April 19 2016 Romance Weekly

#LoveChatWrite

Welcome back for Romance Weekly. 

The hop is a short one this week. Make sure to check out Leslie Hachtel’s post when you are done here.

I came up with this week’s topic from reading The Writer’s Journey by Christopher Vogler.

Over the years of writing stories, I, like many writers, hear about the hero's or heroine's journey. As a part of the journey the main character runs into a Threshold Guardian that puts roadblocks or obstacles in their path to prevent forward movement. What Threshold Guardians have you, as an author, experienced in your hero's/heroine's journey to being an author?

I think there are several Threshold Guardians that authors run into at various points in their lives and careers. When I came up with this topic I was thinking about recent events that had been pushing me further and further behind on a self-editing project I desperately wanted to finish. Those events were a combination of what many of us experience with hectic jobs and family life, but also series of mild (and moderate) illness that occurred over several months.

I blame my toddler for these illness because if the todd came home sick I was guaranteed to get sick in a few days as well. (Your nodding your head if you’re a parent to little ones.) Unfortunately, as far as schedules went, the days I got sick were those dedicated to my writing and I was too miserable and tired to think clearly, let alone fix a broken plot and re-write the ending of a manuscript I had wanted to get off to an editor months before these said illnesses.

Funny as well (at least now that I’m not sick – I just knocked on some wood to make sure I don’t get sick this week) these illnesses also came with the change in season and seemed to last from October until April. So my Threshold Guardian was realllllyyyyy guarding the gate and I had a hell of a time kicking his butt to the curb. It’s a true test of an author to find the energy to push forward when energy is at an all time low. Throw holidays on top of this and it was like my writing and editing momentum came to a screeching halt.

I did make it passed this Threshold Guardian after realizing rest was necessary, a trip to the doctor for much needed medications, and that this too shall pass (eventually). I have since finished that manuscript and have moved onto the next one. I’m not saying I won’t be crabby the next time I catch a toddler bug (I’m past due), but at least I know this isn’t going to stop me from reaching my goal. Delays I can deal with (most of the time).

Thanks for stopping by. Hop on over to Jenna Da Sie’s post to find out what she’s experienced in her writer’s journey.

See you next week!

March 22 2016 Romance Weekly

#LoveChatWrite

Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn't you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all … about our writing of course! Every week we'll answer questions and after you've enjoyed the blog on this site we'll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.

This week I asked our authors to list some insights into the psyche of their mind by learning about what movie or Network series that you LOVE to watch. What do you think the movie(s) or show(s) says about their creative personality?

Carrie Elks was before me in the hop today.

After reading my post, stop on by to see what movies or TV shows she watches obsessively.

Shows and series that I’m obsessed with in no particular order:

·      Walking Dead

·      Penny Dreadful

·      Billions

·      Lost

·      True Blood

·      Breaking Bad

·      Game of Thrones

I gravitate toward the weirder or supernatural themed shows. I’d probably watch more sci fi shows if I had cable, but I don’t. The ones listed are not necessarily horror. Penny Dreadful or True Blood could fall into the horror category, but really horror was just one aspect for both of those shows. I found Penny Dreadful to be more mystical and supernatural with an element of horror (it’s my latest obsession). There are so many layers to these shows and I think this is what I really like about them and the fact that on the outside someone would say this show is about X, but in fact there is more going on behind the scenes.

Another common theme I see in the shows I like is they are survival stories set in a time or place that isn’t as it seems. Nothing is normal.

Ironically, just the other day a friend of mine asked what is normal. I really don’t think there is a normal when it comes to people. We all have something unique about us that someone else could find very odd. Our TV show viewing habits, for instance.

I’m not sure what these shows say about me as a person or about my psyche. Maybe I like dark stories because it’s easy for me to find the light or some gleam of hope for the characters. I watch with that idea in the back of my mind hoping that the character is going to find their happily ever after even though if it’s not a romance they probably won’t. If a show give a happy ending when the series is finished then I write my version of it so that it does.

The other possibility is because I write about love I want to watch shows that aren’t’ necessarily about love as a balance for my inner state of mind.

Or maybe I just know what I like and that’s normal for me.

I’m excited to find out what other shows our authors are obsessed with. 

Brenda Margriet is next in the hop. Let’s find out what she watches.

See ya next week!

February 23 2016 Romance Weekly

#LoveChatWrite

Welcome back to Romance Writers Weekly. Every week a group of romance authors join in a blog hop about a fabulous topic to provide our readers with greater insight into the habitat of our crazy minds. Well, I can't speak for everyone, just myself. 

This week Tracey Gee has double challenged us to a flash fiction and a haiku or limerick as an intro. Wowza! 

I attempted a haiku. I think this is the first one I've ever written. I'm nervous ... 

She was the night wind.

Softly caressing my soul.

But I ran away.

Hmm ... sounds a little depressing. I'll follow that up with my flash fiction. Tracey didn't require a set word length, but it must include the following: Kevlar, elbow(s), pinking shears, and a copy of The Great Gatsby. A tough challenge!

A toddler, a puppy, and Lanie's four-night stand walked into the bar. Her Colorado ex looked as delicious as he had on the slopes three months ago. How had he found her? Or had he? The toddler clutched Evan's hand as tightly as the stuffed puppy mushed against his tiny chest. Lanie paused in her waitress duties, and focused with narrowed eyes. Was the kid wearing Kevlar? No that couldn't be right.

The hostess bumped Lanie's elbow as she hurried by. The hostess waved the two males over to a seat in the dining area.  Evan brought his head up, and Lanie ducked behind the potted plant located under the movie poster of The Great Gatsby. Evan resembled Leonardo, who played Gatsby in the movie. Which was probably the reason for Lanie's recent obsession with re-reading her dog-eared copy of the American Classic. Drat. The hostess sat the boys in her section. This was going to be awkward. She straightened her skimpy excuse for a flannel shirt/uniform over her now heaving bosom. They hadn't heaved so much in a month. The last time had also been in Evan’s presence. She sucked in her gut, more for fortitude then to appear thinner, and strode over to the table.

Evan had needed a distraction from the sleepless nights he’d experienced the past few weeks. He was still trying to rationalize why taking care of an almost two-year-old had sounded like a good idea. The server's sweet figure sauntered over and the baby let out a wail. Evan didn’t blame the kid. Seeing her gorgeous chest on display made him cry inside as well. He rummaged in his backpack and removed the hodgepodge amount of stuff he'd grabbed at the safety/craft fair in the town square. It had been an interesting, yet confusion festival. Not only had the town police thought it funny to dress a toddler in a fake flac jacket, but the matrons in the booth next door cooed over the sprite then had given Evan a sample pack for his next scrapbooking page. Yeah, right. The scissors, aka pinking shears as his sis would correct him on, landed on the top of the stack in front of the baby, along with construction paper and some lace fabric. The lace went immediately into the baby's mouth.

"Uh … those aren't appropriate toys for a toddler."

Evan's head whipped up at the familiar voice. Lanie stood ready to take their order in the skimpy waitress’s outfit that barely covered her body. She lived in the same town as him? He'd promised to call her. That had been before his life was turned upside down.

"I see now why you didn't contact me." Lanie eyed the baby.

Evan groaned. His tired brain couldn't focus, but it was obvious what she was thinking. His nephew did look an awful lot like him. Why wouldn’t the little guy? Evan and his sister were twins.

Lanie lifted her notepad and asked. "What are you going to have?"

The baby lifted the puppy over his head and shouted. "Poop!" 

I'm curious about author Leslie Hachtel's flash fiction and if she accepted the haiku/limerick challenge. 

See you next week!