What is your favorite book(s) of all time in your favorite genre(s)? By Connie Vines RR# 89

This month's Round Robin Topic:  What is your favorite book(s) of all time in your favorite genre(s)? 

This was a difficult topic for me...so many books, so many enjoyable reads.

Right now I seem to be reaching for cozy mysteries and fantasy fiction.  

It understandable that I would enjoy cozy fiction (no dead bodies or murder-in-progress).  My fantasy/paranormal fiction is also the non-violent type. 

That said, my favorite Romance/Paranormal novel is "Dracula" by Braun Stoker.

The tension, plot-twists, sense of time and place, and development and internal conflict of each character never seems dated.  The book is also a love story.  Which may do not realize during the first read of the novel.

My post is also late (sorry) because for some reason I thought today was Friday.  I have found the Pandemic and 'stay-safe' life style clusters the days together.

Now, cozy mysteries often have a romantic interest, the mystery with it's twists and turns is the focus of the story.

Favorite mysteries?  

The "Nancy Drew" series as a child. 

Nancy Drew Quotes

"Do act mysterious. It always keeps them coming back for more."

"Romance and detective work won't mix tonight!"

"I just know that any time I undertake a case, I'm apt to run into some kind of a trap."

"Read, read, read. That's all I can say."

"I promise to be as careful as a pussycat walking up a slippery roof."

"I don't promise to forget the mystery, but I know I'll have a marvelous time."

" I just can't help it!"

As an adult, the Tony Hillerman novels. Having traveled throughout the southwest and being involved in Native American education in the urban areas, I found the stories true to life.

Hillerman's writing style is not flash, but he can paint a landscape or thunderstorm. His use of the four corners geographic and cultural backdrop, is woven into the characters and the plot of each of his stories.

“Like all dry-country people, Leaphorn enjoyed rain—that rare, longed for, refreshing blessing that made the desert bloom and life possible.”

― Tony Hillerman, A Thief of Time

“The sky lightened now. Far ahead, they could see where the Pacific half of the blizzard had reached the Chuska range. Its cold, wet air met the dry, warmer air on the New Mexico side at the ridgeline. The collision produced a towering wall of white fog, which poured down the slopes like a silent slow-motion Niagara.”

― Tony Hillerman, The Fallen Man

What genre calls to you?

Do you have a favorite author?

A favorite, setting?

I believe as we experience life, out search for answers/truths will lead us along new path ways.

So, pick up a new genre novel or a find an author whose voice you haven't heard--yet.

Enjoy life and enjoy a new novel, too!

Happy Autumn!

Connie

Visit the authors in our blog fest:

Participant's List:

Anne Stenhouse  http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea

Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/

Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/

Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-26c

Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/

Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.com

Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog

Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/

Rhobin L Courtright http://www.rhobincourtright.com

Intuitive and Subtle Themes in My Novels by Connie Vines RR#88, @connievines-author

 Most novels have an easily understood point to make to the reader, do your stories ever have more subtle or intuitive themes? 

Thank you Robin for this month's topic.

An easily understood theme.  This statement caused to me chuckle.

When I complete my novel/short-story/article, etc. the theme is easily understood.  Not so when I first sit down at the keyboard.

Even though I write with only a very basic outline (I've evolved or devolved into a panster in my writing process).

And, this process, involves a great deal of fumbling during the process:

1. Look for Your Character’s Theme

Theme is always rooted in character. Your characters, specifically your protagonist, will tell you what your theme is about. Even if you try to tack on another theme, what your story is really about is whatever is at the heart of your character’s internal struggle.

This means you can’t just dream up some wild and unexpected thematic premise and squirt it onto your story like Dijon mustard onto a hot dog bun. You have to start with what you’ve already got. Look at your character—who she/he is and what she//he wants—and look at what she’s/he's doing in the plot.

Now look harder.

Let’s say you’re me and you’re writing a time-travel story (which, it so happens, I am). It’s novella 3 of my Sassy and Fun Fantasy Series about a professor of ancient civilizations and her not-historically-inclined fiancee. While she's the one who finds herself in ancient Egypt, he's the one tasked with bringing her home in time for their wedding.  No superpowers or cell phones in this plot-line.  

On its surface, that’s a story about good versus the unknown/evil, with true-love thrown in as a side dish. No superpowers, cell phones, or time-traveling map.  Our main characters are in huge trouble.

So we dig deeper. We look at what specific struggles this character is facing.

What does he want?

Why does he want it?

What is he willing to selflessly sacrifice to get it?

What is he willing to selfishly sacrifice?

What will he gain and what will he lose by the story’s end?

How will he have changed?

When asking yourself these questions about your character, the right answers probably won’t be immediately evident. You’ll have to think about them. You’ll have to recognize and reject most of the obvious answers. In the process, you may find your conception of the character and plot evolving into something deeper right alongside your theme. Since it's ancient Egypt, it will be an intuitive theme.

2. What’s a General Question You Feel You’re Always Asking About Life?

Don’t stop at the “little” life questions right there in front of your face. Look up and look out. What are the big questions that it seems like you’re always asking in one way or another? Obviously, a novella or short-story won't have a multi-layered plot or a wide-cast-of-characters but there's always a purpose.

3. What’s a Virtue You Feel Is Undervalued?

If you’re writing a story with a Positive Change Arc and a happy ending, then your theme will probably focus on affirming a virtue—love, courage, justice, mercy, kindness, self-sacrifice. If this so, don’t just pick the obvious one—love for romance and courage for action. Instead, choose one that is important to you and that you feel is either undervalued in the world or underrepresented in fiction.

4. I believe Universal Truths Can’t be Unique.

 It’s the way a character wrestles with truth that touches a chord of recognition in the reader. The story feels both thin and heavy-handed when the theme is obvious. Which is not to say that the theme should be deliberately obscured–but that the individual character’s struggle with the theme is what matters most.  I find I often rely on my writer's intuition resulting in a subtle secondary theme.

 5. Translating into my Stories.

"Lynx" Rodeo Romance deals with several themes, one of which is a personal one.  The same is true of "Tanayia--Whisper upon the Water". I believe this is why these novels have received awards and reviews.  Tapping into personal experiences and memories/trauma ring 'true' to others. 

The heart never lies.

 

On the lighter-side:

These two were banished from my office, for all of  ten minutes, for wrestling.

Chanel (background) Gavin (foreground)

Visit these talented writers to see what stories they are sharing this month: 

Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/

Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/

Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/

Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-22c

Anne Stenhouse  http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/

Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.com

Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea

Rhobin L Courtright http://www.rhobincourtright.com

Happy Reading,

Connie 

Joan Reeves: Review of Paradise Perfume! #Joan Reeves, #SlingWords

Joan Reeves: Review Paradise Perfume



Thanks Joan!

Please visit Joan's blog for FREE STUFF, Reviews, and more!  And, of course, to read her review!



Joan Reeves is a New York Times and a USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance. Her novels--Keeping Romance Alive...One Sexy Book at a Time--have been published in a half dozen languages, and her ebooks are available at most ebook sellers with audio book and print editions also available.

Winner! Winner! Chicken Dinner--No, an Amazon Gift Card! By Connie Vines #ContestWinner

J. Q. Rose, author at BWL Publishing, graciously invited me to guest blog about my current release.

https://www.jqrose.com/

I had a wonderful cyber time!  There was also drawing for a participation prize for visitors/commentators.

The winner is: Marsha from Texas.  Her Amazon e-gift card is on it's way.

Making a Story Real for your Reader by Connie Vines #RR87 @connievines_author

 What elements do you include in your stories to
make a story seem and feel more realistic to the reader?

The challenge of every fiction writer or non-fiction writer creating a fictional story, is to craft a fictional story that is believable. This challenge is taken to new levels for writers of realistic fiction. These stories, which are woven around real events that have taken place, can be formed around memoirs, historical moments, and even horror stories if desired. It is just important to remember that realistic fiction doesn’t blend well with other fictional genres. It must stand on its own.

That’s why it’s important to know how to write realistic fiction in a way that can relate to the reader, be realistic, but not include fantasy elements that drive readers away. Here’s how I keep it real for my readers.

#1. Don’t go crazy with your characters. Most people in real-life don’t have crazy names, (though spelling names phonetically is the latest craze.)  If a parent wishes his/her child going though life 'spelling his/her name' that's their business.  However, i don't give my characters crazy names. Sometimes a guy named Joe, Jacob, or Chris is good enough for realistic fiction.

#2. Give your story a good structure. Realistic fiction needs to involve the characters in a comprehensive way. People like to see what happens to them because realistic fiction puts the reader into the character’s shoes.

#3. Create a good introduction. You want your readers in realistic fiction to begin developing relationships with the characters immediately. This will help to draw them into the story. Let the first couple of pages be the setting where your readers develop a dialogue. Then let the events of your story begin to unfold for your characters. This will lure the reader in so they don’t want to put the book down.

#4. Make sure your settings are realistic as well.

#5. Create conflicts that are part of the character dialogue. Even close friends are going to have conflicts from time to time. In realistic fiction, these conflicts must also have a touch of realism to them.

#6. Build to a solid climax. The most common error that is seen in proposed realistic fiction is that the entire story builds up to a climax at the very end of the story. Remember to have plot-points, dark moments, and mini-resolutions to subplots.

#7. Create a conclusion with a twist. Have you ever worked hard for something only to have something unexpected happen?  Sometimes the conclusion of a realistic story is predictable and that’s a wonderful thing. Readers love it when everything works out as it should. For some characters, life might throw them a bit of a twist.

By keeping things real, you create stories that will help readers relate to your characters in a very personal way. There is no better method to create a story that people won’t want to put down until they’ve finished it.

I don't wish to give too much away in my works in progress, or my published stories.
But here's are a few teasers and hints of what is to come in my novels:

Current (Limited Time) Release:

"Paradise Perfume" a short romance story which is part of a box-set, Last Chance Beach, Summer's End. "Fragrance and love cannot be hidden."  My teaser gives hint at the theme.

My blurb tells a bit more:  Tempest Javid returns to Last Chance Beach to begin a new life.
Sam is a single dad on vacation with his pre-teem daughter. He's worried his daughter may become too attached to her, but maybe he's the one whose heart is at risk.

"Gumbo Ya Ya" an anthology for women who like Cajun romance, is my next release.
Each story has a 'Cajun main character.  And, of course, food is also part of the realistic slant of each story.

Please stop by and see what each of these talented authors have to say about "making a story" real!

Happy Reading!

Connie


Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Victoria Chatham http://www.victoriachatham.com
Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/
Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
Dr. Bob Rich https://bobrich18.wordpress.com/2020/08/22/elementary-my-dear-rhobin/
Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/
Rhobin L Courtright http://www.rhobincourtright.com


Last Chance Beach, Summer's End (14-new stories!)
Still 99cents:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CV3GN3R/











Free!   Companion to Last Chance Beach:

https://www.amazon.com/Cocktails-Last-Chance-Beach-Reeves-ebook/dp/B08DR4K3YX/

Last Chance Beach, Summer's End and Cocktails @ Last Chance Beach by Connie Vines

Who doesn't love a day at the beach?

Sand between your toes, the briny scent of sea air, and the salt water taste on your lips--good times.

And the music and the beach reads.

This box-set is only 99cents at Amazon and the companion Cocktail at Last Chance Beach is FREE!

14 new romance stories by 14 Bestselling and Award winning authors.

My short-story is Perfume Paradise.  A Sweet Summer Romance.  My heroine, Tempest Javid, has returned to Last Chance Beach to begin a new life.  

Fragrance and love cannot be hidden. . .

Cocktails on Last Chance Beach, recipes & excerpts from #LastChanceBeach #SummersEnd,  is No.1 Best Seller/Top 100/Alcoholic Beverages. If U think Cocktails are good, wait till you read the 14 #Romance #ShortStories in our #boxset. #99cents #KU https://viewbook.at/LCB-Summers-End