Word Association Time

Here’s some quirky questions for all of you today, written in word-association style. I say a word or phrase, you tell us what comes to mind first:

1) Eighties hair band?

2) High school?

3) Summer?

4) Winter?

5) Mysterious?

6) Hot pretzel?

7) Murder mystery?

~Elizabeth

My Cheating Muse

One of the most interesting questions I get as a writer–the one that makes me pause and give thanks for the truth behind my answer–is what happens when I run out of ideas.

While I can’t answer that question for any other writers, I can say this…I don’t. As I’m nearing the three-quarter mark of whatever my wip (work in progress) is at the time, another seed starts to grow. I never write them  down, opting instead to go the route of trusting my memory (meaning, if it’s worth writing, I won’t forget).

But a strange thing is going on in my head right now in that stories are warring. On the one hand I have the book I need to start this week–the one that’s contracted and has been brewing in my head for the last few days. On the other hand, I have an idea that grabbed hold of my imagination a few months ago and refuses to let go.

Why didn’t I start writing when it first surfaced, you ask? Simple. I was working on a proposal that was taking longer than normal (a fact I now recognize as a casualty of my muse’s stubborness). And even now that the proposal is off to my editor at Harlequin, I still can’t tackle this particular story because the contracted book takes precedence.

Yet, I can’t shake it from my mind. And the more I try to ignore it, the more it digs in its heels and takes over my thoughts. Which, as you can probably imagine, is causing a little bit of a dilemma. Especially when I know the muse is always right. Always. It’s when I don’t listen that I get in trouble. 

So I think I’m going to do what I’ve tried before yet abandoned out of weakness (or a bent toward writing monogomy)  every time I’ve tried in the past. I am going to write the book that needs to be written (the one that is tugging on my brain just as hard) while taking a real stab at this new idea. The idea itself is a slight departure for me. It’s not mystery and it’s not romance. It’s more toward women’s fiction (which might explain my personal reading choices as of late)–the kind of book that makes you think and reach…and, maybe even grow.

Which leads me to today’s question. Or, more appropriately, a plea. Have you ever tackled two big projects at a time? How’d you do? Any advice or tips?

~Elizabeth

The Clever Few

I’m in awe of people who invent things to make life easier/better. You know, those think-outside-the-box kinda people. Sure, there are times I say, “wouldn’t it be cool if there was something that could (fill in the blank),” but it’s invariably followed by, “they already make that.” I suppose this should tell me that I’m rather out of the loop at times, but, more than that, it tells me that there are some very clever people in this world. People far more clever and creative than me…

There’s the guy/gal who came up with the diaper genie concept (a godsend when I had my girls fifteen and eleven years ago, though, I imagine there’s something even more high speed for new parents these days).

There’s the guy/gal who came up with those wheels that actually allow you to roll your suitcase side to side (and, thus, presenting less of a tripping hazard to your fellow travelers).

There’s the guy/gal who came up with the idea of a single pen that can be red, green, black, or blue with no more than a click of your finger.

There’s the guy/gal who…well, you get what I mean. There’s some really cool stuff out there–some useful, some utterly bizarre (like the Snuggie, which, in reality, is nothing different than wearing a bathrobe backwards)–but all invented by someone with an idea. And the determination to turn it into reality.

So tell me, what’s your favorite (relatively recent) invention and why?  And, while you’re at it, how about one you find more than a little odd.

~Elizabeth

Today’s the Day

Call it a shameless plug (because it is, really), if you will, but today I’m going to shove a book a you (or at anyone you know who happens to enjoy a sweet romance).

Part of this shove is simply because I hope it sells well (that’s the shameless part, in case you’re wondering). The other part (a.k.a. plug), though, is because I really think it’s a cool story–one that shows just how hard (yet, ultimately satisfying) it can be to overcome the hurt left by past relationships in order to find true happiness.

Okay, so here we go… 

  A Mom For Callie–the Harlequin American Romance I’ve written under the name, Laura Bradford–released today! And as is the case with this line, the book will only be available on store shelves for one month. One month. That’s it.

Starting today, you can find A Mom For Callie in Walmart, K-mart, Borders, and a few other locations (if you see it somewhere other than these three stores, let me know). If you patronize a book store that doesn’t carry this line, they should be able to order it for you without any problems.  It’s cheap–only $ 4.99–and it’s fun…a great summer beach read for the romance reader in your life!   You can also buy it online through all of the standard online book venues, including eharlequin.com!

Finally, in case you’re looking for a plug that’s a little less shameless, A Mom for Callie received a 4 1/2 star Top Pick from Night Owl romance. You can read the review here.

Oh, and one more thing. Sharon Gallagher over at Sharon’s Garden of Book Reviews (sharonsgardenofbookreviews.blogspot.com) had this to say about the book… “With her latest novel, A Mom For Callie, author Laura Bradford combines a charmingly sweet tale of two lost souls looking for love, with a healthy dose of saucy romance, a dash of thrilling mystery and a generous helping of lively characters to create a story that will stay with readers long after the last page is turned.”

Happy reading!!!

~Elizabeth

P.S. I was in the local Wal-Mart here (just checking to see if it was on the shelf) and I got a cool surprise. It looks as if Wal-mart is part of a promotion for the Harlequin American Line this month–buy 3 titles in the line for $ 9.99.  The cool part is the fact that they used A Mom for Callie’s cover for the promotion!!  If you see this out in the wild, too, let me know!!  And if you decide to take advantage of this promo, check out some of the other authors out this month…all talented writers!

When, Not If

What’s one thing (big or otherwise) that you’d like to accomplish between now and the end of summer?

This, Just In…

We’re hip, we’re now…right?

Here’s some present-day questions for all of you:

1) What book are you reading right now?

2) What was the last movie you watched (either in a theater or at home)? Did you like it?

3) What was the last song you heard on the radio?

4) What was the last thing you ate?

~Elizabeth

I Write Romance, Wanna Make Something of it?

I was reading John Gardner’s craft book, ON BECOMING A NOVELIST, the other night as I was stirring the risotto for dinner. The book was published in 1983, the year I went to work leaving my infant son home with his father. Mr. Mom, a movie about a stay-at-home dad came out that same year. The world was in flux.

Pouring in more chicken stock, I came across this bit of advice: read bad fiction so you can appreciate the good (read, literary). And where did Mr. Gardner suggest we find the bad fiction? Woman’s fiction, mostly. He goes on to tell us that we should underline passages that stream with triteness, cuteness, and sentimentality.  By this time, something was steaming. And it wasn’t the risotto.

Why is romance, and women’s fiction, the stepsister of the publishing world? Why are cozy’s looked down upon by the noir division of the mystery world? Tell me what’s wrong with not having bloody body parts showing up, page after page. And why do we, as readers, love the books we love?

I’ve been struggling for a while to define and claim what I write. When I announced that I had sold a short story to people at work, they thought it was cute that I’d sold to True Love. Selling three months in a row, my stories are claiming me. I am a romance writer. Romance with a touch of mystery and humor.

I kept reading as I was stirring. Mr. Gardner redeemed himself at the end of this chapter with this one idea: even though you can get advice from a lot of great writers, in the end, it’s your story and you must face that blank page on your own. In other words, trust your gut as my accountability partners tell me. I think readers are given that same advice. Read what you love, not what people tell you to read.

Stirring the last bit of broth into my risotto, I realized something. Writing is like food. Not everyone has the same tastes. And that’s what makes this journey so much fun.

So today’s question, what one book did you read because you thought you had to? Did you enjoy it?

Lynn Cahoon’s work has appeared in Grit, Chicken Soup for the Soul, True Romance, and True Love. She is currently polishing two romance novels, working on a cozy mystery, and waiting for a call from the slush pile. She lives in the St. Louis area with her husband.

Ooh…aah

I spent part of yesterday at the Museum of Natural History on West 79th Street in New York City. One of my favorite parts? The blue whale. It’s one thing to imagine how big such a creature is and quite another to stand under a to-scale model and actually see it.

Wow.

One of my favorite facts about the blue whale? An adult can grow as long as three school buses and weigh over 400,000 pounds (that’s about the size of 24 African elephants).

Wow.

Your turn. What’s a must-see museum or exhibit you’ve seen? And any cool facts that stick out in your mind from your visit?

~Elizabeth

A Blurry Line?

Every once in a while, you stumble upon a writer that just clicks with you, their books sucking you in, time and time again. And while I’m new to the work of Emily Giffin, she is no exception.

Last week, I told you about her latest novel, HEART OF THE MATTER. I enjoyed that book so much I set off to the bookstore to start reading her back list, returning home with her first book, SOMETHING BORROWED. And, once again, I was glued to the story that unfolded…

Here’s the blurb from the back jacket:

Rachel white is the consummate good girl. A hard-working attorney in Manhattan and diligent maid-of-honor to her best friend Darcy, Rachel has always done the right thing. But all of that changes the night of her thirtieth birthday when, after a few too many drinks, she ends up in bed with Darcy’s fiance. Although she wakes up determined to put one one-night fling behind her, Rachel is horrified to realize that she has genuine feelings for the only guy she shouldn’t. As the wedding date nears, Rachel must make a choice between her heart and her conscience. In so doing, she discovers that the lines between right and wrong can be blurry, endings aren’t always neat and sometimes you have to risk everything to win true happiness.

Interesting, huh? The book, itself, is much more intricate, calling into play healthy and unhealthy friendships, self value, etc… And it’s all good stuff. In fact, SOMETHING BORROWED is being made into a movie (and, if they stick to the story Ms. Giffin wrote, it’s gonna be a good one)!

So here’s a question (okay, maybe two) for all of you–something that popped in my head as I read this story:    What, in your eyes, makes a good friend? And have you ever been in a friendship that–in hindsight– did you more harm than good?

~Elizabeth

If You Could

If you could change one thing about our country or its people (the way it is/we are today), what would you change? 

~Elizabeth