...to a perfect holiday! Whether they're written in greeting cards, said in passing to your neighbors, or curled up with in a chair, words warm up the season. That's why my favorite gift to give is a good book. Have an impossible to shop for person on your list? If they have even one interest or hobby, I bet you could find a book on it. Books are practical, smart, fun, and so much more. Need more 'word' inspiration? Merriam-Webster's word of the year was just announced and it's 'Pragmatic'.
For all of you romance fans, I have a few suggestions that range from sweet to heat. Apart from interviews, I don't typically list favorite romance books or do reviews. But these particular authors have each played an important role in my writing journey. They've given me the gift of their time, friendship, advice and encouragment...and they're excellent authors! You may remember them from my interviews.
Jeannie Watt - Don't we all bake more during the holidays? I personally love cooking, and Jeannie's new Harlequin Superromance series is delicious. The first book, The Baby Truce, hit shelves in November. It's soon to be followed by Undercover Cook (January) and Just Desserts (February). Read excerpts at her blog! Check out her interview here.
Kaily Hart - Looking to spice up your holidays? Kaily's hot romance novellas will do the trick! Check out her print collection in Perfectly Unexpected. Check out her blog here, and my interview with her here.
Megan Kelly - Her Harlequin Americans are wonderful reads, but she also just released a Christmas ebook called Santa Dear. It's just in time for the holidays! Check out her website for more purchase links. Click here for my recent interview with her.
Thank you Jeannie, Kaily and Megan for reaching out :)
And now I must confess that I haven't started shopping yet. I know, I know. I'm not usually this bad. Books are at the top of my list :) How about you? Is your shopping done? Are you giving any books?
That's what my second grader tells me before getting on the bus in the morning. He's convinced saying 'puppy power' will keep him focused and guarantee him a good day :)
Well, I promised puppy pics didn't I? Our little girl is a 7 week old F1b labradoodle...meaning her mom is a labradoodle and her dad is a standard poodle. She should end up with a wavy fleece coat that is low to non-shedding and hypoallergenic from a dander perspective. We also have first generation, 4yo labradoodle with a curly fleece coat, and we've had no allergy problems with her. She's like a nanny to my kids, and she has taken to mommyhood quite readily with our new pup.
She has been great on the potty training front, but I have had to wake up once between 2-3:00am to let her out. She's napping right now :) Wish I could, but there's tons to do...including visiting all the blogs I've been missing!
If you're in the US, I hope you have a great Turkey Day! To all my friends, may your entire holiday season be full of fun, great reading, and great writing inspiration :) I'll be scarce for the next couple of weeks, but I promise to return with adorable puppy news. Yep! We're getting a new puppy next month. Details (and hopefully pictures) when I return.
This will be short and sweet, since it's that time of year when I know everyone is scrambling around to get things done. Our neighbors have their Christmas lights up, so I guess the holidays have officially begun :)
Is anyone entering the Golden Heart this year? The deadline for entry forms and fees is tomorrow, so get a move on it! Manuscripts have to be sent in by December 2nd. Check out RWA's website for rules and exact times.
If you missed Harlequin's free online conference last week, they have archived transcripts of all the chats, podcasts, webinars and more at www.soyouthinkyoucanwrite.com and at www.harlequin.com under The Write Stuff forums. Those archives hold a lot of valuable information straight from the editors at harlequin, so it's worth taking some time to check it out. They're hosting what I'd call their contest of the year. Submit your full manuscript by December 15 and if yours is picked, the prize is a book contract! Check out the details on their website.
And what bigger deadline is there than Thanksgiving? I love Thanksgiving, but I can't believe it's less than 2 weeks away! Is it my imagination or does it seem like deadlines pile up around the holidays?
What are your plans for contests and/or the holidays?
It's such an honor to have award winning Harlequin Superromance author Kay Stockham here today. In person, Kay is warm, sweet and humble, in spite of all her success. In books, well, she's an outstanding author who really puts her characters through the ringer! I guarantee if you read one of her books, you'll find yourself gobbling up the entire series then reaching for the next.
Grab a cup of coffee, gather around...and find out which TV hero Kay made real life, face-fanning eye contact with this summer ;)
1. Having read your books, it's no surprise to me that your debut novel, Montana Secrets, won the Hold Medallion for Best First Book, was a Cataromance Best Superromance, hit the Walden books Series bestseller list and more. I'd need an entire blog post just to list all the awards and nominations you've been honored with since then, including being a RITA finalist in 2007. Without fail, your stories deliver complex, true to heart characters, unresolvable conflict (at least until the HEA ;) and a heart twisting, emotional ride. How has your approach to brainstorming and writing changed since publishing your first book (CP's, writing software, plotting vs pantsing etc...)?
I don't think my process has changed much since I sold, actually. I'm still very much a plotter, and while I don't know all the twists and turns between Point A and Point B, I do have to know what A and B are. As to software, in the last year or so I've started using Scrivener and I looooooove it. I would normally have notebooks and post-its and files etc and spend so much time searching for the research or information I needed, but now everything is stored in my Scrivener doc and right at hand.
2. Your recent releases, The Sheriff's Daughter, In The Rancher's Footsteps, Christmas in Montana, and A Hero In The Making (due out in January) take us back to North Star, Montana to revisit the town and characters from Montana Secrets and Montana Skies. Carly was struggling with the teen years when we first met her, and it was wonderful to see her all grown up in The Sheriff's Daughter. You did an incredible job developing her 'grown up' character based on the teen your readers bonded with. When an author goes back to revisit a series/characters, is it based purely on author choice (with solid proposals of course), sales records from the first books of a series, fan pressure ;), or editor suggestion? When you wrote the first two books, did you know you'd be going back to North Star? Will you be revisiting the Tulanes of Tennessee?
It's a little of all the above. In my case the editor who purchased Montana Secrets and Montana Skies mentioned that she would love to see Carly and Skylar all grown up, but in my head they were still very much teenage girls. But several years later they both began 'talking' to me again and stories began to form in my head. I think I needed time for them to grow up, and for me to have a better idea of the stories they needed to tell.
October 2011
3. Okay. I have to say that In The Rancher's Footsteps is a book that's begging to be a movie! Heck. I'm begging for it to be a movie! A headstrong, loyal, rancher hero...a no win situation...Montana scenery...oh, and let's just say the heroine brings along some vivid visuals of her own ;). I'm telling you, it's the perfect movie book, TV or otherwise. I realize film rights are mentioned in contracts, but who determines whether a book should have a shot at screentime? Who takes action? Is it an author's agent? The publisher? The author?
Thank you! I had a lot of fun with that story. But once again the answer is a combination of all the above--plus some Hollywood magic dust. My understanding is that if a book creates enough buzz, those interested/wanting rights contact the author, publisher etc and things progress from there. Lots of authors dream of having their books made into movies (myself included!) so it's fabulous to get that phone call.
4. I don't think an author ever forgets their first Call. We'd love to revisit your call story and hear about the final steps that you feel helped you reach that moment.
My call story came as I was on the way out the door to school to be a room mom for a Valentine's Day party (back in the day when cupcakes were still allowed in school!) The editor called, I cried (I was her first crier. LOL) and after a short conversation we agreed to talk again later after the party and after the tears had stopped. Even better, the following Monday my husband and I left for Vegas for a pharmaceutical convention so I was able to celebrate my first sale on the Vegas strip. It was a fabulous trip. :)
Final steps? Write, revise, repeat. ;) Plus a lot of reading. All go a long way in helping a writer form their voice, and we subconsciously pick up on the cadences and pacing of dialogue, etc.
September 2011
5. Abuse, bullying, prison time and disabilities are just some of the emotional topics you've delved into in your stories. I had tears in my eyes towards the end of The Sheriff's Daughter. Don't worry everyone, Kay always delivers a happy ending! Writing, like reading, can be an emotionally intense experience. When you're working on a book, how do you extract yourself from the moment/mood of the scene at hand and jump straight into dealing with motherhood and daily routines? Do the emotions linger and affect your mood, or does hearing 'Mom! I need clean socks!" snap you out of it?
Oh, what a great question! Yes, the clean socks scream definitely pulls me out of the mood. I've also discovered writing a love scene with the kids in the house is completely impossible. I've always said kids are the perfect form of birth control. LOL I have a few scenes that have lingered on after the writing was completed, but for the most part once they're out of my head and on the page the mood is gone as well.
6. Liam, Brad and Chance McKenna, are the deliciously headstrong heroes of your recent releases. You write equally strong heroines. Contemporary romance practically demands strong heroines. What's the key to creating a heroine who is contemporary inspite of her insecurities or vulnerabilities?
For me it's writing heroines I'd want to be friends with. They're strong, they're funny, they're likable and that's the key for me. We all have our vulnerabilities at times but that's simply a part of who we are. The rest of the time we're multi-tasking moms/friends/daughters/wives/lovers who have a million balls in the air and no soft place to land. Those are the types of characters I like to read about, so I think it's natural that those are the characters I like to write about as well.
7. You were recently invited to take part in an animal adoption benefit anthology. Can you tell us a little more about it? What else do you have in store for your readers?
The anthology is headed up by Lori Foster and is the second anthology I've taken part in to benefit various charities. As you said, this one is for an animal adoption group Lori has chosen and each author in the anthology contributes a fifteen-thousand word original story featuring A) a romance, and B) an animal. The books will be available in print at Lori's Reader and Author Get Together held in West Chester, Ohio, June 1-3, 2012, and in digital format. For more details, go to www.lorifoster.com. I'm working on my story now and having a lot of fun with it, but I don't want to give too many details away.
As to what comes next... I've written a short Christmas novel I hope to publish in December via Kindle, Nook etc. After my last set of deadlines, I found myself struggling to go back to my computer chair (because I'd spent so many long hours there already) so I decided to open a blank screen and just write whatever came to mind as a fun, creative exercise. Well, soon I couldn't wait to get to my chair, and a very unique story unfolded before my eyes. Something I haven't read anywhere else and am quite excited about. I had to set this story aside to meet the anthology deadline but I hope to get back to polishing it in the next few days. I'll let you know when it's posted! :)
January 2012
8. Apart from not quitting, what's the one piece of advice you'd like to give unpublished writers?
Hmmm...my advice would be to refill the creative well as often as possible. Writing is solitary and lonely at times and it's easy to get caught up in deadlines and demands from family. Writers have so many responsibilities to others and are so dedicated to their work they sometimes forget to have fun and try new things. .
9. And now for a little fun...Do you have a favorite deadline crunch-time snack or quirky writing ritual?
This question is evilllll. LOL Fave snack: Throwback Mt. Dew (Yes, I do know how unhealthy it is for me!) and dark chocolate anything. My deadline writing ritual is to push hard, stay up late and type until I can't type anymore.
10. Rock or Country music? Denim or silk? Beachhouse or log cabin? Patrick Dempsey, Hugh Jackman, or one of your McKenna brothers? (I call Brad McKenna! ;).
Both, both, both, and all of the men mentioned! LOL I listen to all kinds of music, everything from Adele to Carrie Underwood to Etta James to Nickelback, Foo Fighters and more. I could go on forever because I love music, maybe because I can't sing a tune or play an instrument. For CHRISTMAS IN MONTANA I played a certain Metallica song at least a hundred times. Maybe more. It all depends on my mood. I'm also a small town girl so I spend my life in comfortable jeans but I do like to dress up every now and again. It's one of the reasons I like going to writers conferences.
Beach house or Cabin? I prefer the beach but I'd never turn down a cabin in in the mountains. I love visiting Tennessee and set my Tulanes of Tennessee story there for just that reason.
As to the guys... Be still my heart! I saw Patrick Dempsey up close and personal in New York this summer, out shopping with his son in the Lego store on Times Square and I have to say I love how protective he was--and the way he smiled at me when he saw the dawning recognition on my face. *sigh* But Hugh... *thud*. Have you ever seen him in an interview? When that man talks about his wife and kids he LIGHTS UP. Talk about sexy on top of...well, sexy! And I couldn't choose between my McKenna brothers--or Marcus Whitefeather in A HERO IN THE MAKING (Jan, 2012) because that would just be wrong. My heroes are heroes for a reason and they all have qualities and characteristics I think we all like to see in our guys.
Well said...and I was hoping we'd see Marcus again! Thanks so much for hanging out here today, Kay.
BLURB: Christmas in Montana, November 2011
Jenna Darlington would not refuse a Christmas miracle. A widow, she's struggling to keep her little family together. So when Chance McKenna offers her a job, it seems her wishes are coming true. Too bad there's a catch.
Chance is not acting how she expects. Dressing as Santa to greet kids in the store? It's charming. And seeing him out of that red suit… Well, it's hard to keep her priorities straight! Worse, his preference for extreme sports is influencing her kids, and suddenly she's got daredevils on her hands. Yet when Jenna tries to put distance between her and Chance, he proves that there might be more to this miracle than she thinks!
For those who celebrate, I wish you safe and fun trick-or-treating...and lots of zero calorie/zero kid-sugar high candy ;).
For those who don't, I hope you're have fun fall festivities :)
We actually have snow covered pumpkins this year! We lucked out though and didn't lose power with the eastern storm. May it come back soon for those who did. I'm off to help out with school parties and parades, but I'll try to visit all of your blogs later on. Sorry for being scarce lately. I do appreciate everyone who follows and stops by...and I miss your blogs when I'm in my writing cave. I'll be a better blog friend after I wrap up my GH entry!
Be sure to stop by next week for a visit with Harlequin Superromance author Kay Stockham!
I was looking over my calendar yesterday and it hit me...2011 is in the home stretch. That realization always puts a little fire under me. It ups the pressure on making sure I've accomplished my writing (and other) goals for the year. One of the things I did this year was read through recommended books on writing. Books that spanned revision to plot to conflict and more. I believe all people are perpetual students of something. We're in a constant state of learning through study or through experience. For me, this year was about pushing my writing skills.
I have most of the writing/craft books on my shelf listed in the side bar. I read them with a highlighter in hand and recently went back through to see what I'd marked. I thought I'd share a few quotes I found to be important.
"Make sure the GMC's of multiple characters collide. The collision creates conflict."Debra Dixon - GMC: Goal, Motivation & Conflict
"Pressure is essential. Choices made when nothing is at risk mean little." Robert McKee - Story
"...if the inciting incident presents a problem that compels the protagonist to defend herself, rather than propels her toward achieving a goal, the story produces a reactive hero, not a proactive hero." Elizabeth Lyons - Manuscript Makeover
"Complex and too complicated are two different things. Complex is interesting; if shows writer finesse and control. Complicated is a chore." Elizabeth Lyons - Manuscript Makeover
"Motive is what gives moral value to a character's acts. What a character does, no matter how awful or how good, is never morally absolute... A character is what he does, yes - but even more, a character is what he means to do." Orson Scott Card - Characters & Viewpoints
There are so many more fabulous quotes from the books I've read, but too little time. One can read, and read, but at some point they have to go off and apply what they've learned ;). Hence, I need to go tackle more revisions. I highly recommend the books in the side bar for anyone in need of some craft inspiration and direction.
I hope you all have a productive week and get all your yearly goals accomplished in the next 2 1/2 months! Feel free to share any favorite craft quotes or books :)
I just had a crash and relax weekend. Crash, because I managed to stay up twenty-three hours straight, after which I only got four hours of sleep. I should include a warning here: DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME! I lived on lack of sleep in my twenties (blame school), but let's just say...I'm not anywhere near my twenties. I felt like I was coming down with the flu at the end of it all. Luckily, I aborted any illness with tons of vitamins and a good night sleep.
I'm sure you're wondering what triggered my insanity, LOL. When I was at the RWA Nationals PRO retreat this year, I won a drawing for an entry fee waiver to The Emily Contest, a fabulous writing contest hosted by the West Houston RWA Chapter. It's open to both published and unpublished writers and you can find more information on it at http://whrwa.com/emily/. I'd like to extend my thanks to whrwa and to everyone who dontated to the PRO retreat.
Of course, the deadline was this past Friday and that meant completing revisions on my first 7000 words. I'm pleased to say I got it done and in on time :). Next up, finishing the rest of my revisions in time for the Golden Heart. It'll be my third time entering.
So how did I relax? Movies of course! The funny thing was that several ended up being about writers. One was a TV movie where a mystery writer becomes a suspect for the murder of her hot neighbor. Part of the reason for suspecting her...the photos she took of him and the research she did on his rich family as inspiration for the book she was working on. The idea that research can be used against you is a bit scary for a writer! Okay, it was just a movie...but still.
I also saw Inkheart. My son begged me to watch it with him (he read the book) and I'm glad he did. I really loved it. I think it's a must watch for anyone who loves to read or write. Just beautiful.
Finally, I watched Finding Neverland, a movie about the author of Peter Pan.
Do you have any movies that involve writers/books that you love?
Kaily Hart - Looking to spice up your holidays? Kaily's hot romance novellas will do the trick! Check out her print collection in Perfectly Unexpected. Check out her blog here, and my interview with her here.
