Posts Tagged ‘writing’

So what does an author of colonial historical romance do on President’s day when she’s off from her RL job and she has the kids?

I had planned to take out some large chunks of time and devote it to my current work in progress that is becoming a Herculean effort. But instead, I cleaned the heck out of my room while watching the History Channels presentations on the presidents. They only played from Washington to Lincoln. But I enjoyed it.

Of course, that led to plot bunnies and more inspiration. I can’t take NEW ideas right now. I can store them away for a while until it’s time for their turn. I’ll be damned if I never finish this book. I have 14 to finish before I get to my next ‘thing’ whatever that may be. I hate that I can’t finish anything. But it will happen.

Now that H is not showing anymore presidents day stuff, I pulled up my Netflix and have one of my favorite musicals playing. 1776 There you go for more inspiration.

What inspires, or derails you?

Oh, and by the way, a Plot off is just brainstorming with my author pals and pluging plot holes.

My ideas come so sporadically sometimes that when I need to be productive I have to force it. And usually that doesn’t amount to very good work. They say that bad work is better than no work.
Why is it when I have projects for non writing tasks, the pressure just adds to the allure and quality of the piece? It’s not for lack of passion that my writing suffers. Discipline, maybe. Well, I do have a theory…it’s chemical. My muse gets silenced at times. But if I don’t partake of this Adult ADD thing then everything else suffers. You read (i hope) my previous post in which I described my ADD. It was not an exaggeration. Now, it was an example of my more hyper times. It’s not always like that.

One way that I ‘force’ myself to do whatever is to minimize distractions. I like too much and usually all at once. I feel like i’ll miss something if I don’t keep it at hand. TV, twitter, FB, Divas. Whatever. Well, this is obviously not conducive to writing. So I do a small exercise to refocus myself. I switch projects to do something quick and less stressful, like a blog post for example. And once I ‘prime’ myself I feel refocused and ready to take on the task at hand. It also helps when the demand is down. I serve in multiple roles.
That is really no surprise. Wife, mother, housekeeper. Full time job that is quite demanding.
So, today I took a mental day. Day off from FT job. Got some housework done without feeling pressured. Less guilt now to sit down at pc and enjoy.

*sigh*
So now I can work on my other job. my unpaying one. The one that I feel could pay off in the long run if my ambitions are met. You know, the whole colonial series being contracted and made into movies for Hallmark channel. (Hey it’s okay to dream and I could dream bigger, but really, I think that’s pretty lofty!)

But it won’t go anywhere if I don’t ‘get ‘r’ done’ So, after this side project called today’s blog post, I will write. I will finish these last few pages of edits and I WILL WRITE!

right?

We’ll see. Another tool to get in gear is the timed challenges. I have spoken of these before in my You gotta have friends post.
Off I go. What? You want to challenge too? Be my guest!

Compromising Positions releases today!

Falling in love is the last thing on his busy agenda…but compromising positions can lead just about anywhere.

David Strong knows how to do a lot of things—run an international fitness company, finesse stock portfolios and stay out of emotional entanglements. That is, until he gets tangled up with Sophie Delfino and her Sensational Sex workout. He’s supposed to help her demonstrate Kama Sutra positions for her couples’ yoga class. The rigorous postures require more than just physical control. And his co-instructor unexpectedly tests his control to the limit.

Sophie’s been fantasizing about David since her teens, but she never dreamed she’d actually be expected to run through her intimate desires—with an audience! The class is very professional, tame even—or it would be, if she’d been in any of the positions before. But she hasn’t—except in her wildest fantasies about David. Sophie knows she wants David in every way, and she’s flexible enough to use whatever she has to get him.

David can’t afford any unexpected distractions. Besides the sensual positions he has to endure without embarrassing himself in public, there’s an embezzler stealing from his company. And then there’s Sophie—who is well on her way to stealing his well-guarded heart.

Warning: This is one exercise program you won’t need to consult your doctor before beginning…unless he’s hot and available for house calls. The Kama Sutra isn’t for the prudish or faint of heart, and neither is this story.

Read An Excerpt Online

REVIEWS

“With sensual love scenes, flirty repartee, and a man and woman clearly meant to be together, you get everything you could ever want in a romance novel. Overall, I have to say that Compromising Positions is a must read!”
~ Long and Short Reviews

“Compromising Positions would have to be one of the best contemporary romance novels I have read in a long time. Jenna Bayley-Burke delivers it all, romance, humor, and great chemistry between her hero and heroine. It is so well written. The pace is great, and the story line fantastic.”
~ Fallen Angel Reviews

“This thoroughly enjoyable romantic comedy has likable characters and a smart, spitfire heroine…Bayley-Burke delivers a really fun read. ”
~Romantic Times

So I have four google chrome pages up. I’m eating, watching tv and playing a game. I’m listening to music and I’m blogging. But how can any one thing get my full attention?

Well, it can’t. But it allows my easily distracted brain to not get bored. My current fascination is with the Celtic Woman clips on youtube . PBS had a showcase of their talent and I went to find more. And as I do, I had to find out about them. One of the members names is Maeve. A very lovely name. It will feature in one of my colonial books.

But for now I have the music playing on an autoplay, finding not only that particular group, but others with similar musical qualities. And it’s inspiring. While I should be continuing my work on the never ending novel of Constance, I’m moved to write Maeve. I don’t even have her story fleshed out yet. But the sounds move me. At least the accompaniment is peaceful. Very pleasant a soundtrack for writing, or for playing games or for ….oh look, a kitty.

You ever want something so much that it’s all you think about? I feel that way about my writing and one other thing. I hesitate to mention it, but this thing has been so fully occupying that it’s almost had me forget about writing.

That, and I’m getting bored with my current project. So it goes to show that this past week has had my focus shifted. I feel a little multiple personality with it. This other creative outlet has nothing to do with writing except the fact that it could be a thing in a book. (ok. ok…I’ll tell you….it’s Capoeira. I.LOVE.IT)

But I digress. Do you find it hard to focus because of lack of focus? Ok. Stupid question. Let me put it this way…something consumes you, but then a new passion flames. What do you do? Leave one to cool while you tend the new one? My desire is never faltering for writing, nor for capoeira; it’s just stronger at times, depending on my life and what’s happening. When the writing seems to trickle, I become creative in other ways.

Capoeira is a way of life. Ask any capoeirista. It’s an amazing art that is more than the rigid Asian martial art in physicality and in regiment. There is such a spiritual and mental–thing about it that I can’t even describe. I found an apt description on another site, but for the life of me, I cannot find it right this minute.

I just feel like an evangelist who wants to spread the good news! I want EVERYONE to find capoeira and love it too. I wish it were closer to home. I love road trips, but to take this trip every week is such a chore, my dedication has to be from afar. And you can only do so much on your own. Part of the enjoyment, the play of capoeira is playing with others. Those are lessons not soon forgotten. I’ve gotten swept off of my feet literally, and it’s because my focus was not on the game at the time.

On a side note, my fellow capoeiristas recognize my dedication to my writing. Part of the ritual of this sport is receiving a nickname. Mine is Caneta, which means ballpoint pen. Hmph. Go figure. And I, of course, LOVE IT.

So, since I can’t play capoeira, and I can’t write anything worth spit, I’m writing about capoeira.

Axe.

Welcome to my first foray into Excerpt Monday! First, I must thank  our hosts: Mel Berthier and Bria Quinlan. Mel writes Urban Fantasy at a PG-13 rating; Bria, RomCom at PG. I would like to share with you a prologue to the first of the colonial series. This is being cut from the current draft, but will hopefully be enough of a taste to gain your interest.

The rain had finally stopped and little Constance Delaney stood on the long porch of the plantation house and inhaled the fresh after-the-rain smell. It was too crowded inside the home with so many guests milling about. Ever since Mama went to sleep and didn’t wake up everyone was acting strangely. But Connie wasn’t sad. She never cries.

Mama, you told me you’d still be here even when I can’t see you.

A large dragonfly garnered her attention. A bubbly sound escaped her as she chased it. She felt the air beneath her as she jumped off the porch. Her feet sunk in the mud and water splashed up from the puddle. The dragonfly lured her around the corner of the great house and landed on the white rhododendron. What a pretty bug. A murmur of sound eased out of the open window. A familiar voice piqued little Constance’s curiosity, but the tone sounded strange. Papa?

“Dora was my life. What am I supposed to do with two girls?” The muted voiced filled her head. It was her father, but why was he so sad?

“I’ll never love another.” The ensuing sobs rang in her ears. Her brows knit. The insect darted to the next bush. She reached to catch it.

Papa never cries. He always says be strong.

“We wanted so much more from life; she wanted to give me a son. Damn the pox! Now I’ll never get to teach my child how to run the plantation. What difference does it make anyway?” His voice turned sour, giving her an ache in her chest.

Papa can teach me, he said I was a big girl. I don’t want Papa to be sad.

Now the tears came. The salty drops fell from her face and onto the white flowers; the dragonfly flitted away.

Thank you for playing. I’m learning, so bear with me. And check out these other authors:

Kinsey W. Holley, Paranormal (PG)    Babette James, Fantasy Romance (PG13)  Christina DeLorenzo, YA (PG 13)

Caitlynn Lowe, Epic Fantasy (PG)     Nika Dixon, Romantic Suspense (PG 13)  Kaige, Historic Romance (PG-13)

Dara Sorensen, Paranormal (PG)   Bryn Donovan, Paranormal Romance(PG13) Julia Knight, Fantasy Romance (PG 13)

Adelle Laudan, Contemporary Romance (PG 13)  Jeannie Lin, Historical Romance(PG13) RF Long, Paranormal (PG13)

Rebecca Savage, romantic suspense (PG 13)  Crista McHugh, Paranormal Romance (PG 13)

There  has been much to say on both sides regarding the inclusion or recognition of epubbed, or also known as, digitally published authors. I am working on two submissions right now. One for Samhain and one for The Wild Rose Press. I am unagented. Agents don’t do digital (yet) I do want to make it to print. (part of the allure of TWRP, some do go to print.) But either way, I would like equal representation.

I’m new to these rules and learning the ins and outs of the industry. I, for one, do not understand the rule on advances. It seems that the merits of the work should be what allows it entry for the contest. The nature of electronic publishing and the sheer volume it presents, making it inexpensive to buy, to use, prevents the advance. But if total sales were a value, it wuold surely go to show. I know of a survey asking in which pay range you fit. http://surveys.polldaddy.com/s/904EFBDB8B8B97FD/ Please do excuse my lack of finesse, or of eloquence.

What I so sollemnly want and desire is to share my work. Being paid for it would certainly be nice, but actually, my sole motivation is to share my love of writing with others. I want to have people enjoy something that I provided. What an even greater delight if my peers also recognized my love in my work. (through a contest, of course.)

I AM for change. Only because I can see what is occurring to my friends and fellow authors. Writing is more than just something for fun. I do it because, I have to.

And hopefully, one day, that will included contracts.

Dreaming while awake is interesting. No, I don’t mean daydreaming, although that’s nice too. I mean following your dreams with such a passion that you are almost blind to anything else. I wake up, and besides wanting to go back to bed as soon as possible, I think of writing. It consumes me. If I’m not writing I’m plotting, I’m thinking of those two new twists that just came to me. I’m planning on ways to torture, or at least be cruel to real people put into fiction. (C.L from work, I’m working on YOU! [it's ok. they don't know I write.])

I’ve moved past my malaise and discouragement about me taking so long to get anywhere. I mean, if I drew a graph for time spent and effort put forth, it would NOT be an inverse diagram. (where’d THAT come from.)  So besides obscure math references, I have oodles of romance fiction  waiting to be purged.

I will exorcise these characters, so help me…

I’ve been a reader forever. I read at 4 years old. But of romance, I’ve only read since maybe my senior year of highschool. My tastes have ebbed and flowed depending on what was available. Only in the last 4 years or so have I actively sought a certain genre. But again, there is a trend that makes certain types of books more available. Regency seems to be the most popular lately. It has been said that it is fading out, but I haven’t seen evidence of that. I have seen that other’s are making a surgence, without diminishing the others. (I think the reason for that is because there are as many varied tastes and likes as there is people. And also because reading is one enjoyable pasttime that will not be hindered overmuch by the economy-some, but not much.)

I’ve read tons of regencies. (haha, i made an unintentional pun.) I’ve read westerns. I’ve read indians. (not exactly the same as westerns.) And there are other historicals. 

So, perhaps some writers would say, I must write x because it is ‘hot’ now.

But not me. I’m not necessarily against riding the wave or current trend. I’m no fashionista, or glamor goddess. But I know what I like. The same goes for writing. I write what I love. And I love history. American history. And why not start around the birth of our nation?

Theres a beginning trend now for this type of historical. I haven’t read much. And when I started this ambitious series, I had seen none. So, I felt a little aprehensive. Would this be accepted because there isn’t this out there right now. But I snapped out of it, quick-like. Whether there is or isn’t wasn’t going to stop the story. It had to be told. And I’m telling it. Where it goes from here, no one knows. So, am I part of a new movement? Did I [preconceive where the next trend was going? 

I don’t think so. I think I’m writing what I love and that perhaps, just maybe, someone else would like it too.

I have been on and off the fence regarding looking for a literary agent since I seriously started to pursue writing. I’m going very slowly, having half-way finished a work last year only to realize after contest subs that I needed to start over. Which I have. And for the better. But now I want to move forward. Not too fast, because I want to do it right and do well. 

I want to get a critique partner and polish up the first few chapters so that I can begin shopping my work around. I have little clue to which agents I should pursue. I have some clue to which publishers I will try. I want to ultimately aim for New York, I mean, who doesn’t, but should I aim small at first? There is an e-publisher whose lines have a perfect fit for me. I think I’ll go there. Dare I mention them? Ok. I will: The Wild Rose Press. They have an American Rose line. Excellent! It would be so perfect for the series I have planned and started. 

When I think on it, I get all fluttery in my belly. Excited, nerves, anxiety. but…

I don’t have anything completely ready to sub.

I’m surprised I haven’t been able to get a CP yet. Having one seems crucial to me. It is an integral part in being able to give your best. Having objective eyes looking at these words and characters is necessary so that I can offer my best. I just need to have the gumption to get it out there. I am wondering if waiting for a CP is worthwhile, even as badly as I need one. But I’ve been working on this one book for too long, and I refuse to lollygag. Part of the length of time is because I have been toying with it. But last year, It got real.

I wrote 150 pages. I was proud of and impressed with myself. But, it was dreck. I’ve been guided some since then and hopefully have managed to learn from what information I’ve been given. The work isn’t too terrible, I hope, to warrant a second look. I’ll polish as much as I can, but editing can be done still. Just like it. Like me. Believe in me.