Today on Make-Believe Mondays I'd like to introduce Evangeline Anderson. Evangeline writes paranormal romance, science fiction and erotica.
Evangeline, tell us a little bit about the manuscript you’re working on now.
Evangeline: Well, I just finished a novel so I’ll tell you about that. It’s a paranormal romantic comedy called Wishful Thinking and it’s about three sisters who have just enough fairy blood to rate having a fairy godmother to grant them wishes on their birthday. Unfortunately, she’s kind of a bitch is always screwing up their wishes. My heroine is the oldest sister, Phil, who is so sweet tempered she can’t stand up for herself—something that changes quickly when she accidentally makes a wish to be able to speak her mind. Suddenly she’s telling everyone off for the first time in her life. It was a blast to write and if it sells, I’d like to do books about Phil’s two younger sisters, Cass and Rory, as well. Here’s a blurb to give you a feel for the book:
Philomena Swann has it tough. She has a fiancé that seems to have lost interest in their love life, a rotten job with a boss that ought to be the poster boy for sexual harassment, and a temperament so mild she can’t stand up for herself. And to make matters worse, her twenty-fifth birthday is coming up and she has to think up a wish. Why? Because Phil and her sisters are one eighth fairy—not enough to give them magical powers but sufficient to rate them a fairy godmother from hell so reckless with her wand they all live in fear of their birthday wishes.
All Phil wants is to make a wish so small and insignificant it won’t mess up her life. But after a horrible day, she accidentally shouts out a wish to speak her mind…and then finds she can’t stop. Between telling everyone exactly what she thinks and trying to deal with her eccentric grandmother who’s been brewing botched love potions to catch herself a man, Phil has her hands full.
When she starts finding out some startling things about the people in her life—such as how her hot and hunky co-worker and best friend Josh really feels about her—Phil knows she’s made a wish that will change her world forever. If it doesn’t ruin her life first.
Wishful Thinking was kind of a departure for me since I usually write mostly erotica. I have to say that the sex in WT is still pretty hot and may have to be toned down—we’ll see. In fact, I have a book of science fiction erotica called Take Two coming out from Kensington’s Aphrodisia line of books this October 31st. Yup—Halloween, isn’t that a great release date? Anyway, it’s a ménage a trois novel with one heroine and two heroes and it was a ton of fun to write. You can find it in most any bookstore in the erotica section this coming October and you can get a sneak peek at the first chapter and some juicy excerpts in the erotica coming soon section of my site www.evangelineanderson.com
Mark Twain said, “You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” How do you fill your creative well to keep your imagination in focus?
Evangeline: This is a question that a friend of mine and I talk about a lot. I do believe that there is a part of you, a creative well as you called it, that can run dry if you don’t take time for yourself to refill it. I love to read, of course, but I also like to recharge my imagination’s battery by watching science fiction, action adventure movies. I often get ideas by seeing other people’s creativity on the big screen. Seeing great special effects and weird situations makes me say, ‘what if?’ and before I know it, there’s a whole new novel spinning itself out inside my head.
As a child did any particular book or author pull you into their imaginary world?
Evangeline: I have to say that the author who most influence over my childhood was C.S. Lewis and his Chronicles of Narnia series. I know the first book has been made into a movie now, which I think is great, but for me, there’s no substitute for the books. I read and re-read them constantly (my favorite is The Magician’s Nephew) and I think I spent my entire childhood expecting to open a door that led into another world. Even today if I opened my closet door and saw another land where my scrubs ought to be hanging, I don’t think I’d be too surprised. I’d just walk right in and make myself at home. : )
Debra: I loved Narnia as a child (and still do) so if you ever find the door, tell me where it is so I can join you!
Is there anything else you would like to add about the role of imagination, and dreams in creating fiction? Any other message for our readers?
Evangeline: I know I’m only supposed to answer three of these but I just have to say that I enjoy and appreciate reader feedback. Writing is such a solitary occupation that I think sometimes we forget that our words get carried over the internet or through a book to a reader somewhere. So if you have enjoyed something I have written, I would love to hear from you. Also, if you have an on-line blog with loyal readers, I would be willing to send you a copy of one of my books for free as long as you agree to review it on your site. I’m such a publicity whore. : ) Visit me at www.evangelineanderson.com or friend me on MySpace at www.myspace.com/evangelineanderson or just write me at vangiekitty@aol.com I’d love to hear what you have to say! - Evangeline Anderson
Evangeline, thank you for joining us here on this Make-believe Monday to share a little bit of the magic of writing with our readers.
Monday, July 31, 2006
Monday, July 24, 2006
Make-Believe Mondays With Cathy Clamp
Today on Make-believe Mondays I'm pleased to introduce Cathy Clamp, one of my friends from RWAonline. Cathy writes paranormal romance for TOR.
Cathy, tell us a little bit about the manuscript you’re working on now.
Cathy: Well, writing is a little different with co-authors. Cie and I work on two different books at the same time. Presently, she just finished the sequel to our USA Today bestseller, Touch of Evil. It’s called Touch of Madness and is the second in what we think will be a trilogy. Of course, it might be a four-part too. Hard to say…LOL! The heroine from the first book, Kate Reilly, returns and if you thought her life was tough in the FIRST book, whoa baby! Hold onto your seats!
My book is called Moon’s Fury and is the next book in our Sazi shapeshifter world. It’s set right here in Texas and will feature mostly new characters with a few favorites from other books. I’m still writing it, so it’s sort of fluid right now. Heh.
Debra: Fluid is good. It's a wonderful thing when the story is flowing.
Mark Twain said, “You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” How do you fill your creative well to keep your imagination in focus?
Cathy: Wow! This is pretty deep. I guess, for me, I spend time getting to know the characters. That requires long spells of what my DH refers to as ”staring at the walls." I can just look into space for hours (sometimes forgetting to BLINK! No kidding!) thinking about the plot and how the characters I’ve created will respond to the events.
Debra: Yes, I understand completely. Sometimes we need to pause and listen for the story. It may look like we're doing nothing but there's a lot going on inside.
Is there a point when your characters begin to come alive and you can see and hear them?
Cathy: Not so much for me, but for Cie--definitely! I’m more of the ”puppetmaster” type. My characters will do what I tell them and I’ll change their background to fit the events. But Cie can’t do that (one of the reasons we don’t write on the same book at the same time!)
Debra: I would think it would be difficult to work on the same book at the same time. It sounds as if your differences balance together well in a yin/yang kind of way.
Some very famous authors have played with language, creating words for people or places that no one has ever heard of. Have you ever played with words in that way and if so how?
Cathy: It depends. I really enjoy working in the real world, because there’s so many cool things here. But in order to avoid legal issues, sometimes it’s best to create your own space for your people to play. In the book Cie just finished, it’s in an alternate reality, but the elements of the city (Denver) is identical to the one that’s really there. For my book, I’ve created a small town in a fictional county, so I could have my characters play in politics without stepping on toes (the county I created is carved out of several surrounding counties in an uninhabited section of the state.)
For some writers, dreams play a role in creating fiction. Has this been true for you? Have you ever dreamed a scene or an image that later wound up in one of your books?
Cathy: Hmm… Not really. I do come up with SOLUTIONS to plot problems in that ”twilight time” between sleep and awake. But I really can’t say I dream about them.
As a child did any particular book or author pull you into their imaginary world?
Cathy: Oh, absolutely! I read voraciously as a child. But only ONE book? I loved all the children’s mysteries--from Nancy Drew to the Hardy Boys and Trixie Belden. I read old fairy tales and really loved Mother Westwind’s Children (I still have a copy on my shelf.) Lots and lots of other classics too. I started reading at 4, and have never stopped!
If there were no categories for books, no reader expectations to meet, and you could create the wildest work of imagination that you could think of what kind of story would that be?
Cathy: Probably what I write right now. We really don’t fit anywhere as it is! LOL! I mean, c’mon! A Mafia hitman who’s also a werewolf, written in first person male…as a ROMANCE?!
Debra: Yes, when I read the first page of Hunters Moon I had to stop for a minute and sit back. I thought about how unusual the point of view was and it lent an excitement to the read - a sense of wonder about what you would do with it. Then the story pulled me in.
Bravo to TOR for publishing outside the box. I wish there was more of that in the industry.
Is there anything else you would like to add about the role of imagination, and dreams in creating fiction? Any other message for our readers?
Cathy: The biggest thing that Cie and I do is ask ”What if?" What if werewolves were real--in today’s world? What would have to change if people found out? How would they stay invisible if nobody knew? Would they catch diseases? How is it transmitted. Etc., etc. Every ”what if?" is then followed by a ”why?" and ”how do we fix it?" The fun part of imagining impossible things is coming up with the reason it’s so simple--so commonplace that readers can relate to it. If you make things TOO impossible, people can’t identify or get lost in the story. Above all, reality must follow RULES. If you make the rules, you’ll have to answer for breaking them. But that’s the fun part…
Debra: Oh to be a fly on the wall when you are having those discussions. It sounds like so much fun!
Cathy, thank you for joining us here on this Make-believe Monday to share a little bit of the magic of writing with our readers.
Cathy: Thank you, Debra! It’s been a lot of fun!
Visit Cathy at http://wwwciecatrunpubs.com and if you'd like to read the interview with Cie, Cathy's writing partner, you'll find it here in the archives on Jan. 30th.
Cathy, tell us a little bit about the manuscript you’re working on now.
Cathy: Well, writing is a little different with co-authors. Cie and I work on two different books at the same time. Presently, she just finished the sequel to our USA Today bestseller, Touch of Evil. It’s called Touch of Madness and is the second in what we think will be a trilogy. Of course, it might be a four-part too. Hard to say…LOL! The heroine from the first book, Kate Reilly, returns and if you thought her life was tough in the FIRST book, whoa baby! Hold onto your seats!
My book is called Moon’s Fury and is the next book in our Sazi shapeshifter world. It’s set right here in Texas and will feature mostly new characters with a few favorites from other books. I’m still writing it, so it’s sort of fluid right now. Heh.
Debra: Fluid is good. It's a wonderful thing when the story is flowing.
Mark Twain said, “You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” How do you fill your creative well to keep your imagination in focus?
Cathy: Wow! This is pretty deep. I guess, for me, I spend time getting to know the characters. That requires long spells of what my DH refers to as ”staring at the walls." I can just look into space for hours (sometimes forgetting to BLINK! No kidding!) thinking about the plot and how the characters I’ve created will respond to the events.
Debra: Yes, I understand completely. Sometimes we need to pause and listen for the story. It may look like we're doing nothing but there's a lot going on inside.
Is there a point when your characters begin to come alive and you can see and hear them?
Cathy: Not so much for me, but for Cie--definitely! I’m more of the ”puppetmaster” type. My characters will do what I tell them and I’ll change their background to fit the events. But Cie can’t do that (one of the reasons we don’t write on the same book at the same time!
Debra: I would think it would be difficult to work on the same book at the same time. It sounds as if your differences balance together well in a yin/yang kind of way.
Some very famous authors have played with language, creating words for people or places that no one has ever heard of. Have you ever played with words in that way and if so how?
Cathy: It depends. I really enjoy working in the real world, because there’s so many cool things here. But in order to avoid legal issues, sometimes it’s best to create your own space for your people to play. In the book Cie just finished, it’s in an alternate reality, but the elements of the city (Denver) is identical to the one that’s really there. For my book, I’ve created a small town in a fictional county, so I could have my characters play in politics without stepping on toes (the county I created is carved out of several surrounding counties in an uninhabited section of the state.)
For some writers, dreams play a role in creating fiction. Has this been true for you? Have you ever dreamed a scene or an image that later wound up in one of your books?
Cathy: Hmm… Not really. I do come up with SOLUTIONS to plot problems in that ”twilight time” between sleep and awake. But I really can’t say I dream about them.
As a child did any particular book or author pull you into their imaginary world?
Cathy: Oh, absolutely! I read voraciously as a child. But only ONE book? I loved all the children’s mysteries--from Nancy Drew to the Hardy Boys and Trixie Belden. I read old fairy tales and really loved Mother Westwind’s Children (I still have a copy on my shelf.) Lots and lots of other classics too. I started reading at 4, and have never stopped!
If there were no categories for books, no reader expectations to meet, and you could create the wildest work of imagination that you could think of what kind of story would that be?
Cathy: Probably what I write right now. We really don’t fit anywhere as it is! LOL! I mean, c’mon! A Mafia hitman who’s also a werewolf, written in first person male…as a ROMANCE?!
Debra: Yes, when I read the first page of Hunters Moon I had to stop for a minute and sit back. I thought about how unusual the point of view was and it lent an excitement to the read - a sense of wonder about what you would do with it. Then the story pulled me in.
Bravo to TOR for publishing outside the box. I wish there was more of that in the industry.
Is there anything else you would like to add about the role of imagination, and dreams in creating fiction? Any other message for our readers?
Cathy: The biggest thing that Cie and I do is ask ”What if?" What if werewolves were real--in today’s world? What would have to change if people found out? How would they stay invisible if nobody knew? Would they catch diseases? How is it transmitted. Etc., etc. Every ”what if?" is then followed by a ”why?" and ”how do we fix it?" The fun part of imagining impossible things is coming up with the reason it’s so simple--so commonplace that readers can relate to it. If you make things TOO impossible, people can’t identify or get lost in the story. Above all, reality must follow RULES. If you make the rules, you’ll have to answer for breaking them. But that’s the fun part…
Debra: Oh to be a fly on the wall when you are having those discussions. It sounds like so much fun!
Cathy, thank you for joining us here on this Make-believe Monday to share a little bit of the magic of writing with our readers.
Cathy: Thank you, Debra! It’s been a lot of fun!
Visit Cathy at http://wwwciecatrunpubs.com and if you'd like to read the interview with Cie, Cathy's writing partner, you'll find it here in the archives on Jan. 30th.
Monday, July 17, 2006
Make-Believe Mondays With Barbara Ferrer
This morning on Make-believe Mondays I'm pleased to introduce Barbara Ferrer, one of my friends from RWAonline. Barbara also writes as Caridad Ferrer for Pocket/MTV Books and her first YA novel, Adios To My Old Life, just hit the bookstores on July 4th.
Barbara, first, tell us a little bit about the manuscript you’re working on now.
Barbara: It's kind of the ultimate case of make-believe actually. It's about a girl who, when she goes off to college, decides to try to pass herself off as a Cuban girl because she thinks it'll make her appear more exotic and interesting. It takes the reinventing yourself for college scenario to a bit of an extreme.
Debra: I'm intrigued and wondering if she will be able to pull it off.
Mark Twain said, “You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” How do you fill your creative well to keep your imagination in focus?
Barbara: For me it's music. A song or piece of music will often act as a trigger which will bring scenes to me whole cloth. Music evokes in me such intense emotion and imagery, that I can't begin to imagine my writing process without it. Whether or not I'm actively working on a manuscript, I'm always on the lookout for music or simply listening to old favorites.
Debra: It's interesting how many authors listen to music when they write. The cadence or rhythm in some writing is very strong.
Is there a point when your characters begin to come alive and you can see and hear them?
Barbara: Absolutely. And it's usually about that point that I start losing sleep, because they Won't. Shut. Up.
Debra: That must be exhausting!
As a child did any particular book or author pull you into their imaginary world?
Barbara: To this day, Ruth Sawyer's "ROLLER SKATES" transports me to 1890s New York City. Rarely has a book ever made me laugh, cry, and want to BE a character, more than "ROLLER SKATES" made me want to be Lucinda. I think it's where my fascination with creating worlds that are based on "real" worlds comes from. I admire tremendously the people who can create whole worlds and cultures and civilizations, but I much prefer playing games of "What if?" with the known.
"What if" is the best game of all. Anything can happen!
Barbara, thank you for joining us here on this Make-believe Monday to share a little bit of the magic of writing with our readers.
You can visist Barbara at http://barbaraferrer.com and at http://www.caridadferrer.com
Barbara, first, tell us a little bit about the manuscript you’re working on now.
Barbara: It's kind of the ultimate case of make-believe actually. It's about a girl who, when she goes off to college, decides to try to pass herself off as a Cuban girl because she thinks it'll make her appear more exotic and interesting. It takes the reinventing yourself for college scenario to a bit of an extreme.
Debra: I'm intrigued and wondering if she will be able to pull it off.
Mark Twain said, “You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” How do you fill your creative well to keep your imagination in focus?
Barbara: For me it's music. A song or piece of music will often act as a trigger which will bring scenes to me whole cloth. Music evokes in me such intense emotion and imagery, that I can't begin to imagine my writing process without it. Whether or not I'm actively working on a manuscript, I'm always on the lookout for music or simply listening to old favorites.
Debra: It's interesting how many authors listen to music when they write. The cadence or rhythm in some writing is very strong.
Is there a point when your characters begin to come alive and you can see and hear them?
Barbara: Absolutely. And it's usually about that point that I start losing sleep, because they Won't. Shut. Up.
Debra: That must be exhausting!
As a child did any particular book or author pull you into their imaginary world?
Barbara: To this day, Ruth Sawyer's "ROLLER SKATES" transports me to 1890s New York City. Rarely has a book ever made me laugh, cry, and want to BE a character, more than "ROLLER SKATES" made me want to be Lucinda. I think it's where my fascination with creating worlds that are based on "real" worlds comes from. I admire tremendously the people who can create whole worlds and cultures and civilizations, but I much prefer playing games of "What if?" with the known.
"What if" is the best game of all. Anything can happen!
Barbara, thank you for joining us here on this Make-believe Monday to share a little bit of the magic of writing with our readers.
You can visist Barbara at http://barbaraferrer.com and at http://www.caridadferrer.com
Monday, July 10, 2006
Make-Believe Mondays With Shelley Bradley
Today on Make-believe Mondays I would like to introduce Shelley Bradley. You may know Shelley as a historical romance author, but she also writes contemporary erotic romance for Berkley.
Shelley, first, tell us a little bit about the manuscript you’re working on now.
Shelley: DANGEROUS AND DELICIOUS is second of my erotic romances for Berkley Heat under my Shayla Black pseudonym. It’s a ménage book with two sexy heroes, both with deep emotional issues to overcome, and a heroine who, despite her inexperience, will teach them both about what’s important. It’s a lot of fun to sink down into this candied fantasy world and romp with these three characters!
Mark Twain said, “You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” How do you fill your creative well to keep your imagination in focus?
Shelley: MUSIC!! I’m not a visual creature, so when I write, I feel my stories. Music, for me, helps me channel my feelings and put them down on the page. Different characters and stories have different songs. For instance, DANGEROUS AND DELICIOUS has a hero who is sure that this three-way relationship in the book is a HUGE mistake. His feelings are so perfectly reflected in Depeche Mode’s “Precious.”
Special and fragile things
Need special handling
My God, what have we done to you?
We always tried to share
The tenderest of care
Now look what we have put you through…
In all sorts of music, I find inspiration, help in describing emotion, understanding of characters and their growth. I’m always trying new music and when something hits me in the heart and in the gut, it goes on my iPod. I’ll find a future use for it.
We hear so much about the visual, but music can be just as solid a path into imagination.
Is there a point when your characters begin to come alive and you can see and hear them?
Shelley: Almost from the word “go.” Characters wander into my head and start telling me their stories. Plot comes later, slower. That’s really a much more difficult process for me. But characters are there and alive. They also tell me their names, and sometimes I don’t even like them. But they’re not negotiable.
I have a theory about story, at least when it comes to me telling it: It’s all in my sub-conscious. I just have to get out of the way long enough for the story to come out. So, once I know the plot, I just start typing. The characters, whether I like their names or not, are driving the bus. I simply try to strap on a seatbelt and go for the ride.
Debra: Yes. It's about being open to the imagination. What trust it takes to strap on that seatbelt, but what a wonderful ride!
For some writers, dreams play a role in creating fiction. Has this been true for you? Have you ever dreamed a scene or an image that later wound up in one of your books?
Shelley: Occasionally. I don’t think it’s an exactly remembered dream, except in rare instances. It’s more like my sub-conscious using dreams to work through different scenarios and possibilities in my head so that when I wake up, I know what to do. That’s a great feeling, especially when I wasn’t sure what to do with the story the previous night. Also, I think dreams relax me enough to tune out daily stresses and tune in to what my characters are saying to me.
Debra: I think you're right. Our characters can speak to us in dreams and maybe we're more receptive during that dream state.
If there were no categories for books, no reader expectations to meet, and you could create the wildest work of imagination that you could think of what kind of story would that be?
Shelley: Honestly? Pretty much what I’m doing now. I love the blend of erotic and romance, of human issues and character growth, with a little suspense, a little comedy, and a lot of attitude thrown in. I LOVE what I’m doing!
Shelley, thank you for joining us here on this Make-believe Monday to share a little bit of the magic of writing with our readers.
Visit Shelley at http://www.shelleybradley.com
Shelley, first, tell us a little bit about the manuscript you’re working on now.
Shelley: DANGEROUS AND DELICIOUS is second of my erotic romances for Berkley Heat under my Shayla Black pseudonym. It’s a ménage book with two sexy heroes, both with deep emotional issues to overcome, and a heroine who, despite her inexperience, will teach them both about what’s important. It’s a lot of fun to sink down into this candied fantasy world and romp with these three characters!
Mark Twain said, “You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.” How do you fill your creative well to keep your imagination in focus?
Shelley: MUSIC!! I’m not a visual creature, so when I write, I feel my stories. Music, for me, helps me channel my feelings and put them down on the page. Different characters and stories have different songs. For instance, DANGEROUS AND DELICIOUS has a hero who is sure that this three-way relationship in the book is a HUGE mistake. His feelings are so perfectly reflected in Depeche Mode’s “Precious.”
Special and fragile things
Need special handling
My God, what have we done to you?
We always tried to share
The tenderest of care
Now look what we have put you through…
In all sorts of music, I find inspiration, help in describing emotion, understanding of characters and their growth. I’m always trying new music and when something hits me in the heart and in the gut, it goes on my iPod. I’ll find a future use for it.
We hear so much about the visual, but music can be just as solid a path into imagination.
Is there a point when your characters begin to come alive and you can see and hear them?
Shelley: Almost from the word “go.” Characters wander into my head and start telling me their stories. Plot comes later, slower. That’s really a much more difficult process for me. But characters are there and alive. They also tell me their names, and sometimes I don’t even like them. But they’re not negotiable.
I have a theory about story, at least when it comes to me telling it: It’s all in my sub-conscious. I just have to get out of the way long enough for the story to come out. So, once I know the plot, I just start typing. The characters, whether I like their names or not, are driving the bus. I simply try to strap on a seatbelt and go for the ride.
Debra: Yes. It's about being open to the imagination. What trust it takes to strap on that seatbelt, but what a wonderful ride!
For some writers, dreams play a role in creating fiction. Has this been true for you? Have you ever dreamed a scene or an image that later wound up in one of your books?
Shelley: Occasionally. I don’t think it’s an exactly remembered dream, except in rare instances. It’s more like my sub-conscious using dreams to work through different scenarios and possibilities in my head so that when I wake up, I know what to do. That’s a great feeling, especially when I wasn’t sure what to do with the story the previous night. Also, I think dreams relax me enough to tune out daily stresses and tune in to what my characters are saying to me.
Debra: I think you're right. Our characters can speak to us in dreams and maybe we're more receptive during that dream state.
If there were no categories for books, no reader expectations to meet, and you could create the wildest work of imagination that you could think of what kind of story would that be?
Shelley: Honestly? Pretty much what I’m doing now. I love the blend of erotic and romance, of human issues and character growth, with a little suspense, a little comedy, and a lot of attitude thrown in. I LOVE what I’m doing!
Shelley, thank you for joining us here on this Make-believe Monday to share a little bit of the magic of writing with our readers.
Visit Shelley at http://www.shelleybradley.com
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