I'm going back to school...

Well, technically I guess I'm not going back to school. But I have signed up for three online courses this summer. One has already started, and I've played hookey from it all week to hang out at the beach with my kids. Shhhh!  But next week, I'll buckle down and catch up. I Promise.

So what courses have I enrolled in?
1) Writing and Researching Regencies
2) Writing and Researching Historical Fiction 
3) Writing Regency Set Novels. 

I guess you already picked up on the theme of the courses. Why am I doing this? Well, for the last few years, my entire focus has been on getting published in category fiction. I love contemporary romance and I can't imagine not writing it.  And my goal is to always write contemporary romance.  But I do have another secret passion-historical romance. I always thought it would be kind of fun to write a historical...except where would I start?  I stumbled upon a few websites that offer some in-depth historical romance writing/researching courses. They are offered online, are a reasonable price, give you access to intructors who will answer any questions you have, will give you assignments (I know, I know, I'm already behind), and offer a plethora of resources.

So why do this now? I've got my hands full already, do I really need to add something else?  Maybe not.  But then I thought, when else am I going to do this? There will always be a thousand things going on, and sometimes you just have to make the time to do the things you really want to do.  I also think I've discovered that I'm one of those people who thrives on a little bit crazy. You know, when things are running smoothly and there's no sirens going off, I kind of lose momentum. But when it feels like my plate is so full and everything is spilling off and the plate is in danger of breaking, that's when I kick it into high gear. 

I also think it's a positive, constructive environment...I'm surrounded by other writers and the instructors are romance authors (who write contemporary as well as historical). I also know that if I weren't enrolled in these classes, I'd never just sit down and start researching regency England. I also think that pursuing anything in your field can only help you. I don't for one second think that I'm going to be diving into writing that Regency romance book anytime soon, but I do think that I'll probably be able to apply some of what I've learned to what I'm writing now. And I think it will get the creativity flowing, so when I'm daydreaming I might start doing a little Regency daydreaming...

Now, I guess I'd better get back to reality...heading home from the beach today...and back to class!

So that's it...how about you?  Have you ever taken any writing courses?  Plan on taking any?

2012 RITA nominee Linda Warren is in the Hot Seat!

Please welcome Linda Warren to the Hot Pink Typewriter. We're thrilled to have her.

Linda is the author of 31 books for Harlequin SuperRomance and Harlequin American. She’s a two-time RITA nominee who pens award winning romances with happily ever after’s.

                                                   ~

Congratulations on your nomination for the 2012 RITA Series Contemporary. Could you tell us a little about the nominated story?

The Texan’s Bride is the second book in The Hardin Boys trilogy for SuperRomance. The story is a marriage of convenience between two strong-willed protagonists who know exactly what they want in life and are determined to get it. The hero is a hardnosed business man set on owning an oil company. The heroine can make his dream come true, but she wants a baby. So they make a deal. When she becomes pregnant, everything changes. Their emotions become involved and they have to reevaluate their goals and their lives.

This book is probably the most emotional book I’ve ever written. By the end of the book, both characters have gone through tremendous change and realize what’s really important in life. 

With this being your second year to get the RITA call, could you give us glimpse behind the curtain and share some of what it’s like to be a nominee at RWA Nationals?

It’s unbelievable!!! Getting the Rita call is right up there with getting “The Call”. I blubbered thank you about ten times. I didn’t hear much after, “Congratulations, your book is a finalist for the Rita.” My brain shut down. It’s such a euphoric shock. After hanging up, I cried both times. Being recognized by my peers is an emotional high unequaled by anything in my writing career.

Then the anticipation starts, getting a decent photo and press info to the RWA office, mailing extra books for final round judging, planning details for the conference, figuring out what to wear to the parties, the rehearsal and the big ceremony. I’m so honored and excited to be apart of it.  

And most importantly, do you have your dress picked out? *G*

Not yet, but I have it narrowed down. I’m considering a black and white outfit (has a beaded top that’s nice) or teal and black. The teal has a bolero with ruffles. Not to crazy about that. Then there’s this purple outfit that’s sparkly and bright. I like it, but it may be too loud for me. So, no, haven’t made up my mind. <grimace>        

You write for both Harlequin SuperRomance and Harlequin American that must keep you busy, can you tell us how you balance your writing with the rest of your life? Do you have a regular schedule? Any quirks?

What life? <smile> Sometimes it feels that way.  Writing for two lines keeps me busy, as you mentioned. I’m up at six and have breakfast with the hubby, read the paper and then do my exercise routine. My mornings I spend answering and reading emails, writing a blog if I have one scheduled, paying bills, taking care of mailings and generally clearing my desk of to-do things before I start writing. I have lunch with the hubby and my writing day starts at one. I work until about five and then it’s dinner and husband time. I’m usually back at my computer about seven and quit about ten, if I can. That’s during the week. Weekends are family time, but I try to sneak writing in, especially if I’m behind on a deadline. If I’m really behind, bills, emails and everything else waits and I write in the mornings. But those are long. long days.

Quirk: I have to have absolute quiet to write.   

Where do you find inspirations for your moving stories?

Everywhere. Movies, TV, newspapers, and everyday life. The first book I sold I took from an article in the newspaper. A newborn baby girl had been left in a basket on someone’s doorstep. The authorities were trying to figure out who the baby was and why she was left at that particular house. I watched the paper every day and nothing else was ever mentioned about the baby. The story fueled my imagination and I created a life for the adult Jane Doe, including a handsome hero and lots of conflict. The story became The Truth About Jane Doe for SuperRomance Jan 2000.

What would be your one bit of advice for an unpublished writer?

The old tried and true - Never give up. Study the line you want to write for, especially the releases by new authors to see what editors are buying.

Before you go, could you share with us a little about any new books that are on the horizon for you?

Tomas: Cowboy Homecoming comes out in Dec 2012. It’s book six of a continuity series, Harts of the Rodeo, for Harlequin American. I then have a trilogy for SuperRomance, which I’m working on now. No titles yet. After that, I have another Harlequin American. And then I’m going to take a nap.

Thank you so much for stopping by The Hot Pink Typewriter!!! We've loved having you and hope you’ll stop by again.

 It was a pleasure. Thanks for asking me.

2012 Rita Finalist for Contemporary Series Romance!

The Texan’s Bride

Harlequin Super Romance
October 2011

When love’s a business arrangement…

Sheltered her entire life, Jessie Murdock has rarely gotten her way. Until her dying father makes a deal with Cadde Hardin. Cadde will get shares of Shilah Oil on one condition: marry Jessie. In love with him for years, Jessie doesn’t hesitate to sign the papers. But she didn’t sign up for a completely absent husband.

Now Jessie has a counter offer. She’ll give Cadde controlling interest of the business if he’ll give her a baby: …the natural way. Only he has a few caveats of his own. When life refuses to follow their written plan, Jesse and Cadde have to decide which is more important: their unspoken love or the family business.

http://www.lindawarren.net/

'Don't Just Stand There - Do Something!' by Lindsay J. Pryor

I was told that once during a theatre audition. I wasn’t actually auditioning for a part at the time. I’d gone along to support a friend and played the ‘other’ character for him. He was there, giving it his all, working the audition room. He knew his character inside out because he had prepared – for days. In those few minutes, he was that person. I stood like a lamppost and read the lines straight off the page. The fact was I’d never got inside the head of the character because I hadn’t needed to. When my friend lunged at me in a fit of rage (in role!), I didn’t know whether I needed to cower or slam my hands on my hips and square up to him. So I did nothing. The director (who is responsible for the title), needless to say, was not going to offer me a role any time soon.

As authors, we’re not just scriptwriters, we’re directors and actors too. Dialogue alone is not enough to give us glimpses into our characters’ psyche – their actions, reactions and interactions are just as essential. And for those to be believable, we have to be in our characters’ heads. As both a writer and a reader, you might not like how a character acts, you might say to yourself that you would have reacted differently, but that’s irrelevant. What matters is that the characters’ actions are believable and pertinent to them – actions that have been included to further character or plot development. In addition to this, your characters’ actions are essential in setting the mood and tone of a scene.

I’m going to use a scene from Beguiling The Enemy, which got me into the final of New Voices last year, to show how actions can change a reader’s perception of a character. I’ve purposely chosen a section with almost no dialogue.

For those who don’t know, Caitlin is an agent for the Vampire Control Unit. She’s been the first to track down and capture the agency’s most wanted vampire, Kane Malloy. Unfortunately she used underhand measures so is being forced to let him go. Unbeknownst to her team, Caitlin’s on a personal mission and needs information from Kane about her parents’ murder. Kane equally wants something from her. Before his release, Kane has demanded to see Caitlin or he’ll prosecute for illegal arrest. Caitlin has just arrived outside the interrogation room…

    She took a steadying breath, her pulse racing, grabbed the handle, but let go.

    You can do this, she insisted, her hands clenched by her sides. She closed her eyes for a moment then opened them with renewed determination. She reached for the handle again and pushed the door open.

    Kane Malloy sat back on the metal chair as relaxed as he would be knocking back shots in a club, legs casually apart beneath the table, his jeans cuffing his chunky lace- up boots. He didn’t flinch as she entered, his elbows remaining lax on the armrests, his position evocatively emphasising his taut biceps and revealing glimpses of his honed chest through the fabric of his dark grey T-shirt.

    Caitlin instinctively lowered her gaze, her stomach tightening as she recalled that hard, powerful body pressed against hers. 

    But it was too late to turn back now.            

    She closed the door, the walls of the twenty-by-twenty foot room closing in, the throbbing silence adding to the tension as he unashamedly assessed every inch of her. She cursed silently, berating herself as much as him for the flutter in her chest.

    The intimidation was clever, dangerously low key.

    The games had already begun.

    Clutching the release papers tight to her chest, she’d never had so much difficulty putting one foot in front of the other.

    Grateful to reach the table quickly, she placed the papers on her corner, the pen on top.

    ‘You need to gain more confidence in those sexy hips,’ he said, that low rasp making every hair rise on the back of her neck. ‘Learn to make the most of them.’

    Sitting in the bolted-down chair opposite his, she interlaced her hands on the table. She used every reserve to meet his gaze, keeping her expression impassive despite her heart pounding.

Here are Caitlin and Kane in the same scene, but with their actions and reactions altered:

    Caitlin grabbed the handle, but let go. She fluffed up her hair, readjusted her top to reveal a little more cleavage, and ran her tongue across her teeth to make sure there was no excess lipstick there.

    She reached for the handle again and pushed the door open.

    Kane Malloy was pacing the room, clenching and unclenching his hands at his sides. He flinched as she entered, and swiftly resumed his seat at the table. He crossed his legs, his jeans cuffing his chunky lace- up boots. His folded arms evocatively emphasised his taut biceps and revealing glimpses of his honed chest through the fabric of his dark grey T-shirt.

    Caitlin didn’t take her gaze off him once, her stomach tightening as she recalled that hard, powerful body pressed against hers. 

    She closed the door, stood with the papers by her side, her hand on her hip as he assessed every inch of her. She smirked and subtly licked her lips. 

    The games had already begun.

    She sauntered toward him, adding a little more sway to her hips. She stopped at the far side from him and threw the papers onto the table.

    ‘You need to gain more confidence in those sexy hips,’ he said, uncertainty lacing his sarcasm. ‘Learn to make the most of them.’

    Caitlin took a few more steps toward him and perched on the edge of the table. She crossed her legs as she checked out her reflection in the two-way mirror before meeting his gaze, effortlessly keeping her expression impassive.

Okay, so I was hardly subtle in the changes. It’s still a perfectly valid scene nevertheless, and one I could have used. I think I’ve killed a big part of the tension though, let alone my heroine’s internal conflict. Kane’s not quite the sexy predator anymore either. Above all, neither the heroine nor the hero are being true to the characteristics I gave them in chapter one. It might be great that Caitlin has decided to march in there exuding confidence and sexual prowess, but really? Caitlin is faced with the most dangerous vampire of her career. One she has managed to severely upset by using underhand means to bring him in. She knows he’s getting out. She knows he’s coming for her. But she needs him on side to find whatever killed her parents. On top of all that, she’s breaking every rule, not least her own, by being attracted to him. I think with all that in mind, Caitlin’s responses in the first scene are a lot more realistic. I also think it creates a much stronger sexual tension that drives the story forward. But then again, I wrote it this way so I’m biased.

I’ll leave you with some tips that I use to keep me on track:

• Know your characters and use actions appropriately to help define them.

• Use body language to support and enhance the mood and tone of the scene.

• Character actions and reactions don’t need to be big to add drama. Arguments, screams and crying all have their place but smiles, glances and shifting body position are equally valid.

• Actions, however small, should be interactive and reactive as much as the spoken word.

• Romance is a genre that thrives on interactions, especially between the hero and heroine (heroine/heroine or hero/hero depending what you write). It’s those subtleties that can make or break the plausibility of a relationship. When it comes to intimate scenes, it is essential to get it right.

• Be consistent. Your reader will create expectations for your character from the clues you give. Yes, it’s great to surprise but not at the expense of suspending disbelief.

• Give your hero and heroine time to get to know each other, to work each other out for themselves and show this happening so we readers can enjoy the journey.

• Last week, Tina advised eavesdropping as a great way to develop dialogue skills. Watching people is just as integral to developing as a writer. Look for the big actions as well as the subtleties in people around you. Work out what’s going on by observing, especially when you can’t hear what’s being said. Just try not to get yourself arrested. And if you do, you’ve never heard of The Hot Pink Typewriter. ;-)       

Lookout for Debut Author Sherri Shackelford

Congratulations Sherri on your debut Love Inspired Historical novel, “Winning the Widow’s Heart.” This heartwarming tale is available this month in both print and e-book. As someone who has had the pleasure of reading this fast-paced book, I can attest that it’s great!

Thank you for having me! You’ve been such a support to me on the journey, and your continued promotion warms my heart.

Sherri, thank you for being here. Would you mind sharing for the others a little about this story?

Elizabeth Cole is widowed and pregnant, and her late husband left behind a whole host of secrets and lies. Jack Elder is driven to find his sister-in-law’s killer, and he can’t stop until he knows the truth, if even if the answers unravel Elizabeth’s fragile security.

‘Winning the Widow’s Heart’ is set in the exciting Wild West. Could you tell us a little about how you familiarized yourself with the locale and time period?

Since I was born and raised in the Midwest, I knew the terrain and much of the history. Though I’ve never lived in Kansas, small town Kansas is similar to small town Iowa or Nebraska. Each town has its own personality, and its own set of characters. I have the best job in the world because I’m able to create my own town!

How thrilling it must be to see your first book in print. Would you mind sharing some details about your path to publication? How long had you been writing before receiving the “Call”? Any major challenges along the way?

I wrote for exactly four years before I was published. I wrote in several genres, and I wrote everything from over-the-top humor, to depressing angst-ridden tales of woe. It took me a long time to find my voice. (Although I suspect humor will play a greater role in my subsequent books.)

Major challenges? Hmmm…Rejection is always a challenge! I learned coping skills that I still use. Not everyone will like your work, and that’s okay. You develop a thick skin.

Do you have a specific writing routine? Daily word count goals? Any quirks?

I struggle with word count goals in the summer! I set goals, and I’m pretty good at keeping them – but when the kids are home during the summer, everything goes out the window. I’m never as productive as I think I should be.

For you, what is the most challenging part of writing a book? Beginnings? Middles? Ends? How do you conquer these problem areas?

I think the most difficult part is maintaining the momentum. Cheryl St.John taught me that if you have a good, solid internal conflict with your characters, the story will survive the murky middle. For me, it’s simply overcoming that moment where you think, “Oh no, this is awful! This is the worst book ever written.” Almost every author feels that way at some point – but you have to keep going and tell yourself ‘I’ll fix it later!’

If there was one thing you wished you’d have known before you got published, what would it be?

I had really prepared for bad reviews – I knew I’d get them (everyone does at some point or another) – but I wasn’t prepared for fan mail and for people who actually enjoyed the book! You realize what an awesome responsibility you’ve undertaken. Now you have people you don’t want to disappoint. That was a surprise – a pleasant surprise, but definitely a surprise!

What’s the title of your next book to hit the shelves? When can we expect it?

I’m working on Jo’s story. Keep your fingers crossed that I come up with something worthy of Harlequin Love Inspired!

Thank you for stopping by and sharing with us!

Thank YOU!

                                                 http://sherrishackelford.com/

Finding Time for Inspiration: by Natalie Charles

I’m a daydreamer who can often be found tuning out staff meetings or staring blankly at the floor. One of my college friends once remarked that I was probably interested in creative writing because I’m so spacey. I took it as a compliment. Also, she was totally right: I plot my stories when I daydream, giving the characters free rein.

I go to my daydreaming place when I’m bored, and I’ve become pretty adept at flipping that switch. But more and more, I find I’m losing the time to daydream. The lures of the Internet (Twitter, Facebook, blogs…) can be too powerful to resist when I feel boredom creeping up. I’ve seen other writers lament on Twitter that they should be writing, so I know I’m not alone in this.

My solution lately has been to take walks during lunchtime. I almost always go alone. I work near a park with cross-crossing sidewalks, an oboe player who sits beneath a sculpture of an angel, a duck pond, and an old carousel. On a nice day, it’s a vibrant area in which to grab snippets of conversation or to simply let my mind meander for a while. I’ve used these solitary walks to work through plot snags in my current manuscript and to plot my next WIP. Sometimes I have to drag myself out the door, but it’s always worth it. I return to my desk feeling like my thoughts have settled.

It seems like a funny and impractical thing to schedule time to daydream, but my writing has benefitted from those breaks from the real world. Do you sometimes struggle to find the time to daydream? When do you fit in play time for your mind?