Why Hitting Delete Can Be the Wrong Decision for an Author by Kristin Wallace

Hitting delete is a painful process for a writer. Erasing the words we worked so hard to craft can be agonizing. It can be especially difficult when the words are GREAT on the surface. The prose is beautiful, the dialogue is sparkling, and the emotion is riveting. Then the author comes the realization that a character, a scene, a subplot, or even a big chunk of the book has to go for the overall story to work.

Or does it really have to go?

Book 1

Sometimes simply deleting is the wrong answer. The new book I have coming out in a few weeks is the perfect example. LEFT TURN AT PARADISE released in June, and it was a book that had a few different lives. The story centers on Layla McCarthy, who was abandoned as a baby and raised by her grandmother. Layla’s mother comes back, seeking to make amends. The original version had three points-of-view (POV)…Layla, her grandmother (Barbara McCarthy), and her mother (Elizabeth “Beth” McCarthy). Writing Beth’s story was a challenge. I had to come up with strong reasons why a mother would give up her baby. Those reasons led to a character that was compelling, complex, and deeply moving. I sent the finished draft to someone for editing and she pointed out that, although the mother’s POV was wonderful, it almost overshadowed Layla’s POV. So, I made the painful decision to take out Beth’s scenes.

Book 1.5

Only, I didn’t delete them. I decided that Beth should get her own book. I took the scenes I’d already written and added several more to flesh out the story. Some scenes are mirrors of those that were in Left Turn At Paradise…others show things that happened “off screen”. Letting Beth “speak” revealed a very powerful story of a woman who never felt like she was enough, despite being physically beautiful. It’s the story of a woman who has been broken by life, and by illness, and who now only wants to make things right. She even has a chance to discover that it’s never too late to find true love…or more accurately…find the true love that slipped away.

I’m so glad I had the foresight to hold on the Beth’s story, and I’m glad readers will get to fall in love with her like I did.

COMING HOME TO PARADISE is a prime example of not hitting “delete”, but making great writing work some other way.

Kristin Wallace is the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational and contemporary romance, and women’s fiction filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. Look for Book 1.5 in her Shellwater Key Tales series in a few weeks. For info on her books or how to connect visit her website at Kristin Wallace Author 

What is it about a love story? by Julie Jarnagin

If you're reading this blog, it's probably because you love reading romance. Over the years, I've had people question why I choose to write romance. One person encouraged me to kill off the hero or the heroine halfway through the book. Someone else told me I need to come up with the next Harry Potter (Ha! Wouldn't that be nice!). But right now, my heart belongs to writing romance. Here are a few reasons why I love writing love stories.

* It's fascinating to me how two very different people with completely different backgrounds, fears, personalities...everything...fall in love. What is it about them that draws them together? How do they overcome all the things that pull them apart?

* There's a romance genre for everyone. When some people think about romance novels, they think of one kind of book--usually a regency paperback with Fabio on the front cover. That's just one kind of romance. There's contemporary romance, inspirational romance, paranormal romance, urban, western, suspense...the list goes on. And there are heat levels for everyone. Here at Sweet Romance Reads, we celebrate that romance doesn't have to mean a book is R-rated. There are romance novels for all different tastes.

* I get to focus on the relationship first and foremost. There are definitely non-romance books with a strong romantic thread and romance books with an action-filled plot, but with romance novels, the story focuses on the relationship between the two main characters--and that's my favorite part.

* I love a happy-ever-after. Some people enjoy a mysterious ending where they don't know exactly what happens. Some people love it when something dark and surprising happens at the end. I'm all for twists and surprises, but I want a satisfying ending where I leave the book with a happy sigh, and that's what romance gives me.

Why do you read romance? 

Paige Morgan’s career is in shambles. What kind of wedding planner gets left at the altar? So when a job planning parties on a ranch in rural Texas comes her way, she jumps at it. So what if the cowboy who runs the place isn’t happy she’s there?

Rancher Nick Reid risked his heart once… and lost. Who needs love? He’s got a great life on the family ranch—so long as Paige Morgan and her city ideas don’t ruin it all. If only his family didn’t need her help to save their livelihood. And if only he wasn’t so darned drawn to the woman. But no sooner does Nick start to believe in love again, than a socialite shows up looking for Paige. Asking her to plan an elaborate wedding. Back in the city.

Both Paige and Nick need a second chance at love. But what will it cost them to take it?

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Kobo
iBooks

USA Today Best Selling author Julie Jarnagin writes sweet and inspirational romance. She grew up in a small Oklahoma town where her family farmed and ranched. These days she lives in a not-so-big city with her amazing husband and two young sons who tolerate all her nerdy quirks. Julie earned a B.A. in Journalism / Professional Writing from the University of Oklahoma and is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. www.JulieJarnagin.com. Sign up for her newsletter to be the first to learn about new releases and free books:http://eepurl.com/5y5k

Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter. Scroll down the right side of our blog and enter your email address under Newsletter Signup.

Why we write

I think I was sixteen when I went to Paris for the very first time. Somewhere around Montmartre, I found a postcard that touched a chord inside me, so I bought it and took it home. It's on the wall above my desk as I write and I still wonder that this little piece of yellowed cardboard has survived my seventeen or more moves and all these years, but even more astonishing is that chord inside me. It still hums whenever I look at it.
 

Translated, it says, "When asked "Why do you write?", the answer of the poet will always be the shortest: To have a better life." St. John Peoje

That's just what I feel. That's why I write.

When I write, I feel my soul expand. I travel away in time and space, disappear into another world, and when I appear again, sometimes, it feels as if I had been away for a trip over the weekend. It gives me a satisfaction I find nowhere else. When life gets hectic, and I don't get to write for a longer period of time, I feel that need building up inside me, that craving to get back to my keyboard or notebook, to get a pen in hand, to shut off the world, and to unburden myself, to free my soul. It's a solitude I need to replenish my inner being.

Yes, of course there are times when I have to drag myself to my desk. There are times when rejections hit me, when life gets in the way, and when this precious feeling gets lost. But I know it will come back eventually. Because I'm a writer, no matter what. Someone once said to me, "If you're a writer, writing is not an option. It's a necessity." That's it in a nutshell.

You don't have to be a writer of novels to feel this way; a diary can have the same effect on you. Now I wonder. Do you feel like that when you write?

#TenThingsNotToSayToAWriter by Karen Rock

#TenThingsNotToSayToAWriter by Karen Rock

Yesterday, while on Twitter, I came across the hashtag, #TenThingsNotToSayToAWriter and clicked on it. The stream of tweets using this hashtag had me laughing, groaning and nodding in agreement so often, I thought I’d share some of my favorites with you. I hope you agree and laugh, groan and nod along with me, too J

#TenThingsNotToSayToAWriter :

  

1.       “Three dollars is a lot to pay for just an ebook.” - @FebruaryGrace

2.       “Now you just need to get it turned into a movie.” -@LaurenDeStefano

3.       “I would never have guessed that you were a writer. You’re so normal.” @HRuthMiller

4.       “I have a great idea for a book you should write. You write it and we'll split the profits 50-50.” - @tiffanyreisz

5.       “Oh. It’s one of THOSE books.” @ColleenHouck

6.       “I don’t read fiction. I only read important things.” -@shirleymccann

7.       “Oh, you’re a writer? Me too! I mean, I haven’t typed it out, but it’s all, y’know, there in my head.”- @EvilMarguerite

8.       “You write romance? Have you ever thought of writing a real book?” - @McCarthySusanne

9.       “Will you send me a free copy?” - @AuthorAngelaS

10.   “So, I want to write a book, too. Will you help me?” - @emeraldbarnes

11.   “Have I read anything of yours?”- I’ve never met you before. How would I know?! @JLArmentrout

12.   “I should try and get published in England. It’s obviously easier there.”- @HolSmale

13.   “So when do you think you are going to finish your book?” x 10 - @BookCountry

14.   “Writing romance is easy, right? I think I should try it. I need some money.” @ashposton

15.   “Self-published, so you’re not really published yet then?”- @chadh1234

16.   “People can buy it? Seriously? In a real book store?” - @KathyReinhart

17.   “It must be lovely working from home. You can combine writing with housework and childcare.” -@Joannechocolat

18.   “I better be careful or you’ll put me in your book!” No. You’re not that interesting. - @OfficiallyAlly

19.   “I had to give it one star because it had way too many five stars.” - @emberian

20.   “I know you’ve sold a ton of books but I found a misspelling in chapter 3.” - @kennbivins

And here’s the one I tweeted:

“So? Are you still writing or working now?” hehe. Would you believe it was retweeted 216 times and favorited over 300 times at the time I’m writing this?

The hashtag “TenThingsNotToSayToAWriter has been a top trending topic today (hitting number 2 worldwide as I write this!) for good reason. Although writing is solitary work, it’s a universal experience and one we should share more often! It’s been a treat to read these tweets from other authors as it helps me feel less alone- (although technically I do have my puppy, Zoey, here for company, which counts, right?)

As writers, it’s important to take advantage and join in on experiences like this, whether it’s online or in person with conferences, chapter meetings or just phone chats with other writers. There can be a lot of negative in our profession, whether it’s sales numbers, snarky reviews, publisher rejections or eight page revision letters. (okay- maybe that’s just my experience J) However, interacting with one another is the positive food we need to keep going and embrace, rightfully so, our profession with joy.

As Steven King said in “On Writing” – “Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It’s about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy.”

Hugs to all my fellow authors and readers out there! You make the world’s heart beat. Let's make our own list of #TenThingsNotToSayToAWriter! Please share any interesting comments people have made to you about writing :) Thanks!

Living with ADHD - by Denise Devine

I have ADHD—Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder—though I’ve never been formally diagnosed. I’m sixty-four years old. When I attended grade school, the general public didn’t know what it was and the school system certainly didn’t address it. I didn’t know about the condition until my kids were little. About that time the public started to become aware of ADHD and I acquired a lot of information.

How do I know I have ADHD? First of all, it runs in my family. My sister was diagnosed, as an adult, and put on medication. Her son also has it and many of my nieces and nephews have been diagnosed. Fortunately, neither of my kids nor my grandchildren have it. Thank God!

Secondly, I’ve read several books on ADHD and believe me, I have it. You know it when you see it. You’re probably wondering why I don’t go to the doctor and get diagnosed. What’s the point? I’ve lived with it all my life and have gotten along just fine.

How have I coped with it? Easy…I’ve learned to compensate for my weakness. I simply learned how to do things in ways that got the job done and I became a perfectionist in the process. When I worked full time, I always performed best at jobs where I was up to my neck in paperwork. As long as I was busy doing the same things over and over, I became so efficient at my duties I could do everything fast and I never got bored. I also learned to write everything down and refer to my notes. And that, my friends, was the key to a successful 25 years of government service.

Can you imagine me sitting on a jury? Twice? Yep, been there, done that and I spent the entire time taking detailed notes because it was better than sitting in my chair squirming and yawning, looking at what everyone was wearing. My jury mates thought my note-taking was pretty funny, but no one was laughing when we went into deliberation and my notes recapped every witness exam/cross-exam in the trial.

Like I said, I’m at my best when I’m very busy, but I can only focus on one thing at a time. Otherwise, I get distracted and just spin my wheels. When I sit down to write, it has to be quiet in the house. No husband, no cats, no music, no TV. Unfortunately, it is rarely quiet at my house! As soon as I sit down to write, the phone rings, the neighbor shows up at the door, Fed-Ex is delivering a package, a cat is throwing up in another room, my husband can’t find something or suddenly wants to talk. As a matter of fact, that’s the only time he wants to talk… But the worst distraction, by far, is that little ding! coming from the computer in the other room that alerts me to a new email. The only way I can keep myself from jumping up and going in there twenty times a day is to turn off the sound on the computer so I can’t hear it.

Before I write a scene I have to make an outline, otherwise I just sit there and daydream…and listen for that little ding! in the other room. I love GMC charts! And the Hero’s Journey worksheet. Those two processes make me think about my characters in order to answer the necessary questions. They also satisfy my need to be organized before I start. Because I work best in a situation of consistency and repetition, I find that the more I write, the more I want to write, but the trick is letting go of all the other things competing for my attention and getting my butt into the chair first thing in the morning.

That’s the part I’m still working on.

~     ~     ~

Denise Devine is a USA TODAY bestselling author who has had a passion for books since she discovered Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder in second grade. She wrote her first book, a mystery, at age thirteen and has been writing ever since. Besides reading and writing, Denise also loves to study and travel. She’s currently working on two novels and needs to slow down long enough to get one of them done! This is the cover for her next inspirational story, coming this summer!

Want to keep up with news from Sweet Romance Reads authors? Sign up for the SRR newsletter today. Like chatting about Sweet Romance? Join the authors of Sweet Romance Reads in our cyber Café!

 

To Write or Not Write...When That's the Question by Christine Bush

When I think about women’s lives, I think of all the phases that many of us go through on this journey on the planet.  Beyond the normal “growing up, teenager, adult” phases, life gets a lot more complicated for some of us.  Myself included.

There have been phases of my life where being a “writer” has fit right in a joyful way. As a young mother, I wrote in between sessions of nursing babies.  I wrote early in the morning, late at night, sometimes on weekends.  I grabbed spare moments whenever I could.  Those spare moments added up and the result became several of my first novels.  The issue during this phase was time management.  And fatigue.  The stories were running rampant in my head.  The challenge was to sit down in the chair long enough to have them flow through my fingertips and onto the page.

During some of the stints when I worked full time as well as coped with mommy-hood, even my well practiced time management skills took a dive.  There were long bouts when the pages did NOT pile up, but to tell the truth, I was too busy to worry about it.

But I am a writer, and the motivation to write came back as soon as I came up for air.  Fast forward a few years, a few more books.

But then there were emotional storms.  Caring for a dad who was failing caused a lot of upheaval in the feelings department, alongside the stress of finding the time to do what I needed to do in an already busy life. Then, more family and personal  issues. Too much upheaval to write.

The truth was, I NEEDED to write. I couldn’t put it aside the same way I had before.  But in the stress and pain of emotion, I could not find the inspiration to write the happily ever after sweet romance that is my stock and trade.

But I had to write.  It was a survival thing. So I wrote articles instead. I wrote several short plays.  I wrote two middle grade children’s novels.  I discovered it was a lot of fun to write a lot of different things.

The day came when the sun came out once more, and I was inspired to write my romances again.  That sure feels great.  Though my writing remains much more diverse, and I like it that way.  I like to write all those different things today. 

What have I learned?  That life’s phases can challenge us, and inspire us, and make us better people. And sometimes make us better writers. And a writer needs to write, no matter what. 

Writer or reader.. How have those challenging life phases affected your path and helped you to grow?

Christine Bush is the award winning author of many books and novellas of sweet romance and light mystery. She also writes Middle Grade Fiction and short plays. When she isn’t writing, she can be found working with clients as a Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice, or teaching Psychology at a local college.  She lives with her family and two crazy cats in northeastern Pennsylvania, and loves to hear from readers and aspiring writers.

Her  book “Cindy’s Prince” can be found at  Amazon

Find out more about Christine on her website and FaceBook

Which pen do you use to write?

I spend my days surrounded by fountain pens because that's my day job. As I've worked with high-value writing instruments pretty much all of my working life, I pay a lot of attention to the pen I use. I enjoy to touch them; I enjoy to write with them; and I don't like to use cheap throw-away ballpens you can get at every corner. I ban them from my house, much to the chagrin of my husband who hardly ever notices what he's writing with.

Understanding my passion, though, he offered me a particularly nice fountain pen for my birthday, the Special Edition Indian Summer from Pelikan which is now sold out. Its barrel shows autumn leaves as my birthday is in autumn; it has gorgous colors that make me happy even if the weather is so bland it brings me down, and it writes like a dream. I filled it with "brilliant brown" ink as the finishing touch - and now I enjoy taking notes more than ever.



Besides my fountain pen, I love pencils. They are so . . . forgiving. And flexible. I like that concept of erasing things and starting again. If you look at the tools a writer has to have, a keyboard is certainly more important than a pen . . . but we all take notes whereever we go; we all love to have pen and paper within reach to make sure our darting ideas don't escape before we catch them.



However, I can't write with rollerballs. I slant the pen too much. And I don't like to write with ball pens because you have to use so much pressure.

How about you? Do you write with fountain pens at all? Do you prefer rollerballs or ball pens? Or even pencils? Do you have a much-loved pen that you never want to lose? Or it it all the same to you as long as the thing writes?

Beate Boeker is a USA Today bestselling author with a passion for books that brim over with mischief & humor. Many of her sweet romances and cozy mysteries are set in beautiful Italy.

She's a global marketing manager with a degree in International Business Administration, and her daily experience in marketing continuously provides her with a wide range of fodder for her novels, be it hilarious or cynical.

While 'Boeker' means 'books' in a German dialect, her first name Beate can be translated as ‘Happy’ . . . and with a name that reads ‘Happy Books’, what else could she do but write novels with a happy end?

You can learn more about Beate at her website

Setting Goals for 2015 by Kristin Wallace

So it’s 2015 and time for a fresh start. It’s a time two make new goals. For me it's writing goals. Whether I success in those goals...well that's another matter. Last year, I had the grand idea that I would write FOUR books in 2014.

Confession…I did not come close.

I finished one book BY CHRISTMAS, which I ended up self-publishing as part of the Sweet Christmas Kisses box set. Then I put it out as a single book. It was my first foray into the world of indie publishing so there was a big learning curve, meaning everything took longer to accomplish. I did have the benefit of working with 13 other fantastic authors from this group on the box set and learned SO MUCH.

So what about those other three books I was supposed to complete? Book two was supposed to be the fifth installment in my Covington Falls Chronicles series. However, somewhere along the line it became not Book 5 in that series, but Book 1 in a WHOLE NEW SERIES. It’s set in another fictional town, only this one is in Florida (where I happen to live). It centers on a prized pig named Matilda who inherits a fortune from her eccentric owner. Oh yes, there are also three women competing for custody of the pig (and control of the money, of course). As well as a trio of sexy men who might win their hearts.

The other two books are part of another series. This one is a contemporary romance/women’s fiction. It’s also set in Florida (different town) and it follows three former childhood friends who return to their hometown and become involved in rehabilitating an old dinner theatre called The Paradise. I finished the first book a couple years ago, but book 2 and 3 still need to be put down on paper.

The third idea is another series that is perhaps the craziest concept I’ve ever come up with. My heroine is a spoiled heiress who dies and then gets recruited as a celestial matchmaker, helping soul mates find their One True Love before it's too late. It’s crazy and weird and hilariously funny…It is also so far away from anything else I’ve ever written. A little scary.

So…yeah…that’s a lot of books. And I have a demanding full time job. I don’t know how I will possibly do them. I need a plan. I need help. I need to find that impossibly rich tycoon so I can quit the day job and write full time.

Hmmm…okay...writing all those books might happen first.

Kristin Wallace is the USA Today Best Selling Author of inspirational romance and women’s fiction filled with “Love, Laughter and a Leap of Faith”. She is the author of the Covington Falls Chronicles, romances set in a fictional Southern town. Find out more at Kristin Wallace Author 

Words to Love by Shaleen Kapil

I love words. Not just any words, I love big, juicy vocabulary words. Those words for things for which you didn’t know there was a name.

            It has taken me a while to recognize this love because I think a lot of us have been drilled in school to see vocabulary as a chore, a dreaded task to memorize a list of words that we have never heard before and never will again. Recently, I saw an article saying that they were going to take word analogies off the SAT, and I was so happy to hear this that I thought it would be news that everyone would want to hear. Finally, they understand that words are for context, not to abuse in poor highschoolers’ minds.

            I think my love for words was always present, hidden in my determination to look up unknown words that I came across in books. (Or maybe that was my stubborn determination that if an author and editor thought that word was good enough to use, then I wanted to know it too.) But I rediscovered my love of words while I was teaching my son about science. I learned the word crepuscular.

            All of us know the word nocturnal- to be awake and active at night, but I hadn’t even known the word crepuscular existed. And yet I find it extremely useful. Why do you see deer in morning and evening hours? Because they are crepuscular, as are mosquitos.  Yes, I got very excited over this strange new word.

            Recently, I signed up for a word a day program, and sometimes I just want to tell everyone my new word. Yummy words for things that explain a feeling exactly!

Petrichor: the smell of rain on dry earth…I love this smell!

Apricity: the warmth of sun in the winter…I love to sit by my window on a sunny day and enjoy apricity.

Gongoozle: to stare, gaze at a body of water…How many of us haven’t done this?

My word this week is: Ultracrepidarian: someone who talks about a subject they know nothing about.  I can think of a few cases for this word!

What words do you love that should be added to our vocabulary.?

Shaleen Kapil spends a lot of time learning new words as she helps her 2nd grader practice for the spelling bee. She is the author of None But You, a sweet romance available in ebook & print formats. 

Find out more at www.shaleenkapil.com or Like her on Facebook.