From the Heart to the Heart

by M. L. Buchman

I write romance. There's a very direct and obvious (mostly) connection between the author and the reader in romance. A writer of romance wants to connect to a single, very specific emotion of the romance reader--true love.

I also write science fiction with the hope of connecting to wonder.
And thrillers, hoping to connect to adventure and thrills.
And...

I sometimes think as romance writers that we lose a clear view of the range and scope of the ways we connect ourselves to readers. The little list above is far too narrow. Too simple.

An example: I started a new short story series recently, US Coast Guard #1 Crossing the Bar. This story is set in what is generally acknowledged as the most dangerous section of ocean there is for shipping: the Columbia River Bar (the area where the Pacific meets the Columbia River just west of Portland, Oregon). Yes, I connected to fans through the love story. But I also connected to a fan who has an absolute fascination about the Bar itself. I connected to their sense of danger of a place while I telling a romance story.

I'm left to consider how I can connect to a fan's heart in ways that I didn't previously understand.

Within the love story, there is the happy ever after, of course. But what comes before that? What engages the reader? Let me turn that question around: What engages me?

I'm fascinated by inner conflict. By the discovery of self as separate and distinct from our pasts. I've written of orphans and happy families. I just finished the first draft of a story about a family who loves their daughter, but never understood her and still doesn't.

Curiously, I write very little about the healing of those families. Yes, I'm focused on the heroine and the hero finding their own future, but the healing of the family is not something I almost ever deal with beyond the most superficial way. Why? Because of my own separation from my birth family? The Buchman clan was never a close one. They were dysfunctional enough that I didn't want peace and reconciliation, I wanted distance and learned self-reliance.

That is a story I've been telling through well over a hundred romance titles.

But I must ask: Have I distanced myself from other fans by not plunging into family reconciliation? I love watching the movies where that happens--even when the resolution is brilliantly dysfunctional yet good. Is it because that isn't my type of story to tell? Or that I simply haven't told it yet?

I write military romantic suspense. I'm trying to connect to the reader's heart through their adrenal gland. As funny as that sentence sounds, "And...He goes for the hand off, folks. The adrenal gland has it. Open field to the right, but he cuts left. Oh! A hard hit! A stumble, but the gland releases a fresh blast of hormones--look at the cortisol flow--and he's in the clear again..."

Okay, maybe I killed the metaphor there, but I couldn't really resist. Why? Hmmm... Now that I look back, I see that I was actually going after the reader's humor gland. (Yes, I know there is no humor gland, but there bloody well should be. How else are we supposed to get through the day? I'd appreciate it if someone could design me one soon.)

I write thrillers. Which isn't just an adrenal gland thing. Sure, a thriller is the roller coaster ride of fiction. But it also brings in a mental excitement (connecting to the readers' heart through their brains). "What's going to happen next? How will they survive? Oh, cool, I never saw that coming. Ha! Neither did the hero. That'll humble the dude for bit. No, it's James Bond. Nothing puts him in his place. Oh, but that did."

How do I find my heart-to-heart connection with the fans? What do I write better than anyone else?

MY point of view. My slice of the world. By connecting more deeply to my heart, that's how I touch the readers'. Not by overthinking which link I can build between us.

Why would I think about the setting of the Columbia River Bar would build a connection to a reader? I should have, because it's so obvious. I wrote about it because I, me, I'm the one who found that setting fascinating and brought it to life for my fan.

I'm the one who loves a good romance. Cares about present family more than past family. Thinks thrillers are a great ride. Is fascinated by the capabilities of technology whether it's a Black Hawk helicopter, a Formula One race car, a Glock 19 handgun, or a spaceship (even though I've never touched any of them). And wants nothing more than to pass on the feeling of the Happy Ever After heart connection that I found with my wife.

For that reason, connecting my heart to my fans, I write romance. I write science fiction. I write thrillers.

M.L. "Matt" Buchman has over 60 novels, 70 short stories, and a fast-growing pile of audiobooks out in the world. M.L. writes romance, thrillers, and SF&F…so far. Three-times Booklist "Top-10 Romance Novel of the Year." NPR and B&N "Best 5 Romance of the Year." RITA finalist. As a 30-year project manager with a geophysics degree who has: designed and built houses, flown and jumped out of planes, and bicycled solo around the world, he is awed by what's possible. More at: www.mlbuchman.com. 

One Small Step...

Hi everyone! I am YA author B A Binns , writer of contemporary and realistic fiction for teens. My tagline tells you what I am about - Stories of Real Boys Growing Into Real Men - and the people who love them. 


Either I’ve been alive a very (very) long time, or history has been moving along pretty fast lately. I remember in history class noting the long times between any events of merit. Not so in my lifetime. I’ve seen the Berlin wall fall. Feared for my brother during the Vietnam War. Watched the once dreaded USSR split into pieces.

Selma isn’t just a movie to me. That march and other acts literally reset my future and changed the lives for many people like me. Then I had to live through the assassination of the man who helped spearhead those changes, Doctor Martin Luther King. That was followed by the assassination of a President and then his brother, a Presidential candidate. All this changed the way we Americans looked at each other.

I’ve seen things happen that people couldn’t even dream of when I was born. A Black man as president of the United States. And pretty soon there will be a Woman President (unless people actually do elect the very scary and unqualified man who preaches hate). I’ve also seen a man walk on the moon. It happened when I was young and full of the glory of science fiction. I’d seen Sputnik, heard President Kennedy vow to have the US lead the race to the moon. I loved him for that alone.

I prayed for Apollo 13 and when Neill Armstrong took his “One small step for man…” I stepped with him. I cried when I watched the Challenger disaster, feeling the same pain that an earlier generation felt when the Hindenburg erupted in flames. Last week I sang along as the lonely Curiosity Rover sang Happy Birthday to itself from its forever home on Mars. I was there for the early pessimism about the Hubble Space Telescope, and now enjoy seeing some of the great pictures it sends us about the reality of the universe we live in.

And I love authors who give me views of possible future realities. I’m not much into the dystopian sub-genre, but I love seeing visions of distant times and worlds that show advancement and an overall positive future. Maybe because too many of the changes I have lived through have been negative.

Nichelle Nichols was my goddess every week from 1966 to 1969. (She still is my goddess for that matter). Zoe Saldano carries the torch well, and I love Uhuru's relationship with Spock in the reboot.  I also love that Star Trek portrays a more positive future, where things get better and the human race evolves. There is no evil Empire of dark side of the force holding us back. That's why I will always be more Star Trek than Star Wars.

As much as I read and watch S/F, for now my own muse insists on remaining in the contemporary realm.  I get my future fix by reading stories Sword and Soul and Afrofuturism stories from authors like Balogun Ojetade, Alicia McCalla, Valjeanne Jeffers and Octavia Butler in books like:

Once Upon a Time in Afrika, a Sword and Soul tale by Balogun Ojetade, is full of magic, gods and demigods. This fairy tale like story tells about a beautiful and badass princess and her father, the king who sets up a tournament that brings on eager suitors, along with an evil war lord out to grab the princess.  Fortunately, the princess is more warrior than wimp, and perfectly capable of picking up her own sword to deal with danger.

 

 

Alicia McCalla mixes West African mythology and Norse mythology in her African Elemental series, to create a story with elements of horror to go along with the science fiction. The heroine is from an African pantheon, the hero a descendent of a Norse god, and they have to accept their calls to become the warriors they are destined to be in order to save their child from a violent predator

 

 

 

Diverse Energies is an anthology of  short fiction. The many stories involve  diverse group of young people - students, street kids, good girls, kidnappers, and child laborers. They are all pitted against their environments, their governments, differing cultures, and sometimes one another. (Okay, many of the stories do have a dystopian air to them after all). This is my go-to book when I want a quick fix of the future or of alternate realities

 

 

 

 

FYI - I teach a class to writers called Writing with Diversity.  During the class two of my all time favorite S/F stories for examples of different techniques. Both Babel-17, a novel by Samuel Delany, and The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula LeGuin, provide examples for two of the lessons:  Worldbuilding and Crafting Characters of  Color.

 

Interview with Gifted Teen Writer Nic Q.

Welcome to Romancing the Genres, Nic! Thank you for doing this Guest Interview for our Highlighting Young Writers Month.

Tell us a little about yourself. What inspired you to start writing fiction?

I am fourteen years old, turning fifteen in over a month, and will attend L.O. High School next year. I first began writing fiction in the second grade, but, since it was many, many years ago, I cannot remember just what my main inspiration was. 

Over the years, however, my inspirations for fiction pieces have included works like Star Trek, Star Wars, The Hunt for Red October, and others.

What’s your favorite place to write? 

I generally prefer to write in a quiet place with computer access where I can feel comfortable and at home. My room fulfills all of those requirements, so I generally do most of my writing there.

Tell us about your latest writing project.

I am presently working on a science fiction novel, which is for the moment untitled, that is set in the far future. It tells the story of a naval officer fighting in a centuries-long interstellar war that has long since degenerated into a long, protracted stalemate, with a corrupt totalitarian regime using it to stay in power. The protagonist finds himself caught in a covert resistance movement attempting to overthrow the government, while simultaneously attempting to end the war through any means necessary. I have actually been developing the plot, characters, and setting for several months now, but due to the pressures of school and recent surgery I have been unable to make much progress.

What was the last great book that you read?

Just a few months ago I read H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds and found it to be quite a good read, even though some elements appeared scientifically dated or outright absurd.

What types of scenes (dialogue, action, romantic) do you most enjoy writing and why?

I enjoy writing description, as it allows me to vividly flesh out and elaborate upon the detailed minutiae of my fictional worlds.

Who has helped you most as a writer? What did they do?

All of my teachers since the beginning of my formal education have helped enormously with my writing ability, helping me to refine my work while simultaneously giving considerable support and encouragement. My teacher last year was especially helpful, and I am actually maintaining an email correspondence with him to assist with my novel.

Are your friends writers, too?

Some of them, yes, but they are not quite as interested in writing as I am. However, both of my parents are dedicated writers.

Where do you go for writing help?

Usually I consult online sources (no particular site, just whatever comes up on Google), my parents, or my teachers whenever I encounter difficulties when writing.

What do you hope to accomplish with your writing?

I hope to finish and publish my science fiction novel by the end of high school. Beyond that, I simply aspire to be at least moderately successful as a professional writer.

What question would you like to ask the writers in our audience?

What is the easiest way to get one’s writing published?

 I hope you get some thoughtful answers to that question, Nic. thank you for sharing your experiences and perspective as a young writer with our audience.

Dragon*Con – One Humongous Convention!

by Stacy McKitrick

2012 - 52,000 PEOPLE

52,000 people. 

That's how many people were reported to have attended Dragon*Con (www.dragoncon.org) in 2012. And man, did it ever feel like it!

If you are a fan of Sci-Fi or Fantasy, this is your convention. There were tracks for Star Trek, Star Wars, Stargate, Joss Whedon, Alternative History, Horror/Dark Fantasy, Gaming Programming, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Literature, Science, Space, and Writers (to name a few.) Held on Labor Day weekend in Atlanta, Georgia, every year, this event encompasses five hotels downtown and gets bigger and bigger each year. The convention center has been added for 2013 (mostly for vendors – yeah, you can BUY things there, too!)
 

Frankly, I don't remember it being so packed in 2011 (we were told there were 40,000 people then, which is still a lot, let me tell you.) The lines were absolutely unreal (and they're everywhere for almost everything!)

MORE OF THE 52,000

But then in 2011 (and 2010), I spent most of my time in the Writers Track (but even those tracks are gaining popularity!)

So, what's in a track, you ask? Could be a celebrity panel discussing their show (either current or cancelled – Buffy the Vampire Slayer is wildly popular every year. If you don't get in line early and wait over an hour, you don't get in.) Could be a panel of writers telling you "101 Fascinating Ways to Kill a Character" or fans discussing a favorite author, e.g. Stephen King, or maybe an "authority" on paranormal activity explaining how you can detect your own ghosts.

But while the tracks are fun and interesting, the biggest thing there is the fans. These are people who spend all year coming up with a costume (or four) and making it just so they can walk around Hotlanta (including the Dragon*Con parade), sweat, and get their picture taken. These costumes are not whipped together in a weekend. Most are planned and many are convoluted! But you can see the love and dedication that went into them.

This convention is cheap when I compare it to other conventions I've attended (under $100 for the full convention if you pre-register early enough – the Saturday pass usually runs about $50), but getting a room can be difficult. Registration for the host hotels open up during the current Dragon*Con and sell out in a matter of weeks. You want to go in 2013? I say get a room at one of the overflow hotels before it's too late!

Besides all the tracks, there are celebrities galore (John Barrowman and Adam Baldwin were big last year) and popular authors (e.g. Laurell K. Hamilton, who is there almost every year, and Sherrilyn Kenyon, who made it for the first time last year.) There is a Walk of Fame for most celebrities where you can walk up to them, talk with them, and pay for their autograph if you so desire (be forewarned, if the celebrity is wildly popular, he/she may be sequestered somewhere else and charge a fortune for his/her autograph!) You think Joe Manganiello (Alcide from "True Blood") looks good on TV? Imagine seeing him up close and personal. Oh yeah! Just keep checking the website to see who's been added. It's a crazy weekend and you certainly don't want to be without your camera.

This is definitely not a writers' convention (or a romance one, either), but you can learn a lot in the Writers Track (which has been sponsored by Belle Books in the past) and maybe even meet an editor or two. And while I do spend a lot of time there, it's not the only reason I attend. I am a fan, too! I just don't dress the part.

TIRED, MUCH?

Yeah, my first time to Dragon*Con (in 2010) was scary as hell, but then again, it was my second convention ever (having gone to the Romantic Times Convention earlier that year.) I probably never would have survived without my daughter helping me (she's attended the last ten conventions.) 

But after that first trip, I was hooked.  ~Stacy

Stacy McKitrick writes Paranormal Romance.
You can find her online at http://www.stacymckitrick.com/index.php

Kick-butt Heroines of Romantic Sci-Fi - by Vijaya Schartz

The wonderful thing about writing science fiction heroines is that they can truly be whatever I want them to be. They don’t even need to be human. They take charge and operate beyond petty gender discriminations, wielding the power of true freedom... unless, of course, I blast an alien grenade into their sophisticated advanced society. That’s always fun to do. After all, without conflict, there would be no story.

But not all futuristic societies are advanced. Sometimes civilization goes backward, my heroine is whisked into a parallel universe (SNATCHED), alien intervention or human warfare destroys dreams of freedom. Then my heroines must restore balance to their world.

Sometimes they are hard core military by choice, like Tia in Anaz-voohri or Zania in Snatched. Sometimes I like to throw them into the fray against their will and watch them flounder and cope, as I imagine the worst possible situations to defeat them. Of course, among all these great qualities of strength and courage, they also have flaws and weaknesses. They usually perform well under pressure... until I find their breaking point. Even then, I still want to be them.

I love my kick-butt heroines. Whether they wield a sword, like in the CHRONICLES OF KASSOUK SERIES, a blaster, or a bazooka, like in the ANCIENT ENEMY series, they confront their fears with courage, and after much suffering, they usually save the day... or the man they love, like in ALIEN LOCKDOWN.

Fiction reveals the writer’s soul. We usually write about what we know. Like my futuristic heroines, I’m a meditator, a fighter, a former gymnast, a skydiver, and a Martial Arts black belt (Aikido). I love Japanese swords and learned how to use them. I believe that even in future warfare, there will be a place for sharp blades. If an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) or a solar flare renders all electronics useless, say goodbye to your fancy weaponry. My heroines can still rely on a length of good steel.

No sniggering, erotica readers. The blade is meant to slay whatever soldier, tiger, or alien demon wants to ruin the day. Of course, there are sizzling love scenes in my books as well. My heroines do deserve their rewards. But I prefer to avoid dubious metaphors.

You can find all my titles in eBooks mostly everywhere in most formats. I also have a few available in print. Some are out of print and only available used. More print books are coming out soon. Find my titles on:

AMAZON  -  Barnes & Noble – Smashwords – All Romance eBooks

 

Vijaya Schartz

Blasters, Swords, Romance with a Kick

http://www.vijayaschartz.com

Here are a few titles to consider:

KICKING BOTS - Ancient Enemy Book Three

CLICK TO BUY

 Dr. Melissa Campbell, head researcher at the San Francisco Center for Disease Control, asks an eminent colleague for help to protect her precious vaccine, one that could end the deadly alien plague. She didn't expect to get a crazy renegade like Bennett Sevastian for a bodyguard. She hates military types, and this genetically enhanced super-soldier is pure testosterone, hot-headed, quick-tempered, impulsive, impatient, and downright impossible. But these are dangerous times with riots in the streets, and rumors of alien invasion. In a breathless race against time, experience the decisive battle for humankind, one that will decide whether Earth belongs to humanity, or to a powerful alien race...

“As always, Ms. Schartz's dialogue is believable and authentic and her characters hero-worthy. I loved Melissa's smarts, compassion, and daring... a veritable thrill-ride, with some twists and turns... exciting, suspense… an unpredictable path that so engrossed me, I found it hard to put the book down. Great ending to a great series!” 4.5 lips - Two Lips Reviews

"Begins with a bang and keeps the fireworks coming. As much as Melissa and Bennett try to fight their feelings for each other, it is too strong for them to deny..." Sensual Reads - 4.5 stars - Sultry

"... Bennett. Sexy, balls to the walls Bennett. Ladies man, his own military militia and a devilish sense of humor. A sensational and fantastical alternate universe, painted and laid out for me with every wondrous word. I really enjoyed every lie and betrayal, every scary new path on their journey to get to the truth and save the world as they know it."
Book Junkie - 4 stars

"I really enjoyed this book. Even though I hadn't read the previous two... I have always been interested in the mysterious disappearance of the Anasazi and this story nicely filled in the blanks... exceptionally well written. I am definitely going to have to find the previous books and check them out as well." - The Romance Studio - 5 hearts - rated very sensual.

SNATCHED

CLICK TO BUY

 Snatched from a post‑apocalyptic battlefield by galactic traders, Zania is sold to a clandestine ring of fighting Amazons on a planet lush with green jungles and teeming with deadly felines. She resents the gorgeous and overzealous Viking champion, Svend, who saves her life but too easily accepts slavery. Adulated by a woman who claims to know her, hated by the jealous Amazon queen who fancies Svend, Zania seeks escape...

But Svend knows the price of rebellion, and on this seemingly peaceful planet, ruled and defended by machines, nothing is what it seems, not even Zania herself... Among the rumbles of a volcano threatening to explode, an insurrection is brewing, and no one is safe...

"...plot twists too numerous to list... Alternate Earths... Zania and Svend fight for their lives... spurned lovers... volcano... Can they find happiness when their world is coming apart?" - Candy - Sensual Reads - Sultry - 4.5 stars

"Brimming with action from the first page... ripe with hidden agendas, evil villains, toothy tigers, brave heroes, and cowardly sneaks. Oh! And do not forget, exploding volcanoes. A well-scripted adventure... thrills and chills on each new page... a diverse array of characters endowed with personality and pizzazz. Pick it up and prepare to be swept away in an escapade of intense science fiction excitement." - Laurie, Coffee Time Romance - 4 cups

"I loved this book... a great Sci-Fi Romance... action packed... mysteries and surprises everywhere... keep you wanting to continue reading to find out what happens... Even if you do not read much Sci-Fi romance, I would recommend this story... filled with characters you love and hate... will leave you satisfied in the end." - Felicia Wright - Paranormal romance Reviews

ALIEN LOCKDOWN:

The year is 3033, and deep in the bowels of the underground galactic prison, something has gone terribly wrong. Rhonda Alendresis never wanted this prison job. When the civilians vanish and an earthquake damages the nuclear reactor, she must go down to repair it with Captain Perfect himself, Cole Riggeur, who always plays by the rules and never trusted a woman in his life. But deep in the underground penitentiary, the most wicked convicts in the Galaxy are loose, and a treacherous shape-shifter plans his revenge. Disconnected from the Garrison, against impossible odds, Cole and Rhonda now face their greatest challenge... trusting each other in order to survive.

REVIEWS:

"The action reminded me of an INDIANA JONES movie and the romance was equally intense." --Paranormal Romance Reviews

"...the fantastic anticipation only a ticking bomb can generate, I was enthralled from page one" --Lynn Lowe - Ecataromance

"...suspenseful, gripping saga of survival, betrayal, and hope...the resourcefulness and courage that occurs when a person refuses to admit defeat and die." --Dena - Fallen Angel Reviews - 5 angels

Why Wait?

 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 while you're at it, think of these quotes from some famous authors on the subject of love.

“Love is the condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.”

       --Robert Heinlein  Stranger in a Strange Land

"Better ten days of love than years of regretting."
        --Robert Jordan The Dragon Reborn

"Greater indeed are pleasures that are shared."
        --R. A. Salvatore Exile 

Do you have any quotes on love you'd like to share?

 © Tam Linsey, 2011. All rights reserved.

Introducing Award-Winning Multi-Genre Author George Guthridge / Amani D'Shan

I started out as a short story writer, and I suppose that field is still my first love.  I did that because I like to work with the oblique and the sleight of hand, and because when I started it was the norm that if you wanted to sell a major book, then you needed to become an award finalist in short fiction. That’s how people I met did it, and I followed suit.  

But I lacked certain basics: (a) any knowledge whatsoever of the fields in which I decided to write (listed in the order they occurred)—  science fiction, western, fantasy, horror, and creative nonfiction; and (b) talent.  

Also, I wanted only to write for the top markets, and I knew that a periodical such as The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction received over 1000 manuscripts per month.  Out of that the editor usually chose one from a newcomer.

Bram Stoker Award Winner
CHILDREN OF THE DUSK

And yet I was almost immediately a finalist for the Nebula and Hugo, the top awards in science fiction.  Then again for the Nebula, for fantasy.  Then a co-author, Janet Berliner, and I won the Bram Stoker of the Year’s Best Horror Novel.  I also sold a western and was one of three national finalists in creative nonfiction, for the year’s best book about education.   (I also wrote porn, but didn’t sell any: I not only didn’t have the background, I didn’t have anyone to help me research.)

What I did was fairly simple: I tried consciously not to write plots like anyone else’s.  As someone said at the AKRWA retreat a couple weekends ago: it’s better to be different than good.  That could have been branded on my forehead.

At first, trying to be different created enormous headaches, because I set my stories on other worlds and therefore had to construct the little suckers.   But then two things occurred to me: (a) there are worlds aplenty right here on earth that are as alien as anything I could invent (National Geographic and I became very good friends), and (b) all fiction has elements in common: plot, character, style, setting, less tangible attributes such as mood and atmosphere – and, most importantly for me, nonfiction.  

I attacked fiction from its nonfiction angle, in a series of steps:

1.)    Identify all the nonfiction tidbits in an article. “Tidbit” are things you can talk about without ever telling a story.   For example, the neck rings on Shaw Karin women in northern Thailand do not stretch the neck.  They suppress the clavicle.   (If you are fairly shy, as I am, such tidbits come in handy at cocktail parties.   If you can’t name-drop, you drop tidbits.)

2.)    Discard all tidbits that are head-based rather than heart-based.  That Poe almost certainly died from rabies is head-based.   That every female above puberty was killed as witches in some medieval cities in Germany is heart-based.  Those latter are the stuff of drama.

3.)    Brainstorm numerous emotional problems to be solved based in some way on a heart-based tidbit.   

4.)    Grade the ideas according to the following:

A= not similar + lends itself to structural/stylistic considerations that will help it get noticed

B = not similar

C = similar to what other people are doing/have done

5.)    Prioritize the A ideas according to the following criteria, which can be set up as a chart:

               Which is the easiest to research?

               Which is most likely to interest readers in the field?

               Which is most likely to interest the editor(s) to whom you are trying to sell?

6.)    Brainstorm numerous main characters based on the emotional problem.   A twelve-year-old whose mother was burned alive and really was a witch is a far different character than a twelve-year old whose mother was burned alive and who was not a witch.  So is the twelve-year-old who knows that her mother was innocent versus the girl who knows her mother was not.  And so on.   Cull, cull, cull until you have a character most likely to rip the heart out of the reader.   

7.)    Never give the reader an even break.   Figure out what you think the reader expects you will do.   Do the opposite.

8.)    Develop a story structure that will best help tell the story AND help it get noticed by other writers in case it gets published.  (A note about this last point: In science fiction, fantasy, and horror, the professional writers vote for the awards, so it’s important to show off a little, albeit without being flashy.  For example, I once wrote a novelette whose halves were mirror images – an homage to the old Ace Doubles from back in the ‘50s.  It was extremely difficult to pull off.   Unfortunately, I forgot to tell people about the homage.  It probably cost me the Nebula.)

I once gave a talk, similar to this discussion, to MFA students at Arizona State.   Two women who knew everything about fiction writing almost burst out laughing.  Fiction writing, of course, cannot be reduced to a process that is nearly algorithmic.  It’s an Art, right?  Yeah, right.  Then the professor asked me to read part of my latest story.  The blood left their faces.

Anyway, I hope you see that what I was doing was to make conscious decisions about my fiction instead of just forging ahead.  I’ve been a judge on a couple dozen writing contests, and I see the same problem over and over again.  Too many writers rely on style.  That’s important, but for me it’s not the essence of fiction.  If I said, “Hey, I read a really good book last night, called The Book, by Jackie Ivie” (whose writing I just discovered and greatly admire) would your first question be, “What was its style?”  I don’t think so.   Or if I said, “I just saw a great video entitled, The Movie, staring Al Pacino,” would your first question be, “What was its cinematography like?”  Again, I doubt it.

Non-Fiction
THE KIDS FROM NOWHERE

Now I have switched gears again, this time into romance writing.  I have no idea if I will be published.  I do know I am loving it.  First, I am more fully able to explore emotional landscapes than I could in other genres.  Second, my wife – who is Thai and reads romances in two languages – helps me plot; and my granddaughter, under whose name I am writing, critiques the result.  What could be better?

--George Guthridge/Amani D’Shan