Summer Time - Who says the living is Easy?

By: Marcia King-Gamble
www.lovemarcia.com

It’s hot and muggy in Florida and the mosquitoes are out in full force. It gets even worse come August where the only respite is air conditioning and a dip in a lukewarm pool.  Now I know why so many people live six months of the year here and travel to cooler climates come spring.

Speaking of travel, it seems that lately I’ve been living my life on airplanes. Last month I vacationed in Alaska (not my first time there.) In a previous life, I spent many a summer in places like Anchorage, Juneau, Skagway and Ketchikan. Back in the day, I flew hunky men back and forth to Fairbanks. Oh, those were the days.

This trip, though, was about rest and relaxation. I met up with a friend in Seattle and we took the coach to Vancouver for the wonderful scenic ride.  No bears in sight, and not even a glimpse of a moose. Our cruise departed from Canada Place in Vancouver. For me, embarkation was a bittersweet experience. In my role as Director of Guest Satisfaction with a cruise line, those employees would have reported to me.

But it was good to be back in the Pacific Northwest and touring several of my favorite cities.  My first stop, Juneau; one of the bigger Alaska cities is known for the Mendenhall Glacier. I passed on going there this time around.  Not so, on a visit to The Red Dog; a Juneau staple where the entertainment is hilarious and the Alaskan ales cold.

Skagway, next on our list, is rich in history. The Gold Rush Cemetery (morbid as it sounds) is a favorite place to visit. In 1898, town hero, Frank Reid fatally shot crime boss, Soapy Smith in what is now known  as The Shootout on Juneau Wharf. The fight was testosterone driven over who would control Skagway during the Klondike Gold Rush. The bright spot here is your walk through the cemetery ends at the most serene waterfall.

Onto Glacier Bay where the Glaciers are eroding.  It's a spectacular sight but sad in its own way. Aren’t these pictures spectacular?

Last, but not least, we arrived in rainy Ketchikan. This time it wasn’t raining, but it did drizzle that afternoon. Ketchikan is known for its totem poles. We passed on salmon spawning but did tour Annie Watkins’ (a black woman from Arkansas) house of ill repute and I learned that in her day, the silver dollar was used like a diaphragm to prevent pregnancies.

Two weeks later, North Carolina here I come. I enjoyed a rather hectic Independence weekend. Now I am back and packing for New York and the Romance Writers of America conference. I am so looking forward to catch up with friends and hearing what’s new in our industry. If there are changes I’ll let you know. 

Speaking of new, my novella, Islands Apart should be released shortly. It was originally part of a Box Set that didn’t work out. The setting is Hawaii and the hunky hero is a disgraced football player. Look for Islands Apart at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and wherever e books are sold. Isn’t the cover designed by Jay Aheer, pretty?

The adventures are hardly over. There’s a weekend cruise planned for August and a trip to Charlotte, North Carolina for Labor Day.

Where are you traveling to this summer?

Romantically Yours,

Marcia

http://amzn.to/1Hrosxz



Marcia King-Gamble is a National Bestseller of 28 novels and 5 novellas. Marcia originally hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. She is a world traveler.

Cliched to Death and Sick of it?

Clichéd to Death and Sick of It?

By: Marcia King-Gamble 

Every writer struggles to keep their work fresh and avoid those much overused platitudes which have readers grimacing and rolling their eyes. You know exactly what I mean; those smarmy, trite phrases that in the real world would have you snarling, “Gag me with a spoon, please,” and running in the opposite direction. 

Yes, I know this blog is supposed to be about your favorite romantic clichés, but honestly, I have been over clichéd so have no favorites. I am taking an entirely different approach to this blog topic. 

Readers expect and deserve more than pit-pattering hearts and pulsating body parts. Romance writing is not about heaving bosoms and throbbing cores. Readers want to meet real people and be introduced to fresh new approaches to story telling.  And this my friend is why an author has a “voice." There is no excuse for lazy writing.

Top of mind are some much overused phrases that have me gnashing my teeth and swearing.

She fell into a sea of blue

She stared at him like a deer caught in headlights

He was the stuff dreams were made of

Her mouth went dry and her knees turned to jelly when he walked into the room

I think you get my point.

As a romance writer, it can be challenging to come up with fresh, unique ways of telling a story and still keep things steamy and romantic.  But it’s the writer’s job to find the right words to engage the reader and leave them panting for more. There are ways to do this without sounding soupy or over the top.  Why would anyone want to settle for the tried and true and sound like every other writer? You have your own unique voice and way of  delivering. 

  

When I sit down to write, I have my arsenal lined up of: drink, snack, research materials. I always have the print version of a dictionary and thesaurus within arm’s reach. There’s something about flipping through pages and finding just the right words or expressions that is liberating. I never get that rush surfing the web.  

If I want to be hip and current, there’s the Urban Dictionary. I’m amazed by the creative euphemisms for everyday words. With just some wordsmithing I can create jaw dropping scenes that would otherwise  be snorers. The Urban Dictionary is my “go to” place for snappy, current day dialogue. I’ve even created a character or two based on some catchy, down-home phrase.  

 Years ago, I received what is still today a cherished gift. The Flip Dictionary by Barbara Ann Kipfer Ph.D.  It is now one of my most prized possession and something every writer should have in their toolbox. If you are struggling to find the right words, you can find it all here.

Below you will find an excerpt from my latest novella, Tempting Andie (the third in The Revelers Series.)  The story is now available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Be sure to let me know if I’ve done a decent job without the cliches.

Excerpt from Tempting Andie:

The lobby doors slid open and Evan and Miguel dressed in brightly colored board shorts walked in. Andie’s retort got caught in her throat. The sheer maleness of Evan rendered her speechless.  She should have stayed with him last night. Today his unshaved whiskers made him look mysterious and sexier than ever.  Just once she wanted those biceps wrapped around her and those fingers strumming her chords. Evan’s broad chest in that Tee-shirt was designed for a woman to lay her head on.  Andie’s hormones were already revving out of control.

 And that ladies and gentlemen is it for this month!

Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive and current world traveler has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned 26 books and 4 novellas. Her free time is spent at the gym, traveling to exotic locales, and caring for her animal family.
Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com  or “friend” her on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/MarciaKingGamble
Marcia’s latest release,  a novella, “Tempting Andie,” the third in The Revelers Series is available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.  http://amzn.com/B00MDZLAQI
She writes a monthly column for  http://digitalromanceinc.com