How I start a story – Kandy Shepherd

I’m starting to write a new book—if all goes well, it will be my sixteenth for Harlequin Romance. My fourteenth is out now, Second Chance with the Single Dad and the fifteenth will be out in September.

So how do I start? I have a character from an earlier book who has been clamoring for his story. (I won’t go into any detail as who knows what might change after these preliminary thoughts!) It’s his time. I think I’ve found him the perfect woman, however neither he nor know this yet. There’ll be quite some mind changing to do to get them together!

I like to have a clear idea of what my characters look like, what they wear, where they live. I start a Pinterest board for each story and have a lot of fun with it. If you’d like to see my boards for my published stories, why not visit my Pinterest Boards?

 I have a special notebook for each book I write, to jot down ideas, try out paragraphs, keep by my bed in case I wake up at night with a brilliant idea that will be forgotten by morning if I don’t write it down.

Isn’t this notebook with the wisteria beautiful? It’s probably my favorite. I think I’ll have to include a scene with wisteria in the new story in honour of it! Yes, I do have nightmares about losing the notebook but so far that hasn’t happened. Fingers crossed it doesn’t!

 Some writers use computer programs to keep track of everything for their book. If I was writing a big book with lots of research and multiple story lines, I might try that. In the meantime, it either goes in the notebook or in a file on my computer. A timeline for a story is a must or I can get very muddled. But my version of a timeline is very simple, just a roughly sketched calendar for the months the story spans. 

 Now I’m working on the first chapter, the most important to get readers hooked into the story. It takes me forever! I might rewrite it many times until I get it right and move on to the next chapters which tend to flow more smoothly.

 So that’s where I’m at and I have to get cracking! A deadline that seems comfortably months away has a habit of sneaking up on me at a remarkable pace… So wish me luck as I set off on a new writing journey!

Second Chance with the Single Dad is a February 2019 release from Harlequin Romance in North America; Mills & Boon True Love in the UK; and Mills & Boon Forever Romance in Australia and New Zealand.

Kandy Shepherd is a multi-published, award-winning author of contemporary romance and women’s fiction. She lives on a small farm in the Blue Mountains near Sydney, Australia, with her family and a menagerie of four-legged friends.

Visit Kandy at her website

www.kandyshepherd.com

Connect with Kandy on Facebook, Twitter,Pinterestand Instagram

Susan Sands: Trying Something New

 Hello friends! I hope summer is going well so far. I love this time of year, partially because I'm not cold. But I mostly love it because there's a freedom that's a throwback from childhood and having summers off from school. No structure to the day, no place to be. It's carried over to adulthood for me as I've been a stay-at-home mom for years. Summers through the child-raising meant swimming, tennis, and chilling, with a few chore thrown in, for the most part. Until I began writing under contract a few years ago. Then, everything changed. Summer meant deadlines.

This year, by my own volition, I'm not on deadline to finish a book. I decided to take on a new project so different it has caused the writing to become excessively hard. Of course, I've had a helluva year as well, but this book is out of my comfort zone and so, so hard. I've recently come to the realization that I'm not doing what I do best. I've been trying to do what some other writers do well, but not what I do well. So, I've changed my goal for this book. I'm doing what I do. Don't get me wrong, this one has an awesome premise. It will be the best work I've ever done. But it likely won't be the book I thought I was going to write. It's going to be a mix of the two. A bigger book, but with my voice within my wheelhouse. I'm not somebody else. I'm Susan Sands and I write humorous Southern Lit. I've changed to a first person point of view for this one. The style is somewhat different, and so is the genre. Right now, it's not a romance. But in the end someone might fall in love. It's a journey book. A journey of a woman without a memory who must merge who she was with who she's been for eighteen years. It's a homegoing.

Stay tuned for more...

Now that I've decided these things about my story, I can't wait to write every day. I'm not avoiding my computer and spending all my time on social media instead of working. It has been an important breakthrough.

Have a fantastic Fourth of July, everyone!!

Susan Sands

The Rehabilitative Quality Of A Good Book

As a writer, some days I don't feel like writing. Now there are those normal, run-of-the-mill, short-term moments when the feeling lasts a day or two, but then I rebound and sit in front of the laptop and write.

On the other hand, there are the longer episodes when my brain isn't cooperating with the creative side to produce anything. It's not author's block, but more about feeling motivated. And authors who may suffer similar feelings completely get what I mean. There's no shortcut or easy solution, either. Everyone has to find her unique way to climb out of that hole.

Sometimes I fight through and use sheer determination to get to that necessary point. Lately, however, I've opted to give myself the space and time to figure it out. I'm not under deadlines so I can afford to slow down and take a breather.

And the best breather I know is to pick up a book and read.

Claire Norton at book club 

I'm a big reader. And this isn't about only reading when I feel blah about my writing. This sharing moment is about holding steady until achieving the creative balance. It's about taking a deep dive into book land and gorging on books. I tend to surround myself with books from most genres. And I especially make sure to include authors from various countries to enjoy the unique styles and flavors that come through due to the author's culture.

Now, filling my reservoir on books isn't about copying a particular author or copying a particular style. The joy in reading is about re-discovering the magical quality where a story sucks me right in and doesn't release me until well after the book is done. Allowing the imagination to roam and explore is a necessity like breathing. And I can only get that special rehabilitative quality through reading books.

So while I go through the process to get back in the saddle and write, I will enjoy every beautiful word, story, book that is in my e-reader TBR pile. As a dutiful reader, I will also leave reviews in Goodreads and on particular e-reader platforms.

I hope you have a book ready at your fingertips that will give you joy.

All the best,

Michelle
http://michellemonkou.com

Close to home – Kandy Shepherd

I love to travel but for various reasons (most to do with dollars or shortage thereof!) sadly no travel plans were made for this year. Most sadly, I didn’t get to the Romance Writers of America annual conference in Florida. It’s been a cold winter in my part of Down Under and I was looking enviously at peoples’ social media posts from the hot summer in Orlando and feeling sorry for myself.

But then I had to go spend some time in a town not too far from my home town in Sydney, Australia. My daughter was on a university placement at Lake Macquarie, near the city of Newcastle less than two hours drive away. We drove up and spent a few days with her. While it wasn’t a vacation, it was a lovely short break in a part of the world I hadn’t visited since I was a teenager. (And that's a long time ago!)

We loved the sea birds on the dock of our motel

We stayed in a family run motel right on the lake, which is more of an inland sea. Each morning we woke to a glorious view of the ever-changing sky and water. 

There's something about palm trees to give a vacation feel!

We went for walks on fabulous beaches that were practically deserted in winter.

There's something moody about a beach in winter!

 And we ate wonderful food at cafes and restaurants not far from our motel. 

This caramel stack was demolished in minutes!

It made me appreciate how sometimes the nicest places to visit can be not far from home.

Do you have a favorite place to visit or vacation that’s not too far from home?  I’d love to read your comments!

Kandy Shepherd’s most recent book Conveniently Wed to the Greek is a May 2017 release from Harlequin Romance in North America; Mills & Boon Cherish in the UK; and Mill & Boon ForeverRomance in Australia and New Zealand.

Kandy Shepherd is a multi-published, award-winning author of contemporary romance

and women’s fiction. She lives on a small farm in the Blue Mountains near Sydney, Australia, with her family and a menagerie of four-legged friends.

Visit Kandy at her website

www.kandyshepherd.com

Connect with Kandy on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram

We stayed at the Squid's Ink Motel at Belmont, NSW Australia.

Nashville, A Place For New or Renewed Beginnings

I have visited Nashville three times. Each visit lasts a bit longer than the last with my most recent visit spanning seven days. All of my visits have been tied to my writing or my writing world via Romance Writers of America when I was a board member.

But let's get back to my seven days in Nashville.


This adventure was a writing retreat with writing buddies--Lisa B. Kamps, Jaymee Jacobs, and Julia Canchola. Once there we set out goals not only for the week but for the remainder of the year, along with 2017's plan of action. We wrote aggressive goals, are supportive of each other, and determined to make big strides in our writing journey.

Having this meet up served us well. But I have to give a lot of credit to the setting of Nashville, TN. More specifically we stayed in a roomy condo that more than accommodated us. We worked hard, but also played hard as our reward.

We broke the ice with a visit to the local hang out, Nashville Palace. The band was our sort of welcome party to the flavor of Nashville and its deep connection and love for country music.

Across from where we stayed was the Opry Mills Mall, which largely was like any large mall or outlet center. But there was Boot Barn that was a priority for one of my roomies. Armed with her boots, we continued our walk through the mall and headed for the German-themed restaurant--Bavarian Haus.

Later that night we attended the Opry. What a night that was! A great line up talent from up and coming stars to the veteran country singers. I enjoyed every minute of it.

And as if that wasn't enough, we headed into downtown Nashville to visit a few honky tonks like Tootsie. After listening to live bands, and sipping on apple pie moonshine martini, we headed for the local tour bus. Our guide gave us excellent information as we saw the city from the bus until we got off for a whiskey distillery tour and a visit of the Parthenon (an exact replica of the one in Greece).

I don't think I could get tired of Nashville. The building boom that has hit the city will attract lots of people who are coming to make their dreams come true, whether from musical aspirations or in the field of medicine or as academician due to the concentration of hospitals and universities. It was great to be in a vibrant city feeding our creative souls with all of its gems. We all were the better for the experience and I look forward to showing my appreciation in the words that I actually wrote.

(Brooke Eden, one of the singers, who performed at the Opry)

I hope you find that special place that inspires you to be you, to recharge the soul, and reminds you of what is important when you work.


All the best with your endeavors,

Michelle

Slowly Turning Into A Planner Fan(atic)

by Michelle Monkou

My 2017 Planner

I've always jumped on a planner bandwagon from the time that Franklin Planners were the big trend. The computer programmers soon developed calendars with similar bells and whistles along with the phone technology. Every wave tries to outdo the previous wave.

And for the last few years, the physical planners have been back in vogue. I understand that the planners have never left earth, but the percentage of use is up. If you perform a hashtag search on social media, the wide breath of planner enthusiasts is monumental with brick and mortar stores, digital stores, conventions, and planning circles feeding the frenzy.

My tendency always has been to jump in like a high-intensity cheerleader with good intentions. But a month or two later, that planner gets buried under clothes or other books never to be used again. All the to do lists, the appointments, the travel plans, the goals stay in my head to rattle around with the other gazillion thoughts.

What takes you from the amateur planner to the highly functioning planner-- Goals and Desperation.

My Weekly Planner

I've always had goals. I've always wanted to achieve something, gain something, earn or win something. So the lack of goals was never a problem. But this time, this year, I had goals AND a timeline. And that timeline had milestone marks that had to show movement in the right direction.

Next step is goals AND a timeline AND desperation. Desperation isn't a do or die mindset. I use the word as my own form of giving a kick in the pants to stay hungry, stay focused, stay consistent. Most times the reason that I'm no longer using a planner is that I've removed myself from the game or I've decided/convinced myself that the game isn't for me or unattainable.

But what I do know for sure is that those who are successful (and you can have your own model for success) have not become so through random acts. They may not be obsessive about planning and getting results in a timely manner, but they aren't inconsistent about work ethic and about fighting through the ups and downs. There is a plan, a method, a strategy that is built by them to attain a goal or two.

My Writing Journals

And I know what doesn't work. I know it has failure written all over it. Why? My way hasn't worked. For several years it hasn't worked. So why continue on the same track doing the same thing, but expecting different or better results. Isn't that the definition of stupid?

This year, I've got my planning tools. And I'm using them. Two months I slipped off and the old habits almost did me in. But when you're surrounded by planner enthusiasts, they will help get you back on track.

I'm moving forward and that's what matters at this point.

Cheers,


Michelle

Dealing With A Real Life Issue In A Fictional World

Have you ever come up with an idea, moved forward with it—then have it morph into something completely different? I mean, so different, it doesn't even look like what you started with.

Yeah? Me, too. Welcome to my crazy world of writing.

I'm what's known as a pantser: an idea will pop into my head, I'll mull it over a bit, then start writing and see what happens. Do I have a general idea of what's going to happen? Sometimes, in the vaguest sense around. But I don't "plot", not in the way people think of "plotting". It doesn't work for me.

Usually the story will unfold in my mind as I write, taking on a life of its own. And yes, it's usually guided by the characters. Future scenes become a little clearer as the story progresses and I'll make a note or two as I go along. Sometimes there's a scene or two I want to have happen, or some important tidbit I need to include in the story, and I'll note that before I get to it.

It's my process, and it works well for me. I may not have a concrete road plan, but I always have a general idea of where the story is going.

Well, maybe not always.

That's kind of what happened with FACE OFF, The Baltimore Banners #10, which released May 9.

I knew who the main characters were and I knew what the story was about. I knew where I wanted the story to go—in that vague sense I always have when I start a story.

And then my characters revolted. I mean, big time revolted. Yes, it was still going to be a friends-to-lovers story, a tale of best friends discovering that there was so much more to their relationship.

Only it didn't turn out to be quite that simple.

About a quarter of the way in, my female lead character veered off in a direction I never saw coming. A direction I tried to fight because I wasn't sure how to handle it.

And I sure as hell had no idea how it would be taken.

Turns out, she was suffering from severe depression. MDD—Major Depressive Disorder—to be exact. It's estimated that 6.9% of the US population and 350 million people worldwide suffer from some form of depression.

I admit, it gave me pause. For more than solid week, I fought the direction she was leading me in. I didn’t want to deal with it, to the point of deleting and rewriting, fighting, and even thinking of scrapping the whole thing and starting over.

Then I had to ask myself: why? Why was I so set against following my characters' lead, when I never had that problem before?

It wasn't just the fear of readers' reactions. No, I think this one was a little closer to home.

I've had three episodes of what might be called severe depression: once, after being involved in a particularly bad accident; post-partum depression after my second child was born; and again, six or seven years ago. I was fortunate all three times because I had friends and family—a supportive husband—who noticed it, who stood by me. More importantly, they made sure I didn't fall deeper into that black hole of despair and helped me climb out of it.

So yeah. Maybe this one was a little too close to home. Once I realized that, I knew I had a choice to make: scrap the project completely, or let myself fall back into that hole—this time from the perspective of my heroine.

And I admit, it was a hard decision to make. I was afraid to revisit that, even though I think what my female lead was going through was much worse than what I experienced. It took quite a bit of mentally arguing with myself to sit back down and let my characters tell their story, but I did.

And I was scared to death at the end. Scared how readers would react. Scared that I didn't do the problem justice. Just…scared, period. Hitting submit on Face Off was probably one of the hardest things I had to do.

And hell, I'm still scared. So far, the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. I've received many emails and messages thanking me for writing the story, all of them emotional, all of them striking an emotional chord deep inside me. One in particular makes me cry happy and sad tears just thinking about it.

And yet, the fear is still there. Maybe it's not really the fear of reactions, but more the fear of people dismissing the very real pain and trauma of depression and how it effects everyone, not just the person fighting it.

Things have changed in the last ten, twenty, thirty years. How we view depression, how we treat it, even our understanding of it. But there's still a stigma attached to it. There are still those who dismiss it as a weakness and who belittle those suffering from it.

Maybe that's what the real fear is.

And maybe, instead of being afraid, I should be angry. Angry at those who refuse to acknowledge its existence. Angry at those who continue to belittle it and dismiss it as a weakness.

Depression isn't a weakness. And it takes more courage, more fight and grit, to deal with it, to get a handle on it, to claw your way out of that dark pit of despair.

For those who are fighting the battle, stay strong. And know that you're not alone—we're here for you. I'm here for you.

And I understand.

***************

Face Off, The Baltimore Banners Book 10, released on May 9. You can pick up a copy at your favorite vendor by clicking here.

Lisa B. Kamps is the author of the best-selling series The Baltimore Banners, featuring "hard-hitting, heart-melting hockey players" [USA Today], on and off the ice. Her Firehouse Fourteen series features hot and heroic firefighters who put more than their lives on the line. She's introduced a whole new team of hot hockey players who play hard and love even harder in her newest hockey series, The York Bombers.

To learn more about Lisa and her titles, please visit her webpage.