Friday, June 20, 2014

Writing Books is Hard to Do

I've always loved to write.  I think anyone that truly knows me knows this. Even in college, I could write academic papers with ease.  Writing is my art, but I was always to afraid to share my art with the world.  I was afraid of the scrutiny I would subject my work to, but I decided that not writing would never be an option.  Then after sharing what I had written with some friends and family, they convinced me that what I had written was pretty good. So I decided to self-publish my first novel No Place Like Home without any warning.   I just put it out one day, and hoped like hell people would like it.

Now that I've decided to actually try and earn a living off of my writing, I've been feeling conflicted.  Before when I wrote, it was for my eyes only (and occasionally I would share it with others), so I only had myself to please.  However as I continue to write, I often struggle with writing what makes me happy and writing what I think the readers will like. I think to be successful, it is important to find balance in both, and just accept the fact that some people will like what you write and others won't.  This is a tricky business, but I am trying to figure it out.  I'm just starting out, and I've got plenty of time to figure it out.

Just thought I'd share that...oh yeah, and this teaser pic from In Search of After.

Enjoy!

Monday, June 16, 2014

In Search of After

The next book I am releasing is In Search of After.  I know what you're thinking: indecisive much?  Yes, yes I am.  And that's okay because I only have to answer to me so I can release what I want when I want. Oh yeah, and my readers.  Sorry about confusing you by changing up every five seconds which book I'm going to release.  The initial plan was to release Jake's book, No Time Like Now, next, but I cannot release it until it's ready.  And after an extensive manuscript review, my editor and I have decided that book is definitely not ready.  So After the release of ISOA, I will devote all the time and attention necessary.  So you can expect that release late summer.   Fall is going to be busy, busy, BUSY for me. I am going to ambitiously try to release a book a month. That's four more books before the year's end.  WHO DOES THAT???? Me, that's who. ;-) So anyway, as promised, I have some teasers for In Search of After, and this is the first one.  I'm thinking that I may post a new one every day until its release because I'm just so fricken excited about this book!  Anyhooo....

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Top Ten Tuesday!!!!

My Top Ten today consists of books that would make great movies...

10. The entire Jade + Garrett series by Allie Everhart
Maybe not a movie, but definitely a television series. I love the suspense in these novels!

9. On the Island by Tracy Garvis-Graves
What can I say? I have a thing for reading about cougars! I'll probably be one in about 10 years. More than that, I used to obsess over The Blue Lagoon. This was filet mignon for that obsession.

8. Wait for You by J Lynn
I loved the chemistry between Cam and Avery, and I'm sure it would come to life in a movie.

7. The Edge of Never by JA Redmerski
This was such a sweet story that I know would come to life on screen.

6. The Opportunist by Tarryn Fisher
This would make for one helluva movie. When reading this I experienced so many different emotions all at once, and rediscovered my love for villains.

5. When It Rains by Lisa de Jong
One word: beautiful.

4. Jane's Melody by Ryan Winfield.
Okay, so I admit, this list is shaping up to be a list of my favorite books, but it's all the same lol. Ryan's poetic prose hooked me with the first line, and left me begging for more after the last one.

3. Slammed by Colleen Hoover
My favorite book by Colleen by far. I just find it weird that her debut is my favorite, but I loved Will and Lake. They've permanently etched a place in my heart.

2. The Fault in Our Stars
I know I shouldn't include this because it's coming out this summer, but I read this book almost two years ago and it still sits with me. And I live in books (my own and those of others) so I only just discovered that this book is now a movie, okay? Okay.

1. Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan
There are no words to adequately describe how much I loved this book. The writing is impeccable, and I think this may be one of the best love stories ever written. I BREE this book so much. (You've had to read it to understand that.) And I know if handled very carefully, I could love a movie version just as much.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Question....

I want to know what people think about his/her books. You know the one that's told from the female perspective first and then retold from the male perspective.

As a reader, I'm not a fan. As I writer, I think they can be great if done right. I have a companion novel to No Place Like Home set to release this summer told from Jake's POV. I initially wrote scenes from his POV while writing NPLH with the intention of giving him a few chapters in the book, but I really wanted it to be Jules's story so I decided against it, but the alternate scenes did help me shape Jake's character.

For me, it was important to do this because Jake has his own story to tell. He of course had his own struggles to overcome, and I think it's important to address since things that happened in his life, like his father passing away and his break up with Ashley, weren't really explored in NPLH.

To be perfectly honest, I like his story better than Jules's and Jake actually has a lot to say. I can't wait to share it with the world...

Monday, May 12, 2014

Bad Reviews

Let's face it, bad reviews are going to happen. Even fricken Colleen Hoover has bad reviews (I know, I can't believe it either). With that said, they're still difficult to stomach, especially when you believe in your story and your characters so much. I normally ignore them, but they hurt. So bad. But I hate when people who've never been in a situation similar to what the characters experience say how unrealistic it is. 

First of all, let me make something clear, LIZ NEVER OFFERED TO PAY FOR JULES'S COLLEGE EDUCATION! Don't ask me where the hell that even came from, but someone read my book and drew the conclusion that Liz offered to pay for Jules to go to college, which never happened. Liz merely mentioned in a joking manner that she had connections, and could help pull strings to get her in, but if you read NPLH, you'd know that Jules was completely capable of getting into college on her own.

Is it possible to believe you've found your best friend after one day? Sure. As a matter of fact, I have. Plenty of times. My best friend has been my best friend since middle school after just one conversation. She was at lunch and had forgotten her lunch money at home. I offered her my tots and we've been inseparable ever since.

Can two people feel an instant attraction? Absolutely!!!!!! I experienced this, and I can confirm that it does happen, and when it does its beautiful and unexplainable. If someone were to ask me what was so special about him at the time, I don't think I could give a single definitive answer. I just know that it was something I felt. That pull is so real and so intense and sometimes it's hard to make sense of it, but it does happen.

Can someone with a traumatic past let people in easily? Of course. It happens everyday. Sometimes, and again I'm speaking from experience, all it really takes is for someone to make an effort. People who have past traumas are not necessarily completely jaded. I wish I was brave enough to share my high school diary because although letting people in was a struggle at times, the real issue was that it seemed like no one made a real effort. And when the right people came along, they willingly made that effort.

I'm so tired of people saying that Jules' story is unrealistic. This was not some story I just put together in my mind. I had a wonderful girl who was brave enough to tell me about her past, and her struggles with moving on from it. I was so moved by it I knew I wanted it to be the premise of my story. She was kind enough to offer advice along the way, and candidly let me into the darkness of her past. She let me use specific events in her life (ie moving in with her social worker secretly and quickly befriending one of the neighbor's kids) that I had to incorporate in this book. I don't understand why some  people are so negative and are so convinced that they are experts on everything to the point that they know when something is realistic or not. And let's say that you have been in a situation similar to Jules. Is every situation the same? Is every person's response to such situations the same? No and no, and that's what I think these "experts" forget.

So after bashing my book, please don't think that I'd ever give you the privilege of reading another for free, much less be a part of my creative process. Thanks, but no thanks. Go find someone else to release your pent up aggression on.

-B.

Tuesday, May 6, 2014