Lessons Learned in Critiquing

I said I was forcing myself back into writing. One way to do that is through critiques. I've done critiques for four CPs in the last few days. Makes me want to write.

You can learn a lot of things by critiquing other people's work. Here are some things I've picked up:

1) Cliches abound. A favorite one is "Big time." Pick up the manuscripts of twenty aspiring writers and I'm betting you'll see that phrase, exactly as written, in at least 18 out of 20, if not all of them. I'm going on a hunt for it in my own manuscript and getting rid of it.

2) Details count. When done well, they give the story flavor. I have one CP who is fantastic with details. Her story is set in NY and everything she describes is dead-on, even little things that the average romance reader would never know if she got wrong. Kudos, Chicki!

3) If you're writing romance, it is necessary to build the sexual tension. Even if you're writing a really hot romance, it has to start somewhere and end somewhere and there needs to be progression in between. Another CP, Jenna, is very good at this. I think I need to work on it a bit.

4) The romance, however critical and central, is not the whole story. There needs to be a sense of something else going on, and that something progressing at a steady pace toward the final conclusion. This is part plotting and part pacing. I'd say our group has varying levels of skill in this area. We're all still learning but critiquing others work makes me more sensitive to this in my own. Of course, you don't want so much going on that the romance takes a back seat, which is what I'm afraid could happen in my story, now that I think about it. Something to keep in mind.

5) We could all use a good lesson in punctuation and grammar. Whatever mistakes we each make, we make them repeatedly, and they are different for each of us. I'm betting we all think we're reasonably good in this department. I don't mind saying that I think so of myself. Thus, employing a professional editor may be more necessary than nice to have. Can someone say comma, please?

6) Because I'm critiquing a chapter at a time on four different stories, it's kind of like watching a mini-series where the episodes are spread out rather than back to back. Somestimes it's hard to remember everything that transpired before. I find myself taking peeks at previous chapters. But I also find that the stories that stay with me best are the ones in which the characters are most memorable. Give me distinct dialogue, personality quirks, unusual habits...anything to distinguish the characters, and I'm more likely to remember the action of the story.

7) My favorite and probably the bane of my writing. Backstory. Weaving backstory into the story in just the right amounts at just the right times is both an art and a skill. Difficult to master. All of the stories I'm currently critiquing are for unpublished authors, although we do have some published folks in the group. Backstory dump is an affliction that many unpublished authors suffer. Some more than others, and I'm in this group too. All I can say is I'm glad and hopeful that we'll get better with time. One CP completely rewrote her first chapter, reordering the scenes and slashing most of the backstory based on previous group feedback. And it's a much better chapter now, Ann.

Critiquing is an education.

I'm glad it's Friday. I hope to get some rest and spend some time writing as well as beginning to put together a plan for the Christmas holidays. Yes, I'm one of the late ones.

What did you learn by critiquing others? How are you doing with your holiday plans?

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

My Life From A to Z

Haven't had much to say. No writing. Some reading. Behind on critiques. Outdated blog. Nice Thanksgiving but life has been pretty consuming of late. I'm getting it together. Bear with me!

In the meantime, I saw this on Gwyneth Bolton's blog recently. It was cute and fun so I'm borrowing it. The deal is you're supposed to do the same!

My Life From A to Z

A - Age: 44

B - Best Friend: Can't say I have one although I miss having one. But lots of good friends. (Since I originally drafted this post before the holiday, I've reconnected with my childhood best friend, who is also my sister-in-law. We haven't been estranged, just not close anymore. Looooong story...)

C - Choice of Meat: Fish, grilled or blackened. But let me not act like some fried chicken, BBQ ribs, or succulent steak won't get my attention. Love roasted turkey at Thanksgiving and ham at New Year's! My mother always called me her carnivore.

D - Dream Date: Hubby and me on a cruise, no children. Except he's already promised them the Disney cruise, so I guess my first ever vacation on a ship will include The Mouse.

E - Exciting Adventure: The journey to publication, no question. Also, touring Asian or Africa. I'm intrigued by other cultures.

F - Favorite Food: Peanut Butter, hands down. With or without bread. No jelly necessary. Prefer mine natural these days.

G - Greatest Accomplishment: My baby boys, 'cuz none of them were conceived or carried easily, and all of whom are a joy.

H - Happiest Day of Your Life: I've had many happy days so it's too hard to pick one.

I - Interests: Reading, writing, fitness (so what if I don't actually practice what I learn?), learning new things, like fitness stuff I may never actually use.

J - Joke: Sorry, I'm not sure I've ever told a joke in my life. But I can laugh at a good one, even if it's about me!

K - Kool-Aid: Unh, unh! My mother never put enough sugar in it for me to get excited about it. Later, I attended too many church functions where they put too much sugar. I'll take water, please.

L - Love: is more than a feeling. Wish more folks realized this. Maybe the divorce rate would go down.

M - Most Valued Possession: Can honestly say I don't have one because I lost everything not too long ago and quickly learned that possessions come and go.

N - Name: Patricia, Pat (to family and longtime friends), Trish (to hubby and hubby only), Mommy or "Old Lady" to my boys (go figure). Never Patty or Patsy!

O - Outfit You Love: A black designer suit with satin trim that was the most expensive suit I ever bought. Hubby said it looked great on me and encouraged me to splurge. He was right, and it's one of the few things that survived our recent loss. Quality does matter because it still looks like new and the classic design won't go out of style. Think I need to shop for a new pair of shoes...

P - Pizza Toppings: Spinach, mushrooms, and olives, or as we more frequently consume in my house, pepperoni

Q - Question Asked To You the Most: Really? Seems to be an increasingly popular response but it's like "how are you?" when folks don't really want to know. So if there's no follow-up statement or probing question, I take it as a sign of disinterest.

R - Radio Station: If it plays contemporary gospel, I'm there. If it's a gospel FM station (rare), even better. Sometimes smooth jazz or classic soul.

S - Sport: As a spectator? Almost anything (basketball, baseball, football, track and field, golf, women's tennis). As a participant? Now that's funny! See, I do tell jokes!

T - Television Show: Almost nothing on the broadcast networks these days. Pretty much anything on HGTV. Guilty pleasure? Run's House.

U - Umbrella in the rain?: Absolutely! I'm an African-American woman, aren't I? Even when I had braids, I still wanted an umbrella.

V - Video: Any AA contemporary movie that puts African-Americans in a good light, like The Best Man, Brown Sugar, Love and Basketball, Head of State, Drumline, or my new favorite, Stomp The Yard. Also like some old ones like Claudine. I don't have any of these on DVD yet but I'm open to gifts during this Christmas season or birthday presents during February.

W - Winter: Snow. Wool clothes in rich, dark colors. Long, luxurious fur coats. (Yes, I know that's not PC but I used to dream of owning one.) Christmas and the joy of the season, both Christian and secular. Aren't most folks a bit nicer this time of year? Of course it translates into green grass with illuminated palm trees down here in FL. Very strange.

X - X-rays recently?: No

Y - Year Born: 1963

Z - Zodiac Sign: Aquarius

Hope you enjoyed. I'm forcing myself back into the saddle...

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Featured Author: Francis Ray, Part 3

It's here! The final segment of the Francis Ray interview. My apologies for the delay. I had been sooo worried about disappointing my blog readers, and now I don't have to. I really did present Ms. Ray with an outrageous number of questions (over 30!), and in hindsight, an even more ridiculous schedule. To her credit, Ms. Ray answered every question I posed to her, sending her responses in bits and pieces as her busy schedule allowed, including the last few which she forwarded to me late yesterday.

So, come and enjoy this last installment with me...


You’re one of the founders of the Romance Slam Jam, a national romance conference aimed at both readers and writers. How did that come about?

Emma Rodgers and Ashira Towishe wanted to show their support of the African-American romance writers. We brainstormed. Since a large group of writers were going to be in Dallas for another event, we invited them to Black Images, Emma and Ashira's store. Readers and authors had a wonderful time. Emma named the event "Romance Slam Jam" and we've been going strong ever since.

How has RSJ met or exceeded your expectations?

Each year is bigger and better. RSJ has provided a venue for readers/writers to meet and connect. 62 authors have already registered for RSJ 2008. I'd say it has exceeded my expectations, but it wouldn't have happened without loyal readers, gracious authors, willing sponsors and the tireless work of the host authors and book clubs.

What is your involvement with RSJ at this time?

My being a co-founder takes a back seat to my being an author.

We interrupt this interview for the following public service announcement:

Although she didn't say it, I see from the RSJ conference newsletter that Ms. Ray is planning to attend the 2008 conference in Chicago! Get more conference info here.)

And now, we return to you to our interview, already in progress...

You’ve been the recipient of numerous awards, including The Romantic Times Career Achievement award, the EMMA, the Golden Pen, and the Altantic Choice award, as well as a finalist for the prestigious Holt Medallion Award. Why do you think your books garner such recognition in addition to being reader favorites?

I'm always thankful and surprised when I win an award or meet people, as I did recently while shopping, who ask about characters or the next book. In my opinion, it's the characters that make the book. I do my best to write about intelligent, courageous men that women can fall in love with. He's the kind of man a woman can depend on in any situation. The heroine is just as intelligent and courageous. Together they're invincible.

You’ve written more than 30 books. How would you sum up your success as an author?

While I have achieved a certain amount of success just by continuing to be published, I have a long ways to go in my opinion before I see myself as successful. Success to me means 200,000 print run with subsequent 85-90% sell through, major marketing budget in your contract, placement in all stores, books on automatic buy for bookstores and all libraries, NYT's best-sellers list, and name recognition---just to name a few necessary factors.

What does your writing process look like? Once you have an idea, how do you proceed to finished book?

I start off by trying to get the plot clear in my head. Someone wants something and can't have it. Why? Why do they want it? What's stopping them from achieving their goal? I then write a short synopsis (10-16 pages) which will hopefully keep me on track. With the synopsis as a guide, I write the story.

Writing is difficult for me. I must be able to "see" what is going on and "feel" the characters. If I get stuck, which I do more than I like, I know it is because my characters aren't clear in my head. To get them moving I simply sit at the computer and write about them.

You’ve published over 30 books. How do you manage to be so proliferate? Do you ever run out of ideas? What time management skills particularly help you to achieve this feat?

ONLY YOU was my 35th book including anthologies and the book I did with Donna Hill. Ideas come very slow to me. It's been a bit easier with the Grayson series because I know their personalities and professions. Mainstream presents more problems because the love story takes a back seat to the heroine solving whatever problem life has tossed her way and coming into her own. I just worked though the plot for the next mainstream last week. When I finish the romance I'm working on, I hope to be able to start on the mainstream by the middle of December.

My schedule? I try to be finished with family time, answering email, etc. by 8pm so I can write until about 11pm. I now have a MySpace page (MySpace.com/francisray) which takes up more of my time than anticipated.

How do you spend your time outside of working as a nurse and writing?

I spend my time outside of working and writing working in my flower garden. I love selecting and planting flowers. It's very relaxing. Reading is a given.

Who are some of your favorite authors?

Some of my favorite authors are Bette Ford, Donna Hill, Beverly Jenkins, Eric Jerome Dickey, and Kimberly Lawson Roby.

What have you read most recently that you really enjoyed, that forced you to put down your writer’s cap and immerse yourself completely in the story?

The last book I read was DEADLY SEXY by Beverly Jenkins. Donna Hill's GETTING HERS is next.

What advice would you offer today’s aspiring authors?

The advice I would give the aspiring writer is first, know your craft. Study characterization, which for me, is the most important, plotting, and story development. A great book is TECHNIQUES OF THE SELLING WRITER by Dwight Swain. Second, don't compare yourself to anyone. Be glad when others succeed as if it were you. Third, read heavily in all genres. You'll learn what works and how to keep your writing sharp and fresh. Fourth, when you sell, always treat your readers with respect.

What’s the one thing you learned across the length of your career that you would tell them to ignore?

One thing I've learned to ignore is negative people. Surround yourself with people who believe in you and you can trust. Publishing is a strange and tough business. There are rewards, but there are times when you might become discouraged. Keep positive thoughts on your bulletin board or the computer. Remind yourself daily that this is what you want to do. Set your goal and don't look back.

What’s your vision for your career going forward?

I'm really working on increasing print run, sale through, visibility, readers. I'm thankful that my publishing house, St. Martin's Press, is behind me.

I think you asked about writing the book not being the end of an author's responsibility. After you've written this great book you then have to think who is going to buy it, and what will make them pick up your book over another. Often it may be as simple as the enticing cover or the intriguing back copy. But first you have to get them to pick up your book. "By chance" won't get you many sales. You have to drive them into the store or online. Noted NYT authors like Stephen King and James Patterson advertise and have web sites. Authors now have book trailers. Many do direct mailing or send bookmarks to bookstores. I think the day of just writing the book is over. You have to be savvy about the market as well. I'm learning. Blogs like your help as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Ray. It has truly been an honor. And no more questions. I promise!

Hope you enjoyed this interview as much as I did. If you missed the prior segments, you can click here to read Part One and Part Two.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Openings and Endzones

Thanks to all who prayed for author Kristy Dykes. She had her surgery yesterday and is recovering while they await the results of the tumor biopsy. Please continue to pray for her.
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It's Friday but again I've not come across a whole lot of new tidbits to share. So I think I'll talk about story openings.

I've gotten a lot of feedback on the beginning of my novel. (Did I mention that the title changed from Dreams of the Heart to A Family of Her Own?) A few people thought I should begin with the 4th scene, when my heroine arrives at a charity dinner dance. I began with her getting bad news about her business finances, which motivates her to attend the dance.

Which is better? I'm not sure yet.

There's been a lot of chatter around the blogosphere about openings of late. Clearly, I'm not the only one struggling with this.

Dianna Love Snell gives a great workshop on openings in yesterday's Wet Noodle Posse blog. The illustrations she gives really help to see the difference between a mediocre opening and a strong one.

Kaye Daycus is talking about critical reading this week. In today's post, she talks about book openings, likening them to a first date.

When I think about my first chapter, I definitely want to:

• Hook the reader (or agent or editor), enticing her to read beyond the first paragraph.
  
• Introduce interesting characters.
  
• Set up the conflict.
  
• Set the tone for the story.
  
• Hook the reader again, enticing her to keep reading.

Note there are two hooks, at the beginning and the end of the chapter. Made me think of endzones on a football field.

Now I'm not a big football fan but I can watch a game and follow what's going on for the most part. So if I screw up my metaphor, forgive this hoops fan!

In football, most of the action takes place on the field, between the two endzones. Nonetheless, the endzones are critical to the game. Players can run around on that field forever. Depending upon their skill at breaking or making tackles, throwing or catching passes, it can be pretty exciting. But it's down in the endzone, and sometimes in between the goal posts, where the scoring takes place. Don't make it into the endzone, or between the posts if it's a field goal, and you don't score. Period.

And so it is with the beginning and ending of a chapter. Start with a great opening hook and the reader keeps reading. End with a great closing hook and...the reader keeps reading.

On a micro level, the same applies to scenes, although I find it harder to make this true of every scene. Something for me to work on.

Sometimes when football players are running, they run to safety. Out of bounds. It's a foul to tackle out there. The game clock and the field action stop. The teams have to reset themselves and snap the ball again to make progress toward the goals.

Kind of like a scene that is nice but doesn't add anything to the story or where the writer bogs down the action with backstory. You want to scream, "Get going!" Because as a reader, you want to get to that endzone. And once you experience the thrill of the "score", you want to do it again, so you keep reading.

I'm not sure yet whether I'm going to change the opening of the story completely but I do believe it needs a bit more of a hook. I'm definitely better with ending hooks than opening hooks.

Do you anagonize over your hooks? How important is it to have a hook at the beginning of every chapter? Every scene?

Enjoy this holiday preparation weekend! For those who are traveling, be safe.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Bogging Down

I can't believe it's Wednesday all ready and I haven't posted all week!

I think I'm going into hibernation mode...

In sleeping.
I'm wrestling with my pillow every morning now. It's a fight to get up. I'm not going to bed any later and I'm not getting up any earlier so what's changed?

In eating.
I'm eating. EVERYTHING. Or so it seems. Haven't gained back all the pounds I lost...yet. But I've filled in those inches. I started baking a week before Halloween and pretty much lost my mind. I've brought that to a halt but the snacking continues and the healthy cooking has fallen away. Not giving in completely though because I know how this chapter ends. And even though good chapters end with a disaster of some sort, in writing, I'm trying to end this year on a high note weight-wise!

In exercising.
I was doing so well, I won a "FIT" award at work. $75 bucks for exercising regularly in September. That was then, this is now. I've exercised twice in the last two weeks. My total exercise time was what I had been doing previously in one session, four days a week. Stair climbing? Uh, let's just say, I've reacquainted myself with the elevator. Got up this morning--determined--and couldn't find my exercise clothing. Phutzed around for ten minutes in the dark and gave up. But tomorrow is another day.

In writing.
You saw this one coming, didn't you?! Just haven't been. Did some work on Saturday, reordering some scenes in the first couple of chapters. But not much and not really anything to speak of since then. A very little bit of scene work this morning.

What's happening to me???

I feel like my brain is in shutdown mode, preparing for the long, cold winter. Except I live in Florida!

Don't worry though. Again, I'm not despairing. I'm cracking up! ROFL!

I'm going to pull it together. Today. Starting with soup and salad for lunch, and stairs going to and from my meetings. And maybe I'll write a few sentences just before bedtime, just so I can say to myself, "I wrote today!"

Do you ever get bogged down?

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

The Rhythm of Revision...Not Quite

For those who trust in a merciful, loving God and believe in the power of prayer, please say one for author Kristy Dykes who has just been diagnosed with a brain tumor which the doctors are almost certain is malignant. Kristy is a ray of sunshine in the blogosphere. You can post your well wishes to her blog.

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Haven't stumbled upon any new tidbits this week so I've nothing in particular to share.

As far as my wip, I appreciate everyone's encouragement. But really, I wasn't disappointed by the feedback I got back from my critique partners. I found humor in the fact that I just knew my entry would knock the socks off those contest judges, only to discover that everyone who reads the first chapter thinks it starts in the wrong place. What's the likelihood the judges will think otherwise? LOL!

Anyway, I'm still struggling with the rhythm of revision vs. writing the first draft. Revision is very much a different skill. And now that I know I definitely need to seek feedback--and I'm feeling better about doing so--I want to build some time into my process for that. So I'm pushing my deadline again. It was end of this year, then end of January. Now it's end of March. That is based on revising one chapter per week. One. Certainly I can hold to that schedule?

Just ignore this week. It's really no indication of things to come. I promise...

To keep me motivated, I'm planning to enter the revised-yet-again (and critiqued) version in a few RWA-sponsored contests at the beginning of the year.

That's the plan. I'm digging in this weekend, especially because I'm going to miss the Universoul Circus, the only African-American owned and operated circus, here in Tampa. Haven't seen them in about five years, since before we left NY, and was really looking forward to it but funds are a bit tight. The boys will be disappointed but I may be able to squeeze out The Bee Movie.

If you want to laugh, go check out Chicki's blog.

Enjoy the weekend!

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

I Was Supposed to Get Feedback Before I Submitted???

I could have just as easily entitled this post, "The Hubris of Ego and Calamity of Ignorance." I'm glad God is still working on me.

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Didn't post yesterday. Pretty busy and not much to say. Wanted to post earlier today but still didn't really have anything to share.

Then I got the critiques back on my first chapter. The chapter which was also my Super contest entry.

Writers need a sense of humor.

I waited until I was in the mood to read and listen to the critiques. I'm still new to the idea of others reading and giving feedback on my baby. Sometimes when I think about getting critiques, I bristle. I'm working on that.

Okay, mood was right. Not too busy. Seemed like a good time.

Went with the folks I don't know face-to-face first. Less personal.

I got some really good feedback. Some of my beautiful, poetic sentences--in my mind--don't work well for others. Okay. Despite reading the thing a thousand times, I still made a few grammatical errors. Not too many though.

Then I read my sister's feedback. Still harder to get feedback from Big Sis than from people I've never met. I'm working on that too.

I laughed.

The thing that had me laughing out loud is that every person--every single one--said I started my story in the wrong place. Their recommendation? The place where the story started in the original version before I revised it. Should have trusted myself.

I thought starting there made me have to include too much backstory in the first chapter. So I changed the start. Guess I had the right place but just needed to work on the execution.

And they all said it so politely.

I have very nice critique partners. I try to offer my feedback with a helpful tone but it doesn't get better than every single comment beginning with "Consider ...", as one of my critiquers did. I think I'll adopt that practice.

Oh well. There will be other contests.

At this rate, I fear my desire to have a polished manuscript by the end of January is unrealistic. 2010 is sounding more like it...

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

It Was a Nice Break

I took the entire weekend off from writing. Well, I guess I really took off almost a week since I've neither written a word nor even read my wip since last Tuesday. I even stayed away from email and blogs over the weekend.

But I've been itching...

My hairdresser even commented that I must have been taking a break since she "didn't see that notebook you're always writing in". Folks noticed?!

I found it hard to stay away. I soooo wanted to get back in there, which I'll take to be a good sign. But I held off to catch up on my sleep and spend time with the family. I'm hopeful to get the next two chapters polished so I can submit the synopsis and first three to several of the RWA contests, particularly those with editors I'm interested in working with. Although I've giving myself until the end of January to complete my revisions--'cuz I have no intentions of making myself or my family crazy during the holidays--I think I can accomplish this much before Thanksgiving.

I found other ways to fill my time, however. Here's a few of the writerly things I did:

• Blogged over at Romancing the Blog and here, of course
  
• Read three novels (1 contemporary romance, 1 romantic suspense, and 1 suspense)and jotted down notes for two book reviews I'll write today. --If you like Christmas stories and suspense, check out Heather Graham's The Last Noel
  
• Read two online novellas
  
• Critiqued one chapter for a critique partner and let two others know their critiques were forthcoming, probably today
  
• Started a fourth novel, also for review, a Christmas AA romance -- It's that time of the ye-ar...

I also baked another set of cookies for the family, which came out like chocolate chip bricks despite using my normal recipe. (But 15 sec in the microwave solved that problem.) I threw my normal weekend errand schedule out the window for the sake of rest of the family, giving everyone an increased sense of relaxation. I hung out with the two youngest, spent some Mommy and me with the oldest, and fell asleep talking nose to nose with Hubby. I did the cooking and most of the laundry, a task that Hubby had been doing of late.

Now I need to update my blog sidebars a bit and get back to the grind!

I didn't get my extra hour of sleep Saturday night (two youngest have yet to learn about Daylight Savings Time!) but overall, it was a good weekend!

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

PS -- Hop over to Gwyneth Bolton's blog where she's got a great lineup of debut authors, featuring one each day this week.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

Friday Tidbits

Is it me or is Blogarithm, for those of you who utilize this particular blogroll service, getting later and later with its daily email of updated blogs? It's throwing me off because when I'm ready to put up a new post, it seems folks are only just beginning to read the post from the day before. Phooey!

I missed yesterday's FIRST post! I was supposed to post the first chapter of Lisa Samson's Hollywood Nobody, a YA novel. Lisa is one of the most unique voices in Christian fiction right now, and has published a number of books to glowing reviews. Had the post ready to go but never published it. For those who are interested, I've published it anyway. Click here.

I have to confess...and Bettye predicted this...I was itchy to jump back into my revisions Wednesday evening. I'd been done for over 24 hrs and contest entry was gone. I was reading but part of me was ready to jump right back in. I didn't though because I need sleep. And revisions require chunks of time. In fact, I think I'm going to commit an hour, maybe 90 minutes, per day 4-5 days per week, and see how that works for me.

Today's tidbits:
I begin with congratulations for one of my critique partners, Jennifer Shirk, on her first sale, to Samhain Publishing!

I read lots of THE CALL stories. I think every unpublished author does because they're inspiration that it could happen for me too. If you like a good call story, you have to read this one from Delillah Marvelle, whose debut novel will be published by Kensington Zebra in 2008. How many authors have had to rescue their spouse from a brutal attack on their way to being published?

I just heard about a relatively new romance publishers, Black Lyon Publishing, which will specialize in sweet and sensual romance as well as literary fiction, all published in e-book and trade book format. More here.

Finally, in honor of NaNo, the November novel writing month, The Editorial Department, Renni Browne's editorial service (yes, that Renni, author of Self-Editing for Fiction Writers) is sponsoring a fiction contest. More details here.

Enjoy the weekend!

Peace & Blessing,
Patricia

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.

FIRST Featured Book: Hollywood Nobody by Lisa Samson

My introduction to Lisa Samson's writing was THE CHURCH LADIES, back in 2001. The story was about a less than perfect pastor's wife as I struggled with being a less than perfect pastor's wife. I loved her poetic prose and quirky sense of humor. It made me laugh and sigh, and want more. I didn't know then that there wasn't more...yet. She has since gone on to cement her status as one of the most unique and gifted voices in Christian fiction. Her latest work is a Young Adult novel entitled HOLLYWOOD NOBODY.

Enjoy today's preview!

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia
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It is November 1st, time for the FIRST Day Blog Tour! (Join our alliance! Click the button!) The FIRST day of every month we will feature an author and his/her latest book's FIRST chapter!

This month's feature author is:

LISA SAMSON

and her book:

Hollywood Nobody

Th1nk Books (August 30, 2007)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa Samson is the author of twenty books, including the Christy Award-winning Songbird. Apples of Gold was her first novel for teens. Visit Lisa at http://www.lisasamson.com/

These days, she's working on Quaker Summer, volunteering at Kentucky Refugee Ministries, raising children and trying to be supportive of a husband in seminary. (Trying . . . some days she's downright awful. It's a good thing he's such a fabulous cook!) She can tell you one thing, it's never dull around there.

Other Novels by Lisa:
Straight Up, , Club Sandwich, Songbird, Tiger Lillie, The Church Ladies, Women's Intuition: A Novel, Songbird, The Living End

AND NOW...THE FIRST CHAPTER:

Hollywood Nobody: April 1


Happy April Fool’s Day! What better day to start a blog about Hollywood than today?

Okay, I’ve been around film sets my whole life. Indie films, yeah, and that’s all I’m saying about it here for anonymity’s sake. But trust me, I’ve had my share of embarrassing moments. Like outgrowing Tom Cruise by the age of twelve — in more ways than one, with the way he’s gotten crazier than thong underwear and low-rise jeans. Thankfully that fashion disaster has run for cover.

Underwear showing? Not a good idea.

Fact: I don’t know of a single girl who doesn’t wish the show-itall boxer-shorts phenomenon would go away as well. Guys, we just don’t want to see your underwear. Truthfully, we believe that there is a direct correlation between how much underwear you show and how much you’ve got upstairs, if you know what I mean.

I’ve seen the stars at their best and at their worst. And believe me, the worst is really, really bad. Big clue: you’d look just as pretty as they do if you went to such lengths. As you might guess, some of them are really nice and some of them are total jerks, and there’s a lot of blah in-betweeners. Like real life, pretty much, only the extremes are more extreme sometimes. I mean honestly, how many people under twenty do you know who have had more than one plastic surgery?

So you’ll have to forgive me if I’m a little hard on these folks. But if it was all sunshine and cheerleading, I doubt you’d read this blog for long, right?

Today’s Rant: Straightening irons. We’ve had enough of them, Little Stars, okay? It was bad on Helen Hunt at the Oscars, worse on Demi, yet worse on Madonna, and it’s still ridiculous. Especially on those women who are trying to hold onto their youth like Gollum holds onto that ring. Ladies, there’s a reason for keeping your hair at or above your shoulders once you hit forty, and ever after. Think Annette Bening. Now she’s got it going on. And can’t you just see why Warren Beatty settled down for her? Love her! According to The Early Show this morning, curls are back, and Little Me ain’t going to tell why I’m so glad about that!

Today’s Kudo: Aretha Franklin. Big, bold, beautiful, and the best. Her image is her excellence. Man, that woman can sing! She has a prayer chain too. I’m not very religious myself, but you got to respect people who back up what they say they believe. Unless it’s male Scientologists and "silent birth." Yeah, right. Easy for them to say.

Today’s News: I saw a young actor last summer at a Shakespeare festival in New England. Seth Haas. Seth Hot is more like it. I heard a rumor he’s reading scripts for consideration. Yes, he’s that hot. Check him out here. Tell all your friends about him. And look here on Hollywood Nobody for the first, the hottest news on this hottie. Girls, he’s only nineteen! Fair game for at least a decade-and-a-half span of ages.

I don’t know about you, but following the antics of new teen rock star Violette Dillinger is something I’m looking forward to. Her first album, released to much hype, hit Billboard’s no. 12 spot its third week out. And don’t you love her hit single "Love Comes Knocking on My Door"? This is going to be fun. A new celeb. Uncharted territory. Will Violette, who seems grounded and talented, be like her predecessors and fall into the "great defiling show-business machine" only to be spit out as a half-naked bimbo? We’ll see, won’t we? Keep your fingers crossed that the real artist survives.

Today’s Quote: "Being thought of as ‘a beautiful woman’ has spared me nothing in life. No heartache, no trouble. Beauty is essentially meaningless." Halle Berry

Later!


Friday, April 2

I knew it was coming soon. We’d been camped out in the middle of a cornfield, mind you, for two weeks. That poke on my shoulder in the middle of the night means only one thing. Time to move on.

"What, Charley?"

"Let’s head ’em on out, Scotty. We’ve got to be at a shoot in North Carolina tomorrow afternoon. I’ve got food to prepare, so you have to drive."

"I’m still only fifteen."

"It’s okay. You’re a good driver, baby."

My mom, Charley Dawn, doesn’t understand that laws exist for a reason, say, keeping large vehicles out of the hands of children. But as a food stylist, she fakes things all the time.

Her boundaries are blurred. What can I say?

Charley looks like she succumbed to the peer pressure of plastic surgery, but she hasn’t. I know this because I’m with her almost all the time. I think it’s the bleached-blond fountain of long hair she’s worn ever since I can remember. Or maybe the hand-dyed sarongs and shirts from Africa, India, or Bangladesh add to the overall appearance of youth. I have no idea. But it really makes me mad when anybody mistakes us as sisters.

I mean, come on! She had me when she was forty!

My theory: a lot of people are running around with bad eyesight and just don’t know it.

I throw the covers to my left. If I sling them to my right, they’d land on the dinette in our "home," to use the term in a fashion less meaningful than a Hollywood "I do." I grew up in this old Travco RV I call the Y.

As in Y do I have to live in this mobile home?

Y do I have to have such an oddball food stylist for a mother?

Y must we travel all year long? Y will we never live anyplace long enough for me to go to the real Y and take aerobics, yoga, Pilates or — shoot — run around the track for a while, maybe swim laps in the pool?

And Y oh Y must Charley be a vegan?

More on that later.

And Y do I know more about Hollywood than I should, or even want to? Everybody’s an actor in Hollywood, and I mean that literally. Sometimes I wonder if any of them even know who they are deep down in that corner room nobody else is allowed into.

But I wonder the same thing about myself.

"You’re not asking me to drive while you’re in the kitchen trailer, are you, Charley?"

"No. I can cook in here. And it’s a pretty flat drive. I’ll be fine."

I’m not actually worried about her. I’m thinking about how many charges the cops can slap on me.

Driving without a license.

Driving without a seat belt on the passenger.

Speeding, because knowing Charley, we’re late already.

Driving without registration. Charley figured out years ago how to lift current stickers off of license plates. She loves "sticking it to the man." Or so she says.

I kid you not.

Oh, the travails of a teenager with an old hippie for a mother. Charley is oblivious as usual as I continue my recollection of past infractions thankfully undetected by the state troopers:

Driving while someone’s in the trailer. It’s a great trailer, don’t get me wrong, a mini industrial kitchen we rigged up a couple of years ago to make her job easier. Six-range burner, A/C, and an exhaust fan that sucks up more air than Joan Rivers schmoozing on the red carpet. But it’s illegal for her to go cooking while we’re in motion.

"All right. Can I at least get dressed?"

"Why? You’re always in your pj’s anyway."

"Great, Mom."

"It’s Charley, baby. You know how I feel about social hierarchy."

"But didn’t you just give me an order to drive without a license? What if I say no?"

She reaches into the kitchen cupboard without comment and tips down a bottle of cooking oil. Charley’s as tall as a twelve-year-old.

"I mean, let’s be real, Charley. You do, in the ultimate end of things, call the shots."

I reach back for my glasses on the small shelf I installed in the side of the loft. It holds whatever book I’m reading and my journal. I love my glasses, horn-rimmed "cat glasses" as Charley calls them. Vintage 1961. Makes me want to do the twist and wear penny loafers.

"Can I at least pull my hair back?"

She huffs. "Oh, all right, Scotty! Why do you have to be so difficult?"

Charley has no clue as to how difficult teenagers can actually be. Here I am, schooling myself on the road, no wild friends. No friends at all, actually, because I hate Internet friendships. I mean, how lame, right? No boyfriend, no drugs. No alcohol either, unless you count cold syrup, because the Y gets so cold during the winter and Charley’s a huge conservationist. (Big surprise there.) I should be thankful, though. At least she stopped wearing leather fringe a couple of years ago.

I slide down from the loft, gather my circus hair into a ponytail, and slip into the driver’s seat. Charley reupholstered it last year with rainbow fabric. I asked her where the unicorns were and she just rolled her eyes. "Okay, let’s go. How long is it going to take?"

"Oh." She looks down, picks up a red pepper and hides behind it.

I turn on her. "You didn’t Google Map it?"

"You’re the computer person, not me." She peers above the stem. "I’m sorry?" She shrugs. Man, I hate it when she’s so cute. "Really sorry?"

"Charley, we’re in Wilmore, Kentucky. As in Ken-Tuck-EEE . As in the middle of nowhere." I climb out of my seat. "What part of North Carolina are we going to? It’s a wide state."

"Toledo Island. Something like that. Near Ocracoke Island. Does that sound familiar?"

"The Outer Banks?"

"Are they in North Carolina?"

Are you kidding me?

"Let me log on. This is crazy, Charley. I don’t know why you do this to me all the time."

"Sorry." She says it so Valley Girl-like. I really thought I’d be above TME: Teenage Mom Embarrassment. But no. Now, most kids don’t have mothers who dress like Stevie Nicks and took a little too much LSD back in the DAY. It doesn’t take ESP to realize who the adult in this setup is. And she had me, PDQ, out of the bonds of holy matrimony I might add, when she was forty (yes, I already told you that, but it’s still just as true), and that’s
OLD to be caught in such an inconvenient situation, don’t you think? The woman had no excuse for such behavior, FYI.

My theory: Charley’s a widow and it’s too painful to talk about my father. I mean, it’s plausible, right?

The problem is, I can remember back to when I was at least four, and I definitely do not remember a man in the picture. Except for Jeremy. More on him later too.

I flip up my laptop. I have a great satellite Internet setup in the Y. I rigged it myself because I’m a lonely geek with nothing better to do with her time than figure out this kind of stuff. I type in the info and wait for the directions. Satellite is slower than DSL, but it’s better than nothing.

"Charley! It’s seventeen hours away!" I scan the list of twists and turns between here and there. "We have to take a ferry to Ocracoke, and then Toledo Island’s off of there."

"Groovy!"

"Groovy died with platform shoes and midis."

"Whatever, Scotty." Only she says it all sunny. She’s a morning person.

"That phrase should be dead."

Honestly, I’m not big on lingo. I’ve never been good at it, which is fine by me. Who am I going to impress with cool-speak anyway? Uma Thurman? Yeah, right. "Okay, let’s go."

"We can go as long as possible and break camp on the way, you know?" Charley.

I climb back into the rainbow chair, throw the Y into drive, pull the brake, and we’re moving on down the road.

Again.

Sample from Hollywood Nobody / ISBN: 1-60006-091-9
Copyright © 2006 NavPress Publishing. All rights reserved. To order copies of this resource, come back to www.navpress.com.

Peace & Blessings,
Patricia

Stay focused. Be deliberate. Believe.