Category: The Writer’s Corner

Grace Burrowes, best selling author ~~ Interview (part 2)

Q. Where/when do you first discover your characters?grace_scotts-view

GB. If I’m lucky, I hear them. I hear them grousing about their life situation, or wishing on a star. What I’m after with a character is an understanding of their defining trauma or wound (neglect can hurt like heck without qualifying as a trauma, though it IS a trauma), because then I know how to build them that cave they most fear to enter, wherein their treasure will lie. When a book is really singing to me, I’m usually writing about one of my defining traumas, though I often don’t realize that until the manuscript is done and edited.

My brother Dick once gave me some great advice for how to build a character arc: Make the character choose between the competing demands of honor. The lady or the tiger is interesting, because either door leads to death for the person choosing, but add dishonor to those stakes, and you have the makings of quite a yarn.

Q. What first inspired you to write your stories?

GB. I have always loved to write, even before I could write cursive. I’ve also always loved to read, and romance novels, which are a lot more complicated than they look (when done right), were my fiction of choice. In the courtroom I see a lot of miserable-ever-after endings, and that creates a need for somewhere that I can make life happily-ever-after. When my daughter moved out, I had time, emotional breathing room, and an unsatisfied creative urge all coming together. The books blossomed, and I feel like I’ve found the thing I love to do so much, I lose track of time and self when I’m doing it.

Q. What comes first to you? The Characters or the Situation? Continue reading “Grace Burrowes, best selling author ~~ Interview (part 2)”

Motivational Moments…for Writers! The Writer’s Iceberg #19

Writer IcebergI stumbled across this wonderful graphic (by Sudio Sudarsan) of a ‘writer’s ice berg’.    Not many people, aside from we who write, know this world.  It’s lonely, scary, humiliating, and painful.  It’s also uplifting, soul filling, mind stretching and wonderful.

I count myself the luckiest of women that I developed my craft and didn’t give up when people said, ‘no’.  I am the most fortunate of writers to have realized that the process has to be planted in good soil, watered, and given lots of sunshine. Even when I am writing from a dark place.

We writers should never sit back and say, ‘I have arrived. I don’t need to grow anymore.  I am at the top of my game.’   If you’ve read any of my interviews with really famous authors, they aren’t smug….far from it…they are striving to be better just like you and I are.  I’ve found in my interaction with these authors that the more successful they are…the humbler they are.

“I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.”  Shannon Hale

“As a writer, I marinate, speculate, and hibernate!’‘ Trisha Sugarek
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To Purchase

Interview with Best Selling Author, Grace Burrowes (part 1)

 grace-burrowsigning-use-this-2TS. Grace Burrowes is in my top three favorite historical romance writers. Great plots, well developed characters and humor! She granted this interview and I am thrilled.  The glimpse into her writing world is unique and fascinating!

Q. Where do you write? Do you have a special room, shed, barn, special space for your writing?  Or tell us about your ‘dream’ work space.

GB. I write at my kitchen table, though I don’t take meals there. The set up is me in the writing chair, a cat in my lap, or two cats curled up on the heated throw that covers the left end of the table. Writer dawg is at my feet, and I use a remote keyboard, so my laptop screen can sit at the ergonomically ideal height. This is bliss, to write with my four-footed buddies around, amid the peace and quiet of my nest.

Q. Do you have any special rituals when you sit down to write? (a neat work space, sharpened #2 pencils, legal pad, cup of tea, glass of brandy, favorite pajamas, etc.)

GB. I start the day with one cup of jasmine green tea, with agave nectar and table cream—more bliss! I try to end a writing sessions with some trailers, or in the middle of a sentence, so my fingers will have something to do when I next put them on the keyboard. I also end the day reading over whatever I wrote that day, and when I get up, I set the alarm at least 30 minutes early, so I can stay in bed, drifting on the alpha waves and letting my happy-besomimagination nosh on the book. This is a lovely way to ease into the day, and usually means I start a writing session with some creative compression. A line of dialogue, a symbolic detail of setting, something will get me out of bed and down to the computer.

Q. Could you tell us something about yourself that we might not already know?

GB. The older I get, the happier I am—and the more passionate. I didn’t see this coming. Continue reading “Interview with Best Selling Author, Grace Burrowes (part 1)”

Motivational Moments…for Writers! by fellow author, Mike Wells #18

1..girl.write..mouse_1TS: A fellow writer that I have interviewed was kind enough to contribute to my Motivational Moments…for Writers!  Thanks, Mike!

‘One of the most common questions that novice writers ask me is “How do you overcome writer’s block?” I would define Mike. Headshotwriter’s block as a heavy psychological state in which you’re completely out of ideas about what to write. Usually writers seem to experience it somewhere in the middle of a story rather than near the beginning or end. It can last for days or even weeks and can really get you down and undermine your confidence.

My solution is a simple one, and many writers report that it works for them as well. When you experience writer’s block, jump to some other point in the story, some other scene or episode that you already know will be there, and start working on that. This can included jumping all the way to the very end and working backwards. Writers who prefer to write their stories sequentially, from start to finish, may feel uncomfortable with leaping over to some faraway section of the story, but believe me, if you force yourself to do this, there’s a strong chance that you’ll break through the barrier.

Mike.onBench_nI don’t know how this solution works–maybe subconscious plot connections take place or it’s simply getting your creative energy flowing again, but it usually does. Give it a try next time you’re stuck and see if it works for you.’ ~ Mike Wells

“Who is more to be pitied, a writer bound and gagged by policemen or one living in perfect freedom who has nothing more to say?” ~ Kurt Vonnegut

“A straight line is not the shortest distance between two points.”― Madeleine L’Engle

Did you see my interview with Mike Wells? Click here

Visit Mike at: http://mikewellsblog.blogspot.com/

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MY BLOGS feature INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!   October Author, Lisa Jackson.  November will be best selling author, Grace Burrowes and in December, Reed Farrel Coleman, contributing writer for Robert B. Parker series

Check out Motivational Moments…for Writers!

To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction  On the home page, enter your email address.  Thanks!

The Bleacher Bums (Chicago Cubs)…Nostalgia #10

trish-blcher-bums-rose-zig
John Sugarek as Zig ~~ Trish Sugarek as Rose

As an actor back in the 80’s I was cast as one of the Bleacher Bums in a stage play. My late husband played Ziggy.  I have never been a baseball enthusiast but I was a method actor and fortunately for the cast, so was our Director.  So we ate, drank, slept, and lived baseball during the 8 weeks of rehearsal.  We went to several baseball games (Portland Beavers) and sat, (in character) in the bleachers across from home plate, heckling the opposing team in character, when they took the field.

This week, I couldn’t help but root for the Chicago Cubbies and the real club: The Bleacher Bums. Somehow the Cubs winning the World Series was a validation of that small cast, 30 years ago, playing rabid fans, in spite of never winning.

In the bleachers at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, die hard Cub fans root for their team. The group cubsincludes a rabid cheerleader, a blind man who follows the game by transistor radio and does his own play by play, a bathing beauty, a nerd and various other bleacher denizens. As the game proceeds, they bet among themselves on every conceivable event, go out for frosty malts or beers, try to pick up the bathing beauty and, occasionally, watch the game. The Cubs inevitably blow it in the ninth and the villainous Marvin, who always bets against the Cubs figuring he can’t lose, cleans up. The bleacher bums remain undaunted they will be back tomorrow to root for the home team.

Congratulations to the city of Chicago, the Cubs and especially to the fans who never gave up hope!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My BLOGS feature INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!   October Author, Lisa Jackson.  November will be best selling author, Grace Burrowes and in December, Reed Farrel Coleman, contributing writer for Robert B. Parker series

Check out Motivational Moments…for Writers!

To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction  On the home page, enter your email address.  Thanks!

The Cliffhouse Haunting by Thorne & Cross……….A Review

The Cliffhouse Haunting   A Review ~~~ reviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writingreviews, authors, writing 4 out of 5 quills

If you like being scared spit-less this is the book for you.  As if a vicious serial killer isn’t good enough, he’s paired up with a very unhappy spirit who haunts the Lodge and the Lake named for her.

In Thorne and Cross’s latest offering, Cliffhouse Lodge is famous for its ghosts. Overlooking Blue Lady Lake, Cliffhouse has just been renovated by its owners, Teddy and Adam Bellamy, and their daughter, Sara. Cliffhouse has not always been a place of rest and respite, though. Over the years icliffhouse-hauntingt has served many vices, from rum-running to prostitution – and although the cat house has been replaced by a miniature golf course and carousel, Cliffhouse retains its dark history; darkest during the Roaring Twenties, when a serial killer called the Bodice Ripper terrorized the town, and a phantom, the Blue Lady, was said to walk when murder was imminent. Death Walks With Her… Now, there’s a new killer on the loose, and the Blue Lady sightings have returned.

I enjoyed the twist on a ‘normal’ family unit. Teddy and Adam are a married, gay couple who have a biological daughter (through surrogacy), Sara.
The characters (and I do mean characters) who wander in and out of the Lodge are well drawn and entertaining.  This writing duo is clever, indeed.

Did you miss my INTERVIEW with Tamara Thorne and Alistair Cross? Click here
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

DON’T MISS UPCOMING BLOGS featuring INTERVIEWS with  best-selling AUTHORS!   October Author, Lisa Jackson.  November will be best selling author, Grace Burrowes and in December, Reed Farrel Coleman, ghost writer for Robert B. Parker ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Check out Motivational Moments…for Writers!

To receive my posts sign up for my blog, blogs, blogger, writer, author, playwright, books, plays,fiction  On the home page, enter your email address.  Thanks!

Interview (part 2) with internationally known author, Lisa Jackson

jackson-dogQ. Where/when do you first discover your characters?

LJ. I write from a synopsis, so I’ve met them before I actually write the book, but I don’t really know them until about 150 pages in, so, of course, I have to go back to page one. They surprise me and new ones tend to pop up as I write the real book, but I don’t know them until well into the writing.  They are unique unto themselves and I don’t pattern them off of people I know per se.

Q. What first inspired you to write your stories?

LJ. Sister Nan saw an article in Time magazine in 1980. The article was about young mothers making their fortunes writing romance novels.  She thought we could do it.  I had read the same article but had dismissed it as both aftershes-mmpNancy and I, like our parents before us, were mystery buffs.  We’d never even read a contemporary romance novel.  But, after my first arguments, I sat back and thought, “Why not?”  I was broke, broke, broke at the time with two little kids.  Who was I to say “no.”  So, we gave it a whirl and eventually found our footing, both publishing at Silhouette Books.

Q. What comes first to you? The Characters or the Situation?

jackson-writingis-such-hard-workLJ. It depends. I need the situation, of course, the crisis, then the characters come to the story.  I’m usually inspired by what I find as a unique predicament for the characters.

Q. Do you ‘get lost’ in your writing? Continue reading “Interview (part 2) with internationally known author, Lisa Jackson”

Christmas Gift Idea….A Book at Cost

cover-wofm-lighter-front-cover10-16Bonus Offer!  World of Murder, A Collection of Cozy True Crime Mysteries

3  BOOKS in ONE!

Gifts For the Holiday Season!

For a limited time I am offering this Collection of murder mysteries at my cost only, plus shipping and handling. ($7.47 + shipping $5.15) (USA only) This is a savings of $10 from retail price.

Here’s how it works:  You send $12.65 via PayPal to me at trishsugar@aol.com.

Once I receive payment and the address where you would like the book/s shipped I will send you the book/s.  If ordering more than one book, shipping may be more, due to weight.

In the World of Murder series, Detectives Jack O’Roarke and Stella Garcia, two murder cops, seek out killers on the streets of New York City.  Their investigations take them from the sleazy world of strip joints to Manhattan’s upper Eastside.  Poor and rich alike, no one is exempt from murder. O’Roarke and Garcia are stars at NYPD with their careful forensic investigative skills and just plain, solid cop work. Continue reading “Christmas Gift Idea….A Book at Cost”

Interview with best selling author, Lisa Jackson

lisajackson2010Q. Where do you write? Do you have a special room, shed, barn, special space for your writing? Or tell us about your ‘dream’ work space.

LJ. I write on a laptop in a chaise lounge with coffee near me and my dogs at my feet.  The space is my bedroom, though I’m moving and will actually have a dedicated office within the year.  But this works for now.  I just need the place to be relatively quiet where I can get away from the distractions of life.  You know, that nagging laundry or beckoning cross word puzzle or enticing walk?

Q. Do you have any special rituals when you sit down to write? (a neat work space, sharpened #2 pencils, legal pad, cup of tea, glass of brandy, favorite pajamas, etc.)

LJ. No real rituals, but I have my synopsis of the current story close at hand and usually a cup of coffee. As stated above, the dogs (three—two pugs and a beagle) are usually close by and snoring as they’ve already been fed and walked.  I don’t like a mess around me, but at the latter stages of the book my work area becomes a disaster.  Also, I really hate to admit this, but when I’m late with a book, at the tail end, when my stress level is in the stratosphere, I eat sugary things to stay awake and keep at it.  I recommend Hot Tamales candy and M&M peanuts.  But be wary, extra pounds do appear!

Q. Could you tell us something about yourself that we might not already know? jackson-workspace Continue reading “Interview with best selling author, Lisa Jackson”

Guest Blog from Best Selling Author, Jodi Thomas

Jodi.photo (Small)How to Jump Start a Writer’s Day ~~ My Guest Blogger, Author, Jodi Thomas

‘ As I was saying in Trisha’s Motivational Moments for Writers: The hardest thing a writer does each day is sitting down to work.  In 28 years as a working writer I’ve published 45 books and 13 novellas.  The hardest thing wasn’t learning to write, but learning to managing time. I picked up a few tricks but it is still the dragon I fight every day.

First, remember this is your job.  If you worked in an office or taught school you wouldn’t stop and answer every friend’s call.  So leave the phone in the kitchen or garage.  You’re at work.  One phone call might not knock you out of fiction, but the third one might.

Second, build your nest.  I find this makes it easy for me to step into fiction.  It doesn’t matter if your nest is in a secret room in the attic or a small desk in a hotel room, it needs to be your nest.

I usually start with a notebook.  My facts book, my bible for the series.  It includes all characters’ names and basic facts.  Maps of the area—if you’re making up a town, make up the map.    Sometimes pages of research like maps of the area or dates that need to be considered.  If you’re writing about a time in history you need to be aware of what was happening on that day in history.  If Lincoln was shot or 9/11 happened your fictional characters need to react. Continue reading “Guest Blog from Best Selling Author, Jodi Thomas”