a manuscript

I guess the bottom line is, you have to go with your gut. Being rejected SUCKS, whether it's a query, partial or full . . . or coming from an agent, editor or publishing house. But if you really feel that you aren't ready to give up on your story, don't! Whereas if you've gotten to the point you're seriously starting to hate your own manuscript, then it might be time to put it away for a while.

I'm curious as to what you all think. Have you had to give up on a manuscript at some point, or are you still plodding away on your first baby? If you have called it quits with a particular MS, what was it that prompted you to make that decision?

Luck O' the Irish Blogfest

2011-03-17T07:00:00.095-04:00

I don't normally post on Thursday, but today I'm pulling double duty. So feel free to also swing by Chocolate & Spice to catch my blog post on why we can't seem to get enough paranormal.

Colleen and Alexia threw together this St. Patty's Day blogfest. Point is to do a very brief (200-ish words) flash fiction about anything Irish.

Me, I chose to play with the typical stereotypes. There is a prize involved, so feel free to talk me up in the comments so the judges pick me! And then go here to check out the rest of the participants.

*********

After all these years, I finally found me a leprechaun! He ain't happy 'bout it, but I'm stalking his arse until we get to the end of this rainbow. I always knew this day would come, even when they told me I was gone in the head for believing in wee little men who wear green leotards.

"Had a few too many pints of whiskey, Shamus?" they said.

Gah! Feckers didn't want to believe I could do it, so they'll be getting none of me gold. They can buy their own damn Guinness.

"How much longer 'til we get there, squirt?" I asked the little feller.

He turned around to glare at me -- looking like two and a half feet of emerald fury -- before a creepy smile crawled onto his face. "Not much further now."

I didn't like that look, but kept my yap shut.

When we rounded a bend in the trees and the rainbow came to an end, tears o' joy streamed down me face. But one look inside the black cast-iron pot and my heart sank. "Are those . . . potatoes?"

With a smug smile, he gave a shrug of one shoulder. "Bad economy."

So, after all these years, I still don't have me pot of gold . . .but I do got a lovely stuffed leprechaun now hanging above the fireplace.

**********

Also, because this is the holiday of my people and I love all things Irish, here's a little bonus. This is what's considered "Irish Rap".

Would You Rather - Wednesday

2011-03-16T07:00:00.004-04:00

So last week, I asked you all if you would rather have 1K blog followers or 10K Twitter followers.

I'm not surprised to find that blog followers won the overall vote (though I wonder if the results would have been different it this was polled on Twitter) . . . but I am surprised with the general perception about Twitter from the people that answered.

Perhaps Twitter doesn't allow the same deep insight as a blog post does, I won't argue that. But on the flip side, when you're pressed for time and want to let people know you're thinking about them, you can easily check in with a dozen or so in the same time it takes to read & respond to your average blog post.

I think, balancing a good blend of the two is a smart idea. Heck, I'm a blogging writer and I'll admit there are very few published authors blogs I visit with any regularity. But I know exactly what's going on with Richelle Mead or Cassandra Clare because (as Betty White would say) they're on The Twitter.

Now on to this week's question:

If you were forced to live as character from a fantasy saga (in their world, not ours), would you rather be in . . . ?

A) Lord of The Rings

or

B) Harry Potter

Bonus question: Which character would you like to be and why?

Sometimes, I Like to Do it Nice & Slow

2011-03-14T07:00:00.002-04:00

You darn perverts! Don't think I don't know why you came in when you saw the title. ;o)

No sexy talk in here today (Though if you like the romancy stuff you might want to head over to Chocolate & Spice, a new blog I'm collaborating on with Stina and Anya: where we post about all things romance)

Now, back to me.

Like most of my fellow writers, I'm also a voracious reader. And again, like most, I have a TBR pile large enough to build a fort for myself and a small group of friends . . . to find out what happens when people stop being polite and start getting real.

Oh, sorry, ADHD attack.

Anyway, lately, I've been sort of rushing through series because I've got a self-imposed deadline.

My good buddy Misty wouldn't shut up about Karen Marie Moning's FEVER series and with the final book being released last month, I knew there was no way she'd be able to keep silent for long. So I read all 5 books in the space of four weeks. (It was a hell of a ride too!)

Oh, I also just crawled out from the rock I've been under and finally started The Mortal Instruments series. (I really shouldn't find moody, teenage Nephilim quite so attractive). I've finished the first book, and have approximately 3 weeks to read the next two books in the series so I'm ready for the City of Fallen Angels release next month.

So, I made myself a promise when I opened The Iron King by Julie Kagawa. I've decided to slow down and take my time with Julie's books.

She's a TREMENDOUS writer and I could easily see myself sitting down & reading The Iron King in one sitting . . . but I've forced myself to relax and enjoy 10 pages a day.

That's right. I'm doing the slow savor.

And because it's only ten pages (which equates to about ten minutes) no matter how busy my day is, I can always find time to fit in my daily fix.

If you've never done this sort of thing before I'd definitely suggest you give it a try. Instead of speed dating, it's like having an old-fashioned courtship. (I also highly recommend giving Julie's books a try if you haven't already. I'm not even finished the first and I definitely give it my seal of approval!)

Anyone else do the slow read from time to time or is it just me?

Why Treat Teen Girls Differently?

2011-03-11T07:00:00.095-05:00

There's been much debate about the topic of sex in young adult novels. How much is too much? Should there be any mention of it at all? Etc, etc.

I have my own feelings on the subject, but that isn't the point of this post.

However, it got me to thinking of a somewhat mentioned concept that, perhaps, we should be treating teenage females differently than adults with their fiction content.

By this, I mean, there's a notion that young adult stories should be mindful of setting a "good example" for young women. And I kinda think that's crap.

Don't get me wrong. I have no interest in writing (or reading) YA stories that completely debase or distort a young woman's sense of self worth, or glorify things that have no business being glorified . . . but at the same time, why the reluctance to believe teen girls can distinguish the difference between fiction and real life?

Is it really setting such unrealistic expectations for them to read a story about a girl who gives her virginity to a boy who genuinely loves her, with the hope of Happily Ever After? Considering so many are the product of divorced/single parents, it's a good chance they understand odds of finding forever love with their high school sweetheart are extremely slim.

The same way I realize there just aren't that many straight, drop-dead gorgeous, ex-military playboys who are willing to cease their womanizing ways to settle down and raise a family with me. . . yet, I like reading those stories anyway.

Maybe, I don't have quite the same protective streak because I'm not a mom. It just seems I remember shaping more of my life decisions and expectations, back then, based on the experiences I learned through my real life friends. So I tend to think the content of stories doesn't matter quite as much as some might think.

Since fiction is nothing if not subjective, I'm curious to hear where you all stand. Whether you're a YA writer. A parent of a teenager. Or both.

Would You Rather - Wednesday (Battle of the Social Networks)

2011-03-09T07:00:00.013-05:00

Alright people, we need to have a little talk here.

I know some of these questions can be tough to choose, because - depending on your circumstances - there may be no clear cut winner. I get that. Truly, I do.

But it's called Would You Rather for a reason. Otherwise it would be called In An Ideal World, or If I Could Have Exactly What I Wanted . . . and quite frankly, both of those games sound a little boring to me.

So stop asking me if you can have both or refuse to accept either, 'cause that's cheating!!

Although, it's perfectly okay with me if you admit that you can't bring yourself to choose for the blog. That I respect. It's those of you who try weaseling escape clauses into your answers that I have my eye on.

(Obviously, this is all meant in jest . . . unless I happen to be totally serious)

My research from last week's question : Whether you would rather spend 10 years with your soulmate or 60 years with a runner-up proved that we writers tend to be more like our characters than we admit. (Or maybe it's the other way around). 66% of you decided you would rather deal with the loneliness later than miss out on the time with your soulmate.

Or to quote Shelby from Steele Magnolias: "I would rather have thirty minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special" (Sadly, we all know how that turned out)

As sadistic as it sounds (and I'm still not sure I won't change my mind at some point) I think I'd put myself through the torture too.

Now on to this week's social networking focus:

Would you rather have. . . ?

A) One-thousand blog followers

or

B) Ten-thousand Twitter followers

We're talking genuine followers (no spambots) in both scenarios.

Muse-ical Inspiration = The Pretty Pretty

2011-03-07T07:00:00.109-05:00

Alright, I'm willing to admit when I just need an excuse to post some gratuitous eye candy on my blog. Call them Muses. Call them hot arse men. Call them whatever you like. This is the way I prefer to start off my Monday.

(Fear not, my dear guy blogger buddies. I've included a little eye candy for you as well. But it's at the end, sorry you have to scroll through the muscle first.)

In case anyone forgot, here are a few of my favorite boys:

Henry Cavill

Gabriel Aubry

Jensen Ackles

Shemar Moore

Dear God, if I ever need a first responder PLEASE let it be Taylor Kinney!

Now, moving on to your suggestions!!

Not sure how in the world I managed to forget mentioning this next hottie, but thankfully several of you corrected my mistake.

Ian Somerhalder - Evil has never been so sexy!

Then we have:

Ryan Reynolds - Peoples' Sexiest Man

James Marsden

Orlando Bloom

Jared Padalecki - Ah, who cares if he's part demon & has no soul? He's hawt!

Paul Newman - This man was gorgeous THROUGHOUT his life

Brad Pitt - Legends of the Fall

Brad Pitt - Interview With the Vampire

Brad Pi...oh, okay, fine, I'll move on.

Sam Worthington

Ben Barnes

Paul Wesley

Steven McQueen - Seriously is there a NOT HOT guy on Vampire Diaries? Don't think so.

Ryan Phillipe

Hayden Christensen

Ed Burns

Patrick Nuo - His shirt is just unnecessarily goading the Cougars of the world

And last but not least for our male muses -- whether he's playing a teenage heartthrob, an eccentric pirate or a homicidal barber, this man can't help but be sexy.

Johnny Depp

For those men who've scrolled through to this point, I'll give you a little eye candy too. These are the women, that in my head, I pretend I look like sometimes.

Emilie de Ravin -- she's so naturally pretty it makes me sick

Nina Dobrev

Non-Crazy Britney Spears

Hilary Duff

Evangeline Lily

Rachelle Lefevre -- We actually look a decent bit alike, but her hair behaves much better than mine

Okay, so enough with all the pictures of pretty people for one day. I tried to represent everyone's tastes, so if I left your choice out it was solely by mistake.

Happy Monday, All!

March Book Club Selection -- You Choose!

2011-03-04T07:00:00.074-05:00

First of all: Huge thank you to everyone who participated last month. I'm still working out the kinks of running an online book club, and I thank those of you who were willing to join in on the maiden voyage. You RAWK!!

Moving on to this month . . . so, I don't know if I've had a stroke of brilliance or if it's just my brain's way of shirking responsibility for picking the book everyone has to read, but I've decided to loosen up our book club a little.

I still want to alternate between YA and Adult geared novels, just to give everyone a chance to participate & try new things. However, instead of selecting one book, I'll offer up three choices each month.

Choose whichever one best fits your fancy. Then on Friday, April 1st (no fools up in my blog, Yo!) we'll post our discussion thread.

What do you think? Okay, even if you think it's a bad idea . . . tough. These are the rules we're playing by for this go around at least!

So here are this month's choices:

A Brush of Darkness : Allison Pang (Urban Fantasy)

The man of her dreams might be the cause of her nightmares.

Six months ago, Abby Sinclair was struggling to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Now, she has an enchanted iPod, a miniature unicorn living in her underwear drawer, and a magical marketplace to manage. But despite her growing knowledge of the OtherWorld, Abby isn’t at all prepared for Brystion, the dark, mysterious, and sexy-as- sin incubus searching for his sister, convinced Abby has the key to the succubus’s whereabouts. Abby has enough problems without having this seductive shape-shifter literally invade her dreams to get information. But when her Faery boss and some of her friends vanish, as well, Abby and Brystion must form an uneasy alliance. As she is sucked deeper and deeper into this perilous world of faeries, angels, and daemons, Abby realizes her life is in as much danger as her heart—and there’s no one she can trust to save her.

Succubus Blues : Richelle Mead (Paranormal Romance)

When it comes to jobs in hell, being a succubus seems pretty glamorous. A girl can be anything she wants, the wardrobe is killer, and mortal men will do anything just for a touch. Granted, they often pay with their souls, but why get technical?

But Seattle succubus Georgina Kincaid's life is far less exotic. At least there's her day job at a local bookstore—free books; all the white chocolate mochas she can drink; and easy access to bestselling, sexy writer, Seth Mortensen, aka He Whom She Would Give Anything to Touch but Can't.

But dreaming about Seth will have to wait. Something wicked is at work in Seattle's demon underground. And for once, all of her hot charms and drop-dead one-liners won't help because Georgina's about to discover there are some creatures out there that both heaven and hell want to deny...

I Am Number 4 : Pittacus Lore (Sci-Fi)

Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.

Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. we have lived among you without you knowing.

But they know.

They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They killed them all.

I am Number Four.

I am next.

Hopefully there is something here for everyone. Hey, if you want to read more than one of them, knock yourself out.

Click here to find the links to order online.

Would You Rather -- Wednesday

2011-03-02T07:00:00.050-05:00

This week's question is a toughie!!

But before we get to that: real quick blogfest announcement.

Colleen and Alexia are hosting a ST. PATTY'S DAY blogfest. And you don't even have to be Irish to partake in the festivities, lads and lassies. Truthfully, I was debating whether to announce it at all, since the less people involved the better my chances at winning one of the prizes!!! Check out the link for details.

In last week's question, you had to decide whether you'd stand your ground even if meant never seeing your work published or settling for a career as ghost writer for a well known author.

The results were pretty interesting. The crew was split right down the middle. The Never Be Published option won by a single vote. Maybe . . .

I had a hard time answering this one, myself. I don't know if I'd be comfortable working as part of a James Patterson-esque machine. Maybe if it was an author whose stories I really enjoyed & I could blend in without people noticing (see VC Andrews comments) then I'd be fine with option B.

So... I guess it's a tie.

Now on to this week:

Would you rather . . . ?

A) Spend 10 perfect years with your soulmate and then have to carry on the rest of your life without them

or

B) Spend 60 content years with someone you feel warmly affectionate toward, but know isn't your true love

Don't grumble too much. I'm actually using this question as research for a story. ;o)

Better to Be 1st or 3rd?

2011-02-28T07:00:00.179-05:00

I have two confessions for this Monday (blech) morning:

1) I intended to post our muse "eye candy" today. But, as I'm learning, when you Google a good looking man -- and received hundreds of images of said hottie -- it takes time to select the right one. Multiply that by about 30-40 such men . . . and well, I'm having a great time, but nowhere near done.

So I'll be bringing that along next Monday.

2) I'm coming out of the closet & admitting that I'm in LOVE with 1st person narrative. It's the perspective in which I write my stories and the one I most enjoy reading.

A friend of mine once explained the difference between 1st and 3rd to me as:
"Third person is like watching a movie and knowing what's going to happen to your beloved characters before they do. First person is like being the character in the movie and having no idea what's about to hit you."

There is no right or wrong way. Both have their benefits and both have their drawbacks. Which is why it all boils down to a matter of personal preference.

Take my mother, for instance. She's one of those ~~strange~~ people that refuses to invest herself in a novel unless she's perused the last 5 pages to make sure she's satisfied with the way the story ends. My mom likes to retain that certain level of control by knowing exactly what's happening (third person)

Me, on the other hand, if you accidentally slip & tell me how a story wraps up I see absolutely NO reason to keep reading the damned thing. You've already taken all the fun out of it for me. I'm an adrenaline junkie who gets a kick out of not knowing what's around the next corner (first person)

Fortunately, there seems to be a pretty good mix of both in most genres. That being said there are times where it can be a little more challenging to find stories in the perspective you enjoy most.

Traditional adult romance is still predominantly written in third person (with multiple POV) . . . whereas young adult tends to be largely first person told stories. Doesn't mean you can't find first person romances or third person young adults -- you just have to look a little harder.

(Side note: if anyone can suggest any 1st person non-paranormal romances and/or romances written from the male POV, I'd be mighty grateful)

What about you guys: Do you have a reading preference one way or the other? Do you absolutely refuse to read one or the other? Which perspective do you write in? If you write in both, which comes more naturally to you?

Bookclub Discussion -- MY SOUL TO TAKE

2011-02-25T07:00:00.063-05:00

Hello, Fellow Endeavorers!

Consider this all the intro needed to open our first monthly book club discussion:

Rachel Vincent's "My Soul To Take"

Kaylee Cavanaugh doesn't see dead people, but she senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy at school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about her need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead, only Kaylee knows who'll be next.

If you've read this story (for the book club or on your own) feel free to jump in and join us.

For those participating in the discussion, be sure to book mark the post so you can come back & check on it once or twice throughout the weekend. Don't feel weird about replying directly to one another in the comments -- that's how online convos work.

As far as the type of comments allowed: There are no rules. I just ask you to please keep 2 things in mind:

1) There may be people reading the comments who haven't read the story yet, but would like to. If you can keep your comment spoiler free, great! If not, please type out "SPOILER ALERT" at the top and skip down several lines before leaving your comment. Give 'em a fair chance to avoid looking.

2) Any and all opinions are welcomed . . . so long as they're in regards to the story/writing. No personal attacks/judgements on any of the authors/agents/publishers please.

Dive in -- I'll be leaving my comments inside as well!

Not quite sure what to talk about? Feel free to steal some of these ideas:
-- Overall did you enjoy the story? Would you recommend it to a friend?
-- Do you plan to read the rest of the series?
-- Who was your favorite character? Why?
-- Were you satisfied with the ending?
-- What do you wish the author had done more of?
-- What do you wish the author had done less of?
-- Were the characters likable? Were they believable to you?

(Off topic sidenote: To those of you who've left me awards the past week or two, I'm not ignoring you. I promise to acknowledge next week)

Would You Rather - Wednesday

2011-02-23T07:00:00.028-05:00

It's time for another round of Would You Rather - Wednesday

For those of my pals who are new around here (never fear crusaders, if I haven't gotten to you yet, I swear I'm working on it!) here's how it works -- I ask a "Would You Rather" question and you pick between one of two choices. Sometimes the questions are easier. Sometimes, not so much.

The cool part is, there are no right or wrong answers. Just opinions.

As for the results of last week's question (okay, so it was 2 weeks ago . . . sue me). When it comes to having to choose which sitcom you'd rather pattern your life after -- while Seinfeld had a strong showing, Friends was the clear cut winner.

I know it won my vote. I mean, how could I not want a life where my besties and I could recall good times by saying "ooh, remember the one with the ******"

(BTW, "The one with the Lobster" is my all-time fave)

Moving on to this week:

Dear Writer Friends, would you rather . . . . ?

A) Never see your novels make it through to publication, but knowing you gave it your all

or

B) Anonymously publish as a ghost writer for a famous author and see your words in print, but never be able to brag about them

Reminder, don't forget to swing by on Friday where we open up the post for this month's Book Club Selection . Should be a lot of fun (I just finished the book last night, so I'm pumped & ready to go!)

Show Me Your Muse and I'll Show You Mine

2011-02-21T07:00:00.100-05:00

Ever notice how the overwhelming majority of male characters in novels -- regardless of genre -- are some combination of handsome, sexy, charismatic, fun-loving, larger-than-life, brave, stoic, bad boy, affectionate, snarky, loyal, and/or surprisingly gentle?

It's my firm belief that this tends to happen (with female writers, at least) because, well . . . those are the kind of men we like.

We won't all ever agree on what makes a man attractive, physically or personality-wise, but there are certain common traits that tend to show up time and again.

You know, those darn testosterone driven aspects that our estrogen enhanced brains are often powerless to avoid warming to, even if we don't like to admit it.

Let's face it, a novel can take months (sometimes even years) to write & edit, and who wants to spend that much time with a man that doesn't pique your curiosity in some way? How can he drive our heroines crazy if he doesn't make us a little loopy too?

This is where the muse comes in. Below are a few of the real life men, who give me a physical starting point when my male characters are first showing up to say hi.

Henry Cavill

Gabriel Aubry (yes, his hair IS cool)

Matt Cohen

But seeing as how we're all different, I'm curious to see what everyone else thinks. I want to pull together a picture post of some of the prettiest male (and female -- don't want my guy pals to feel left out) muses around.

So, feel free to leave a comment with the name of your muse(s) and I'll get to googling for next week's post. If there is a particular picture that captures your muse better than any other, please feel free to send it to me (as a link, if possible) to tracybuscemi@gmail.com .

Disclaimer: While I am not at all opposed to the full on beauty of the human form, this is an all-ages site. So no nudies, please. Now, shirtless on the other hand (male muses only) is not only allowed, but highly encouraged by the blog mistress. Also, unless your boyfriend/ hubby/girlfriend/wife would truly appreciate seeing his/her face plastered on the internet, let's keep this to men and women already in the public eye.

I So Did Not Mean To Write That

2011-02-18T07:00:00.100-05:00

Believe it or not, sometimes, the last person to know what kind of story you wrote is . . . YOU.

Growing up, my introduction to romance novels came via a mother who was obsessed with the historicals. You know, the kind with some half-naked version of Fabio on the cover.

Like this....

or this ....

(I actually remember both of these books ... and I'm way too excited about that fact. Moving on.)

If I'm being quite frank. I did very little reading for the storylines back in those days. Most of them were relatively stock (and cheesy).

For a 13-15 year old girl -- coming of age in a pre-internet world -- those books were the closest my curious brain could get to actual porn.

The world of romance novels has drastically changed in the time since then (which, for the sake of my ego we'll pretend was only a decade ago. K? Thanks).

Yet, while the books changed, my perception of them didn't.

I'd moved on to the horror/fantasy concoctions of Stephen King and Anne Rice. Left behind were the heaving bossoms and throbbing shafts of romance novels gone by.

Forward to the day when I proudly sent my fledgling manuscript off to my betas.

"Here," I said, "read my fantasy novel."

The feedback was both exhilarating and disturbing. Most loved it to pieces, but they kept calling it a romance.

"What? Um, I don't write romance," I said.

"Yes, you do," they said.

"No, there's witches and immortal beings and reincarnation, oh my," I said.

"Yeah, but it's all about the lurve," they said. (Yes, they said lurve)

Anyway, this exchange went back and forth for a while, until I finally realized what they already knew.

I had written a romance. Paranormal romance, mind you, but a romance nonetheless.

The genre has branched off into so many different avenues that weren't there ~~twenty~~ ten years ago. Paranormal, suspense, erotica, contemporary, etc. And I found myself writing it, without even realizing that was what I was doing. (Turns out I'm pretty durn good at it, if I do say so myself)

This happen to anyone else? Not necessarily romance, per se. Maybe you meant to write a mystery and wound up with a thriller. Maybe your paranormal went all sci-fi. If so, don't fret. It doesn't matter how you get there . . . I think we all find our landing spots sooner or later.

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

Get Twitter-pated With the Book Club

2011-02-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I admit, Twitter and the Forever Endeavor Book Club have nothing to do with one another . . . but there's only so much you can do with blog titles, ya know.

For those of you who've been around for a little while, you know Wednesday's are typically my "Would You Rather" feature day. Well thanks to participating in two Valentine's blogfest AND joining the Crusaders (checks out the nifty badge over <-- that way somewhere), I've got quite a bit of catching up to do this week.

Speaking of which . . . Hello, my shiny new friends!!

If you've left a comment in the past few days, new friend or old, I promise to get around to holler back (if you joined recently but haven't commented, I'll still try, but sometimes blogger doesn't give me a trail to follow back to you).

Anyway, I digress. Would You Rather Wednesday will be back next week!

In the meantime, in order to quench my Twitter obsession, I've created a page (look up) for Writers Who Tweet . I know many of you tweet, because I follow several of you already. So, if you'd like to see your name on the list for all to see, leave me a comment in that thread and I'll add your link. Also, if you know of any cool editors, agents, or those-who-have-already-been-published let me know about them too!

Lastly, quick reminder for those participating in the Forever Endeavor Book Club discussion this month (it's our inaugural month, woohoo): There is still a week & a half left before the discussion post goes up on Friday 25th. It's a pretty smooth & easy read, so don't freak out if you haven't gotten far yet. You can totally catch up! And if you must bow out . . . it's okay. This is a no pressure book club remember? ;o)

Alright, I'm off to catch myself up. Happy Hump Day, All!

Just Kiss Already!!!

2011-02-14T07:00:00.075-05:00

Friday, was all about the teen love. (Side note: If I haven't gotten around to you on the YAmore blogfest and commented here, I promise I'm gonna make it. Had a crazy busy weekend that has set me a wee bit behind.)

Continuing with the Valentine's theme, today's Just Kiss Already blogfest asks us to share steamy excerpts (250 words or less) that say enough already with the teasing, let's get down to the good stuff!"

Bottom line, if your characters aren't kissing, you aren't doing it right.

The following is an excerpt from my Paranormal Romance: This scene takes place in the past, and at this point neither the hero nor the heroine are willing to admit to the chemistry between them. Our heroine, Anna, has just spent the last several moments tossing barbs at our hero, Thomas, in an effort to get under his skin and now he has her pinned against a tree, attempting his payback.

   Thomas skimmed his lips, feather-light, back and forth across mine, never allowing more than a tickling touch. He was attempting to tease me into submission—and it was working. My stupid, will-powerless pride had all but abandoned me.

   Just as I thought I could take no more, the tip of his tongue traced the seam of my lips. I’m not sure if the sound I made qualified as a gasp or a moan, but Thomas must have sensed his victory, because he pulled back slightly.

   “Now, what were you saying about—?”

   My instincts took over. I stretched on tiptoes to reconnect our mouths, cutting him off mid-sentence. My hand tangling in the curls at the back of his neck.

   The impulsive show of passion caught him off-guard and his charade of cool control disintegrated. I quickly found myself crushed between the strength of his body and that of the tree. The knotty surface pressed against my back. Thomas pressed against my front. His hands were in my hair, angling my head back so he had better access to my mouth. When I thought I might lose the last of the air in my lungs, his lips left mine and trailed down to assault my neck in the most wonderful way.

   When my hand brushed against his hip, his entire body stiffened. The contact between us came to an abrupt halt and Thomas stepped back.

   “Damn it, Anna. Can you not let me win one of my battles?” He stared at my mouth for a long moment as he struggled to get his breathing under control.

Haha, Girl Power!! Happy Valentine's Day

That's YAmore Blogfest

2011-02-11T07:00:00.028-05:00

For those of you not interested in reading short (250 words or less) excerpts about lurve, you are excused from commenting on my blog until next Wednesday. I won't hate.

For those who love the notion of being in love, and adore reading YA -- you are in the right place!!

Check out all That's YAmore Blogfest participants to remember the joy (and pain) of falling in love for the first time.

The following is an excerpt from near the end of my YA WIP. Quick scenario, girl loves boy and knows boy cares about her, but he's never used the "L" word. Not that it matters because they're expecting the story conflict to rip them apart very soon...

Without meaning to, Jackson had taught me those things. When he was gone, my heart would need a tremendous amount of recovery time. But when I was ready to love again, I’d know better than to settle for anything less than what I deserved. That was his gift to me.

“If I had the chance to go back and do it all over again, I wouldn’t change anything,” I said.

His look of relief made me sad. It stung that he’d ever doubted me. I turned around and settled back against his chest. It wasn’t his fault I’d fallen in love with him when he warned me not to. He couldn’t possibly understand how I felt.

“I love you, Reese.”

I froze. His words were so soft I wondered if it wasn’t a trick of the wind.

“What did you say?” I held my breath.

Jackson rested his forehead on my shoulder, shielding his face. “I said . . . I love you.”

The weirdest feeling exploded through my chest, spreading out from the center in waves. Until they were spoken, I didn’t realize how badly I needed to hear those words. A bittersweet pang thumped with each beat of my heart.

He turned his head, skimming the hollow of my shoulder with his lips. Warm breath preceded the brush of his kiss against my neck, setting off shivers of pleasure as he whispered in my ear. “I love you.”

Three times. He’d said those wonderful words not once, but three times.

Happy Valentines Day Weekend!!

Would You Rather - Wednesday

2011-02-09T07:00:00.005-05:00

**** If you missed it, don't forget to check out February's Book Club selection****

Alright, I confess, I knew last week's question -- about whether its better to love or be loved -- was going to be a toughie. Personally, I thought I'd been going a little easy on you guys with a few of the previous questions.

Some of you manned up & answered. Some of you gawked & went away speechless. Some of you even, dare I say, grumbled at me.

For what it's worth, I really respect those of you who chose the sadistic tough road of putting yourself through the agony disappointment of loving someone you can never have. I say this as someone who completely understands what it's like and agrees that . . . there is no fecking way in hell I'd voluntarily go down that path!

That's right, I'm hanging out with the "better them than me" crowd. I happen to be just narcissistic enough that I often develop deep affection for people who adore me. So while it may never be a true, all-encompassing, passionate type of love, I could learn to make a comfortable life with someone who worships the ground I walk on.

I'm going easy on you guys this week:

If your life was patterned after a sitcom, would you rather it be. . . ?

A)

I Like Pretty Things

2011-02-07T07:00:00.003-05:00

Before I get into my shortcomings . . . .

If you haven't seen, Rachel Harrie over Rach Writes is hosting a Platform Building Crusade. I love this idea!! It isn't about just following a bunch of people and hoping they follow you back. The crusade is about making a concerted effort to get to know a group of your fellow bloggers. Sometimes, we get so busy with this, we follow people without really getting a chance to know them. This is a great way to strengthen your online network. If you're interested, you should definitely go sign up.

Okay, now on to me:

It's no secret that I have a major weakness for pretty fictional men.

Well, apparently, I'm also easily swayed by beautiful covers too. And the YA crew is kicking it big time in that department.

Recently, I picked up Dark Secrets 1 because I loved this cover.

As you can tell by the layout of my blog, I'm highly susceptible to the colors blue, purple and green when they get swirled together all pretty like.

Then, just today I came across The Iron Fey series that I decided I must have, because the covers are GORGEOUS!!!

And my personal favorite

Does anyone else buy books because they love the cover and hope the story lives up to it? Or am I the only one with this issue?

Forever Endeavor Book Club - Get Your Read On!

2011-02-04T07:00:00.026-05:00

Welcome to the first official Forever Endeavor Online Book Club . . . Meeting?

*waves* Hi, All! Please stop laughing at my elementary school attempt at making a banner. (What can I say? Tech stuff isn't my strong suit.)

My goal with this club is to find books that I feel might appeal to the majority of us, since we have quite varied reading interests -- at least, according to my highly scientific poll. That being said, I was unable to find an adult novel written for teens, that was a literary fantasy historical romantic mystery thriller of women's fiction.

Since the overwhelming results of the voting showed a strong preference for both Young Adult books, and stories that fall under the Fantasy category, it shouldn't come as much surprise that our February selection is a YA Paranormal. And hopefully not something everyone has already read.

So without further ado, I give you . . .

Kaylee Cavanaugh doesn't see dead people, but she senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally.

There are a LOT of really good YA paranormals to choose from. The reason I chose this story is because it steps away from the more prevalent vampire/ werewolf / faery mythology and takes us into one of my personal favorite folklores. The Banshee. (or Bean Sidhe, for the Gaelic amongst us)

Confession: I love most thing Irish, so that helped mold my choice a wee bit too.

It's also the first book in a series. So for those who enjoy going on an extended journey with their fictional friends, there appears to be much more where this came from.

To help everyone out, if you need to order and don't have a local bookstore (indie or chain) nearby. . . here are some links.

For the e-reader crew

Nook

Kindle

Sony / Kobo

For the paperback crew

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Borders

**** How long do we have to read?? The discussion post for My Soul To Take will be posted on Friday, February 25th and will be open throughout that weekend ****

Hopefully, this is a selection that others are looking forward to reading as much as I am!

If it's not your cup of tea, that's cool. There'll be a different selection next month, no worries.

If you've already read it . . . Congrats! You get a freebie month to read whatever you want, but please come back to join in the discussion.

To everyone else: Let's Get Our Read On!!

Would You Rather - Wednesday

2011-02-02T07:00:00.009-05:00

According to last week's results, the majority of you would prefer to live one long, continuous lifetime rather than have to venture through high school more than once (even if you couldn't remember you'd already been through it before).

As for me, I'm definitely a let-me-live-forever type. Not to upset anyone's religious beliefs, but I kinda suspect we do the second one already.

On to this week -- I'm reading some darker stories at the moment, which prompted this week's question. If heartache were on the horizon:

Would you rather . . . . ?

A) Love someone with all your heart, knowing they can never be yours

or

B) Be loved by someone with all of their heart, knowing you'll never feel the same

******

Don't forget to check in on Friday, when I announce the first selection in our Online Book Club. I'm super excited about this. No lie. Call me a dork if you want, I don't care!!

You Are What You Read

2011-01-31T07:00:00.004-05:00

Okay, maybe that isn't entirely true. I'm fairly sure I'm not a vampire, FBI Agent, ghost hunter, Sidhe-seer or Anne Boleyn.

Although, being any one of those things would be wicked cool . . . except for maybe Anne Boleyn. Definitely not a Happily Ever After for that one.

I guess as you can see, I have a tendency to be a little over the map when it comes to my reading (though I will give a definitive edge to paranormal/urban fantasy), but I prefer it that way. I know some people, however, are diehards for one genre and one genre only.

Personally, I think the more widely you read, the better you can round out and strengthen your writing within your genre. For instance, I'm totally digging romantic suspense these days. And if it's romantic suspense with a fantasy element to it. Sign. Me. Up.

Those sub-genres had to get started somewhere, right?

But I can also see how, for some, it can be hard to pull yourself away from what you enjoy most to give others a try.

So, I'm curious to get an idea for what kind of reader you are. Do you like a little of everything? Do you like to stick to one (maybe two) genre only? Do you not typically read at all? (Promise I won't holler at you, but I may give some gentle nudging on this last one).

Anyway, after you leave your thoughts here, please swing over to the left and answer the poll. It'll help guide me when I select a story for February's Forever Endeavor Online Book Club selection.

Seriously, so glad you guys like the idea, and I can't wait to get it started. Yay for "low pressure" book clubs! :D

Confession: I'm totally not feeling Monday right now . . .

The Forever Endeavor Online Book Club

2011-01-28T07:00:00.005-05:00

Confession time: I've been wanting to join a bookclub for a while now, but my schedule can be a bit sketchy. I can't always promise I can make it on a set night to the local B&N (or Starbucks . . . or library . . . or, well, you get the point)

So, I'm thinking about creating one online. I mean, what the heck good is it to have a blog if you can't use it for something you enjoy, right?

I'm still working out the details in my head (scary thought, I know), but I think the way it would work is this. . . .

On the first Friday of every month, I'll choose a book for that month's selection (I'll always be open to suggestions, since the dictatorship thing isn't really my gig) Then anyone who's interested in participating for that month can leave a comment and join in.

On the final Friday of every month I'll create a post where those who chose to participate can chime in with their thoughts. Just like in a real bookclub -- only behind the flexibility of our computer lives.

But the best part is --unlike with real bookclubs -- with this one you can join in and drop out depending on whether you feel like reading the selected book for any particular month. If you don't like the genre, you can just skip that month. You like the next one, you can drop right back in.

(The only thing I'd ask is if you say you're going to read the book, please try to remember to read it and join in the discussion).

So what do you all think? Good idea? Bad idea? Anyone have any suggestions on the first genre they'd like the club to focus on?

Would You Rather - Wednesday

2011-01-26T07:00:00.026-05:00

Last week's question pitted being able to overhear any conversation vs. having the ability to take back anything you say. Not surprisingly, the comments were split evenly down the middle. Either choice, in and of itself, could prove to be a great attribute, or the start down the road to madness.

Personally, I think I'd go with the ability to overhear any conversation, because sometimes I suffer strong bouts of paranoia. It would be nice to know that more than half the time I really am just . . . paranoid. As for the rest of the time, well, at least then I'd know who to hate. ;o)

Now moving on to this week.

If you were immortal, would you rather . . . .?

A) Live one, long continuous lifetime (eternal)

or

B) Live several shorter lifetimes, with no memory of the previous one (reincarnated)

Today is Wednesday, which means, if you are so inclined you should swing by Shannon McMahon's blog and help a fellow writer with their Anonymous Critique.

I'm Not HERE, I'm THERE

2011-01-25T08:30:00.000-05:00

Okay, I'm taking a quick break from my Tuesday radio silence (seriously, it's the first week of my M/W/F routine, there were bound to be some bumps) to beam proudly, because I'm featured in my first ever guest blog!!

Chris Phillips is allowing me to take over his blog today for his Music to Make Write To weekly feature. So, if you have even the slightest curiousity as to the top three songs I listen to when I write, hop on over to his blog and check it out.

Oh, and as promised.

The Last Sacrifice Contest winner is . . . .

Janet Johnson -- Congrats to Janet!!!

Okay, my work is done here. Feel free to go on about your lives. Thanks for giving me five minutes of it. :D

Taking A Day Off

2011-01-24T08:22:00.001-05:00

So, I was thinking about shifting into a M/W/F blog routine. I mean, let's face it, as entertaining as I like to believe I am, even I have issues sometimes trying to come up with meaningful (really, they're just entertaining) posts five days a week.

And those extra two days of not-blogging would give me time to get around to more of those of you I don't get to see on a regular basis. Sounds like a great plan, right?

It was, until I muffed on coming up with a blog post today.

Seriously? My first Monday on my new Monday/Wednesday/Friday plan and I screwed it up already?! (In my defense I had a very busy weekend. For a great reason, but busy nonetheless)

Luckily, I think quick on my feet. So, I've declared today as my "I'm Taking a Day Off" day.

This is my first chance to start catching up with those of you I've neglected. If I haven't hit you up already, I promise anyone who leaves a comment here (especially if it's something along the lines of "It's okay, Tracy, we love you no matter what") will DEFINITELY steer me over to your blog and I promise to come up with some sort of witty quip when I leave my comment. :D

Oh, also, if you're a new follower and I haven't stopped by to reciprocate (I'm big on reciprication...mostly because it's a fun word to say) don't be shy about letting me know.

Alright, so I'm off to enjoy my "day off".

Happy Monday, All!

PS -- Since I was too busy last night to work on it, I promise I'll draw a winner for my Last Sacrifice giveaway, this evening.

Help Wanted: Writing Conventions & Group Associations

2011-01-21T08:06:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday, All!!

First: There are only a few days left to enter to win an autographed copy of LAST SACRIFICE by Richelle Mead. (Yes, it's Richelle's autograph, not mine)

Second: While I swore I was going to wait a month or two before partaking in another blogfest . . . that was before I came across the That's YAmore Blogfest. If you love YA and you love love, this looks to be a blogfest you don't want to miss!

Okay, now onto today's post. I don't have anything insightful to say. In fact, I'm hoping YOU all can help enlighten me a little.

As of this moment, I have joined no writer's associations (RWA, SCBWI, MWA, etc.), nor have I been to any conferences. Believe it or not, I want to. I just don't know where to even begin delving into this world. Where does a writer who adores anything paranormal, but also strongly focuses on the love aspect, and enjoys writing both adult and YA works, join in?

I'm curious to hear what groups you're a part of and/or what conventions you've been to. Any thoughts you want to share and try to sell me into one of them is greatly appreciated.

I'm in a great mood today, so I'm going to keep this short.

Have a great weekend, everyone!!

Snooki is an NYT Bestseller?!?

2011-01-20T08:17:00.004-05:00

Some of you may or may not have heard that Snooki, of the Jersey Shore fame, has landed on the NYT Bestsellers List.

I've heard both sides of the argument.

There are many people who are disgusted & disappointed that someone who didn't even WRITE her book could wind up on one of our coveted lists. It's difficult, especially for those of us still struggling to find an agent or have an editor purchase a submission, to see someone who hasn't gone through the brimstone fires of publishing hell wind up with a book that (for whatever reason) the public is buying in large numbers.

Then there are others, like Kiersten White, who urge us to realize it's actually a good thing. Does this mean Kiersten thinks Snooki is deserving of her book deal? I doubt it. Her point is, a book like Snooki's makes money for the publishing house. And money for a publishing company means they have the capital to pay for young and unknown authors, etc. Which, is a very valid point.

There's a good chance the people flocking to buy Snooki's book aren't likely to be the same ones who'll run out to buy yours and mine when they hit the shelves. BUT if their money is going to help fund the kickstart of mine or a fellow writer's publishing career, should I scoff at it? These aren't blood diamonds, people.

Me, I'm sort of in the middle. I don't mind celebrities getting book deals.

I don't mind them using ghost writers, because they don't have the time or inclination to learn the craft of writing a book for themselves.

I'm not gonna lie and say I've never bought those "useless" books myself. In fact, I was ALL about reading the inside scoop on what happened in the Real World Hawaii!

And when I was a teen, there was not a book written about New Kids on the Block that I didn't blow my allowance on.

I think for me, my problem isn't another celebrity having a book that has gone on to be a huge success simply because of the person who wrote it.

My problem is, this person is Snooki.

Seriously? ALL the celebrities we have in this world . . . ones who actually make music, movies, television, radio, run the country, etc, etc, etc . . . and we get Snooki?!? That disappoints me more than anything else, I think.

Just wondering how you all feel. Mad? Glad? Indignant? Indifferent?

Would You Rather - Wednesday

2011-01-19T07:00:00.001-05:00

Last week's question still leaned heavily in favor of being smart.

During the last two weeks, you all have also shown me how incredibly shallow I am. I passed on being smart, not once but twice. So I'd rather be popular & highly attractive, sue me! I've been smart my whole life, I want to see how the other half lives. ;o)

Now on to this week.

Would you rather . . . ?

A) Be able to overhear any conversation

or

B) Have the ability to take back anything you say

LOL Cats : A Writer's Journey

2011-01-17T07:00:00.134-05:00

Warning: If you don't get, or like, the humor in LOL Cats, this probably isn't the post for you.

(Note: All pictures were found on google search and can be located on various websites, such as ICanHasCheezburger.com)

Iz always known being a writur wud be hardz . . .

We writurz has good imaginashuns . . .

But we also has teh ADHD . . .

When I gotz oldur, I lookz for job in writing. . .

And gotz a job in teh bookstorez . . .

Den teh plot bunnies strikez . . .

I tryz to write, but teh computer it breaks . . .

Iz says I'm gunna fixes it, but Iz getz distractud . . .

Iz fixes computer, dog says . . .

Iz knoe wut I'm doing, dog says . . .

Stoopid dog, I shud killz him dead. . .

Den Iz brainstorm teh story idea. Vampirez is teh latest craze . . .

As Iz writes teh story, bad habitz formz . . .

When Iz finushed my first draft, Iz send out mah queries . . .

Den teh identity crisis hitz . . .

Iz a cat? . . .

Iz a dog? . . .

Iz a panda? . . .

Iz don't knoe who Iz is anymorz . . .

Den teh ilushins startz . . .

Getz out there, dog says. . .

Meet teh litterarie ashents, dog says . . .

Dog not says some litterarie ashents r shady . . .

Den Iz decide to make ummends to famly for nuglecting dems. . .

Woo! I gotz a litterarie ashent . . .

Now they wantz sum changes . . .

Yay! Mah book getz published . . .

Soon, Iz will hit teh bestsullers listz . . .

And Iz will be biggur den J.K. Meowling . . .

***********

Quick thanks to everyone who stopped by for the blogfest this weekend! For those of you I didn't get around to, I promise to try to make it by today.

To everyone else. Happy Monday!

Show vs. Tell Blogfest Entry

2011-01-15T00:00:00.073-05:00

For those of you who aren't familiar with the blogfest here's the general gist: Participants choose from a list of pictures & create two brief - or in my case very brief - versions of the same scene. In one you SHOW what's going on and in the other you TELL. The idea being, no matter how good your TELL is, SHOW will always be better (just like in our own manuscripts. Get it?)

So here's my TELL version

There was venom in the princess' eyes as she forbade the knight to come one-step closer to the ailing dragon. He was beyond stunned that she viewed him as a villain and the monster as the victim. While he'd inflicted barely more than scratch on the beast's arm, she glared at him as though he was found guilty of kicking a puppy. Nor was the damned thing helping to further his cause by watching his every move with that frightened gaze.

And here's my SHOW version:

"If you come one step closer, by God, I will breathe fire on you myself."

Her scowl left him with no doubt the princess meant her words. "But . . . but, I was trying to defend you from that monster, Your Highness."

"Monster? Why, he's barely more than a baby." She stopped bandaging the beast's wound long enough to level him with another hard stare. "A baby you attacked like some senseless brute. I swear, you give a man a sword and he'll look for any excuse to use it."

His jaw dropped for a full second before he caught himself. "I am a knight. That is a dragon. I'm supposed to use my sword to protect you from this sort of thing. Besides, I barely scratched him."

"Well then, I suppose it's lucky for him, you're not very good at protecting me." She turned her attention to the skittish dragon beside her and a soothing lilt entered her voice. "There, there, it's all right. I won't let him hurt you anymore, little fellow."

THE END

Okay, so those were my entries. If you liked them, GREAT!

If you didn't, then you should go away because I don't like you very much. (kidding)

Anyhow, if you enjoyed this and are interested in seeing what the other blogfesters have done for their entires, click on the Blogfest banner above. And please stop by Misty's blog on Monday to vote for your favorite.

Hey Baby, What's Your Sign?

2011-01-14T07:00:00.106-05:00

Why hello, Friday, don't you look all shiny and pretty!

This has been a busy week in Tracy World <--- It's a little like Disney World, but without all the rides, parades & abnormally large ducks who don't wear pants. Okay, so maybe it's nothing like Disney World after all.

I'm ashamed to admit that nearly 3 weeks after Christmas, my tree still hasn't been taken down. I refuse to suggest it's due to laziness and choose to blame my busy week instead.

Monday - I announced my very first giveaway/contest. Don't forget to enter for a chance to win a signed copy of Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead!

Tuesday - Got encouraging words of praise from someone currently reading my MS. (Much needed ego boost, since I plan to launch back into the querying process on Monday!! *deep breaths* Here we go, Stina!)

Wednesday - The super cool Colene Murphy came up with a fun new way to approach the surplus of word verifications in blogger land. I've only just recently discovered Colene, but I *heart* her already!

Thursday - Decided to help do my best to give Tony the Tiger a voice and get him freed from his truck stop prison. There should be no place for animal cruelty in this world.

Friday - I've just learned that apparently the Zodiac, as we know it, may be undergoing some changes. WHAT?!? Supposedly the change affects only those born in 2009 or later, but this is still huge news. The sanctity of tried & true pick-up lines is now endangered.

This Weekend - I'm participating in Misty's Show vs. Tell Blogfest. I love Misty like a play-cousin, so I'm really looking forward to her blogfest. The premise is simple and should be a lot of fun . . . not to mention there's a great prize! So if you happen to be around this weekend check it out. Better yet, sign up and join in on the fun!

Alright, let's call it a wrap. Hope everyone has a great weekend!

GO RAVENS!!!

Sometimes the Worst Villains Exist in Real Life

2011-01-13T07:00:00.005-05:00

I normally don't use my blog to champion causes other than writing & the pursuit of publishing happiness.

But today I'm making an exception.

Animal Cruelty, in all its forms, is one of the problems I despise most in this world. Like child abuse, I don't feel there's any excuse for a person to lord their control over another creature who's unable to speak up for themselves.

Sadly, there are a lot of instances we're never made aware of & can do nothing to help fight . . . this is one we can -- and it costs nothing more than a tweet, or a blog post, or a forwarded email.

Tony is a 10 year old tiger who has spent every day of his life stuck in a small cage outside a truck stop in Louisiana.

It's not a wildlife sanctuary.

It's not a zoo.

It's a cage at a truck stop.

Imagine forcing a child to live 10 years of their life in an area no larger than a playpen. All so someone can use them as a sideshow attraction to earn money.

Big Cat Rescue in Tampa has offered to give Tony a home where he can live the second half of his life in peace & quiet. But of course, the owner wants nothing to do with that, because he's too busy exploiting the tiger for his own gain.

Every year or so, he applies for a new permit to keep an exotic wild animal in a public area . . . and inexplicably every year or so, that permit is renewed. It's renewed, because not enough people are aware of what's going on. There hasn't been enough public pressure, fighting for the rights of the one who doesn't have a say in all this.

The reason I'm mentioning this here is because I've seen what this community can do when it puts its mind to it. I've seen it support debut authors to wonderful starting sales. I've seen it rally around sick and hurting members of the community. I've seen it take on unethical magazine editors and shady literary agencies.

I don't expect Tony's cause to become a huge concern plastered on everyone's blogs, but if even a few of you are moved enough by his situation to post about his story or tweet about his website, then Tony's situation is brought to the attention of a few more people than yesterday. And hopefully tomorrow, those people will spread it on to a few more people . . . and so on and so forth.

And maybe one day, Tony will get his freedom.

Maybe one day he'll get to enjoy what it's like to lay in the grass and hear the sounds of other tigers nearby.

Maybe one day, Tony will get to know what it feels like to be a tiger.

Free Tony the Tiger Website

Free Tony the Tiger Twitter Feed

Would You Rather - Wednesday

2011-01-12T07:00:00.039-05:00

There were some pretty good answers to last week's question!!

Matthew wins the award for being the first person to declare he didn't need to decide since he's so obviously BOTH.

And ultimately, my thinking lined up with Chris' -- if I'm not smart enough to know how smart I'm not, I might as well be popular and enjoy it . . . or something like that.

SMART , being the hands down winner last week, is coming back for Round 2:

Would you rather be . . . ?

A) Smart

B) Highly Attractive

(Edit: Don't forget to pop over to Shannon's blog and check out this week's Anonymous Critique)

He's Real to ME!

2011-01-11T06:00:00.008-05:00

I'm not delusional. I know the characters I read about in stories aren't real . . . I just wish they were.

Though it's probably best for the men of the world that they aren't, because the fictional dudes would steal away all the women. Don't believe me? Let me introduce you to a few of my crushes.

Lestat de Lioncourt

(Vampire Chronicles - Anne Rice) Lestat was my first fictional love. True, sometimes he's arrogant, flamboyant, selfish, impulsive, reckless & finds more trouble than inhumanly possible. But at the end of the day, I still love him.

Dimitri Belikov

(Richelle Mead - Vampire Academy) Dimitri isn't my normal type. He's such a good guy. Strong morals, level headed. I never would have thought I'd fall head over heels for him, even if he's ungodly hot. But now, I'd travel into strigoi territory to bring him back too.

Mr. Darcy

(Jane Austen - Pride & Prejudice) Fitzwilliam Darcy had me thinking ... "He's not all that. Come on Lizzy, we could do so much better.... Wait, he did what?!? ... Aw, let's marry him and have his little Darcy babies!!"

Jacob Black

(Stephenie Meyer - Twilight Saga) Jacob, so help me, is the only character -- who isn't a vampire -- who's made me forsake the main hero and wanting to rewrite the ending. Every time he uttered his trademark "Sure, sure" I melted a little. Fiercely loyal. A bit of a hothead. Determined. His amazing abs had absolutely nothing to do with winning my devotion -- though they didn't hurt any.

What about you? Any long-standing crushes on men who may not be "real", but they're real to you?

Last Sacrifice Contest

2011-01-10T06:00:00.001-05:00

Want a signed copy of LAST SACRIFICE by Richelle Mead?

The final installment in the Vampire Academy series has been perched atop the bestsellers lists since its release on December 7th, and for good reason. It more than lives up to the expectations fans have come to expect from the award-winning series.

Thanks to Richelle Mead's generous signing policy, I not only have my own personal copy... I snagged one to giveaway to one lucky winner as well!

I'm not particularly big on contest rules, so there's only a few for entering mine -- (which runs through January 23rd):

1) Follow my blog. (Old. New. Writer. Reader. Retired Elvis Impersonator...all are welcome to join)

2) Leave me a comment in this post and share with me the name of your favorite book, movie or TV show with a supernatural element to it. (There's no real reason for this, other than I'm nosey & always looking for new paranormal material to check out. So, if you don't have one, I won't hold it against you.)

That's it! That's all you gotta do. The winner will be announced on Monday, January 24th.

Please note: If you refer someone to the contest, make sure they know to mention your name in their comment/entry and I'll add an additional entry in your name for each referral.

Good Luck!!!

Let's Hear it for The Boys

2011-01-07T06:00:00.002-05:00

I was up late last night, so this morning I had to come up with something quick and easy for the blog.

When you need quick and easy, you often think of . . . well, MEN.

I'm kidding. (Not really)

So, I decided to highlight a few blogs belonging to those who possess a "Y" chromosome. We XX typically seem to outnumber them in the fiction blogging world...but they put up a valiant fight nonetheless. For that, the guys deserve a little recognition.

Slushpile Savant - Chris is a trip! You never know exactly what you're going to get from him, but there's a damn good chance it's going to make you laugh. Plus, he has these cool polls, where you can voice your opinion on the things that truly matter. Like, what terrible fate you wouldn't mind seeing befall Justin Bieber.

A Writer of Wrongs - Terry is one, of only two fellow bloggers, I've met in real life. He's brutally honest with his thoughts and always there to give you a little lift when you need it (even if he doesn't always ask for one in return). And I -- being the long suffering Orioles fan -- have found a baseball soulmate in Terry, who roots for the Cubs.

Karsten Knight - I discovered Karsten's blog a few weeks back, and he's another one guaranteed to make you laugh with his quirky outlook. What makes Karsten unique is that he doesn't blog. He vlogs. Highly entertaining stuff and well worth the watch!

The QQQE - Matthew is well known for starting a blog in which he bravely bared his newbie query letters. You know, the ones we all sent way back when. Before we had a clue what we were in for. But his posts have evolved into a lot more. I believe Matt is one of the few bloggers out there, who spends more time talking about and promoting others than he does himself.

There are more who deserved to be mentioned, but I have to cut the post off at some point or it defeats the whole "quick and easy" deal. So, go show the boys some love . . . but let's keep it decent, y'all.

Happy Friday!

Oh Crap! Now, I READ Like a Writer Too

2011-01-06T06:00:00.032-05:00

There was a time when I'd hear some actor mumble "I can't watch movies the same way, now that I'm in them" and thought that sounded awfully short-sighted and snobberish. ( <-- It's a word in my world).

Except, now I kinda get what they're saying.

I've been a reader my entire life. But I've only been a reader who's serious about becoming a published author for a little over a year.

I've begun noticing more and more, my opinion of what I consider to be a good book is increasingly altered by the things I'm learning about writing.

With the lone exception of the Twilight Series (which breaks just about every rule of what you should not do), bad writing kills more books for me now than it did two or three years ago. And it's not just stilted or garbled sentences and dialogue that does it.

I'm far less forgiving of weak plots, cliched characters, lack of proper motivation, etc. I get annoyed by numerous things I rarely, if ever, noticed before.

Prime Example: ELIXIR by Hilary Duff.

I was so excited to read that book because of my long-standing girl crush on Miss Hilary. The premise sounded intriguing, especially considering the concept of soulmates & reincarnation is a big theme in my own stories.

At first, I was minorly irritated at how long it took the story to actually START. And when it finally got rolling, the darn thing blasted through a hodge-podge of plot bunnies that felt like something out of a beginner's "How to NaNoWriMo" guide.

But the worse part? The story ended without really ENDING.

Nothing was wrapped up!!

Now, I love reading series. Enjoy writing them too. And it's expected to end on some sort of cliff hanger that leaves readers feeling unsettled. But something has to be resolved. It's a book, not a mini-series for Pete's sake.

Sorry, didn't mean to turn this into a review post.

Point is: once upon a time I might have been fine with a book like Elixir. Now, especially after everything I've learned, it takes a lot more to win my approval . . . and more importantly, my word-of-mouth recommendation to fellow readers.

How about you all? Do you find yourself becoming a more finicky reader than you used to be or can you flip the switch on/off?

Would You Rather - Wednesday

2011-01-05T06:00:00.000-05:00

Short and sweet today, Folks. And I'm gonna hold my answer for a bit. Want to see what everyone else has to say before I throw in my two cents.

Would you rather be . . . ?

A) smart

OR

B) popular

Hoarders

2011-01-04T06:00:00.002-05:00

So, yeah, I watch "Hoarders" on A&E. It's a great way to give yourself a little extra incentive to do some spring (or fall) cleaning when you're not really geeked about it.

I mean, how can you look at this and not want to just do a quick vacuum job in the living room?

I was trying to come up with a post topic and the show just happened to come on. I thought there was no way I could link "Hoarders" to writing. . . but I did.

Bear with me, it makes sense, I swear.

The sickness of hoarding is where a person falls into the trap of not being able to let go of anything they own. It doesn't matter if it's broken, no good, out of date, or rotting. They're convinced it's worth something. They're positive they may need it at some point in the future and therefore they refuse to part with it. The end results are usually nice houses that are trashed into oblivion by the junk kept inside.

The moral of this story is NOT to let this happen to your manuscript!

Sometimes we fall into the trap of not being able to properly edit our own stories because we're reluctant to throw away a single word we've written. If you've got a large word count and people are telling you it needs to be cut -- trust me, you can cut it.

Don't. Be. A. Word. Hoarder!!

Here's a terrific post I stumbled across when I was seriously editing my ms about to go to querying (for real this time) and it helped me recognize a lot of my own word hoarding. If you're looking for a way to tighten your writing even more give it a look-see.

Being a Word Hoarder is nothing to be ashamed of. Not doing something about it, is. Don't let your story end up looking like this.

This has been my public service announcement for the week.

So THIS is What 2011 Looks Like

2011-01-03T06:00:00.000-05:00

The first Monday of the New Year . . . poor day must feel like the redheaded stepchild of the calendar year. I'm certain there is no Monday more despised. Let's all try to be a little kinder to it with that in mind, K?

For the first post back, I've decided to stay away from talking about my "New Years Readjustments" (I refuse to call them resolutions), because I figure there's a good chance there's going to be a ton of them today.

I'm choosing to be daring and go against the flow.

That and well . . . I haven't actually written any down, so I'm not 100% sure what mine are just yet.

I do want to try to be more honest this year. So I have to admit I didn't get around to everyone who participated in the holiday blogfest. Not enough hours in the day. :o(

However, I did discover a gaggle of cool blogs in my attempt to do so. And I've managed to break into triple digits on the follower count myself. Yay!

Hi, Everyone!

Okay, so I'm not going to make this a long post. My January plate is already full -- with beta reading, first draft revisions to get underway, and a manuscript to begin querying with my newly polished query letter. Booyah!

My guess is I'm not the only one facing a hectic month, so let's get it started off the right way.

Here's to wishing us all the best of luck in whatever adventures we choose to undertake in 2011!!

It's okay if you don't wish me luck back, I promise I won't remove myself from your followers list. But I WILL stick my tongue out at your picture when I see it (see, I'm doing good with this honesty thing! Last year I wouldn't have admitted that)

Feliz Navidad -- I'm Outtie, Yo!

2010-12-23T06:22:00.001-05:00

Alright you guys, I'm done blogging until the first Monday of the new year -- though I'll likely be lurking for the rest of the week (still have more of the Be Jolly blogfesters to get around to!)

In case I don't get around to you sometime in the next couple of days (and you haven't already hit the eggnog a little heavy yourself) I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season and a happy, happy new year. I know for some of you this is a difficult time, and I truly hope you're able to find some strength and good times even through the bad stuff!

As for me, I'm going to eat lots of food, read lots of books and send Santa Claus a reminder text message about my Christmas Wish List.

I'm really hoping he leaves me one of these under my tree.

That way, maybe in a few years time I can have my very own one of these.

But if that isn't possible at this time, I'm more than willing to settle for one of these.

Until next year, folks!!