Author Names Across Genres
Happy release day to Nalini Singh for her latest release Blaze of Memory! And don’t forget Nalini also has an urban fantasy coming up in February, Archangel’s Kiss, which got me thinking about authors using one pen name for more than one genre (Ilona’s wonderfully unclassifiable On the Edge comes to mind too. ;) ). Sometimes using a different pen name isn’t up to the author…the author sells a new series to a different publisher and the publisher wants her to take on a new pen name. At least that seems to have been the case in the past. If an author moved from writing historical romance to say…contemporary romance or romantic suspense, she’d change her pen name, but lately I’m seeing an interesting trend. Authors are selling across several genres and they’re keeping the same pen name, even when they sell young adult.
I wonder if this trend has more to do with author name popularity or if it has to do with the genres beginning to blend more and more. Click HERE to read more.
Ghostly powers
ODD SHOTS post is up…
In honor of Halloween coming up, I thought I’d pick a spooky subject. *g*(And yes, for argument’s sake, I’m going by the assumption that ghosts do exist).
I’ve stated before that I really enjoy the Ghost Hunters and Ghost Hunters International shows, and yeah after Jill mentioned it, I started to DVR the “A Haunting” shows on the Discovery Channel. Coincidentally, while I was setting up the DVR, I ran across a new show that was just starting up on the Discovery channel called Ghost Lab. Ghost Lab is pretty much a ghost hunting show that uses different technology to try to see or interact with ghosts. I thought their idea of “era cues” was interesting. Also Cartoon Network also has a teen version of Ghost Hunters. Anyway, hmmm, do we see a trend here: Ghost hunting seems to have exploded on TV. I’m enjoying the variations because each one seems to bring something slightly different to the field.
Of course, I’m a skeptic first and my brain is constantly trying to debunk. For instance, I’ve always wondered, why do ghost hunters always investigate in the dark or very low light? I mean, other than the obvious–duh, ghosts are probably easier to see. But what I’m getting at is: why do ghosts seem to be more active at night…
Click HERE to read the rest!
The Modern Heroine…the kind who trashes her wedding dress?
ODD SHOTS post…
The Today show recently aired a segment called Trash the Dress where women were seen laying in spattered paint, laying on train tracks, playing on the beach in the sand, riding a water ski, washing a car, walking waist deep in a lake, and completely submerged in water (see left) …all in their wedding gowns.
Seeing this new ‘trashing the wedding dress’ trend, when my own wedding gown is hermetically sealed in a box with UV protection film (for your viewing pleasure), made me smile about how the modern women’s views concerning marriage and life in general have evolved. These women are wearing the white dress on their wedding day, and then afterward, they’re taking that dress and expressing themselves however they wish.
Which brings me around to books…it always comes back to books, right?…
Click HERE to read the rest
SCIONS giveaway!
The other day on Dear Author they talked about books featuring werewolves and whether or not readers preferred to read an entire series with werewolves or books that sometimes feature werewolves. I’ve written werewolves, vampires and panthers before but never in one world, at least not until I wrote my SCIONS series for Silhouette Nocturne. I had a lot of fun with this series and I really enjoyed writing stories featuring tortured alpha heroes and heroines strong enough to match them.
One thing I’ve always done with each of my books was create a hero spotlight. The only place you’ll find these spotlights is on my website, but I’ve added them below for fun. They show how the hero feels about the heroine–things he would think but would never say.
Scions: Resurrection
I was cast out and meant to die, but I was built to survive. Ruthless and resolute, I’ll do everything in my power to live another day, no matter the consequences. I live, because my clan needs someone to believe in the prophecy, to always look for the signs.
You’re human, of a race I heartily despise, yet your inner strength shines like a beacon, guiding me toward you. Your quick wit and your steadfast humanity achingly remind me what I want most, while your intoxicating smell makes me want to inhale your very essence…
Click HERE to read the rest and to ENTER for a chance to win all three SCIONS books!
Book to film: What’s your poison?
Odd Shots Post is up!
The other day I was talking to an author friend about my favorite movie, Practical Magic. Normally I’m a sucker for a great action flick (Transporter, anyone? Sexy accent, sexy body, over-the-top fight/chase scenes…what’s not to love?), but I must’ve watched Practical Magic at least six times over the years…and for me that’s a lot. I can count on two hands the movies I’ve re-watched, only twice. I love the story of the two sisters’ relationship with each other and the town. I love the heartbreak and the sadness and then the love story…and how magical it was. I loved the wacky aunts! They cracked me up. I’m aware that the Practical Magic movie was based on the book of the same name by Alice Hoffman, I just haven’t read the book. Yet. I plan to order it. I want to see the feel good, magical story I know from the screen turned into a great magical story on the page.
Which got me to thinking about books turned into movies, well, Hollywood’s version anyway…
Click HERE to read the rest of the story.
Behind the Book
My WEDNESDAY Odd Shot’s Blog post is up…(FYI, I’ll be posting at Odd Shots every Wednesday).
BEHIND THE BOOK
Until I became an author, I assumed authors had major input into their books’ covers. I mean, didn’t the author control everything, from soup to nuts, about her book?
I thought I’d share a few truths about publishing with you. Most of these are based on questions I’ve received from readers in the past.
* Authors don’t have any control over their covers or the models used on their covers…
Tell me a colorful story!
My Odd Shots blog post is up. Tell me a colorful story…about tattoos! Check it out. 
Do you believe in the Paranormal?
Hi everyone! I’m blogging at THE ODD SHOTS today. The subject is: Do you Believe in the Paranormal? I hope you’ll stop by and share!
Patrice
The Odd Shots!
Hi everyone,
I’ve been quiet lately, I know, but it’s cause I’ve been writing and editing and writing. I have been on twitter several times a week, so you can always keep up with me HERE, but I wanted to let you all know about a group blog I’ve joined with a fabulous group of authors: Ilona Andrews, Nalini Singh, Meljean Brook, Jill Myles and me.
Check out The Odd Shots blog and comment on our very first post for a chance to win: a copy of MUST LOVE HELLHOUNDS.
If you link to The Odd Shots on Twitter or your blog and post proof of a link here in the comments on the Odd Shots site, your entry will count as three chances to win instead of one.
Winner will be selected randomly. The deadline to enter is Sunday, 09/06.
Come by and visit, and let us know what you’d like to see in a group blog!
Patrice
How do you know where to start your story?
This is a recent post I did for the Fangs, Fur & Fey community blog where I answered a Topic of the Week question: How do you find the beginning of your novels? How do you know where to start them?
I admit it, I was a back story queen when I first started writing. But I think that had more to do with the fact I was 1) a total seat-of-the-pants writer and 2) I didn’t plan my characters. They evolved as I wrote the story. So my first two or three chapters were really me creating long, drawn out…very involved character sheets. Heh.
Then a writer friend passed along a concept that has stayed with me…
Start your story where your character’s conflict and your plot’s conflict collide.
I’ve never forgotten it. Did it change how I started my books? Sure it did. But what I also discovered was that my progress slowed a bit in the beginning, because (apparently) I ‘needed’ those first two chapters to get to know my characters inside and out. That was ‘my’ muse’s process.
Now, instead of chopping three chapters in the beginning, I’ll have to go back and add some in the beginning. I now also write up a detailed outline as a way to ‘get to know’ my characters, so that I’ll know what I need to go back and add to flesh them out more for clarification.
But keeping that rule of thumb in mind has been immensely helpful to me. It forces me to stay focused and reminds me that all that ’stuff’ I’m itching to show about my character right up front can come later, sprinkled in bit by bit.
The nice thing about following the concept of starting where the character’s conflict and the plot’s conflict collide is that you have so many options for a gripping opening scene…from an action scene to a dialogue scene…to even strong narrative. I just ask my character(s): What kind of scenario can I put you in that represents the crux of YOUR issue and the story’s main plot?
