Tipsy Tuesday

You want your book to be something that readers can't put down. Here are some tips on how to make that happen:

1. Start with an important action. These days you don't have the luxury of building up to a conflict or other main event. Something must happen right away to hook the reader.

2. Develop conflict. If life's too easy for your characters, you won't hold the readers' attention.

3. Stay true to the genre. Romance readers want romance; mystery readers expect a good puzzle; adventure lovers expect fast-paced action. Hint at things to come, then deliver. Everything must be resolved by the end of your novel, including the few little asides you might have introduced along the way. The lost dog found its home; the red herring was explained away; the secondary character's role was revealed, etc.

4. Decide what point of view you're going to use, and stick with it.

5. Develop a main character your reader can identify with, worry about, and root for. Let the reader know who the good guys are--and the bad guys.

6. Let the reader know up front what's at stake. What's important to the main characters, and why? How will they suffer if they lose it?

7. Establish the setting. Show the reader where and when things are happening.

8. Set a brisk pace. However, to some extent, the genre will dictate that for you. Historical romances are more leisurely, filled with description and flowery language; mysteries must go faster.

10. Everything mentioned in your book must have a reason for being there. If it doesn't advance the story, it shouldn't be in your book. This goes back to "if you introduce a gun in chapter three, you had better use it before the end of the book".

Happy writing!

Man Meat Monday

Giddyup!

Friday Funny

Three women die together in an accident and go to heaven. When they get there, St. Peter says, "We only have one rule here in heaven: don't step on the ducks!"

So they enter heaven, and sure enough, there are ducks all over the place. It's almost impossible not to step on one, and although they try their best to avoid them, the first woman accidentally steps a duck.

Along comes St. Peter with the ugliest man she ever saw. St. Peter chains them together and says, "Your punishment for stepping on a duck is to spend eternity chained to this ugly man!"

The next day, the second woman accidentally steps on a duck and along comes St. Peter, who doesn't miss a thing. With him is another extremely ugly man. He chains them together with the same admonishment as for the first woman.

The third woman has observed all this and, not wanting to be chained for all eternity to an ugly man, is very, VERY careful where she steps.

She manages to go months without stepping on any ducks, but one day St.Peter comes up to her with the most handsome man she has ever laid eyes on--very tall, long eyelashes, muscular.

St. Peter chains them together without saying a word.

The happy woman says, "I wonder what I did to deserve being chained to you for all of eternity?"

The guy says, "I don't know about you, but I stepped on a duck."

New Review for ANGEL & THE DUKE OF SEX

From Night Owl Romance:

A beautiful romance full of dark passions...

"You will fall in love with Angel and Harry as they discover something more moving than their passion... The deadly villain takes you on the ominous journey within his sick mind as this multi-layered plot unfolds into a suspenseful ending that keeps the reader glued to the pages. Enjoy!"

To read an excerpt or buy, click here.

Tipsy Tuesday

How do you deal with rejection? The best thing to do is first and foremost, don't take it personally. The editor/agent isn't rejecting you, he/she is rejecting your work. There is a difference. You should always have a new project underway so that you're working on something instead of just pining your hopes on one thing. And know this: your first "baby" may never see the light of day. Be prepared for it to be a learning experience, but not a published book.

And console yourself with knowing even the best have been rejected.

John Grisham received 45 rejections for A Time to Kill

Frank Herbert received 13 rejections for Dune.

Madeline L'Engle received 29 rejections for A Wrinkle in Time (one of my all-time favs!)

Louis L'Amour, who published over 100 westerns, received over 300 rejections before he published his first book.

Ray Bradbury, the KING of sci-fi, received over 800 rejections before he sold his first story.


The key? Persistence. Keep learning, keep improving, and keep submitting.

Man Meat Monday

Talk about a hard body...!

Friday Funny