Mariposa's Musings

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies…The man who never reads lives only one.”   George R.R. Martin September 6th is  Read a Book Day. Besides being a time machine and an affordable vacation from reality, a book can also improve memory, concentration and reduce stress.  According to a 2009 study by Sussex University researchers discovered reading may reduce stress by as much as 68%. So what are you waiting for?

An attorney couple I once knew decided to treat themselves to a vacation in Turkey after passing the bar. Worn out by their intense legal studies, neither bothered reading up on the country. So they wandered the streets of Istanbul and stared at the buildings wondering what they were seeing. One of my favorite travel preparations is studying the local guidebooks.   While I might not know the whole history of a place, I like to at least know a story or two.   Even better than studying the facts of a place is to know its fiction. Though much of Cannery Row had changed since Steinbeck’s time, his stories accompanied me as a wandered the streets. Thanks to Hometown Reads  travelers can get to know the local writing talent.   During  its two years of existence, Hometown Reads has garnered 100 locations from Anchorage, Alaska to Tampa Bay, Florida and over 4,000 books. The site is designed so you can browse by genre or by city and provides resources...

You’ve heard this story a thousand times. Boy meets girl. Boy and girl have a fake relationship. Then they actually fall in love. This is not one of those stories.                   It should be. I mean, he’s Brent Crawford. He’s the new tight end for the New York Sharks. He’s one of the sexiest men alive. But his sponsors are threatening to drop him, and his job is in jeopardy due to allegations of assault. He needs someone to help recover his image. She’s Gwen McDougall, former fashion model turned photographer and newly minted local hero. She wants more from her photography jobs than premeditated shots of B-list celebutantes, and now is her chance. She just has to agree to help Brent shine up his tarnished reputation. They’re both young, beautiful, and talented. They would be perfect together.  Except she can’t stop making out with his brother. This isn’t a perf...

"Dance first. Think later. It's the natural order of things." Samuel Beckett What the Irish author and playwright once said of dancing also applies to writing.  Although I've long ago given myself permission to write an awkward first draft, at times I find myself tinkering with a particular sentence instead of forging ahead to finish the story. Even those of us who "know better" need a gentle reminder sometimes.  After all who am I to argue with a Nobel Prize winner?

What inspired you to become a writer? I’ve always loved the written word and have been an avid reader for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I thought I would be an English teacher or writer. However, for the longest time, my life seemed to take me in a different direction. I married, moved, and took the opportunities that came to me. That eventually led to my being a financial advisor for a number of years. A couple of days before my 36 th birthday, I woke up and found myself staring at the ceiling at 3 a.m. How had I gotten myself to this place where I was doing exactly opposite of what my interests or strengths were? How could I change my course so that I didn’t end up a sixty-year old regretting my life? I went to my husband and told him how I was feeling and what I was thinking and – to his credit – he didn’t laugh me out of the room. Instead, we came up with a plan, including a number of measurable goals to hit in the next year. After a year of working towards those g...

"Without music, life would be a mistake."   Friedrich Nietzche I was fortunate to meet Courtney Kenney at the 20 Books to 50K conference in Las Vegas. Today I'm at her blog chatting about how the musical inspiration behind Ladies Man and Wedding Tango . Hope to see you there!

In honor of the holidays, I'm extending an invite to the Writers  Round Table to fellow-romance authors.  Please answer these two questions in the comment section. Include a link to your blog or website. In order to have plenty of room at the table, please limit your response to 200 words. What is one of your favorite marketing techniques? What is your favorite holiday treat? Hmmm marketing techniques....I have to admit I'm still learning the promo ropes especially advertising. As a lifelong chatterbox, I have learned to keep an ear open for new fans or potential guest interviews for my blogs. Keep the tag line of your latest book in mind and have your business cards ready.  Your next fan can't wait to meet you. As for holiday treats, I like my desserts like I like my romances...sweet with some spice. Soft gingerbread cake topped with cream cheese frosting is irresistible to me. Santa can have plenty of cookies, just leave me the cake. Wishing you all go...

Some writers seem to be everywhere, doing blog tours, leaving clever comments on writing loops and making appearances on all conceivable forms of social media sort of like the popular girl who is always on the dance floor. The gals on the sidelines wonder if they need a shorter skirt, higher heels or darker lipstick to be noticed. Writers watch others cut a broad swath on the Internet and worry about how much blogging, tweeting and commenting is needed to attract readers. You don’t have to be everywhere, but you do need to be seen. One night at Salsa my instructor noticed me pouting at a remote table.  “You need to be closer to the action,” he said nodding toward the crowd at the bar. I moved to a more populated area of the club and my evening improved considerably.  If maintaining your own blog is too much for you, consider being part of a group blog or look for guest posting opportunities at other author blogs. Watch the other dancers for ideas, but ultimately ...

Write, mother, sleep. Repeat as needed.    Shondra Rhimes The creator of Grey’s Anatomy and Scandal has shared some inspiring comments regarding writing and motherhood, but this is one of my favorites.  Too often mothers and writers embark on a frantic search for the right combination of habit, attitude and magic that will keep their priorities aloft without all of them crashing down on their heads. Unfortunately due to life’s ever-changing nature, what worked like a charm today may be worthless tomorrow. That doesn’t mean to stop striving, but you can ditch trying to be perfect.Sometimes it is best to keep moving forward and embrace the silly sticky moments.  Instead of aiming on an impossible ideal, focus on being consistent which works well for both real kids and literary babies. Have a wonderful Mother’s Day.

I don’t know when it became fashionable in the corporate world to skip lunch. I recall a late afternoon meeting in which a C-Suite darling bragged she had made it through the entire day on an apple and a single cup of coffee.  Had that been me, I’m not saying there would have been bloodshed, but there would have been serious bruising. Besides magic can happen when sharing lunch with a like-minded colleague especially if fresh tortilla chips are on the table. A while back during lunch at Q’doba, I told Regina Duke about two of the stories I had sent to an editor for a romance anthology. She quickly brought me to my senses. “Get them back from the editor and publish them yourself. You don’t need outside validation,” she insisted. I could hardly argue with retired college professor and USA Best Selling Author especially since my mouth was full. After our lunch I hurried home to retrieve my two stories from the editor and to write what would be the third story in ...

 Most people know that when a bell rings an angel gets his wings. But do you know the true story behind “ It’s a Wonderful Life ”? In 1938 Philip Van Doren Stern was inspired to write about a desperate family man’s encounter with his guardian angel who showed him what life would be like if he’d never been born. In 1943 he finished his 4,100 word short story, “ The Greatest Gift ” which proceeded to be rejected by a variety of publications from “The Saturday Evening Post” to farm journals.  As an established Civil War historian and biographer, Stern published over forty books during his lifetime, but he was unable to find a publisher for this story.  Determined to share his tale Stern had 200 pamphlets printed of his story and distributed them to friends and family as Christmas cards.  He told his third-grade daughter, Marguerite, that even though they were sending it as Christmas card to friends “It is a universal story for all people and all times”. Se...

I've interviewed many authors from young mothers to empty-nesters and having time to write is always a challenge. In fact having time for one's passions is a struggle for just about everyone including crafters, gym rats, joggers, sports fans, pet parents, readers and gardeners. Just in time for holiday shopping, We'd Rather Be Writing , is now available in print as well as an e-book . 88 authors share their favorite time saving dinner recipes and other tips. Edited by USA Today Bestselling Author, Lois Winston , the contributors range from debut authors to authors with an established writing careers and I'm thrilled to be part of a very talented group. Best of all a portion of the proceeds go to No Kid Hungry .

As much as I love to cook, I hate trying to figure out what's for dinner. That's why I'm thrilled to be one of the 88 authors featured in We'd Rather Be Writing , a compilation of recipes and writing tips. Both the recipes and tips are designed to give you more time to pursue your passion (like finishing your current WIP!) If you pre-order, your copy will be waiting for you on your Kindle by October 30th just in time to stock up on some quick dinner recipes before the holiday rush. I haven't yet heard when the paperback version will be available, but will keep you posted.

Writers' conferences can be an excellent opportunity to network and learn about the business of writing. But in order to get the most out of any conference, you must define your primary goal. Yes it has to be more specific than "be a successful writer". Think about what you are trying to accomplish and who can help you toward that goal. Study the panel biographies and develop a short list of relevant questions. Keep your questions brief. While a panel member may have a wealth of industry knowledge, she does not have the time to tell you everything she knows about the business. On the other hand don't be so focused on your mission that you lose sight of potential opportunities. Even if you are intent on the traditional publishing route, it might not hurt to strike up a conversation with an indie romance author who happens to be on the USA Today 's best seller list. On Saturday, April 18, 2015 the  Truckee Meadows Community College Writers' Conference  p...

What is one of your favorite resources for research? Cate Masters:  I’d love to be able to visit every setting in my stories! Unfortunately I can’t, so I mainly rely on either the library or the Internet, but I love to come across books specific to my needs that I’ll keep on my shelf for reference. For instance, I’ve relied on The Dictionary of Angels to supply not only names but background information for the angels in my Christmas fantasy, Ground Rules, and my dark paranormal, Dancing With the Devil. When I was lucky enough to visit Key West, Florida, I bought about six books about the local area because the history intrigued me so much, and I spent a few days in the library there while my family went parasailing and snorkeling. They had a fun time, but I felt like I found a lost treasure chest! For more about Cate visit her blog: Cate Masters: http://catemasters.blogspot.com Regina Duke:    I love Google and Wikipedia. This sounds simplistic, but as...

How do you manage your different writing tasks (research, writing, promo, editing)? Regina Duke : I like to say that I write every day, or spend time every day doing a writing-related task, such as editing. But during the preparation of Calin’s Cowboy, I had to take breaks and ended up working on other projects or sitting in the corner with my knitting, rocking to and fro. LOL! It was a big job! It is very hard for me to write and promote on the same day, as it turns out, so I have had to modify my schedule a bit. On the days I do a lot of promotion, I cannot write until bedtime. On days I do a lot of writing, I don’t even read email. I used to be a lot better at multitasking. Editing is the biggest challenge for me. By the time I begin implementing my editor’s and readers’ suggestions, I have already done two or three rewrites and edits myself. It takes a huge effort to sit down and work on it again. But once I start, I am pleased when my book draws me back in and I get all...

What writing support systems have worked best for you (critique partners, local writer’s groups, chat loops)? Cate Masters: I’ve taken part in all three, but can’t live without my crit partners. I depend on their expertise and keen insights to catch the flaws in my manuscripts before they reach any editor. I’m so lucky to have found such a group of funny, intelligent, supportive and tough writers. When I can, I also love to attend local workshops and conferences. There’s nothing like spending time with other authors who understand my obsession with imaginary characters! Find out more about Cate at http://catemasters.blogspot.com Regina Duke: Local writers and chat groups have always been a huge support system for me. Chat groups have played the biggest support role, in a general information and cheering section sense. As for actual improvements to my writing skills, I have met individuals through writers’ groups with whom I have formed working relationships wi...

How do you cope with set-backs? Jannine Gallant You have to develop a thick skin to be a writer. Rejection letters are a given. So are sales so low you wonder why you even bother. I take a breath and get back to work. You can’t sell books if you don’t write them. Knowing I’ve created stories that received great reviews makes me want to write another one. I keep telling myself that the next book is going to be the big seller. Think positive! Find Jannine here: http://www.janninegallant.com/ C.R. Moss My level on how well I deal—let it roll off, get angry, get down, etc.—depends upon the set-back, but I usually have a good talk with my author friends and/or hubby who help me to find solutions and feel better about what’s going on. Find C.R. Moss here: www.crmoss.net Mariposa Cruz One thing that helps me keep perspective is realizing that having to cope with a set-back is better than doing nothing at all. While doing nothing is “failure-free” it is also incredibly boring. Even...

What is a “must-have” for a writer’s bookshelf? C.R. Moss I have a few… A good dictionary and thesaurus (for the basics); The Romance Writers’ Phrase Book The Millennium Phrase Book for Romance Writers (for creative inspiration); The Writer’s Journey (for story structure/inspiration) Find C.R. Moss here: www.crmoss.net Jannine Gallant: Sitting on my desk in all its tattered glory, is my thesaurus. The cover is missing, pages are loose, but I wouldn’t replace it for the world. It’s my faithful companion, a gift from a college friend years and years ago. When I’m staring at my keyboard, trying to find that perfect word, it always has the answer! Find Jannine Gallant here: http://www.janninegallant.com/ Mariposa Cruz: I highly recommend Carol Lloyd’s Creating a Life Worth Living to anyone who aspires to life in the arts. Rather than advising people to quit their day jobs, Lloyd coaches on how to find a career supportive of a creative path and find a balance between inspirat...

What is the best writing advice you ever received? Jannine Gallant This wasn’t advice, but something I learned that I hope will benefit others. Quite a few years ago, I went shopping online for an agent, sending out dozens of query letters. After being ignored or rejected too many times to count, I was thrilled to receive acceptance from a company who only wanted to b e reimbursed for the cost of copying and mailing my manuscript to publishers. The amount they were asking for was reasonable, so I sent them off a check and waited for the contract offers to start pouring in! After a year and a half (with intermittent contact saying these things take time) I discovered the whole company was a huge scam. Sure I lost money, but I also lost valuable time. Before you sign with anyone (agent or publisher), make sure you check them out thoroughly. An hour or two of your time could save you a lot of heartache. Predators and Editors is a great site to start your search. Find Jannine Gal...