The Inspiration of Setting … Delsora Lowe

Writing is all about setting. In this case, I’m not talking about the setting of our books or articles or poetry. But the setting in which we place our desk and computer or pad and pencil.

Oak and Sunset From My Window

Moon Playing Hide and Seek with the Oak

For me, visuals are important. I need the distraction of scenery or activity, even if it’s a scene of squirrels chasing each other around my oak tree trunk in the spring or gathering acorns in the fall. OR birds pecking the ground for bugs. OR the profusion of dandelions springing up across the brown turning to green lawn. OR the arrival of elementary-aged kids bicycling or skipping or skateboarding to school, wearing backpacks laden with who knows what.

All those common-day occurrences are fodder for the imagination. When I can’t think of a word or I can’t figure out why the heroes of my story are acting out or not doing anything at all, which is unacceptable in a story that must move along, these little distractions allow my brain to observe and become distracted. That little act of woolgathering helps to empty the mind and allow the muse to take charge and create.

But sometimes, the same ‘ole, same ‘ole just won’t do the job of releasing the muse. A change of scenery is needed. That can be taking a walk around the block, enjoying neighbor’s gardens to free up the brain, or getting away for a self-imposed, writing retreat weekend, where you can stare at waves pounding the rocky shore in New England. OR the vibrant sunsets dipping below the red rocks in Arizona. OR eagles flying over a calm lake surrounded by tall evergreens as far as the eye can see in the Adirondacks. OR the expanse of white sands meeting a blue sky of a North Carolina beach, with only the flight of native birds for company. OR a sunny day in Colorado with the range of snow-covered mountains as a backdrop.

Red Rocks of Sedona, AZ Painted by My Grandfather

Unfortunately, those types of retreats are a bit out of my budget. But, even a three-block trip to the local coffee shop to people watch while inhaling scents of dark roast, spicey chai tea, and cinnamon buns, can elicit memories and help create a new outlook on story.

So, when you’re stuck, or need a break from whatever activity is holding you hostage, take a mini-vacation around the neighborhood, or plan a weekend getaway to really rejuvenate your muse or relieve stress of the day-to-day drudgery that can totally shut us home-bound writers down.

To choose which I prefer, sitting at my usual writing place with the familiar scene or exploring new places with a view, is a toss-up. I know where things are on my desk (even though it is a frightful mess.) I know what I’ll see out the window as I gaze blankly looking for the correct wording. I know I can jump up and grab my favorite mug for a cup of tea, the flavor to match my mood of the day.

The Oak in Early Spring

But changing up my writing environment, puts a new spin on the world and makes my brain do a reset, opening up my mind to think differently. Observe a new prompt to jumpstart my stalled writing. Or bring me in contact with an overheard conversation or new image that will spark an idea for a brand-new story.

Hanging at the Beach

Both the familiar and the unfamiliar have a place in reenergizing our minds and souls, and jumpstarting our writer’s muse…or anything in your life that needs jumpstarting.

What’s your favorite setting?

 

The Love Left Behind

Amazon  https://www.amazon.com/Love-Left-Behind-Hartford-Estate-ebook/dp/B08L5N5DS9/

Books2Read   books2read.com/u/mglVqK

 

cottages to cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~

Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet and spicy romances and contemporary westerns from the mountains of Colorado to the shores of Maine.

Author of the Starlight Grille series, Serenity Harbor Maine novellas, and the Cowboys of Mineral Springs series, Lowe has also authored short romances for Woman’s World magazine. Her newest novella is The Love Left Behind. Two holiday books will be released this fall.

Social Media Links:
Author website: www.delsoralowe.com
Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/delsoraloweauthor/community/
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/Delsora-Lowe/e/B01M61OM39/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Books2Read Author page: https://www.books2read.com/ap/8GWm98/Delsora-Lowe
BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/delsora-lowe-93c6987f-129d-483d-9f5a-abe603876518
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045986.Delsora_Lowe
Instagram: #delsoralowe / https://www.instagram.com/delsoralowe/

Photo Credits:
View From Desk, Oak Tree, Painting: Photos by author
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Thinking: People Thinking Clipart, Transparent PNG Clipart Images Free Download - ClipartMax
Steamy Cup: Clip Art - Free Steamy Cup - Google Search

Ten Fun To-Do Activities to Celebrate Getting My Vaccine! ... by Delsora Lowe

May is a special month, as the weather warms up, flowers bloom, and folks start putting in gardens and getting outside. And May 10 marks several different things in my life.

It’s my dad’s 102nd birthday. I miss him so much. I know if he were with us, he’d be celebrating mightily. Before he turned ninety, he decided he would throw himself a big party. My sister and I already had big plans underway, so we ended up telling him about the surprise. Instead of being disappointed he had ruined our surprise, he threw himself into helping us organize. Luckily, everything he wanted, we already had on our list. It was a great party. He passed away a few weeks prior to his ninety-first birthday. But I’ll always have my memories of that fun time—both the organizing and the partying.

On May 10, 2019, I released the first book in my Cowboys of Mineral Springs series. At the time, I had written drafts for five books in the series and started a draft on book 6. I released book two in October 2019. I really need to get back to editing the rest of the series.

On May 10, I will have had my second Covid vaccination and will have quarantined for 2 weeks! Yay! So, without further ado, I will list ten things I really want to do this year—all, sad to say, still masked. But best to continue to be safe. Besides, I discovered when I wear my mask walking, it helps keep the allergens in the air at bay and I am able to walk without wheezing. All good! It’s important to focus on every little positive thing we can and not obsess on the negative.

So, in no particular order, my top ten things to do this year (and in honor of RTG’s Ten Year Anniversary):

1)      Enjoy a backyard cocktail or cup of tea with friends.

2)      Hit the local food truck scene and sit on a bench in the sun on the town mall to enjoy whatever I buy.

3)     Spend the 4^th of July (and my grandson’s birthday, later in July) with my family, watching fireworks over the water, from my son’s front deck.

4)      Enjoy the beach with my 3 grandsons later this summer as they attend surf camp (cancelled last summer.)

5)     Enjoy time spent with my daughter and family when they visit from Colorado (cancelled last summer.)

6)     Sit outside in the sun with my mom at her retirement community. We haven’t had face-to-face time since last summer - except waving to her through her apartment window.

7)     Go to the farmer’s market and other outdoor events.

8)      Get together in person for monthly fall meetings with my writers’ group (also cancelled.)

9)    Attend a fall conference (also postponed from last year.)

10  Attend my daughter’s wedding (which means getting on a plane without freaking out, and still having to wear a mask for the five-hour trip.)

Here’s to a good rest of 2021. 

And huge congratulations to the Romancing the Genres blog on ten years of success!

What is something you really look forward to?

  The Love Left Behind

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Left-Behind-Hartford-Estate-ebook/dp/B08L5N5DS9/

 Books2Read   

books2read.com/u/mglVqK

 

 ~ cottages to cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~

Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet and spicy romances and contemporary westerns from the mountains of Colorado to the shores of Maine.

Author of the Starlight Grille series, Serenity Harbor Maine novellas, and the Cowboys of Mineral Springs series, Lowe has also authored short romances for Woman’s World magazine. Her newest novella is The Love Left Behind.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
Author Amazon Page: https://www.amazon.com/Delsora-Lowe/e/B01M61OM39/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

Author Books2Read Page: https://www.books2read.com/ap/8GWm98/Delsora-Lowe

Author BookBub Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/delsora-lowe-93c6987f-129d-483d-9f5a-abe603876518

Author Goodreads Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045986.Delsora_Lowe

Author FaceBook Page: https://www.facebook.com/delsoraloweauthor/

Author Instagram: #delsoralowe

Author Website: www.delsoralowe.com

Author Blog: http://www.delsoralowe.com/blog

CLIP ART:

Fireworks - free fireworks clipart - Google Search

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Farmer’s Market -  free farmer's market clipart - Google Search

Engagement - https://pixabay.com/illustrations/love-romantic-relationship-together-3581038/

 

Celebrating the Seasons … by Delsora Lowe

I had an oil delivery today and with it came the Farmer’s Almanac Country Calendar. With majestic and inspiring seasonal photos and snippets of stories from farmer’s almanacs that spanned several centuries, the perusal through the pages representing each month gave me thought to the visuals of storytelling.

Seasons tell a story. They are also a part of every story you read, whether used as a descriptive show of the character’s environment or as a way to set mood.

To me, seasons are all about moving forward, hope for the future, new adventures, celebrating past accomplishments and accessing the goals that didn’t quite get completed.

There are things I love about each season. And things that I would just as soon not have to experience. Each season has its own feel, scent, look, taste, sound. Each of these are things we might not notice every time we step out the door or back into our living space, because they are part of our environment. Things we take for granted. Things that are familiar to us—or not familiar at all. And that familiarity or lack of familiarity also has an impact on us.

Seasons can affect our moods. And variants of seasons can bring a continuum from joy to despondency.

Think about a damp and stormy fall day, where the air is heavy. It can be hard to breath, weigh a person down in body and spirit. Or a fall day when the sun is shining, the sky is that deep, bold blue, and there is a hefty breeze. Leaves of yellow, red, and orange swirl around your head, to land at your feet. You breathe in the scent of a wood fire drifting from a chimney, or that of a pile of your neighbor’s burning leaves.

Trees and bushes turn to fall colors. The summer flowers are now barren brown or gray stalks tipped with pods hiding seeds to replant the earth come spring. Or the day is a balmy and sunny 60, after the remnants of the first frost have evaporated before your eyes and the last few nights have been cold—a harbinger of winter to come, but a quick reminder of the summer just ended. After pulling a sweater tight as you hugged a warm mug of coffee or tea that morning to stave off the chill, now your step is filled with vigor. The sun warms your face, as you roll up the sleeves of your light jacket and stare skyward to watch one lone, puffy white cloud get carried eastward by the breeze.

How is winter different from fall, and spring different from winter, and summer different from spring? Is your mood changed by the seasons? Do you look forward to and celebrate each season in a different way?

As a writer, season can be used as a character. Seasons are part of the setting that affect your characters. Two characters in the same story can react to the season in entirely different ways that can cause conflict between the two. Or the diversity of their reactions can act as a conduit to help them form a relationship. The use of seasonal variants can add texture to the writing, whether the seasonal element causes fear, joy, longing, energy, depression. All these elements add depth to the character, the setting, and the atmosphere or mood of the story.

I hate thunderstorms. I grew up overseas and also in Washington, D.C. where we had horrendous storms. To this day, if there is a storm, I can’t sleep and I have to occupy my mind reading or watching a good romance.

I have friends who love to fall asleep to the sound of rain or wind. Not me!

Storms bring back memories of living on a mountain in Taiwan during typhoons, with our windows boarded up, sometimes for half a week or more. We knew when we opened the doors, there would be devastation all around us. But in a recent movie I watched, the storm had the heroine inviting her neighboring couple over for board games. She lit a fire, set out candles, and opened her cupboard of “storm snacks.” The hero showed up at her back door to check on her, expecting to find a worried or scared woman. Instead, he found a romantic setting and the laughter of her friends coming from the living room.

In both scenarios the weather was similar. The reaction was different.

All these elements of seasons provide setting for our real lives and the imaginary lives we write about every day.

The Prince’s Son On Zara West’s List of My Favorite Romances of 2020

Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PZD3FNC/
Books2Read
books2read.com/u/b6xzr6
The Rancher Needs a Wife

Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Rancher-Needs-Cowboys-Mineral-Springs-ebook/dp/B07YXB5C4W/

Books2Read
books2read.com/u/bxv56d

~ cottages to cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~

Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet and spicy romances and contemporary westerns from the mountains of Colorado to the shores of Maine.

Author of the Starlight Grille series, Serenity Harbor Maine novellas, and the Cowboys of Mineral Springs series, Lowe has also authored short romances for Woman’s World magazine. Her newest novella is The Love Left Behind.

Social Media Links:

Author website:
www.delsoralowe.com
Facebook Author page:
https://www.facebook.com/delsoraloweauthor/community/
Amazon Author page:
https://www.amazon.com/Delsora-Lowe/e/B01M61OM39/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Books2Read Author page:
https://www.books2read.com/ap/8GWm98/Delsora-Lowe
BookBub Author Page:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/delsora-lowe-93c6987f-129d-483d-9f5a-abe603876518
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045986.Delsora_Lowe
Instagram:
#delsoralowe / https://www.instagram.com/delsoralowe/

Photo/Clip art Attributions:
Moving Forward: Free clipart arrow pointing right 4 » Clipart Station Five Senses: Premium Vector | Icon set of five human senses (freepik.com) Five Senses – Circle: Five Senses transparent background PNG cliparts free download | HiClipart Faces – happy and sad: Free Happy Sad Face, Download Free Clip Art, Free Clip Art on Clipart Library (clipart-library.com)

The Heroes I Learn to Love ....... Delsora Lowe

Since I am not one who likes to read suspense, not because they are not compelling stories, but because they scare me 😊, I prefer to stick to the type of heroes that might seem like villains to begin with. ***

 Having said that, for some reason a villain always manages to sneak into my stories. But they never get too much billing in the story. They are usually there to move the love plot along, not to have their own plot thread.

The villainous-type heroes I love to hate are the ones who swagger, and insist on being king of the castle, ruling their own domain and thinking they know best. But underneath they are marshmallows when they finally meet The One they are meant to be with. The little hints along the way, while they are being overly obnoxious, are things like loving their mom, or they will stop at nothing to help the women in their lives (even when being a bit overbearing about it), or showing kindness to animals and other people who need a helping hand.
Don’t get me wrong, no matter how much they swagger and protect, in the end we find out they do it out of love. Winning over this type of hero takes a heroine who is also king of her domain. She doesn’t like to be protected, until she does find the right man to do that. But, and this is a big BUT, she has to have equal billing in the protection game. And that hero has to love her enough to trust that she will protect him.

As you can imagine, it takes a lot to get these two together as they each vie for power in their own worlds.

Those are the compelling stories that make me go back to authors over and over. The stories where there is no way the heroine would ever choose a man like him. And vice versa.

Some of my go-to authors who have heroines who fight tooth and nail, while falling head-over-heels in love with alpha-males are Melody Grace, Nancy Herkness, Donna Alward, RaeAnne Thayne, Jill Shalvis, and Maisy Yates. And…I could go on and on.

Now if this blog was about different types of character, I would have numerous other lists of favorite authors. A good handful of those are ones who write the terrible villains that I can only read during daylight 😊. Others write sweet, inspirational, historical, romantic comedy, paranormal, and women’s fiction. But each of those genres have different types of heroes.

I’d like to think the heroines in my The Cowboys of Mineral Springs series are the kind who put up with these annoying protectors, but in the end get equal time in the protection business. The third book that I am currently editing and hope to have out in early 2021 is entitled Rescuing the Sheriff. You got it! The heroine does a bit of rescuing of her own, but I won’t tell you how, or I give away the plot.

What’s your favorite kind of villain? Or hero?

*** Disclaimer – even though I say I don’t read romantic suspense, I do. I have many author friends who write that genre, so I want to support them. I buy their books and I read them during daylight. Sometimes it takes me months, since I stop every time I get to something scary. 😊 I used to read a lot of romantic suspense, but I think I’ve steered away from that genre in recent years, because of the way the world is today, I need to escape into the strictly happily-ever-after.

Amazon (also available in print)
 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07PZD3FNC/Books2Readbooks2read.com/u/b6xzr6

~ cottages to cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~

Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet romances and contemporary westerns from the mountains of Colorado to the shores of Maine.
Author of the Starlight Grille series, Serenity Harbor Maine novellas, and the Cowboys of Mineral Springs series, Lowe has also authored short romances for Woman’s World magazine.

Social Media Links:
Author website: www.delsoralowe.com
Author FaceBook page: fb.me/delsoraloweauthor
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/Delsora-Lowe/e/B01M61OM39/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Books2Read Author page: https://www.books2read.com/ap/8GWm98/Delsora-Lowe
BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/delsora-lowe-93c6987f-129d-483d-9f5a-abe603876518
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045986.Delsora_Lowe

ClipArt and Photos:
https://www.pinclipart.com/pindetail/TxxhJT_hero-s-and-villains-one-stop-heros-heroes/ and https://www.pinclipart.com/maxpin/TxxhJT/ 
https://favpng.com/ - SuperMan and SuperWoman https://images.app.goo.gl/zDXWq1cuBaRAKsko7

Favorite AND Most Challenging First in Writing ... by Delsora Lowe

I have a first book ever written (2001), along with many written full manuscripts, still sitting under my bed. But my first book to be published was The Legacy of Parkers Point, released in 2016. My novella, published in an anthology (Welcome to Serenity Harbor), was part of a compilation of novellas by members of the Maine Romance Writers. As one of the project managers on this project, I learned a ton.

The excitement of publishing a first book is beyond description.

When the anthology ran its course in early 2017, and we all received back our rights, I was soon able to experience new excitement. I republished the novella as my first indie-published book. I did the soup to nuts work, same as we did on the anthology: re-editing with a professional editor, working with a cover artist and a formatter, and promoting my “first-born,” as I did the same for two more newly written novellas that would make up the series. The three books, published individually, came out as the Starlight Grille series over the months during the fall of 2017. And then the three were published as a collection with a new short story added in 2018. Scary but exciting, for sure!

The learnings from being one of the project managers on the anthology were expanded as I indie-published The Legacy of Parkers Point and the other two books in 2017. Each book I put out has its own excitement. But that first book—there are no words to describe the feeling.Following is a blog, originally published here on Romancing the Genres (and updated), about my experience as the co-manager of the anthology. The book that kicked off and catapulted me into published-author territory.

Working on an anthology is an entirely different beast. Think Beauty and the Beast. You start out with a quarrelsome, growly, domineering chunk of words that need to be tamed into one cohesive book.

Picture this: Beauty dreaming of finding her hero. Every August the Maine Romance Writers partake in a brainstorming retreat. Okay, so it’s like a huge slumber party. We arrive with sleeping bags and pillows and laptops and snacks (salty and savory) and wine. Did I mention laptops? Yes, we do work. We spend all day either brainstorming our next story in small groups, or sitting on the deck or down by the lake writing on our current work. We break every few hours to exchange writing tips, eat, or take a boat ride around the lake. Oh, and sip wine 😊

Two years ago, we sat on the deck, sated with food and talk and wine (just a little <WINK>,) with the sound of loons on the lake and the full moon arrowing a golden path across the lake and right up on the shoreline in front of us. The setting was one of those perfect end-of-summer evenings.

Our host suggested we might like to try writing an anthology. Within minutes we’d created a town, brainstormed names of the town, set a few guidelines, and we were off and running…

Or so we thought.

The reality is the work we did that night was Beauty’s fantasy. Then the Beast appeared. All the details of actually putting together an anthology. The writing was the easy part—Beauty’s fantasy. Managing a project, was the roaring and untamable Beast.

I am happy to say we did finally tame the beast, and named it Welcome to Serenity Harbor. Beauty and the Beast are now living happily ever after. But as with all good marriages or committed relationships, one must open their eyes, negotiate, persevere over the hurdles, and make a strong commitment to reach that Happily Ever After.

As one of two project managers, working with a group of six committee members and all the authors who were excited about the project, here are the things I learned: (caveat, not all anthologies revolve around a town, like ours did. Some have a theme. Some are made up of a group of authors and there are no rules around story content.)

The following are my suggestions from the experience of working on the anthology, but most of this can also relate to individual works

♥ Map out the project, and plot exactly what the project will look like.

·         Set rules, such as genre of anthology (ours was contemporary), length (we chose short novellas, 15 – 25K words).

·         Write a contract. Include costs, such as professional editor for each work, (authors absorbed that cost), due date of manuscript, anticipated release date, budget (cost of formatter, cover artist, and promotion, for which we shared cost), and production timeline.

·         Determine as a group, parameters around the theme (story bible,) such as name and details of town that all authors will set their story in, name of overall anthology, type of promotion, voting on book cover design, etc.

♥ Research

·         What anthologies are being sold now, how are they set up, etc.

·         Talk to other authors in anthologies to understand their process.

·         Find professionals, editors, formatters, cover artists, etc.

♥ Communicate

·         As a committee, agree on the process.

·         Communicate with all authors each step of the way.

·         Vote on any spending.

♥ Evaluate at the end. Our learnings included:

·         Make sure you factor in realistic expenses, such as copyediting and project manager costs up front.

·         Set deadlines and stick to them.

·         Hire a copy editor, and have one person, not an author related to the anthology, determine if the book fits the criteria and is edited properly

♥ Make it your own

·         One fun thing we did, was to insert the mention of a sheep into each story. Look at the back cover and you will see a rendering of a sheep that says “find me,” designed by one of our authors.

Although, as a group we bumbled our way through the process, for me it was an incredible experience of teamwork and learning about self-publishing. And although the Beast still growls once in a while, the Beast is also loving and tamed. And he and Beauty are living happily ever after.

Although the idea was conceived at our brainstorming retreat, the book is not a product of the Maine Romance Writers, but of a group of writers, some members from out of state, whose bond is through MRW.

Now that it has been several years since we took on this project, I can look back on the process with clarity. This project was indeed hard. One of the hardest things I’ve ever tried, starting from scratch, and learning along the way. Despite the intense undertaking, I learned so much and gained the confidence to go on and publish more books, and for that I am grateful.

 

The Rancher Needs a Wife

Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Rancher-Needs-Cowboys-Mineral-Springs-ebook/dp/B07YXB5C4W/

Books2Read

books2read.com/u/bxv56d

~ cottages to cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~

Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet romances and contemporary westerns from the mountains of Colorado to the shores of Maine.

Author of the Starlight Grille series, Serenity Harbor Maine novellas, and the Cowboys of Mineral Springs series, Lowe has also authored short romances for Woman’s World magazine.

Social Media Links:
Author website: www.delsoralowe.com
Author FaceBook page: fb.me/delsoraloweauthor
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/Delsora-Lowe/e/B01M61OM39/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Books2Read Author page: https://www.books2read.com/ap/8GWm98/Delsora-Lowe
BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/delsora-lowe-93c6987f-129d-483d-9f5a-abe603876518
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045986.Delsora_Lowe

Photo Links:Blue Beast: https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/pictures/160000/velka/blue-monster.jpg / https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=155188&picture=blue-monster

Beauty – Blue Dress: https://cdn.clipart.email/15667992f55f25a3ff416a014ad7a001_beautiful-woman-girl-icons-png-free-png-and-icons-downloads_1840-2400.png