Many of the RWW members are working on stories we hope to publish in an anthology and a boxed set later this year. J.J. Devine wants a sneak peak at our opening scene. If you've joined me from A.S. Fenichel's blog, welcome. What did you think of hers? Here’s the first scene of “No Life But This” – my contribution to the Romance Writers Weekly Box Set. Santos Carregado pulled the twelve passenger van into the taxi loading zone and set the parking brake. Grabbing the cardboard sign and crumpled sheets of paper his sister had thrust into his hand before he'd rushed out the door this morning, he strode into Arrivals. A scattering of people milled about, no one going anywhere fast. To his right the building stretched, long and narrow, toward the Departure area. Muted sunshine fell through the glass ceiling two stories above. A sparrow, seemingly at home in the echoing space, swooped and swept, landing on a precarious edge along the outer wall. Santos took a seat on a log hollowed out into a bench. I'd love to hear what you think - let me know in the comments! Want to see what Kim Handysides is working on? Check it out here!
5 Comments
Enter now through MAY 10th, 2015 (MOTHER'S DAY)! Grand Prize is a $100 Amazon giftcard. 2nd and 3rd prizes are $20 giftcards. Plus you could win one of 14 prize packs full of great titles from the Romance Weekly authors! Xio Axelrod says:
Readers always ask "How much of yourself do you lend to your characters?" Here's your chance to answer. What traits do your characters have that come from you? And if not you, someone in your life. If you joined me from Leslie Hachtel, welcome. And I apologize right now for the vagueness of my post today - my head is stuffed from a cold, and I'm not thinking very clearly. But I didn't want to miss out on the this week's hop, so I did my best. I think it’s impossible for any writer NOT to include a little bit of themselves in every character they write. Writers are, after all, only one person (although most of us have a lot of voices inside our heads!). So no matter how hard we try, bits of our personalities have to creep in. I’m a “tell-it-like-it-is” type of person. I don’t suffer fools gladly and I employ the use of sarcasm on a regular basis. Most of my characters have these traits in some degree or other. My meekest heroine, Abigail from NO LIFE BUT THIS, has hidden those feelings for most of her life, and it was fun to write about her breaking out of those habits. Of course, as a romance writer, I write from the male point-of-view as well. I watch my husband, father, brother-in-laws, and try to really see how they react in certain situations. Again, it’s not that I am putting those people in the book. I am simply using them as a model on how my character should act. I also use real-life experiences in my stories. CHEF D’AMOUR takes place on the set of a romance reality TV show. While I have never worked on a show exactly like that, I have worked in television production for more than 25 years, so have a good grasp on what goes on behind-the-scenes. How much of herself does J.J. Devine put into her stories? She’s your next stop on the blog hop! This week on Romance Writers Weekly, Victoria Barbour wants us to dream big. If our most recent book was being produced for Hollywood, who would we cast for it? If you’ve joined me by Eden Ashe, welcome! My most recent release, Chef d’Amour, has prickly, fiercely independent Jemma dealing with an ill grandmother, a jerk for a boss, and the dangerous attentions of Paul Almeida. Kiera Knightley’s sharp, strong features immediately come to mind. Jemma sports a short haircut, as well, except that her bangs are longer and dyed a vibrant pink. As for Paul, one Google search for dark haired actors came up with Wes Bentley, and he’s just right. This is Paul’s “TV” look – he’s the sexy bachelor on the romance reality show where Jemma works. When he’s running his own 5-star restaurant he’s more formal, but I’m sure Wes could pull it off!
A.S. Fenichel is sick and tire of the cold. She wants to know our favorite vacation spot. I love this topic – so many to choose from! If you joined me from Xio Axelrod, welcome! When I think about my favourite vacations spots, I realize there is a common thread – water. I’m sure I’m not alone in this – there is just something about water that adds to the romance and beauty of a place. I live about 8 hours drive from the coast, but my area is blessed with many beautiful lakes. While I enjoy a vacation exploring the tidal pools at the ocean’s edge, I also love camping next to the calm, quiet waters of an inland lake. Vacations aren’t only for relaxing. They can also be exploring new, exciting worlds. A couple of years ago, we went to the Azores, a tiny group of Portuguese islands in the middle of the Atlantic. My husband’s parents emigrated from there to Canada in the 1950’s, and the whole family went back to learn about their heritage, see where they had come from. Now, I love to read books set in places I have been. And I had never read a book set in the Azores. So I decided to write my own! In “No Life But This,” my third completed manuscript, Abigail Garsson is trapped in her safe, boring, conventional life. Desperate for an exciting escape, she signs up for an adventure vacation on the Portuguese island of San Miguel, Azores. That’s where she meets Santos Carregado, a handsome, confident tour guide. A holiday fling becomes something more for both of them, until the realities of Abigail's life reach across the ocean to shatter her holiday daydream. My time for daydreaming about holidays is over. Outside the window the snow is piled high, and inside writing awaits. Why not head over to Kim Handysides now and see where she likes to vacation. I’m pretty sure it might have something to do with sand and surf! But before you go, I invite you to come back to my blog tomorrow as my Romance Writer Weekly friend, A.S. Fenichel, is stopping by to reveal the cover for her new paranormal historical “Deception”. And then on Friday, I’ll have another cover reveal for another RWW pal, Jo Richardson, and her contemporary romantic comedy, “Cookie Cutter”!
|