Six-pack Saturday

July 31, 2010 | Six-Pack Saturday

Six websites I visit way too often:

1) New Concepts Publishing (admiring my covers, checking out the latest releases)

2) Amazon.com Kindle titles, book reviews, movies, one stop shopping

3) Fictionwise more ebooks

4) i-tunes gotta have tunes

5) Smexy Books book reviews, what else? I don’t always agree with Mandi, but she’s always frank and fun to read

6) evannelorraine.com gotta check out my own site

Fan Girl Friday

July 30, 2010 | Fan Girl Friday

The dangerous series: Dangerous Surrender, Dangerous Rescue, and Dangerous Secrets is available in print from Amazon. They’ve included the search inside feature.

I’m tempted to order a whole set myself.

PS

The ideal reading order is:

1) Dangerous Surrender–Zack and Ciara’s adventure

2) Dangerous Rescue–Ian and Regan’s installment

3) Dangerous Secrets–Sam and Karina’s perils

Real life

July 29, 2010 | Real life

While chatting with a friend, the subject of favorite books came up–I know, big surprise– As I listened to her enthuse about the novels she rereads, I recognized the books and I wondered if somehow the contents had been sifted through some other dimension so that while the authors and titles were the same, we read entirely different books. The more I thought about, the more sense this explanation made.

The other dimension is the reader’s mind. None of us read the same book. Each of us brings her own set of filters and perception of reality to the pages. Successful authors are those who tap into the nearly universal threads of humanity. It follows that my enthusiasm for a particular book says more about me than the merit of the literary work.

I’d rather live in a world of absolute truth where everything make sense all the time. Since my real life is never like that, I adore escapist entertainment. This may be another secret of successful fiction.

What do you think, are there provable facts or is everything subject to perception?

WIP Wednesday

July 28, 2010 | WIP Wednesday

In January, when I upgraded the desktop system, the new computer came with a new-to-me utility program–sticky notes–virtual Post-its. Excellent nerdy fun. Now I clutter my lovely virtual desktop with story notes in the form of virtual stickies.

Did I mention the notes come in a variety of tasteful pastels?

Teaser Tuesday

July 27, 2010 | Teaser Tuesday

Wicked Games is one of the featured book at New Concepts Publishing. This particular title started as a short story, grew to almost novella length, and then grew some more.

The original concept of an older, successful, but sexually submissive, woman, and a much younger, dominant man arrived more than three years ago, slowing evolving into the manuscript for Wicked Games. I’d like to write the same theme again. Perhaps someday I will.

PS

Wicked Games is also available as part of the print anthology Wicked.

Music Monday

July 26, 2010 | Music Monday

Sunday funnies

July 25, 2010 | Sunday funnies

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

Six-pack Saturday

July 24, 2010 | Six-Pack Saturday

Six things you probably don’t you know about me, unless you’re psychic

1) Current favorite soundtrack: From Paris With Love

2) I don’t know my left from my right

3) Working or play hard enough to really sweat makes me happy

4) Laying around watching kung fu movies also makes me happy

5) Yellow is my favorite color, sadly it makes me look like death warmed over

6) My favorite books have always been tragic romances that I want to rewrite so they have happy endings

Tell me something I don’t about you…

Fan Girl Friday

July 23, 2010 | Fan Girl Friday

Along with acquiring a Kindle, I downloaded a dozen or so free, or almost, titles and at least that many samples. This is the virtual equivalent of browsing the bargain table at a brick and mortar bookstore and flipping through the first few pages of a novel that catches my eye. In the real world bookstore I return most of books I pick up to the shelf. In the virtual bookstore most of samples and freebies are quickly deleted.

I’ve noticed some differences since switching to virtual titles. Now when an author impresses me, I pay attention to who publishes them. Shopping for the latest release from a favorite writer always includes a little browsing of the other featured releases. Just like stopping to snag a new print title often leads to picking up a nearby novel.

Is this just me? Or do you surf particular publishers releases?

Real life

July 22, 2010 | Real life

When people learn I write fiction lots of them ask where I get my ideas. Even more develop eager glints in their eyes and say, “Have I got a story for you.”

These folks should write. They’re naturals, perfectly willing to pitch to their most intimate fantasies to a virtual stranger.

Alas, story concepts are the easy part. Stories are part of the human DNA, the need to tell them passed on like straight hair, overbites, and brown eyes. Actually writing these tales takes serious work. Lots of it and not a bit of it glamorous.

Strangely, I enjoy the word crafting. I get lost checking the Chicago Manual of Style. This explains why my manuscripts still contain so many errors. Hours elapse while I’m looking for just the right word. More time passes recasting a sentence for stronger impact or smoother rhythm.

What do you like best about your job?