Posted in Writing

Romance Writers Make Lousy Liars

Beautiful Woman Enjoys CoffeeOf course, you’re wondering, why would I say such a thing? Think of it this way.

One of your friends arrives at the restaurant for your girls’ night out with her clothes in disarray and hair mussed. She tells you, “I’m sorry I’m late, but I had a flat tire, and this handsome stranger helped. It was raining the whole time he changed the tire and I couldn’t just let him leave in those wet clothes. So I invited him back to my house to get dry. While he waited, wrapped in an old robe my ex left behind, we drank a cup of hot cocoa to get him warmed up. He talked about watching the latest Julia Roberts’s drama and I talked about how much I loved cleaning house. Time got away from us. If you don’t mind, I’ll order a small salad to go. He promised to stick around until I return and then we plan to talk some more about our growing feelings for each other.”

How do you know she was lying? Let’s list the lies starting from the end and working our way up.

1)      Really what man wants to talk about feelings?

2)      Has a man ever waited around for a woman while she visited a friend? Well, we would have to give her that one. If a guy thought he’d get lucky, he would stand one-legged, flapping his arms and singing Gangnam Style. “Hey, sexy lady…”

3)      And what woman would admit to another she loved cleaning house. Her friend would be obligated to see her institutionalized.

4)      For a heterosexual male willing to watch Julia in anything she didn’t look her best, we’d have to wonder.

5)      Geez, there are other ways to warm him up. Hot cocoa. *snort* Get real. I smell that wine on your breath.

6)      Old robe of ex. That would be cut up and used to wipe up dog poop.

7)      Everyone knows there is a drought going on.

8)      Who are you kidding about a flat tire? You teach “car repair for the independent female” at the local community college.

But the biggest lie she told you was when she said SORRY. We saw what she looked like when she stumbled by the hostess. One button missing on her blouse and her jeans are unsnapped. The back of her hairdo is standing straight up. We know what that means! Who in their right mind would feel sorry for someone who drank all afternoon and had great sex with a big hunk of … oh, crap. What was my point?

Oh, yeah. The truth was she was in a middle of a great scene in her current WIP and wanted to get back home to write some more.

[reprint of November 12, 2012 post on the Romance Magicians blog. One of my favorites.]
Posted in Odd Observation, Writing

Brain Surgery

Angry, Frustrated WomanI swear the day-job is sucking my brain dry, but I’m determined to write each day even if it is only one sentence.

They better be glad I fell for their pretty green money or I would tell them to get lost.

Mama likes paying her bills.

Posted in Odd Observation, Writing

Yakety Yak!

MM900309746Does being a ‘talker’ make an author a better writer?  My personal opinion is no.

Being a talker (as in a person who talks to talk) for most of my life, I wasted a lot of words to get to a point. Sure an author needs to be able to expand and describe scenes, people, clothes, etc., all in effort to give a book more color. But I’ve found people who can say so much in so few words to be freaking geniuses.

Maybe that’s why I’ve become quieter.   😉

Posted in Odd Observation, Writing

New Year’s Plans

MC900444923If you’re like me, you rarely make New Year’s resolutions at the beginning of the year. Usually, I find myself deciding in the middle of a year what to do the next year. I’m a firm planner-ahead person. Funny, considering I’m a pantser (write by the seat of my pants) writer.

This year I decided not to go to any conferences in 2014. This will be only the second time in ten years I haven’t been to a conference (National and/or regional). The last time was the year I received The Call (2011). That year all of my funds went to an entire Family Vacation. We try to do that every other year. This coming year though is a milestone for hubby and I. Our fortieth wedding anniversary and we plan to go on a train ride through parts of Alaska. Can’t wait!

Another plan is to self-publish three novellas that will continue The Circle series. Of course, I have other plans, but if you’re like me, there are a few we keep to ourselves. You know, to keep from having egg on our face if the plans fall through. I don’t know about you, but I rather eat eggs than wear them.

Oh, I will be at Heart of Dixie’s Romance Readers Luncheon and possibly at Southern Magic’s. But those are local and don’t cost me as much, though I will say I spend a lot of money on the basket I give away. For details about the luncheons, go to their websites: heartofdixie.org and southernmagic.org

Posted in Odd Observation, Writing

Baffled?

Woman Reading a DiaryLove that word along with bamboozled, hoodwinked, charlatan, flummox and so many more. All words you don’t hear people say anymore. You’re more apt to read it in a historical novel. I wonder what words we say now that will be quaint fifty to hundred years from now?

Anyway, that’s not what this post is about. I’m baffled by the popularity of a certain series of books — and no, it’s not Fifty Shades of Grey — and I won’t give the titles as I never say negative things about other authors’ books. Well, not on line and rarely verbally. I chalk up the success of the books due to the world having a wide range of readers. As there are people who love my books and others who do not, and I’m happy to say the loves way out number all of the others. Thank goodness!

Whatever.

When it comes to my reading taste, as I mentioned here before, I vary from inspirational to paranormal to erotica (BDSM) to historical to contemporary romance. Preferable that all have the word romance in the genre.

I guess only half the time do I follow the crowd in reading the popular book or series. When Harry Potter came out, I had no interest in reading the books and only watched the first movie. Not my thing. No matter how beautifully they’re written. Same with Charlene Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse series. They just didn’t interest me. Nothing against the books or authors . . . *shrug*

Though I did/do read Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Dark Hunter series. And I read Karen Marie Moning’s Highlander and Fever series. All of Kresley Cole’s series including the new one she started (and I can’t wait for #2), The Dacians. Anne Stuart’s Ice series (wish there were more of those).

I can’t go in details about why I’m baffled without giving away the series, but I will say the decisions the female lead made irritated the crap out of me. I kept saying, “Dumb, dumb, dumb.”  Each to their own.