MONDAY MUSINGS—A LITTLE LESS THINKING AND A LOT MORE ACTION

Last week, as I was reading other blogs, one blogger mentioned things they that pull them out of a story. I have several favorite writers and one just released a book. These are auto buy books for me and her quality and storytelling abilities are well developed. Her characters are intense, and they’re enhanced warriors with a special skill set. Women are just as deadly as the men. Great, I love that, and overall it’s an excellent kick ass story. Still, there were certain scenes that there was too much intrusion of inner dialog.

For example, we come to the first love scene. I don’t know about others but I don’t do much thinking when having sex. My focus is on my partner and mutual pleasure.

The guy strokes her leg, watches her eyes change, her reactions to his touch, I can see it I’m connected to both, and then…he goes off into a paragraph or two of thinking and planning how he’s going to have to handle her fears? 

Seriously? 

Wait a minute, what happened to the lovemaking while all this thinking is happening? Are we on hold? It sure feels like it and bam, there goes my connection to the scene. 

Then it’s the woman’s turn and with all the inner dialog on

failures and worries. The whole scene is a series of stops and starts. While I understand there is some thoughts that are needed to make the love scene solid, rule of thumb is there should be action and emotional reaction in romance, but it shouldn’t stop the scene with paragraphs and a laundry list of unneeded angst or worries and plans for the next battle. And not every other paragraph in every love scene which spans ten plus pages. And bopping back and forth between her and then him thinking? 

Was it good for you Baby? Um, no. Arranging my sock drawer is looking better and better.

 

Reminds me of a song by Toby Keith about a little less talk (thought) and lot more action.

And I’ll be honest, I don’t always read the full love scenes, especially when they’re…rather graphic. I tend to skim them, okay, they’re making love, I got it. I don’t need every single breath, move, sigh, and groan. But with her stories you can’t skim as much because she drops some important bits of information. She doesn’t do it in her other action scenes—they’re tight and flow smooth as silk.

Maybe it’s just me but it’s irritating to the max. I wanted to throw the book across the room. Unfortunately, I’ve seen a few other authors doing this sort of thing lately. Sigh.

Here in the McKye world, the weather has been so mild it’s got me thinking about gardening and planning out the growing world for the McKye ranch. Of course, it’s much too early to implement but the ‘want to’ is there. <grin> A lot of prep work is still needed. And speaking of prep work I’ve been also been working on my manuscript.

Like with the gardening, there is a lot of prep-work needed. I have a very basic outline and I wrote several chapters to give me the feel of the characters. The world I’m creating is going to need some research to get it right. This project is also outside my usual genre. This one started out as a writing challenge. I already know this one will stretch me as a writer but I like the premise a lot. There are some weapons and their uses I need to be more familiar with to incorporate into the story and decisions on the clothing. It’s set, initially, in our world but there is a portal to another world that has moved one a different timeline, so I'm thinking  there will probably need have some differences. 

When you think different clothes then you have to think about materials that fit in the other world. And foods. What do they eat? What kinds of animals inhabit this world? It's earth, but not quite. It's fun to contemplate. I really like the main character and I'm still developing her sidekick. I know what he is and what he can do, mostly, because I know his parents and their purpose (that was in part of the character chapters I wrote) but now he needs to develop his unique personality and bridge to the main character. It's been a challenge but a fun one. So far.

How’s life in your corner of the world today?  Any thoughts on too much inner dialog when you’re writing or reading?

GETTING THERE

My guest is romance author, Joanne Kennedy. Joan has published over eight books but she's also face many trials in pursuit of her dream of writing. I think every writer faces various insecurities and aspiring writers, at times, look at those published as ones who have it made and with no problems. That's just not true.

Joanne shares a bit about the worries and the triumphs she's faced as a writer.

The road to publication is a long road, paved with rejections and frustration—but I made it. I’m finally “there” – but now that I’ve reached my goal, I’m surprised to find that, in the words of Gertrude Stein, “there is no ‘there’ there.”

When you first start writing, you think to yourself, “If I could just finish this…”

You finish it. Then you hope to win a contest. Then you begin the long process of submission, aiming for goals like getting requests for partial manuscripts, then fulls, then getting offers of representation from agents.

When I signed with my agent, I really thought I was “there.” And I was close—closer than a lot of writers get with their first agent, because I was lucky enough to strike gold the first time out and sign with a really good agent who’s also a fine human being (actually, I think she’s a goddess). But even with her knowledge and contacts, it took over a year, many revisions, and finally a second manuscript, to make a sale. 

I can always find something to worry about.

But in some ways, that’s a good thing. No matter how well the book does, I’ll always be reaching for the next milestone. Bestseller lists. Awards. Making a living if I’m lucky, and then a better living.

The striving never ends—and that’s good. Life loses its flavor when you have nothing to aspire to.

But that realization showed me that the ultimate reward writing offers doesn’t lie in any of these achievements. The real reward is in the writing itself—the good days when the words flow freely, the triumphs when I solve a particularly gnarly plot problem, the weird, almost mystical joy of creating a world and characters who inhabit it and make it real, and even the satisfaction of knuckling down and getting the job done on a difficult day.

If you don’t take joy in the simple act of doing what you love, forget the other goals. Because if you think achieving any of them is going to complete your life, you’re wrong.

Whether your talent lies in writing, painting, teaching children, or running a business, you’re lucky if you’ve found what you were meant to do. Doing what you love is a privilege and a joy.

In the all-consuming quest for success, it’s easy to forget the biggest blessing of all: you have a talent that only you can offer. You have a place in the world.

So for all you aspiring writers out there, and everyone else who is always aiming for some elusive goal, take heart. When you sit down at your desk or your piano or your word processor, take a deep breath, and light into the day’s work, you’re already “there.”

• What do you love to do?
  What are your goals, and how would achieving them change your life?

                                                                                                                                                                                              
 

This cowboy is living a charmed life

Winning comes naturally to bronc rider Brady Caine. Ruggedly handsome, careless and charismatic, the rodeo fans adore him and the buckle bunnies are his for the taking. He's riding high when he lands an endorsement deal with Lariat Western Wear that pairs him up with champion barrel racer Suze Carlyle.

Until one wrong move changes everything

A stupid move on Brady's part lands Suze in the hospital, her career in tatters. Now it's a whole new game for both of them. Brady is desperate to help Suze rebuild her life, but he's the last person she wants around now. Suze's got plenty of grit and determination-learning to trust Brady again is a very different matter.

BUY: Amazon Barnes and Noble iBooks 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                 

Joanne Kennedy's lifelong fascination with Wyoming's unique blend of past and present inspires her to write contemporary Western romances with traditional ranch settings. In 2010 she was nominated for a RITA award for One Fine Cowboy. At various times, Joanne has dabbled in horse training, chicken farming, and bridezilla wrangling at a department store wedding registry. Her fascination with literature led to careers in bookselling and writing. She lives with two dogs and a retired fighter pilot in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

You can find Joanne:

Website  

Goodreads

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