tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39779400597855452972024-02-19T19:40:46.628-05:00Wench WritersWench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-17629634007737183812011-08-17T09:48:00.001-04:002011-08-17T10:06:59.156-04:00Basket of Hope - Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFcGAUU-R1lHnEsZnAA1QMjcheqN3G7XwSUut3ndj3n9t3r1EEpkSSaDyUa0n8JH2kJQ2ivptdBJZrIdcajLy5KrtCQDMft7H0_cbvcz1delBU79zIarQp-As4_gjTfnU4Ikkdr9o_kA/s1600/BasketofHope200x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">xx<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwFcGAUU-R1lHnEsZnAA1QMjcheqN3G7XwSUut3ndj3n9t3r1EEpkSSaDyUa0n8JH2kJQ2ivptdBJZrIdcajLy5KrtCQDMft7H0_cbvcz1delBU79zIarQp-As4_gjTfnU4Ikkdr9o_kA/s1600/BasketofHope200x300.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This is a unique and captivating love story</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">This was a fabulous read! I was easily caught up in this paranormal historical romance. Each page drew me closer and closer to Kara and Machias, and held me captivated to the end.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Although I’ve read other romances containing a distressed girl pining for a man she can’t have, Basket of Hope <i>isn’t</i> your run-of-the-mill story. It is loaded with interesting twists, and fabulous imagery that draws you in and keeps you invested. A story that can do that is truly unique. (Unique is what paranormal is supposed to be, right? LOL) I love this tale and its vivid characters.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Kara is a beautiful and innocent scullery maid who secretly pines for Machias, heir to the kingdom. She feels lowly and wonders why she even entertains the thought of being with such a man of status, but a small hope still lingers within her heart. </span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">The All Hallows Eve Ball approaches and Machias is to chose a mate from a variety of prominent ladies. Kara’s hopes wane. Her dreams for love will be gone forever… unless something magical happens.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://1placeforromance.com/index.php?searchMe=basket+of+hope&column=name&_a=viewCat">Basket of Hope</a></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">by J.M. Powers</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGiMcjeP8_gBHyApxdjs5c5T3VrERBXkUilup47UfODh8WsxlVmGKL4PAaRfOuwcaTexgABipAaJVKqH8lleDNRi6g2Ddky5stRB-E3n_hNb25flv0cZjljsJ0X7IM8I_WkPpvw4u51KI/s1600/Wench+N-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGiMcjeP8_gBHyApxdjs5c5T3VrERBXkUilup47UfODh8WsxlVmGKL4PAaRfOuwcaTexgABipAaJVKqH8lleDNRi6g2Ddky5stRB-E3n_hNb25flv0cZjljsJ0X7IM8I_WkPpvw4u51KI/s1600/Wench+N-blog.jpg" /></a></div>
~Nic</div>
Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-910829928121211262011-08-02T23:59:00.000-04:002011-08-02T23:59:01.020-04:00Don't Be a Man<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Today, I received pre-edits from one of my editors. I didn't even know what pre-edits were, and truth be told, it freaked me out. Yes, I could have emailed my editor with the things I didn't understand, but I wanted to figure them out myself. (Okay, I admit it; I didn't want to look stupid.) <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Double space manuscript</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">--already done</span></i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Italics for interior thought</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">--<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Like this</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Black text only</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> --<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Why would anyone use another color?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">I checked those off right away. (Made me think I was actually doing something other than avoiding the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">needed</i> changes.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">I knew I was in trouble when I came upon these:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">No singular character ellipses--</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Uhh…<o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">No spaces between periods in ellipses--"</span></b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">That makes no sense--without spaces they would be a solid line. Right? " (I actually said this out loud, causing my teenage daughter to look at me weird--well, weirder than usual.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">I slammed on the brakes and started designing a website. Though I never created one, it seemed easier than pre-edits. Then, I remembered my deadline. So, I decided to skip the ellipses issue and move on. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Good or preferred vs. Common usage: refer to CMOS section 5.202 <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">My heart began to ellipse … (do those ellipses have spaces? I'll never look at them the same.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">After regaining sanity, I decided to Google CMOS. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Chicago Manual of Style. Oh. I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">knew</i> that. I panicked for no apparent reason. (The M in J.M. Powers now stands for melodramatic.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Feeling a bit sheepish, I emailed my editor. She graciously explained everything I didn't understand. My sigh of relief was probably audible over cyber space, because she shot me another email while I scanned the list of things to do. She said to break each task down, and resist the urge to look at the next thing on the list. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oh</i>. Following her lead, I finished everything in one night. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"> There are many turns in the road to publication. Today, I learned something new. If I quit acting like a man and ask for directions, it will make this trip a whole lot easier. Oops, I think I just bumped into an ellipse. (Oh, and they <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> have spaces--just don't put extra ones in there.)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0in;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Author note: For those men who <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">do</i> ask--sorry </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">J</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 32px;">Summer</span>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-6357925536046340162011-07-26T11:37:00.000-04:002011-07-26T11:37:26.193-04:00WooHoo!<div style="text-align: justify;">I have some awesome news I couldn't wait to share with my Wenches and our amazing followers :)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">After a gruelling search, I found a publisher for my story <i>Escaping Normal</i>. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.total-e-bound.com/Default.asp">Total-E-Bound Publishing</a> are taking on board my story which is set to release in November. If you get time, check out their website, they have some amazing authors on board. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">But for now, here is a small tagline for my story that I hope will entice your interest for November ;)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i>Escaping Normal is about </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i>chasing dreams, finding nightmares and combining both to create the ultimate escape from normal.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><i>Pxx</i></span></div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-14257411003616250162011-07-05T00:00:00.004-04:002011-07-05T00:00:01.695-04:00ARC Review Wanted Series #2 --Vodka shots<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJWnGbA4hmfiBhQFiW7LaKkLXhSYEOEPmi6BwWoH_vDRfId8Kxcpif3l1AZPuIlVWpFn6ylFi7Rexs4FxWr8r85ydNOKXsnVpw0AL-Is1N4JNpKpzXcjSqKkIGMuoHpDPBAGC9QRGje4/s1600/image.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJWnGbA4hmfiBhQFiW7LaKkLXhSYEOEPmi6BwWoH_vDRfId8Kxcpif3l1AZPuIlVWpFn6ylFi7Rexs4FxWr8r85ydNOKXsnVpw0AL-Is1N4JNpKpzXcjSqKkIGMuoHpDPBAGC9QRGje4/s1600/image.png" /></a></div>ARC Review<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">Wanted 2-Vodka Shots</div><div class="MsoNormal">Marteeka Karland</div><div class="MsoNormal">Changeling press</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"> Though Vodka shots is a second in a series, the back-story worked seamlessly into the dialogue and narrative, so I had no trouble following the story. Marteeka Karland did what every author should. She captured me from the first paragraph of this book and sent me reeling into her space fantasy. This book has everything a reader would want: Intrigue, action filled with descriptive scenes, amazing sex, love and most of all, believable characters. Now let me tell you all little about this book.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> Dmitry is furious that his woman, Karri betrayed him, and even upon finding out she did so to save her five-year-old daughter, it doesn’t snuff out his fiery hurt and anger. Upon finding her, Dmitry wants Karri to pay for her deception, and upon finding himself alone with her, they have angry, yet consensual sex. Which by the way, is written tastefully, and so full of emotion, it took me for a ride as well. </div><div class="MsoNormal"> Kari is truly sorry for hurting Dimitry, but she feels justified for what she did. Dmitry has a need, so primal and true when it comes to Karri. Quite an issue with a man who wants to punish and hate the woman who left him without a word. I’ll let you read the book to discover how the two of them deal with all that hot steamy emotion brewing between them.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> The battle scenes were so descriptive I could see the expressions of their faces, feel the heat of the lasers, and gasp when I thought they were at a point of defeat. Even the scene where two vodka shots were upon the bar was imaginative—Marteeka adds a bit of intrigue there when Dmitry sees what’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">really</i> in his shot glass… Yeah, your eyebrow rose on that one, didn’t it?</div><div class="MsoNormal"> I hope to see more of Hawk, Dmitry’s partner and friend, in the next of this series. Good god, he is HOT. Like any other reader who delves into the pages of this book, it leaves me wanting to discover the new relationship Hawk is embarking on at the end of this book.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> More than learning more about the characters, I especially want to read more of this author’s style of writing. Marteeka Karland gets right into the action, taking the reader along on the adventure into space.</div><div class="MsoNormal"> Vodka shots is a fitting name, as its high quality goes down smooth and warms your body. This book is strictly adult content, so be ready to be singed with the heat of the love scenes and reality of the human emotion in this sci-fi read. (Marteeka Karland also created the cgi cover art on this book.)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Summer</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-14911043572410441272011-06-28T00:01:00.000-04:002011-06-28T00:01:01.679-04:00The Perfect Environment<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">I’m a scatterbrain. I have piles of books all over my house. Empty mugs in the weirdest places. Mounds of ironing. Pens. Notebooks. Highlighters. Random items in randomer places. But my desk is immaculate. To me, anyway.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">For the last few weeks I’ve been on a bit of a hiatus. Returning to work after three years has thrown me for an emotional loop and I’m trying once again to find the balance. Today I tried to get back into the swing of things, write a few blog posts and open up my WIP. But first my desk needed a serious sorting out. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">In my writing absence, my desk became a dumping ground for ‘I’ll sort out later’ stuff. Correspondence, books, receipts, Lush wrappers…it was a mess. When I’m writing, I need everything just so. No more than one mug at a time, scribble notebook and pen handy, official WIP notebook to the side and a lip balm. Don’t ask, the lip balm helps me focus between writing stints. Plus it’s a chocolate one. Yum. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">To anyone apart from me, the before and after shots of my desk don’t look all that different. It is still cluttered, still a few notebooks lying around and open books at points of reference I need to remember. But it’s organised clutter. It’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my</i> clutter.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">So I want to know what your writing environment is like. Can you do it anywhere or do you need complete and utter isolation – no music, no people, no nothing? Or does everything have to be absolutely perfect? Whatever it is, I want to know about it. Writers are an incredible species. We all have the same drive but completely different habits.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7JnIxiNRZ10fMarbBzNG3xl8XF7cJUxkr6AYJZXw5fZhJl-8DAjmY-mSfxwJ5lTqWlcuNY6oEYeh3s2yVmfLo0bdcrw2M3cCu2L24J5fytEnb5adXobKomCvq8r0_fk12uFv1ogfcpA/s1600/Wench+P-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7JnIxiNRZ10fMarbBzNG3xl8XF7cJUxkr6AYJZXw5fZhJl-8DAjmY-mSfxwJ5lTqWlcuNY6oEYeh3s2yVmfLo0bdcrw2M3cCu2L24J5fytEnb5adXobKomCvq8r0_fk12uFv1ogfcpA/s1600/Wench+P-blog.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;">Pxx </div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-54020784121128572342011-06-14T00:01:00.002-04:002011-06-14T00:01:02.616-04:00Show Don't Tell<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrX_kpNEvNuxK-KMREm5VgFghJJU3WDlTC2dUjHQmwedvsn_6nZisPYX86HAZXfCD66HdB_22npDqhpXbmJ0DPaHCxi7fwfQ4jzWXsutpWvy33TYE58IpkBGkOLs1-W5UTtzNF25t9D0/s1600/Wench+Nic-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrX_kpNEvNuxK-KMREm5VgFghJJU3WDlTC2dUjHQmwedvsn_6nZisPYX86HAZXfCD66HdB_22npDqhpXbmJ0DPaHCxi7fwfQ4jzWXsutpWvy33TYE58IpkBGkOLs1-W5UTtzNF25t9D0/s1600/Wench+Nic-blog.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.5pt;">As writers, we’ve undoubtedly heard “show don’t tell” countless times. Right? So, just how do we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">show</i>? By <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">describing</i> the scene to the reader, rather than <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">informing</i> them what is there.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.5pt;">Involve the reader’s senses.</span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.5pt;"> Informing readers ‘the food is tasty’ or ‘the young rabbit was scared’ is flat writing. Describing the tasty food or the scared rabbit is showing: </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.5pt;">1. The ripe, sun-warmed cherry tomatoes exploded in my mouth making my jaws pucker.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.5pt;">2. I found a trembling, injured bunny beneath the dewy morning glories.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.5pt;">This involves the reader and they become part of the scene. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.5pt;">Show things in the scene that aren’t written in the words.</span></b><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.5pt;"> I didn’t have to tell you the rabbit was young and scared. I showed you the rabbit was young [bunny] and scared [trembling].</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.5pt;">As another example (and for fun creativity) I asked my fellow wenches to join me in re-creating the following flat scene by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">showing</i>. Please join us in the comments section by putting your own spin on the facts—without changing them. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: 12.5pt;">I climbed the tree and looked over the fence into Neal’s back yard. My suspicions were correct. Molly was there. She was in the pool, swimming naked. Neal was smiling. As my heart broke, they laughed. It was cold outside, but neither seemed affected by the mountain air. Actually, things were getting downright steamy. Just when I thought my night couldn’t get any worse, my spying antics were exposed when my cell phone rang loudly. I was mortified.</span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-83525676288619726992011-05-31T00:01:00.000-04:002011-05-31T00:01:02.157-04:00Book Review: ARC Swim The Fly<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1848774532/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=wencwrit-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=1848774532"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_QHEQc1_8Ue_Cb7KWcv6ueEyKkqLmUh2581GE8IPaiFqXfbGxE3xWUPEMtQblJas13Nz_uBQN1FkbOBCgFyldZBN3z90pJ80sGpNgPUhBPdrLgSyQfOxEWE-EieErP6792X-yFx412w/s1600/swim2.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"></span></span></span></div><ul style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; list-style-type: none; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Paperback:</b> 336 pages</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Publisher:</b> Templar Publishing (1 Jun 2011)</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>ISBN-10:</b> 1848774532</span></li>
<li style="margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-left: 0em; margin-right: 0em; margin-top: 0.5em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>ISBN-13:</b> 978-1848774537</span></li>
</ul><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>Fifteen-year-old Matt Gratton and his two best friends, Coop and Sean, always set themselves a summertime goal. This year's? To see a real-live naked girl for the first time. But this mission impossible starts to look easy in comparison to Matt's other challenge: to swim the 100-yard butterfly and impress the gorgeous Kelly West.</i></span></span></div><div style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I was recently given the opportunity to receive an advanced review copy of Swim the Fly by Don Calame. The blurb spoke of a YA novel for boys, full of laughs and surprising heart. I found a lot more in this book; a complex message hidden beneath glib dialogue and teenage drama.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">This book is a must for any lover of the genre. It is a sure hit for boys, with characters they will no doubt be able to relate to and situations familiar. For the female persuasion, the book is a unique chance to peer into the inner workings of the teenage boy. And ladies, this is an invaluable opportunity.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The character of Matt is a sweet one, sincere if not a little misguided. With friends, Coop and Sean, Matt goes through a summer of firsts. The first girl he gets seriously interested in, the first strains of a previously unstrained friendship, the realisations that sometimes the truth is the better way, and of course, the determination to spot their first naked girl.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">This book was reminiscent of American Pie. Horn-dog teenage boys and a sure-to-be catastrophic pact makes the story comic gold. I laughed out loud numerous times during this read, caught myself wrinkling my nose in disgust and inching closer to the pages as the male psyche had me intrigued.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">It answered a lot of the age-old questions about boys: do they<i> really</i> think about sex THAT much? Are they <i>really</i> THAT disgusting? Do they <i>really</i> think THAT’S what it takes to get a girl? The answers are endless, but heed this warning well, not all the answers are ones we want!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">What surprised me about this book was the big, beating heart at its centre. I was warned about the softer side, but being primarily a book about three teenagers determined to get their first glimpse of a naked girl, I figured, hot soft could it be? Turns out, pretty soft. There was no mush, but a softer side nonetheless. It isn’t shoved in your face, more like lies underneath the surface, gently whispering what you realise you actually knew all along.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">No matter your age or sex, you will go on a journey of discovery with Matt as he figures out not everyone will react the way you expect them to, and how to look beyond what was in front of you all along.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The hair-brained and disastrous schemes will have you rolling around in your seat, the cringe-worthy moments making you feel so mortified it was as if it was happening to you. But the happy moments will light a little warm fire in your belly that not even a thug like Tony Grillo can put out. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgemd_fGF6z2mjlIBa6JADEyd1C9JJ0VTLDLCIw2oXVdw35f12tWHTdFQTYiRZ0wqI-EEOZOv9c6khYl493l2S16Y-6a9NNoMksXKfkXqkaZaLJ65qIS_5vC7UbVUWmNgxR8qVg8-4084/s1600/Wench+P-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgemd_fGF6z2mjlIBa6JADEyd1C9JJ0VTLDLCIw2oXVdw35f12tWHTdFQTYiRZ0wqI-EEOZOv9c6khYl493l2S16Y-6a9NNoMksXKfkXqkaZaLJ65qIS_5vC7UbVUWmNgxR8qVg8-4084/s1600/Wench+P-blog.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Pxx</span></div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-59277394493854821332011-05-24T16:39:00.000-04:002011-05-24T16:39:00.225-04:00The Computer is mightier than the Sword<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzDArhix1EwCVK_Uff_yS1fanVjpczip_9pg-0eWXpBNF4XHZ447I8GSQN4kE4_kvj7jz3rpX86FFgRmYk-fbLG97FhO-O694JsQ94LqPDsp8mcnY3NXJMPzpvcvsshU5bhuLnj-uOiw/s1600/compsword.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDzDArhix1EwCVK_Uff_yS1fanVjpczip_9pg-0eWXpBNF4XHZ447I8GSQN4kE4_kvj7jz3rpX86FFgRmYk-fbLG97FhO-O694JsQ94LqPDsp8mcnY3NXJMPzpvcvsshU5bhuLnj-uOiw/s1600/compsword.bmp" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">As a modern day writer, we sometimes might use a pen or pencil to scribble our musing down, but mostly I think we use our computers. So it's important to take care of the tools of our trade. Here are a few things I do to speed up my computer. If you’re like me, as you write you find a million reasons to surf the Internet. Sometimes they are even valid reasons, like research... anyhow, one of the side effects of all this poking around can be a slowing down of your computer’s speed. I’m going to walk you through a few things that may help.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Start at the <strong>start</strong> button (the bottom left corner on your screen)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Click on <strong>‘Control Panel’</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Click on <strong>‘System and Security’</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Click on <strong>‘Administrative Tools’</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Click on <strong>‘Free up disk space’</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">This will run quickly or slowly, depending on how long it’s been since you’ve done it. When it has finished a small window will open up. Under <strong>‘files to delete’</strong> put a check mark in <strong>ALL</strong> of the boxes, don’t worry, it won’t delete anything important even if it is checked off, it just deletes the garbage stored in your computer. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">After you check everything off, Click on <strong>‘Clean up system files’</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Again, this may go quickly or slowly depending on how much stuff is there. When it is done configuring, the same box will come up again, click <strong>okay</strong>, then another box will appear and ask if you are sure you want to delete all the files, say <strong>yes</strong>!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Back in the administrative tools click <strong>‘Defragment your hard drive’</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Click on <strong>‘Analyze disk’</strong> (this may take a while)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">When it’s done click <strong>‘Defragment disk’</strong> (again, this may take a while, um, a long while if it hasn’t been done for a long time)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Okay, now that this is done, open up your Internet and go to the top right corner and look for <strong>‘Safety’</strong>. Click on it then in the drop down menu click <strong>‘delete browsing history’</strong></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">I check off everything except <strong>‘form data’</strong> and <strong>‘passwords’</strong> (I like being signed in automatically lol) once you’ve checked off the other stuff click <strong>‘delete’.</strong> This gets rid of tracking cookies and browsing history (a list of everywhere your mouse has taken you) and stuff that sites like to send to your computer to sit in storage there (I'm sure there's a reason, but I sure don't know what it is)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">I recommend you do the first half - freeing up disc space and the defrag - with everything on your computer shut off. (no word docs or email things open) I further recommend you run through this process twice, it should go much quicker the second time, if it doesn’t, run it a third time. Sometimes when the defrag is not done regularly it takes a couple runs through to get everything as it should be.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">This should help your system speed up some. A little something extra besides just depending on your security system to do everything. Your computer is a big part of what you do as a writer. From communicating with your publisher, to marketing yourself and your book, and even research (playing on Facebook if you prefer...) So like I said earlier, take some time to take care of one of a writers valuable tools.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTmTTXsZpQoGiBKRivt7pMiaU2xiK-WO2sgv37-OQcAZo5mIA1rNz614QRkMDYqvsBWi6t7yB4koGdo9PxslVZU6H5DI_vhIwGIQuv6ZDMyO5c5ilTgatDVE8dZW8qZr-852aAHCiWBE/s1600/wd2TD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="51" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkTmTTXsZpQoGiBKRivt7pMiaU2xiK-WO2sgv37-OQcAZo5mIA1rNz614QRkMDYqvsBWi6t7yB4koGdo9PxslVZU6H5DI_vhIwGIQuv6ZDMyO5c5ilTgatDVE8dZW8qZr-852aAHCiWBE/s200/wd2TD.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-30295365005620547102011-05-17T00:01:00.003-04:002011-05-17T00:01:00.991-04:00Ed and the Passive Voice<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZDcqq0O9KoJTrlQPWi1LqiiSBT7IiXVLHGN6GqO6HC05vHPoh1YoYRAtVwDN_qi7ODAPFuV2c9fE2naLK2DIKIrELjNV5bOHXP6wuvDjrIu0MA1kShBp5_ckKoJN2Km04zanAN2k44M/s1600/Wench+Nic-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ZDcqq0O9KoJTrlQPWi1LqiiSBT7IiXVLHGN6GqO6HC05vHPoh1YoYRAtVwDN_qi7ODAPFuV2c9fE2naLK2DIKIrELjNV5bOHXP6wuvDjrIu0MA1kShBp5_ckKoJN2Km04zanAN2k44M/s1600/Wench+Nic-blog.jpg" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Let me introduce you to a friend who knows passive voice intimately. His name is Ed. Okay, he isn’t really a person, and undoubtedly isn’t a ‘he’, but Ed is my friend—our friend. </span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I’ll get back to Ed in a minute. First, I want to show you what passive voice <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i>. The following paragraph is riddled with it:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The missing child case had been solved by Jack Long, the Police Chief. Two-year-old <city w:st="on">Savannah</city> Smith was discovered after several hours of probing beneath the debris covered waters of <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Copsey</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Lake</placetype></place>. He had located her. She had been sleeping in the back seat of her mother’s car. </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Did you feel alienated or distracted while reading that? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The next paragraph gets the same information across, but in active voice:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">After several hours of probing beneath the debris covered waters of <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Copsey</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Lake</placetype></place>, Police Chief Jack Long solved the missing child case. He discovered two-year-old <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Savannah</place></city> Smith sleeping in the back seat of her mother’s car. </span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSeC2_6V0Qk6GPs4bsqWDsV7mu9uQ-ig2ekKT0nXcpI7NQCH3xcMAQAcheQI1P1dfVZTwpWgK8b2wv60byO2dlQjc5u0DBZc19fqXuQE43VC70rCkH5CExX1OumGYV6_GlBwispZbCoaI/s1600/word+was2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSeC2_6V0Qk6GPs4bsqWDsV7mu9uQ-ig2ekKT0nXcpI7NQCH3xcMAQAcheQI1P1dfVZTwpWgK8b2wv60byO2dlQjc5u0DBZc19fqXuQE43VC70rCkH5CExX1OumGYV6_GlBwispZbCoaI/s1600/word+was2.jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Whew! This sounds much better, doesn’t it? Now I’ll refer back to Ed. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Verbs ending in “-ed” (Ed) help identify passive voice. Locate verbs ending in “-ed” (solved, discovered, located.) If these verbs are preceded by a form of the verb “to be” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">(are, was, am, been has been, have been, had been, will be, will have been, being)</i> you are likely using passive voice. There are some exceptions to the “-ed” idea, but they are easy to detect.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Example:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“The case was solved by Jack.” –passive</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">“Jack solved the case.” – active</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">When we write a sentence where the subject is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">receiving</i> the action, rather than <em>being</em> or <em>doing</em>, we are using passive voice.</span></div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-75385028112257434152011-05-10T18:13:00.000-04:002011-05-10T18:13:00.413-04:00Quirks of Querying...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiunZNv-QKwmO1DijjM4TYyNnxNahXd154C6H370yzZZ_sNOZGkT4fL7KHUx5Kb21Rx-9S0QM66x9xLvPYb-RwE2eHvCnSVUPe14H5EppnAQcAqCkoxeIWT8pf_lhN_rhAh4K_xVHOEGdk/s1600/MyBannerMaker_Banner.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="166" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiunZNv-QKwmO1DijjM4TYyNnxNahXd154C6H370yzZZ_sNOZGkT4fL7KHUx5Kb21Rx-9S0QM66x9xLvPYb-RwE2eHvCnSVUPe14H5EppnAQcAqCkoxeIWT8pf_lhN_rhAh4K_xVHOEGdk/s200/MyBannerMaker_Banner.png" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;">Querying is a part of a writer's life, and in my opinion the toughest part. Rejection is unavoidable, but knowing that does not make it easier. <br />
<br />
<br />
Here is my experience with the process of querying--and how it led to publication of not one, but two books.<br />
<br />
After jumping the hurdle of finishing a novel, I learned how to write a query letter. Polishing it to perfection, I applied suggestions from an editor friend. I even sent it to Marla Miller for a critique. After making a list of agents in my genre, I began sending out submissions. <br />
<br />
Rejections came in many forms, from a NO, scribbled in the corner of my letter, to an encouraging note to keep trying. <br />
<br />
Each time, I took another look at my query letter, tweaking it before sending out the next batch. Still, I found rejections in my mailbox--eventually expecting them to be there.<br />
<br />
That is when I decided to switch things up. I stopped querying agents and began submitting directly to publishers. This took a great deal of research. I needed to find ones who accepted new authors--sans an agent. I read about how e-books are booming, and decided to look into that option. Agents are good to have, but are not a requirement for many publishers, especially in the growing field of independent or "indie" publishers. <br />
<br />
I researched each publisher before submitting. Again, this takes time. I suggest you check each one through predators and editors, absolute write and writers beware. Next, personalize each query. What do I mean by this? Let me tell you what I did.<br />
<br />
I took the extra time to visit each publisher's site, familiarizing myself with how they work, about their staff and the overall "feel" of their company. With the information I gleaned, I mentioned something personal about their site in my query letter. There was a particular site that didn't accept my genre, but I loved their attitude so much, I had to let them know what they were doing right. <br />
<br />
They are the ones who not only offered me a contract, but also started a new line and expanded because I risked going against the rules. Now, I am not suggesting you go willy-nilly with your submissions. I'm saying, think out of the proverbial box. I knew I wanted this publisher, and in the end, they wanted me. <br />
<br />
One week later, another publisher accepted a different book. Again, an independent publisher liked how I personalized my query. <br />
<br />
Now, they accepted my book on its own merits, but the fact I got to "know" them, made my query stand out. I just had to give these pointers to my fellow writers. You are welcome to follow my road to publication at jmpowersromance.blogspot.com. Call me your tour guide if you wish. I will point out all the sights on this journey… come along for the ride and learn with me.<br />
<br />
(Author note: You can read more comments from readers on </span><a href="http://marlamiller.com/"><span style="color: #901ec0; font-size: large;">Marlamiller.com</span></a><span style="font-size: large;">) </span></div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-75770670502684176002011-05-03T00:01:00.000-04:002011-05-03T00:01:02.996-04:00Gobble or Nibble?<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTy3TycmBTOkyArk2LcRx3b-c1gVhXFxHUaJMbISJhZMn9BmNfPC0HznubTQQ0M9OpTR4Ilm4dK7JPpnWlfu6tOq3XpXZmjoy_9PrhXRrzepy-acAoYb2bj4PJyHr0g-VxpVzOJjwOXKU/s1600/gobblecake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTy3TycmBTOkyArk2LcRx3b-c1gVhXFxHUaJMbISJhZMn9BmNfPC0HznubTQQ0M9OpTR4Ilm4dK7JPpnWlfu6tOq3XpXZmjoy_9PrhXRrzepy-acAoYb2bj4PJyHr0g-VxpVzOJjwOXKU/s1600/gobblecake.jpg" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Books are like a big, fat, gooey slab of cake. Maybe covered with cream. Thick cream. Cream so thick it’s a desert in itself. Maybe some ice cream, too. Oh, maybe it’s a hot chocolate fudge cake and the fudge is melting…okay, I’ve sufficiently given myself a serious cake craving, so I’ll get to the point.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">You have that delicious cake in front of you. Do you dive right in, devour it as fast as your jaw can work…or do you take your time? Do you take small, delicate bites and draw out the experience as long as physically possible?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I asked one of my fellow wenches this question, and she told me it depended on the author. Stephen King she draws it out, so as not to miss anything, but Nora Roberts she gobbles whole.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I can’t deny that when reading a seriously, seriously good book, the urge to read so fast my eyeballs smoke is tempting. But the better the book the slower I want to go. The better the book the harder going slow is. I have conflicting emotions with wanting to make the experience last as long as possible, but <i>needing</i> to know what happens right now. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">One of my favourite authors is Richelle Mead, and in particular her Georgina Kincaid series. Georgina is a succubus by night and a bookstore worker by day. She adores books, especially works by Seth Mortensen. In fact, she loves his books so much she only allows herself to read five pages a day, so she can make it last. After all, you only get to read a book for the first time once.<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">You only get to read a book for the first time once…<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">That is my mantra when I’m reading. How often do I live by it? Not as often as I’d like. Depending on the book, and the day, I can polish off a book in hours. One more chapter <i>then</i> I’ll turn out the light kind of books. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Sometimes when I finish I feel like I cheated myself out of something<i> </i>special. That I shouldn’t have rushed and the experience was over far too quickly.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">However, I don’t beat myself up for long. If I’ve fallen in love with the book, I know I’ll re-read it. Some people find this bizarre. A lot of people I know won’t re-read a book the same way they won’t watch a movie twice, because they already know what’s going to happen. But re-reading something is like getting to fall in love with your husband all over again. How could you not adore that? Some of my favourite books I’ve read dozens of times. It’s because I re-read that my husband doesn't go made when I buy so many new books.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I’d love for you to tell me how you read. Devour or small nibbles?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPmSXySVlduXpZtZcKuNtd-IZwgKnbjHMgX4oeJpRpXkJylfx9W5CjguFQeSXwpaDND2kvjQpv0jWFcUuLafaOyMVSWZFOsMwucXZw52BlA5bwpbXbZzBkMwxTRI8IwqVdxZUEcZoyGpg/s1600/Wench+P-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPmSXySVlduXpZtZcKuNtd-IZwgKnbjHMgX4oeJpRpXkJylfx9W5CjguFQeSXwpaDND2kvjQpv0jWFcUuLafaOyMVSWZFOsMwucXZw52BlA5bwpbXbZzBkMwxTRI8IwqVdxZUEcZoyGpg/s1600/Wench+P-blog.jpg" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Pxx</span></span></div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-79696716049482764942011-04-26T00:30:00.000-04:002011-04-26T00:30:00.247-04:00Review You!<span style="font-size: large;">A dozen links to get your book reviewed, oh, and the last one links you to one-hundred other review sites. No matter what your genre, there will be a place that fits your book perfectly. </span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://nightowlreviews.com/nor/"><span style="font-size: large;">http://nightowlreviews.com/nor/</span></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://goteroticromance.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">http://goteroticromance.blogspot.com/</span></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">http://www.Amazon.com</span></a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://booklistonline.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">http://booklistonline.com/</span></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="http://allreaders.com/"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">http://allreaders.com/</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="http://www.theromancereader.com/"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">http://www.theromancereader.com/</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/for-authors/"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/for-authors/</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="http://paranormalromance.org/BookReviews.htm"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">http://paranormalromance.org/BookReviews.htm</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/2010/04/heart-of-maze-by-rain-chapman.html?zx=13ad76d1ab8a3a3a"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/2010/04/heart-of-maze-by-rain-chapman.html?zx=13ad76d1ab8a3a3a</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="http://joyfullyreviewed.com/reviews/Feb10/heartofthemaze.rc.html"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">http://joyfullyreviewed.com/reviews/Feb10/heartofthemaze.rc.html</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="http://www.shvoong.com/"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">http://www.shvoong.com/</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><a href="http://www.onlinecollege.org/2009/09/15/100-best-blogs-for-book-reviews/"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">http://www.onlinecollege.org/2009/09/15/100-best-blogs-for-book-reviews/</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Once you become a published author, you have to figure out how to get people reading and buying your book. Sending your book out for reviews is a fantastic way to generate a buzz about your book. If you have writer type friends who are of the published variety, chances are they have a blog of some sort. Exchange a review with them. An I’ll-show-you-mine-if-you-show-me-yours sort of deal, only with this one you can keep your shirt on. This will expose both of your respective books to new readers and everybody is a winner.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">On a side note, as you click through these links you may come across a book review. My book review to be specific. **smiles winningly** Feel free to read it before you explore the site to find where to send your book for review. Also, many of the ones on this page deal with the romance genre; however, the final link will offer every other genre a chance to be read.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">So be brave, you’re a published author. Get out there and pound the information highway for ways to bring your book to the world.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Rain</span></div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-86254486301811185172011-04-17T00:01:00.015-04:002011-04-19T20:35:09.283-04:00Any Witch Way - YA Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHWojEJVADhxvDo-Rp_6Q7UQTdfFYuQRjivZiOa_5sLwNI3-PKby8Dcwu2NTmR05a4nu-8IaMeFwEgmA5_WL7fPfqdM6TdUyWBvaTEPfjh08KZW2wITIDnDKjwrPDVta9p2FBXbBcak0/s1600/Wench+Nic-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaHWojEJVADhxvDo-Rp_6Q7UQTdfFYuQRjivZiOa_5sLwNI3-PKby8Dcwu2NTmR05a4nu-8IaMeFwEgmA5_WL7fPfqdM6TdUyWBvaTEPfjh08KZW2wITIDnDKjwrPDVta9p2FBXbBcak0/s1600/Wench+Nic-blog.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">Any Witch Way, by Annastaysia Savage, is a charming YA story infused with humor, magik, and battles between good and evil. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">Young Sadie wishes she had a normal life. Her classmates tease, taunt and bully her, giving her the nickname “Crazy Sadie” because she still thinks her mother is alive after a tragic car crash three years earlier. Her foster parents think she’s nuts too. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGy-mj1koerp04MASWTAzafK0HxY1ZB7bNRGDGNCKvr8hBJClAdW9-ZpekdDN2Knz4AM9khpsRMLSJRS7xSrS1Tnr2kyr8oybYppdVcxiJsbtPq0HaaVCLJL7Pbs53dmIgXfhSGCkmgIU/s1600/any+witch+way.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200px" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGy-mj1koerp04MASWTAzafK0HxY1ZB7bNRGDGNCKvr8hBJClAdW9-ZpekdDN2Knz4AM9khpsRMLSJRS7xSrS1Tnr2kyr8oybYppdVcxiJsbtPq0HaaVCLJL7Pbs53dmIgXfhSGCkmgIU/s200/any+witch+way.jpg" style="cursor: move;" unselectable="on" width="132px" /></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I just wish I were a normal kid. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. ~Sadie</i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">Her grandmotherly neighbor, Mrs. Felis (who puts catnip in her tea among other strange things) seems to be her only friend. She listens to Sadie without judging her, shares her tea and gives the warmest hugs. When Mrs. Felis gives Sadie a gift for her thirteenth birthday, things begin to change. She enters a magikal world that guarantees she will be anything <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">but</i> normal.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Stifling a nervous giggle, Sadie took in the reality of her situation. She was about to have a conversation with a troll before beginning her magikal lessons and, probably the craziest thing of all, she was a witch. ~excerpt </i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">I enjoyed this magikal, lighthearted yet sensitive story of a young girl’s coming of age. If you can’t take pleasure in a tale riddled with gnomes, elves, a knitting circle of ghosts, and wood nymphs drunk on pumpkin wine—well…then you’re not normal. ;)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><img height="96px" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGy-mj1koerp04MASWTAzafK0HxY1ZB7bNRGDGNCKvr8hBJClAdW9-ZpekdDN2Knz4AM9khpsRMLSJRS7xSrS1Tnr2kyr8oybYppdVcxiJsbtPq0HaaVCLJL7Pbs53dmIgXfhSGCkmgIU/s200/any+witch+way.jpg" style="filter: alpha(opacity=30); left: 568px; mozopacity: 0.3; opacity: 0.3; position: absolute; top: 169px; visibility: hidden;" width="63px" /><br />
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*The spelling of <em>magik</em> is intentional, as it is spelled this way in the book. ;)</div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-31517666175783027872011-04-16T11:06:00.002-04:002011-04-16T21:15:45.606-04:00Valediction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFi_bqMu9Vo8ihrDpCwTMqWu7RJtjEhKzjV0ERzxpJFIoZrTyKQyNHes_175w-4jmEDJv7REQk8F4ADMNBrL1vUThdm554v9L3SU8uzlwFuWvxQpoiZSlRCOHDvTZFNGLheZLdz-2TTkY/s1600/dreamstimefree_1319315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFi_bqMu9Vo8ihrDpCwTMqWu7RJtjEhKzjV0ERzxpJFIoZrTyKQyNHes_175w-4jmEDJv7REQk8F4ADMNBrL1vUThdm554v9L3SU8uzlwFuWvxQpoiZSlRCOHDvTZFNGLheZLdz-2TTkY/s200/dreamstimefree_1319315.jpg" width="143" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Comic Sans MS;">She turned her face unto the sun,<br />
clamoring to ease the chill.<br />
Her soul iced with the clutch of grief<br />
while tears paid the Reaper's bill.<br />
<br />
She ran her hand over the soil<br />
blanketing the earthen grave.<br />
His blood had soaked the battle ground<br />
for the lives at home he saved.<br />
<br />
A stately flag of his homeland<br />
draped the chiseled, grey headstone.<br />
She bowed her head and prayed for strength<br />
to bear their future alone.<br />
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With ev'ry beat, her wounded heart<br />
yearned for his loving embrace.<br />
Her smile and comfort, now extinct,<br />
etched anguish upon her face.<br />
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Swallowing grief, she stood to go;<br />
The chubby hands warmed her own.<br />
Finding survival through the loss,<br />
she led their young twins back home.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">~JM Powers~Author</span><br />
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</tbody></table>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-30361950494910912352011-04-13T19:00:00.006-04:002011-04-13T19:00:03.455-04:00I Dreamed A Dream<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlg-1KzFPVHuqUoecdM2wgHIEyuqd_kwxu54AvIwFfRDhvxFFgVbDluJHn4w2pzdflPN9YsIlus19eswL1ROGEadnDybmyI4IFC9Kb71u46KE5KyWBeAts1xX1r8azDKXKR5dvPEO58O8/s1600/dream.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlg-1KzFPVHuqUoecdM2wgHIEyuqd_kwxu54AvIwFfRDhvxFFgVbDluJHn4w2pzdflPN9YsIlus19eswL1ROGEadnDybmyI4IFC9Kb71u46KE5KyWBeAts1xX1r8azDKXKR5dvPEO58O8/s1600/dream.jpg" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I’m often been curious how ideas are born. I remember reading an interview with Stephen King when I was about eleven or so and began my ever-long obsession with the man’s writing. He said something that I thought couldn’t possibly be true. His ideas come from dreams. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">For a writer like King, I thought this was a pretty flaky way to go about writing stories. What if you didn’t have a very good dream? What if you had an <i>amazing</i> dream but then woke up before you could find out how it ended? What if you stopped dreaming altogether?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I didn’t think it was possible to write what you dream. Until I started. As of present, there is very little I haven’t written that wasn’t, in part at least, shown to me in a dream. Sometimes it is just a conversation. Other times it is whole scenes. Rarely, but most wonderfully, it is the full concept, completely laid out for me. But I know everyone is not like this. Not everyone has their ideas handed to them by the Sand Man.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">As a writer, I consider myself a creative person. It came in handy as a child when it was time to worm my way out of something, or explain why I was four hours late. Of course, I usually embellished way too much and hindered myself rather than helped. But I can’t imagine being so creative that I could sit down one day and just imagine up an entire world. To make up characters and plot lines and intriguing scenarios.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">When I dream and I think a story can be made of it, I usually have a massive head start on what’s going on and who is who. Sure, I add characters and situations but to start entirely from scratch? With zero help? Um, scary!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">So congrats to the writers who do this – I admire you all, seriously. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">But I’m curious, so please, please tell me – where do YOUR ideas come from?</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFWnsCi97M3_AkH07U-9bBpXT-3y6lWV10ohxzOxwVDgfhhLgb48OMnmxxjPZ7atDqyQxfkFDd64KKN86IV8ANqjphwfdd6sr6dWVY8heBhBl9bLxqwsHO_g3L47vLLNJlPPyVDLcY6M/s1600/Wench+P-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqFWnsCi97M3_AkH07U-9bBpXT-3y6lWV10ohxzOxwVDgfhhLgb48OMnmxxjPZ7atDqyQxfkFDd64KKN86IV8ANqjphwfdd6sr6dWVY8heBhBl9bLxqwsHO_g3L47vLLNJlPPyVDLcY6M/s1600/Wench+P-blog.jpg" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Pxx</span></span></div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-64653551283486372932011-04-11T00:30:00.003-04:002011-04-11T00:30:00.918-04:00Rainy Days and Mondays - The Journey<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Each writer has their own way of approaching writing. Some write the entire manuscript before returning to the beginning just to start it all over again. Some edit as they go. I tend to be in the second group of writers.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Every day, as I sit down to add to whichever project I am working on, I start by rereading what is already there to put myself back in the moment I left off in. This is where I tend to find things that require changing. All of the extra commas come out, the tense changes, odd phrasing or head hopping. This isn’t to say I am able to catch all of the strange little foibles that fill my writing. That is where a great writing buddy comes in.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">My fellow Wenches keep my writing in line and push me to finish when I falter. My husband (who is not a reader at all) gets treated to excerpts which require a male point of view and as an added bonus, reading these bits out loud usually helps me to find the places that stumble in my writing. I highly recommend reading your work aloud, even if it is only to the family pet or an empty room. You’ll find and rectify the things your mind autocorrects as you read in your head.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess what I’m trying to tell you in my roundabout way is that the writing may be a solitary journey, but the rewrites do not have to be and should not be done alone. When you are the only one reading and reviewing your work, the view can tend to become myopic. So, whether you are part of the first group, who creates the full manuscript before doing any rereading, or the second group, find yourself some people you can trust to tell you the truth. As nice as it is to hear that each word from your pen is solid gold, it is far more helpful to have someone point out where the work stumbles.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">If there is no one in your life to tell you when you are abusing your right to use commas, you can do as I did and join a writers group. For myself, there was nothing available to me locally so I turned to the internet. A group called FanStory.com became my home away from home. It is also the place I met my fellow Wenches. The feedback and the lessons I learned there are what brought my writing to the level where it could become published. This doesn’t mean I write flawlessly the first time, every time, far from it. But a writers group is a wonderful place to test your wings and explore new writing genres. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Try to toughen your skin and be open to helpful advice. It’s easy to become offended by someone who is telling you that your perfect brain child suffers from some bad habits. Take a deep breath and don’t respond right away. Give the advice a chance to settle and see if it is something that really will improve your work. You may not always agree, but more often than not, the new set of eyes see a lot more clearly than your love blinded ones.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Just remember, you may take the first steps alone in the caverns of your imagination, but you will find tremendous joy when you retrace those step and shine light on them with someone you trust. Someone who will lovingly help you polish the images you have created to perfection.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Rain :)</span>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-64537213600061178102011-04-10T00:01:00.008-04:002011-04-10T00:01:01.839-04:00My Memoir is Published<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5KLpoie_3SUHxx2goaYHb1n95d2OU0oWNdfAedNjdEOWlQ45SA_-sG_ROkY5lHwk7NSxKvvtn90czScj3VRAmc2QhOBsSqcAktZ8BtqmTXF1BTlFx5vNqJ3u7XGyyceAgiThVKLwDvc/s1600/Wench+Nic-blog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5KLpoie_3SUHxx2goaYHb1n95d2OU0oWNdfAedNjdEOWlQ45SA_-sG_ROkY5lHwk7NSxKvvtn90czScj3VRAmc2QhOBsSqcAktZ8BtqmTXF1BTlFx5vNqJ3u7XGyyceAgiThVKLwDvc/s1600/Wench+Nic-blog.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">I'd like to share a link with you, but first let me tell you why. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Writing about the death of a loved one is a very difficult thing to do. It took me over two decades to finally sit down and pen a memoir about the loss of my mother. The process was taxing, yet surprisingly cathartic. Reliving the memories of those days brought me to tears, but also helped me revisit the warm, happy moments shared.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Now my memoir is published. <strong><a href="http://www.cuckleburr.com/the-summer-of-82">The Summer of '82</a></strong>, is featured on the homepage of <a href="http://www.cuckleburr.com/">The Cuckleburr Times, An online magazine created for writers, by writers</a>. I'd love for you to take a look. If you leave a comment on their site, I'll do a happy dance for you and send lots and lots of virtual hugs. :) </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Thanks, fellow wench-ies and -os!</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Wench Nic</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">(aka C.E. Hart)</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-76516374363467384672011-04-09T00:01:00.002-04:002011-04-09T00:01:01.725-04:00Beach Trees--ARC Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0udBY4RZ7n8cRHQlMOZkbqWuB7rinfv2G4JPGhDDT9ClEsL2Jtk6xHWYIILCZNGSJwPxhcgREDdc3DtPNl_5eSBGZ61z7vvy4z7aTJjDg0PuCRCJTNwcfT0XhaeDVy4WbTB4-WeCDNz0/s1600/beach+trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0udBY4RZ7n8cRHQlMOZkbqWuB7rinfv2G4JPGhDDT9ClEsL2Jtk6xHWYIILCZNGSJwPxhcgREDdc3DtPNl_5eSBGZ61z7vvy4z7aTJjDg0PuCRCJTNwcfT0XhaeDVy4WbTB4-WeCDNz0/s1600/beach+trees.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Blurb</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">From the time she was twelve, Julie Holt knew what a random tragedy can do to a family. At that tender age, her little sister disappeared-never to be found. It was a loss that slowly eroded the family bonds she once relied on. As an adult with a prestigious job in the arts, Julie meets a struggling artist who reminds her so much of her sister, she can't help feeling protective. It is a friendship that begins a long and painful process of healing for Julie, leading her to a house on the Gulf Coast, ravaged by hurricane Katrina, and to stories of family that take her deep into the past.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The Beach Trees, by Karen White</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The Beach Trees is written with emotion, polished with amazing descriptive scenes, and takes the reader into a world of survival. Julie struggles with her guilt over her sister's disappearance, but continues her search while starting a new life as guardian of, Beau, a child belonging to her dead best friend, Monica. Julie packs up her life, straps little Beau into his car seat and moves to Monica's hometown of New Orleans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The descriptive landscape of life after hurricane Katrina is so vivid, I could nearly smell the earthy smell of the town. The characters throughout the story are well developed. I love the way this story carries the reader onward, always rooting for Julie to discover her inner demons, and finally settle down. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", "serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The way the author delves into two different people's past-- Beau's newly discovered great-grandmother, Aimee Guidry and the main character Julie--the transitions are seamless. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though the story goes from present day to the past several times, I was able to travel with the characters. This talented author tied all the lives together in imaginative ways. Secrets unfold throughout the story, but only enough to peak my interest and pull me deeper into the plot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a bit sad at the last page. I found myself missing the characters when I closed the book. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I highly recommend The Beach Trees. If I could rate it with ten stars, I would. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
~*~Summer Wench</div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-520687755316103332011-04-06T19:00:00.004-04:002011-04-06T19:00:00.572-04:00Wednesday Wonderings: What Makes A Leading Man<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1cawrWRXSTgpGBMdV5lomVhwdQUHzzY1gzlQMwey9Rcua_hwBK57s9ys1DNGRd-MF25Y_LmX6A-31P52Pe-aZ-gxOSExW1ZCmiVZMg2GEd31xJoay9uMoctDPQVAca1k3TILyRVn-SQ/s1600/leadingman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1cawrWRXSTgpGBMdV5lomVhwdQUHzzY1gzlQMwey9Rcua_hwBK57s9ys1DNGRd-MF25Y_LmX6A-31P52Pe-aZ-gxOSExW1ZCmiVZMg2GEd31xJoay9uMoctDPQVAca1k3TILyRVn-SQ/s1600/leadingman.jpg" /></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">As a writer of romance, there are a few must-have factors: a girl, a boy and falling in love. For my books at least. It can be a mix of any two people that the writer feels inclined to have do the dance of love.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I love to read romance novels, to experience over and over again the first blossom of love with characters I have grown to care about. (Actually, I am in the middle of one such blossom and eager to devour more *cough* Rain, write more *cough*). </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">In my movie choices I’m not such a softie. I prefer explosions and gore and chainsaw-wielding maniacs. There is something that I can’t connect with in romance movies they way I can with books. Maybe it’s because I’m a writer first and everything else second. To be a good writer, we have to be a great readers. And so if books were food, I’d be clinically obese.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">To get to my point, what is the one thing that holds any romance novel together? The deciding factor that will make or break your opinion of the book? To me (and probably a lot of other women) it’s the leading man.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>So What Makes A Leading Man?<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">When it comes to men, everyone is different. But let’s not get confused between love and lust. For lust, the tastes aren’t so different. Give a girl something pretty to look at and we’re happy. But to make us fall in love...that takes some work, and some serious writing skill. Because at the end of the day, that is what we are asking our readers to do – fall in love. There aren’t many romance picture books, to give you a glossy image of the hunk gracing the pages. There aren’t movie clips to see how they move or sound bites to hear them whisper sweet nothings to the heroine. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">For me simple things can make the romance turn sour. Saying the leading man has a hairy chest, or too in touch with his feminine side, or seriously arrogant, can be a turn off. So how can writers keep everyone happy?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">In short...they can’t. Because we don’t come from a cookie cutter mould with pre-fixed settings on who pushes the right buttons. What we can do is try our best to make the romance as real as possible and our hunks as dreamy as dreamy can be.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 200%; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="line-height: 200%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">Pxx</span></span></div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-89611060454187918202011-04-04T00:30:00.003-04:002011-04-04T00:30:01.809-04:00Rainy Days and Mondays - Beware the Repeat<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">When writing your story, take careful note of how often you start sentences with the same word. If your main character’s name is Simon, it is not necessary to start each sentence about him with his name. At the same time, you don’t want to start each sentence with ‘he’ or ‘his’ either. It is possible to convey to the reader who the paragraph is about without starting with these words - although you do want to have the characters name towards the beginning of the paragraph.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Example</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Simon</b> turned and rose from his crouched position. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">His</b> lips formed the word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">danger</i> to his companions, but no sound passed them. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">He</b> motion for them to follow through the rising mist. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">His</b> senses opened. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">He</b> strained to hear or see any sign of the beast they tracked. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">He </b>had glimpsed its form through the trees earlier and now feared it was heading for the nearby village. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Simon’s </b>heart ached as he thought of his beloved sister Emily. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">He</b> thought of the terrible damage done to her, body and soul, by the foul animal she mistakenly called husband. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Simon’s</b> need for vengeance raged through him. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">He</b> would put an end to its mockery of life. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It</b> would be dead before it could continue its blood-fuelled rampage.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Simon</b> turned and rose from his crouched position. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The </b>word <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">danger</i> formed on his lips, but no sound reached his companions. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">He</b> motion for them to follow through the rising mist. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Senses</b> open and straining to hear or see any sign of the beast they tracked. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Earlier</b>, he glimpsed its form through the trees and now feared it was heading for the nearby village. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">His </b>heart ached as he thought of his beloved sister Emily. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Thoughts</b> of the terrible damage done to her, body and soul, by the foul animal she mistakenly called husband. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Need</b> for vengeance raged through him. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">There</b> would be an end to its mockery of life. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">It</b> would be dead before it could continue its blood-fuelled rampage.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">Okay, the first paragraph has 126 words, the second 121. So it doesn’t take much in the way of extra or fewer words to eliminate all of the he, he, he, his, his, Simon, Simon’s. For me, the flow of this paragraph is much easier to follow with the varying sentence starters. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">You should also be aware of this with paragraph starts. Look through your story or novel. See if there are paragraphs within close proximity to each other that start with the same word. Especially if it is an unusual word like ‘incidental’, sometimes, it can leave the reader feeling as though they have lost their place and returned to the previous paragraph. It’s important to keep the flow of reading going, and having a reader stop to check their place interrupts this.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: large;">One more thing about repeats, when describing something, like a storm or a race, it is easy to use the object you are describing frequently. More so if it is something unique. This makes it even more important to be aware of the words you choose. And don’t forget to make certain all of your characters don’t grin with delight or their eyes don’t all twinkle mischievously. Use your thesaurus. It will open up a whole new world of verbal delights for you.</span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Rain :)</span>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-13108666966457498702011-04-03T00:01:00.001-04:002011-04-03T00:01:01.405-04:00Sunday PicNic ~ Unforgettable Characters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVIzS31guxYV5MWdaVur5qsscBvgjNduNB95Q-x7Vs0qtvl431SiyAxB4ziuCywm_IeP7T9SBmmFfA05KRLlz-q-iu5PM-4kxFVN_ORxkIAKtZOJwr-1SIsKaiO7MO2_3UshiedqxNc8/s1600/ralph+and+piggy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" j6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvVIzS31guxYV5MWdaVur5qsscBvgjNduNB95Q-x7Vs0qtvl431SiyAxB4ziuCywm_IeP7T9SBmmFfA05KRLlz-q-iu5PM-4kxFVN_ORxkIAKtZOJwr-1SIsKaiO7MO2_3UshiedqxNc8/s1600/ralph+and+piggy.jpg" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Have you ever read a book and after a week or two, found it difficult to remember much about it? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sigh…</i> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">As writers, we don’t want to pour our passion into a manuscript of forgettable pages. We want our readers to drink in our story, savor its flavor, and remember it. How do we do that? By asking questions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Think of a favorite book you’ve read; a novel that stands out in your mind. Is it a favorite because it’s written with a unique flair? Do you cherish it for its exquisite scenery, crafty dialogue, shocking twist or ending? No—more than likely, you love the book because you love the people who dwell inside it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Characters</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-size: 14pt;">make a book memorable. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">As a teenager, I reluctantly began reading William Golding’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lord of the Flies</i> for a school assignment. Soon after being introduced to Ralph and Piggy, I unsuspectingly became invested in this symbolic classic. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The British choirboys became real to me. I became sympathetic to Ralph, the protagonist. He tried to establish order and focused on the rescue of his fellow plane crash survivors; displaying humanness while others became frenzied, animalistic jungle hunters. I was also sensitive to the welfare of Piggy, an intellectual orphan boy, teased for his pudgy frame and thick glasses. He was an outsider to the others, yet became a confidant and sidekick to Ralph’s leadership role. They both shared their inner selves with each other, and developed a true friendship. They developed a relationship with me too. I shook in fear and cried with them; and now, decades later, I <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">remember</i></b> them.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">As writers, we need to ask questions. We must explore the characters we create. What makes them different? What makes them vulnerable? What faults do they have? Are they happy, grumpy, smart, or overweight? Do they have particular goals? Do they walk with a limp? Did they have happy childhoods? Are they wealthy? These are questions, among hundreds of others, we should ask our characters. We need to learn their distinctive physical traits, establish their inward and outward personas, and share their qualities (good and bad) with our readers. The more we reveal about our characters and why they do the things they do, the easier it is for readers to connect with them, and the more memorable they will become. If we fall in love with our characters, chances are, our readers will too.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">~Nic</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-52862727344914973992011-04-02T00:01:00.002-04:002011-04-02T00:01:01.100-04:00SumShine Saturday~*~Ending an affair with a book.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGS7bNjeh2L0eCco8u8VumAacDI1Dyemcf9RxeIhJP7RxLz6lGShnLnts5C8kEvy4lIlMN-ARSKQTFDx1bB8zLJZUgP6XgCWs1WfjaUve7BHprySvZ_YXhznjwDbFvg7GEg4sDUU6C2o/s1600/dreamstimefree_209914.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCGS7bNjeh2L0eCco8u8VumAacDI1Dyemcf9RxeIhJP7RxLz6lGShnLnts5C8kEvy4lIlMN-ARSKQTFDx1bB8zLJZUgP6XgCWs1WfjaUve7BHprySvZ_YXhznjwDbFvg7GEg4sDUU6C2o/s320/dreamstimefree_209914.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Every time I finish a book, I miss writing about the people, events and feelings throughout the story. It is with a certain sadness that I must type the last two words ... The End.<br />
<br />
With a heavy heart, I usually start writing another book to ease the empty feeling of "now what do I do?". Guess what happens every time? I discover new worlds, eras, and most of all, fresh characters to infuse with life. <br />
<br />
I smile, knowing readers will see the world I created--through my character's eyes. Sometimes I write by the seat of my pants. (Okay, I always do that, but it works for me.) I know the way each book begins and ends, but I leave it up to my characters to fill in the middle. <br />
<br />
All <em>I</em> have to do is sit at my keyboard and allow my characters to write the story. Odd as that sounds, I have a feeling every author can relate. <br />
<br />
Can <em>you</em> relate? I'd love to read your feedback.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photography-woman-rimagefree209914-resi3216287"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photography-woman-rimagefree209914-resi3216287</span></a>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-46738077012434814642011-03-30T19:00:00.009-04:002011-03-30T19:00:04.311-04:00Wednesday Wonderings - Book Review: Room<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0330519026?ie=UTF8&tag=wencwrit-21&linkCode=as2&camp=1634&creative=19450&creativeASIN=0330519026"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTR3REVHt_zUdjQGM3lFMfvnxypT5-GSmQbaPn0urSKN1CGvhRjCUOXCPQzfu0nFFnet5UEULwI_2ye7J4K5tXt7C3wZ1RBvmbqGDzuzhYuYccH35wjLEQVEtzC38IgqGKF14WwAzPGKs/s1600/Room2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;"><b>Paperback:</b> 336 pages</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;"><b>Publisher:</b> Picador (23 Dec 2010)</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;"><b>ISBN-10:</b> 0330519026</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;"><b>ISBN-13:</b> 978-0330519021</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;"><b>Product Dimensions: </b>19.6 x 13 x 2.8 cm</li>
<li style="margin: 0.5em 0em;"><b>Average Customer Review:</b> <span class="crAvgStars"><span class="asinReviewsSummary" name="0330519026" ref="dp_db_cm_cr_acr_pop_"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/0330519026/ref=dp_db_cm_cr_acr_img?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1" name="reviewHistoPop_0330519026_6107_star__contentDiv_reviewHistoPop_0330519026_6107" style="color: #003399; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;"><span class="swSprite s_star_4_0 " style="background-clip: initial; background-image: url(http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/common/sprites/sprite-site-wide._V214202768_.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: -43px 0px; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 65px;" title="4.2 out of 5 stars"><span style="left: -9999px; position: absolute;">4.2 out of 5 stars</span></span> </a> <span class="histogramButton" style="margin-left: -3px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/0330519026/ref=dp_db_cm_cr_acr_img?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1" name="reviewHistoPop_0330519026_6107_button__contentDiv_reviewHistoPop_0330519026_6107" style="color: #003399; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration: none;"><span class="swSprite s_chevron " style="background-clip: initial; background-image: url(http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/02/common/sprites/sprite-site-wide._V214202768_.png); background-origin: initial; background-position: -30px -40px; display: inline-block; height: 11px; margin: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 11px;"><span style="left: -9999px; position: absolute;">See all reviews</span></span> </a></span></span>(<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-reviews/0330519026/ref=dp_db_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1" style="color: #003399; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline;">297 customer reviews</a>)</span></li>
<li id="SalesRank" style="margin: 0.5em 0em;"><b>Amazon Bestsellers Rank:</b> 3 in Books (<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/bestsellers/books/ref=pd_dp_ts_b_1" style="color: #003399; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline;">See Top 100 in Books</a>)</li>
<ul class="zg_hrsr" style="list-style-type: none; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><li class="zg_hrsr_item" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 20px;"><span class="zg_hrsr_rank" style="display: inline-block; text-align: right; width: 50px;">#2</span> <span class="zg_hrsr_ladder">in <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/bestsellers/books/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_b_1_1" style="color: #003399; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline;">Books</a> > <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/bestsellers/books/62/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_b_1_2" style="color: #003399; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline;">Fiction</a> > <b><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/bestsellers/books/590756/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_b_1_3_last" style="color: #003399; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration: underline;">Contemporary Fiction</a></b></span></li>
</ul></ul><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i>Jack is five. He lives in a single, locked room with his Ma.</i></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I have written a lot of book reviews, and never before have I been more stumped on what to say. If anyone has read <i>The Other Hand</i> (recently re-released as <i>Little Bee</i>) by Chris Cleave, they will know from the jacket that there is no blurb for the book. All they say is it is a remarkable read, but they don’t want to say too much or it will spoil things for the reader. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">This is the same case for <i>Room</i>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><i>Room</i> is the most unique book I have read in a long time. It took my breath away. In a lot of ways, it reminded me of <i>The Boy In The Stripped Pyjamas</i>, with a young boy leading us through the story. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The character of five-year-old Jack was moving and sweet, head-strong and stubborn. A bit like any child, really. Except Jack isn’t like other children his age. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">We get to see the world through Jack’s eyes – how simplistic things really are, and how complicated Outside can be. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">The use of language in the novel is truly perfect – every word, every sentence, constructed as though by Jack himself. It pulls the reader into his world, and before you know it, you feel like you’re seeing Outside with brand new eyes, too.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">I cannot recommend this book enough. But like the jacket for <i>The Other Hand</i>, I won’t say too much. I will say that <i>Room </i>will take you on a wild journey of emotions and can guarantee it will keep you up at night. You’ll see the best and worst of humanity, the scary parts of the world. And I dare anyone not to agree with Jack that a lot of the world is just a repeat. A truly haunting read. </span></div></div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-39552410655937436412011-03-28T00:30:00.008-04:002011-03-28T00:30:01.495-04:00Rainy Days and Mondays - Where you from?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0qp-wjNJ_GVFNO_2iH-qTVXWEyK9tUd0imZ_GMN7XRug04nZ487WwOxiL1S2eCbas4WqmFDj5vciv4Fc5RZl49Bx8C0frDDOnAxzVr982Yrb8gBKkvZLvA1oWE_3HhCDfpSn5f5_IKU/s1600/hey+babe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm0qp-wjNJ_GVFNO_2iH-qTVXWEyK9tUd0imZ_GMN7XRug04nZ487WwOxiL1S2eCbas4WqmFDj5vciv4Fc5RZl49Bx8C0frDDOnAxzVr982Yrb8gBKkvZLvA1oWE_3HhCDfpSn5f5_IKU/s320/hey+babe.jpg" width="285" /></a></div><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: blue;">Dialect</span><strong><span style="font-family: "Calibri", "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:</span></strong><span class="ssens"> a regional variety of language distinguished by features of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation from other regional varieties and constituting together with them a single language.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span class="ssens"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Great, so how do you get a dialect across in your writing? The best way I’ve found is by using the KISS theory. Keep It Simple Stupid. There is no need to start rattling off Scottish or Spanish phrases to prove your character is from another country. In fact, since it’s a braw, bricht, moonlicht th nicht, why don’t we explore this a bit more?</span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span class="ssens"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Did you just stumble a bit there? Probably, I know I did even as I wrote it. (Scottish translation courtesy Pamela Wench – it’s a cold, bright, moonlit night tonight) A few key words will let the reader know this person is from somewhere else without making them struggle to find meaning in the words. Stumbling your way through an accent so thick you would have trouble understanding it even if it were read aloud to you, can turn your readers off – fast. Personally, I read fiction for the pleasure of becoming lost in a world of someone else’s creation, not for language lessons.</span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: red;">Example</span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">“Wipe that silly smirk off your face, I will not be found like this!” Her voice came out in a strangled hiss. She tried to make her way to the far side of the stream, to the concealment the bushes there offered.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Iain found himself chuckling, “Och, tis a fine temper ye have. I knew yer passions would run deep.”</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">A mischievous grin hovered near the corner of her mouth, one brow cocked. “Not as deeply as yours. Now help me out before the whole of the world knows what we have been doing.”</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Pleasure at her unabashed response filled him and turned his chuckle into a laugh. He boosted her up onto the steep edge, taking the time to give her bottom a gentle caress. “Dinnae wander too far. I still have questions only ye can answer. Ye ken?”</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">The man is from Scotland, the woman from England. His every word does not ooze Scotland, but enough do for the imagination to seize on them and fill in the rest. I’ve chosen to leave out the accent for her so I don’t overwhelm readers with two distinct dialects. For her I try to convey her nationality by how she phrases things. So, there are various ways to express different accents and varying degrees of them as well.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Use the internet. There are so many sources out there for writers. Just Google, ‘How to write with a (fill in the blank) accent’ and search through what comes up. Tap any friends you have who have lived, or been to the place you want to capture. Getting a dialect right can add another layer of reading pleasure, putting the reader in a whole different environment and giving them the chance to travel vicariously to new locales.</span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">Whether your characters are from Brooklyn, the Deep South, Rome or England, let a bit of their local color shine through in how they speak. Just a touch will do.</span></span></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">Rain :)</span>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3977940059785545297.post-83051029783562266632011-03-27T00:01:00.002-04:002011-03-27T00:01:00.230-04:00Sunday PicNic ~ Rain's Reign (Poem)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXKNU8Eruy6LwA5sZPQdDhsfCmoQ-PmjDA9X_HsciF39WnobFsGlwIhsAbSUtKRC7ZYmZ1Pf6UQ2wfirpYS7RV3iMxTlHMEecpRm6Abb79ANLjD5PHTa5sipaWOLFIKawpAIIyv48zEU/s1600/girl-in-rain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtXKNU8Eruy6LwA5sZPQdDhsfCmoQ-PmjDA9X_HsciF39WnobFsGlwIhsAbSUtKRC7ZYmZ1Pf6UQ2wfirpYS7RV3iMxTlHMEecpRm6Abb79ANLjD5PHTa5sipaWOLFIKawpAIIyv48zEU/s320/girl-in-rain.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Malgun Gothic'; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><strong>There’s nothing like the taste of rain;<br />
the sprinkling drops delight my tongue.<br />
Beyond the biting wintry days,<br />
the long awaited spring has sprung.<br />
<br />
The sprinkling drops delight my tongue<br />
and splash upon my upturned face.<br />
I’m bathed with heaven’s cloud cascade<br />
and clothed in glistening liquid lace.<br />
<br />
Beyond the biting wintry days,<br />
when waking earth is vernal-kissed,<br />
the warming clouds spill beads of joy.<br />
I relish in the mist I’ve missed.</strong></span></div>Wench Writershttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09495441261951143119noreply@blogger.com0