#WWW: Short Story Structure by Linda Carroll-Bradd #Excerpt

Today I have the lovely Linda Carroll-Bradd here to share a bit about short story structure AND her newest release! Be sure to check out the giveaway, too!

~~~oOo~~~

While taking a recent online class on writing short stories, I learned some basics on structure which helped me complete three stories in just a couple days each and get them contracted. One of the important tasks in a short story is to create events that occur within a short time frame, like a couple days or a week. So an author doesn’t have the word count to reveal through long introspection what happened to get the character to this exact moment when the conflict starts. The advantage to the author is the fact only a few key pieces of information need to be created for each character. What’s essential is to make sure the characters you’re creating are opposites in their backgrounds and have opposing thoughts on what they want out of life. Another important consideration is to keep the focus on the hero and heroine, don’t add characters that don’t fulfill a specific function.

What do I mean by a short time frame? For my most recent release, Unlocked Treasure, I knew I needed a Halloween theme or event as part of the story. (that was the publisher’s decision) So I build a story that took place the week before the holiday and worked in a real-life event that occurs in Providence, Rhode Island. I created a week-long grid on Excel (you could do this longhand) and worked out how they would meet, what would make them cross paths a second time, what shared interests did they have, what opposite interests, and which character had the most changing to do. In this case, she hated anything to do with the sea because of past events and he’s a sailor/maritime instructor and yacht builder. He’s an adventurer who is hunting pirate treasure and she has experienced loss because of sea-related careers. Instant conflict that is worked out at the end of the 15K story.

What do I mean by opposing goals? Ever hear of a plot with a homebody and a wanderer? How could you construct a plot where there’s a happy ending for this couple? Obviously, one of the characters will have to realize that the other person is wonderful enough to change his or her goal. I did this in my story, Wanderer, Come Home, that’s included in the Cowboys, Creatures and Calico, Vol 1 anthology published by Prairie Rose Publications. Five years earlier, the heroine came to Texas as a mail-order bride and has been recently widowed, so she owns more land now than her parents ever did. And she aims to hold onto it. Into town rides an ex-Texas ranger who is tracking a stagecoach robber but is also looking for a job on a ranch to get him through the winter. Just until the Texas legislature funds the Rangers again. (true fact about early years of the Rangers) So they have very different goals that are resolved with a HEA by the end of the 15K story.

What do I mean keep the focus on Hero and Heroine? In my short story, Bewitching Gypsy, included in Spooktacular Seductions (releasing 10/31) from Roane Publishing, I include only 2 main characters, an infant, and 2 secondary characters that are in and out of the story within a page (plus 2 horses, 1 dog, and 1 goat). In this story, I threw in 2 standard romance tropes—baby on the doorstep and amnesia. After a one-page introduction of the heroine shown in an activity that reveals the type of person she is, she is faced with immediate intrusions into her solitary life. Her character is revealed further as she deals with the baby and amnesiac hero. This 7900 word story pits the hero and heroine together in tight quarters as she tends his wounds and happens in less than 24 hours.

I find writing short length stories hones my skills to keep the action centered on the couple and love typing “the end” within a few days.

~~~oOo~~~

Unlocked Treasure

Will a prophecy keep a lonely woman from accepting the promise of adventure?

Aleen MacRae blames the lure of the sea for breaking apart first her family then her engagement. When her interest is caught by a man she sees both in person and in a dream, she resists—afraid to believe in her aunt’s prediction that her future is tied to the sea.

Braden Williams is on the hunt for treasure buried centuries earlier by Rhode Island pirates. His search brings him to the property where Aleen lives. Collaboration on genealogy research draws them closer, and Braden steers her toward his true passion--sailing.

Attending a party with Braden’s family lets her glimpse what she’s been missing. An unexpected discovery before her date with Braden at the Halloween Midnight Organ Recital forces a decision. Will Aleen play things safe or accept what this free-spirited man offers?

EXCERPT:

Ah, the story of her life—practically invisible. The reminder his first sighting had been of her bikini-clad backside made her blush. Still didn’t change the facts. Aleen squared her shoulders. “I remember, but the Manor grounds are still closed.” Should she be nervous about being alone with this stranger, especially one who ignored posted rules?

“Sorry for the intrusion. Let me start over.” Smiling, he approached and extended his right hand. “My name’s Braden Williams.”

Aleen bit her lower lip, but accepted his hand. “Pleased to meet you. I’m Aleen MacRae.” At the moment their hands clasped, she felt warmth flooding her fingers. With a jerk, she released her grip, tingling sensations running along her skin. Immediately, the scent of fresh air and summer breezes wafted her way. Definitely a man of the sea. Just where I foretold your future lies. Whispers of her great-aunt Zsofika’s prophecy trickled through Aleen’s thoughts. At the memory, her cheeks flamed with heat.

“Wow.” Frowning, Braden flexed his hand and narrowed his gaze then dropped it to his flexing fingers. “That was bizarre.”

“Static electricity, from all that wind yesterday.” A reasonable explanation. In the back of her mind, Aleen could hear Zsofika scoff, “Static schmatic. A connection like that is destiny.”

“Well…” His gaze searched her face. “Aleen—hey, that’s pretty, like the direction alee.” A wide smile exposed even teeth.

Her own smile dimmed. Like I’ve never heard that before. “Thanks.” This guy was not charming his way around the rules. “Sorry, but you’ll need to come back when the gardens are open for visitors. That’s Wednesdays through—”

“Yeah, I read the sign.” He gave a dismissive wave then turned to gaze back at the main house. “But I just needed five minutes to check out some dimensions and the lot layout.”

“So, you woke up this morning and just decided to start out your week by trespassing?”

PURCHASE LINKS:

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00O0EQ754

The Wild Rose Press: http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=242_175_143&products_id=5855

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/unlocked-treasure-linda-carroll-

bradd/1120577500?ean=2940150749191

~~~oOo~~~

As a young girl, Linda was often found lying on her bed reading about fascinating characters having exciting adventures in places far away and in other time periods. In later years, she read and then started writing romances and achieved her first publication--a confession story. Married with 4 adult children and 2 granddaughters, Linda writes heartwarming contemporary and historical stories with a touch of humor from her home in the southern California mountains.

Website www.lindacarroll-bradd.com

Blog http://blog.lindacarroll-bradd.com

Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Linda-Carroll-Bradd-author/440814942635289

Twitter https://www.twitter.com/lcarrollbradd

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1806413.Linda_Carroll_Bradd

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/author/lindacarroll-bradd

#WWW It's Never to Late to Dream - London Saint James #Romance #Giveaway

Today on WWW I have the lovely London Saint James for part of her Welcome to Paradise blog tour sharing about her journey to publication.

Ms. James' latest release is now available AND there's a giveaway going on. Be sure to scroll down for the goods!

But now...Ms. James.

~~~oOo~~~

Thanks so much for having me on your blog today to celebrate my new release, Welcome to Paradise. I had a great time writing this novella which is the introduction to a new western erotic romance series I’m writing called Paradise Ranch. Welcome to Paradise is my 18^th published book, and I’ve learned so much on my journey into publication and continue to learn 18 books later.

In a past life, that’s how I look at it anyway, I did the sensible thing, earned a college degree, and worked in the metal health realm for more years than I like to admit to. Like many authors, I always scribbled down things, little stories and such, from a young age. Something about the art of storytelling has always been a part of me.

In the second grade I wrote my first short story, and trust me when I say the endeavor wasn’t encouraged, and my teacher didn’t necessarily think my big imagination was a good thing, so I put writing and my imagination on the shelf to gather dust and whither.

As I grew a little older I started writing again, and at the urging of my eighth grade English teacher, I wrote my second short story inspired by a love song. Then as life does, it moved on and again I put all the childish things away, writing being one of them. I needed to do the sensible thing.

Once in college, I took another foray into writing and the scribbles became an outlet for me. A stress reliever. An escape. Nothing more. I went to work in the real world doing all those sensible things. But the thing was, I always came back to what I loved—all that writing nonsense. I guess I’d dreamed about actually being a writer. A dream I never thought about going after because those family and friends closest to me never encourage my dream. In fact, I’d been discouraged from one or two of the closest people in my life at the time for even sharing the dream I had with them.

In late 2010 I worked up the courage and decided to submit a short story to a publisher for an anthology call. I figured what’s the worst thing that could happen? I pictured the rejection email telling me in polite terms my story sucked, but that didn’t happen. *Smiles* My story was accepted for publication, and I’ve literally never stopped writing.

In the end, I followed my heart and all those non sensible things people in my life tried to discourage me from doing. Now, I write full time, have two upcoming releases, and probably far too many WIPs (works in progress) to keep me busy.

So what have I learned along the way. It’s never too late to dream, and never too late to believe. Speaking of never. Never let people discourage you from achieving your dream. Never give up. Never stop working hard. Nothing in this life is unattainable, not unless you make it so.

Here’s one of my favorite quotes:

Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe. – Gail Devers

~~~oOo~~~

Welcome to Paradise 

A Paradise Ranch Novella

By: London Saint James

Publisher:  Roane Publishing

Release Date:  August 18, 2014

Keywords:  Contemporary, Erotic, Romance, Western, Novella, Series

Just three days before her thirtieth birthday, Acquisition Editor for Starling Press, Sutton Callaway, has buried the last of her family in the cemetery on the plot of land she inherited.

After turning down the powerful and wealthy owner of Triple Bar-S Ranch to sell her inheritance and walk away from the obligations of running one of the biggest cattle ranches in West Texas, Sutton puts her Dallas condo on the market, resigns her position from SP, packs the contents of her life into boxes, and heads for the one place filled with bittersweet memories—Paradise Ranch.

Will Sutton be able to handle the pressures of being the newly appointed cattle baroness, the rough and tumble men under her employ, and the temptation of a sexy mystery man? Or will her grandmother’s matriarchal boots be too big for her to fill?

Purchase Links:

~~~oOo~~~

London wrote her first short story in the second grade. Her teacher informed her parents she had a big imagination, and as far as he was concerned, having a big imagination wasn’t necessarily a good thing, so she placed her vivid characters, her childhood stories, along with her imagination on the shelf, where they would wither for a while. After all, she needed to grow up and do the “sensible thing.” 

Life moved on, London grew up, and the sensible thing earned London a degree in Psychology. She took a serious job in the real world, doing serious things and being a responsible adult, although the need to be a little irresponsible crept in. As a result, she started scribbling again. 

Happy to find her imagination was still alive and kicking, she decided to pursue writing, walked away from doing the sensible thing, took on the world of the written word, and has never looked back!

Website  /  Blog  /  Facebook  /  Twitter  

Tour Schedule

~~~oOo~~~

Book Blitz and Tour-wide Giveaway

An ebook copy of Welcome to Paradise, a $10 Amazon gift card, and a Paradise key chain!

Ends 9/12/14

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code.  No purchase necessary, but you must be 18 or older to enter. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter, and announced on the widget. Winner well be notified by emailed and have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Roane Publishing's marketing department.

#WWW Sleeping Children = Writing Time! #WritersLife

Romance author, Rachel Brimble's, Journey to Publication

I have wanted to write forever and when I finished working in a bank in 1999 to have my first daughter, I had a ‘now or never’ moment and enrolled in a distance learning creative writing course. It was a mistake in that I had no idea how much time and energy is would take to look after a baby who a) liked to cry a lot and b) didn’t go that much on the sleeping thing.

The course was promptly abandoned in favor of motherhood.

Then when I fell pregnant with daughter number two in 2001, the ‘now or never’ moment reemerged and this time refused to go away…plus this daughter slept! I began writing short stories and had some success in women’s magazines, and even more success in online competitions. This gave me the confidence to pursue my dream of becoming a published romance novelist.

Several online courses later…I felt I had learned my craft well enough to start writing seriously toward publication. In 2006, The Wild Rose Press accepted my first novel ‘Searching For Sophie’. Hurrah!!

Since then I have had several novels (romantic suspense, contemporary romance, romantic comedy and historical) published by small presses, but it wasn’t until 2011 when I secured a US agent, that things really took an upturn.

Now I write romantic suspense and contemporary romance for Harlequin Superromance (three published and a further two contracted) and Victorian romance for eKensington (two published and a further two contracted).

I adore writing and am truly living the dream of getting paid to do something that I would willingly do for free. Fingers crossed, I will continue to be offered contracts and continue to have readers write to me telling me how much they enjoy my books. The plan is to write for as long as possible…eventually aboard a luxury cruise liner while my husband and I tour the world!

~~~oOo~~~

Rachel’s latest release with Kensington is The Temptation of Laura. Here is the blurb & buy links:

Laura Robinson has always been dazzled by the glamour of the stage. But perhaps acting and selling one’s favors are not so different—for Laura must feign pleasure with the men she beds to survive. Now, with her only friend at death’s door and a ruthless pimp at her heels, escaping her occupation seems impossible. Hoping to attract a gentleman, she attends the theater. Yet the man Laura captivates is no customer, but a rising star and playwright…

Adam Lacey has been driven to distraction since the moment he saw Laura. She is his ideal leading lady come to irresistible life—and so much more. Certain they can make the perfect team on and off stage, he is determined to win her heart—and discover her story. But that is precisely what Laura fears. And she has no idea that Adam harbors shameful secrets of his own. Will the truth free them to love—or destroy all their dreams…?

Amazon US  /  Amazon UK  /  Barnes & Noble

 ~~~oOo~~~

Rachel lives with her husband and two young daughters in a small town near Bath in the UK.  After having several novels published by small US presses, she secured agent representation in 2011. In 2012, she sold two books to Harlequin Superromance and a further three in 2013. She also writes Victorian romance for Kensington--her debut was released in April 2013 and she has since signed for three more.

Rachel is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association and Romance Writers of America. When she isn’t writing, you’ll find Rachel with her head in a book or walking the beautiful English countryside with her family and beloved black Lab, Max. Her dream place to live is Bourton-on-the-Water in South West England.

She likes nothing more than connecting and chatting with her readers and fellow romance writers. Rachel would love to hear from you!

Website  /  Blog  /  Twitter  /  Facebook

#WWW Finding Balance with Sticky Notes #WritersLife Sandra Dailey @sdaileyauthor

Finding Balance with Sticky Notes

By Sandra Dailey

I’ve been given many labels; over organizer, micromanager, nit-picker, etc… I own every one of them. My mother explains it best – I’m a typical Virgo. Everything around me must be in perfect order.

The clothes in my closet are organized by type of item and color. Everything stored in my kitchen cabinets that are multiples, (such as glasses, cups and dishes), are in even numbered amounts. If one gets broken the set is replaced.

When my children were at home, they’d misplace pictures and knick-knacks before I came home from work. Then, they’d secretly time how long it took me to have them back in place.

Yes, I’m the person who will rearrange the dishes in your dish washer, the bottles on your bathroom counter, and the pillows on your sofa. I’ll let you know if a picture is hanging crooked and stare all day at one that’s not hung in perfect line with the others. I don’t get a lot of invitations.

I use the same principle in my writing. My hero, heroine, and villain have to have equal page time. My romances must have a balance of humor, drama, and seduction. My suspense/mystery stories need an equal sprinkling of clues, red herrings, and threats.

I do envy those people who can open their word processor with a single idea and write whatever comes to mind, but you can see why this doesn’t work for me. So, how do I achieve my balance? Sticky notes – several of them in different colors.

I divide my story into three sections, beginning, middle, and end. I plan what I want to happen in each one. Then, I start with just the beginning. Here’s where the sticky notes come into play. I write scene ideas on each piece with the POV noted.

Example:

·         Clues-pink paper

·         Red herrings-yellow paper

·         Threats-blue paper

·         Heroine-blue ink

·         Hero-black ink

·         Villain-green ink.

Why sticky notes? They are laid out on my large dining room table on a plastic table cloth and I don’t have to worry that a strong breeze will ruin my work. I can easily move them around to add, rearrange and achieve perfect balance. Then, the outline is transferred to a notebook which stays by the computer on my desk.

This may seem time consuming to some people, but I find it saves me time. I spend approximately one afternoon planning and outlining each section. Most of my time is spent filling in the scenes on the computer. I don’t usually have to go back to do a lot of rewrites. If I do want to add or change something later, I can quickly find the scene in my outline.

Did I mention that I’m a typical Virgo?

My newest release is COMMON ENEMY.

Jordan Holbrook is the single mother of a five-year-old daughter. She’s just inherited her Grandmother’s house in South Florida where she’s hiding from an abusive ex-husband who’s been released from prison early. A new man in her life isn't part of her plans.

Connor McCrae is a handyman who lives out of his van. He walked away from a privileged life and loving family after being badly scarred in a vicious attack. He doesn't believe a woman’s love is in the cards for him.

What brings them together is a rundown house, a mutual attraction, and a Common Enemy.

Bobby Ray Butler is cutting a path of murder and mayhem through south Florida in his quest for vengeance. His sights are set on his ex-wife and anyone who gets in his way.

Buy links:

The Wild Rose Press - http://www.wildrosepublishing.com/maincatalog_v151/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=195&products_id=5695

Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Common-Enemy-Sandra-Dailey-ebook/dp/B00ILYKD8G/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402881991&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=common+enemy+by+sandra+dailey

Barnes & Noble - http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/common-enemy-sandra-dailey/1119877036?ean=2940149812103

~~~oOo~~~

Sandra Dailey lives in North Florida with her husband and house plants. She has four children, ten grandchildren, and a goldfish named Clementine. She has a passion for needle crafts, reading and writing. Her addictions are chocolate, coffee, and football. She loves to hear from fellow readers and writers. Her first two books, The Chief’s Proposal and Twice the Trouble are contemporary romances and also available in eBook and print. She is currently hard it work on Close Enemy and a couple other surprises.

http://www.sandradailey.blogspot.com

http://www.facebook.com/sandradailey.author

http://www.twitter.com/sdaileyauthor

Does your writing decide what type of day it will be? #Fantasy #GuestPost

Today I have Alreada Alien visiting for part of her The Rogue King blog tour.  But first, the goods...

The Rogue King

Series: The Rogue King Saga # 1

Author: Aldrea Alien

Published: April 22nd, 2014

Genre: Fantasy

Content Warning: Violence, Sex

Outside is dangerous.

Such is the warning Koral has heard for twelve years. Born a product of genetic manipulation, he knows little else of the world beyond the steel walls of his home.

When fate gives him the choice between certain death and the unknown, there’s no question in what he must choose. But he’s about to find out the sands he must brave are full of more than mere monsters.

Providing the desert doesn’t kill him first.

This is a world ruled by instinct, where innocence is drowned in blood. Here, men are offered up to the great Serpent God, Lorric, only to emerge as the most feared killers on the planet: The Rogues.

With the god’s sights set on turning Koral into a legend, he must sacrifice himself to survive and be reborn as… The Rogue King

Amazon | GoodReads

~~~oOo~~~

Do you have a writing pattern (place, time, etc.) that you follow each day or does the writing decide what type of day it will be?

Although I have in the recent past dedicated the odd day (or three) to reading through a final proof, writing tends to come with stipulations; generally, the absence of my daughter and fiancé. If either of them utters so much as a single word when I'm typing, I can lose a whole sentence. For that very reason, weekends are largely a bust for me and school holidays take an even harder toll on my productivity, having me go for days, sometimes a whole week, without writing a single word.

During the typical weekday with one distraction at work and the other at school, I might do a bit of writing here or there in the afternoon between 2 and 4, when I then have to pick up my daughter from the bus, and it's largely during the latter half of that timeframe for some reason. So when it comes to trying to find a quiet place, I can generally be found snuggling into a nice warm bed by 7pm, where I bang away on an old laptop for several hours.

Of course, that does mean my fiancé, along with everyone else, is more-or-less banned from the room until I emerge all soggy-brained and tired, but happy, to tell him he can sleep now. I got quite a few grumbles when I did Nanowrimo last year because of that very reason. To be fair, he does wind up with the TV all to himself so he's free to watch the horror movies and other programs I can't stand, so he did catch up on a few things.

When I can't seclude myself in bed, I return to my older routine of sitting up until 11/12 at night out in the dining room. Often, I only know what time it is because my fiancé is the one telling me to shut off the computer. Yes, he's a longsuffering fellow.

~~~oOo~~~

Excerpt:

Shirain lifted her arms out towards the giant statue, the sound of her bracelets clacking together echoed across the ruins. ʺBehold our offering, Mighty Lord! Take his body as your own! Use him! Guide him in your ways so he may live to make you stronger!ʺ

The bowl slipped from his unfeeling hands to splash into the pond. Above, the statue's eyes glowed a deep red. Behind him, Koral heard Shirain continue talking, her voice faint and muffled. His blood grew hot, desire filling his body and fogging his mind. What had she done to him?

ʺYour gift is pleasing, dear child.ʺ The words tumbled out of a mouth Koral could no longer control. ʺThis body is young. Barely a man.ʺ Someone else flexed his muscles. His lips twisted into a cruel grin as his tongue ran over his sharp teeth. ʺHe will need much training.ʺ

ʺMy Lord,ʺ Shirain purred, giving him a low bow. ʺOnce more, you honour me.ʺ

Awareness of another's presence came crashing down on him, bringing with it an odd calmness. He knew little of magic or religion. Amelia's teaching on the subject had been sparse; most of what he had learnt came from the camp and no one had mentioned possession. Would he win if he tried to banish the intruder? Was this not his body?

A rough laugh escaped his throat as he unwillingly turned from the statue and waded through the blood to dry land. ʺHe fights me.ʺ

ʺHe showed promise as a fighter,ʺ Shirain said, sounding strangely proud. ʺI hope he pleases my Lord and proves more interesting to break than the others.ʺ

ʺYes, this will be… enjoyable.ʺ Again, his lips pulled back into something that resembled a smile in name only. ʺBy the time I've finished with him, everyone shall fear the very name of him—the name of Vengeance.ʺ

~~~oOo~~~

About the Author:

Born and raised in New Zealand, Aldrea Alien lives on a small farm with her family, including a menagerie of animals. Since discovering a love of writing at the age of twelve, she hasn’t found an ounce of peace from the characters plaguing her mind.

Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Website

Giveaway Details:

There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:

• 2 Signed print copies of The Rogue King, 4 bookmarks, $10 Amazon GC

Giveaway is International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the Tour!

#WriterlyWisdomWednesday: Vonnie Davis on Dialog #WriteTip

HOW DO YOUR CHARACTERS TALK?

Thank you, Terri, for allowing me to visit your blog today to discuss the backbone of any good story—the dialog. Can you imagine reading a book without hearing the characters speak? Dialog doesn’t just add verbal liveliness to a story, but tells us about the person talking and a little about the person being spoken to. It also drives us through the literary dream world we’re creating for our readers.

To write dialog that pulls the reader deeper into the story, there are some things the author must know about the characters.

Age—Teenagers use slang that grandmas, like me, seldom use. “You see what I’m sayin’?” “True that” I love it when an author takes the time to incorporate a young child’s speech patterns into a story. “But, Mommy, I like da wed shoes.” Let me tell you, I’m in love with the child already and I’m reaching for my charge card.

Sex—Men speak differently than women. They typically use shorter sentences or grunts. Sometimes, a stronger peppering of cuss words too. Women will often use the phrase “I feel like…” A man, not so much. Also, we talk differently around members of the opposite sex than we do around a group of our own sex. Listen to people talk in the mall or in a restaurant. There’s “girl talk” and then there’s “woman to man” talk. No, it doesn’t always contain flirting, but there are subtle differences.

Education—Has your character graduated from high school or college? Vocabulary levels will differ to a degree between the two education levels, not much, but enough to be noticeable.

Character’s Background—Different parts of the country speak differently. Some say soda; some say soda pop, or simply pop. Some areas drop the g’s off the endings of words (something more prone in an older person than someone younger). English speaking people of other nationalities are less prone to use contractions.

Location of Your Story—If your story takes place in another country, pick a half-dozen to a dozen words to use in that country’s native tongue. Words readers will find easily recognizable. For example, in my stories set in Paris, I used oui for yes, cherie for sweetheart, mon ami for my friend, or café au lait for coffee with cream. In my Scottish paranormals, I made a list of words to consistently use to add flavor and sense of place. Remember any words written in a language other than English go in italics.

Dialog tags are a sign of weak writing, so avoid them. I was shocked the first time my agent sent back a manuscript with every dialog tag crossed out and a note in the comments section—“You can do better. This is a sign of weak writing. Use your action beats to indicate who is speaking. This will strengthen your writing.”

Well, folks, I didn’t even know what an action beat was! I had a good pity cry over that…and I don’t mean a few weepy tears, either. How was I to keep dialog straight? My readers would be confused? How would removing “he said/she said’s” strengthen my writing?

So, I practiced and worked and rewrote until I could turn an 85,000 word manuscript over to my editor for her to read and edit with zero said tags. My biggest challenge was the tag “he/she whispered.” I don’t know why that one was so hard for me to master, but I was all kinds of tickled when I finally figured it out.

Yes, writing without said tags requires more work for the author, but it creates a more vibrant visual for our reader. Let me give you a quick example.

1.) “Was that Aaron’s truck I just saw leaving?” Taylor asked when he stormed in.

2.) Taylor stormed into the kitchen and tossed his keys on the counter, their clanging disturbing the quiet and making Emma wince. Taylor’s brown eyes narrowed and his face reddened with anger beneath his dark scruff of beard. “Was that Aaron’s truck I just saw leaving?”

Now, which example gave you the better visual? The deeper emotion—both his and hers? Which one drew you deeper into the scene? Hopefully, the one without the “said tag.” Yes, example 2 was more work for me, but my goal is to create page turners that pull you deeper into the literary dream world I’m creating for you. To do that, I must work at it, even if it means rewriting it a dozen times.

As a reader, I find dialog tags annoying, especially the he/she said after a question mark. Think about it. A question mark only has one function. One. To indicate that the previous string of words were asked in a questioning manner. So why would you insult your readers’ intelligence by slapping on he/she said afterward as if they were too dumb to know what that “?” meant? We cannot insult our readers this way. We entertain, we transport them to other worlds, we even educate to a degree, but we never, ever insult their intelligence.

~~~oOo~~~

Vonnie Davis is an award-winning, international author who likens herself to a French croissant: warm, crusty, wrinkled and a tad flaky—and best served with strong coffee. With an English degree and a career as a technical writer, making the shift to romance writer should have been a breeze. Too bad she hadn’t a clue. Now she realizes the learning curve of a good writer is continual. She began her career with smaller presses, but now writes paranormal and contemporary romance, both with a splash of suspense, exclusively for LoveSwept/Random House and HarperImpulse. She lives in southern Virginia with her husband who doesn’t seem to mind her craziness; perhaps because he’s a writer too.

Although the title to this novella is Santa Wore Leathers, it is a romance for all seasons. Plus it kicks off my Firemen’s Wild Heat series with many of the hunky fire and marine rescue personnel you’ll meet in this novella.

Take one man-shy reporter, a gorgeous ex-Navy SEAL turned firefighter, add in a thong-stealing dog… and Christmas will never be the same again!

There’s only one thing on Becca Sinclair’s Christmas list this holiday season – her very own column in the local paper. And if she can build a huge blog following, her wish just might come true.

Enter Dan ‘Wolf’ Wolford aka the man-whore next door and the new star of Becca’s popular, post-divorce blog about men. A Navy SEAL turned commander of the Florida Marine Rescue Unit, Wolf’s the very definition of the word alpha – and with an endless rotation of women on his doorstep, this hunk on a Harley has Becca and her female followers all hot and bothered!

All Becca wants for Christmas is her newspaper column, right? But when she finds herself the target of Wolf’s irresistible attentions, her snarky comebacks become less and less convincing and, suddenly, she’s not so sure anymore…

BUY LINKS: 

Amazon  / Barnes & Noble

Domestic WHAT? #WWW Nancy Jardin #Historical #Romance

Domestic what?

Hi, Terri. It’s superb of you to have me pop over to visit you during my mini launch blog tour for Book 3 of my Celtic Fervour Series of Historical Romantic Adventures-After Whorl: Donning Double Cloaks-since it officially ebook launched yesterday!

There’s always a bit of preparation to do before any party and my Facebook party launch yesterday was only a little bit different. Even for virtual food there still needs to be a little of ‘here’s one I prepared earlier…’ *wink, wink*. The guests still need a nice welcome drink and nibbles a-plenty. The music is pretty easy to organise, but the dancing needs to be pretty imaginative. It got me thinking about what one of my characters in Book 3 might have been eating, though a party wasn’t really on the cards for Ineda…

In After Whorl: Donning Double Cloaks Ineda, my female lead character, learns to be quite versatile. The date is AD 84 and the location is northern Britannia (currently the north of England). The area has technically been conquered by the Roman Army but the Celtic tribes subdued by the Romans are still very troublesome and inclined to attack Roman forts. At the end of Book 2, Ineda was captured by a Roman patrol and was taken prisoner by a Roman Tribune of the XX Legion. Her master, Tribune Valerius, expects her to be subservient at all times- in bed…and in the kitchen. However, this doesn’t mean she does any of the actual cooking!

The five tribunes assigned to a Roman Legion were often young men who took the posting for a short duration, doing more of an administrative job than playing an active soldier role, although they were always trained in combat and would engage in battle if the situation arose. As administrators, they tended to have an entourage of office assistants assigned to them and their own ‘household’ staff which sometimes included a cook. Even within the ranks of the Roman Army, the times were politically troublesome and competition could be fierce- it wasn’t unknown for unpopular Romans to incur the wrath of enemies. Having your own slaves around you was maybe not a bad idea to ensure you weren’t the next victim to die a horrifically painful ‘death by poisoning’ or even by a well aimed piece of cutlery/flatware.

As a Brigantian Celt Ineda finds her captive slave situation intolerable but she’s a young woman with an insatiable curiosity. She wants to learn new things, and wants to try things out. There are many ingredients used by the cook of Gaius Livanus Valerius that she’s never ever seen before-the Romans being very efficient at transportation of stored goods which originated in the Mediterranean lands. Wine isn’t something she’s tasted before her capture, since Roman amphorae were never brought to her small Celtic village. Now, she has to be sure that she’s carrying the correct kind of wine to her master. The everyday wine is very vinegary and served pretty watered down. However, her master is a man of dark moods and sometimes likes the stronger ‘best’ wine, especially if his commander visits his quarters, or some important Roman visitor to the fortress comes to speak with Tribune Valerius. Ineda thinks the good wine tastes much better but it’s strong and goes to her head very quickly. Great for a party, though! Her preference of all the wines is the lighter spiced wine.

Gaius Livanus Valerius is a bit partial to Libum- a sort of Roman Cheesecake (if interested see recipe on my 24^th March tour stop via the link on my blog). Ineda had never seen the kind of cheese his cook uses for the cake before being imprisoned at the garrison fortress.  The cheese made by the women of her Celtic village was soft and not much past the skimmed whey stage and very ‘young’ – a bit like the ‘Feta’ we eat today. However, the cheese Tribune Valerius loves best is hard, what we would now call a ‘Pecorino’ type of cheese made from sheep milk - slightly salty and well aged.

Ineda quite likes the simple dish of pieces of bread dipped in milk that are fried in olive oil and then smothered with honey, though she’s not so keen when instead of honey the cook uses a paste of squashed dates when a delivery of dates in sealed jars comes to the fortress.

She loves fish of all kinds but is taking time to get used to the strongly flavoured garum sauce that the cook serves with it. She’s also getting used to the fish being served in shells, and that’s not how it was served in her Celtic village. She was used to the women of her tribe using herbs to flavour their boiled and roasted meats but Tribune Livanus’ cook uses oil, from the green and black olives that she finds a bit of an acquired taste, to fry the meats with many different herbs she’d never seen before. She has to fetch many of these ingredients for the cook from the small market stalls at the garrison fortress and knows now when the traders are trying to give her shoddy and poorly stored stocks.

The tiny black cloves were completely new to her but she likes the way they flavour the cooking. Tribune Livanus isn’t so fond of them so…she makes sure to tell the cook he loves them a LOT!

She can’t escape, since she’s so well guarded, but this is one petty little battle she can win!

(Here’s a site with some ideas…   http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Like-a-Roman  )

Thank you so much Terri, for letting me share a little about Ineda with you. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Nancy’s writing time is shared with regular grandchild minding duties, tending her large garden, ancestry research and leisure reading. She’s currently writing a family saga based mainly in Scotland, and Book 4 of her Celtic Fervour series. She’s delighted to be able to share that Topaz Eyes (Crooked Cat Publishing) an ancestral-based mystery, is a finalist for THE PEOPLE’S BOOK PRIZE Fiction 2014. After Whorl: Bran Reborn - Book 2 of her Celtic Fervour Series (Crooked Cat Publishing) has been accepted for THE WALTER SCOTT PRIZE FOR HISTORICAL FICTION 2014- the most prestigious prize for historical fiction in the UK.

Stalk Nancy!

 Blog    Website   Facebook  Goodreads   About Me   LinkedIn   Twitter @nansjar  Google+ 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pursued by Rome.

AD73 Northern Britannia

After King Venutius’ defeat, Brennus of Garrigill – known as Bran – maintains a spy network monitoring Roman activity in Brigantia. Relative peace reigns till AD 78 when Roman Governor Agricola marches his legions to the far north. Brennus is always one step ahead of the Roman Army as he seeks the Caledon Celt who will lead all tribes in battle against Rome.

Ineda of Marske treks northwards with her master, Tribune Valerius, who is responsible for supplying Agricola’s northern campaigns. At Inchtuthil Roman Fort Ineda flees seeking fellow Brigantes congregating on the foothills of Beinn na Ciche.

Will the battle against the Romans bring Ineda and Brennus together again?

After Whorl: Donning Double Cloaks is available from Amazon .

Nancy Jardine’s novels can be found in paperback and ebook formats from:

Amazon UK author page    Amazon US author page  Crooked Cat Bookstore; Waterstones; Barnes & Noble; Smashwords; W. H. Smith; and other book retailers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Excerpt:

            Something had altered the tribune’s mood. Ineda had no idea what but was determined to find out.

            “Your new orders please you, Tribune Valerius?”

            He was deep in thought during the evening meal they shared in his quarters, fairly unusual since they normally ate in her tiny cell. It was a time when they conversed about mundane topics, but he had been silent. The smile that came her way startled her; it was such a rare occurrence for him to show any feelings, apart from displeasure or anger.

            “My new orders?”

            “Your grin must mean something pleases you.”

            It was unexpected when he reached forward and took her hand into his own. He never made any contact with her body, except during the night dark.

            “Something does please me very much, Ineda, but it has nothing to do with any new orders. Why would you think that?”

            She had no idea what to answer. He knew she was always interested in what was happening around the fortress, though he was always close-mouthed about relating any important developments. Anything new happening she gleaned from his secretary, Pomponius. In no way did she want him to be suspicious of her motives, or to curtail the small advantages she had obtained as his slave since he had started to make love to her. “Only that such smiles are rare.”

            He continued to grin as he pulled her to her feet and led her to his resting couch.

            “It is long past time for you to call me Gaius.”

            Ineda was not so certain of that. She had resisted thinking of him as anything other than her hated captor, although time and his proximity were making her understand more of the man who had taken her prisoner and used her as his personal bed slave.