LATINAS WRITE ROMANCE: PURPOSE FOR WRITING by Mercedes Cruz

 
Please help me welcome author Mercedes to our blog.  This post is part of a month-long Latinas Write Romance blog tour with Mercedes Cruz, Vanessa Peters and myself. 

When an Author sits down to write anything they start with a purpose, the end result of their writing; what message they want to relay to the prospective readers. As an author I try to always keep this in mind before I start my writing session, therefore I can focus my writing and stay on topic.

With all of that said, I also know the importance of just writing even if you have not yet established your purpose for writing. The practice of writing using pen, pencil, crayon, markers, keyboard, and dictation, whatever works is just as important as having a purpose or outcome.

My purpose for writing has changed over the course of the last five years. I started out with children’s picture books; yes one of the hardest if not the hardest publishing genres to get into. In my spare time I read a few Erotic Fiction novels by a famous female African American author.  I was instantly intrigued by the genre. I took an online course on the basics of writing Romance Novels, and I read how-to-books on Writing a Novel. However it wasn’t until I got very clear on my message that I actually started to take my writing serious and started to call myself a writer in public.#


Mercedes Cruz lives and writes in the great Borough of Brooklyn, New York. She writes short stories and is working on her first novella besides of multicultural charters living in New York City and the Tri-State area.  Visit her at: www.MercedesCruz.com.
Twitter: @MercedesAuthor
Facebook Page: Mercedes Cruz Romance
 

LATINAS WRITE ROMANCE: A WRITERS DESK

A writer writes, always.

A writer writes anywhere and everywhere.  At least, I do.

And, everything and anything can serve as a desk.

I have a “real” desk that is more of a paper holder than a “writing desk.”  I have not sat in it for years.  Instead, I prefer to sit and write on my sofa; in the summer, at a little table on my terrace; and always on the subway to and from work.

To me it’s not the desk that matters but the words on the paper.

I find that I write faster using pen and paper rather than a laptop.  I guess it’s because on a laptop I feel like I have to watch my grammar and spelling, whereas when I am writing in my notebook the words just flow.  And while I don’t much care about a desk, I do care about my notebooks.  I like them bright and colorful, and I often decorate them with postcards or magazine ads.  I find that a “creative” notebook stimulates my creativity.

Now some writers have wonderful desks in front of big windows or desks hidden among a forest of books. Each writer is different in how they write and where they write. 

In fact, two of my friends are also talking about their writing desks today.  Please visit Vanessa Peters and Mercedes Cruz at the following links:

For Vanessa Peters, click here.

For Mercedes Cruz, click here.

And, whatever your writing style or the size of your desk, remember that a writer writes, always.  Happy Writing.♥

LATINAS WRITE ROMANCE....with author Vanessa Peters

   

I am proud to introduce you to author and painter Vanessa Peters.  She is our Guest Blogger today and part of the Latinas Write Romance Blog Tour this month.  Welcome, Vanessa!

MY FAVORITE TYPE OF ROMANCE….FATED LOVE

by Vanessa Peters

There is an undercurrent to all romance stories that pulls the reader in.  Sure the sexy and steamy parts are a big draw, but what keeps our dear Constant Reader coming back again and again is the love story at the core of it all.   We all have our predilections towards a certain type of romance -- tragic love, unrequited love, first love….

But, what is it that attracts a reader to a particular type of love story?  Why is one tale of romance more alluring than another? 

As a teenager, I was drawn to any and all types of tragic romances, the darker the better.   But with age and experience, taste and tendencies change, now in my thirties I find I prefer a love story centered on…sigh…fated romance. 

There is a seed that is planted in the mind of our dear Constant Reader from every tale we weave of fated love.  It is a seed born of lost loves, old crushes and lovers of days past, which blooms at the end of each story.  Fantasies of what-ifs and a force greater than ourselves that could lead the love they lost at 18 to suddenly reappear.  Fate would weave a web of events and chance encounters that would bring that one great love back to them.

And then maybe they end up being a werewolf too…but that’s a story for another day.♥

Born and raised in New York, Vanessa Peters lives and works out of her apartment in Brooklyn.  A lover of art and self-professed romance junkie, she spends her free time, when not writing, reading and visiting galleries throughout the city. She is a true believer in love at first sight, and that the best stories come when opposites attract and sparks fly.  Vanessa is currently working on her first full length novel under the name Vita Perez.  Visit her at  www.vanessa-peters.com.  Twitter  @VPetersBKNY  Instagram  @vpetersbkny. And, visit Vita at www.vitapetezwrites.blogspot.com.  Twitter @VitaPerezWrites.

Visit the first stop on the Latinas Write Romance blog tour by clicking here.

  

SOCIAL NETWORKING FOR AUTHORS

by Maria C. Ferrer

You heard it all last year -- an author's presence on the social networks helps to sell books.

Yes, it's true! Your Facebook page, Twitter account and Pinterest files are being watched by editors and agents alike. In fact, the number of your friends, likes and retweets can guarantee you a sale. What does this mean to us authors?

It means that we need to be seen and heard on the social networks.

SEEN

Here are the basic four I recommend:

1. Website -- think of this as your "business card" on the web. This is a stationery location for all your data, including bio, photos, books or works in progress, links to your blog and social networks, excerpts, etc. Keep it updated.

2. Blog -- think of this as your soap box. Chat about your writing, your research, your opinion of the latest episode of Scandal, the runway in Paris, etc. You can even do interviews with editors, agents, other authors, etc. These are very popular.

3. Facebook -- great place to catch up with friends and authors and make connections.

4. Twitter -- another great place to chat and one that forces you to be witty in 140 characters or less.

Remember that you can link all your social networks to each other and your website and blog. This way your presence is everywhere.

HEARD

You need to be "heard" on the social networks. Here are some tips on being "heard:"

1. Start by commenting about a TV show. For example, while "Scandal" is on, thousands of fans are chatting online. Use the hashtag and join in on the "conversation."

2. Like and retweet comments from other writers, publishers, industry professionals, friends, etc.

3. Make comments of your own to what others are posting. You want to make your presence known.

4. Do interviews with editors, agents, authors and others. Post them on your blog and then promote on your social networks. Again, you want to get your name out there and people commenting on your posts.

Now before you run off and sign up for every social network in the universe, let's be realistic. Before catching up with all the social networks, let's look at our writing schedule.

Some people recommend posting at least five times a day; others recommend five times a week. I recommend studying YOUR writing schedule and THEN making the best choice for you. But note that even once a day, once a week is fine.♥

This article first appeared in the January 2015 issue of Keynotes, the newsletter for the Romance Writers of America/ New York City Chapter.     It will be a monthly column, which I will share here on my blog as well. 

  

THE BORINQUENEERS: WRITING MILITARY HEROES

 

Soldiers make the best romance heroes for their unselfish desire to protect, their undying loyalty to their country, and their firm bodies that can squeeze a lover ever so tightly.

Some of the best soldiers in US history are from Puerto Rico.  Did you know that Puerto Ricans have been fighting on behalf of this country since the American Revolution?  Puerto Rico did not become a US Territory until 1898 with the end of the Spanish American War, and did not organize an infantry until 1901.  But for the past century, Puerto Ricans have fought bravely for a land that still treats them as second class, and that often forgets that YES, Virginia, Puerto Ricans are US citizens.

            In 1950, the 65^th Infantry Regiment gave themselves the nickname of the Borinqueneers in honor of the island’s Taino name, Borinquen.  These brave men have distinguished themselves throughout WWI, WWII, the Korean War, Iraq and now Afghanistan.   This year, the National Puerto Rican Day Parade was dedicated to them.  To date, the Borinqueneers have earned 10 Distinguished Service Crosses, 250 Silver Stars, 600 Bronze Stars, 3,000 Purple Hearts, and finally, on June 10, President Obama awarded them Congressional Gold Medals.  A handful of the original soldiers were there to accept.

            It is this dedication to country and duty; it is their honor and bravery that make soldiers such good romance heroes whether they hail from Puerto Rico, New York, Texas, et al.

            Soldiers are a worthy subject of songs and stories.  You can write about the idealistic boy joining the army, the brave vet storming the beaches or the wounded hero returning home. All heroes, all ready to protect our lives, liberty and pursuit of happiness.  So now let’s honor them by writing them a happy ending full peace, harmony and above all love.♥

 

 

June 10, 2014-- Original Borinqueneers look on as President Obama awards them Congressional Gold Medals.

 

 

WHAT TO BLOG ABOUT

  
Blogging is a great way to get name recognition, build an audience and promote yourself.  Here are some suggestions of what to blog about on your site:

1)      Your writing process.  Blog about where you got the inspiration for the story; your research; locations where you’ve set your story.  Blog about your characters; do interviews with them.  Blog about writer’s conferences/ workshops you attend.

2)      Showcase your writing.  Post scenes, dialogue, excerpts.  It wets the reader’s appetite for more of your work.  For example, author Diana Gabaldon used to post her work on the internet for readers to critique.  By the time her book was published, she had hundreds of people waiting for it.

3)      Use pictures.  All your blog posts should contain photos.  But photos can be blogs in and of themselves.  A picture is truly worth a 1000 words so share away.  For example, flowers, dogs/cats, locations, dresses, landmarks, oceans, et al.  Put up photos of what your characters look like; photos of locations/cities where you’ve set your book.  Your readers will love it.

4)      Do interviews.  Interview other authors, editors, agents, other bloggers, librarians, booksellers.  You can also interview people that are in the same profession as your characters.  These can be great learning experiences for you and other writers and readers.

5)      Hobbies/Pets.  Yes, hobbies and pets make good blog fodder.  They are fun ways to connect with readers.  For example, author K.M. Jackson has a great blog (www.kwanawrites.com) and she always adds snippets about her dog Jack.  Readers often ask about him, and keep going back to her to hear about the dog’s antics.  Another example, author Nalini Singh (www.nalinisingh.com) writes a leopards and wolves series.  She also posts photos of cubs and pubs on her blog, and now her readers are sending her photos for her blog.  That engagement with your readers is priceless, and is what all writers want to achieve.

6)      Tie-ins topics.  These are topics that touch upon the themes in your book.  For example, if you are writing a cop thriller, blog about cops, guns, bounty hunters, etc.  If you are writing paranormals, blog about zombies, vampires, shape shifters, ghosts, angels that are in your books.  If your main character is a baseball player, blog about baseball.  Etc. Etc.  You get the idea.

7)      Blog for others.  Volunteer to blog for other authors and other writer sites.  This will expose you to other readers and help build your brand.

 

 

Happy Blogging!

 

REASONS TO BLOG

 

Writing is a business.

 

Today, the publishing world is going social and digital, and writers need to do the same.  Editors are looking a writer’s social numbers – that’s the number of people who follow your blog, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.  Publicity and marketing is up to the author, and a cheap way to do both is through a blog.

 

 

REASONS TO BLOG

 

1)      Name recognition, also known as brand recognition.  YOU are the brand.   New writers –just as much as published writers -- need to make connections with readers, booksellers, book reviewers, editors, agents, et al.  

 

2)      Build an audience.  Family and friends help, but writers need a wider, far-reaching readership.  It takes time to find readers, and the sooner a writer starts the better.  This is especially true for unpublished writers.  Get your name out there now.

 

3)      Promotion.  Your blog is one of the few places where you can self-promote again and again without being obnoxious.   Post a countdown to your publication date.  Have the links to all the places your book is available for sale, et al.


Happy Blogging!
 

LOVE IS….FINDING THE RIGHT WORD CHOICE

I was busy writing a scene which read:

…a blush stained her cheek…

The word stained stopped me for a second and I backtracked and crossed it out and wrote “colored” over it. Even as I wrote “stained” I knew that it was the wrong word. It didn’t convey the true meaning of what I wanted my heroine to feel or my reader to witness.

…a blush colored her cheek…

The imagery is much better with my new word choice. Plus, I didn’t want a negative connotation associated with any part of my heroine. Colored gave just the right image.

As writers we make these word choices intuitively. Sometimes we are not even aware that we are changing the words because we are in the zone. Then when we are editing and polishing, again we review our word choices and change some for dramatic effect.

We’ve shared some of our favorite words on the Craft Loop, like loathsome, perch, ethereal, whimsical. Each word choice carries its own meaning, its own identity. And it is those word choices that populate our novels. (FYI, I had colored our novels but changed it to populate our novels. More dramatic, no?) It is those word choices that will create our world, that motivate our characters, that move our reader.

Eliza Doolittle may have been sick of words, but they are an author’s bread and butter. The more words we know the better we can manipulate them and the better our writing.

Alice Orr has two pages of action-words she likes. Thea Devine has a little black book of sexy phrases she likes to refer to. How many of us don’t have “favorite” words somewhere, whether it’s jutted down in a note­book or filed away in our heads. By selecting the correct word, we can stir the five senses in our writing and in our readers, and that makes our job easier (hopefully!) and gets us fans for life (hopefully!).

How and where do we find these words? By reading everything – novels, maga­zines, newspapers, tweets, subway ads. By listening everywhere – at the coffee shop, on Pandora radio, other people’s conversations, TV shows, movies.

So next time you sit down to write or are writing down ideas, watch your word choices. Why did you pick that word over another? What does that word choice convey? Does it pack a punch? Does it delight the senses? Do you love it?###
 

PASSION COMES FIRST

   

 

For some strange reason, I have begun collecting quotes and sayings found around the streets on the sides of buses or ads on subway trains. The latest addition to my collection is from a Ketel One ad:

Exceptional Things Come

When Passion Comes First

That rang so true to me. I had to take a picture and make it my new opening backdrop.

It’s a New Year. Time for a new beginning. Time to start a new book, where "exceptional things (will) come." Why? Because "passion comes first."

Passion comes first for all writers. More than the fame and fortune --stop laughing! -- we writers are enamored of words, of settings, of characters. We can look at a picture and imagine a life. We can hear a word or a sentence and imagine the whole scene and its aftermath.

What marvelous powers we have! We can create worlds in numerous ages and times and colors. So as you start your New Year, maybe start a new novel, let’s all remember these five tips:

1) Write what you know

2) You can’t edit a blank page

3) Every word counts

4) Just do it

5) Passion comes first.


Happy New Year! Happy New Beginnings! ---mcf
  
 

KEEP CALM AND TAKE TIME TO WRITE

 

 

The holidays are here!  This does not mean that you can take much of a break from writing.  Your characters may nudge you to get back to their story pronto.  But fear not.  You need to.....

Keep Calm and Take Time To Write.

Here are three tips to keep you motivated during the holidays:

1)  Get up one hour earlier every day during the holiday season to write or do some research. Even if all you do is think about your characters and plot some scenes that one hour is worth it. Disappear for an hour or two. Sit on the subway platform to get some writing done or at the local library or neighborhood Starbucks. The people in your house – yes, even the dogs! – can wait an hour until you get home and get the party started, as it where.

2)  Keep pen and paper handy. In your pocketbook, your coat pocket, in the car, by the bed. And, make sure the pen has ink! You never know when you just HAVE to write something down. In case of emergency, napkins and post-it notes will do.

3)  Write when you can. If you only have 30 minutes on the bus, and 15 while waiting at the car wash, and another 30 after the kids are asleep, take them. Write down what you can, when you can. Every word counts.


The Holiday Season doesn‘t have to put a stop to your writing or your creativity.  Take the time.  That 15-minutes, that one-hour will keep you sane and motivated. Give yourself the gift of time. It‘s the best present ever.

Happy Holidays!♥

NATIONAL NOVEL WRITING MONTH BEGINS TODAY!

  

 

This is it -- November 1. The first day of National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo. And the challenge is on – 50,000 words in 30 days.

The secret to winning this challenge is to write, write and write some more.

Don’t think.

Don’t edit.

Just write.

Write whatever comes into your head --- dialogue, narrative, lists, et al. If your character is thinking of a song, of a poem, of a blog post, then write it out. It will keep your writing juices flowing.

Remember that EVERY word counts.

Don’t cross out any words.

Don’t delete anything.

Just write.

And, don’t stop to do research or track down references. Make a note in your manuscript that you have to research this and that and keep writing. You can do the research later.

You want to write as many words as possible every day. The mathematical formula states that if you write 1666 words a day, you will reach your goal of 50,000 in 30 days. But let’s be realistic, some days you’ll write more than 1666 words, others you’ll write 66.

It doesn’t matter how many words you write per day. It only matters that you make the 50,000 by November 30.

So, don’t get discouraged.

Remember that every word counts.

And write, write and write some more.

Good luck. Happy Writing.♥



Maria Ferrer has entered NaNoWriMo four times and won twice. She is looking for a few good men and, oh yeah, her third NaNo win.

THINGS TO DO WHILE WAITING FOR “THE CALL”

 

You’ve finished your book and have submitted it to an editor or agent.  Hallelujah.  Congratulations! 

However, you just can’t sit around and wait around for “the call;” the wait will drive you crazy.  And drive others around you crazy as well with you checking your phone every other minute.  Here are some things to entertain yourself with during the wait:


1)      Greet the Family.  They may have grown while you’ve been in your writing cave.

2)      Treat everyone to dinner out.  They are probably tired of takeout food.   If you live alone, then treat yourself to a day at the spa or a long hot bubble bath and a good book.

3)      Clean the house, because you know they didn’t do it properly.  Of course, if you have the means, contact a cleaning service and just supervise. Cleanliness is good for the start of a new book.

4)      Catch up on your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.  Maybe move up a couple of levels on Candy Crush.

5)      Pull out the outline for book number 2.  It’s time to flesh it out so you have something else to show when you get “the call.”


Good luck! ---mcf
  
  

DO IT ANYWAY!

  

 

 

Writing is like exercise. Sometimes you wake up eager to get out and stretch and write. Other times you wake up and you don‘t have energy even to get out of bed. That is when you have to say to yourself, Do It Anyway.

Do It Anyway. A wonderful motto I first heard from author/editor/agent Alice Orr. It was true ten years ago, as much as it is true today.

Your writing does not have to be perfect. Does not have to be vast. It just has to be. Like Nora Roberts has said at numerous conferences, she can fix a written page; she can‘t fix a blank one.

If you want to see results, you have to write.

If you want to sell a book, you have to write.

If you want to be a published author, you have to write.

Writing is not easy. We all have productive days; other days it‘s a struggle to squeeze out even one line. And, life too does not make things easy. There are distractions everywhere – family, friends, work, responsibilities, duties, et al.

Do It Anyway. Whether you write one sentence, one page, one chapter, just write. If you have to force yourself, then you know what? Force yourself to write. Every day or every week. Don‘t go more than a week without writing because, like in exercise, it will take much longer to warm up.

Writing is like a muscle. You have to keep using it and often. And on those days that nothing seems right, when the energy is at zero, Do It Anyway. You‘ll thank yourself in the end.♥
 

A WRITER'S SUMMER READING LIST

by Maria C. Ferrer

Happy July! It’s time to pack the sunscreen, beach chair, umbrella, cooler and how-to writing books.

Yes, I said how-to writing books. Even as my TBR pile grows exponentially, I still want to make time this summer to read some how-to books. A writer should never stop perfecting her writing skills. Here are five books that I have singled out for summer study:


THE ARTIST’S WAY: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron. This is an oldie but goodie that has never gone out of style in more than a decade. It’s a 12-week “course” on the creative process, and a great excuse to buy a new writing journal.

THE FIRE IN FICTION: Passion, Purpose and Techniques to Make Your Novel Great by Donald Maass. Maass is a well-known literary agent, who knows the difference between a so-so manuscript and a novel readers can’t forget. This book is meant to help you discover the “passion” within to make all your novels unforgettable.

THE MARSHALL PLAN FOR NOVEL WRITING: A 16-Step Program Guaranteed to Take You From Idea to Complete Manuscript, by Evan Marshall. Marshall is another literary agent. This book contains sections on plotting, writing fiction like a pro, polishing your manuscript, and marketing your novel. This information never goes out of style.

THE MARSHALL PLAN WORKBOOK: Writing Your Novel From Start to Finish, by Evan Marshall. The companion to the book above; this one is full of blueprints on how to write your characters, your plotting, fleshing out your story, etc. Great for writing exercises.

NO MORE REJECTIONS: 50 Secrets to Writing a Manuscript That Sells by Alice Orr. Alice is an author, editor and agent with over 20 years experience. This book is filled with “practical knowledge and advice” from writing the story to writing the sales pitch to improving your story to getting it sold. Alice’s mantra: Just Do It. So I am!


There are other books on writing that are equally informative and beneficial, but I will start with these.

What books are you reading this summer? And, are you including any how-to-write books in their number? If so, which books would make your summer reading list?###

Happy Summer. Happy Reading.♥


Maria C. Ferrer is President of RWA/NYC and an RWA PRO member. She enjoys reading, writing and sun worshipping. She hopes to do all three soon and often this summer.

THE BUSINESS WOMAN COMES FIRST

I still have the quote from Linda Lael Miller in my head that Eloisa James shared with members of the RWA/NYC at the annual May Brunch:

You are 50% business woman, 50% writer. The business woman comes first!

Which means that I can’t afford to stay inside my cave, writing away, submitting when I have something, selling, and then retreating back to my writing cave? Those days are over. (If they ever were that easy.)

Nowadays, a writer must become a people person. And, the best time to start is NOW. This goes double for unpublished authors. Like Eloisa said, start building your platform now. When editors look at you, they will look to see if you have a platform, and the more established that platform – that presence – the better.

You are a writer. You can’t afford to be shy. Get out of your cave. If you are not doing all or some of the following, then get started.

• Join a writers’ group. You’re ahead of the game since you are a member of RWA/NYC! Now start making friends with your fellow members at the chapter meetings, at the critique group meeting, at the chapter outings.

• Make your name known. Write for the chapter newsletter and blog; sign up for the chapter blog tours. Check to see that your name is included on the chapter membership page with the link back to your website or blog.

• Attend readings and writer events. Like the monthly Lady Jane Salon readings, like NJRW’s annual conference, like the Jefferson Library Romance Book Club meeting. (At the latter, you get to read a romance and make friends. Dual benefit!)

• Make friends on the internet. Setup Facebook and Twitter accounts. If you write under a pseudonym, open the accounts under that name. Like the Lotto’s motto: You have to be in it, to win it. Friend your fellow RWA members, other writers, editors, agents, booksellers. “Share” their info and “retweet” messages. This will send them your name and they may in turn friend/follow you.

• Start a blog. It can be daily, weekly or monthly. Blog about your writing, your characters, your genre, the world you created, and all items related to any of the above. For example, I am writing a secret baby book so I just realized that I should do a “Baby Day” on my blog. Maybe pictures of cute babies, funny kid situations, kid jokes, et al. (NOTE: If you are scared to start a blog or don’t have time to start your own, write for the Chapter Blog!)

And, like Eloisa James, mentioned you want to “engage” your readers – even your potential readers. Be yourself. Be your writing persona. Be whomever, but be a savvy business woman.♥

 

TUESDAY TALES: BAD PENNY

Every Tuesday a group of us writers create stories around a different word or picture prompt. Visit our blog and read our stories. They will surprise and delight you. Below is my short for this week. It’s a new story I am working on about two brothers torn apart by one scheming woman. Let me know what you think. ---mcf

Bill drove over the town line and stepped back in time. Same store fronts. Same people. Same lies. He had run like hell from this town and here he was again; right back where he started, but not for long; not if he could help it.

Bill parked his motorcycle outside the blue ranch house. The rose bushes at the front of the house looked a little wilted, like if no one was talking to them or giving them enough to drink. And maybe they weren’t. Seemed his grandmother’s death affect all of them.

The street was jammed with parked cars. Luckily a bike fit anywhere. The crowd on the porch stopped their conversations mid-sentence, but no one dared approach him. His long legs ate the sidewalk and he was climbing the steps in no time. The house looked and smelled the same – lavender and peaches. The scent lingered and brought back memories.

Before he could take another step or another breath, a warm body with lots of curly hair tackled him. He saved himself from falling over by widening his stance.

“You came, you came,” cried the small woman in his arms.

He looked into the trusting eyes of his baby sister. “You are so big.” He didn’t realize he had spoken his thought out loud until she answered him.

“I’m nineteen now and a college sophomore.”

“Good for you,” he said and he meant it. College was one ticket out of here.

“Well, well, well, so the prodigal returns.” His brother John entered the room from the living room. The years had not been kind. He looked older than his 32s. “Don’t expect the fatted calf.”

“I wouldn’t think of it,” answered Bill. “I’ll be gone by this evening.”

“No,” cried his sister Suzanne. “You have to stay. Grandma wanted you to stay, to take care of the family now. She said it was your turn. That’s what she said.”

“My turn?” No f-ing way Bill thought. He loved the old girl but he wasn’t staying any longer than it took to pay his respects and cut the final ties.

Bill turned toward the woman now walking into the room. Darling Eve. The woman he once loved. The woman who cost him all. His brother’s wife.####



READ MORE STORIES. Visit our blog at http://tuesdaytales1.blogspot.com. Happy Reading.

WHEN YOUR HEROINE IS A MOTHER

by Maria C. Ferrer

The Ides of March are past, the April showers are over, and now we have May flowers popping out everywhere. Flowers are a great gift for Mother’s Day (this Sunday, May 12, don’t forget!).

My heroine is a mother.

Jessenia Lopez is a single mother of a precocious five-year-old, Antonio. She is also a sexy modern woman who runs a day-spa and drives our hero Rafael Quintero crazy with lust. The two spent three wicked nights in bed following their cousins wedding and Antonio was the result. Unfortunately, after their wild weekend they parted ways. Now, six years later, Rafael is back in town and furious that Jessenia kept his son from him. He gets even by moving into the apartment above her and starting his campaign to claim his son and the woman he has never been able to forget.

So the battle of the sexes is on, but with a child in the house it has to be covert.

I have scenes where Jessenia and Rafael awaken to the lust between them. It never died, but there is a child present so it’s not like they can have sex at the drop of a hat, and certainly not in an open room where their son may walk in on them. (Yikes!)

Readers must see Jessenia as a Sexy Mama, after all, they will identify with her. I want my readers to see my heroine as a combination of Marilyn Monroe and Clair Huxtable – sex goddess and mother.


While many of my scenes are between Jessenia and Rafael alone, Antonio still plays a big part because he is the bone they are fighting over. However, once they agree to “joint custody” that part of the battle is over and now the true battle for sex begins. Rafael wants a marriage of convenience; Jessenia wants a lover not a martyr. It is so much fun to write scenes where Jessenia pushes Rafael’s buttons, and of course, the ones where Rafael pushes back are equally hot.

However, I also want readers -- and Rafael! -- to see the good mother Jessenia is so of course I have to have scenes between her and Antonio, with her being nurturing and motherly. Like when Jessenia wakes Antonio in the morning with a game of spiders and drums; when she cuddles him after a traumatic rush to the emergency room; when she reads to him yet one more story at night; when she turns a blind eye to the dog that he slips into his bed.

When your heroine is a mother, the writer must have a good mix of scenes where the heroine is shown as a sex goddess and then as a mother. The writer must always remember that they are writing a romance novel. Readers will want more Marilyn than Clair so most of the scenes should be between the heroine and the hero; maybe 30 percent with the child. Whatever the percentages, a writer cannot shortchange the heroine or the hero or her readers. If they do, mother will be angry!♥



Maria C. Ferrer is not a mother, but she is an aunt and godmother to nine brats. She loves that she can send them home to their real mothers at the end of the day! Her secret baby book is entitled, DADDY FOUND.  This article was also published in the RWA/NYC chapter blog at www.rwanycblogginginthebigapple.blogspot.com.

 

IS MARRIAGE ALL I GET?

by Your Heroine

Let’s face it. In any good romance, the final result is always the same – marriage. You can pretty up the wording and say, “Happily Ever After,” but it’s still the “m” word.

All I ask, as the Heroine of your novel, is to make the grand finale good for the both us – the hero and I. Make the marriage a reward for me too, and I am not just talking about the diamond ring, the “dress”, the new name (his), and the new home (usually his).

Remember that as your Heroine I am the backbone of your story. I am the one your reader – who 99% of the time is a woman – identifies with. She wants to be me so don’t lose me at the final “I do.”

I know that most romances finish with the nuptials since there is no more conflict, no more mystery. But don’t make me seem less after “the end.” Allow me to keep my identity, my self-esteem.

Marriage does not have to mean that I stop being me. I was strong enough to take on the hero, flaws and all, and I am still that person. I am more than the hero’s wife and his children’s mother. I still have a job, dreams and goals that did not disappear when I got carried across the threshold. Yes, I am his wife, but I am also his partner, his lover, his better half. Don’t forget that “better” part.

Show me some respect. Don’t weaken me after marriage, or the sequel will be all about our divorce. A strong hero deserves a strong heroine before and after the marriage. The HEA is the road to a lifelong partnership of equals. I should not become less and him more; nor vice versa. The hero and I are a couple, we are one, we are complements of each other. Our HEA is based of love, loyalty and mutual respect, and together we’ll prepare and embrace the future.

So all I ask is that you, as the writer, make marriage a reward for me too.♥



BIO: The Heroine is a strong woman with a good job, a semi-clean house, two dogs, and a hero-husband, who still brings her flowers just because. She may seem quiet and demure, but she has a sharp tongue and a sharper pen that she is not afraid to use; just ask the hero. Respect her and you’ll be BFFs forever. Invite her out for a drink and she might share with you her secret to a happy and fulfilling marriage.

 

MAKE THEM LAUGH: OPENING LINES

April 1st is the day for fools – fools in love, fools rushing in, fools galore. It’s a day for pranks, laughter and good jokes. When telling a joke, the key is to have a great punch line – basically, a great ending. When writing a novel –romance or otherwise–, the key is to have a great opening line.

The opening line is too often the only chance an author has to make a first good impression with a reader. Heck, that one line can make or break the sale, which could have led to future sales. The loss is just too depressing to contemplate, which is why your opening line is crucial. Crucial, with a capital “C”.

Here are some examples of great opening lines:


From Julie Garwood romance: "They say he killed his first wife."
Do you not want to know more about this man at the same time that you want to run from him?

From GONE WITH THE WIND: "Scarlett O'Hara was not beautiful, but men seldom realized it when caught by her charm as the Tarleton twins were."
You either want to be like Scarlett or hate her with this intro!

From PRIDE AND PREJUDICE: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."
Are those fighting words or what?!

From J.D. Robb suspense: “The business of murder took time, patience, skill, and a tolerance for the monotonous.”
Are shivers not running down your spine after reading that opening?


Think of opening lines from your favorite books or even your own books. Why did they worked? How did they captivate you?

Your opening line has to grab the reader's attention. Yes, this is that famous "hook" moment that everyone talks about. Your opening line, your opening hook should draw readers into your story and make them want to know more about your characters, more about the scene you have opened with; it should leave them wanting more.

Now, capturing the attention of today's readers is difficult. They have a short attention span to begin, and their thirst for immediate gratification makes writers' lives hard. Because if we do not hook them with our opening line, they are moving onto someone else's book. So hook them!

Here are five tips to a great opening line:

1) Start with an action or dialogue
2) Paint a picture
3) Set up a mystery
4) Introduce a character
5) Show them a new world


Opening lines are not easy. Sometimes I have spent days rewriting that one line because it doesn't work for me so I know it will not work for my reader. Other days, the line just magically writes itself. However long it takes for you to find that one great opening line, it will be worth it in the end.

You may have to write a whole scene, a whole chapter, a whole book, before you find just that right one. And that is alright. Whatever works for you. And if all else fails, make them laugh.

A good joke works at conventions, state dinners, weddings so why not as an opening line?♥

INSPIRATION IS EVERYWHERE!

 

February is the one month of the year that is full of love and romance. It’s a virtual Romance Writer’s Paradise.

Inspiration is everywhere! The young man getting his girlfriend’s name tattooed on his arm; the wife  shopping for seductive underwear; the husband ordering flowers at the last minute; the elderly couple strolling in the park holding hands. There are couples riding in horse-drawn carriages, ice skating at Wolman Rink, dining at intimate restaurants, dancing until dawn. There are the marriage proposals, flashy diamond rings, big announcements.

Use all your senses! Pay attention to the sweetness of a box of chocolate-covered strawberries, the bubbles in a flute of champagne, the aroma of a dozen red roses, the shiny eyes of seduction, and the soft sounds of love songs playing in the background.

We’re writers. Our imaginations are fertile and sometimes contrary. Think break-up – the yelling, the accusations, the heart break, the ice cream induced comas, the he-done-me-wrong songs, the bottom of liquor bottles, the crying binges, the hangovers. Love it!

See? Inspiration is everywhere. But even as you draw inspiration from the world around you, do remember to show some love to your significant other, family, and friends (cards not texts; face-to-face not Skype).

I can feel the love already. I’m giddy with it, and with inspiration and camaraderie. I am ready to write! Are you? --mcf