Day 3 - A Change of Plans Block Party

What a crowd we've got today. Check out these awesome peeps!

Suzie Forbes - Guest Post/Author Interview - My Not So Secret Writing Life

Suey - Review + Guest Post/Author Interview- It's All About Books

Laura Josephsen - Guest Post - Laura's website

Lindzee Armstrong - Review - Lindzee's website

Lisa Faber - Review - Bookworm Lisa

Nancy S. Thompson - Book Spotlight - Nancy's website

Michelle Cole - Review - The Blushing Reader

Tasha Seegmiller - Review - Tasha's website

Carrie Butler - Author Interview - So, You're a Writer 

Jaleta Clegg - Author Interview - Jaleta's website

Rebekah Grow - Review + Guest Post/Author Interview - R.K. Grow - reading. writing. blogging.

Fiauna Lund - Review + Guest Post/Author Interview - See My Wings

Julie Daines - Review - An Author's Compendium

Crystal Casey - Review - Peace Love Books 
Andrea Frisby - Review + Guest Post/Author Interview - Literary Time Out 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Guest Post - Nancy S. Thompson

My special visitor today is Nancy S. Thompson, whose debut novel The Mistaken launched last week.

Thank you, Donna, for allowing me to sit in for a guest spot today!

I thought I’d talk about voice and writing a first-person narrative from multiple points-of-view.  This is how I constructed my newly released novel, The Mistaken.  Because the story is so emotionally charged, I used three characters to fully engage the reader and show the devastating impact of the novel’s events.  Using only one perspective would have greatly limited my ability to tell the whole story. 

Though I rely more heavily on one character—the male protagonist, Tyler Karras—I also use his wife in a limited capacity.  It was important to show how Jillian takes a stand against her husband’s wishes and how her act of defiance ultimately contributes to her demise.  Her death leads to Ty’s downward spiral and all the problems that result: his alcoholism and consuming need for revenge against the woman he feels is responsible.  The third perspective—Hannah Maguire—is the woman Tyler mistakenly targets for revenge.  As his wrongly accused victim, her voice offers sharp contrast to the remorse-stricken protagonist, whom some call an anti-hero.

When I started writing, I did so in close third-person, but that felt too detached and remote.  So I switched to first, which allowed me to furrow deep within the minds of each character.  I know, some readers don’t care for head-hopping, but I think it works when there’s a limited number, their voices are distinct, and are held per chapter.  The trick is not to hop too often, so for each character, I stuck to multiple consecutive chapters to develop a strong voice. 

Each voice has its own style and flavor that comes from deep inside the character.  It’s their way of speaking, their syntax, jargon, or particular vernacular.  Even their opinions are laced within their voices.  It is the intimate details of each character’s life experience that makes each voice unique, that calls to the reader to come close, have a seat, and sit a spell while they tell you their side of the story. 

It takes a keen understanding of who exactly is telling the story and why.  The perspective and voice are the embodiment of that spirit.  And in the end (as well as the beginning), it’s what keeps the reader reading.  No matter how good the plot, if the POV is underdeveloped or the voice falls flat, the reader loses interest.  Same holds true for too much voice, and in some cases, too many POVs, stretching the story thin in the name of breadth and clarity.

So what are your preferences for points of view?  Do prefer first or third person?  Does having multiple POVs enrich or dilute the story for you?

Visit Nancy’s blog, follow, and leave a comment during her book tour for a chance to win an ARC of The Mistaken.  Plus, 5 runner-up winners will each receive an ebook. 

You can also find her on her publisher’s website, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook. 

Purchase The Mistaken here:

Amazon

Kindle

Barnes and Noble

Nook

Also available at Sony, Kobo, iBooks, Diesel Bookstore, and Baker & Taylor in 2-3 weeks

Praise for The Mistaken:

“A deliciously slow burn that builds to a ferocious crescendo, Nancy S. Thompson's THE MISTAKEN kept me riveted until the very last page. Tyler Karras is a complex and flawed protagonist, and his redemptive journey makes him the perfect anti-hero. This psychological suspense is a standout, and I can't wait for Thompson's next book.”

~ Jennifer Hillier, author of CREEP and FREAK

“Nancy S. Thompson's debut novel, The Mistaken, is a first-rate thriller full of hair-raising twists and turns.  Pursued by the police and the Russian mafia in San Francisco, brothers Tyler and Nick Karras are fascinating, fully-drawn, desperate characters.  The action is non-stop.  Thompson's taut, intriguing tale of revenge, mistaken identity, kidnapping and murder will keep you enthralled and entertained.” 

~Kevin O’Brien, New York Times Bestselling Author of DISTURBED and TERRIFIED

“Fast-paced and emotionally gripping - once the ride begins, you won't stop reading until it ends."  ~Alex J. Cavanaugh, author of CASSAFIRE and CASSASTAR

The Mistaken Blog tour:

10/18:  Mark Koopmans & Nancy S. Thompson

10/19:  Alex J. Cavanaugh & Arlee Bird

10/22:  Carrie Butler & Jeff O’Handley

10/23:  Julie Musil

10/24:  Donna Weaver, Melissa Maygrove & Hope Roberson

10/25:  Matthew MacNish

10/26:  LG Smith

10/27:  Aimee Jodoin

10/29:  Heather M. Gardner

10/30:  Lisa Regan & Falling For Fiction

10/31:  Jennifer Hillier

11/1:    Angela Peart & Livia Peterson

11/19:  Arlee Bird

News

The good news is not mine. Mostly. Only one more rejection, and hubby and I get to go out to dinner. I'm ready! Though I got a very positive, personalized rejection that was very encouraging. Never hurts when agents say they would like to see your next project.

The good news is about Nancy Thompson who got a book deal! You can check out the details on her blog.

So, have you heard any good news lately?

Should I or Shouldn't I?

Don't forget you can sign up painlessly to participate in the Give Books Blog Hop and get a book for Christmas (or other applicable gift-giving celebration this time of year). The Hop runs through December 15th, and I'll be getting the book out on the 16th. Click here for details and check out the others books you could win by visiting the following blogs.

Give Books for Christmas Giveaway Hop

1.	Inksplasher (US)	7.	Maria Hoagland (US)	13.	K.C. Grant Writer's Corner (US)
2.	Jennifer Hurst (INT)	8.	The Last Word (US)	14.	Jennifer K. Clark (US)
3.	FALL (INT)	9.	Weaving a Tale or Two (US)	15.	Publish Novels or Bust (US)
4.	Geek Girl (INT)	10.	Tristi Pinkston	16.	Heidi Murphy (US)
5.	Heart on a Chain (INT)	11.	LDS Publisher (INT)
6.	Immortal Mine (INT)	12.	Carolyn Frank (INT)

 
*sigh*

Yes, that's a really big sigh.

My goal this month is to finish the edit for WIP #1 and send the first fifty pages off to an editor. AND I need to finish my query. Well, it's finished. The dang thing's just not right yet. ETA for clarification: This query has been critiqued by both my online and in-person critique groups. It's been critiqued by some other writerly friends and in its essential form given a thumbs up from the author I won the query critique from. But everyone--and I mean every who hasn't read the book--thinks a critical thing referenced in the query (and which is the hook) is a major plot-line. But it's really just a catalyst and sets into motion what happens in the rest of the book.

I've thought of submitting to Matt over at The Quintessentially Questionable Query Experiment, and he said he'd be willing to look at it. Alex and Nancy have both said I should.

I just have this little problem about bearing myself in public, so to speak, and subjecting myself to ridicule. I'm good at my day job, and I work very hard to make sure I'm knowledgeable and up to date with my skills. I have to be because if I screw up I can get sued. Don't even mess with someone's bid to public office, believe me.

But I think the thing that really turns me into a quivering mess is the genre bias I talked about in this post. I'm not worried about Matt's comments. He a consummate professional and tactful besides. When I had one of my sons who's got a bright, creative mind (I love to bounce ideas off him) read an earlier version, his tone dripped with sarcastic cheese.

So, my adventure romance book's query could be said to have a melodramatic tone. If you read it the way my son did. Writing is so subjective I'm sure people will pick up on the cheese factor. And I'm so not into this:

Please note that my son made fun of the version approved by the author I won a query critique from.

It could just be him. Or it could be that the tone is there but fits the genre. The bottom line is that I'm at my wit's end over this thing. So I'm going to let you folks help me decide. On the right sidebar is a poll. Please comment here and tell me why you voted the way you did.

In the meantime, I'm going to be doing this:

Grammar Friday - Apostrophes (Part 1) and Other Random Things

Apostrophes, Part 1

Test sentence:

A good restaurant requires cleanliness in every part of it's operation.

So, is that sentence correct?

Well ...

it’s = contraction of it is or it has
its = possessive of it or belonging to it

So, if you can replace it's in your sentence with it is--and it still makes sense--then your word is it's. If you can't, then your word is its.

So, I ask again. Is the sentence in blue correct?

Extra credit question:

What happens when its is possessive?

Sorry, got distracted there.

Well, nothing actually. Its stays the same. Its doesn't have a special possessive form.

I know. I'm sure it feels discriminated against. Or, is that its ....

Word Processing Wars

Peggy Eddleman had a great blog post on Wednesday about which word processing system she uses. What about you?

Award 1 (unwarranted)

People have been really kind to me lately. I even got an award I didn't qualify for. Barbara Kloss gave me this:

I don't qualify for her thoughtful gift because I have too many followers. However, I can pass it through to other, worthy recipients.

Here are the rules:

1. Thank the giver
Danke, Barbara (in keeping with the German theme).

2. Reveal your top 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog--and follow them!
Melanie Jacobsen (she was my bootcamp instructor at Storymaker, and she rocks)
Jeff King over at Author's Union (he's such a kind poster)
Robin Weeks (I know, I pass a lot of stuff on to her, but she's an amazing writer, critique partner, and dang fun person--even for an attorney. Plus she didn't take me up on the bloomers meme)

Nancy S. Thompson (since she tagged me earlier with that unmentionables meme =D )
KT over at Out of My Mind

3. Copy and paste the award on your blog.
Done

4. Have faith that your followers will spread the love to other bloggers.

5. And most of all - have bloggity-blog fun!

Award 2

J.A. Bennett over at A Book, A Girl, A Journey gave me this cute award:

And what's amazing is the picture even looks like me now that I've had my highlights put in again. All right, in this picture the cute subject still has eyebrows (mine fell down to my chin). And I don't have hairy toes. Aren't you glad to know that?

Since this post is too long already and I've answered enough questions about myself with other awards, I will do one thing: Share a quote.

"I dwell in possibility." ~Emily Dickenson

Following are the folks I'm passing this award off to:
Kaylee Baldwin (she makes me smile a lot)
Jolene Perry (don't you love the cover to her book?)
Laura Josephsen (you've already heard me talk about her lots

ETA: That's embarrassing. This was supposed to post tomorrow. Dang Blogger. ROFL I changed the date again and now it says it's already Friday. If you're able to read this, you've time traveled to the future. Doesn't that make you feel special? Now, how will you get home?

Nonsense Post

I got tagged by the lovely Nancy S. Thompson for this meme. I debated whether or not to take it up, and decided there was some potential for humor here. You can decide if I succeeded or not.

1. What do you call your drawers?
Drawers
Do you have any commonly used nicknames for them?

I think that is the nickname.

source

2. Have you ever had that supposedly common dream of being in a crowded place in only your bloomers?

No, but as a child I would sometimes dream
I had absolutely nothing on. 
However, in the typical way of childhood, that didn't trouble me. 
Now? At my age it's best to cover up as much as possible.

source

3. What is the worst thing you can think of to make long johns out of?

Wool. Absolutely wool. It would itch like crazy.

source

4. If you were a pair of small clothes, what color would you be, and WHY?

Green. Definitely green. It's my favorite color. 
But I must admit these pirate long johns are quite stylish.

source

5. Have you ever thrown your bloomers at a rock star or other celebrity? If so, which one(s)? If not, which one(s) WOULD you throw your bloomers at, given the opportunity?

Please! Such a waste of fabric! It costs so much to sew anymore. 
To say nothing about being vulgar and unrefined.

source

6. You’re out of clean drawers. What do you do?

Um, wash them. Duh!

source

7. Are you old enough to remember Underoos? If so, did you have any? Which ones?

Ah, yes, Underoos. My older children wore them.

source

8. If you could have any message printed on your long johns, what would it be?

These days, the options are endless. Eve Gaal over at The Desert Rocks and I emailed about this since she got tagged, too, and I like what her brother suggested:

Save Your Soul

Source

9. How many bloggers does it take to put small clothes on a goat?

Zero, since we're in the cybersphere rather than real life.

source

I close with the lyrics that I used for Week 6 of Poetry Summer here
from a song we sang at Girl Scout Camp in the Philippines.

Long Johns

author unknown

sung to the tune of Bye Bye Blackbird (corrected from original post)

I have lost my underwear.

I don't care; I'll go bare.

Bye bye, long johns.

They were very close to me

Tickle me. He he he.

Bye bye, long johns

If you see them you'll know where to find me

With my bare bum stickin' out behind me.

I have lost my underwear.

I don't care; I'll go bare.

Long johns, bye bye.

  Like cyberchocolate that has no fat and no calories, it also has no taste. Just like this meme.

Now I'm supposed to share the wealth, so to speak, and have others give their thoughts about  their unmentionables. 

Hmmm ... who don't I like? 

Just kidding! I won't be the least bit offended if any of you don't take this up.

Donea Lee over at The Queen of Procrastination

Margo Lerwill over at Urban Psychopomp

Jess over at Falling Leaflets

Melanie over at Feather Pens, Tartan Dreams

Robin Weeks

So, did I make you smile? Or just roll your eyes and shake your head? 

Hey, I titled it Nonsense Post. You were warned.