How and Why I Write--The Blog-hop

Greetings all!

I am participating in a blog-hop about the writing process.  I made my connection to the “hop” through fellow author, Reese Ryan.

Reese Ryan writes sexy, contemporary fiction filled with colorful characters and sinfully-sweet romance. She secretly enjoys torturing her heroines with family and career drama, reformed bad boys, revealed secrets, and the occasional identity crisis, but always rewards them with a happily ever after. 

Reese Ryan, Novelist                                                             

Colorful characters. Sinfully sweet romance.

ReeseRyan.com

Twitter: @ReeseRyanWrites

The blog-hop asks each of us to answer four specific questions.  There are as many varied answers on these topics as there are authors.  It’s been fun to see how my fellow authors describe their creative work and process.  Well, for better or worse, here’s mine:

1.  What am I currently working on?  Right now, I have my hands in 3 fires.  Fire #1—self-publishing my debut novel, Seeking Solace.  This was a NaNoWriMo project that I fell in love with last November that I think just ended up becoming  “the one” to start my publishing career with.  Fire #2—finishing two WIPs, The Accidental Witness, and another yet-unnamed title.  Fire #3—very preliminary plans for a project for this year’s NaNoWriMo. It has the appearance, at the moment, of a romance with paranormal elements.  (Personally, I think it’s very cool!)

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?  Oh my….where to start.  As I truly am just starting to find my voice as a novelist and focus my efforts on publishing (instead of just dreaming “one day I’ll…”), there are a few things that my stories have in common.  First, my heroines are often the ones with the issues of trust, commitment, and emotional aloofness. Let’s face it—men aren’t the only ones with those issues…just ask me and my sister!  Second, I like heroines that are just like me—clumsy, awkward, sarcastic, feisty, and endearing—or as the Brits would say, “cheeky”.  J   Third, the heart of my stories center around a journey, be it literal, figurative, or both, that results in a closer awareness of the heroine’s self-identity (and many times her hero finds the same).  The romance is just one part of finding their better, truer selves.

3.  Why do I write what I do?  I’ve read romance novels my entire life really.  (I mean who didn’t want Anne and Gilbert to finally get their act together in Anne of Green Gables!)  Many of them, while I’ve enjoyed them, had characters and situations that I just couldn’t identify with.  That’s what makes them fantasy—and fun!  However, I’m tending at this point in my writing to stick with the familiar (or at least seemingly familiar).  I want to know how a regular girl, much like myself, moves on from a busted heart to trust again.  I want to know how a girl trades a life that has been pushed on her for one that she creates for herself.  I want to know what it takes for a normal girl to take down walls of insecurity and self-deprecation in order to see herself in a new and flattering light.   My characters take these journeys, and I think I’m able to take something away from the end of those stories.  I also think a lot of readers out there will be able to do the same.

4.  How does your writing process work?  I am half pantser, half planner.  I do character sketches, basic plot outlines, and research in fancy decorative notebooks.  (I have tons!)  That part is the “planner” in me.  Once I have the basics down for the story, I write using MS Word, although I’m experimenting with Scrivener.  This is the “pantser” part since the bulk of the story I make up as I go.  Also, my novels have a playlist of songs that I feel make up a “soundtrack” for the story.  Once the story is finished, I edit it myself (old fashioned paper and red ink pen) twice.  Then I send it out to my betas for feedback and start designing the cover art. (This is the stage where Seeking Solace is currently.) I do another final round of edits after that.  Then I finish getting it ready to print and market.

Note:  This blog is brand new! So this is one of the first postings!  If you look at the previous posting, you'll see an entry for a blog-contest I entered with my pitch for Seeking Solace. You can read the pitch there and see what the new release has in store!  Stay tuned for more, friends--thanks for stopping by!

I’ve tagged fellow author Jennifer M. Kreft for next week’s posting. Here's a bit about her:

Jennifer is a former ad writer who took up novels after she decided to stay home with her three kids. Since then she's done a little bit of everything, from picture books to young adult, most recently completing a contemporary adult mystery. She likes her books to feature quirky characters and lots of pop culture references. After all, you can take the girl out of the ad agency, but you can never take the ad agency out of the girl. A member of SCBWI, Jennifer blogs at: kreftontheblock.blogspot.com

I’m also tagging my friend and fellow author Jenny Smith. She isn’t doing a specific post for the hop, but her blog, The True Love Series, is all about these 4 specific questions and her journey towards publication.  Check her out:  http://trueloveseries.wordpress.com/

The Query and the Teaser

I am currently seeking representation for my contemporary romance, Seeking Solace.

            Sarah Collier’s life has always been scripted for her, according to the expectations of her domineering, socially-connected Connecticut parents.  Everything always went as planned…until the unthinkable happened moments before walking down the aisle.  Needing to escape the hovering of her parents and older sister, Sarah just wants to flee the gossip and pitying glances from New London’s prestigious citizens.  On a whim, she does the first thing that comes to mind.  She takes off on her honeymoon--alone.   Sarah does not typically act on spontaneity, so the impromptu trip may not be what Sarah thinks it will. 

           The quaint and rustic harbor village of North Berwick on Scotland’s East Lothian coast is typically devoid of tourists in the winter.  All of the townsfolk form a close-knit, insular community, which is why Bretton Keith is intrigued by the auburn-haired stranger who wanders into his pub on a cold, Sunday evening. Self-assured and flirtatious pub owner that he is, Bretton sees the opportunity for another brief and fun fling to break up the monotony of a village winter.

           However, adventure never turns out the way one imagines it will.  As Bretton comes to know the sad and beautiful Sarah, he finds it increasingly difficult to uphold his credo of never becoming attached to another woman.  All the while, Sarah is experiencing a new-found freedom to dare think of her life in a different way, to truly consider what it is that she wants and what it is that will make her happy.  Could it be Bretton?  Will Sarah be brave enough to risk it on a man who was so hurt by another that he swore off ever falling in love again, or will the demands of her family prove too big an obstacle to overcome?   

The manuscript is complete at just over 51,000 words and available for review upon request.  Your consideration of Seeking Solace is sincerely appreciated.

The following are the first 250 words of Seeking Solace.

           Bretton Keith sang the last notes of the popular ballad the pub crowd seemed to love. Looking out from the small stage, he recognized everyone there as usual.  The Ship’s Inn Tavern was a local haunt and almost all of the patrons were villagers.  Being less than an hour from Edinburgh, the town of North Berwick attracted enough tourism to boost the economy, yet it was small enough to remain fairly insular, especially on the harbor point.  Most of the tourists tended to frequent the two or three higher-end establishments in town, and Bret liked that just fine.  He prepped the boys for their last number of the set before break, a quick-paced Mumford & Sons cover.  As they started the number, Bret saw the pub door open at the back.  Expecting to see a neighbor, Bret’s eyebrows drew together for a moment as a lone stranger came in, a woman.  Then, one eyebrow lifted in appreciation at the attractive woman as she made her way to the bar and perched on a stool.  Turning his attention back to the energetic pub crowd, he finished the song with a sly smirk on his face.  Tonight, apparently, the monotony of village life just got a bit more interesting. 

             

  

Twenty-four hours earlier…

            Sarah Collier was in the bride’s room waiting for the stylist to finish putting her long, dark auburn hair into the elaborate up-do.  Her four closest friends were chatting away behind her as they put the last touches on their makeup.  

...to be continued in a future post...