Fifty Shades Of Grey

It seems that there is no escaping the 'Fifty Shades of Grey' phenomenon. It's one hell of a publishing juggernaut, isn't it?

Well, curiosity finally got the better of me this week and book one in the trilogy found itself on my bedside table. Being honest, I wanted to know what the fuss was all about, which I guess is the reason that many other people are buying it too.
Before I tell you what I thought, I will confess to being Fifty Shades of Envious of the authors success, hats off to her for picking up the ball and running with it.

Right, so to my verdict. I'm seriously underwhelmed.

I'd been told to expect rough writing, and sure enough, it felt rough enough to take the skin off my fingers in places. The main character, Ana, bit her lip so often I wanted the damn thing to fall right off her face,  and if she mentioned her inner goddess once... while, lets just say she mentions it regularly. There are other oft repeated phrases, and once you pick up on them they really, really irritate. Like, REALLY. Enough to want to set fire to the book kind of really.

Writing aside, the story itself felt painfully thin to me. The heroine was at times too stupid to live, and I failed to empathise with either of the two main characters - for the life of me I just can't see why women are falling for this man in their legions. Sure, he's dominant - but not in a sexy way for me. Sex is obviously the main thrust of the book (forgive the pun, I can't help it), but to me the sex just felt, well, deeply unsexy. Sorry ladies. I didn't fall for Christian Grey, and I def won't be buying books two and three.

In the interest of fairness though, I may have been biased slightly by the fact that I read 'Bared To You' by Sylvia Day directly before reading 'Fifty Shades of Grey'.
It came recommended by a fellow minx, and wow, it's one HOT book. The two books are undeniably similar in some aspects, but for me 'Bared To You' stands head and shoulders above in terms of writing and complex character development, not to mention that it's much, much sexier. It's more sophisticated, more polished, more believable. It's just more. I am totally Team Gideon Cross, and will be buying book two of the trilogy when it's released in October.

'Bared To You' is the book I wanted Fifty Shades to be.

Milestones & Counting Blessings

I really wanted to come up with something hugely profound and awe-inspiring for my last post before I turn, ahem, "21". Over the last couple of weeks I've wracked my (according to my daughter) ever-dwindling brain cells for earth-moving subjects.

In the end, I've decided to keep it simple. As I move into another decade, I'm reminded how transient life can be and with that in mind, I thought what better way to say goodbye to the old decade and hello to the new than by counting blessings?

So here are a simple (writerly) five:

1. I'm thankful for my lovely CPs who bolster me and whoop for me and are always there with "you can do this". I treasure them without measure.

2. The lovely people I've met throughout my writing journey. Writing is such a solitary craft but the knowledge that I can reach out to my wonderful writer friends is priceless to me.

3. I'm thankful for the equally wonderful books out there that make me want to become a better writer just by the magic they produce. There's nothing more inspiring IMO than reading a book that gets you so jazzed up you can't wait to get writing yourself.

4.  Twitter! I never thought I'd say this about any social media, but I love this medium so much for the inspiration and camaraderie I get when I log on, I can't not mention it. Twitter Rocks!!

5. Chocolate - enough said.

So there you have it folks. And to make the chocolate lovers out there really jealous, I thought I'd cheekily post a replica pic of the cake I intend to have tomorrow (mine's being decorated). It's a chocolate curly wurly cake from Konditor & Cook and each slice tastes like a little piece of heaven...

Please feel free to share what you're thankful for. We'd love to know.

Author Spotlight: Tina Vaughn

Today, we're very pleased and excited to welcome Minxy Friend and Twitter Buddy, Tina Vaughn to the blog. Take it away, Tina!

What is your writing process?

I start with the characters...always. I write from the first time they meet or from the first time my hero and heroine realize they are attracted to each other. (This might not be the inciting incident, and I know that some of what I'm writing may never end up in the manuscript, but this helps me get a better understanding of characters' voices, goals, motivations, conflicts, etc.)

After that I write a log line, back-of-the-book blurb and a rough one-page synopsis that includes the plot points: the set up, a turning point, the midpoint, the second turning point, the black moment and the resolution.

Despite my love of words, I'm also a visual learner. I use the backs of pages from my very large desk calendar to develop a table/chart that includes these plot points. To these, I add the characters' conflicts (internal, external) with a brief note regarding how those conflicts manifest themselves at each plot point.

I like this method, because while it's a good month's worth of work for me up front, I believe it saves me from a lot of other struggles, including (but not limited to) writer's block, sagging middles, etc.

Everyone who writes knows it's not easy - what methods do you use to keep at it on days when it would be so much easier to go shoe shopping?

Are you familiar with that expression, “the only person standing in your way is you.” Yep. Pretty powerful stuff. I think about that and remember that if I want to achieve my goals, if I want to live my dream, then I need to be writing.

Keeping fit: Do you have an exercise regime to counterbalance all those hours sitting at a computer?

Ugh. I don't. It's that word “regime.” Creeps me out. True story. Just a couple weeks ago I finally found my weights and they were covered in spiderwebs. Despite all that, I do know I need to be exercising so I just registered for a cardio class with some of my family members. It's three days per week. I'll let you know how it goes.

Do you believe in writer's block?

So far, that's something I've not experienced. I don't do a detailed plot, but I believe the outline and the time I've spent getting to know my characters “up front” helps. I'm also a scene-hopper, so if I feel that I'm losing direction or focus in one part of the book I simply jump to another.

Have you ever used an incident from real life in a book? If so, did it get you into trouble?

All the time, but it's more inspiration than transcription, you know what I mean? Songs, articles, scenery, my friends and family, snippets of conversation I overhear while I'm waiting in line at the grocery store. I think being able to find a story in even the smallest of ideas or moments is a necessity for a writer.

In what way is being a published writer different to how you thought it would be?

I never thought about people actually reading my work. That probably sounds crazy, but I really didn't expect it. I guess I thought No Sweeter Love would just go out into universe and sit, and I was cool with that because, well, I had a really great cover that had my name on it. LOL But, I receive messages, emails and tweets from people telling me they bought my book or that they read it and loved it. And then people take time from their busy lives to actually review and rate it on Goodreads or Amazon or B&N. It's mind-boggling. I'm humbled by all the support and feedback and... Shew. I'm getting a little choked up here.

Promotion is no longer a dirty word. In what ways do you strive to reach more readers?

I'm on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads and I blog. I'm a member of a fabulous critique group Passionate Critters (http://passionatecritters.blogspot.com) and am a contributor with The Hot Pink Typewriter (http://thehotpinktypewriter.blogspot.com). But that stuff doesn't feel like promo. It's more like hanging out with my friends, other readers and writers who share similar hopes and goals. So...I don't know. I guess you could consider all that promo but most days it just feels like partying.

What is your top promo tip for other authors?

Just write. If you don't have a product to market, then promo doesn't even matter all that much. Also, if you are published, an easy-to-navigate website with all your books (including blurbs and excerpts) is a must. If I've taken the time to visit your website, then you want to make it as easy as possible for me to find your booklist (including blurbs, excerpts and buy links.)

What did you learn while writing this book?

I was reminded of how important forgiveness is, for yourself and others. It's hard to move on when you're wrapped up in the mistakes and regrets of the past.

What was the most fun part of writing this book?

I really enjoyed writing the interaction between Jolene and Emily. Most of the time I felt like I was eavesdropping on a conversation between best friends. Those were the easiest parts of the book to write, and the most fun.

And just for fun: what would your hero’s honeymoon destination of choice be?

I picture Ryan on a beach somewhere. He's a big, hot guy so I'm thinking anywhere where he could wear boardshorts and nothing else would be best.

Welcome to Union

Population: 994

Town motto: Where no secret goes untold

His father’s death forces Dr. Ryan Williams to return to the home—and the woman—he’d left behind ten years earlier. Ryan knows it’s best to avoid Union sweetheart and police officer Emily Winters during his visit. But how? Stuck in this small town, fighting an attraction that hasn’t diminished over time, the sparks are unavoidable—and so are the rumors. The same rumors that made him leave Union in the first place…

Experience taught Emily to keep her guard—and her panties—up. Until Ryan returns as suddenly as he left, tempting her with promises she already knows he can’t keep. Or so she thinks. This new adult Ryan is one capable of forever and, God-willing, forgiveness. Because even as they learn to trust and love each other again, Emily knows once she reveals her secret, heartbreak is inevitable.

You can buy Tina's book here:

Amazon.com

Barnes & Noble

Ellora's Cave

Super congrats on your debut, Tina! It's been a blast having you here :)

From idea to first draft

I've been thinking about this a lot this year....and feel like this is one of the hardest, if not the hardest, parts of my process of writing a novel.
Ideas, as all of us writers know, abound around us. Of course translating those ideas into a cohesive novel is another thing.
Yet for me, it's the conversion of that little spark into something meaty, something that deserves to be told is the hardest part. Over the course of the six and a half fulls, about ten partials, and countless first chapters, believe you me, they are really countless, I have learnt that the pre-work process, the process of fermenting of the idea is as important as the first draft itself. I'm always eager to start the shiny new idea, the great cute meet, the awesome first liner that just begs to be written.
Yet if I start writing too soon, without thinking through, I have found the hard way that I run out of steam about 3000 words in.
It's a better investment of my time thinking a bit, scribbling notes wherever I'm on whatever I can find at that moment about characters, their GMCs, their fears, their life lessons, and what it is that the antagonist or in our case, the hero or the heroine force the other main character to learn..
And by this point, the shine of the idea wears off a little, but the substance, the real grit of it begins to appear, and it is all I can do to get what I have in my mind on to the page...

What about you? Which part of the writing process is the hardest or the easiest for you, and why?

Dear Julia Launch Wave - Stop One

Welcome to the launch of Dear Julia, my latest release published under the name Rae Summers as part of the Love Letters series by The Wild Rose Press.

Following Sally Minx’s novel launch idea, Dear Julia launches with a ‘Mexican wave’ starting right here. By clicking on the links below each excerpt, you’ll be able to follow the wave across 8 blogs to read the entire first chapter - or you can click on the buy links at the bottom of this post to get your own copy!

You can also follow the wave’s progress on Twitter, using the hashtag #DearJulia. If you enjoy the story, feel free to tweet your comments and chat to other wave surfers.

I’m also running a contest on my Rae Summers blog. Answer one simple question about this story, and you’ll be entered to win a copy of Dear Julia. Entries close Sunday night, and the winner will be announced on Monday.

Have fun!

* * *

The Blurb

The discovery of a long-lost love letter in a house she’s redecorating sends Rosalie Stanton on a quest to find its rightful owner.

Since his return from the Great War, William Cavendish has lived as a recluse. His peaceful existence is shattered by the return of the letter that once held all his hopes — and by its bearer, the irrepressible Rosalie, who bears an uncanny resemblance to his lost love.

As Rosalie sets out to lure William back into society, she realises that in him she might just have met her match.


Extract One

Dust swirled out in a thick, choking cloud as plaster and debris crashed to the floor. The cloud cleared, and Rosalie lowered her handkerchief from her face and coughed. In the yawning hole where the monstrous Victorian mantelpiece had been, a pile of broken bricks now lay in their own ashes. Something pale caught her eye amongst the rubble.
“What is that?”
One of the workmen bent to pick it up. “It’s a letter, miss.”
He handed her the envelope, and she wiped her handkerchief across its grimy face to reveal paper yellowed with age and a name printed in a neat, square script, a man’s handwriting: Julia.
Not just a letter. In one corner she felt the distinctive weight of something else. Curiosity growing, she turned the envelope over. No name or return address. She frowned. “It must have fallen behind the mantelpiece.”
The man shrugged, disinterested, and she forced her attention back to the room. “Clear the bricks, and tomorrow you can install the new mantel.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
They began the clean-up, and Rosalie moved to the window, holding the letter up to the light.
Against the sharp autumn sunlight she could see a shape silhouetted within the envelope. A ring. Even through the paper she could tell it was very old, delicate and ornately filigreed. And undoubtedly valuable.
That settled it. Whoever the letter had been intended for, it had to be delivered.

Anna sat at the kitchen table, shelling peas. She shook her head as Rosalie entered. “I hope you haven’t ruined that pretty dress.”
Rosalie looked down at herself. She was covered head to toe in a film of grey dust. She shrugged. “It’s just a dress. Look what we found.”
She held out the envelope to Anna. “Do you have any idea who Julia is?”
Anna shook her head and took the letter. “No idea. But Mrs. Wallace in the post office is sure to know. She knows everything about everyone around here.”
“Excellent idea. It’s the perfect afternoon for a walk into town.”
“Not in that dress, you won’t.”
Rosalie grinned. “I guess not. And I’ll have to wash my hair, too, before I go.”
“I’ll put some water to warm by the fire. Why your father couldn’t have got the plumbers in before we moved in, I’ll never know.”
It was a familiar grumble, and Rosalie laughed. “We’ve lived in worse places. And I’ll have this place
shipshape in no time.”
Anna rolled her eyes. “I have no doubt of that, Miss Rosalie. And the rest of the village too, I’m sure. Heaven help them.”

* * *

For the next instalment, click here to go to fellow Minx Sally Clements’ blog. Don’t forget to tweet your feedback using the hashtag #DearJulia.

Here is the full list of participating blogs:

Stop 1 – you are here!
Stop 2 - Sally Clements
Stop 3 - Rachel Bailey
Stop 4 - Scarlet Wilson
Stop 5 - Olivia Miles
Stop 6 - Jennifer Shirk
Stop 7 - Suzanne Jones
Stop 8 – the last stop, at my blog.

Thank you to all these lovely ladies for hosting me today!

Dear Julia is on sale through Amazon, Amazon UK, AllRomance eBooks and The Wild Rose Press. You can find out more about this novella here.