It’s been a few weeks since I’ve last blogged. During this time I finished up my fifth book, “A Love Delayed”. That particular project was more involved than the other four books. I used a professional editor, my own models, hired a professional photographer and will hire a videographer to do the book trailer. The music is even being specially written for this book.
The more I write the more I have learned. I take into consideration every review I get, rather negative or positive, and use those as guiding tools. The most I’ve read so far personally about any Indy book, is the use of the same stock photos being used as covers and hiring professional editors.
Since I write fiction, I can pretty much add as much drama or explicit material as my mind will allow, as long as what I’m writing has some reality to it. The last thing I want is to write a character into a corner and have to redeem the character in an unrealistic way.
I enjoy making up situations for characters. Once I get a story in my head, I move onto the next phase of placing names and professions to benefit the situations I have created for these characters. This can be a long thought-provoking process. Such as: how would a hair stylist meet up with a hired assassin. Not a very realistic situation, but probably one that could be developed into an interesting story as long as it held some realism. Anyway, that is not my next project but one I might keep in mind.
Returning to my current project, “A Love Delayed” is my first book completely written as a romance novel. I am a lover of suspense and thrillers as long as they don’t turn the corner into stupidville. My first four books were mostly suspense novels with romance thrown in. “A Loved Delayed” was supposed to be a suspense thriller.
I started writing this book in October of 2011. I got caught up in the spirit of the holidays and friends and family being nice to each other for a change, so I dropped the suspense and went straight for the romance. Granted, I am not your normal mushy, kissy type of woman so this was a challenge for me. Instead of reaching out to my normal contacts at FBI or the Cleveland Police Department for advice, I had to find people in love to interview.
A little background about myself. My spouse and I have been together for more than twenty years. Over the years we have become comfortable, so when we do separate things, it doesn’t bother me. I don’t mind him spending his weekends hiking, fishing or bird-watching, as long as he doesn’t expect me to do it with him. Sitting in the woods getting eaten alive by bugs is not my idea of a good time at my age.
This winter, we started doing date weekends. This will last until the weather warms and he returns to the outdoors and I find an air-conditioned room to write and watch crime shows. For now, I will take the weekends watching movies or having romantic dinners together; even if I like suspense and he prefers off-beat comedy.
We had to make a compromise on date night. We’ll watch a good suspense movie followed by a Family Guy DVD that he likes. I really don’t mind this at all. Usually, after the first episode, my brain has died and I’m not paying attention to the television, so no big deal. When it comes down to it, it’s not about what’s on the television we’re watching but, that we’re spending time together. We had gotten out of that after being comfortable doing separate things for so long.
So, as I penned the last page of my first full romance novel, I found myself believing that you can’t let yourself become too comfortable in your relationship. Put on that romantic music from twenty years ago, light a few candles and order or cook that special meal for the person in your life. He or she will appreciate that you still find them attractive after being together for so long.
Now my plug: Check out my new novel “A Love Delayed.” On sale in eBook format at http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bn.com/ and http://www.allromanceebooks.com/ for $2.99. Paperback edition will be out soon.
The more I write the more I have learned. I take into consideration every review I get, rather negative or positive, and use those as guiding tools. The most I’ve read so far personally about any Indy book, is the use of the same stock photos being used as covers and hiring professional editors.
Since I write fiction, I can pretty much add as much drama or explicit material as my mind will allow, as long as what I’m writing has some reality to it. The last thing I want is to write a character into a corner and have to redeem the character in an unrealistic way.
I enjoy making up situations for characters. Once I get a story in my head, I move onto the next phase of placing names and professions to benefit the situations I have created for these characters. This can be a long thought-provoking process. Such as: how would a hair stylist meet up with a hired assassin. Not a very realistic situation, but probably one that could be developed into an interesting story as long as it held some realism. Anyway, that is not my next project but one I might keep in mind.
Returning to my current project, “A Love Delayed” is my first book completely written as a romance novel. I am a lover of suspense and thrillers as long as they don’t turn the corner into stupidville. My first four books were mostly suspense novels with romance thrown in. “A Loved Delayed” was supposed to be a suspense thriller.
I started writing this book in October of 2011. I got caught up in the spirit of the holidays and friends and family being nice to each other for a change, so I dropped the suspense and went straight for the romance. Granted, I am not your normal mushy, kissy type of woman so this was a challenge for me. Instead of reaching out to my normal contacts at FBI or the Cleveland Police Department for advice, I had to find people in love to interview.
A little background about myself. My spouse and I have been together for more than twenty years. Over the years we have become comfortable, so when we do separate things, it doesn’t bother me. I don’t mind him spending his weekends hiking, fishing or bird-watching, as long as he doesn’t expect me to do it with him. Sitting in the woods getting eaten alive by bugs is not my idea of a good time at my age.
This winter, we started doing date weekends. This will last until the weather warms and he returns to the outdoors and I find an air-conditioned room to write and watch crime shows. For now, I will take the weekends watching movies or having romantic dinners together; even if I like suspense and he prefers off-beat comedy.
We had to make a compromise on date night. We’ll watch a good suspense movie followed by a Family Guy DVD that he likes. I really don’t mind this at all. Usually, after the first episode, my brain has died and I’m not paying attention to the television, so no big deal. When it comes down to it, it’s not about what’s on the television we’re watching but, that we’re spending time together. We had gotten out of that after being comfortable doing separate things for so long.
So, as I penned the last page of my first full romance novel, I found myself believing that you can’t let yourself become too comfortable in your relationship. Put on that romantic music from twenty years ago, light a few candles and order or cook that special meal for the person in your life. He or she will appreciate that you still find them attractive after being together for so long.
Now my plug: Check out my new novel “A Love Delayed.” On sale in eBook format at http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.bn.com/ and http://www.allromanceebooks.com/ for $2.99. Paperback edition will be out soon.
