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 VALENTINE TANGO

  

It’s Valentine’s Day.

            Forget the chocolate and the flowers, instead, let’s Tango.

            The Tango started in Argentina and has conquered the world.  In Puerto Rico, we have boleros.  Slow dancing.  Partners come together; circle each other, while passion hovers around them.  Boleros are like a prelude.

            The Tango is action.  It’s both sensual and sexual.  It’s both ethereal and carnal.

            The Tango screams desire, passion. 

It screams SEX.

            The dancers come together in an open embrace.  The female’s hands are draped over the male’s shoulders.  His hands at her back to guide her, to establish the rhythm. 
He advances, she retreats.

            The footwork is fast and calculated.  The dancers invade each other’s space.

            Legs entangled. 

Hands caress.

There’s heat, friction, intensity, possession, and at last, surrender.

            Like love, the Tango captivates and mesmerizes both dancers and lovers.

            

Here are some of my favorite Tango scenes from some great movies:   

From “Take the Lead” with Antonio Banderas, click here.  

From “Scent of a Woman," click here.

From “Frida, The Movie,” click here.   
(This one is between Frida and Tina!)

From “Dirty Dancing," click here.  
(Love this Patrick!)

 

And if you want to try a few steps with your partner, click here for a quick lesson from Tango expert Jesus Reyes Ortiz.

Now that you've learned my passion for the Tango.  Check out what other Latinas are writing about on Valentine’s Day:

For Mercedes Cruz, click here.

For Vanessa Peters, click here.  
(Click on the "pencil" on the right for her blog.)

Wishing you all a Happy Valentine’s Day! 

Feliz Dia de los Enamorados!

May your Tango last forever!

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.♥

SOCIAL NETWORKING FOR AUTHORS: BLOGGING

by Maria C. Ferrer

To blog or not to blog?

I say, YES! 

As I mentioned last month, editors and agents are looking and buying authors who are on the social networks.  Authors need to be seen and heard.  A blog is a perfect vehicle for both.  A blog is like a public journal that is always active and available.  A website is too, but I consider websites more of a PR kits, where readers can visit and check out your photo, bio; read some excerpts; browse your bibliography and oh-and-ah over the book covers.  Websites are “book marks” for your public face.

A blog, on the other hand, is a living, breathing journal.  A blog is where you write about yet another NYC snowstorm and how your slip in the middle of the Food Market inspired a short romance between a TV celebrity chef and “the milkmaid” selling her family’s dairy products.

(NOTE:  For those who don’t know much about blogging, think of a blog post as an article for the newsletter.  Only you are writing for your own personal newsletter aka blog.)

On your blog you can be as brief or as verbose as you want to be.  Or you can write nothing at all and just post pictures of frozen fountains, hanging icicles and red-cheeked boy-toys.  You can blog about anything and everything. And then you can link those blog posts to your website, Facebook and Twitter pages, etc.

Now the big question is – What do I blog about?!

Here’s a short list of blogging topics:

1)      Write about writing – the process, conferences, fantasy worlds you enjoy.

2)      Interview interesting people you meet – other writers, the dog walker or President Clinton (I met him last year. Got the photo to prove it!)

3)      Write about things you love – dogs, knitting, water towers, Indian captives, etc.

4)      Share quotes that inspire you or enrage you.

5)      Share a playlist or your TBR pile list.

The secret to a successful blog is to make it a fun and a provocative place for readers to visit.

For example, I have always loved Kwana’s blog (www.kwana.com) because she always includes a note about Jack, her dog.  I enjoy reading Nalini Singh’s blog and newsletter (www.nalinisingh.com) because she always adds a new excerpt or a free short story.  I am having fun reading Sylvia Baumgarten’s new blog (http://sylviahalliday.blogspot.com) because of its title, Life Lessons From An Old Bitch.  And, let’s not forget Elizabeth Mahon’s Scandalous Women blog (scandalouswoman.blogspot.com), which became a book!  I love reading about daring, fearless women who are not afraid to live life to the fullest.  (I want to be just like them!)

Visit some of these blogs.  Check out other blogs by your favorite authors /editors /agents /celebrities. And, of course, visit the RWA/NYC Chapter Blog, with hundreds of posts from numerous romance writers; plus, sexy book covers every Friday! Visit the blogs.  Study them. Ask yourself, what you like about them? What can you "borrpw" from them? And, also see what does NOT appeal to you and make sure you don’t do that.

Big question #2 –  Do I have to blog every day, every week?  

I say, NO!  

Study your personal and writing schedules.  Take a day, and write two, three or more articles on different topics, and then schedule them throughout the month.  And since you will have linked your blog to your social media pages, you are all set. Viola!

Are you ready to start blogging?!  Blogger (www.blogger.com) and WordPress (www.wordpress.com) are two free sites.  I use Blogger.  I find it simple to post and schedule my articles. Try it.

Start blogging today!  Remember, you want to be seen and heard.♥

  

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.