This Is What Dreams Are Made Of
By Giovanna Lagana
www.giovannalagana.com

We all dream. Sometimes we remember most, or parts, of the dream when we awaken. Other times we don’t. Dreaming is the natural process of REM sleep where the brain recharges itself for the upcoming day, where thoughts and data are either stored or siphoned out of our brains to make room for more information the next day.

But some believe there is more to dreams than just a way for the brain to sort information. Some believe what we dream is a cryptic code for the future. That our dreams are a crystal voyeur to what is in store for us.

Hi everyone. I am thrilled to be invited to visit LeeAnn’s blog. My name is Brenda Gayle and I write contemporary romance that generally has a hint of suspense.

From the time I was a young child I enjoyed writing. I was one of the geeky kids in school that was thrilled when we reached the creative writing section of the curriculum. It’s not surprising, therefore, that I pursued a degree in Journalism and then went on to spend over 20 years in corporate communications.

I have always been impressed (and somewhat intimidated) by the sheer volume of work some writers are able to generate. How is it possible that they can produce two, three, or more manuscripts a year? This is particularly remarkable considering most do so while holding down jobs, raising families, and being productive members of their communities.

My first manuscript, SOLDIER FOR LOVE, took over two years to write and my second, more than a year. I knew that if I was going to be successful in this business, that wasn’t going to cut it. I needed to find a way to be more productive and still fulfill my other obligations.

At the Romance Writers of America conference last summer, the common message from many speakers was that the only way to succeed was to “just do it.” Make it a priority, put your bum in the chair, and write. Fine advice but not particularly helpful, especially when you’re staring at a blank screen and are paralyzed by the realization you have to produce 400 or so pages.

What was helpful, however, was a workshop given by prolific author Stephanie Bond on the business of writing. Stephanie is very matter-of-fact about the profession; she doesn’t glamorize it. Writing is a job and needs to be approached in a business-like manner. I got a lot out of her workshop but the most important—life changing—take-away for me was HOW to do it; how to go from the blank screen to producing multiple books in a year.

There is no big mystery to it and, in fact, it’s so ridiculously simple I’m almost embarrassed to share it. Stephanie broke down her writing by the number of pages she could (and would) produce each and every day. For example, five pages a day for 365 days is 1,825 pages—over four books a year. I realized I could easily do five pages a day, although not every day. Even so, removing weekends and holidays, I could commit to 1,100 pages a year—that’s more than two books!

Armed with this knowledge and a promise of accountability to my critique group, I set out to see if I could do it.

I began my current work-in-progress in September. Thirteen weeks and 379 pages later I had finished the first draft. For those checking the math, that’s an average of 29 pages per week. I wanted to take Christmas and New Year’s off before starting edits and revisions so I pushed it a little at the end.

I don’t limit myself to the five pages and, in fact, on the days I do write I generally produce more than five pages. Given all my other responsibilities, five pages per day is really a minimum of 25 pages a week that I have to produce. It also makes it more palatable when I’m staring down the blank screen to think “I only need to write five pages today.” Five pages? No sweat. Four hundred pages? No way!

I’ve never been very successful at keeping New Year’s resolutions—particularly those relating to diet and exercise, which tend to become weekly resolutions—but almost a month into the new year I am on track and confident I’ll be able to meet my resolution to complete two full manuscripts in 2010.

Do you have any “secrets” for balancing priorities and meeting goals? Please share them with us.

Brenda’s first book, SOLDIER FOR LOVE, is a Joyfully Reviewed Recommended Read. Although fictional, the setting was inspired by the geography, history and culture of Haiti. She is donating 25% of book and eBook royalties to Haitian relief and reconstruction as a way to give back to the men and woman who allowed her to share their world during the researching and writing of the book. For more about Brenda, visit her website at www.BrendaGayle.com or follow her on Facebook (Brenda Gayle) and Twitter (Brenda_Gayle).

First, a little about me, as Brynna Curry I write light paranormal romance and suspense.  On the other side of the coin is my dark side, Brianna Roarke writing steamy dark paranormal romance.  I feed my love of books as a book reviewer for You Gotta Read Reviews.  I also judge several RWA writing contests a year, including the ‘Molly’, ’Gotcha’, Fab5 and Reveal Your Inner Vixen contests and I’m the forth member of the Frightening Journeys blog writers. I’m married to my high school sweetheart with three teenagers and by day I’m a secretary for a construction company.  

Earth Enchanted is the first in a series of five books featuring the Corrigans from Ireland, a family with a ancestry of mages.  Liv Corrigan, telepath and writer,visits her brother in the states only to find he’s neck deep in a diamond smuggling ring.  While there she meets ex-cop Jackson Roarke, a man with secrets still reeling from his wife’s death.  Here is a short blurb.

EARTH ENCHANTEDTAG: When telepath meets ex-cop, will it be death or diamondsBLURB: Writer Liv Corrigan has the worst luck with men — her telepathy tends to make them run for the hills. When she meets widower and ex-cop Jack Roarke, she decides to keep her talent hidden. Things are looking up until their third date crashes and burns as the man who murdered Jack’s wife turns out to be after him too.Injured, Jack retreats with Liv to his house under armed guard. But with Liv’s mysteries rapidly coming unraveled, a diamond-thief killer to stop and passion in the air, the safe house is anything but safe for their hearts!

After EE, To Take Up The Sword flash forwards to the end of the trial for Ashton Smythe, Gueraldi’s (the villian from EE) right hand man.  When Smythe is set free, Agent Spiller (EE), convinced Serena Roarke hid more diamonds there, goes back to Alabama in search of missing evidence that would have convicted her killer.  Leannan O’Neal, Serena’s sister, goes into the wind after the destruction of her home and threats on her life.  She meets up with Spiller and together they try to get the diamonds to safety before both are killed. There are a total of five books in this series. You can find out more about each book in the series by visiting my website and clicking the Elemental Magic tab.

My writing process is somewhat chaotic. Between work, three teenagers (one of whom is a cheerleader.  We are in the world of endless basketball season now.) a husband and the house I’m remodeling (Yes, I’m a DIY’er), I never know how long, when, or where I’ll find the time to write, but I always do.  If its something you love, you make time for it. As for the process itself, I just sit down at the computer, open up and listen to the characters and try to keep them going where I want them too.  Sometimes, I’ll go back and read the previous scenes or write the ending first.  That way I won’t rush the story.

Lastly, I’d like to lend some advice to new writers. Read. If you like to read a variety of genres, get into e-book reviewing. You’ll learn alot about house style and what works.  Write about what you know.  Write the best story you possibly can and then edit it. Then visit the Absolute Write Water Cooler and all the helpful folks there.  Join a critique group and find one whose not afraid to be brutal. Some good online yahoo groups are RWC, PNWriters and if you are a parent, ParentsInk or Momwriters.  Always do your research.

You can learn more about the Elemental Magic Series and Brynna’s other projects on her site or stop by one of her blogs and say hello.

Brynna- My site:  http://brynnacurrybriannaroarkebooks.webs.com

My blog and co-blog:  http://brynnacurrybriannaroarkebooks.blogspot.com

http://paranormalwriters.blogspot.com  “Frightening Journeys”

On Twitter as BrynnaCurry/On Facebook as Bethany Cagle

Yahoo Group- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/brynnacurrybriannaroarkebooks/?yguid=350630923

I hope you’ll drop by and visit with me!

Brynna 

Today is the 11^th day of Christmas, and according to the song, The Twelve Days of Christmas, this day is all about eleven pipers piping. Well I’d like to think that those pipers are playing a few happy notes for me and my New York debut release, Kismet, which is available today. Getting to this place wasn’t an easy task. Rejections were numerous, not enough to paper a wall, but enough to make me want to quit a couple of times.

Writing is a solitary existence until the author puts their work out into the world and allows others to read it. It can be a tough transition going from solitary confinement into a world where readers either love or hate your book. And while a writer tries not to let a book become personal, it does. Some people often liken a book to a child. I’ve never viewed my work that way. I know not everyone is going to be wild about my books. But I admit that believing that doesn’t take the sting away when someone rejects the book. It’s like that individual has said I don’t like you. And it’s human nature to want people to like you. So a writer has to develop thick skin when it comes to rejection.

Although rejections aren’t pleasant things, writers do recover from them. Some better than others. Rejections just make me mad, and I develop a stereotypical reaction along the lines of “oh yeah? Well just you wait and see. I’ll show you.” Then I would turn around and work harder. A publisher never rejected Kismet, but my agent nixed the first draft. If you think it’s tough to have a publisher say no to a work, try having your agent say it to you. But Deidre did the right thing in telling me the initial draft of Kismet wasn’t up to par.

And it wasn’t. It was some of the worst writing I’ve ever done. It was cold, forced, and just difficult to wade through. But then Kismet is a book unlike any other I’ve ever written. Kismet isn’t a book of my heart. It’s a book of my soul. When I wrote this book, I did so in hopes of writing to a trend. When I was writing the book, erotic romance and erotica was pushing the envelope in so many ways. I saw a discussion about forced seduction and how it was a fantasy for some women.

I understood why some readers might find such a fantasy exciting to read. After all, the reader is in control during a fantasy read, they can put the book down and walk away. In reality, the survivor of such an act cannot walk away. We are left with scars that sometimes don’t break open for years. Wounds that you think are healed, but really aren’t. My attempt to write a forced seduction scene was a miserable failure. But there is always a positive in every negative experience. We can learn from our pain, and the initial draft of Kismet forced me look deep inside myself. It became a cathartic experience that enabled me to deal with demons I’d not dealt with for a very long time.

The initial draft of Kismet was so painful to write that when I was finished, I wanted to push it aside and never touch it again. I wanted to write it off completely. But I’ve never been one to give up on something. So almost a year later, I couldn’t stop thinking about the book. Despite the lousy writing, I loved the characters. I pulled the manuscript out again and forced myself to read through it (or at least parts of it). To my surprise, there was almost half a book that was salvageable.  Determined not to give up on the story, I rewrote the first half of Kismet. I turned it into my agent the second time then waited on pins and needles for her comments. Her initial reaction was “Taking off my agent hat and reading just for pleasure.” I could not have asked for a better review. I hope readers will have the same reaction to Kismet, because it truly is the book of my soul.

Tell me about something bad that’s happened to you and how you were able to turn things around—make lemonade from the lemons.

Kismet Details

It was a gamble she was born to make…
Raised in a brothel at a young age, Allegra Synnford quickly learned that survival meant taking charge of her destiny. Now, a renowned courtesan skilled in the pleasures of the flesh, she chooses her lovers carefully—vowing never to be vulnerable to any one man. Until a mesmerizing Sheikh strips that control from her… 

With a man who wasn’t used to losing.
Sheikh Shaheen of the Amazigh has been hiding from his past for a long time, but not enough to forget how another courtesan made him abandon his life as the Viscount Newcastle. It’s why the yearnings this dangerous temptress ignites within him are so troubling. Worse, thoughts of Allegra pervade every fantasy, threatening to undermine his cover. With old enemies circling, experience tells him he must resist her charms at all cost. In fact, he’s betting on it. That’s a risky wager when it comes to a woman of pleasure. But Allegra has her own reasons for playing games…with a man who can’t afford to lose.

What happens between them is Kismet…

What people are saying about Kismet

“This sizzling hot historical and its compelling characters will leave you panting for more! Monica Burns writes with sensitivity and panache. Don’t miss this one!”  — Sabrina Jeffries, NYT bestselling author

“Burns’ story is hotter than the desert sands! She succeeds with a classic captive/captor romance akin to a Johanna Lindsey classic. Relax and enjoy the sizzling show — complete with a lesson in bananas and seduction.”  — RTBOOKreviews

“After reading the bio posted on her website, I was afforded a deeper understanding into the wealth of emotions she poured into Kismet.   Tenacious, sassy heroines and strong, sexy heroes are her signature style and she’s boldly penned one of the best books I’ve read in years.” — TwoLipsReviews

Pick up your copy today at Amazon and BN