Welcome to My Guest Author: Natalie Charles

Today I welcome Author  Natalie Charles to my blog!   So over to Natalie...

Writer's Block: Writing the Book I Never Thought I'd Write

I remember it was mid-July, 2012. I'd just sent off the rewrite of my April release, THE SEVEN-DAY TARGET, to my editor, and I was more than ready to move on to something new. After all, I'd written THE SEVEN-DAY TARGET twice: once, for the Mills & Boon Introduces anthology, and then again for Harlequin Romantic Suspense. I loved Nick and Libby, but after spending nine months with them, imagining and then re-imagining their story, I was done. So, I practically popped the champagne as I settled onto my favorite writing couch and fired up the laptop.

That was the first time I realized it: my screen was blank. I had no names for my characters, no concept for my story, and no words on my page. I was finally free to write something new, and that freedom was utterly paralyzing.

It was writer's block on a level I'd never experienced. I wasn't just a soon-to-be published writer. I'd achieved publication by winning a writing competition, and that somehow increased the pressure. I was gripped by fears that I had only one book in me, that I'd never write again, and that if I did, I'd never live up to myself as a competition winner. I was almost too terrified to verbalize this fear. To write one book and then to never finish anything again…no. That would not be me! I would write something.

And so I wrote something, and it was awful. I deleted it. Then I wrote something else, and that was awful, too. I kept writing and deleting, tweaking the vague outline I had in my mind. I estimate I wrote 50 to 60k until I finally found a first chapter that wasn't perfect, but good enough to get my book started.

The difficulty I had writing my second book illustrates the fears I've had since winning Mills & Boon's 2011 New Voices. I'd gone overnight from writing for myself to writing for a publisher and an audience with expectations. Suddenly everything had changed, and that terrified me. Severe writer's block was the result.

So how did I finally move past my writer's block? It didn't happen until I took the pressure to publish again off myself. Once I decided that I didn't care if anyone ever read my next book, those words began to flow. I was writing for myself again, getting lost in my characters and swept away by the love story I was slowly, but surely, crafting. I fell in love with my characters and eventually finished the book. The book I never thought I'd write.

I'm constantly learning this craft, and I've finally come to understand that writer's block is fear -- pure, paralyzing terror -- but nothing more than that. It's not a reflection of ability or potential, and it can be overcome when we identify our fears and face them head-on. My new mantra is to write like no one's reading.

What are your best tips for overcoming writer's block?

Bio: Natalie Charles

Natalie Charles is living her dream as a writer for Harlequin Romantic Suspense after winning Mills & Boon’s 2011 New Voices Competition. By day, she is a practicing attorney whose writing is more effective for treating insomnia than most sleeping pills. This may explain why her after hours writing involves the incomparable combination of romance and suspense—the literary equivalent of chocolate and peanut butter. The happy sufferer of a life-long addiction to mystery novels, Natalie has, sadly, yet to out-sleuth a detective. She lives in New England with a husband who makes her believe in Happily Ever After and a daughter who makes her believe in miracles.

Natalie loves hearing from readers! You can contact her through her website




Natalie on the Web:

Website
Facebook
Twitter


Blurb - The Seven Day Target

He never meant to speak to her again. Back in Arbor Falls for a funeral, Special Agent Nick Foster has moved on. 

He has no plans to stay in his tiny hometown-or to reunite with the beautiful Libby Andrews. His onetime fiancée broke his heart, and what's past should stay buried.

Libby doesn't want his help. Her childhood sweetheart can never know the real reason she ended their engagement three years before. But when a serial killer targets her, she must team up with the rugged agent for her own safety. Something in her past has put her in danger, and the passion they've reignited puts their future in deadly jeopardy.

Buy Links:

Barnes & Noble
Powell's Books
Indie Bound
Amazon

Welcome to My Guest Author: Carla Caruso

Today I welcome Author  Carla Caruso to my blog!  

Carla is giving away an Amazon Kindle copy of Second Chance to one lucky commenter!  So over to Carla...

 

First vs. third-person POV

I recently made the switch from writing in the point of view (POV) of first-person to third-person. It was difficult for me to do as first-person is something I have written in since a teen when merely dreaming about being a novelist! The last time I did something that even looked like third-person was way back in primary school.

A lot of my favourite chick-lit authors (hello Sophie Kinsella) also write in first-person, so it’s something my brain is used to seeing.

However, first-person seems to be something that is going slightly out of favour as happens with book trends (unless you’re E.L. James or Stephenie Meyer, of course). And the term, chick-lit, is definitely so last century, seeming to have a nineties/Bridget Jones whiff about it…

Some of my other fave authors, like Maggie Alderson and Zoe Foster, have also recently gone to the other side too, now writing in third-person. So I thought it was high time I gave it a go, seeing it seems to be what readers prefer.

At first, I found it really, really difficult to make the switch. Everything I typed came out sounding clunky and I had to revise each scene half a million times. It felt extremely tough to get inside a character’s head without being able to write their every thought and reaction.

I wrote that first manuscript in third-person – it sucked – and then I attempted a second. Suddenly, something clicked. I actually began to ENJOY writing from this new perspective – so long as it was deep POV, and thus, not far a stretch from first-person. Plus, I now relished also being able to write from the viewpoint of the hero.

Being a chick-lit devotee, I’ve always been inclined to keep Mr Silent Brooding Type more mysterious rather than getting inside his head. But now I’m loving being able to go between scenes in the eyes of the heroine and her love interest.

In another change, I also swapped from present tense to past. Whew!...

So, now what the fun is going to be? It’s seeing whether I can swap back to writing in first-person and present tense for a sequel to Cityglitter (another book of mine), so that it looks consistent. Wish me luck! I’ll need it.

Hugs,

Carla

Bio: Carla Caruso

Carla Caruso was born in Adelaide, grew up amid a boisterous extended Italian family – yet somehow managed to become a bookworm...

Carla always wanted to be a novelist, annoying the kindergarten teachers by dictating long, detailed stories to them. It just took her a while to realise her childhood dream - journalism seemed a more practical course. Her media career has included stints as a newspaper and magazine journalist, government PR and fashion stylist. These days, she works as a freelance journalist and copywriter. She began seriously writing fiction three years ago when she went freelance full-time.

The romance genre appeals as she is a sucker for rom-coms (especially if Channing Tatum is in the mix) and likes to think her Italian ancestry means she lives with passion. Hobbies include watching trashy TV shows, fashion (her mum named her after Carla Zampatti!), astrology and running. She lives in Adelaide.

Carla Around The Web:

Website

Author Page

Twitter

 

Blurb: Second Chance

On the night of her 36th birthday, Flora Brunelli is full of regrets. The celebrations have turned sour 

and life hasn’t gone according to plan. Then she finds herself zapped back in time, landing in the summer of 1998 when she was 20 years old. The Spice Girls are at the top of the charts and The X-Files is the hit TV show. It’s also the week Flora’s life unravelled.

For Flora, this is a chance to change her future: win back the love of her life, stay friends with her former best mate and succeed in landing her dream job. It should be easy. But her ex’s best friend, Lance Devic, who she never really noticed before, keeps popping up and messing with her head. And after a while Flora begins to wonder if living in the past really will deliver her the happiness she seeks?

www.destinyromance.com

Buy Links:
Amazon
ITunes
Google Play
Kobo





 

Welcome to My Guest Author: Kamy Chetty

Today I welcome Author Kamy Chetty to my blog!   So over to Kamy...

 

Using Deep POV to step out of the Slush Pile

As a writer we get told a whole bunch of things that we have to stay true to, if we want to catch that editor’s/agent’s attention and not have to get picked up off the slush pile. Don’t get me wrong, many great writers have been picked up off that slush pile but we both know that it’s getting harder to get noticed.

Not too much back story or you slow the pace; your characters need to be believable; your reader needs to be invested in the story. You have to get the reader to have that emotional journey, and the most important one of them all, show, don’t tell. It’s impossible to remember all of this when you’re writing your story and to be honest, if you did, you’d drive yourself nuts and never get past page five. You’re sitting there thinking, this still isn’t telling me anything about deep POV, so here goes, I’m going to show you an e.g of how I used deep POV in getting published.

I wrote Falling into Paradise in three weeks but it took me a lot longer than that to edit the book. I couldn’t have done it without my wonderful editor, but there were a lot of things I learnt that helped. The concept of layering opened new doors to me and my writing started making sense which resulted in a stronger book.

Deep point of view is when you go into the character’s head and start writing from their POV, instead of the narrative. You might say what are the benefits? Think of it this way. By going into deep POV you can start writing actively and you can show things your character sees and does and that added layer gives your reader the key to your book and the characters.

E.g. when you meet Sophie you see a woman who dresses up in expensive suits with a flashy car, so you think rich doctor from a cultured background.

‘She looked down and wanted to say she felt more like the prostitute from down the road where she lived as a child than Catwoman, but it didn't seem appropriate to share that much information with a man she barely knew.’

Now that little thought Sophie shares with us tells us she didn’t grow up with a silver spoon stuck to her palate and that is a very important thread in the story. I could have used a few paragraphs to imply the same thing but saying that she grew up around a prostitute has a lot more punch and power than anything I as a writer could have narrated.

The other thing deep POV can do is give your book sass. Throughout the book I use deep POV to deepen the characters and their motivations and make it all real. It heightens the tension and makes the story flow.

I can go on about deep POV if you let me but I’d rather you ask questions and I am happy to answer them as best I can. Thanks for having me, it has been a real pleasure being here and I would be happy to answer any questions you might have about the book or about being a newly published author.

Cheers

Kamy

Kamy Chetty Around the Web:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Author Page

 

 

 

 Blurb - Falling Into Paradise:

A woman too afraid to commit. A man too hurt to love again. A passion that refuses to be denied.

Sophie Redmond knew betrayal, she knew mistrust. She knew everything that was wrong with the world, until Damon Watson charmed his way into her life.

The rules she used to shield her heart were broken one by one, as Damon showed her compassion and kindness. When no one else believes in her, he shows her hope. But is hope ever enough?

Damon knew trouble when he saw it. He was the sheriff. He could spot it a mile away and Sophie was trouble with a capital T. What was it about this City Slicker doctor that made him want to forget everything but those whiskey brown eyes and that honey blonde hair spilled against his naked chest.

Can Damon put the past behind him and choose to love again?

Buy Links:

Red Sage

Amazon

Amazon UK

B & N

 

 

 

 

Welcome to My Guest Author: Suzanna Ross

Today I welcome Author Suzanna Ross to my blog!  

Suzanna is giving away to one lucky commenter a copy of her previous release Trust In Me or a copy of her Short Story Book.  So over to Suzanna...

The Magic of Writing Friends

I’ve been trying to establish a writing career for a long time. Such a long time that I wrote in

the days before word processors – and in the days before the Internet. And I wrote when there
were no writing groups geographically close enough to join.

It was a very lonely and scary place to be.

In those dark days of being alone with my writing, my sales successes were limited: A

handful of short stories. An article and filler or two. Obviously, each hit was to be celebrated,
but they were very few and far between. Besides, even when I did make a rare sale, who was
there to tell? My family and non-writing friends didn’t understand.

Then I found the online writing community. And I did nothing but read writing blogs and

online forums for weeks. It seemed Christmas had arrived with the discovery of the like-
minded members of these groups.

My first tentative steps into blogging were ignored. But, gradually, I gained the confidence

to comment on others’ blog posts – and those comments were returned. Friendships were
formed. Eventually, these friendships developed into invitations to join private groups.

And my hit rate exploded.

Yes, I do think my writing has improved in that time – but that can be attributed to my

friendships with other writers, too. Because these friendships – some involving critiquing and
being critiqued – have increased my confidence in my abilities. And increased confidence can
only result in better writing.

I’m no longer in that scary, lonely, place. Now I have people I can tell when I make a sale.

People who are pleased for me – and who share their own successes, too.

The writing community – real or virtual – is a great thing to be a part of.

Above all, the generosity of writing friends is endless. They’ll spend time reading my work

and tell me straight if the story isn’t working. They’ll help me to find solutions to problems
that I might not see a way out of. They’ll talk about my characters as though they’re real
people. They cheer me on when I’m feeling down and talk me out of it when I’m ready to
give it all up. And, they’ll share contact details, submission guidelines – and shout if they
notice something they think might benefit my career.

Most of all, they cheer loudest of all when I place a piece of writing. At last, someone to tell

who actually cares.

Even if I haven’t met most of them in real life, these are real friends. People I turn to first

when thing go wrong – in my writing or in my real life.

And they’ve made a world of difference.

Honestly, the single best thing I’ve done for my writing is to make friends with other writers.

Thank you so much for inviting me onto your blog today. And for the opportunity to write
this post – because it’s made me realise just how lucky I am.

Suzanna on the Web:

Website/Blog
Facebook
Twitter
Amazon
Goodreads





Blurb - Hidden Heartache:

Dr Emma Bradshaw’s life is disrupted when Nick Rudd arrives back in town to take up a post at the GP practice where Emma works. The bad boy attitude is still very much in evidence, but Nick is a doctor now – against the odds – and Emma’s forced to work closely with him. Not so easy to ignore the love of your life when you have to see him on a daily basis. And Nick’s getting perilously close to breaking down the barriers Emma’s built to protect herself from the tragedy in her past.

Nick thought, as a doctor, it would be easy to command respect from the residents of his hometown – and most are pleased to see how well he’s done. But, the one person he wants to impress remains unmoved. Emma is keeping her distance. And she’s changed – the fun loving girl he knew has gone. She’s hiding something big, he’s sure, but she’s not telling. He can’t blame her – he knows he let her down badly in the past. But now he’ll do anything to rekindle the trust and love she once showed him.

Buy Links:

Amazon

Amazon UK

 

Welcome to My Guest Author: Juanita Kees

Today I welcome Author Juantia Kees to my blog!   So over to Juanita...

Do you Love your Characters?

Building a story is like building a house. I discussed this topic in a post about Writing from the Heart on Rachael John’s blog last year. Heart and a good foundation is what helps you and your characters build a riveting story that will engage the reader from start to finish. Add to the mix the walls to make the story strong, and windows to peek into the heads and the hearts of your hero and heroine. The roof is the finishing touch to protect your investment and the people you care about most…your characters.  But their journey doesn’t end there, it’s only the beginning.

I went on to discuss the welcoming party in Write a Book, Bake a Cake which takes a look at the importance of editing your manuscript for submission. Writing is only a part of the incredible learning journey to publication. The more you write, the more confident you become. Research, critique partners, writing groups, contests and workshops all play a big part in helping you hone your craft.  Think of these as the ingredients for a fluffy chocolate cake batter. Leave any of the ingredients out and the consistency of your batter could let you down.

But what about the most important part of all in the story—the people? Who are they? What are they like? Are they heroes and heroines readers will love? Imagine a good, solid house with strong walls and a new roof, pretty gardens and rolling lawns, but the rooms are empty. Void of life, love and laughter. What brings life to the house? Is it the furniture, the paint on the walls, the shiny appliances in the kitchen? Absolutely not! What brings life to the house is the characters.

Readers read to find magic in a story, an element of happiness, hope and escape from the dramas of the real world. By building good, solid characters you can help them find that escape. I recently read a book where the heroine’s daughter was a whiny little girl whose bottom I wanted to spank for the temper tantrums she threw and the distress she caused her mum. Is that a criticism of the author’s writing? No, I’m giving the author huge credit for creating believable four-year-old behavior that drew me right into the scene and made me want to give the girl’s mum a big hug.

In Fly Away Peta, I created a feisty heroine in Peta; someone I hope readers will relate to in her fierce fight to protect her daughter against the dangers of life and heartbreak, while she battles her own demons. And Jaime—gorgeous, strong, delectable Jaime Caruso—a man who jumps feet-first into the fray to fight for the woman he’s loved forever, no matter what danger she’s in.

And if you enjoyed Jaime and Peta’s spirited characters, you are going to love TJ and Scott in Under the Hood, due for release from Escape Publishing in March 2013. This energetic story stars yet another feisty heroine not afraid to step forward and a delectable hero who can’t resist her charm or her dilemma. Together they fight to save a teenage gang from the grip of crime and drugs, all while resisting the temptation to fall in love.

Thank you to my lovely friend and editing buddy, Serena Tatti for hosting me today and letting me waffle on about building houses, baking cakes and creating characters. For a handy guide to creating character profiles, I can recommend Valerie Parv’s The Art of Romance Writing. It’s a guide that’s stood the test of time and a book that holds pride of place amongst my reference books, as battered, dog-eared and full of post-it notes as it is.

Blurb: Fly Away Peta from Eternal Press

The time has come to face her worst fear and the clock is ticking…

Peta Johnson will go to extreme lengths to protect her daughter Bella. When Bella is kidnapped, the search for her takes Peta back to the small Western Australian country town of Williams, a place she’d vowed never to return to. The town where her dreams were shattered and her nightmare began. Back to the place she’d been destined to meet two very powerful, yet very different men. One would break her heart; the other would destroy her soul. Both would change her life forever.

The search for Bella brings them together. Secrets and lies keep them apart. Will Jaime and Peta renew their love in the face of danger or will he let her fly away again?


Bio:

Born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa and now proudly Australian, Juanita is a freelance writer of book reviews, blogs, web content, advertorials, newsletters, resumes and training manuals. She has written articles on business management for Stanford Who’s Who, New York, USA.

Having completed a diploma in Proofreading, Editing and Publishing through the Australian College QED, Bondi, NSW, Juanita is a freelance editor for Damnation Books, Eternal Press and Escape Publishing, and proofreads scientific text books for Elsevier Press, Oxford, UK.

Juanita gained her professional experience in the motor industry as an administrator and Customer Care/Quality Assurance Coordinator conducting audits; writing and proof-reading reports, operating procedures, company policies, capability statements, newsletters and customer correspondence.

Juanita escapes the real world by reading and writing romantic fiction. She conducts interviews with fellow authors and writes book reviews, as well as the odd blog about the frustrations and delights of being a writer.

When she’s not writing, editing or proofreading, Juanita is the cleaning fairy and mother to three boys (hubby included, his toys are just a little more expensive). Her not-so-miniature Daschund, Sam is her critique partner and keeps her company while writing.

Juanita loves to hear from fans and would love for you to enjoy her writing journey with her at:

On the Web:   

Kees 2 Create

Juanita Kees Website

Twitter

Facebook

Buy Link:
Amazon

 

Links used in this blog:

Write from the Heart

Write a Story, Bake a Cake

Strong Heroines Readers Will Admire

In the Armchair with Jaime Caruso

Escape Publishing

The Art of Romance Writing

Eternal Press 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to My Guest Author: Valerie Parv

Today I welcome Author Valerie Parv to my blog!   So over to Valerie...

You’ve made your New Year resolutions, but what about your characters?

This is the time of year when we all…okay, I…should plan to get thinner, fitter and better organized. Instead of making resolutions, I imagine where I want to be by year’s end, then work out what steps will get me closer to my goal.

You can do the same in your writing. Just like the real world, your story needs high days and holidays. Not that I’ve ever forgotten to include a Christmas between November and January, and had to go back and write one in. *Valerie hides growing nose.* What holidays are in your story? How do they affect the characters’ hopes and dreams?

Making a timeline is a good idea. In what month does your book start? Roughly when does it end? What’s your setting? The answers will tell you what seasons the characters will deal with, the clothes they wear, and the holidays you need to allow for.

Holidays can help or hinder the characters with their goals. In Birthright, set in my fictional island kingdom of Carramer, a holiday called Journey Day adds depth to the story. The indigenous people see Journey Day differently from the descendants of the French colonists who are now in the majority. Writing about the day let me explore both sides’ attitudes and beliefs, and how they affect my alien characters who must come together to defeat a terrifying threat facing humanity.

What holidays work for you in a book? Have you made New Year resolutions this year? What about for your characters? Your comment could win a copy of Birthright for Kindle with a personalized “authorgraph” to start off your writing year.

Valerie Parv is one of Australia's most successful writers with more than 29 million books sold in 26 languages. She is the only Australian author honored with a Pioneer of Romance award from RT Book Reviews, New York. With a lifelong interest in space exploration, she counts meeting Neil Armstrong as a personal high point. So it's no wonder she's taking romance to the stars and beyond In Birthright, her most ambitious novel yet. She loves connecting with readers via her Website, Blog, Twitter and on Facebook.

About Birthright
Former police officer turned deputy governor, Shana Akers, is used to handling high-stakes situations. But after learning that a space shuttle mission about to be launched from her island home may have a shocking secret agenda, she must turn for answers to the man who has challenged her mind and emotions for years.

Scientific genius and space center director, Adam Desai, is a truly self-made man. Found adrift at sea as a baby, he knows nothing about his origins until two VIPs attending the launch force him to confront the truth about his past, changing everything Adam has ever believed about himself.

Faced with a danger that threatens the entire world, can Adam and Shana find the strength to trust not only each other, but the mysterious VIPs whose unusual abilities defy logical thinking? Especially when it becomes clear that they'll need all of their combined resources to reclaim humanity's BIRTHRIGHT. Published by Corvallis Press USA 2012.