Smart Girls Read Romance -- so do the bestselling and award-winning Authors who write this blog.
Join them as they dish about Books, Romance, Love, and Life.






Thursday, January 28, 2016

Hello, my name is Beth and I'm a Panster

Yep. No matter how hard I try, the story will be what it will be. Ornery critter. The only way forward is by listening well to the characters and seeking the deep wisdom that guides me. Like following a hawk.

Sometimes the muse is silent. Dratted muse. Then I must wait for the oracle to speak. And ponder. I'll think I know what's going on, but I don't really. Only in part and pieces. Those of you who map your entire tale from start to finish amaze me. I stand humbly in your presence. I should be like you, I strive to be, but I'm not.

Sure, my dreaming and scheming are invaluable, but the realization comes that I don't actually have a clue what's next and can but hope 'the gang' does. Inevitably, they do. 

For me, writing involves a lot of faith. Like Indiana Jones in The Last Crusade, that scene where he takes a leap of faith and steps out into what appears to be chasm, but then he sees it's a clear bridge between the jutting mountain sides. Or whatever they are. So, kind of like that. And I don't have a problem with being like Indy.

I'm currently writing book 3, The Panther Moon, in my YA fantasy series Secret Warrior. Yes, it's also a romance, and filled with twists and surprises, especially for me. Book 2, Curse of the Moon will be out later this year. Release date TBD. Book 1, The Hunter's Moon, was released mid-December. I am really enjoying this series and trying hard to garner recognition for The Hunter's Moon (signed on for 3 book tours, plus, pus). Breaking into a new genre is tough, which likely comes as no surprise. Some of the reviewers/bloggers this go round are the meanest I've ever encountered in all my published years. But that's OK, because now that I'm writing characters with super powers, they are easily disposed of in my fantasy world. I killed off an annoying high school basketball referee (one of my daughter's) in the fort assault scene in my historical romance novel, Through the Fire. I disguised his name, but I knew. So take that. Ha. 

Excerpt from The Hunter's Moon:

Oh, no. Was the wolf hit? Morgan prayed not. She sensed him trying to protect them, and couldn’t imagine why, or why he seemed like ‘her wolf’.

Cries, like the shrieks of a panther, carried through the trees. A chill crawled down her spine. Were the woods filled with creatures she thought long gone from these mountains?

More wolfish snarls erupted and snapping, tearing. Good. He lived. She nudged Jimmy. “Can you see anything?”

He craned his head around the rocks. “Not through the smoke and fog.”



Eerie howls rose from the surrounding woodland on every side. A whole pack must be gathering. Morgan wasn’t certain whether to be frightened, fascinated, or hopeful of rescue. Still light-headed, not sure she even saw clearly, she watched the black wolf reappear; with him, a great white wolf whose green eyes shone like starlight. The most extraordinary yet. Together, the two loped after the brown and gray one. Judging by the high-pitched calls, there were more wolves out there. And panthers, or were they mountain lions?

Snarls, growls, and the shrieks of enraged felines ripped through the smoky shroud. The pack wasn’t after her and Jimmy. Not now, anyway.~

The Hunter's Moon is available from every online bookseller you can think of.

For more on me and my work, please visit:  https://bethtrissel.wordpress.com/



12 comments:

  1. I'm one of those who works from an outline. Otherwise, my story would be very short and patchwork-ish. :) Best of luck with your YA series. You certainly have a pretty cover and the excerpt was intriguing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. The Hunters Moon was a great story and I cannot wait for Curse of The Moon! I love the fact that you made your daughter's evil basketball referee "disappear" in Through The Fire.lol Now I need to go re read it, not that I'll be able to tell who it is, but still.. ;) Keep up the amazing work Beth. I am and always will be, a huge fan!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks so much LeeAnn. I really appreciate your hearty support my fan/friend. :) Well, the evil referee's name in the book is Hutch...

    ReplyDelete
  4. It takes courage to tackle a new genre so my hat's off to you. I've made villains in my books be "bad guys" who have crossed my path in real life. They'll never know they're in a book, but I know. Great covers, Beth. Good luck and stay brave.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thanks Joan. Sometimes I feel as brave as Piglet, but forging ahead anyway. :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Loved the Hunters Moon and can't wait to read the rest of this fantastic series! (and I'm a panster too :) Love that Indiana Jones :) Congratulations again, Beth and wishing you much success with this series. You definitely deserve it :) Patty T.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Hi Beth. Suzanne Rossi here. I started out as an OCD plotter. That all changed when I signed my first contract. All of a sudden I didn't have the luxury of time to sit and plot every scene in every chapter. So, I became a plotting pantster. Now, I've evolved into a total pantster, letting the words fall where they may. Editing may take a bit more time, but at least the story is done. Good luck with your series.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks Susan. I plot where I can, but inevitably, the story wants to tell itself. Interesting to hear how you have evolved.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks Susan. I plot where I can, but inevitably, the story wants to tell itself. Interesting to hear how you have evolved.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for commenting on Smart Girls Read Romance. We love readers and love their comments. We apologize that due to a few unethical spammers we've had to institute comment moderation. Please be patient with us... we DO want your genuine comments!