A Day In The Life: Process, Phone Calls and Sensibility

Kind of a broad title, isn't it? But I like anything that gives me a chance to post a picture of Willoughby. Sigh, one of the most yummy cads around. I know, I know, shoot me, but I was hoping Marianne would end up with him. :)

But I digress . . . as I mentioned a couple of weeks ago when I blogged about the plan for the series, I thought you guys might enjoy a little peek into my writing day--aka "the process."

If there's one thing that writers can agree on is that what works for one person might not work for another. My writing process has changed over the years--mostly because of deadlines and publisher requirements (i.e. the synopsis)--but the past couple of years, I've developed a pretty steady rhythm.

It takes me about 6 months to write a book. That's not actually all writing time. I give myself a good month of "macerating" to think about and develop the story, research the characters/historical background, and then write a synopsis. It might sound like a lot of time, but it really isn't. Fleshing out characters, trying to find their romantic arc, figuring out the all important BM, and trying to sync it all with what's going on historically can be a challenge. But other than writing "the end" this is probably my favorite part of the process. It's the time when I'm most in love with my story--correction: POTENTIAL story. When you actually start writing, all those great things you planned don't always work out. :)

I'm not a "seat of the pants" writer or a plotter but more of a "tweener." (Allison Brennan, Candice Hern, and I did a fun workshop on his once). Basically, I like to have a flight plan in place for where I'm going, but I don't necessarily want to know all the details. I want to give myself "targets" but have plenty in freedom in how I'm going to get there.

So before I sit down to write I like to have a couple of documents in place: (1) a synopsis (usually about 10-15 pages, which I give my editor for approval before I start), (2) a rough "outline" for lack of a better term. But what it really is is ideas for scenes mixed with turning points that I've used to write the synopsis, and (3) a "timeline" for plotting out the bigger turning point and ARC points of the plot and character. It sounds much more complicated than it is. :) Recently, I've started using index cards to mark the big "beats" of the plot (screenwriting term). I really like it, so I'll probably continue to do that.

The actual writing time is about 4 1/2 to 5 months, depending on vacations, school holidays, etc. With whatever time I have left, I send it to my critique partner Jami Alden (romantic suspense), beg her to read it quickly, and sit on pins and needles until she gets back to me. Most of my revisions come from Jami. By time it goes to my editor it's typically in pretty good shape.

Here's where the day to day stuff comes in.

After I get the kids off to school, I usually sit down at the computer by about 8 am and start tackling email for about an hour. Then, pretty much every day unless one of us is on vacation, I wait for the phone to ring. It's time for the daily phone call. For a good half hour to an hour Jami and I talk about what we're working on. Sometimes it segues from a discussion about a current book we're reading, sometimes it's a panic call, but most of the time it's just the daily slog of here's what I'm thinking, what do you think? I can't tell you how much good stuff comes out of these calls.

I swear we could talk for hours about this stuff (and sometimes do). This is where sensibility comes in. I think one of the reasons we've been so successful as critique partners is that we have the same sensibility when it comes to romance. With few exceptions we like the same thing: Alpha heroes, emotional intensity, and big black moments. Sometimes we sound like teenagers discussing a book. You should have heard the recent discussion we had after I read Karen Robard's "Forbidden Love." God, I loved that book! :) But the important thing is that we really know what the other person is going for, and I trust her to let me know if I have or haven't gotten there.

You wouldn't believe how many times we're discussing things and realize we've overlapped in some characterization or motivation. It's crazy. Even to the point of coming up (independently) with very similar plot points that are definitely NOT typical in romance. When Viper's story comes out, I'll fill you in. :)

After the phone call, it's time to write. Typically, I strive to write about a scene a day (roughly 1,500 words). With an occasional break for working out, I revise until about noon, eat lunch, and then write on my alpha smart until about 5 (with a break for picking up the kids). Sometimes those 1500 words go quicker, but more often they take longer. The alpha smart is supposed to cut down on my revising as I go, but I still manage to do it. Can't help it. :) When I'm closer to deadline, I'm working until 6 or 7, and also, sadly, on weekends.

Any promotion I do--answering email, blogs, website updates--is typically done on the weekend. Because this seriously cuts into already limited family time, promo is pretty limited. When people ask why I'm not on facebook, twitter, etc. this is why.

After I finish a book, it's right on to the next one. Literally. Only when I'm between contracts do I get a month or so break.

So that's it. Boring, isn't it?

You guys will have to read Jami's new Romantic Suspense series when it comes out from Grand Central starting in July, I swear sometimes we share the same brain. :)

A Little News Posted on my Website

Those of you wondering who is going to star in the next book, the wait is over. It's not often that you get to make 99.9% of your readers happy, but if the reader email and the comments on this blog are any indication, I think I just got to do that. :)

I'll be collecting on those bribes now, LOL.

Happy Valentine's Day Everyone!

UPDATE: The Viper: A Highland Guard Novel is already up for pre-order on Amazon!

Mini Update for Giveaway!

My planned post didn't materialize this week, but I wanted to pass on information about a big romance giveaway that Ing is participating in with a couple hundred other blogs here. Love that historical giveaway Ing. :)

I'm sure many of you guys back east don't want to hear about it, but we've been having amazing weather here. I think it's rained once in the past month and a half. Wish I could be enjoying it more, but somebody is chained to her computer right now trying to finish book #4.

Hope you have some fun plans for the weekend (is it here yet?) and Valentine's Day. I know this is probably heresy for a romance writer, but I'm not a big Valentine's Day fan. Never have been. It always felt so forced to me. But I guess it's a good excuse for a present. Dave, are you listening?

The Plan

Recently, I put a new section up on my website called "All About the Highland Guard." If you missed a book, are new to the series, or just want a refresher before the next book comes out, it's the one-stop destination to find out what's been going on. I'll be updating it soon, but in the FAQs section, I answer (kind of :)) the most common question I get from readers: basically a variation of who's next or when is [blank's] story. You can read my answer here, but I thought I'd give a little more explanation of why I'm REALLY not trying to torture you. (Ing, this means you, LOL!) There is a plan . . .

I conceived the series to be between 10-12 books. If I get to write them all (I hope!), most but not all of the guys will have a story, however, there are some twists and turns along the way.

The series spans the period from 1305-1314, basically from the time Braveheart dies to the Battle of Bannockburn (the battle where Bruce definitively beats the English).

To do a big series like this, I needed to plan out the order of the books beforehand. I usually don't discuss the writer's process because I'm not sure readers are really all that interested in the nuts and bolts. But here it's relevant. I broke the period up into key events to give each story its own backdrop and to make sure it ended on a high note (i.e. The Chief ends with Bruce getting the crown, The Hawk ends with Bruce retaking his crown and Edward dying, and The Ranger ends with the big victory agains the MacDougalls). Then I tried to match up what was happening in that period with the hero whose skills would be the most useful. It was a little bit like working out a big puzzle, but most of them were pretty obvious (i.e. when Bruce is forced to take refuge in the Western Isles, it had to be my seafarer/navy seal--Hawk; when I read about a scout who warns Bruce about the ambush at Brander, I knew it had to be my scout, etc). From there, I came up with a very basic possible story line for each book, knowing I would possibly need to set things up in early books.

The point is that the order of the books and the hero have been set from the beginning and are determined by what is going on historically. So even if I know readers really want x's story, I can't write it out of order or the series would be jumping all over the place. This isn't to say that a certain book isn't on it's way--cough cough--but more to give a little insight into the order of things. :) In other words, there is method to the madness!

Planning and keeping track of all the characters and plot lines in a big series is a big undertaking and very different process from writing a trilogy. The initial document I had was over 50 pages single spaced. Now, it's hundreds of pages. But not long after I decided to write the series, I discovered an amazing writing software program that I was able to adapt to use as a series organizer. For those of you who are writers out there, SCRIVENER has been an amazing tool (right now only for macs, but soon for pcs). I wrote the developers about how I was using it, and they loved the idea so much they did a big interview with me, complete with pictures. If you are interested it's here.

My writing friend and I, Tracy Grant are going to be giving a talk to the Silicon Valley Romance Writer's Group in May on writing series. If any of you are local, you can find out more info here.

Having said all that, I hope to have some news soon as to what's next! My publisher is finalizing the schedule as we speak. Stay tuned . . .

Series are wildly popular right now. Every time I open up the latest issue of Romantic Times, it seems like the "series wrap-up" section is getting longer and longer. Of course, that makes me worry about reader burnout. I enjoy series in romance, as long as there is a happy ending for the main couple. In other words, I don't enjoy single character series as much (in romance at least). My favorites? Loved Julia Quinn's Bridgertons, Suzanne Brockmann's SEALs, Cindy Gerard's Black Ops, Tara Janzen's Steele Street. Right now, it seems like the biggest series right now are Paranormal and "small town" stories like Robyn Carr's.

What about you . . . do you like series? Are you getting series burnout? What are your favorite series right now (other than a certain Highland series, LOL)?

What kind of reader are you?

With the Oscar nominees being announced this week, I thought it would be interesting to talk about how you "judge" a book.

I'm in the middle of judging my allotted RITA books for the year and, as usual, have been really enjoying myself. For those of you unfamiliar with the RITA, it's the annual contest for published authors sponsored by the RWA. It is generally regarded as the most prestigious romance contest for published authors, i.e. the Oscars for romance books. The judging is by other published authors. You can judge any category as long as it's not one you are entered in. I always choose Regency, Romantic Suspense and Contemporary categories (you have to choose three), and end up with mostly historicals, which is great.

Around this time the loops are always full with RITA related posts--you can't discuss which books you are reading--and something someone made a comment on the loops stuck in my subconscious and popped up when I was reading last night. I can't remember her exact words, but it was basically along the lines of how critically she judged the books. I have a number of writer friends who regularly talk about how hard they are to impress. When they read, it's like they're a high school english teacher with a red pen in hand, LOL.

It reminded me of a review I came across recently. Believe me, I try to avoid Amazon reviews, but sometimes it's inevitable that I see something. Last week, I had the pleasure of seeing one of those wonderful one star reviews. Goes with the territory, I know, but it doesn't stop the sick to the stomach feeling (as usually happens when I see something like that), until I hit the "other reviews" link. I don't remember the exact numbers, but this particular reviewer had about fifteen reviews. Of those THIRTEEN were one star reviews. The "best" review she'd given: a three star. Wow. That's one tough cookie.

By comparison, I think I'm pretty easy to satisfy as a reader. I've been charting the books I've read for the past 5 years or so--strictly for my memory only--assigning a letter grade to each one. I have probably only a handful of D's and F's, a few DNF's, maybe 20-25% C's, and the rest B's and A's. I start out with the expectation that I'm going to enjoy the book (otherwise I wouldn't have picked it up) and usually those expectations are met. My test is one of enjoyment--if I enjoyed it, that's enough--even if there are "problems" I notice as a writer, it doesn't effect my judgment as a reader. For example, I can forgive a silly suspense plot if I LOVE the romance.

So what about you . . . what kind of reader are you? Do you read with a red pen in hand or are you the kind of teacher we all wanted in school: an "easy grader"? :)

Quick update:

I'm talking dream destinations over at Monica Burn's blog today. She and I were Golden Heart finalists together in 2005 (I think that's right). She has a HUGE blog event scheduled for the next month with lots of prizes, so you might want to check it out.

Hope you all had a nice long weekend!

I love you Karen Robards!

(Or: The Joys of Discovering a Backlist)

Karen Robards is one of the big romantic suspense stars in our industry. I've read a number of her books over the past few years and really enjoyed them. But it wasn't until recently that I learned she used to write historicals. That's when one of those great moments happens as a reader: I discovered her backlist. [Aside: this is where having a kindle is a great boon not only to an author but also to a reader. I downloaded about 10 of her books in a week.]

I think I've mentioned before that I've been reading romance off and on for more years than I want to claim. My earliest romance memories are of books like The Wolf and the Dove & Shanna by Kathleen Woodiwiss and Sweet Savage Love by Rosemary Rogers. Catherine Coulter, Judith McNaught, Shirlee Busbey, Jude Deveraux and Johanna Lindsey were also early favorites of mine. I read romance off an on through college and a little less in law school, but I do remember reading Julie Garwood in the early 90s. From the list of author's above, you can see I was there to read most of the classics of our genre.

I'm sure this has had an impact on my writing. I love what has been called "old school" romance, and many readers and reviewers have picked up on this in their comments about my books. One of the things I love about old school romances is the emotional intensity and gut-clenching "black moments" (the disastrous point in the romance--usually about 3/4 of the way through the book when a relationship between the hero and heroine seems impossible).

Good black moments are hard to find in today's romances, in part, IMO, because it's harder to get away with some of the things "old school" romances used to get away with. By this I'm referring to many things, from story lines, to what would today be called asshole heroes, to the really really bad things that used to happen to characters, and to the fact that often the hero's POV wasn't often used, making him--and his thoughts--more of enigma. If the heroine couldn't be sure of the heroes feelings, neither could we.

I haven't gone back and read all my old favorites, but one of the problems I've found with some that I have is that they often don't quite hold up to my memories. I don't have the tolerance I used to for certain plot devices (from big misunderstandings, to "forced seduction", etc.).

So imagine my delight when I discovered an "old school" author who I'd somehow missed the first time around, but who's books have held up extremely well. She has some of the sexiest heroes I've come across in a long time--Alpha with a capital A. I must give credit to my friend and CP Jami Alden (who shares my love of old school) for pointing me in her direction. We sound like excited teenagers when we discuss these books, LOL, but I think the love and enthusiasm part of the magic. I love the romance genre, and when I find books like Karen Robards's, it reminds me of why.

So if you love old school romances, Alpha heroes, or just want a lesson in how an author can do a romance trope extremely well, here are some books I loved:

Forbidden Love: I know it's "wrong"--in this ward/guardian book the heroine is much younger than the hero--but God, I loved this book!

Loving Julia: Pygmallion done right. One of her most popular/well-loved books.

Dark Torment: Loved this one: Irish hero sent to Australia as a convict; heroine is daughter of his owner.

Scandalous: Read a while ago, but spinster sister saves family.

Desire in the Sun: slave hero with plantation owner daughter heroine

To Love a Woman: Not a historical, and sex might be on the edge at times for some, but loved this VERY alpha hero.

So what are the books you read that got you into the genre? Have you had an experience like mine, where you find a new author, and then gorge happily on their backlist?

A Very Happy New Years!

Looks like my celebrating isn't over. Just found out that THE RANGER hit the NY Times Bestseller list at #24! Double the thanks to all of you for helping to get it on there. I'm doing the happy dance and breaking out the champagne tonight. :) Whoo hoo!!!

Don't forget to come check out my interview with Ing over at her new blog today (Thursday).

UPDATE: I think I'm still in the holiday fog. I forgot to mention that I'll be on Borders True Romance today (Saturday) talking about THE RANGER (and the inspiration for the characters), if you want to stop by and say "hi."

A Huge Thank You!

I just wanted to thank you guys for all of your support and wonderful comments this past week. I know the time between Christmas and New Years is a busy one for everybody, so I truly appreciate the effort you guys made to pick up THE RANGER. You guys are the best. If you guys haven't checked out Laurie's review, you won't want to miss it here, and Ing is having a Monica McCarty week on her new blog, so check it out for some great giveaways!

Happy New Year!

The Ranger is Here!

Just in time for the New Year, THE RANGER hits the stores today! This is Arthur Campbell's story. Arthur was forced to leave the Highland Guard in book #1 (The Chief) and has been embedded in the English camp for a couple of years but is anxious to return to the fold. On his final mission for Bruce, however, he comes face to face with the one woman who can unmask him. As always I can't wait for you guys to tell me what you think.

Happy New Year to everyone!

And the winners are . . .

The TWO winners of this week's contest are Lynn Murphy Earl and Helga Marie! Congratulations you guys! Email me your choice of Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Borders, along with the email address you would like me to send the gift certificate to, and I'll get it off to you ASAP.

Happy Holidays to you all. Thanks so much for stopping by to comment the past few weeks. I know it's a busy time. Only a few more days . . .

The Scent of a Man

Welcome to the last week of my giveaways leading up to the release of THE RANGER on December 28th. This week you have two times the chance to win. On Friday, I'll be using random.org to pick TWO winners from this week's comments. Each person will receive one $25 gift certificate from their choice of either Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Borders. Normal rules apply.

If you haven't seen the hilarious Old Spice commercial above, take a quick peek. It's a good starter for something that has been on my mind this past week. My husband bought some new aftershave lotion that had a pretty strong scent. It wasn't "bad" or anything, but it make me realize how much I don't like scents on men.

It's funny because I (like most romance authors) always write about how amazing my heroes smell (i.e. dark, spicy, wind, sea, forest, pine, sandalwood, myrtle, and the ubiquitous heather to name a few). It's kind of expected. Use the five senses we all hear in craft talks. But in reality I don't think I want to notice anything other than maybe the slight hint of soap. L'eau to Irish Spring, LOL.

I decided to go shopping for a new aftershave for my husband since he seems inclined to throw something on and couldn't find anything that I liked. To me they were all too strong and overpowering. You'll have to wait until after Christmas to hear what I decided to do. (He sometimes reads the blog).

What about you? Do you like scent on men? Do you have a favorite aftershave? Maybe I can be convinced . . .

And the winner is . . .

The winner of the $25 gift certificate for this week is [drumroll] Madhura! Congratulations!! Email me your choice of Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Borders, along with the email address you would like me to send it to, and I'll get it off to you ASAP.

Thanks to everyone for commenting this week. Looking ahead to the FINAL week before THE RANGER, here's the hint: two times the fun. :)

Two Week Countdown!

Two weeks from today THE RANGER hits the stores. To celebrate the release of the third book in my new Highland Guard series, one lucky commenter of this week's blog will receive a $25 gift certificate from your choice of Amazon, Barnes and Noble or Borders.

I will use random.org to pick the winner on Friday. The same rules as normal apply (only one comment per person will count, must reply with a valid email by Sunday Dec. 19th, etc.).

I thought I was in such good shape this week. I did a lot of my shopping early and had some great ideas for the rest. So how did I end up running around all day yesterday to try to get some packages in the mail? Sigh. I also have a birthday coming up on Friday (43, yikes!), so it's a busy week.

Have you done all of your holiday shopping? Anything special you want this year? I'm hoping Santa brings me a new ski jacket (hint, hint, Dave). Or maybe you're taking a fun trip?

And the winner is . . .

Marla at Stolen Bon Bons!!!! Just send me your snail mail address at the email on my website (here) by Sunday night, and I'll pop the early copy of THE RANGER in the mail to you. Have a great weekend everyone, and thanks for the fabulous comments. You'll want to check back next week for another prize (hint: it might help with some of your holiday shopping :)).

Early Copy Alert!

One of the most exciting days in the publication process for me came last week when I opened a manilla envelope to find an early copy of THE RANGER. There's just something about pulling out that first copy and seeing it all bundled up in one beautiful package. I know I say this every time, but I really love this cover. Something about the soft greens and the horseman in the background (abs aren't too bad either, LOL).

Since THE RANGER is coming out right smack in the middle of the holiday break (Tuesday December 28th), I thought it might be fun to do a few special blog contests leading up to the release. So for the next few weeks I'll be posting a new contest at the beginning of the week and then choosing a winner on Friday. The first prize? You guessed it, an early copy of THE RANGER--signed if you want it.

Last night we brought home our Christmas tree, which the kids have pretty much taken over decorating. For my husband's and my first Christmas together, I bought the Reed and Barton annual Christmas bell ornament to mark the occasion. I liked it so much, I bought one the next year and a tradition was born. Some years I delayed a little too long and ended up having to hunt for the darn thing for days, but I've always managed to find one. Last night my daughter pointed out "we have too many bells," and I realized we have TWENTY of them! Wow. Hard to think we've been together that long.

So finding the annual Christmas bell has become one of our family traditions (along with baking Gingerbread Cookies :)). Have you started any new traditions in your family? What was your favorite holiday tradition growing up?

I'll pick a winner on Friday (using random.org) from the comments. Winners will have until Sunday to contact me with their email/snail mail addy. Only one comment will be counted from each person. All other typical rules apply. Can't wait for Arthur to find a good home!

The McCarty's European Vacation

We're not quite the Griswolds, but sometimes it feels close, LOL. Sorry for the radio silence around here, but I just got back from 10 rainless but cold days in London with the family. We had a great time, managing to fit in day trip's to York, Stratford-Upon-Avon, and Warwick Castle.

I also toured Westminster Palace (better known as the Houses of Parliament) with my daughter. I've been to London 7 or 8 times, but it was the first time I'd managed to secure a ticket! The above photo is a plaque in the old Hall building (one of the two remaining buildings of the old medieval palace) marking where William Wallace stood trial! I had some serious shivers going.

Below are a couple photos of the Hall--it was truly magnificent. The most beautiful medieval hall I've ever seen. As Mel Brooks says, "It's good to be the King!"

As you can see they were getting ready to decorate the Christmas tree.

Every time I go to London my vow to live there some day gets a little stronger. I really regret not living there when I had a chance (i.e. before kids). I had an opportunity to do a semester abroad when I was at college, but I couldn't bear the idea of leaving all my friends. Sigh. Hindsight.

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Anyone do any traveling? Have you ever wanted to live in a different country for a while?

Time Travel

I've always been fascinated with the idea of time travel. I think it probably stems from watching a couple movies when I was young (Somewhere in Time and Time after Time) and then--but of course--reading OUTLANDER in the early 90s. That book not only helped to foster my love of all things Scotland (particularly those strapping lads), but also started me on a quest for great time travel novels. One of my all time favorites is GREEN DARKNESS by Anya Seton. I still have a soft spot for Scottish historical time travels, I suppose they are technically the only "paranormal" books I regularly read. I took a break from romance reading in college and law school, but "rediscovered" my love of the genre thanks to Karen Marie Moning's early Highlander books. I also loved Michael Crichton's Timeline--both the book and the movie (hello Gerry).

I love the fantasy of thinking that I could actually go back in time and experience the history that I love reading about. If I could pick one time period to go back to, I think I would pick medieval Scotland (Braveheart/Robert the Bruce). I'd love to know what it was really like. But I'd only want to go back for a quick peek. I don't think I'd want to stay there too long. Life was pretty brutal, especially for women.

What about you . . . what time and place would you want to go to?

Sniffing Ski Season in the Air

With Saturday night's "fall back," it really feels like winter around here. Dark at 5 . . . yuck! Fittingly, it rained (poured actually) all day on Sunday and then today we had a nice cold snap. Was it only last Friday that I played golf?

I think I've mentioned before that I love golf. I've played off an on now for about 20 plus years, although with the exception of a few years early in my husband's baseball career (i.e. before children), I haven't really been able to play with enough regularity to get good. I'll have some great holes, and then some not so great ones. :) We've actually started to play quite a bit more the last year or two because our kids finally reached the point where they could play 18 holes decently. Talk about a whole new world opening up, a natural foursome!

With winter coming, golf will take a back seat to my other favorite activity: snow skiing. I've been skiing since I was five, and my kids have been on skis since they were 2. When my husband retired from baseball, he picked up the sport for the first time (which was hilarious (she says with an evil laugh)). Now the whole family can ski together. Unfortunately, we'll probably only get one big trip in this year because my son is going back for his second of three foot surgeries in January.

Golf and skiing are pretty much my main outdoor activities these days. One of the biggest changes for me over the past five years since I've sold is the pretty significant decrease in my physical activity. I had been playing quite a bit of tennis, worked out 3 times a week and walked most of the other days. Sadly, I haven't played tennis in a LONG time, I don't get out to walk, and I'm lucky to work out 2 days a week.

I should find the time to do more, but it doesn't seem to happen. My "goal" is to limit my writing time to school hours so I can be available when the kids get home. Taking time to up my activity level eats into those writing hours, and frankly it just seems to get harder and harder to get my butt out of the chair.

What do you guys like to do to keep active? Any fun sports that you are in to? Or, like me, do you find it hard enough to get all the other stuff done?

Better than Glee!

Sorry, Ing, I couldn't resist. :) This video has gone viral in SF. The cleverness of people on YouTube never ceases to amaze me. For those you wondering what my son's costume for Halloween is all about this video will give you an idea.

My mom found a picture of me as wonder woman so be on the look out for picture soon. :)

UPDATED: as promised here it is! I think I'm about 11, and that's my sister and brother with me. Hilarious, isn't it?