Helen Bianchin: Visualization, Imagination & Creativity

Writers write. They put words on paper to convey a story.

An artist creates images on canvas with paint, and a sculptor sculpts.

A singer possessed of a voice so pure, it catches your breath.

More than talent, practice. A gift?

One of my favourite quotes is by Michelangelo - I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.

It made me wonder what artists see before they begin to craft - whether it be writing, painting, sculpting.

Does a writer visualize the characters, the setting, imagine what they say - to the point where it all seems to become real, and the struggle to convey that image is the talent, persistence - ok, sheer bloody-mindedness - to employ the right words, so the reader shares the writer's visualization?

Is there any particular artist, author - anyone - who has touched you in life? Inspired you?

I'll share a few of mine ...


A painting by Monet 's garden

O Holy Night sung by Celine Dion

Shakespeare for his prose

Michelangelo

Daniel Day Lewis for his dedication and preparation in order to play a scripted part.


Helen Bianchin
http://www.harlequinpresents.com/

Where do you get your ideas? - Helen Bianchin

One of the queries an author is asked is ... where do you get your ideas? From life is too simple an answer ... perhaps events that happen in life is more accurate. Taking an idea and giving it a twist, employing a reality fact and weaving it into fiction with a romance element. In the case of a Harlequin Presents, that involves a sexy romance!

Sometimes an item in the media will spark an idea, an event in a television series, a conversation ... anything, anytime, anywhere.

So how did the idea for the plot of Purchased: His Perfect Wife come about?

For me it was the result of a conversation I had with a friend. A conversation which began quite innocently and revolved around a recent (at the time) news item involving loan sharks. The kind who lend money very short term at exorbitant interest rates ... those whose mantra is "pay on time and you'll be fine. Don't, and you won't".

As often happens, this inspired a "what if" scenario. I needed a realistic plot, a situation that could happen. The how and where and why took some thinking and planning time, and just when I thought I had it, a more plausible approach sprang to mind.

What if the heroine in my story is a chef who co-owns a restaurant with a financial partner, and the partner clears out their bank account and absconds with the money leaving her in debt? Although she presses charges, the bank won't lend her any further money. Desperate, she borrows money from a dubious source on the basis her stepfather will transfer the necessary funds into her account ... except he's killed in a car crash before he can effect the transfer.

The backcover blurb says it all ... "Lara needs cash fast. Her business partner has duped her and her beloved restaurant is in crisis. Only Wolfe Alexander, her tall, dark, brooding stepbrother, can help. Wolfe needs to marry to meet the terms of his late father's will, and when beautiful Lara begs him for money he sees his opportunity. A Powerful attraction has always simmered between them and he'll help if she'll be his convenient wife! With no choice to to accept, Lara is soon swept into a world of high-society glamour, and passion beyond her wildest dreams. But where is her husband's love?"

I hope you enjoy the read as much as I enjoyed writing Lara and Wolfe's story.

I'd love to hear what ideas spark your imagination and prompt a reason for a story.

Regards to all,

Helen

The Way We Write - Helen Bianchin

I wrote by hand (substitute scribbled) stories in an exercise book as a child in a variety of places ... perched on my bed, at the table, sitting in the fork of an apple tree in our yard ... fanciful stories about childish adventures, then a pretend protective older brother, eventually teenage yearnings, followed by nurse and doctor stories, which soon led to romance novels. Other genres also held my interest, but romance won out!

When I eventually came to write one, I was convinced it couldn't be too difficult ... after all, I had the story, in detail, in my head.This was back in the dark ages when the instrument of choice was a typewriter (OK, so I'm showing my age here!).

How many of you are with me ... roll the paper into the platen, even it up, and begin. I even had a title. Then came page 2, chapter 1 ... and a long pause while I searched for the perfect opening sentence.

My first effort involved going for it. I just typed anything and everything that came into my head ... dialogue without tags (I could fix that later); I mostly forgot to clothe my characters; the hero started out with dark grey eyes which somehow became dark brown; the heroine began as a petite blue-eyed blonde who grew legs up to here further along in the story. I missed transitions between locations, and when the story was complete ... I really thought there couldn't be much to revise. All it needed was a little fixing ...

Sure it did. What was I thinking? Yes, well, I think we've all been there! The words didn't match the image in my head. Quite frankly, it was all over the page, off the page ... and hopeless.

Going for it wasn't going to work for me. I obviously had to devise a plan and implement structure. (Please remember the time-frame ... the '70's, very few writing craft books available, even fewer writing organizations, snail-mail and no published author contact). Maybe a character bibliography would be good, so I did that. Detail, location, theme ... ditto. Pages, I accumulated lots of pages, and figured I was ready to begin.

Better, much better. Until I came to a dead stop at the end of chapter 3. I had a riveting scene in mind, except it wasn't going to happen next. I needed to get to that point first ... Yet the scene was so vivid, so there, I decided to write it, anyway. More riveting (well, I thought so!) scenes occurred to taunt me ... so I wrote each one. The enthusiasm level was high, I was making progress, and difficult didn't appear quite so difficult. All that remained for me to do was link all these scenes together.

Well, you know what they say about pride before fall ... the scenes read OK, they each had something. But the emotional journey of the characters just didn't cut it. Back to the plan ... I needed to structure the emotion, ensure it became a continuing thread and built in heat and tempo.

Eventually that first book was ready to send out ... after two rewrites it was accepted and published.

For the record, I progressed from portable to manual typewriter, electric typewriter to computer. I belong to numerous writing groups, participate in several writing e-mail loops, maintain regular contact with many writing friends. I have an entire bookcase filled with writing craft books in the belief I'll read something that will hit me like a lightning bolt strike and provide an easier method of writing.

To date, thirty-odd years and 55 books later, I still put in the pages of prep work ... inevitably rewrite the dreaded first chapter so many times I lose count; stop around chapter 3 and write scenes out of sequence, editing each day's work as I go.

As it's said ... whatever works!

I'd love to hear how others work ...

Helen

Authors who have influenced me - by Helen Bianchin

I love to read. Romance and romantic suspense, mysteries, crime ... the list is endless.

Bliss is reading a book by a favoured author, uncaring what the story holds, the characters, the setting. Just knowing I'll be held enthralled by the author's magical skill with words is enough. A comfortable chair, the benefit of several uninterrupted hours ...

A vivid imagination has been my companion for as long as I can remember. I was there with Enid Blyton's famous Five as they engaged in their various adventures; the probation nurse in all the doctor-and-nurse stories who fell in love with the resident hospital doctor, to the extent nursing almost became a considered occupation. The legal profession eventually won out, but that's another story!

I adore romance. The mythical knight on a white horse who rode to rescue the fair maiden. The modern day "Pretty Woman" scenario.

The darker marriage of convenience; the wild boy from the wrong side of the tracks who makes good; Cinderella in its various guises.

Which authors did it for me? On reflection, it was a paperback romance titled "The Distant Hills" by Lucy Walker which first made me think I'd like to write. Closely followed by Violet Winspear, who crafted and maintained sensual tension with just a look between her heroes and heroines.

Then along came Kathleen Woodiwiss, who dared to go where few authors in the genre had gone before! Wow! Who could forget Shanna? The Flame and the Flower? The Wolf and the Dove? Such passion! So much emotion. Sensuality.

As a reader, I was hooked. As a writer, I became totally enthralled. Excited by the talent, the magic, the words.

There are past works I can read and re-read countless times. All-time favourites. Keepers. To read and become entranced by the magic again and again.

I could list so many of today's authors whose work enthrall me as a reader. However the list would be long ... perhaps too long to occupy this space! And I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if I inadvertently missed including someone.

Kind regards and best wishes to you all,

Helen

This 'n that - Helen Bianchin

Authors write, there are schedules, deadlines ... there's also family, and occasionally a break between finishing one novel and beginning the next.

I say occasionally, for mostly the lines are blurred, and there's a heap of stuff put to one side in the rundown to deadline. Ideally, there would be a secretary and a "wife" ... the secretary to take care of all the stuff, and a "wife" to cook, clean and "go-fer".


The reality is a one-woman band ... wife, mother, go-fer, author ... in any particular order according to importance and circumstance on the day. The family need to be fed, chores need to be done, kids fetched and carried on the home front, and on the business side there's taxes, research, and a heap of writing-related stuff aside from writing the book.

Every now and then everything aligns beautifully. Very recently I handed a book on deadline, and a best friend flew in for a visit.

As the best friend is also an author, she understood perfectly the euphoria of having just finished the book. We shopped, enjoyed leisurely coffees, lovely lunches with mutual friends. We relaxed, laughed, schmoozed. Guilt free!

Now she's flown home, I've dealt with various stuff, and I'm back in front of the computer compiling a character biography for the next book. Working on the theme, location, motive, goals. And once again the excitement is beginning to build as the new story begins to form and take shape. Tentatively. Will the characters behave ... or take off in a different direction from the one I've mapped out for them? It's too early to tell. The one certainty is there'll be a "happy-ever-after". The challenge is their emotional journey to that point.

The only teaser I can provide is the hero's name is Wolfe, the heroine is Lara, it's set in New York and Sydney ...

Meanwhile, my next title is The Tycoon's Virgin Wife is due for release in September 2007, followed by The Martinez Marriage Revenge in the first half of 2008.

Regards and best wishes to all,
Helen

Hello from Helen Bianchin

Here it is February already, and although a little late, I'd like to wish everyone a wonderful year ahead. Good health, happiness and success.

I'm currently tussling with a Spaniard who came to life in November, only to take a sabbatical until mid-February while I share-cared my daughter-in-law, Melissa, and their 9 month-old babe, Calvin, following Mel's spinal surgery. Mel is lovely and the babe the light of my life, so it was a pleasure to be with them. Life happens, and family has first priority.

The Spaniard? Marcello Martinez resides in Madrid, and is about to discover his estranged wife, Shannay, gave birth to a daughter seven months after she fled the marriage and returned to Perth, Australia. Naturally, he's going to file for joint custody and create havoc in Shannay's life. Initially applying to take his daughter for a month's visit to Madrid to meet her paternal grandmother and various relatives. Something which Shannay fights against, fails to prevent due to legal pressure, and chooses not to let her daughter out of her sight. The sparks really begin to fly when Marcello conspires to have his family believe a reconciliation has taken place ...

The story has a May submission deadline.

Meantime The Marriage Possession is a Presents release in April 2007, followed by The Greek Tycoon's Virgin Wife in October 2007.

Helen