Welcome to our blog! From sweet to erotic, historical to paranormal and everything in between...We're passionate about writing romance! Check the sidebar for our latest releases and for details on joining our critique group. Happy Writing!
Posted by Debora on Jun 2, 2009 in
Writing 
Dialogue. It’s what moves the story at a faster pace. It’s what drags the reader into the world of the character and breathes life into the scene you’ve created.
Can I talk to anyone in real life? YES.
Am I ever at a loss for words? HARDLY EVER!
But when it comes to my writing, I love my narratives and my descriptions and even those inner dialogues my characters have with themselves (hey, if I can talk to myself, why can’t they? 
) - it just seems when I get those two people together on the page – I stop dead.
I’ll labor over those important words for DAYS. I’ll stare at the open quote mark and bang my head on the desk. If only my characters could all be telepathic mutes – I’d be fine
And the kicker? I struggle days over my dialogue and my crit partners comment how sparkling and easy it appears on the page. HAHAHA. Thanks girls for the boost – just don’t ask how long those few lines of dialogue took me to write or how much blood was spilled for that one stinking scene. You really don’t want to know!
At my recent local RWA meeting, I got some ideas that I plan to try this week – because as always, I’ve been staring at my hero’s blank response for just a little too long!
It was suggested I talk it out – yes, out loud. Okay, I talk to myself constantly…this should not be a problem. Why hadn’t I thought of this before?
Another suggestion was to write out the narrative and then convert as much as possible to dialogue (of course, without it being telling or an info-dump!) Another great suggestion – especially since I love my narratives.
What really surprised me is that some writers actually write the dialogue first. I almost passed out. Of course it got me thinking about this and I wonder how many writers either struggle with dialogue or love it? What techniques do they employ to get that dialogue sounding real and in abundance?
This inquiring writer needs to know.
Debora writes romance - all types of romance! Her tastes vary from the paranormal to romantic comedy and everything in between. Believing variety is the spice of life, her website changes frequently to appease her creative spirit! She freely admits to being a caffeine and chocolate addict and loves to talk about romance writing with anyone who'll listen. Her latest release, A Knight in Her Arms, was released August 3rd. Visit her website for me details!
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Tags: writing dialogue
Posted by Debora on Apr 30, 2009 in
Announcements 
Are you ready for our words of writing group wisdom? Well, ready or not we’re ready to start rolling them out here for the world to read!
Take a look at our sidebar to the right – we’ve got 14 talented writers, and while we’re busy writing our own novels, critiquing for each other and sharing our day to day lives inside the forum…we’ve also been busy planning a blogging schedule.
The first thing you’re going to notice in the days to come will be the voices. We are NOT a genre specific group. We’re not all paranormal romance writers or erotic writers. Maybe you’re looking for sweet romance or a great suspense? What about a YA romance, historicals or western romance? We are ALL romance writers here.
One day you might find a recipe for nailing a suspense scene, or maybe a recipe for the perfect brownie, with a diversified group such as this we just might take you by surprise (and we just be might be tossing in a free book every now and then!)
So, however you found us today, we hope you’ll come back!
Debora writes romance - all types of romance! Her tastes vary from the paranormal to romantic comedy and everything in between. Believing variety is the spice of life, her website changes frequently to appease her creative spirit! She freely admits to being a caffeine and chocolate addict and loves to talk about romance writing with anyone who'll listen. Her latest release, A Knight in Her Arms, was released August 3rd. Visit her website for me details!
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Tags: group blog, romance writers
Posted by Debora on Apr 17, 2009 in
Writing 
Admission: I cannot write with a pen or a pencil.
Gasp.
I imagine plenty of people can curl up with a brand new note pad and the perfect pen and write for hours – I on the otherhand get finger cramps and brain farts within minutes.
I’m not ashamed to admit that I love the click of the keys beneath my fingers as they fly over the keyboard. I like seeing what I’ve written in clearly legible writing on the screen and most of all, I like being able to DELETE and edit!
Now, I get me. I get my inability to write more than a paragraph by chickenscatch on a piece of paper and yet that doesn’t stop me from trying. Every September I run to the office supply store and stock up on the supplies the kids need for school, and invariably come home with new pads and pens for myself. WHY?
I bring a pad and pen everyday to work with me. WHY?
I sometimes sit and stare at the blank page and try to write. I do make little notes and cryptic snippets of character traits and dialogue. But, more than a paragraph? Never.
Give me an electronic device and I’ll happily pound out thousands of words. I’ve been known to write paragraphs on my Palm E2 just using the onscreen keyboard with the stylus! But I can’t write with a pen?
Which got me thinking, how do you write? do the ideas flow through a pencil point or ink? Or is the tap of the keyboard that stirs up your imagination?
Debora writes romance - all types of romance! Her tastes vary from the paranormal to romantic comedy and everything in between. Believing variety is the spice of life, her website changes frequently to appease her creative spirit! She freely admits to being a caffeine and chocolate addict and loves to talk about romance writing with anyone who'll listen. Her latest release, A Knight in Her Arms, was released August 3rd. Visit her website for me details!
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Tags: Pen, Pencil or Keyboard, Writing
Posted by Debora on Nov 25, 2008 in
Holidays,
Life I remember being a kid and waking up to Christmas music on Thanksgiving morning. Food being prepared in the kitchen, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV. The chill in the air and for a kid – the sheer delight in knowing Santa was not far behind!
My dad worked on Thanksgiving. 40 years ago, still a young dad, he worked the holiday for that coverted double-time holiday pay and I remember counting the minutes till my dad came walking through the door around 2 in the afternoon.
My job was always to break the fresh bread into pieces for the homemade stuffing (something my daughter does now) while my mom melted the butter, sauteed the onions and celery and added all those seasonings that would become my favorite part of dinner – STUFFING.
The turkey would make it in the oven and the company would start to arrive. Though most of those people that I see in my holiday memories are gone, I can remember them vividly. My aunts perfume and the bags of goodies and groceries she would unload from my uncles car. My uncle handing out money. My grandparents eager to wrap us in hugs and warm kisses. The corny jokes, the football, the food and most of all the love that seeped into every corner and crevice of my heart.
Thanksgiving is more than just a huge meal where we sit down and stuff more food than anyone should feel comfortable consuming into our stomachs – it’s about just what that word implies – Giving Thanks.
I’m thankful for my past. I’m hopeful for my future. The saying that you can’t see where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve been – has great meaning to me.
No my life hasn’t been perfect – really can anyone say their life has been or is? We’ve all made mistakes, done and said things we regret and we’ve had those moments that will forever shine brightly in our memories. This is the day to shine. To celebrate all the good, all the bad and all the ways we’ve all grown – day after day, year after year – becoming better people.
Take it slow. Inhale the scents, take the time to laugh and toast to love, happiness and hope. Because wherever you are, whoever you’re with – no one knows what time holds. Life is about the small moments, the memories you make now to take with you into the future. One day I hope to have a granddaughter breaking bread for stuffing, my kids will be grown, hosting family dinners of their own. What will their memories be? Will they remember the music, the smells of roasting turkey or our family’s tradition of watching “Christmas Vacation” when the last of the food has found a place in the refrigerator?
So my wish for all my family, friends, and the best critters on the planet, is for hope and enough of everything they could want! For memories to fill a lifetime. For love to overflow.
Okay, okay, I wish us all the big publishing contracts we can handle! (I can dream, right?)
Debora writes romance - all types of romance! Her tastes vary from the paranormal to romantic comedy and everything in between. Believing variety is the spice of life, her website changes frequently to appease her creative spirit! She freely admits to being a caffeine and chocolate addict and loves to talk about romance writing with anyone who'll listen. Her latest release, A Knight in Her Arms, was released August 3rd. Visit her website for me details!
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Tags: Thanksgiving
Posted by Debora on Sep 24, 2008 in
Research,
Writing Let me start this post by saying how much I love my local RWA. Not only do we have some terrific members, we have some awesome programs!
Last weekend I attended our monthly meeting barely able to contain my excitement. You see, we had scheduled a talk from our local paranormal team of investigators!
The group came in dressed in matching black t-shirts and set up their equipment – yes, if you’ve seen the TV show – “The Ghost Hunters” – it was all there. The digital recorders, the FLIR cameras, the K2 meter, all the cool ghost hunting equipment known to man.
As the group went through their presentation, teaching us the difference between apparitions, shadow figures and demons – we learned that the very best ghost hunting equipment is what nature gave each and every one of us. All your senses!
The team ran through many of our local legends and either debunked them, showed some evidence to support some possible oddities, or confirmred they could find no basis in fact. They played EVPs that had me jumping out of my chair and showed images they’ve caught that were truly amazing.
For the believers and the non-believers in the audience, there was something for everyone to either confirm their beliefs or just enough fodder to give their next story some accurate paranormal depictions. If you ever get the chance to talk to a paranormal team from your area, I would definitely recommend it!
If you don’t have a local group – check out my local groups website and get the lowdown on how they do things. You just might find something interesting along the way!
So, are you a believer or a non-believer in the paranormal?
Debora writes romance - all types of romance! Her tastes vary from the paranormal to romantic comedy and everything in between. Believing variety is the spice of life, her website changes frequently to appease her creative spirit! She freely admits to being a caffeine and chocolate addict and loves to talk about romance writing with anyone who'll listen. Her latest release, A Knight in Her Arms, was released August 3rd. Visit her website for me details!
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Tags: The paranormal
Posted by Debora on Sep 5, 2008 in
Writing First, I love this time of year – the stores are filled with writing gadgets and gizmos. Pads, pens and pencils all in different colors, various shapes and syles to entice me to plunk down some cash. But when it comes to actually using those items to write? Nope. I don’t use them. Instead you’ll find me at the computer tapping the keyboard or on my Palm tapping at my wireless keyboard attachment.
Maybe this is the reason when faced with actually having to write something with pen or pencil my handwriting is barely legible. Like chickenscratch. Okay, maybe worse. In fact I so seldom even sign my name anymore that I’m afraid if they ask me sign my kids out of school or something and check it against my license (that was signed years ago) they’d lock me up for fraud!
So, I’ve decided that this year is going to be different (much to my husbands delight – only his expectations don’t involve pencils and pens ) – Anyway, I’m actually planning to write with all the funky pens I bought this year!
It’s time to limber up those finger muscles and watch the words flow across the paper, watch my penmanship take shape and improve (a girl can hope, right?)
Has the computer become your main writing tool or do you still sit down, chew on the pencil and write your thoughts out longhand? What’s your style?
Debora writes romance - all types of romance! Her tastes vary from the paranormal to romantic comedy and everything in between. Believing variety is the spice of life, her website changes frequently to appease her creative spirit! She freely admits to being a caffeine and chocolate addict and loves to talk about romance writing with anyone who'll listen. Her latest release, A Knight in Her Arms, was released August 3rd. Visit her website for me details!
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Posted by Debora on Aug 2, 2008 in
Publishing,
Uncategorized Here’s your chance to voice your opinions – and we all have opinons on this topic, don’t we?
Abby from Blade Publishing has put the question to all would-be authors sending their submissions to Blade for consideration.
Here’s the link: Blade Blog
Why not go over and read her ideas and post your comments…As for me, I’d like the details so I can strengthen my writing and get contract next time around. How about you?
Debora writes romance - all types of romance! Her tastes vary from the paranormal to romantic comedy and everything in between. Believing variety is the spice of life, her website changes frequently to appease her creative spirit! She freely admits to being a caffeine and chocolate addict and loves to talk about romance writing with anyone who'll listen. Her latest release, A Knight in Her Arms, was released August 3rd. Visit her website for me details!
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Tags: Rejections
