Romancing the Genres

Not Just A Ring!

2012-02-25T00:00:00.001-08:00

Sheila Goodwin I was asked to be a guest blogger for Romancing the Genres for this month and I always feel so unworthy to be included with this list of great authors as an unpublished writer. So I’ll thank everyone in advance for this opportunity to share. Several years ago, during a difficult time in my spiritual walk, I attended an outreach event at our church. It included an outdoor

Leaping Less Often--Making Time for Me

2012-02-24T00:00:00.000-08:00

Leap Year. An extra day. Oh, boy!Since I don’t need to spend time on any Sadie Hawkins activities, maybe I’ll invest the day finishing projects that have fallen to the bottom of my ever-expanding to-do list. Often these are half-finished home improvement, clutter removal, paper filing or garden projects. Tasks I figured would take me, say, a day when I started them. Unfortunately I have a severe

A LEAP OF FAITH - THE ACT OF SELECTION

2012-02-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

In a leap of faith, driven by desperation and the chance to improve the lives of their families in Australia, men took advantage of the Selection of Land Act, and staked their claim on parcels of crown land. Unfortunately, for many inexperienced in the ways of farming in a harsh continent like Australia, they were doomed to failure and heartache. Many not only lost their land but their lives.

Love is a Leap of Faith

2012-02-22T03:00:00.000-08:00

Imagine yourself standing on a precipice, your feet firmly planted on the solid ground of being a single person. In front of you is a deep gorge called romance. The swirling winds rushing up from the depths below lift your hair up, making it dance around your face; leaving you with the feeling that should you jump, you would fly. It’s exciting, exhilarating, and enticing. Across the gorge is a

Without a Parachute

2012-02-21T00:00:00.000-08:00

by Tam Linsey I leaped out of the plane without making sure my parachute had been properly packed. There was a chance it would work. But there was a greater chance that the cord would break, or the fabric get stuck, or a myriad other things that can go wrong in a parachute jump. Luckily I didn't have far to fall. That's an analogy to my first manuscript submission. I'd spent my senior year

Leaping for Love

2012-02-20T00:00:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that I have a habit of leaping before I look. When I was younger, I believed I could make anything happen and achieve any goal. Most ardently of all, I believed love would always triumph, no matter what circumstances stood in the way. It's a great perspective for a romance writer to have, and I am still compelled to write my characters into a happy ending in all of my stories.

Stories of Faith

2012-02-18T00:00:00.000-08:00

Maureen Lang I’ve loved both reading and writing stories nearly all my life, so it seemed natural to try sharing my stories with as many others as possible—through publication. As isolating as a writing career can be, storytelling is really a way for us to share the human experience, to understand others and to be understood. So it makes sense to write to the community we’d most like to

Jump, Dive...Leap

2012-02-17T00:01:00.000-08:00

"Leap, and the net will appear."--Julie CameronThe 'Great Leap,' as I have called the risk I've taken in starting a new romance genre y'all will hear about soon, has been one of the scariest learning processes I've ever put myself through. It continues to be so. This month I simply want to emphasize that it's okay to not know what the future entails. It's okay, not knowing if whatever you choose

Have a Little Faith in You

2012-02-16T00:00:00.000-08:00

I always found it strange that every four years a day is added to the calendar. I mean, what's the point of that? It makes even less sense than Daylight Savings Time.Anyway, I’ve never really been a ‘leap before you look’ kind of person. I’m very cautious and always try to weigh the consequences before I do anything because I don’t like to fail. It’s something I’ve tried to instill in my kids too

A Leap of Faith

2012-02-15T06:25:00.001-08:00

A Leap of FaithThat’s pretty much what retiring from my career of 34 years and start my professional life over as an author/publisher was. It was very difficult to make the decision to leave nursing as a long and varied career but I knew I had to change something in my life. I had gotten older. My interests had changed, my goals had changed and even my physical ability had changed over the years.

Go ahead, take a Leap....

2012-02-13T00:00:00.000-08:00

It's been bought to my attention that 2012 is a leap year. Which got me thinking. Yes, those who know me can stop laughing, you know who you are! When you say it's leap year most people will think that is the day women can ask men to marry them. At least that is what I was bought up to think. These days I think of someone taking a leap in faith and trusting that the powers that be,

Secrets of a Reliable Writer

2012-02-11T00:01:00.000-08:00

So, it's time to write my blog piece. Okey-dokey. I sit down to write--should be easy. After all, I'm a writer. This is what I do, right? Um...yeah, sure. But after ten minutes of staring out the window, watching the snow fall and wishing it would stop so I can make my lunch date in an hour, I've got...well, nothing. Cue crickets echoing in the wasteland of my brain. Maybe I'll surf the

Twelve Pairs of Gloves

2012-02-10T00:02:00.000-08:00

Twelve Pairs of GlovesAs I was perusing information on Leap Year, I came across some really interesting tidbits of information about this extra calendar day.Leap Day is in February because February used to be the last month of the year.According to an old 5th century Irish legend, St. Bridget petitioned St. Patrick to allow women to propose to men every four years. Thus balancing the traditional

My Leap of Faith

2012-02-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard the term "Leap of Faith"? What does it mean? I mean really mean. I've contemplated that a lot in the last couple of years and this year it came home to settle seeing as how this year is Leap Year. Which means there is an extra day in February. My story of taking a leap of faith is different than what most people think about when they think of that phrase. Most people think

More like a stumble

2012-02-08T00:00:00.000-08:00

B. A. Binns here, back with the Genre-istas As I grew older (no, I'm not telling my age) I decided I wanted to do something creative with my life. I’m a classic left-brainer whose right-brained creative urge spent years struggling to find a place in life. Five years ago I went out and purchased a paint set, complete with instruction book, and pens and a notebook. I would, I told myself, express

Talk About Leaps…

2012-02-07T00:20:00.000-08:00

Where do I begin? My writing journey has been a series of leaps! But I have to be honest about one huge aspect: I believe in God. I'm a Christian. And having a strong faith makes leaping a little less scary. Not easier, mind you. Doing the work and doing it well is still on my shoulders!This leap all started when I fell in love with Jamie Fraser and Diana Gabaldon's world. I was on vacation with

Leaping from Genre to Genre

2012-02-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

By Paty Jager I’m embarking on a new writing adventure this year. I’m starting two new series; one is a contemporary action/adventure with romantic elements and one is a contemporary mystery. This leap into genres I’ve yet to write and hoping my readers will follow me has me a bit anxious. But these are stories and characters that are calling to me much stronger than any historical

Exercise and Inspiration

2012-02-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

By Terri Reed Ugh!! Who wants to exercise?!? Okay, it’s good for you. I know that. You know that. We all know that. Exercise keeps your body limber and the weight off, keeps your heart pumping and releases endorphins that make you feel better. Knowing it’s good for you, doesn’t make it easier. But what has

Leaping Into The Void

2012-02-03T00:01:00.000-08:00

Judith Ashley For some of you who read this post, my “Leaping Scenario” won’t seem like much – to others, I’ll be applauded for my courage. Keep reading and make your own decision about my choices. In January 2011, after failing at keeping up my individual blog and yet hearing from “Everyone” how important it was to build my platform while searching for a publisher, I was commiserating with my

What is it about a Romance Book?

2012-02-02T00:30:00.000-08:00

February, The Month For Love... Okay, you’ve got me. Just because February has Valentine’s Day, doesn’t mean every month isn’t the month for love, especially if it comes in the form of tension filled romance novels. I love a good romance. It’s the best part of my Sunday afternoon. If I have a very busy week, I always ensure I read a romance on Sunday. It’s my special treat! What is

A Literary Leap

2012-02-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

In honor of Leap Year, I decided to take a personal leap of faith. Unfortunately, identifying an appropriately exhilarating activity proved problematic. I pondered and pondered—well, I thought about the possibilities for at least fifteen minutes. After all that laborious contemplation, I came up with nada. While there are a hundred activities I’d like to entertain, nothing on my Leap List

Where Do Love Scenes Come From?

2012-01-31T00:00:00.000-08:00

(And other probing questions) There’s a special place in heaven for men who date romance authors. OK, maybe not heaven if you subscribe to the notion that only well-behaved boys and girls go there (though I doubt men date romance authors expecting piety and good behavior). One of the most common questions I get as a contemporary romance author is how I research my love scenes. Seems

Valentine Sweets for Your Sweetheart

2012-01-30T00:00:00.000-08:00

I come from a long line of cookie bakers. Both my grandmothers possessed ‘secret’ recipes for sweets guaranteed to find their way to a man’s heart and to charm children into doing one’s bidding without complaint. My grandmothers’ grandmothers passed the recipes down to them from the last century. I’m convinced that, if I could inspect my pilgrim ancestor’s meager luggage to see what she’

Australia Day, January 26th

2012-01-29T00:00:00.000-08:00

Read on for a bit of Australian history by Genre-ista, Margaret Tanner. Hi everyone. I know this has nothing to do with New Years Resolutions or a lead up to Valentine’s Day, but as I am an Aussie, I thought this would be a change of pace.

What's So Funny About That?

2012-01-28T03:12:00.000-08:00

Do you have to be a funny person to write Romantic Comedies? Not really. But you do need to be able to see the funny side of romance. When I'm writing romantic comedy, I look for laughs in four places: physical humor, funny situations, funny characters, witty dialogue. Not everything needs to be laugh-out-loud funny. If you can get people to smile or giggle while they are reading, you've done

What Do They See in Each Other?

2012-01-27T00:00:00.000-08:00

We all know one of those couples who prove "opposites attract." He’s an accountant, down-to-earth, says what he thinks, doesn’t care a whit if his opinion’s unpopular. She’s insecure, eager to be accepted socially, invited to parties, frets constantly about conversational nuances and their social pecking-order consequences. I shake my head when I spend time with these two. Why on earth are they

A ROMANTIC SCENE FOR VALENTINE'S DAY FROM MARGARET TANNER

2012-01-26T00:01:00.000-08:00

Margaret Tanner’s historical romance novels have been inspired by the hardships and triumphs of her pioneering ancestors in frontier Australia. Wild Oats, the story from which this romantic moment comes was an EPICON 2010 Finalist. SHORT INTRODUCTION:Captain Phillip Ashfield toasted his elevation to fatherhood, as a barrage of artillery pounded the battle scarred fields around him. English

Role Playing for Valentine's Day

2012-01-25T03:03:00.000-08:00

If you've been married for a while like me, then you know that Valentine's Day can be anything but romantic. For many married couples it can feel more like an obligation. Guys especially seem to fall victim to the Valentine's Day routine...get a card, buy some flowers and chocolate. But if you'd like to have a Valentine's Day worth remembering here are a couple fun ideas--from easy to elaborate--

Why Johnnie and Judy Can't Write

2012-01-24T07:29:00.000-08:00

George Guthridge This essay might help you understand why you learned to write as you did, and might help you realign your thinking about the writing process. To start: think about how you were taught. Were you given the five-paragraph essay or some facsimile? Did you write personal experience? Did you write whatever came to mind? Did you read literature or watch a film and then

Happy Birthday Lord Byron

2012-01-23T00:01:00.000-08:00

The Mad, Bad and Dangerous to know Lord Byron, was one of England's most famous poets. George Gordon Noel Byron was the 6th--and certainly the most prominent--Baron Byron. It appears no one is entirely certain of his birthday, but experts' best guess is that is was January 22, 1788. That was yesterday, so in honor of Lord Byron, I've included one of his poems, which I think is absolutely

GUEST GENIE GABRIEL: CHOCOLATE OR HUMOR?

2012-01-21T00:01:00.000-08:00

How does drama slide into humor? Or trauma become laughter? Through the magic of a writer's mind, the sugary giggles of a chocolate-induced euphoria or, in my case, one of the darkest times of my life. Let me back up a few years. Most of my stories are dramatic, with characters who must overcome traumatic childhoods or events to earn their happily-ever-afters. Yet even these stories

A Grand Romantic Gesture: A True Story

2012-01-20T00:01:00.000-08:00

I took a deep breath once I made it to the airport terminal, having just finished spending Thanksgiving weekend in Fort Worth with my family and my brother's in-laws. It was time to get back to college, back to my part-time job, back to normal.As I walked over to the payphones to call my friend who was supposed to pick me up in Sacramento, I noticed a cute guy standing near the airline desk. Our

LOVE OF A LIFETIME

2012-01-19T00:00:00.000-08:00

In April my husband and I will be celebrating 20 years of marriage. For some reason it doesn't seem like it's been that long (although once in a while it'll feel longer) but to be honest, from the first date, I knew I'd found my soul mate.While my husband isn't the most romantic man in this world and it's because he just doesn't believe in it...or so he says....there are times when he does

Valentine's Day

2012-01-18T06:59:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays because it means I get flowers. Yes, I know, it's about telling someone else how much you love them, how much they mean to you. Granted, we should all tell the important people in our lives more than once a year that we care but it's nice there is a special day set aside just for those who need that extra nudge. It's also a great opening for people

Why Wait?

2012-01-17T00:00:00.000-08:00

by Tam Linsey I'm not much of one to wait for a holiday to show someone I love them. We should act in love all the year round. We read romances year round. Why wait to make someone feel loved and special? So take a moment right now, and do something for the one you love. A massage, a chore they usually do, breakfast in bed, a movie they'll love (but you might not.) You get the idea. And

Food Love Alchemy

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-08:00