A Case for Audio Books.....

I love audio books. I listen to them while I’m driving. In fact, if I’m really interested in a story, I sometimes hate to stop driving.

I also listen to them if I’m waiting and waiting and waiting in a doctor or dentist’s office. Much more interesting than reading one of the table magazines that’s full of nothing and covered with germs. I used to take my Kindle to medical appointments, but now I take my MP3 player.

I listen anywhere I am where I’m going to be sitting and waiting.

These days, you can buy an MP3 player as cheap as $15 and a pair of headphones for under $10. That makes it easy and affordable to listen. (I remember when my sister bought a used MP3 player on eBay for more than $100.)

Or if you have a newer model car, it might have a place to plug in a listening device and you can listen through the radio.

Or I could listen on my smartphone if I wanted to. I have the audible.com app that I downloaded from Google Play and all I have to do is download a book through it. If you have an iPhone, you can go through the iTunes store.

These days, I don’t have much time for reading. The only time I’m able to do it is at night before I go to sleep, but unfortunately, I’m often too tired to stay awake very long. So listening to audio books enables me to keep “reading”.

Audio books used to be a rarity restricted to only the bestselling or old favorite authors, but thanks to Amazon, they are becoming more readily available from all authors. If an author is lucky enough to get a great narrator who sounds as if she/he understands the story, gets the dialogue right and has a dramatic flair, all the better. It’s sort of like watching a TV show or a movie without the picture.

Currently, I’m listening to a Suzanne Brockman book that has both a male and female narrator. This is interesting. First time I’ve run across one with two narrators.

And that brings me to the fact that I’m in the process of making THE LOVE OF A COWBOY into an audio book. I hope to see it released in July. It will be available on Amazon, iTunes and Audible.com. 

This book won a big contest that enabled me to sell it to a publisher. It was written and originally published some years ago, but it's still one of my best-selling books. If you like alpha heroes and heroines and a dramatic story, you might enjoy listening to it. I was lucky to get a narrator who does an excellent job. So if you like audio books yourself or if you’ve never tried one, give it a shot. Or check to see if your favorite author's books are available in audio.

My Vision of a True Hero by Paty Jager

Most of us who are married or in a significant relationship feel that person is our hero. Yesterday when my husband did nothing but stand there and let me use his body to drag myself to my feet, his hero status went up three notches.

When I thanked him his comment was, "After seeing that fall, I wasn't sure where to touch that wouldn't hurt you."

I like to think of myself as a bit of a cowgirl, but getting bucked off twice yesterday, I'm almost ready to stay seated in my chair and only write about wild rides on equines and the taste of dirt in the mouth.

Keyword--almost.

My friend who also has horses suggested that there might have been something under the saddle blanket to make my usually calm and unflappable horse toss me twice. As much as I didn't like letting her get away with throwing me, after the second time I hit the ground I couldn't get back on, physically.

My hero didn't see the first toss. He was busy in the house drawing up a septic drain field for the house we're in the process of building. I called him out after I caught Lily and asked him to hold her while I got on. She danced a bit and I finally made it back in the saddle. He let go and we did three circles where I usually lunge her. In hindsight, I probably should have lunged her more rather than crawled back on. When I stopped to get off, she started bucking and took me through a tree. I don't know if it was an 8 second ride, but it felt like an eternity before I couldn't hold on an longer and hit the ground.

My hero ran to my side and waited for me to even feel like getting off the ground, then stood stoically as I grabbed hold of his pocket and dragged my battered body off the ground. He then leaned me against a pick up and headed after the horse. By the time Lily ran back my direction, I could hobble enough to corner and catch her. I pulled the bridle and saddle off and handed the lead rope to my hero. He led her off to a corral by herself.

When he returned to the house he said, "Take a hot shower and wash the blood off your face." I had washed my face. I have a long scratch from once side of my face to the other that runs under my nose, making me look like I have a bloody nose and smeared it. Not a pretty sight.

We were traveling the rest of the day, but he stopped extra times to let me get out and worked out the sore muscles.

Sometimes in real life and in a romance novel, the littlest of things can make a person a hero in the heroine's eyes.

What little thing has a hero done for you?

www.patyjager.net
Writing into the Sunset Blog

I'M FLUFFY!

by

Kathy Shaw

            I’m fluffy—and proud of it!

            Fluffy in my writing style, that is. (“No Comment,” concerning the magnet on my refrigerator stating, “Ewe's not fat. Ewe's just fluffy.”)

            Tolstoy, I’m not. Actually, I don’t want to be a War and Peace kind of author. Personally, I think there is plenty of daunting, serious stuff in the world without me adding to it. I just want to entertain in my own light-hearted, unadulterated way. But enough about me.

            Let’s talk writing styles. Imagine writing styles as animals in a zoo.

          

What's cuter or cuddlier than kittens?

  There’s the fluffy section that houses the cute and cuddly animals. They make you laugh and feel warm and fuzzy inside. This is my kind of place. You can also find Rachael Gibson, Janet Evanovich, Stephanie Bond and many more living in my world of fluff.

           

Edvard Munch, "The Scream"

There are the caged areas where scary creatures with weird weaponry and psychopathic personality disorders reside. They make your heart pound. Adrenaline floods your bloodstream. Your hands shake as you study the beasts but they draw you in, torturing and satisfying you at the same time. This is where you will find authors such as Lisa Gardner, Lisa Jackson or Edgar Allen Poe.

           

There is even a Pachyderm Pavilion where huge elephants move slowly, but with purpose. They make you ponder the world as you know it or remind you of how small you are in the grander scheme of life. Tolstoy, Orwell, Hemingway and Dickens are just a few of the greats living in the Pavilion.

            

My zoo even has a hidden stable where magical beings are kept. You might see shape shifters, vampires, immortals, ghosts, witches or even an elf now and then. This is an eclectic mix of creatures, some are funny, some are scary—but they are all hotties. Because really, who wants to live forever ugly? This habitat includes Sherrilyn Kenyon, Dianna Love and H.T. Night among others.

            I just skimmed the surface of the many inhabitants/writing styles in my fictional zoo, but I’m sure my point was made. I enjoy many hours visiting most of the areas in my zoo, but I live in the fluffy section.

            So I repeat. I’m fluffy—and proud of it!

            As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts on my thoughts. Please leave a comment; good, bad or ugly, and I’ll get back to you ASAP. The bad and ugly might have a little bit of a wait (it takes me a while to lick my wounds) but I promise to respond to all.

P.S. If you want to see just how fluffy I am, my books are listed below. Click on the title to go to the Amazon link.

I Do—Kinda (Contemporary romance)

Hide and Seek (Contemporary romance)

Twin Trap (Historical romance)

Blondie and the Hitman (Humorous Mystery)

YOU THINK FOOTBALL AND HOCKEY ARE ROUGH?

Please welcome Mary Adair, the latest member to join Smart Girls Read Romance. Mary is the Amazon bestselling author of Native American romances with her Passion series set in 18th century Carolinas and England. She'll be posting on the 8th of each month. Here's Mary's first post:

YOU THINK FOOTBALL AND HOCKEY ARE ROUGH?

By Mary Adair

I did not know when I started writing Native American Romance that I would enjoy it as much as I do. But I struck out on the path, and what a journey it became. When I researched Cherokee culture for my Passion Series I was drawn in by the culture's richness from the games, the spirituality, and the love of nature and all creation. A good example of how even their games held a high place in their society and preparation for life is the game of stickball

Many players decorated
their playing sticks with
hair from animals such
as horses or raccoons,
hoping to match desirable
qualities of that animal, 
such as speed or agility

I am passing on the information I gleaned from a book written in that time period by James Adair, an ancestor of my husband’s. The game of stickball, also called “The Little War” was a favorite sport. This game was not simple and players wore no protective gear or helmets. It brought villages together, was used to teach team cooperation, bravery, agility, and brute strength.

The winners and the most accomplished players won respect and great honor. There was no such thing as cheating. From what I read in this old book, the game made football and hockey seem tame. But if someone were injured in the game, or even killed, there would be no retaliation.

The game could last for days but when it was over there would be a celebration. A blanket would be laid on the ground. Anyone wanting to participate in the dance describing the memorable plays would deposit an offering to be given to villagers who were in need.

The rewards earned by the players were comprised of honor and respect for their prowess, an experience that would aid them on the hunt and strengthen them for war. Their generous gifts to the needy endeared them to the villagers as well as bringing them honor for being providers and protectors of the people.

It was truly a time in history when one's very survival depended on honor, strength, and the strength of the village.  You can read about one of these games in RAVEN'S PASSION.

A coming-of-age story of a young man and the girl who
 loved him in an era where one's very survival
depended on honor, strength, and the strength
of the village.

RAVEN'S PASSION is now live on Amazon. I am so excited about the 5 star review it received from Readers’ Favorite! RAVEN'S PASSION is available from Amazon here.

The other books in the Passion Series are:

 

PASSION'S VISION, book one. A story filled with romance, excitement and danger and the first of the Passion series. This story features James Fitzgerald, an agent in the court of King George II, and New Moon, sister to Cherokee Chief Dancing Cloud. PASSION'S VISION was awarded the Betty Hendrick Award for Most Publishable Romance at the Dallas Writer’s Association.

 

PASSION'S PRICE, book three.  The Great Spirit has blessed Golden Dawn with a gift of visions as great as those of her mother, New Moon. A vision sends Dawn to England to protect her childhood friend, Raven Cloud. Will she be strong enough to stand between Raven and the danger threatening him? Can she convince her beloved Raven their paths are destined to be joined forever while he denies his own passion to keep her safe?


GUEST AUTHOR CINDY DAVIS

Though I don't write genre romance, there is an element of it in all my books—beginning with the woman running from the guy she learns has a nefarious job, to the amateur sleuth who depends on the small-town cop, to the ex-vietnam vet who falls for the waitress just before the eruption of Mt. St. Helens. Romance, love, passion--they're as natural in our lives as, well…breathing. Why is romance so popular? What is it that draws readers in?

Personally, I think it's the curiosity, the suspense: The hero and heroine meet. There are sparks of some kind--whether those of passion, antipathy or even dislike. But as the reader, we know the couple will somehow end up together. We watch for the characters'  jolt of realization that perhaps they can bypass whatever life events are going on around them. We watch them fight through those day-to-day events. Events that often act as physical elements designed to keep the couple apart. We wait for the flare of passion in that first kiss. Will they want another? Of course they will, that's the definition of romance. The fun--lure--is finding out HOW that will happen.

I once attended a conference where the keynote speaker said, "Put your character up in a tree and throw rocks at them." This means devise plot events that challenge the character. Add one after another so the plot line isn't predictable. So the reader can't stop reading till they find out how this person gets down from the tree. Will they land on their head or their feet?

Cindy's latest release

As I said, I don't write too much romance but in my day job I'm a freelance editor for a romance publisher. I teach my authors how to infuse myriad emotions into their writing. I encourage them to be inventive, bring in story elements that we don't see very often--unique careers for the characters, quirky personalities, plot lines that challenge those quirky characters, emotional situations that stretch the limits of the characters and their family/friends.

Author and Editor, Cindy Davis

Cindy Davis resides in the green/white/brown—depending on the season—state of New Hampshire where she spends most of her time at the computer either editing or writing. When she’s finally released upon society, to autograph her latest book, do a talk, or research the next in the Angie Deacon series—heaven help the people she meets. Shutting her up becomes tantamount to stopping a volcano!

Personally, she’s addicted to coffee—particularly chocolate raspberry flavor. And don’t anyone dare get between her and her life-loves: Ben & Jerry. Other than that, she’s pretty laid back. You’d have to be with 12 kids and 33 grandkids. www.cdavisnh.com, www.fiction-doctor.com

Take Time to Smell the Roses - And Plot Mayhem

by Jacquie Rogers

Facebook | Pickle Barrel Gazette

Every once in a while, writing projects stack up and my mind gets in a dither.  What happens when Burke visits the Lucky Break?  Will Josh McKennon be able to outrun the wild horse herd?  How will I show the bonding between Elsie, and her brother?  Is Hank her love interest?  Does she have one?

When I get too many stories and all those characters competing for brain time, I can't plot my way out of that cliched paper bag.  But there's an answer, and it's a two-parter: 1) friends who brainstorm, usually other writers; and 2) get the heck out of Dodge.  So I am.

A writer friend, Judith Laik, came over today--I helped her upload her book to Amazon and she helped me plot a short story. I wrote half of that tonight before I had to stop and write this article. With luck, I can get finished, or close to it, tomorrow. Then it's on to one more short story before I can start a western historical romance novel that I'm really excited about, although I can't tell you much about it yet. But squeee! I can hardly wait to start it.

But I have no story. I do have the main characters, the beginning scene, the ending scene... but nothing in between. This will be taken care of June 5 through 8, when my friend and I go to her time-share and plot, plot, plot. She has a novel and a short story to plot. I have two novels and three short stories to map out. When I say "map out," I mean map out.

The picture above is the Big Shoot Out in Don't Go Snaring My Heart, a short story in Lassoing a Groom.  The fight scene actually even sorta kinda ended up like the plan, which is a miracle in itself.  This story involved a lot of research--silver prospecting, especially what to look for in Owyhee County, Idaho Territory; goats (did you know there was no specific breed of goat in the US until after the turn of the 20th Century?  I didn't!); and chickens, which I didn't look into very much because I just needed a color.

Short stories are not easy to plot because they must have all the elements of a novel, but without the luxury of in-depth characterization.  Still, if we don't care about the character, we're not going to read the story, so that means the writer has to put characterization in every sentence.  Every single sentence.  There's no wandering in the park, describing this and that.  Just get on with it.

And if you give six writers the exact same premise, they're bound to come up with six totally different stories.  In Lassoing a Groom, we were told to write a story where the heroine lassos her man.  Here's what resulted:

DON’T GO SNARING MY HEART
by Jacquie Rogers
Can rancher Dex Madsen get past loner Betsy Lynch's goats and killer chicken to help save her mining claim and win her heart?

RACE TO MARRY
by Kirsten Lynn
He’s in town to tame a man-killer. She’s accused of being one. When she proposes marriage the race is on.

WANTED: THE SHERIFF
by Tracy Garrett
He’s a confirmed bachelor…but she’ll capture his heart.

CANYON CROSSING
by Kristy McCaffrey
In search of her brother, Annabel Cross enters Grand Canyon. When U.S. Deputy Marshal Angus Docherty rescues her from a cliff side, her most guarded secret might save them.

THE PERFECT HOMESTEAD BRIDE
by Linda Hubalek
Will a dangerous man from Gussie Hamner’s past sabotage the future she’s building with Noah Wilerson?

THE WORST OUTLAW IN THE WEST
by Kathleen Rice Adams
An inept bank robber and a bossy spinster team up to rob an empty vault. What could go wrong?

Amazon | BN.com | Smashwords | Print

I'll be giving away a copy of Lassoing a Groom to a commenter--but word of warning, I won't be able to pick a winner until June 9 (because I'll be plotting!).  I figure that just gives you more time to tell your friends. <smile>  Please don't forget to leave your email address with your comment so I can send you the book.

♥ Hearts of Owyhee ♥

Much Ado About Marshals

Much Ado About Madams

Much Ado About Mavericks

Much Ado About Miners

coming this fall

Much Ado About Mustangs

PROCRASTINATION 'R US

By Caroline Clemmons

I am probably the world’s champion procrastinator. One of the reasons (or so I like to think) is that I’m basically a perfectionist. If I can’t do it well, I postpone it. Another of the reasons is that I have too much on my plate and simply can’t manage everything, so I do what I like best—write. When I sit down to write, though, what do I do?

You have it—I check my email, check blogs, Facebook, HootSuite, and my Amazon sales. Writing those first sentences each day is painful. I mean really painful. Can I do this well? Will the words come? Will the RIGHT words come? Will my family be proud of me? Will my fans like this book? What if I fail?

Imagine my petty delight recently when I learned that one of my all-time favorite authors, Loretta Chase, suffers from a procrastination problem. She is so successful that it never occurred to me she would have doubts. I often use her classic LORD  PERFECT when I teach online classes or give a workshop. Her descriptions are superb, her plots delightful. She never misses the mark.

My wise friend and author extraordinaire Jacquie Rogers says, "Don't compare, don't compete, and don't keep score." Yes, I know we are not supposed do any of those or to gloat over the misfortunes of others. I confess—I have sinned. Not that I wish Ms Chase anything but the very best, you understand. On the contrary, I hope she continues writing her wonderful books forever.

 

But I had pictured her blithely sitting down and painlessly pounding out her intriguing stories. When I learned differently, I shamefully reveled in the fact that she, too, has difficulty. If someone like her has trouble, then maybe I’m not as doomed and dithery as I thought.

I once heard Barbra Streisand in an interview say she still throws up before a concert. Imagine! Nora Roberts supposedly said she always wonders before each book if she can do it again. Who would suspect either of them having doubts?

The point of this is that all us so-called creative types have insecurities. When you read a book, keep in mind that the words on the page or e-reader involved sweat, fear, and desperation as well as creativity. The book represents an author’s heart and guts. Not all of us can be a Loretta Chase or Nora Roberts or Jacquie Rogers, but each of us authors is doing his or her best to entertain you. We love readers and we want you to love us in return.

We authors pour our hearts out for you readers, hoping against hope that you will love what we’ve written. Be gentle in your comments. Be kind in your reviews. And please DO leave reviews.

Sigh, maybe now I can write a few pages on my work in progress.  

Caroline

P. S.  You can read Loretta Chase’s interesting interview here