Under My Skin by Jenny Gilliam

I just started Jenny Gilliam's THE TRUTH ABOUT ROXY today on my *brandspankingnew* Kindle. So far, it's a fab read. While you visit The Wild Rose Press to check it out, stop by and see her newest release: UNDER MY SKIN.

Even though Jenny's titles aren't in the Sony eReader Giveaway this time around, I asked her the questions I've been asking my feature authors this month. Here are Jenny's thoughts:

When did you know you were a writer/that writing is what you wanted to do?

I was about 10 when I swiped my mom's mini-recorder and began weaving oral tales of love and romance. I wrote all throughout high school, took and breather when I got married, and started up again. Only to quit when I got pregnant, stop, start, stop, start. LOL. Right now is the longest I've been writing and sticking to it! Apparently, that way works.

What is the best part of being a writer?

The best part of being a writer is having the ability to craft stories that make readers laugh, cry, and inspired. The money doesn't mean much to me. Having my name out there--having fans who want to read MY work makes it worthwhile.

What is the worst part of being a writer?

When you have too much to do and too little time to do it in. That and having to sit down at the computer/laptop and come up with the next scene. I've been through both.

What is your typical writing routine?

I've been getting up at 5:30am (before the WeeBeasts to write for a couple of hours, get my daughter off to the bus, play with my son, write some more, go to work, write some more, go home, write until I'm drooling on the couch and my laptop. Trust me, the drool? NOT a good thing.

Are you a pantser or a plotter?

Definitely a panster. I have a vague idea of what's happening, but the characters lead the story, surprising me at different turns. I tried planning once and ended up with a half-finished novel I had no desire to finish.

Do you have a secret to busting writer's block?

Write. It's the only thing I can suggest. Having just recovered from a year-long bout of it, I understand. Make weekly goals. I started out at 3-5 pages a week, now I'm up to 10, but writing 30. Keep on truckin'!


UNDER MY SKIN by Jenny Gilliam
BLURB:

When coffee shop owner Rachel Crowe overhears her neighbor being murdered, she doesn't think her life can get any more complicated. But when the detective on the case turns out to be the very man she kicked out of her store the night before, she realizes she's wrong.

From the moment Detective Alex Williams laid eyes on the raven-haired owner of his favorite coffee shop, he's been drawn to her. When she becomes the key witness in his homicide investigation, he takes it upon himself to protect her at all costs.

As the killer closes in on Rachel, the couple are thrown into very intimate and
dangerous situations. Can Alex convince her to trust him before the killer catches
up with them?

EXCERPT:

The pounding on the door startled a scream out of Rachel, who’d just begun to calm down. Realizing it was likely Alex, she grabbed her full wine glass and rushed to the door. With one hand on the Slugger, she checked the peephole.

Rachel slid the locks open. “You didn’t have to come.”

Alex barreled past her into the apartment. She shut the door and locked it, laying the Slugger back against the wall.

“You were coming apart. I had to do something.”

“I was just scared and acted impulsively. I don’t even know why I called you.”
“Because you were scared.”

“Which we’ve established.” She held up her wine and took a deep breath. “I’m fine now.”

“Bullshit.”

“Alex…don’t make this out to be something it’s not. Really, it’s nothing more than the hysterical theatrics of a female. I’m a Pisces. We tend to dramatize everything.”

He blinked. “What?”

“I’m a Pisces.”

“Are you into all that astrology crap?”

“It’s not crap for your information, and yes, I am. My best friend’s an astrologer.”

Alex rolled his eyes. “Let me guess: ‘text 4820 to 825 to receive your latest love match.’”

“Oh, shut up.”

“The aliens obviously forgot to remove your probe when they dropped you back on earth.”

Rachel’s lips twitched despite herself. “Really. I’m fine. Better than fine.”

He looked so innately masculine standing in her feminine apartment. His big, wide shoulders were covered in a black T-shirt that stretched across his muscular, well-defined chest and was tucked into a pair of faded jeans. She wondered if they were the same jeans he’d worn when he’d knocked her on her ass. If so, she wanted him to turn around so she could get a look at his caboose. The man had the finest ass she’d ever seen.

O-kay. Time to sip the wine.

Alex stalked around her tiny apartment like a massive, untamed tiger. He walked to the baker’s rack where her TV and DVD player sat, tested its sturdiness. He eyed her collection of movies; a lot of murder/mystery, episodes of Cold Case Files and Forensic Files, and thrillers with several chick flicks scattered in between. Rachel sipped her wine and watched his big body move with animal grace as he prowled.
Alex stopped at her large book case and scanned the titles. He looked over at her. “Do you have an obsession with death?”

She frowned. “No. I just like forensics and mysteries. Lots of people do.” Mine just started after my husband tried to murder me.

Alex made a noncommittal noise and approached her where she stood against the glass veranda door. She smelled the sandalwood on him and her blood warmed.

He grabbed the wine from her hand and took a sip. “Aren’t you on duty?” she asked.

“Nope.” He sucked wine from the bottom of his lip. Rachel stared at those lips, mesmerized. So mesmerized, she didn’t realize he’d closed in on her until she felt his body heat against her.

“What is it about you, Rachel Crowe?” he whispered.

“What do you mean?”

“I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since I knocked you off that ladder.”
“Maybe you have brain damage from chasing too many murderers.”

He shook his head. “I don’t think so.” He leaned forward, his lips brushing her ear, her neck. “You smell good.”

It had been so long since she’d felt this kind of passion. Too long. Hell, had she ever felt like this? “We shouldn’t be doing this. I’m a witness. And you don’t trust me.”

He placed one large, warm hand on her collarbone. “Trust doesn’t have anything to do with it, Rachel. It rarely does.”

Rachel felt sorry for him even while she wanted to leap into his arms and rip his clothes off. He held such little regard for emotions. Each time she’d seen him, the first time notwithstanding, he’d been as aloof as the lone tiger she’d imagined just moments ago.

His fingers wrapped around the back of her neck and he drew her face to his. “You’re right,” he said, his lips a breath away from hers, “we shouldn’t be doing this.”

Then why did it feel so right? Never had she felt so safe, and she reveled in the sensation. He closed the gap and captured her lips with his own.

Oh, Lord.

BIO:

Jenny began writing at the age of twelve, when she realized the voices talking in her head were characters, not a result of pre-teen induced psychosis. She’s been writing on and off for almost twenty years, but actively pursuing publication for the last three. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two children. She is the author of four novels.

Jenny loves to hear from her readers. You can visit her at www.jennygilliam.com

character comes to life

It's been a while since I've worked on a novel. Actually gotten deep into the process of story, digging deep in the dirt of creativity with the purpose of creating something bigger than myself. I've penned a few short stories, several articles and brainstormed probably four or five novels from start to almost finish since I finished my last novel, but haven't started one in quite some time (with the intent of finishing LOL).

I did today. It's been bouncing around in my head for some time--years, really. I don't have the whole story, which is unusual for me, but I feel this compulsive urge to start writing and have the gut feeling the missing pieces will come as I write. I did about a page today, no small feat if you're a perfectionist like me.

What I'd forgotten about writing the novel is how no amount of planning, charting, brainstorming, etc., give you a real feel and breathe life into your characters like writing about them does. Nothing. Nothing. NOTHING! I hear some of you (thinking loudly) who know every minute detail of your characters' lives right down to the type of button on their shirts before writing the first word, and I respect that process. But that's never been me, and even less so now.

Here's what I started with: her name, the fact that she's just found out something important to her is being sold/taken away and that she's a professor venturing out on sabbatical (maybe that last one is my own wishful thinking LOL).

One page later, here's what I know about her: something long ago made her resolve never to cry in public, (which she will do by the end of the novel, I promise), that she drinks the same thing as me at the bar (margaritas on the rocks, but maybe not quite as many as me LOL), that her best friend (a guy) is married, practically a newlywed, and the three of them go out often, and that being unmarried bothers her more than I originally thought. I thought she was more interested in her research but she's really preoccupied with no man in her life. Maybe that's the result of the best friend's recent marriage (that I didn't know about before I started.)

Writing is so amazing like that. So many things we can't possibly know until pen hits paper bubble up once the wheels are in motion. No wonder I love writing so much. OF course, I say that before I have finished a chapter, before I have revised, edited and torn my hair out when a plot point takes its own direction, but for now I'm happily blissful that my characters are coming to life. If only I didn't have the day job...!

Guest Blogger: Liana Laverentz

You're in for a treat today! In honor of the Sony e-Reader Giveaway at the Wild Rose Press in December, I've lined up some of the participating authors for a writerly gab session to chat here about their writing and their work throughout the month.

Today's guest is Liana Laverentz, author of two Wild Rose Press contemporary titles: Jake's Return and Thin Ice.

Here are Liana's thoughts to my questions...enjoy!
=====

When did you know you were a writer/that writing is what you wanted to do?

In 1988. Up until then I had been an avid reader, and like most writers, I reached a point where I said, “Hey, I can do this!” Five years later, I was published. Wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be . The following year I had my son and ended up taking an unexpected eight-year hiatus. I started writing again in 2002, and Thin Ice was published in 2007.


What is the best part of being a writer?

Spending my time with imaginary people, and getting to wear my PJs while I do so. Being known as the neighborhood eccentric, so I can do what I want, come and go as I please.


What is the worst part of being a writer?

The grunt work of revisions. Not so much the revisions themselves, that’s still being creative, layering nuances into the story, but when you have to sit down at the computer and actually input the revisions (I do mine on hard copy, first) it’s nothing short of tedious. Also, I am very shy in person, so booksignings and public appearances make me uncomfortable, but I do need to get out of the house every now and then and speak to real people .

What is your typical writing routine?

Every day is different for me, but the ideal day would be: Wake up really early in the morning. Write until my son needs to get up for school. Make breakfast, tidy up the house and send him off to school. Write until I need a break. Go to the Y, come home, shower, have lunch. Write until my son comes home. Spend time with him, asking about his day. Answer emails before dinner. Sometimes I take a nap, doze while he uses the computer. Then I get up, make dinner, eat dinner, clean up after dinner. (Sometimes, if I’m on a roll though, I skip this whole nap and dinner thing and tell him he’s on his own…Dinner is from the red box tonight…go to the freezer and pick one. He usually has cereal, though.) Then I do odds and ends on the computer or around the house until eight or so. Watch a DVD with my son to unwind. Bedtime at 10:00 if I haven’t already crashed. Weekends and holidays and summers are a different story. Then it’s catch as catch can. The same goes for errand day. I bundle my errands and run all over town, and don’t plan on getting any writing in on those days.

Are you a pantser or a plotter?

I have the general idea for a plot, and definitely a theme to maintain the focus of the story, but I make the scenes up as I go along within the framework of that theme and plot, and let the characters tell me what they want to do.

Do you have a secret to busting writer's block?

Work on something else that has nothing to do with what you are stuck on. Invariably it frees up your mind to sort out exactly what you need. Or I read something totally unrelated to what I am working on. It has the same effect. I never try to force myself through it. The sooner I let it go, the sooner the problem is resolved.

Liana Laverentz
Thin Ice (NJRW Golden Leaf and EPPIE Award Winner)
Jake's Return (NJRW Golden Leaf Award Winner)
Now through December 15...
Purchasing one or the other enters you
In a drawing for Sony E-Reader

www.thewildrosepress.com
www.lianalaverentz.com
http://lianalaverentz.blogspot.com/
www.myspace.com/authorlianalaverentz

Beth's Book Club: The Truth About Roxy by Jenny Gilliam

So I'm no Oprah and folks won't flock to read something new because I recommend it. And your point is...?!

Inside scoop: I love romance fiction with teacher or librarian heroines, most likely because I am one (teacher!). I also love, love, LOVE small town stories, again, because that was my life for my first 18 years.

Jenny Gilliam mixes both together in The Truth About Roxy, a new release from my favorite people, The Wild Rose Press. Check out the blurb, the excerpt and Jenny's bio...then download the book!

Happy Writing (and reading),

Beth

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The Truth About Roxy by Jenny Gilliam

BLURB:

Roxy Palmer is a walking, breathing cliché. And darned tired of it.
Working as the assistant librarian in her small, Southern home town, Roxy also anonymously pens the local love column, Ask Paula Rockwell—Thorton, Georgia's answer to Dear Abby.

But when the door leading to Roxy's lifetime dream is slammed in her face by one of the good ol' boys, Roxy brings out the big guns--and turns the genteel town upside down with her racier, feminist, home-wrecking new format.

Paula Rockwell is making Sheriff Noah Kennedy's life crazy. He's got angry husbands lined around the block, demanding the cancellation of the column, fights breaking out and women catching their boyfriends' trucks on fire. If he ever gets his hands on that woman…

But he's got his hands full of Roxy at the moment, and if he ever discovers the truth about Roxy, all hell will break loose.


EXCERPT:

As they loaded the heavy bags into the back of the Honda, a shout rent the air. Roxy looked up, her eyes tracking the sound. Next door, Merle Granger stood in his Saturday golfing best, hands on his hips while articles of clothing rained down on him and the lawn.

“Now, Charlene, honey, be reasonable.”

“I’ll show you reasonable, you controlling bastard!” From the second-floor window, a golf club went sailing, missing Merle’s head by mere inches.

“Damnation, woman!” Merle shouted. “That’s my best nine iron!”

“You can take your nine-iron and shove it up your ass!”

“Oh, my,” Mary Lou breathed, coming around the back of the Honda. She stood next to Roxy. “Looks like that rumor is true.”

“What rumor?” Roxy asked, mesmerized by the sight of Charlene Granger tossing a stuffed fish out the window. It bounced off the hood of Merle’s brand new Expedition and caused the banker to spew another litany of curses.

“You know,” Mary Lou said, “that Charlene is Restless in Primrose Valley.”

Oh. That rumor.

At the time, Roxy had written it off as grist for the mill. After all of the publicity her article had generated, she figured any married couple within the city limits had the potential to be used as fodder. But, now, as Charlene sent a package of golf balls raining down the street, Roxy wondered if the universe could really be that kind.

“Is this about that silly little column?” Merle shouted to his wife.

This seemed to throw Charlene into a rage, since items began sailing from the window with increasing speed, each punctuated by fierce words from Mrs. Granger.

“That.” A shoe landed out in the street. “Article.” Here came its mate. “Was.” Antlers. Antlers? “Not.” Picture frame. “Silly.” A vase came crashing down, clipping Merle in the shoulder. He howled in pain. “Or.” A dozen roses rained down. “Little!” This last statement was followed by the obvious coup de grace: the mounted head of a buck.

Roxy didn’t know how Charlene managed to wrestle the large animal’s head out of the window, but apparently rage gave people all kinds of strange powers. Roxy slapped a hand over her mouth as the buck landed on the hood of the Expedition with a crash. The windshield buckled inward from the impact.

“I wonder what the insurance company will have to say about that,” Mary Lou commented.

A crowd had gathered across the street to watch the display. Old men stood next to their wives, whispering behind their hands. Kids in the middle of summer play stopped to stare, awestruck by the screaming and destruction.

In the distance, Roxy heard the sharp song of a police siren. “Uh, oh. Here comes the heat.” She hoped Noah wasn’t the one behind the wheel. One altercation with the police a day was enough for her. “Maybe we should go.”

Mary Lou stared at her like she’d gone batty. “Are you nuts? This is like an episode of Cops.”
As the police cruise pulled up—not Noah, thank goodness—Mary Lou started singing, “Bad boys, bad boys; whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when they come for you…”

“You know what you can do with your fancy dinner parties, Merle?” Charlene shouted. “You can stick ‘em! I am done with you! You hear me? I was not put on this earth to play housewife to some man!”

O-kay. She’d just paraphrased the Paula response. Definitely Restless in Primrose Valley. Roxy eyed the mounted head on the hood of the Expedition and the pile of clothes on the front lawn. Well, she’s not restless anymore.

“I’m calling the shots now!” Charlene leaned out the second-story window and did the unthinkable. Well, the unthinkable for a society wife in Thorton, Georgia, that is. She climbed up on the windowsill and dropped her slacks, baring her behind for the world to see. She twisted her head around and yelled, “You can kiss my ass, Merle Granger!”

Who would have known one little article would incite such bedlam?


BIO:



Jenny began writing at the age of twelve, when she realized the voices talking in her head were characters, not a result of pre-teen induced psychosis. She’s been writing on and off for almost twenty years, but actively pursuing publication for the last three. She lives in Oregon with her husband and two children. She is the author of four novels.

Jenny loves to hear from her readers. You can visit her at www.jennygilliam.com

Jenny Gilliam ~ Spicy Romance with a Dash of Humor

THE TRUTH ABOUT ROXY, Coming November 7, 2008 from The Wild Rose Press!
UNDER MY SKIN, Coming Soon from Amira Press!
LETTING LUCE, Now Available from Amira Press!
THE WEDDING WAR, Now Available in digital AND print from The Wild Rose Press!

Freaked out by Death...the card, not the event

I'm in this really fun online workshop for using Tarot cards to build my character. If you read my posts this summer, it's the same workshop I took back in August. Arwen is a gifted teacher and her lessons(her blog is: http://tarotbyarwen.com/blog/--cool stuff) did such a good job of drawing out my character's nuances on the former story that I had to jump back in with my new characters to give me insights I would have to struggle to find.

Today I'm catching up on lesson two, and had a fascinating experience. Mind you, my only Tarot "experience" (I'm not a reader but I have always been intrigued and interested in Tarot) previous to this was Arwen's summer class, so I really have little to go on.

I'm working on the Call to Action, you know, the second step in the Hero's Journey to all you good writing students out there. I was to shuffle the deck and choose one card at random which would signify the call to action. Just before I shuffled, I looked through the deck to pick out my card from the previous lesson. I passed the Death card and thought...I hope I draw that card. That's the only way my heroine is going to get involved in the story. It was a completely random thought--I didn't ponder any other card, and I really didn't even know what the heck I was talking about.

From there I shuffled. A good, solid five minutes of shuffling while I concentrated on my heroine and her station in life. I cut the deck three times as instructed, put the top pile on the bottom, bottom on top, and drew the top card.

If I said I drew the Death card, would you be surprised? I have to admit I was pretty shocked but pretty amazed. One thing Arwen said in a lesson that I remember vividly is that when you concentrate, the cards will give you what you need. That's for sure...!

Guest Blogging with Jenny Gilliam

hey all...

If you've ever suffered the wrath of writer's block and want to know
how I've dealt with it, stop over at Jenny Gilliam's blog for my guest
post today: Name That Block...Dissolving Procrastination Through Writing

Not only that, but I'll be giving away a writing journal at the end of
the week to one lucky commenter. I'll even throw in something special if you come back here and comment on this post--should you be the lucky winner!

And if you've never felt writer's block...send me some of your mojo!

Beth

Pack Rat File #1: Mastering the E-Query

Here's a fabulous little article full of good stuff for you nonfiction magazine query writers out there. I love writing queries myself (sick person, I know) and love giving advice on how to get them done. This article gives some great insight and thoughts on what to include in your e-query regardless of what level of writing you're at.

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Courtesy of AbsoluteWrite.com's newsletter (sign up for free at: www.absolutewrite.com)

Original Link: http://www.absolutewrite.com/freelance_writing/mastering_the_equery.htm

Mastering the E-query, or How I got in, got out and got the assignment

By Victoria Groves

After years of agonizing over my e-mails to editors, only to rarely hear back one way or the other, I've changed my approach. The subject line, the greeting, and each sentence in the text is purposely placed and this streamlined way of doing business has made my response rate and my freelance income increase over the past year.

An editor's mailbox fills up fast and the click of a mouse is all that separates the acceptance from the rejection. While I still enjoy putting together a query letter to an editor and attaching color copies of my clips in a precise order, I know that I'll hear back much sooner by sending it via e-mail. Most of my clips are available online, and I can easily point an editor to my website for additional information about me and my writing.

I've boiled my e-querying down to a science. In an ideal world, I would break into 10 solid publications and then make a living writing for them over and over again. But when an assignment stream dries up, a magazine folds, or when I just want to add some diversity to my clip stack, I sometimes try to carve out a new relationship with a publication outside my regular realm.

Subject line

Obviously, if you don't come up with a solid subject line, what you write in your e-mail message is irrelevant. With spam filters in place at most publications, it's important to stay away from anything that sounds too sales-y, while still enticing an editor to click and read.

If you're sending a straight query, identify it as such while also giving a hint of what the idea is about:

SUBJECT-- Query: Creating an emergency car kit

If you are responding to a query from an editor needing freelance staff, you'll likely use a subject line that is a bit different:

SUBJECT-- Freelance inquiry
SUBJECT-- Responding to your call for freelancers

If you've been referred to a particular editor by a writer already working for that publication, you're in a great position to name drop. I like to get it right in the subject line so he or she knows that I'm not querying the publication out of the blue.

SUBJECT-- Freelance inquiry, referred to you by Joe Smith

E-mail body

Congratulations! You've passed the first test and convinced an editor to open your e-mail. Now is the time to get them to read through to the end, check out your clips and hopefully give you the assignment.

Here's one approach:


Dear Mr. Freeman:

Every fall, millions of butternut squash come out of the fields of New England, and every fall, almost everyone complains about peeling them.

Now, Richard Smith has come up with the answer: the Smith Automated Butternut Peeler.

After watching area farmers struggling to find efficient ways to peel butternut squash and turnips, Smith, a welder, invented his apparatus, which now has a patent pending.

I propose a 900-word article on this new automated way to peel the squash's outer skin, leaving a thinner peel with more of the vegetable intact.

I am a freelance writer and have most recently been published in Baltimore Magazine, Chesapeake Family Newsmagazine, and the Boston Parents' Paper. I am enclosing clips for your review. Please contact me if you feel this article would be a good addition to Fresh Cut Magazine.

Here's a different approach:

Dear Ms. McIntosh:

As a Washington World reader, I would like to complement you and writer Nadja Najow for the interesting and informative article "The Wonders of Depression Glass" in the February 2003 issue.

I am a freelance writer living outside Washington D.C. and I currently write for Chesapeake Family Newsmagazine and the food department of Baltimore Magazine. I would like to propose a 1000 word article for The Home Page section of your publication called "Dinner Party Basics". The article will include quick and classy recipes and entertaining shortcuts for the Washington area hostess. Organizing a dinner party, whether for business or pleasure, does not have to an all-consuming or stressful experience. I will include interviews with area cooks, as well as a sidebar of hints on foolproof parties.

In addition to my regular assignments for local magazines, I have also been published in Womens ENews, Family Fun Magazine, and Blue Jean Magazine. I am also the writer and editor of the Dollar Diva monthly e-newsletter, a publication that teaches economic independence, entrepreneurship and philanthropy to girls and women.

To view some of my clips, please visit www.victoriagroves.net. Please contact me if you would like to discuss the possible publication of this article or any other potential assignments.

Clips

The last thing to do is to add in a way for an editor to easily access your past clips. Many editors are leery of opening attachments, so unless you don't have copies of your clips any other way, avoid presenting them in this format.

The best way to show off your skills is to direct an editor to your website. Even if you're not a web expert, there are easy and inexpensive options like www.dynamod.com. Another choice is to add links right into the body of your e-mail. But make sure that if you use the same set of links over and over again, that you check them regularly so you don't send a dead one to an editor.

By streamlining your online querying efforts, you will not only get more assignments, but you'll also find that you can send out more queries in less time. That alone should make 2008 a good one for your portfolio and your wallet.

Victoria Groves is a freelance writer living in Boston. She has been published by a variety of regional and national publications and also teaches writing courses on writing for teens and tweens, newslettering, and breaking into newspaper stringing. For more information, visit www.victoriagroves.net.

Aren't You Lucky I'm a Pack rat..

I've struggled with being a pack rat for most of my life. Not to the extent that I have to move out of my house from balls of string or rubber bands I've collected, and not as bad as one of the ladies I saw on Oprah who couldn't open her front door, but I'm still known to collect bits and pieces of "stuff" that I really don't need.

I have actually become less of a pack rat in the real world since discovering feng shui, but that hasn't changed my online habits of keeping all kinds of websites, newsletters, links and other "stuff" related to writing. I have a folder set up for that purpose with my email server, and I just realized it has about 250 links and articles for writers that I've been keeping to share with you all...and I haven't.

So in the name of decluttering, I'm going through them, re-evaluating their usefulness, and I'll be posting them here off and on. (Usually during my lunch period as I really miss blogging and have had no time to do it lately). Hopefully you'll find something helpful, useful or insightful. I'll always include the referring source so you can check out that as well (so many good writing newsletters and ezines out there).

Always feel free to share...the only thing better than helping ourselves is helping others. And happy writing :)

Beth

Guest Blogger: Anne Carrole

You're in for a treat today! In honor of the Sony e-Reader Giveaway at the Wild Rose Press in December, I've lined up some of the participating authors for a writerly gab session to chat here about their writing and their work throughout the month.

First up is contemporary and western historical author Anne Carrole--who I must say has a gorgeous web page design! (www.annecarrole.com--check it out).

Here are Anne's thoughts to my questions...enjoy!

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Anne Carrole, author of: Re-ride At The Rodeo at The Wild Rose Press

www.annecarrole.com

When did you know you were a writer// that writing was what you wanted to do?

I was always making up stories and as soon as I could put pen to paper, I was writing them down. As you might have guessed, I was an English Major in college much to my parents’ chagrin because they thought I should be taking something more practical like accounting. I didn’t get the opportunity to pursue writing as a profession until a few years ago when life’s road had evened out some—meaning my daughter was out of elementary school.

What is the best part of being a writer?

Being able to create is the best part. But there are so many great things about being a writer that should be mentioned.

-You can do this in your pajamas w/o putting on make-up or brushing your hair!

-Eating chocolate can be rationalized because, of course, it helps the muse-lol.

-You will become the most technologically able person in your household—out of necessity. For instance, I’ve built a website, a blog, and a MySpace page. I’ve created a book trailer. I even learned a little html. These are things I never would have had occasion to try in my day job.

-Your teenager will think you’re cool because she can find you on Facebook, Twitter and MySpace. These are places I would have never explored if I weren’t a writer. And would have missed out on connecting with some very fine people.

-You get to meet some of your very favorite authors.

-You have a built-in reason to bury yourself in researching what you love. It’s for your book of course. I’ve uncovered so much wonderful information that I would have never delved into if it weren’t for my writing.

-No one thinks you’re crazy when you talk about the people running around in your head. Bringing my characters to life is the most rewarding part of writing for me and when a reader tells me my writing touched them—well that’s probably the best part of writing.

In short, being a writer is the best job ever.

What is the worst part of being a writer?

Well, writing can be a very isolating experience. It’s you and your computer and your books for the most part of any day. For a social person that can be difficult. And it requires a lot of self-discipline to sit down at the computer on a beautiful day. But then I start writing and my characters do a great job of keeping me company.

What is your typical writing routine?

Because I’m self-employed, I schedule writing time, in essence making an appointment with myself. On a writing day, my routine isn’t all that exciting. After getting everyone out in the morning and walking the dog, I sit down at the computer and begin writing in a spare bedroom that has been turned into my office. I’ve been known to stop for a bite of chocolate. Just a little bit J. (Don’t tell my daughter). I take a mid-day break to check e-mail and then write some more or do research for the book, depending on where I am in the process. If I can, I try to get off to the gym for a half-hour to get in a little exercise as a break from sitting at the computer. By then the school bus arrives and I don’t get back to the writing until after dinner, sometimes well after dinner. That’s on a day I can set aside to write. Otherwise, I write where ever and when ever I can. I bought an AlphaSmart so I can write waiting to pick up my daughter from after school activities, waiting for appointments, and waiting for the pot to boil in preparation for dinner.

Are you a pantser or a plotter?

I am definitely a pantser—with a twist. As I’m writing along, sometimes scenes come into my head out of order and I have to get them down on paper and then “quilt” them together later. My characters definitely drive the story and I’m brought along to record it. While I have a basic idea of where the story is going, sometimes my characters surprise me. For instance, in Re-ride at the Rodeo I didn’t know Clay was going to confess to Dusty, in an effort to comfort her over the loss of her father, that he sometimes “talks” to his departed father when he has to work out a problem. Not only does his confession show trust building in their relationship, but Dusty’s reaction to the revelation says a lot about her own relationship to her father. That little tidbit ended up playing a major role in the ending as well, making it a much better one. As you can see, my characters have a mind of their own.

Here’s a little bit about Re-ride at the Rodeo, a bestseller at The Wild Rose Press, www.thewildrosepress.com :

Saddle bronc rider Clay Tanner is looking for a good time and the tempting little blonde at the rodeo looks like she could use one—except she turns him down. Feeling like he’s been bucked off before the eight second buzzer, Clay’s betting he can score if she’ll give him a re-ride. But qualifying may call for more than he’s prepared to lose.

And here’s the excerpt where Clay reveals how he talks to his father:

“You always think you’ll have time. My father and I butted heads a lot. I wasn’t exactly an easy teenager. I still miss him. Every day.” He rarely talked about his father with anyone.

She lay down the hand and fixed her gaze on the back of the cards. “I know. I wasn’t easy either.

Actually, I was pretty angry at him for dying, for leaving us for good.”

Yup. He sure could relate. “Me too.”

Her gaze found him. Those beautiful lake blue eyes of hers could mesmerize Rasputin. His heart

did a two-step.

“Really?”

“Oh yeah. Big time angry. Took me years to realize it wasn’t his fault. I blamed him for always

having to be in the center of things, you know. If he’d just left the shoeing to the blacksmith. Seems stupid when I say it out loud.” He put in two pennies to open.

She shook her head. “I know. I think I’ve hung onto my grievance for too long. I’m not even sure any of it was justified. I think I was wrong about him all this time. And I can never tell him.” Her eyes glistened, as if they were holding back tears. He understood about finality, too. He’d gone

through the same guilt after the anger had subsided. But apparently she hadn’t been able to put it to rest yet. In fact, she looked like she could still use comforting.

“I’m pretty sure your father knows. You ever talk to your father?”

Her eyebrows shot up in question. “No, he’s…”

Clay smiled. He should have expected the reaction. “I know. But I talk to my father just about

every day over something. I’ll be moseying along and find myself with a problem I’m sure he faced and I’ll just ask for his help.” Clay shrugged hoping he was hiding his unease in talking about this.

Do you have a secret to busting writer’s block?

I have to confess that I’ve yet to experience a real writer’s block. My problem is the opposite. I have so many characters running around in my imagination and they all want their story told. They are also a very impatient bunch. But when I’m writing, there are passages I encounter where the words just aren’t working for me, aren’t sufficient for what I want to convey. That’s when I run out to the gym or take the dog for a walk or sneak some chocolate. If a small break doesn’t work, I might shelve it for the day and work on another writing project (one of those characters that have been nagging me) and come back to it the next day. That often does it. I have found that when I sleep on a problem, the next day I usually know how to resolve it.

Thanks for having me Beth!

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It was my pleasure!

Writing Treats

Whether it's because I'm still stuck in Halloween mode or because I just used most of my brainpower on morning pages brainstorming a new story (I just finished one last week! Woohoo!), the title is going to stay.

What I'm planning in November ARE real treats for writers. I don't know about you, but most writers I've met, like myself, are infinitely curious about how other writers write. It fascinates me to no end how words come to us, how our creativity gives us that one spark of an idea that can work itself into a story or novel instead of the million other possibilities that are total junk.

To that end, and to remind you about the fabulous Sony e-Reader contest at the Wild Rose Press, I've invited my fellow WRP authors to stop by and blog about their writing. These ladies have fascinating insight to share about writing and the writing process. Do stop by and visit :)

Off to another day of teaching, although my lunch times will be brighter this month. I'm taking a second workshop online on creating my hero(ine, in my case) by using the Tarot. The first course was so much fun I had to do it again. I'll let you know if I discover anything good!

Happy Writing!
Beth