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Finding Violet

June 10, 2018 by in category Charmed Writer by Tari Lynn Jewett tagged as , , , , , , ,

 

The start of the library I dreamed of as a little girl, doll and all. 

As a little girl I dreamed of having my own library, a room filled from floor to ceiling with books just for me. And to go along with it, of course…unlimited time to read. I suppose that right now I have most of that. As my boys moved out I made one bedroom into a sewing room, and the other into a library filled with books.

Of course, as kids do, my youngest son moved back home last summer to go back to college. He’s sleeping in my library. Rather than pack up all of my books, he moved in another full bookshelf. Now, I worry that my son will be covered in an avalanche of books if we have an earthquake!

So, I have the books, and that doesn’t include what’s on my Kindle, and because my boys are all adults, and I’m no longer working, I have time. I can read all day long if I want. Or I can write.

I’m writing full time, well between loads of laundry, loads of dishes, and feeding my guys. Most of the reading I do is for friends, and while I enjoy working with friends, and it’s important for us to help each other out…I have good friends they reciprocate. There’s nothing like reading a book just to read, just to get lost in a really good story.

But I’m editing a historical novel and writing some novellas, romantic comedies right now, and I’m trying to focus, so there’s been little reading for the pure pleasure of it. I’ve learned so much in the last few years, and editing my historical novel has been exciting, educational and sometimes overwhelming. At one point my editor made notes that I needed to dig deeper to show Violet, my heroine’s growth, I needed to share more with my reader. I thought I knew what she meant, but I wasn’t sure. I poured through my manuscript. I could see places that could use more emotion, partially because Jenny had made notations by many them out, and partially because now that she’d pointed some out, I could see more. I sat at my desk digging into Violet’s soul. I could feel her hurt, her frustration and her fear, but I was having a hard time getting into the page. So, I walked away.

I loaded the washer, unloaded the dishwasher, found other chores that needed done. Eventually, I had to come back to my desk. I played a game of solitaire, then checked in on my friends on facebook. My friend, Author Nikki Prince (who is moving out of state, and I wish her the best, but will miss her terribly) had asked for suggestions for new books to read. Author Beth Yarnall and several others had recommended Sierra Simone’s book, Priest. Now this book may not be for everyone, it’s pretty steamy, and I’d consider it controversial. (Aunt Gloria if you’re reading this, this is not a book suggestion for you!)

So, I downloaded the book to my Kindle…I wasn’t getting much work done anyway.

From the very first words I was hooked. I devoured three hundred and forty-eight pages in one sitting. It had been a long time since I’d done that. I could feel Father Tyler’s compassion, his desire, his struggle with self-restraint, his suffering.

And when I finished the book, I felt renewed, and ready to write. I wanted my readers to feel as though they’d lived Violet’s life when they closed the book and I knew what I needed to do to get more from Violet. I went back to my manuscript, back to page one.

Now, I haven’t finished my edits, and I don’t know if Editor Jenny will be satisfied with what I’ve done, but I feel Violet’s frustration, her desire, her guilt and her fear. I feel Violet, and I hope that my readers will too.

The point of this is, that I’ve realized I need to read. I need to pick up a book just to hear a new voice, to live someone else’s life, to remember why I want to write.

So, make your suggestions now! What books have changed your writing? What books have left you wrung out, energized or in awe. What should be next on my reading list?

 

 

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An Interview with Author and 2017 Rita® Finalist Beth Yarnall

May 2, 2017 by in category Jann says . . . tagged as , , ,

I’m so excited to interview Daphne du Maurier winner and Rita® finalist, Beth Yarnall, on A Slice of Orange today. She writes mysteries, romantic suspense, and the occasional hilarious tweet. A storyteller since her playground days, Beth remembers her friends asking her to make up stories of how the person ‘died’ in the slumber party game Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board, so it’s little wonder she prefers writing stories in which people meet unfortunate ends. In middle school she discovered romance novels, which inspired her to write a spoof of soap operas for the school’s newspaper. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

For a number of years, Beth made her living as a hairstylist and makeup artist and even owned a salon. Somehow hairstylists and salons seem to find their way into her stories. Beth lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their rescue dog where she is hard at work on her next novel. For more information about Beth and her novels please visit her website- www.bethyarnall.com.

Jann: Welcome Beth to A Slice of Orange. What was it like to receive “The Call” that Atone is a Rita Finalist for Romantic Suspense?Atone | Beth Yarnall | A Slice of Orange

 Beth: Well, first of all I missed The Call. Then I missed the second The Call. I totally forgot it was Rita®/Golden Heart day and slept in. When my phone rang I looked at the display and thought ‘I don’t know anybody in Louisiana.’ It was Farrah Rachon calling me to let me know I was a finalist. Poor thing had to leave me a message. So The Call was really a Call Back. Talk about a duh moment!

I almost couldn’t believe it was real. I really didn’t think this book had a shot because it’s first person present tense and most romantic suspense books are third person past tense. When I was writing it nearly every scene scared me so I knew I was writing something that was deeply emotional that ‘went there’. I’m honored to be included in the amazing list of authors in my category.

 

Jann: Where did your idea for the Recovered Innocence series come from and what are your plans for the series?

Beth: The idea came with the first line of the first book, Vindicate. That line is—I got my driver’s license on my sixteenth birthday so I could visit my brother in prison.

I often get ideas for a book in the first line and I knew there was a whole book in that sentence and, eventually, a whole series. I plan on writing more books in the series. The idea for the fourth book in the series has been floating around in my head since I first started writing the series. I’m trying to work it into my writing calendar.

Jann: Have you found your dress and shoes for the Rita® ceremony yet?

Beth: I did find a dress. I actually bought two online because I couldn’t decide. After trying them both on I know which one I’ll be keeping and wearing Rita night. You’re going to think I’m weird because I’m more concerned about the jewelry I’ll wear with the dress than the shoes. That’s still up in the air as are the shoes. But hey, the hard part is over. I have a dress!

Jann: Let’s talk about writing.  Are there any words of inspiration on your computer, in your office or in your mind when you write?

Beth: Hoe your own row. It’s my mantra. Hoeing is head down, back to your goal work. If you’re doing it right you can’t see how far you’ve come or how far you have yet to go, but most importantly you can’t see how far ahead or behind others around you are. I just try to keep my head down and work and not get distracted by how much better another author’s career is going or how far behind I am from X or Y author. I try to keep my focus on my goals and work steadily toward them.

Jann: What’s the best writing advice you ever received?

Beth: BICHOK=butt in chair hands on keyboard. There’s really no magic formula. There’s only getting words on the page.

Jann: Do you listen to music when you write?

Beth: Yes. I have a writing playlist I listen to through noise cancelling headphones. Sometimes I’ll create a playlist for certain scenes. If I want a lot of angst I have a punk rock playlist. If I’m trying to get into a love scene I have a playlist of very sexy songs. But mostly I write to the main writing playlist.

Jann: Do you ever run out of ideas? If so, how did you get past that?

Beth: Oh my gosh no. I have too many ideas and not enough time to write them all simultaneously. If it weren’t for deadlines and my inborn stubbornness I’d jump from one shiny new idea to another and never finish a book. I have being a Taurus to thank for making me stubborn enough to not let a book defeat me.

Jann: What are you currently working on and when can we read it?

Beth: I’m working on the first book in a new romantic suspense series. The series is about a rag-tag bunch of FAR FROM HONEST | Beth Yarnall | A Slice of Orangeex-spies and Special Forces folk who do mercenary work for hire. The first book, Far From Honest (on preorder now), is about a burned ex-spy who has to convince the reporter who broke the story that got him burned and his best friend killed to give him the name of her source. She doesn’t know what her story did to him and he doesn’t know how she ended up in the small town The Gods of Redemption call home. They spend the whole book lying to each other and trying to keep their hands off each other. There’s lots of chemistry and the lies they tell only ramp up their sexual attraction. It’s been lots of fun to write and is scheduled to tentatively release in January of 2018, but my publisher is looking to move that date up.

Jann: Where can we get your books?

Beth: Anywhere you buy books. All of my books are widely available.

Jann: Do you have a website, blog, twitter where fans might read more about you and your books?

Beth: The best place to find out what I’m up to is my website—www.bethyarnall.com.

I’m also on Twitter—@BethYarnall

Facebook— https://www.facebook.com/BethYarnallAuthor/

Pinterest— https://www.pinterest.com/bethyarnall/

Instagram— https://www.instagram.com/bethyarnall/

Goodreads— https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6431701.Beth_Yarnall

 

I would like to thank Beth Yarnall for taking the time to tell us about receiving The Call and her writing. If you have comments or questions for Beth, please use the comment form below.

 Jann Ryan

Jann Ryan | A Slice of Orange

 

Jann Ryan grew up with the smell of orange blossoms in Orange County in sunny Southern California, where she has lived her entire life and dreamed up stories since she was a young girl. Never an avid reader, she was in her thirties when she picked up her first romance quite by accident. She fell in love with happily ever after and has been reading romances ever since.

Wanting to put pen to paper, Jann joined of Romance Writers of America®. Currently, she is working on a romantic suspense series set in Stellar Bay, a fictitious town along the California central coast to fulfill her publishing dream.

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9:00-9:50 am:            Doors Open
                                   Ask-an-Author — Jackie Diamond & Pat Wright
                                                Do you have a question that a published author can answer? Then plan to come to the meeting a little bit early. Each month one or two published authors host an informal round table discussion group and you are welcome to sit in.
                                                    
                                                     Critique of the Month — Debra Holland & Laura Drake
                                                Free for OCC Members Attending the Meeting–Monthly Critique Drawings!  Print out your FIRST chapter and bring it to the monthly meeting! Then add your name to the list of critique hopefuls, located at the membership table.
10:00 a.m.                  Meeting begins; Announcements
10:30 a.m.                  Morning Workshop:            P.A.W. Members
·       All Things Publishing (Self and Traditional) – What are the steps? Deciding what to do yourself versus buying out, etc.
·       Getting Started – Ideas, setting up a manuscript, conquering POV, plot points, etc.
·       Mmmm Marketing (including Social Media) – The must haves, nice to haves and leave behinds
·       Becoming a Professional Writer – Overcoming blocks, managing time, managing money, etc. 
Various P.A.W members will be leading discussions and sharing tips and information on the topics listed above. Tables will be marked by topic; just pick one and pull up a chair!
11:30 a.m.                  Lunch Break
                                                                       
To order a delicious box lunch from the Corner Bakery in Brea, Click here.
12:15 p.m.                  Meeting resumes: Chapter Business, etc.
12:45 p.m.                  Afternoon Speaker: Beth Yarnall
        “Authorpreneurs: Using Multiple Publishing Avenues to Build a Career” 


The term Hybrid Author gets thrown around a lot, but what does it mean? Why would an author want to pursue more than one publishing option? What are the benefits and drawbacks? How does pursuing multiple publishing avenues influence author income? In this one-hour workshop we’ll explore the pros and cons of traditional, digital first, and self-publishing and how an author can use two or even all three avenues to build a strong career and broad reader base.

Bio:

Best selling author, Beth Yarnall, writes mysteries, romantic suspense, and the occasional hilarious tweet. A storyteller since her playground days, Beth remembers her friends asking her to make up stories of how the person `died’ in the slumber party game Light as a Feather, Stiff as a Board, so it’s little wonder she prefers writing stories in which people meet unfortunate ends. In middle school she discovered romance novels, which inspired her to write a spoof of soap operas for the school’s newspaper. She hasn’t stopped writing since.
For a number of years, Beth made her living as a hairstylist and makeup artist and even owned a salon. Somehow hairstylists and salons seem to find their way into her stories. Beth lives in Southern California with her husband, two sons, and their rescue dog where she is hard at work on her next novel. For more information about Beth and her novels please visit her website- www.bethyarnall.com.
2:00 p.m.                    Meeting concludes.
Next month’s meeting will be on Saturday, December 13, 2014
A Day With Lynn Lorenz
Morning:“Front-End Load Your Manuscript”
Afternoon: “Plotting by the Seat of Your Pants”
                             
November Online Class: “
“The Amazon Bookseller’s Toolbox: Everything You Could Possibly Want to Know about Selling Books on Amazon… and Then Some”
with Erica Barton
November 10 – December 7, 2014
For More Information on Upcoming Events, please visit us at http://www.occrwa.org/comingattractions.html

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Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ – Oh My, Oh My, Oh My!!

May 2, 2014 by in category Jann says . . . tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Jann Ryann
I’m technology challenged. When it comes to the social media world I’m plain scared. Just the thought of posting something incorrectly has stopped me dipping my toe into the water for years. My goal is to break through the fear. When OCC announced its Online Class schedule I was thrilled. There it was– April’s class–Social Media for the Confused and Terrified presented by Elena Dillon. No more excuses by golly. I signed up.
Week 1 – The class started with Facebook, and for four days straight I had my desktop and laptop computers running side by side. Reading lessons and asking questions on one, doing class assignments on the other. I was learning about personal pages and author pages, friending and liking. Even though I’ve had a personal FB page for several years, I’ve never really interacted on it. I had started an author page (Jann Ryan), but hadn’t made it public to the world because I’m not a published author. Well, I hit the published button and it’s now live. To support my fellow classmates (which are a terrific group), I’m friending and liking and trying to comment on posts.
By the fourth day, I was on Facebook overload. I needed a bit of a break, so I thought I would start going through a couple of my file boxes filled with years of writing paraphernalia (handouts, conference stuff, articles and pages of stories.) It was suggested by a good friend to scan what I wanted to keep and toss the rest. I DIDN’T COME OUT OF THE ROOM FOR 4 DAYS! I was scanning and tossing from morning till way into the night. My determination to master FB was transferred to cleaning out paper. I couldn’t stop myself. From the file boxes, I moved to the bookshelves, then back to the file boxes. I was obsessed.
Week 2 – Monday, I came up for air only to be confronted with the next week’s class–TWITTER.  I hadn’t conquered Facebook, now I was facing the Twitter monster with its hashtags, retweets and Tweet chats. Thanks to the wonderful instruction and guidance from my teacher Elena, I marched into the Twitter world. I installed Tweetdeck and selected people to follow. I was fortunate to see meet up Beth Yarnall, author of the Azalea March Mysteries, The Misadventures of Maggie Mae and the Pleasure at Home Series, who gave me some hands-on instructions. Check out her website http://www.bethyarnall.com/ .  I’m still feeling awkward with Twitter, but I know I’ll be Twittering up a storm soon.
Week 3 – My Waterloo is Google+. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been receiving great instructions, but I realize I need hands on instructions when walking into the unknown. I get the overall idea, but just can’t seem to figure it all out. I need to spend more time on my lessons and work with it more, but life is getting in the way this week.  It’s similar to FB, but now I Hangout with a Circle of Friends (actually, I’m not hanging anywhere yet).
I have one more week to go and one more social media item to learn. Heaven help me.
All that being said, I’m happy I ventured into this new world. I have some wonderful classmates and a great teacher, Young Adult Romantic Suspense author Elena Dillon. Stop by her website http://elenadillon.com/.  
Go forth and conquer!

Jann Ryan grew up with the smell of orange blossoms in Orange County in sunny Southern California, where she has lived her entire life and dreamed up stories since she was a young girl. Never an avid reader, she was in her thirties when she picked up her first romance quite by accident. She fell in love with happily ever after and has been reading romances ever since.

Wanting to put pen to paper, Jann joined Romance Writers of America. Currently, she is working on a romantic suspense series set in Stellar Bay, a fictitious town along the California central coast to fulfill her publishing dream.

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National Writing Month

November 5, 2013 by in category Writing tagged as , , , , , , , ,
Many congratulations to writers who finished the OCC/RWA’s very first Book in a Year. Beth Yarnall put together some amazing-looking certificates and pins. So, who’s going to sign up this go-round?
If you want a kick-start, November kicks off National Writing Month, AKA NaNoWriMo.  While I’ve participated for at least the last five years, this year I’m forgoing. 
The pressure has been pretty high. I’m even getting emails from “Your Novel” with the subject heading, “Please write me this November.”
Every year, I dutifully register, donate funds, go to write-ins and I get a lot done. But I never “win.”  Most often, I tend to write short. A full-length novel comes in at 50K. I’ve turned in 52K and had a copy editor suggest cuts in order to get it down to the required length. While writing, I usually “finish” at 45K and then edit, smoothing out transitions, flushing out descriptions and adding in those last 5K.
I’ve met some local (non-RWA) writers through the process and had a blast hanging out with Kara Lennox, Rob Preece, and Tari Lynn Jewett at IHOP and a local grocery store with our laptops. There’s nothing like 10 writers, clustered together working, without talking, garnering attention. Can you imagine? People stared.
Why not this year? I fully support writers signing up, and working hard to complete their novel. I’m taking a realistic approach, and know I have three projects I’d like to finish in the next month:
  1. The Vampire, The Witch & The Werewolf: A Wolfe in the City – The manuscript is about 47K right now, and it needs to be completed.
  2. Second For Men for Ellora’s Cave: The Quickie is more than halfway done, and could be finished up within a week.
  3. R&R for Decadent Publishing: Need to polish a few areas, and get it back in. It’s been on the burner for when the other two items were finished.
Plus, I have another 1Night Stand rattling around in my brain. With the recent release of A Dance with Death, this character is clamoring for a HEA.
So officially-no NaNo for me. I’ll be cheering on my chapter-mates, friends, and you can send me some good thoughts for wrapping up my projects! What do you have on slate to finish your goals before the end of the year?
 
— Louisa Bacio
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