Fill-Me-In Friday: Best Links of the Week

 Hope everyone has had a good week and is fully recovered from Thanksgiving. I've been home with a sick kidlet for most of the week, so it's been hazmat clean up, temperature taking, and setting alarms in the middle of the night to give fever meds. Fun times for all. Saying a prayer the weekeend is better.

Fave Photo of the week: Our Thanksgiving trip to Austin

But enough of my whining, it's time for the best links of the week (or the last few weeks as the case may be.)

Here we go...

On Writing/Publishing:

 

On Social Media/Promotion:

 

Bright, Shiny Randomnes 

 

What You May Have Missed Here:

 

That's all I've got this week. Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! 

Debut Author Paul Anthony Shortt on Love Reborn

Today I have a special treat for you. Author Paul Anthony Shortt is here to taklk about the unique challenges he had in writing a reincarnation story and how it can affect the romantic plotlines. I can relate to this on some level, being that I love writing reunion stories. Having two people know each other already can be a challenge to write because takes away that first meeting, new feelings, all the fun song and dance that happens between strangers. But it also provides an immediate connection, a deeper understanding, an intensity that already exists.

However, I can't imagine how complicated that could get when the lovers are reunited in different bodies and time periods. : ) This is why I have a fantasy author here to talk about such things. 

So enjoy Paul's post and be sure to check out his book and congratulate him on his debut Locked Within ! (Which, btw, is FREE on Kindle right now. Go! Run! Get it!)


Love Reborn

Thanks for having me back, Roni! It’s been quite a while since I last did a guest post on this blog, talking about love scenes in fantasy. I’m back as part of my Locked Within Blog Tour, celebrating the release of my first novel. Again, I’m talking about love and romance, but with a particular spin.

In Locked Within, Nathan Shepherd learns that he is the reincarnation of a warrior who has fought evil for millennia. He discovers (or rediscovers) a supernatural society that exists alongside our own, and encounters people and creatures he has known in previous lifetimes. His past-life memories allow him to learn to fight or investigate murders faster and more effectively than he should ordinarily be able. But they also carry with them the emotions, good and bad, of whole lives he once lived.

As well as forcing Nathan to face the ghosts of the things he has experienced before, the fact of reincarnation presents a number of writing challenges. How to keep a sense of mystery. How to keep Nathan under enough threat that the reader’s interest is held. And how to handle romantic plotlines.

The story opens with Nathan in a committed, though struggling, relationship. His dreams and obsession with unsolved murders put a strain on his love life, and put his hopes for starting a family at risk. While it doesn’t come up in Locked Within, the idea that someone can be born again, having had whole lifetimes’ worth of friends, enemies and romantic partners buried away in a secret past does cast any relationships Nathan has in an interesting light.

If you were to meet a lover from a previous life, what does that mean for an existing relationship? Does it count as cheating on them, that you were with someone before you were reunited? Should you be expected to leave your current partner for your old lover? If you’re the one whose partner has found a past-life lover, how do you cope? Would there be jealousy? Would you feel like you would always be only second best? Or should reincarnated lovers do their best to forget their past lives and live in the present, ignoring old feelings and setting aside that relationship as being gone for good?

This potential storyline fits well with the model of the existing relationship, whether happy or ailing, which is interrupted by the arrival of the alluring love rival. A common trope, how this situation is portrayed generally depends on the gender of the person who is tempted to leave their current partner. If male, it is most often considered wrong and the spurned girlfriend or wife is the victim. If female, it is usually justified, and the husband or boyfriend is unforgivably boorish and insensitive, sometimes even abusive.

The important point where the storyline differs is that the attraction here would not be based on the temptation of something new or the smouldering charms of a mysterious stranger. Rather, the attraction would be based on an existing mutual love and connection. This is potentially more difficult to ignore than a new infatuation. 

Whether or not the reincarnated lovers are already in other relationships, any romance which now happens has to be treated differently to the standard format. Instead of nervous introductions, there is unexpected recognition. Where before there would have been the electricity of touching someone for the first time, here there is the comfort of familiarity. Nostalgic reminders in place of flirtatious banter. Sure, they have a new face, new smell. Their skin might be rough when before it was smooth. There may be jealousy to deal with over someone they were with before the characters found each other again. They may even be a different gender, which could open up all sorts of complications.

But at the heart of it, I think the story remains the same. Two characters, perhaps incomplete, Perhaps hurting or lost. They find each other, for the first, second, or hundredth time. The spark is still there. The bond they share. And as they face their challenges together, coming together again, they learn that even after a whole lifetime has passed, they make each other whole.

The supernatural realm and the mundane world have existed side by side since the dawn of time. Predators walk the streets, hidden by our own ignorance. Once, the city of New York was protected, but that was another age.

Now a creature emerges from the city's past to kill again, with no one to hear the screams of its victims. The lost and the weak, crushed under the heels of the city's supernatural masters, have given up hope.

But one man finds himself drawn to these deaths. Plagued by dreams of past lives, his obsession may cost him friends, loved ones, even his life. To stop this monster, he must unlock the strength he once had. He must remember the warrior he was, to become the hero he was born to be.

His name is Nathan Shepherd, and he remembers.

A child at heart who turned to writing and roleplaying games when there simply weren't enough action figures to play out the stories he wanted, Paul Anthony Shortt has been writing all his life.

Growing up surrounded by music, film and theatre gave him a deep love of all forms of storytelling, each teaching him something new he could use. When not playing with the people in his head, he enjoys cooking and regular meet-ups with his gaming group.

He lives in Ireland with his wife Jen and their dogs, Pepper and Jasper. Their first child, Conor William Henry Shortt, was born on July 11th, 2011. He passed away three days later, but brought love and joy into their lives and those of their friends. Jen is pregnant again and is expecting twins.

Website: http://paulanthonyshortt.blogspot.com

 

Thanks, Paul! So, what do you think of stories where the couple already has history What challenges have you faced in your own story because of a unique world or plot twist?

And did I mention Locked Within  is FREE on Kindle right now?

What's On Your Christmas List?

First, before we get to today's topic, I wanted to let you know that I'm over at author Kieran Kramer's blog today giving you 5 Behind The Scenes Facts about FALL INTO YOU and a chance to win a copy of CRASH INTO YOU and a signed copy of Kieran's IF YOU GIVE A GIRL A VISCOUNT. I'd love it if y'all stopped by and commented.

Hope everyone (well, at least those of you in the U.S. who celebrate it) had a lovely Thanksgiving holiday. We went out of town so it was pretty low key. This also meant that I didn't do any Black Friday shopping. So now I'm facing Christmas in a month with no presents bought yet. Ack.

However, as I'm going through Cyber Monday deals today, I'm, of course, not only making lists for those I need to buy for, but I'm making my own wish list. Now, this doesn't mean I'll actually get these things. Considering hubs and I don't exchange presents and much of our family has the "only buy for the kids" agreement, the chances of me actually getting gifts are relatively slim. BUT that doesn't mean I'm not adding things to my list. :)

 So here's what I want Santa to bring me this year:

  

1. Kindle Paperwhite

Okay, so yes, I have a Kindle Fire and really enjoy it. BUT it's more of a multi-purpose device and not simply a dedicated e-reader. I have had a good experience reading on the Fire and love seeing all those book covers in gorgeous color BUT I do get tired of the glare on the screen and reading a computer-type screen for extended periods after being on a computer all day writing. Plus, it's a little heavy to hold after a while. I miss my E-ink in these instances. And this one fixes the problem of my previous e-ink, which was that I couldn't read it in the dark. (Plus, like books, I'm starting to think one can't have too many reading devices.) :)

 

Image via Barnes and Noble

2. These fancy schmancy editions of classics that Barnes and Noble has on sale today.

As much as I love an e-reader, I also love having pretty books on my shelves and these are gorgeous. I'm tempted by the Complete Works of Shakespeare (even though I have a beat up hardback of that from college), the Edgar Allen Poe collection, and the Stephen King one.

 

3. For FALL INTO YOU to hit the USA Today or NYT Bestsellers' list.

Hey, a girl can dream, right? Can't Santa make any request come true? ;) If you'd like to be Santa's helper by pre-ordering FALL INTO YOU, I promise that one New Year's Day you'll be graced with a sexy, dominant cowboy, a sharp-tongued heroine, and a LOT of steamy, smexy times. Fair trade, right?

 

All right, so that's my short list. What's on your Christmas list this year?

Slow Writer Reformed: It Can Be Done!

Image by Joe Shlabotnik via Flickr (cc)Fridays are usually reserved for the links round-up post. But since I only have a short list of links this week, I'm going to save them for next week. Instead, I thought I'd feature one of the links more in depth since it spoke to something I've recently experienced.

As many of you who have been following me for a while know, I call myself a slow writer. I'm one of those people who has trouble turning the inner editor off when drafting, which results in drafting being a painstaking process for me. (I much prefer revising.) However, with my last few books, I've had to deal with the new issue of writing under a deadline. 

Last November I tackled this slow writer issue head on because I had the deadline for FALL INTO YOU (the book coming out this January) coming up quickly. So I wrote a post called Slow Writer Reform School with my plan. I did finish that book, though I think I was a week or two over deadline.

But then this summer, I had some major issues with the concept of my fourth book. The original concept ended up not being a go (mutual decision between me and my editor) so I had to restart it not once but basically two and half times until I nailed the plot and the hero (*snort*). One of those times, I was 20k in. So that led to having TWO months to get from page one to done on a 90k novel. And that wasn't flexible because the e-serial was waiting behind it, so needed to get to work on that immediately afterward.

I was near panic. My last deadline crunch that I was worried about was a four month one, now that was cut in half. *envision me breathing into a paper bag* The thought of not meeting a deadline freaks me out. I'm that obsessive straight-A student at my core, so I just decided that I was going to have to figure out a way to do this. And I did. But how?

Well, I think this article, Changing Your Process by author Ann Aguirre on Writer Unboxed, pinpointed what I'd done without realizing it. I'd trained up. Her advice:

Whatever pace you’re currently writing at, make sure it’s comfortable. Then, over a long period of time, months, not weeks, train up. 

When I set up my "Slow Writer Reform School" for myself a year ago, here were a few of my goals (click link to see the rest of them):

  • I'm holding myself to a 1k a day minimum goal
  • I'm writing in pockets of time I usually wasted doing something unimportant
  • I'm am not tying my ability to write to a certain time of the day
  • And when I want to make a major change in the story, I just make a note and don't rewrite the whole thing right then.

So these points when I looked back at them today kind of made me laugh because I'm thinking--really, my stretch goal was 1k a day? o.0 (That's not to say 1k isn't an excellent goal for a writer, but it gives me perspective of how much can change in a year.)

With this last book, I wrote and revised 97,000 words in 60 working days (which was actually 9 weeks because I don't work on weekends.) So that breaks down to roughly 1600 words a day--but of course revisions were worked into that time frame so it was more like 2k a day for drafting days. That wasn't the stretch goal that was the--DO THIS OR YOU'RE GOING TO BE EFFING LATE goal. Funny how motivating panic can be. :)

And as for not writing only at a certain time of day, that changed too. Besides weekends, which I reserved for family time, I wrote whenever I could. When I couldn't write anymore or was running out of steam, I'd read for a while to refill my brain with words. 

And to my own shock, I did it. I remember looking back at the calendar where I marked page one/word one in amazement. I'd written a freaking novel in two months. I'd done NaNo word count two months back to back. For a fast writer, maybe that wouldn't be so amazing, but for me, it was a really big deal. (Now, a caveat, I have not gotten the book back from my editor yet so it may be a heaping pile of crap that needs major rewrites, but let's hope not.)

The thing I want to make clear about this experience, however, is that it wasn't some magical, transcendent thing. I've heard fast writers and Nano-ers say that once you start this kind of marathon, the words just spill out and the process takes on a life of its own. That was NOT how it was for me. My internal editor was still banging around in my brain. There were days the words flowed more easily than others, and on those days I'd exceed my word count--even having a few 4k days. But most days it was a matter of Scrivener* saying "Your daily goal is xxxx" and me typing no less than that amount. Period. 

It's a commitment to not let the day end without meeting that goal. I didn't have room to get behind. And you know what? I think it formed a new habit. I trained up.

Ann Aguirre mentions in her post that research shows a habit is actually formed at more like 66 days instead of the 21 we've heard. And I'm starting to believe that's true. That's the amount of time I did this marathon. And now that I'm done, it feels "normal" to sit down each down and pound out words. I feel...changed. I told my hubs after I turned in my manuscript that I didn't know what to do with myself for the few days I didn't write afterward. It was like--I remember there were other things I used to do but what were those again? Oh yeah, look, TV shows. Lol.

So now that I'm embarking on this e-serial, which has another tight deadline (though a little better than the last one), I don't feel nearly as panicked. I know I can do this now. I've trained up and created a new normal. Now the key will be keeping myself in check and now letting myself slide back into old habits.

NOTE: If you want to get tips on training up, I totally recommend Candace Havens' Fast Draft Class that Ann mentions in the post. I've taken it twice. And though I have no intention of writing a book in two weeks. The tips themselves are really great for picking up your speed regardless of your goal.

So how about you? Do you feel like you have this daily word count barrier you find impossible to break through? Are you a fast writer or a slow one? Any NaNo-ers discovering new things about their process?

*By the way, that word count feature in Scrivener is the BEST THING EVER. You can put in your ultimate word count goal, the day of your deadline, and what days of the week you write. Then it will give you a daily word count every morning. And it adjusts each day if you write more or less than your goal the day before. I credit that simple feature with much of my success with reaching my goal. I liked seeing exactly how much I needed each day.

Ebook or Print: When Do You Buy One Over the Other?

Photo by welcometolearn via Flickr CCSo yesterday Agent Sara put the question out to Twitter about book buying habits, and I briefly butted in on her convo with Miranda Kenneally. Miranda had said she buys print because she loves to put books on her shelves but buys ebooks when impatient. And that got me to thinking what makes me buy one over the other for a particular book.

I'm a reading omnivore both in genre and method. I have a Kindle Fire and love it. I also have a wall of bookshelves in my office that are so packed with print books that I have books stacked on the floor and stuffed around other places in my house. So I don't necessarily favor one over the other.

But then why do I buy book A in print but book B in ebook? Here are some of my reasons. But I'm really curious to hear yours, so I'd love for y'all to let me know in the comments.

When I Buy Ebook:

  • If it's a new to me author, I'll usually try them first in ebook IF the ebook is cheaper than the print.

This is an untested author. I don't have room on my shelves for books I'm not going to want to keep. Plus, I'm going to risk less money on an author I haven't tried before.

 

  • If the book is probably something I'm only going to read once.

This is not saying anything bad about the book. There are just some that are a great ride but not ones I need to go back to necessarily.

 

  • I'm a sucker for Daily Deal ebook sales, so I buy the crap out of those.

I'm a girl. I'm an obsessive reader. The ability to resist a sale, especially on books, is against my genetic makeup. Of course, I do this selectively. I only purchase ones I truly think I'll read or that come recommended.

 

  • If a book is only available in hardback, and I don't want to wait for the paperback to come out.

I don't read hardbacks. It's not even about the price so much as the bulkiness. I don't have room and they're not as easy to tote around.

 

  • If the book is only available in ebook, obviously that's the version I'm buying.

This happens a lot, particularly in my genre. There are so many fantastic digital first publishers out there, plus there's lots of great stuff available in the indie market these days.

 

When I Buy Print:

  • If it's an auto-buy author, who I already love. I'm buying the print, often pre-ordering so that it arrives the day it release.

This is a good risk. They've proven that I like their writing. And for books I love, I want a print copy so I can go back to and read again or reference. This is especially true if it's in my own genre because I like to "study" what other authors do well and why that story worked.

 

  • If the cover is gorgeous.

So I can pet it and stare. Duh.

 

  • If it's a series I plan to stick with.

I've even been known to buy an ebook version, fall in love and then buy the print as well so that I can start buying the series to keep on my shelf.

 

  • If it's non-fiction.

Unless it's a memoir or something, I want to be able to use it as a reference, to be able to flip forward and back with ease, etc. All of my writing craft books are bought in print.

 

  • If the book is LOOOONG, I'm torn.

For some reason, I like seeing progress in a long book that isn't just a percentage on my e-reader. I remember reading Diana Gabaldon's Outlander on my old Kindle and I loved the book, but I remember it feeling longer because of reading on the device. I felt like I was running and not getting anywhere. BUT I've heard the newest e-readers give you more info about time wise how much longer you have, that'd be nice. On the flipside, buying a giant book in print is a pain in the ass because you have to carry this brick around and if it's paperback, it's harder to hold open when it's so thick. 

As for the reading experience...

I love a paper book--the feel of it and such. However, more and more I find myself attracted the convenience of e-reading, especially now that I have an I-phone and can pick up where I left off in a book when I find myself stuck somewhere out and about with nothing to do. So honestly, in my ideal world, there'd be a set up to where you could buy the print and add on the ebook for a dollar or something so that I can read it in print at home but have access to it if I'm on the go or traveling somewhere. Maybe one day that will happen...

But in the meantime, those are some of my convoluted reasons for purchasing one or the other. But regardless of why or when, one thing is for sure. Since I've bought an e-reader, I buy more books overall. I basically haven't changed my print buying at all--I always purchased a lot, but I've added in the ebook buying. So it's probably twice as many books as I used to buy. :)

Now it's your turn: Tell me why you buy an ebook or a print book for a particular story. What makes you pick one over the other? Are there situations where you prefer one format but other times where you prefer the opposite? I want to know! :)