In my previous post (and a couple of posts ago), I posed the question of POV.
3rd person (i. e. "Jana's klutziness is a charming quality, if not a deadly one.")
vs.
1st person (i. e. "I admit it; I'm a klutz. Blame genetics. My mother got all the grace.")
In my 'Southern girl' piece, I want to have 3 POVs -- the main character, a farm hand, the main character's younger sister's friend (wow - long character description). Some have said multiple POVs are fine but then the lurvely TJ Brown says her critique group said no (as she attempted the same thing in her YA WIP).
Maybe I'm just making this harder than it has to be.
I mean, I'm the writer, damnit; if I want Farm Hand and Sister's Friend to speak in 1st person, I should be able to do that. Right?
Well, crap. I should just write some more on the stupid thing and post an excerpt for everyone to critique.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Merry Gentry -- Part 2
So I put down Outlander in favor of Merry Gentry #2, A Caress of Twilight which I finished last night. It seemed shorter than the first book (maybe because it was a hardcover or maybe because I read it every spare moment -- *shrugs*). I liked it but it leaves me with questions, of course, so I'm sure I'll have to zip over to the public library today on my lunch break (good thing it's right next door!) and check out the 3rd in the series. I accidently placed a library hold on the 4th (and newest) book so it's waiting for me. I have 7 days before the library will send it to someone else. Can I finish the 3rd book in 7 days? I wonder.....
In writing news, I did an "outline" for my 'Southern girl returns to the farm' piece last night. It seems short to me (only 20 chapters) but that may change as I continue writing. I have most of the main character's scenes/chapters written, and I'm really looking forward to writing the other characters. My outlining did bring up a question: can I switch narrators? What I mean is, can I write the main character from a third-person perspective and the other 2 from first-person? I wonder.....
In writing news, I did an "outline" for my 'Southern girl returns to the farm' piece last night. It seems short to me (only 20 chapters) but that may change as I continue writing. I have most of the main character's scenes/chapters written, and I'm really looking forward to writing the other characters. My outlining did bring up a question: can I switch narrators? What I mean is, can I write the main character from a third-person perspective and the other 2 from first-person? I wonder.....
Friday, June 24, 2005
Merry Gentry
I finished A Kiss of Shadows by Laurell K. Hamilton yesterday afternoon. A couple of my friends have read (and raved) about the Anita Blake series but I decided to go with Ms. Meredith Gentry instead. I'm not saying I won't ever get to Anita; Merry just seems more like my cup of tea right now. And what a cup of tea it is....
I've never known such an imaginative writer, with such descriptions and characters. (My library holdings/requests are catching up to my TBR stack which is why I've started Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.) What I really want to do is read some more about Merry, Doyle, Frost, and the entire Unseelie Court! I may have to push Outlander down on my reading list just a bit until I finish (or get caught up) with Merry and her gang.
I've never known such an imaginative writer, with such descriptions and characters. (My library holdings/requests are catching up to my TBR stack which is why I've started Outlander by Diana Gabaldon.) What I really want to do is read some more about Merry, Doyle, Frost, and the entire Unseelie Court! I may have to push Outlander down on my reading list just a bit until I finish (or get caught up) with Merry and her gang.
Wednesday, June 22, 2005
A Writerly Question
I'm asking for opinions here, people.
One of my current works-in-progress is what I'm calling "Southern girl returns to the farm." This was originally a play for an undergrad class, but I'm interested in turning it into a manuscript. As it stands now, it would be a novella length (which is fine and good) but I want it to be full-length novel.
My question is: would it be too jarring to have various POVs, like William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying or Lee Smith's Oral History?
I'd like to keep things third person, and I'd like to have the POVs come from the main character (D), a farm hand (B), and D's younger sister's friend (M). Would it be wierd for the reader to see things through the eyes of characters unrelated to the main character?
[Now that I ask, I realize that particularly in Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury, Caddy Compson is the "main" character, but we the reader never hear directly from her, only the men in her life; same goes for Lee Smith's Oral History's Dory. I guess it's a stupid question because technically, a writer can write whatever they choose. The questions should be will the work land an agent or sell to the public, and that's all about the voice/tone/plot/etc.]
But I'd still like some opinions..... :p
One of my current works-in-progress is what I'm calling "Southern girl returns to the farm." This was originally a play for an undergrad class, but I'm interested in turning it into a manuscript. As it stands now, it would be a novella length (which is fine and good) but I want it to be full-length novel.
My question is: would it be too jarring to have various POVs, like William Faulkner's As I Lay Dying or Lee Smith's Oral History?
I'd like to keep things third person, and I'd like to have the POVs come from the main character (D), a farm hand (B), and D's younger sister's friend (M). Would it be wierd for the reader to see things through the eyes of characters unrelated to the main character?
[Now that I ask, I realize that particularly in Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury, Caddy Compson is the "main" character, but we the reader never hear directly from her, only the men in her life; same goes for Lee Smith's Oral History's Dory. I guess it's a stupid question because technically, a writer can write whatever they choose. The questions should be will the work land an agent or sell to the public, and that's all about the voice/tone/plot/etc.]
But I'd still like some opinions..... :p
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Someone's Been Naughty....
Do you know who's been a bad girl? No, not me (well, actually, yes, because I haven't written in a week) -- I'm talking about Mia Snow, the heroine of Gena Showalter's new book, Awaken Me Darkly.
In a time and place not too far away, Mia Snow is an alien huntress for the New Chicago Police Department, using her psychic abilities and deadly fighting skills to catch her prey. Heading up her expert team of Alien Investigation and Removal agents, Mia is unmatched at battling the elusive enemy among us, and she’s the perfect girl for the job. She’s seen her brother die at the hands of aliens. She’s earned each of her scars. And she’ll never, ever give up. Now, a series of killings have Mia and her partner Dallas tracking alien suspects – but a sudden blast of violence leaves Dallas fighting for his life.
The chance to save Dallas appears in the form of a tall, erotic stranger. An alien. A murder suspect. Kyrin en Arr, of the deadly Arcadian species, holds the power to heal the injured agent but not without a price. For Mia Snow, that price is surrendering to Kyrin’s forbidden seduction…and embracing their electric attraction. She’s walking a knife’s edge, risking her badge and even her life. The closer she gets to Kyrin, the more Mia learns about her own heart, her human needs – and the shocking secret that will shatter everything she’s ever believed.
Ms. Snow is currently staring up at my from my To Be Read pile (which grows h-i-g-h-e-r every day) but I cannot wait to dive into it! And if you'd like to learn more about one of me favorite Naughty Girls, get thee to Gena's blog.
In a time and place not too far away, Mia Snow is an alien huntress for the New Chicago Police Department, using her psychic abilities and deadly fighting skills to catch her prey. Heading up her expert team of Alien Investigation and Removal agents, Mia is unmatched at battling the elusive enemy among us, and she’s the perfect girl for the job. She’s seen her brother die at the hands of aliens. She’s earned each of her scars. And she’ll never, ever give up. Now, a series of killings have Mia and her partner Dallas tracking alien suspects – but a sudden blast of violence leaves Dallas fighting for his life.
The chance to save Dallas appears in the form of a tall, erotic stranger. An alien. A murder suspect. Kyrin en Arr, of the deadly Arcadian species, holds the power to heal the injured agent but not without a price. For Mia Snow, that price is surrendering to Kyrin’s forbidden seduction…and embracing their electric attraction. She’s walking a knife’s edge, risking her badge and even her life. The closer she gets to Kyrin, the more Mia learns about her own heart, her human needs – and the shocking secret that will shatter everything she’s ever believed.
Ms. Snow is currently staring up at my from my To Be Read pile (which grows h-i-g-h-e-r every day) but I cannot wait to dive into it! And if you'd like to learn more about one of me favorite Naughty Girls, get thee to Gena's blog.
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Go Hex Yourself!
So I have this book Enchanted, Inc. by Shanna Swendson. The tagline is "Bridget Jones meets Harry Potter." My friends that love Bridget and Harry will be green with envy until they get my copy in their hot little hands. Here's a snippet to wet your appetite:
Shanna Swendson's debut mainstream novel, ENCHANTED, INC. is a magical story featuring Katie Chandler, a 20something, small-town Texas girl, who finds that being average in New York City is anything but. Katie loves the energy of Manhattan, and if she fines some of the people odd, well, that's New York, right? Where else would you see a person on the subway wearing fairy wings? In fact, if Katie wasn't completely sure those wings must be a costume, she'd think they were real, the way they flutter in the breeze. Certainly the gargoyle that perches above the door of the church she passes on the way to and from work isn't real. Its eyes seem to follow her, and she could have sworn it winked at her once, but now that she thinks about it, it was really hot that day, and she hadn't eaten lunch....
Katie is still adjusting to life in the big city while working for a nightmare boss, when she gets a fantastic offer to work for a mysterious company, MSI, Inc. Through her new job and the magical folk she meets, Katie comes to find out she isn't quite as average as she thought; and the fairytale life she has longed for begins to come true in surprising ways.
Now doesn't that sound fun? Want to know more about Shanna? Visit her Live Journal.
Shanna Swendson's debut mainstream novel, ENCHANTED, INC. is a magical story featuring Katie Chandler, a 20something, small-town Texas girl, who finds that being average in New York City is anything but. Katie loves the energy of Manhattan, and if she fines some of the people odd, well, that's New York, right? Where else would you see a person on the subway wearing fairy wings? In fact, if Katie wasn't completely sure those wings must be a costume, she'd think they were real, the way they flutter in the breeze. Certainly the gargoyle that perches above the door of the church she passes on the way to and from work isn't real. Its eyes seem to follow her, and she could have sworn it winked at her once, but now that she thinks about it, it was really hot that day, and she hadn't eaten lunch....
Katie is still adjusting to life in the big city while working for a nightmare boss, when she gets a fantastic offer to work for a mysterious company, MSI, Inc. Through her new job and the magical folk she meets, Katie comes to find out she isn't quite as average as she thought; and the fairytale life she has longed for begins to come true in surprising ways.
Now doesn't that sound fun? Want to know more about Shanna? Visit her Live Journal.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
I Need a --
-- writing routine. (You thought I was going to say "hero," didn't you? Admit it, you like Bonnie Tyler. It's okay -- don't be afraid.)
Last week, I was a writing machine. 1,000 words one day, 500 the next, 300, 100, 230 -- I was in a groove. I think either Liz Maverick or Marianne Mancusi were waxing poetic about the riggers of getting back on the horse (so to speak) after taking a break from writing. I concur! I haven't written diddly squat this week!
Now we have had vacation bible school at our church (ending tomorrow night) so my sweet boy has been going to bed at 9 pm instead of 8 pm. That's screwed up my routine, I think. Because when he goes to bed at 8 pm, I have an entire hour or so to play around on the internet, check mail, read blogs, etc. Then I either prepare for the next day or write - whichever mood strikes me first -- before getting into my pjs to read for about an hour. That routine had been working well. I was proud of myself. I suppose it's okay to backslide a little bit; everyone needs a break but I've got to get back on the horse! Lots of goals to accomplish!!
Last week, I was a writing machine. 1,000 words one day, 500 the next, 300, 100, 230 -- I was in a groove. I think either Liz Maverick or Marianne Mancusi were waxing poetic about the riggers of getting back on the horse (so to speak) after taking a break from writing. I concur! I haven't written diddly squat this week!
Now we have had vacation bible school at our church (ending tomorrow night) so my sweet boy has been going to bed at 9 pm instead of 8 pm. That's screwed up my routine, I think. Because when he goes to bed at 8 pm, I have an entire hour or so to play around on the internet, check mail, read blogs, etc. Then I either prepare for the next day or write - whichever mood strikes me first -- before getting into my pjs to read for about an hour. That routine had been working well. I was proud of myself. I suppose it's okay to backslide a little bit; everyone needs a break but I've got to get back on the horse! Lots of goals to accomplish!!
Saturday, June 11, 2005
Finished --
-- with Jennifer St. Giles' The Mistress of Trevelyan, that is. (I *wish* I was finished with something writing related.)
I climbed into bed last night at about 10:30, I think. My back had been hurting me all day so I unplugged the alarm clock to plug in the heating pad. (I also took 4 Excedrin Migraine during the course of the evening. Nothing cures what ails you like Excedrin Migraine. I had some hydrocodine but I figured it would knock me right out and I wouldn't hear the sweet boy if he cried. Since he's standing up in his crib now and the hubby is at a tennis tourney this weekend, being knocked out on meds would not be a good thing.)
As I'd been doing all week, I had planned to read a couple of chapters then hit the hay. Did that happen? No! I kept on reading and reading and reading. I couldn't put it down! When did I finish? 2:00 am this morning. But I'm glad I did.
What an amazing book with twists and turns, suspense and period romance, all rolled into one!! I'm not much of a straight-up romance reader but I am so glad I finished this book. I really couldn't put it down! I'd start a new chapter, thinking I was going to finish this one then go to bed, then I'd arrive at the end of said chapter and say, "well, I *have* to know what's going to happen next."
That's the hallmark of a good book -- when you simply cannot put it down. And now I cannot wait for His Dark Desires to be relased in November. Thank you, Jenni!!!!
I climbed into bed last night at about 10:30, I think. My back had been hurting me all day so I unplugged the alarm clock to plug in the heating pad. (I also took 4 Excedrin Migraine during the course of the evening. Nothing cures what ails you like Excedrin Migraine. I had some hydrocodine but I figured it would knock me right out and I wouldn't hear the sweet boy if he cried. Since he's standing up in his crib now and the hubby is at a tennis tourney this weekend, being knocked out on meds would not be a good thing.)
As I'd been doing all week, I had planned to read a couple of chapters then hit the hay. Did that happen? No! I kept on reading and reading and reading. I couldn't put it down! When did I finish? 2:00 am this morning. But I'm glad I did.
What an amazing book with twists and turns, suspense and period romance, all rolled into one!! I'm not much of a straight-up romance reader but I am so glad I finished this book. I really couldn't put it down! I'd start a new chapter, thinking I was going to finish this one then go to bed, then I'd arrive at the end of said chapter and say, "well, I *have* to know what's going to happen next."
That's the hallmark of a good book -- when you simply cannot put it down. And now I cannot wait for His Dark Desires to be relased in November. Thank you, Jenni!!!!
Thursday, June 9, 2005
Again!
Last night, I wrote 300 words on yet another project. I'm pleased to announce that these are projects I have on my "writing projects" list, nothing new that's popped into my head recently which is good. I was worried about Adult ADD (or Writers ADD) since I couldn't concentrate on writing for very long. But I think I've been very smart with my planning recently. My husband has even noticed I've been a "busy little bee, writing, writing, writing."
I guess I'm currently working on 5 things: a historical romance (I have an entire series -- 8 books -- in mind) as I scrape off the dust and edit while I type what I handwrote over 10 years ago; the Southern literary fiction that was formerly a play; the OBX idea, now set in New Orleans (which is a long way from Ocracoke, NC -- that would be one of the sharp right handers the idea has taken in the 2 weeks since I thought of it); a magical chick lit piece and a contemporary chick lit piece. The contemporary chick lit piece was originally for a contest but now I think I may use either the OBX idea or the magical chick lit since both are either edgier or funnier. We'll see.
My goal for tonight was to plot out the OBX idea and the magical chick lit but that's not going to happen. I just feel so tired, I don't know why. I'm not coming down with anything (I hope). I fell asleep while trying to get my sweet boy to go to sleep. My husband woke me up so maybe I didn't get those supposed 8 minutes that leave you refreshed instead of dragging. I have the weekend though to get back on track, and I'm proud of what I've written over the past week.
I guess I'm currently working on 5 things: a historical romance (I have an entire series -- 8 books -- in mind) as I scrape off the dust and edit while I type what I handwrote over 10 years ago; the Southern literary fiction that was formerly a play; the OBX idea, now set in New Orleans (which is a long way from Ocracoke, NC -- that would be one of the sharp right handers the idea has taken in the 2 weeks since I thought of it); a magical chick lit piece and a contemporary chick lit piece. The contemporary chick lit piece was originally for a contest but now I think I may use either the OBX idea or the magical chick lit since both are either edgier or funnier. We'll see.
My goal for tonight was to plot out the OBX idea and the magical chick lit but that's not going to happen. I just feel so tired, I don't know why. I'm not coming down with anything (I hope). I fell asleep while trying to get my sweet boy to go to sleep. My husband woke me up so maybe I didn't get those supposed 8 minutes that leave you refreshed instead of dragging. I have the weekend though to get back on track, and I'm proud of what I've written over the past week.
Tuesday, June 7, 2005
The Smallest of Victories
In an effort to keep with the "100 words in 100 days" mantra I'm attempting to, er, attempt, I've spent 2 days writing. Seperate projects, mind you -- yesterday was almost 1,000 words on the paranormal piece that jumped up and bit me in the Outer Banks (although it has taken a sharp right as I've started to flesh things out in my mind and on paper). I could have written over 1,000 but I need to brush up on New Orleans. Tonight, I wrote 100 words exactly for my As I Lay Dying-ish piece. It was stream-of-consciousness mostly, and at 80 words I revised and added so I'd hit 100. I plan on working on my 'Southern girl returns home' piece later tonight which should put me well over the 1,000 word mark for today. Hopefully, I can keep up this pace!
Edited to add: Okay, so I didn't write 1,000 words as I had planned last night but I DID write 500 words. About 10:30 pm, I started yawning, closed up shop and propmtly crashed into my bed. I slept until my sweet boy (and the serious thunderstorm and lightening) woke me at 2:30 am.
Edited to add: Okay, so I didn't write 1,000 words as I had planned last night but I DID write 500 words. About 10:30 pm, I started yawning, closed up shop and propmtly crashed into my bed. I slept until my sweet boy (and the serious thunderstorm and lightening) woke me at 2:30 am.
Monday, June 6, 2005
Move over, Mark Twain --
Someone new from Connecticut is in King Arthur's Court.
Marianne Mancusi has written an outrageous tale of time travel, gypsy curses, fashion and medieval knights with A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur's Court. Here's a blurb:
Want to read an excerpt? You should!! I highly recommend this book!
Want to know more about Marianne? Read her blog!
Marianne Mancusi has written an outrageous tale of time travel, gypsy curses, fashion and medieval knights with A Connecticut Fashionista in King Arthur's Court. Here's a blurb:
Once upon a time there lived an outspoken fashion editor named Kat, who certainly was not your typical damsel in distress. But when a gypsy curse sent her back in time to the days of King Arthur, she found she'd need every ounce of her 21st century wits (and pop culture references) to navigate the legend. After all, surviving a magical plot, an evil prince, and a case of mistaken identity--all without changing history or scuffing your Manolos--takes some doing!
Luckily, she's got her very own knight in shining armor, Lancelot du Lac, on her side. The honorable-to-a-fault and devastatingly handsome champion insists on helping her out, even though she's not quite sure she wants him to. After all, shouldn't he be off romancing Queen Guenevere or something? Will Kat manage to stay out of trouble long enough to get back to her beloved café lattes, cosmopolitans and cashmere? And what will Lancelot's forbidden love mean for the kingdom of Camelot?
Want to read an excerpt? You should!! I highly recommend this book!
Want to know more about Marianne? Read her blog!
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