Spotlight: Diane Bator, Author Interview By Connie Vines #Author Interview, #Spotlight on author Diane Bator, #Diane Bator, #BWLPublishing

Today's Spotlight Interview is with the author  Diane Bator.

Diane Bator, author

 Welcome to Dishin' It Out! 

Connie:  Diane, Please tell me about your current release.

Diane: Eccentric romance novelist Mimsy Lexington has a secret.

When she approaches Katie Mullins to help find details about her late husband’s death, Katie and her boyfriend Danny Walker are drawn into a web of lies and deceit. The deeper they dig, the more they realize the biggest dangers may lurk close to home and need to suspect everyone—including Mimsy.

My most recent book, The Conned Lady, is the fifth book and conclusion of my Wild Blue Mystery series. Where the first book, The Bookstore Lady, tells readers how Katie Mullins and Danny Walker first arrived in Packham, The Conned Lady wraps up their story and puts an end to Katie’s struggles with the bosses she’s been evading.

Connie: What was the inspiration for this story?

Diane: The Bookstore Lady was the first in the series and was actually inspired by my move across Canada to a small town where no one knew me. I kept thinking “What if I had a huge secret like I was on the run from someone?” and wrote my book from there. The entire series features some great local things from where I currently live but is set in a small, fictional town in New York State.

 Connie: What would you like to see more/less of in the mystery genre?

Diane: As much as I enjoy cozies, I like to see a bit of variety and adventure in my mysteries. Smart sleuths who can be a bit quirky.

 Connie: What, in your opinion, makes a good mystery writer?

Diane:  I love puzzles and enjoy being kept guessing! I’m not a fan of stories that tell me the killer upfront and then go back to fill in the gaps. Or of books that start off with a bang and then fizzle out for about 6 chapters before the mystery returns.

 Connie: Do you have a favorite paragraph/line of dialogue in this novel?

Diane:  Mimsy Lexington:  “I’ve committed a murder and can’t seem to remember how.”

That was the launching point for me to write The Conned Lady!

:Connie: Why did you choose this location for your mystery novel?

Diane:  As a Canadian author, I was advised to choose a US setting if I wanted to be published in the US. Since I’m in Southern Ontario, I kept my location close to the border, just on the other side of the Great Lakes! I also modeled the fictional town of Packham after the lovely little town where I currently reside.

 Connie: Who would it be if you were forced to live the rest of your life as one of your characters?

Diane: I think Lucy Stephens and I both live a similar life already. She’s a mystery writer with three kids. If I was forced to live an alternate life, however, I’d choose Katie who runs a bookstore and constantly gets in over her head. Life would never be dull! 

 Connie: What are your hobbies? Do any of your characters share your hobbies/interests? Do any of your hobbies play a part in your novels?

Diane:: Lucy, Katie’s sidekick, loves reading and writing. Mimsy Lexington is a prolific romance novelist.

I also have another series, Sugarwood Mysteries, that takes place in Canada. Audra and her best friend Merilee run a craft shop and host a sewing circle for the locals. This stems from my love for needlepoint, diamond art, and crafting in general.

 

 Connie: Diane please share your Buy Links and Social Media Links with our readers.

* Diane forgot to mention that her novels have received numerous awards, too!  🥇🥈🥉

I hope you’ll check out some of my fun mysteries and join me on more great adventures! 

Please sign up for my newsletter!

 Diane Bator Newsletter

Links for website/buy links, etc.

Website:  https://dianebator.ca/ 

BWL Publishing (book links): http://bookswelove.net/bator-diane/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dianebatorauthor 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dianebatorauthor/?hl=en 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DianeBator 

Linked In:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-bator-35b63418/ 

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7179945.Diane_Bator 

Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/Diane-Bator/e/B009CGCPRE%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

Diane, thank you for visiting us today! 

Happy Reading, Everyone!

Connie

XOXO

Spotlight on Author J. Q. Rose By Connie Vines #JQRose, #AuthorSpotlight, #BWLAuthor, #Giveaways, #Contest,

 

Spotlight on: J.Q. Rose, author

Thank you for stopping by this week!

Just for my blog followers, J.Q. has extended her giveaways until Jan. 16, 2022.

Remember to post a comment so that she can notify you :-)

Connie: Why did you choose J. Q. Rose as your pen name?

J.Q.:   J for Janet, Q for my maiden name, Rose, because roses are my favorite flower, and I was in the floral business.

Connie: What was the inspiration for Arranging a Dream: A Memoir? 

J.Q.: The real inspiration for the story was planted in the 80s when a writer in my writer's group brought in a journal penned by her great, great, great grandfather, who was a minister in England in the late 1800s. She read his entries in the journal, taking us back to his times. I was so moved by his writing that I decided recording our lives and times for future generations was necessary. 

I began teaching workshops on writing life stories in 2000 to encourage folks to record their lives. I wrote right along with the participants, so I had many stories about my life—vignettes over the years. I finally took the time to sit down and write about this first year we were in business.

 A memoir is just a slice of life, not the entire story from birth to the present. 

Connie:  All novelists conduct extensive research, even when writing fiction. So, please tell us about your literary pilgrimages.

J.Q.: We made trips back to Atlanta, Illinois, my hometown, to help me remember locations and stir up memories. Atlanta is home to me, even if I have lived in a few different places. It will always feel like home because memories of my family, my childhood experiences will remain in my heart forever.

Connie: How long did it take you to complete this novel? 

J.Q.: I thought about it for a long time, but I began writing in 2006. I wrote off and on during those years but really got serious in 2018. I set aside an appointment with myself to write every day after lunch.  

The book was scheduled to be released in June 2020 by BWL Publishing. Still, when Covid hit in March 2020, my publisher, Jude Pittman, realized the effect the stress had upon authors trying to meet a deadline while overcoming the pressures of dealing with the pandemic. She asked if anyone needed more time to finish their books. I admitted I needed the time because I couldn’t focus on finishing up the manuscript. 

Thus, the release date was moved to January 2021. I was relieved to have the extra time to get myself together, not just for writing, but for living through the upsetting and mind-blowing time when the first waves of the pandemic swept through. 

Connie:: We can all certainly relate to those days. 

Do you have a favorite paragraph/line of dialogue in this novel? 

J.Q.:  Arranging a Dream is a story about my husband, Ted, and me when we purchased a flower shop and greenhouse operation in 1975 in Michigan. We were at odds with the previous owner, Hattie, because we wanted to make changes. The following lines in the book always make me want to stand up and cheer for us!

***

Chapter 19, Sabotaging Easter, p. 94

As Hattie strolled through the showroom, she spotted a terrarium Ted had planted in a glass aquarium. Instead of fish, the container was partially filled with soil and plants. To make a cute scene, he added little figurines of woodland animals, blue rocks for a stream, rocks, and more natural pieces.

Hattie studied the beautiful creation then looked at the price tag. The price was $28.00, a high-ticket item in 1976. “Good luck selling that!” she snorted.

We sold it that afternoon.

NOTE: $28.00 in 2021 dollars is equal to $144.66!!!

Current Release: Arranging a Dream: A Memoir by J.Q. Rose

Buy Links: Click here to download from your favorite bookseller  https://books2read.com/Arranging-A-Dream

Paperback available at amazon.com-https://www.amazon.com/Arranging-Dream-J-Q-Rose/dp/0228615542/

Connect online with JQ Rose

J.Q. Rose blog http://www.jqrose.com/

Facebook http://facebook.com/jqroseauthor

Goodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/jqrose

J. Q. Rose Amazon Author Page http://tinyurl.com/aeuv4m4

Thanks for stopping by, everyone!

Connie

XOXO

 

Christmas Teaser. . .Who Doesn't Love a Holiday Romance? By Connie Vines #RR #RoundRobin

Welcome to my Blog!

Today is our December Round Robin Blog Hop. 

 Todays Topic: A story excerpt, flash fiction, or short story.

I have chosen an excerpt from my contemporary romantic suspense novel, "Brede" Book 2, Rodeo Romance Series.

Setting: Northern New Mexico, USA

Brede tried to focus on the things Kate did that reminded him of other city women, but he couldn't. Though he hated to admit it, He liked the way she made his coffee, and he liked the way she waited up for him. If he stayed out late in the lambing pens. He also liked the way she smiled at him. She had one of the most dazzling smiles he'd ever seen.

She poured two cups of coffee.

He reached for his cup at the same moment she reached for it. His fingers grazed the top of her hand.

She glanced up at him through her lashes, but she didn't move.

He studied her for a moment, taking in the serious set of her mouth. Touching wasn't such a good idea right now. 

"If you change your mind about going to town into the morning, I'll understand."

"I know. But I think it's for the best."

He inhaled the scent of her hair, floral and womanly.

She sighed when his arms went around her. She snuggled closer, coffee forgotten, telling herself that this was nothing more than a comfort hug between friends. She knew this wasn't the case. What she was feeling for Brede went far beyond the boundaries of friendship. She had no right to harbor those feelings, but she couldn't deny them either.

"You're welcome to stay at the ranch.--"

She placed her fingertips over his lips. "If someone is trying to kill me, I'm putting you and everyone else on this ranch in danger."

"That's the very reason you should stay."

She shook her head. The sweetness of his words, his generous offer of help, brought tears to her eyes. It would be so easy to stay, but that didn't make it right.

"If you're worried about the kiss..."

"No." she denied, too quickly. She was worried about how much she'd enjoyed his kiss, and how easy it would be to kiss him again.

He gave her one of his rare, heart-stopping smiles, and Kate wanted to clutch his shoulder for support. Instead, she pulled back to get a good look at him. "I'm a grown man," he reminded her. I can take care of myself and so can my men. No one is going to show up on this ranch and harm anyone."

He did look big, strong, and invincible. Still, fear clung to the edges of her mind. Whoever had hurt her didn't play by the rules. Brede might not like to admit it but the remoteness of this ranch would work in her attacker's favor. He had stalked her. That meant he could be outside watching them now. Waiting for an opportunity to strike again.

  Blurb

Trouble is something hard-edged rancher, Brede Kristensen, knows all about. A widower with rambunctious young daughter, a ranch to run and an ornery cook who has just run off, Brede doesn't need another problem. 

Beaten and left for dead, Amberlynn Maddox has no memory of her past.  Accepting Brede's offer as temporary ranch cook, the woman, now called Kate, discovers the sexy rancher with his protective nature and sizzling kisses has claimed her heart. 

When a madman discovers Amberlynn's hiding place, no one is safe from harm; not Brede, his young daughter--or Amberlynn herself!

Please stop by and visit the other wonderful authors participating in this month's Blog Hop:

Margaret Fieland http://margaretfieland.wordpress.com

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

Victoria Chatham http://victoriachatham.com

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

Helena Fairfax http://helenafairfax.com/blog

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

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

Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-29F

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

Rhobin L Courtright http://rhobincourtright.com

 Wishing all of my readers and visitors a blessed holiday season.

Connie

March Contest and Giveaways!

The winter chill is in the air but I have great way for you to fill those hours until the Spring thaw!

Win great prizes with #RomanceGems LUCK O' THE IRISH March #Giveaway. COMMENT & WIN has $5.00 AMZ Gift Card up for grabs every week. FRIENDS TELL FRIENDS, new giveaway, open now. Enter for chance to win a Romance Reader's T-shirt or Audiobook. Rafflecopter, awesome prizes, opens Mar. 4. Details here: https://romancegems.blogspot.com/2019/03/luck-o-irish-march-giveaway-by.html

Share the Love and follow these Participating RomanceGems Authors: Bonnie Edwards * Cheryl Bolen * Connie Vines * Author Elsa Kurt * Jan Scarbrough * Joan Reeves Writes * Karen Kelley * Kathleen Lawless * Lucinda Race * Nancy Fraser * Nora LeDuc * Peggy Jaeger, Author * Satin Russell

Congratulations to Debby from FLA who was one of the winners in our Grand Opening Contest.




I'm also a member of Charmed Writers!

We are having a Flash Fiction give-a-away.  (Remember to logon to our Charmed Connection for Readers and Writers on Facebook).

Free flash fiction by Charmed Writers.


bookfunnel link

Join us at Charmed Connections for Readers and Writers!

Here is another one of my solutions for surviving the extended winter days and nights. . . you must remember I reside in the Quirky Suburbs of SoCal where winter seldom falls below 65 degrees.

New Release: Romance Sampler: Love, Forever

Free Download!

Amazon.com

This sampler collection of romance first chapters by established, award-winning, and bestselling romance authors is guaranteed to whet your happily-ever-after appetite and send you running back to Amazon to download the full novels to your hearts' content! This eclectic mix of sweet to steamy reads has you traveling from the past to the future, with historical, time travel, paranormal, contemporary, western, and futuristic romance beginnings. And we hope you will not stop at the beginning--and that you download and enjoy every one! 

Here is a sneak peek at the stories in Love, Forever: 

HEAT LIGHTNING (Book 1, Outlaw Ridge, Texas) by Joan Reeves 
Contemporary Romance. Amnesia stole her memory--her life! What Tessa doesn't remember may be the death of her. 

BREDE, (Rodeo Romance, Book 2) by Connie Vines 
Romantic Suspense. Trouble is something hard-edged rancher, Brede Kristensen, knows all about. A widower with a rambunctious young daughter, a ranch to run and an ornery cook who has just runoff, Brede doesn't need another problem. Yet in the midst of a violent storm, he finds an injured woman with no memory of her past--or the man who tried to kill her! 

FINDING MERCY (Return to Welcome #1) by Bonnie Edwards 
Contemporary Romance. Mercy Talbot left Welcome on a high, but she's returned a broke failure. She's messed up her career, love, and family ties. Now, she's found love and a new family. When her career is reborn, will she leave the man and child who've opened their hearts to her? 

TIME AND AGAIN by Nancy Fraser 
Time Travel/Romantic Suspense. Will Kate and Matt's accidental trip to the future bring them back together? Or, tear them even farther apart? 

THE GINGERBREAD HEART by Liz Flaherty 
Sweet Romance. Widowed Cass Logan has done her time as a caregiver. But when her boss, mystery-writer Eli Welcome, needs surgery, Cass is faced with following her heart...or walking away. 

ALL OF MY HEART by Sophie Jacobs, Book 1, A Harbor Falls Romance 
Contemporary Romance. Happy-go-lucky Suzie Hart has a perfect life and a secret. All goes well in her small town world until that secret rides up to her doorstep on a badass Harley and tosses her not-so-perfect world into some kind of big, bad tumble. 

KENTUCKY BLUE BLOODS by Jan Scarbrough 
Contemporary Romance. It's up to Reggie to save what's left of her family homestead and her proud Kentucky heritage. But when Parker shows up to collect his horses, all bets are off. Reggie's never been a gambler and Parker despises losing. But when Kentucky blue blood tangles with British blue blood, are they willing to take a gamble on love? 

ANORA'S PRIDE by Kathleen Lawless 
Western Historical romance. Anora King didn't plan to pretend she was married, but her new neighbors in Boulder Springs jumped to that conclusion. Jesse Quantrill is shocked to find himself lusting after a married woman. And wouldn't a romance between them be the town's biggest scandal ever? 

TWO DAYS UNTIL MIDNIGHT by Lynn Crandall 
Paranormal romance. A bird-shifter. A reclusive billionaire. A project that brings them together. A deadly curse that threatens to separate them forever. 

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE SEXY KIND by Karen Kelley 
Romantic Comedy. Mala didn't plan to crash land on Earth. She only wanted to sneak in for a few days and maybe find a man--a real one, but she encounters more than she bargained for with the town sheriff. 

NIGHT KISS by Maddie James 
Time Travel/Paranormal Romance. Claire Winslow vacations on an East Coast barrier island, content with her life and her potential future--until the illusion of a man walking the misty shore haunts her. Then one kiss--a beautiful, soulful, stolen kiss in the night--and her life changes forever.

I'm Blogging at Gems in the Attic Today.

https://gemsintheattic.blogspot.com/

I'm blogging about 'happy-ever-after", please stop by!

Contests * Giveaways* Free Reads* and more!

How do you establish a story? What is your most unusual story? by Connie Vines #Round Robin

 How do you establish a story?  What is your most unusual story?

Thank you Rhobin for this month’s Round Robin Topic.

I, like most of the writers I know, are involved in workshops, plotting groups, and or online classes.  Many of these are workshops sponsored by my local Orange County Chapter of Romance Writers, (past and present) are excellent in content and easy of application.

Christopher Vogler’s workshop “The Writer’s Journey” was a 2-day event which was designed for screen writers.  While I have ghost-written a screenplay, which was adapted for the small screen oversees, this is not main focus.  I have, however, applied what I leaned in this workshop to plot/outline my novels, novellas and expanded the W-plotting guide for my short-stories and anthologies.

And, of course, no writer’s library would be complete without out a physical copy and video version of Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero with a Thousand Faces”.  His work goes into detail about the art of storytelling and why we, as humans are hardwired accept and expect the ‘myth’.

Having be active in The International Chapter of Romances Writers, I taught online classes on character development and plotting.  I, as I’ve blogged about in the past, plot my stores in 3-chapter clusters due to story flow, pivotal-points, dark-moment, etc.  Revisions are simpler for me this way because I can to insure my story’s pacing remain even.

After my basic story is plotted, my character sketched out and motivation defined, I need to add depth to my character and strength my conflict.  I fine the series of writer’s reference books by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, of Writers Helping Writers fame, a must-have reference.  However, I also rely on ‘unconventional’ conflict generation.  Astrological signs are great form of conflict.  (Remember I have always worked odd-jobs—some jobs more ‘odd’ than others, to support my writing habit.)  One of my ‘temp’ assignments was for a local (and semi-well known) astrologer.  I already had knowledge of astrology but he explained charting/predictions/ and conflict due to…well, you get the general idea.  I have found this immensely helpful when my characters come from a similar background which can make ‘conflict’ a stretch.

I applied astrology (though it is never an element in the novel itself) to “Lynx” Rodeo Romance, Book 1 (BWL Publishing, Inc. print and e-book).  Rachel is an Aquarius and Lynx is a Leo.  Opposites in the Zodiac, but like all opposites there is attraction/conflict/ and a heart-felt story line.
If a reader is looking for the ‘astrological elements of my character development’ she will find them.

What is my most unusual story?

Meaning: not habitually or commonly occurring or done.
synonyms:  uncommon, abnormal, atypical, unexpected, surprising, unfamiliar, different;
remarkable or interesting because different from or better than others.

All of my stories fall under this umbrella.  My current release “Tanayia—Whisper upon the Water” is a historical YA novel with a Native American heroine and a setting in a boarding school in the 1880s.  The story reads like a young girls’ diary but is written in the 1st person, narrative.

My novella series, would be truly ‘unusual’ because my 1st heroine is a Zombie.  The second novella is titled “Bell, Book, & Gargoyle”.

Thank you for following my blog today.
Please stop by next month, too.

Connie

For more takes on the month’s topic visit:

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Dr. Bob https://wp.me/p3Xihq-1eg
A.J. Maguire  http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
Marci Baun  http://www.marcibaun.com/blog/
Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
Margaret Fieland http://margaretfieland.wordpress.com
Rhobin L Courtright http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com/
Judy Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/

Author Branding—Don’t Muddy the Waters (Part 1) by Connie Vines

Since this is my wedding anniversary, I'm posting a previous Bog Post.

I have been researching this topic via workshops, online chats, and discussion with other authors for several years.

The workshop I attended recently wrapped up the final meeting with: author branding was totally unnecessary.  (Well, that was a total waste of my money!)

So, does Connie have a brand?

No.

Does Connie still think she needs a brand?

Yes.  And no.

I know I need a memorable brand for each series that I write.  However, since I write in multiple genres, I don’t know if an all-encompassing brand is possible.  Or even practical.

We all know how much Connie loves to do research, enroll in online workshops, and conduct impromptu interviews with total strangers (to quote my husband, while we are in line at Souplantation, “why were you asking that man about the cost of a sleeve of tattoos?  You are not going there for the sake of research).  I handed him a napkin and smiled.  Now was not, I decided, the time to remind him that I had my eyebrows and eyeliner enhanced with “wake-up with make-up” tasteful, but still permanent ink.

How to Design Your Author Brand

Okay, it’s scramble time.  Find a piece of paper and something to write with.  You can use the note app in your phone, but I think pen to paper works better in this case. (If you write under more than one pen name, just select one.)


Ready?

Write down what your author brand is.  You have 10 seconds. Go!
Time’s up.

Were you able to write down your band?  Did you use 6 words or less?

Good for you.  You probably have a good idea of what your brand is.
If you didn’t (you are with me) don’t worry.  We will go about fixing the problem.

Brands Need to Be Specific

If you failed, the above test the reasons are likely because:

1. You don’t really know what your brand is yet.
2. You are over-describing your brand and couldn’t write it all down fast/concisely enough.

Now is the time to sit and ponder.  Strip away the contradictions, muddiness, superfluous.
What does a brand do?  A brand is a signal to customers to know what to expect when they see it.
Once they have had experience with a brand, they (hopefully) know what to expect.  Ideally this is a favorable expectation that encourages them to purchase your product, talk to their friends, and take chances on your next release.

How about a brand like this?

“Daring, Thrilling, Romantic, Action Packed.”

What if we change it to…

“Daring, Thrilling, Sexy, Action Packed”

A big difference isn’t it?

I selected very genre-esque words.  This was my intention because genres play a big role in branding. Brands are also about trust.

Remember genres and sub-genres are their own brands.

This is really important.    We already have a mind-set/expectations when we select a genre to read.  If you select a “Historical” novel (unless it is a sub-genre) you do not expect or probably appreciate elements of Urban Fantasy in the story-line.  Riding in stage coach, you prim-and-so proper heroine isn’t going to mesh with a hidden magical world featuring Fae, Vampires, and Werewolves.    So, unless you plan on inventing your own sub-genre (SteamPunk/StoneagePunk) with a limited readership, consider what you are inheriting from your genre.

Following these guidelines, I will attempt to come up with a brand for my current Rodeo Romance Series (BLW, BooksWeLove, Publsihing.).

Genre:  Contemporary Romance (Lynx), Romantic Suspense (Brede), Contemporary Romance/Humor (Rand), Romantic Suspense (TBT).

I’ll go with Romance as a genre.

Now to the dictionary and thesaurus.

For part 2, stop by next week.

(Feel free to post idea :-))

Connie 

What is Your Preferred Way of Exposing Your Characters? By Connie Vines

Topic: Point of View

Since I write in multiple genres, my point of view seems to remain the same within a specific genre.
My YA/Teen/Tween stories and novels are told in the first person.

 For me this is the most personal for the reader--meaning a reader is intimately involved in the story and steps into the main character’s mind.  The reader experiences emotions intensely, because he/she becomes the character.  And since few YA/Teens/Tweens are familiar with a ‘none-tech’ world, this is the best way to expose them to history/a new setting, etc.

 The single POV helps the story unfold in a way to allow the reader to understands life from an 1890 character.  No reaching for a cell phone, or grabbing a pizza for dinner!

When I write in first person, I do not change point of view of view.  I rely on dialogue or the main character’s observations to keep the reader aware of changes in plot etc.

The opening from my current release, Tanayia: Whisper upon the Water, Native American Series, Book 1

1880, Apacheria, Season of Ripened Berries

Isolated bands of colored clay on white limestone remained where the sagebrush was stripped from Mother Earth by sudden storms and surface waters. Desolate. Bleak.  A land made of barren rocks and twisted paths that reached out into silence.

A world of hunger and hardship.  This is my world.  I am Tanayia.  I was born thirteen years ago.  My people and call ourselves “Nde” this means “The People”. The white man calls us Apache. 

Second person point of view is far more challenging for me. I find if an author uses second person in literature, he/she does so to engage the audience more and to make them part of the story and action or possibly make a thematic point about the characters. Second person is much more common in nonfiction, especially self-help books and business writing.

Examples

• "You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And YOU are the guy who’ll decide where to go." (Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go! Random House, 1990).
• Think back to when you were a kid and read Choose Your Own Adventure books. Weren’t those fun? You got to be the main character and decide where the story went. Well, those were all in 2nd person.

Third person point of view. Third person is most often used in novels. Many readers prefer third person because it is so popular. It can work from the omniscient viewpoint of the author telling the story even to informing the reader what the character or different characters are thinking.

I write my Contemporary/ Romantic Suspense/ Paranormal in third person in a character’s limited viewpoint. Here a character tells their story through their own viewpoint and senses. It tells what they say, see, hear, feel or taste, and even what they think. Different characters’ viewpoints can be used, but a clear demarcation is used to show when the narrative switches from one character to another. I like this method because it remains very intimate to the reader, but allows easy change between characters, too, unlike first or second voice.

Opening scene: Lynx, Rodeo Romance, Book 1

Charlene hadn’t told Rachel that she’d fixed her up with a cowboy, much less Lynx Maddox, the “Wild Cat” of the rodeo circuit.  Rachel signed.  She should have known.  After all, Charlene only dated men who wore booth and Stetsons.

Rachel Scott cringed at the very thought even as her gaze took in the breadth of Lynx Maddox’s chest, his broad shoulders, and dark green eyes that scanned her with blatant masculine approval.

A snippet from: Brede, Rodeo Romance, Book 2

Brede couldn’t seem to stop watching and worrying about Kate.  Even though she was trying to hide behind the menu, he sensed her tension.  He had to grip the edge of the table to keep from taking the menu out of her hands and looking into those wide green eyes again, just to catch a glimpse of whatever it was he saw when she looked at him.  But he wasn’t going to do anything rash.  Not now, not ever.  He wasn’t going to take her back to the ranch—not even if Caldwell retired and it meant eating peanut butter sandwiches from here to eternity.

He might gnaw his tongue off trying to keep silent, but he wasn’t going to ask her to stay.

For a change of pace: Here Today, Zombie Tomorrow, A Sassy & Fun Fantasy

Since her sister was contemplating the contents of a tin filled with Danish cookies, Meredith found herself cataloging the events that led up to her ‘accident’.

A charter member of the SoCal Arts Association, she’d been participating in the annual Zombie Walk Festival in Long Beach when it ‘happened’. . .

I hope you enjoyed my post and the snippets from my stories.

amazon.comamazon.com    barnes and noble          BWL Publishing

Please visit stop by and see what all of our Round Rhobin participants have to say on this month’s topic!

Happy Reading,

Connie

Dr. Bob Rich https://wp.me/p3Xihq-1ag
Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com/blog
Fiona McGier http://www.fionamcgier.com/
Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/
Marci Baun  http://www.marcibaun.com/blog/
Anne de Gruchy https://annedegruchy.co.uk/category/blog/
A.J. Maguire  http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Anne Stenhouse  http://annestenhousenovelist.wordpress.com/ 
Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
Rhobin L Courtright http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com
Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/

Poodle Quotes

On Sundays I post an assortment of short little snippets, quotes or pictures (as listed on the side-bar of Dishin' It Out).  Today is Poodle Sunday!

Ever consider what pets must think of us?

I mean, here we come back from a grocery store with the most amazing haul - chicken, pork, half a cow. They must think we're the greatest hunters on earth!

Anne Tyler
American Novelist

A Poodle, a Wedding Anniversary, and a Opossum By Connie Vines

I had an article about the craft of writing written and ready to post.  I decided, instead, to share that post on a later date..

Why?

For those of you who follow my Twitter, Instagram, author Facebook page, or website, you know I often share stories about my little poodle-mix puppy, Chanel.

Please, no groaning from those of you who prefer cats.

Chanel, is lively, friendly, and poodle-like in her powers of reasoning.

She is also serious about her friendships.

Well, before the SoCal winter rains, there was a young opossum who would walk along the block wall several nights a week at 2:00 A.M.  I know this because this is the time I usually finish writing and get ready for bed.  Chanel dance in a circle requesting to step outside.  She would run over to the wall and bark, causing the little white-faced opossum to dart away.

I would pick her up, instructing her to leave “Harvey” alone.  (Yes, I know he is a wild animal and does not possess a name.)  Chanel, however, knows every ‘thing’, be it a person, toy (bouncy-ball, Side-kick, blue bouncy-ball), animal, or ‘food’, has a name.

So, this opossum was dubbed Harvey.

Harvey didn’t return during the rains, or afterwards.  Then, magically, one night a larger, more attractive, and braver “Harvey’ returned.

This time he sat on the wall and waited for Chanel to bark at him.  I’d pick her up, bid “Harvey” good evening.  While the two of them stared at each other for a few moments.  We’d go in and Harvey would leave.

Where does “Harvey” live?  I believe he lives in the yard next door (the owner is a bit of a zealous ‘collector’), or perhaps in the shrubby in a nearby park.  I’m not too sure if he has a family.

It has never gone past the ‘flirting’ stage with Chanel.   And ‘Harvey’ never ventures into our yard when we are about.

Today, all of that changed.

Today was my wedding anniversary.  My husband and I went to local home-style diner for an early dinner.  We bid Chanel bye and promised to bring her home a mini-hamburger patty.  No. Sorry. No riding in the car this time.

When we got back to the car, packed left-overs and doggie meal in hand, my husband voice his concern about something handing from his side bumper.

I bent over to examine it.  While my husband kept saying he would yank the piece of the plant out from the bumper, I objected.

It wasn’t a plant.

It had an odd texture.  It was a pale color.  It was a snake, no. A rat. . .oh, no!

It was the hook of a opossum’s tail.


“Harvey!”

“Harvey?” my husband questioned.

“Yes.  See, that’s Harvey’s tail.”  The tail went limp, they turned back into a hook.

“This could only happen to you.” was my husband’s only response.

“Harvey just wanted to join us for our anniversary dinner.”

My husband stifled a chuckle.  “I doubt that very much.”

“Now at least we know where he sleeps during the day.”

So, we drove home via the city streets, so not to ‘over heat’ Harvey.  When we arrived home, Harvey had pulled his tail back up into the wheel well, waiting for us to leave.

Do you have an interesting anniversary story to share?

Happy Reading,
Connie

P.S.
Yes, Harvey did return several days later to visit an 'concerned' Chanel (she been looking for him every night).

Harvey appeared a little road-weary--not quite as tidy and his face appeared a little dirty, and moving like he had a few sore muscles, but otherwise, his usual Opossum self.

Inspirational Sunday Quote

 Sunday Inspiration Quote:

Everyone Wants to Write a Book by Connie Vines #Round Robin

Topic for January: Everybody wants to write a book, but most do not. 
Writing is hard work. What got you started, and what helps you get through a complete story?

How many times have you heard someone say, “Someday I’m going to write a book?”  Many a time, I’m certain.  However, most do not.

Why? Because writing is hard work.

What got me started?  Like most children, I loved reading, drawing, and listening to the oral family history spoken by my grandparents.  I also like to write stories (not particularly good stories) but for a second grader I did have a handle on the concept of plotting.  Thinking back, I unnerved adults with my pointed interview questions, and thoughts about the meaning of life and life-after-death vs death-after-death.  Picture:  Tuesday Addams wearing glasses and constantly grumbling about receiving yet, another stupid doll instead of a filling cabinet for her birthday.

When, exactly, did I start and complete my first novel?

While I wrote short-stories, nonfiction articles for publication during my twenties, I didn’t get serious about completing a novel until thirties. My children were in school and I worked part-time.  That gave me a block of free time to write (vs the scribbling on 3 x 5 index cards when I was cooking dinner or a note pad during a child’s 1 hour nap).  I was serving on my church board when the choir soloist told me her sister was a co-president of the Orange County Chapter of RWA (Romance Writers of America).  At the time, I hadn’t every thought of writing a romance.  I wrote for the YA and middle school market and dabbled in historical fiction, but Shirlee convinced me that the networking and workshops would be beneficial to me.  She was correct.

Attending monthly meetings/workshops, exchanging rough drafts with my critique members during lunch, and input from the multi-published members gave me the confidence to persevere.  It also made me crawl out of bed after my husband left for work (at 3:00 in the morning) and write before getting my children off to school.
I also discovered that I couldn’t give up my YA stories while I found my footing in a new market.

“So, what did Connie do?”  you ask.

I work two novels at once—which I still do to this very day.

Crazing making?  Yes!

Writing romance isn’t easy.  Strong, well-developed characters, good plot (and multiple sub plots), sharp dialogue, and emotion—lots of emotion.

Writing is addictive.  The story unfolds, the characters present themselves, and away the writer goes—into a new Universe.

What makes me complete my novel/story?

The best way for me to describe the feel is I am driven to finish the story.  Native Americans say the story chooses the Storyteller.  It the Storyteller’s responsibly to bring the story to life.

Happy Reading!

My Rodeo Romances (Lynx and Brede) are on sale this month (click on my Amazon Author Page link).
Everyone needs a little Zombie Valentine Romance, don’t they?  Free Read: “Here today, Zombie Tomorrow” on Amazon.com


Stop by each Round Robin participants’ blog.  Everyone has a tale to tell.

Connie

Skye Taylor http://www.skye-writer.com/blogging_by_the_sea
Margaret Fieland http://margaretfieland.wordpress.com
Heather Haven http://heatherhavenstories.com/blog/
Dr. Bob Rich http://wp.me/p3Xihq-SK
Connie Vines http://mizging.blogspot.com/
Victoria Chatham http://victoriachatham.blogspot.ca
Helena Fairfax http://www.helenafairfax.com
Beverley Bateman http://beverleybateman.blogspot.ca/
Marci Baun  http://www.marcibaun.com/blog/
Judith Copek http://lynx-sis.blogspot.com/
Rachael Kosinski http://rachaelkosinski.weebly.com/
Diane Bator http://dbator.blogspot.ca/
A.J. Maguire  http://ajmaguire.wordpress.com/
Rhobin Courtright http://www.rhobinleecourtright.com

The Art of Lying (aka Creating the Bad Guy) by Connie Vines

A compulsive liar is defined as someone who lies out of habit. Lying is their normal and reflexive way of responding to questions. Compulsive liars bend the truth about everything, large and small. For a compulsive liar, telling the truth is very awkward and uncomfortable while lying feels right.

So, you have your “perfect” hero and “perfect” heroine’s character sketches and novel outline at your fingertips.  What about your “not-so-perfect” villain, aka the bad guy?  He’s just the bad guy.  Ah, but the villain is a key player in your novel.  And, you’d like him to be a compulsive liar.  However, you really want to keep the reader guessing. . .

In law enforcement, these actions are called “tells”.

How do you make the “perfect” liar?  You need to know the rules before you can break them.
What will your villain have perfected?  Why, the art of lying, of course.

Nine Tips your Villain Can Teach you about the art of lying

1. Keep your head up:

“In all shows, there is always that moment when the magician risks being discovered,” explains Jacques H. Paget*, illusionist and negotiations expert. For example, when he makes a ball “disappear” as it remains hidden in his other hand, he may tend to tilt his head to the side, a movement which, however small, may be unconsciously perceived by the viewer as an indicator of cheating. “This is an instinctive gesture that we all do when we are afraid of being caught.”
Conclusion: Your villain knows to keep his/her head straight up. This will prevent the other person from getting suspicious.

2. Use the phone:

Sometimes lying is much simpler over the phone.  Deception makes our voices drop a pitch, in order to sound more stable and assured, but lying also exposes us to three negative emotions – fear of getting caught, shame and guilt – and these may just manifest in our voices.  Your villain knows this.  Your hero/heroine may believe the action was unintentional—the first time.

3. Repeat the scenario:

If you are telling a story, the villain knows he/she first needs to integrate it as a complete theater role. Being an actress does not mean just to learn words. It is also necessary to be at one with your thoughts and emotions. These are the things that will generally reflect your words. And some techniques can better reflect what it feels like:

– Begin and end sentences clearly.
– Take note of punctuation marks, especially full-stops.
– Sustain consonants that make words ring.
– Speak clearly.
– Work on your expressive diction.
Playing your role with sincerity.

 4. Control your actions:

“Our body speaks its own language and never lies,” says Dr. David J. Lieberman, hypnotherapist and a doctor in psychology. If you’re not careful, some little gestures will only end up betraying you.
Embarrassed by your hands, you slip them into your pockets or you lay them on your hips.
You sputter, your smile trembles and cracks as you declare how much you love the gift you received.
You touch your face, you scratch your ear, place a finger on your lips, you rub your eyes or nose to justify your delay in response.

Your face, your hands, your arms punctuate your words belatedly, and in a somewhat mechanical way.

You display a grimace instead of a grin while expressing your joy of learning promoting a colleague.
You pull a folder, a book and computer against your abdomen, as if it were a shield. Without understanding why your partner says there was something wrong with your story…

5. Do not say too much:

You call a friend to postpone a lunch for the third time. Listening to you presenting your perfectly oiled explanations, she begins to find this suspicious, there is just too much justification. To avoid getting caught, you think, better increase the size of your tale: the bigger it gets, the more credible it will seem. Because of its magnitude, it cannot possibly be invented. Your villain knows less is more. . .believable in this case.

6. Put on your sincere face:

Instead of looking your interviewer in the eye, aim for the tip of his nose. It is less destabilizing and you do not have the look diagonally, distant and elusive, whilst you spin your yarn. “Establishing good communication requires eye contact for 60-70% of the time of the dialogue,” says psychoanalyst Joseph Messinger. Also, be wary of your eyebrows wrinkling, your eyes crinkling and your eyelids blinking – they raise doubt.

7. Deviate from the truth:

A good lie always contains an element of truth. “In this case, the truth functions as a decoy.” For example: “I have an appointment with the dermatologist…” is a good primer. Then the embroidery comes in: “… to check my moles,” but you casually omit “…and to complete my Botox sessions.” It’s just a shot you have to take.

8. Do not say I:

Your villain knows to entrench himself/herself behind objective, impersonal, irrefutable facts.  “My company recruits only its sales executives with a certain diploma/certificate” … that your friend’s son happens not to possess, of course.

9. Camouflage:

Sharpen a pencil. Hang a picture. Drink coffee. Practicing an activity to pass the time is unquestionably the best camouflage for a lie. Is what any expert in non-verbal communication will tell you. The ideal situation? Lying whilst you are behind some sort of wall or partition, in order to neutralize body language, which is less controllable than words. It is essentially a way of saying that
those with mowing the lawn or trimming hedges are at an advantage for if they want to lie.

Little lies?  Big lies?  Huge lies?

It’s your story.

It’s your chance to create the “perfect” villain.


Happy Reading & Writing,

Connie