I'm Hosting Bestselling Kindle Ebook Author Joan Reeves Today

Hi All,
Pop in and say hi to Joan Reeves, best-selling Kindle author of romantic comedy who, in her first five months as an ebook author, sold over 120,000 ebooks. She also writes the popular blog SlingWords  http://SlingWords.blogspot.com.
www.dianarubinoauthorblogspot.com

When my muse abandons me....

My muse is a slippery little beast. She sometimes hovers lovingly over my shoulder, sprinkling her magic muse dust all over my keyboard. The words fly from her to my brain to my fingertips and into my story. It’s a delightful, magical time...

Admittedly, those times are very, very rare. Almost non-existent. As a matter of fact, it’s possible I just told a big fat lie. Mostly, my muse is stubbornly silent and the words are all my own, pulled out of me with the difficulty of a tooth extraction, and almost as painful. When that happens, I often take a break and read passages from some of my favorite books in order to draw inspiration. I close my eyes and picture my setting and my characters. I talk to my characters. I ask them what they want from me (I sometimes use a few curse words)

But, overall, I keep writing. For whatever time I’ve set aside to work on my story, I make sure that I write something, that I fill the blank pages with whatever drivel pops into my head. Because, I know that, no matter how awful the stuff I come up with might be, I can always fix it. I remind myself that all I have to do is write something, then go over it as many times as necessary. I remind myself that each pass through my story will be an improvement. The trick is getting the words—any words—down on paper.

I prefer those gloriously blessed days when my muse participates and the words spew forth faster than I can type them, but that doesn’t happen often. So, I’ve learned, whether it is with her help or not, the trick is, KEEP WRITING.

Leave Them Swinging in the Wind

Leave them swinging in the wind, or torture your hero/heroine, then torture them some more. That's the best piece of advice I've ever received.

Yes, those are pretty sadistic words. I have it on good authority, from Shannon K. Butcher, that will heighten the suspense and keep the reader's nose buried in your book. Don't believe it? Read one of her Sentinel Wars, or her mercenary Edge series. She's a master of torture. Just when you think it can't get any worse for her characters, she throws them in a seemingly impossible situation. Survival looks grim.

My hero.

Granted, it doesn't have to be real torture, no thumb screws or iron maidens, but the premise works no matter what genre you write. Even in a book, or story rife with comedy, pain can add another layer to the humor.

Take the 1962 comedy, That Touch of Mink. It was released before the pill and the sexual revolution. Marriage, children, and a woman's virginity, were still held up as the gold standards.

Cathy Timberlake, played by Doris Day, is rushing to a much needed job interview in New York City. A Rolls Royce blasts past her, and her only good outfit is splashed with mud. Cary Grant plays Philip Shayne, a man of power and position. The moment they meet, she see's the man of her dreams and Philip wants Cathy in his bed. He wines, dines, and dazzles Cathy. When he asks her to go to Bermuda, she's imagines wedding rings and he's thinking ring-a-ding-ding. After much soul searching, Cathy decides to go to Bermuda with Philip. The long awaited night approaches, but she stresses to the point where she breaks out in hives. Cathy can't go through with it. Once back in New York, the humiliated Cathy once more decides to give herself to Philip. Off they go to Bermuda again. This time she gets drunk and Philip calls off their rendezvous.
The black moment in the comedy is her attempt to rid herself of her hated virginity. She wants to prove to herself that she really is a woman by going to a motel with a sleazeball named Beasley. Once Philip finds out what Cathy is up to, he races after her, declares his love, and they marry. The final irony comes at the end of the film when they are in Bermuda on their wedding night. This time, Philip is the one who breaks out in hives.

Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, and her sister Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, are prime examples of just when you think it couldn't get any worse, it does. Rochester and Heathcliff are classic tortured heroes. In Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind, no matter how many times Mitchell twists the knife in Scarlet O'Hara's gut, the woman will not stop. Scarlet raises up her fist to God and declares that she will never go hungry again. It's a roller-coaster ride of epic proportions.

Your readers want the hero and heroine to overcome the obstacles you've put in the path to true love. That's the payoff. You'll make fans and have a them lined up in the bookstores to buy the next book with your name blazoned on the cover.

So, torture away.

Dyann Love Barr

Muse, please come home

What is a muse? According to Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Eleventh Edition a muse is “any source of inspiration: especially a guiding genius.”

When anyone referred to a muse I had one of two thoughts. The first image is an aging famous painter besotted by a beautiful very young woman. He does many studies of her. They may show her in various forms of dress or nude. His wife of over fifty years comments that the portraits show the painter’s love for his muse.

The second is the muses in mythology. Someone may mention having a muse. Another person asks “What is a muse?” Usually I casually say “you know knows the nine female gods from”...oh dear, why can’t I remember if they are in Greek or Roman mythology. Since my knowledge of Roman gods is less than Greek gods, I guess Greek and smile modestly.

Neither of these muses applies to my writing life. Interior decorators talk about inspiration pieces. These can be a painting, a piece of fabric or even a carving on a building. Okay, I may read a column in the newspaper, over hear an interesting snippet of conversation, or a childhood memory may surface. Any can become my “inspiration piece.”

 Several writers were chatting about our craft. One lamented that she had run out of ideas. Her explanation was that her muse must have gone to Pluto. Upon hearing this I rolled my eyes. I didn’t have or need a muse. I worked for my story lines. Little did I know my muse had been lurking in the back of my mind. She takes offence at my classic eye roll and flits into my computer. She steals all the items in my ideas file and packs up the scraps of inspiration in my brain. I am now alone on Earth staring at a blank screen while she is living the high life on Pluto. I ask other writers what they do to jump start a book. The answers range from I’m never stuck for a story to pray. In the distance I hear muse’s tinkling laughter.

Days of searching newspapers, watching TV-scripted and reality-shows, reading favorite authors don’t bring blinding revelations. I resort to begging my muse to come home. I promise her full credit for the next ten books. No response. I up the ante. From now on I’ll call her by her name and help her find her perfect male equivalent.

The next day three wonderful story lines appear in my ideas file. I can’t wait to start plotting. She’s back from Pluto! My public thanks to...My computer doesn’t have Greek type. Do you hear that tinkling laugh? She’s having nectar with a handsome male.

Sloane Addams

My Muse is a Jealous Lover

My Muse is a jealous lover. Actually, I have more than one Muse. Each book has its particular Muse because I like to dabble in Historical, Paranormal, Contemporary, and Romantic Suspense at the same time. Don’t get me wrong, there’s always one genre that takes precedence over the others when I’m working on a book. Like many authors, I have several stories on the back burner. That’s not to say two Muses couldn’t work together on a cross genre novels, but it can get a bit hairy. I prefer one at a time.

Right now I’m working on revisions for a Paranormal with fits and starts of inspiration, but I need to steamroller my way through this book at warp speed. The Muse for this one is flirting with me, making me promises and then she doesn’t deliver.

The bitch.

I’ve tried all the conventional methods of jump-starting a fizzling scene. Chocolate might be a great bribe for a Muse, but let’s be honest, whose hips do the calories land on, hers? I don’t think so. My bathroom scales are a testimony to that sad fact. What about rewarding her with a trip to the movies to admire washboard abs of the lasted male star? That should kick her into gear. Nope. She eats my popcorn, drinks my soda, and then gets the hell out of Dodge when the credits begin to roll. Again, talk to my scales. Music helps – some. Usually, I have playlists for each of my books. I know exactly the mood I want to elicit from the reader as I work. But explain to this to me – why does the newest Country Western song hum through my head when I’m listening to Heavy Metal?Who writes an epic battle scene to Lady Antebellum?

Why do I say my Muse is like a jealous lover? I’ve discovered a way to tame this particular shrew. Ignore her. For example, it’s like this. I’ll head over to my stash of stories where I have outlines, or starts and peruse the choice of Muses there.

Blonde and bouncy Contemporary waves her hand. “Hi, I thought you'd forgotten about me. You do know I was about ready to kiss the hero when you quit writing?” Did I hear a sniff of disapproval?

“Sorry, Blondie. You’re going to have to wait.”

My Paranormal Muse claps her hands and sticks her tongue out at her Contemporary sister.

Historical Muse wafts in on yards of wispy, white muslin and patting her long dark curls. “I’ve missed you. I’d offer you a cup of chocolate, but I’m in the midst of getting ready for a ball.”

I let out a sigh of frustration. This story isn’t the one I need to get Paranormal Muse off her rear. “Well, I think you’re going to have to wait to meet the hero for a bit longer.”

She shrugs her delicate shoulders. “This is tiresome, but this is your book after all.”

“You got that in spades.” I close that file. A hoot of laughter echoes in my ear. On to Romantic Suspense.

“Not now,” the RS Muse whispers as she pulls her hat down low and clutches the lapels of her coat tight. She throws a look over her shoulder. “I think someone is following me.”

Now what? I’ve run out of Muses. I head to my video games when this happens. I don’t know how many times I’ve been on my gaming console and my husband will raise one eyebrow and say, “Shouldn’t you be writing?”

“I am,” I counter and hit the X button on my controller for a heavy kill. There are bandits and bears to slay while I play Red Dead Redemption. My Paranormal Muse sits beside me, tapping her foot with her arms crossed over her chest.

“You know, I was thinking—“

“Quiet, I’ve got to take out the bandits with this Gatling gun. If you get me killed, I’ll have to start over again.” Shots fire and I leave a wave of bodies in my wake. Yes!!

“But –“ She jumps to her feet as an inspiration hits her. I can see the gears working as I play my game.

A quick double mash on the buttons and a crate of dynamite blows up and screaming enemies fly through the air. “La, la, la, la, la. Not listening.”

“You know, what if the hero gives the heroine a bread crumb for her to follow in her investigation into the disappearance of the children?” She twists a long strand of her red hair around her finger as she paces behind me. “Or, how what about the villain abducting someone important to the heroine?”

I smile. Yes, my Muse is jealous when I pay attention to anything other than her. She’ll come up with the perfect solution every time. “Let me think about it.”

“Put that thing away. We have work to do.” She points to my office. “Chop, chop.”

“Okay, let me save this level.” I heave a sigh and turn off the game. “You are a hard taskmaster.”

“That’s my job.”

Dyann Love Barr

BEFORE I WRITE

First let me say I had a blast at RWA National in NYC. I worked registration and met Tess Gerritsen and Heather Graham, 2 of my fav authors, and moderated 2 workshops. The weather held up, wasn't too hot, found some great restaurants, met up with 2 very old friends--Linda I hadn't seen in 15 years, and Jill I hadn't seen in 41--not a typo--years. As always the energy was invigorating and everyone was upbeat and positive. Now that I've sorted out the cards I collected from contacts, the free books in the goody bag and the notes from workshops, I can remember how I warm up before a writing session!
I'm not a coffee drinker so I mix a bit of chocolate soy milk with skim milk and that gets me going til breakfast. But I don't write a word until I've eaten. I rev up by reading what I wrote the day before and editing that, reading Email and whatever book I'm reading at the time. (I don't subscribe to the belief that when in the midst of writing, an author shouldn't read anyone else's work. If anything, it helps--ideas hit me from all directions.)
I've tried writing to music, suggested by other authors--Clannad, etc., but nothing but silence will work for me. I don't wait for the muse to show up--I show up, usually by late morn or early afternoon. My daily goal is 2500 words and I don't quit for the day until I've reached that goal.
I'm open to hearing anyone else's chants or prayers or a calling of the muse--I'll try anything!
Diana

Getting In the Mood

I used to have one process I went through before I wrote, and it worked for any writing project I was working on. I'd turn on History Channel International, make sure I had coffee ready, a handful of chocolates within reach, and with those three elements in place I could write at any time, any hour, and as long as needbe.

I've found rather recently that my writing mood has shifted. Now it's becoming different depending on what I am writing, both within subgenres and across subgenres.

There are two things that haven't changed: coffee and chocolate. Coffee is usually warmed over from the morning pot. Chocolate is almost any kind I can get. But Junior Mints particularly inspire me. As do those little Hershey nuggets with almonds in them. My children know "Hands off the chocolate, that's mom's". Heh.

I tend to like quiet more than I did before. So my daylight writing hours have shrunk, as my children are up. When they go to bed inspiration tends to strike.

If I'm working on something historical I have to immerse myself in history for a little while -- let those pictures of the past percolate in my head before I can get into the voice. History Channel International still works wonders here.

If I'm writing on The Curse of the Templars series, (my paranormal project) I need to have a little bit of music. And that music needs to be sweeping orchestral/film tracks. Anything that has an element of "power" to the musical score. If I have nothing on hand, I'll go to YouTube and pull up my series trailer, set it on replay for a couple passes, and then that will fill the need and I can turn it all off and get to work.

When I'm working with the Black Opals, (my erotic romantic suspense), and putting on my Tori St. Claire hat, everything has to be different. I think, in part, this is because it takes a whole different side of my brain to compose these novels. It's not just about being sensual, but also thinking in a world of deceit -- be that for better or worse, depending on who's presently narrating. And because it requires such a different mindset for me, I have to have near utter silence to work on the Black Opal series. Even my constant lap companion, my 17 year old cat, drives me nuts if he tries to crawl up and snuggle when I'm writing. So I move his chair next to mine, tuck him in, situate all the critters, and start pounding away at the keyboard.

Another thing that is consistant through all the writing -- I have to have my chores done for the day (or that part of the day) before I can do a single thing. For instance, one dish in the sink waiting to be washed must be washed and dried before I can shut off the voice that says, "You have dishes waiting." I won't often write before the horses are fed in the morning, I can't relax enough to get it done until after their buckets are full.

I can't look at photos as other people do, I can't listen to background music *while I'm writing*. And if there's no chocolate in the house, I've been known to make a late night trip to the gas station just to have that habit handy.

Chocoholic? Mm. Yes probably.

One thing that folks haven't mentioned that I'd like to ask you all how you handle -- what do you do when you're running along and all of a sudden hit a wall. Be that because you don't know what happens next, or because you aren't certain how to piece that next part in, or because you just need to recharge because the next scene is going to take a lot out of you.

I recharge by browsing the web and flipping through email, primarily. I might get up and make something in the kitchen for the next day. Lately I've stopped to play with cats and dogs to let my mind rest. And if things are really jumbled up in my head and can't find their way to the surface appropriately, I'll soak in a bubble bath.

So what about the rest of you? What is your process for "unblocking"?

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com