. . . on what I wrote last week, I have still been thinking: Rules. Are they neccessary? Needed? Important?

I think they are to a degree. Sure you can break them. But the thing is, you still have to know the rules in order to break them.

Driving home the other night, some SOB shot out in front of me and I had to lay on the brakes and the horn because the dumb f*&#*er apparently didn’t know what the red octagonal sign in front of him meant. My mind flashed to my 13-y-o and all the talks about “when you take driver’s ed” and how he would understand some of the road nuances once he learned the rules. If he then chooses to ignore them he has to face the consequences that come with it–like say the red and blue flashy lights that raced after the SOB . . .  hehehe.

If you don’t take driver’s ed, you may follow some rules, but you will also break rules, even if by accident. You will see other drivers doing certain things and you will follow their lead, so to speak, and use your common sense as to how and where the appropriate roadways, directions or even parking spaces are. But you may not neccessarily know why these things are important–like turning your tires the correct direction when parking on a hill–trees are not very forgiving to bumpers once that baby picks up speed!

Same goes for writing. You may happen to do some things correctly–common sense is a wonderful thing, but some of the “rules” per se, are particular nuances of writing such a POV/head-hopping, show don’t tell, even something as simple as “filter” words (knew, thought, saw, figured). But you have to know what is what BEFORE you can actually break it. Shoot even something as simple as formatting can be a nightmare if someone doesn’t know to double-space and to use fonts that are readable–my first typed WIP was single spaced and I found the “funnest” font I could–OMG!

Then I learned the rules.

Side note: POV is truly my biggest pet-peeve, mainly because when I joined a critique group years ago, it was the very first thing I was called out on. I was all over the place w/ my POV. Once I understood how dizzying it could be to jump from one person to the other and back and back, I learned how to write scenes from one person, do a page break and go to the next character.

Writing rules are a good jumping off point I think. Many, many people when they hear you’re a writer say, “I want to write a books some day.” (because we all know it is SOOOOO easy) I often tell them, that’s great, read up in the genre you’re interested in and make sure to get really craft books to learn what’s what.

But at the end of the day, the only true, steadfast rule for writers is: The story must be good. If you have a good story/stroy telling ability the other things are easy to fix.

…scary thought, I know. (must be why I am late this morning posting–my brain can only handle soooooooooo much!)

Anyhoo ~

I think I mentioned a while back that I have been judging many, MANY contests lately (paying my contest dues!) and it has been astounding how many folks have the SAME mistakes/quirks. Can’t tell you how many times  I have noted “show don’t tell” and how many many times “felt” peppered the story. I realized some of the entrants are failry new writers, but I was stiill confused by the amount of similarly needed comments. (and don’t get me started on the “filler” words as my editor calls them–sure I am guilty of these–*cough*300-thoughts-in-one-book*cough*)

Jump to the last few weeks . . . I have been reading many of the romance writers who brought me to the desire to write (I typically read newer writers as I am ever-afraid of picking something up in the middle of a series–I’m neurotic, what can I say?). What do you imagine I have found with these well seasoned writers? Hmm . . . . The same EXACT craft quirks I have been commenting on in contests. Coincedence? I think not.

Maybe I am in the wrong here and grading too harshly on some of these issues. A good story is a good story. But when it pulls you out of the story with a laundry list of “she felt this, this and this” and “he felt this, that and the other” I do think it needs to be addressed–but as I said it almost mirrors some of the well established writers. And is this a good thing? Or bad?

Or am I way over thinking this (which isn’t out of the norm for me)? :rasta:

… or not.

So booktrailers are the thing to some people. And some folks are less than impressed by them. I am just enough of a procrastinater to avoid writing and sit down to find pics and music to create one. And actually it is quite fun (for me). Especially when you have a piece of music that hits a cert pic right at the right moment . . .  I get all goosepimply!

In my honest, yet not sought out opinion, I think: what can it hurt to get another avenue of advertising out to the world? As long as you actually do get some writing done (which I have) and possibly get some reading done (which I will) and don’t have anything you’re taking yourself away from to create one (which if I did, I sure wouldn’t admit it).  And as I didn’t pay someone to do it–found royalty free pics and music, my own cover copy–I am out no money. BONUS!

I don’t know that I could pay someone to do it for me regardless of how much better it would look by a “professional”. I am still a tightwad when it comes to certain things–like not shoes or clothes–or pens

So I have forged again into the fray of techno-gal and created a trailer for TRADING FACES:

Whether it’s good or not, I can’t say for sure (and if you hate, I REALLY don’t want to know), but as for fun, YEP.

Besides, I can’t let my 13-y-o have all the fun on Youtube!

TODAY IS THE DAY!

TRADING FACES releases today from Samhain Publishing. WOOHOO!

There are worse things than winding up dead…

With her ex-husband’s death, Elyse Cabot thinks she’s permanently off the emotional roller coaster…until he turns up posing as his twin brother—the real victim of foul play—at his funeral. Before she can get any answers out of him, he’s gone, leaving her with more questions than closure.

And a fortune in loose diamonds.

Seeing Elyse again brings back a lot of hot, sweaty teenage memories for Jack. Then she opens her mouth and out comes some cockamamie story about her ex, diamonds and double crossing. So much for rekindling an old flame. Still, he just can’t seem to resist the lure of this dame in distress.

He just hopes he can solve the case before he does something stupid—like fall in love.

Sooo…. to celebrate it’s release, I’m going to give away one e-copy of the book. Leave me a comment and at the end of the day I will pull one name out.

EDITED 8/6/2008 : 

Drumroll please . . . . . . . . .

The winner of the free e-copy is: AMY S. 

email and format info in the comments. Congratualtions ~

       I am gearing up for the RWA National Conference in San Francisco (actually, I am leaving later this morning). I am not, however, looking forward to the flight (well I may get quite a bit done if I work at it), but conferences always energize me in ways I can’t find elsewhere. There is something to be said for being around folks who know what you’re thinking, feeling, experiencing. I really love learning and listening to other writers talk. If I had half as much enthusiasm when I was in school I’d have been summa cum laude—hell for all you know I did—hehe!

I can’t wait to tell you all I see, encounter, and possible brushes with the heart’s pitter patters of the romance world!

OH! And don’t forget …  

Next week:

 TRADING FACES  

RELEASES from Samhain Publishing

    :bounce:     WOOHOO!   

      Are there ever times when you hear something and it’s off limits to writing? To me, pretty much everything is imagination fodder. For example, the other day someone said something to me and I immediately wondered how to work it into a book. But then I got thinking, should it be off limits. First, they’re a writer, too but have never used it. Second, it might be too personal for them. Because, again, they haven’t used it.

      But think about TV. Shows like CSI or Law and Order take ideas right out of the newspaper and tweak and twist it to make it fictionalized enough to prevent lawsuit, but you KNOW what they’re referring to.Of course, when you (or rather I) use something overheard or whatnot, it’s probably not that well known. Many a time I have used familial faux pas or annoyances to “enhance” stories. Don’t most writers get their inspiration from reality?

      So when are things off limit? When does a juicy tidbit that all but falls into your lap go onto the “if only” shelf because you can’t get rid of it, but you aren’t sure to use it?

You’d think, hey it’s summer, I should be able to get more down. Well I’m here to tell you, not so much. One thing after another comes up (like the A/C breaking for the THIRD FREAKING TIME IN A MONTH OF 100 degree days) and thanks to the kiddos being off school, you have to deal with them because pretty much they stand next to your ear saying, “mom, mom, mom…” until you respond some way or another.

I really thought I’d have so much more done by this point. I even bet Lynn as much (but the month ain’t over, I still have time!)

I don’t know if it’s a heat thing. Or a kids home thing or just a combo of both, but summer time sucks. Who knows, maybe it’s the hard wire from childhood when you had summer off and didn’t have to do a thing and so now your brain knows it’s summer it shuts off!

Mine seems to be less and less useful……

So I have been working on a new book and there was a scene from an older–prolly won’t finish any time soon–WIP that I wanted to “borrow” from. Cut and paste. Cut and paste. Tweak, tweak, tweak. Viola, I have just added a scene or two in a matter of seconds.

I realized I have done this several times before. {Note to all interested parties–this is ALWAYS from my own personal WIPs so don’t go getting all litigious on me}.  I have many older WIPs that have holes here and there from ripping it apart to put in newer WIPs.

Is this normal? Do you often steal from yourself. Or maybe it’s not even stealing, but mining. Until it’s published, it pretty much is fair game, I guess. And it’s not like you haven’t already put the work/effort into it. But it almost feels like cheating. I can’t say exactly why though.

On the flip-side of mining, I have even written just a scene. Depending on what ispirired it in the first place, it tends to be vague enough that it may be worked into a WIP at a later date, but it was something that struck me too profoundly to not jot down–lest I lose it in my overfull/hyperactive imagination. As well as whole scenes cut that didn’t work. I don’t want to delete them completely–you never know when it will fit perfectly elsewhere. So I have a file of orphaned scenes.

A junk drawer of sorts for WIPs and whatnot.

What about y’all? (As you have probably noticed, I am always curious how other writers writer.) Lemme know if you go digging for dilemmas in your potential possibilities.

To Newsletter or not to Newsletter, this is my question! I know a couple of authors who have newsletters. I know many who don’t (or at least I am not on their “list”). I wonder if this is worth the effort and trouble to put one out.

Truth be told, I started thinking about it because I was added to a couple of “lists” without being asked (don’t even know two of the people and can’t imagine where they got my addy) and the crap in my e-mail is frustrating. Sure I can hit delete, but still, it’s rude to me . . . but that is a whole ‘nother issue.

Back to the question: Is it worth it? I have had a couple of opportunities to “mine” lists of folks–who knowingly added their name to a list to be used as such, but I never did anyting with it. I do feel like it’s a lost opportunity (don’t know that I still have their info at this point, though). But I am still unsure how to precede. I suppose it is a fairly easy way to spread word of a new book or cover. When something is hitting the stores. And of course there are contests newsletter folks run.

As a reader, the ones I am on, I admit I skim. Of course, I skim most of everything (my brain is warped slightly–it’s a form of ADD I think). But I will eventualy read enough times that I have read everything. Often times, though if their is a contest or time dated info, by the times I am done, it’s past whatever deadline their may be. I realize in many MANY areas, I am odd. . .  so I don’t often go by my quirks.

What about you, do you read the newsletters you receive? Shoot, are you even on any? I am curious if it’s worth it on either end.

So I am probably the only person who hadn’t seen The Da Vinci Code. (nor have I read the book), but Sunday it came on cable so I decided, “What the heck.” It was a veg-in-my-room day anyway, might as well use up 2 1/2 hours on a movie!

Let me back up a sec and say, I HAVE seen many a show on what the book was about, all the debates over the historical aspects and ramifications and whatnot as well as interviews with Mr. Brown. So I was not coming in with an empty head. Even with all that, I hafta say, I enjoyed the movie.

Having said that, I think I may have looked at it a little different than some. As a writer, you tend to pick apart things and wonder how you would do them the same and how you would do thim different. On a purely fictional aspect (it was fiction after all despite all the speculation surrounding it), I think Mr. Brown did a great job weaving in clues, hunts and all around mystery in the story. I actually managed NOT to get too tied up in what I think on a religeous aspect and with that was thoroughly entertained!

For those who know me, that was a feat in and of itself. I tend not to be able to suspend any disbelief and will get mired down in, buts. (I can come up with some wacky buts!)

I think sometimes you just have to let go of what you know or think. (Had I not known ANY of the hoopla that had accompanied the movie, I don’t know if I would have still have enjoyed it or not. I may have gotten caught up in the “buts”. ) I was happily surprised.

Have books or movies “happily surprised” you before?