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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Libby Mercer on Heroines with Daddy Issues. Are You Ready?

Hi, folks!

I'm thrilled the fabulous Libby Mercer is our guest blogger today.  I read Fashioning a Romance and absolutely loved it! Can't wait for her upcoming release in December.

Libby, take it away...



Daddy Dearest

 

The heroines of both my novels, Fashioning a Romance and Unmasking Maya, have serious daddy issues. Caitlyn Taylor of Fashioning gets along fine with her father. Their relationship isn’t the problem. The problem is that Caitlyn’s dad is a certified manwhore. His womanizing ways have left his daughter jaded and far from optimistic about the possibility of a healthy, long-lasting relationship in her future.

 

In comparison, Maya Kirkwood’s father makes Mr. Taylor look like a more charming version of Ward Cleaver. I don’t want to give anything away here, so let’s just say that as a result of his greed and unhealthy drive, Maya’s stable childhood existence imploded, and there were horrifying ramifications. She and her father have been estranged since she was twelve.

 

One may assume I’ve got some major daddy issues of my own that I’m working out by villainizing these fictional father figures in my stories. An interesting theory, but it’s not the case. I get along great with my dad. We currently reside in the same city (which hasn’t always been the case – I’ve moved around a lot in the past) and we get together about once a week to have a meal or shoot the breeze. We usually have a lot of laughs.

 

This is not to say that we’ve got a perfect relationship or anything. My dad doesn’t read fiction at all. As a lifelong bookworm, I’ve never been able to understand how he finds no joy in a make-believe world. And because he’s a strict non-fiction reader (mostly politics and economics with a radically leftist slant) my dad doesn’t really get what I do. I cannot count the number of times when I’ve mentioned something exciting having to do with one of my current books or a new plot I’ve got cooking up and he’s responded by shaking his head sadly and saying, “If only you’d take my advice and write a political exposé, uncovering the truth about 9/11…” Sigh.

 

But I really can’t complain. All things considered, everything’s peachy between my father and me. The reason I gave Caitlyn and Maya such difficult dads was simply to rev up the conflict in their stories. And to explain why they have the issues, the attitudes and the fears that determine their actions.

 

Fathers – whether fictional or real – need no longer fear. After these two books, I won’t be villainizing my characters’ dads any longer. Well… for now, anyway. For my third book, I’ve created a cold, unfeeling mother for one of my characters. So look out, Mom, you’re next! I’m kidding, of course. For the record, I have a great relationship with my mom too.

 

 

 
The book will be released on December 15th. Here’s the blurb:

 

UNMASKING MAYA:

 

Defamed, Disgraced and Displaced...

 

Fresh from a career-killing scandal, New York fashion girl, Maya Kirkwood, arrives in San Francisco to reinvent herself as a fine artist. She's offered the opportunity to create an installation at the Silicon Valley headquarters of a hot new tech company. Fabulous, right?

 

Not so much.

 

She can't stand Derek Whitley - wunderkind software genius and CEO of the company. Hot as he may be on the outside, inside the man is a cold, unemotional, robotic type. Way too left-brained for her right-brained self.

 

As Maya and Derek get to know each other, however, their facades begin to crack. She catches her first glimpse of the man behind the superhuman tech prodigy, and he starts to see her as the woman she used to be. But is this a good thing? Once that last secret is revealed, will it bring them closer together or will it tear them apart?

 

Links:

 





Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Libby-Mercer/e/B0084US5S2/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1 (This links to my Amazon author page. Unfortunately, I won’t have a page for Unmasking Maya until it goes live on Amazon. If you’d prefer, I’ll post the link to my first book also) http://www.amazon.com/Fashioning-a-Romance-ebook/dp/B0084FGX36/ref=dp_return_1?ie=UTF8&n=133140011&s=digital-text


Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Happy Thanksgiving, folks!


 
This is the time to say thanks. Some of you might totally backlash the people on Facebook who have been giving thanks every day for a different thing. You might say they should be thankful every day and not just during the month of November. People, wake up – this is like saying we should give each other gifts every day and not just during Christmas. Or give little romantic surprises to our loved ones every month and not only during February. Oh, hey, wait a moment… I see the trend here.

Well, because I’m too lazy to post on Facebook every day, I’m just compiling everything here and honestly hope this won’t make you throw up. If you do, blame it on Aunt Bertha’s sketchy cranberry sauce.

I’m super thankful for my readers who keep buying my book.

Thanks to my support system: my extraordinary critique partners: Cara Carnes, my fabulous Austin-based writing buddy whom I love to stalk; Aurelia B. Rowl, a force of nature in so many ways – thanks for helping me when I really needed it; and the talented Michele de Winton, I can't wait to start spamming your inbox, LOL.  And also Annie Seaton and Hayson Manning, two amazing writers who have turned into lifelong friends, I’m sure.

Thanks to my hubby, for always making sure I have time to write. He says when I don’t write I get moody. As if! :)

Thanks to my daughter, Scarlett, for always showing me what my priorities are, even when I try to fool myself.

And of course, thanks to my family and best friends, particularly my good friend Dina, who’s kindly invited us over for Thanksgiving dinner! Which means I can get away with bringing wine and flowers – if that’s not a great reason to be thankful, I don’t know what is. :)

Okay. There it is!

Now go get that cranberry sauce stain off your blouse before it’s too late… and Happy Thanksgiving! :)
Until later,
Carmen

Monday, November 19, 2012

Catching Up with Annie Seaton


Greetings!

Today, we have the fabulous Annie Seaton here with us. Annie is the author of Holiday Affair, which has been on the Amazon bestseller lists (both in the US and the UK!) for quite some time. She’s multitalented, having also written the excellent steampunk novel Winter of the Passion Flower and the paranormal page-turner Blind Lust.

Since retiring from teaching,  Annie has also worked as a freelance editor, and still does so when time allows. Many of her clients went ahead and got published. I was lucky to be one of them. J

Now, some questions I’ve always wanted to ask…

·         What are the most common mistakes romance writers make nowadays, craft-wise?

There are some errors that are quite common to many authors—both new and multi-published. I suppose the two that stand out for me are the use of the word ‘that’ as a filler word and the use of filtering.

Example 1: She opened the door that led to the garden.  Corrected to: She opened the door leading to the garden

Example 2:  The dog dropped the bone THAT his master had thrown.         

The second one I really am conscious of is filtering. That is, when the reader is pulled out of the head of the person whose eyes they are looking through by the use of words such as felt, made, watched.

 

Example 1. She felt the heat in her cheeks. 

Corrected: Her cheeks flared with heat.

Example 2: He watched as she crossed the room to him.

Corrected: Her hips swayed as she crossed the room to him

 

So removing filtering is removing the telling of how the person felt or what they saw, and shows what they are feeling or what they could see.

It is most often described as Show vs Tell and it is one of the most important things to watch when writing a great story.
 
·         How important is an editor for someone who’s self-publishing?

All I will say here it is one hundred percent essential!

·         Should you shut up your inner editor for the sake of getting words on the page?

LOL, Carmen. You have been reading my blog post on this.  (http://annieseaton.blogspot.com.au/2012/07/procrastination-inner-editors-getting.html) It really depends on the individual writer. Sometimes you can spend too much time polishing to the detriment of productivity and word count for the day.

·         Or should you listen to it and have less work later?

But, self reflection is a marvelous thing! Instead of giving up and bemoaning this constant nagging voice, take control and analyze the changes you do make when your inner editor won’t let go. What will you find?  Scenes will be stronger and the plot will tighten. Dialogue will improve. Reading back over your changes, hopefully you will see your inner editor has stepped in, in a timely fashion and saved you hours of editing at the end. So a good lesson. The more you write, the more savvy you become when dealing with that pesky inner editor.

 

·         Do you see any current trend on romance novels you’d like to share?

I watch the release of new romances with great interest and I read widely across many tropes. I can see both ends of the spectrum—the books where a billionaire falls in love with the heroine; and the sweet family books where the development of love and the use of secondary characters in warm family environments, rounds out the story. I love reading both!

·         You worked for an e-publisher. For all of us who haven’t, could you please guide us through the process of how editors acquire a book?

Books are sent to the acquiring editor personally or to the general address for the publisher. The editor generally reads the whole book and looks at the story, the consistency of the plot and the development of characters.  Is the story engaging?

Even if there are craft issues, if it is a great story it will be sent back with a request to revise certain issues and resubmit. If it is considered suitable for the publisher and the line, it will be recommended for contract.

·         Most of your clients have gotten published. What’s your secret?

Hmmm. That’s a hard one.

From the craft perspective, I would say it my love for reading over many years. I am  extremely conscious of grammar, punctuation and spelling and that  means I will always return a manuscript to the author post edits in a structurally perfect form. From a voice point of view, I am extremely conscious of keeping the author’s unique voice and not changing it. If readers want my voice, they will read Annie Seaton books. Voice is unique to every author and that is the key to a good editor. Keep the author’s voice!

 

Annie, thank you so much for stopping by and catching up! :)

My pleasure. I am always excited about taking on new editing clients. When they get the ‘call’, I am just as excited as they are. I have made friends all over the world through my editing including Carmen!

Connect with Annie:


 
 

Friday, November 9, 2012

Wish List for Santa Part 1: A Dream Babysitter


Dear Santa,

It’s that time of year again! I’m sure you get tons of letters asking for bikes, Barbie houses, and Transformers. You must be tired of good old capitalism. Well, cheer up, old man— my wishes are not things you can buy in a store.

They fall into the whimsical, miracle area. I totally think we need to bring that back. Before you send me to a different department and tell me to ask God, I’ll stop you right there— I’ve already asked God and every deceased family member. I’ve got my street team working for me up above, I hope.

I know that you physically exist; I’ve seen you at the mall, at church, and even waiting for a bus when your sleigh broke down. I’m sorry I didn’t stop to offer you a ride, but it was really cold out there and I was in a hurry.  

Since my requests are a tad specific, I’ll ask you for them in separate letters. I figure if you lose one of the letters, at least I’ll still have a shot at getting something else. Here’s my first wish:



A Dream Babysitter

I realize this might be a repeat request.

Dream Babysitter is super-professional, but not snooty. She’s available every time I call her, yet she doesn’t expect me to hire her full time. She’s OCD and loves to clean and keep things tidy, and goes way beyond her assigned duties. She’s into educational stuff, but when she sees my daughter watching SpongeBob, she won’t judge me. Ever. She’s kind, warm, and has a natural maternal instinct — but she has no kids of her own and doesn’t want them anytime soon. In fact, she doesn’t even have nieces or nephews, which is why she loves to work with children.

She’ll always say great things about me if I ever recommend her to my friends. However, she’ll trust me, and if a neighbor in the Stepford Wives club (I was never allowed in, but I stole a copy of the manual once and read the rules) does something unacceptable, such as feeding the baby formula instead of breast feeding, about which she constantly raves, Dream Babysitter will tell me about it in confidence.

She not only loves dogs, but also has a degree in animal psychology, so she will be able to handle my three crazy pugs. Unlike the other weenies, she won’t let Bella’s energetic personality or Gypsy’s cancer medication schedule scare her away. No. Dream Babysitter is strong.

Dream Babysitter also has a boyfriend who works out of town and whom she doesn’t see often. He’s a little bit better than an internet boyfriend who lives across the country really, but she doesn’t mind. Neither do I.

Dream Babysitter is pretty, but not pretty enough to make me jealous. You could send me a thin one, if all the other ones are taken—but she must be into baking homemade cookies with my daughter. Oh yes. She loves to make mac and cheese from scratch, and although she disapproves of the chips I have in my pantry, she’d never voice it to anyone. Not even to the Stepford Wives down the street, who might pay her a tiny bit more than I do.

Dream Babysitter loves my child, although not in a weird way. She’ll tell me that my daughter is the smartest kid she’s ever babysat. Dream Babysitter will never lie to me; she can lie about me, but only if it makes me look good. She admires me—she thinks I’m funny and likeable, and she molds herself after me. In fact, she often asks for advice on her life—which I can relive vicariously.

We’re friends, but without any female competition or cattiness. I’m proud to give her solid advice on her decision not to have kids, encourage her to keep her long distance boyfriend instead of giving her neighborhood crush a try, and fully agree with her mom, who doesn’t want her to move to a city with better opportunities in her field. I do all of this selflessly, out of the kindness of my heart.

So there it is, Santa. Wish number 1 out of the way! Please make this happen. Pretty please.

Now, tell me that this doesn’t sound better than a trampoline or a Wii.

Monday, November 5, 2012

The Next Big Thing!





Welcome to the "Next Big Thing" Blog Tour! Thanks to fellow Entangled writer, Annie Seaton, who tagged me to continue the chain. Make sure you read to the end of my post to check out the three fabulous authors I've tagged next!

 

Okay, so the idea of the blog is to talk about our current or next release.

 

 
• What is the title of your current work in progress?

 

An Inconvenient Wife

 

Where did the idea for the book come from?

 

I’m originally from Brazil, so I’d been wanting to use Brazil as the background for a romance novel for a while. However, I also wanted to bring up a social issue that’s not very discussed nowadays. When I went home last summer, it all fell into place.

 

What genre does your book fall under?

Contemporary romance.

 

What actors would you choose to play the parts of your characters in a movie rendition?

Wow, that’s hard! I think Addie Reed could be a blonde Evangeline Lilly, and Bruno Duarte could be Brazilian actor Julio Rocha. [fans herself]

 

Can you give me a one–sentence synopsis of your book?

This is a scorching marriage of convenience between two people on opposite sides of a serious issue.

 

Is your book self-published or is it represented by an agency?

It’s aimed at the Indulgence series, from Entangled Publishing.

 

How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?

About three months.

 

What other books within your genre would you compare this story to?

I would say this has the suspense of a Lynn Rae Harris mixed with the sexiness of a Robin Covington.

 

Who or what inspired you to write this book?

The Brazilian Indians. The heroine fights for their rights to the land, which legally belongs to the hero. Since colonization and up until the present day, little by little, the Brazilian Indians have been losing their territory. I was fortunate enough to visit a tribe while in Brazil, and they definitely inspired me with their warrior spirit.

 

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

This shows another side of Brazil, one that is rarely seen in books. It does have some of the famous Rio, but it also goes into Northeastern Brazil, which is completely different. Also, we can’t overlook the intelligent dialogue, the great banter, and some very hot scenes! My heroine has a great sense of humor, too, and I think the reader will appreciate the laughter. But prepare yourself: there will be tears, too. :)  


Cara Carnes, Alexa Bourne and Vivien Jackson you've been tagged! :)

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Dear Curvy Women: Do you Spanx?


 
 
Disclaimer: This isn’t paid advertising. I wish.

 

Since my post about curvy writers was so well received a couple of months ago, today we’ll talk about one of our best friends. This supportive, ever-present best friend won’t leave you hanging (literally). It won’t talk smack about you to other friends, and most certainly it’ll always lift you up. Yes, the two of you who guessed – I’m talking about Spanx.

Let’s face it – Spanx can hide all of your body’s dirty secrets while you slowly die inside. It’s cozy and warm, especially if you wear it in the summer. In fact, the best way to know if you are wearing the right kind is to go outside on a hot day and see if your sweat starts trickling down within a couple of seconds. If it takes longer than four seconds, you need one size smaller. If it started to do it while you put it on, well done.

I remember the first time I wore Spanx. My husband, the sweet blind fool, told me I didn’t need to. Needless to say, that got him an instant upgrade on his Christmas gift that year. That’s the first Spanx stage: DENIAL – You think you don’t need it. Your loved one thinks you don’t need it.

The second stage is ACCEPTANCE – Hey, maybe you do need it…if you want to face your high school friends at that dreaded reunion. A Spanx garment is also handy for the wild at heart, if you want to go on a date and not have sex too soon. By all means, never, ever have sex with someone if you’re wearing Spanx on that date. Not only is it physically impossible, but you also don’t need that bad rap.

Third stage: OVERDOSE – I was at a party, and this girl, maybe a size 6, looked at me and said, “Oh my gosh. I so need to drop a few pounds.” I resisted my urge to punch her, or to say, “ARE YOU KIDDING ME” – because let’s face it, that’s what she really wanted. I looked at how her dress fit her, and AHA! She was wearing Spanx. WHY? I don’t know. I didn’t know they made them that small. But the beauty of Spanx is that it’s democratic; it doesn’t choose race, or age, or size. When it comes to tucking in those love handles, they do their job like no one else’s business.

Fourth stage: LOYALTY – So what if your boyfriend tells you that your ass feels like a mattress? So what if your mom says you are living a lie? You still hang in there, because when you are inside Spanx, all your problem (areas) disappear.

Until later,
Carmen :-)