Cutting and Revising

Still cutting and revising Heart Secret, got last beta reader's comments last night. I WILL have to also add words to make some scenes clearer. But you can see how I'm working so I can cut the least amount of full scenes. This DOES modify my voice and my characters voices, but it's better than whole scenes going.

So, into the 12-15 hour days.

Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again.
Robin

Elements of My Books

I juggle various elements in my books, in Celta it is the romance, character development (including Fam comic relief), a small mystery/suspense, world-building, a dash of the past and set up for the future. I admit that I am reluctant to cut any world-building/Fams and set up. I should probably cut more, but I am of the opinion that ESPECIALLY in the Celta books, my fans like the world-building, like knowing about HouseHearts or magical systems...or a touch of a different religion. And set up...well, I'm working on the intelligent Turquoise House right now....

Merrry meet and merry part and merry meet again.
Robin

Heart Secret is DONE!

Whew! I thought as late as this morning that I wouldn't be able to finish. But it is done, and as always, WAAAY long, 112K+, so I'll be cutting about 6-7K, hopefully just tightening will be sufficient.

Whew.

Robin

Climax Settings Quick List

Climax Settings Quick List: I keep lists to try and avoid duplicating myself. Like opening scene settings, etc. Here's today's :)


Climax settings;

HeartMate, estate grounds
Heart Thief, councilroom chamber
Heart Duel, city street/castle courtyard
Heart Choice, house mainspace
Heart Quest, warehouse/street
Heart Dance, laboratory
Heart Fate, park
Heart Choice, estate (previous in river)
Heart Journey, car/road
Heart Search, warehouse/street
Heart Secret, gulch

As always, may you enjoy the worlds you visit,
Robin

Pandora Music Genome

Music Genome: Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Film Score: Finale
by Danny Elfman on Music From The Films Of Tim Burton

Features of This Track:

a tranquil mood
a bittersweet sentiment
a well-known composer
a Romantic-Era style

That pretty much describes a large part of my music, and, well, maybe me. May you love what you hear today.
Robin

Amber Sargas' House -- Houses of Mystic Circle

Enchanted Again's heroine's house, Amber Sargas' House -- Houses of Mystic Circle.

May you enjoy every world you visit today!
Robin

February/March Retreat

I usually go in November, but they are offering February/March also this year:

SICK OF THE COLD WEATHER ALREADY? Come to the writers hermit week in sunny Charleston in Feb/March! Only 2 spots left! Multi-million dollar mansion, great food, awesome company, no pesky interruptions. Writiers bliss. :D http://lowcountryrwa.com/retreat/

Notes for the Chapter

I do something really simple if I have a few notes to include in a particular chapter (and they may carry over from one to another until they are included). I stick them at the top of the chapter, then cut when they are placed or I find they are no longer needed.

And that's all I have to say today.
May you enjoy all the worlds you visit.
Robin

Happy New Year! And last year's stats...

All right, here are some stats. I wrote a little over 300K words (that I kept track of) last year. That does NOT include blog/facebook/twitter.

Last full day off, December 17, before that, November 28.

2011 Books: Enchanted No More (epubbed, print came out a touch before but it has a Jan 2011 pub date:

Heart Search

Hearts and Swords

Enchanted Again (pubbed, epub release TODAY, has a January 2012 pub date).

That's enough, I think. I'm hoping to get some novellas, stories out, and maybe epublish manuscripts 2 and 3 under a pseud.

Heart Secret should be out in August, and Enchanted Ever After (current title) out a year from now.

May you have a WONDERFUL and PRODUCTIVE year!
Robin

Finally the last scenes!

I've spent a lot of time contemplating the plot (along with pacing, whining, and talking to mentor) of Heart Secret, and I FINALLY have a list of my scenes. Usually this occurs more like 2 weeks out, which it hasn't this time.

Not only that, but I don't have the ending written. I might actually write it LAST. Zowie.

In any event, here's how they look. Some are written, one I'm not sure where I'll put, but since it increases pressure on Artemisia, my heroine, I'm sure it will stay in...and you know that scene with Garrett that I changed the setting on and posted the before and after here? That's gone.

Whew.

May your road be clear today.
Robin

Of Sunsets and Word Wars and Heart Secret

Of Sunsets and Word Wars and Heart Secret: I've had a day off this month, since Heart Secret has gotten all tangled up in the last quarter. I'm not accustomed to having a story go awry at this point and it peeves me. What should I leave in, what should I cut? The chronological/timeline/choreography has already been fixed THREE TIMES, why does it not work. URG!

So when I was on word wars tonight and a new to Denver friend, Cate Rowan, alerted me to a good sunset I took a few shots.

Uplifting, soothing, and now I can go back and try and untangle (again!) my scenes and get them in the proper order.

Love to all,
Robin

A Wish For You

From Fra Giovanni to Friend, 1513

I salute you.

There is nothing I can give you which you have not, but there is much that what I cannot give, you can take:

No Heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today; take Heaven.

No Peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present instant; take Peace.

The gloom of the world is but a shadow, behind it, yet within our reach, is Joy; take Joy.

There is radiance and glory in the darkness , to see it we only have to look -- so look!

Life is so full of meaning and purpose, so full of beauty - beneath its covering - that you will find earth but cloaks your heaven.

Courage, then, to claim it is all that's needed; take courage.

And with courage, know that we are all pilgrims together wending through an unknown country, home.

And so at this time I greet you, with the prayer that for you, now and forever, the day breaks and the shadows flee away.


Love to all,
Robin

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I'm Sure The Sun's Out There....

I'm sure the sun survived the longest night (otherwise we wouldn't have), but can't see it through the snow and clouds....

May you enjoy the warmth today, wherever you are, wherever you roam.

Robin

Happy Yule!

Yes, the sun has set and we are now in the longest night of the year. So I give you this sunrise to keep us warm and hopeful through all the night and all our troubled nights and days.

May you have a WONDERFUL holiday season, and a FABULOUS New Year.

Robin

Enchanted Again Opening Hook

Enchanted Again has one of my favorite opening lines and hook:

If she'd aged naturally, Amber Sarga would have been twenty-six. But her gift for curse breaking cost her days, weeks, months...years.


I hope you enjoy it, and visiting the world of the Lightfolk. The story takes place entirely in Colorado, in Denver and Red Rocks Park.

Robin

Enchanted Again Available!

Not sure how it happened, but it's available on amazon for shipping...THOUGHT it was available for download but not until Jan 1st. Weird. Could someone have told the author?

Robin

Walker's Sword in Noble Heart

Walker's sword in Noble Heart: I blogged once about being inspired by physical objects, and once the story collection was titled Hearts and Swords, I knew a sword would need to be a part of each story. I had to add a sword to Heart Story (Blush's story), and had one in mind for Noble Heart -- thus the whole new cultural business in that having a sword makes a noble house "more."

And, of course, when I had to think of swords, I had something like that in front of me, and since Walker's sword was when he saw it during his psi-dreamquest-Passage, I could use what I had near.

So here is something like I have, I think it is less detailed, but you can see the wings as the hand guard (quillions) and the tail wrapped around the quilt.

May you not need any kind of sword today.
Robin

Changing Settings, before and after

Changing Settings -- I began writing a new scene today in Heart Secret and set it in a noble lord social club...and realized that during an awful lot of this book, people are having conversations over drinks...caff or cocoa or liquor. In any event, I knew I had to change the setting. So here's the before and after:

Garrett stared into the snifter that held his brandy. He slumped in the richly upholstered chair, legs stuck out. He'd barely noticed the interior of the exclusive FirstFamilies club – for men only. It was his understanding that the women had their own, more suited to their tastes. And as for tastes, the brandy wasn't much good.

But that could be because of the sourness in his mouth. Laev T'Hawthorn, who was the actual member of this club, sat at ease across from Garrett.

Sour mouth from the bitter ashes of regret and stinging pride or not, Garrett had to admit it. So he did, grunting the words. "I made a bad mistake."

Laev raised his brows. "What, another?" he asked in that dangerously smooth tone that a powerful man developed.

"Yeah, yeah," Garrett waved his snifter, nearly slopping the liquid from his glass.

"Shall I tell you the consequences of your last bad mistake?" Laev asked with obvious false sympathy. The guy was sure enjoying payback for earlier in the year.

"I suppose you looked it up," Garrett grumbled.

"Oh, yes. Though I didn't have to look far."
*********************************************


Garrett stared broodingly down the cliff at the bright blue waves topped with white spume, shifting restlessly from foot to foot, something he could only allow himself in the presence of a good friend. GreatLord Laev T'Hawthorn stood beside him, relaxed and easy. This was his land. Hell, the kilometers of the ocean that Garrett could see might be his water, too.

Taking in a deep breath, Garrett tasted salty air. Not especially good. But that could be because the sourness in his mouth. And sour mouth from the bitter ashes of regret and stinging pride or not, Garrett had to admit it. So he did, grunting the words. "I made a bad mistake."

Laev grinned, white teeth gleaming. "What, another?" he asked in that dangerously smooth tone that a powerful man developed.

"Yeah, yeah," Garrett said. He rolled a silver coin over his knuckles, good practice in the wind, demanding concentration and manual dexterity.

"Shall I tell you the consequences of your last bad mistake?" Laev asked with obvious false sympathy. The guy was sure enjoying payback for earlier in the year.

"I suppose you looked it up," Garrett grumbled.

"Oh, yes. Though I didn't have to look far."


As always, may you enjoy all the worlds you visit today.
Robin

Good Lines

Good Lines. The set up: I had another dreadful "deadline" nightmare this morning, and told it a few times at critique and a holiday open house where the craziness of it would have been appreciated.

And, since I live alone, I often talk to myself (or the cats, which is almost the same), and speaking of it aloud, I realized I'd come upon one of those good lines that occasionally happen, maybe even something that could be the hook in a book: "I'm sure I had that dream before, I remember the castle and the fish."

For your amusement.
Robin

Worst Thing for a Writer

Worst thing for a writer. You know what really sends the agony level high in a writer? Losing work. There is nothing worse. Because you'll search forever for it in backups, wonder how it happened, and then grit your teeth and reconstruct, hoping you can get it as good as it was.

Yes, I lost something yesterday, the final draft of chapter 16 of Heart Secret. I was working on chapter 20 when I realized this. Sickening, like when you make that awful mistake at the day job. I'd thought that I'd had a critical scene in it that I'd slaved over the motivation in.

I have multiple backups of everything, and the working copy (pretending to be the final) was saved everywhere.

I think it was one of those "walked away from desk, came back, was asked if I wanted to save the file and absently hit 'no' deals, so all my fault.

It threw me for a couple of hours before I beat back the hysteria and rolled up my sleeves and went to work.

To find out that the critical scene was in chapter 17 WHEW, 16 just needed a little twitching.

Operator error hits us all.

May you be free of sickening mistakes this year.
Robin

Hearts & Swords OUT, Timeline below

Hearts & Swords is OUT: Here's the timeline again!

Celta Timeline:
Heart And Sword IN THE COLLECTION OF HEARTS AND SWORDS:

HeartMate: Druida City, Celta, 400 years after Colonization, Summer, July, Discovery Day

Heart Thief: Druida City, Celta, 400 Years after Colonization, Autumn

Heart Duel: Druida City, Celta, 403 years after Colonization, Summer, Month of Holly

Heart Choice: Druida City, Celta, 404 Years After Colonization, Spring

**Nuin Ash is born late 404

Heart Quest: Druida City, Celta, 405 Years After Colonization, Late Autumn

Heart Dance: Druida City, Celta, 405 Years After Colonization, Early Winter (two months after Heart Quest, i.e. January/)

Heart Story IN THE COLLECTION OF HEARTS AND SWORDS: Druida City, Celta 406 Years After Earth Colonization, Spring

Heart Fate: Druida City, Celta, 406 Years After Colonization, Mid Winter (one year after the end of Heart Dance) SAMHAIN = NEW YEAR, SO JUST A MONTH AND A HALF AFTER THE NEW YEAR

Heart & Soul IN THE COLLECTION OF HEARTS AND SWORDS, Gael City, Celta 406 Years After Colonization, Autumn (Elder/October) the last days of 406

Heart Change: Druida City, Celta, 407 Years After Colonization, Spring (March)

Heart Journey: Druida City, Celta, 407 Years After Colonization, Late Summer

Noble Heart IN THE COLLECTION OF HEARTS AND SWORDS, Druida City, Celta, 411 Years After Colonization, Winter

14 YEARS PASS BETWEEN HEART JOURNEY AND HEART SEARCH

Heart Search (Laev): Druida City, Celta, 421 Years After Colonization, Late Spring
Nuin Ash is 17


May you enjoy all the worlds you visit today.
Robin

Hearts and Swords Release Nerves

Hearts and Swords release nerves? OF COURSE. The only other novella that I've written and published was Road To Adventure (a contemporary paranormal with THE best cat I've done). So I am wriggling with nerves as to whether people (and people who aren't fans) will buy and enjoy...wriggling is not too bad in the below-freezing weather here, but still....

Guess I'll learn tomorrow...
Robin

Writing Seasons

Writing Seasons: It is 18 Degrees F. out and my nose is cold...the snow storm came in today with about 3 inches.

In Celta it's a hot summer (think August), and Artemisia Mugwort is furious at her HeartMate, Garrett Primross, and leaving her workplace of Primary HealingHall to walk out in the serenity of the Healing Grove.

Did I say my hands are cold, too? Summoning up the heat of a summer's day is almost impossible.

So I'll concentrate on the emotions -- hurt, anger, fear.

And maybe I'll pull up some lovely pics of trees in the summer to remind me that on Celta it's not December.

May your weather be kind to you today.
Robin

Has Anyone Seen Hearts & Swords Yet?

I am debating which novella to enter in a contest due TODAY. If you've seen (and or read) Hearts & Swords, please email me your opinion. Thanks, Robin

Whose Story Is It, Anyway?

Whose Story Is It, Anyway? I've been reading an e-series with an ensemble cast -- and though I'm okay in general with this, I am missing the idea of who exactly the main character and protagonist is. Now, I know that George R.R. Martin has huge fantasy books, but the one I'm reading is a light contemporary paranormal series.

I would strongly recommend knowing who your main character/protagonist is and sticking with him/her -- showing most of the action in his/her point of view and having most of the book be linear with regard to his/her growth.

Because, at the end of this particular book in this particular ongoing series, I wasn't as satisfied as I would have been if I'd been solid in one (or two or even three or four) points of view.

In the Heart books, which are romances, I stick with the hero's and the heroine's point of view -- 2, the couple -- that's it.

The Lladrana series usually had no more than four, and usually 2-3.

Enchanted No More was a departure for me in that it had only one point of view.

I believe when you limit your point of view, you make your character and your story deeper.

My thoughts and ideas,
Robin

Magic -- White

Magic -- My Color is White

Rather astonished me.

White
You value law, order, community and light. You love to protect the social order and the rule of law. At your best, you are just and protective. At your worst, you are authoritarian and dogmatic. Your symbol is a sunburst. Your enemies are black and red.

Ebook Stories -- Why NY didn't buy

I've been reading a lot of ebooks, both put out by small press and the author. Many of these were originally submitted to NY publishers. And I can pretty much tell you why they didn't fit those publishers. I'm not saying anything about the quality of the books or the writing, at least one has been an award-winner, and I have them on my virtual shelf. But I CAN figure out why an editor might not have wanted to take a chance on these particular books.

1) Romance -- hero is a mortician.

2) Contemporary paranormal -- the story starts with one character, switches to her best friend and that romance, and finally ends with the first character, but no romance for her.

3) Western romance -- children's pet dog is killed in chapter 1.

4) Fantasy romance -- this book (one I'm reading now), is a story every girl who read fantasy would have thought of and the first twenty or so would have been published.

This is a time of great flux in the storytelling/publishing world, and great opportunity.

May you enjoy all the worlds you visit today.
Robin

Hearts and Swords Shipping

Hearts and Swords is shipping! I got my author copies yesterday! The title is in SILVER so it can either flash or fade...it should be on the shelves soon! Of course the guy is gorgeous.

May you enjoy your work today.
Robin

Hearts and Swords - Dear Reader Ltr

Welcome! If you haven't read my work, I think Hearts and Swords would be a wonderful place to start. These novellas will let you experience Celta – a planet of people with magic and telepathic animal companions – in shorter bites than my full-length novels.

When writing a series, sometimes a few characters branch off in a different direction than the main stories and though they have their own lives and loves, they don't need a full book.

The first novella, Heart And Sword, is a prequel to the Heart series, taking place on the starship Nuada's Sword, on its way from Earth to Celta. A story I've wanted to write for a while...and if you're a long-time reader, you'll find references to it as a stage play in the books. Kelse Bountry was full of hope for the future when he stepped into the starship, Nuada's Sword, but he is awakened prematurely to discover he must face a conspiracy...and that the colonists are lost.

Next up, Heart Story, includes a mature couple, which I really enjoyed writing about. Both must overcome their past to claim each other.

Heart and Soul is the tale of Genista Furze Holly, the ex-wife of Tinne Holly, a man who found his true love in Heart Fate. I tried very hard to keep Genista a sympathetic character and as time passed, I finally discovered the right man for her. This is their story and takes place at Halloween and the new year, Samhain.

Finally, members of the rambunctious commoner Clover Family have run throughout the books and I had fans wanting a story about how they might be elevated to the nobility. I think you'll be surprised how this came about, and Walker is definitely a reluctant hero. Noble Heart takes place during the winter holidays, so I hope you enjoy it as you curl up for yours!

Naturally there is magic – Flair – and gifts and Fams: a cat or two, a couple of dogs, a housefluff (bunny) and a fox...all ready to "help" their people find love.

Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again!

Sunset at Retreat

Last day, and last walk on the beach. Most of the time I was quite sick...but what a place to feel miserable at! So, no regrets.

May you enjoy all the worlds you visit today.
Robin

Retreat - Sick - Nano

Life got busy for me before I headed off to retreat in SC (where I am now) and where I REALLY came down with a cold or cough. I started NaNoWriMo, but am now a little behind due to the sickness.

News: I got a good review from Publisher's Weekly for Hearts and Swords -- review copies are going out.

I got the cover for Heart Secret.

Currently: Rereading Heart Quest to renew ideas on the Black Magic Cult.

Will post pics of retreat maybe (haven't take 500 of the ocean this year, more like 10).

Robin