Christie Corbett shares....

 Hi Christi,
I’m delighted to have you as a guest on The Heart of Romance.

I’d like to give a big thank you to The Heart of Romance for allowing me to host their blog. I truly appreciate them sharing their readers with me today!
                 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Why writing? Why not nursing/teaching? Artist/nurse or whatever?

I had a career in the television (I wrote commercials and a weekly, local show for a CBS affiliate in Minnesota) but when I became pregnant with our twins I chose to leave my television career to raise them. Being an author allows me the best of both worlds; I work while they’re in school and after they’re asleep, and get to be there when they get off the bus until they go to bed.

What persuaded you to write in your chosen genre?

The idea for Along the Way Home came to me while on a cross-country road trip. Allow me to set the scene:
My fiancé (now husband) and I were travelling from Green Bay, Wisconsin to Marysville, Washington.
We’re driving my 1992 Hyundai Excel (compact car) and the backseat and hatchback are loaded to the windows with all my worldly possessions. As an extra bonus, my husband is 6 feet 4 inches tall. Plus it’s February, and since the middle of winter in the Midwest is brutally cold we’re sporting layers of long underwear, flannel shirts, and puffy coats.
We decided to take our time and stopped off at a number of landmarks, including Mt. Rushmore, the Badlands, and Wall Drug.
By the time we reached the Montana border my hubby was ready to rip out the front seat and drive from the back one and I was beyond bored. Around mid-Montana I started whining about how long it was taking, how there was nothing to do but sit, and how the scenery never changed.
Mid-complaint it hit me—we were travelling in one hour what would take nearly three days to accomplish in the 1800’s. (Recall we’d just come from Wall Drug in South Dakota so I think “the old times” were fresh on my mind.)
I whipped out my notebook and the ideas just started flowing. Soon I had pages and pages of notes and ideas about a possible book.
Here’s the actual first line that started it all: A fantastic idea just occurred to me in light of the journey I have just taken… 
And from that moment, a story was born.

Do you base your characters on friends, family or acquaintances, and if so, do you tell them or do they recognised themselves in your books?

My lips are forever sealed on this question :-)

If you were a car, what model would it be?

1969 Chevy Chevelle. Fast, clean lines, and the engine has a low rumble that is beautiful to hear. (My brother is a mechanic so I grew up around cars in all stages of creation/demolition). My son happened to wander in the room as I was answering this question, and he wants to answer it too…he would pick to be a Red and Black Firebird, because, “It’s fast.”

If you were a flower, which one would you chose?

I would pick daisy, because it is simple, yet very useful. (Recall the popular game, “Love Me. Love Me Not”) My daughter happened to wander in the room as I was answering this question and she wants to answer it too…she would be a Pink Rose because, “My favourite color is Pink and roses are pretty.”)

What is your favourite colour and why?

Green. I think perhaps because I like to go for walks in the woods and trees are green? I like brown for the same reason, but green just a bit more.

I gather you have moved many times, so… what is/was your favourite place to live and why?

I really enjoyed the time I spent living in Minnesota. The Midwest is a wonderful place to live and raise a family, and the only reason we left was so my husband and I could be closer to our families. We still keep in touch with many of the friends we met while we lived there, and hope to get back soon for a vacation so we can show our twins everything we loved about living there.

Is there any place you have not been, that you would like to live?

I’ve lived in Washington, Oregon, Montana, Wisconsin, and Minnesota, so I’d be open to trying the East Coast or Deep South to see what life is like down there.

Tea or coffee?       Coffee.

Summer or winter?      Winter.

Autumn (fall) or spring?     Fall. It’s my favorite season of the year so right now I’m very happy!

City or countryside?      I love both equally, so I’d have to say that it depends on what activity is going on.

What is/was the best piece of writing advice you’ve received?

Revisions are going to take as long as they are going to take. Don’t rush to get them done because you’ll just end up going back over them. Really take your time and be meticulous in getting absolutely everything right, or you’ll end up regretting it.

What advice would you pass on to an aspiring writer?

 Never ever EVER give up. On your path to publication you’re going to hear horrific things about your writing and your storylines, you’re going to get rejection after rejection and then a bunch more, but if you keep going in the face of those criticisms and continually strive to learn all you can about the craft of writing, and you NEVER QUIT, you will succeed. Because all it takes is one person to say yes.

I had over 50 rejections on the day I queried Astraea Press. I got many more after I signed the contract (publishing is slow and agent response times are even slower), I got two rejections the week before it released, one more on release day, and then yet another on the very day I hit Number One on Amazon’s Top 100 list for Hot New Releases in Westerns. 

Imagine if I had taken all those rejections as a sign I shouldn’t be a writer and gave up!

What is your writing goal for 2014?

Write another book :-)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
Along the Way Home is a “sweet” historical romance set on the 1843 Oregon Trail.  It is available in ebook formats now at the following locations.
(Print available on Amazon)
Amazon:

Barnes and Noble:

Astraea Press (my publisher):

BookStrand:

Kobo:
OmniLit:   Along the Way Home Back Cover Copy:
Kate Davis is intrigued when her father reveals his dream of starting a horse ranch in Oregon Territory. Settlers out west value a strong woman, and though she manages the financials of her father’s mercantile her competence earns her ridicule, not respect, from Virginia’s elite society.

Jake Fitzpatrick, an experienced trail guide, wants land out west to raise cattle and crops. But dreams require money and he’s eating dandelion greens for dinner. So when a wealthy businessman offers double wages to guide his family across the Oregon Trail, Jake accepts with one stipulation—he is in complete control.

Departure day finds Kate clinging to her possessions as Jake demands she abandon all he deems frivolous, including her deceased mother’s heirlooms. Jake stands firm, refusing to let the whims of a headstrong woman jeopardize the wages he so desperately needs—even a beautiful one with fiery green eyes and a temper to match. 

Trail life is a battle of wills between them until tragedy strikes, leaving Jake with an honor-bound promise to protect her from harm and Kate with a monumental choice—go back to everything she’s ever known or toward everything she’s ever wanted?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
About Christi

I’m addicted to coffee, sticky notes, and the Oxford Comma. I live in a small town in Oregon with my husband and our twins. Our home’s location was especially inspiring as I wrote Along the Way Home because the view from the back door is a hill travelers looked upon years ago as they explored the Oregon Territory and beyond.

Social Media Links:
When I’m not writing I love chatting with readers and writers alike. You can find me in one of the following locations:

Email: christicorbett@gmail.com

Blog: http://christicorbett.wordpress.com

Twitter: @ChristiCorbett

Facebook: Christi Corbett—Author

PoV Pop Quiz

PoV Pop Quiz

We’ve discussed point of view (PoV), what it is and how it works, over the past two days. Let’s take this discussion from theory to a practical pop quiz. Below are several paragraphs written in third person deep PoV, each containing an accidental break. See if you can find all of them.

The answers are at the end, so no peeking.

Here’s the first one, “borrowed” from the rough draft of Kay Springsteen’s upcoming sweet romance, Elusive Echoes:

“Ry’s got me on babysitting duty tomorrow morning.” Sean swirled his beer, keeping his gaze on the amber liquid sloshing against the edges of the mug. Mel gripped the towel beneath her folded hands more tightly. She’d likely need it soon.

That one’s pretty simple, though, isn’t it? Let’s try something a little tougher. This is from a previous draft of my upcoming historical mystery, Deal with the Devil:

The German officer’s earlier anger had drained, leaving his brown eyes clear, and Clarke knew he wasn’t imagining the touch of derision now in their depths.

Remember, anything that’s not from the leading character’s perspective, anything he or she wouldn’t naturally think about, qualifies as a break in deep PoV.

Let’s try another. This is also from Deal and it’s pretty similar to the preceding one:

For one crazy moment, Clarke believed he had known this man at some point in their past, that he had only to sweep away his agitation to remember a more innocent age. But of course that was impossible.

Here’s one final example. This one I’m creating off the top of my head, but it’s a commonly seen error:

“You don’t want to mess with me,” Luke said, a hint of menace in his voice.

Feel free to discuss these in the comments if you like.

Or you can read the answers after the blurb and excerpt.

Blurb:

In August 1940, German Army Major Faust is unexpectedly captured by the English and he must escape before they break him. But every time he gets away, a woman is raped and murdered, and the English are looking for someone to hang. Faust must catch the killer, even though he’s helping the enemy—even though he’s making a Deal with the Devil.

Excerpt:

Stoner withdrew his silver cigarette case from his breast pocket and lit up, too, leaving the case open on the desk. “Well. Let us review your situation, shall we? First, you have readily admitted you serve in the Wehrmacht, not the Luftwaffe.”

Faust paused, uncertain where Stoner was leading him. “That’s right.”

Stoner tilted his head. “I was not aware German Army officers crewed Air Force warplanes.”

He winced. Should he try to bluff something here? No, the intelligence lectures he had mostly slept through had repeatedly emphasized never lie to an interrogator, and although he couldn’t recall why, there had to be a good reason. “We don’t.”

“So we have immediately established you are not here for a legitimate military purpose, which leaves two possibilities: either you are here as the result of an accident—”

“Which is the case.”

“—or you are here for an illegitimate purpose.”

“An illegitimate purpose?” Faust dragged again, thinking through the implications of that phrase. “You mean espionage?”

“Indeed.”

He let smoke drift from his mouth. Him as a spy—now that was a novel concept. “You know, Mr. Stoner, I was starting to like you—”

“I’m touched.” The irony was light.

“—but you play rough.”

Stoner tapped ash and continued as if he hadn’t spoken. “Your German military intelligence service, the Abwehr, has experienced difficulty obtaining information regarding our defenses in these islands.”

He took a long last drag and stubbed the quarter-inch butt out in the glass ashtray on the table at his elbow. “I didn’t know that.”

“The Royal Air Force, on the other hand, has had remarkable success against Luftwaffe reconnaissance aircraft, which has denied the Abwehr aerial photographs of those defenses.”

“I didn’t know that, either.”

“As it would be criminal folly for the German high command to attempt an invasion without first fully analyzing the defenses of their intended target, the Abwehr has little option but to infiltrate agents within England.”

Faust cradled his injured arm against his side. He could see where the conversation was going now and Stoner’s relentless logic left him cold.

“Herr Major, if the Abwehr selected an agent to infiltrate the Oxford area, it would be someone with your precise qualifications.”

Even knowing it was coming, the blow was a knockout. Faust rubbed his neck and forced himself to breathe. “I don’t know what to say.”

“Then allow me to conclude.” Stoner folded his hands atop his spotless blotter. “We know there is a German intelligence network in place within Oxford.”

“You know more than I do.”

“We know that because we’ve broken it.”

“Then it wasn’t so hot, was it?”

“And they told us another agent was coming.”

Faust quit breathing again.

“Under these circumstances, Herr Major, surely you understand we must verify your position before accepting you as an honorable prisoner of war.”

To Buy Deal With the Devil

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Answers to Quiz 

1. The end of the paragraph shows us Mel’s thoughts, so we’re in her PoV. How could she know what Sean’s actually looking at? He might be thinking he needs his nails trimmed and not even notice the beer’s about to spill.

2. We’re in Clarke’s PoV, looking at the German officer. But Clarke wouldn’t be thinking about what he knows or doesn’t know, especially since his life is at stake in this scene. An alternative method of phrasing this might be, “The touch of derision in their depths wasn’t subtle.” Or some such.

3. Yeah, it’s the same thing: Clarke wouldn’t be thinking about what he believes or doesn’t, while he’s trying to find some means of surviving. This one could be rephrased with a question. “Had he known this man, perhaps years ago?” Or it could be rewritten as:

There was something familiar about this man, as if Clarke had known him at some point in their past and if he could sweep away his agitation, he’d remember a more innocent age. It was the sort of feeling to drive him crazy, but of course it was impossible.

4. Most of us don’t spend much time thinking about our voices and how we sound. If this imaginary Luke is fixating upon putting “a hint of menace” in his voice, then he’s pretty egocentric or at least comes across that way.

Thanks for your informative and fun quiz, Cheryl :-) 

Please come back tomorrow  and discover how to become 'An Educated Writer'

Editorial do’s and don’ts with PoV

Readers have grown to expect certain things within the books they read, and wise authors know it’s best not to disappoint their readers. So here are a few points to keep in mind while crafting your next masterpiece.


Many writers love their characters so much, they want to give each of them a PoV within the book—allow each character to tell part of the story from her own unique perspective. This desire is natural and kind of fun. It’s also a great way for a writer to become better acquainted with her characters—by writing about them. Unfortunately, with modern readers, this is also a potential problem.


Readers today are savvy and sophisticated. Most won’t tolerate poor storytelling and many scoff at poor writing (the actual act of arranging one word after another, for those interested in the difference). The potential problem with multiple PoV stories is, if a character has a PoV, if part of the story is told from her perspective and we get to know that character, then the reader expects her to also have a character development arc. All PoV characters must be an integral part of the storyline, they must learn something and change in some way through the course of the novel, and they must be a slightly different person before the end.


For this reason, writers can’t just give a character a PoV. There are consequences to this decision. Each PoV allowed demands more work from the writer, developing the character, honing her voice, and deciding how her arc should progress. As well, having too many PoVs can confuse the reader. It becomes work rather than fun, keeping everyone straight, and if not done properly with a solid and believable development arc, the ending (no matter how good otherwise) can leave the reader unsatisfied.


And unwilling to buy your next book.


These days, head hopping is another big no-no. Editors don’t want to see it unless (as discussed yesterday) you’re Nora Roberts, or writing certain types of plot-driven rather than character-driven fiction, such as thrillers. And even in an action-packed thriller, the reader’s experience will be enhanced by taking the PoV deeper, which can only be done by avoiding head hopping.


Finally, when writing third person deep PoV, remember that your character can’t see her own face, meaning you can’t use dialogue “beats” such as “She smiled” or “She glanced his way.” Let her words illustrate the character’s facial expression and emotion for the reader, and let what she sees illustrate where she’s looking. This also means that some dialogue “tags” should be avoided, such as “smiled” (nobody smiles words, in any case), “complained” or “asserted” (readers can judge these for themselves by the character’s words, or should be able to).


With third person deep PoV, the only dialogue tag used is “said.” But don’t worry that it will become repetitive. Those savvy modern readers we all want to attract have become used to this, as well, and now expect it. They’ll be so engrossed in your deep Pov, they’ll gloss right over all those “saids.”

For more information visit: Cheryl's blog HERE
Deal with the Devil Pt 1: Buy Link
Giveaway details of Many Genres, One Craft HERE
 

 
Cheryl, thank you for talking about the different perspectives and pitfalls aabout 'point of view', and I look for to tomorrow's input.

Zee Reviews ~ The Pendulum: Legacy of the Celtic Brooch

Zee's April Book review

Title- The Pendulum: Legacy of the Celtic Brooch
Author- Tarah Scott
Release Date- March 5, 2011
Website- http://www.TarahScott.com
Purchase- Amazon

Blurb:
Two men. Two murderers. Two demands for the promised payment of marriage. Murder, deceit, and fraud pull Lady Airin Keith between two men. Which one will bed her, claim her...own her? Lady Airin Keith won't rest until Lord Jason Bothwell is tried and convicted for the murder of her sister. An unexpected marriage proposal brings an opportunity to prove the earl's guilt, but the knight that appears with her great grandmother's lost brooch threatens to interfere with Airin's brand of justice when he demands the agreed payment of marriage.

Review:

I've read a couple of books by Tarah Scott and The Pendulum is my favorite Tarah Scott book. This book runs approximately 66 pages long and is wildly intriguing. Although the book cover looks a little lustful, believe me, this title focuses on solving a series of murders that have been going on, and with the complication of two men finding the authentic brooch that promises Lady Airin's hand in marriage, the book is definitely more romantic suspense than romance.

What I really enjoyed about this novel is the plot and storytelling. Although I pride myself on being observant and a prime book detective, I seriously had no idea who the killer was. The pacing of the book never slowed, never got boring. Just when you think things couldn't get worse, they do. Just when you think you know who the killer is, your theory gets proven wrong. I absolutely loved that about this book. I literally devoured this title because of this fantastic dynamic. The characters really complimented one another and Lady Airin's character truly shined in this work.

I would definitely give The Pendulum 5 out of 5 stars, and with the price so affordable, there's no reason to not experience this great read. And if you want to read more by Tarah Scott, check out Born Into Fire!

Cupid Gone Wild - A complete Overview

Cupid Gone Wild

Sometimes true love needs help. Five Cupids take on a challenge this Valentine's season: To match the most unlikely couple they can find.

Love Transposed by Pepper O'Neal and Chelsy Day 
One arrow straight through two chests was all it took for carpenter/painter Dan, and trust fund baby Jane to go from making each other crazy, to being crazy about each other. The match that won Cupid X the Challenge in 1981...

Love Potion No. 2-14 by Pepper O'Neal
White witch Kole Trillion has a successful business, customers who swear by her potions and spells. Unfortunately, she also has the bad luck to fall in love with a man who doesn't believe in magic, Police Detective Gage Corwin.

The Bachelor by Heather Hiestand
Abbie Harper didn’t mean to buy the date, but one look at Jake Cordalys and she’s ready for red-hot romance. Jake is not looking for something complicated, but when Cupid is involved, all plans go out the window and romance flies in. 

The Boss Wore Red by Delle Jacobs and SamMarie Ashe
Alexandria Bergstrom was chosen because she desperately needed to alter the course of her life. Clint Riordan doesn’t know what will make him completely happy until he meets Alexandria. By giving Alexandria this opportunity to discover her true past, the pairing of Alexandria and Clint will repair past mistakes and produce a new brighter future. 

The Wrong Target by Sherry Gloag
Headmistress, Tina Blackberry and Ryan Thomas can't control events after Ryan's daughter steals his coveted golden arrow and takes it to school, But put Cupid on the job and nothing can go wrong, or can it?

The Hollywood Hookup by Chelsy Day
Actor Casey Jones and Stunt Woman Sandra Benson have a history. Can Cupid get them past the animosity and prove that true love in Hollywood is NOT impossible?

Duty Calls

Duty Calls

released on February 11th

by Black Opal Books

Blurb:- She’d saved his life…

Rafe Hawk refuses to accept the inheritance, of a large English estate, and the title that goes with it, after his birth father’s death because the man chose duty over the woman he loved and their son.

So when he finds himself temporarily living at Kinsale Hall, he’s not prepared to trust anyone associated with the place, including Trudi Delaney and her daughter.

So why, when he looks into their eyes, does he suddenly remember a woman who vanished without a trace after saving his life one stormy night ten years earlier?

Now he could destroy hers.

Instinct warns Trudi Delaney the arrival of the contemptuous American architect at Kinsale Hall will change her life forever. Especially when she discovers he spends so much of his time in areas of Kinsale Hall off-limits to visitors.

Eleven years after escaping from her psychotic husband with a stranger, she’s still plagued by nightmares of events she can’t remember. Events such as, who fathered her beautiful daughter?

Now, more than a decade later, she is confronted by another stranger. Will this one destroy everything she holds dear?
~ ~ ~ ~

Excerpt:-
“Only Daniel Kinsale and his solicitors knew I’d arranged to meet him. No one knew I changed my schedule and arrived in England a week earlier than expected, and yet Denny Cadmore somehow discovered both my plans and identity.”

Rafe glared at his parent. “Given those facts, tell me why I should stake a claim on a god-forsaken English estate, when everything and everyone who means anything to me is here in Boston?”

The drone of the old-fashioned overhead fan broke the ensuing silence. The oppressive heat stalked through the room sapping the energy from anyone or anything in its path.

“Rafe you’re making me dizzy, sit down and stop prowling round the room.” His mother patted the cushions beside her. “How many times do I have to tell you, you were born from love, not lust? Whether you like it or not, you are the legitimate heir to your father’s estates.”

A shaft of sunlight caught a few silvery streaks in her blonde hair.

“But born out of wedlock,” Rafe snapped, before realising the words queued up for release.

“Yes, out of wedlock,” she sighed. “I’ve never denied it, nor have I stolen your entitlement to your birth name. Your birth father…” she paused for a few seconds, “…Daniel, loved me.”

She continued on a wistful note, “I knew he couldn’t divorce his wife and accepted we had no future together, only the present. I’ve explained why he felt duty bound to uphold his family’s expectations. Nor that you were unintended. Having you gave me reason to survive without Daniel. You are from the man of my heart.”

Rafe’s free hand crashed down on the table sending the letter floating to the floor. “If he loved you so much, how come another of his bastards crawled out of the woodwork? One whose birth certificate proves he’s ten days younger than me? How come that same bastard damn near sent me to my grave?

Explain that if you can!”

You can read the reviews HERE



A Happy Cristmas from Anne Greene

Like many other Christians, Christmas is the most moving, meaningful, and magnificent time of the year for me. 

First, just saying Merry Christmas these days provides an open door to tell people we meet in stores and on the streets that we want to keep Christ in Christmas. Depending upon the situation, when I receive a smile in return and an openness to talk via the person’s body language, I can discuss why keeping Christ in Christmas is so meaningful to me. Plus, all the awesome Christmas programs in churches provide so many opportunities to bring friends in to hear the gospel. Even school Christmas programs provide opportunities to talk about our Savior. After we applaud their cute program about Santa and giving gifts, we can bring the Perfect Gift God gave to each of us into the conversation with teachers and students. We parents are not prohibited from talking about Jesus on school grounds. In my neighborhood a home sits on a hill right next to an elementary school. Each year the lovely people in that home drape a huge banner across their fence for all the students to see—Christ is the Reason For The Season. All the cars passing by on that very busy street enjoy the sign as well. 

carol‑singers.jpg290 × 218 - CHRISTMAS CAROLING SINGER !!!
Posted by malaysiaevillage in Nov 18, 2009, ...
malaysiaentertainmentvillage.blog.com

I sing in a two hundred person Sanctuary choir and it is my pleasure each year to spend many extra hours rehearsing songs that worship our Lord. Then on performance night I offer my sacrifice of praise to my Lord. And I love to sing Christmas songs and carols from Elvis and Dolly Parton to The Messiah. Music flows in our home during the Christmas season. It does my heart good to see the boxes to collect toys for kids in need in every grocery store, drug store, and almost any place where people gather. And don’t you love the smiling Salvation Army bell ringers. One I saw last night was singing carols in front of Walgreens. And, of course, in our home Christmas is a warm family time. My whole family, small though it is, twelve people ranging in age from six to seventy-three gather for good food and gifts. Before the bountiful dinner, my dear husband always reads the Christmas story about the greatest gift ever given.

Mary_and_Baby_Jesus.jpg
267 × 274 - Christmas Day
stmarksmystic.org

I love the story of Mary, so young probably only about fifteen, telling the man she loves that she is pregnant. And young Joseph, probably not more than twenty himself, loving her so much and believing the angel that yes, his betrothed though with child, is still a virgin. How both may have been shunned by their families, but Joseph stepped up like a man and took his beloved Mary for his wife. How they walked to Bethlehem together. Despite tradition, I’m sure young Joseph couldn’t afford a donkey. How Joseph lay down his tunic for his bride-to-be and there on the dirty floor of a manure-stinking barn delivered God’s own son. Can you think of a more lowly birth for the King of heaven and earth? What a picture to show that He came not to be served but to serve. Only the Creator God could imagine such a birth.

Christmas is our time to rejoice, worship, and give. Let us make the most of the time until The One born so lowly comes again—only this time as King of Kings and Lord of Lords in all His splendor and glory.

* * *

May I too, take this opportunity to wish everyone

a wonderful Christmas

and a very happy 2011