Dr. Di Angelo's Baby Bombshell

Hi All!
I finished reading the medical romance novels sent to me by the editor at Harlequin Mills and Boon, and my favorite was Dr. Di Angelo's Baby Bombshell written by Janice Lynn. Okay, I know. If you're not a fan of category romance, the title might put you off. But wait! Don't stop reading. This story is too good to miss. Here's what the Mills and Boon website had to say:

Dr Di Angelo’s Baby Bombshell

Janice Lynn

Dr Darby Phillips never planned to get involved with playboy Blake Di Angelo, but she needs a temporary date fast and the delicious doctor is the perfect choice! Now their little charade has turned into romance for real, and Darby must tell Blake that he’ll soon be hearing the pitter-patter of tiny feet!




Here's what I have to say: Dr. Darby Phillips is a confident professional who hasn't quite gotten over the heartbreak caused by her high school crush, the embarrassment of her stint as the school mascot, or the horror of being voted most likely to die a virgin. Determined to show her classmates the new and improved Darby she's become, she convinces her hunky partner to pose as her enamored boyfriend at her high school reunion. Most likely to die a virgin, hah! As usual, things don't go as planned. You'll have to read the book to find out what happens! (And I highly recommend that you do!)

Janice Lynn's writing style appealed to me because it's similar to my own. I like humor interspersed with drama. I like to be entertained. And that's exactly what Janice Lynn did!

Now, with renewed motivation and a better understanding of what it takes to write a medical romance storyline, I will immerse myself in my next round of revisions. Between that, and my daughter's Bat Mitzvah in 11 days, I won't be blogging much until the second week of June. (If you're not familiar with what a Bat Mitzvah is, think planning a wedding for 130 guests with a temperamental preteen who has ideas of her own (like dying her hair black before the big day!) thrown into the mix!)

Until my next post, I hope all of your days are warm and sunny....oh....and productive!

eReaders

To do my bit for the environment and to reduce my risk of paperback induced head trauma from the the ever-growing stacks of books teetering at the head of my bed, I, though technologically challenged, am in the market for an eReader. I'm hoping you all can help.

I've researched the Kindle (1&2), Sony, Nook, and of course the iPad. Borders is coming out with a Kobo. I don't know much about that. My friend Liz recently discussed a Vook on her blog Tao of Liz. I don't think I'm ready to Vook!

At my daughter's band concert the other night, I sat behind a man with an iPad. It was so big and the screen so bright and colorful, it drew me in like a moth in that darkened theater. It was all I could do not to reach for it and poke at the touch screen! I came dangerously close to breaching a stranger's personal space, and maybe breaking a law or two, so I kept my hands clutched tightly in my lap and peppered him with questions until he looked like he wanted to change seats. He loves his iPad, of course, but doesn't use it for reading books. WHAT? And he was sure to mention its huge price tag. Braggart!

So here's the deal. I'm looking for something so easy a two-year-old could use it independently. I think I'd like a larger screen, only because a small screen seems like you'd be scrolling down all the time. I'd like to be able to read it at night. Would I still need to keep a lamp on? And I'd like to be able to adjust the font.

I'm very interested to know if reading on an e-reader causes eye strain similar to long bouts on the computer.

I'm hoping you techno-savvy readers will share your experiences with me!

Thanks so much!

Social Networking

To Twitter or not to Twitter, that is my question.

Do you tweet? I don't. I know it's the rage, but quite honestly, I can't imagine having to overcome one more distraction in my day. As it is, if I visited every blog I follow, every day, I'd literally spend more time blogging than writing. And while I'd enjoy myself immensely, because I LOVE to blog, what is my overall goal? To get published. Therefore, I need ample time away from the Internet to brainstorm, plan, write, edit, write, re-work, write, revise, write, and prepare what I've written for submission.

And yet I need to network and get my name out there, too. So where do I draw the line? At Twitter.

Is this a wise course of action? I'm hoping maybe some of you can help me figure that out.

What is your experience with Twitter? Other than the social aspect of it, how do you feel it helps a new writer's career? And if you're not on Twitter all day, every day, is it worth being on it at all?

Deep POV

POV (Point of view) is difficult for new writers to master.
-  Use all of your POV character's senses not just sight.
-  What does he smell, hear, taste, and feel?
-  Don't jump from POV character to POV character (aka head hopping).
-  The POV character can't know what others feel, he can only observe reactions and facial expressions.

Then, just when you think you've finally got it down, someone throws the term 'Deep POV' at you. What the....?

So, during a recent trip to Romance University when I read a post by author Karin Harlow in which deep POV was mentioned, I took the opportunity to ask about it. And this is Karin's response:

Straight POV is where the character thinks and sees on the surface. i.e. It was raining, and she didn’t like the rain.


Deep POV is: The rain always brought back the haunting memories of her little sister, and the day she died. The scent of damp leaves, the feel of the accusing, cold rain digging into her skin, the rumbling thunder in the sky that somehow made its way into her heart, a constant reminder that Jenny would be alive today if she had just done her job.

Wow!

Deep POV is also referred to as Limited Third Person. It takes you deep inside your character, showing not only what he feels in response to a situation, but why he feels that way. It adds a depth of emotion to a scene. In order to achieve deep POV a writer must dig deep into their characters' personalities and motivations. In a sense they become the character, allowing the reader to view the inner workings of the POV character's mind and thus experience the scene as the POV character does. The reader does more than read a story they live it.

These are the types of stories I want to write!

What's your experience with deep POV? Do you write in it? Do you have examples of regular POV vs. deep POV you'd like to share? Can you recommend authors who excel at deep POV?

Great Beginnings Contest

Great news!

Today I found out my entry from my military story, Captivating the Captain, placed second in the contemporary category of the Utah RWA Great Beginnings Contest. Doing well in a contest always gives me a boost. And boy do I need it to fuel my mental preparation for what will hopefully be my last major revision of Love, Hospital Style.

Happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there! I hope your day is (or was) as special as you are!

More Revisions

Life has turned incredibly busy for me, and on top of everything, Harlequin Medical Romance requested another round of revisions to bring my manuscript up to their publication standard. I am thrilled Love, Hospital Style is still under consideration. Yet I am saddened to have to cut more of the secondary characters I love, and nervous about what it will take to replace more deleted scenes with even better ones.

While deciding how to proceed, I grappled with the question, "If I make all the changes the publisher is requesting, will I still be telling the story I want to tell?" After numerous conversations with myself, and my husband, I decided that as a writer it is my job to find a way to tell the story I want to tell, within the publishers guidelines. Unless, of course, I don't want to see my work in print, in which case I can write whatever drivel I want.

Since I do seek publication, and am lucky enough to have found an editor interested in my voice and willing to work with me, I'd be a fool not to take this opportunity to transform my story into one that both Harlequin Medical Romance and I can be proud of.

So it's back to work for me. I'll do my best to keep my blog updated so please stay in touch. Wishing you productive days filled with positive experiences.  

Articles on Writing Fiction

Over the years I've read a lot of articles on the craft of writing fiction. I'm sure the writers among you have done the same. For those of you not involved in trying to pen the next bestseller, writing a saleable novel takes much more than the simple act of filling a blank page with words. And as an editor (Theresa Stevens) recently told me, (after I made a comment that I wish I'd paid more attention in high school English) your high school English teacher wouldn't have taught you what you need to know to write fiction.

Show don't tell. Paint a picture for your reader. Write what you know. Write effective dialogue. Write complex characters. Each scene must move the story forward. Rely on characters to move the story forward, not external plot twists. Conflict. Conflict. Conflict. I could go on and on.

Two years ago I read an article about show don't tell that truly impacted my writing. I wish I could find it to give the author the credit she deserves, but I've spent a good hour searching the leaning tower of papers piled on my desk and filing cabinets, to no avail.

It went something like this:
A new writer knows she's turned the corner when instead of writing: He was mad so he put on his sneakers and went for a jog.

She writes: The blister on his right heel stung with each slap of his running shoe against the pavement. The midday sun burned his glistening shoulders, sweat trickled down his forehead, blurring his vision. And still he ran, faster, harder, her harsh words echoing in his head, driving him forward. He couldn't stop, wouldn't stop until he conquered the urge to hurt her as much as she'd hurt him, until he found peace in the utter exhaustion that followed a ten mile run.

Okay. So the above is my interpretation. I hope it had the same impact on you as the original article had on me.

Is there something you've read or advice you've been given that truly impacted your life as a writer, or life in general?