by Joanne Wadsworth | Apr 15, 2013 | Author Blog
By nature I’m an encourager, so this week I’m laying out some inspirational thoughts, from one writer to another. Sit back and enjoy.
1. Write the book your heart demands you write.
2. Create something special, which you long to share with your readers.
3. If there’s a fire within you to write. Allow that passion to burn bright.
4. Write with your own voice, and make it stand out from the crowd.
5. Don’t wonder what if? Make it happen.
6. Never lose your courage. Writers stick with it.
7. Don’t worry about the setbacks. Just focus on the writing.
8. Put one foot in front of the other, or one letter after another.
9. Relentlessly pursue.
10. Kick those obstacles to the curb. Focus on your passion.
11. Choose your destination. Educate yourself. And write.
12. Struggles often end with the most rewarding triumphs.
13. Success is a choice. Now get out there, and control your own future.
And…
Do you have any inspirational thoughts to add to mine? If you do, drop me a comment and let me know. Perhaps there was one such thought which truly struck home. Shout it out, because I love hearing from you guys. Have an absolutely inspirational week. I’ll catch you all later.
PROTECTOR > BUY THE BOOK: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Lyrical Press / iTunes / Kobo
by Joanne Wadsworth | Apr 8, 2013 | Author Blog
Yep, that’s what a writer wants. A cool story. 🙂
Today, more than ever, many people believe that good writing flows easily from pen to paper. Yet that’s not the case, and writers out there know it. We understand it takes weeks or months to perfect every line we write within a book, that a writer’s work is in the rewriting, not the writing.
I wish at least one of my English teachers had taught me this. Instead they teach how to write, and not how to edit. Why is that? Editing is where the real work of writing begins. So, here we go. Let me share three simple editing tips.
1. WHEN EDITING, SHOWCASE YOUR DIALOGUE.
Bring your dialogue forth and let it shine. When we write, we’re usually very focused on getting what’s in our head down on paper. So when you edit:
- Ensure your dialogue stands out.
- Give it lots of white space.
- Remember your sentence length.
- No marathon sentences that have your reader gasping to get a breath in.
- Don’t bury your dialogue where it can’t be seen.
Here’s a snippet with a nice chunk of dialogue as an example. This scene is in 1st Person, from the heroine’s POV. The hero has just kidnapped her.
The air smelt musty and damp. “Where are we, Jack?”
“An out of the way place. Wait here. I’ll light a lamp.” Something rustled as he walked away then a rattle as if he fumbled with something. “Got it.”
A flickering flame came to life within an oil lamp he now held. A gentle glow cast over the room. An old hut with one greasy glass windowpane held a dozen wooden crates stacked against the walls. I curled my toes inside my shoes and rubbed my bared arms from the chill in the air. “Nice digs.”
“This is the best location for what I have in mind. Three cabins surround this hut. They’ve got the basics for a short stay, but this one is for storage.”
“What are you saying? What short stay?”
He snorted. “Your talk of other men made me think ’kidnap.’ We need to speak more about us before I take you home.” He stalked to the door and yanked it open. “Give me a couple of minutes to go check out a cabin.”
I hope you enjoyed that little example. Never forget, lots of dialogue drives a scene.
2. WHEN EDITING, DELETE, AND RARELY ADD.
Yes, you read this right. Writers are usually too wordy and after finishing your first draft of your book, each subsequent draft will reduce in word count. Concise writing is more powerful and will pick up the pace of your book. Which means it’s not unusual for most writers to finish their rewriting with ten to twenty percent less than they originally began with. So many words, that we never even needed.
3. SLEEP ON IT.
When you’re editing, ideally you want to forget what you wrote so that you’re not expecting to see what you do. *Chuckle* Seriously, when you’re editing, keep moving through the pages, and then sleep on what you’ve done. If there’s a particularly difficult piece bugging you, highlight it, leave it, and come back to it after you’ve slept. When we approach our writing, it must be done with a clear mind. This is why there are several drafts in a book. Each time we return to the beginning, it’s with fresh eyes.
Sound editing is so important. Happy editing everyone, and have a fabulous week. Catch ya later.
PROTECTOR > BUY THE BOOK: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Lyrical Press / iTunes / Kobo
by Joanne Wadsworth | Apr 2, 2013 | Author Blog
The merger. What do you think? (This funny pic comes courtesy of the fact that I still have Easter eggs on my mind.)
Did you hear? On March 28th Amazon bought Goodreads, one of the leading social network sites for readers and book recommendations. Twitter was abuzz with the news, with many authors and readers in shock.
I’m an avid user of Goodreads. I love using this site for keeping my TBR, read, and currently reading lists all in one place. When I see a great book I’d like to read, I add it to my Goodreads TBR list and that way I never forget to grab a copy when I’m ready. I post ratings for every book I read, and reviews for maybe one-third of those. As an author my books are listed there, too. I’ve joined reading groups in my favourite genres so I can stay up with the play on what everyone’s reading. In fact, I’d say I visit Goodreads four or five times a week. This is a place I love to hangout, chatting to other readers and authors.
Goodreads has quickly become a hub for avid readers like me. In fact there are 16 million members and 23 million book reviews. If you’re a reader, you’re going to end up there. If you’re an author, you should already be there (but that’s a whole other blog.)
So, what does this merger mean for us authors?
Well, times are changing faster than I can keep up with. 🙂 But, I’ve scoured the web to see what other authors are thinking about this merger. Some are for it saying, “Amazon buying Goodreads makes so much sense.” Some are unsure saying, “Here’s hoping the marriage will be a good thing. Let’s see.” Some are against it, saying, “The world’s largest bookseller will now control the world’s largest book recommendation engine. It’s freaky. No company should have this much power.” And let’s not forget the readers. Some are saying, “I guess we can now expect a lot more adverts. Goodreads should not be a commercial space, but a personal one.”
The more I read all the comments, the more I understood there is a lot divided opinion. I’m personally not sure what to think, except that time will tell. Once Amazon begins to effect changes, we’ll all get a more concise idea of where they’re headed.
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let me know.
I hope you all had a wonderful Easter and stayed safe. The Easter Bunny certainly sprinkled my backyard with some real treats. And those hot-cross buns. Delish. They need to sell those all year round. Have a fabulous week. Catch ya later.
PROTECTOR > BUY THE BOOK: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Lyrical Press / iTunes / Kobo
by Joanne Wadsworth | Apr 1, 2013 | Author Blog
RISK FACTORS
Love, like life, is not without risk.
Veterinarian Vivian Dane has purchased her uncle’s practice in the tiny town of Wales, Missouri, where most residents still doubt her ability to treat their pets. But Viv is used to being considered less-worthy than her predecessors. After all, her parents are world-renowned wildlife vets, and most everyone is unimpressed she’s chosen to not follow directly in their footsteps. Now Connor, a patient’s owner, and is hot for Viv, but clearly doesn’t think she’s dating material because he has a daughter…who he believes no woman is good enough for.
Being a perfect dad is EMT paramedic Connor’s life focus. He can’t seem to stay away from sexy Doctor Viv, but attraction is as far as he’ll ever let it go. His mother abandoned him, leaving him to be raised in the foster system, and then his wife abandoned both him and their daughter. He absolutely will not risk bringing another woman into his little girl’s life and having her feel the hurt of being left…again.
Forfeiting is easier than attempting and failing. So why does Viv feel compelled to prove she’s a sure bet for Connor and his daughter? Can Connor trust Viv–and himself–enough to play the possibilities?
CONTENT WARNING: Happy-ever-after mixed with four-legged friends.
I hope you’ll all join me in welcoming author, Calisa Rhose, to my blog. Her latest book Risk Factors released March 4th with Lyrical Press. And wow, isn’t that a fabulous cover. Love it.
Calisa also has a giveaway, and those details are at the end of the post. She has some cool prizes up for grabs, so check them out.
Hey Calisa, so I’m going to start with a fun rapid fire question round.
– Nicknames? Lisa.
– Where do you live? Oklahoma, USA.
– Have you ever traveled abroad? Only in books. 🙁
– Tea or coffee? Coffeeeeee!
– Favorite dessert? Fruit with cottage cheese.
– Dog or cat? Dog (but I love my cat).
– Beach or skiing? Definitely beach.
– Chocolate, or vanilla, or rocky road ice-cream? Black Walnut.
– Lemons or lemonade? Lemons.
– What’s your favorite time of the day to write? Late morning.
– Do you write on holiday? Absolutely!
– Last book you read? Currently reading “The Drake House” by Kelly Moran.
– Plotter or pantser? Pantser all the way.
– What three things would you take to a desert island? My laptop, stereo, a comfy blanket.
I would so take my laptop too, and then hope for some form of power to run it. 🙂
– So, tell us what started you on your journey to being a writer? My love of music, actually. I began writing surreal stories around rock bands when I was fifteen. Also, my earliest writing was poetry.
– If you decided not to be a writer, what would your other dream job be? Why? Anything with horses. I love horses and want to open a sanctuary for the beautiful creatures.
– Where would you live if you could live anywhere in the world? Somewhere in Ireland or somewhere warm.
– If you don’t mind, state a random fact about yourself that would surprise others? I can’t sleep in a bed that isn’t made right before I get in it. Last night I woke up and had to make the bed so I could sleep. I guess it’s OCD, but bed wrinkles bug me to distraction…literally. 🙂
– Do you have any suggestions for aspiring writers? Don’t listen to everything you hear. Rules are meant to be broken and trends to be ignored.
– What are you working on now? Haha! Which one? I have a fireman story I want to finish, a series, and other paranormal WIPs are in perpetual progress. Right this moment though, I’m working on something totally new for me. A ghost story with a twist.
EXCERPT:
“I guess I’ll get home.”
Viv barely nodded an acknowledgement.
Annoyance turned to anger. Without looking back, he went to his car, and pulled the door open with more force than was necessary.
It wasn’t as though he’d given Viv a reason to want to include him in her personal life. He didn’t want anything personal from her. Hell, he’d gone out of his way to prevent any closeness between them. Except when she was in his arms, and at those times they both seemed to forget who they really were. In fact, he didn’t know who the real Vivian was. Clumsy but cute veterinarian, stiff upper-class woman, or the sexy woman out to steal his heart?
“Connor?”
He looked over his shoulder. Viv was alone, no parents in sight that he could see. “They went to my place.”
“Then, you should go.”
One shoulder flinched in a light shrug. She smiled up at him, and damned if it wasn’t the most beautiful thing he’d ever witnessed. She indicated the cemetery. “I told them this is about your family pet and that I’ll be along in a while.”
Her presence soothed away any lingering anger. Then the guilt hit. She’d already done such a selfless thing for him, and he repaid her with disregard. “What happened? Where did you go back there?”
Viv shook her head, her soft hair brushing over her coat collar, and he wanted to slide his hand under its silkiness, pull her to him, and kiss her. Then she was talking and he focused on her lips.
“It’s nothing. I didn’t have anything to say and…I was surprised by their unexpected arrival was all.”
She was lying, or at least unwilling to share that part of herself with him. Not that he blamed her. It wasn’t like he’d gone out of his comfort zone to share his family with her…and they lived ten minutes from him.
“You were saying something when they got here.” Her soft voice gently drew him back to the present.
Looking at her made him forget too many things, too easily. What had he been about to say? It was easier to recall their kisses of two nights ago; the softness of her lips on his. He searched through his mind and dragged the earlier conversation back out. Right, he’d been about to ask her to dinner. Well, she had company waiting for her, so that wouldn’t be polite now. But, in light of that, he had another idea. “Why don’t you let me take those chairs off your hands?”
Viv narrowed her eyes, then frowned. “That’s not what you were going to say.” She was smart as a judge, if not as steady as one, at times.
He grinned. “No. But it doesn’t matter. Go visit your folks. I’ll be here when they leave.”
“Will you?”
“I do live here, remember?”
She stared out into the growing dusk and nodded, then met his gaze. “It’s not like…sh–”
Her stammering told Connor more than any words could. She didn’t trust his intentions. Why should she? He hadn’t given her any reason to. He leaned against his car and pulled her between his legs, into his arms. The uncertainty in her face was new. He felt it, too. Somehow last night had changed things between them. He slid a hand under the pale veil as he’d craved, resting on her shoulders to massage her neck. Gently, slowly he dragged her close. He wanted to give her the opportunity to refuse, but he would kiss her.
BUY THE BOOK: Lyrical Press/ Amazon / Barnes&Noble
GIVEAWAY: Calisa will be picking at the end of her tour one winner to gift either a signature rose rock for a USA winner or a $10 GC of choice (Kindle or Nook) for one overseas or in Canada. Either winner will also get a PDF copy of Risk Factors. All you have to do is leave a comment at the end of this post, and you’ll be in the draw. Calisa will announce the winner on April 10th, and get in contact with that person.
BIO:
Small-town country girl Calisa Rhose has been writing since she was a teen in Oklahoma.
It wasn’t until 2005, while living in California, that she realized if “they” can do it there’s no reason why she couldn’t write and get published, too. That realization began her journey into the world of publishing. With a fun attraction to those rugged heroes in cowboy hats, she began writing contemporary cowboys first. Then Calisa discovered how romantic firemen and first responders are, and how truly dedicated they are to saving lives, helping people. She was ‘bought and paid for’ as she dug into research on Risk Factors. She’d love to hear from her readers at calisa.rhose@gmail.com and you can visit Calisa’s website at http://calisarhose.wordpress.com Find out about her books on the Bookshelf page. Twitter @Calisa_Rhose, Goodreads and Facebook
by Joanne Wadsworth | Mar 25, 2013 | Author Blog
Cute. Even the cat’s getting into technology. 🙂
On March 21st 2006, Twitter was born, and it’s first tweet by founder Jack Dorsey read, “Just setting up my twttr.” It was launched to the public in August of that year, and quickly grew. Interesting isn’t it? Because Twitter doesn’t feel seven years old. And why? It didn’t truly take off until around 2009.
In my explorations of finding out more about Twitter, I searched the web. It was there I located the oldest article, one from the New York Times dated April 30th 2007. It explained Twitter as being a mini-blog, where a user can broadcast short text messages from their phones and computers to those of friends and strangers. It was expected Twitter would be a curiosity, which is why the creators gave it a flippant name to match.
What they didn’t know back then was how it would morph. Today it’s huge. Figures released at the end of 2012 state there are 500 million users. Twitter’s catching up to Facebook, which truly proves we like to stay in touch. This all makes me wonder though what the tech-gurus will come up with next? What more social media platforms could we possibly need?
As I consider this, I’m reminded of the rises and falls in time. This week my Nanna (who’s 88) sent me a letter. Yep, the old-fashioned way, by post. She doesn’t have a computer, and she likes to put pen to paper, so that’s the way it goes. She’s probably the only person I actually still write to. I even grab a pen too, a biggy for me since I can whip out close to 80 words a minute and I’d rather type it. She also pops in photographs and newspaper clippings which might interest me. I send her family photos, too. I can’t have her missing out. But it’s these letters and the content which exactly mirror Twitter and Facebook. The written word and images. This is how we keep in touch, no matter how technology advances. The basics are still there.
So, back to the question. What’s the next revolution? Today, everything is at our fingertips. Wireless technology has boomed and cell phones are becoming a do-it-all tool. What are your thoughts? What are those gurus going to offer us next? Take a look at this then and now picture of Times Square in New York.
This happened in my grandmother’s lifetime, so what else is going to happen in mine? Do you think about the “then and now” as I do? Drop me a comment. I love hearing from you. Also, congratulations to Julie Wallace, the winner of an ebook copy of PROTECTOR, for my blog’s “Lucky In Love Blog Hop” prize. Enjoy the read, Julie.
You all have a great week. Catch ya later.
PROTECTOR > BUY THE BOOK: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Lyrical Press / iTunes / Kobo
