MONTANA ROMANCE WRITERS

The Art Of Finishing

2012-01-23T15:01:00.000-07:00

There's a saying famous among writers: "You can't edit a blank page." I've heard it attributed to Nora Roberts, Stephen King, and J.R.R. Tolkein. Having met Nora, it sounds like her, but who knows. The point is, you can't edit words until you've written them; the implication is, you can't publish a book you don't write, so get writing.

This has been particularly convicting to me lately because I've been struggling with my muse. Struggling? How about engaged in an open war. I recently sold my first novel to Pelican, and ever since then, I've been trying to finish the sequel.

Trying.

As Yoda said, "Try not. Do or do not, there is no try." This is my whole problem. I am trying instead of doing or do notting. At least when I do-not, I know I'm doing not. But trying is exhausting. Trying involves a lot of talking, erasing, plotting, diagramming, making spreadsheets, vacuuming, walking, shopping, cleaning... it does not involve writing. Writing involves writing. Granted, sometimes you have to try in order to do, but for the most part, my trying looks a lot like procrastinating.

So here's what I'm going to try now. I'm going to write. Or not write. I'm not going to prepare anymore. I'm not going to procrastinate. If I feel like writing, even a little bit, I'm going to WRITE like a proverbial bat. And if I don't, then I'm not going to. I'm going to stop sitting in front of my computer waiting for inspiration to strike. I need to follow the advice of seasoned writers... and little green creatures who sound very wise.

Do or do not. There is no try. Write, or write not. Here I go...

NFL Hotties

2012-01-18T17:13:00.003-07:00

There is a reason we all had secret (or overt, maybe) crushes on the quarterbacks of our high school football teams. They possessed more than their share of that "somethin', somethin'"... and some grew up to be Men of men. So if you are looking for a "play-by-play", perfect prototype of gorgeousity, strong character, intelligence, determination, drive, mental toughness and, oh, lets not forget, stamina! for your leading man... then look no further than NFL's princes of pigskin. Anyone who knows me can verify that I'm not a football fan, but, oh my sweaty brow! These professional quarterbacks are female fantasies in armor, true archetypal heroic hunks with machismo and charisma enough to last a grueling 16 game, five month muscle marathon and also joust with a ruthless press.

It's the National Football League playoff season... so let's play. Here's my "starting line-up":

1. For sheer dark, sweaty beauty – Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets

2. For the greatest eyes and lovin' the fun –Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

3. For boy-next-door cuteness and down home cussedness –Eli Manning, New York Giants

4. For bad-boy charm and a killer grin –Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles

5. For rough and tumble readiness anytime –Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens

6. For "how good do I look in a tux" –Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys

7. For bare chested buffness and a classic Greek profile –Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos

8. For adorable, boyish, will-do-anything-for-a-touchdown –Tom Brady, New England Patriots

9. For 'getting the job done' and then some –Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

10. And for sheer grit and determination under damnable conditions –Phillip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

And I can't stop there! You've got the All American good looks and bulging biceps of Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons, Matt Moore, Miami Dolphins, Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers and Alex Smith of the San Francisco 49er's. (Don't even get me started on the rest of the field! Why that sexy, primal race of pulse at seeing golden locks or thick dreadlocks flopping from under a helmet, flowing down a five star back between armored shoulder pads? Or is that just me...?)

So there you have it; handsome, yet very individual faces full of dynamic personality, six-packs, wide shoulders, straining thighs and narrow hips (and just let me add, you can so tell 'cause those little knee length pants they and their cute bottoms wear on the field gives a whole new meaning to the words "skin tight"!)

My advice? The season may be almost over but Google image these NFL hotties and create your own fantasy football play list!

Happy New Year to one and all! Pam B. Morris

Welcome in the New Year!

2012-01-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

The New Year is here and the spirit of excitement is hard to contain. All that is new and amazing stretches out before us as we zip around making plans, making dreams and making words our world.

I think there is something wonderful about stepping into this new day, dressed fresh with new dreams and new plans. I love the feeling of not quite knowing what will be or how it will turn out. I love that possibilities are endless and that ambition has no limitation. It’s like opening the pages of a new journal, writing that first word and following our muses through the lines.

Happy New Year Montana Romance Writers! And writers everywhere! May the characters you meet and places you travel within your imaginations be better than any dream!

Congratulations Janet Tronstad!

2011-12-17T13:39:00.000-07:00

Janet Tronstad made the USA Today 150 best selling books on December 11, 2011 for Mail-Order Christmas Brides written with Jillian Hart for Harlequin's Love Inspired imprint.

Congratulations from RWA Montana, Janet!

Christmas is for kids!

2011-12-14T20:52:00.003-07:00

Kris Kringle originally walked the German countryside ringing a bell and passing out gifts, candies and cakes to the children. So, in honor of kids and good old St. Nicholas, give yourself the best gift ever. Tear the wrapping paper off your impish spirit because at Christmas you have permission to be a child!

Here's a few hints to get you started:

1. Start wetting the bed.
2. Steal mistletoe because people kissing is so gross!
3. Put tinfoil on your teeth and pretend you have braces.
4. Ask Santa for a pony.
5. Sing the "batman and robin" version of Jingle Bells until your family goes crazy.
6. Suck the end of your candy canes to a point.
7. Make a wreath out of egg cartons and paint it with tempera paints.
8. Wear your hair in pigtails and sit on Santa's lap.
9. Start a snow ball fight.
10. Sneak a peak at a present under the tree, then rewrap it so no one knows.
11. Watch "A Muppet Christmas Carol" and sing along.
12. At parties introduce yourself as Cindy Lou from Whoville.
13. Write a letter to Santa and send it.
14. Wear bells on your shoes.
15. Listen to "Twas the Night Before Christmas" backwards, you can hear the phrase 'Paul is dead'!
16. Outline the toilet in twinkle lights.
17. Make Froot Loop necklaces for everyone you love.
18. Put glitter on EVERYTHING!

The Importance of Romance Novels During the Holidays

2011-12-06T11:00:00.001-07:00

Holidays bring a lot of emotional pressure. Whether it's family traditions, the break-up of a relationship or the beginning of a new one, the stress can be difficult to handle.

That's when a good romance novel comes in handy! You can live vicariously as a pioneer woman in the West, a Southern belle or a vampire. You can cleanse your emotions by following the rollar coaster ride of someone else's romance.

My ex-husband left after Thanksgiving well over ten years ago. He came back to see the kids on Christmas day and we gave him presents. It was awkward and painful and I hated every minute of it. My drug of choice was the movie Notting Hill--pure romance. In fact, I watched that movie so often, I can almost quote you every line of dialogue.

Valentine's Day wasn't much better. I refused to turn on the television to see other people's happiness and ads for jewelry. Instead I crawled into bed with a good romance novel and a cup of tea.

When it came time to begin my own writing, I answered a call for submission for a holiday story. I created an erotic romance that required a woman to choose between an ex-lover who was returning from the war and her current lover. The holidays are important part of the story.

I wish you joy over the next month and the best for 2012

Finding Time to Write During the Holidays

2011-11-19T13:14:00.002-07:00

Whatever amount of time we have carved out to write in the regular work week seems to go missing with the arrival of the Bermuda Triangle of the holidays known as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years. More cooking, cleaning, shopping, wrapping and entertaining and increased foot traffic through the house means disruption of routine and less time to write. What's a girl to do? Give up and claim your true calling as the official roaster of turkey and returner of unwanted gifts? No. There are ways to remain productive despite all the forces that thwart a writer this time of year. Keep these things in mind as you peel yams and trim trees:

These holidays happen at the same time every year. Big shocker, right? What I'm saying is you can see them coming and plan ahead. Don't set lofty goals or plan tight deadlines during this time

Stand in front of the mirror and practice saying these words a thousand times: "no, no, no thank you, I'm sorry I can't do that." All of us have obligations during the holidays, but don't take on more than is already expected of you. Learn to say "no."

Train your family and whoever else shows up for the eggnog and Christmas cookies to respect your writing time. Dipping out of a two hour party to go write would probably be a bad idea if you are the hostess. But a lot of holiday busyness can be delegated and relatives who have extended stays at your house will understand that you need some "me" time.

Be flexible and forgiving. I'm a morning person and my preference has always been to get the writing done right after I get up. Around this time of year though, I accept that I may have to sneak writing time in some other time during the day. Also, with kids home from school and all the other demands on my time, I am not going to get as much writing done. I don't beat myself up if my productivity goes down a bit.

Give yourself a present. I always take Christmas day off. It is the one day a year I don't put pressure on myself to write. Maybe you can find some time alone at a B and B or coffee shop to write or give yourself a writer related gift.

Finally, the holidays were meant to be fun. If a holiday tradition or party or whatever, isn't fun anymore, stop doing it . If cooking a big holiday meal fills you with dread, order pizza or go to some else house and offer to bring the cranberry sauce.

Enjoy the holidays and happy writing.

Sharon Dunn writes romantic suspense for Love Inspired, an imprint of Harlequin. Her book Night Prey recently won a Carol award for best romantic suspense of 2010. She is currently contemplating eating Chinese take out on Thanksgiving.

Taking Chances

2011-11-14T17:03:00.003-07:00

maggie and milly and molly and may

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach (to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn’t remember her troubles,and

milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and

may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
it’s always ourselves we find in the sea

ee cummings

As an English teacher, I always tell my students there is ee cummings and then there is everyone else. Of all the poets I could pick for this little bit this month, he would not be who I would have chosen. Aren't there better poets out there? More contemporary? More intense? Ones who follow capitalization rules, at the very least?

But it is ee cummings who has come to my mind these past few weeks. I don't know if it is the time of year or all the changes that life brings, but being different, being creative that's where the spark of life exists!

So here's to taking chances, taking risks! Breaking a few rules!!
Happy Writing, Everyone.

Welcome to the New World of Publishing

2011-10-24T18:00:00.003-06:00

Writing is an honor to those who partake in this sacred profession. As authors, our books are brought into lives around the world. Our ideas, fears, and hopes are held in the hands of people whom we may never meet.

There are also pitfalls to becoming a writer. One of our greatest fear is *whispering* that our writing may never get picked up.

In this new world of publishing, we have been given the freedom that for years has been lacking in the publication world—we have access to low-cost/no-cost e-publishing to get our writing into the hands of readers.

If said fear comes true, is this avenue a suitable solution for your work? My advice: Approach with Caution.

Self-publishing is a simple thing to do only in theory. Yes, it is simple to upload your document onto the many sites that offer publishing. However, if you chose this option remember that you are the sole person responsible for editing, layout, marketing and sales.

Assuming that your book is free of flaws and well-written (which many, but not all of self-published books are), you are still strapped with the job of selling your book.

Marketing is a daunting process.

If you have a thousand friends on a social networking site, how many do you honestly believe will buy your book? How many people do you know that own or want to own an e-reading device? The truth: not many; and unless you have a significant following, or a backlog of previously published books, traditional publishing may be a better answer.

Writers need to write, but we feel better if our readers can access our stories.

Admittedly, there are many positives to self-publishing. In certain circumstances, it is the best option for the author. There are amazing stories where authors sold millions of e-books through self-publishing, but ask any one of those writers how hard they worked and I am sure you will get an earful of ideas and strategies that have worked for them. If you are self-motivated, ambitious, well-informed, have a great book, and are willing to work hard then go for it!

Before making a choice, just make sure you’ve done your research and do not head into the deep waters of self-publishing without knowing the possible sharks that swim in those same waters.

If you’re a reader, what do you think about self-published e-books? We’d like to know!

Written by Danica Winters and Edited by Casey Dawes

A Romance of My Own

2011-03-25T09:23:00.001-06:00

I've been silent for a bit, and I wanted to show you why.

I've been having a romance of my own.

I met the man of my dreams in 2008--just before our Bozeman retreat. It seems as if only a minute has passed since that day. We've been busy...building a new world, sharing a family and living a beautiful life. The tiny one here was born October 18, 2010--Molly Rose Margaret Kathleen Morgan--she is.

And through all of this wonder, the friends, kindred spirits I found in you has not been far from my mind and heart.

I wanted to say thank you to all of you for the blessings, well wishes and love I have received. I can't wait to see you all in person. Let's start planning!

Fall Fobias

2010-09-22T13:20:00.000-06:00

It's now official. With the equinox, fall has descended. So while you're all packing away summer clothes, flip flops, bikinis and SPF 40 sunscreen, don't forget to pack away those summer phobias as well. Because winter phobias are coming on fast. With that in mind, and as gracefully as possible, I'm jettisoning…

Snapaphobia-Fear of spandex
Omphalophobia- Fear of belly buttons
Ergophobia- Fear of work
Passéaphobia-Fear of saying the words 'rad' or 'groovy'
Kachingophobia-Fear of dollar bills
_______ophobia-Fear of being invisible
Graphophobia- Fear of writing
Hunkhungaphobia-Fear of beautiful men
Macrophobia- Fear of long waits
Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia- Fear of the number 666

And diving into…

Phobophobia- Fear of phobias
Rollerderbophobia- Fear of grocery carts
Samhainophobia- Fear of Halloween
Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia- Fear of long words
Gagaphobia- Fear of infomercials
Kringlebotophobia- Fear of animated Santa dolls
Alliteratophobia- Fear of dry, draggy, drippy dialogue
Symantiphobia- Fear of phrases like the above
Editophobia- Fear of publishers
Snoraphobia- Fear of lassitude and loungitude

Pam B. Morris

Writers Wanted

2010-09-11T11:53:00.001-06:00

If you're looking for a new writing opportunity, check out BetteBoomer:

http://lindamfaulknertips.blogspot.com/2010/09/writers-wanted.html

The New Kid on the Writers Block

2010-07-11T20:36:00.001-06:00

I'm one of the newer writers in this MTRWA group, and I've been doing the rounds in the contest circuit. This spring, I finaled in the Genesis Contest and the ESPAN Page One Contest. With that same ms, I also finaled in the Virginia Romance Writers Fool for Love Contest.

I'd entered the Golden Heart and about four other contests with my Scottish historical and didn't final. So I gave up on that ms and started with this ms that I've been working on since February. But then, after a friend got back to me with her beta read of my Scottish historical (and after Jennifer Hudson Taylor's medieval Scottish inspirational came out and proved to me that the market is not dead), I decided to go back to it.

I reworked it, changed its genre, did some character work, added back in some of the historical detail I'd cut, and started in a completely new place. And I decided I might as well start entering it in contests again. Then it finaled in the Golden Claddagh. Exciting.

You might be wondering why I would be entering manuscripts in contests when I could be working on getting my ms out to editors. Well here's my story.

I have publishing credits in academic nonfiction and literary fiction. I took an MFA, I've won literary writing awards, I've taught college writing. I feel very confident in my writing pedigree.

But I've never been published in the romance genre. And as much as I've read the genre, I read all over the board. I never picked a genre (inspy, suspense, historical, what-have-you) and just really got to know it. So I have a good sense of the stories I want to tell, but they're about as all-over-the-place as my reading list. I'm having a hard time picking one and sticking with it.

As a result of having very little focus when it comes to genres, I need a lot of feedback. I need to know when I'm writing something appropriate for the genre and when I'm not.

And frankly, I don't have time to have critique partners in all eight genres I'm currently writing in. So these contests are absolutely invaluable to me. I stopped writing 20th century historicals because of my contest experience. But I don't feel bad about it. In fact, I feel like it was the best decision. I would imagine that at some point, I'll stop writing in most of the genres I'm currently in, but I need to know if I have what it takes to write in these genres, or I don't want to waste my time.

I have to admit, the not-finaling is hard. Even when I get good feedback. And the one manuscript I abandoned was not easy to leave behind. But now that I've left it, I know it was the right choice. And the finaling is probably less exciting than it should be, too. Especially after finaling in the Genesis. I even had a great "I-got-the-call" story for the Genesis, which was a lot of fun.

But I think I'm reaching the end of my contest circuit. I feel really solid in one genre, specifically, and pretty good about two others that I think I'll continue to write in on the side. I'd like to take the manuscript I have, the one that finaled in the Genesis, that I feel pretty confident with, and move forward with it. I may seem a little on the slow side as far as rushing into this world of publishing, but I don't like to do things halfway. If I'm gonna try to be published, I'm gonna kill it. And once I can really move forward with it, I'm gonna keep moving forward until I get a yes.

I did the contest thing with my whole heart. And I've been successful. I'm batting over .500. And with my main ms, I'm batting a thousand. If I can have that much luck (or blessing or whatever it is) when I start trying to get published full-throttle, I'll be happy with that. We'll see how it goes. For now, I'm happy with the success I've had. And I'm looking forward to the success in the future.

Couldn't do this without the support of my fellow writers (MTRWA, Celtic Hearts, HHRW, ESPAN, ACFW... everyone has been fantastic), and I'm really looking forward to RWA Nationals in two and a half weeks. It's going to be an exciting experience for this new kid.

Congrats to BJ Daniels!

2010-05-20T15:38:00.005-06:00

One of our very own MTRWA authors--BJ Daniels--has some very special news! And I thought it would be very fun to share it here and let everyone who hasn't heard get a chance to hear.

For the second time, she has a best-seller on her hands! On the USA Today best seller list, #63 to be specific.

I hope you'll all join me in extending congratulations to BJ for this incredible accomplishment. She's giving the rest of us (newbies and all) something to shoot for!

Congratulations, BJ. It's a well-deserved honor.

And if you haven't read her Whitehorse, Montana Winchester Ranch series yet, I highly suggest you head over to Amazon or Harlequin and check it out. Gotta love a good cowboy mystery romance. :-) Especially one that's available on Kindle. :-) Well, I do!

Scenery Research

2010-04-29T10:05:00.002-06:00

Since I'm writing my current MS about a Montana setting, doing scenery research is pretty easy for me. Most of the places I'm writing about are within driving distance of me.

There are a couple of places I need to get to this weekend that I haven't been to before, but I'm looking forward to it. The majority of the book is set in Big Sky, but some of it is set in West Yellowstone, so I'm heading down there to get some scenery research done. Here's what I mean by scenery research.

I've noticed that as I write my Scottish historical romances, I like to pick a specific place that really exists and write about that place. I like to see the vistas that my characters would have seen and let them sort of speak to me. Let them inspire me the way they would have inspired my characters.

I like to see them at different times of day, to see how they look/feel, because I notice those things in my current setting. When I'm looking out my window at 5:30pm, it looks different to me than it did at 5:30am, or at noon. The light illuminates different things, makes different shadows, hides different things and highlights different things.

When it snows, for instance, in Bozeman, I generally can't see the mountains. And it's common for a storm to move along the mountains, completely hiding the north side of the valley, along the Bridgers, but in my southern part of the valley, it's sunny and blue skies, along the Hyalites. I think that's important to know. Because I like my scenery to be part of the story, as well.

What about you? Do you do scenery research? Do you write about places you've been, or where you live? Can you tell if someone hasn't done their scenery research?

What Are You, Exactly?

2010-04-19T22:01:00.001-06:00

I was having a conversation the other day with an out-of-stater who had never been to Montana. He asked me what the capital was. Of course, I said, Butte.

Just kidding. I said Helena. He asked me how big Helena was. I said, "I think it's under 50,000."

"Miles?"

"No," I said. "People. The population."

He asked if we had any major cities. I told him that our biggest city was Billings, and it had just over 100,000. People. Not miles. He was completely silent. It was awkward.

"How big is the whole state?" he asked.

I told him it was just over 1 million, but we were crossing our fingers that it had grown enough in the 2010 census that we might actually get another electoral college vote. "How many do you have now?" he wondered.

"Three. And only because they can't give us any less than that."

"Do you realize that your entire state contains less people than the city I live in?" We were currently in Portland, his hometown and current residence.

I did, in fact, realize that. I used to live there. One of the weirdest experiences as an 18-year-old was when I realized that there were more people attending my college than there were in my entire home county (Sheridan).

"How big is the city you live in?" he asked.

"50,000 people."

"So that's not even a real city, then? Is it? I mean, you're not really an urban area."

"Oh no! There is no really urban area in the whole state. In fact, if we're honest, there's not a real urban area between Spokane and Minneapolis, between Denver and Calgary."

"But you're not really rural, either? You said you have a mall. A Target. A Starbucks."

"We're not really rural either. And we can't be sub-urban, because there's no urban to sub."

"Then what are you, exactly?"

"Y'know, I don't think they have a word for us." And that sentence right there sums up why I love living in this state. There really isn't a word for us.

Except maybe awesome.

#1 Baby, Yeah!

2010-04-05T22:22:00.001-06:00

Just had to put a little post tonight, after Duke just won the national championship. I know it's not really writing-centric, but it's such a huge part of my life.

My pen name is Rebecca Cameron. I chose that name because of Cameron Indoor Stadium, home of the Duke Blue Devils in Durham, NC. I have been a Duke fan for.ev.er. I've been a college basketball fan for most of my life, and played the game when until my second year of college, when I went to MSU and was no longer good enough to make the team. But I love basketball, and am so proud of Duke. Basketball, if not Duke specifically, will almost always have some kind of place in every story and novel that I have written so far, and hopefully every novel I will write in the future. I love writing athletics into my stories. I think it makes for some diversity.

Also, this year, I got a chance to see Duke play live in Madison Square Garden. This team, the championship team. I got to see them play live in maybe the most incredible basketball royalty venue in the country. And they won! Of course, they beat Gonzaga, so I was sad for the Zags (my sister's team). But today, I am just so happy for Duke's big win.

Granted, I loved Butler's team, and their coach, and their story. But I just can't be sad that Duke won. It was arguably the best championship game in almost fifteen years.

So I'm just happy today. Loving this moment. And for the next six months, I can rest on this laurel. Duke Blue Devils. National Champions. 2010. Rock On.

Thanks for sharing in my happiness. :-) Now, we can return to our previously scheduled programming... :-)

Our Great State

2010-03-30T11:20:00.001-06:00

Sometimes I feel like Montana has a one-dimensional image in the public eye. Most people who read fictional literature written about our state can probably describe that image with ease.

Realistically, Montana is a giant and very diverse place. Yes, we tend to lean Republican in national elections (although the only people who know that are probably from here, because our electoral vote is tiny), but that's about the only thing that's consistent here. Montana is anything but one-dimensional! Anything but flat (topographically, culturally, metaphorically... any "-ally" you want... even though we lean Presidentially Republican, we have a Democratic governor, just for instance).

For instance, if you take I-90 across the state, it takes you almost fourteen hours to cross Montana (if you go the speed limit, which, let's face it, we rarely do). And when you cross one border, near the Teddy Roosevelt National Park, you are in a very different culture/topography than when you cross the other border, in the midst of the Lolo National Forest, and near Wallace, ID (where Dante's Peak was filmed).

Montana's culture is not just the cowboy west. And it's not just the mountains. Yes, our total population as a state is less than the city of Portland, but that collection of 1 million+ people is as diverse as any urban area of similar size (perhaps not as racially diverse as a place like Portland or Minneapolis, although all the Montana cities seem to be much more racially diverse than they were when I grew up here). But culturally, we are very diverse.

For instance. It's very common for different areas in Montana to have unique cultures based on the immigrants who settled here. My area of the state (especially living right on the border, where a lot of Scottish immigrants crossed over from Canada in the early 20th centuray) was very Scottish and Norwegian. The area I went to high school (farther toward the center of the state) was very German. To the point where it wasn't uncommon for my classmates' grandparents to speak German in their home because they were immigrants. Most of my classmates' parents, while being first-generation immigrants, were also bilingual. In the area I currently live (around Bozeman), there are huge pockets of Dutch culture. And, of course, Butte (also known as Butte America) is famous for its Irish culture. We've all heard stories about St. Patty's Day in Butte (or been part of stories ourselves...).

As opposed to most places in the East and South, the West is pretty new. So most of us, in these rural areas especially, are more connected to our recent immigrant roots than people whose families emigrated in the 16th and 17th centuries. My dad is a first generation American. And that's not uncommon for people of his age, where I grew up. My family hasn't even been in America for 100 years yet. Many of the buildings in Bozeman (where I currently live) are less than a century old.

Then, you have the different cultures based on geography or topography. The rural cultures of the northeast and the north central and the northwest are very different. Their geography creates a different culture. While agriculture might be a commonality across the state, the types of agriculture even create different cultures. A cultural truism that holds fast in Eureka might not be the same for Sidney. And something that is true of Billings might not be true of Missoula. What about a major University culture in Malta? Or a wheat farm in St. Regis? Or a logging industry in Plentywood (that's where I grew up... funny story.. no trees!)? We have two Thai restaurants in Bozeman. And an Indian restaurant. Yes, we also have rodeos and cowboy hats, cattle ranchers and farmers, but that it not the sum of the parts of Montana. I would like to see a book about the biofilm culture in Bozeman. Or the writing culture in Missoula. Or the medical culture in Billings. Or the college culture in Glendive. Or the snowboarding culture of Big Sky. Or the art culture in Kalispell.

We are a great state. And not just in the "we're awesome" way. Also in the big, bold, and different way. Montana isn't just the home of cowboys and farmers. It's also home to scientists, restauranteurs, hippies, musicians, techies, actors, doctors, chefs, athletes, artists, clothing designers, etc.

And, of course, as everyone here can attest, fabulous writers! :-)

What do you think? What are the major stereotypes you see in writing about Montana? What do you love about books set in Montana? What particular part of Montanan culture do you write about?

**Stop by my blog (New Kid on the Writers Block) to see what I have to say about fictional stories set specifically in Bozeman--my hometown.**
***Also, all photography in this post is mine. Courtesy of... well... me.***

March's madness

2010-03-19T23:51:00.000-06:00

Metaphor begot Anecdote who begot Allegory who begot Paradox who begot Parabolical …

As a paranormal writer, and a Jungian, I can be over-the-top obsessive about my use of metaphors. Sometimes to the point of, well, redundancy. So I went on a quest. First to expand my use of figurative language… properly. And second, to understand the differences between said literary devices and so change the ramifications of my wrong-doing. My quest (an archetypal metaphor for a bunch of research) led me to enlightenment, the point of any quest. Or metaphor!

Simply put, a metaphor is "a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something in which it is not literally applicable." (Random House Dictionary) The most common example I found during my research was Shakespeare's "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players..."

In the depths of our writer bones we know the metaphor as concrete, an essence brought to life by our words. Yes, it is figurative, but also so much more. It becomes the descriptive language of our imagination, the voice of that part of our brain wanting to communicate but which is inaccessible to our conscious mind. Symbolic language defines, in specific terms, the sensations, emotions and images our subconscious understands and is aching to express. This figurative language is a writer's most important tool, allowing our creative souls to speak in universal, vivid pictures that bind us mind to mind, heart to heart, to our readers.

There are many different kinds of metaphors; mixed metaphors where you start with one comparison and switch to another that has nothing to do with the first. Paralogical metaphors, or anti-metaphors, where there is no relationship between the symbol and the image. And there is the dead metaphor, which is our anti-friend, the cliché. An extended metaphor is a parable (see below) narrated as an anecdote (see below). I could go on and on…

An anecdote is "a short narrative concerning an interesting event." (Again Random House). An anecdote can be, should be, metaphorical. In dialogue, it screams, shouts, echoes, defines in bold print anything you, as a writer, want to scream, shout, echo, define… you get the picture. And never forget a picture is worth a thousand words. (I bit my fingernails raw trying to come up with a few witty examples to further elucidate these terms. But I can only bash my head against a brick wall so many times before I let the bird in the hand go. [a mostly dead metaphor in an anecdote with a mixed metaphor!])

An allegory is "a figurative treatment of one subject under the guise of another." (ditto citation) In other words, a metaphorical narrative. Or painting, interestingly enough. An allegory can be anecdotal and an anecdote can be allegorical. During my quest, I found many claims by literary critics that Tolkein's Lord of the Rings was an allegory of World War I. The man himself despised these claims, stating his works were just stories, fantasies. You can draw your own conclusions based on seeking parallel meanings and the extrapolation of data within the trilogy. But… even though allegory sounds like an archaic literary term thanks to Pilgrim's Progress (a true allegory), it can still be a very effective rhetorical device when used properly... or when creatively tweaked.

A paradox is "a statement seemingly self-contradictory but in reality expressing a possible truth." In simpler terms, a person, place or event, even an anecdote, possessing what seems to be a dual nature, one in direct opposition to itself. One aspect of character that conflicts with another in the same character, situation or dramatic interlude. Can't you just imagine the possibilities that do, when push comes to shove, also include the impossible? The most specific, simplest reference is the classic story of Oedipus. Oedipus, left on a hillside as a baby to die because prophecy says he is destined to destroy his kingdom, lives instead. He grows up and without knowing it, kills his own father, marries his mother and becomes king. In doing these things, he does indeed bring down chaos and destruction.

Parabolical is "in the form of, or expressed by a parable." (citations from New World Dictionary, Random bailed on me.) A parable is "a short, simple story from which a moral lesson may be drawn; it is usually an allegory." It is also mathematical. A parabola is where the arc of a curve angles back on itself above and below the x axis. Straight forward, right? We were raised on parables, from the bible, from Aesop's, from our parent's. They are indeed rhetorical tools that can illustrate, demonstrate or emphasize a theme, concept, even a characterization. They are core parts of our psyche, of everyone's psyche, and in my opinion, underrated and under-used as a figurative device. This rather loose narrative is, perhaps, something of a parable.

A parody is… no, won't go there. That would be opening a whole new dead metaphor (can of worms)! Signing off, but only because I should. Pam B. Morris

That's One Cold Ocean...

2010-03-09T00:11:00.000-07:00

About a month ago, I was contacted to put on a World Building Workshop for Fiction Writers. Tonight was that workshop, and it went very well. I'm posting a few of the things I talked about here, and will probably do a 3-part series on my own blog, as well as guesting on Emily Bryan's blog, where I will go into more depth.

Here are a few of my thoughts on world-building:

There is nothing more frustrating as a fiction reader than being dropped into the ocean. A metaphorical ocean, anyway. The proverbial iceberg analogy (typically used for psychological mobility) runs something like 10/90, I think. Ten percent of what we know is on the surface, accessible. Ninety percent is below the surface. Like an iceberg. I hold that this analogy works for fiction as well. Writers create a story on the page that really only encompasses ten percent of the world; the other ninety percent is backstory, history, rules, etc. When I read a story, I take a step out onto the surface of the ice, and if the worldbuilding isn't done effectively, I fall into the freezing ocean. If there are flaws or holes or a lack of foundation in the worldbuilding, I fall into the ocean. And writers, you don't want your audience in the ocean.

Think of some of the really fantastic worldbuilding that has been done in the last 100 years. Books like Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings come to mind, as do movies like Star Wars and Avatar. Harry Potter, the boy wizard, lives in a world where magic does not exist. Until it does. And then he finds out that there's a whole alternate reality where magic is the norm. J.K. Rowling literally created another world inside the world we inhabit. J.R.R. Tolkien, on the other hand, created a completely new world. One with languages and people groups with histories and futures, mythologies, cultures, and countries that are unique to themselves. George Lucas reinterpreted a combination of Japanese feudalism and medieval European crusade culture, set it in "the past" in an alternate reality, and created a whole new world around it.

What do these worlds all have in common? Consistency. They have an internal consistency that makes them works of worldbuilding art. If you were to ask me to reduce the practice of worldbuilding into one word, it would be consistency. No flaws, no holes, no falling into the ocean. How do you, the 21st century writer, create a world with that kind of symmetry?

Well, you'll have to come over to my blog for the Six Big Questions of Worldbuilding. "Who, What, When, Where, Why, How." This is part of the "Why", and tune in to both the MTRWA blog and my NKotWB blog for more!

Special Speaker Janice Hanna Thompson

2010-03-07T22:28:00.003-07:00

We were blessed to have author/teacher Janice Hanna Thompson, an ACFW member, visit our RWA (Romance Writer's of America) chapter here in Montana.

Barbara Starmer, Janice H. Thompson, Clare Wood

Janice spoke to our group on freelance writing (and making money as a writer!) and on Plotting the Writing Career. We all so enjoyed her teaching and can tell you that if you have the opportunity to get into a class with Janice, you will be not only taught well, but taught practical information to guide your career into the future! Fabulous! More! More!

Janice teaches on how to make a living as a writer.

Books? Of course we bought books! :-)

Barbara Starmer, author of Angel & The Outlaw, Janice H. Thompson, Angie Breidenbach having a great time together March 6th, 2010 MRW meeting.

We enjoyed Janice very much and look forward to having her back again if she comes through Montana. Excellent teaching from an American Christian Fiction Writer member to Romance Writers of America chapter.

Janice lives in Texas and writes humorous novels like Fools Rush In, Swinging On A Star, and many others. You can visit Janice's website to learn more at http://www.janiceathompson.com/ to learn more, look up courses you might need, and find excellent Christian fiction and non-fiction.

Our April meeting will be in support of Joanne Kennedy as she travels through Montana and plans to sign and meet readers:

Friday evening, April 16th, at the Barnes & Noble in Bozeman.

Saturday afternoon (2-4PM), April 17th, at the B&N in Billings.

Sunday afternoon (2-4PM), April 18th, at the B&N in Missoula.

Leave a comment and let us know if you'd like to attend one of our meetings or join the group.

Angie Breidenbach

PR Officer, Montana Romance Writers

PR Officer, ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers.)

Cabin Fever anyone?

2010-02-18T22:29:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's that dead time of year! And just so you're clear, you have cabin fever when:

*The voices in your head are screaming to buy ice cream and twinkies instead of plotting boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl to 87 year old billionaire.

*Your leading man starts to resemble your high school crush instead of
a)Brad b)George c)Hugh d)Christian e)all of the above

*Snow is no longer white because you're seeing red.

*You create facebook pages for all your characters.

*Your bedroom fantasies are more about sleeping than a)Brad b)George c)Hugh d)Christian e)all of the above

*You've gone through the Bailey's Irish Cream and are substituting grain alcohol and cocoa in your morning coffee.

*Happy Hour is when you hit REM sleep.

*Your right brain decides to play hide and seek with your left brain. Your left brain shuts down operations. Your characters stage a coup and you are diagnosed with multiple personalities.

Kissing winter bye-bye and looking out for the first robin of spring. Pam B. Morris

Making what you can work

2010-01-21T23:11:00.000-07:00

My one resolution for 2019 is to blog once a month and once again, I missed my 15th deadline. Guess I dragged too much baggage across that hopeful, magical and semi-pristine line we pretend marks the end of one year and the beginning of the next. So here's some easy to keep resolutions for this auspicious new year. They're easy, can be ignored at will, added to or subtracted from and best of all make one feel really accomplished! Inspired creativity to you all! Pam B. Morris

2010 Make Believe Resolutions

1. Pretend as often as you can get away with.
2. Pretend all your written words are gold piling up in some bank vault.
3. Pretend spring starts tomorrow (and the sun always shines).
4. Pretend you're as beautiful, stacked, sexy and smart as any heroine.
5. Pretend winter weight gain is all in your head, i.e. your extraordinary brain.
6. Pretend you don't have to wait for "all good things to come".
7. Pretend The Force is with you… always.
8. Pretend a "roll in the hay" trumps "saving pennies for a rainy day."
9. Pretend to write with the wit of Shakespeare, the insight of Dickens and the charm of Austen.
10. Pretend my straightjacket isn't too small and forever pinching me.

Christmas squeeze

2009-12-15T23:02:00.000-07:00

I don't know about other writers but I'm just getting into my winter writing rhythmn when the part of Christmas I like least, eater of time and energy, wraps its hungry arms around me. Don't get me wrong, I love the spirit of Christmas, family dinners, twinkly lights, love, perfect gifts and all that jazz (though I'd die happy if I never saw another new spin on Dicken's The Christmas Carol!) So here's something to take some of the ba out of ba-humbug...

Pam's Twelve Days of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas my writing gave to me,
A romance full of death and tragedy.

On the second day of Christmas my writing gave to me,
Two hero's gay and a romance full of death and tragedy.

On the third day of Christmas my writing gave to me,
A three heroine cat-fight, two hero's gay,
And a romance full of death and tragedy.

On the fourth day of Christmas my writing gave to me,
Four plots that don't work, a three heroine cat-fight, two hero's gay,
And a romance full of death and tragedy.

On the fifth day of Christmas my writing gave to me,
Five 'Dear Jane' letters.
Four plots that don't work, a three heroine cat-fight, two hero's gay,
And a romance full of death and tragedy.

On the sixth day of Christmas my writing gave to me,
Six chicks on spring break,
Five 'Dear Jane' letters.
Four plots that don't work, a three heroine cat-fight, two hero's gay,
And a romance full of death and tragedy.

On the seventh day of Christmas my writing gave to me,
Seven lads proposing, six chicks on spring break,
Five 'Dear Jane' letters.
Four plots that don't work, a three heroine cat-fight, two hero's gay,
And a romance full of death and tragedy.

On the eight day of Christmas my writing gave to me,
Eight newborn babies, seven lads proposing, six chicks on spring break,
Five 'Dear Jane' letters.
Four plots that don't work, a three heroine cat-fight, two hero's gay,
And a romance full of death and tragedy.

On the ninth day of Christmas my writing gave to me,
Nine murder headlines, eight newborn babies, seven lads proposing,
Six chicks on spring break,
Five 'Dear Jane' letters.
Four plots that don't work, a three heroine cat-fight, two hero's gay,
And a romance full of death and tragedy.

On the tenth day of Christmas my writing gave to me,
Ten years a-passing, nine murder headlines, eight newborn babies,
Seven lads proposing, six chicks on spring break,
Five 'Dear Jane' letters.
Four plots that don't work, a three heroine cat-fight, two hero's gay,
And a romance full of death and tragedy.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my writing gave to me,
Eleven school yard crushes, ten years a-passing, nine murder headlines,
Eight newborn babies, seven lads proposing, six chicks on spring break,
Five 'Dear Jane' letters.
Four plots that don't work, a three heroine cat-fight, two hero's gay,
And a romance full of death and tragedy.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my writing took a dive,
Twelve happy endings, eleven school yard crushes, ten years a-passing,
Nine murder headlines, eight newborn babies, seven lads proposing, six chicks on spring break,
Five 'Dear Jane' letters.
Four plots that don't work, a three heroine cat-fight, two hero's gay,
And a romance full of love with all alive!

Love and Merry Makings to you all this Holiday Season, Pam Morris

Second Time Around FINALS in EPIC's 2010 eBook Competition

2009-11-15T13:16:00.000-07:00

I received word this morning that, Second Time Around, my debut mystery, is a finalist in the Mystery/Suspense Fiction category of EPIC's 2010 eBook Competition.

EPIC (Electronically Published Internet Connection) is a professional organization of published and contracted eBook and print writers. Their annual awards, formerly called the EPPIEs, "showcase the best and brightest in today's electronic published writing and cover art." The winners of the EPIC awards will be announced at their annual conference, which is being held March 4-7, 2010 at the Sheraton New Orleans, in New Orleans, Louisiana.

I share this honor with my editors, Herb Holeman and Judy Goldman, and all the people at ePress Online who helped bring STA to both eBook and print format.

Everyone Else

2009-04-17T14:21:00.000-06:00

maggie and milly and molly and may

maggie and milly and molly and may
went down to the beach(to play one day)

and maggie discovered a shell that sang
so sweetly she couldn't remember her troubles,and

milly befriended a stranded star
whose rays five languid fingers were;

and molly was chased by a horrible thing
which raced sideways while blowing bubbles:and

may came home with a smooth round stone
as small as a world and as large as alone.

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me)
it's always ourselves we find in the sea

By e e cummings

As an English teacher, I always tell my students there is e e cummings and then there is everyone else. I am surprised that he is the poet I chose for this month's bit. Why not chose William Shakespeare? After all he has an April birthday. That would make sense. Many believe he is The Great Writer. I believe it. And cummings writes of simple things...

Maybe simple is good. Maybe we don't need more.

Simple images...Sunset afternoons with popsicle sticky fingers, curling mist among the trees...can mean so much.

Isn't it the simple things in life that bring the greatest pleasure.

I don't know anything better than a little voice saying, "I love you" at the end of the day. I don't know if there is a food that tastes better than a dish made by the hand of a friend. I don't know if there is a vision that is better than the view that touches our hearts.

So maybe it would be okay if we were ee cummings for a time. Simple images, simple words, simple thoughts. Simple, yet powerful!

March Madness

2009-03-19T23:56:00.000-06:00

I get sucker-punched every year by the "Ides of March" (Remember Shakespeare's soothsayer telling Julius Caesar to "Beware the ides of March"?) The 'ides' is the fifteenth of March, (my posting day which I may or may not have consciously or subconsciously forgotten)! But I do readily admit to being infected with March Madness. And I'm not talking about basketball.
My theory is that cabin fever got it's rep in the 1800's when fur traders and miners snowed into the back of beyond ran out of their winter stock of booze. In March. So they started "shooting" from the bottom of the barrel, chugging gut-rotting moonshine and grain alcohol meant for medicinal use only. The deadly symptoms of March Madness immediately manifested; obsessive quick draw gunplay, bird delusions which involved flight from high places, cravings for female and/or male flesh (alive and/or dead… i.e. Donner party). But whether we tipple or not, all of us here in the north suffer some form of March Madness, that crazy eagerness to unpack the hot pants and capri's, brightly paint our shriveled, sun-deprived toenails or sprawl in the sun mostly naked.
My Ground Hog's Day test (conducted on March 15th) where I check how much more winter we have left is this: (and you may want to try it yourself). I go outside, spit into the wind and if spit flies back in my face I know we have at least six weeks left before I have to shave my legs. Six more interminable weeks. My writing's already gone south and I can't follow. My plots puddling, my character's faces blur into Picasso-esc montages and their motives gravitate towards Hawaiin beaches and dark skinned native men. With hot tattoos.
Meanwhile I'm loosing track of days, which really messes with my bathing schedule. I have unnatural dreams about Cheetos (don't even ask) and I've watched so much television I've OD'd on male-enhancement commercials and am having gender issues! I mean, every romance writer needs a healthy dose of 'penis envy' (as long as it's kept in perspective!) But I'm here to tell you Freud barely scratched the surface where my Oedipal, Medea and Titus Andronicus complexes are concerned.
So what to do when March Madness roars in like a lion? I go to my happy place. (Not that happy place, though if it works for you, go for it). I pretty much head the opposite direction (no pun intended) and let my inner child loose. The three year old in me that counts diggers and dozers and cement trucks while I drive. The six year old with missing front teeth that lisps everything I say, and slips in inappropriate swear words just to see if someone's paying attention. I caw at crows, chase the dog who's chasing his tail, catch snowflakes on my tongue, build a blanket fort and take a nap in it. I open my child eyes and see. Minute details of everyday life grow in magnitude. I find pine cones the squirrel's have stripped to nubs and remember painting these green to use as trees in a diorama once. I hunt pussy willows, Frisbee frozen cow-pies at fence posts, stomp ice puddles, ride the back of the couch like it's a race horse, cry when I'm sad, whimper over a sore throat, draw and color, cut and paste, mash marshmallows to goo between my fingers. I make no apologies, it's March Madness.
Me as adult and me as writer arm wrestle constantly over the appropriateness of pretending. It's my curse. But if during March Madness my inner child can't come out to play, a blot, a goiter, a cancer begins to stain my writing. The story sucks, I overwrite, rewrite, deconstruct the write until it's too mangled to make right!
You know what my inner child says then? "You're not having enough fun. So let's pretend. And it's okay to color outside the lines."
Writers are children at heart and a child must play. So let March Madness go out like a lamb, tail wriggling happily. Then look for your inner child in the mirror until she shines in your eyes, give her a slobbery kiss and say, "Let's make mud pies out of April showers."

Keep the old head above water 'til next month, Pam Morris

Setting IS Powerful

2009-03-09T13:11:00.000-06:00

I was one of the lucky people in our country to be in Washington DC on inauguration day for President Obama. It is not that day I want to discuss, but the day preceding.

I’d like to take you with me as I reminisce about the Lincoln Memorial and what an impact it has made on my memory. I’d like to tell you what it was like to stand on the steps of the most powerful court in the land and how thrilling it was to even just look at the words, The Library of Congress. I’d like to show you how seeing the Capital Building shimmering white in the setting sun filled my heart with pride at being a citizen of this country. I’d like to share with you the deep sense of joy and hope that permeated the air that day as I walked the paths with thousands of others to visit the monuments and memorials.

But, that is not what I want to discuss.

I believe as writers we all have a bit of magic tucked away in our brains. The ancients called it our muse. Through the ages it has been labeled insanity, imagination, lunacy, inspiration. As writers we have all experienced this shot of realization, this startling of an idea. I definitely felt it that day.

All around us music flowed. People laughed. There was joy and hope flitting on the cool breeze. The sky was damp, but no rain fell. It was the optimism of the day that kept it away. The path led us onward as we felt a camaraderie with perfect strangers.

Rising from the ground was the black mirrored image of the Vietnam Memorial. And for the first time that day I felt an ache deep in my heart. I saw my reflection in the black marble, my hair tossed by the wind. My skin felt hot as tears stung cold on my cheeks. I am a daughter of this war. My family, my loved ones, my father, my uncles all gave pieces of their lives for the sake of lines on a map. I know what it is to see a soldier beaten down, defeated. I know what it is to see his bent back, his lowered head. Seeming to all of those around him that there is no more. No more hope. No more life. No more dreams. But he does not fall. Like the heroes of old he rises with some unseen strength, with pride burning out from his eyes.

I stood with my hand against the cold stone, feeling the beating hearts of the men who had given their last breath for their country. Hearing the Bye, bye miss American Pie lyrics blaring on the radio and the muffled, deep thomp, thomp, thomp of the Huey helicopter as it flew overhead. Circling us, protecting us as it had done all those years ago. I felt as if I had been transported back to 1969.

And even as I grieved for men I never met and felt sorrow for those who stood with roses in their hands, the writer in me learned a lesson. There is no other place where this could have happened to me as a human. No other time, no other moment. Each aspect of it is filled with symbolism and metaphor. I couldn’t have written it to be as real as it was. In transferring that to my fiction writers mind, I see how important it is to have the place in which the characters interact be as large as the characters themselves. Setting is powerful.

Blog Author Interviews

2009-02-23T21:30:00.000-07:00

I have been extremely fortunate that other writers I know have helped me market and promote myself and my new release, Second Time Around. I've been interviewed on Blog Talk Radio and on a few blogs; other writers have also placed links to my website on theirs and have passed my name around to others for marketing and promotion purposes.

In an effort to assist other published writers with their marketing and promotion, I've begun to interview authors on my blog and to post announcements of new releases, reviews, appearances, etc. Please visit www.lindamfaulknertips.blogspot.com to check things out and make your request!

Linda Faulkner
www.lindamfaulkner.com
www.lindamfaulkner.blogspot.com

2009-02-17T00:03:00.000-07:00

How lucky for me that this month my posting day came right after Valentine's Day. As a kid I loved the splashy reds and pink color everywhere, getting sweetly innocent 'Be Mine' notes in the decorated boxes we got out of math to make. I really liked the smarmy, commercial punch out Valentine's with Mighty Mouse, Cinderella, The Hulk. They were way cool to collect because in my family our sweet missives were always homemade out of stinky paste, construction paper, doilies and glitter. Totally uncool. Needless to say, I grew jaded of Valentine mush at an early age.
These days, it seems like Valentine's Day is all about play. Getting your groove on, copping some booty, gathering the bling. Clichés are everywhere, debauching real romantic love like strings of phony zircon jewelry. So I decided to take some of our cliché friends for a little spin.

1. Diamonds are a girl's best friend! Yeah, maybe… but only if it's the Hope Diamond. 'Cause here's the facts. "Hard, shiny, sparkling bright, but nothing warm to hold at night" plays waaay better!

Not a proper spin? Okay.

2. Everyone deserves a second chance! And a third, maybe a fourth. Possibly a ninth or tenth!

Not clever enough? You're right.

3. Roses are red, ice is cold. Come on to me, 'cause I like bold!

Too tame? This one's better.

4. A hard man is good too find!

Oops! Inappropriate even for a romance writers blog? Then perhaps this says more...

5. Love is like banking. You only gain interest with frequent deposits. And no withdrawals!

Okay, way inappropriate. But surely no worse than:

6. Is that a gun in your pocket or…
a) just loose change?
b) have you gone nuts?
c) are you driving a stick shift these days?
d) have you seen the latest Sport's Illustrated swimsuit edition?
e) Astro-glide!

I could go on… and on. Here's another from the infamous Mae West.

7. If you ever need me, whistle. Y'know, just put your lips together and blow!

Not funny? Guess you had to be there…

8. Yes, but will you still respect me in the morning?
Spin a) Since you've tried the milk, will you buy the cow?
Spin b) Now that you've kicked the tires will you still take me for a test drive?
Spin c) Sure, but then can you wear the handcuffs in the morning?
Spin d) Cool, but can you also put my navel stud back in with your tongue?

Yeah… enough already.

9. Love is blind. I like this cliché because it works as theme, plot and in any scenario you can imagine. But no one spins it better than Shakespeare. "Love looks not with the eyes but with the mind. And therefore wing'd Cupid is painted blind." (And naked come to think about it. Mmm!)

But trashing the cliché's aside and getting down to the true heart of the matter…

10. Love is what you make of it. So, why not check out your bank account?!

Ta 'til next month, Pam Morris

Second Time Around released on Fictionwise today

2009-01-26T19:58:00.000-07:00

Second Time Around is now available as an eBook from Fictionwise (http://www.fictionwise.com/eBooks/eBook79946.htm); the release date of the Amazon trade paperback is expected by mid-February.

For more details about Second Time Around, visit my web site at: www.lindamfaulkner.com.

Linda Faulkner

2009-01-12T18:26:00.001-07:00

I'm Pam Morris, secretary of our newly begun but already highly adventurous Montana chapter of Romance Writers of America. I've picked the fifteenth of the month for my posting day. My hope is it will help me stay disciplined and keep at least one toe planted in reality long enough to track days passing.

Yep, like a lot of you, in winter I default to hermit mode. From there I dive into dozens of characters, a myriad of plot lines, mythic themes, humorous scenarios. And get lost. So of course, I start January completely unfocused. And over the top optimistic. I set unrealistic goals, reread and rewrite what I've already drummed to death with verbiage. The truth is in winter my perspective gets skewed (a bit more than usual!) and I don't have the presence of mind to even realize it.

In winter, I miss the sun and even chocolate can't take the place of a radiating molten orb! I forget that years of rejection letters and learning to write while working and raising a family will pay off because I deserve it. I start believing I'll never crack the publishing barrier. That no one in the business will ever read what I create.

And then Self-doubt slimes me big time.

Does this sound like the person who looks back at you in the mirror? For me, depression sets deep into my bones. Along with the darkest winter blues. Double wammy. And that's when I pull out my tried and true anti-blues remedies. I start by reading Joseph Campbell (and if you haven't read him, you're missing out on a story-dreamers best friend.) He writes about mythology and symbols and Jungian psychology. What he defines for us as writers and people are the properties of the deep, internal workings of mind, soul and character. How cool is that?

Then I take a dip into Shakespeare and no, I'm not a literary snob. Or at least not on purpose. Reading Shakespeare reminds me of the versatility of language, how using and mis-using words leads to puns, exploitative humor and misdirection. And how dopey, often idiotic and un-credible plot lines can still bring the magic. Fact, no matter who writes or gets published, intriguing characters plus good story-telling equals fun on a page. Or between the covers of, among other things, a book (like, hello… romance writers)!

And if none of the above makes me feel intelligent enough to climb out of bed each day and open my laptop, I start reading Care of the Soul; a guide for cultivating depth and sacredness in everyday life, by Thomas Moore, yet again. I always start this tender, self affirming book and rarely finish it because before too long I begin to refocus. I start to matter to myself again and remember that I write for me, not publishers. That I LOVE to write, words are candy for my brain synapses and making up stories I'd like to read completes me.
I am what I am. And you all know who that is. So here's to the successes 2009 will bring all of us, huh?

Signing off with a ta for now, Pam

On the Eve of the New Year

2008-12-31T12:46:00.000-07:00

On the eve of the New Year I find that I learned a valuable lesson this year. It is not one of those earth shattering epiphany types, but a subtle reminder of what was once.

A small digression would better serve as an explanation...

As writers we've come to know that we have been such all of our lives. Our imaginations soared as children, we were overly nosy and overtly observant of all that existed in our worlds and others, we scribbled on any scrap of unimportant paper...and no the phone book is not important. We lived in foreign lands where we were the only ones who knew the language and customs, never realizing that coming back to "real" life on earth would be a difficult transition to make. In our daily lives we meet people who fall into many categories. Some of which are "Can't wait to add them to my next scene", "I would definitely dress her differently", "That's a great line", "That's a great name, but it's not your name", and my personal favorite..."That would make a great murder weapon".

As writers we grow, we learn, we progress. There are certain milestones I believe we all strive for, finishing that first book, talking to that first agent, receiving that first rejection letter, buying that first laptop, investing in that first hand-held recorder, joining that first writers group, selling that first book and on and on.

We become so driven, so focused on the dream we have before us that many of the simple things, the things that make writing so wonderful begin drift out of perspective. Which brings me to my point, my lesson so delicately learned.

For a Christmas present this holiday season I had planned this brilliant gift only a writer could devise. I needed a computer, a word processing program, a printer, sturdy paper and a clever pen. It turned out all I had was the sturdy paper and the clever pen. For about a day I was stumped. But, not wanting to give up on this gift I'd planned, I began creating it, building it, making it...writing it from scratch.

As it turns out, the gift was so much more appreciated than a computer generated one would have been. It was more personal, had more love attached to it. And the lesson was learned. Of all the trapping writers have, all the gadgets, gizmos and things that make our lives easier what is necessary is very simple.

So as we begin the New Year my wish for you is that you snuggle into your imaginary land with your sturdy paper and clever pen...and simply, write that master piece.

Rachel

Book Cover for "Second Time Around"

2008-10-16T23:17:00.000-06:00

Here's the book cover for Second Time Around. Cover artist Steph Lambert owns luella design here in Missoula, so, if you want to work with a local artist, just let me know.

Hope you have a great time at the retreat!

Linda Faulkner
www.lindamfaulkner.com
www.lindamfaulkner.blogspot.com

Montana Royalty by B.J. Daniels

2008-09-25T10:38:00.001-06:00

Angie Breidenbach here: Today I'd like to introduce B. J. Daniels and her new book, Montana Royalty.

Angie: BJ, tell us a little about your book.

BJ: It's the seventh book in the Whitehorse, Montana series and the third book in the series to make the top ten on Borders series bestseller list. The series is centered around families living in Whitehorse and an illegal adoption ring long run by the little old ladies of the Whitehorse Sewing Circle.

Angie: Oooh, that's creative and fun! What else are you working on?

BJ: I am currently working on my 45th book and just sold another 6 in the Whitehorse series.

Angie: What's it about?

BJ: The five Corbett brothers hit Whitehorse in April, May and June with Shotgun Bride, Hunting Down the Horseman and Big Sky Dynasty and Smokin' Six-Shooter next September and Hotter than a Forty-Five next December. The mysterious family, the Winchesters, will show up in the next six books after that.

Angie: How did you come up with that idea?

BJ: I started the series originally with just six books in mind, but it has caught on so well and there seem to be so many mysteries as the adopted babies, now grown, keep turning up. I'm having a ball writing it!

Angie: And that's why we write anyway, isn't it? We just have a ball up here in the Montana Romance Writers RWA chapter. Thanks for sharing, BJ.

BJ Thank you :-D

Sacred Ground by Rita Karnopp

2008-09-15T21:15:00.001-06:00

Sacred Ground

This book tells of dreams and legends; of the struggle to overcome fear and prejudice. Beautiful, tender and full of love, it tugs at the heartstrings. Five red roses, Anne

SACRED GROUND- Excerpt

The newborn struggled to get to his feet, and then dropped to the ground.

"Yahoo!" Sean shouted, jumping with excitement.

"Kyai-yo! Lance added. He turned to his friend. "It means I am surprised," he explained.

Willow smiled and quickly grew serious. "It doesn't look good, Brett," she stated, glancing at him. In the distance she heard the warning grumble of thunder.

"Tell that old man to stop that noise! It's grinding on my nerves," Brett snapped, his disposition tense.

"He's my Grandfather. Apologize!" Lance shouted, standing, his feet spread.

"I apologize, Antelope Tipi," Brett stated in a loud, monologue tone. "Looks like the kid has more grit than his old man," Brett said, in a light-hearted tone, then lowered his gaze. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean...I didn't...you know...the guys dead and all. It slipped―"

"Enough!" Willow interrupted. "The next time you make a statement like that in front of Lance, you'll be sorry," she stated under her breath. She grew quiet watching Brett pump with a hand bulb, sucking mucus out of the calf's mouth. "Will he make it?" she asked, afraid to hear the answer.

"He's breathing. Best I can do for now. We need to get the mother finished up, and then we'll see what more can be done."

Willow watched Brett press here and there. She realized he'd been helping Thunder pass the afterbirth. He seemed confident and knowing in his actions. She also noticed how quiet he'd become. "How's Thunder doing?" Willow asked in a low, hushed tone.

"Some name for a wild buffalo," he stated, shaking his head.

Willow watched him, wondering what he was thinking. All the while he stitched up her precious buffalo; she thought how much he must be hoping the ancient animal died. She couldn't forget how much he hated her buffalo.

"She's gone through a lot. I've done the best I can," he said, pulling a syringe from his case.

She looked at the needle, then at Brett. "What's that for?"

"Why? Think I'll slip something in it to kill her off anyway? You ever let up, or are you suspicious by nature?" he asked.

Baffled by his sudden attack, she felt her defenses rise. "I learned it from you," she snapped. "You suspect every move I make. What I can't understand is why?" She glanced at Brett and stopped at his set jaw and cold, steely eyes.

"If I didn't know better, I'd believe you were totally innocent."

"I haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about," she said, pulling the rubber gloves off and sitting back. She boldly watched Brett stand and stretch his long, muscular legs. She felt his power and strength. He pulled off his bloody gloves, then snap on a new pair. His words left her baffled. "You care to explain?" she finally asked.

"Explain?"

"What am I not totally innocent about?" she asked, watching the boys rub the calves down with energy. They spoke in hushed tones to each other, hearing only themselves. Like brothers, she thought.

"Don't pretend you don't know, because I don't buy it."

Great writing minds meet in Missoula

2008-09-14T11:46:00.000-06:00

We met, we ate, we drank wine. There was much laughing and sharing and talking about sundry matters having nothing to do with writing.

Then we got down to business. We brainstormed a title for one member, talked about where to place a manuscript that had been written for a line that no longer exists, brainstormed killing methods for a mystery (did you know that rhododendrons stems are extremely poisonous), considered a creation myth prologue for a paranormal, tested an alternate opening and changed four-inch stilettos for five-inch stilettos.

Whew! It was a good five hours of solid work (really--ignore all the giggling, we were working!) And it was great fun (note previously mentioned giggling).

Ah, the joy of just hanging out with other writers!