Meet the Author: Karen Sue Burns

Greetings y’all, I’m Karen Sue Burns, hailing from the big city of Houston, Texas which just so happens to be the initial setting of my debut romantic suspense novel, IN HOT PURSUIT. The location then moves to Las Vegas followed by Rome, Italy which tells you one thing — I love to travel! Visit my website at http://www.karensueburns.com to view photos of some of my favorite places.

I will admit that Rome is my favorite city. It even beats out Rio de Janeiro and the inspirational Sugarloaf. Country wise, Ireland is probably at the top of the list due to the Irish people. Of any country I’ve visited, they seem the most similar to Americans. The main difference is their accent, which is very sexy on the male side of the population.

Anyway, I love to write and romance particularly because of the happy endings full of hope and new beginnings. The writing affliction started as a child, went into remission while I raised a family, then came back in full force when my youngest child left for college. At the time, I knew absolutely nothing about writing craft but I was motivated to fulfill a hankering I’d buried for twenty-five years. I set about learning as much as I could.

I chose to be easy on myself with my first story and decided on a plot line I know something about  — working for a university, accounting, and travel. I imagined the absolutely worst thing that could happen to my employer and the basic plot for IN HOT PURSUIT was born.

My heroines are regular people, no special skills at fighting crime or taking down bad guys. Yet, they manage to do just that using their smarts and being logical, creative, and focused. In one word, they have moxie. I love writing about the Everywoman character doing extraordinary things. Yep, they can kick butt when necessary. Quinn Wells, the star of IN HOT PURSUIT, exemplifies this type of character.

A bit about IN HOT PURSUIT:

When $25 million is stolen from her employer, a relationship-phobic accountant hunts for the thief alongside a handsome bachelor who falls for her.

Quinn Wells considers her life as it should be—calm, relaxed, and free of relationship entanglements. The theft of a twenty-five millions dollar gift to her employer, Houston Cullen University, throws her life into over drive as she’s appointed to work with the police. The search for the thief becomes complicated as she’s accompanied by Logan Rice, the donor of the gift.

Distrustful and wondering if Quinn is the thief, Logan accompanies her on a trip to Las Vegas and then to Rome, in pursuit of Quinn’s co-worker who she rationalizes is responsible. Logan has financial resources that enhance their search and he soon realizes Quinn is innocent. This only makes her more attractive to him, emotionally and physically.

As they race from city to city, Logan is determined to win over Quinn and convince her they have a chance as a couple. But Logan’s wealth and social position are the opposite of Quinn’s middle class life, and he devastates her by withholding information about his past. Yet she soon discovers what is most important to her, and that is Logan.

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Karen Sue Burns writes romantic suspense and mystery featuring feisty heroines who find themselves embroiled in risky situations full of adventure and sexy heroes.

Don’t give up

When I tell people that I’m a writer, I usually get one of two responses. The first is congratulatory on being published. The second is that it isn’t a big deal because anyone can be a writer.

Irving Thalberg, the famed Hollywood producer said, “What’s there to being a writer? You just put one word in front of the other?” He didn’t believe that screenwriters should get credit for anything. To this day, I see Hollywood doing little to honor book authors and screen writers. They are paid less than their worth. After all, there wouldn’t be a movie without plot and story. Actors get millions while writers get crumbs.

In the publishing world , a few authors make the best seller lists and gain critical acclaim as well as comfortable bank accounts. Celebrity and political stars get the lucrative contracts, employing ghostwriters who do the work without the credit. Struggling writers just get form rejection letters from secretaries.

Welcome to the world of being a writer and author.

The writer’s world isn’t easy. It’s a constant challenge wrought with perseverance, hours of labor, constant rejection and criticism. There are few “overnight successes” and paying dues by working one’s way up the ladder is a way of life.

I’ve been paying my dues for more years than I’d like to admit. I write because I have to. Writing is as natural and as necessary as breathing. It’s something I have done my entire life. From creating picture books for classmates in elementary school to crafting short romance novels for friends in high school, from pounding out 400 page manuscripts on my old Smith Corona manual typewriter in college to staying up until 4am when I had to get up at 6am for work, I have been writing.

Years later I was able to leave the corporate world (in sales and marketing) and pursue my craft full time. I began by writing articles for a small local newspaper. It was a learning experience in how to conduct interviews, crafting stories on varied topics, working with editors and editing copy. I even won a small press award for a profile. Using that experience, I moved up to writing for trade publications. I learned that having a specialty helps. I used my expertise in antique safes and vaults to regularly write about them and had my articles featured on the cover of an international trade magazine. I branched out to architecture, construction and design where I was the lead writer for a local trade magazine.

I progressed from writer to author. Utilizing my experience and connections, I was selected to write a local history book. When the coordinator left, I was commissioned to coordinate publication of the book as well.

Having experience, a web presence and networking led to my being contacted by an established New England publisher to write the text for a local photographic history book. Out of three authors considered, I won the job. I had two weeks to pour over photographs, research and write captions as well as create all of the text found in the book and on its cover. An additional week was for editing. Thus, my first hardcover coffee table book with a “real” publisher was for sale. Cleveland Ohio, A Photographic Portrait has been a steady seller. It’s being sold all over the City of Cleveland and even in other states and countries.

Writing women’s fiction novels has always been my joy. I joined Romance Writers of America, regularly met with a critique group and kept submitting and submitting to literary agents and editors. I received many “good” rejections. I knew that it wasn’t my writing but the fact than my plots were too unusual for a new author in a publishing world where the powers-that-be seem to want the same thing over and over.

I never gave up. Through the years, I met writers who were amazing literary geniuses with more talent than I can ever imagine. However, they gave up writing because rejection was too intimidating.

If you want something bad enough you don’t give up.

The world of electronic book publishing has changed the business of writing. More opportunities abound. Publishing avenues have opened beyond the traditional agent to editor submission process.

My first e-novel, Paradise Found, a multicultural romance set in the exotic Seychelles Islands was published by a small press. I learned about the new electronic book world.

With Crimson Romance, my favorite novels have found a home with the backing of a large publishing house. I have learned even more about he electronic world, about social media and promotion utilizing my marketing degree and experience.

My first romance with Crimson is Lab Test. This is a book-of-the-heart. It’s a humorous paranormal with a twist. The heroine is turned into a black Labrador Retriever who is adopted by the hero. Both learn the value of unconditional love and trust, both as dog and master and as a human pair. If you love dogs, especially black Labs, as I do, you will be able to relate to this adult fairy tale. Available for pre-order at Amazon and I-Tunes, the novel will be released June 4 as part of Crimson Romance’s debut. I love the cover because it captures the essence of the story. Who can resist a Lab?

My advice is to never give up. If there is something that you would like to pursue, like being a writer-author, go for it. The journey may be long and hard but it’s the destination that counts. I’m not there yet but I’m having fun and moving up that ladder one rung at a time!

Nancy Loyan Schuemann

Lady in Red – Elizabeth Meyette

Introduce yourself, please (name you write under). Is this a pen or personal name? Why did you make the choice to write under that name?

I am Elizabeth Meyette, the author of Love’s Destiny, a historical romance which is due out as an ebook on June 4. Love’s Destiny was an IMC (In My Closet) book for a long time until I retired from teaching to pursue my passion for writing.  I will be published under my own name, although I had considered a nom de plume: Evelyn Mercereau.  It’s a combination of my mother’s first name and my great-grandmother’s surname, and I think it’s an awesome nom de plume for a romance writer.  But, alas, there are other books titled Love’s Destiny and I didn’t want friends and family to order the wrong book, so I decided to use my own name.

Tell us about your family and where you live.

I grew up in upstate New York, the product of a large Irish/Catholic family, and now I live in Michigan with my beloved husband, Rich who is my biggest supporter. We have three grown children who are successful adults off doing their own things. Kate and her husband Todd live in Michigan, Matt and Rachel live in Iowa, and Kristin and Tedd live in Houston and are the parents of our two grandchildren, Tommy and Molly. (There oughta be a law about moving grandchildren out-of-state!)

 What have you done other than writing?

In order to pursue my writing career, I retired earlier than I had planned from teaching secondary English and journalism. During my career in education I also did a stint as a school Media Specialist (Librarian), and everyday I could share my love for books and literature with my students. I was constantly surrounded by great writing which, in a way, was frustrating since I wanted to be writing, too, and now I am.  Am I blessed or what? I send up prayers of gratitude every day that I can devote my time to writing.

The best part about my writing life is:

The best part of my writing life is that I have so much time to write. Now I can dedicate entire days to my writing, stay up all night if the muse is at work, and work in my pajamas which I have done! Also, I am fascinated by the process. I love to put a couple of characters in a room and just let them start talking. I just record what they say, and often when I reread it to edit or revise it’s like reading it for the first time. Every writer has a her own process; some like to outline the story, some like to tack up photos of people who look like their characters, and some just sit down and write. Someone said do what you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.  I agree, and I am living proof.

The worst part about my writing life is:

The hardest part of my writing life is that I don’t have enough time. I know that sounds like a paradox based on my previous respons, but I am still looking for the most effective and efficient way to structure my day.  I can’t believe how hours fly by as I work and suddenly it’s dinner time or I forgot about the laundry and it sat in the washer overnight.  I guess if that’s the worst thing about my writing life, I have plenty to be thankful for.

Tell us about one—just one—physical characteristic and one secret passion.

If I had to choose one specific physical characteristic to mention about myself, I would say my voice; more than once people I haven’t seen in years have said they recognize me by my voice. This leads to my secret passion: singing.  I love to sing, and I belong to a community chorale, sing at our church, sing when I’m cleaning house, sing in the shower, sing when someone says a phrase which in any way evokes a song I know. Singing a solo on stage at our center for the arts is on my bucket list. Oh, perhaps this isn’t so secret after all now.

Tell us one thing about yourself you’d never change.

One thing about myself that I would never change is my thirst for knowledge.  I’ve always said that if I win the lotto, I would become a full-time student studying comparative religions, philosophy and other important-in-life topics.

 If you didn’t live where you do, where would you live? Why?

My husband and I love to travel, and I’m not sure I have found the ideal place to live yet. We have a cottage on a Great Lakes that we love in the summer and visit warm places in our timeshares in the winter. But we also love Ireland and Europe and hope to visit there again.  I guess it depends on our mood, but I know it would be near a large body of water.

Do you write about where you live or where you’d like to live?

I haven’t set Love’s Destiny in any of places I just mentioned.  The story is based in the area around Jamestown and colonial Williamsburg, Virginia because I had just visited there when I started writing the book and I was fascinated by its historical significance. I was captured by the rich history and the stories behind the early days of our nation.  I found it romantic in every sense of the word, and I loved researching the architecture, politics, fashion and culture of this time period.

What’s the first creative writing you remember doing outside a class?

My third grade teacher affirmed my writing talent, and I think I was hooked from then on.  My first poem, “Song of an Invalid”, was published in my junior year in high school. In college I tended more toward journalism, writing for the college newpaper, but my first love has always been creative writing. I don’t remember specific writing I did outside of school, but I remember that my nose was always in a book. One of my most treasured gifts was the complete set of Sherlock Holmes that my father gave me when I was thirteen.  I still have that.

Why do you write romance novels?

I actually wrote Love’s Destiny on a dare.  My friend was an avid romance reader and kept encouraging me to read her Kathleen Woodiwiss novels. Finally, I caved, read one, and fell in love with love stories.  Not wanting to appear too easy a convert, I jokingly said to her, “I could write a romance novel.” She challenged me with, “Then do it.” Thus the birth of Love’s Destiny. But it’s been a long labor and delivery! I like writing romance because one of the strongest emotions we feel is that crazy, senseless impulse that makes us act like we’re out of our minds when we fall in love. It is a physical pulling of one heart toward another that no one can resist, and that can be revisited on the pages of a romance novel. And I like happy endings because life is complicated, sometimes difficult, sometimes sad, so read a book with hope.

What else do you write?

I also write and have published poetry.  Again I think it is the emotion behind the writing that attracts me. I have begun a contemporary novel, but I am not sure what genre it will fall under. When the story came to me I thought it might be paranormal, but I will have to wait until my divine attendant spirit, as Elizabeth Gilbert calls it, inspires me to write more. Also, I recently submitted my first children’s book for publication.

What one thing from your book did you take from personal experience?

One thing  in my novel that I took from personal experience was my main character Emily’s willingness to change her point of view when she learned all the facts.  I like to think I am open-minded enough to learn and grow and change based on information and experiences that I encounter.

What did you cut from your book that felt like severing a body part?

Even though my manuscript was a little longer than Crimson Romance was asking for, I didn’t have to cut much of it.  Nothing that was traumatic.  My biggest editing task was revising point of view. I tend to want to write what all my characters are thinking at the same time, so revising for consistent POV was my biggest challenge. No body parts were severed in the publication of this novel.

Do you identify closely with one particular character? How?

While I would like to say that I most identify with Emily, I think I really am more like Joanna, Jonathon’s sister.  As my daughter pointed out, she is the voice of reason in the book.

Give us a hint about what the next book’s like.

Friends who have read Love’s Destiny are clamoring for a sequel, and there are enough plot lines to make that possible.  Of course Emily and Jonathon’s story will continue along with Deidre’s wicked attempts at reclaiming Jonathon.  Since the American Revolution is just beginning, some of the conflict is built right in for many characters.  Andrew, Emily’s younger brother is becoming a man, so who knows what might happen in his life… I am in the process of writing Love’s Spirit and hope it will be ready to submit this fall.

Torn between her love for Jonathon Brentwood, a patriot, and her loyalty to England, Emily Wentworth must decide her destiny.

Meet the Ladies in Red — Heather Thurmeier

Author Heather Thurmeier

Introduce yourself, please.

My name is Heather Thurmeier. I write contemporary romance. I was born and raised in the Canadian prairies but now I live in upstate New York with my own personal romance hero (aka my hubs), my kids and an adventurous King Charles Cavalier named Indiana Jones (Indy for short).

What’s your secret passion?

Besides writing, of course? Riding horses. If I could spend my free time (when I’m on mom’s time off and not writing!) I’d love to ride horses. For a brief time in high school, I took English riding lessons and even got to jump once. It was amazing. I hope to get back into riding again someday.

Tell us one thing about yourself you’d never change.

My sense of humor. It enters into so many aspects of my life and my writing.

If you didn’t live where you do, where would you live? Why?

I’d totally live in Maui. It’s where we went on our honeymoon and if we wouldn’t have missed our families so much, we would have stayed forever. The island life agreed with us. We loved being outside, exploring the island, sunsets over the water were nothing short of magical and the weather was perfect. My hair has never felt so soft and luxurious as it did while on the island!

Do you write about where you live or where you’d like to live?

Both. I often write about the New York area because I’m familiar with it. But sometimes my character just don’t want to tell their story from here. So in those times, I do a lot of research about the new place. I look up tourism information, businesses, and even real estate listing. I love the research!

What’s the first creative writing you remember doing outside a class? 

I think I’ve always written poetry at home on my own time. Or at least I did when I was young. I can’t say as I’ve written any poetry in many years.

Why do you write romance novels?

Because I’m a sucker for a happy ending. There’s nothing that tweaks my heart strings more than seeing an old married couple holding hands or eating dinner together. There’s something so incredible about a love that can stand the test of time. I feel blessed everyday that fate stepped in and connected me to my husband. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if it weren’t for him. Writing romance allows me to give that to other people, even if it’s only characters in my books.

What else do you write?

Mostly I write contemporary romances, but I’ve also started a series of paranormal romances (not yet published).

What one thing from your book did you take from personal experience?

My book, Falling for You, coming from Crimson Romance in August, is about a girl who goes on a reality dating show. I’ve never been on a reality show of any kind, but I am a huge fan. I’ve watched all kinds of different shows and I drew on that to tell this story. I always imagined what happened behind the scenes with my favorite reality show stars. Writing this book let me play out what I imagine it might be like.

Also, the horse back riding in the book is from my past experiences with horses. I love going for a trail rides.

What did you cut from your book that felt like severing a body part?

Nothing. Honestly, every cut made my book stronger, better, and more enjoyable and that’s what I want to give my readers. Every word I cut I still have on my computer in an original version, so it’s not like I had to part with the words forever. And really, they’re just words. In the end, I’m thrilled with the way Falling for You turned out and I’m so excited for people to get a chance to read it!

Do you identify closely with one particular character? How?

I identify a lot with the main character Cassidy. She really puts herself in a position where she’s not comfortable and because of that, she falls in love and finds her happily ever after. Moving to the States with my boyfriend (now husband) was terrifying and totally out of my comfort zone. But I’m glad I took the chance to do it. If I’d been too afraid to move with him, I would have missed out on this life I have now.

The best part about my writing life is:

Getting to tell the stories I want to tell how I want to tell them. It’s just me, my imagination and my computer.

The worst part about my writing life is:

Not having unlimited time each day to write as much as I want. I still have kids, a husband, a dog and a house to take of too. Sometimes it can be tricky to balance it all.

Give us a hint about what the next book’s like.

In Stuck with You, we get to follow Paige as she goes on another reality show where she has to work with her team mate to find geocaches to win the grand prize—but she didn’t expect to find love on the show too.

I love to connect with readers and authors! Connect with me at:

Website: http://heatherthurmeier.com

Twitter: hthurmeier

Facebook: HeatherThurmeierAuthor

Pintrest: hthurmeier

Goodreads: Heather Thurmeier

Meet Lady in Red: Lilou DuPont

My romance novel is Dangerous Love. It will be available in 2012.

1. Introduce yourself, please (name you write under). Is this a pen or personal name? Why did you make the choice to write under that name?

Lilou DuPont. It is a pen name. Lilou is a newly popular French name and not completely all over the Internet. DuPont is after Dupont Circle in Washington, DC. A hub for people from all walks of life.

2. Let’s get the details out of the way: Single, married, divorced, widowed?

Single!

Parent?

No. I have five nieces and one nephew.

Living where?

In Washington, DC. The name of my neighborhood is Foggy Bottom. I am eight blocks away from The White House.

Doing what, other than writing?

I sell advertising.

One—just one—physical characteristic

Blonde.

3. What’s your secret passion?

Java Chip Frappucino^®. Hey, it helps me to write!

4. Tell us one thing about yourself you’d never change.

My independence.

5. If you didn’t live where you do, where would you live? Why?

New York City or Paris. I love big cities. New York for its grit and anything goes atmosphere. Paris because it is Paris.

6. Do you write about where you live or where you’d like to live?

I write about Eastern Europe! I am not sure that I would ever want to live there, but I have visited several times to research settings. Very inspiring!

7. What’s the first creative writing you remember doing outside a class?

My first feature length screenplay, based on my experience of falling for a car thief.

8. Why do you write romance novels?

I write in the Spicy subgenre. The sex is romantic, edgy, imaginative, metaphoric to the theme of the book, dangerous . . . I have no idea why! My main objective is to tell an entertaining story, to take the reader on a journey that ends very happily.

9. What else do you write?

Dangerous Love is my first book. I have written screenplays, song lyrics, plays, & short stories.

10. What one thing from your book did you take from personal experience?

My novel is based on a random encounter I had in Prague with a man whose grandfathers had been in the German SS.

11. What did you cut from your book that felt like severing a body part?

The last chapter—when Laura introduces Byron (the son of a Nazi) to her father (Jewish, traditional)—was very difficult for me to write. I basically journaled it for an entire summer. Then, one day in September, while on a train from NY to DC, I realized that I had just written my ending! I threw out all of the journaling.

12. Do you identify closely with one particular character? How?

While the heroine is based on me, I also identify with Leo, who makes a student film about blowing up the Prague Castle. I, too, attended film school. Leo is me, in my early twenties.

13. The best part about my writing life is: Realizing a vision.

14. The worst part about my writing life is: Preferring the company of my characters to that of actual people. Did I really say that?

15. Give us a hint about what the next book’s like.

Going deeper into Eastern Europe. I am working on a super sexy spy romance set in Bucharest, Romania. Vampires? No. Gypsies? Yes.

liloudupont.com

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Follow Me on Twitter @LilouDupont1

Lady in Red – Amanda L. V. Shalaby

1. Introduce yourself, please (name you write under). Is this a pen or personal name? Why did you make the choice to write under that name? 

My name is Amanda L. V. Shalaby and I am the author of the historical romance, Rhianna. I decided to write under my personal name for multiple reasons, but mostly because this particular novel was… well… so very personal!  It is inspired and dedicated to my grandmother, Catherine M. Fisher, and I just couldn’t see writing this story for her as an alter ego.

2. Let’s get the details out of the way: Single, married, divorced, widowed? Parent? Living where?
I have been married for 7 years to my wonderful husband, Matt.  We have three furry “kids”: Two Shih Tzu dogs, Huntley Rochester & Isabella Jane (yes, those middle names are after Jane Eyre), and a Persian cat named Sebastian. We live just outside of New York City.

3. What’s your secret passion?
Actually, for a long time, writing was my secret passion.  I spent years writing whole novels for myself and never shared them with anyone. I was always very private about my writing, but I’m glad that I came around and decided to start sharing my stories with others.

4. What’s the first creative writing you remember doing outside a class?
When I was 14-years-old, I had this fantastic dream about a world in the vein of Narnia.  I woke up the next morning determined to write it down as a YA short story. I realized then that I was not very good at writing short stories.  My first full-length novel was born.

5. Why do you write romance novels?
I never intended to write romance, actually.  It is only because of my grandmother’s life-long desire to write a historical romance that I began to write one for her. Now, I see the light!

6. What else do you write?
I think I’ve written a novel in pretty much every genre. I finally found a common theme, though – I really love researching different time periods. Not single story I’ve ever written has been from the same time period.

7. What did you cut from your book that felt like severing a body part?
Rhianna was very long.  To cut it down, a couple of chapters were axed detailing events in her childhood. The really important back story was worked in to the current version, though, and I’m really glad to say I like it better than the original!

8. The best part about my writing life is:
I think the best part about my writing life is I can easily entertain myself! Long line at the DMV?  Sitting around all day for jury duty?  Long plane flights? No problem!

9. The worst part about my writing life is:
Definitely, the worst part about my writing life is not having enough time to write.

10. Give us a hint about what the next book’s like.
I feel a very strong connection to the families in Rhianna, and I’ve begun working on a sequel that follows them through the next several years after Rhianna ends.  I’m really excited about it!  If you want to know more, I’ll be regularly updating my blog amandalvshalaby.wordpress.com or look me up on Facebook or Twitter.

Introducing…Kristina Knight

1. Introduce yourself, please (name you write under). Is this a pen or personal name? Why did you make the choice to write under that name? Hi, everyone! My name is Kristina Knight, a debut author with Crimson Romance. Yes, that is my real name. I decided a long time ago that the capital K’s in my name would look pretty on a cover…and I was right! Plus, now I don’t have to remember yet another name – I’ve got about 7 already. There’s Kristina (and a variety of nicknames), Mom (and its vast iterations), Babe (from RadioMan), and the list goes on.

2. Let’s get the details out of the way: Single, married, divorced, widowed? Parent? Living where? Doing what, other than writing? One—just one—physical characteristic

I’m married to RadioMan and the stork dropped off bebe to us almost 4 years ago. She likes it when I tell everyone I had the shortest, best pregnancy ever: there was no labor (well, of the physical, sweaty, painful sort), it started at noon on  a Monday and she was delivered at 3pm that same afternoon. We live on the North Coast of Ohio and I spend most of my days writing at the computer. And, so my rear end doesn’t become as large as the seat of my comfy chair, I teach aqua aerobics classes at our local YMCA, take Zumba classes and walk. A lot. I have auburn hair and green eyes and not a lick of Irish blood in my system. German and English, yes. Go figure.

3. Why do you write romance novels? I love romance novels, have since I was a teen and probably shouldn’t have been reading them. My first romance was a YA novel called PS I Love You. It was filled with teen angst and death and cancer and a more tragic than happily ever after ending. I remember as I read it thinking I would have done it differently. I would have allowed Mariah to have her happy ending with Paul, even though she learned more from the unhappy finish. But that’s me: I like the happy. The struggle through life’s little surprises may make us stronger, but I like that struggle to have a solid, happy ending, too. So that’s what I write.

4. Do you identify closely with one particular character? How? In What a Texas Girl Wants, my debut book, I really identified with Kathleen because she has a firm idea of where she thinks she needs to be. I spent a lot of years trying to follow the path I thought my parents and friends and professors wanted me to take. It wasn’t a bad road, it just wasn’t the road I truly wanted to be on. Now that I’m on my own path I’m so much happier. That’s the journey Kathleen takes in the story, a journey of self-fulfillment and true love. I hope you all love Jackson and Kathleen as much as I love them.

5. Give us a hint about what the next book’s like. My second Crimson Romance is out later this fall and is (tentatively) titled The Saint’s Devilish Deal. It features an injured surfer and a wound-too-tightly B&B manager and a lovely destination, Puerto Vallarta.

Anyway, that is the Cliff’s Notes version of my writing life. I’m so excited to be part of the Crimson Romance family! If you want to know even more about me, stop by my website or look me up on Facebook or Twitter.

No Hero For Me

My friend, the historical author, Julia Ross, once contacted me for my opinion on some horse stuff. She was speaking at a RWA nationals workshop, and she wanted my take on a few things.

Can you say flattered?

She rides classical English; I ride only western.

My expertise comes from a lifetime of riding and coaching horse knowledge bowl teams. Julia is an accomplished horsewoman herself, even taught community college classes on horses. But I digress…

We talked about the differences between English and western riding…colors of horses, styles of riding, etc. But we agreed completely on one thing– all good horsemen have some things in common, whether it be riding in an dressage saddle or an old roping saddle.

One thing she said that I took away from that conversation and carried with me ever since is about heroes in romance novels.

Julia said, “A hero who abused a horse would abuse the heroine, if even off camera.”

I agree.

I hadn’t thought of it until that conversation, but I have never liked a hero (or heroine) who whips, spurs, yanks or jerks on a horse in any way.

Romance authors often use the abuse of a horse (not intentional) to show their characters’ angst. You often see a fuming gallop, a hard yank, a spur to make the horse whirl because the character is upset. While this is good for drama, it turns me off.

A lot.

It makes the book an instant wall-banger for me.

While the author probably has no idea how bad that makes her hero or heroine look, any of the above actions are extremely abusive and leaves me with no sympathy for the character. In fact, I generally detest them from that point on.

It’s funny, authors often use cats and dogs to show their characters’ softer side, and they would no more have their character yank a dog’s leash or kick a cat than spit at the moon, but that same author has no problem jerking, spurring or galloping a horse hard.

Odd when you think about it.

This post was originally published on Ridingwrite May 27, 2011

The Magic of Multitasking and Other Lies We Tell Ourselves

For a while there, multitasking was the buzzword for success. Women could have it all — career, marriage, kids, friends, hobbies, beauty — all through the magic of multitasking.

But like shoulder pads and greed and everything else that “worked” in the ’80s, it turns out cramming a thousand things into every single moment is actually a pretty bad thing.

Yes, women are inherently better than men at multitasking. As Sir Ken Robinson explains in his must-see TEDTalk, the corpus collosum, a bundle of nerves that manages the communication between the two sides of the brain, is thicker in women.

Some speculate this difference evolved in support of the very earliest of gender roles. As hunters, men needed to focus on one thing, and one thing only: killing dinner. As gatherers, women had to complete many tasks: gathering plants, stoking the fire, tending to children.

And though few of us hunt or gather these days, women still shoulder a wider array of responsibilities than men, averaging 48.3 multitasking hours a week, compared with men’s 38.9.  But being better at something does not make it any better for us. In fact, the very experience of multitasking creates more stress in women than men.

Even worse, we’re not actually getting any more done. Most of the time we think we’re multitasking (writing an email while helping with kids’ homework while watching “Grey’s Anatomy,”) we’re merely oscillating focus over and over again (dear editor, McDreamy, 3×3=9, McDreamy, thank you for your feedback, McDreamy, carry the 1, McDreamy.)  This continual shift from one task to another creates a lag in the brain that slows productivity by as much as 40%.

That slowdown is something creative people like writers just can’t afford. Beyond managing the normal life stuff like a day job, family, and errands, writers have a whole other world to manage — research, writing, editing, networking, social media-ing. Most of these tasks are accessible by the click of a mouse, so it’s easy to slip into the habit of multitasking: write a paragraph here, research a bit on Google, post a status update to a writer’s group on Facebook. But with each transition, our brains lag and our creative momentum wanes.

So without multitasking, how the hell are we supposed to get it all done?

As Tony Schwartz of The Energy Project says, “When you engage, fully engage. When you disengage, fully disengage.”

Few of us have the luxury of devoting hours on end to our craft. So while it’s inevitable that we must serial task, we can choose to do so consciously. Instead of tricking ourselves into thinking we’re multitasking, we can break up the tasks and devote ourselves to each enterprise in a smaller, more focused block of time.

So if you only have an hour each day to devote to being a writer, spend ten minutes answering urgent emails, another ten checking up on your writer’s group on Facebook, another ten researching. Then plow into a solid half hour of writing. Or break it up into larger chunks of time, devoting a solid hour to each of those tasks one day a week and not letting them distract you on the other days.

Most importantly, when you’re writing, write. Immerse yourself in your characters, their heads, their worlds. If you’re stuck on something, make a note to look it up later. If you need a break, go for a walk. But don’t muddy up the painful, beautiful creative process with all the business that surrounds it.

The same can be said for everything else in your life, too: walking the dogs, giving the kids a bath, cooking dinner. Amidst the mundane chaos of everyday life, strive to be present in every single moment.  You’ll not only be more productive, you’ll be more happier, and quite possibly, a better writer.

How do you juggle real life, writing, and the truly important things, like watching Patrick Dempsey shirtless? Share your process in the comments below.

Lisa Weseman lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their two unbearably adorable Doodles. Her debut novel, a contemporary romantic comedy called The Name of the Game, launches July 23 at major ebook retailers, including Amazon.com, BN.com, and iTunes. She blogs at www.lisaweseman.com.

Lady in Red….Stephanie Freeman

Introduce yourself, please (name you write under). Is this a pen or personal name?

• My name is Stephanie Freeman.

Why did you make the choice to write under that name?

• My choice to use my real name was a last minute decision. I use my pen name for my erotica.

 Let’s get the details out of the way:

• I live in Baltimore, Maryland
• During the day, I teach post secondary education. At night, I fall through the pages and write.
•  One—just one—physical characteristic about me is that my eyes that are the color of night.

 What’s your secret passion?

• My secret passion is to  learn to dance. Sadly, I haven’t an ounce of rhythm in me. I’ve been told I look like I’m swatting at bees when I dance. (I know, pretty bad huh?)

Tell us one thing about yourself you’d never change.

• My love of prose. I cannot live a day without it. It is the music of my soul.

 If you didn’t live where you do, where would you live? Why?

• Alaska…..Northern Lights need I say more?  Well that and I’m part polar bear. I love it cold!

 Do you write about where you live or where you’d like to live?

• Shadow Bay,Maryland is a fictitious city, but it has Baltimore, Maryland written all over it. Crabs, Baltimore Street and the Inner Harbor play crucial roles in the books I write. After all, we are told in the beginning ‘write what you know’.

 What’s the first creative writing you remember doing outside a class?

            I remember writing a piece about an old recluse named Mamma Picabo. She was named after an Indian RiverI came across many years ago. This is my all time favorite dramatic reading piece. I can still see her sitting on her porch wearing one of her shawls with her grey dreadlocks snaking down her back like living vines of silver.  Her life story still has the capacity to make me laugh and cry. every once in a while she reveals a little more about her life to me. I can see a book coming out of her many discussions.

  Why do you write romance novels?

• I’m a romantic at heart. I absolutely adore happy endings!

 What else do you write?

• Mainstream Fiction
• Inspriational Fiction
• Erotica
• Murder Mysteries
• Poetry
•  Business proposals, plans and  grants for non profit organizations

 What one thing from your book did you take from personal experience?

• I am a crochet/ knitting  freak! Some of my female characters crochet or knit. 

What did you cut from your book that felt like severing a body part?

• For spacing issues, I had to cut a death scene. I kept the original manuscript. Maybe one day I’ll put it back in the book.

  Do you identify closely with one particular character? How?

•  Alanna Symone from Necessary Evil. She wasn’t the only one that endured finishing school. (I can still balance a book on my head and walk across the room.)

 The best part about my writing life is:

• When my characters introduce themselves to me.

The worst part about my writing life is:

• The worst part of writing for me having stop and do the mundane things of life.

 Give us a hint about what the next book’s like.

•  The name of the new book is Nature of the Beast. I’ll form my answer as a question. (Diehard Alex Trebeck fan.)  What if the lie you told saved a life, but took yours?

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