Perseverance

The dictionary defines perseverance as determined continuation with something. Basically, if you stick with something long enough and learn, study and grow, you will persevere. I absolutely believe this is true. I do also believe I am proof. I’ll give you an example.

When I moved to California from Texas, I wanted to be an actor. I studied to be an actor. When I got out of school, I hit the ground running with headshots and agent hunting and audition hunting. Slowly the work started trickling in. I was thrilled to work in commercials and get bit parts in television (mostly sitcoms). I continued to go to acting class and study my craft and continued to become a better actor. But let’s face it… Hollywood is a tough town (as I write about in my latest release, Living Dangerously). An actor has such miniscule control over getting hired that it’s a wonder there aren’t more people going postal after getting a rejection. I knew when my days of being in front of the camera were over. I got a call for an audition and instead of being excited about it, all I could think about was having to drive all the way across town in the dead middle of traffic. It was going to take me about an hour to get to the audition and at least that long—probably longer—to get home. All so someone could take my picture and say, “Thanks, we’ll get back to you.” Which by the way, they rarely do.

So… I clearly needed something new. It was about this time that I had a dream and ultimately wrote it down. Those 450 (handwritten!) pages became my first novel. I had no idea what I’d written and after some research, I discovered I had a romance novel. Well, wasn’t I surprised with that? So now what? My husband enrolled me in RWA for Mother’s Day and the rest is history. I found my local chapter and went to my first meeting and had a giant epiphany. There were others out there like me who heard voices in their heads and kept asking, “What if…” I found my people.

But then reality hit. Every meeting I attended thereafter, I learned something new. And after every meeting, I’d go home and re-write my book. By the sixth meeting I was in tears and didn’t want to go, because I knew I’d learn something new and have to re-write it again. (My first three books were practice books. I love them, but I’m not sure they’ll ever be published.)

Now we’re at my fourth book, which turns out to be the first book I sold. I mentioned that actors have very little control of getting hired. You can be the best actor on the planet, but if you don’t fit the description the writer/director/producer are looking for then you won’t get the part. (Unless of course you’re either famous or related to someone, but that brings up nepotism, which is also a mind bender on many different levels.) Back to the book… I pitched it to Harlequin minutes after they signed a licensing agreement with and for their NASCAR line. I knew about that deal months before it was announced publicly. I also knew my book didn’t fit into the line and I wasn’t willing to make the changes that the agreement (with NASCAR) stipulated. Years later, I pitched the second book in the series to Carina Press and they liked it and made an offer to publish it. My fear had been that they wouldn’t want the first book because Harlequin had rejected it years before. I later discovered that they are really their own entity and once I mentioned the first book, they also made an offer for that. All of a sudden I sold two books. After ten years of trying. Then I sold the third. And of course, this month, the fourth book is released.

The thing is… I never quit writing. I kept pumping out the words and the stories and when I finally sold one, I really sold four. Except who knows how many I’ll sell by the time I’m old and senile? Hopefully enough to fill a bookshelf or two.

My point is, if you want it badly enough, you will get it. If I’d wanted to act badly enough, I’d have kept up with my acting class. I’d have gone to casting workshops and made all those tortuous trips across town in horrible Los Angeles traffic just to smile for the camera, tell them my name and drive back home. I’d have put up with the rejection of not getting a part because I was too old, too young, too skinny, too fat or too whatever.

I’ll admit I was at the end of my rope when it came to my writing. Ultimately, I couldn’t quit because my daughter was of an age where I wanted to make a point. She watched me writing all those years as she was growing up. She knew the amount of time and effort I put into it. If nothing else, I had to prove to her that if you work hard enough, you can and will get what you want. It just often takes more time than you want.

I hope if there’s one thing you take away from this blog, it’s that anything is possible. Yes, timing and luck work into the writing business, too, but even after eight years, my first published book found its window. You can find your window too.

So, I’m curious, what’s your perseverance story. What were you determined to do and after hard work, you accomplished it?

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Dee wants to know your perseverance story and will give a copy of Danger Zone to a lucky commenter.

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Living Dangerously

Living in the spotlight can be murder.

Julie Fraser, Hollywood’s newest “it” girl, arrives on the red carpet to more than just the flashes of the paparazzi’s cameras. A sniper’s shots leave her bleeding and in the line of fire. Her life would be over if it weren’t for the bodyguard who comes to the rescue—taking a bullet in the process.

Troy Mills, a P.I. working undercover, couldn’t stand by and watch an innocent woman die, but now he’s torn. How can he tell her that he’s not a bodyguard, but a P.I.? A P.I. hired to prove that Julie is sleeping with the movie producer he’s pretending to protect.

When a second attempt is made on Julie’s life, Troy realizes that keeping her safe is more important than any supposed affair. And in order to keep her safe, he’ll have to keep her close. But desire and danger are hot on Julie’s heels. Who could have guessed that protecting an A-list actress would not only put Troy’s life in jeopardy, but his heart as well?

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Bio:

Dee J. grew up in El Paso, Texas and moved to Los Angeles after graduation. She worked in television and commercials for over twenty years both in front of the camera as an actor, and behind the scenes as a dialogue coach. Along with her love of acting, she discovered a love for writing and is the author of the Adrenaline Highs series from Carina Press. She narrated the last three books of the series for Audible. She lives in Southern California with her husband, teenage daughter and two rescued dogs. You can visit Dee on her website at www.deejadams.com

Making History Now… One Gay Romance at a Time
Geoffrey Knight

Geoff Knight and Ethan Day

How often do we say to ourselves that generations from now, people will look back in shock and dismay that once upon a time gay rights weren’t equal rights? They’ll wonder why things were not balanced or fair or safe for some, why people were treated as second class citizens just because of their sexual orientation, and why so many of us—on both sides of the debate—got so angry. Which is probably why so many of us love gay romance. Because when it comes to the struggles of finding yourself and overcoming adversary, every romance novel has its hero or heroes, and every ending is a happy one.

Some call it escapism. Some frown upon it and think we’re running away from our problems and hiding in the pages of fiction. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Yes, reading gay romance may be something we love to do—a treat, a relaxing break, a guilty pleasure—but it’s more than simply escapism. In fact, it’s the opposite, because reading gay romance is slowly but surely turning our world into the kind of world we want to read about. We are slowly but surely doing our part to turn fiction into reality. More and more Happily Ever Afters are becoming real around the world and gay romance is helping to do it. We are making history now, just because of the books we love to read and write. That’s a big statement, I know, so allow me to elaborate.

I did not begin my novel-writing career in the romance genre. I started in the world of gay adventure. I wrote several Indiana Jones-style stories where the lead characters were unstoppable, seemingly indestructible… and gay. After all, gay men are just as heroic and capable and brave as heterosexual men, some might say even moreso given the courage often needed to overcome the discrimination and hurt that is sometimes a sad reality of the world we live in. But as I started writing different genres, I was introduced to the world of m/m romance. I was immediately surprised (and happily so) by several things, mainly how many m/m fans were out there, and moreso because of the fact that the vasy majority of m/m readers were straight females.

It was something that prompted me last year to put together a non-fiction book titled Why Straight Women Love Gay Romance, edited by Kris Jacen and published through MLR Press. I interviewed 32 women from 9 countries and 4 continents (the United States, mainland China and Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, Germany, Italy, Iceland, England and Ireland) who were avid m/m romance readers. I asked them how they became fans, why they read it, who knows they read gay male romance and who doesn’t, have they themselves been discriminated against because of what they choose to read, do their straight male partners know, has it changed their sex life, and so on. The responses were varied and fascinating, especially taking into account the differing cultural and social environments in which these women live. Many people who already read m/m romance asked why I felt the need to write such a book; I read comments on blogs saying ‘this question has been asked a thousand times before, don’t we already know the answer?’ Perhaps within the industry we do… that many readers of romance wanted something new and different to read that still fell under the guidelines and structure of a romance story. But the point is, I didn’t write the book for people within the industry. I wrote it for people who had no idea gay romance existed. I wrote it for people who might like to dip their toes into what was previously deemed forbidden waters. I wrote it for readers who might have thought they were strange reading m/m, unaware that there were so many others like them out there (I received MANY letters from readers thanking me for letting them know they weren’t alone).

But the real surprise for me in putting this book together was the realisation that these women were changing the world, in their own small ways, because of what they enjoyed reading. Many of these women had never personally known a gay man in their lives, they had no first-hand contact with gay life or culture, and yet suddenly—because of their attachment to the gay characters in their favorite books—these women were reprimanding their husbands for the occasional homophobic slur. They were teaching their kids to treat gay people with respect. These soccer moms and housewives and single parents were suddenly joining PFLAG groups and attending rallies and marching in Gay Pride parades. They were spreading tolerance and acceptance and speaking out for equality, something that had never really crossed their minds before. They were surprising their friends and families. They were taking their love of gay romance novels and turning it into something good, something powerful, something very, very real.

These women are making history, right now!

As a result of this amazing movement—this army of straight women fighting for equal rights—the optimist, the idealist, that crazy, exciteable kid inside me now believes there can never be enough gay romance in the world today. This is why fellow author Ethan Day and I decided to form Wilde City Press, a publishing company dedicated to not just gay male romance, but all gay male fiction. We want to encourage fans of mainstream gay fiction to discover the world of gay romance… likewise we see the potential of fans of gay romance delving into other genres focusing on the loves and triumphs of gay men. We truly believe that the more gay romance—and gay fiction in general—there is written and read in the world, the more the world is likely to become a place where everyone is equal…

… a place where each of us deserves our Happily Ever After.

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Hey – you’ve got a brand new publisher here to answer questions . . .  go for it!

Author Dee J. Adams talks bout perseverance on Friday.

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Bio:

Welcome to Wilde City, a metropolis of male fiction brimming with the best in Gay Male Romance, Gay Male Erotica and Gay Male Mainstream books; a place inhabited by the most talented writers in the industry whose page-turning tales will make you laugh, cry and beg for more!

From stories of romance and desire, to thrills and spills, you’ll experience all the fun and fantasy, all the suspense and steaminess, of a city that only sleeps when you do.

You’ll find stories of Gay Romance on just about every corner of Wilde City. Look out for those lingering gazes between strangers as they pass by on the Boulevard of Hopeless Romantics, or book a table at Wilde City’s Gay Rainbow Room and watch someone’s fingers brush against the hand of a man longing to be kissed. Yes, in a city this big, romance is everywhere.

But many other gay worlds exist within Wilde City. Walk through the cobblestone alleys of the Old Docklands and you’re sure to stumble across something that will chill you to the bone. Venture through the haunted mansions of the old Parisian Quarter and you might catch a glimpse of a handsome ghost, or powerful werewolf, or a vampire hungry for your blood. Or perhaps you’d prefer a laugh with the gay characters you’ll meet on Vaudeville Avenue as they bumble their way through life looking for Mr. Right… or Mr. Right Now! Or buy yourself a ticket to gay adventure atop Wilde City’s Empire Tower and board the Wilde World Airship for an action-packed trip of a lifetime!

Then again, if you’ve come to Wilde City for action of a different kind, welcome to a city teeming with Gay Erotica. You’ll find sex in almost every back alley and respectable dive in Wilde City’s notoriously naughty Pink Light District. Or for something that’s sure to turn you on, visit Mr. Charlie Harding’s exclusive black-label sex soiree, ‘Charlie Harding Presents’… because why not get the best in Gay Erotica from the Expert!

It’s time to go Wilde… this City is calling!

Robin: Are you a planner or pantser? Can you tell us a bit about your writing process? How do your novels come to life?

I am such a plotter! I like knowing where I’m going—like having a road map before taking a trip. That said, every once in a while, I will get in a groove and go off the path a bit. It usually ends up working out. But there have also been some, uh, do-overs. Thankfully, it’s all part of being a writer!

Robin: What is the last book you read that blew you away?

I read a *lot*. But the last book I read that I simply couldn’t put down was Kristen Callihan’s Winterblaze. It’s the third in a series of four books, and I am totally invested! Her mastery of deep point of view is unbelievable. Also, Winston Lane. Totally. Hot. Hero.

Robin: You know I love to write sex scenes but I know some authors do not. What is your favourite part of a book to write and your least favourite?

I do love writing sex scenes. Showing the balance between wants and intimacy is crucial for me. But really (sadistic, I know) I love the dark moment best. I know I’m close to writing “The End” at that point, and it’s all the emotion and risk and angst in one compact scene.

Robin: Why foodie romance and how did it inspire your latest book?

Simply put, I love to eat. Like, not just normal, “Yes, I love food” but upper-level, get-really-into-it *love* to eat. And I was raised in a family where food is absolutely a way of showing love, whether cooking with someone (as many of my characters do) or cooking for someone (they do that too!) It inspires all my books. I picture my hero and heroine, what they’re bringing to the table (sorry, bad pun!) and think, “How can food bring them closer? How can food make them look at themselves differently?” For me, it makes the story pop right off the page.

Robin: If Jason and Serenity had a soundtrack for their life/personality, what would that be? How does music factor into your writing process?

I usually have a song or two that I use as my hero and heroine’s anthem, something that embodies them. Jason and Serenity’s is “Gone, Gone, Gone” by Phillip Phillips. The big theme between them was trust—she needed to trust that he’d be an anchor for her, and he needed to trust that she’d accept him no matter what, in spite of the dangerous job that defines him. It fits them perfectly!

Robin: What is your favourite writing craft book and why?

I have a bunch! But I think it’s a tie between “GMC: Goal, Motivation and Conflict” by Deb Dixon and “The Fire in the Fiction” by Donald Maass. Both brilliant!

Robin: Best workshop you ever took as a writer?

I’ve taken many that were helpful and inspired me as a writer, but none as much as Margie Lawson’s workshops. The way she takes words from good to astounding is just bar none. I highly, highly recommend every one of her classes, either online or in person.

Robin:You recently decided to self-publish. What led to that decision and what were the things you learned from the experience? What was the most surprising part of the process?

I actually kind of “fell” into self-publishing when I had time between projects for Kensington, but as soon as my agent suggested it, I knew it would be a great idea. I’ve learned a ton about editing, production, marketing, and all the hard work it takes to write and *produce* a book. I was surprised at how much goes on “behind the scenes”. The writing is actually the easy part! But it’s been a fabulous experience. And without it, I wouldn’t have written Noah and Violet, or Jason and Serenity. And yes, there’s a third “line” novella coming this summer, too!

Giveaway: I’ll give away a digital copy of Drawing The Line, my new novella about a dedicated cop and the resistant diner owner he’s tasked with protecting, to one lucky commenter. Share with us your favourite comfort food. Don’t be shy—and if you have more than one, even better!

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What is the last book that blew you away?

Tomorrow Geoff Knight is here to talk with us about his newest venture as a publisher.

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When Detective Jason Morgan is tasked with keeping a local restaurant owner safe as part of a make-or-break case, he rises to the challenge. The job is his first priority, and he owes it to the memory of his father, a detective killed in the line of duty, to do it at any cost. But Jason never expected Serenity Gallagher to be so beautiful, so serious…or so tough to protect.

Serenity has moved from place to place at the whim of her capricious mother all her life. The last thing she wants is to leave the diner she finally calls home, even if it means being stuck with a sexy blue-eyed detective. But she’s the only witness to a horrible crime, and the man behind it wants her very, very dead. Going into protective custody means survival, no matter how much Serenity hates hiding.

As Jason and Serenity bide their time together, they are shocked to discover they have much more in common than the surface reveals. But keeping her safe is Jason’s number one priority, no matter how much he’s drawn in by the woman beneath the witness, and Serenity’s past makes it difficult to trust. As the stakes get higher and the spark burns hotter, can Jason and Serenity draw the line?

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Bio:
Kimberly Kincaid writes contemporary romance that splits the difference between sexy and sweet. When she’s not sitting cross-legged in an ancient desk chair known as “The Pleather Bomber”, she can be found practicing obscene amounts of yoga, whipping up anything from enchiladas to éclairs in her kitchen, or curled up with her nose in a book. Kimberly is a 2011 RWA Golden Heart® finalist who lives (and writes!) by the mantra that food is love. She is thrilled to have collaborated on a Christmas anthology with Donna Kauffman and Kate Angell, titled The Sugar Cookie Sweetheart Swap, to kick off her Pine Mountain foodie series with Kensington this October. Her first full-length novel, Turn Up the Heat, will follow in February 2014. Kimberly resides in northern Virginia with her wildly patient husband and their three daughters. Visit her any time at www.kimberlykincaid.com or come check her out on Facebook and Twitter.

The Lure of a Series

Most every author dreams of writing that one book that grabs the imaginations of a host of people and leads to a long line of continuing adventures. Over the decades, countless series have been created that did just that: Sherlock Holmes, Miss Marple, Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia, Dune, The Shopaholic series, Stephanie Plum, Harry Potter, the Space Odyssey series… the authors, characters, and genres are vast.

But what makes a good series? And does every single book really NEED a continuing story?

A good series, to me as a reader and a writer, needs first of all strong characters with evolving traits, challenges, and relationships. The story lines cannot feel forced or repetitive or the readers will lose interest. If the characters don’t evolve from book to book, if they keep experiencing the same issues and struggles and never seem to grow, readers will grow bored and seek out new entertainment.

When I started writing, I never intended to get into the business of creating a series. But the first book I published, Fluffers, Inc., was so much fun to write, I thought it needed a follow-up. So I wrote A Carnal Cruise, the second book of my Charlie Heggensford Stories series. After that, I had another idea for Charlie to get into trouble (he excels at it!), and so wrote Vancouver Nights. I’ve moved on from Charlie, but he’s never far from my thoughts, and I may get another book or two written for him yet. A fan just wrote recently asking about the series and saying she wanted to see Rock and Charlie spend time together as a couple rather than have them be apart, and, you know, she’s right, Charlie deserves some quality time with his man. Hmm…

As a reader, I’m amazed sometimes at the ways a writer can keep a series fresh. I am a big fan of crime novels, the police procedural type, and am in awe of John Sandford and his Prey series featuring Lucas Davenport. Over the years a lot has changed for Davenport, but the core of his character remains, and I have loved watching him change during the course of the books (23 so far!).

Sometimes a writer begins a book knowing that it is the first in a series. This happened with me back in 2011, when I started writing what was to become the first book in my Venom Valley Series. The overall story arc was too great to finish in just one book, I needed at least three to tell it the way I envisioned it in my head. I self-published that story and it’s follow up, but now both have been picked up by Wilde City Press, the fantastic new gay fiction press created by Ethan Day and Geoff Knight. Cowboys & Vampires – Venom Valley Book One is now available at wildecity.com, and it’s a crazy mash up of vampires, zombies, Native American spiritualism, and witches, all set in the American Old West. Crazy, right? The second book, Stakes & Spurs – Venom Valley Book Two, will be available mid-summer, and the yet-to-be-titled third book will be out in October, perfect for Halloween season. This was an example of knowingly setting up a series from the beginning and leaving little Easter eggs along the way that may be called back to in future books. It’s all about the planning. I’ve always said if I ever got the chance to talk with JK Rowling, I would ask her about how she storyboarded her amazing Harry Potter series (I use Scrivener, an amazing writing tool), and if she knew how each book would play out when she first started writing the series.

Back in 2009 I wrote a novella titled Holed Up. It was, to me, a one off story — a witness to a terrorist plot needs protection and a brash, tough-on-the-outside agent is assigned the duty. It was well-received and people would occasionally ask me about Pearce and Mark, wondering what became of them afterwards, what they were up to now. So I decided they needed another story, Shacked Up, and set the story in Washington, DC. In this second book, I added not just a mystery (or two!), but the stress of trying to navigate the waters of a relationship. Pearce opened up to Mark (and myself — I didn’t know his reason for becoming an agent until I wrote that revelatory chapter), and now the two are in a new adventure, Roughed Up, which takes them to the tropics where Pearce finds himself stuck without his normal resources as he rushes to find Mark who’s gone missing.

Over the course of the Up to Trouble series, I think both Pearce and Mark have changed in believable ways, and I hope my readers feel the same way. I have ideas for some more mysteries for these two, and have started planning ahead, laying the groundwork for successive books in the series as I’m working on a current one.

So tell me, what series do you enjoy reading? Are you excited when you find the first book of a new series, or do you like starting from the beginning of a long established series so you can read the books one after the other? Leave a comment here and one lucky commenter will receive a free copy of my m/m suspense romance book Roughed Up, in epub, PDF, or mobi. Thanks for stopping by!

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So – what series do you enjoy reading? If you are writing a series – what keeps you interested?

Tomorrow Kimberly Kincaid talks about foodie romance and self publishing.

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ROUGHED UP:

FBI Special Agent Aaron Pearce and his lover Mark Beecher are taking a well-deserved vacation relaxing on the beaches of Barbados Island. They spend lazy days in the sun, on scooters seeing the sites, or in their room making love.

When Mark sees a young girl in a bar who may be in danger, he begins an informal investigation into her situation, even as Pearce reminds him they are not citizens and have no legal power on the island. Mark is determined, however, and, while investigating on his own, is taken captive by a sex slavery ring.

Pearce panics when Mark goes missing. He has a good idea what happened to Mark and who has taken him, but he cannot prove it. While working with the Barbados Royal Police Force, Pearce realizes he has become the detective’s prime suspect, and understands he needs to conduct his own personal investigation if he has any chance of finding Mark before his lover either sold into sex slavery or murdered.

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Bio:

Mon, May 13 – Hank Edwards gives us his insight the lure of a book series.

Tues, May 14 – Kimberly Kincaid comes by to talk about foodie romance and self-publishing.

Wed, May 15 – Geoff Knight stops by to tell us about the inspiration behind his brand new venture – Wilde City Press.

Fri, May 17 – Dee J. Adams inspires us with her journey and perseverance.

“A Post-Coital Conversation With My Writing”

I sit in my desk chair, spent.

Exhausted.

Proud of myself actually.

I reach for my writing drink: A Gentleman Jack with ice. Which, after having been neglected for the past hour while I diligently pounded my keyboard until I felt I had nothing left to give, is sweating as much as I feel my mind is now.

While selfishly imbibing in a euphoric swig, I glance back at the only light emanating the room… my iMac. My 21st century writer’s version of lighting a candle. And it’s mocking me. I can not only feel it but in an osmotically weird way hear it as well.

“You’re feeling pretty good right now, aren’t you?”, It says.

I set my sweat-drenched glass back on its coaster, “Uh, you know what? I am.”

“What about me! Am I fully satisfied?”, my screen dims slightly from what I’m sure is the start of my power saver function but I can’t help but think my iMac just pouted.

Completely taken off guard… and quite frankly… not expecting this kind of reaction from my writing so soon after a marathon session of intimate time together, I begin to stutter.

“Wh, Wh, What did I do wrong THIS time? I held in there until I had two full chapters done!”

I gently stroke the spacebar on my keyboard and my iMac raises it’s head and looks me in the eye again. After a moment watching the hourglass spin while she collects her thoughts, she admits, “Listen, I’m not going to say what you wrote towards the end of chapter three wasn’t pretty hot, and that I’d really like to try that again someday; but things really fell apart after that. I felt you were just dialing it in. Like your head wasn’t really here with me.”

Taking a deep breath, I swallow my pride and realize there are two in this relationship and it’s certainly not always about me. “What was it about the fourth chapter we spent together you didn’t like?”

“Well for starters, about half way in you had a run-on sentence that just went on, and on, and on, and on. I kept throwing up signals to change direction, go down a different path, inject something meaningful into that part of our night and you just didn’t get the hint.”

“But I thought you liked when I rambled like that sometimes,” I say, grabbing for another swig from my glass. Trying to not feel as awkward as this had become.

“It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just that we’ve done that before and sometimes I need something new. Don’t you want to keep this interesting too?”

Shocked, I respond, “Of course I do! I intend to spend the rest of my life with you, how can you say that? I suppose you’d be happier with a Stephen King or a John Grisham!” I realize I’m getting defensive now and have officially lost my post-coital boyish glow.

It may have been my imagination but my screen derivatively brightened. Shouting back at me, “I never complained when you had those one night stands with YOUR short story hussies!”

“Whoa whoa whoa! We had an understanding. We broke up and you didn’t want anything to do with me for a long time, remember?”

“That’s not true. You shelved me. Walked away. You made promises to me you didn’t keep. How could I give you all of me in return?” Again the screen dims. This time I stroke the spacebar again trying to get my iMac to look at me and she won’t.

“I didn’t shelve you because I wanted to. We were in an awkward place and I felt it best to give us space. If those short story “hussies” as you call them hurt you, I’m sorry. That was never my intention.”

“Well what about that lingerie model you spent an entire week with? What was her name? Something like “The Golden Heart”? What about her? She had to have obviously meant something to you. It’s all you talked about.”

Exasperated, I can’t help but respond, “That was over a year and a half ago! And it obviously didn’t work out!”

“That doesn’t keep you from answering her email and those little post cards she sends you in the mail.”

At this point I didn’t have a defense. “But she keeps contacting me! Incessantly! I can’t just ignore that.” Grabbing another swig just so I didn’t have to look at what seems now to be a smoky glow coming from less than a foot from me.

“Do you want to spend more time with her?”, Still dimmed, still pouting.

“It’s not like that. I know that YOU are what is going to make me happy for the rest of my life. I just feel a bit more of a writer around her. I guess my ego got in the way and you’re right, it’s not fair to you.”

Giving us a moment of pause while I take a contemplative breath and she takes another contemplative spin of processing, we sit looking at each other and realize this really is where we both belong.

I take the first stab at a reconciliation, “Can we just get back to us please?”

“Maybe.”

“What would it take?” A new hope in my demeanor. “I’ll do anything.”

“Well, you know toward the end of our time together you reached into your bag of tricks and brought out a comma?”

“Of course. I thought you’d like that.”

Screen dims and it’s revealed, “I would have rather you used a semi-colon… or even an ellipsis.”

“Well, I can promise you I will do that. Yet, I need for you to give me all I need back as well.”

“What does that mean?” The screen brightens and I have hope again.

“I need to feel connected to you. I realize that won’t happen all the time but in those moments it doesn’t I don’t want us to simply disconnect. It’s important we stand together.”

Without a doubt, my screen illuminates even more. “I want that too!”

“So if I promise to selectively use more semi-colons when you want them, calm down the run-on sentences and experiment a bit more with the heat, you’ll open up and give me the space I need to work?”

I swear my iMac dims before eagerly replying, “Of course. I don’t think I’m wrong in asking for all of your attention but if there are times you need space, I’ll understand.”

Even though there hasn’t really been any noise between us except the rattling of ice in my now empty glass, things become serene. “As sweet as that is, it’s more important for you to know that there is nothing more I want than you. I can go all Jerry Maguire on you and say, ‘You had me at Chapter 1’, but even that isn’t true enough. ‘You Complete Me’? Still not enough. I NEED you. Period. There is nothing more I want than to breathe and live through your being.”

My screen brightens and this time there is no spinning circle. “You’ll give me your full attention?”

At that moment, in the upper right corner of the screen a pop-up reveals I just received an email from Golden Heart again. I shoot a quick glance at my main page and she doesn’t seem to have noticed yet in all my years I know intuition is a quiet and patient giant. I gather my true feelings and I gather my honest thoughts before making my decision. Placing my hand on my mouse I scroll to the delete box and quietly tap it.

I owe it to my writing, to my craft, to myself; to be the person my writing expects me to be. It’s the right thing for everyone involved. Especially to those words staring back at me.

My screen dims, the energy is high, and whether it was she or I, the first words that popped up on the screen were: Come back to bed.

HH

***

RU Writers, do you have a love/hate relationship with your machine?

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Bio: Like most of us, I’ve been around the block a time or two (or three) in the relationship world. I like to think of myself as having a pretty thick skin, however, that skin doesn’t surround the heart.

I’ve been in love; I’ve been in lust. I’ve been hurt and got up to do it all again, each time having learned more of myself as well as “wants” and “don’t wants” for my next relationship. Amazingly enough, I never gave up on that one true love wrapped in Romance. You can visit me here, at http://thedanceofromanceonline.com

Thank you so much for hosting me today at Romance University! I’m thrilled to announce that my debut novel, MAID OF SECRETS, is now available (as of yesterday!!) from Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. It’s the YA historical tale of a wry, resourceful thief forced to join an elite group of spies in Queen Elizabeth’s court. You can learn more about it at my website www.jennifermcgowan.com, or read actual reviews from real people (still kind of amazed by this) at Amazon.

But on to my topic for today!

Back when I was an aspiring author (you know, less than two years ago), I thought I knew exactly how I’d behave once I’d gotten my first publishing contract. I thought I’d be calm, cool, collected and professional. All the time. After all, I was a professional entrepreneur in my own right. I’d been a successful businessperson for most of my adult life. I could handle this!

Then I got the contract. Suddenly, I realized I knew NOTHING about the publishing process, and I wanted to know EVERYTHING. Nevertheless, I was nervous asking my editor fifty-seven million questions, or my agent for that matter. I didn’t want to be needy, or annoying. Or, you know, neurotic.

So what did I decide to do? I thought “ah ha! I’ll work on the next book!”

But first, well… I had to sign up for a Twitter account. And get on Facebook, explore GoodReads, figure out Tumblr, think about redoing my website… pretty much whatever I could do to avoid working on the next book. Because writing is not always easy. And surely there would be time for that writing stuff later.

But the roadblocks didn’t stop there. Six months out from publication date, I was grappling with copy edits and ARCs and cover reveals and it was suddenly very easy not to work on either my second book OR that new WIP that I really wanted to finish because I wanted to be a full-time writer. Three months out from publication date and I was starting to sweat blurbs and reviews and set up blog tours and take care of promotional ideas and… well, focus got to be a challenge.

And then I smacked myself, and got back on track. I finished that WIP, wrote book 2 of the Maids of Honor series, and took another step forward toward reaching my dream.

How did I do it—and how can you keep your focus, when all the world is clamoring for your attention? (Without the unfortunate smacking part??) Here are my three favorite tips!

1. Do the important stuff first.

By important, I don’t mean, necessarily, urgent. And I understand “urgency”, especially if you have a day job or clients who will not wait. But even if you have a looming deadline, take ten minutes to do whatever is most important to you — in many cases, that means working on your creative project. Start your day doing the work for which you want to be known. If you are an author, for example… then you write. Even if it’s just a snippet, it will help set the tone for the whole day.

2. Make it a game.

We all respond to different cues, but each of us have that ‘thing’ that makes work more like a game. For me, it’s tracking. I like to see a spreadsheet where I record my word count for the day—day after day, k after k. It keeps me motivated AND it keeps me on track. I feel guilty when I don’t hit my word count, and I work to catch up.

For others, setting timers adds that element of “gametime”. Or doing sprints with friends. Or blogging about your results. Or doing a vision board—whatever it is that makes hard work seem like fun (even if only a little bit), I urge you to do. It will help make sitting down to do the work that much easier.

3. Make sure your dream is powerful enough – to YOU.

Let’s face it–we have many distractions in a day. We may be spouses or parents or star performers at work, we may have volunteer or sporting or career commitments that take up our every spare moment. In order for you to really ensure you stay focused, you have to want to achieve your dream badly enough to be able to say no. Even if it’s only for twenty minutes at a time. Even if it’s in the wee dark hours of the morning. But you have to say “no” to those other things (I’m looking at you, social media) in order to say “yes” to your dream… so your dream better be worth it.

And it better be YOUR dream. Not your mom’s, not your fifth grade teacher’s. Yours. Because you’re the one who has to do the work, you’re the one who has to make the decisions about your career, and you’re the one who will look back at the end and say “Yes. I did that.”

Here’s wishing you the moment when you say those words, and you are so overwhelmed with joy that all you can do is smile.

***

What about you? What are your tips for staying focused??

On Friday, regular RU columnist Handsome Hansel returns!

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Bio:

Jennifer McGowan was born in Ohio, grew up in Montana, and studied Paris. She has held numerous writing jobs over the years, but author is by far her favorite. A past RWA Golden Heart winner, Jenn is the author of the Maids of Honor series. She lives and writes in Ohio. Visit her at JenniferMcGowan.com.

Perhaps the single most difficult aspect of arming a protagonist is explaining to the user just how the character came to be armed in the first place. More often than not, pistols seem to magically appear when needed and are stowed, safely out of sight (and out of mind!) when not. The reality of carrying a pistol is significantly more involved, requiring careful forethought and choice with respect to anticipated tactical requirements, clothing and firearm specific accessories as well as to a character’s unique physiology.

Packing iron (a colloquial term for carrying a firearm) is easy for an author to overlook – and even easier to get wrong. This article will explore the contemporary art and science of carrying a concealed firearm. A later article on this subject will explore the historical carriage of firearms.

There are four elements involved with successfully carrying and concealing a pistol on one’s person. The four must work synergistically and harmoniously with each other, lest consequences that range from the embarrassing to the disastrous ensue.

These elements are:

The character’s clothing;

The support system.

A brief overview of each is helpful.

The character’s clothing must satisfy a number of requirements:
It must be in keeping with the character’s idiom. If your character is a fashion conscious New Yorker typically attired in fitted dresses that accentuate her athletic build, suddenly requiring her to wear a loose fitting jacket or jeans is both implausible with respect to the story and a giveaway to a knowledgeable reader.

Conversely, the clothing must lend itself to the concealment of a firearm. This isn’t much of a limitation as pistols can be readily hidden by almost any attire. In the early 1990s, I attended a talk given by a member of the New York City Police Department’s Emergency Service Unit. The detective wore fitted slacks and a sport shirt. Nowhere on his person was a pistol in evidence, nor did his attire offer many opportunities to conceal a weapon. Despite this, I knew he had to be armed as per NYPD regulation. It turned out that his pistol, a Glock 19, was concealed inside the front of his waistband, with the barrel parallel to the zipper and the butt to the right using a special holster that blended the pistol’s outline seamlessly into the surface of his trousers.

Finally, the clothing must allow access to the pistol. Being unable to get to a pistol when it’s needed is the same as being unarmed.

Selection of a pistol is critical for viable concealment. A man with a 58” chest and a 32” or 34” waist has a large array of options, from full size service pistols to ultra-compact carry guns. A 5’2” woman weighing 102 pounds soaking wet will need to carry a much smaller gun to avoid “printing,” or inadvertently displaying the fact of the pistol’s presence.

Holsters come in a broad spectrum of materials, sizes, form factor and intended positions. Basic types and uses will be covered separately below. Of critical importance is that the holster holds the firearm securely and that the design lends itself to concealment. Police duty holsters, for example, are designed to securely carry and retain a firearm, but they are not easily (or at all) hidden by street clothes. Specifics such as where on the body the holster positions the firearm or the relative speed with which the firearm can be presented from one design as opposed to another are part of the user’s decision making process.

Other than shoulder and ankle holsters, which supply their own rigging and support systems, holsters must be supported by a belt.

Typical dress belts available in department stores are not
sufficiently rigid to hold the weight of a holster and firearm (and, often, spare ammunition) snugly to the body. They stretch and sag. The results are unfortunate: The butt of the pistol leans outward, away from the body, indicating to observers that the subject is armed, and when walking or running, the pistol bounces uncomfortably against the hip. Holsters that rely on the tension between the body and clothing usually use clips that snap over a waistband. In this case, the support system is the clothing itself, and it must be sufficiently robust to support the added weight without deforming. In this case, a pair of Levi’s trumps dress pants.

A brief discussion of popular holster types is useful.

Inside the Waistband (IWB): IWB holsters are extremely popular for concealed carry. As the name implies, they sit inside the waistband on the strong side hip and snug the pistol tightly into the body, aiding in concealment. IWB holsters are usually secured by belt loops or clips that sit outside the waistband. As a result of their design, IWB holsters offer the ability to effectively conceal full size service pistols under light cover, such as an untucked t-shirt. IWB holsters allow the user to rapidly present the firearm from concealment.

Belt Slide: Belt slide or “pancake” holsters are worn outside the waistband. They are secured to the user by means of loops or slots through which a belt is threaded. These holsters range from a simple loop of leather (e.g., the “Yaqui Slide”) to designs that fully enclose the firearm. A well-executed belt slide holster can offer almost as much concealment as an IWB. However, they usually require a bit more cover, such as an untucked overshirt. Belt slide holsters offer a marginally faster presentation than IWB holsters.

Pocket Holster: Pocket holsters are designed for small pistols which will fit into a hip pocket. No belt or other support system is necessary (other than that necessary to keep the user’s pants from sagging due to the increased weight). Key issues with pocket carry are breaking up the outline of the pistol in the pocket and preventing lint from entering the gun’s mechanism. As a result, pocket holsters are often shaped like a liner for the pants pocket. Pocket holsters are worn when concealment is of paramount concern, as presentation is relatively slow.

Small of the Back (SOB): SOB holsters are designed to maximize concealment by positioning the gun in the hollow of the spine. They are available in either inside or outside the waistband configurations, with the inside the waistband variant offering the best concealment for large pistols. The price paid for the SOB’s superior concealment qualities is a relatively slow presentation.

Shoulder Holster: Shoulder holsters use a harness through which both arms fit, positioning the gun on the user’s weak side. To draw, the user reaches across the body. While deriving a certain cachet from their association with James Bond, Dirty Harry and 1970s police dramas, shoulder holsters have generally fallen from favor. They require significant effort to conceal (usually a jacket, sweatshirt or large overshirt), telegraph the user’s intent to draw and offer a relatively slow presentation.

Ankle Holster: As implied by the name, ankle holsters are worn around the ankle and are intended to be concealed by the user’s trousers. They are useful only for compact or sub-compact firearms and offer an extremely slow presentation. For this reason, ankle holsters are used almost exclusively used to carry a backup weapon. They are rarely, if ever used to carry a primary firearm.

The devil, with respect to the use of firearms in fiction, is in the details. Packing iron is easy to get wrong. However, with a bit of effort an author can exploit nuances and idiosyncrasies associated with carrying a firearm to bolster and support action scenes, character development and the story as a whole.

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Adam notes that this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as holsters go. Ask Adam if you’d like more information beyond these “broad archetypes.” (I’m hoping we can persuade Adam to describe his personal rig.)

On Wednesday, RU hosts debut author JENNIFER MCGOWAN.

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Bio: Adam Firestone brings more than 25 years of experience with weapon systems including small arms, artillery, armor, area denial systems and precision guided munitions to Romance University. Additionally, Adam is an accomplished small arms instructor, editor, literary consultant and co-author of a recently published work on the production of rifles in the United States for Allied forces during the First World War.

Adam has been providing general and technical editing services to authors and publishing houses specializing in firearms books since the early 2000s. Additionally, Adam provides literary consulting services to fiction authors including action scene choreography, technical vetting and technical editing. In this line of experience, Adam has had the fortune to work with well known authors including Shannon McKenna and Elizabeth Jennings.

Check out Adam’s blog here: http://adamfirestoneconsultant.blogspot.com/

Mon, May 6 – Adam Firestone brings more of his expert knowledge about all things having to do with firearms etc.

Wed, May 8 – Debut author, Jennifer McGowan is with us.

Fri, May 10 – Handsome Hansel lets us peek into his post-coital talk with his writing.

Great to have you back, Lesann!

In theory, research is the simple collection of information. Usually, we set out to acquire data with a specific goal in mind. We seek answers to satisfy our curiosity. I love research. So much so, I chose anthropology as my profession because conducting fieldwork (more research!) can be a regular part of the job. I took things a step farther, turning those esoteric topics into exploitable content for writing.

Because I LOVE research. *sigh*  

A friend of mine enjoys using words that he doesn’t always understand. This leads to such amusing utterances as: “it’s deciduous out here in the noonday sun” and “look at the size of that guy’s proboscis.” Each time, I am reminded of the oft-quoted lines from The Princess Bride, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.” Thus is often the same with research.

Understanding the content in our writing is critical. Accuracy and consistency reduce the volume of laughter when we inadvertently slip a deciduous into the conversation. Memory fails, even with the details of our personal lives. No matter how carefully we write, sharp-eyed critics ferret out every error. Mistakes happen. Editors catch many of our goofs but they too, are not infallible. Nobody knows everything, right?

I once stuck a pipe in a character’s hand, pausing to wonder, what exactly is meerschaum? The answer produced a sneaky subplot.

A statement often heard from other writers is how little they enjoy research, “It’s so tedious and labor-intensive.” That puzzles me. Discovering the perfect sensory detail to transport a reader to eighteenth-century Calcutta enriches their experience. If you’re guilty of saying or thinking the same – you’ve been going about research the wrong way.

Remember the bit about “write what you know?” This is a sensible edict. Our ample personal experiences offer much to plumb. Specialized knowledge sits filed away in our minds, waiting to be woven into the fabric of a story. Obviously, it’s possible to write about subjects for which we lack personal experience. I assume those folks writing about murder, dragons, and apocalyptic events are relying on imaginative research.

Research is your friend. Some of you nod happily because you agree. The rest of you scowl, gnash your teeth, and mutter naughty words because if it was that easy, you’d be doing it, by gosh.

So, here’s the deal. Think about the process of research in the same way you follow a recipe. If you don’t cook, think about mixing a drink. If you don’t drink, think about making a basic set of instructions. If you’re still not on board, maybe you’re being difficult. Quit waffling. Commit. Research is hard work that can be fun.

Start with the basics. Write down your recipe. Mix your drink. List your instructions. Then move on to complications. Decide on a setting. Detail the attributes of your characters. Spell out the events in the plot. Next, figure out what you don’t comprehend. Last, wrap your brain cells around the problems which require answers.

Let’s repeat the trifecta of research:

1 – Make a plan.

2 – Identify what you don’t know.

3 – Experiment to find an answer.

The process can be that simple. Try things out. Hands-on effort often clarifies what doesn’t make sense. Characters respond in surprising ways when they demonstrate an understanding of the facts. For example, historical fiction often features clothing styles few modern people have worn. If you’ve never been strapped inside a corset with whalebone stays, this kind of underwear makes taking a deep breath difficult. Try dancing and you’ll discover why fainting couches were common. Trial-and-error may save you from falling prey to a pitfall which captured a colleague.

Suspense fiction is littered with characters who heave corpses into closets and out of car trunks. If it’s been a while since you tried picking up a human being, even the small ones are heavy. Bodies pose logistical challenges whether limp like noodles or stiff from rigor. Want to attempt moving a body but lack a corpse? Improvise. A visit to the local feed store for a 100-pound sack of cracked corn offers a reasonable facsimile. Chuck the bag over your shoulder and trot out to the car. Don’t forget to pull the keys out of your pocket and pop the trunk so you can dump her in the back like you’ve fantasized. No cheating. The muscle-bound cowboy can flash his pearly whites but he can’t lend a hand.

Once you get home, you’ve got to get the darn thing back out. This difficulty may explain why so many dead people are found in the trunks of abandoned cars. Once you’ve wrestled your faux victim from the trunk, haul her up upstairs so you can push her off the balcony. There’s barely time to blink before impact. Wow. The end-result is not the same with a real human but you get the gist.

Ewww, you say. Yes.

Okay, I realize this is Romance University. Not every example applies but romance novels feature a fair amount of blunt force trauma and the discharge of weapons in between the clinch scenes.

Research adds realism. Seek out experts. Most of what you learn may be reduced to a single phrase or become an element establishing atmosphere, but those refinements make a story sparkle. Authenticity lends potency to our voice.

After placing an antique Luger in my protagonist’s hand, I realized neither of us knew how it felt. During a visit to an antique gun show, I held one, shocked by the weight. Hollywood actors run around with rifles and handguns like they weigh nothing. Liars. One firearm does not feel like another. The way an accomplished shooter handles a gun is markedly different than the way a novice fumbles one around.

Quality research adds believability to character action. It provides concrete details for setting and atmosphere. It bridges the distance between the writer and the reader. Perseverance is required to achieve the right balance.

The logistical challenges encountered by the characters populating our fictional landscapes are bound by the quality of the research we undertake. Approximately seven percent of the average human body is comprised of blood. Dump a gallon of milk on your kitchen floor for a startling visual. Swing a five-foot longsword for two minutes and you’ll better appreciate the physical conditioning demanded of medieval soldiers. Bullets make a different thump-thump sound when they strike flesh than when slapping into wooden fence posts.

We want our readers to experience the same events as our characters, to get caught up in the emotional tumult of success and failure. Research shouldn’t be just cerebral. Get your hands dirty. Splash around in the swamp. Mimic physical actions. Evaluate emotional responses. Figure out how readers experience and respond to your work. Research makes everything better. I promise.

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Tell us a success story. How many senses do your readers engage when they dive into your book? What details do you exploit to draw readers back for more? Share how you’ve used research to enrich your writing.

Alternate Endings features a dozen short stories of fantastic fiction. These are tales about people who grasp at the chance to fulfill their greatest desires. They suspect the road not taken doesn’t always end happily and know the path they’re on can lead to unexpected places. Choices change the course of lives. Each new day offers opportunities that propel them toward alternate endings.

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RU’s weapons expert, Adam Firestone, returns on Monday, May 6th.

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Bio: Lesann Berry writes about messed-up people but her work often features paranormal and romantic elements because life is boring without spooky stuff and warm bodies. Crossing genre lines, she pens mystery, historical intrigue, romantic suspense, and even a little horror. Connect with her via Twitter and Facebook, or visit her blog at www.lesannberry.com for more stuff and nonsense.