SOMETHING DIFFERENT

Until a couple of years ago I thought all romance novels were written in the third person eg: (Brie recalled her uncle mentioning Alex had become a full partner in the firm the year before.) I had never read a book written in any other form so believed this was the only way. But then I started noticing books written in first person eg: (I recalled my uncle mentioning Alex had become a full partner in the firm the year before.) when I saw this I would instantly put the book back on the shelf thinking I would find it too weird to read.
Then I was talking to someone from my writing group that writes in first person, like me, she thought this was the only way books were written. She said she would email me her MS for me to read and see what I thought, my response was: BLOODY FANTASTIC I read it in a day and was hooked right from the beginning through to the very end. The fact that it was written in first person didn't bother me at all. Not only was the plot a good one, but written in first person I found there was a lot more detail and emotion come through the main character that I haven't found so much when reading books written in third person. I felt more connected to her and what she was experiencing because the detail was written as if I was feeling the things she was feeling, her hurt, her pain.

Anyway, I thought I would challenge myself to write a piece in first person to see how I liked it. It was totally different but I enjoyed writing it. I found it easier to write the finer details that help add feelings and emotion, I found I only reverted back to third person once or twice, I also found I could write the scenes as if I was experiencing it myself, which is the whole first person thing.

I will continue adding to the piece until I end up with a completed MS. I think it will help me with the books I write in third person, in the way of adding small details, emotions, etc.

The best thing about reading books written in the first person is, I have sooooo many more books to choose from now that I 'm not limiting myself just to books written in third person.

COLLECTION OF HUNKY HEROS

What do you do if you're trying to write the best sex scene ever and you get the horrid writer's block? You procrastinate by searching the net for images of inspiration and post them on your blog, that's what you do.

BREATHTAKING NEW ZEALAND

Thought I would share with you some of New Zealand's beautiful scenery.

In the weekend my husband and I went for a walk along the Waihou Walkway, ten minutes south of Tirau, North Island NZ, it is absolutely breathtaking. As you can see in the photos below the clarity of the water is amazing. The different shades of green in the plants growing in the river and the trout you see swimming along with the current blow you away with their beauty.

The walk takes an hour and a half from one end to the other but we tend to start at the top end and walk half way along then turn back, that way you get to see it from the oppsite angle.
It is a walk you will regret if you don't take a camera with you to capture its beauty (A clear blue sky makes the perfect backdrop for your photos).

PLOTTING

Plotting has become my new best friend. I am currently writing my third book and this is the first time I have plotted the story before I began writing it. I tell you, it is soooooo much easier to write when you know exactly what is going to happen next. The frustration of what to write is taken out of the writing process, and now all I have to concentrate on is how to write it.

I have the entire story set out in chapters in an Excel programme. This allows me to see any loop holes I may have missed, and any weaknesses in either the characters or storyline. Here I can also double check the pace and strength of the plot from start to finish. I also found I can write the story a lot faster because I only have to concentrate on the writing and nothing else.

I have pictures of my characters (images from google) set out so I can imagine my hero/heroine more strongly. I have images of body language and different situations that help me picture the scenes in my head more. I have worked hard to get to know my characters backgrounds so I understand them better.

This is the image I base my hero on, a divorce attorney set to find a wife that will complete him.

Here is an image of my heroine, a private investigator undercover as my hero's personal assistant.

During the plotting process I found the original story I had in my head before I began changed as the plot developed, it turned out to be stronger, more exciting for me as a writer and hopefully for my future readers. There is a lot more spark between my main characters and the surrounding story is far more interesting.

Her trusting relationship with men was blown to smithereens when, at the young tender age of ten, she found her father cheating on her mother with one of his patients. Then when she finally allowed herself to trust again, she caught her rotten scoundrel of a fiance with his pants down. No wonder she has a closed-off reaction to all males.

CATS AND THEIR CRAZY ANTICS

Cats, they can be the most cuddliest, lovable, adorable things one minute, and crazy, lunatic, creatures on four legs the next. I have three cats, 1 female, 2 males. The female cat has an issue with any form of male be it human or critter, she hisses and snarls whenever they came within a metre of her personal space. she even has her own chair. Luckily I'm a female so she lets me cuddle her.
The older male cat is placid, he sleeps and cuddles up to you all day, but he is a big fur dropper, no sooner have I vacuumed theres cat fur everywhere. But I would much rather cat fur any day to the icky mess he leaves in the hallway or on the backdoor step. Mice, rats, rabbits, birds and the odd duckling or two, are just some of the wonderful things he likes to bring home from his hunting trips. I wouldn't mind so much if he left them in one piece, but he has a habit of dismembering their heads from their body's and then separating their insides into nice little bite size pieces that he kindly leaves for you to find.
The last of our three cats is a 16 week old male kitten, he is the nuttiest one of them all. He loves to run around the house at full speed and watch out if you're in the way because he won't go around you, he'll go over or up or through you but never around you. He's into everything, when I'm trying to change the ink in the printer he climbs inside it, when I'm loading the dishwasher he climbs in there, when I'm cooking dinner he jumps up on the bench and runs across the ceramic hob then back down before I can get to him. Oh, and watch out if you're wearing a long skirt he loves to hang from them. His favourite pastime is chasing flies, it cracks me up when he hangs from the window ledge with the fly sitting a centimeter away from him and he can't get it without letting go. And boy does he have the loudest purr I have ever heard.

This is Cindy. Yes her ears are turned up at the tips, they have been like that for three years now. I think it's from the sun.

This is the chair she has claimed as her own. Junior is still learning the hard way to leave her alone, she swipes at him when he comes up to her.

This is Junior. I'm amazed he sat still long enough for me to take these photos.

Aren't they cute.

This is Chevy the older male. Don't you just love his tail, it's so bushy.

Chevy likes to sit on the rock and drink out of the fish pond. Don't worry all fish are accounted for. They don't seem to mind him they swim right up to his tongue.

FIRST ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR THE YEAR

I have accomplished three things this week that I am pretty proud of: first one is, I sent my MS off to the Clendon Awards. I love receiving the feedback you get, it lets me know if I'm on the right track or not and gives me ideas of where I can improve things. The second is I have sent a query letter and synopsis off to Harlequin for the same MS. I'm crossing my fingers with that one that they like it as much as I do. And the third one is, this is my first post for the year. Hello again.

This week I am going to make up some fast-track word cards. Before I start on my next book I have decided to make up some cards with words I may need to express emotion, description, etc and their meanings, as I found it a pain in the butt when I'm in the middle of writing a great scene only to come to a screeching halt when I can't think of the right word to suit the situation.

Next I'm going to sit down and start seriously working on the plot line for the next book. At the moment it keeps changing as I'm trying to get to know what personality my heroine is going to have. I'm determined to make my next characters more stronger, more captivating. My hero is easy, he is known to be a womanizer. He makes it his personal mission to prove to my heroine that he can be a one woman man. My heroine has trust issues with men, especially when the two men she has trusted in her life have proven that they can't be trusted after all. At the young age of ten she caught her dad in bed with a woman that wasn't her mother. The one and only man she trusted with her heart, ended up cheating on her.

I have read several Nora Roberts books and love the way they make me feel like I'm watching a movie instead of reading a book. Her characters are so real. The way she describes them and their situations, I can imagine the scene as if I'm there with them. My goal as a writer is to write books that my readers can lose themselves in them, in the way Nora's books do with me.

All this I am going to start after a day shopping with my mother.

YIPPIE!!! EARLY CHRISTMAS PRESENT TO MYSELF

I'VE FINALLY FINISHED THE DAMN BOOK!

After months of struggling with plot lines and character growth, I have finally typed those two magical words THE END

All I have to do now, is write up a query letter and send it off to the editor at Harlequin Super Romance and cross my fingers that they will love it as much as I do and want to publish it.

I've already started plotting my next book which is going to be written for the Harlequin Sexy line. while I was writing the last book I discovered I had a tendency to put the two main characters in situations where there was a lot of sexual tension which could have easily lead them to having sex, but because the hero wasn't ready to take that step I had to keep them apart, which was sometimes very difficult. So I've decided to write for a line which allows more sex scenes where my characters have the freedom to explore one another on a more intimate level.