BIG HOLIDAY NEWS!

Surprise! I’m not plugging one of my books today. Nope. Today, I’m sharing my news with my blog readers first before I announce it elsewhere. Yesterday, I briefly mentioned that I will be giving away a Kindle Fire 3G on December 15th to one of the subscribers to my newsletter. Yes, just in time for either Christmas giving or as a great way for the recipient to enjoy reading over the holidays and forward. The sign up form is down on the sidebar, below the book covers, below the Bible verse, in the white square containing most of my book covers. Just click on it, and you'll see the sign-up form.

Me, hibernating in my pink cave to write.

Most authors lead a lonely writing life. We can wear whatever we wish to write. That's great. No coworkers to distract us or cause problems. ☺ That is both good and bad. We need contact with the real world to ground us. Readers and their reviews and comments keep us in touch. That’s why I want to repay my readers with a gift. Sorry I can’t give each of you something. At least I can give one of you a Kindle Fire 3G to show how much I appreciate readers. You are the spark that fires my writing!

As a technophobe, I wasn’t certain I wanted all the gadgets the Fire includes--in fact, I wasn’t even certain what those features were. I adored my earlier Kindle with the little keyboard and still do. I thought all I wanted to do was read ebooks. Surely that was all I needed, right? Then Hero gave me a Kindle Fire 3G and I couldn’t hurt his feelings by not using it. Guess what? I love it! Maybe I don’t actually NEED all the other features added to the Fire, but I love them. Why did I resist?

The Fire has color, so a child would like viewing children’s books on the screen. If you have Wi-Fi, which we do, capabilities include email and the internet. My friend who showed me her Kindle Fire had houseguests who usurped her computer and laptop, so she sent email from her Kindle Fire. Another time, before she had a laptop, her PC was on the fritz and she emailed from her Kindle Fire to let us know. Amazing, I can also post to Facebook or Twitter from my Fire, or watch YouTube or movies.

When I was in college at Texas Tech way back in the olden days, I remember the computers I used in a programming class. The fact that this KindleFire has more memory than those huge computers boggles my mind. Thank goodness the Fire is light and can slip right into my purse - even though I have several hundred books on it. One of my friends who downsized her to a smaller home has given away all her paper books except a few research and keepers. Think of all the additional space in her home. I'm not sure I can part with my favorite books, of which we have hundreds, but I am certainly limiting the new paper books I acquire.

Back to business. Here on the sidebar of my blog, you will find a square to click to sign up for my newsletter. Don’t think I’ll bombard you with email. Nope, only when I have a new release, a contest, or major news. Hero sometimes helps me with promotion, but no one but Hero or I will ever see your email or name, and neither of us will tell. Promise.

What are you waiting for? Go sign up.

I’m pleased to announce that Amy won Charlene Raddon’s giveaway on the Monday-Tuesday blog. Over at my post on Charlene’s blog, Ruby won my book. Congratulations, ladies! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.

Thanks to each of you who stopped by to read or read and comment. I appreciate you showing up.


Thanks for stopping by!

WHAT MAKES HAPPILY EVER AFTER?

Two hearts beating
as one.

Romance is my business. I promote the idea that happily ever after is attainable. In addition to being a romance writer, I'm an avid romance reader. I love happily ever after novels with all the plot threads tied up in a nice red bow. Many detractors say romance novels are just pie-in-the-sky or mind candy, that it's all a silly fantasy. Is it?

You've read it, right? Across the crowded room, her gaze meets his. Tingles of magnetism shiver through her. She knows he's The One for her. They overcome a couple of obstacles and then live happily ever after. Big sigh. In fact, I just read a very clever story like that. The hero and heroine knew one another only a few days before they committed to forever.

Stop and talk!

Wait! Stop right here! Is that possible? Does instant attraction equate enduring love? Does enduring love even exist? Hmm. Good question. Here's my take on the answer.

Instant attraction is a good thing, but it's not enough. A healthy marriage takes committment that involves much more than great sex--although sex certainly is a good thing. For instance, there's a terrific couple at my church who knew one another only FOUR days before they married---and that's been fifty-two years ago. Frequently, the wife says, "And I haven't killed him yet." It's a joke, because they are enjoying happily ever after, even though they have had tons of problems over the years. Although generous and caring, these are both headstrong, stubborn people. They've moved many times while he was in the Air Force, taken care of elderly relatives, raised foster kids, adopted kids, given room and board to homeless teens, helped found a mother's day out program and a shelter for abused women and children, and mostly raised two granddaughters. Here's my point. Sure they have had disagreements, obstacles, tragedy, and health issues but they talk them over and/or get through the problem together. That, my friends, IS happily ever after!

Happily ever after doesn't mean a problem-free life together. It means that a couple stands together as a team to meet any problem. That's why it annoys me so much when a young couple divorces after only a few months of marriage with some of the following: "He doesn't want kids and I do." "She wants me to go to her church and won't go to mine." "I want to stay here and he wants to move to another state." Yada, yada, ad nauseum.

Couple talking

People! Talk to each other BEFORE you marry. It doesn't take years of engagement to cover the basics. A couple hours of conversation would do the trick. No matter how good the sex, eventually you have to get out of bed and talk to one another. Oops, did I say that? Well, it's true. Sexual attraction is powerful, but don't base a marriage on that alone.

Happily ever after
is magic!

Romance is my business, and I truly believe enduring love is attainable. My sweet Hero Husband and I are still very much in love. That is what I wish for everyone. In the meantime, I write about couples who come from different backgrounds, but who overcome many obstacles to commit to happily ever after. It's my way of offering hope to those in untenable situations and to entertain those who believe in romance. Happily ever after is magic for those who find it!

That's my soap box for this blog post. LOL

My daughter reworked the blog header with one of her winter photos. She also included my book covers. I hope you like the new winter look. Please let me know if you think the book covers detract and should be removed.

I'll be back on Wednesday with a post on plotting a novel.

English Author Maya Blake Interviewed and Great Giveaway Prizes

Please welcome fellow The Wild Rose Press author, Maya Blake. Maya, please introduce yourself to readers.

Hi, I’m Maya Blake, I’m a thirty-something romance writer whose life-long dream of writing finally came to true last year when my debut novel HOSTAGE TO LOVE was published by The Wild Rose Press. I’m the fourth of five siblings and I live in Kent, England with my husband and two adorable (in my opinion, lol) kids.

CC: Who are your favorite authors and favorite genres?

MB: Since romance is my first love when it comes to reading, most of my favorite authors are romance writers. Michelle Reid, Lucy Monroe, Penny Jordan are a few of my Harlequin Presents favorites, but last year I discovered Anna Campbell, a historical romance writer, who blew me completely away and is now a firm favorite. I also enjoy reading crime thrillers, so authors like Deaver, Baldacci and Grisham are on my auto-buy list.

CC: Good choices. How many books do you read a month? What are you reading now?

MB: Since becoming a “serious” writer, my reading has taken an enormous hit. Where I used to read about six books a month, I’ve had to cut down to two or three, which is a shame since reading is a passion of mine. Just like my writing to tend to flit from book to book, which means I could be reading about three books at the same time, so to answer your question, right now I’m reading The Brunelli Baby Bargain by Kim Lawrence, Pure Princess, Bartered Bride by Caitlin Crews and The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold, lol!

CC: When you’re not writing, what’s your favorite way to relax and recharge? Hobbies?

MB: Reading is my go-to hobby. I always have books stashed in various parts of the house just in case I get a minute, but for the ultimate relaxation, it’s my hammock, a book and a glass of wine. A very close second is watching movies with my husband. I love my kids immeasurably, but I wouldn’t call them a hobby, no way!

CC: Kids are definitely a full-time job, aren’t they? Would you like to share any guilty pleasures that feed your muse?

MB: Oh dear, my muse is as flighty as I am, unfortunately! One day it could be music, other days it could be chocolate or complete silence. She arrives, makes demands and I simply have to accommodate her!

CC: My muse always responds to chocolate. LOL  How long have you been writing?

MB: I started writing when I was thirteen, but the usual angst-ridden teenage life got in the way, followed by “real life”, I guess. It wasn’t until I was on maternity leave with my second child five years ago that I picked up the pen again. My first manuscript was completed a month after I went back to work.

CC: Where do you prefer to write? Do you need quiet, music, solitude? PC or laptop?

MB: I can write pretty much anywhere and I don’t really mind background noise as long as it’s IN the background. My preferred place to write, though, is in bed, laptop on my lapdesk and my iPod and a cold drink close by; writing is thirsty work!

CC: Yes, it is. Are you a plotter or a pantzer?

MB: When I started writing I was a complete pantzer, but I’ve had to learn to plot for the sake of contests and proposals. My crit partners and I now have awesome Skype sessions where we get together to plot stories. That said, sometimes I will deviate from a plot just to see where the characters and the muse take me.

CC: A plot is really just a road map, and it’s nice to take detours along the way. Do you use real events or persons in your stories?

MB: Not really. I may have used a name or an observation in the past in a story, for example, I saw girl with a spider tattoo on her foot and it sparked the idea of writing a story with an arachnophobic heroine.

CC: Great! Do you do your research before you begin a new project, or as you go along?

MB: Once the story is fully formed in my head or sketched roughly on paper, I just tend to run with it and research later. I think most writers come to a point when the words don’t quite flow as rapidly as we’d like and I use times like those to do my research. Often, it helps the story unfold quicker.

CC: Research does spark ideas. Tell us about your writing schedule. Do you set goals? Do you write daily?

MB: I’d love to say I set goals and keep to them or that I write daily. Unfortunately, holding down a full time job and the demands of family means that I can only write when I have or make the time. My husband is very good at taking the kids off my hands when he knows I have a self-imposed deadline and that helps a lot. Generally I try and write after my kids are in bed and the home settled down for the night.

CC: With a full-time job away from home plus children and a husband, I think you must be very efficient to find time for writing books. What is your day job?

MB: I hold down a full-time job at a law firm in the City of London.

CC: Sigh, I love visiting the City of London. What do you hope your writing brings to readers?

MB: My aim is bring to readers what I myself look for in books – heartfelt warmth, affinity with three-dimensional characters and a hard-fought-for but very well deserved happy ending. If there’s a neat twist thrown in there somewhere, even better!

CC: What advice would you give to pre-published authors?

MB: Never give up. A rejection letter from another publisher only fuelled my desire to be published and led to HOSTAGE TO LOVE being accepted by The Wild Rose Press six weeks later.

CC: Perseverance is the key. Tell us about your latest release.

MB: Here’s a blurb:

Crushed by betrayal, Belle Winkworth-Jones flees the shambles of her short-lived marriage, only to be kidnapped by a vicious rebel soldier determined to keep her for himself. Nick Andreakos mounts a ruthless rescue to save the wife who walked away from him, even though he's resentful Belle could dismiss their marriage so easily

MB: And here’s an excerpt: (PG)

Belle jerked awake as a loud blast ripped through the cave, her eyes unprepared for the blinding, strobe flashes of light that lit up the dark cavern a second later. Squinting, she saw the flashes continue intermittently for several seconds, then stop. She lurched from her position propped up against the wall and wondered for a moment if she was still dreaming.

The screams from a few feet away told her she wasn’t.

She’d stayed awake long after the rebel leader retired behind his curtain, unable to sleep for fear he might vent his anger on Father Tom.

She’d also contemplated what she would do after nature ran its course. She’d bought them three days, four at the most. What would happen after that? Could she willingly let the loathsome man touch her for the sake of keeping one or all of them alive? And what guarantee did she have that he wouldn’t harm Father Tom?

The idea that perhaps they could overpower two of the soldiers, steal their weapons and make a run for it, she immediately discarded as foolish, and dangerous. She’d slumped, dejected, against the wall of the cave. That’s when she must’ve fallen asleep.

Dizzy and momentarily blinded by the flashes, she jumped as Edda screamed again. What was happening? Had the rebel leader decided they weren’t worth keeping and blasted the cave, burying them alive? Curiously though, the walls of the cave remained intact. She blinked a few times to dispel the blindness. Nothing happened.

A staccato burst of muffled gunfire sounded close by. But the gunfire was inside the cave, not outside. Which meant the rebels were still inside. Something brushed against her and she bit back a scream.

‘It’s all right lass, it’s me,’ Father Tom whispered close to her. ‘I told yer we’d be rescued today.’

Rescued! Why hadn’t she thought of that? Her spirits soared. Then plummeted.

CC: Wow, I’m intrigued. Where can readers find your books?

MB: My books are available from The Wild Rose Press, Amazon, Amazon Kindle, All Romance ebooks, Barnes & Noble, Fictionwise and MbaM, to name a few.

CC: How can readers learn more about you?

MB: Readers can stay in touch with me in various ways:

www.mayabauthor.blogspot.com

www.twitter.com/mayablake

www.minxesofromance.blogspot.com

Buy Hostage To Love here

CC: Thank you, Maya, for sharing your life and your writing with us today.

MB: Thank you so much for having me here today, Caroline. Your blog is beautiful and I feel at home already!

Readers! Remember to post today and next Wednesday to be entered in the big Gift Basked Drawing on the 30th.

Comments today also will be entered in my weekly prize drawing for a PDF file of one of my books.
 
This is a win-win situation!

Prize Giveaways and Writing--What's the Connection?

The winner of my weekly prize giveaway for August 7th is FIONA CHAN. Fiona, please email me to tell me your email address. You have your choice of a PDF download of the Civil War anthology NORTHERN ROSES AND SOUTHERN BELLES in which my novella LONG WAY HOME appears, or my June release OUT OF THE BLUE, which is a time travel in which a woman travels from 1845 Ireland to modern Texas to help a police detective discover the murderer who shot him and killed his partner, framed him for a drug scandal, and almost succeeded in other murders.

This is a BIG month for giveaways. I'm participating in the Long and Short Reviews webiste owners big Third Anniversary "Long And Short Of It" Celebration. They're giving away THREE Nook e-readers in their scanvenger hunt which lasts from August 2-29th. You can check the rules and the sites involved at http://www.longandshortreviews.com/ Each of these Nooks comes loaded with ebooks from the participants and a fifty dollar gift certificate to Barnes and Noble.Wow!

August is also when some of The Wild Rose Press authors are having a Wednesday Blog Tour, at the end of which a lucky visitor will receive a gift basket of PDF books from participating authors plus a banner from Aileen Harkwood. Participating blogs are as follows: Aileen Harkwood, Amber Leigh Williams; Caroline Clemmons (here, but you guessed that, right?), Catherine Bybee, Christine De Petrillo (scan down the page past her books to find the interview), Lauri Robinson, Lilly Gayle, Maya Blake, Rae Summers, and Sandra Sookoo. We're trading blogs and will be rotating through various blogs on Wednesdays this month. Follow us if you can for a chance at this fabulous gift basket.

What do these prize giveaways have to do with writing? Good question. This is one way in which authors hope to attract readers to their blogs and websites. We hope that with this exposure, you will remember our names and buy our books. If you win a book, we hope you find you love our writing voice and style and will want to buy our future books. We take pleasure in the sharing of these characters who have become real to us. No, they aren't just mere names on a page to their creators. The people about whom we write--while we're writing their stories--become alive, friends or enemies whose tale we must relate. If you read a book you enjoy, let the author know! That's what we live for after all---the knowledge that a reader/readers loved our books.

Doesn't that empower you? You have the power to touch an author's heart.

Writers don't write for money. Of course, we don't turn it down. We are humans, after all, and love fat advances and fatter royalty checks. Few of us receive those, however. So what keeps us writing? Our primary purpose is to tell our stories and share them with readers.  With you! You keep us going!

Effect of E-Readers on Book Collectors

In our home we have bookcases in the bedrooms, the family room, my office, and Hero's office. In addition, we have stacks of books beside the bed (both sides) and in numerous places around the master bedroom. We can't help ourselves--we love to read and we are both fast readrs. In addition, we often reread favorite books. I've read several so many times you'd think by now I could recite them. I have certain shelves for my "keeper" books. There are many, such as Julie Garwood's FOR THE ROSES and PRINCE CHARMING that I will keep forever and reread once a year or so. Same goes for Louis L'Amour's FALLON. I just dug out my Jodi Thomas books to reread them. So, there are hardback and paperback books I will always keep. They've brought me hours of pleasure and I treasure the books and admire the authors for their ability to create books that remains memorable.

There are tons of others I read once and pass to friends. Why shouldn't I buy those in e-book form and save money? How long would it take to make up the cost of the e-reader in the amount of paperbacks and hardbacks a voracious reader buys?

After reading a discussions on The Wild Rose Press authors' loops and on Hearts Through History's loop on the effect e-readers have had on the book collection of those posting, it's clear that I really need an e-reader. Really, really need one. What kind to choose?

I've entered all the contests I've found that offer an e-reader as a prize. Darling 1, who is incredibly  lucky in contests, has also entered to try for an e-reader she would give to me. Isn't that sweet? In reality, I'd like a Nook or a Kindle, but I wouldn't turn down any brand if it's free! Free is one of my favorite words.

I have been trying to wrap my mind around the concept of cuddling up with an e-reader for a cozy evening of reading. So far, my brain can't quite make the leap. I am positive I can adjust, though. I always have a book tucked into my purse, plus emergency books in the car in case Hero decides to make a quick stop while we're out. He can't pass a Harbor Freight store without going in. LOL But my friend Cynthia takes her Kindle everywhere. That appeals to me. Only one thing to carry, yet it holds too many books to count. Wow, I'd never be stuck somewhere with nothing to read! 

But my mind is quirky and I'm wondering if in the future there will be a special way to save "keeper" e-books?  Will we have multiple e-readers because we've filled the first one with all the "keeper" books it can hold? Can you see a full e-reader on a bookshelf. Yes, I know my mind goes off on strange tangets. After all, I'm a writer.

Do you have an e-reader? If so, what type?

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things . . . Blogs, That Is

As I've been learning all about cyber-promotion for my current release, OUT OF THE BLUE, I've come across some clever blogs, beautiful blogs, helpful blogs, and a few pretty weird blogs. No point mentioning the weird ones, right? You've probably alreaady noticed there are several blogs listed on the right of this set up, but I decided to share some of my favorites with you today and hope you'll check them out. There are far too many great blogs for me to list all of them here, (that's my excuse to anyone I miss) but these are a few:

Stephanie Suesan Smith writes Texas gardening, pets, photography and miscellaneous.
Beth Trissell writes an informative and refreshing blog. Lovely photos, great research.
Celia Yeary is a Texas girl--like me--and I love her "Romance . . .And A Little Bit O' Texas" blog.
West of Mars will lead you to Susan Helene Gottfried's site Win A Book What's better than free stuff?
Petticoats And Pistols is for anyone who loves western historicals. See me waving my hand? I love them!

Slip Into Something Victorian is the perfect site for anyone who loves historicals set in the Victorian era. Me! They're the ladies who conjured up the Civil War anthology NORTHERN ROSES AND SOUTHERN BELLES. Great cover by Nicola Martinez of The Wild Rose Press. You might notice that's my name in the author list.
Author Roast And Toast is a fun Friday blog with fun ladies. I'll be roasted and toasted June 4th. I'm already  squirming. No problem, they'll serve margaritas. That will calm me.
Hywela Lyn is a Welsh lady living in England whose heart is in her special corner of the universe.
Roses of Prose is hosted by five lovely ladies.
Hearts Through History is online chapter that hosts "Seduced By History" and incorporates blogs from numerous members of the online chapter and guests.
The Wild Rose Press will give you the option to click on Blogs on the lower right links. Then you can choose between several blogs of editors and authors of various genres.
Skhye Moncreif is another fun author with a beautiful site.
Savvy Authors hosts authors on their blog--like me on May 30th!
Sky Purington is a generous lady who hosts lots of other authors--as she did for me on May 21. Beautiful blog matches her name..
Coffee Time Romance hosts numerous authors. I'll be there on June 11. Grab a cup of coffee and join me.
Sharon Donovan is a courageous author who not only is a good writer, but is blind from diabetic retinopathy.

I'm only getting started. There are so many great blogs and websites, it would be possible to surf the web all day. I suspect some people do just that for entertainment. Great. Those of us who write need readers!

I hope you'll comment on my blog. I have a grand prize (at least I think it's grand) I'll be giving away June 1st to someone who commented in May. In June, I'll be awarding a weekly prize all month. To enter, leave a comment which includes your email. Sign on as a follower and that counts as a second entry. Easy peasy, right? Free stuff!

Joy Of Writing

I'm excited about a new WIP (work in progress) and am fortunate to have friends whose encouragement propels my enthusiasm. I love writing my stories,escaping into someone else's life, and creating the appropriate outcome for each character--depending on whether it's a hero, heroine, or villain. When I'm writing, it's as if these are real people whose life I'm recording, not something plucked from my imagination. Other days, writing requires delving deeper and a fair share of daydreaming.  I love the quote from Meg Chittendon that goes:

"Many people hear voices when no one is there. Some of them are called mad and shut up in rooms where they stare at walls all day. Others are called writers, and they do pretty much the same thing."

Along the same line, I've saved a copy of the Sunday funnies that shows the character Shoe sitting at his desk staring off into space for several frames. When someone speaks to him, he says, "Can't you see I'm writing?"

It's true that along with the joy of creating, writers face times of planning and plotting. We arrange parts of the story in our minds so that the ideas will flow to our fingers. One of my critique partners, Jeanmarie Hamilton, and I tease one another that we have to keep our fingers flying across the keys. Many days that's more easily said than practiced.

I try to write at least five pages each day. Some days I far exceed that--my all-time record being 48 pages in a very, very long day. Other days, life jumps up and grabs me by the throat. Those days are lost for my stories with zero productivity. I try not to dwell on the interruptions life presents--and there are a lot of those. The important thing for me is to keep my tush in my desk chair and my fingers flying across the keys.

To qualify for my May 31st prize give away, leave a comment. If you also sign on as a follower, that counts as an additional entry. Be sure to include your email address in your comment.

My time travel romantic suspense OUT OF THE BLUE is now available from The Wild Rose Press and Amazon. Please let me know if you enjoy it. Okay, also let me know if you do not enjoy reading it.

Reading, Writing, and . . . Magic

I've been reading a lot, spending time not dedicated to writing by pursuing reading my favorite authors. As well, I've been reading books by new authors and trying to analyze why that book sold. Sometimes I haven't a clue, frankly, other than perhaps the editor was in an unusually optimistic or cheerful mood the day the book crossed her desk. Other times I identify an element that propels me forward in the book, immersed and turning pages when I know I should stop and do a load of laundry, start supper, or go to sleep. Those are the books I think about, wondering how to craft mine with that degree of reader involvement.

I've had people tell me they'll give me a story idea if I'll write the book and split the royalties with them. Yeah, right. Coming up with story ideas is easy--I have enough to last me until I'm at least two hundred years old. Implementing the idea into a completed manuscript takes planning and perseverance. Achievein a completed work which entices readers requires magic. My magic wand is still beside my computer monitor. Hmmm, I hope my supply of fairy dust is sufficient.

My latest book, OUT OF THE BLUE, is now available from The Wild Rose Press or from Amazon. Cost is $14.99 for print (I have nothing to do with pricing, folks) and electronic download is $7.00. This is a paranormal time travel romance with suspense elements. Dierdre Dougherty is an Irish clairvoyant herbal healer who leaps from a cliff in 1845 to escape a dangerous man. She lands over 160 years later in a Texas lake beside the bass boat of police detective Brendan Hunter, who is out to solve the murder of his best friend and partner. Can Deirdre help Brendan solve this case?

Graphic by Webweaver

He Said/She Said--Good Or Bad?

Don't forget to comment on this blog this month to be eligible for a time-related prize give away on May 31st! An Etsy steampunk watch necklace(the time) , a basket from Bath & Body Works (time to relax), and a download of my new paranormal time release, OUT OF THE BLUE  (time to read) will be given to one lucky commenter.

My critique partners and I talk about writing and what we like and don't like about particular techniques. Not too long ago we were discussing dialogue in general and tag lines (attribution) specifically. We noticed that more and more writers are omitting "he said/she said" and using either action, body language or the POV (point of view) character's thoughts in place of an attribution tag. My primary critique partners and I prefer this method. I believe the story flows better and is more natural, pulling the reader into the scene.

That's why I was surprised when a couple of writers mentioned they don't like this method. They thought "he said/she said" was invisible and they prefer pared down scenes with as little description as possible. They don't care to read body language at all. Another multi-published author friend mentioned that action such as "she nodded" or "he shrugged" annoys her. She prefers an adverb such as "he said menacingly," but tags like that annoys me.

Writing for publication constantly changes and evolves. Spelling changes, comma use decreases, and so forth. Keeping up requires study and flexibility. It appears that no matter how much a writer studies craft and technique, personal likes and dislikes shape his or her writing. Even though being a writer changes the way a person reads for pleasure, each of us was a reader before he or she became a writer. What an author enjoys reading shapes his or her perception of how he or she should write.

Keep reading good books!

In Argentina, You Gotta Tango!

Please welcome freelance writer and photographer Beverly Burmeier as a guest blogger today. Beverly lives in Austin and travels the world on assignments. Her blog is “Going On Adventrues.” Welcome, Beverly.

Thanks, Caroline. One of the best ways to get a feel for local life when traveling is by sampling popular passions. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, that means learning to tango. That’s why I ended up in a tango class, trying to contort my gringo body into Carmen-style sultriness.

The passion inherent in the tango has inspired an entire culture in this romantic South American city—a culture with all the charms of Europe but without the high price tags. Buenos Aires is a bargain for travelers, whether the city is a port on a cruise or your primary destination.

Our first night in Buenos Aires my husband Larry and I put on our dancing shoes for an evening tour that included group lessons on basic tango steps followed by a traditional steak and wine dinner. Listening to the tango beat, we mimicked our instructor’s slinky walking steps and quick kicks. We learned to shuffle our feet to the music, moving our bodies somewhere between graceful and gawky, but nowhere near the agile, athletic moves we later saw in a professional performance.

Show-stopping tango contrasts with the social version enjoyed by portenos (local residents), which is quite different and has unwritten rules such as men and women sit separately and a nod of the head is an invitation to dance. Visitors can step out on the floor of the local dance halls or milongas—if they’re brave or skillful enough. Or they might opt to enjoy people watching while sipping a drink. Locals don’t really get swinging until 11:00 p.m. Too late for you? There are dancing opportunities five days a week at afternoon milongas.

History of the tango was showcased through the different dances performed to live music. Originally performed only by men, tango had its origins in lawlessness and was once considered scandalous by the upper class. Highlights of the show we attended covered the dance’s evolution through Europe and back to Argentina into the glamorous choreographed production numbers presented today by women in slit sequined skirts and men in tight pants and fedoras.

Tango was fun to try, but I feel more passion when applauding the talented dancers on stage.

Beverly Burmeier is a freelance writer based in Texas. She writes for national and regional publications on a variety of topics including travel. Find her at http://www.beverlyburmeier.com/ and http://tinyurl.com/bevtrl and her blog for more of her intriguing travels.
 
Thanks for visiting today, Beverly!

Art Reflecting Life or Life As We Wish It Could Be?

During the past, I have read posts from writers about how anger they thought they'd dealt with, had buried, or had forgotten surfaces surprisingly in their work. Their comments made me think about our subconscious and the fodder for our stories.JoAnn Ross recently wrote an article about her early loss and trail to finding her half-sister. Her search and happy reunion forced her to realize that all of her stories deal with family unity in one way or another. Whatever the cause, her books are always wonderful.

I believe my historicals came about from stories my father (in his fifties when I was born) and my maternal grandmother (in her sixties when I was born) told about their childhoods and family history. I hadn't considered that characters might sometimes grow out of frustrations with family members. Sure, I knew writers killed off in print the people they hated--one of the cathartic joys of writing! I hadn't thought of other characters as manifestations or desires. One writer mentioned a sociopath mother who had humiliated and tormented her childhood. Not until she was editing a work did she realize the heroine's mom was based on her own, right down to an event she'd included. What a shock!

Another friend whose book was edgier than any of her other books admitted it was because of all she went through when her mother was ill and dying while my friend was writing the book. As writers and as humans, we are the sum of our experiences, both good and bad.

This reminds me of a quote about television in the 1940's and 1950's. Nick Clooney, brother of singer Rosemary Clooney and related to George Clooney, said, "People wanted to see life, not as it was, but as they wished it could be." I suppose the same is true for readers of popular fiction. It certainly is for me as a reader and as a writer.

We write not so much as life is, but as we wish it could be fore everyone. For every heartache, a healing. For every good person, victory. For every bad person, redemption or swift and painful retribution. Our lives, and our dreams, are reflected in our Art.

BLOGMANIA DAY HAS ARRIVED!

BLOGMANIA Day is finally here. What a terrible time for my internet to go down. Yikes! But it's all working now, so get ready to click through 123 blogs participating in this BLOGMANIA with a chance to win a prize at each site. This is Blog # 9 on the tour.

This blog is an author blogging about author interviews, book reviews, writing tips, research, and miscellaneous subjects.

We've done all the work for you for this BLOGMANIA day.. No hunting or surfing. Each blog wil have a number and instruction for entering that blog giveaway. If you see a blog that appeals to you, bookmark it for a return visit.

 My giveaway rules. Comment for a chance to win and please be sure to include your email address in the comment. For a second entry, sign up as a follower for my blog and be sure to include in your comment that you signed up as a follower. Of course, include your email address again.

My giveaway prize is a Steampunk necklace made from a pocket watch, along with a few surprises in the gift bag.

Blog 1 Host of Blogmania Between the Pages at http://betweenthelinesandmore.blogspot.com/
Blog 2 Co-host of Blogmania The Black Sheep Dances at http://theblacksheepdances.blogspot.com/
Blog 43 Co-host of Blogmania, Books, Books Everywhere at http://bookywooks.blogspot.com/
Blog 68 Mama Librarian at http://mamalibrarian.blogspot.com/
Blog 92 Groovy Ruminations at http://groovybell.blogspot.com/
Blog 36 Along The Way at http://a-long-the-way.blogspot.com/
Blog  8 A Mom's Take at http://amomstake.blogspot.com/
Blog 18 Aubut Family at http://www.aubutfamily.com/
Blog 109 Mommy's Minute at http://mommys-minute.blogspot.com/
Blog 118 Designs By Dawn Marie at http://designsbydawnmarie.blogspot.com/

Thanks for stopping by. As we say in the Southwest, "Don't be a stranger."

Telling Your Story

"A good writer is basically a storyteller, not a scholar or a redeemer of mankind." Isaac Singer

Each of us has many stories to tell. Whether we want it to be family related, memoirs, or create it into fiction. I love each of those three forms, but have chosen most often to write romanctic fiction.

My father was a great storyteller. After dinner he would often talk about events from his childhood or that of his parents. I felt sorry for my grandparenst with seven rowdy sons and only one daughter. Dad's stories held my attention from his opening words until the end of his tale. He and his brothers lived near Denison, Texas. They were hard workers who played hard, too. I treasure the stories he related to my brother and me.

Writers follow that same style whether writing fiction or non-fiction. Open with The "hook," a phrase or paragraph that pulls the reader into our story. We pace ourselves, keeping the action moving forward at varying speeds to the conclusion. The big finish in which our protagonist or hero/heroine barely save the day  has to leave the reader satisfied, yet wanting more stories from the author.And I have lots of stories still to tell. Writing is a passion for me. But I know that if you gave the same set of events to ten writers, you'd come up with ten very different stories. We create from within, drawing on all the things that makes us individuals.
Some of us writer comedy, some noir, some suspense, some contemporary, some historical.

What part of you feels compelled to create? How do you fulfill that need?