A Slice of Orange

Home

More Romance

Things got by me last month, and I didn’t post here on Slice of Orange. I thought about it when it was just a little late but decided I didn’t have anything as exciting to say as the posts already there, so I chose not to say anything.

But here I am. I’m back! And this is a special month.

Yes, it’s August–can you believe the year is going so fast?

August is the publication month of my latest Harlequin Romantic

Suspense, COVERT ALLIANCE. It’s part of my Identity Division mini-series about a non-witness protection program. As with the last story, the heroine has had her identity changed for her protection. But now there’s a critical reason for her to ignore her promises and return to the place she learned of criminal activity that resulted in threats to her life, but that she couldn’t help prove if the bad guys were arrested. Someone else from the Identity Division is now in town collecting evidence–and of course, the two of them meet. And clash. And are highly attracted to one another…

As you may know, these days I’ve been writing more cozy mysteries than romances, but that may be about to change. The book I’m working on now is one of my Harlequin Nocturnes, a paranormal romance about Alpha Force, a covert military unit of shapeshifters. Looks as if I may be writing another Alpha Force story, too. And a different Harlequin Romantic Suspense series as well. It’s not completely decided yet, but I’m excited.

Meanwhile, I had a great time at the RWA National Conference last month. Hope you did, too. And I’m planning on attending this month’s OCC meeting, and I hope to see you there as well!

Linda O. Johnston

0 0 Read more

Coming Out of the Writing Closet

August 5, 2016 by Kitty Bucholtz in category It's Worth It by Kitty Bucholtz tagged as 2016 RWA National Conference, John Bucholtz, Kitty Bucholtz, middle-grade fiction, Tracy Reed

Hi OCC Family. I am still recuperating from my first RWA Conference last month. The conference reminded me of one of the trade shows I attend. Itâ€™s also like going to a place youâ€™ve always wanted to go. Youâ€™re exhausted, but want to see and do everything because itâ€™s your first time and you paid for it.

This month, I wanted to introduce you to a new writer, John Bucholtz. If the name sounds familiar, it should be, because itâ€™s Kitty Bucholtzâ€™s husband. John is new to writing, and I think youâ€™ll enjoy hearing from him.

Enjoy the post and Iâ€™ll update you next month on my 12 Titles project.

Tracy

Heeerrrreeeâ€™s Johnâ€¦

Coming Out of the Writing Closet

A couple weeks ago, I chose to come out of the writing closet.

No, Mom, I haven’t lost my mind.

No, my marriage to my wife is okay.

I have decided to come out and tell everyone â€“ I’m a writer. I have spent years hiding the fact that I write fiction from most of my friends and family. For some odd reason, I associated some sort of stigma to it. I always pictured stoop-shouldered figures bent over their computers writing for hours on end, finally emerging into the sunlight to scuttle off and toil away at their day jobs. People would look after them, shaking their heads and whispering to each other, “Oh, he says he’s a writer, but he still has a day job. He must not be serious.”

But I discovered I was completely wrong.

Writing is a passion. Writing is an art like painting or drawing that you want to share with the world. Writing isn’t just about trying to get published and make lots of money. (Well, okay, I would be lying to say I wouldn’t mind something like that.) It’s about sharing an adventure with someone else. It’s taking someone and showing them a world that you find interesting, amusing, and yes, maybe even scary. You write because there are these voices in your head that whisper to you to tell a story. (Please be careful what kind of voices they are â€“ some require therapy.)

But I guess writing is a type of therapy for many of us. We do it to quiet the voices in our heads. We do it to finally put words to the pictures and images we see that we think the world might find interesting, to situations that we find humorous, or to an adventure we want friends to undertake with us.

I went to the Romance Writers of America (RWA) National Conference in San Diego in July with my wife. It was my first ever writing conference, the first time I thought about trying to be taken seriously as a writer. This conference was good for me on so many levels. Not only did I meet seasoned veterans of the writing world, but I had the opportunity to meet a handful of literary agents and a smattering of book publishers.

I ran into a surprising number of wide-eyed and slightly frightened first-time attendees like me. It was comforting to see their mutual excitement and nervousness at being at a national conference attended by their peers. The classes not only catered to the romance crowd, but many of the classes could be applied to the writing of any genre. (For instance, I write books for junior high boys.) And the energy and plain helpful attitude of the more experienced attendees and staff quickly made me a little less nervous and more excited in attending the first of what I hope will be many writing conferences and seminars in the future.

My wife told me something after my first day there that I quickly found true: “I think you’re going to find that these are your people.” I was surrounded by other people who heard the little voices in their heads, who created strange worlds and the many characters who inhabited them and the adventures they went on. My wife was one hundred percent correct.

So I’m here to say to the world: Hello, my name is John Bucholtz, and I am a writer.

John Bucholtz

Middle-grade author, husband, artist, funny guy but easily distracte…

0 0 Read more

Books That Helped Me Start Writing Again #amwriting

July 17, 2016 by Linda McLaughlin in category The Romance Journey by Linda Mclaughlin tagged as #amwriting, Linda McLaughlin, Procrastination, writers block

I’m finally writing again after a long hiatus, thanks to the wonderful Speed Writing class I took this year, taught by M.M. Pollard. Here are three of the books that helped me to get back on track.

The 8-Minute Writing Habit: Create a Consistent Writing Habit That Works With Your Busy Lifestyle
(Growth Hacking For Storytellers)
by Monica Leonelle
Spaulding House, 2015

This book was recommended in the fabulous online Speed Writing class taught by M. M. Pollard for OCCRWA, and it’s the method that helped me break a long-standing writers block. I tried the 8 by 8 Challenge, which required me to write at least 8 minutes every day for 8 days. After the first couple of days, I was writing for more than 8 minutes. And now I have a first draft of my novel. Color me happy.

Manage Your Day-to-Day: Build Your Routine, Find Your Focus, and Sharpen Your Creative Mind
(The 99U Book Series)
by Jocelyn K. Glei
Amazon Publishing 2013
I’ve been listening to the audiobook in the car, and I am really loving this book/ I expect I will read/listen to it more than once. Glei includes lots of ideas from other people, to wit:

Featuring contributions from: Dan Ariely, Leo Babauta, Scott Belsky, Lori Deschene, Aaron Dignan, Erin Rooney Doland, Seth Godin,Todd Henry, Christian Jarrett, Scott McDowell, Mark McGuinness, Cal Newport, Steven Pressfield, Gretchen Rubin, Stefan Sagmeister, Elizabeth G. Saunders, Tony Schwartz, Tiffany Shlain, Linda Stone, and James Victore. Plus, a foreword from Behance founder & CEO Scott Belsky.

I’m not familiar with most of these people, but their ideas are thought-provoking and useful. For instance, setting time aside in your weekly schedule for those big projects, and if someone wants to do something else at that time, just tell them, “Sorry, I have an appointment.” It’s okay to make an appointment with yourself. Another compared time to a jar of rocks. If you put the big rocks in first, the little ones will squeeze in around them. If you fill the jar with little rocks, sand and water, there may not be any room for the big rocks.

A similar idea to that last one is…

Eat that Frog!: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time
by Brian Tracy
Berrett-Koehler Publishers 2007

I’ve only read about 20% of the book, but am finding it quite interesting. The frog quote comes from Mark Twain, who said that if you have to eat a frog, do it first. If you have to eat two frogs, eat the ugliest one first. In other words, tackle the big, important tasks first while you have the energy to deal with them. Good advice. Too bad I don’t take it more often. Guess I better finish reading the book!

But first it’s time to tackle those revisions!

I’m re-working a sensual Western historical romance called Lily and the Gambler. An abbreviated version of the story was published by Amber Quill Press as a mildly erotic romance. I’ve lengthened the book considerably, revised the plot, and plan to self-publish it some time this year. It really does feel good to be writing again.

Linda McLaughlin
aka Lyndi Lamont
website: http://lindalyndi.com

0 0 Read more

You Can Edit Your Own Work by Connie Vines

July 13, 2016 by A Slice of Orange in category Archives tagged as Connie Vines, editing, Kindle Unlimited. Amazon, OCC Slice of Orange, revision, Self-editing, Selling your novel, writing

â€˜Do I really need to hire a professional editor?â€™

When you are busy writing your first draft, you can definitely edit your own work. An editor is usually brought in only when you have a complete manuscript. Whether youâ€™re at an early stage of writing your novel or you canâ€™t afford to hire an editor at present, you can learn to edit your own work. Begin these 6 easy steps:

1. Take a break

This break in between the time that you finish your novel and the time that you return to it for editing is essential for several reasons.

During the time that you are apart from your novel, your subconscious will still be working on it. You will be surprised at the types of connections that youâ€™ll make on returning to the work. If you are a writer who edits as you go, taking small breaks between finishing sections like this can also help. Thus resulting in the growth of fresh story ideas.

Distance from the work allows you re-read with a fresh perspective. On returning to your novel, you will be surprised to find passages that you donâ€™t remember writing; passages that affect you emotionally as though someone else were the author. I call this the â€˜goosebumpsâ€™ factor (remember the scene in Romancing the Stone? If not, rent the movie).

With this re-read you will find weaknesses, plot holes, sentence structure that simply doesnâ€™t flow, etc. Assessing your book realistically is easier after a break as well. While in the process of writing it, you probably experienced times when you thought you were writing an extraordinary novel as well as times of great self-doubt. Now your judgement will not be clouded.

Try not to think about your novel very much during your break (work on one of my other WsIP). If something does occur to you, make a note to come back to when you start your revision. Do not dwell on your new ideas. Calendar your re-read a week or two after completion of your novel.

2. Get organized

When you sit down to do your revision, you must first get organized both physically and mentally.

Prepare your work-space. Have your writing reference resources within reach.

Make a schedule for your revision just as you did for writing your novel. Set a goal and stick to it. Do you need a tracking system? Sticky notes? Spreadsheets, a notebook with sections and multicolored pens/highlighters, or a filing drawer?

Whatever planning you did prior to writing your novel, when you revise you will need to track things such as structure, characters, scenes and plot points to ensure that they all fit together. During your revision, youâ€™ll need to do things like examine each scene to ensure that it moves your novel forward and does what it sets out to do. Your system can be as formal or informal as you like. The most important thing is that any editing system you use is intuitive for you and helps rather than hinders you.

3. Develop a plan

You should make yourself a checklist for dealing with all the large and small issues you want to examine over the course of your novel. A romance novel, will have one thread showing the progression of the love story. A crime novel, will require clues are appropriately placed and reveal just enough to the reader. While science fiction or fantasy, will require world-building that is very solid.

4. Questions to ask yourself

Â· Does the book work structurally? If you followed some version of the three-act structure, did you maintain that structure and does it create a satisfying form?

Â· Does your plot make sense? What about the subplots? Are there any logical errors? Do the subplots work with the plot, or do they distract from it or make the book seem like too much is happening?

Â· Are your characters well-developed? Do they seem like they could exist as flesh and blood? Do they behave in ways that are plausible for them?

Â· How is your setting? Is it fully realized? Does it need more or less detail? Is it integral to the story?

Â· Are there places in the book where the narrative seems to drag?

Â· Do you deliver information to your readers in a way that is engaging?

Â· How is your prose? Are your sentences grammatically correct?

This is just a start; you will have your own questions youâ€™ll want to consider. Once youâ€™ve made your plan, itâ€™s time to start the actual revision:

5. Make multiple passes

Editing is seldom a one-step process. First do a read through. Make notes, about problems, new ideas, structure, language problems. Donâ€™t stop reading and begin revising. Just make notes.

Next, go through the book more carefully and address the major elements. (# 3) Use your checklists to look at plot, structure, character, setting and the other major parts of your novel. If you find that you are going to be doing major rewrites, you should work on those rewrites before you do any line editing.

After addressing any major issues and completed your line editing, take a look at your prose. Itâ€™s now time to read your book out loud. This may seem time-consuming, but nothing compares to reading a piece of fiction out loud for finding clunky phrasings, repetitions and other things that just donâ€™t work (if Iâ€™m not careful, my characters spend too much time drinking coffee).

6. Get feedback

The final step in your revision is having others read your work. You may already have writing friends or belong to a writing group. Some writers(I) find it useful to ask my reader(s) to focus on certain aspects of the book. Remember readers who are not writers notice things, both views are valuable.

The value of having others look over your work is that they will spot mistakes or inconsistencies you might miss because you are so immersed in the craft of writing.

Editing and revising are not separate from the process of writing. They are just as important as writing drafts. Editing and revising will sharpen and strengthen your novel. After all, we want our novel to be â€˜exactlyâ€™ a publisher has been waiting to acquire.

Happy Writing,

Connie Vines

Kindle Unlimited FREE

0 0 Read more

Royal Magic and The Road to Monterra: Part 2 by Jina Bacarr

July 11, 2016 by Jina Bacarr in category Jina’s Book Chat tagged as Amazon, Confessions of a Podcast Goddess, count, countess, gondola, Italian, Italy, Kindle, magic, New Adult, nobility, novel, pizza, romance, royal, silks, Venice, worlds

Is magic what we see or what we think we see?

Find out in ROYAL MAGIC, my next The Royals of Monterra Kindle Worlds story.

I had a time of it getting all the magic tricks down, making sure I walked the characters through the steps without giving it away to the reader. The real magic was creating a girl from South Philly with an ache in her heart to make something right in her family that caused so much pain years ago…and not give the surprise away!

I loved creating this world within Sariah Wilson’s world — I was inspired by what was magic to me when I attended La Biennale...here’s what happened:

I love it when art imitates life. When something so unexpected happens to you that you know someday it will become a story. The inspiration for Royal Magic, showed up in an email from the cultural arts committee in Venice, Italy.

Italy! Carnevale, gondolas, and pizza.

And to think I almost deleted it. What fools we authors be. They were asking me to speak and then perform at La Biennale, a celebration of art, music, dance, film, and architecture begun in 1895.

I had written a nonfiction book and a novel about Japanese culture and they wanted me to be on the panel with a performance artist and dancers from Japan.

Before I could say, Mama mia, I was on my way to Venice. The festival committee treated me like a princess, arranging my airfare on Air France and setting up my accommodations in a century-old hotel near Piazza San Marco with all the trappings of a grand palazzo. They even assigned me a bodyguard to make sure I got to my hotel okay.

Iâ€™ll never forget wandering the cobblestone streets of Venice, checking out the gondolas, the exquisite shops, and so many bookstores I lost count! It soothed my romantic soul, while the people of Venice warmed my heart.

And I had the best pizza ever.

My trip to La Biennale inspired me to create my own festival in Monterra. Magic, music, and Monterran cuisine seemed a natural fit for a kingdom located so close to Italy. And so my series within The Royals of Monterra Kindle Worlds, â€œFairy Tales & Magic,â€ was born.

In the first book, Royal Magic, youâ€™ll meet Afton, who performs on the aerial silks, and her sister Emma. Sparks fly when Afton meets a handsome magician who isnâ€™t what he seems. We also meet four other American girls who come to Monterra to perform at the festival . . . each hoping to find her prince and live her own fairy tale!

I hope you enjoy Royal Magic. Ciao!

Jina

Royal Magic is available on Amazon Kindle

PS — here’s a video I made about my trip to La Biennale in Venice, Italy!

Royal Magic inspired by La Biennale, Venice, Italy from Jina Bacarr on Vimeo.