Tag: #IAmWriting

Emotional Tightrope #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

February 17, 2020

Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?

When I first started writing the Harmony Duprie Mysteries, I had some early critiques that pointed out her seeming lack of emotions. The thing is, despite her eccentricities, Harmony is a logic-driven personality. That doesn’t mean she doesn’t feel things deeply, she just doesn’t show that side of her persona easily.

It also makes me wonder how often this question is asked of women vs. men, and of female characters vs. male characters. There are still lots of people in today’s world that believe that women are emotional creatures driven by hormones and therefore somehow “less” then men. Obviously, I’m not one of those people.

There are times when writing Harmony is like walking a tightrope. Too much to one side or the other, and I lose what makes her who she is. Just because she keeps her emotions tightly controlled doesn’t make her heartless. It’s just means that she’s weighing her options carefully. 

I hold that the same is true for writers. Not every book is driven by emotions. There’s good vs. evil and right vs. wrong. Sure, human emotions play into these plots, but they aren’t necessarily the focus.

On the other hand, emotions are what drive readers to like or dislike the

Photo by Marcelo Moreira from Pexels

characters, to feel a part of their story. If all emotions are stripped from a book (is that even possible?) readers won’t find  anything to relate to. And how difficult would it be to write an engaging story with no action and only emotions? There’s the tightrope again. 

Back to the original question. I’m going deep here. One of the characteristics of a sociopath is shallow emotions. At the same time, they can be charming and manipulative. And isn’t that what a writer is doing when they write a book? Attempting to manipulate the reader?

Oh, and we’ve entirely skipped the whole idea of non-fiction books that are factual, not emotional. (Text books, anyone? Technical writing?)

So, yes, I believe that someone could not feel emotions strongly and still be a writer. For fiction books, I’m not saying they’d be a good writer, but yes, they could be a writer.

I’d love to hear your take on the topic. Just scroll down a ways. Keep scrolling, you’ll get there. While you do that, I’m off to see what the other authors on this hop have to say.

February 17, 2020

Do you think someone could be a writer if they don’t feel emotions strongly?

Rules:

1. Link your blog to this hop.

2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.

3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.

4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.

5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

Bestseller or Not #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

February 10, 2020

Would you like to be a bestseller or have a smaller, more manageable following?

Truth? I want to write a bestseller. Sure, the money wouldn’t hurt, but the virtual pat on the back would be better. I mean, who wouldn’t want to have a world-wide acknowledgement of their writing skills? 

Yes, I know there are people who write one bestseller and than never reach that level again. Still, that’s better than writing four or five books and never finding your audience, right?

And just maybe, if I wrote a bestseller, I could afford to hire a Personal Assistant to help with my social media. Because frankly, I don’t do a very good job on my own. Even if I had a “manageable” following, I don’t think I would do them justice. (I try, guys, I try.)

There is a down side. I absolutely love getting out and talking to people at book signings. If I was a best-selling author, would I lose that ability? I hate the idea of “sign the book, now move along.”  There’s no personal interaction in that scenario. (That’s me, talking to someone at the Deadly Realities book signing last fall. I don’t even know when this picture was taken. I was too busy paying attention the the person on the other side of the table. Yeah, I’d miss that.)

Still, the money might give me the freedom to spend more time writing. And travelling to meet more people. That would be a win.

So, I’ll keep writing and dreaming of getting my big break. And maybe one of these days I’ll write a bestseller. 

In the meantime, let’s go find out what the other authors on this hop choose. Just follow the links below.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

February 10, 2020

Would you like to be a bestseller or have a smaller, more manageable following?

Rules:1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 

Distracted? Who Me? #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

 

January 20, 2020

What are your top three distractions and how do you deal with them?

Did I get a new email? What’s the latest reddit post? Are the clothes ready to move to the dryer yet? And what’s for supper? Oh, did I remember to set the alarm so I get to work on time tomorrow? What’s that? My daughter wants to video-chat?

Distractions! They’re everywhere!

Which explains why my most productive time is later at night when all the interruptions of the day can be set aside. No phone calls, email done and done, social media satisfied. Nothing but music in my headset and words on the screen.

But what are my top three?

First off, family. As they should be. They are my priority. Their needs come before my writing. Their wants are negotiable. My wants come first sometimes, and that’s okay. Whether things like laundry and cleaning are needs or wants is up for discussion, and may depend upon how well my writing is going.

How to I deal with this distraction? Honestly? It depends. Sometimes with a smile, other times with a sigh. It’s not one I can avoid. Nor do I want to. Avoid it, that is. 

Second distraction. Work. Is that considered a distraction or an obligation?  I am getting paid well, and it supports my writing, but wouldn’t it be great if I didn’t have to plan my life around it? But until I write that million-copy bestseller, work is part of my life. Thankfully, my boss understands if I occasionally take a moment to deal with writing “stuff” while I’m on the job. (From his point of view, my writing is the distraction!)

Last and probably the worst on my list of distraction. Social media. Any of it. All of you knew that was coming, right? It’s a necessary evil for an indie author, but man, it can be a time-killer. I love seeing all the cool pictures other authors post; but that doesn’t get a book written. Reading reddit forums can generate new book ideas, or just waste time. There are a lot of good podcasts out there, but it’s like mining for gold to get useful information from many of them.

But out of all three distractions on the list, this is the one I can actually control. I can disconnect from the wifi, or unplug the network cable. Chances are, I won’t do that.

I can use self-control. You know, only visit the pages I need for research. And only until I find what I needed to know. It’s possible, but hard. 

And the winner is, I use surfing as a reward. I get so many paragraphs written, and I get to visit a “fun” page. I finish editing a chapter, and I take time to read some of the newsletters I signed up for from other authors. (I’ve got to cut back on those. You send a newsletter once a month? Cool. Once a week? Okay. Every two or three days? Overkill. Bye-bye!)

That’s my top three distractions, but I’ll give you a bonus one. Playing games on the computer. (Not the cool ones, I’m talking solitaire-type games.) Playing one or two rounds of a difficult game can help me focus my thoughts when I get stuck in a story. It’s more of a tool than a distraction, although it wouldn’t seem so to a casual observer.

That’s my list. What’s on yours? Follow the links below and see what distractions the other authors on this hop deal with. 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

January 20, 2020

What are your top three distractions and how do you deal with them?

Rules:1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 

 

It’s a Trade-Off #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

December 2, 2019

What one thing would you give up to become a better writer?

It’s a deceptively simple question, really. I only have to change one little thing. Except I’m the kind of person who worries about the domino effect. If I change this one little thing, what else breaks? For example, the day I got out early and got sideswiped on the way home. That wouldn’t have happened if I left work at my normal time, right?

Or how about the time I got stuck in a long line at the grocery store? Sure, I was saying bad words and pushing the speed limit on the way home. Until I saw a guy in a motorized wheelchair barely moving. I pulled over to see if there was something wrong. Turns out his battery had run down, but help was already on the way. I stayed and talked to him until his family got there. Nothing earth-shaking about the incident, but if the timing hadn’t been perfect the encounter wouldn’t have happened.

So, maybe it’s all part of the butterfly effect. You know, if a butterfly flaps

it’s wings in the Amazon a tornado happens in Texas. It’s part of the chaos theory. One simple, small change can have a much bigger consequence.

As a result, the initial question—one thing I would give up to become a better writer—makes me nervous. What would the unintended side effect be? If I spent less time cleaning house and more time reading, would war break out in Canada? (I know, that’s extreme. It was supposed to be!)

I can’t give up watching TV. because I did that years ago. Giving up reading would have the opposite effect- I firmly believe that as a writer you should also be a reader. I suppose I could spend less time on the biggest time waster of all, the internet, but I never know when something I stumble across may be the spark for a new story.

But there is one thing I’d be willing to spend last time on—playing games on the computer. Sure, I do it mostly while I’m searching for the right words to use, but it’s easy to play two games instead of one. And I can’t imagine which part of the chaos theory that would trigger. I think it’s a safe solution. Fingers crossed.

I hope all of you out there are still safe. No tornadoes, right? I can’t help the winter storms—they started before I made the change. Now, as is my habit, no change there, I’m off to find out what the other authors would change.

P.S.  But you could make one little change for me…I’d love it if you would leave a comment.

December 2, 2019

What one thing would you give up to become a better writer?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

I See Dead People #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

 

November 4, 2019

Do you Google yourself?

I admit, I have Googled myself. And the results for my pen name are rather boring. My Facebook page, my Amazon listings, this blog, and lots of blogs I’ve had guest posts on. I don’t believe there is anyone else using this name and that limits the potential for exciting finds. I got all the way to page 7 of the results before I gave up. (I did find a poem I published in a literary magazine before I started writing books. That came as a pleasant surprise.)

Googling my given name is more interesting. There’s a former middleweight fighter in Canada that shares a form of my name. And a hip-hop artist, although most of the information about him isn’t in English. (I think he’s French, but couldn’t find his bio. And his Instagram account only has two posts.)  Then there’s a bridge in Tennessee that bears my name, although it’s a memorial to someone else. I know it sits at an elevation of 594 feet, but I couldn’t find any information about the person it was named after.

We’ll skip all those people finder sites. They don’t count.

Then there are the obituaries. More than I anticipated. It’s fascinating reading the stories of people who shared your name but are are gone now. All of the ones I read seemed to be your standard salt-of-the-earth type people. And that’s an okay legacy to leave. “Loving mother.” “Dear sister.” “She was baptized on a winter day in Storms Creek in the early years of raising her children.”

I did find a record of someone bearing the same name as me being involved in a shooting at a political gathering in 1902. He survived, his opponent was expected to die. There was also a census record from the early 1900’s that I suspect is tied to the bridge I mentioned earlier. (Same state and city, so now I know his parents’ names but not what he did to deserve having a bridge named for him!) 

A few months back, we talked about names on this blog hop, and I mentioned how I frequently search for the names of my characters so I don’t accidentally use a real person’s name. On one of the comments, it was suggested that Harmony Duprie, the main character in my mysteries, probably has a namesake out there in the world somewhere. 

That comment sparked a subplot in my current WIP. Yes, Harmony is searching for herself. With good reason. I won’t reveal the results, but she, too, sees dead people. (And at least one person who is still alive!)

So, how about you? Do you Google yourself? Are your results any different than mine? Let’s talk in the comments.

Until then, I’m going to go check out the other authors and their results. You can come with me by clicking on the boxes below.

November 4, 2019

Do you Google yourself?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

 

Reader’s Block? #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

October 28, 2019

We’ve talked about writer’s block. Have you ever gotten reader’s block?

My first thought when I saw this question was that surely it was a typo. So was my second. Then I thought more and asked, is it really a thing? Reader’s Block?

I don’t try to hide the fact that I read. A lot. When I was a kid, I read everything that I could get my hands on, including the back of cereal boxes. I don’t read as much now, but I still love me a good story.

But there have been times when, for one reason or another, I didn’t read for a long stretch of time. (I define that as a month or two in terms of reading!) Perhaps I was too busy with work. Or family things. Or so wrapped up in my own writing that I didn’t want to spare the time to read someone else’s. Or I didn’t have time to get to the library and didn’t feel like re-reading any of my old favorites. (This was before ebooks, folks!)

And, I am sad to admit, there has been a time or two when I sour on

whatever book I’m reading and I simply stop. Then, because I have this need to finish every book I start, I just don’t. Start reading a different book, that is. I feel guilty about the one I didn’t finish. Until I can forgive myself and push past the shame of abandoning a story, I can’t move on.

There’s also the issue of editing mode. When I’m in the middle of editing my own work, it’s hard to turn that inner editor off. It makes it difficult to simply enjoy a story and not pick it over looking for faults.

How do I overcome it? Time. The answer is always time (unless it’s 42.) Since reading is an addiction, I always come back to it.

So, yes, I have experienced reader’s block, at least the way I choose to define it. How about you? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments. 

As usual, now I’m off to check out the other writers on this blog hop and find out if they’ve experienced reader’s block. And if you are looking for a good book to break yours, I’d appreciate it if you would check out my stories. You can read all about them elsewhere on this website.

October 28, 2019

We’ve talked about writer’s block. Have you ever gotten reader’s block?

Rules:
1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
https://fresh.inlinkz.com/

Is The Pen Mightier Than the Keyboard? #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

October 14, 2019

What is your preferred method of writing? (By hand, on a computer, dictate it?)

Somewhere – and I can’t tell you exactly where because I don’t know – I have a box crammed full of tablets and binders. It’s in one of three storage spots, buried under Christmas decorations, old knick-knacks, or outdated computer parts. The pages are filled with my handwritten first and second drafts of various book—most of which you and everybody else have never seen.

Just like I love the act of holding a book in my hand when I read, I love the sensual feeling of a pen slipping across a piece of paper, leaving behind the words flowing from my brain. Even a pencil will do if that’s all I can find. (I rarely have a problem finding a pen these days. The picture is a small segment of my desk.)

And yes, I have written entire books by hand. Not notes or drafts, but the whole darn thing. The words seem to spill more freely when I don’t have to concentrate on finding the right keys on the keyboard and I don’t see those squiggly red lines that tell me I spelled something wrong. I can write faster when I write by hand.

But there’s a catch. Isn’t there always a catch? I’m a better writer when I sit in front of a computer and type my stories. I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s because I can visualize how the words will look on paper or the screen of an e-reader. And yes, I can catch my mistakes and correct them immediately. It also allows me to use words that I might not remember how to spell because the computer will help me to get them right. So, I’m more accurate when I compose my stories on a computer, if slower. In the end, I have less editing to do.

There’s also the issue that it’s tedious to type handwritten pages to transfer them to computer format. There are times when I have a hard time reading my own writing!

I’ve never tried to dictate a story. I can’t imagine it going too well, based on my limited experience in trying to compose text messages using the microphone on my cell phone. You know how auto-correct is, right? It frustrates the heck out of me.

There you go. That’s why I do most of my writing on the computer. It’s not that I prefer that  method, but it’s more logical.

Now let’s check out what the other authors on the hop have to say about the topic. But before  you go, feel free to tell me how you like to write in the comments.

October 14, 2019

What is your preferred method of writing? (By hand, on a computer, dictate it?)

Rules:1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Reviews- Love ‘Em or Leave ‘Em #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

October 7, 2019

Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?

Good reviews from readers are like nectar from the gods. And about as hard to get!

Truth is, I’m convinced that readers just don’t like to write reviews. No matter how much they like (or dislike) a book, taking the time to write a review is time they could use to do something else. So it’s high praise when a reader not only takes the time, but gives you a good review.

Yes, I read every one. Even the not-so-good ones.

The good ones are what help keep me motivated to write. To know that someone enjoys my books is the praise I seek. The reassurance that I’m doing something right.

Sure, I’d like to be a world-renowned author, but that hasn’t happened yet. So I’ll take what I can get.

And that includes the “bad” reviews. Although I can’t say I’ve received any. What I consider a bad review is one written by someone who didn’t really read the book. I’ve heard horror stories about those- reviews attached to the wrong books, reviews where the person has problems with downloading the book that have nothing to do with the author’s work, reviews that downgrade a book before it’s even been released! I have none of those.

I do have reviews where the reader didn’t like the book for one reason or another. I’ve read books I didn’t like, even by big name authors. It happens. If they’re fair, I’ll read them as see what I can pull from them as a lesson to help my next book be better. ( I have made edits to a book based on a review)

But since we’re talking reviews, I’ll share a few snippets  of the good ones:

For The Marquesa’s Necklace: I read this one straight through-it was really good–I have no idea where I saw this first but I am certainly glad I took a chance and bought it–now I have to go look into Book #2!!

For Her Ladyship’s Ring: First I would like to say I am a great fan of Mary Higgins-Clark
mysteries. I have now added this author to my favorites list. Like the Marquesa’s Necklace, it was very difficult to put down for life’s interruptions. The suspense was great, and so many surprises at every twist and turn. I love Ms. MacLayne’s style and ease of reading. Now it’s time to order book three of the series via Kindle. I personally prefer books I can hold but once again do not wish to wait two days for the third installment!

For Wolves’ Pawn: The author of this book did something very unexpected in this new novel. She took a shifter book and the customary male alpha, but gave us a no non-sense female heroine that gave as good as she got in the different antagonistic scenes. Smart, funny, sassy, and the ability to improvise in different situations. I was also happy to see that there was definitely romance, but not page after page of sex scenes that normally bore me to tears, and have to quickly skim through before we get back to the story. All in all, I give this book an A+++. 

And one more, for Wolves’ Knight: This fast-paced paranormal is a breath of fresh air. Action packed and full of amazing female characters, I loved reading a book where the women were more bad ass than the men! Great plot and intriguing characters. Highly recommend!

See anything there that interests you? You can find out more about my books elsewhere on this web page.

Before I close, here’s a meme I pulled off another site today. It seems to fit.

 

That last one – say hi and be kind- seems to fit a lot more than supporting writers. Now I’m going to go find out what the other writers on this hop feel about reviews.

October 7, 2019

Do you read your book reviews? How do you deal with bad or good ones?

Rules:1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

To Read or Not to Read #IWSG

  By IWSG
 
October 2 optional question:
It’s been said that the benefits of becoming a writer who does not read is that all your ideas are new and original. Everything you do is an extension of yourself, instead of a mixture of you and another author. On the other hand, how can you expect other people to want your writing, if you don’t enjoy reading? What are your thoughts?
 
The awesome co-hosts for the October 2 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Mary Aalgaard, Madeline Mora-Summonte, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor!
 
Full Disclosure: I am a reader. I’ve been a reader since I first figured out the meaning of those weird shapes in books. I used to read a book a day. I love to read. I’ve slowed down, but I still read. I can’t imagine not reading.
 
Now, I have made the decision to not read books in the same genre I am writing in. That satisfies my need to keep my books fresh and original.  But I write in two different genres, so I can trade off, and there are plenty of books  still out there that I can read.
 
And the concept of ideas being all yours- I can’t fathom it. My ideas are a conglomeration of things I read, things I see, people I talk to … you get the idea. Sure, I try to put those ideas together in a new-to-me way, but I don’t downplay the influence of the world around me. After all, we all know there’s nothing new under the sun.
 
I find no shame in building upon the legacy of our ancestors. Sure, the language has changed and vocabulary shifted, but isn’t that what we, as authors are still doing? Sitting around a campfire and telling our stories?
 
So, read on, fellow authors. 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Real People of P.J. MacLayne #OpenBook Blog Hop

  By Open Book

 

September 23, 2019

What do you owe the real people upon whom you base your characters?

As I say in the copyright notice for each of my book “XXX is a work of fiction. All names, characters, events and places found in this book are either from the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any similarity to persons live or dead, actual events, locations, or organizations is entirely coincidental and not intended by the author.”

And that’s true, with one exception. In Her Ladyship’s Ring, I created a character based loosely upon the winner of a contest. As it turned out, it was one of my cousins, (Hi, Jane!) and she became Harmony’s cousin Jane in the book. We were friends growing up, so you can bet I gave the character Jane all the love when I created her. Jane has received mentions in some of the other books of the series as well.

But for my other characters, I can’t point to any one that is modeled after a real person. When a character ‘finds” me, they are their own person. I may not even know what they look like until after I’ve written them into the story. Their personalities develop as they reveal themselves.

Sure, they may pick up small pieces of what makes them an individual from people I’ve known. But the same character may get characteristics from five different real-life people. Another five characteristics come from thin air or are borrowed from a book I read somewhere in the distant path.

But here’s the trick: as far as I’m concerned, as I’m writing the story, each of those characters is a real person in my head. Yes, it gets confusing in there. My head, that is. I have to keep all those characters straight so the reader doesn’t get confused, unless I want them to be confused. I’m like that!

That also means I try to give my characters the same respect I’d give a person in real life. At least, that is, until I figure out what shenanigans they are up to. My bad guys sometimes disguise themselves as good guys until I figure them out. Then I have to switch gears and make them as bad  as they need to be.

In real life, I look for the good things in the people I meet and tend to overlook the not-so-good parts of real people until they become unbearable or unforgivable.  I can’t do that in my books, because then the characters would be boring. So, I try to give each of my characters faults to make them more life-like.

But back to the original question: To everyone I’ve l know throughout my life, or met for a moment, or listened into your conversation in a restaurant, thank you. Some part of you may have become some part of one of my characters. As they say in every award acceptance speech ever, I couldn’t have done it without you!

Now, let’s head over and find out how other authors feel about using real people in their stories. Just follow the links below.

P.S. One of the characters that gives me the hardest time understanding him is Jake, Harmony’s ex-lover. He’s based on no one but himself. I’m still not sure if he’s a bad guy pretending to be good or a good guy pretending to be bad, he won’t reveal his secrets. But, I have found pictures that I think represent him perfectly. So, just for fun, here’s Jake!

 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

September 23, 2019

What do you owe the real people upon whom you base your characters?

Rules:1. Link your blog to this hop.
2. Notify your following that you are participating in this blog hop.
3. Promise to visit/leave a comment on all participants’ blogs.
4. Tweet/or share each person’s blog post. Use #OpenBook when tweeting.
5. Put a banner on your blog that you are participating.