Sunday, August 26, 2007

Upcoming Events

September 8, I'll be joining other Texas Authors for a signing, reading, and discussion about books and ebooks at Borders South Park Meadows, 9500 South IH 35 Service Road, South Park Meadows Shopping Complex, Austin, TX 78748 from 1-5 PM.

On September 26, from 5-7 PM, I'll be participating in my first solo book signing event at The Twig in San Antonio.

If you're in the area, I'd love to meet you!

Monday, August 20, 2007

Every Word Counts

Every word counts, every line matters. In writing, I can look at the same sentence for what seems like hours, trying to make it work. Trying to make it fresh.

In today's world, that's what's important. Freshness. Fresh, strong writing. Oomph. But how do you do it? How do you turn a simple sentence into something so heartbreaking, or lyrical, or so intense that the reader does not and will not put it down?

It takes time. And patience. And there are those days you're going to feel like giving it up. I want to shout it out to the world how hard writing is when they think it's simple to put words to paper. Anyone can write. See Jane run. But not everyone can write good.

Am I good enough? There are some days I don't think so. Some days when every sentence in every paragraph starts with she was. Some days I don't believe I can get up, go to a job I am not happy with, and come home to attempt to write, and to stare at another blank page. How can I make my characters feel anything when I myself feel so robotic?

Bear with me. I'm feeling melancholy today. But I will be empowered. I will continue to write, no matter how many times I question my sanity.

Monday, August 06, 2007

Anxiously Awaiting Sandra Brown

It's almost here...the release of Sandra Brown's new novel, PLAY DIRTY. Now I LOVE to read and I have many authors I buy, even authors I'd put in my favorite authors list, but Sandra Brown is one of the only authors I actually wait for and get excited about.

I'm not a crazed fan, by any means, but I look up to Sandra Brown. She's a mentor of mine, and I've never even met her or exchanged words with her. She's also an enigma, and someone I would love to invite over for dinner (as long as I don't have to cook).

On or about August 12, don't expect me to do much. I've pre-ordered it, so I probably won't get it in the mail for a week after, but it's a day or two, or however long it takes (which won't be long), of no writing, no reading anything else, maybe no cooking. Because truly, Sandra Brown is my favorite author of all time.

Naturally, I want to follow in her footsteps. I hope one day that someone out there will anxiously await my next book. I read and read her stories to get it finished, to see what happens next, but I hate finishing it, because then the story is over for me. Have you ever read something, then had a hard time getting into another story, because it was so well written that everything else paled in comparison?

Sandra Brown is one of the reasons I decided romantic suspense was my passion, and not contemporary romance. I love her style, her voice, her stories, and as each year passes, they get edgier and edgier. She can describe something in a way nobody else can. She releases ONE a year, and though it's hard to wait, it's worth every moment.

Her characters are true to life, imperfect people. I just love them.

Who's your favorite author? One that you just can't get enough of? Do you have one in particular that you admire?

Sunday, August 05, 2007

X Games, Jake Brown, Travis Pastrana, Etc.

Every year, my husband and I watch the X Games---four days worth. Thank God for Tivo, right? If you don't know what X Games is, it is an accumulation of extreme sports such as skateboarding, Moto X, BMX and rally racing. Best Trick, Big Air, etc. etc.

I don't partake in extreme sports, but I'm a huge fan (and of course, I have my favorites). My third novel actually mentions, somewhat, extreme sporting and one day I hope to write more about it.

I was enthralled Thursday night when the skateboarding big air was in process. Jake Brown fell 45 feet, his shoes exploded from his feet, and I'm sure a lot of people, including me, thought he was dead. I prayed as I watched and finally, he stood and walked off the stage. God bless you, Jake Brown! We're glad you're safe.

It was a good show this year, but I was disappointed in the end...the rally race with Pastrana and Foust. I'm a huge fan of Pastrana (and the Subaru WRX, as I have one, LOL), and I didn't think Pastrana should have been disqualified. After all, look at the course. They were so close, it's almost inevitable that someone is going to run into someone else. IMO, you don't get on the course if you don't expect your car to be damaged. Would it have been different if they weren't side by side? But that's what I love about Travis Pastrana, he goes out with joy and no hard feelings. That, my friends, is called charisma, and he has it in spades. He's happy to be there, no matter what, and truly enjoys what he does. More athletes should learn from him (instead of pouting when things don't go their way).

Let's see...four days worth of X Games and there's a lot to talk about. Last year when we saw Pastrana do the double back-flip in Moto X, I feared things would only get crazier. After all, how can you top that? But it seems these athletes always push themselves. I did miss the 900 in skateboarding this year, but as usual, I'm glad everyone is safe.

Congrats to all the winners, and to those who did not win, congratulations. Because you succeeded in making it to X Games and attempting your best.