Writing From The Heart: Poetry Edition By Laura Hunsaker

I’m going to apologize for the formatting up front-I have had no wifi for 2 days and my phone is iffy. This is being written on my phone.

This week was our last week of school. For those who don’t know, my day job is at an elementary school. A really big thing happened this week; my daughter’s teacher retired. This teacher is no ordinary teacher. She has had all of my children for fourth grade! She’s an amazing and kind person who cares so much about her students. One thing she has always done when a teacher retires, is she writes them a poem. 

This time, I wrote one for her. 

And wow, as much as my high school self might disagree, I am not a poet.

(My high school self fancied herself as a deeply profound and emotional poet. My adult self cringes a bit at the poems).

Writing this poem was so difficult, because even though I’m a writer, and even though I have quite a lot of emotion both put into my work, and in the words of my work, poetry is a different beast.

I had to not only write this for someone I know well, and about that someone, but I then had to present it in front of the faculty. wanted this poem to  say what I felt, of course, but I also wanted to impress. These are people I work with, people who know I write, but may not have read my books…and I had to bare my heart in front of them. 

I shook the whole time I read it.

I’m an excellent public speaker, I don’t usually have nerves, but boy oh boy, reading a heartfelt poem to someone and doing it in front of your work? Whew. It was not easy!

But one thing it did do was highlight the difference between poetry and prose, non-fiction and fiction. Around 450 words, and it was harder than any other 450 words I’ve written. Not because one is better than the other, don’t get me wrong. But writing a story is more comfortable for me, than writing a poem. Oh and it rhymed. Think of all the things that you can rhyme with heart…of course fart was the only thing I could think of! Luckily my brain kicked into high gear and I’m proud to say I used a different word ;) I’m proud of that poem. 

I’m also very grateful to say that all of that emotion I wrote into a poem that I had to read to a real person, can now be directed into fictional characters, and I won’t have to read it to anyone. I think that’s the beauty of romance novels. They contain that same heartfelt and sometimes heart- wrenching emotion, just as poetry does! But the stories are not actually about any one person. And every reader can make it their own. The emotion I pour into my books allows the reader to have that connection with the characters (and not with the author! Lol). 

So what do you think?

Do you write poetry? Read it? Only love the naughty limericks;) let me know! But also let me know if a poem has ever touched your heart.

In my new book Dangerous Past, Lark uses a bullet journal. And in her journal are lists, comments, and even...short poems.

www.laurahunsaker.com

She’s running from her past…

Lark Seawell is the daughter of a serial killer. His reputation has long been a shadow looming over her since his arrest when she was a child. Especially since she’s the one who called the police. She has spent her entire life trying to live as anonymously and quietly as possible. She is not her father’s legacy.

He wants to be her future...

FBI agent Jay Sutherland is visiting a friend in a small mountain town when free spirit Lark asks for help with her injured dog. He is instantly enamored with her, and their one night stand stays with him far into the next morning, though Lark is long gone. When his partner realizes that she is the daughter of The Highwayman, Jay refuses to believe Lark is anything like her father.

What happens when she stops running…

When a trail of dead bodies follows Lark on her cross-country drive, the FBI believes she’s the killer. How can the sweet woman who rescues injured animals and makes him feel things he hasn’t felt in years be a murderer? The bodies don’t lie. Jay knows there’s more at play. If he’s wrong, and Lark is as much a monster as her father, he may be the next target…

Sunshiney heroine, gruff hero, one night stand leads to more…

I Feel Like I'm on a Merry-Go-Round of Writers

Most writers find their niche and stick to it, growing a following and improving their skills. I mean, can you imagine Agatha Christie writing paranormal romance?

Some write 2 sub-genres, say contemporary and romantic suspense. Then there are a few--like me--who have no clue what they want to write when they grow up. My writing career, short though it's been, has been on a revolving wheel of "gee, what do I wanna write next?" Now that I'll soon be writing exclusively for Random House Loveswept, I'm being told what to write or given a choice between what's hot on the market.

My first book was a contemporary Western. Then I wrote two historical
Westerns followed by two more contemporary Westerns. Some were books and some, novellas. I wrote a 3-book romantic suspense series set in Paris. Following that was a 3-book bear-shifting contemporary series set in the Scottish Highlands. Intermixed with the bears was a 3-book series of firefighters in Florida. Now, my editor wants a series of ex-SEALS with physical and emotional wounds, finding healing on a ranch.

How am I going to develop a following when I keep hopping from one type of story to another? Readers won't be able to say I love the suspense stories or the Westerns written by Vonnie Davis, because I'll have no niche. Look for me on the merry-go-round of writers. Mainly under the section marked "spiced with humor." Now, there's my niche.

What's in a Name?

Characters are an important part of our writing for without them we'd have nothing to string the scenes together. They are the cohesive glue, substance, and heart that hold the story together. Equally important are the names we give them.

The names we choose should reveal something about our characters: who they are, where they come from or where they are going. If you name your character right, you will choose a name that is unique to your character, memorable to your story and an everlasting brand such as, Rowdy Yates, Daddy Warbucks, Spock, or James Tiberius Kirk.

I love naming my characters. Names come to me easily and usually when I least expect it. My soon-to-be-released book, Code of Honor, is set in the small ficticious Texas town of McTiernan. In the process of building the town, I developed a local older business man who plays an integral part in the lives of McTiernan's residents. While writing the scene describing his business, that of the local auto mechanic, Harlan Garrity popped into my head and I felt as if I’d known him all my life.

On the other hand, I sometimes come up with names I love, but there is no way I can get away with using them. Like for the CEO of the troubled company, Southern Star Airlines. Oren Thatcher popped into my head, shook my hand and sat behind the carved mahogany desk, pipe and all. Alas, a friend pointed out that the name too closely resembles that of Senator Orin Hatch. Yikes! Needless to say, Oren retired unexpectedly, and Nelson 'Nelly' Widmore slid into his leather chair.

Sometimes a name is simply too common to the point of overuse. Last year, while still in the early stages of my story, I came across a post concerning character names. Immediately intrigued, I dived headfirst into the article. The list of tips made sense to me and then I came to Tip #6 – Overused Names. The name, Jack, was precisely mentioned. Well… wait for it…you guessed it. That was my hero’s name. I stewed over the dilemma until one day, while watching a golf match, they introduced a player, Graeme McDowell. Aha! I liked him so much, that between that and enjoying a meal at McAlister's Restaurant, my hero had a new name, Graeme McAlister.

Sometimes a name latches onto a character so firmly that it will never let go. My heroine has been Maggie since her inception. She's been very stubborn and refuses to entertain a new moniker. Did I mention she has red hair? She may even have had relatives from Missouri.

The following are a few tips to consider from a post,  http://www.babynames.com/character-names.php,  naming the world . . .one baby at a time, when deciding on a name for our characters. 

Tip 1: Make the name age-appropriate

The biggest mistake we see writers make is choosing a character name that is not age-appropriate. Many authors make the mistake of choosing a name that is popular now for an adult character--a name that would have rarely been used around the time of that character's birth. Decide the age of your character and then calculate the year your character was born. If your character was born in the U.S., browse the Social Security Name Popularity List for that year. You will also want to take into account the character's ethnic background and the ethnic background of his/her parents.

Tip 2: Choose a name by meaning

Many writers give their characters names that have significance in the story. It could reflect major personality traits, or the character's role in the story. You may want to use our advanced search to search by literal meaning, or think of ways to incorporate other meanings into your character's name. For example, if your character is a botanist, you may not want to name her Flower (too literal), but you may want to consider the names Linnea or Sage. Even if you choose not to name a character by meaning, you should look up the meaning of all your characters' names—there may be something that inspires you or, on the other hand, conflicts with your message.

Tip 3: Exotic romance names are out

Thirty, forty years ago, you would pick up a romance novel and the characters would have ridiculously exotic names like "Crystal Remington" or "Rod Delaware." Same with daytime soap operas. However we're seeing a shift in the past decade or so: romance and soap writers have modernized their character names so readers can relate to them. Naming a romance character should be no different than naming any other fictional character. If you use all the other good character naming tips, you'll create a genuine player to whom your readers can relate.

Tip 4: Science fiction names don't have to sound alien

It's difficult to predict what names will be popular in the year 3000, however you don't have to make your science fiction characters sound like they are from Mars (unless they are). When a person reads (or watches) your story, you don't want them to stumble over a name. The name Zyxnrid, for example, would be difficult to read or listen to every time the character is referenced—and may detract from your overall story. If you do choose to create your sci-fi name, you may want to:

· Combine two common names to make a less common, but pronounceable name. Example: Donica (Donna and Veronica).

· Use ancient mythological names, or combine two of them. Example: Ceres or Evadne.

· Make it easy to pronounce and spell. Example: Bilbo Baggins from Lord of the Rings.

Tip 5: Terms of Endearment

When writing your story, be aware that people who are close rarely use each other's full names. Couples will use nicknames, terms of endearment (honey, dear, boo). What nickname have your characters come up with for each other? Also, parents rarely call their children by their full names--unless they are admonishing them for bad behavior or testifying in court. If you have loving parent characters that are addressing their kids, use a nick name or term of endearment (sweetie, baby, D.J.). An exception to this would be if you want to show the parent character being cold and distant to their child.

Tip 6: Overused Names

For some reason, every writer loves to name his hero JACK. I know it's a tough-sounding, honest-working name, but naming your hero Jack is like naming your son AIDAN. It's overdone. Be a little more creative, so your reader will remember your particular protagonist as opposed to the umpteen-million other books they've read about Jack. Also, do not give your protagonist the initials J.C. as an allusion to Jesus Christ. That tactic was overused in 60's/70's fiction and is almost laughable by today's standards.

Tip 7: Loaded Names

Watch out for what we call "loaded" names--names that have a popular association. These could be names associated with celebrities, historical or infamous people like Adolf, Oprah, or Kobe. They could also be names of famous literary, tv, or movie characters: Hannibal, Scarlett, Romeo, Bart. If you do choose to use "loaded" names, then you really should make it part of the story, part of the character. Your character's mother was obsessed with Gone With the Wind, so she was named Scarlett--how has it affected her throughout her life? How does it affect her in the story?

Tip 8: Have Fun With Names

Have fun with naming your characters and take time to see what "fits." What was your character's childhood nickname? Is that an embarrassment when his parents address him in front of his friends? Did your character change his name at any point in his/her life? If so, why? Does your female character want to change her surname when she gets married? Why or why not? Names are such an important part of one's identity, don't take it lightly with your story!

http://www.babynames.com/character-names.php

Thanks for visiting Smart Girls Read Romance today. I hope you enjoyed how I choose my character's names and liked the tips shared from www.babynames.com . Leave a comment to share tips of your own.

Have Story, Will Write

by Ellie James

A funny thing happened last fall…

It all seemed so benign. After twenty-five years working in the corporate world, in a corporate office, my husband decided to go out on his own and build his own business. He was excited. I was excited. It was a huge change in every way imaginable.  At the time, the fact he’d now be working from home didn’t seem like any big deal. Okay, maybe kind of a big deal, since that meant both of us would be working from home, but of all the uncertainties, having him setting up shop from the upstairs of our house seemed like the least of our worries; I mean, we already had a home office set up, right?

Way back when, before our children were born, we moved into our current house and furnished one room as an office. My office. I was writing for Silhouette Intimate Moments back then, and took great relish in decorating my new writing space. It’s a lovely room upstairs, with a big east facing window. Initially, I had my workspace situated so that my back was to the door, but quickly discovered that I HATED that alignment. It just never felt comfortable, kinda like I never feel comfortable in a restaurant if I’m not sitting with my back to a wall. (Kinda thinking maybe in a former life I was a warrior who met a grim fate through a sneak-attack from behind!) Anyway, I have to have my back to the wall—and I really, really prefer a neat and tidy workspace: for me, clutter in my office= clutter in my mind.  However, with young kids…well, that’s another story for another day.

When planning my workspace, I consulted Feng Shui for paint color and ended up with a blue-green that is supposed to stimulate creativity. I also have an entire wall dedicated to inspirational sayings, such as Shoot for the Moon. Even if you miss you’ll land among the stars and Don’t believe everything you think!, as well as a display of my books.

And of course, there were all the fun knick-knacks, such as the necklace on the cover of my YA novels and a replica of the Flat Iron building in NYC, where my publisher is located!!!

  

So…we had this great office, right? It only made sense that my husband set up shop there. And that’s where the funny (actually, not funny at all) thing happened. Once he moved in, I had no choice but to move out. Oh, I tried. I tried to work with him in the room. But we listen to different music, and he’s on the phone. A lot. And when he’s on the phone, his voice is louder than it is when he’s just talking to me. Heck, he even breathes differently than I do!  And before I knew it, my muse had headed for the hills. Realizing I needed my own personal environment to write, I set out to stake claim on some other space in the house.

At first I tried the family room. I mean, there was this nice little secretary desk there, just perfect for my laptop. And while the kids were gone, the room would be nice and empty and quiet. So there I went. You see?

  

Here I embarked upon my new YA proposal. Weeks went by. A few more. Then a few more. September turned into November, and I should have had my proposal ready for my editor. But I didn’t. The words weren’t flowing. I found myself writing and rewriting, not at all happy with what I was producing. I did a lot of staring. And a lot of angsting. It took a while, but finally I realized it was the space. I couldn’t work in that space. It was the family room, for goodness sake. Where I relaxed and watched TV. For some reason (or maybe those reasons) I simply couldn’t gather myself to work there. Upon reflection, I see another problem, too. See the set up of the laptop and chair?  Yep. Had my back to the rest of the house, a position I’d already learned didn’t work for me.

So…I went in search of another space, landing in the brightest space of the house, the kitchen. There I had sunshine and a workspace in the table, and I could sit with my back to the window, giving me a full view of the house. Shoulda been perfect, right?  Well, there was another problem….

That’s Marie, and she was relentless. Sure, I could lock her in another room, and trust me, I did. But my muse still didn’t come back.(Maybe the stacks of dirty dishes were too distracting?)  Christmas came and went. It was January, and my ever-patient editor was tapping her foot. So…I set off again, still searching. A bedroom wasn’t going to work, I already knew that. And while my awesome neighbor volunteered her house, I wanted to find somewhere in my own house, you know?

Finally I found myself in a small nook off our living room, where we’ve got this big brown comfy chair and a lot of books. In the past, it’s where I would go to read, but, out of options, I decided to give it a try.

You can see it wasn’t really conducive to a laptop, so I went old-fashioned, reverting to yellow tablets and a mechanical pencil, a technique which had worked to lure my muse back before.

  

And….it happened. Finally. She came back. My muse. She settled back into place like a warm, familiar blanket, and the words once again begin to flow. Rapidly. And beautifully. And I realized I'd finally found my new workspace. I also realized just how important finding the perfect space really is (which is probably why setting up shop for a few hours in the library never worked for me.) Not just any room will do. Not just any desk. Not just any laptop.

Like the princess and the pea, it seems, my muse prefers that everything be just...right. :)

My Process to “The End”

First, I’m so excited to be a part of this lovely and talented group of authors and to be included in posting on this fun blog. 2013 has been a great adventure for me.



These are possibly the most important words an author can write on a page. They’re definitely the most fun. How do I know this? Because I just typed them on the last page of my romantic suspense manuscript, Code of Honor.

Every author has their own way to develop their story. We all plot, it’s how we plot that is the choice du jour. I have friends who outline to the point of writing the story in that outline, then embellish until the story is complete. Others are what people these days call Pantsers. These writers sit down to a blank page with a basic idea and go from there. After years of trying to outline and getting nowhere, I discovered I write the other way. Yes folks, I fly better by the seat of my pants.

I’ve been writing this little story of mine for a number of years, about seventeen to be more exact. I started out with my heroine, Maggie, as an art instructor tired of being put down by men, and with a working title of, Next Time Around. After learning a smidge more about writing, the plot became more involved with Maggie as a Registered Nurse, losing her husband in a plane crash and trying to prove him innocent of pilot error charges. The title at this point was Texas Skies. An agent suggested a title change to Without a Doubt, and with that done, I completed the manuscript and sent it off to a publisher. That sucker nearly met itself in the mail it came back so quick! That was 1999.

I'd had other rejections, mind you, but, for some reason, I couldn't make myself get back on that horse. I was so bummed, I shoved it under the bed and didn’t pick up writing again until 2003. Guess what? We’d survived 9/11 and my technical airline story was so out of date, I had to start over. Writing, writing, day job, critiquing, writing, day job, yada, yada, yada. I got nowhere until 2012, when I discovered my local writing chapter, Yellow Rose RWA, and the most wonderful group of supportive, nurturing authors anyone could hope for.

One of our monthly speakers told of her particular way to write and, as I listened, I realized that’s me! When I sit down to the keyboard to write a chapter or scene, I may have an inkling where I want to go, but that’s it. The majority of the time I look like I’m staring into space, but I swear that’s when the characters drag me along to where they want to go.

Now that I’ve typed, The End, there is still a chunk of work to be done. After the critique, there are rewrites/edits, and off to my editor, then rewrites/edits. Finally then we will have publication in July 2013. At any rate, this has been the most fun and I’m ready to do it all again.

This is but a small snippet of what a writer goes through to type "The End". I hope you enjoyed my little corner.


The following is a short blurb and an excerpt from my romantic suspense, Code of Honor.

Blurb:

Graeme McAlister’s determined to unearth the truth behind his foster brother’s implausible suicide, but when he sees his widowed sister-in-law will he be able to handle the biggest revelation of all?

After the death of her husband, Wyatt, Maggie Benning resolves to establish a successful and independent life for herself and her son, Andy. Can she overcome past hurt and loss of trust to accept a new love in her life?

Excerpt:

  

Maggie held her breath and turned the key in the lock. The intense heat of the brass did little to warm her chilled fingers as she closed her hand around the door knob. She slowly exhaled and rested her forehead against the solid oak door.

            "You can do this," she muttered under her breath. "Just turn clockwise, push, and enter."

            This morning started out relatively normal for a Saturday. She and Dinah left at the same time but went their separate ways with Dinah promising to catch up with her here after lunch. First, she'd stopped by the hospital to speak with the administrator about getting her job back after being placed on suspension during an investigation into missing Morphine. Then, she'd gone by the bank to withdraw the last of her savings. Oh, and last, move back into the home she'd shared with Wyatt, until his death.

Normal? Who was she kidding?

            She focused on her breathing to slow the anxiety that threatened to overtake her, when her hand froze on the brass knob. Weird, since it was the middle of August in Texas and more than a hundred degrees here on the porch. She shivered slightly in spite of this knowledge, fighting for control. You're stronger than this.

After what seemed like an eternity, her world slowly righted itself, her tingling fingers fell away from the doorknob, and she slowly lowered herself to the porch floor. Covering her eyes with both hands, she massaged her temple and a sudden stabbing pain that felt like roughnecks drilling for oil. The sound of boots scraping on the steps diverted her attention away from the headache and she stiffened.

She'd come here today, in particular, because she thought she'd draw less of a crowd. The ranch hands were supposed to be out rounding up cattle in the north pastures. Bridey had mentioned she and Andrew had plans in Dallas for the day. The task before her was hard enough. She surely didn't need an audience.

             "Hey, Maggie, are you okay?" Graeme rested one hand on her shoulder, while lifting her chin with the other. He looked deep into her eyes with concern.

             The silence hung between them for a few seconds, but she answered him before he asked again, "Yes, I'm fine. Must be the heat getting to me." He cupped his hand under her elbow helping her to stand.

            "Yeah, it's a scorcher." He led her over to the porch swing. Sitting beside her, he took her hand and gave her one of his trademark smiles that, if she were to venture a guess, made most women weak in the knees. Years ago, she'd been affected, too. But, she'd become immune to the abundant charms the men in this family possessed in spades.

"Wow, two days in a row, I can usually hold it together better than this," Maggie said, embarrassed. Uncomfortable, she removed her hand from his and tried to deflect his attention. "Looks like I'm not the only crazy one. What in heaven's name are you doing walking around out here?"

"First off, I didn't walk, I rode." He pointed toward the horse nibbling on the dry grass by the iron fence. "Second, Junebug sent me up here to check on the old place. I think he wanted me out from under foot."

"Yeah, he never did want any of us hanging around." This was one of the things she'd thought about when she decided to move back out here. There was no privacy. Be it Junebug or Graeme, or the entire Benning family, she had to take control of her situation and the sooner the better.

Standing, Maggie said quickly, "I really need to go on in the house. I have to get ready for the moving truck that'll be here this afternoon. You can report back to Junebug that the house is fine. I'm sure you have other things to do today."

"No," Graeme said. "There's nothing else." He rested his forearms on his knees, laced his fingers together, and stared out into the small yard.

"Well, I have a list a mile long and I…"

"Listen, Maggie, I know it's been hard for you, and I want to say I'm sorry."

His apology caught her off guard. Granted, a few months ago she'd been mad at him. Now she didn't have the energy, but he piqued her interest. "Just to be clear, what are you sorry for exactly?"

"For starters, not being here when you needed me after the funeral."

"A strong shoulder would've been nice." She walked to the door, faced him, and smiled sadly. "Truthfully, you have no clue how hard it's been for me, or how many times I wished you were here."  

"Maggie, I'm…"

"Never mind, Graeme, there's a reason we're both here now." She offered her hand to him and when he took hers in a handshake, she said, "Hi, I'm Maggie Benning and I just moved into the neighborhood."

He followed her lead. "Graeme McAlister. If you ever need anything, I'm just a phone call away."

 

Code of Honor will be available, July 2013. You'll probably hear my shouts of glee no matter where you live but, in case you don't, please check on my website or blog for the release date.


    http://carracopelin.com     http://carra-copelin.blogspot.com  https://twitter.com/CarraCopelin

     
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Carra Copelin
Fall in Love Under . . . Texas Skies