Navy SEALs drop in on Pro Bowl
Bet they don't usually have a big ol' SEAL on their parachutes when they drop behind enemy lines. 😉
[Can you believe this is Hawaii? Look at that yucky grey sky!]
Delivering the story
How soon do you know whether a book is going to deliver on its promise or not? I was thinking about this because I picked up a book that's been on my TBR pile for a while, just for something different between all the literary criticism and Woolf novels, and I knew within the first chapter that something just wasn't quite right. The book has gotten some good reviews, but it didn't take long for me to be weary of these characters and their issues. I wanted to yell at them, “Just get on with it!”
The writing is good, don't get me wrong. But something is missing, something that I wish I could pinpoint and say, “Aha!” If I could do that, I'd be bottling it and selling it at conferences (because we all feel like we're missing something in our WIPs from time to time). 🙂 Or maybe it's not the writing so much as the style. Not everyone likes the same authors, for instance. I've seen reviews lambasting Susan Elizabeth Phillips, for example, and I just love everything she writes! Even when I'm mad at her characters I'll keep reading. I trust her to deliver. And I'm emotionally invested when I'm angry. Smart lady.
But I can't even get angry at this book's characters. I'm just weary and irritated with them and I haven't even cracked 60 pages yet. I hope like hell my characters aren't this boring and wooden. But, dang it, if we knew we were writing characters this way, none of us would do it. How do we know they haven't come alive? How do we make sure they do?
If you figure it out, can you sell me a bottle? I just want to be sure…..
Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Not me, my dears! Just got the preliminary report from my thesis chair on the first two chapters: “Well done […] I am anxious to see what you do with the remainder of your thesis.”
Yippee!
Okay, so it's not fiction writing, but hey, I've procrastinated the everlovin' heck out of this thing, so I'm tickled. I'm also ticked. What took me so long? I am so good at putting stuff off. Three more novels to analyze and one conclusion to write and man, I hope I'm finally done.
On the fiction front, do you know what the seven habits of highly effective authors are?
1. Write on a schedule.
2. Don't quit.
3. Feedback is a gift.
4. Know your audience, know thyself.
5. Have a plan.
6. Separate your work from your life.
7. When the bus stops, get on.
These seven habits come from a very thought-provoking article found on the Irene Goodman Literary Agency website. Check it out. Any others you'd add?
Happy Valentine’s Day!
After my faboo week, first meeting Lee Goldberg and then having coffee with JAK, I've nothing exciting planned this week. But, today is Valentine's Day, a day that is at least symbolically important to romance writers everywhere. 🙂
What, then, is the quintessential romance novel to you? I have many favorites, but I'm going to have to go with Pride and Prejudice. In fact, my reading group just read and discussed this novel. I've never been a member of a reading group before, but I thought it would be fun, and since we are all actually writers first, it brings a different perspective to the work than we might otherwise find in a readers' group.
What is it about Elizabeth and Darcy that gets the heart sighing? I think it's because he is such an Alpha male, and she is so intelligent and lively. That's just my take. I love the A&E version of P&P with Colin Firth. I love that broody, angsty quality he brings to Darcy. When I reread the novel recently, I couldn't help but picture those characters in the roles. I didn't much care for the recent movie version, though it had its moments. The highly inaccurate outdoor proposal in the rain was so charged with sexual tension that I didn't care the writers had moved the venue. It worked.
What other novels do you think are wildly romantic? Which novel is your all-time favorite romance?
[Oh yes, if you check out JAK's link now, you'll see she's added the picture of the Aloha Chapter writers that I included below. Thanks, Jayne!]
Coffee with Jayne Ann Krentz
If you're a romance writer or reader, you've heard of Jayne Ann Krentz. Hell, just the initials JAK mean something to you. You also know that she writes historical novels as Amanda Quick and futuristic novels as Jayne Castle.
Today, Jayne was in Honolulu signing books. She also invited the Aloha Chapter to join her for coffee afterward. Can you imagine my excitement? Heck, I gave up a Pro Bowl ticket for this! (Okay, the truth is it wasn't much of a sacrifice for me — I'm not a big football fan but would have gone with the hubby anyway. Naturally, he had no trouble finding someone who wanted to go in my place. Yay!)
Jayne is wonderful! She's energetic, friendly, and willing to talk and answer questions for hours. She started off her talk by telling the gathered readers and writers about her latest book, All Night Long. She talked about the types of books she writes, the themes that move her, her process (she's not an outliner — yippee!), and so many things I just can't remember them all. After she talked for an hour, she signed books. The four of us from the chapter who were able to make it met her husband, Frank, and went into the cafe to order coffee. There were no available tables, but the B&N staff arranged chairs for us near Jayne's book table (oh the stacks! I aspire, I aspire!).
We gathered around in a circle and talked for about an hour and a half. Jayne's advice to writers? Whatever you love to read is probably what you should be writing. Don't write about vampires if you love to read romantic comedy. Don't worry about the rules. Some people outline, some people don't. Some people fill out character charts, some people don't. Write as many drafts as it takes. Don't give up. Don't rewrite the same book forever. Don't send your manuscript to the senior editor; send it to an editorial assistant. Short, to the point query letters. Sample pages. Be professional.
Jayne agreed to come back and speak to the chapter, which we look forward to. In the meantime, go check out her blog, Running With Quills, a joint blog with authors Stella Cameron, Elizabeth Lowell, and Suzanne Simmons.
L to R:
Leslee Ellenson, Shauna Jones, Jayne Ann Krentz, Lynn Raye Harris, Michael Little (no, we did not line up in order of height on purpose — besides, I was wearing two inch boots, so I cheated)
