ANNOUNCING THE WINNER OF THE KINDLE FIRE!

Congratulations to Wanda H., winner of the Kindle Fire to one newsletter subscriber. I’ll continue other giveaways throughout the coming year(s). If you’re a subscriber, you may win next time. If you'd like to subscribe, you can do so about halfway down on the blog sidebar.

Each reader is appreciated, whether or not you subscribe to my newsletter or comment on this blog. I love writing books, and treasure readers who buy my books.

Currently, I’m working to complete the third book of the Men of Stone Mountain series, BLUEBONNET BRIDE. I hope to have it published soon. Joel Stone is sheriff of Radford Springs, Texas. Rosalyn, the new widow in town, has captured his heart. She has terrible secrets, and she is plagued by trouble. She needs a hero. Don’t we all? Fortunately, I have my own Hero and I cherish him.

The cover is finished. All
I lack is the completed book.

My long-time friend, Nelda Liles of Plano, Texas, allowed me to use her bluebonnet photo as the background for the cover. Hero plopped a cowboy's photo over the bluebonnets. Finding the photo of a model who resembles the person in my head is always impossible. I don't use movie stars or magazine ads as  characters. The people in my books reside only in my head, and often there are no close models available. I like the man I chose for this book's cover, but he doesn't really look like Joel.

After that book, I’ll be working on Storm Kincaid’s book, Book 3 of the Kincaid series. I’ve taken Lisa N’s suggestion and will call Storm’s book THE MOST UNSUITABLE COURTSHIP. His heroine is a very determined German immigrant, Rina, shortened from Varina. Storm is determined to see justice; Rina wants revenge.

I’m also plotting a series of contemporary novellas set in West Texas near where Hero and I lived as children. My folks moved to California when I was a baby, then returned to Texas a few months before I was eight. I lived in Lubbock, Texas until grown and that area holds fond memories. I shared that area in BE MY GUEST and in The Wild Rose Press release, HOME SWEET TEXAS HOME.

Thanks for stopping by!

PLANNING YOUR BOOK: PLOTTING VS. SEAT OF THE PANTS

Plotting Yields
A Good Map

Plotting versus Pantzer (writing by the seat of your pants) is an ongoing controversy. I believe I’m a combination, a Plotzer. A firm plot outline is like a road map: it’s a great guide that speeds you on your way with no misdirection. Like any road trip, however, the author can choose to take an occasional sidetrip, hence the Plotzer designation.
 Before I learned about plotting, I had trouble with my work having a sagging middle or the final work turning out too short. Fortunately, I was able to attend an all-day “Story Magic” workshop by Laura Baker and Robin Perini. If you ever have this opportunity, please do yourself a BIG favor and attend. I’m sure the people around me that day saw a light bulb switch on.

What a great concept--at least for me. A few in the workshop were not as impressed as I was, much to my surprise. My friend and plotting partner, Sandra Crowley, was one of those like me who thought “Story Magic” a terrific concept. Believe me, this does not stifle creativity; instead, plotting stimulates your brain.

The “Story Magic” process is copyrighted by Laura and Robin so I can’t divulge their secrets. I can share with you that the plotting board is greater, in my opinion, than sliced bread! One of the great things about it is that when you’re finished plotting, you have a detailed outline from which to write and fashion your synopsis. For me, this outline speeds up the writing process and allows me to finish more books in a given time, plus it helps me write a better book. Not a bad deal all around, right? 

Divided Plotting Board

To create your plotting board, trek to your office supply and buy a folding “science board” that costs around ten dollars. Or, you can use a sheet of poster board that is less than half a dollar. For a novel that will be 85,000 to 100,000 words long, divide the board into four rows and then divide each row into five sections. I’m not that great at math, but this should produce twenty spaces. Let’s say that each of the spaces represents a twenty-page chapter. In the first space, write “Inciting incident.” At the end of the first row, mark in “First turning point,” and at the end of the second row, “Second turning point,” and at the end of the third row, “Third Turning Point.” At the end of the bottom row, write “Resolution.” Back up to the third from last space and write “Black Moment.” These turning points and the black moment are general guides and you may need to shift them a chapter or so. If you want a short novel, say a category romance, simply leave off one row. Now, drag out all your colored sticky notes. Come on, you know you use them. I choose pink for the heroine, blue for the hero, yellow for secondary characters, and other colors for plot points, and romance points.



Sandra Crowley

 Having at least one more person to brainstorm with you while you do this is helpful. When Sandy isn’t in the area, I can email her or talk to her on the phone. Face-to-face is best, but Sandy has moved to Colorado and is only back in Texas once or twice a year. We make good use of the time she is able to visit me, though. This year we plotted several books for me to work on during 2011. At times, other author friends like Ashley Kath-Bilsky, Bobbye Terry, Geri Foster, and Jeanmarie Hamilton help me with plot questions, and so do my sweet Hero Husband and my Darling Daughters.

Start with the inciting incident. This is the second that life changes for the hero and/or heroine and launches the book’s quest. You can jot down bits of dialogue on the sticky note, stage directions, scene's purpose, turning points, and anything you choose to help you remember an idea. Using a different color sticky for each person is important. Here’s why: When you are finished, you can look at the plotting board and see if there are holes in your plot. For instance, what if there are no blue sticky notes for several squares? What if there’s a plot turning point, but not a romantic turning point? One glance at the board lets you know if the plot has problems. Once you spot a problem, you can fix it and not have to spend time writing only to delete a scene or two.

Plotting Board Almost Completed

When you are finally satisfied with the sticky notes on the plotting board, simply gather them IN ORDER. Secure them together and you have your entire book’s plot in your fingertips. Easy, peasy, right? Don't panic, it takes practice. If you have a question, email me and I’ll do my best to answer your question.


Please return on Friday for my Friday Friends blog with historical and paranormal author and editor, Paty Jager.

It's almost time for another issue of my Mostly Monthly Newsletter. If you haven't signed up yet, please go to the sidebar and do so. Each issue contains an exclusive short story, a recipe, news, and miscellaneous stuff.  This month's recipe is for Fandango Chili, perfect for a winter meal and a favorite of my husband's and mine.

AN IRISH BLESSING TO WISH YOU HAPPY NEW YEAR

Happy New Year! Here's an Irish blessing from my 2011 calendar:

Irish Shamrocks

May your Past be a pleasant memory,
Your Future filled with delights and mystery,
Your Now a glorious moment
That fills your life with deep contentment.

Ah, those Irish certainly have a way with words, don't they? Must come from living in the same country as the Blarney Stone.

Congratulations to Debbie! She is the winner of Sybil Baker's TALISMANS. Debbie, I'll get in touch with you and get your address so Sybil's publisher can send your copy of TALISMANS. Happy reading!

Did you make a list
of resolutions?

Are you one who makes resolutions at this time of year? I don’t write down a list of resolutions, but I mentally set a few goals for the future. Perhaps that amounts to the same thing. Whatever your choice, I wish you the best year ever in 2011. Did you choose to make several New Year's resolutions? Let me know what they are if you can share them. But here's what I hope you will do:

Rid your heart of hate, grudges, and bad memories. Ill will toward others seldom hurts them, but it festers inside us and can actually cause us to become ill. Pettiness dimishes the one displaying it. Let generosity and love fill your heart and soul.

Embrace your good qualities. Don't focus on bad hair, a few extra pounds, or whatever you dislike about yourself--and we all have things we'd like to change. If your weight is affecting your health, then that's not what I mean. Each of us has the responsibility to take care of his/herself physically and mentally. But think about your good qualities and accentuate them--caring, nurturing others, creating, smiling. Like the old song says, "You got accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, and get rid of Mr. Inbetween."

Be positive I have an amazing friend who's 102-years-old. Her advice: WALK ON THE SUNNY SIDE OF LIFE! Don't give in; keep pushing forward. None of the "I can't because I have..." Obviously each of us has limitations, but don't use them as a crutch to excuse poor performance. Yes, the finger is pointing back at me. All too often, I'm ready to toss in the towel. No, not to quit writing, but quit expecting to sell to a major publisher, no longer hope for awards. Never let negativity kill your dreams! 

Here's to a great 2011 for each of us! Remember, walk on the sunny side of the year!

 
And if you are looking for a good book to curl up with in the chilly weather, please consider one of mine at www.thewildrosepress.com/caroline-clemmons-m-638.html  or on Amazon and other online book stores. 

On the sidebar, you'll see a place to subscribe to my Mostly Monthly Newsletter. Each issue contains an EXCLUSIVE FREE short story, recipe, news, miscellaneous stuff and an occasional prize. Please sign up!