by Angela Smith | Feb 14, 2016 | Books
Happy Valentine’s Day! Whether you celebrate or not, it’s a new day, and I hope it’s a day full of love.
Liberation is being released today, and I have a special excerpt never seen anywhere else. Also, this week, the first in this novella series is free, so be sure to grab that if you haven’t already. It won’t cost you a thing.
Here’s an excerpt of Liberation:
Marianne settled on a chair across from Ben, watching him strum a guitar, his head lowered, eyes closed, lost in the music. Firelight flickered across his downturned face, lips pursed, unmoving. The men sat around the fire, some talking, some listening. Leath wrapped his arms around his wife, and whisked her off to a makeshift dance floor under the stars.
The chords caught in her throat. Her breathing stilled as flames licked across her skin. He lifted his face, met her eyes, and started singing.
She was a goner. Nothing in her life mattered at this moment except this man, this experience. She could stay this way forever, lost in his gaze, under the stars, the flames snapping between them a sign of the undercurrents between them.
She wouldn’t worry about her business. She’d quit it for night after night like this. Ben’s baritone voice quieted her soul, made her realize the battle was worth fighting.
He blinked. Glanced down to rasp more tunes. The soldiers joined in a chorus of love and war and good times to be had. She breathed again, but her throat was heavy, longing for more, longing for forever.
Brooklyn and Leath danced nearby, their shadows like a mystical light of guidance. Love did exist. Despite hardships, catastrophes, heartache and war, love could overcome. If one was willing to fight.
She was willing to fight.
The fire weakened, but the blaze in her heart grew stronger. Mark rose and threw on another log. Ben ended the song and asked if someone else wanted to play.
“Sing another,” Brad urged, and so Ben sang another.
When the song ended, and Ben asked again if someone else wanted to sing, Brooklyn asked for the guitar. “You going to help me again, Leath?” she asked.
All of her worries, regrets, and expectations fled when Leath sat near his wife and wrapped her in his arms, her back facing his chest. She strummed the guitar as Leath fingered chords.
Peace exploded around her. To see her best friend with her husband, the brother she’d held dear, and the other soldiers who seemed so content sitting around the fire and connecting with the music. She couldn’t fathom what they faced overseas, but the stories she’d heard hadn’t been good. The stories of them coming home were even worse.
Brooklyn and Leath’s voices melded together in a song that made Marianne believe in forever love. Her dad had that kind of love with her mom, her grandparents before them. The war might destroy relationships, lives, and hope, but it could never destroy the type of love that brought families back together.
Her eyes burned. The wood snapped, making Ben jump. He met her gaze and wiggled his brows, then stood and approached. “Would you like to dance?”
“Love to,” she breathed.
Her body swayed with his, the chorus of soldiers joining in the song like a sweet, eternal mating call.
Buy Ebook:
by Angela Smith | Feb 13, 2016 | Books
In honor of Valentine’s Day, Goodreads had a list of fictional weddings that make them swoon, and it made me think of Garret and Reagan’s wedding!
We first meet Garret and Rayma in Burn on the Western Slope, but in the second (standalone) novel, Chayton and Naomi now get their chance (if they can ever stop arguing), and we celebrate Garret and Reagan’s wedding. I had such a fun time with this scene. Here’s an excerpt from Fatal Snag, where Naomi is walking down the aisle as her cousin’s bridesmaid, and has a hard time keeping her feet from going Chayton’s direction.
Excerpt:
The music began and the wedding planner’s nod indicated time for Naomi to step through the door. She gripped her flowers, letting the infusion of tulips, freesia, and dahlias steady her.
She paused at the entrance as the flash from the photographer’s camera caught what she hoped was a stunning smile, then stepped down the aisle, her dress gliding behind her. Glancing at Garret, she smiled. Her eyes trailed to Chayton. Her heart dropped. She nearly lost her footing and hoped no one noticed her wavering walk. Breathing deeply, she tried not to focus on him or think about how much she wished this was her wedding and she walked down the aisle toward him, her groom.
God, what was she thinking? How could she be so stupid? Her, marry Chayton?
Afraid she would veer his direction, she focused her attention opposite him, where she would stand.
She’d never seen a more gorgeous male. The black tux Chayton wore accentuated everything sexy about him, including his broad shoulders and lean, muscular frame. His thick hair, though combed immaculately, possessed that wild, disheveled look she loved.
She stepped past Garret and stood on the other side of him, facing the crowd of onlookers who waited for Reagan to emerge.
Underneath her skin, she buzzed with an underlying energy of excitement, nervousness, and longing. Reagan didn’t have to hide the fact she loved Garret with all her heart, and Garret returned her love tenfold. It was obvious every time he looked at her. Chayton’s mere presence made Naomi feel out of place. She wanted to be wrapped in his arms. She wanted to scream out her feelings for him in public so everyone would know. And she longed for him to share those feelings.
No, no, no. She couldn’t let it happen. Her feelings were just desire. Lust made her heart tremble so. Not love. No, no.
Yes, yes. Love wrapped itself tightly around her, stifling her breath, quickening her pulse. She glanced at Chayton, but he watched the door, his jaw clenched. The music introducing Naomi stopped. The wedding march started. Everyone stood in awe and respect when Reagan stepped through the door. Naomi forced herself to focus on Reagan, not Chayton.
Guests emitted ahs of delight. Although Naomi had been with her moments ago, she was still taken away by her cousin’s joy and beauty. Her wedding gown was made of silky satin, sequins beading the neckline, sheering into the straps and behind the back to cut into a V style. The long, flowing train fell to the floor in delicate softness, moving gracefully behind the bride as every sequin sparkled.
A tear escaped as Naomi watched Reagan glide down the aisle with her father. Her throat burned, her chest pounded and more tears bubbled deep in her chest, threatening to erupt in blubbers of weeping.
Months ago, when Reagan and her father had been kidnapped by a madman working for a jewel fencing mafia, Naomi was in California stressing over whether or not her cousin would live. Chayton had been involved in her rescue. This wedding was the happiest day of her life. The happiest of Naomi’s for it was a reminder of the importance of small things. She hoped to have a chance to talk to Chayton later, if he would listen.
Naomi faced the preacher as he asked who would give Reagan away. As her father gave his daughter to Garret, Naomi chanced a look at Chayton. Her heart flipped when he caught her gaze and gave her a small smile. He hadn’t smiled at her all day. She felt he’d given her a piece of him, and she treasured the precious gift.
Later, she hoped they would dance. Talk. Make love. Commemorate a new beginning.
Buy ebook:
by Angela Smith | Feb 12, 2016 | Books, Introspective
I love Valentine’s Day! The red, the hearts, the love quotes! Funny thing is, I don’t celebrate. Maybe because it’s way too close to my birthday, among several other family member’s birthdays, or because my husband and I don’t see the need to anymore since we’ve been together so long. I think it’s a great time for new lovers, those who need that extra push, and even children! I always loved it as a child, and I think it’s a great time to show appreciation and respect to those we love (it doesn’t always have to be romance)!
As a child, I always loved the old shoe boxes we decorated, and the care we took in slipping each Valentine card into those boxes. My coworkers and I were just talking about that today, and how memorable and fun it was, and she mentioned her son’s class doesn’t do that. I’m not sure if school stopped doing that or what, but I think it’s sad.
This Valentine’s Weekend, I have big plans. I’m helping host a baby shower for a friend on Saturday, and my husband and I are actually going out on Valentine’s Day, but that’s only to see Deadpool! Can’t wait to see it! Then, of course, there’s the new episode of The Walking Dead! And let’s not forget the big news: Liberation’s release day!
To celebrate here, I wanted to share a snippet of Valentine’s Day from Burn on the Western Slope.
In this scene, we see our hero, Garret, up on stage singing karaoke, and our heroine, Rayma, thinking of…well, read the excerpt and you’ll see. We also meet Chayton, the bartender and Garret’s brother, and Naomi, Reagan’s cousin. Those two end up together in the next novel, Fatal Snag. Join me tomorrow for an excerpt from their story, and on Sunday for a special excerpt from Liberation!
In this particular scene, Chayton, who owns a bar, is hosting a Valentine’s party. If you like what you see, you can always pick up a copy of Burn on the Western Slope here.
Without further ado…
Excerpt:
That weekend, Reagan and Naomi went to Air Dog, sporting grins and laughter. She tried to convince herself she wouldn’t care if Garret didn’t make it to the Valentine’s Party at Air Dog. It’d be best if he didn’t. Something about the red hearts gave Reagan a crazy longing to truly experience love and devotion. To have red roses and dark chocolate delivered to her door. Silly, silly thinking.
Red lights glimmered across the ceiling, emitting low, sexy illumination. A beam of lights corralled atop the dance floor, emanating a stream of colors. Tables flaunted small red candles and white bears.
The décor wasn’t set for sweet. It was set for sexy.
Chayton stood behind the bar with a bright red jersey shirt advertising the number sixty-nine. Only he could look good wearing a shirt like that. With extra help, he tended a flurry of customers. The other bartender was the woman she knew as Simone. The lights flickered off blonde and cherry streaks to make it appear outrageous in an appealing way.
Just the kind of woman Chayton would like. Reagan perceived Naomi’s sigh more than she heard it.
“Ladies, ladies, welcome.” Chayton retrieved two glasses hanging above the counter. “What can I get you? You want to try my Valentine Rose?”
“What’s that?” Naomi asked.
“My specialty. You have to try at least one.”
“Hit me,” Naomi said, and glared when Chayton winked. And here Reagan thought they were getting along.
“And you, Reagan?”
“I’ll try it,” she said, trying not to be too conspicuous as she searched for Garret. Even if it was best he didn’t come, she longed to see him. It wouldn’t be hard to blend in here. Masses of people swarmed the bar and the dance floor brimmed with patrons.
Reagan watched Chayton concoct the beverages. Naomi focused her attention away from the bar.
“I thought you and Chayton were friends,” Reagan said.
Naomi nodded. “We are.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
Chayton returned, furnishing their requested beverages.
Reagan popped a couple bucks in the tip jar. “What’s going on tonight?” she asked.
“Entertainment night. Tourists and locals play music, tell jokes, karaoke, whatever they want to do onstage as long as it’s legal. Gets pretty crazy but it’s loads of fun.”
“Where’s Garret?” Naomi asked, as if she knew Reagan was dying to ask but wouldn’t.
He nodded behind them before turning to another customer.
Reagan swiveled her chair to look. Garret stood on stage, a guitar strapped around his neck. The loud music overhead stilled and Garret sat on a chair in the middle of the stage. The lights dimmed.
Reagan swallowed. The pulse in her throat ached. A bright flash of panic seared her eyes. She blinked.
His hair, mussed to perfection, coasted across his forehead and curled at his neck. She resisted the urge to jump him, right there on stage. Her thoughts grew naughtier as she imagined the stage lights illuminating their bodies as they made love.
Reagan gripped Naomi’s hand. “Ohmigod. He sings.”
“That’s yet to be determined,” Naomi said.
“He’s a Greek God.”
“Yes, he is.”
“And I haven’t slept with him yet.”
Naomi coughed as her drink sputtered to her nose. Reagan slapped her back with the palm of her hand. Okay, not the best move if her friend had been choking, but whatever.
“Yet?” Naomi asked.
“I should live a little dangerously, right? I can’t help that the first guy I see is fine, intelligent, and sings. Remember, I’m being wild? Leaving my safe little past behind?”
“Okay, so you’re ready to make the first move?”
“Give me a few more of these,” Reagan said as she held up her drink, “and I will.”
Buy Ebook:
by Angela Smith | Feb 2, 2016 | Guests
Let’s welcome Rachel Dunning, author of the New Adult Romance Debt. Isn’t the cover fantastic?
99c Pre-Order Sale
Over 400 Pages
Standalone Novel
New-Adult Romance / Sports Romance
DEBT
By Rachel Dunning
Expected Release Date:
March 2016
What’s it about?
The Debt Collector
I pay my debts, and I expect others to.
I was raised in the slums of London, I knew nothing of privilege. My father was murdered when I was seventeen. Morty figured my father’s passing meant I would automatically take on dad’s debts. I refused.
And I paid for that refusal.
So did my sister.
So now I fight. All I know how to do is fight. The best cash is in the states, so that’s where I am now. A big fish called Vito came along offering me a “favor” when I arrived.
Another debt.
I paid for that one too.
I knew Kyla Hensley would be trouble when I met her. But I wanted her. I could see through the falsehood of her wannabe-slutty clothes and her sexy legs. So I chased her.
Besides, trouble is my middle name.
Kyla Hensley
I was brought up in privilege, but I lacked everything else. My father is a business tycoon who buys and sells and doesn’t care who gets rolled over in the process.
I never knew my mother, and all I have of her is a photo with a note scrawled on the back in French saying “I’m sorry.” The only Female Figure I had growing up is my dad’s wife who is a bleach blond with seven boob jobs. We never bonded.
I drink. I party. I meet guys.
But I wasn’t always like that.
I’ve had a string of lovers in the last few years, the worst and most recent of which was Vince Somerset. My best friend Vera was dating a guy called Rory Cansoom who is the opposite of Vince in so many ways, and yet so the same.
She and I hit the road for the summer, getting away from the two college psychos and just trying to have some fun.
But there’s a funny thing about trouble, the more you run from it, the more it finds you.
Which is when I met the Debt Collector.
It was only supposed to be sex. He made that clear. I made that clear.
That’s all it was supposed to be.
I never expected to fall in love. I never expected to fall so deeply, madly, uncomfortably in love with a man who is wrong, so wrong for me.
And yet…so unbelievably right.
Content Warning
Not intended for readers under the age of seventeen.
Genres:
New-Adult Romance
Sports Romance
Links:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01A02LNLC
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A02LNLC
Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01A02LNLC
Amazon Australia: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01A02LNLC
iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/debt/id1071559413?mt=11
Nook / B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/debt-rachel-dunning/1123196983?ean=2940152548570
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/603988
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28400056-debt
About Rachel
Rachel Dunning hit the scene in August 2013 and is the author of the highly praised Naive Mistakes Series, Truthful Lies Trilogy, Johnny Series and the paranormal romance series, Mind Games.
A prolific writer, she sticks to stories where Alpha Males aren’t pricks and where women have guts.
She’s lived on two different continents, speaks three different languages, and met the love of her life on the internet. In other words, romance is in her blood.
Get Rachel’s Newsletter
Sign up for Rachel’s Newsletter and never miss a release or a special.
You can sign up here:
http://www.rdunning.com/p/non-spammy-news.html
Where Else to Find Rachel
Blog / Website: http://www.rdunning.com
Facebook: http://bit.ly/RachelDunning
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachelDAuthor
Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/racheldunning
Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/RachelDunningBN
iTunes: http://bit.ly/RachelDunningiTunes
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/racheldunning
When did you absolutely know that you had to be a writer?
After I got my first five-star review. Up to that point it was pretty touch-and-go.
What was your favorite part of writing Debt?
I loved the story, so every part of it was special for me. I think it’s my best story yet (I always say that after every book, but it’s true that writers improve.) It’s a very human story about how love can strike at any moment and how there are no “compatibility tests” that can predict when it will strike. It’s about how sometimes people just know things, despite all evidence being to the contrary. It’s extremely romantic.
What is your favorite aspect of writing a novel? I.e. do you prefer to create characters or to plot?
Characters are above and beyond to plot for me. Although plot always needs to be exciting. I hate stories where characters spend pages and pages and pages on internal musings.
Do you ever use your life experiences in your novels?
Not really. But I think it’s impossible to not have a part of you filter into the story in some way. That’s what makes all writers unique. Everybody is an individual.
If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take one book with you, what would you take?
I’d take a notebook…and a pen.
If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only take one song with you, what would you take?
A Thousand Years, by Christina Perri
If you had the career of your choice, what would you choose and why?
You mean other than writing? I’d be a rock star, or an actress. Simply because it’s cool. 😉
Who would play your characters if your book was made into a movie?
The Debt Collector would be played by a younger Matthew McConaughey.
I’m not sure who’d play Kyla Hensley. Any takers?
Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
Writing itself is challenging. But as an indie author, I find the marketing more challenging than the writing (I don’t know if it’s any easier for “published” authors.)
What advice would you give to your younger self?
Forget what everyone else says, if you want to be an artist, be one.
Great advice! Thanks for stopping by!
by Angela Smith | Jan 31, 2016 | Introspective
We’re a month into the New Year! So much accomplished already and feeling grateful! Yet why do I feel I should be doing more?
I’ve always been a really self-disciplined person and very goal-oriented, so taking time off to relax has never been easy for me. But something has happened to me over the past while where I feel I’ve lost my mojo. Is it age? Not that I’m old by any means, but is it just the realization that hard work doesn’t always really matter in the grand scheme of things?
My year started off just terrible. I lost a cat to diabetes and another one got really sick and was diagnosed with Intestinal Bowel Disease (IBD). Who knew something like that existed? Not me, until it happened, and I’ve always tried to feed my cat the best of the best (or so I thought).
My husband and I never had kids, so my cats are my children. Not only have I taken on a few more than the two I originally had, but I have taken to feeding feral cats, even managing to tame many. Just call me the crazy cat lady! Riley was my first, and she’s 10 and a half years old. I’ve had her since she was weaned from her mother at about six weeks or so! I hate seeing her sick like this. Managing her IBD is a continuing struggle, and I’m constantly having to try new things just to get her to eat when before she always wanted to eat.
As the month closes and another one opens, I can’t help but wish I could have done more. I’ve been practicing daily gratitude, and I know it’s very important to continue this practice, but as I reflect back on everything I’ve accomplished this month, I can’t help but think it’s not enough.
I decided to reflect and share my accomplishments. Maybe sharing will help me gain some perspective. So here goes:
- Numerous vet visits; learned a lot about Riley’s IBD and making positive changes to help her (ups and downs with her eating and worried sick).
- Continuing remodeling project while living in the house
- Finished Liberation with publication date of February 14, 2016
- Sent YA (young adult novel) off for edits and beta read
- Got 2nd round of edits for romantic suspense story; working on those now to submit to publisher later
- Submitted YA (rejected, but alas, that was before the beta read, and I’ll try again!)
- Completed a cleanse diet (lots of fruits and veggies, with taking a break from caffeine, processed foods, and alcohol) (A writer taking a break from coffee! Unheard of! And the occasional red wine is a must!))
- Started new story
- Managed to get up earlier a few times a week so that I could write, but not near enough (those warm blankets feel too good in the morning)!
- No matter what day, even when I stayed up until 2AM working on house, I was still up by 7 AM to feed feral cats
- Watched Centennial. This was a big deal to me since I’ve always wanted to re-watch it; something I did as a young child with my family that I wanted to celebrate for my 40th birthday
- Celebrated my 40th birthday without losing my mind (even while most of my family forgot)
- Helped prepare for a murder trial at work (and continuing work related issues not mentioned)
- Other work related and personal issues best not mentioned
And yet in those 30 days of accomplishments, I still don’t feel I’m doing enough and still don’t feel accomplished. What is it that causes that feeling? Do you ever feel this way?
A couple of things I can pinpoint are that I haven’t exercised as extensively as I used to. The cleanse diet and the remodeling (half the time I feel I’ve done a thousand deadlifts without actually doing them) has stopped me from this goal. Also, the remodeling project is taking a lot longer than I had anticipated, but it’s really hard to be completely constructive when you have a full time job and other responsibilities. I’m convinced it wouldn’t take as long if we weren’t actually living in the house while remodeling! Not exercising is the worse form of feeling unsatisfied and unaccomplished, IMO.
My husband does collision repair for a living. His job is physically hard, and yet he comes home to do remodeling. His job also entails sanding Bondo and things of that nature. And yet, after 15 minutes of sanding our walls after mudding, I’m ready to cry!
I guess we are living in a world of want more, do more, be more. I’m happy with my life and the way things are, and yet I wish my deck project could be built in one weekend. After all, isn’t that what all the HGTV shows tell us can happen? And my drywall projects (for every single room), shouldn’t they be done within a day or two?
Alas, no. Everything worth doing is worth doing well, and that generally means slowly unless you are really really good at your job and that’s all you do without working full time and being a writer, too I suppose. Or just rushing through. So I’ll take one day at a time, and remember to be grateful for each and every moment I have!
by Angela Smith | Jan 26, 2016 | Books
American Indian romances were popular when I was growing up, and I read more than I could ever count! Cassie Edwards, Catherine Anderson, and Madeline Baker all wrote American Indian Romances I couldn’t get enough of! I grew up being infatuated with Native Americans and their history, and loved studying about them. When we were assigned to write book reports in school, I oftentimes chose my topic to be about Native Americans.
I grew up hearing about a long-lost relative of mine named Juana, who was captured by Indians. I don’t think that story ends with the romantic lore we find ourselves in today, but it was a captivating history in my family and ended up with a happy ending.
And then of course there was Centennial. Loved that movie series and long to see it again!
The history of American Indians has always intrigued me. So I wrote Final Mend with a Native American character and, although it isn’t an American Indian romance, it does feature a character and her brother (in Fatal Snag) who are partially Sioux Indians and yearn to know more about themselves.
In Final Mend, Winona has an American Indian name of Dancing Eagle and Amy, the child in this story, wants her own name and so is given the name of Water Dancer. Amy loves to name all the characters. She’s named Reagan Walks with Moose and Naomi is named Running Bear. She thinks it’s funny because Naomi was chased by a bear (Fatal Snag) and Reagan (in her story Burn on the Western Slope) finds a stuffed moose in her home.
Along with the Native American names, another theme of these three stories is animals. In some way, shape or form, each story depicts a certain animal (or bird) for the girls. Reagan’s is a moose, Naomi’s is a bear, and Winona’s is an eagle.
I’ve always been a bit infatuated with moose as well, as most of my friends can tell you. My sister always sends me a stuffed moose for Christmas, and a friend of mine often gives me some kind of moose-related item at Christmas. And yet to this day, I’ve never actually seen a real moose! That’s on my bucket list, although I don’t want to get too close!
Final Mend is on sale for 99 cents this week, and the other two in the series are both $1.99 until the end of January. The sale is almost over, so don’t miss out!
See the sale here:
http://www.amazon.com/Angela-Smith/e/B00DYBSIMY/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Thanks for visiting! Until next time!
by Angela Smith | Jan 23, 2016 | Writing
…and Why I Will Remain a Pantser
Ahh, the whole plotting vs pantsing issue. We’ve all heard it, right? The pros and cons, what works and why. And yet most people tell you that you are capable of being a plotter and that you should, in fact, try! I haven’t found any books on why you should continue to write by the seat of your pants, or how you can write by the seat of your pants, but there’s plenty out there about plotting.
I’ve been writing for years, and at every single new book I try the plotting method. You’d think that after all this time I’d figure out that plotting doesn’t work for me. And yet, I yearn for it to work, because I always feel like the book will be written faster. Is it the whole grass is greener mentality?
The truth is, it doesn’t make it shorter for me. I’ve had this idea for a novel for years now, but I made the mistake of trying to plot it all, and now it sits on my hard drive just waiting for the day I pick it up again. I hope that 2016 will be that year, and I wonder why this happened. Some would say it wasn’t ready, or it wasn’t meant be, but I say I overthought the story. Usually when this happens, I have to start completely over.
So I took it upon myself to figure out why plotting doesn’t work for me, and although I haven’t figured it all out, I think I figured out the logistics.
Plotting is too structured.
I’m in awe of those who can do it, but I’ve never been good with puzzles, and plotting is too much like a puzzle to me. Even though the way I write my scenes and then piecing them together is like a puzzle, it’s a different kind of puzzle. It’s like comparing a 1000 piece puzzle to a 100 piece puzzle, or a crossword to a word search. Okay, maybe not, but still. I’ve never had enough patience to do 1000-piece puzzles. Heck, 100 pieces is almost too much. Can I count to ten, please?
Plotting makes me think too much.
Like I mentioned before, if I plot, I overthink the story. I think too much about it, and it loses the gem it could have been. I’ve thought so much about it that I lose all the emotional connection to it, and it becomes like a long highway where I’m just trying to get to the end. To home. I often wonder if it’s because plotting uses a different brain wave, but I haven’t figured that out about myself yet. I do have tunnel vision, after all.
Plotting makes me lose interest in the story.
I lose interest after I plot my story. By the time I’m done, I feel like it’s done, even when it doesn’t have a real beginning, middle, and end. I love fleshing out my characters, love creating character collages, and love writing down scene notes. But plotting just over complicates the mess that is my book, and I give up. I love discovering things as I write it out, and even though you don’t have to stick to your exact plot, I still lose interest in it if I plot.
Plotting doesn’t feel creative.
Not to me. Again, I’m intrigued by those who do plot, and I know those who do it consider it a craft. It’s a huge talent. Do plotters ever just try to write by the seat of their pants? I’ve always wondered. I know it’s a creative talent, but for me it’s too much structure and routine. I absolutely love geography and can read maps, but I’ve never been good with directions.
For pantsers trying to be plotters, it just doesn’t work.
If you’ve made it work, I am intrigued and would love to know what you’ve done! But I give up! I will remain a pantser, who might plot a little after a few chapters are written, but then continues to pant along the way!
by Angela Smith | Jan 16, 2016 | Introspective
I love this photo above! It depicts how my life has been lately, and how I feel surrounded my waves of turmoil, my only path out a rocky terrain. But each day, the water of my troubles gets lower, and I’m finally able to breathe.
It’s been a rocky year! And once again I’ve failed at my goal of keeping up with my blog. But so many things have come up that it’s hard to keep up with it, and I find myself pushing it low on my list of priorities. 2015 has ended, we’re two weeks into the new one, and I turn FORTY in four days!
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind, and the last few months of 2015 and beginning of 2016 brought on a lot of stress and trauma. Car problems, house problems, remodeling problems. I lost an aunt around the holidays and had a few scares with some family members who got sick and hospitalized, including my dad and grandmother only a few months apart. My pet rooster (JoMean) was violently killed by a neighbor dog practically right in front of me. A beloved cat passed after struggling with feline diabetes, and another (Riley) got very sick only a week later. Then another beloved pet member (Romeo) went missing for a few days, and I almost lost my will to remain positive and grateful. way too much to handle to close together without any breathing room in between. But lo and behold, everything worked out and Romeo came home, Riley is getting better, and we are making positive changes to everyone’s diet and routine.
JoMean
But throughout it all, I finished a story, sent edits off to my editor on another, and started even another. I cleaned up my own diet and took on a Fresh21 cleanse (another blog topic for later perhaps?) after battling some severe allergy issues. I remembered to speak gratitude over my life and found my Word of the Year.
During those writing spells, I tried to plot, yet again, and found myself stuck, putting it off, finding myself editing instead of writing. Hey, editing is just as important, but I’ve got to write in order to have something to edit. (You can’t edit a blank page after all, says Queen Nora Roberts!) I forgot my own advice of doing what works for you, and I tried to plot my novel in hopes it’d go faster. It definitely didn’t go faster, because I got stuck for months!
I should probably add that throughout all this, my husband and I have been remodeling while living in our home. I can’t even think about it right now, but it’s kind of taken a downward spiral after finishing the kitchen, and that’s another topic for another day as well. Needless to say, throughout those months, I found some great crockpot recipes! And one day, maybe I’ll have a floor again!
I’ve got a lot of goals for the year, but I find myself being less goal-oriented as I get older. It’s sad, as I feel I should be more focused and more goal-oriented, but I’ve also learned how important it is to have some down time. Maybe that’s because 2015 was a whirlwind of busy-ness, and I’m ready to slow down. Hopefully that downtime will include having more time to read this year!
What about you? Do you have any specific goals for 2016?
by Angela Smith | Nov 21, 2015 | Introspective
I didn’t post about writing this week. I didn’t write much of anything this week, although my editing mode is kicked into high gear. With everything going on in the world, I don’t have the energy to say what’s on my mind and don’t feel anything I say or write is appropriate.
I’m saddened by what’s going on throughout the world, and no words can speak the right words. As Thanksgiving draws closer, I find it important to speak what we are thankful for.
Along with this past week’s tragedy, my aunt/great aunt/grandmother’s sister died last night after a long bout with cancer. I’m thankful for the time spent with her. She was such a beautiful woman, inside and out, and a woman I admired greatly. We had some really great times together. She’d been married to the same man for many, many years. I don’t really know, I just know it was as long as I can remember, and I feel very sad for him to have lost the love of his life.
I know many people are suffering from the loss of this special woman.
And yet, no matter how sad it is for everyone to be left behind, I know she was living the life she wanted to live. There are undoubtedly things she still wanted to do, things she will miss out on, but she went after her life full force while she still had the chance. And, no matter how hard that is sometimes, it’s the best thing we can do for ourselves. The more I do it, the happier I am.
Despite the loss of my aunt and the tragedy this world has faced, I continue to have problems in my family. Sometimes, there are things you can never turn away from. No matter how much forgiveness and acceptance you offer, some things will never be the same. Words spoken, words unspoken, and the fact many can never understand the other’s point of view, and most will never even try. The titter of people’s gossip growing into a raucous exaggeration that ends up hurting relationships. I feel that rut very deep in my life right now.
Things will get better, and sometimes you have to turn your back on relationships that are toxic, no matter how much it hurts.
Toxic relationships aren’t always about how someone has affected you in a negative way. Sometimes it’s the way people are when they are together. Sometimes it’s the opinions they feel they have to express, when it’s best they swallow their words. Sometimes it’s the fact they only see inward instead of looking in the mirror, or instead of looking out into how others might be affected by the words or situations you think is only hurting you.
No matter what happens, it’s important to remember love. No one is promised tomorrow, we all know this. The tragedy and ongoing threats of our world a perfect reminder. Sometimes speaking forgiveness isn’t enough, and sometimes those who won’t practice humility will never know what they’re missing.
So this Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for the experiences I have, good and bad that have made me who I am today. I am thankful for the relationships I’ve had, past and present, and those I’ll never have again. I wouldn’t be who I am today without them.
What are you thankful for?
by Angela Smith | Nov 14, 2015 | Writing
I admit today’s quote that I found to explain how my writing path is going is a bit dreary, which is why I chose the uplifting picture to go with it. Because writing, no matter what type of project, is a long and arduous task. You will have up days, you will have down days. You will have days that you feel like a failure no matter how many times people tell you they love your work.
If writing was easy, more people would stop talking about it and actually sit down and do it.
This quote is true. Some people actually love to write. It’s not that I don’t love it, but it is a struggle, and I do it because I’m driven to do it. And yet no matter how many “bad writing days” I have, I have many other good ones.
I got my edits back from my editor, so I’ve been writing and editing at the same time. Writing one story while editing another is probably not a good idea and never easy, but it’s how I work best. I’ve been trying to plot a lot, which is never a good thing for me. It never works out for me when I try to plot, and I’ve gotten stuck more times than I could admit when I try to plot. Even a simple plot outline tends to get me stuck, unless I’m very deep into my story already.
It’s important to go with what works for you. If you can’t start a story without a title, don’t listen to anyone’s advice about how you should do this or that first. Every writer is different. I keep telling myself that plotting is going to make my life easier, my story flow better, but I have more down days, more days where I struggle trying to tell a story, when I try to plot first. I wish it weren’t so. I don’t know how many plotters wish they were pantsers, but I know a lot of pantsers who wish they were plotters, me being one of them. I constantly have to remind myself that it doesn’t work for me, so stop trying to make it work.
This whole week was one of those times I felt like a failure, like giving up. And you will face days where you feel like a failure, feel like giving up. It’s hard to work full time and write, but then, it’s harder to give it up. Believe me, I know, I’ve tried it before and wasted years of struggle while not following my writing path.
So today’s writer’s tip is to keep going. Change your perspective if you must. And do what works for you! Me? I decided to get away from my computer, grab my notebook, and head outside.
by Angela Smith | Nov 11, 2015 | Introspective
I’ve been reading Jackson Galaxy and Kate Benjamin’s Catification book and just love the ideas it’s given me for my multi-cat household to have some play areas without looking like a cat lady. Today I decided to try something using some of the ideas I found. I didn’t really have a plan, just wanted a small project using a concrete foam board wrapped in sisal. I knew I’d need to line it with something, so decided to use an old pair of jeans that I had set aside for sewing projects. The cats love our jeans, so I thought it’d work perfectly.
This was a simple, short craft project. I love crafts! In one short afternoon, here’s what I came up with:
Tools: scissors, concrete foam board, sisal rope, and hot glue gun.
Note: this was the only glue gun I had, but I’d recommend using a larger one! My hands were cramping after this project, and this mini glue gun was a slow and agonizing process.
The sisal rope wasn’t long enough, but I had more. I decided I didn’t want the whole project in sisal, so I decided to use old jeans.
I lined the inside with the jeans, cutting out and pasting one of the pockets inside for a little extra hidey holes for cat play. We’ll see how that works out.
One end was lined with denim, but the other end needed something. I used feather fabric, which was an idea from the Catification book.
The final project!
It’s easy to do your own catification diy! Since I’m still in the process of remodeling my house, I hope this simple project will find a place in my new, planned cat area.
by Angela Smith | Nov 9, 2015 | Guests
Blurb for Modern Magic: A Quartet of Fractured Fairy Tales
What if Cinderella ditched the prince’s ball and sent her fairy godmother to find love in her place?
Suppose a streetwise hero hired to steal an all-powerful Genie (stuck in a flash drive rather than a brass lamp) for a tech company ended up running for his life with the CEO’s gorgeous, intelligent daughter?
Or what if the bed that a certain golden-tressed girl accidentally napped in belonged to the hot and famous middle brother of a notorious boy band?
Can you envision the sparks that might fly if a bitter and downright beastly wheelchair-bound woman propositioned a handsome bookseller to stay with her in exchange for her rare book collection?
This spellbinding anthology features modern and sexy spins on four classic fairy tales that will enchant you by Jennifer DeCuir, Stephanie Cage, Andrea R. Cooper, and Nancy C. Weeks.
BUY LINKS
AMAZON
BARNES AND NOBLE
KOBO
About the Authors:
Jennifer DeCuir, author of A Late-Blooming Rose, grew up in a small town in Maine, which provides the basis for Scallop Shores, the fictional town in Drawn to Jonah. She’s busy raising two kids and a husband. She loves including children and babies in her stories, as her own provide endless story ideas. Currently residing in rain-soaked Washington, she can usually be found working on her latest book in a local Starbucks.
Where to find Jennifer DeCuir:
Website
Author Facebook Page
Twitter
Stephanie Cage, author of Music to Her Ears is a British romance writer, author of ‘Perfect Partners’ (Crimson Romance) and ‘Desperate Bid (The Wild Rose Press). She studied English Literature at Oxford University and Creative Writing at Bath Spa. One of her most exciting writing moments was winning a holiday to Sicily in the Woman’s Own Short Story Competition. More recently she won the Yorkshire Ridings Magazine’s Romance Story competition. Oddly, both short stories were set in the same location in Yorkshire.
Where to find Stephanie Cage:
Stephanie Cage’s Blog
Facebook Author Page
Twitter
Amazon Page
Pinterest
Andrea R. Cooper, author of Fairy Trouble writes fantasy, paranormal, historical and romantic suspense. Her favorite childhood memories revolved around creating vibrant characters for her friends, and then acting out their adventures. Inside her fantasy worlds of darkened forests, dragon-filled glades, and iced islands, nothing was banned. From the ethereal Elvin to the most maligned Vampires, all were welcome in her fictional realities, a stark contrast to her home, where the magical and mythical was forbidden.
Where to find Andrea R. Cooper
Website
Newsletter
Twitter
Nancy C. Weeks, author of His One Wish has loved happy-ever-after romances since she was in her early teens. While still in college, she met and married her hero. She spent the next several years honeymooning and working overseas. Today, she lives in suburban Maryland with her husband of more than thirty years. With her two grown children out of the nest, she loves spending her days on her deck writing as the local bird population keeps her company.
Find Nancy C. Weeks:
Website
Facebook Author Page
Twitter
Pinterest
