Have you noticed how much things have changed in the last decade or so?  Of course you have. The thing that struck me this past week was the weight of a book.  Yep, you heard correctly.  I'd just finished reading two very well written and interested books, back to back.  The only thing was that book books were depressing.  I needed something light to read.

I have hundreds fo books on my Kindle and on my Kindle Fire, but I needed an all around book, you know, one I could take into the bathroom. one that I could put in that little side pocket in the car, because I like to have a book in the car to read in case I'm waiting for Bill to run into the hardware or something. I don't like doing that with my Kindles.

So, I started looking through my bookcases for something that wasn't too happy and definitely not depressing. Romance was out. And don't even think because I'm a romance writer that's all I like to read. Anyway, romance was out because it was just too happy after the other books. I had to ease back into happy.

So I picked up a book, Spirit Of The Heart, by Barbara Cary, a very nice person, great author and a former member of Windy City RWA, my chapter.  The book was signed for me in 2001.  Just hold on, I know you're wondering why I'm giving you all this background information. There's two reasons: 1. Cici Edwards and I are still united to blog twice a month, and I'm trying to stretch this out. 2. The year 2001 is significant.

The book felt like a brick. Seriously, it is sooooooooooo heavy.  I started my search for books with the same amount of pages to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.  I wasn't.  Then I gave Bill and Billy both books and had them compare. Yes, they felt the difference.

Apparently in 2000 (copyright date of the book) the printers used heaver paper in the manufacturing of books. Check it out for yourself. It appears I had little to do since I wasted a considerable amount of time on this.



Don't forget to check out Cici Edwards blog.http://ciciedward.com/writerslife/

So, this is the first Sunday of the month and already I've taken to cheating.  Cici and I are plodding our way through the things that we're told we're supposed to do, like blogging. In person I can be a chatter, even when I'm writing I can go on and on.  But I do believe it's that element of doing something I'm supposed to do that forces me into the position of finding it difficult. 

Excuse or not, I'm giving you a short, short excerpt of my newest work, Secrets Of The Orient.                                     

             Secrets of the Orient

Exhaustion weighed on Dai Han’s shoulders until he felt as bent and ancient as his grandfather. He was the first son, the one to whom the mantle of the numerous family businesses would be passed. There was but one slight problem. No one had ever inquired if that was what he wished to do with his life. Perhaps he should have told them instead of thinking his life choices would have made his intentions clear.

It had not mattered that he’d spent seven years with a group of warriors so elite that he dared not mention what they did, not even to his family. The most he could tell them was he belonged to The Brotherhood. That they understood.

One day he woke he woke and without warning the feeling of wanting more settled around his heart. He wanted more, a woman to love, children, and his family that he had left. He was lonely. To his surprise, living without his family had proven to be much harder than he’d imagined

But to leave The Brotherhood was unheard of.  Dai Han tried every method he’d been taught to remove the unwanted feelings that were ravaging his mind, leaving him at a loss for finding the peace and solace he’d so much enjoyed for seven years.

After a time he couldn’t rid himself of the ache in his heart. It grew until it permeated his soul. To the disbelief of The Brotherhood he’d left. Nevertheless, he’d done the things necessary to leave in good standing. He would always be welcomed back. His brothers would be there for him should he have need of them. And if called upon he would return.

 Living a more peopled life wasn’t as easy as he’d imagined. He still craved excitement and his body demanded a physical job, so he’d applied to the police department, went to the academy and worked his way up in record time to being a detective. Still one thing eluded him. He’d not found a woman to love, none had spoken to that secret place inside himself.

His adored grandfather, mother and siblings had been happy to have him home. As for his father, who knew how he felt about his return. The most he’d done since Dai Han had left the Brotherhood was nod.

Dai Han would admit the weekly dinners with his family served to feed a deeper need in his soul. It was not something he’d been able to do until he’d left The Brotherhood to work in the police department. Though his family’s constant questioning about where he’d been and what he’d done for seven years was an issue he’d wished they’d drop. It was something he couldn’t and would never talk to them about, even if it were allowed. He barely mentioned the two years he’d served as lead detective for the police department.

Somehow it was understood by the ones he served that if his family called, it was Dai Han’s obligation to leave, no questions asked. It was because of that understanding that his career with the police department ended without even an exit interview or a simple, “Do you want to leave?” If anyone had thought to ask, his answer would have been a resounding no. He had enjoyed the things he’d chosen to do with his life. But it seemed none of them were as important as being an obedient son. Family loyalty had been bred into him from the time of his birth. Though he’d questioned his father about the power in his reach he’d not received an answer, only a smile and a half shrug. Then came his father’s question. “If others can see your importance in this family, why can’t you?”

Good Morning,

I wrote this blog on Sunday, but for some strange reason was unable to post it. You might remember that Cici Edwards and I have challenged ourselves to blog at least twice a month. This is our second blog. LOL.  You may not think don this twice a month is a big deal, but believe me it is. If you get a chance drop by Cici's blog. http://ciciedward.com/writerslife/

On Saturday I got a chance to do one of the things I love best, interview an author.

I think I've mentioned a time or two that for almost ten years now, I've been doing a local cable show in my hometown. For a while the show was streaming live, and I've put a few clips up on youtube.

Back to my original point. Saturday I interviewed Sonali Dev for the second time.  The first time (she said) was two years ago before her debut book, A Bollywood Affair from Kensington hit the shelves to rave reviews.The book has received numerous awards, all of which I had her name on the interview, but naturally can't remember at the moment.  The one I do remember however is the award ALL members of Romance Writers of America strive for, The Rita.

A Bollywood Affair has been nominated for Best First book, and the winner will be announced the national RWA conference being held this year in NY.  After the conference I'll let you know how it goes. But win or lose Sonali is already a winner in my eyes, the member of our chapter, Windy City RWA, her family and friends, and I'd love to wish her all the best.

Sonali is a cheerful person. a delight to talk to. But the post will be about writers and their support systems. We all need them. I could not have found a better support system than my husband Bill. Sonali could not have found a better support system than her entire family. Her husband, children and mother in-law came to the studio with her for the interview. Their love and pride beamed from their eyes. When the show is edited I will do a follow up piece and include pictures and perhaps a bit of the interview.

For her first book signing her family came from India, Fifty members of her family arrived from all parts of the globe and bunked on every square inch of space.

The reason this story is important is because when you're in a family, (and we all are) the encouragement, love and patience of that family means much more than words can ever express. Housework is abandoned (yeah) meals become fast food (yum) and everyone has to pitch in. The schedule is crazy, you're writing in your mind even doing the most intimate of times. The family keeps a writer anchored in all that they need. Sonali has such a family, and believe me, they are all as wonderful as she is. Well done, Sonali.  By the way, Sonali's new book, The Bollywood Bride will be released in Sept.

Some of the Windy City members came out to wish Sonali well, at Andersen's bookstore in Naperville IL. during her first book signing. The place was so packed the closest we could get to her was to find a spot in the back and take a picture. (Thank you Bill)

Well done, Sonali, well done.

How's that for a greeting?  I thought you would like it, and considering it's been awhile, I thought you deserved a bit of fanfare.


I would say the same thing I say every time I blog, how hard it is. LOL.  But I'm beginning to sound like a broken record.  So this time I'm going to tell you what's new with me. But first, let me say,

My lovely and talented friend Cici Edwards and I have decided that we're going to encourage each other to be more visible, more vocal. I suppose if this was a two way conversation it would be a bit easier.  You're always on the fence between saying way too much and boring the person reading it, or never coming on and blogging and having people not give a darn because you're not being consistent.

So Cici and I made a pact, twice a month we will will blog.  It just so happens that our first scheduled date fell on Easter.  But I know that we deserve kudo points because we didn't take the easy way out and plead a holiday as a reason for not doing what we promised to do.

Right now, let me introduce you to Cici.

http://ciciedward.com/writerslife/

P.S.  Just so you know I'm alive, well and writing, I will have a new book out in May. Secrets of The Orient.  I'll tell you a bit more about it later.  Right now, here's a peep at the cover that's being adjusted. And a million thanks to cover artist, A.M. Wells.

http://savvyauthors.com/blog/index.php/writing-love-scenes-by-dyanne-davis

Happy Monday,

Starting Oct. 20th I will be teaching an on line workshop on writing love scenes. Always before a class start the workshops are promoted by blogs. Do you know that for me at least, writing a blog is much harder than writing a book, or teaching the workshop.  But, I did it.  YEAH!!!!!

And I'm working on a new blog if you can believe it.  I'm trying to use mostly pictures to tell the story, but that's even harder than using words. LOL.

Check out the blog if you get a chance. BTW, my son recently returned from a vacation to Boston. This is one of the pictures he took.

http://savvyauthors.com/blog/index.php/writing-love-scenes-by-dyanne-davis

Here's a good contest to enter.

http://www.windycityrwa.org/contest/

Happy Labor Day, Happy Sunday and Happy Belated Birthday to me.

Yes, my birthday was September 1st.  I've always loved the day I was born.  Come to think of it who wouldn't love the day that they first became acquainted with the world. Whether it's your first time visiting planet earth or your hundredth,  It has to be a kick.

Anyway, I was lying in bed this morning thinking about a bunch of things, one of them being a time I confronted one of my fears.  I hesitate to say conquer because I didn't. 

The fear.  Heights, drowning, jumping from a diving board.  First of all it's funny even to me it's strange that I'm super afraid of heights but will ride a plane.  I pray the entire time of the flight. But back to my facing my fear.

Many years ago after Bill had been trying to teach me to swim, float and at least be able to dog paddle and do the drown proofing thing, I decided to take a swim class through our local park district. The class was listed as for adults.  Can anyone tell me when 12 years of age became an adult?

Anyway, I arrived at the first class and there were about a dozen little boys, What the heck? I stayed because I was determined to learn to swim.  How well I did I don't remember, but there came the time in the class when everyone had to jump off of the diving board.  My first thought: No way in....am I doing that. But when you have a dozen little kids and every single lifeguard in the place making a circle in the water I decided to to it.  I wish Bill had been there to see me and to film it even. But of course, Bill was always saying I could swim anyway. I swear the man doesn't believe that there is anything I can't do.  I have to love him for his faith in me.

Back to the dive. It's been years, so I totally don't remember a thing about it, except that I did it.  I think I popped back up, but so many pairs of hands were grabbing me that who knows. I do know no one pushed me off the board.  And I know that everyone clapped and cheered for the coward who at least faced her fears with a pool filled with hands ready to save her.

After that I did swim, float and dog paddle at the local pool in mo more than 5 ft of water. LOL.  I wanted to be able to stand. Where did this irrational fear of drowning come from you might ask. Try when I was a kid and my cousin took me out into what was the middle of the lake and dropped me into the water when he saw his daughter floating in the water. Of course as a mother I don't blame him for saving his child, but it seriously freaked me out and left me afraid of the water. I can't even tell you who came out in the water to get me, just that since I'm here writing this, someone had to have saved me.

One last thing: In 1989 Bill, Billy and I went to Disney and then on a cruise. On Coco Beach, I almost drowned and Bill had to rescue me after I screamed, begged and turned to those on the shore to help me. Bill thought I was playing around, and those on the shore thought I was nuts.

What had happened was without warning a wave had come while I was in the water and washed all the sand away beneath me. I couldn't touch bottom. And remember I didn't get in water that I couldn't walk out of.  So I attempted to swim. Heck I could see the shoreline, but I couldn't reach it.  I kept repeating to myself, BILL SAID YOU CAN SWIM. BILL SAID YOU CAN SWIM.  So I kept trying between screaming for Bill to come and help me. Finally he told Billy, "Let me go and see what your mother wants.  They were a ways in front of me in much deeper water.

So Bill began walking toward me, not even rushing, no swimming involved.  And I'm drowning. By that point, it was forget Bill and forget to people on the shore who won't help me.  It was PLEASE GOD HELP ME!!!!

Bill hits a pocket of no sand then says oh oh, I'd better hurry, Dyanne is in deep trouble. So at last he began to stroke toward me in order to save me from a watery grave. Once again the things Bill had said to me over and over about if you're in trouble and someone is attempting to save them from drowning, you remain calm, don't clutch the rescuer or you could drown them too.  I did everything he'd told me and I'm alive and well today because he saved my life.

After  lessons with a dozen little boys, almost drowning on vacation, I was determined that I would not give into the fear of water and that very day got in the pool so I wouldn't let my fear incapacitate me.  I still go swimming.  But thank God, Our town pool is only 5 ft deep.  Bill hates that, but for me it's perfect.

What secret fear have you faced?

http://www.amazon.com/Frog-Prince-Dyanne-Davis-ebook/dp/B00LBAN4LU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1403959550&sr=8-2&keywords=dyanne+davis

I think I'll give you the information that you're looking for right up front.  On June 14th I will pick a winner for a $15.00 gift card from the commentors.  You have to comment to win. Okay.

A little about Marille Brothers.  She has a very humorous blog right on blogspot, called bookblatherblog.  Check it out. and if you hurry and check it out today, yours truly is on there with a guest blog.  Go see what the heck I'm blathering about now. And make sure to check out Marilee's books and watch out for her new ones.  Enjoy the blog. I know that I did.

Now here's Marilee.

 

Baby Gone Bye Post

I spent five years of my writing life inside the head of Allie Emerson, the teenage girl featured in the Unbidden Magic series. It was surprisingly easy for me to channel Allie, even though it’s been—well—let’s just say I haven’t been a teenager for a good long time. Apparently teenage angst lives on forever. After I finished Midnight Moon, the last book in the series, I decided to write a YA book with a male protagonist. Enter Gabriel Delgado, hunky eighteen-year-old senior at Maple Grove high school.

The creative part of my brain got a major wake-up call. I was no longer a seventeen-year-old girl. I had to begin channeling a teenage boy. OMG, guess what boys think about? You know the answer, of course. Sex. One statistic says every fifteen seconds. Another says, they never stop thinking about it. From its title, Baby Gone Bye, you can probably figure out that Gabe acted on his thoughts. Therefore, he should not have been surprised when the doorbell rings and he finds a little “surprise” waiting for him on the front porch. So, what’s a household comprised of four males supposed to do with a little baby girl? Guess you’ll have to read the book to find out.

Excerpt from Chapter One - it’s Friday night and Gabe has a date. He believes, incorrectly, that his evening will go on as planned. At this point, the family thinks the child is a boy.

The hall clock bonged seven times. Startled, Gabe leaped from the couch and placed the kid in his car seat. “Man, is it seven already? I’ve got a date. Can we put this on hold until tomorrow?” Without waiting for an answer, Gabe headed for the stairs.

“Gabriel.” The steel in Papi’s voice stopped Gabe in his track. “Look at me.”

Slowly, Gabe turned to face his father. He heard Simon whisper, “Dumb shit.” Henry giggled nervously.

“Gabriel,” Papi repeated. “Do you remember when Rosie was a puppy?”

Gabe shifted his weight from one foot to the other, wondering if he was about to step into something stinky. “Yeah,” he said carefully.

Papi’s dark eyes snapped with intensity. “And how did you take care of her?”

Gabe rolled his eyes heavenward, trying to remember Papi’s three cardinal rules for puppy care. “After she eats, put her outside to poop. Play with her. Put her back in her crate.”

Papi clapped. “Excellent.”

Gabe grinned. This was going well. He’d soon be on his way.

“Now, Gabriel, tell me this, how do you take care of a baby?”

Uh, oh. Gabe felt beads of perspiration pop out on his forehead. “Well, um, I guess you’re saying it’s the same concept. Right?”

Papi strolled up nice and close and gave Gabe his shark’s grin. “So, after you feed him, you will take him outside to poop, play with him, and then put him back in his car seat?”

Right then, Gabe knew he was screwed. He glanced at his brothers. No help there. He’d already stepped in it. Might as well go all the way. He looked his father square in the eyes. “Naturally, I won’t take him outside to poop, but I’ll feed him and play with him.”

“And you will start this … when?”

“First thing tomorrow morning.”

Papi said, “And tonight?”

Gabe squirmed. “Remember what you said earlier? We’re Delgados. We stick together when there’s a problem.”

“Ah, now I understand.” Papi stroked his chin. “You assumed one of your brothers or your father would take care of your child while you went on a date. Is that correct?”

Gabe flushed. “I would appreciate it.”

“Gabriel,” Papi said again. He pointed at the baby. “That is not a puppy. It is a tiny human being who needs round the clock care. Care that will be given to him by you, his father. Do you understand?”

Before Gabe could formulate an answer, he heard the amazingly loud rumble of baby flatulence. All eyes turned to the child, whose face was bright red as he clenched his fists and strained.

Simon snickered. Looks like you forgot to take him outside to poop.”

Papi handed Gabe a container of baby wipes and a diaper. “Better get used to it. He’ll be doing that a lot.”

That’s when the Delgado family found out he was a she.

www.marileebrothers.com

http://bookblatherblog.blogspot.com

MOONSTONE - 2008 - BELL BRIDGE BOOKS
MOON RISE - 2009 -BELL BRIDGE BOOKS
MOON SPUN - JULY, 2010 - BELL BRIDGE BOOKS

SHADOW MOON - NOVEMBER, 2011 - BELL BRIDGE BOOKS

MIDNIGHT MOON - DECEMBER, 2012 - BELL BRIDGE BOOKS
THE ROCK AND ROLL QUEEN OF BEDLAM - 1st Place - Booksellers Best Contest, 2010
CASTLE LADYSLIPPER - AUGUST, 2010 - AWE-STRUCK PRESS

BABY GONE BYE - NOVEMBER, 2013 - BELL BRIDGE BOOKS

http://amwells.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-monster.html

http://amwells.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-monster.html

A huge hug and many thanks to Dyanne Davis, a wonderful and generous soul! Check out her books at http://www.dyannedavis.com.

My personal favorite is The Color of Trouble.

Waves madly at Sonali Dev! Dyanne is right about A Bollywood Affair! The cover is stunning and the story is sweet and fun!

On to the questions.

What am I working on?

My story, The Last Case, won first place in the Washington Romance Writers DC Marlene contest.

Police Lieutenant AJ Lawsen reaches out to women caught in prostitution. After being shot in an ambush, AJ suffers a concussion and memory loss. This causes problems for her from a decorated police captain, hunky ER doctor, and a drug kingpin. AJ has to drag through the blurred lines and remember who to trust with her life and heart.

I also have a YA romantic suspense and a trilogy about three sisters finding love in the big city.

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

I try to the find the humor in all situations. I feel the basis of a good relationship is the ability to laugh. A sense of humor is essential to sustain the long term.

All Hours Trading centers on an established couple, a centuries old vampire madly in love with a voluptuous woman. She has been his financial adviser and lover for years. A vampire has to consider his portfolio along with his next meal. Living paycheck to paycheck for all eternity isn’t what the undead planned on. Mutual funds, stock options, and burial plot decisions are not for the faint of heart, especially if it stops beating.

Mother Nature’s Man deals with Siobhan Bolyn, aka Mother Nature, who is busy dealing with climate fluctuations and the bureaucratic melee of water, wind, fire, and earth management. A baby is in her future, it’s the guy who’s the question. A dilemma faced by every other woman ever.

Why do I write what I do?

I attended the Spring Fling writers’ conference in April and heard Mary Balogh http://www.marybalogh.com speak about her process. She lets the characters set the tone. “Once upon a time” and she lets her imagination soar. I’m no Mary Balogh, but I could relate to her idea. My hero and heroine appear first. They interact on the page and allow me to build a story around them. All Hours Trading began as a contemporary romance. It grew into a paranormal romance because of my heroine’s age. No man would take financial advice from a woman under the age of thirty, unless he was ancient. My hero morphed into a vampire. In his experience, time is irrelevant and wisdom defies age. I write what pops into my head and the possibilities are limitless. I stop, listen, and hope someone has something to say.

How does your writing process work?

I’d love to say flawlessly, but I tinker. I have a few stories going at the same time. When I screech to a halt with one, I close it down and go on to another. I keep notebooks around my house and  in my car. A line of dialogue will surface and I need to write it down. I have learned ideas do not come back for a second look.

Thanks for your time and happy reading!

I have published two books, All Hours Trading and Mother Nature’s Man, both with The Wild Rose Press.

 All Hours Trading blurb

In life, one thing is certain:  taxes. Death has many layers and all of them interest the IRS. I’m Ann Milton, a financial planner for the undead and supernaturally challenged. The love of my life is the vampire, Lance Cheron. I think he sat at the Round Table with King Arthur and they didn’t play bridge.  He’s shy with details, but not with his passion. Our lives are complicated.  First, by his age old enemy: a dried up hag after his money.  If she’s Guinevere, I’ll croak.  Second, by the activities of my roommate:  she’s a hybrid predator and great cook.  Underneath the hair, razor teeth, and talons, Colette is a real sweetie. Last, the roller coaster stock market:  how to make money last until the next fiscal year and eternity. These challenges are nothing compared to my dream:  a baby.  Undead procreation is impossible. Or is it? Paging Dr. Merlin?

Mother Nature’s Man blurb

I, Siobhan Bolyn, Goddess of the Flame and Keeper of the Land and Water, must give birth to the next goddess before my three hundredth birthday. My mate must be the preordained champion, so not just any man will do. But where to find a champion in this modern world?

When Niall Calhoun walks into my life, he’s everything I’ve hoped for. Tall, dark, sweet, and gorgeous: the true four food groups. A mere touch of his hand and my libido roars to life. But is he champion material?

Meanwhile, dark forces are plotting against me and calling my abilities into question. I’ve got to battle forest fires, soothe the oceans, appease my mother, turn Niall into Mr. Exactly Right, and have a baby in the next year. Can a goddess and her champion handle all that and still find time to fall in love?

Mary Jo Burke writes paranormal, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She lives with her family in the Midwest. For more information on Mary Jo books, please visit her website http://www.maryjoburke.com.  She’s on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MaryJoBurke and Twitter at http://twitter.com/MaryJoBurke.

Hello everyone,

To all the mothers who may be reading this, I hope you had a terrific Mother's Day. I can imagine the surprise on your faces that not only am I blogging, but I'm actually participating in a blog hop. LOL.

 If you know anything about me at all, you'll know I've had trepidation about this from the moment after I agreed to do it. There has to be a name for it, you know the I'm going to go…I'm going to do and then the moment arise and it's why did I agree. J And then of course I  wondered what the heck I was going to talk about. Then of course I wouldn't be me if I didn't wait until almost the last second to write this. Seriously, don't you think it's a bit ironic that a writer has such fears about writing just a couple of paragraphs? Okay, that was a blatant lie. With me, it's never going to be just a couple of paragraph. First off, I ramble on about things, then I get into it and want to share a bit more with you. So, actually it's not so much the writing as it is the thing in me that doesn't like to bother people with what will be some kind of pitch.  That's right, you knew it was coming. At some point in this blog, I'll tell you about my new book, how wonderful it is (it really is)and then I'll shamelessly tell you where you can buy it and plead with you to do so.  For now you're safe. I have a lot more rambling before I ever get to that point.

To start thing off the right way I'd like to thank my friend and fellow author Elizabeth Rose for getting me out of my comfort zone and forcing me to stretch a bit. Elizabeth writes, Paranormal, contemporary and medieval. Check her out.  http://elizabethrosenovels.com/author/lizrosek

Considering that I prattle and get off topic because, believe it or not, I picture faces as I write, as though I'm actually talking to you. So it's a good thing that all of the authors participating in the blog tour have to answer the same four questions.  Mind you, I'll more than likely still stray, but basically the questions will get answered.  Just so you know what I'm going for, these are the question:

1)     What am I working on?

2)     How does my work differ from others of its genre?

3)     Why do I write what I do?

4)     How does your writing process work?

At the moment I'm working on Frog Prince, a humorous, contemporary, interracial love story.  

 

  

More recently, I finally put up the third book in my Undying Love trilogy. Full Circle.

 

Hopefully, my work differs from other authors writing about the same topic, because it contains some element of what's important to me. It took a long time for me to accept that my work has an underlying message, some moral lesson. Once I accepted this I didn't' wonder about it but I didn't think it was noticed by anyone else until I decided to branch out and write about vampires.  My editor, Sidney Rickman who edited 15 of my books, first with Genesis Press, then Parker Publishing asked me if I giving up trying to teach tolerance through my writing.  Considering that I believe she's the most brilliant editor around, I have no idea why I thought she'd not noticed what I was doing. But the answer to her question was no, wanting to teach tolerance is embedded in my DNA, even my vampire has a strong moral fiber. It doesn't mean he's a pussycat, he isn't. But he accepts responsibility (most times) for the things he does.

Hmm so did I actually answer that question? To put it a bit more clearly. God, is mentioned in everything I write. No, I don't write Christian fiction, but God is still there. That may be the way that my fiction differ from other writers who write romance, complete with love scenes.   It's not one or the other for me. It's both.

Why do I write what I write? Now that question is a bit more difficult to answer. Generally my stories contain at least a grain of truth. It can be something I hear on the news, or a conversation with a friend or relative. If there is something going on that involves an injustice (at least to me) then somehow my muse brings me the story.

I'm going to digress here a bit.  Probably about fifteen years ago my muse brought me a story idea about a married woman having an affair.  For whatever reason I wrote the story in first person which turned out to be emotionally draining and sad. If not for one of my critique partners in particular, Wendy Byrne,  www.wendybyrne.net  I would have scraped the book.  Anyway, because the book was making me cry as I wrote it, I decided I needed to add a character who would lighten things up for me and the reader. That book became The Gift and is  about a psychic and a psychic war. The third main character from the first book, The Affair, needed an ending his story. That's the book that just went on sale little more than a week ago, Full Circle.

I hope you're still with me and that you noticed I said these books were written fifteen years ago. Aren't you curious as to why it took so long to bring them out? Here's the answer: The Affair is women's fiction and like I said written in first person, something that agents, mine included were having a hard time selling. Although later Parker Publishing did buy the book and it was edited By Sidney.(the entire story is too long and best saved for another time)The Gift is paranormal and Full Circle is a spiritual journey. It's still hard to sell to a traditional publisher a trilogy where each book is a different genre. That's different, even for me. While waiting for the right time to bring the books out, my agent sold a dozen books to two publishers. I also began Indie publishing and put out several novellas and full length novel. Finally the time came where I thought it was time to bring the books out. They'd waited long enough.

 I've never wanted to write the typical story. I want to do the unexpected. As Elizabeth Rose mentioned to me, probably more than fifteen years ago, I like to push the envelope. Here's the place where I'm going to tell you a bit more about the first book, titled, The Affair. I didn't want the husband to be a bad guy. He was totally in love with his wife, and had done nothing wrong that he was aware of.  I just like writing about people who do the wrong thing for the wrong reason.

I suppose I should tell you that the idea of hero and heroines just plain irk me. I like characters who screw up, who make mistakes, dumb mistakes. I like them totally flawed, and there is not always a happy ending. I'm also aware that I'm going against the grain as far as romance writing is considered. There is always a happy ending in romance, that's the point. And there is a hero and heroine, or at least their actions are as such.

Remember I said I write to impart some moral value, to teach a lesson that's buried deeply within my story.  Well, I know lots of people who are flawed, myself included, and I write about them. I've had readers become angry and say at least one of my characters behaved like a "B" when on the first page I had her say she was a B.(That was in Many Shades of Gray)Romance readers do not want their heroine to behave like a B.  Most romance writers know this and acquiesce. I am not most romance writers. There's good and bad in my not following protocol.  Another story for another day.

Now where was I?

I do believe this is the last question, how my process work. I am what's called a pantser, meaning I write without an outline. An idea comes to me, and I sit down and begin to write.  I have no idea how the story will progress or end. By the time I'm done with the first draft I will go, WOW, I didn't know that. Then I put the finished first draft away and work on something else for about a month or so.   

When I come back to the manuscript I have fresh eyes and can find the holes in my plots. From working on so many books with Sidney I will admit and will not be afraid to say this: I've become very good at finding and filling holes. As an editor Sidney has been a great confidence booster for me. She thinks I'm a great storyteller and she also said I've become a good editor. The latter isn't exactly true because a writer always see the things she/he put on paper in their mind. Everything is the way it should be. There are no mistakes, no misspelled words, no misplaces commas. That's because it's done correctly in our minds, and when we read our own work we see the comma that's not there. So the last stage in my process is to have another author read it for clarity and mistakes. Lisa G Riley is excellent at being able to do this. She wants answers for everything, and since the answer should be in the story, but I could have missed it by seeing it with my mind, I'm extremely grateful that she catches those things.https://www.facebook.com/lisa.g.riley

Okay, it's Monday morning and Bill is waiting for me to make coffee, and I want some myself. So I'm basically letting you off the hook with the expected sale's pitch.  I am not however letting you off the hook with telling you to continue following the blog. Next Monday two of my friends and fellow authors will be blogging. Mary Jo Burke, writes contemporary paranormal. She has a wicked sense of humor and you're going to love reading her books.  https://www.facebook.com/MaryJoBurke?fref=grp_mmbr_list

Sonali Dev will have her first Bollywood romance, titled, A BOLLYWOOOD AFFAIR, coming out in October. I happen to be a bit psychic, and I can tell you now, this is one author you want to get to know. She's going as they say in our business, blowup. No doubt.http://www.SonaliDev.com 

Facebook/Sonalidevfanpage 

Also, stop by the website of Elysa Hendricks who writes contemporary and has a vivid imagination with her paranormal/fantasy books as well. Or stop by her facebook page.
Thank once again, to Elizabeth Rose, and do check out her Tarnished Saints Series! – Elizabeth Rose

Alright, alright, it would be really stupid for me to post this and not at least give you my own info. I hope you're aware that means I have to go to the sites and look up the info and come back here and post it.  LOL. Did I just go off on a rant? LOL.  I should be doing better, I stopped to make coffee and have a few sips in me. Oh well. Take care. Oh, and by the way, if you're interested my books are available at all of the on-line bookstores. The older ones are still available in the brick and mortar bookstores.

Dyanne

http://www.dyannedavis.com

http://adamomega.com 

https://www.facebook.com/DyanneDavisFdDavisAuthor