Chasing the Trends by Margot Justes

When I first started writing, I was told by everyone not to chase the current ‘genre du jour’, because by the time the story was written, there was a new flavor in town.

That made sense then, because by the time the story was sold, the editing process finished, and the time it took the publisher to get the book out, there was indeed a new favorite genre.

Does that still apply today? We have e-books, they are fast and easy to get out. We have print on demand that makes it easier and far more cost effective to publish. From the technical aspect it has become easier to reach the readers via e-books. I don’t have the background, nor the inclination to format my own books, so I use a formatter.  

Just to reinforce the editing process, it must be done professionally-no matter how good you think you are-you need a good editor. There should be no exception to the rule.

All my books have been professionally edited, sometimes more than once. With my latest release A Fire Within, I found someone that I will go back to, because she did an outstanding job. Finding a good editor through research and recommendations is a good start.

I’m an indie author, and let’s face it, being an unknown and indie is not the best combination to move ahead and develop a fast readership. It is a painstaking slow process, but it is one I have chosen to go with.

I’m not a fast writer, and that would certainly not allow me to chase the current genre. There is also the fact, that I don’t understand some of the hot trends, and the learning curve would take too long. And I love what I write. I’m happy in my ‘writing’ world. And hopefully new readers will find me, and like what I have to say, they will like my family of characters and will want more.

The publishing world has changed drastically, it is practically a revolution, and it is easier to get the books out faster, and if you happen to write quickly, and are familiar with the latest trends, maybe the old adage, ‘write what you know’ no longer applies.

You can chase the trends and be a part of them. In that respect it is easier for the indie author to do so, because traditional publishing still seems to be stuck in the same old world process.

On that note, I’m happy to report that A Hotel in Bath was nominated for the In'Dtale Magazine "RONE" Award.

Cheers,

Margot  Justes

A Hotel in Paris

A Hotel in Bath

Hot Crimes Cool Chicks

Blood Art

A Fire Within

www.mjustes.com

A Visit to Nicaragua! by DL Larson

I always thought Nicaragua as a third world country and nothing much more than that. I was overwhelmed with surprise and frustration on my trip there. The poverty is evident, but so is the beautiful landscape. Water is plentiful, so is vegetation, thus my frustration at the filth. But the next corner is breathtaking and I wonder how I could be in the same country. The following are just a few wonderful things my husband and I saw.

Nicaragua has many resources, one of them clean water! They are in the midst of selling water to Mexico and possibly California. We visited many beautiful lakes like the one above that has dozens and dozens of islands that are inhabited by the wealthy. We put-putted around the islands and took in the tranquil beauty of the place. Then shortly after, we climbed in our tour bus and drove through the debris-filled streets of filth. If I was an official in Nicaragua, I would ban plastic. We drove by a beautiful lake on the edge of a town where a city park nestled around the lake. I would never walk its beach for the garbage strew around. From the street to the lake there was not a clear path to walk. It was disheartening to see. I will spare you those pictures and move on to more of the wonder of the country.

This is an old world hotel where we had a delightful and tasty lunch. Where I'm standing is in the middle of the building. The fountain and foliage were as tranquil as a spa. Outside, street urchins tossed us figurines made from palm leaves through the open windows. The waiter shooed them away a few times.

After lunch we visited an active volcano. We were outside the city of Granada. Nicaragua has many volcanoes and the one we visited is considered active. There is a sign to park vehicles facing the exit in case the wind changes. The sulfur can overpower a person within in seconds. But from the viewpoint where we were, the wind is constantly blowing and we could not smell the odor, but we felt the heat rising up from below.

The last picture I will show you is a volcano lake. At night lights from the city on the far side of the lake shines through the night sky and from beyond that the active volcano we had visited.

Our guide was very proud of his country and I hope the pictures I have shared give you a glimpse of the beauty of Nicaragua. Despite the hordes of street children and litter everywhere, there is great hope this country will emerge into a thriving and flourishing country one day soon.

Til next time ~

DL Larson
www.DLLARSON.com

Multi-published Romance Author, Celia Yeary, Says Get a Theme

It's my pleasure to welcome multi-published romance author, Celia Yeary, to Book Beat Babes,  Who Offers Vital Advice We Should All Remember. CHECK OUT HER GIVEAWAY, ALSO. Morgan Mandel

Celia Yeary, a native Texan, former science teacher, graduate of Texas Tech University and Texas State University, is mother of two, grandmother of three boys, and wife of a wonderful, supportive Texan.

She has published nine novels, seven novellas, short stories in anthologies, and articles for a Texas Magazine, Texas Co-op Power. She is a member of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT); a local writing group called The Write Girls; and co-owns a group blog titled Sweethearts of the West.

Celia and her husband enjoy traveling, and both are involved in their church, the community, and the university. Central Texas has been her home for forty years.

Do Your Books Have a Definite Theme? 

What makes a good book? There are myriad reasons, but the over-riding one is Trouble, spelled with a Capital T. Your characters must be in some kind of Trouble, a conflict that leads to... Trouble.

Trouble and conflict make us care enough about a story to keep turning the pages. Trouble and conflict always have something to do with one or more of the following Dramatic Themes:

Betrayal

Acceptance

Crusader

Healing (wounded hero or heroine)

Protector

Redemption (righting past wrongs)

Rescue

Second Chance

Transformation (change)

Obsession

There are many themes—these are only a few of the major ones to set up conflict.

We don't want to be hit over the head with Theme. A good author will write so that it emerges from the story. We don't need to be told.

Most book club discussions revolve around the discussions of Theme. This might be a good way for an author to self-review her book. "What is the underlying theme?"

In my book club this week, we had read To Kill a Mockingbird, a classic we chose to fulfill our commitment to read one classic out of the eight books we would read per year.

The members gave numerous ideas of theme for this famous novel, but the one that stood out was Morality and Judgment. Another one mentioned was Good vs. Evil.  

As an author, do you (a) invent a story, which has a predetermined theme, or (b) do you create and write, and in doing so, a theme emerges?

Do you ever think about the Theme?

~*~My newest release is TEXAS DREAMER, the fourth "Texas" novel. In this story, Lee King realizes he has hurt his family by running away at age fourteen, and during his adult years, decides to re-connect and ask forgiveness. The theme: Redemption and Second Chance.

~*~Note: I'd love to give away an ebook copy of TEXAS DREAMER to one person who comments. Please remember to leave an email address to be eligible. I'll gift the winner with a copy for your Kindle or your Nook.

More About Texas Dreamer

Lee King is a dreamer. When he realizes he was born under a lucky star, he went for the jackpot and won. But winning a big prize isn't the same as keeping it safe from interlopers and greedy fortune hunters--including women. When oilman Tex McDougal crosses his path, Lee believes he has found the perfect man to help him. His daughter, Emilie McDougal, while not a buxom beauty, impresses him with her intelligence, her courage, and her selflessness. Could he strike a financial bargain with her? One that would suit them both?

Emilie McDougal has no family except her father, and she has followed in his footsteps from age one. When Lee King enters their lives, she begins to dream--for the first time in her life. She only wants one thing from Lee, one tiny thing that would make her life complete.

Would he agree to her counter-bargain?

~*~Other books, other themes:

ALL MY HOPES AND DREAMS: Theme: for the hero, Ricardo, is Transformation.

TEXAS BLUE: Theme: for the hero, Buck, is Rescue and Protector.

TEXAS PROMISE: Theme: for the hero, Dalton, a wounded soul, is Healing and Transformation.

TEXAS TRUE: Theme: for the hero, Sam Deleon, is Redemption, righting past wrongs.

These themes, Transformation, Protector, Healing, and Redemption are recurring themes in my novels.

What about yours? Do you write with a recurring theme? Or does each novel revolve around a different one? Can you identify them in your novels?

Thank you for visiting.

Celia Yeary-Romance...and a little bit 'o Texas

Celia's website:

http://www.celiayeary.com/

Celia's blog:

http://celiayeary.blogspot.com/    

Remember, if you wish to be entered in the drawing for a copy of Texas Dreamer, leave a comment which includes your email address. 

Writing Process by Margot Justes

I can’t say I’ve always wanted to be a writer, but I’ve always been a reader.  The need for a challenge allowed me to become a writer. When faced with mundane tasks, I’d hear voices in my head, and they were becoming more frequent when at work. My characters would hold some lively conversations, until one day I said enough, you’ll be heard.

It was that easy, at least that is what I thought. I was wrong. Musings are lovely, but to make coherent observations, learn whose point of view (POV) you’re in, and all the other lovely writing essentials are hard to come by-osmosis notwithstanding.

It’s a continuous learning experience, one that keeps me challenged, that was after all what the process was all about. The challenge of putting a coherent product out, keep the voices in your head happy, and  get better with every word, while at the same time make it  fun. Writing for me has to be joyful, it cannot be a drudge, because then it becomes laborious in the worst sense possible.

I don’t plot out my stories, I have an idea and go with it. The most fun I have is when characters interact with each other, and take me on their journey. More often than not they surprise me. I started out with a full-fledged mystery and wound up with a romantic mystery. It keeps the process fresh and enjoyable, except when the evil writing block hits, and the voices are silenced. So far they have always returned.

I didn’t want my writing to become homework, an obligation. I wanted to have fun with it and learn by reading others, doing research, which I love doing anyway, and just seeing where it would lead.

The best advice I can offer, is write what you know and what makes you happy. The same can be said for the process itself,  you can plot or not-the choice should always be yours.

A Hotel in Paris, is on sale for only 99. through Sunday.

http://www.amazon.com/A-Hotel-in-Paris-ebook/dp/B007KLPEU8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1332155482&sr=8-2

Cheers,

Margot  Justes

A Hotel in Paris

A Hotel in Bath

Hearts & Daggers

Hot Crimes Cool Chicks

www.mjustes.com

How to Research Like a Writer

There’s a new Sci-Fi book receiving a lot of buzz and it’s The Martian by Andy Weir.  I haven’t read the book yet but it’s definitely on my list of books to read.  In the meantime, there’s a very interesting article by him on www.publishersweekly.com research.

It’s not uncommon for writers to mention at networking events such as writer’s conferences that their readers call them out on getting their facts correct.  You’d think that with fiction you wouldn’t have to worry about this as much but that’s just not true, especially if you use a real place or real people in your stories.

That being said, Mr. Weir makes some excellent points about how research can be subjective and creative, especially if you don’t want your story to be negatively impacted by the facts.  It’s definitely a challenge to inform readers through fiction without overwhelming them with information.  Often too much narrative or reciting of facts can affect pacing and the overall flow of a story, and we’ve all read stories where this has happened.

Another important point that Mr. Weir makes is that not everything on the Internet is “legitimate” or even truthful.  Just think about all the online scams that fool people time after time and it’s easy to see where information if presented as factual can be deceptive.  Just because a site is all glossy and pretty, that doesn’t mean that the information contained on the site is reliable.

So how do you know?  Well, sometimes you don’t but as a general rule it’s always a good idea to not rely on just one source for any of your research.  I personally like at least three sources for verifying information and I actually have always felt this way, even before the internet.

Now the internet has added an additional wrinkle in that browsers now are programmed to learn how you search and will actually try to focus your results.  This can be good, this can be bad and this can be ugly, so I strongly recommend that you not only use different sources but also different browsers when you really want to find out complete information about something on the internet.

The good news is that with the Internet, it is much easier to access multiple sources for information and through multiple browsers.

Here’s the link for Mr. Weir’s article:

http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/tip-sheet/article/61328-how-to-research-like-a-writer.html

A Visit to Costa Rica! by DL Larson

Recently my husband and I had the good fortune to visit Costa Rica! The above picture shows me on a wagon ride through a cacao farm (dark chocolate.) They also grow ornamental flowers for the hotels and resorts in their country. On our trip we also visited a typical village school. The children were happy to meet us and we spent a great deal of time with them even though we spoke no Spanish and they spoke no English. Since trash is a big problem in many of these third world countries, the children were very proud to show us their recycling center! They recycle nearly everything they use at the school.

We also saw oxen pulling a cart, a rarity even in Costa Rica except up in the mountains where we were. The little boy in the cart was one of the children we had conversed with at the school. He was surprised we stopped to get pictures and I believe being a bit shy 'cause he didn't want to look at us. This was the same little boy who had been a tad naughty when we visited the school and I wonder if he thought we were going to tattle on him! Of course we did not! But we learned, as we have learned in any country we visit, children are so much the same in their antics and I will remember his adorable face for a long time!

A Costa Rican woman opened her home to us during our visit to the cacao farm/plantation. She served us fresh ground coffee, showed us how to prepare it properly by straining the grounds through a cloth sack while she poured boiling water through the sack. I do not drink coffee - ever, but I wasn't about to say no and took what was offered to me. The coffee was rich and tasted wonderful. She also served us dessert. The picture below is the sweet sugary treat made from sugar cane syrup. We used banana leaves as a place mat. Our guide told us the farmers use the banana leaves like we do baggies. They pack their lunches and snacks and then throw everything away when they're done.

This last picture is the burning of the mountain sides. This is their 'dry' season and although it is illegal to burn vegetation in Costa Rica, if a fire somehow starts, no one puts it out. The fire is a slow burn, pretty smoky and we watched several hilltops burning during our stay.

The white buildings are our resort with the burning hills in the distance. At night it looks like a volcano is erupting - beautiful and eery!

Our trip was invigorating and exhausting. We brought home the feeling that even though Costa Rica is a third world country, it is working hard to improve itself on many levels. It is a paradise in the rough! Our visit to Nicaragua was also exhilarating and an unexpected surprise. More on that another time!


Til next time ~

DL Larson
www.DLLARSON.com

Dianne Harman Talks Numbers

Please welcome my guest, Dianne Harman, who addresses the topic of a writer's self-worth. Morgan Mandel

ABOUT DIANNE HARMAN

Dianne Harman draws her stories and characters from a diverse business and personal background. She owned a national antique and art appraisal business for many years, leaving that industry and opening two yoga centers where she taught yoga and certified yoga instructors. Dianne has traveled extensively throughout the world, most recently dividing her time between Huntington Beach, California and Sacramento, California, where her husband was a Senator. A gourmet cook, she has entertained Governors, Congressmen and numerous other political figures in her homes. An avid reader, Dianne brings the richness of her life experiences to her novels, Blue Coyote Motel, Tea Party Teddy, Coyote in Provence, and Tea Party Teddy’s Legacy.

Web Site http://www.DianneHarman.com

Blog: http://dianneharman.com/blog/

Letting Go of Numbers

Do you start your day by checking to see how many books you sold while you were were asleep or what your author rank is on Amazon? Not to mention Kobo and Smashwords!

Often when we see the numbers, we know whether it’s going to be a good day or a not so good day. These numbers often determine our mood for the whole day! We become reliant on numbers to tell us how good we are as authors! And if we wake up and see that someone has given us a 1 * review? That can definitely affect your mood, particularly if you’re a first-time author. The first time it happened to me I felt like someone had just told me my firstborn was ugly. How dare they? What right do they have to do that? Don’t they know the hours I spent writing, re-writing, polishing, etc?

Now I’m a little more seasoned. I’ve published four books with another coming out in the next few weeks. I’ve learned not to judge my self-worth by numbers, be they author ranking, sales, or reviews. It’s kind of like some people say about the weather in certain places. If you don’t like it, come back in an hour. Ranking can change that quickly. For example, one of my books, Tea Party Teddy, was ranked 475,386 this morning and up until an hour ago. When I happened to look at it an hour ago it had gone to 93,461. I know it will change again in a couple of hours. That comes with some experience.

Let’s spend a moment on reviews – particularly the dreaded one and two star ones. I’ve learned that bad reviews may have absolutely nothing to do with the book or the author. I’m always amazed when a reviewer gives book a low review because they don’t like that genre. Why they would review a book in a genre they don’t like is beyond me? And if a book is well written I don’t think it matters what the genre is. It can be dystopian or romance. A good book is a good book. I’ve often wondered if these people want their fifteen minutes of fame as Truman Capote once wrote. Seeing their name in print may be the only time they achieve any kind of notoriety!

Certainly, there are certain things authors can do to keep the low numbers at bay. With all of the tools available today there really is no reason for a book to be sloppily edited. I highly recommend www.hemingwayapp.com. It points out when sentences are too long, if there’s too many adverbs, etc. Another important aspect of a book is the cover. Get a professional person to do it or ask for feedback from a number of people of you’re doing it yourself. Ask people for reviews. Get as much publicity for the book as possible. It doesn’t have to be paid publicity. Bloggers are always looking for people to interview or make their job easier. Book clubs and libraries actively seek authors. I’ve been the featured author at several book clubs and never went there. I did it via the telephone. I’m a firm believer that no one is going to look for my books under a rock. Give readers a reason to read your book.

I’ll close with one of the most important things you can do to insure that your books will be read and you won’t have to play the numbers game. Write, write, and then write some more. The more books you write, they more chances you have that someone will like one of your books and want to read other books written by you. If you’re like me and you find an author you really like, you’ll probably read at least one or two more by that author. I recently discovered Sandra Brown and so far have managed to read eleven of her books. On the flip side, I’ve read wonderful books and been very disappointed to find out that was their only book. Readers are fickle. If I can’t find more books by that author, I’m off to another one and the first one I liked will be long forgotten.

So, write, believe in yourself, and most of all, have fun! This has to be the best job in the world - the ability to create worlds!

ABOUT BLUE COYOTE MOTEL 

You'll never look at motel air conditioning the same way after you read Blue Coyote Motel.

Blue Coyote Motel is a suspense filled thriller about six travelers who stop and spend the night at a remote California desert motel. Each of them leaves the following morning "feeling good," but unaware that they have inadvertently become addicted to a gaseous drug piped into their rooms.

Jeffrey, the owner of the motel, is a scientist who was recently fired by a prestigious Southern California drug manufacturer for giving an anti-aging hormone he discovered to his beautiful Latina wife. Spinning slowly into the depths of insanity, he decides to test the effectiveness of another of his drug discoveries on unsuspecting motel guests. He calls the drug Freedom because it frees people from depression, anger, stress, grief, and aggression. Jeffrey has grandiose plans to make Freedom available throughout the world in order to bring about peace and harmony, but instead it causes grief and chaos in the lives of the motel guests. The cast of characters includes a defrocked priest, a Native American pediatrician, a wealthy widow, a Brazilian couple who owns gold mines and a salesman intent on finding himself.

Blue Coyote Motel presents an engaging look at the human frailties present in all of us.

Amazon: http://ow.ly/s6pN5 

Smashwords: http://ow.ly/u4Fb2 

Please leave a comment to welcome Dianne Harman to Book Beat Babes.