Wednesday, July 27, 2016

One Year Anniversary Coming Soon

Almost a year ago Hiding was published by The Wild Rose Press. To celebrate we are having a sale of all e-book versions for $2.99 beginning August 5 and lasting for two weeks. This is your chance to stroll in the moonlight along the Seine and dine at the cafes along the boulevards. This suspense romance novel not only takes the reader through the twists and turns of a breath-bated plot and exciting romance, it whisks them away on a trip through France from romantic Paris to the sun drenched Mediterranean beaches of Nice and up the mountains to the quaint alpine village of Breil sur Roya. 

Hiding won the Daphne du Maurier Award for suspense from RWA. The book is available from www.thewildrosepress.com as a paperback of e-book.
Review of Hiding

Review of Hiding

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Animals as Secondary Characters

There is a short essay by George Orwell entitled "The Hanging" that I had my English 101 class read. Then they were to analyze a character. One student wanted to write about the dog because "he is the only descent character in the story." The student was certainly correct, and I'm sure the irony did not escape Orwell in having the only "beast" in the story show compassion while the humans acted like "beasts."
      I've found that animals can make great characters in romance novels. In my book Abbey's Tale, the black lab Bailey helps with sea rescues, amuses students at the school for the blind, and saves
Abbey from a purse snatcher. I put Bailey in the book on a whim, and he quickly grew into a likeable character. I can't even imagine the book without him. When he gets stabbed, I'm sure the readers
long for his recovery.
     Other writers have created similar roles for animals: horses,
cats, rabbits, etc. One romance writer in Dangerous Moonlight created a hero with a cat and a heroine with a large dog. The mayhem that results when those two get together is both humorous and amusing.
        Don't hesitate to put animals in your stories but only ones that you know well or can research accurately for verisimilitude. Here's to furry friends!


Friday, July 8, 2016

Mr. K's Bookstore North Charleston

On Saturday, July 23, I will be signing and selling books at Mr. K's Bookstore from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. I will have copies of Hiding (romantic suspense) published by The Wild Rose Press and The South Carolina Lighthouses (non-fiction) published by Arcadia Publishing. If you have never been to Mr. K's, it is a great store off International Blvd. near Tanger Outlet. They give credit for used books and dvd that you bring in.
     Come by and see us.

Thursday, July 7, 2016

FILTERING

If you an author going through the editing process, you've probably been cited for filtering. I know I have. So what is filtering? Basically, it's being an intrusive narrator. For example, instead of writing: He heard a bird chirp overhead. Just write: A blue jay chirped overhead.
     The reader does not need to be reminded that someone is telling a story. He or she needs to experience it through the character.
     Theses are some filter words to avoid:

    to note
    to experience
    to be able to
    to sound
    to sound like
    to decide
    to seem
    to look
    to see
    to watch
    to hear
    to think
    to wonder
    to watch
    to seem
    to feel
    to realize

Instead of: I watch the wave crash on the shore.
                  The wave crashed on the shore.

Filter words or phrases are added at the beginning of a sentence to the world as filtered through the character's eyes. Instead, the reader experience the scene without a filter. It is more realistic that way.