Hot Prospect Contest for Romance Writers

2016 Hot Prospects Contest

Sponsor: Valley of the Sun Romance Writers

**Permission to forward**

Looking to sign your first book contract, switch from a small press to a large publisher or simply explore another genre of romantic fiction? Turn up the heat on your writing career with the Hot Prospects Contest.

PRIZES

Grand Prize Winner

• The grand prize winner of the contest will have their entire Romance manuscript (400 pages, Courier, 12pt, Double spaced) reviewed by two professional editors at Novel Needs http://novelneeds.com

ENTRY FEE

Valley of the Sun RW Members

• $25

Non-Chapter Members

• $30

DEADLINE INFORMATION

Postmark Deadline: September 1st, 2016

E-Submit Deadline: September 1st, 2016

ELIGIBILITY

The Hot Prospects Contest is open to any Romance work uncontracted and unpublished at the time of entry.

CATEGORIES / JUDGES

Trained judges for preliminary round, Editors for final round.

Single Title Contemporary-

Romantic novels released as individual titles, not usually part of a series. Projected word count: over 70,000 words.

• Johanna Raisanen - Harlequin

• TBA

Romantic Suspense-

A suspense/mystery/thriller plot is integrated within a romantic novel. Projected word count: over 70,000 words.

• Kate Seaver—Berkley

• Melissa Jeglinski—The Knight Agency

Historical Romance

Romantic novels set in a time period prior to 1945.  Projected word count: over 70,000 words.

• Rhonda Penders—Wild Rose Press

• TBA

Fantasy/Futuristic/Paranormal-

Futuristic, fantasy, or paranormal elements are integrated within the love story. Projected word count: over 70,000 words.

• Melissa Singer - TOR

• Michelle Klayman—Boroughs Publishing

Young Adult/New Adult Romance:

Romance novels in which young adult life is an integral part of the plot. Projected word count: over 50,000 words.

• Editor – TBA
• Michelle Grajkowski—3 Seas Literary Agency

Inspirational Romance:

Romance novels in which religious or spiritual beliefs (in the context of any religious or spiritual belief system) are an integral part of the plot. Projected word count: over 50,000 words.

• Victoria Curnan—Heartwarming
• Agent - Raela Schoenherr—Revell/Bethany House

Erotic Romance: Novels in which strong, often explicit, sexual interaction is an inherent part of the love story, character growth and relationship development and could not be removed without damaging the storyline. These novels may contain elements of other romance subgenres (such as paranormal, historical, etc.).

• Brenda Chin - Entangled
• Agent - TBA

Those entries that do not final will be returned approximately October 30th, 2016 to help those who plan to enter RWA’s Golden Heart.

ENTRY CONTENTS

Synopsis

• Your synopsis should be between 3-5 pages.

Manuscript

• Up to 25 pages of your manuscript.

For more information visit: http://valleyofthesunrw.com/2015-contest-guidelines-and-entry-form/

Never Stop Learning

I'm amazed by the number of writers who stop reading. Just stop. Didn't we start writing because of our love of reading? I'll admit, I don't read in the genre I'm writing while I'm writing, but I'm always reading.

Lately, I had to read for research. And still have tons of books to go, but I found time to read for pleasure.

It's been fun and has renewed my love of telling a good story.

But I've also been reading craft books. Wow! There's so much I still have to learn. And there's so much that still confuses me.

Here's one of the best craft books that I've read in a while. This one, I think will be an annual visit because there's so much left to learn.

http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Active-Setting-Complete-How--ebook/dp/B00I9IS7IW/

Until next month.

The Best Two Words

As a writer, my favorite two words are 'the end.'

As a reader.... Well, that's another post.

Writing for me is a struggle. A contest of my will and determination versus the desire to veg out and do nothing. To get the words right is like pulling teeth. That blinking cursor is a minion of the devil.

I know of writers who script their books and then write away.

I know of folks who write disconnected scenes then stitch them together into a book.

I know folks who type what they're thinking and edit the words into a book.

For me, writing is possession by the characters. The tell me to shut up and do what they say. That's difficult as I like to be in control of myself since I know I don't control anything else in the universe. So we battle across the sentences, paragraphs and pages. When I'm tired and give in, the process is smoother. Eventually, my appositionally defiant personality kicks in and the characters and I go back to grappling.

I've heard legends, that some folks pick up speed as they approach those two magic words. I'm  hoping I experience that before I see my first unicorn.

Until then, I'll continue on as I have been. After all, I still arrive at the same place.

The end:D

Getting into the Swing of Things

It's the time of year, New Year, when everything is possible. Then I get a week or so into itand I start falling behind on my to do list.

So this year, I'm not making one. I don't need the stress. Life is twisting me up enough as it it but I'm not willing to give up my plans to write. Yet summoning the energy to even put one word down on the page is a struggle.

Or maybe Candy Crush is just too addicting.

Then again, I have to wait for all those lives to replenish so I should be writing. I should be, but I find excuses and things to do. Cursed by the blinking cursor on the empty page, I decided to seek advice from other writer friends on how they coped with the inertia (It's not writer's block, I have the story; I just don't want to write. Period).

Alas, I'd already tried most of their ideas and still no increase in word count.

So then I used brute force. I wrestled myself into a chair and forced myself to stay until I'd written 3 pages. 2 hours later, I got up.

To say that I was looking forward to the next day when I would get to do so all over again is a bald face lie.

But then a funny thing happened. When I opened the file, I returned to the beginning and read and revised those pages then started writing anew. I pounded out 8 pages in two and a half hours. 8! So now, I make sure I always begin the next chapter/scene before quitting for the day. That way I can build on something I've already done and am not stalked by that blinking cursor and blank page.

Of course, I'm still open to tips so pass 'em along if you've got 'em and happy writing.

Music to Write By

I've started a new book recently and everytime I start a new book, I need music to write by.

This time I'm writing an historical set during the Great War. While I bought some vintage music,my last   shopping spree  saw me purchase 3 albums-one by Irving Berlin, one by George Gershwin, and the last by Cole Porter.

My friend says they're jazz albums. I thought they were show tunes. I love show tunes, an entire story in a few stanzas.

The best part was that when I bought them from amazon they allowed me to download the albums as soon as they shipped. No waiting!

So now I can write, I just need to find the time.

The Author's Bookshelf

This month's book isn't about one particular topic but about an author's career. You can't have been considering a job as a writer without hearing about how the publishing industry is in flux.

There's no denying that this is an exciting and scary time for everyone involved. But the correct career path for you is unlikely to be the trails I'll walk.  And while many of us are already on the writer's road, there's always time to reflect on what you want.

I first heard Bob Mayer talk at the 2012 Desert Dreams conference. Bob is both traditionally published and self-published. Ditto for Jen. They had information and experience and were willing to share it. And while the industry is changing, one thing isn't:

Knowledge is power.

No one can afford to cocoon themselves in the way things used to be, not if you expect to be relevant in the next five years.

So I bought the book:



And didn't read it for a year. DOH! Okay really, it wasn't bad. I went to Bob's talk and most of what he said is 1) common sense for those who've been paying attention and 2)was a very condensed version of the book's highlights.

For those who haven't had the privilege of hearing Bob talk, pick up the book and read it (faster than me, please). Some of the information is outdated (ie Kobo and Nook Press) but the information should be firmly tucked inside your brain before hiring an agent, signing a contract, or publishing your own books. It's basic stuff, written in plain language—things like branding, outsourcing for those self-pubbing, and social media (for everyone).

There were very small chapters on topics that I would like to have known more about—metadata, twitter, etc. I would have liked to have embedded links to other sites both Jen and Bob found useful, like they had in other places. But their Write it Forward blog dovetails the information in the book and is updated regularly, so it's all good.

The Shelfless book is about a writer's career, not about one single book. It's the big picture.  The one authors need to focus on, not so much the single titled book.

It's a cheap investment for the price.  And I think Bob would agree that before you  lead or follow, you should at least have an idea of what you're getting into.

What an author doesn't know can hurt her career and her pocketbook.

The Writer's Library

I love books. Like many writers, I am a reader first and so many books provide inspiration for my stories. But some books help writers make those word connections to readers. So if you're looking for a way to improve your writing, you may consider adding these two books to your library. I keep them on my iPad so I always have them handy to reference.

The Emotion Thesaurus.

If you've been writing longer than a second, I'm sure you've heard the phrase 'show, don't tell'. Well here is the showing part in one handy reference book. The major emotions are present and give the body language (90% of communication is body language) that your character would see in others, the internal reaction your character would feel (no more POV slips), the mental slippage emotion cause and the long term effects of that particular emotion. The links are interactive so you can jump around as needed. The authors even provide hints on how to use the book. The ebook is only 4.99 USD and is well worth the investment.

Writing Fight Scenes by Rayne Hall

While not everyone includes action in their books, occasionally a character can get a bit uppity and need an attitude adjustment. This book begins with a basic technique on writing a scene, including tips on building up to the action. The author then moves onto the variety of weapons. She provides specific verbage to use for the weapon, descriptions and no-nos, plus there are links to youtube videos so you can watch the weapons in action.

Until next month!

Linda

Pantsing My Way

When other writers ask, and they usually do, my preferred method of writing, I always answer I'm a pantser.

A panster are those folks who write stories by the seat of their pants.

Ahh, how many rewrites do you have on a manuscript?

Just one—where I have to fix punctuation, add emphasis and just plain explain something so everyone else but me understands. My edits at the publisher are copy edits. I've never NEVER had to rewrite scene or a novel. EVER.

Of course, part of that is my publishing houses and their editors. Another part is my process of pantsing. Yep, writing by the seat of the pants starts with a process.

I vaguely knew what I did, such as end, a few great twists, and my characters, the theme (which makes me break out in hives just consciously thinking about the word) is there too. None of it is written down, expect those character traits like eye, hair and height. You know the stuff that seems to magically change when you're not paying attention.

I like my process. It works well for me, but I also have this thing about learning. I love to learn new things and I want to be the best writer I can be.

So I signed up for an all day workshop put on by my local writing chapter. I really, really, really, REALLY didn't want to go. I was in the middle of a book sprinting toward the finish line and didn't want my process screwed up by something that sounded intriguing but needed time lots of time to be incorporated into my process.

The workshop start and the speaker started asking questions that had me staring at the exit and trying to figure out how to escape. A headache was brewing and it promised to be a humdinger.

As I worked on the pressure points in my hand to relieve the throbbing in my head, I contemplated excuses for running out as well as how to pass the time until I could escape.

Then he began to explain a process that screenwriters and nearly all successful modern books adhere to. He was describing my process.

My pantsing process.

To hear it laid out with the over abundance of analogies and liberally sprinkled with anti-pantsing propaganda was amazing to me.  Once I understand his language, I could answer every question about my current WIP without  hesitation and see the ripples through my manuscripts. But they were raw and now I had a stone to sharpen them.

The speakers was Larry Brooks. After I got home from the workshop, I returned home and ordered his books—Story Engineering and Story Physics. I read them after I finished my last manuscript and will use the 7/9 points to bracket out my current book and see if my daily writing page count goes up since I'm consciously thinking of everything that I used to take for granted was in place.

I look forward to the adventure, I need someone to tell me an easy way to get the write.

I would definitely recommend both books, but with this caveat. The Romance genre has significant plot points that are not covered in either book. That in no way invalidates the process, it just means Romance specific workshops must be attended by those targeting the genre.

Happy writing

Writing the Hook

As a reader I LOVE the hook. Get me a book that has a hook in the first paragraph and I’m probably going to buy that book above the others. As a writer, sometimes I’m not so fond of the hook. It can take work and a lot of rewrites to get a good hook. A good hook will make a reader ask a number of questions: why, who, what, where and even how.

With Shrouded in Mystery, I wanted to add a bit of mystery:

He came to with a jolt. Wind rushed through the broken windshield and slashed vicious tentacles against his face, while shattered glass and snow lay scattered across the dashboard and his lap. Pain cut into his skull and the back of his neck. With a tentative hand, he touched his brow and came away with damp fingers.

The first paragraph of Shrouded in Mystery raises the questions why, where and when.  Why is he in an accident, where is he and what is on his fingers to make them damp? In the next sentence, I mention blood, but then I weave more raised questions throughout the first chapter and end it with I hope one of my better hooks.

Simply put, a hook grabs a reader and pulls them forward in the story. To get a reader to the next chapter, having a hook at the end of a chapter is a practice I try to follow. Having your heroine fall asleep at the end of a chapter is going to have your reader to do the same. Not good! You want your reader to keep on reading until the wee hours of the morning, preferably in one sitting. lol

On the first chapter of Shrouded in Mystery I added an end of chapter hook, which pulls the reader into the next chapter:

“Not the best place to break down.” The driver shifted his rear against the vinyl seat and steered the truck back onto the road. “Since we’re going to be up close and personal for a while—the name’s Stu. And you’re?”

“Clark. Clark Kent.”

In Shrouded in Illusion I wanted to instill a sense of danger.

“No one fuckin' move!  You!  Get away from the door."

Excuse the language, but I wanted to get in the readers face and feel exactly what the heroine, Skye, is feeling. Questions raised: Who is the person talking to? Why is the speaker so upset and why does the other person need to get away from the door?

Here are a couple sample endings I used for Shrouded in Illusion.to pull the reader into the next chapter.

Brandy bottle in hand, David closed the cabinet door and turned to find a dark silhouette of someone else in the kitchen with him.

A shout broke into the library air.

The boy slumped.  The squirming stopped.

The door leading into the hallway and her only escape route from inside, slammed shut.

A moment later she understood why Peter wanted her quiet.

The gun went off again.  This time the bullet didn’t hit air.  There was no mistake this time.  The bullet entered flesh.  His flesh.

Happy writing! :)

The Rise of the Pantsers!

This month's theme is plotting. Um, yeah, right.
I don't plot.
I refuse to plot.
Okay, I plot a little. For my romances, every one of my plots is--something happens to make the hero and heroine meet, more stuff happens, things get worse, then they get bad, then you have to read with your eyes closed, then that horrible moment when everything looks totally lost and then ahhh, they live happily ever after.
Sound familar.
If so, you're a pantser. A person who writes a story by the seat of their pants, not a plotter (which to mean sounds like a disease where you spend copious amounts of time on the porcelian throne). Remove tongue from cheek.
When I tell someone I'm a pantser, their response is that I must do lots of revisions.
Um, no. And never plot lines, my revisions consist of tweaking words and verbage.
Most respond with denial. Apparently, by not having tons of revisions I'm either a) lying, b) a crappy writer who doesn't listen to editors, or c) write superficial books with little plot.
My answers are I'm not lying about this but if we talk long enough I'll lie about something else (I write fiction, which is made up stuff--ie lies). As for b, I've been published with 4 small presses and worked with 8 different editors. My storylines have passed muster with all of them, it's the evil grammar that kills me. And c) neither my characters nor my plots are superficial. In fact, I write very plot driven and complex stories. Always, even the short ones. The only time I haven't tied them all up is when I intend for there to be a sequel.
So, does that mean all the ardent plotters who are telling you their secrets are wrong?
Absolutely not. Their process works for them  and it may work for you. But my brain thinks that if I plot a story, I'm done with it and my story fairy moves on.
While I am at the extreme edge of the antiplotting scale, I do have some tips for those who are in the middle.
Each scene (not chapter) must move the story forward in three ways--one has to raise the internal conflict/goal/motivation, the other must increase  the stakes for the external conflict/goal/motivation and the third is a repeat of either the internal or external.
Lastly, because most people are a hybrid, take five minutes before you write for the day and by stream of consciousness think of everything that could happen in a scene that you're writing. These are bullet points like shots fired, running, dark alley, garbage and rats (fear of rats), betrayed by coworker, who can she trust,  only the hero knew where she was going.
You don't have to use everything in one scene but this excercise can help focus your writing generating more words in a short period of time.
Happy writing!

The Creativity Gene

Where does creativity come from?

I will tell you that my mother is an artist and my father is an accountant. Taking that at face value, one might automatically conclude that my mother gave me her talents. There was a time when I drew. I was pretty good, but it wasn't my passion. Growing up, I knew that was required to stick to something that was hard, that would be put in front of a critical public and have them make snide remarks.

My drawings (yes, I still have them) are for my own personal consumption. They're not perfect and I never plan to devote the time to get them that way. I never plan to put them in front of anyone to critique. My mother has a critique group made up of other artists. Just like in writing, being around others who share your passion is required to improve your talent. Of course, there are also those that don't 'get' you but that's a topic for another story.

Growing up, I realized that my father was extremely talented too. Now before you start thinking he was cooking the books, I mean his talent was in the way he saw patterns in numbers that helped him invest and budget. Many times I would go grocery shopping with my father and we'd talk about value of products--taste is important, not just the price tag.

But there were also the times when we'd be alone in the car and he'd entertain me my making up lyrics to songs. My favorite--Car wars, nothing but car wars. Get in your cars and drive away, sung if you will to the Star Wars theme song a la Bill Murray style. There were many more and to this day I still sing the lyrics he did, often when my kids are in the car:-). Some traditions deserve to be passed down.

He also made things up besides lyrics. Once when we were waiting for one of my sisters to get off work, he told me he'd been a jackass in another life and my mother had been a snake. They'd kept each other company in their animal forms until he found her in this life. Now that's creative!

So where does my creativity come from?

Both my parents. I'm a very visual person as well as being analytical. As for why I chose writing, both actually wrote at one time. My mom created short stories for children and my dad wrote a murder mystery in the style of Mickey Spillane.

Where does your creativity come from?

Pavlov Helps Writers

Writing Pavlov Style

Many writers will admit this is not an easy business. When the words flow and the book practically leaps from our fingers onto the computer, writing is exciting. Many times we edit our work and think, “Wow! Did I really write that?” I love laughing at my own jokes. But….there are days when the words don’t flow. When writing is tough work. The muse has taken a vacation without letting us know when she is coming back. When those days roll around, we look for tricks to help us sit down and type.

I recently read an inspiring blog post from a writer I have known for years now, Cassie Ryan. She shared her tricks for writing when the muse is away.
http://www.aphrodisiaauthors.com/blog/2010/03/26/while-the-muse-is-away-i-must-write-anyway/

What caught my attention was using behavior modification and she referred to Pavlov’s work. It was basically a simple, yet effective experiment. The researcher rang a bell every time a dog was fed. Soon the dog drooled every time he heard a bell regardless of whether or not he saw food.
This is how Cassie tied it into writing:

“2. Use Pavlov’s Dogs Phenomenon to your advantage.
We all remember the story of Pavlov’s dogs, we need to use that same idea to train ourselves. Get yourself in a routine that’s flexible and yet familiar. My usual writing spot is a squishy chair at Starbucks with a hot Chai next to me, my headphones in and movie soundtracks (with no words) playing softly while I write. With this combination of events, I can easily fall back into my story and tune out the world. So what happens when all the squishy chairs are taken, or I can’t make it to Starbucks for some reason (or I’m sick of it because I just finished a gazillion hour shift there?) I use the same scenario, but flex it a bit. I’ve found that as long as I’m somewhere comfy (booth at the Barnes & café, my recliner in my living room, a booth at a restaurant, my back porch) I can still have a drink of my choice next to me, my laptop on my lap, my headphones in and my movie soundtracks playing in the background. That means I can begin salivating…er….writing, nearly anywhere. Find your own “Pavlov’s phenomenon” and put it to work for you.”

I once heard author Susan Mallory suggest you use a scent to help by taking in a specific aroma every time the writing is going well. She said you could later use the aroma to help your mind think that it was time to write just by smelling it.
My blogging partner, Kim Watters, would wake up early every morning to write. Many writers sit down and type at the same time every day. Their mind begins to think, “It’s five o’clock – time to write.”

Today I spent some time figuring out the best system for me. I know I have to have coffee. The caffeine gives me the jolt I need to get started. If I’m tired I’ll need Starbucks. Other than that, I am still narrowing down what works best for me. I tried writing at Starbucks and I get a good start, but inevitably someone will start talking too loud. I found working on my back porch is relaxing and that works well. The trick is going to keeping it up during the summer since I live in Arizona and our summers are often hotter than 110 degrees. After Susan’s suggestion of using an aroma, I decided to place peppermint oil beneath my nose whenever I start writing. I’ll let you know how that works for me in a follow up post.

Do you need to narrow down your best conditions for writing first? Or can you create the circumstances that will work by always writing under a set of conditions you decide will become your habit? Not sure, I guess we’ll find out. I’ll let you know what happened next week.

I am very interesting in what works for you. Please share your secrets in the comments section.
Until next week,
Happy Writing,
Tina LaVon

The Secret and The Dreaded Hows

Don't Worry About the Hows!

Since watching the DVD The Secret, repeatedly, some miraculous things have happened in my life. It appears that if I stay in an attitude of gratitude, which I admit is not always easy, and I know there is something I truly want, without much doubt, it comes my way. I have started out small and have been working towards bigger items and events I want to bring into my life. I had to grow as a person and realize I do deserve a life full of abundance in all areas before I could ask for more than just a parking place beside the cart return section of the grocery store.

Knowing there was truth to The Secret, I decided to do further research. Mike Dooley is one of my favorite speakers on the topic. he gives to others without the big push to sell that you often see. He says you have to stop worrying about how the universe will manifest or you block the magic (paraphrased). I recently discovered how true this is.

I knew I wanted a Netbook for my writing. I kept looking at them at Staples and knew I could usually get one for about $300, but didn't want to put that kind of purchase on my credit card. Around Christmas, I was checking one out again and I somehow knew to wait that it would come to me. In January, I noticed my credit card statement included a notation at the top regarding the number of reward points I had accumulated. I had never signed up for them, but it dawned on me that this could be the way I would get my Netbook.

I singed up and went to the site. Once there, I discovered the Nebooks would cost ten thousand more points than what I had. A bit disappointed, I decided to check out the gift cards. I found one listed for Staples, the exact store where I kept checking out the Netbooks.

You guessed it!
I had the exact amount of points needed to buy a Netbook with a Staples gift card,

I felt like the universe (which to me includes God, the angels, etc.) had made the point of showing me that The Secret works. If i had the points for one of the laptops listed in the rewards site, then I could have concluded it was a coincidence. But because it came in the way of Staples gift cards and was the exact amount needed, it was much more than that to me.

If you have had any experiences using The Secret, especially when it comes to your writing, I would love to hear about them.

Until next week,
Happy Writing!
Tina LaVon

Desert Dreams 2010

Desert Dreams Conference 2010
www.desertroserwa.org

An update from the coordinator:


Hi All!Great news! Diana Gabaldon of Outlander series will be speaking!
*
Also, we will have available at the Hospitality Suite a massage
therapist giving chair massages and a 'Reader' for those of you who are

interested.
*
We plan on having a table with info representing a publicist,
image builder, and others to help guide your writing career
and hopefully there to answer your questions.
*
Another new aspect we are offering is to open the editor/agent
appointments to those who are looking for more than one

opportunity to meet with an editor or agent. The cost is minimal.
See the website for more information.

*

On Friday we have scheduled eight (8) workshops in the afternoon,
one with agent, Jill Marsal, another with Vicki Lewis Thompson –
RWA Lifetime Achievement Award winner and other great speakers
from both Desert Rose and Valley of the Sun.

*

That night will be our
Genre Dinner - where each table will be featuring a genre with one
of the Conference Speakers, Editors or Agents heading the table.
*

On Saturday, begin the day with the hour long Editor/Agent panel at
8:30am; the workshops beginning at 10 am along with the Editor/
Agent appointments. We will break for our Luncheon at noon with
Linda Lael Miller as our Keynote Speaker, another RWA Lifetime
Achievement Achievement Award Winner, then back to our full
workshop schedule and editor/agent appointments.
*
Sat. night you are free to explore the beauties of downtown Scottsdale
in the form of the Fashion Square Mall and Waterfront as well as
the Artsy Old Towne Scottsdale a mile south. We have the Scottsdale
Trolley which stops at the Resort as transportation. We will have our
"About Town" features in your welcome bag for quick reference
regarding dining out that night. BTW, Old Towne Scottsdale has
their Thursday Night Wine & Artwalk, which isn't to be missed!
*
On Sunday, we will have our buffet breakfast, rest of the raffle baskets
and our second Keynote Speaker: Brad Schreiber - VP of Story Tech –
the Christopher Vogler's Writer's Journey organization. Brad will be
speaking on the Writer's Journey, a 2 1/2 hour long workshop
guaranteed to up the ante on your writing craft. Brad is an accomplished
screenwriter, teacher, actor, publicist, writer and much more.

*

The Conference is filling up fast, and we encourage any of you who
Have considered coming but haven't registered yet, to do so at
your earliest opportunity. The cost of the conf is $228 for RWA
members and $248 for non-members.

*

All of us at Desert Rose look forward to greeting you

"Where Dreams Become Reality" in Scottsdale,

AZ on April 16th-18th, 2010.

*

Cathryn Lombardo

2010 DD Conf. Co-Chair

www.desertroserwa.org

****OKAY TO FORWARD****

The Neurotic Writer Dates a Fireman

Welcome to another episode of
The Neurotic Writer
(Just for laughs)

Suzie Writer: Plops down on the couch. “What a week! I don’t ever remember going through so much trouble to date a man for research before.”

Therapist: “Who was it this week? An architect, politician, lion tamer?”

Suzie Writer: “No, but I’m going to keep those in mind. This week I dated a fireman. My book is set in Montana and this lonely fireman falls for the new stripper in town. He has to see beyond her lack of morals and she has to see beyond the horrible scars he received saving a three-legged kitten from a blazing tree.”

Therapist: “Sounds like an interesting story.”

Suzie Writer: “I got the idea when I accidentally set the popcorn in the microwave for ten minutes. It was incinerated! The smoke detectors woke me up from my nap. Before I could take the earplugs out, the fire department was busting down my door. That’s when I met Hank. Boy does he look hot with an axe in his hand. Much better than Jack Nicholson in The Shining. Of course, my door will never be the same.”

Therapist: “I’m concerned that you were in such a deep sleep so soon. Tell me, Suzie, had you taken any drugs?”

Suzie Writer: “Just the usual. We can talk about that later. I want to talk about Hank now. I don’t know how that man can put out fires when he sets me ablaze with just one look. Two minutes with him and I was a forest fire totally out of control. I wanted to―”

Therapist: “I get it. You were hot. I’m assuming you asked him out after he made kindling out of your door.”

Suzie Writer: “I tried, but he was all business. Imagine that. So…I had to come up with a way to get him back. A way of convincing him he was more man than firefighter.”

Therapist: “Tell me you did not intentionally set a fire.”

Suzie Writer: “Of course not. I did consider it for a moment, but even I know how dangerous that can be. Instead, I put my head between the bars of my staircase. My version of ‘Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!’ ”

Therapist: “And they bought it?”

Suzie Writer: “Well, by the time they got to the condo I was really stuck. I put on my sexiest bikini. The one with the little back and white polka dots. Then I gently pushed my head through the posts. Unfortunately, the moment I finished calling 911, I dropped my cell phone down a step.”

Therapist: “Dialing a fictitious 911 call places other people at great risk of losing their lives.”

Suzie Writer: “Like I said, by the time they got there I was really stuck! I twisted to reach for the phone and I couldn’t move. I had wedged my shoulders between the bars. To make matters worse I now had a wedgie I couldn’t fix. And believe me, my cottage cheese rear is not going to entice a man into bed.”

Therapist: “So you didn’t get your man this time after all.”

Suzie Writer: Chuckles. “You know me better than that. Turns out the hunky fireman wants to be a cover model. After all that work I went to capture his attention, I discovered all I needed to do was tell him I write romance novels.”

Therapist: “How did he find out? Did you hand him a copy of your book while you were stuck between the bars of the stairs?”

Suzie Writer: “No, but I should have. I needed a less dangerous excuse to see him again so I dropped by the station and gave him a signed copy of my book as a thank you gesture. Later that night, I came home and he was leaning against my door. He wanted to convince me that he would be a great cover model for my fireman story. We spent all night trying out various poses, with and without his suit. Boy does that man have pecs! Of course, I never told him I have no input on the covers. Didn’t want to spoil his fantasy-and mine.”

Therapist: “Are you still dating him?”

Suzie Writer: “No. I decided he was too pretty. I can’t date a guy better looking than me. He’ll get all the attention when we walk into a room. I like to make a grand entrance with all eyes on me.”

Therapist: “I understand. Maybe we can explore those feelings a bit more.”

Suzie Writer: “Not today, Doc. I finished that book. I have to come up with a new conflict, new hero…a new man. Whom should I date next? Any ideas?”

Promotion Tips

PROMOTION TIPS

Yesterday, Kim Watters, Carol Webb, and I spoke about using social networks to promote your writing. I want to thank all of you who attended and added to our discussion. It’s amazing how each time we speak we worry we won’t have enough to say, but always run out of time because there really is so much to talk about on this topic.

Here are a few of the tips discussed at the Scottsdale Civic Center Library yesterday.


Do NOT let your promotion efforts take over your writing time. You can schedule promo for those moments you don’t usually write. You also don’t have to do everything in one day. Spread your efforts out over the week.

The four essential elements to promotion are having:
-a website
-a blog
-a Facebook profile
-a Twitter profile

If you read Kathryne Kennedy’s post on Tuesday Sept. 29th she tells you how to set your Facebook and Twitter to feed automatically from one to the other when you post. It also tells you how to feed your blogs into one another.

3. Blogging – Creating a group blog like Much Cheaper Than Therapy saves time. If
you only have a personal blog you should post at least once a week, two or three times will help generate traffic to your site. Offering a service like editor/agent interviews is a great way to encourage readers to come to your blog. I currently cross post from this one to my personal Blogger and my Myspace. If I set the feed correctly it will automatically go to my Twitter.

4. Blog tours are an effective form of promotion. If you read Kathryne’s post on
October 17th you can read where Kathryne went on her blog tour and what she discussed at each one.


To hear more tips, you can listen to our next speech on promotion at the Glendale, AZ Chocolate Affair on February 6th at 3:00. Hope to see you there!

Until next week,
Happy Writing!

Tina LaVon

Harry Potter and Writing YA Romance

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

Warning: Minor spoil alert.


I enjoy analyzing movies to spot what the writers did well…and not so well. Yesterday I watched Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. What stood out for me in this film was the theme of young love. The main young characters all seemed to have a “crush” on someone and feelings were getting hurt. Add a strong love potion and you have a hilarious scene where a main male character acts like a young girl.

Humor aside, I paid attention to how the characters showed their interest in one another. This is especially helpful if you write YA or Inspirationals where the romance is more platonic than sexual.

What stood out for me were gazes or hugs held longer than customary. Showing a characters interest when he eavesdrops on a conversation about the dating life of the girl he has a crush on. Looking upset when a competitor shows interest in the person they like. I wasn’t thrilled with the way one of the girls tied the shoe of one of the main characters. It was a bit too submissive for my taste rather than helpful. Of course, its Harry Potter so one character has to risk his/her life for another.

JK Rowling set the stage for romance when she added the love potion and when an older character asks Harry about the time he spends with Ms. Granger. Love is in the mind of all at the beginning of this film. Well done.

Take Time to Have Fun!

As most of you know, I usually put a lot of time into my posts.

I'm either analyzing movies, experimenting with The Secret, giving writing advice,

or trying to make you laugh with The Neurotic Writer.

Today I am basking in the glow of a week of working hard and playing hard.

It was the first week back for the students in my classroom.

Due to circumstances beyond the control of teachers and

administrators at our school, it was one of the roughest beginnings

of a year I have ever been through. I am glad to report things

settled down as they always do.

I realized I was wound too tight this past week, so I took time to play.

I attended a game night/slumber party with nine other writers.

I hadn't been to one of these since I was young.

Spending a whole night just joking, laughing, and yes, drinking,

with the girls was so much fun. I also spent an evening with family

at a little cousin's birthday party. I come from a family where

everyone hugs and kisses hello and goodbye -

even if it takes a half hour because there are so many of us.

Lounging around today, I realized that playing hard and spending

time with family not only relaxed me, but it also recharged my batteries.

I see so many of my writing friends drowning under the pressure

of deadlines. It is so important that we take time to play.

Spend time with people who make you feel good.

People who smile and remind you that life can be soooo good.

Also take time to pamper yourself. Perhaps taking a hot

bubble bath with a candle flickering nearby,

while listening to soothing music is what you need.

Or, maybe you just need a hot fudge sundae. Save the cherry for me.

It's okay to work hard, but don't make it your life.

Remember, no one's final words are going to be,

"I am so glad I wrote those last 100 pages."

I don't know about you, but I want my tombstone to read,

"She lived life her way." Just don't go ordering it now.

I plan to have many years of working hard and playing

hard ahead of me. I hope you do as well.

Until next week,

Happy Writing,

Tina LaVon

The Neurotic Writer's Last Date with the Computer Geek

Welcome to another episode of
The Neurotic Writer
(Just for laughs)

Therapist: “I have to admit, last week when we spoke about your first date with the computer analyst I didn’t know what a blog was. This week, I did my own research. Now that I know Twitter is another social networking site like Facebook and Myspace, I am prepared for our discussion.”

Suzie Writer: “Well, I wish I had known it was a social networking site. After he improved my blog and said he was going to tweak my Twitter and make it sing, I thought it was a metaphor for his ability in bed.”

Therapist: “I gather it didn’t go well.”

Suzie Writer: “Of all the wonderful, brilliant men in the world, I had to pick the wrong one. (Grimaces) Let’s just say, when you talk dirty with a computer geek, make sure you know how to convert the standard units of measure in his language into inches before you end up in an embarrassing situation. I'm sure I sighed with disappointment at the wrong moment. I was expecting the top of the line, fully equiped desktop version of geek and ended up unwrapping the mini notebook instead.”

Therapist: “I’m afraid to ask what you did at that particular moment.”

Suzie Writer: “Well, it was too late to pack him up and ask for the new and improved model, so I tried to work with the product I was given.”

Therapist: “How did that go?”

Suzie Writer: “I think we both know size wouldn’t have mattered, if he had known what to do with his hard drive. Unfortunately, it was a complete systems failure that left me feeling as if I needed one of those Computers for Dummies books. He couldn't find my ON switch. I lost interest in his.”

Therapist: (Studies Suzie’s face for a moment.) “If it was such a disappointment, why are you smiling? I even think you’re glowing.”

Suzie Writer: “Turns out Mr. Brilliant lives next door to Mr. Hunky Biker Dude. This fine specimen of muscle on top of muscle once did time, but he’s changed his ways and now helps save troubled kids at the community center.”

Therapist: “You might want to proceed with caution if he did time.”

Suzie Writer: “Too late. Ever been on the back of a Harley with a biker between your legs, Doc? That’s a whole lot of power between your thighs. (Shudders) The motorcycle wasn’t too bad either.”

Therapist: “I assume he will be the hero of your next novel.”

Suzie Writer: “Life is research. Every man ends up in one of my books. The question becomes, will be the hero, the best friend, the villain or the comic relief?”



Until next week,
Happy Writing!
Tina LaVon

The Secret Experiment - Week Three

THE SECRET EXPERIMENT
Week Three


For those of you who haven’t read the first two weeks of my

experiment I’ll fill you in. I have been intrigued by The Secret,

knew there was something to it, and decided to try it out – publicly.

Why?

One – It’s a topic many people find interesting.

Two – I can now claim all books/CDs, etc. on my taxes. LOL

Three – Believe it or not, I am going to include The Law of Attraction

in a future humorous romantic comedy and this will allow me to

get some of the research out of the way early.

Last week, I mentioned that The Secret recommends starting

out small. Supposedly, if you think of someone you haven’t

seen or heard from in a long time someone will mention their

name or you will hear from them.

Most of us have had that happen before, but not usually

intentionally. So, I decided to think about a high school friend

I hadn’t spoken to in thirty years.

Did I hear from her?

No.

So, does that mean The Law of Attraction doesn’t work?

Not necessarily.

I admit, I had limiting thoughts that could have negated

hearing from this person. First, I pictured writing that I hadn’t

heard from her.

Why?

I think I put negative thoughts into my brain because I

initiated contact with someone who also knew her.

In my eyes, if he mentioned her name,

it would have been cheating on my part.

What if he did mention her name?

What if he had her current phone number and address?

Would the Law of Attraction have worked because thinking of

this person had me walking down memory lane and put

me in the frame of mind to contact someone else

we both knew?

The Secret does recommend taking action

when you are inspired.

Perhaps the Law of Attraction pushes us in the direction

to achieve our goals as much as it draws what you want

from the Universe and brings it to you.

Something to think about.

But for the purposes of this experiment,

I wanted to know if I could attract her to me.

What now?
This week, I will be picturing a different friend from high school

that I haven’t heard from in almost thirty years. The only

mutual friend we have has already contacted me months

ago and mentioned her then. There’s no reason for her to

suddenly do it again. Unless she reads this blog,

and I doubt she does.

Oh, crud!
I just remembered I mentioned my blog on Facebook.

She could decide to read the blog today, after all, and I just

put another negative thought in my brain because mentioning

my blog on Facebook could be considered cheating.

As they say, herein lies the rub.

Manipulating The Law of Attraction is not

always easy and that may be one of the reasons

it doesn’t always work.


What now?
I’m going to think of attracting a new laptop.
We have no mutual friends on Facebook.

What can I do to increase the chances I will get my laptop?

First, I’m going to save my spare change.

Taking action should help build the energy toward manifestation.

If the Law works, the Universe will bring me my laptop through a

fantastic sale or some other miraculous means.
The Secret recommends visualizing and staying in an

Attitude of Gratitude.

Feeling happy creates the attraction,

so I’ll picture myself typing at Barnes and Noble and

feeling wonderful while I drink my white chocolate mocha.

We both know I’ll attract that mocha first.
I’ve done it before. A teacher across from my room

was accidentally given the wrong drink at Starbucks so they

let her have both. Unbeknownst to her,

the unwanted drink just happened

to be my favorite

and she gave it to me when she got to work.
Now that’s the Law of Attraction at its best.

Next week I’ll go more into being specific versus just

staying in a happy state of mind.

Have a magical week,
Tina LaVon