Day: March 18, 2015

WIP Wednesday: Staying in the Story

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Image credit: andrejad / 123RF Stock Photo

Image credit: andrejad / 123RF Stock Photo

Writing is hard work. When you’re trying to fit it around a Day Job and family, it’s easy to lose track of the story.

Here are some of my tricks for staying in the story.

  • My Day Job computer passwords are story related. Whether it’s the subject, the working title, or character names, every time I open a new program, I have to think about the story.
  • I create a sound track for every book I write. It’s on a CD in my car, it’s on my mp3 player. Listening to those particular songs remind me of story nuances.
  • I listen to RWA Conference Workshops on my mp3 player at Day Job. You’d be surprised how much a Chat with Nora Roberts can be inspiring.
  • Sticky notes. I have pads of little sticky notes and when something strikes me, I jot it down and stick it to the back of my cell phone (I don’t have a smart phone). When I get home, I transfer the note from my phone to my desk or open up the Scrivener file and type in the idea.

Do you have any favorite tricks for keeping in the story when you can’t be at your desk?

The Writing Life: A Rose by Any Other Name . . .

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Dale Carnegie once wrote:  “Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” He went on to say: “Using a person’s name is crucial, especially when meeting those we don’t see very often. Respect and acceptance stem from simple acts such as remembering a person’s name and using it whenever appropriate.”

I have always been fascinated by names. When, as a very young person, I discovered a few pages of names in the back of my parents’ dictionary, I poured over it. Those pages were soon tattered.

I remember taking out an origin of names book from my elementary school library. Nicknames and derivatives obsessed me. I recall two which I’ve never been able to find again: Stenie as a nickname for Stephan; and Hodge as a nickname for Roger.

While doing my grammar homework, I would always change the names in the exercises. Little Jimmy (was/were) riding his bicycle became Little Ulrich was riding his bicycle.  Nancy (wear/wore) a green coat morphed into Cassandra wore a green coat (but she’d have looked better in red). My fifth grade teacher (I think it was fifth grade) finally told me to stop changing the names and editorializing. It was a sign!

In high school, I purchased my first baby name book. My very own book, filled with nothing but names. Such riches! Unfortunately, it was stolen when someone broke into my car. I was more upset about losing that book than I was about the stolen aquarium or broken window.

Since then, I’ve accumulated quite a collection.

name booksI had one other book, by Bruce Lansky, but X-Chromo took it to a friend’s house for an overnight (I don’t know why they needed a baby name book) and that was the last I ever saw of it.  Yes, I have two copies of Beyond Jennifer and Jason. It’s been updated. (Plus the original was misplaced for a long while).

When I was pregnant for Y-Chromo, TV Stevie and I looked at a lot of baby name books. One was The Worst Baby Name Book Ever. “Woody: the past tense of Willy.” Clever.

Now we have the Internet. I love the US Government’s Social Security site. One can find the top names given in any decade. Even better, one can narrow the search by state. So if you have a heroine born in the mid-1970’s in Kentucky, you can go to this website and find the top 100 names in the 1970s in Kentucky. It’s a wonderful resource.

I also “collect” names. I once worked with a Slade Walter. People, upon meeting him or hearing of him would remark on what a great name he had. I’m trying to work that name into a story. Other wonderful names I’ve encountered in recent years include: Nick Kitson, Eric Jedziniak, Eric Zubricki. I’ll read a name in the paper and write it down for future use.

Names are one of the first things I brainstorm when starting a new book.

When I was a child, I hated my first name. Very few people of my generation had it. And people always asked me what it was short for. It became an “in” name in the 1980s. Now every Tom, Dick and Harry . . .

Because of my name issues (it’s spelled this way, not that)–issues my husband also faced–when we chose names for our children, we chose names that didn’t have alternate spellings, names found on tooth brushes in the drug store and mini license plates at thru-way rest stop gift stores, and names they could use in a global society.

Do you have any name pet peeves?

 

 

Reading By The Season: January

Every January, I re-read The Cabin, by Carla Neggers.

This book is the second in a series involving Boston, Texas Rangers, and murder. I’m particularly fond of The Cabin because a good portions takes place the Adirondack Mountains of New York State. In the winter. In addition to featuring a couple of (sexy) Texas Rangers, there’s a Texas Ranger wannabe, a wife who’s not sure she still wants to be married to the man she loves, and a solid suspense plot.

Have I mentioned the brutal winter of northern New York is also a character? It’s one of the most dangerous characters in the book. And Neggers is very, very good at developing characters.

Available from Amazon

W.I.P. Wednesday: Rachel Sharpe

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I’m very excited to have  author Rachel Sharpe as my guest this week. Today’s a special day for Rachel: it’s release day for her book, Cold Ambition, but more on that later. Welcome Rachel. Let’s get to know a little bit about you.

If you could go anywhere in the world, what would be your top three dream destinations?

RACHEL: First, Hawaii, because it’s Hawaii, and because it’s the location of Magnum, PI, a show without which I wouldn’t have been inspired to write the Jordan James, PI series. Second, the UK. I visited there when I was younger and have always wanted to go back. Third would be Germany and Austria. I have a very close friend who lives in Hanover and I’ve always wanted to visit her homeland. 

MJ: Ah yes, Magnum. The inspiration for many things. Do you have a secret talent?

RACHEL: I don’t know if it’s really a secret, but I like to play guitar. Also, I was in a band in high school. We called ourselves Outta the Blue. We were a short-lived phenomenon.  

MJ: If you didn’t write, what would be your creative outlet?

RACHEL: I guess I would either act or focus more on music. I did both in high school and they were both a lot of fun.

MJ: Other than writing, what would be your dream job?

RACHEL: Editor. If I couldn’t write, I would love to help someone else make their writing better. As the daughter of an English teacher, I’m a second generation grammar nazi. There’s no fighting that title. I’ve accepted it now.

MJ: People always say “Grammar Nazi” as if it were a bad thing. What is the one thing you won’t leave home without?

RACHEL: My cell phone. It’s amazing to think how dependent society has become on them. Almost everything you could ever need is on a cell phone now. That’s a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it… 

MJ: Okay, let’s get down to your writing. Can you describe your ideal writing space?

RACHEL: Honestly, I write anywhere. I’ve never been one to just sit behind a desk and write. I have an app on my phone which allows me to email my pages to myself, so if I’m out and about and have a couple minutes to kill, I’ll try to write at least half a chapter.

MJ: That’s fabulous use of your time. What book or books do you wish you could have written:

RACHEL: Harry Potter because it is an original story that has had such a tremendous impact on the world. The series was not only translated into seventy languages and eight films, they also have a theme park dedicated to it. A story with that much clout is worth emulating.  

MJ: Name three things on your desk right now.

RACHEL: Computer, printer, and cell phone. 

MJ: Do you listen to music when you write?

RACHEL: It depends on the day. Sometimes, I’ll listen to music for background noise. Other times, I need silence to focus. If I do listen to music while I write, I tend to stick to ’80s pop or instrumental film scores. 

MJ: Synopses. Love them or hate them?

RACHEL: Hate. Don’t get me wrong – they’re very important, but trying to sum up the heart and soul of your work in four to six lines is an art form. It’s not easy and often frustrating, but very worthwhile.

MJ: Ready for the lightning round: Addams Family or Munsters-

RACHEL: Addams Family

MJ: Wine-Red or white?

RACHEL: White

MJ: Cinco de Mayo or St. Patrick’s Day?

RACHEL: St. Patrick’s Day.

MJ: Paper or e-books?

RACHEL: Paper.

MJ: Pepsi or coke?

RACHEL: Coke.

MJ: Favorite ethnic food?

RACHEL: Thai.

MJ: Now, what we’ve all been waiting for . . . what are you working on now?

RACHEL:  The working title is Retribution. Here are the first few lines.

 “My life is completely ruined!” the girl sobbed, covering her eyes, thick with black mascara, with her carefully-manicured nails. “He told me he loved me and that we would be together forever. Now I’ve lost him and everything else. What am I supposed to do?”

Her mother sat on the love seat beside her, stroking her silky-blonde hair. “My dear, it’s not the end of the world,” she insisted. “He’s one foolish boy. You’re overreacting.”

She sat up and stared into her mother’s eyes. “You don’t understand. I lost my job. I’ll never work again after this gets out….”

Suddenly alarmed, her mother grabbed her shoulders and studied her eyes intently. “After what gets out?”

MJ: You’ve certain piqued my curiosity! Now I understand you have book coming out today. Where can we buy it?

ColdAmbition400

 

RACHEL:  At Amazon. Here’s the link:

MJ: And how can we stay touch with you?

RACHEL: Here are my links:

Website www.rachelsharpe.com 

Blog  www.rachelcsharpe.wordpress.com

Facebook  www.facebook.com/authorrachelsharpe 

Twitter  www.twitter.com/RachelCSharpe 

MJ: Thanks for stopping by and good luck with your books.

A Moment In Time

I picked my daughter, X-Chromo, up at college the other night. She and the grand-hamster were coming home for the summer. I needed to wait for her to finish up some hall council stuff before we we could start loading my car with her things. As I sat in the lobby, I saw Domino’s delivering pizzas, I saw students of both sexes hug and say goodbye. Several students told me to have a safe trip–I had no idea who they were; while waiting at the car for X to bring out the grand-hamster, I saw another young man driving around wearing a Burger King crown.

I never went to college, so I missed all of this bonding stuff.

So glad she’s having the experience.