Angela Jefferson - Romance Writer

Interview with Chicki Brown

2010-12-07T20:33:00.004-05:00

Tonight it is my pleasure to present an interview with Chicki Brown, author of Hot Fun in the Summertime, released on November 26, 2010. Chicki is one of my critique partners and a talented new writer who resides in the Atlanta, Georgia area.

Check out her latest release and my interview to follow:

Hot Fun in the Summertime deals with the complexities of friendships between women, between men and women, and friendships that change and grow into something deeper.

Seven very different singles – four women and three men – rent a New Jersey beach house for the summer: author Shontae Nichols, self-employed accountant and realtor, Linda Harris, Linda’s sister, hip-hop video dancer Kinnik Watkins, cosmetologist, Jovita Blassingame, Calculus professor Curtis “Doc” Whetstone, actor and drama instructor, Kip Lee, and new housemate, up and coming film actor, Devon Burke.

During their two month stay, romances bloom friendships are tested and when a tragedy strikes one of the housemates, they all learn the answer to the age-old question: Can men and women ever be just friends?

What inspired you to write your first book?
I’ve been a voracious reader since I was a child, but I had never written anything. My first novel, which fortunately was never published, resulted from utter boredom on a job that was experiencing a slow period back in 2002. I began typing what was supposed to be a short story just to give myself something to do. The story ended up being 400 pages. That’s when I discovered I could write, but I still had years of learning about the craft and the industry ahead of me.

What do you consider the most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general?
Getting the story to flow without any loose ends, changing details or plot holes at the end. Remembering all of the plot points in a 400-page novel is a major job. It requires keeping copious notes and takes several readings by several people to spot those problems. Thank God for critique partners!

Have you ever had writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?
Honestly, I don’t think so. My problem is that I have too many ideas floating around in my head! There have been times though when I’ve been too tired or too discouraged to write. When that happens, I usually just put the story away for a day or two and immerse myself in reading instead. Reading is my fuel.

Why did you choose to write this particular book?
The 1983 movie, The Big Chill has always been one of my favorites. It dealt with a bunch of people coming together for the funeral of one of their college friends. I loved the ensemble cast with their different issues. More recently, Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married 1 & 2 featured a similar theme -- a group of couples going away together for a vacation.
I wanted to do something similar but featuring all singles. The story takes place at the Jersey shore, but is nothing like the television show.

What was the hardest part about writing this book?
Making each of the characters different. I wanted to be sure each of the housemates had a unique personality and distinct goals. This part of the process was a lot of fun, and I ended up with a New-Agey accountant, a self-centered video dancer, a cerebral college professor, a sex-obsessed player, a big-hearted, jovial cosmetologist, a sensitive creative writer, and a success-driven, ultra-good-looking aspiring actor.

Is there a message in your novel that you want readers to grasp?
Definitely. It’s that true friendship will overcome differences. The friendships between the women are the focus of the story, and sibling rivalry, jealousy, disappointments and tragedy threaten their relationships.

What are your goals as a writer?
To develop a broad base of loyal readers. If I can determine what my readers like or dislike, I can write better stories that will appeal to them and keep them coming back for more.

Who is your favorite author and why?
I have several favorites, those authors whose books I will buy without hesitation. J.R. Ward, Eric Jerome Dickey, Beverly Jenkins, Suzanne Brockmann and Lisa Kleypas are at the top of the list. Ward writes the best vampire stories with grown and sexy heroes. Her world-building skills are amazing! Dickey is a master at depicting African-American life at all socio-economic levels, Jenkins writes the sexiest historical and contemporary romances featuring African-American characters, Brockmann is the queen of what I call “action romance” with true Alpha males, and I am in awe of Kleypas’ skill at crafting emotional romances that leave me sighing.

Where can we purchase the book?
Hot Fun in the Summertime is available at Amazon.com for Kindle, PC, Mac, iPad and phone. at: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004DI7KI0 It’s also available at BN.com for the Nook at: http://su.pr/2CVnhi

Thank you, Chicki! Good luck and continued success!
Angela

One Year and Counting

2010-08-11T01:12:00.003-04:00

In exactly one year my daughter will be 15 years and 8 months old and will be expecting me to take her directly to DMV for her learners' permit. She is thoroughly looking forward to that day while I'm dreading it. Boy, time flies!!! It was just yesterday that she was born. I'm certainly not prepared for her to drive...and definitely not my SUV.

Embarking on a New Year

2010-01-03T20:55:00.003-05:00

2010 is now upon us! Many of us are reflecting on our blessings, mistakes, accomplishments, regrets, surprises, and challenges from last year. Some of us are now setting goals and making resolutions for the year to come. And so am I.

I'm not exactly sure what those goals and resolutions will be right now but over the next week I plan to put pen to paper and come with a definitive list. I'm excited about 2010 and all that the year will bring, both good and bad. The good will of course bring me happiness and satisfaction and the bad will make me stronger, physically and spiritually.

Many of my supporters have express anticipation for what I plan to do as far as my writing is concerned. You know what? So am I. I'm a little concerned about what I'll be able to accomplish with my health as an issue but I don't want to bring negative thoughts/fears into the picture. It's been 5 years since I began this pursuit of writing romance fiction and not a lot has happened. But slow and steady will win the race, I'm sure!

I look forward to seeing what my writing friends are going to create in 2010 and will support them through words of encouragement and critiques. Good luck, ladies!

Summer is almost over!!

2009-08-17T23:26:00.004-04:00

Goodness!! I can't believe summer 2009 is almost over. Back to the daily grind of dropping off and picking up the kid (who is going to her a ninth grader) from school. Back to afterschool activities and homework and projects and..... Ya know what I mean!!!

Even though I didn't take that luxurious vacation in the Carribbean or have that girls' only getaway at a spa retreat, I did have a pretty good summer. I relaxed like a slug on a rug and hardly did anything but hang out with the kid and my beau. Not only is it time for her to get back into the groove of school, it's also time for me to get off my duff, put my fingers to the keyboard and get to writing. Something. Anything. A short story, a poem, a limrick, darn it!! My brain is turning to mush!

I'm so proud of my fellow newbie writers who are making revisions, submitting to editors and publishers and signing contracts. And there is no good reason why I shouldn't be doing the same.

Granted, the heat and humidity have made my energy level sink like a stone and my motivation grind to a halt. But now that I've gone through a new series of symptoms and I'm on the road to recovery, I can brush the dust of self-doubt from the shoulders and plow forward. I may not plow as fast nor as steadily as my newbie counterparts, but I DO plan to get moving.

Since I said the same thing at the end of LAST SUMMER, wish me luck!!!

AJ

Graduation Day!

2009-06-04T00:08:00.006-04:00

In about twelve hours, my daughter will be graduating from the eighth grade. Eighth grade!!! I can't believe she's going to high school next year. I can't believe how fast the years have passed. Just nine years ago, she was going off to kindergarten, excited about dragging her book bag full of school supplies down the sidewalk into Kingdom Preparatory Academy. She couldn't wait to get to work and learn new things. Now school is the center of her social circle, where all things good --and bad --radiate. It's a wonder I have any hair left on the top of my head from all of the teenage angst she's put me through this year. Now don't get me wrong! She's not a bad kid and I know this age is a time when most kids struggle to find/make a place for themselves in their social arena. But boy, I'll be glad when this stage is over!

I'm proud that she's made it this far and wish nothing but the best for her in the future. As she embarks on her summer break (30-day break for mom!), I pray she has a safe journey and fun in the sun. Hopefully she'll use the time she has this summer to be more introspective (as much as a hard-headed teenager can be!) and will develop the growth and maturity needed to begin her life as a freshman in high school.

I love you, Courtney Brianna!

Critiquing Mode

2009-03-14T00:01:00.002-04:00

I'm dedicating my time this month to getting back into the critiquing mode. My to-do list is piled high with chapters I owe to my friends Zaynah, Chelle, and Jennifer. Denise, I can't wait for what you have coming down the pipe.

More blogging to come next week........

AJ

Catching Up!

2009-02-06T01:06:00.003-05:00

Well hello, folks!

Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Birthday to me, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy New Year, Happy Inauguration to President Obama and pretty soon Happy Valentine's Day!

Once again, I've been missing in action for a long time but that doesn't mean that life's been uneventful. The holidays were loads of fun, including a surprise 40th birthday party for me thrown by my younger brothers. (Way to go, guys!)

For now, I'm recovering from all the fun: neck pain, numbness in my legs and hands and fatigue! It's kicking my butt! I can't seem to shake it but I know that with rest and patience with myself that I'm going to be fine.

So, to all of you who have been waiting for new chapters and critiques from me, please be patient as well.

Later!

It's Nice to be Missed

2008-11-05T21:18:00.004-05:00

Hello fellow bloggers, critique partners and friends,

It's amazing how many of you have noticed that I've been missing in action for a while. I've received a few emails and phone calls asking where I'd been.

Well I'm still here! What's been going on with me? Well, for short, not a lot of writing. My muse has simply packed her bags and moved out. And she didn't leave a Dear Angie letter nor a forwarding address. I've been searching for her everywhere, have practically been arrested for stalking, but she just won't come back to me. For weeks, I wrote her love notes, dreamed about some of the ideas she's given me in the past and even tried the Internet to see if I can "re-build" her. No luck! In fact the stress and frustration of trying to write may have even contributed to the MS attack that I suffered recently. After three days of IV steroids, I felt like I've been run over by a truck. No fun, let me tell you!

So finally I decided to live by the old "if you love something, set it free" adage and just chucked the whole search for a little while. I have all the confidence in the world that my muse will return once I relax and give myself the permission and time to appreciate the pleasure she brought to my life rather than continue to work myself into a lather over the fact that she just up and abandoned me without saying goodbye. The little diva!!

AJ

The Summer is OVER!

2008-09-03T17:02:00.002-04:00

The summer of 2008 is unofficially over with the passing of Labor Day and I'm both happy and disappointed.

I'm happy because that means the schools reopen and my daughter can get off the couch, out of my refrigerator and get back to the books. I was a bad mommy this summer because I gave in to her plea to do absolutely nothing all summer. No summer camp, no dance camp, no math review workbooks, no eighth grade prep books, no nothing! She got to be lazy all summer and capped it off with a 5-day cruise to the Caribbean just before school started. She came back looking like a crispy critter!

I'm disappointed because I used the eventful days of my summer as an excuse to do hardly any writing. OK, no writing. Instead of writing about romance, I experienced some romance of my own. The details are too precious to post in cyberspace. Let's just say that the fall and winter are looking to be very toasty indeed.

It's good to be able to kick back and bask in the admiration of someone who's genuinely interested in you on so many levels. To be able to laugh at someone's corny jokes, to flirt outrageously via text messages, to cook for someone other than the kid who only wants chicken nuggets and french fries, and to be excited about the prospect of every phone call and the mysteries of the future.

Now, it's time for me to put my nose to the grindstone and get back to work. Yeah, I know. You've heard it before, but I'm serious this time. Of course, I'm not gonna pressure myself to compete with anyone else's goals or achievements which I think was at the root of why my creativity had been stifled. I'm just gonna relax and fun. Write when I feel good and have the energy and take care of my health when I don't.

How was your summer?

AJ

One-Word Survey

2008-07-15T13:34:00.004-04:00

I'm piggy-backing off my girls, Patricia and Denise and giving one-word answers to this fun questionnaire. Feel free to answer too! REMEMBER, ANSWERS MUST BE ONE WORD ONLY!

1. Where is your cell phone? Pocket
2. Your significant other? Cute
3. Your hair? Relaxed
4. Your mother? Retired
5. Your father? Walker
6. Your favorite thing? Books
7. Your dream last night? Scary
8. Your favorite drink? Tea
9. Your dream/goal? Published
10. The room you’re in? Office
11. Your ex? Gone
12. Your fear? Failure
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Virginia
14. Where were you last night? Home
15. What you’re not? Dumb
16. Muffins? Blueberry
17. One of your wish list items? Peace
18. Where you grew up? Richmond
19. The last thing you did? Walk
20. What are you wearing? Shorts
21. Your TV? On
22. Your pets? None
23. Your computer? Old
24. Your life? Interesting
25. Your mood? Calm
26. Missing someone? Aunt
27. Your car? Fly
28. Something you’re not wearing? Shoes
29. Favorite store? Book
30. Your summer? Typical
31. Like(love) someone? Daughter
32. Your favorite color? Orange
33. Last time you laughed? Morning
34. Last time you cried? Yesterday
35. Who will re-post this? Unknown

Not too bad!
AJ

Peaking Out of the Rabbit Hole

2008-06-30T19:51:00.003-04:00

Once again, I've fallen off the writing radar because of life's interruptions and all-around doldrums and just wanted to take a moment and poke my head out of the rabbit hole.

How's it going out there in the romance publishing world? Several of my friends have finished manuscripts and gotten publishing contracts and even seen their first debuts. To say that I'm not envious would be a lie, but I have no one to blame but myself. Now don't think this post is about beating myself up! I'm simply taking stock as I do every three months of so and being pragmatic about my efforts, or lack thereof.

The good news: it's summer time.

While she's out of town visiting her dad, I get a break from running back and forth, transporting my daughter to school and weekend activities. I can stay up all night (when I'm the most productive) working on my stories and doing critiques and then sleep late in the mornings. With me eating at odd times, maybe I can lose the weight I need to get into that bathing suit this summer. Of course, I want to take a much needed vacation somewhere. After the year I've had so far (thank goodness mom and dad are both recovering well), I need it.

So don't fret, y'all! I'm still alive and kickin'!
AJ

Memorial Day 2008!

2008-05-25T22:47:00.006-04:00

I just arrived back home from a family cookout. (The food was off the hook!) Looking around at the crowd I realized what a close-knit family we have despite ups and downs, disagreements and squabbles. I also felt the void of family members missing this year and years passed so on this Memorial Day I'd like to remember the following loved ones:

Purcell Jefferson, Sr. - paternal grandfather,

Thomas Anderson - maternal grandfather,

Margaret Jefferson - paternal grandmother,

Rebecca Anderson - maternal grandmother,

Samuel Jefferson - uncle,

Regina Harris - cousin,

Sarah Williams - great aunt,

AND each of the 4,081 US servicemen and women who have lost their lives during the current war.

Everyday each of them are missed tremendously. RIP!

LaConnie's Sophomore Release

2008-04-21T19:22:00.007-04:00

Congrats to my friend LaConnie Taylor-Jones on the April release of her second romance, When a Man Loves a Woman!

It's another homerun!

BOOK

DESCRIPTION
Nursing administrator Victoria Bennett has soured on love. She has sworn off men; they bring too much drama and too much pain into her life. That is, until she meets pediatrician A. J. Baptiste, a single parent who is determined to woo her. A. J. will stop at nothing to have her, and Victoria finds her resolve put to the test...but is this a fight she really wants to win?

Check LaConnie out at http://laconnietaylorjones.com.

American Masters - Zora Neale Hurston

2008-04-13T20:53:00.003-04:00

PBS's American Masters series re-aired its feature on Zora Neale Hurston tonight and once again I was mesmerized. I'd watched the two hour show previously last Thursday about Ms. Hurston who was considered one of the pre-eminent writers of twentieth-century African-American literature. Hurston was closely associated with the Harlem Renaissance and has influenced such writers as Ralph Ellison, Toni Morrison, Gayle Jones, Alice Walker, and Toni Cade Bambara. Her masterpiece novel, Her Eyes Were Watching God, published in 1937 was shunned by her Harlem Renaissance contemporaries, such as Richard Wright and Langston Hughes, but is now considered the first African-American romance with its richly drawn characters and use of the literary device known as free indirect discourse.

Despite experience some publishing success in the 1930's and 1940's , Hurston never received the financial rewards she deserve. She wrote, not the racially charged prose of her fellow writers of the day, but studied her people in the South and wrote stories with obvious love and appreciation for them in all their conditions, settings and flavors. She wrote for the love of writing and not with a goal to become rich and famous. Her later manuscripts and queries were often rejected, mainly because of vocal opposition to desegregation (she felt that her people were giving away their self-respect in a effort to merge with white society, that they didn't need to sit next to white people to be just as educated, just a cultured and just as success in their community) , and she died penniless in 1960, her work falling out of favor in the literary world.

In 1975, Ms. Magazine published Alice Walker's essay, "In Search of Zora Neale Hurston" reviving interest in the author. Hurston's four novels and two books of folklore resulted from extensive anthropological research and have proven invaluable sources on the oral cultures of African America.

Through her writings, Robert Hemenway wrote in The Harlem Renaissance Remembered, Hurston "helped to remind the Renaissance--especially its more bourgeois members--of the richness in the racial heritage."

She took big chances and lived life to the fullest each day. She was as fascinating as any of her characters! Check your local listings to see her life story.

Just Checking In....

2008-03-28T13:59:00.001-04:00

I know, I know. It's been over a month since I checked in but you don't even WANT to know what's been going on in my life over recent weeks! Suffice to say, things are settling down and I'm trying to get back on track with my writing and editing...and blogging. I also have to tackle my critique to-do list. Several of my writing friends have been making great strides in completing their manuscripts. I'm both proud and envious of them and their work ethic. Keep up the good work, ladies!

"Putting the Critics in Their Place" By Sophfronia Scott

2008-02-21T01:29:00.008-05:00

As some of you know, I'm dealing with a family medical crisis this month. And since my tired brain can barely string together these two sentence I'll instead share with you folks the following article by Sophfronia Scott author of:

Putting the Critics in Their Place

By Sophfronia Scott, "The Book Sistah"

I once read that if you were a writer, it wasn't enough to just write. "You must publish what you write" was the given advice. I believe that's true and it's great advice. But when you do that, you have to know at least three things are going to happen: 1.) Someone will like your writing. 2.) Someone will dislike your writing. 3.) Someone won't care! If you allow all these reactions to make or break you, you'll be on an endless emotional roller coaster ride. You can smooth out the peaks and valleys, though, if you ask yourself a few questions.

Who is Saying it?

You may have heard the saying "consider the source". That's important when you're weighing any commentary on your work. In the case of teachers, editors or book reviewers, you want to be confident that the person is truly objective and knows what they're doing. If you're sure of them, you can take what they say, good and bad, and learn from them. These aren't people out to destroy you (usually!), so don't shoot the messenger.

Once people in the real world start buying and reading your work, you'll definitely hear about who loved it and who hated it. But pay close attention because there's more to it than a love-hate relationship. My first novel was packaged in such a way that it looked like an urban romance when in fact it is a complex family drama. I knew people who picked up the book expecting a light romance would be sorely disappointed--and that's exactly what happened when my novel was featured in a book-of-the-month club that specialized in selling urban romance. Many of their customers who bought my book hated it!

What Are They Saying?

If I had taken their criticism at face value, I would have felt like a failure. But all of the reader comments I saw on the club's website: "Too slow, boring, not enough se*x" told me they were expecting a different kind of book--and I didn't blame them! I would have been miffed too if I had expected "Valley of the Dolls" and ended up reading "War and Peace"! These readers were not in my target market, so the comments didn't upset me.

Readers in my target market gave different feedback. Yes, they liked the book, but that wasn't all: I could tell they had engaged with the book and had invested in the characters. Even comments about how frustrated they got with the main character were good because it meant they cared enough to be frustrated. If these readers had found the book slow and boring, I would have known for certain I had a problem.

Is it Consistent with What You Know of Your Work?

As a writer, you must know your own work well enough to help you decide what criticism makes sense and what doesn't. I've said before that I believe most writers know in their heart when something is wrong or if they're having problems with their material. If you know writing dialogue is difficult for you, there's no reason to be hurt or surprised when someone says your dialogue is weak or unbelieveable. So do an open and honest evaluation of what the reader and/or critic is saying. Then you can...

Make a Decision: What Will You Do?

No matter where your feedback is coming from, it will always be your decision whether or not you do anything with it. Sometimes feedback will open up new ideas and you're happy to rewrite based on those comments because you know the work will be better. Sometimes the book is already out there, and the feedback can only make you think about what you'll do differently next time. Or maybe you won't make a change at all. There's a particular scene in my novel that's so soap opera-ish it's almost ridiculous. But I knew that when I wrote it and I wanted it to be that way because I wanted to show how love can make people do crazy things. I wasn't going to change it.

But if I hadn't been clear on my intentions for the scene, I would have felt horrible everytime it was brought up in a book group's discussion. It was easier for me to stand up for my writing because I had been clear about what I was doing. So, for the sake of your writer's heart, be clear--all the better to see your way through to a better book.

© 2008 Sophfronia Scott
Author and Writing Coach Sophfronia Scott is "The Book Sistah" TM. Get her FREE REPORT, "The 5 Big Mistakes Most Writers Make When Trying to Get Published" and her FREE online writing and book publishing tips at http://www.TheBookSistah.com

Blogging in Black: A question of passion

2008-02-08T17:37:00.001-05:00

Hi all,

Just a quick note to tell you to check out a Blogging in Black post by my friend, LaConnie Taylor-Jones, a contemporary romance writer on the rise. On February 6, 2008, she pinned an inspiring guest blog on passion and creative writing. I thoroughly enjoyed it and think you will too.

Also, pick up her debut novel, When I'm With You from Genesis Press, Inc. Marcel and Caitlyn's love story is a poignant love story about overcoming domestic abuse. Check out her website to read an excerpt. http://www.laconnietaylorjones.com/

Definitely a keeper!

AJ

The End!

2008-01-24T18:49:00.000-05:00

I can finally type those two words at the bottom of a manuscript.

Can't Help But Love You is finally, albeit imperfectly, complete. My moment of relief and joy is tempered by the knowledge that it needs a lot of tweaking before I feel it's ready to go out to publishers. Oh, don't get me wrong! I'm not going to hold on to it and labor over it forever. Just until I'm happy with its theme, its premise, its characters and its plot. All of those items have to gel in order for it to work for me. Already, I have new ideas about my secondary characters and their overall usefulness in putting Paxton and Kelis' romance on the right track.

I've received advice to put it aside for a week then get right to work. Well a week has gone by and life has intruded in the form of a laid-up child, whose calls of "mommy" are echoing in my dreams. I guess edits and re-tooling will have to start in another week or two. (sigh!)

AJ

Reputation at Stake

2008-01-16T09:07:00.000-05:00

Has anyone been keeping up with the plagiarism controversy involving Cassie Edwards, the historical romance writer? It's becoming a huge topic in the industry. So much so that RWA has made an official statement. Check out the link below:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/12/books/12roma.html?scp=1&sq=cassie+edwards

I've read a few of Mrs. Edwards' romances. It's a shame that such a prolific, successful author will have a blight spot on her reputation.

Thought-provoking, huh?

Has it really been a month?!

2008-01-10T17:15:00.000-05:00

TIME HAS FLOWN!

It's been a whole month since my last post and so much has happened. Too much to list, really. Needless to say, I'm glad I made it through the end of 2007 unscathed and have limped into 2008. Limped literally. But I'm resting up and recharging my batteries (taking my vitamins and getting plenty of daytime sleep.)

Now it's time to set a few goals for 2008. Let's see....

Renew my memberships to RWA and VRW.
Wrap up CHBLY and tackle two new manuscripts.
Get out of the house more. It's become my cave of sorts.
Build an author's website for myself, hopefully to coincide with a sale.
Post to this blog at least twice a week. I've been a real slacker!
Log in more critique time especially on RAH and RWC critique groups where I am a moderator.
And take a real vacation, someplace away from Richmond.

Kudos to all my writing friends who have set their 2008 goals!

Check it out....

2007-12-07T22:01:00.000-05:00

I have nothing to write here but check out my blog entry at Mavens of the Pen, http://themavensofthepen.blogspot.com. It's a fun one.

Angela

2007 Goals Revisited

2007-12-06T19:21:00.000-05:00

I'll take this moment to revisit my 2007 goals and evaluate how I did for the year.

Completing one or two full manuscripts

I'm almost done with Can't Help But Love You, the one I've been working on for months and months and did start another one, Can't Get Enough, at the beginning of the year. They both should definitely be completed in 2008.

Find an agent

I don't feel comfortable making queries until I've completed something. I have to prove to myself that I can finish.

Participate in writing contests

I entered Can't Help But Love You in to VRW's Fool for Love First Chapter Contest and came in second place. First time entrant, first time finalist! Hot damn!!

Educate myself on marketing and promotional tactics

With the help of my critique partner, Denise, and the ladies in Mavens, I been receiving little nuggets of wisdom but having fully researched the tactics.

Renew my membership to RWA and Virginia Writing Group

Done. I'm a member of both.

Submit my finished manuscript to publishers

I've gotta finish the darn things!

Buy a laptop or Alphasmart (Dana)

My youngest brother, Michael, who is deployed in Iraq but will be home for Christmas, purchased a Dell laptop for me and my daughter (she insists that it's her birthday and Christmas present) and had it delivered this week. We are truly excited and grateful! Now I can type away from home and take a break from my office desk and the Internet. She wants me to get a wireless router for the house but I think that'll defeat my purposes.

I'll set 2008 by the end of the month.

When Your Writing Sucks...

2007-11-28T18:39:00.000-05:00

What do you do when you know your writing simply stinks up the room?

That's how I'm feeling this week. I just posted a chapter to my critique group and know it's a bunch of garbage. I'm trying to ignore the malaise in my pacing and plot and push through to the end of the book but --gee wiz-- it's all a bunch of drivel!

Quite honesty, the problem could not be with the writing but with my mood. I'm down in the dumps and blue this week. Why? I don't know. So my critique buddies are going to have to suffer through and for that I apologize in advance. I promise, things will get better.

Nose to the Grindstone!

2007-11-12T09:59:00.001-05:00

Hey All!

I haven't posted in a while because I've been very busy with my WIP, outlining my next story, critiquing and life in general. I'm making great progress in Can't Help But Love You. The story is wrapping up nicely and now it's time for editing. I'm not looking forward to that because I know how difficult pulling a cohesive story together can be.

My daughter's 12th birthday was Saturday and I can't believe how much she's grown and changed. Gone are the days of Bratz dolls, cartoons and cuddles with Mom. Now she's talking on the phone with her friends as soon as she gets out of school (mind you, they just saw each other ten minutes before), wanting big-ticket electronics, watching music video, and mumbling under her breath how much I get on her nerves. Calgon take me away!

Well that's all for now. Hope to have more later this week. What are you working on?

Happy Birthday wishes today to Shaniqua and Charlotte!

AJ

Remembering Quinton and Nola

2007-10-22T18:52:00.000-04:00

In light of the sudden death of Hunter Tylo's (The Bold and the Beautiful) nineteen-year-old son, Mickey, on Thursday, I was reminded of one of my favorite soap opera couples. Mickey's father is Michael Tylo, Sr. one half of one of the greatest "Guiding Light" couples (besides Josh and Reva), Quinton McCord Chamberlain and Nola Reardon.

Back in the mid-80s as a teenager I was glued to the screen in the afternoons watching the developing romance between Quint and Nola (Lisa Brown) and was hooked on the genre of romance forever more. Quint looking dashing in his trademark ascot and sending smoldering looks at Nola. Nola the quirky Irish daughter with her fascination for the mysterious, debounaire boss.

When I read early editions of Harlequin romance where the wealthy boss was the quinessential hero, Quint was always the image in my head. An archealogist, he was Indiana Jones before Harrison Ford made the character his own. It's funny, we could always tell when you were seeing the real man Quint whenever his ascot was off. Hubba-hubba! Remember those heartwrenching moments when Nola was in a coma and Quint admitted he loved her while as her bedside. I was never more pleased than when Quint and Nola got married on June 24, 1983.

What a day! And the adventures continued until they left the show in 1985. Their characters made a reappearance in 1996 but it just wasn't the same.

For a walk down memory lane, check out this site: http://www.quintnola.com. I found this site and was catapulted into the past.

My prayers go out to the Tylo family.

Self-Affirmation for the Writer in You

2007-10-01T22:32:00.000-04:00

I found these wonderful affirmations by Shad Helmstetter, author of "The Self-Talk Solution," on the web today. Get your printers ready!

Self-Affirmations
* Every day, in every way, I’m getting better and better.

* I like and respect myself. I know I am a worthy, capable and valuable person.

* I guide my own destiny, and I’m accountable for the results of my decisions and actions. I reinforce my successes and correct for errors.

* I easily anticipate and experience events in my imagination before they actually happen.

* I am my own expert, and I am not affected by the negative attitudes and opinions of others.

* I easily balance the needs of my family with my own need to write.

* Creativity flows through me easily and effortlessly.

* I am a talented writer.

* I have a positive expectancy of big success, and I take temporary setbacks easily.

* I am a creative person and develop my plots with confidence and imagination.

* Images and words come easily when I sit down to write.

* I have unlimited potential; I have unlimited creativity.

* I happily accept the joys and responsibilities of being published and welcome success.

* I write daily with excitement, enthusiasm, and confidence.

* I am well-organized and have a vivid picture of my goals.

* I don’t wait for inspiration. Work inspires inspiration. If I succeed, I keep working. If I fail, I keep working. Whether I feel interested or bored, energized or tired, encouraged or discouraged, I keep working.

* I have the craftsmanship and creativity to successfully finish this book.

More self-affirmations from Shad Helmstetter:
(THE SELF-TALK SOLUTION)
* I have talents and skills and abilities. I even have talents and skills that I don’t know about yet. And I am discovering new talents inside myself all the time.

* I invest my time and energies where I choose. My time and energy are gifts which I guard and give by my choice - - but never by the demands, dictates, or the expectations of others.

* I am a winner. I am absolutely determined to achieve my aims. I am steadfast and persistent in the pursuit of my goals, and I will not give up.

* Each day my confidence in my self-expression grows stronger and even more positive. I express myself easily, without fear or uncertainty.

* Each day I consciously remove from my mind the imaginary bindings of self-doubt and the unnecessary limitations of uncertainty and fear.

* I am never afraid to try.

* I was not created to fail; I was created to succeed. Success is a part of who I am and a part of everything about me.

Pretty good, huh?

Studying the Market

2007-09-20T14:32:00.000-04:00

Last month I subscribed to Reader Service to receive monthly editions of Harlequin Blaze novels.

Why?

I wanted to study the market. Ideally, I'd like to write novels that fit into this genre and needed to find out what the publisher was publishing. Likewise, I subscribed to Harlequin's Kimani line, their African-American genre, months ago. The stories I'm working would definitely fit that market. Call it market research!

Do you study the target market for your manuscripts? If so, how and how often?

It's been a month....

2007-09-10T18:47:00.000-04:00

It's been exactly a month since I posted on my blog ( a friend of mine suggested I do less posting and more writing) so I wanted to jump on and let everyone know I'm still alive and kickin'.

Life has a way of derailing plans and slowing progress and that's just what happened to me. My dad was in a horrible truck accident three weeks ago. Thankfully, he's on the mend!

My baby niece is turning three months old this week and boy, is she getting big. She even got her ears pierced last weekend. I got my ears pierced at aged ten on the front stoop with a potato and a hot needle and walked around with broom straw in each hole for a week. Times have changed!

My writing? Lazy, lazy, lazy! I don't even want to talk about how I feel about my progress right now. All of my friends (Jennifer, Bella, Chicki, Chelle, Erin, LaConnie, and Zaynah) are so prolific I can't even keep up with the critiques. But I will get back on track, slowly but surely.

The Results are in....

2007-08-10T10:01:00.001-04:00

Can't Help But Love You placed second in the Virginia Romance Writers Fool for Love First Chapter Contest. To see my name in lights, click here.

Needless to say, I am thrilled! I was so excited to be a finalist but to know that I placed second on my first contest submission on my first manuscript....Let's just say that I am over the moon. Over the next few weeks I plan to FINISH the manuscript and start on my edits. Then it's on to working on a synopsis and query letter to agents and publishers.

Wow! What a way to hit one of my goals!

Write Tight: A 10 Step Diet for the Verbose Writer

2007-07-22T20:21:00.000-04:00

Below is an article by Lois Winston that I found quite helpful and hopefully my writing friends will too.

Write Tight: A 10 Step Diet for the Verbose Writer © Lois Winston

THE END. What a sense of accomplishment to type those words upon completion of your manuscript. After months or maybe years of labor, your baby is ready to leave its cozy Microsoft womb and fly off to that “A” List of agents and/or editors. Except for one problem. Somehow your bundle of joy wound up tipping the scales at 20,000 words over your targeted line’s weight limit. Now what? You curse. You cry. You stamp your feet. You reach for the chocolate. Feel better? Probably not. Baby is still a porker. However, all is not lost. Put baby on the following diet, and in no time she’ll shed that excess word weight.

STEP ONE:

Reread your manuscript. Is every scene essential to the plot or the goals, motivations, and conflicts of your characters? If not, no matter how much you love what you wrote, ax the scene. Each scene must serve a purpose. No purpose? No scene. Yes, I know it hurts. So instead of hitting the “delete” key, cut and paste the scene to a Loquacious Blubber file. You may be able to use it in a future manuscript.

STEP TWO:

Repeat STEP ONE for all dialogue. If the dialogue is nothing but chit-chat which neither advances the plot nor tells the reader something essential about the characters, exile it to the Loquacious Blubber file.

STEP THREE:

Do a search of “ly” words. You don’t have to omit all adverbs, but wherever possible, substitute a more active, descriptive verb to replace your existing verb and the adverb that modifies it.
· Blubber: Joe walked purposefully across the room.
· Tight: Joe strode across the room.
· Savings: 1 word

STEP FOUR:

Instead of using many adjectives to describe a noun, use one all-encompassing adjective or a more descriptive noun. If certain information isn’t necessary to your story, omit it.
· Blubber: Elizabeth grew up in an old, large house with twenty rooms that sat on four acres of land.
· Tight: Elizabeth grew up in a Victorian mansion or Elizabeth grew up on an estate.
· Savings: 11 or 12 words

STEP FIVE:

Say it once, then move on. It’s not necessary to repeat an idea or image in different words in the next sentence, the next paragraph, or on the next page. You don’t need to beat your reader over the head. She’s intelligent enough to “get it” the first time she read it.
· Blubber: A kettle drum pounded inside Elizabeth’s head. Her temples throbbed. Her skull pulsated with pain.
· Tight: A kettle drum pounded inside Elizabeth’s head.
· Savings: 8 words

STEP SIX:

Identify needless words and eliminate them. Every writer has at least one or two pet word she overuses.
· Blubber: Elizabeth just wanted to know Joe better before she dated him.
· Tight: Elizabeth wanted to know Joe better before she dated him.
· Savings: 1 word

STEP SEVEN:

Avoid laundry list descriptions by substituting more descriptive nouns and adjectives.
· Blubber: Joe wore a blue and green plaid threadbare shirt with a missing button at the cuff and a pair of frayed black jeans torn below the knees.
· Tighter: Joe wore Salvation Army rejects.
· Savings: 22 words

STEP EIGHT:

Do a search for was. Wherever it’s linked with an ing verb, omit the was and change the tense of the verb.
· Blubber: Elizabeth was listening to Joe.
· Tight: Elizabeth listened to Joe.
· Savings: 1 word

STEP NINE:

Choose more descriptive verbs and omit the additional words that enhance the verb.
· Blubber: Joe walked with a swaggering gait.
· Tight: Joe swaggered.
· Savings: 4 words

STEP TEN:

Omit extraneous tag lines. If it’s obvious which character is speaking, a tag line is unnecessary.
· Blubber: Joe turned to face Elizabeth. “You don’t understand,” he said.
· Tight: Joe turned to face Elizabeth. “You don’t understand.”
· Savings: 2 words

NOTE:

The above word diet is part of a healthy writing style and recommended for all authors, whether or not they need to drop 20,000 words from their manuscripts.

http://www.loiswinston.com/article7.html

A Tiny Bit of Success

2007-06-27T08:14:00.000-04:00

Guess what?

I received a good news phone call last week announcing that my first chapter of "Can't Help But Love You" had placed as one of three finalists in the long contemporary category of Virginia Romance Writers' "Fool for Love" First Chapter Contest. Talk about excited! I was on cloud nine. This was my first ever submission to a contest and to have a tiny bit of success felt awesome.

To see my name in "lights" check out the link below.

http://www.virginiaromancewriters.com/Contests/fflwinners.html

Now I'm so motivated that I've already come up with a tentative name for my next project, "Do You Dream About Me?"

What do you think about a question as a title?

One of my crit partners, Denise "Chicki Brown" Jones uses a question as the title for one of her WIPs, "Have You Seen Her?"

Happy "Birth" Day, Mi'Kaela!

2007-06-14T08:16:00.000-04:00

Good News! My only niece, Mi'Kaela Macyn Jefferson was born last night at 11:31pm, Alaska time. (left: sonogram pic)

The timing was perfect. My brother arrived for R & R from Iraq on Monday, his wife's birthday was Tuesday, and Mi'Kaela arrived just before midnight on Wednesday. What a blessed first Father's Day for Michael!

I was excited the whole day. With every phone call from Mike, I got more and more excited. When I got the call at three this morning, I popped out of bed and raced to the phone. I just knew she was here. She arrived weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces and with a head full of hair.

I am ever so grateful that Michael has made it through his first six months in Iraq and arrived home safely. I dread the fact that he is leaving again in less than two weeks and still has six months left on his tour of duty. I trust God will protect him, and he will get back safe and sound.

Besides, he has a lifetime of Daddy work to do.

AJ (new Auntie)

Last Day of School...Yippy!!

2007-06-07T13:06:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was my daughter's last day of school and I don't know who was more excited - me or her!

My excitement stemmed from the fact that I get a break from running back and forth to school - 4 times a day, 80 miles a day, and from the long nights of homework (no way in hell did we have this much homework in the sixth grade!) Also at the end of the month, I get a much-needed break from the stress of mothering the tempermental ball of love/hate I call my child while she is away visiting her dad.

I just don't know what to do with myself. Will I take the time to wrap up my current WIP, rest up and recharge my batteries after a bout of illnesses recently, or take a trip like Stella and get my "groove back."

Maybe a little of all three!

All I know is that I am too young and lovely (am I delusional or what?) to just sit around and rot away or feel sorry for myself. Besides, life is too short.

When my child gets back, we are definitely going on vacation together like we did last spring break. We had a ball riding a tandem bike on the boardwalk (well, she pedalled in front and I pretended to pedal in the back), going to see the sites and eating at a different restaurant every night.

So what are you doing this summer?
AJ

The Great Outline Debate

2007-05-31T17:52:00.000-04:00

I am constantly struggling to find the answer to the question of whether to outline versus not outline your story. I found Deirdre Savoy's blog entry on Blogging in Black today both timely and thought-provoking. As an analytical person, I want to outline my stories and plan out my plot and only deviate from the "plan" when necessary. However, new ideas and character input often get me off track and frustrate me. (Sigh!) On which side of the issue do you fall as a writer?

Here is what Dee had to say:

One of the most asked questions of professional writers by aspiring writers is “Do you use an outline and if you do what kind?” I hate that question. You see, I’m a pantser. I figure out as much as I need to know about my plot and characters, sit in the chair and have at it. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen in chapter 23 because I don’t know. My story and my people evolve as I write about them. I find plotting should be spelled p-l-o-d-d-i-n-g, because by the time I do it, I have lost all interest in writing the book.
Should you or shouldn’t you have an outline? The answer is really up to you. Do you need one? My answer is no, but here are a few pros and cons of each way to help you make up your mind.

Outline:
Pros: provides immediate structure and focusless chance of going off on tangents or painting yourself in a corner
Cons: more up-front workcan lock you in if you’re afraid to deviate from plan

No Outline:
Pros: just jump right ineasier to let the story develop as you write
Cons: can feel like “flying without a net”can lead to the sort of writer’s block when you don’t know what happens next

But, in truth, neither method is better or worse than the other. It depends on what works for you, not any other writer. Try it one way and if it doesn’t work try something else. Try different degrees of outlining—say having a rough idea of what goes on in each chapter as opposed to a scene by scene description. How you work should reflect your needs as a writer. Also, don’t be surprised if those needs change over time. You may start out as either a pantser or a plotter then gravitate the other way. My advice? Go with the flow and let the words flow.

Again, on which side of the issue do you fall as a writer?

Your Dash

2007-05-23T20:47:00.000-04:00

At my daughter's dance class tonight, the director and I had an impromptu chat session with 10 girls ranging from age 11 to 16. The director had stopped the girls mid-dance because she h
ad been troubled recently by the spirit of apathy (for the younger girls) and "boy-crazy drama" (for the older girls) within the group, which is a Christian liturgical dance ensemble. The director spoke to them about valuing themselves and walking the Earth as an example of God's grace, of not succuming to the pressures to have sex, to be popular, to cuss, to dance suggestively, and to be distracted by their life goals. As I sat there listening to them individually speak of the "drama" in their lives - some of them giggly and ditzy and others teary and troubled - I was moved to jump into the conversation and offer my own words on wisdom about staying focused on your goals and not let distractions waylay your dreams. Suddenly I was inspired to tell them about a poem I'd read about how the day of one's birth and one's death are pre-ordained by God and how what we do with our life in between those dates is oh, so important in determining how we will be remembered by those we leave behind. The poem is below:

HOW DO YOU LIVE YOUR DASH

by Linda Ellis

I read of a man who stood to speak

At the funeral of a friend.

He referred to the dates on her tombstone

From the beginning…to the end.

He noted that first came her date of birth

And spoke the following date with tears,

But he said what mattered most of all

Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time

That she spent alive on earth…

And now only those who loved her

Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own;

The cars…the house…the cash,

What matters is how we live and love

And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard…

Are there things you’d like to change?

For you never know how much time is left,

That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough

To consider what’s true and real,

And always try to understand

The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,

And show appreciation more

And love the people in our lives

Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,

And more often wear a smile…

Remembering that this special dash

Might only last a little while.

So, when your eulogy’s being read

With your life’s actions to rehash…

Would you be proud of the things they say

About how you spent your dash?

www.lindaslyrics.com

You should have seen the looks on the girls' faces. "That's deep," was the concensus around the studio. I advised them to live each day, treasure each moment, choose the words they speak, evaluate their friends and boyfriends, and pursue their dreams with their "dash" in mind. No matter how old we are when we die, it's the "dash" that will define us. Hopefully the dancers will absorb my words. But if I have touched one girl, including my daughter, I'm happy.

AJ

Happy Mothers Day

2007-05-11T19:36:00.000-04:00

I just want to take this moment to wish Happy Mothers Day to:

My writing buddies:

Denise, Zaynah, Chelle, Bella, Evelyn, LaConnie, LaGuana, Dee, Tracey, Tash, Erin, Jennifer, Judi, Maggie, Donna, Lynne, and JL.

My friends:

Rhonda, Maria, Crystal, Damita, Renee, Gloria, Maxine, Jane, Freda, and Carolyn.

And my family:

My mother, Davonya, Chontell, Aunt Rosa, Aunt Alice, Kimberly and Yasmin Jefferson, Shaniqua, and Annie Jones.

AND of course, to myself. Under difficult circumstances and health trials I am doing an amazing job of raising my daughter. Recent months, she and I have butted heads over everything under the sun but we're still a team. No matter what!

For anyone I've forgotten, blame my head, not my heart.

Angela

What I've Been Doing this Week!

2007-05-03T21:10:00.000-04:00

Can you believe it's already Thursday, the first week of May? Gosh, time is zooming!

This week I have picked up some critique work but mostly I've been restructuring the plot of my story. Last week I received some daunting insight from a friend on why she thinks I've lost momentum in my story. Overall, we agree that I've put too much information about my characters' background and motivation in the beginning chapters and left very little to sprinkle at crucial points throughout the story. Pacing is so important, apparently. New writers, I've heard and read, tend to make the mistake of putting everything and the kitchen sink in the first few chapters and overexplaining character motivations, settings and stage direction in the first act of the story. I'm now working on the skill of slowing down and understanding that as the writer, I know the characters, settings, actions and reactions but must show the readers these things instead of telling them. And telling takes time, patience and skill.

As you edit your work, do you find that you've put too much out there in the beginning?

What are you reading?

2007-04-22T23:08:00.000-04:00

This past week I was laid up with an attack and spent most of my bedrest time either sleeping or reading. As a Kimani readers subscriber, I've got a ton of books on my bookshelf. Sadly, I did very little writing. (I did however finish that love scene.)

Hopefully, I'll be back on track and more productive this week.

So, what are you reading?

Inspired by "Rocky Balboa"

2007-04-09T01:21:00.000-04:00

I just finished watching the DVD of Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky Balboa", his sixth and last installment on the travails of the fictional, Philadelphia-bred underdog boxer, Rocky. The movie was enjoyable, poignant and quite a departure from the previous chapters. That is, there was no Adrian, no villain, and (spoiler alert) no victory for Rocky.

But what really inspired me was the director's commentary by Sylvester Stallone!

You have to rent it and listen. The man, not known for his acting abilities despite his success as an action star, is a terrific writer. He has tremendous insight on his characters, their motivations, their feelings and their goals. Listening to him map out the scenes, the lighting, the set-ups was very thought-provoking. His comments had me thinking about my characters, the dialogue and upcoming scenes. I was just so surprised by how much wisdom Sly had to impart to viewers on the end of the series.

But the ultimate motivation for me was his last words as a montage of everyday folks running up those museum steps and throwing up their arms in the classic Rocky pose.

Sly said, "Just keep punching, just keep punching, you never know, you never know, you just may hit your dream right on the jaw."

Damn! Enough said!

Thank you, Sly! We're going to miss you, Rocko!

Well I Did it!

2007-04-05T11:41:00.000-04:00

Yippee! I submitted my first chapter of Can't Help But Love You to a contest and just got confirmation that it was received. Now I can check that goal off my 2007 Goals list. Wish me luck!

This week, I'm back to writing and critiquing. What are you working on this week?

What Happened to April Fool's Day?

2007-04-03T23:45:00.000-04:00

I just realized that it's April 3rd and I'd totally forgotten about April Fool's Day.

And it was so easy to forget! I didn't get a mass email with a crazy joke, didn't hear mention of it in the media, didn't even get a prank played on me. What's going on?

Are we getting too jaded to appreciate the lighthearted fun of the day? Was it because it was Sunday? Has the war gotten the country so down that we think we can't laugh at ourselves? That can't be the case with all of the Sanjaya mania, Heather Mills leg watch and outrageous celebrity nonsense that's flooding the airwaves. I didn't even prank my own child. Every year I pull a stunt on her, she gets pissed and I laugh harder. This past Sunday we fussed with each other like two female territorial cats. (Beware of impending teenager!!)

Needless to say, I need a huge belly laugh and just didn't get one! Oh well! Maybe next year!

Last Week in March

2007-03-27T09:41:00.000-04:00

It's the last week of March, and it looks like I'm not going to meet my end of month deadline. I'm plenty bummed but I'm not going to beat myself up. I'm simply going to keep plugging away at the story and write, write, write!

One of my goals for 2007 is to participate in a contest or two. So this week I'm going to submit chapter one of Can't Help But Love You in the Virginia Romance Writers "Fool for Love" First Chapter Contest. C'mon ladies, join the contest too! The deadline for submissions is April 1st.

So with contest requirements in hand, I'm going to fine tune the beginning of Kelis and Paxton's story. Cross your fingers that I'll finish the story in April.

Oops! My Bad....

2007-03-13T18:41:00.000-04:00

Some of my friends assumed from reading my last post that I'd finished Can't Help But Love You. But alas, I haven't! I'm still plugging away and trying to keep my end of the month deadline.

Please keep your fingers crossed and I'll keep my fingers flying.

All Men Are Sculptors....

2007-03-12T18:47:00.000-04:00

This weekend, I was watching Bravo's "Inside the Actor's Studio" with Eddie Murphy as a guest and heard about the quote he wrote for his Roosevelt High School yearbook that states:

"All men are sculptors, constantly chipping away the unwanted parts of their lives, trying to create a masterpiece."

What a wonderful quote! So life-affirming!

The same can be said for writers, particular writers of romance and women's fiction. Our stories begin with characters in crisis or in transition or living an intrinsically unsettled, unfulfilled life. Their story is a journey to chip away the parts of their lives that are not adding to the essence of happiness and acceptance and to augment their lives with love, peace or spiritual wholeness. Each plot twist acts as a cog in the rotary wheel that "chips" or "augments." By the story's end, the writer has what he/she believe is a masterpiece in the ultimate development of the characters. Some choose to leave the "what-happens-next" to the readers' imagination and others write an epilogue that provides a snapshot of what the characters' life is like in the future.

I haven't decided on whether to write an epilogue or not. But I'm leaning toward writing an epilogue for Can't Help But Love You. Most epilogues that I read are satisfying and what I envision as the happily ever after. I enjoy a glimpse into future. It's the icing on the cake.

The masterpiece is complete!

30 Days and Counting

2007-03-01T23:44:00.000-05:00

Enough is enough!

It's been two years and I am quite sick of Kelis and Paxton. That's why I am setting a goal to finish their story, Can't Help But Love You, by the end of this month. I am so ready to move on to its sequel, Can't Get Enough, Briallen and Nathan's story.

I mean, how long should a long contemporary take to write? Certainly not two darn years. Throughout this two-year odyssey, I've gotten so much advice to not worry about the rules and just write. Advice I've had a difficult time following because I am such a perfectionist and worry-wart.

Well enough of the pity-party! Perfecting the story will occur during the editing process. Now my nose if to the grindstone.

Universal Laws

2007-02-27T19:54:00.000-05:00

Below is courtesy of Deirdre Savoy's post on her Yahoo group ladiesinred:

UNIVERSAL LAWS
Law of Mechanical Repair: After your hands become coated with grease your nose will begin to itch or you'll have to pee

Law of the Workshop: Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

Law of Probability: The probability of being watched is directly proportional to the stupidity of your act.

Law of the Telephone: When you dial a wrong number, you never get abusy signal.

Law of the Alibi: If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the very next morning you will have a flat tire.

Variation Law: If you change lines (or traffic lanes), the one you were in will start to move faster than the one you are in now. (works every time)

Bath Theorem: When the body is fully immersed in water, the telephone rings.

Law of Close Encounters: The probability of meeting someone you know increases when you are with someone you don't want to be seen with.

Law of the Result: When you try to prove to someone that a machinewon't work, it will.

Law of Biomechanics: The severity of the itch is inversely proportional to the reach.

Theatre Rule: At any event, the people whose seats are furthest from the aisle arrive last.

Law of Coffee: As soon as you sit down to a cup of hot coffee, your boss will ask you to do something which will last until the coffee is cold.

Murphy's Law of Lockers: If there are only two people in a lockerroom, they will have adjacent lockers.

Law of Dirty Rugs/Carpets: The chances of an open-faced jelly sandwich landing face down on a floor covering are directly correlated to the newness and cost of the carpet/rug.

Law of Location: No matter where you go, there you are.

Law of Logical Argument: Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.

Brown's Law: If the shoe fits, it's really ugly.

Oliver's Law: A closed mouth gathers no feet.

Wilson's Law: As soon as you find a product that you really like,they will stop making it.

Law of Chinese Restuarants: If you are the ONLY customer sitting in a Chinese restuarant when the next person comes in the hostess will seat him/her right next to you.

Rivalry Among Women

2007-02-26T18:14:00.000-05:00

Last night I watched as Jennifer Hudson accepted the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Effie White in Dreamgirls and was reminded of all the rumors surrounding a rivalry between her and Beyonce, especially when I saw them perform together on stage.

Why is it that folks pit successful women against each other or we see our contemporaries as competition?

There is enough room for all women within every industry. We don't have to fight our way to the top. From their singing performance it was clear that Beyonce and Jennifer have different styles and strengths. Rumors have swirled that Beyonce is jealous of all of the attention and accolades Jennifer is receiving. I've even wondered why Jennifer's acting performance was categorized as a supporting role when she was clearly a leader actress in the film. Did Beyonce's star power make her an automatic marquee headliner? Is she a better actress? Prettier? Slimmer? Smarter?

If it's true, folks in Beyonce's camp shouldn't begrudge Jennifer's success any more than we are aspiring writers should envy the success of our author sisters. As women can't waste time comparing writing ability, speed and creativity, industry connections, and contracts. Instead we should cheer each other on and work hard for the same success.

Rather than lamenting about the limited space at the top, we'd be better served by extolling the richness of success.

Story Climax

2007-02-20T10:50:00.000-05:00

Throughout my research on plot development, one of primary topics that resonates with me is the importance of building a climax, the point when a story's conflict comes to its moment of greatest intensity. According to Building Better Plots by Robert Kernen, a successful climax is impossible if the rising action that leads to it has been a failure or if the climax is poorly timed.

Could that be the issue with my story? Today I'm alloting time to carefully examine my scenes and evaluate whether the action serves to advance the plot and unleash the climax. I've written 200 pages and still don't have a firm thumb on the crisis Kelis and Paxton will face, individually and as a couple. (Grrrrr!) By the amount of time I spend agonizing, uh-hum, thinking about their story, I know I'm right on the cusp to a breakthrough.

When you write, do you know what the climax will be or does it just comes to you as you write?

6 Weird Things about Me!

2007-02-19T00:31:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Jennifer Shirk, now I have to add to the weird quotient:

1. I broke my tailbone while delivering my daughter eleven years ago. I had no clue at the time, but the next morning I woke up with the worst pain in my lower back. I complained to my OB and he blithely proclaimed, "Oh you probably cracked your tailbone pushing." I had no idea such a thing was possible but if you think about it, it makes sense. I got an x-ray and, yep, it was cracked. Even now on rainy days I wish I had a sling for my rump.

2. The day after receiving my driver's license at 16 and 8 months, I hit a pedestrian while driving to the library. Talk about horrifying! My mother was driving right behind me when she turned right to go home and I continued straight toward the library. As traffic backed up into the intersection because of a stopped car ahead. I changed lanes to get out the intersection before the light changed. As I was proceeding forward, a guy dashed from between the stopped car and a city bus. I slammed on the brakes but it was too late. I clipped the guy in the leg, throwing him up onto the hood and into my windshield. When my car jarred to a halt, he rolled to the ground and hit his head once more on a parked car. I freaked out royally! I'll never forget the look on his face and the shock in his eyes. I had plenty of witness since it was rush hour and folks were getting off from work. Someone from the crowd came over and got my mother's number and she got to the scene just as medics were putting the young man into the ambulance. He suffered a broken leg, cracked ribs and a concussion, but survived. Thanks God! BTW, he got a ticket for jaywalking.

3. I go to the hair salon every week. I hate washing my own hair and look forward to my weekly pampering session. I don't drink, smoke, gamble or do drugs. This and reading are my two obsessions.

4. I never had a date in high school. What a nerd I was!

5. My favorite television shows: from the 70s was Good Times, from the 80s was Dance Fever, from the 90s was The Cosby Show and now CSI.

6. Like Chicki Brown, I hate silence. My television even puts me to sleep at night. When I work I'm listening to my Sirius radio or Yahoo Launchcast or listening to the tv. When it's quiet I draw a blank.

What's in a Name?

2007-02-15T18:00:00.000-05:00

My hero and heroine in my current WIP are Paxton Graham and Kelis Alexander respectively. Any feedback I've received concerning my choice of names have been negative for far. Those who've criticized have complained about pronounciation, spelling or both.

I'd decided on the names after scouring the website, babynames.com and reading the meanings of Paxton (English meaning "from the peaceful farm") and Kelis (Gaelic meaning "lively, aggressive"). I didn't settle on these names because they definitively describe the characters demeanor or personality, but because their meanings diametrically opposed each other. Immediately my mind conjured up conflict possibilities.

As my story begins, both characters are quite lively and aggressive in their opinions and actions. By the end, I hope they will find peace and internal acceptance...with each other.

How do you come up with character names?

Books on Plotting

2007-02-07T12:18:00.000-05:00

As many of you know, I've hit a major roadblock in my current WIP and have been frustrated with the story for weeks. To help me out of the quagmire, I've been reading Building Better Plots by Robert Kernen. Another writer, LaConnie Taylor-Jones, recommended I read it from cover to cover and so its been very enlightening. Like another book I've read titled Plot & Structure (Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot that Grips Readers from Start to Finish) by James Scott Bell, BBP focuses on:

The Narrative,
Plot Structure (where I am right now),
Inciting Incident,
Rising Action,
The Climax and Resolution,
Using Plot Archetypes,
Creating Characters and Back Story,
Constructing an Outline,
Subplots, and
Deepening the Story's Resonance.

P&S gives a study of:

Structure,
Beginning Strong, Middles and Endings,
Scenes,
The Character Arc in Plot,
Plotting Systems,
Common Plot Problems and Cures, and
Revising Your Plot.

So far both books have given me food for thought and made me realized that perhaps the initial conflict between Kelis and Paxton, my heroine and hero, is not strong enough to sustain the story. Those of you who have critiqued the story know what I'm talking about. Others will have to wait for when its published -- and it WILL be published! I can feel.

Even though I am studying this craft called writing, I must prevent the studying from keeping me writing. It's so easy to get so engrossed in research that you just don't create anything.

So what have you read on plotting if anything? Have you read BBP or P& S?

Three Facts About Me...

2007-01-29T09:01:00.000-05:00

I'm being lazy today and copying a post I made today on http://themavensofthepen.blogspot.com.

Three little-known facts about me.....

I was high school valedictorian and tortured unmercifully for being the smartest girl in class. But I wear my survival through senior year like a badge of honor.
Among my friends, I am the "Queen of Useless Information." They come to me like I am resident 411 operator, able to answer their questions on practically any topic or find the answer in a flash.
I once jumped out of an airplane. Because I was too afraid to take the required swimming class in college, I chose to take sports parachuting. Doing a static-line jump at the end of the semester was not required to pass the class but I ending up being one of three students who "took the leap." Talk about a rush! But I promised my family I wouldn't do it again.

Starting Over...

2007-01-25T20:10:00.000-05:00

Progress on my manuscript has stalled and I've been struggling to stay on course and plow my way through. Finally I violated every piece of advice I've gotten and started over!

Well, not exactly over in that sob-uncontrollably-burn-all-180-pages-and-stare-at-a-blank-Word-screen kind of way. But I am starting at Chapter 1 and reading my work with fresh eyes - not the eyes of the writer but the eyes of a reader - asking myself some simple questions.

Does the story grip me from the first few pages?
Do I like the characters, both primary and secondary?
Are the secondary characters even needed?
Is the story progressing too slowly?
What are the conflicts between characters and within characters?
Does the plot have holes?
Is the theme apparent?
Are elements of the story cliched or trite?
Would I even want to read past Chapter 12 (where I'm stuck)?

Of course as I progress I've had to resist the tempation to make edits concerning:

Grammar,
Word choice, and
Sentence structure.

Those will come later. Right now this is a highlevel review where I need to figure out if the story even works and where it is going. Plotting is a major issue. I know the end of the story but not the nuances of the middle. Damn, damn, damn! I'm banging my head here.

But alas, no one said writing was easy.

Let's Get to Know One Another

2007-01-05T15:59:00.000-05:00

My friend, Jennifer Shirk, sent me this list of get-to-know-you questions and asked me to post my responses on my blog. Talk about torture! Well, Jennifer, here are my answers.

1) What’s your favorite song?
"I Believe I Can Fly"

2) Name the top 3 favorite vacations you’ve had:
Los Angeles, Disney World, Barbados

3) Name the top 3 vacations you’d like to have:
Paris, Alaska, South Africa

4) Who’s your favorite romance author?
Beverly Jenkins

5) Name your top 5 all-time favorite books:
The Edge of Dawn by Beverly Jenkins
Topaz by Beverly Jenkins
Ashes in the Wind by Kathleen Woodiwiss
Nobody's Baby but Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Crazy Hot by Tara Janzen

6) If you were/are married, how’d you meet your husband?
No married

7) What’s your favorite food and/or beverage to have when writing or working?
Coffee and water

8) If you had your choice, name the top 3 agents you would want to represent you.
Deirdre Knight
Steve Axelrod
Vivian Beck

9) Harrison Ford, Colin Firth, Denzel Washington, Patrick Dempsey, Keifer Sutherland, or Jamie Foxx? (Pick only one, ladies)
Denzel Washington

10) LAST QUESTION (a la Barbara Walters to Katherine Hepburn): If you could be a tree, what kind of tree would you be?
A willow tree (flexible yet strong)

Plotting: Is it an Exact Science?

2007-01-04T00:07:00.000-05:00

I'm sitting at my keyboard jotting down notes for the plot of my latest WIP and am suddenly wondering how other writers tackle the whole plotting process.

I'm an analytical person and want to try to approach the task systematically. I've created a Word document with a number list of plot points, i.e. a chronological list of events that take place in the story. Each numbered item is about a paragraph long with a summary of the interaction between the characters. No dialogue, no scene description. Just the action. Hopefully I'll be able to use each item or combine items to develop a scene or scenes for a chapter.

Once that's done, I'll read the items as a reader, not a writer, looking for holes, inconsistencies and illogics. This will allow me to ask questions which will aid in developing character motives and reactions.

Next I'll use my trusty-dusty Scene Worksheets. The scene worksheets are terrific. One each sheet I record:

Chapter and scene number, i.e Chapter 1, Scene 2
Location/Setting
Character Point of View
Characters present
Scene goal(s)
Starting point
End point
Events in the scene
What the scene accomplishes?
Where does this scene lead?

Sounds pretty intense, huh? I'm simply trying to make sense of the plot and not wing it as I go. Have I run int roadblocks? Yep, my first WIP is mired right in the middle chapters, mainly because my hero and heroine don't seem to want to act according to the plan. I know in time those two and I will have a detente, but it's been hard.

I have read that other writers use devices like:

Outlines
Index cards
Writing in notebooks
Storyboards and pictures

So how do you plot? I'm dying to know.

A New Year is Coming

2006-12-29T17:48:00.000-05:00

2007 is around the corner! I can't believe how fast 2006 went by. I thought I'd have my first WIP completed, but unfortunately I got stuck in the middle of the story and haven't made much progress in weeks. My critique pal, Denise "Chicki" Jones, has inspired me to really sit down and set goals for the coming year. With goals written down and in my face to inspire me on a daily, weekly and monthly basis, I hope to make some inroads with my writing and submissions this year.

Some of Denise's ideas that I think I'll adopt for myself are:

Completing one or two full manuscripts,
Find an agent,
Participate in writing contests,
Educate myself on marketing and promotional tactics,
Renew my membership to RWA and Virginia Writing Group,
Submit my finished manuscript to publishers, and
Buy a laptop or Alphasmart (Dana).

Facing these goals in a list is daunting. But challenge is good! Thanks Denise!

Starting a New Story

2006-12-20T23:05:00.000-05:00

Even though I didn't fulfill my goal to complete at least 50K words for NaNoWri this year, I was excited by what I had in my latest African American romance. So in my excitement I posted my first chapter to a three of my critique groups this week.

Oh boy, what a rude awakening I got!

A majority of the reviewers so far were bored by what I considered an exciting, emotion-fulled opening: an argument between a financially challenged, overwrought single mother and her spoiled, rebellious teenage daughter. Only later in the scene do I put my hero and heroine in the same room. The consensus was that I needed to skip the argument for now and get to the interaction between my hero and heroine sooner.

Humph! I thought the tension between mother and daughter was a nifty way to exemplify the stresses in the heroine's life. I saw comments like "boring," "get to the point," "story should start later," and "who cares?" After reading all the comments - and I haven't absorbed them all - the lesson I learned this week is:

Don't fall in love with your own work.

Not that I have to nix the parent-child argument, typical in most household. I received many suggestions to use it later, particularly after letting the reader get connected with the heroine and care about what she is going through. All writers need to begin a story by putting their main characters in a situation that will let the reader understand them, how they think, and how they feel. Will the reader learn everything there is to know about the main characters? No. But the reader should be given enough insight to care about reading further.

Plainly, I had too much backstory and exposition and not enough dialogue and emotional hook. Very few folks cared about the argument between Bri and a spoiled Jaime, at least at this point. I was told that I need to draw the readers in so that they can "root for her because of who she is [and] not just because of her circumstances."

Granted, this was my NaNo effort, inflated with a lot of words to try to meet my goal, and in need of alot of work. But I was surprised by this flaw right off the bat.

Bottom line: Get to the heart of the matter and create an opening that neither a reader nor an editior wants to put down.

Counting My Blessings

2006-12-09T20:28:00.000-05:00

Goodness, this week has been one for counting blessings.

My car broke down and I had to plunk down my Christmas savings in order to get another one. For days, I was depressed because of the loss, lamenting about my new financial plight, how hard it is to live on disability as a single mother. But then I remembered the blessings within the situation: I am in a better situation financially than many other people in similar positions, that I was able to get financing for another car on my own and without a co-signer. Yeah, the next few months will be tight but I will be fine.

Then, five days later someone rear-ended my new car! Unbelievable! I could have spit nails.

Again I had to remember the blessings: Neither my daughter nor I were hurt, the accident wasn't my fault and the other driver's insurance will pay for the repairs, and compared to the other car, my damage was minor.

The next day my apartment was flooded when a pipe burst. Carpet was damaged and the smell was atrocious. The blessings here? Well, let's see....

Since I live in an apartment I was able to call the maintenance crew, who called in plumbers. Even though I had to put up a big "stink" about how unsanitary the conditions were becoming while the problem was being investigated, the property manager finally saw the merits of putting us into a hotel for a few nights. When we returned the carpets had been replaced and the pipes repaired. Sure, my daughter and I have been displaced and inconvenienced, but we still have a home, heat on this cold night and food in the frig. I remember the Katrina victims who suffered so much worse and are still not home this holiday season.

On a daily basis, I remember to count my blessings.

NaNoWriMo Has Started!

2006-11-04T22:05:00.000-05:00

NaNoWriMo has started and I'm not off to a great start. Just an okay start! I was so enthusiastic when I signed up and even had a story in mind. But I became thoroughly discouraged when I saw how quickly other contestants started. Folks were logging in 2000 word or more in one day to my piddly 615 words. How did these people do it? Are they being honest and starting from scratch like I was or where they taking into account previous work?

One of my critique partners encouraged me to not compare myself to the others but I just can't help it! Oh well!

I am going to keep plugging away and try to stay motivated. Good luck to everyone else participating! See you on the other side - November 30, 2006.

Romance Bookaholic - That's Me!

2006-10-23T14:24:00.000-04:00

I have been a romance bookaholic since I was nine-years-old when my mother gave a Harlequin Romance she was reading so that I could get out of her face for awhile. I am addicted. So addicted that I carry a romance every where I go. I read at least 3 single titles per week and resale them on Amazon.com. My family laughs at me - or gets seriously irritated - when I can't seem to function with my book. Every night I read myself to sleep and if I am standing in the grocery store line, car wash line, or waiting for my meal at a restaurant, I have my trusty book along. If I misplace a book that I am reading, I have a fit. (laughing)

My daughter is NOT a reader and is quite sick of my book habit but my hobby (uh, addiction) has gone from being just a hobby to now research into the art of writing a selling romance novel. I'll be the first to admit that reading does distract me from writing. But I am working on that. I can't even begin to list my favorite authors. The first novel that touched my soul was Ashes in the Wind by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss (1979). Oh my God!I still remember the story and characters of the Civil War Era novel after all these years. Cole Latimer was the perfect hero. He was complex, conflicted, gentle, sensual, at times temperamental, but with a heart of gold. Alaina MacGaren was definitely a strong heroine, able to adapt and handle every situation that was thrown at her. Her strength and determination were admirable. I enjoyed the fact that she challenged Cole during various situations and was able to outsmart him to boot. Now that I'm thinking about the story, I'm going to have to read it again. I kept the book until I graduated from high school then lost it when I went to college.

But the seed was planted for sure!

I enjoy most genre of romance novels but I love the vampire and werewolf stories, single titles as a part of a series, and romantic suspense. I've picked up some erotica - and many of my male friends think I read romance simply for the sexual content - but the erotica can be disappointing because they tend to lack character development and a truly fleshed out plot.

So, my love for books and romances started at a young age and I will always make time to read a book. Hopefully, when I'm published I can touch readers in the same way Kathleen Woodiwiss and the early writers of romance touched me and plant the seed for another book addict.

Ta-ta for now!

Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained

2006-10-12T23:32:00.000-04:00

I joined National Novel Writing Month and in effect accepted the challenge to writing a 50k word novel in a month. So from November 1st to November 30th, I have to churn out a draft novel from scratch. I want to jump-start my creativity and get motivated to finish my current WIP, Can't Help But Love You, which I've been working on from over a year now. That sucks! This month-long WIP will be called Can't Get Enough. I'm both anxious and excited to get started.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

First Post

2006-10-07T21:50:00.000-04:00

Hi!

Welcome to my first blog. I am a Richmond, Virginia native and avid fan of all genres of romance novels. I am such a fan that I decided two years ago to try my hand at putting on paper stories that have been floating around in my head for years.

So far I have one WIP and with my perfectionist ways, it's been slow going. I am determined to finish despite internal and external obstacles. Wish me luck and stay tuned.