April's Round Robin Blog Fest

Welcome to April's Round Robin Blog Fest!!
Hope you like our new photo. I wasn't going to participate in this month's blog circle due to an abundance of activities going on in the "real world," but here I am!
This month's topic is:

 You loved the blurb. First page sounded interesting. You bought the book. What makes you throw the book you're reading across the room, stomp on it, and go find another?

I have read two novels that I've grown frustrated with. One at the beginning of the book, the other at the ending. Both were "critically acclaimed," but not books I'd ever recommend.

The first was The River King by Alice Hoffman. While I loved the idea of the story, the actual plot itself was difficult to follow. Just as the reader is absorbed into the thoughts and story of one character, another character passed by and we'd hop into his head, then he'd pass a neighbour sitting on her front porch and we'd hop into her head, suddenly a dog ran past and we ran along the river barking at a duck. No focus. No explanation, just continuous head-hopping as the story flowed along like the river outside the Haddan School. Apparently, this meandering form of storytelling is a tendency of Hoffman's and one reason I don't read any more of her work.

The second book was one I read recently, Triggers by Robert J. Sawyer. I have to admit, I read this one for a local "One Book, One County" program. I even paid for it, met the editor who helped publish it, and will get to meet the author next month at a wind up party. While I normally don't read much in the sci-fi genre, Sawyer's writing is crisp and clean and, up until the bitter end, I actually enjoyed the book.

Then came Chapter 50. Without giving away the ending, the book lost all the credibility for me. Up until then, I'd suspended all doubts and enjoyed the plot, characters, and plausibility. 

I didn't throw the book against the wall, as much as I wanted to. I did vent to my other friends who'd already read the book and came away with the same impressions I had. The ending of Triggers was a cop-out. 

I have read books-traditionally published as well as self-published-that have broken several "rules" but still tell a great story. I've also read books that should have had a few more solid edits before being released to the general public. So what turns me off a book?

* If I have to work too hard to weed the story from miscellaneous, unnecessary information.

* I have to suspend all belief at the end of a really good novel to accept a "feel-good" ending.

* Dialogue tags for a character that are a paragraph away from the dialogue.

* If, as in one book I read, an entire chapter is devoted to character and a situation that has nothing to do with the story whatsoever.

* I can't stand the main character and want him/her dead by the end of page 3.

* The plot is totally unbelievable. I'm not slamming fantasy or sci-fi novels here. Sometimes novels that aren't realistic can still become believable. Stephen King novels, Dracula, even The Hunger Games, are all "unrealistic" novels I can read and manage to temporarily suspend all disbelief to become part of their worlds. Twilight, not so much. 

* The ones I hate the most: Books written and/or edited by people who cannot write or edit. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a book snob! I love to read new authors, up and coming authors, and anything my friends have written. I'll gladly read anything once and will happily promote and review those books I love. I know how hard it is to follow your dreams to write and edit books and I have learned a great deal working with my friends, my agent, and my publisher!

To all my fellow writers:  Don't Give Up! Fiona McGier hasn't! Click on her name to visit her blog and find out what books she's thrown against the wall!

Our participants in the Round Robin Blog this time around:

* Heidi M. Thomas  http://heidiwriter.wordpress.com

* Anne Stenhouse http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com

* Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca

* Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com

* Margaret Fieland http://margaretfieland.com/my_blog

* Ginger Simpson http://mizging.blogspot.com

* Geeta Kakade http://geetakakade.blogspot.com/ 

* Connie Vines http://connievines.blogspot.com/

* Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/

* Rhobin Courtright http://rhobinleecourtright.com

Round Robin Blog Tour March 22, 2014

This month's Round Robin Topic is Villains!

Do you need them? When do you use them, and what is the most diabolical type of villain to you?

Random House Unabridged Dictionary defines a villain as "a cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime; scoundrel; or a character in a play, novel, or the like, who constitutes an important evil agency in the plot." Also known in film and literature as the "antagonist" or "bad guy."

I love a good villain! Who can forget Hannibal Lechter, the brilliant psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer with a love for a fine Chianti? Professor James Moriarty, Sherlock Holmes' greatest nemesis in The Final Problem. The Joker from Batman, particularly when played by Jack Nicholson. Cruella de Vil from A Hundred and One Dalmations. And--my all time favorite!--The Wicked Witch of the West from Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz."

So what makes a good villain? Personally, I love a bad guy with a sense of humor. Someone who is basically as human as the rest of us, but has many flaws and performs actions that cause misery to others--sometimes without intention. To be convincing, a good villain needs a strong motive for his actions. He has to believe he's right in what he does and have some redeeming quality that allows some ability for him to become good. Whether he actually could be bothered to change, however, is another matter.

Every story needs a villain. It's a fact. While the antagonist may not be a psychopathic killer or a blood-sucking vampire, every protagonist (hero) needs a foil, someone who makes his life miserable or we wouldn't have a good story. Who wants to read about the hero's day to day life if there's nothing lurking in the shadows to challenge him? A villain gives novels color and excitement.

The best villains, are the ones who can walk the fine line between right and wrong like Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series. A hero for saving Harry and watching over him, Snape was not a good person overall. In fact, the most hated person at Hogwarts! While you don't have to be a good person to be a hero, Snape was a nasty teacher and a downright spiteful man.

The most diabolical type of villain, for me, is one who pushes the boundaries of right and wrong with no regard for others in the least. At the end of the day, the most frightening villains are the ones who are so real they seduce the reader with their overwhelming evil and remain in our psyches to leave us wondering if we could ever resort to such extreme measures. Anyone for liver, fava beans, and a fine Chianti?

Please join the lovely Fiona McGier to find out what kind of villains she adores!

This month's contributors:

Anne Graham (as Anne Stenhouse): http://wp.me/31Isq

Aimee (as A.J. Maguire): http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/

Marci Baun: http://www.marcibaun.com/

Diane Bator: http://dbator.blogspot.ca

Fiona McGier: http://www.fionamcgier.com

Ginger Simpson: http://mizging.blogspot.com

Geeta Kakade: http://geetakakade.blogspot.com/ 

Connie Vines: http://connievines.blogspot.com/

Beverley Bateman: http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/

Rhobin Courtright: http://rhobinleecourtright.com

Round Robin Blog Tour Feb 2014

We're back on another Round Robin Tour! February's topic is about heroes,  what you like in reading, what you write, your favorite, whatever!  What type hero(s), traits, personality, in particular always  draw you into the story? Has it changed with time? And do you write this type of hero? 

Ironically enough, I had this very discussion with my 18 year old son the other day. Not only is he a voracious reader and a fellow writer, he's also a fan and loves my heroes! He loves their humor, their tenacity, and how they always try to do the right thing. 

The types of heroes that draw me in (and fill my books!) are strong men with a moral compass that sometimes keeps them on the fringes, yet they don't hesitate to be the good guy and save the day. Most of my heroes are dedicated to their friends and families, although a couple come from backgrounds where their sense of family was challenged by abuse or neglect.

Handsome, ruggedly or otherwise, also springs to mind.

They also have a great sense of humor that keeps them grounded and gets them through some unsavory events in their lives. Leo Blue, one of my favorite characters in the Wild Blue Mysteries series, will reveal more--much more!--of him and his background in The Bakery Lady coming out later this year.  

Passion is required. Passion for their work, their loved ones, their beliefs, whatever. There has to be something that riles them up and makes them do the things they do. Leo, for example, is passionate about righting wrongs, which is why he becomes a private detective. Of course, he also becomes passionate about sugar cookies thanks to a certain young woman, but I'll cover more about that in The Bakery Lady!

Brilliant or blinded by passion, I love a hero who is entertaining, dedicated, and easy on the eyes.

And now off to visit the lovely Marci Baun to find out her favorite type of hero! 

Be sure to check out the many other blogs on the tour and find out what kind of heroes make their knees weak!! 
Fiona McGier at http://www.fionamcgier.com

Geeta Kakade at http://geetakakade.blogspot.com/

Diane Bator at http://dbator.blogspot.ca

Marci Baun at http://www.marcibaun.com/

Lynn Crain at http://lynncrain.blogspot.co.at/

Beverley Bateman at http://beverleybateman.blogspot.com/

Ginger Simpson  at http://mizging.blogspot.com

Connie Vines at http://connievines.blogspot.com/

A.J. Maguire at http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/

Rhobin Courtright at http://rhobinleecourtright.com/

THE BOOKSTORE LADY IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON.COM!! WATCH FOR THE MYSTERY LADY, COMING THIS SPRING FROM BOOKS WE LOVE!!

Round Robin Jan 2014 #rndrob1213

Hello, Everyone!

Time again for another version of the Round Robin Blog tour!!

This month's topic is: What type heroine(s), traits, personality, in particular always  draw you into the story? Has it changed with time? And do you write this type of heroine? (Next month we will cover heroes)

I hate wimpy heroines!!  If a book starts off with a woman who can't stand on her own two feet then manages to turn her entire life around and take control of things, I'm happy. If she gets smacked down by circumstance and other characters time and time again and never figures out how to duck, I stop reading.

My heroines always start off in a sticky situation of some sort, their lives dictated to them by the men they have chosen to have around them. I love to have them evolve and discover they can take care of themselves. They can be strong, happy, and loved. Best of all, they can follow their passions and succeed. I hope my heroines can inspire my reader to change something in their own lives that don't work - or at very least provide a good read.

In The Bookstore Lady, Katie is the kept woman of a mobster. She dresses, colors her hair and acts exactly the way he wants her to. Once he threatens to kill her and is interrupted, she escapes his clutches, she's a little lost at first then comes into her own and has to stand up against her past.

In The Mystery Lady (coming out this spring from Books We Love), Lucy has been dumped by her husband for other women (yes, that is plural!) and learns he is not the good provider or wonderful man she thought. Having been a mousy little housewife for so long, she has to learn how to release her strong, independent side and face her deepest fear - losing her kids and maybe her life.

My heroines, much like myself, are all on a journey to dig deep and be proud of who we are and what we accomplish in our lives. Much like the ladies joining me on this month's Round Robin Tour!! Let's take a peek at what Fiona McGier at http://www.fionamcgier.com has to say...

And be sure to stop by to visit our fine cast of Bloggers this month:

Lynn Crain at http://www.awriterinvienna.blogspot.com
Kay Sisk at http://www.kaysisk.com/
Ginger Simpson at http://mizging.blogspot.com/
Connie Vines at http://connievines.blogspot.com/
Geeta Kakade at http://geetakakade.blogspot.com/
A.J. Maguire at http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
Beverley Bateman at http://beverleybateman.blogspot.com/
Diane Bator at http://dbator.blogspot.ca
Fiona McGier at http://www.fionamcgier.com
Rhobin Courtright at http://rhobinleecourtright.com

#rndrob1213

Here we are folks, the last Round Robin post of 2013!  (#rndrob1213). Grab a cup of tea and a cookie, I know you still  have some in the house, and settle back to join in the fun! 

This month's topic is: What have you learned from writing? And what are your goals for 2014 and further into the future?

When I started to write many, many years ago I was proud of my ability and loved to tell a good story. Over the years, I've had many fans and even more critics. Still, I persevered. My happiest day was finding out I had won the Murder in Ink contest put on through Wynterblue Publishing. Not only had I won a contest, but with my first murder mystery that is now an e-book and a novella!

Then I got my agent (Dawn Dowdle, Blue Ridge Literary Agency!) and sold my first novel. The fact The Bookstore Lady is published as an e-book and not actually "in print" was a bit of a letdown at first, but it is published and I am getting my name out there while I work on my next novels. How encouraging! That some people still don't take me seriously, hurts, but I refuse to give up!

The main things I have learned from writing:
1) Keep an open mind. You never know who you will get ideas from and who can help you hone your craft and further your career.

2) Never give up! You never know when something great will happen. Even it it's not what you expect.

3) Be selective as to what advice you take. Critics can make or break you, not so much career wise as mentally. Don't let one harsh criticism defeat you.

So what lies ahead for my writing career in 2014?
I am happy to say I have an exciting year ahead!
My agent likes my latest cozy mystery and I have edits to work on in January.
My publisher is awaiting the second book in my Wild Blue Mysteries series: The Mystery Lady. 
I also have a collection of short stories that a I would love to publish.
Beyond that, I plan to organize and revamp old manuscripts as well as making more time to write and make my dream happen!!
P.S. I also plan to grade in karate for my blue belt.
Happy New Year!

And now off to the lovely Ginger Simpson to see what her goals for 2014 are!
Please don't forget to visit my fellow bloggers!!

Diane Bator    http://dbator.blogspot.ca
Ginger Simpson    http://mizging.blogspot.com
Aimee Heil     http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/    writing as A.J. Maguire
Connie Vines    http://connievines.blogspot.com/
Beverly Bateman    http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
Robin Courtright    http://rhobinleecourtright.com

Robin's Round Robin Blog August 2013

OH NO!! Thanks to the wonders of technology, this post was supposed to air yesterday! Apparently, it didn't work and I'll never try that again! So sorry to those people who were depending on me to be part of the link!!

Through my new friend Ginger Simpson, a fellow writer with Books We Love, I was introduced to this fun, monthly event called Robin's Round Robin Blog hosted by Robin Courtright. Basically, several various writers answer one question on their blog and provide a link to the next writer's blog so readers can follow along. Kind of like a writer's version of tag without having to get out of our creaky chairs!

This month's topic is:

Have you ever met a real-life character? Someone who was very different
from your preconceptions, or someone who was just bigger than life, or
whose lifestyle was so very different? A very eccentric someone? Tell
about them (without giving real identities) in any manner you like. Did
they change your viewpoint? Did you use them as a fictional character?

I have met a few great characters in the various jobs I've held. One of the best I've met so far was a customer in a bank. The perfect cliché for a blue eye-shadow wearing, toy dog packing, big haired, over the top character who actually talked about having to get her corns and bunions treated. OMG!! While I didn't use her per se, I have another character who could be her later in life named Mimsy Lexington who appears in my novel The Bookstore Lady! Mimsy is an 80 year romance novelist who gets around with a walker and wears ball gowns, tiaras, and plastic stilettos - the kind strippers wear. She not only appears in The Bookstore Lady, the first book in the Wild Blue Mysteries series, she also has a cameo in the second book in the series, The Mystery Lady, and will be featured in the third book called The Crazy Lady.

 

Purchase The Bookstore Lady

Thanks for stopping by, come back and visit soon!
And now off to the talented Rita Karnopp for her response!