My Writing Process...

 

I've been invited to participate in the MY WRITING PROCESS blog hop...

1. What am I working on?
Yesterday I finished edits on my third novel. It's a contemporary romance tentatively titled, 'Full Pursuit'. This is the story of Nicole, a girl that gets tricked into planning her twin sister's wedding, and Chase, the handsome and determined cop that ends up being the Best Man. They first meet when Nikki gets pulled over for a broken taillight while wearing only her bra and panties. Naturally, Chase is taken with her from the start.

Despite the chemistry they seem to have, each has their own reasons and secrets that fill them with doubt. Can a weekend on the river be enough to overcome their fears, or is it over before it ever begins?

2. How does my work differ from others in its genre?

By default much of my writing falls into the New Adult (NA) category. This isn't by design. These are simply the stories that come to me. I happen to believe that the transition from your teens into full adulthood is an interesting time in a person's life. It only happens once. You're bound to make a few mistakes along the way due to changing emotions and inexperience.

One major difference between my books and those that are prominent in NA is that I write about average people with average lives. My characters, while flawed in their own way, aren't broken or tormented. They have struggles and obstacles that you might have yourself if you were in their shoes.

3. Why do I write what I do?

I only write the types of books that I would want to read myself. That's my benchmark. If I can't get drawn in by my own characters, then I'm not doing my readers any justice. That's not to say everyone will enjoy and connect with everything I create. We all have different tastes and interests. For me, it's about staying true to myself.

4. How does my writing process work?

My subconscious is in constant creative mode. I tend to get new book ideas at the most inconvenient times, like while driving. So what I do to preserve the information is to send myself an email with as much detail as possible so I can recall it all later. I have an entire folder full of stories waiting to be told.

Once I start a project I tend to fly by the seat of my pants. There's no outlining for this girl! I always know how I want to start and end a book, and maybe even a few key scenes throughout, but much of the middle is what flows when I sit down and start typing. I've even surprised myself a few times with some of the twists and turns I've written along the way. It's one thing to read a book and think 'wow, I didn't see THAT coming' but it is entirely different to be writing one and have that same reaction. In that sense, I can honestly say I'll never get bored with being an author!

 

 

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I'd like to thank author, Antonia Van Zandt, for inviting me to be a part of this exciting blog hop. Find, like, and follow her on Facebook and Twitter!!! You'll definitely want to keep her on your watch list!

I did attempt to spread the love. Unfortunately, everyone I invited to join in the fun either didn't have a blog of their own, or had already participated. So, I suppose, this thread ends with me. All good things must come to an end, though! Happy Reading, Everyone!

Now What?...

It's been a while since I've updated much about what's going on writing-wise. For those that managed to miss it, 'ABOVE PAR', released in e-book form this past December. I'm told by the powers that be it's slated to release in paperback in May. I'll be sure to let you all know more when I do!

I also managed to finish the first draft of my next book. 'FULL PURSUIT' (I'm not sure about that name so it might change) is the story of Nicole Greyson, a girl that gets stuck planning her twin sister's wedding and Chase Crawford, the sexy cop that ends up being a thorn in her side....oh, and he's also the best man. I'm working on revisions now as I decide where to submit it for publication.

Up next will be a contemporary novella, 'FOUND AT SEA', that's inspired by my most recent cruise to the Caribbean. It will be marked off in days rather than chapters and be told in dual POV's. Chloe and Adam meet by chance, but outside influences push them together in this story of healing and overcoming fears.

After that will be another New Adult novel but this one's told from the male perspective (tentatively called 'CHARITY CASE'). It's about a guy that supported his mother and brother right out of high school and now has the chance to go to college but there's one small problem, the school lost his housing application. By the time the mistake is caught, there are no rooms left. An old friend introduces him to Jade, a pre-med student that takes him into her house. He's both fascinated and confused by the mystery that surrounds her and the people that frequent her third floor bedroom.

I'm also kicking around a follow up to, 'ABOVE PAR'. This book, told from Piper's perspective two years later, will be called 'TALK TO ME' and starts when she goes away to college (also at Western). A freshman with an undecided major, Piper, bumps into someone from her past she'd prefer never to see again. Of course, things never work out that way! And for those fans of the first book you'll be happy to know that since Drew works at the university, she'll have a few cameos too!

Well, I hope that gives you guys enough to salivate over for now. Work has been hectic (too many mandatory meetings and not enough days off) so my writing has slowed as a result. I look for that to change soon as we get more people hired.

**Easily Distracted**....

Well, the goal for the day was to study by butt off so that tonight I could write another chapter in my current Work In Progress (WIP).  Not only does writing help me de-stress, but I have a new idea for a possible series that I've been kicking around and in order to get started on that I need to first finish the book I'm currently writing. I don't even know how to describe what I'm working on at the moment, it's a New Adult Romance but beyond that I'm not sure how to explain it, perhaps my Beta Readers will be able to help me with that...and a title too since that's one of the hardest parts for me (next to coming up with character names). Maybe when I'm done I'll give you guys a sneak peek! ;-)

So how did my studying plan go? Not so well, in fact, it was pretty much a big fat fail on my part!

It wasn't entirely my fault though, it started out innocently enough. See, I noticed that the front brakes on my van are making a grinding noise which isn't good at all. So I went over and talked to my Grandpa about it, he called "his guy" (Grandpas ALWAYS know 'A Guy') and he's going to look at it tomorrow morning for me. This of course prompted me to go clean out my van cause it was littered with old receipts, half-drank water bottles, and take-out napkins.

Next thing I know I'm on this crazy cleaning kick. I suddenly NEEDED to sort through the stack of old newspapers and other random fliers on my counter, and those four loads of laundry that I've managed to live without for a couple weeks HAD to be washed NOW! What's a girl to do?

Okay, so I'm basically making excuses, but I seriously never intended to clean. The day just sort of got away from me. As I was finishing up one task I would notice something else that I was just going to do "real quick" and then it snowballed. So on the one hand my house is now a little cleaner and (thanks to the wonderful scent of my fabric softener) smells a little nicer, but on the other hand I now need to buckle down and study even harder the rest of the week.  Only 15 more days until my big licensing exam, so there's no time to waste...well, no MORE time to waste.

Needless to say, I will not be writing tonight. Instead I'm about to crack open the books and get busy reviewing all things nursing related. Wish me luck! Have a wonderful evening and read something fun for me since I'm stuck in studying limbo until further notice!