Cool news and writing progress

First of all, the cool news -- Armed & Magical has sold out its first press run and is now in its second printing! Thank you to all of you for snatching up those copies. : )

For those of you who are planning to go to the Romantic Times Booklovers Convention in April, online convention registration is now open at www.rtconvention.com. If you want to get a room in the convention hotel (the Wyndham Orlando Resort), register ASAP. Rooms in the convention hotel go quickly. If you're staying at another hotel, or crashing with friends in the Orlando area, registration isn't as urgent.

As to my work progress on Bewitched & Betrayed -- I'm exploring my villains' motivations. Since the villains are the ones who make all the problems for Raine to deal with, I've always felt that understanding what they want and why they want it is critical to know before I settle down to start writing in earnest.

And "Book Brain Syndrome" strikes again -- For those of you who've been reading my blog for a while, you know that I define "Book Brain Syndrome" as those times when you can't do simple tasks because the vast majority of your brain is being held hostage by your muse for book-related thinking. Last night, I was doing a load of laundry. Simple, huh? Apparently not for me in the grips of Book Brain. The laundry finished washing, I went into the laundry room, opened the washing machine to put the clothes into the dryer. . . then I just stood there, staring down at the wet clothes. Something just wasn't right. Then it hit me -- Oh crap, I forgot to put in the laundry detergent. So I washed the clothes again, and this time I used detergent. It was Book Brain Syndrome at its finest.

Lisa

Bewitched & Betrayed -- Chapter 1 started, I think.

I have my catalyst, I think. For me the catalyst is the action-packed, kaboom event that propels a book off the starting line. It's also the steel cable that runs through the entire book & plot, connecting the major action points together, turning scenes into a seamless story.

At least that's that plan.

Yesterday, the idea for Chapter 1 came to me, so I started writing it down. I hadn't planned to start writing until this weekend, but my muse (as usual) has other ideas. My idea for Chapter 1 meets all of the requirements -- an action-packed, scary as hell page-turner. Works for me. I could be off to a false start, but I don't think so. Not only does it meet the requirements, it very nicely foreshadows a major event at the end of the book. I think I have a winner. (big, huge satisfied & relieved grin)

My deadline for Bewitched & Betrayed (aka B&B) is May 1, that's 8 months from Monday. I'll be going for my usual two chapters a week. That's my goal, but as always, we'll see how that goes. Books go at their own pace, and nothing we poor writers can do is going to hurry it along. And since Chapter 1 is still in that squishy, half-set Jello phase, I'm going to cut myself some slack on that two-chapter-a-week goal right now.

Today and tonight, I'll be nailing down character motivation -- the one or two big motivating points for each one of my main characters. I'll then weave that into the catalyst and the plot synopsis, in hopes that will help me to start turning a synopsis into a solid story.

Wish me luck. ; )
Lisa

Bewitched & Betrayed -- The planning week

The Trouble with Demons is in New York with my editor, so until she gets back to me with any final tweaks that need to be done, there's nothing left to do now but get going on Bewitched & Betrayed.

Yikes -- and not yikes.

While starting a new book is kinda like going off a high dive in the dark and hoping someone filled the pool, I've gotten enough rest this time that I'm excited about Bewitched & Betrayed. BTW -- I'll be abbreviating the book title as B&B, just so you know I'm referring to a book and not a bed & breakfast inn.

Starting a book is exciting because the possibilities are endless. Starting a book is scary because the possibilities are endless. If I pick the wrong possibility, I could screw up this book really quick. That's where a detailed synopsis can save your bacon. A royal pain to write, but at least for me, more of a pain not to have. That way if I do go off wandering down a side road that leads to a dead end (and I always do), I have a map to get me back on the highway.

I did have in mind what I wanted to do with Chapter 1, and I've decided that what I had won't work, and you know, that's just fine. It really opens up my options. I have the plot, but I don't have the catalyst -- the event that sets everything in motion, runs like a connecting chain through the entire plot -- aka, the all hell that breaks loose.

I usually light that fuse half way through Chapter 1 in a book. This time, I think I'm going to do it from the get go, in the first sentence. (Don't worry, Raine has had a little break from the action of TTWD.) Oddly enough I'm not freaking out over not having the catalyst. A book or two ago, I'd be well into a panic by now. Not this time. (happy, serene smile). I know I've got my plot, and that everything will be fine. That being said, since I have to start writing Chapter 1 this Saturday, keep checking back throughout this week as I dig around in my notes to find just the thing to start the book with. By the end of the week, if I haven't found it, you might get to see me in a full-blown freak out.

I'll be freaking out; you'll be entertained; it'll be fun for all of us. ; )

And seeing that I'm still reading through all 225 pages of my notes in search of a catalyst, I can't post blog topics for this week because I don't know what's gonna happen -- it'll depend on what I get done each day.

Welcome to the roller coaster,
Lisa

Saturday Fun Pic -- Why spelling & punctuation matter

I don't know what "hot ogs" are, but apparently they're very big and really expensive.

Derek couldn't resist snapping a shot of this on the way home from our mountain trip last weekend. After being married to me for 17 years, he proofs signs and billboards, too. ; )

Have a great weekend!
Lisa

Coming up next week: I've turned in the edited version of The Trouble with Demons, and have started reading all of my notes for Bewitched & Betrayed. I just did the math, and I have 225 pages of notes. Dang, that's a lot of reading. By next weekend, I'll start Chapter 1. That'll give me 8 months to write the book and turn it in. Next week, I'll see if I can do day-by-day of how I crank up to writing a book. One post I know I'll have to write is "The Terror of the Blank Screen." It's coming; I can feel it breathing down my neck. ; )

How much of me is in my characters?

In yesterday's blog, I asked if any of you had writing questions for me. Christina had a great one. She wrote: "I was reading about a local author who says she makes a point of not having much in common with her characters and I was wondering what you think about this. Do you put your personality and habits and the like into characters? Have you ever been tempted to name a character Lisa? Have you ever thought of actually writing yourself into the book in a small role?"

So how much of me is in my characters? Quite a bit, actually. I've read interviews with authors who said that there's some of them in most, if not all, of their characters. My husband tells me that I am Raine. (I think she's way cooler than I could ever be.) But if my hubby wants to think that I'm cool, snarky, smart, savvy, and sexy -- who am I to argue? ; )

Through characters, writers can work out a lot of subconscious crap going on in their lives (their main character's problems and fears); we can behave in socially unacceptable ways (I love writing Sarad Nukpana -- and he really comes into his own in TTWD); and we can do heroic acts we wouldn't do in real life, but would like to think we could if we had to. They don't call it fantasy for nothing. ; )

Now I don't mean that I have Raine's problems (and thank God that I don't), but in guiding my characters on their journey toward solving those problems or dealing with situations, I can't help but to inject my own experiences and opinions, and how if I were such a character in such a situation, this is how I would go about dealing with it.

As to habits: Raine is afraid of water; I can't tread water worth a damn. Dump me in the ocean and I'd be in serious trouble. Using the Saghred makes Raine sick & dizzy; heck, I can't watch rollercoasters on TV, and Dramamine lives in my pocketbook. Raine talks before she thinks; ditto for me (though I'm getting better at it). Raine isn't exactly what you'd call diplomatic; if I've got a problem with someone, I also cut through the crap and get right to the problem. I'm sure the list goes on, but I'm just now getting to my coffee; I haven't cleared the brain cobwebs yet.

All that being said, there are some characters that have nothing to do with me: Carnades Silvanus being one. Rudra Muralin is another. But for some reason, I simply adore writing Sarad Nukpana; any scene with him and Raine simply flows. Sarad is so blissfully evil; he's evil because it's fun. In TTWD he says that "Morality and honor are an inefficient, unproductive waste of my time." That's Sarad in a nutshell right there. And it's most definitely not me. ; )

Coming up next week: I've turned in the edited version of The Trouble with Demons, and have started reading all of my notes for Bewitched & Betrayed. I just did the math, and I have 225 pages of notes. Dang, that's a lot of reading. By next weekend, I'll start Chapter 1. That'll give me 8 months to write the book and turn it in. Next week, I'll see if I can do day-by-day of how I crank up to writing a book. One post I know I'll have to write is "The Terror of the Blank Screen." It's coming; I can feel it breathing down my neck. ; )

Coming up tomorrow: This Saturday Fun Pic was taken on our way back from the mountains last weekend. Let's just say it only goes to show how important spelling and punctuation truly are. ; )

Happy Friday!
Lisa

Book news and trivia

I got a wonderful surprise yesterday afternoon -- my editor sent me the cover for The Trouble with Demons. It's not the final version, but I was told that I'd have that around mid-September. I asked, because I'm dying to show it to you all. So in another month or so, I'll get the final version and post it immediately. I can tell you that this is my favorite cover; it is precisely what is needed for TTWD -- it's definitely a darker look and I LOVE IT! The original model wasn't available, so we have a new Raine -- she's a little older, looks savvy, street-smart, sexy, and downright dangerous. She's wearing brown leather from head-to-toe, and is armed with a pair of wicked daggers. THIS COVER ROCKS!!

Now that I've got you all salivating (and me dying to post that cover) -- I'll move on to title trivia. I'd been asked what was the reasoning behind the name for my first book. The original title was Thief of Souls. Before publication, it was changed to Magic Lost, Trouble Found. How did that happen and why? I named the book Thief of Souls because of the Saghred. The translation for the goblin name "Saghred" is "Thief of Souls" so that's what I went with. But my agent and editor felt that Thief of Souls was too heavy a title for what was a fun book. So we all set about trying to come up with something else, something that better reflected the lighter tone of the book. I came up with Magic Lost, Trouble Found. Raine is a seeker, kind of a magical "lost & found." The amulet and Saghred (aka, the "magic") were lost, and when Raine found them, "trouble" was hot on her heels. Et voila, Magic Lost, Trouble Found. Anne, my editor, absolutely loved it, so that's what we went with.

A big thank you to everyone who made suggestions for movie soundtracks to listen to when I start writing Bewitched & Betrayed next week.

And don't forget about the photo contest (see my post from last Thursday, Aug. 14). All of the information is in there. And don't think that you have to be a professional photographer to enter. All of you can do this -- heck, I love pics of my books with the family cat (and I've gotten a great one). Just get your digital camera and come up with something. I want to do a collage of all of the entries and put them on my office wall. The deadline was September 5, but if you need some extra time, just let me know. I'm completely flexible. ; )

And once again, if you have a specific writing topic or question that you'd like for me to blog on, please let me know. My blog is here to help and entertain you all. Let me know what you want, and I'll try to deliver.

Lisa

Updates and recommendations

If all goes well, I'll be finishing the edits to The Trouble with Demons (aka TTWD) today/tonight and sending it off to my editor in the morning (a little over a week ahead of schedule). (Tired yea!)

I've been making a real effort to read for fun every day. It doesn't just help your sanity, it's vital to feed your muse. I just finished Tess Gerritsen's The Mephisto Club. Great book, I loved it, and will definitely be looking for more of Tess's work soon. I just started Janet Evanovich's Fearless Fourteen. I'm on chapter 5 or so, and Janet is off to a great start with this one. ; ) And speaking of reading for fun, the first blog I read every morning is my new writing buddy Mark Van Name. We were two of the five finalists for the Compton Crook Award for best debut sci-fi/fantasy novel of 2007. He won. And as it turns out, he works only about five minutes from my day job office. We've met for lunch. Great guy. And he'll be joining James Maxey and myself for a Barnes & Noble book signing on Sept. 9 (see my Events page for details).

I'm putting the finishing touches on the back cover copy for TTWD, and as soon as everyone who needs to sign off on it at my publisher has done so, I'll post it for you all to read. I've also been hearing what the TTWD cover is going to look like. It's still in the sketching stage, but I've heard a few things. I cannot wait to see it -- I'm gonna be like a kid on Christmas morning. ; )

This weekend I'll start working on Bewitched & Betrayed (aka B&B). As most of you know, I like to write while listening to movie soundtracks. I've been using a lot of the Harry Potter soundtracks (for some reason it works for me), but I'm always looking for new stuff. Some of you recommended the original Batman soundtrack. I have it, so I downloaded it onto my laptop. Ooooo, it'll work very nicely for B&B. Do any of you have any more recommendations? You know what my books are like, do you have a favorite movie soundtrack that you think will be a good match?

Lisa