TGOF (Trip Goodness On Friday)

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Silver James

Hotel courtyard 680Okay. Yes, the title is stretching it a bit. Give me a break. I’m still wobble-headed from sinus meds!

We stayed at the Chateau Lemoyne, which is a Holiday Inn housed in a historic building in the French Quarter. The picture is the view we had out our floor-to-ceiling French door windows. No balcony, but we could open the doors and look out over the interior courtyard. The balcony and dormer directly across from us is one of the historic suites in the hotel. It’s a lovely place to stay and even has a saltwater swimming pool. It was a bit chilly so none of us took a dip. We’ll definitely stay at this hotel again. Two of my favorite restaurants are each a block away, and it’s an easy two and a half block walk to catch the Canal Street streetcar. For $3.00, you can get an all-day pass for as many transfers and trips as you can fit in.

Why New Orleans? Because ROGUE MOON is set in and around NOLA. I wanted to remember the vibes exactly. I first went to New Orleans almost 30 years ago. And I wanted to set a book there. I eventually wrote the first book in the Delta Ghost series, SHADOW DANCE. I have the second book, WALTZING MATILDA, in first draft. The third book, TWO TO TANGO, is plotted. Mostly. I’ll get back to them this year. Additionally, the prequel novella for the Penumbra Papers is set in New Orleans.

Again, why New Orleans? The place is amazing and ever since my first trip, I’ve felt a real affinity for the area. Don’t know why. Could I live there? Maybe. Do I want to? I’m not sure. I’m obviously not the only writer who has found inspiration in NOLA. Faulkner. Hemingway. Capote. Tennessee Williams. Anne Rice. John Grisham. And others. They’ve all found inspiration in New Orleans. Some have lived there, some have only visited.

There’s a saying about the Cafe du Monde, the famous coffee and beignets spot on Jackson Square: If you sit there long enough, the whole world will pass by. I’ve found that to be fairly accurate. Watching people there is fascinating. And inspiring.

I’m ready to write now. The problem is all the different ideas swirling around in my head. I need to sift them out, get them cubby-holed in the proper place and then jump in. That’s what I’ll be doing this weekend. What about the rest of you? Anything fun on your schedule?

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Home Again, Jiggity Jog

Posted on April 11, 2013 by Silver James

I’m home. Travel was an adventure this time. 😆 After leaving at the butt crack of dawn on Friday, we were delayed in Houston as we waited for a change in flight crew, whose flight was delayed coming in. Figures, right? We landed in New Orleans and had an SUV and driver waiting for us. That was really cool! The hotel was nice, we have a new favorite place to eat in the Quarter, the streetcars were foot savers, and I didn’t want to leave!

Coming home, we had a delay in Dallas for a “small maintenance problem.” Seriously? The pilot did joke that it wasn’t because he wanted to see the end of the Louisville/Michigan game. We didn’t get home until 1:00 a.m. Besides being tired, I woke up yesterday with a sinus infection and temperature. Needless to say, I stayed in bed. Ugh!

Despite that, the trip was wonderful. We had a blast and Only took hundreds of pictures. I’ll be sharing some of them, along with an overview of our adventures as time goes by. I’m full of new ideas not only for ROGUE MOON but the prequel novella to the Penumbra Papers series, PLUS the Delta Ghost series.

Oh…and to add insult to injury? The high Tuesday was 77. Wednesday? An ice storm. Seriously, Mother Nature? Below are two pics I snapped when I went out to get the mail yesterday morning. We also lost some major branches off the ancient pine in the front yard and the oak in the back yard. *sigh* See?

April Ice pine tree 680April Ice redbud 680

If you click on the pics, you can get an enlarged version.

So what about the rest of you? Did you have fun while I was gone? Did you miss me? 🙄

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Olly, Olly, Oxen Free

Posted on April 4, 2013 by Silver James

After a bit of research, I discovered this is the phrase used to end certain children’s games, like Hide-n-Seek. In my neck of the woods, we’d call out “Ally, ally, in free!” While the entomology of the phrase isn’t certain, there are some interesting suppositions and you can check them out on WIKIPEDIA. I especially like the idea it’s actually German in origin. I don’t know why, it’s just cool.

When I was growing up, the neighborhood gang would gather on warm summer evenings for games of hide-n-seek, tag, Mother-may-I, and June bug fights. June bugs didn’t just come out in June. They hit with the warm weather of May and stuck around until the first freeze. They swarm around lights and in southwest Oklahoma, they were thicker than mosquitoes. They can fly, crawl, and have sticky feet that cling to hair and clothes. You’d peel one off your shirt and hurl it at whoever was closest. This was usually followed by dads bringing out garden hoses and spraying us down, ostensibly to clean off the bug juice. 😀 Those were the days!

voices in my headSo why am I feeling nostalgic? I have no freaking clue. It’s certainly not summertime. I haven’t been to my hometown in…well, way longer than I want to remember. There are no kids or grandkids hanging around to trigger memories. But there I was, in the middle of writing a love scene, and this phrase kept repeating in my head. Gotta love those voices, right? There’s a message in there somewhere, I just have to get quiet enough and listen hard enough to hear it.

I’m taking a four day weekend. While I’m not quite going web-free, I won’t be on line near as much as usual. There’s a reason. A fun reason. One I’ll share next week. I’m not sure I’ll have anything posted for Tuesday, but I’ll be here Wednesday at the latest with an update. In the meantime, Iffy has put away her scissors. She’s advising me to be quiet on the WIP, too. There’s something…missing. I’m going in search of it for the next few days. And maybe, if I’m lucky, when I yell, “Ally, ally, in free!” the missing pieces will appear, fall into place and I won’t be “It” anymore. 😀

So…what was your favorite childhood game? And whose planning a big weekend?

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Wednesday Wit: Mottos

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Silver James

My brain, it is dead. I swear I prepared a post for today. And scheduled it. But can I remember what it was about? Or find it in my files? Of course not! It’s the rain. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. That and the WIP. I NEVER have trouble writing love scenes but this one is kicking my butt. It’s actually kind of funny. Rudy is the one who is trying to back off and Izzy is going after him. Wolf on the run! 😆

Which brings me to two “posters” I came across this week. The first is one that’s become the unofficial motto of the Wolves: Whatever doesn’t kill me…had better start running.

And the other one? This! We’ve used duct tape for everything from bandages to securing loads in the back of a pickup for a cross-country move. There’s a reason we call it “100 mile an hour tape.” And now it has another use! Yay!
Image
Happy Hump Day! Have the rest of you survived so far? Did you have a work-shortened week because of the holiday? Are you ready for the weekend?

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Universal Clue

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Silver James

Writer's MindWhen I was scrolling back through my blog drafts looking for a topic for today, this little message from the ‘verse sort of popped out.

Find the good in what they said or asked, Silver.

It’s always there, even if they didn’t mean for it to be there.

Sherlock-ly yours,
~The Universe

Clues for what you want, Silver, are hidden all around you.

I’m in the middle of judging an unpublished contest. As a judge, I’m expected to make comments both in the manuscript and on the judge form. As a judge, I need to find encouraging things to say, even when there’s not so much there.

Every writer needs to start somewhere. Every writer needs to learn their craft. Every writer needs to develop a very thick skin. These are givens. But at the same time, a person with the dream of being a writer needs encouragement. It’s up to me to find the good in what they said. I don’t want to be the person who caused that person to quit, to give up on their dream.

But at the same time, when I struggle with my own writing, these words ring true as well. Reviews. Yeah. Even the bad ones can hold clues to making me a better writer. But man, it’s hard to read them sometimes, even with a thick skin.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating that readers should only post rainbows and unicorns, especially if they had an issue with a book. I want them to be honest about my work. At the same time, the trolls who attack can take a flying leap off the nearest tall building. There’s a difference between honest opinion and gang mentality–but that’s a topic for another day.

Today, I’m working on my Sherlock-ly skills. Today, I’m looking for ways to be gentle and encouraging while still pointing out flaws. And I’m also looking for the clues flung my way about how to live this writing life.

Writers, thoughts on reviews and/or critiques? Readers, thoughts on the reviews you make?

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Can’t Trust Monday

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Silver James

funny-pictures-i-know-those-feels-monday-catHow can it be Monday again? I mean…seven days? Gone in a blur? And where’s the weekend? What happened to it? It’s like I closed my eyes and *poof*. It disappeared. Ah, well. You just can’t trust Monday to stay away, can you?

It’s April Fool’s Day. Yeah…about that. I was thinking March only had 30 days and that yesterday, which was Easter, was also April Fool’s. My brain, it is toast. What can I say? Yeah, yeah. I see the pitying looks out there! 😉

I do have a good April Fool’s Day present though. PROMISES, PROMISES (Class of ’85 Reunion series) is free on Amazon today. No foolin’! Tell your friends. I’m sure all of you have your copy, right? I thought so.

I finished up all but the last book in Elisabeth Naughton’s Eternal Guardian series. I’m working on it now, in between judging for a contest. Speaking of…any of you interested in digital books might want to sign up to judge the International Digital Awards. And if you’ve written a digital only book, you might just want to enter!. The RULES ARE HERE. And JUDGING INFO IS HERE. The deadline to enter is April 15. Judging signup stays open through May.

So who did something fun? I know Liza was having a blast this weekend. B.E. is packing. Janet? Did you get a run in? JB, what’s up with you? And anyone else? Read a good book? See a good movie? Talk to me people!

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Winning!

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Silver James

Because we’re all winners, right?!? You know, I couldn’t pick just one winner. B.E., I know you have the full set coming so you’re already a winner but for the rest of you? I believe in this series so much I’m feeling generous.

Soooooo….To those of you who commented yesterday, Leave a comment today saying whether you want OBSESSION in digital (and what format!) or if you want paperback. I’ll be in touch this weekend to confirm things and I’ll get the book winging your way.

Easy peasy, right?!? So who has plans this weekend? I have contest judging in front of me–unpubbed MSS and some books, especially since the weather is supposed to be rainy with a chance of storms.

For those of you who haven’t downloaded PROMISES, PROMISES, it’s supposed to go up for a free day on Sunday at Amazon. You can get it HERE.

Have a great weekend. Happy Easter and Happy April Fool’s Day. You know…if The Only was still young enough for an Easter egg hunt, I think I’d send out to hunt the eggs I DIDN’T hide. *waggles brows* Yes, Lawyer Guy and I gave her plenty of ammunition to fire at a shrink. 😆

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Reading Roundup – Author Debra Webb

Posted on March 28, 2013 by Silver James

Disclaimer: I’ve been a fan of Debra’s for a long time. I’m also lucky enough to be a friend of hers. We met at RWA Nationals one year when I was a newbie. I’d followed her career through the Murder She Writes blog and was thrilled to meet her, get to know her, and become her friend. She’s also my hero.

Deb writes romantic suspense. Her Colby Agency books have long been a Harlequin staple. And her new series, The Faces of Evil, is setting new standards in romantic suspense, as far as I’m concerned. She’s also one of the bravest people I know.

Let me explain about that. Two years ago, at RWA in Orlando, Deb suffered a severe injury. The kind of injury many people don’t recover from. The kind of injury that puts them on disability. She lost the use of her arm, which for a writer is devastating. But Deb? She fought back. She learned how to use a text-to-speech program so she could continue to write and she believed in herself so much, she created a new, hard-hitting romantic series in The Faces of Evil. Originally published as ebooks, Hatchette Group believed in this series, and its author, enough that they signed on for 12 books–to be released digitally AND in paperback. The first three books, OBSESSION, IMPULSE, and POWER hit the shelves this week. RAGE, book number 4, arrives April 30th.

Deb is known for her strong characterizations and in FoE, she follows the two main characters during their rocky relationship, their pasts and their present. And there’s suspense. Jess Harris was an FBI profiler. As the series progresses, she leaves the Bureau and returns to her hometown, Birmingham, Alabama, to eventually become new deputy chief of Birmingham’s major crimes division, serving under her old flame, Dan Burnett.

If you are looking for a set of fantastic reads, I whole-heartedly recommend FoE. And I’ll put my money where my mouth is. Random.org will pick one commenter and I’ll send a digital copy or paperback of OBSESSION to the winner (their choice!).

She thought she’d left the murders-and his obsession-behind . . .

Special Agent Jess Harris has spent more than a decade studying the many faces of evil. In her determination to stop a serial killer, she broke the rules, and it cost her everything. With her career in need of resuscitation and her love life dead and buried, Jess jumps at a chance to advise on a case that has the top detectives of Birmingham, Alabama, stumped. But the case forces her to confront all the reasons she put her hometown-and her first love-in her rearview mirror.

Four young women have gone missing, and Police Chief Dan Burnett will do anything to find them before it’s too late-even if it means asking for help from the woman who has spent a decade avoiding him. Jess agrees to lend a hand and welcomes the diversion of a new case, a new life to save to make up for the victims she’s lost. But then the unthinkable happens: the crazed serial killer from her past follows Jess to Birmingham. The situation is becoming increasingly desperate-and time is swiftly running out . . .

DEBRA WEBB, born in Alabama, wrote her first story at age nine and her first romance at thirteen. It wasn’t until she spent three years working for the military behind the Iron Curtain–and a five-year stint with NASA–that she realized her true calling. A collision course between suspense and romance was set. Since then she has penned nearly 100 novels including her internationally bestselling Colby Agency series. Her debut romantic thriller series, the Faces of Evil, propelled Debra to the top of the bestselling charts for an unparalleled twenty-four weeks and garnered critical acclaim from reviewers and readers alike. Don’t miss a single installment of this fascinating and chilling twelve-book series!

Be sure to check out DEB’S WEBSITE for in-depth information about Jess, Dan, and all the rest! And BUY THE BOOKS!

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Tugging on Superman’s Cape

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Silver James

Writer's MindYesterday’s weekend update put me in mind of some craft type thoughts so I thought I’d follow up today. I’d mentioned my discovery, upon watching THE AVENGERS, about how even comic book characters can become three-dimensional with deep emotions and motivations that lead them on a personal journey that also feeds into the plot. To me, this is rather like tugging on Superman’s cape. While the casual observer might decide this is a bad idea, I say tug and tug hard! Especially when it comes to your writing. Readers, forgive me for a moment. I’ll get to y’all later in the week! Promise.

Now, what do you tug on? EVERYTHING! Look at all the threads running through your plot. You need to tug on each one to make sure they hold. Do they add to the overall picture? Do they take your character(s) someplace that character(s) needs to to be? Or do they take the character someplace s/he wants to be? There is a difference, and that difference is reflected in the tone of your story. You need to make sure you know which one is important before you leap off tall buildings. If that cape isn’t tightly woven, it won’t fly. Just sayin’.

You also need to tug on the threads of your characters lives. What’s their backstory? Where do they come from and how does this affect their current motivation? Motivation. That’s the bottom line for characters. It can establish their personality, their actions, and gives you–and thus the reader–insight into what makes them tick, what is important to them. Why? So you can take it away. At least for a bit. You should find their Achilles heel and then use that knowledge against them. Swathe them in that cape, and then jerk it away, leaving them vulnerable. This makes for good story telling.

Just like super heroes have layers of costumes, so does your story. Tights. Tunic. Cape. Boots. Shield. Hammer. Metal suit. Inner demon. Duty. Battle. Sacrifice. And finally, the ability to beat the odds. That’s the HEA, if you are writing a romance. It’s the payoff at the end of the book if you aren’t.

That’s my “craft lesson” for the week. For what it’s worth. 😉

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Wait?!? It Can’t be Monday!

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Silver James

cute-puppy-pictures-hello-im-here-to-make-your-monday-suck-lessBut it is. All day. Who had fun this weekend? What did you do? Me? I was lazy. No. I mean REALLY lazy. But I think I needed it. I finished off a couple of books. Nothing that really jumped right out at me–beyond my reread of the In Death books so no recommendations there.

Sunday night, I finally got to watch THE AVENGERS. Lawyer Guy and I don’t *go* to the movies. Neither of us can sit in theater seats for that long and I’m not a fan of putting up with other people in a crowded theater. Yeah, I know. I’m antisocial. There hasn’t been a movie in ages that I’ve been so excited about seeing that I couldn’t wait until it came out on video or cable.

THE AVENGERS was FUN! I’ll admit it. I snorfled (which is way more than a gigglsnort). I jeered. I even got all choked up at the appropriate times. This is a movie that I almost would have paid full price plus munchies and drinks and actually watched surrounded by humanity. Almost. I would have been the rude one laughing out loud and drowning out the next lines. Ah, well.

And while I was watching it, I was reminded of what makes good story telling. It takes well-defined characters–even if they’re comic book heroes. It takes ramping the stakes up one more level, ie. torture the characters and then torture them some more. It takes an emotional arc for the characters that satisfies both the plot AND the reader/viewer. And then you have to have a climax that rocks the world. At least within the confines of the story. I went to bed thinking about these things and realized that I needed to do a little work in some of those areas. I’m tweaking today, layering in a bit. I don’t normally do that until I hit the end and start deep edits but this time…this time a few ideas hit and I want to follow them up before they get lost in the climax.

So, who’s seen THE AVENGERS? Who’s your favorite? Me? I was a Thor fangirl until I got a look at Hawk. *snort* Like I’d have a chance with either, but isn’t that what writing and reading and watching movies is all about? We get to engage our imaginations and put ourselves into the story. And that’s the fun of reading, watching, and especially writing. Happy Monday. May it not suck for you!

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