It’s an occupational hazard. Most authors simply can’t avoid putting real people and situations into our books. Whoever said life is stranger than fiction was right – some of the stuff I’ve heard and seen you just can’t make up. This week on Romance Writers Weekly, we’ve been challenged to look at the times we've pushed through the pain by putting bad experiences or relationships into our works whether for therapy, or just as a way to close the door. If you joined me from J.J. Devine, didn’t she have some thought-provoking things to say? While I can’t say I’ve used any specific experiences in my writing, I certainly have used the memory of tougher days to relive emotions and physical sensations, in order to give those feelings to my characters. When everything is going well in my life (which thank goodness is most of the time) it’s easy to forget the gut clenching nausea of fear, anger and frustration. A couple years ago my son had surgery on his knee. He didn’t even have to stay overnight in hospital. But just before he was taken away by the nurse, I suffered a completely irrational flush of fear. My skin felt tingling, prickles climbing from my chest, up my neck, to my cheeks. I saw spots dancing before my eyes, and the world spun. The noises around me grew hollow, as if coming from a great distance, and I could feel the beat of my heart like a horse kicking me in my chest. Let me tell you – I’ve used the memory of that twenty seconds of terror often! This topic was assigned to us by Tracey Gee – and wouldn’t you know it, she’s next on the hop. Visit her here. I am thrilled to announce the release of "Tantalizing Tidbits", a collection of short stories by New York Times and USA Today bestselling authors - and little old me! Representing an eclectic mix of styles and genres, this book is a smorgasbord; an opportunity to try a bit of everything. In that spirit, the collection is presented as a menu and authors have shared recipes which accompany each story - some fitting, some funny, some simply old favorites. Ranging from ultra-short but spine tingling to meatier tales that are nearly novellas, there is a little something for every appetite - comedy, tragedy, fantasy, werewolves, at least one ghost, life, death, and of course love. Dig in! You're sure to find at least one tidbit you enjoy.
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Summer is in full swing and Fiona Riplee would like to know our answers to the following three questions: 1. What is your favorite summer memory? One of my favourite memories as a child was visiting my Grandparents at their cabin. Once we were old enough, we were allowed to spend a week or so there. The days were filled with fishing, swimming, catching leeches, Yahtzee (Saskatchewan house rules version), cribbage, reading Louis L’Amour (they had an entire shelf full) and just plain lazing around. More recently, one of the best things we do as a family is take the boat to a nearby lake, have a finger-food type supper, and swim. Northern BC is full of beautiful lakes, and I love to dive off the boat in the deep, coppery water – no weeds, no leeches, not yucky bottom! 2. What do you enjoy the most about summer? The best thing about summer is living outside. Winters here are usually spent scurrying from house to vehicle to building and back again. Summer sunshine means we connect with neighbours, enjoy dinners on the deck, and simply doing as much as we can out of doors. 3. How do the warm days and sunshine affect your writing habits? Summer time is both good and bad for my writing habits. I love to take my lap top outside and write my quota in the backyard. Something about writing away from my usual spot makes me feel more creative, more inventive. We tend to take more road trips in summer, and long hours on the highway are great for brainstorming and plotting. But the good weather also makes it harder to make the time to write. Northern BC summer are so short (although we’re having a great one this year) that I hate to miss a minute. How did Ronnie Allen answer these questions? Find out here! This week we are small but mighty group, carrying on the Romance Writers Weekly traditional Tuesday hop! Fiona Riplee set this challeng: Your setting: woods, 3 AM. Write a Flash Fiction of 500 words or less that includes the words bubbles, mindful, and deep. If you joined me from Tracey Gee - wasn’t that interesting? Here’s my take: She loved camping. Love the solitude, the silence of the woods, the snap of a campfire, the utter restfulness of disconnecting from a wired world. What do you think? I loved to read your comments. Then be sure to move on to Carolyn Spear as she’s next on the hop!
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