Monday Meanderings - May 9, 2016

Meandering #1 ...

My mind is buzzing with all the information I gleaned at the Storymakers 2016 writing conference. I got renewed by being around my tribe.

I also came away with more back problems. The chairs at that conference center HATE my tailbone (which I've broken twice). Ugh.

I must say that author Sarah Eden taught the best dang writing class I've ever attended. It was powerful and really resonated with me (and others who also attended). She wrote about characterization and how to go deep into understanding what motivates your characters. It was a two-hour intensive and she covered so much material and had us do a few exercises on our own characters.

There were two questions she kept returning to. "Why?" and "Why does it matter?" For any bit of information you might ask about your character, you should also ask those two questions.

The bigger the problems your character faces, the more emotionally removed the reader can get. When it gets closer to your character, it gets personal. And personal is what makes the reader care.

Bottom line: If the readers don't care about the character, they won't care about the book.


Meandering #2 ...

We've submitted our application for a building permit. Hubby and I need to decide on lighting, and I've also asked him to check on wiring for things like Internet and cable. Not that we have cable. I don't find it necessary when I have the Internet. They could break ground before the end of the month.

Time to start hucking and chucking things. Gotta downsize, you know.


Meandering #3 ...

Since I've been in the marketing zone this week for that Mother's Day Book Bash, I've discovered that a different part of my brain is active when I'm marketing vs when I'm writing. I've also been trying to do some promotional things. I thought this was fun.

It's time to refocus and get back to my writing. Big time.

What did you do this weekend?

See any good movies?

A to Z - Zany

1. a man who is a stupid incompetent fool
2. a buffoon in one of the old comedies; imitates others for ludicrous effect
3. like a clown; "a buffoonish walk"; "a clownish face"; "a zany sense of humor"
4. pungent adjectives of disesteem; "gave me a cockamamie reason for not going"; "wore a goofy hat"; "a silly idea"; "some wacky plan for selling more books"
5. A merry-andrew; a buffoon.
6. To mimic.

Okay. That's one I've never heard before. A merry-andrew?

Definition of merry-andrew: clown: a person who amuses others by ridiculous behavior.

Well, folks. We survived. We completed A to Z. Phew.

And Woot! (that means We Owned the Other Team, btw.)

Now, I'm taking a rest and heading to the Storymakers conference this Friday and Saturday. I'm also doing something called Publication Primer. I hear my drill sergeant (though this isn't bootcamp) is brutal but brilliant. I hope to have lots to report next week, especially since I'm taking all master classes this year.

When I went last year I knew almost no one. What a difference a year makes! I became a member of the wonderful Authors Incognito group (you have to have attended a Storymakers conference to join), and I've found an incredible and supportive community of writers and authors. They provide online training, the most recent was a two-week long series on pitches. The first week was on writing and preparing to present it. The second week was on going beyond the pitch, presenting yourself. And this was all before the conference!

Seriously. Am I lucky or what?

And the fabulous Sarah Eden is going to be the Master of Ceremonies again. Sarah writes regency romance and has a delightful sense of humor. I read her books to my hubby, and he likes them. Did I mentioned that I love Love LOVE her books?

Storymakers also has something called the Whitney Awards. These are to recognize LDS authors. I'm a sucker for speculative fiction, so here are the finalists (a complete list of the finalists can be found here):

• The Alloy of Law: A Mistborn Novel by Brandon Sanderson
• I Don't Want to Kill You by Dan Wells
• The Lost Gate by Orson Scott Card
• A Night of Blacker Darkness by Dan Wells
• No Angel by Theresa Sneed

I've read four of the five, and I'm embarrassed to admit it's Scott Card's book I haven't gotten to yet. I didn't go to the awards banquet last year. I'm so going this year.

Have you ever attended a writing conference that changed your life?


P.S.

I was hoping to hit the 600 follower mark with A to Z, but while I've followed a ton of new people few of them have followed me back. And I really, really wanted to hit that nice round number of 600. I sent out a plea to a new group I've joined of clean romance writers and within 10 minutes I had 9 new followers. Thank you, ladies!

A to Z - Humor

Today's post draws on my notes from a class the awesome Sarah Eden taught last fall at the UVU Book Academy. Sarah's always got great humor in her books, and she's just as funny in person.

Why should you include humor?

• Well, for one thing, it makes the characters likeable. 
• Another is comic relief. I remember thinking as my family was watching The Two Towers film about how dark it was. If it hadn't been for Gimli, it would have been an exhausting experience.
• It's a great way to sneak in an emotional experience.
• Like every emotional response, humor must be earned.

So, what makes things funny?

•  Incongruity - something out of place or inappropriate to the situation
• The unexpected - misdirection or surprise (Jack Sparrow--the pirate we never saw coming--is a prime example)
• Familiarity - the reader can relate to what is said or done. This is something stand up comics use a lot.

Now you can have all those things and still bomb because it's all about the context. You need to know your audience and genre. Some things will appeal to certain ages, or to people who have lived through a certain era, or it can appeal to a stage in life or a common experience.

When I was young, there was a joke we used to love to tell.

Question: What's bigger than Winnie's Pooh?

Answer: Gomer's Pyle

I know. This seriously dates me. Many you won't get that joke at all, unless you've ever seen the old reruns of the TV show Gomer Pyle, which was a spin off of the old Andy Griffith Show.

So, play off your strengths and don't try something you're not good at. Don't force it.

Following is a sample of incongruity, where classical pianist Victor Borgia does the unexpected.



Do you have much humor in your writing? What's one of your more favorite funny scenes in a book?

What I've Been Reading

Don't forget to check out the

Banned Book Giveaway Hop here.

As much as I complain about not having enough time to read, I have been getting through some books.I'm usually listening to an audiobook, so I can have something going while I'm doing mindless things at home like laundry, cleaning, or yard work. My hubby likes me to read to him, so we've frequently got a book going together, though those take us a while since he tends to fall asleep rather easily (he's got Fibromyalgia). Then I'm usually reading a book myself, either before I go to sleep (when I'm not critiquing) or when I'm on my treadmill or exercise bike.

So, here's what I've been reading (or listening to):

Seeking Persephone is a prequel to Courting Miss Lancaster which I reviewed here. These are Regency Romances by Sarah M. Eden, whose writing I love dearly. She's got a wonderful way of creating conflict riddled with humor. And her characters! I was crushing on Adam after reading CML, but we get to learn so much more about him in SP, that I just love him even more. Sarah hinted there might be another book in the series. I can't wait to visit these characters again. 

I had an opportunity to read the ARC for Everneath by Brodi Ashton, which I LOVED! You can read what I said about it here. It comes out in January 2012.











And another ARC I got to read was Shifting by Bethany Wiggins. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It comes out on September 27th. You can read about it here.

I've read the first two books in this trilogy, and the final book comes out in October. I hesitated to start it since I heard about the first book right after the first Hunger Games book came out. I didn't want to start a new trilogy. But then I was so disappointed with Mockingjay, I wasn't sure I wanted to risk be disappointed again. But Dan Wells did such a fabulous job with his I Am Not a Serial Killer series, that I decided to give this series a chance. We'll see in October. 


I enjoyed Watched by Cindy M. Hogan. I'd definitely want to keep track of any children I sent on summer field trips after reading this book!










I loved Laura Josephsen's book Confessions from the Realm of the Underworld (Also Known as High School). You can read my thoughts on it here.                    

Hubby and I have been reading this series together (we're on the third book). It involves the brother of one of the characters we meet in The Saint Squad Series--see below (love these books about Navy Seals).

 Hubby and I have one more book to go in this series after we finish The Deep End.

 This book is the first in the Runelord series by David Farland. I really enjoyed it. David is the "father", so to speak, of the online critique group forum I'm a member of.

I recently listened to The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer (who died before the book came out) and her niece Annie Barrows again. I just love this story and the way it's written using letters or notes. The unique voice of each character is so well done. Some of the characters I wish I could meet in real life and just hug!

This books provides one of those places I wish I could go to and live.

I hate getting old. I was thinking I hadn't read this one. Guess what? I have. Oh, well. I liked it the second time, too. It's the sequel to her book Masques, which I read earlier in the year. What can I say? I love Patricia Briggs's books. 

Entwined by Heather Dixon is a charming retelling of the fairytale of The Twelve Dancing Princesses.

A Night of Blacker Darkness by Dan Wells is a really interesting book, very different from his I Am Not a Serial Killer series. Because of that, it took me a few pages to get into it just because it was so different from what I'd expected. It's a farce and has some very silly moments. Talk about a comedy of errors!

From the product description on Amazon:
Wrongly imprisoned, Frederick Whithers is desperate to commit the crime he's already being punished for: defrauding the bank out of a vast inheritance. He fakes his death to escape, but when he's seen climbing out of a coffin everyone assumes he's a vampire; when he shows none of the traditional vampire weaknesses, they decide he must be the most powerful vampire in the history of the world.

Half horror and half farce, Frederick's tale is an ever-growing avalanche of bankers, constables, graverobbers, poets, ghouls, morticians, vampires, vampire hunters, not to mention some very unfortunate rabbits. With a string of allies even more unlikely than his enemies, can Frederick stay alive long enough to claim his (well, somebody's) money? And if he can't, which of his innumerable enemies will get to him first? 

I think this book would make a hilarious play.

Okay. I really need to quit complaining that I'm not getting any reading time. 
Obviously I'm doing better than I thought!


So what have you been reading?

Anything I should add to my Goodreads list?
I haven't reached 100 books to read yet.

#Poetry Summer and an Award

Week 5: #PoetrySummer

(This is from Dan Well's Summer Poetry Challenge.)

I totally stole this from Sarah Eden. She was kind enough to suggest it when I cried for help on Twitter, since I'm old and need short things to memorize. By the way, I can't wait for her book Seeking Persephone to come out in September. It's a prequel to Courting Miss Lancaster, and I've already fallen in love with the characters.

Here's the poem I'm memorizing this week.

If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;

If I can ease one life the aching,

Or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his nest again,

I shall not live in vain.

~~Emily Dickinson

Hey, Robin. I didn't even realize until now that you're mentioned in this poem. Are you a fainter? You seemed sturdier than that.

BLOG AWARD

I've also been honored with another awarding of The Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award by Kimberly Krey. You should check out her blog. I must be really sweet, because this is the third time I've been given this particular award. Thanks, Kimberly.

Feel free to stop reading (like you're not free to anyway) if you're tired of reading random things about me.

Rules of the The Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award (some rules varied but these were the most popular):
1. Copy and paste the award to your blog.
Check

2. Thank and link to the person(s) who nominated you.
Check

3. Share seven random facts about yourself.
One
I hate the sensation of falling--that feeling of your stomach being higher up than the rest of your body. The kind you get when you're, you know, falling. I'm not afraid of heights. On roller coasters I'm fine going upside down and doing the corkscrew turns. Just not the falling.

When my family went on vacation to Disneyland a few years ago and we spent four days park hopping, one of my family's favorite rides was California Screamer. My daughter assured me it was not bad at all. I went.

As we got off, she said, "See, there were only one or two times when there's that sensation."

Um. No. Try five. I counted them.

Tower of Terror anybody? Why don't you just shoot me?

Two
I have an associate degree from Brigham Young University in University Studies with a focus on genealogy (they didn't have a major).

Three
The only bones I've ever broken are a toe and my tail bone (twice).

Four
I'm a serious Harry Potter geek. And proud of it. You can find me at the Leaky Lounge where I'm a moderator. As of last night I have 12,878 posts. I think I'll have to retire when I hit 13,000. =D

Five
My favorite color is green. Just about any shade, though after wearing olive drab everything for a couple of years I was a little off that shade of green for a few decades. When I got to my permanent duty assignment in Nurnberg, even my dang bedroom walls were painted OD. Ugh.

Six
Dark Chocolate. I like the other versions, but if I have a choice, dark chocolate wins every time. The darker, the better.

Seven
When I was a little girl, I was in love with musicals. I would sit in my classroom at school, just waiting for my teacher to break out in song and dance. Such a disappointment.

This video is totally the stuff of my dreams. How come I'm never in a place where they do this? Life's not fair.



4th rule: Pass the award along to 5 deserving blogging buddies.
Jordan McCollum  (Jordan's got choice writing info and is tekkie resource as well)
James Duckett (the writer, not the guy on death row)
Deanna Barnhart (a fellow member of my critique group and host of July's Gearin' up to Get An Agent Blog O Rama)
Amber over at Litpool (she's counting down until Harry' Birthday with HP trivia and prizes)
Candace's Book Blog (I LOVE her blog background)

Book Review - 'Courting Miss Lancaster' by Sarah M. Eden

I enjoy books that are set in the Regency period of England in the early 1900th century. I love the Horatio Hornblower series by C.S. Forester and the Richard Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell.

I'm also a sucker for a good love story.

On an aside, isn't it curious that if a book has a love story but the writer is a woman, it's a romance? Yet if a book has a love story but is written by a man, it's drama or adventure? The Bourne series by Robert Ludlum is absolutely a love story (much more, I know, but at the core it's a love story).

Regency romances (see this article) are actually a romance subgenre and include styles reminiscent of Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. I have Austen's complete works and am slowly accumulating Heyer's (either in paper or audio format). There's something fun about reading one of these books, and there are times when they're just what I need.

I was reading a post at the beginning of the year here where Shanda posed the question of which book she should read next. Courting Miss Lancaster was on the list of options, and several people commented on how much they enjoyed the story. Of course I checked to see if my library had it. It was on hold, but I only had to wait a few days before it was available.

The story is set in 1806 and involves the Little Season (coming out) of a Miss Athena Lancaster, who has this fortunate opportunity because her sister Persephone married a very rich and titled gentleman, Duke Adam Kielder. The Lancasters are well bred but not wealthy, so Adam takes the younger siblings under his wing and even bestows a substantial dowry on each of his sisters-in-law (though it will be some years before the two youngest girls are old enough to go through the marriage mart).

Now Adam is a serious grump (and one of my favorite characters in the book) and hates to go to all the ridiculous dances and parties involved. He has a good friend Harry Windover who is also well bred but poor. Harry loves to socialize and attend parties, so Adam decides to enlist his help by being responsible for escorting Athena to these events so she can meet eligible, prospective husbands.

Harry only agrees because he is in love with Athena and, while his own poverty rules him out as a suitor, he can at least make sure Athena finds a man worthy of her.

There's a lot of humor in this story, and the love story is very sweet. I enjoyed how Eden slowly helps us to know and understand the various characters. In the George Heyer and Jane Austen books, we see how hard it was to be a poor woman, but in Courting Miss Lancaster we're shown that it was hard on the men, too, who were of a certain station yet with very limited options.

The reading is less stilted than Heyer or Austen, so it goes very quickly. I ordered my own copy of it, and I'm reading it aloud to my husband.

I recommend this book and look forward to getting my hands on Seeking Persephone, since it's been accepted for publication.