Twerking to the End!

I finally finished my ‘first draft’ of my current WIP, which I started writing in November 2012. For a first draft, I’m pretty damn proud and excited about it. I’ll be marketing it as Women’s fiction – Contemporary Women – “Chick-Lit”. I’ve done my homework on genres and sub-genres, and I feel this is the best label for it.

At the present time, I’ve only been using a working title. Hopefully I’ll fix that soon enough.

The book is about a woman's struggle to find her true self. She loses so much—including her memory. As she learns about who she is, she must come to terms with her mistakes, and rebuild her life.

Alcohol and loss are what originally brought Easton and Brand together. Once out of rehab, Easton offers Brand a place to stay for a price. With nothing left to lose but her sarcasm, Brand takes him up on his offer, which begins a whirlwind of adventure and sexual tension.

Since this novel is very different from my dark, psychological suspense thriller, Net Switch, I feel a renewed sense of accomplishment. I want to write different genres and even attempt other forms of writing. I’ll admit though, I didn’t twerk while I was typing. I waited until I was finished with the last sentence.

If you’re unfamiliar with twerking, please watch this video, but don’t imitate her.

First Drafts and Twerking,

Bea

Bloggin’ Medley!

Over a week and I haven’t posted a thing. In my defense, this past week was quite busy with baking, decorating, writing and wedding plans!

Last week, I worked on my WIP because the inspiration hit me and I found some clarity in the direction of the story. I’ve had writer’s block for quite some time, not knowing where I was going with my novel. Now my current WIP is at 40,231 words. Another thing I was happy about is that my dark, psychological novel Net Switch received another 5-STAR rating. I don’t know who E. Fontenelle is but s/he made me smile for the rest of the week. 

So here’s a shameless plug for Net Switch. Christmas is coming up and Net Switch makes a great stocking stuffer or Kindle/Nook surprise. It’s a great page-turner (if I say so myself) to sink into the couch on a cold, snowy weekend, sipping a hot toddy, and riding the thrill wave from Chicago to Seattle. 

Now you might be saying to yourself, “There are so many other books out there that I want to read. Why would I waste my time on an unknown author’s book?” Well that is a great question to ask. My answer would be, “Net Switch was written by an unknown author who is currently building a readership audience. The book is dark with many twists and turns, it doesn’t disappoint, but it is missing one thing—YOU!” Think of it as your Black Friday Refreshment. I put the ‘fresh’ in refreshment. Okay I’ll stop...but go ahead, click on the picture.

*turns the page*

We went to Spain this weekend to discuss our wedding plans there for February. We hope to marry in a church that’s 1,000 years old. I was going to share a picture, but Picasso won't let me.

When we came back to our flat, I spent the days putting up Christmas decorations and baking cookies. I baked one of my mom’s cookie recipes. They’re peanut butter kisses cookies. I remember these as a kid during the holidays. They’re good but not as good as when my mom made them.

Have a great Hump Day!

Holidays and Gifts,

Bea

Author Interview - The Next Big Thing

I just got back into writing my current WIP and I thought about sharing some of it with you, and then something better came along. I was tagged on Jeri Walker-Bickett's blog to be a part of The Next Big Thing. I know what you’re thinking, “But we thought you were already the Big Thing.” How nice of you to think so, but I’m not quite there yet…I’m working on it though. The Next Big Thing is a promotion idea started on SheWrites website. It’s a great way to talk about and promote your current writings, so here I go, gushing about my next adventure.

 

What is the working title of your book?

My current novel definitely has a ‘working title’. As of now, it’s Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Sarcasm.

Where did the idea come from for the book?

The idea came from a few places. I recently read a book that had a protagonist struggling with loss and finding her identity in life, and then I read another book where the protagonist just was down on her luck, but it was told through humor.

These books made me reflect on my own life. About a year ago, I couldn’t find a job after 7 months of searching and decided to give my condominium back to the bank. I figured I’d move in with my mother until my boyfriend and I decided where we were going to live. As I was planning to move in with my mother and working on the publication of my novel, Net Switch, my mom passed away before both were accomplished. I published my novel two weeks after she died.   

At the time, it seemed like life was caving in on me, so these two books made me think about writing a fictional book about a protagonist who suffers loss and fights to find her place in life again. But I didn’t want it to be sad…I wanted my protagonist to attack her situation with sarcasm.

What genre does your book fall under?

In my endless search of learning and memorizing book genre categories, I’m still unable to find the perfect slot that my book fits into. I’d say it’s a romantic crime adventure or chick-lit.

Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

The protagonist would have to be someone who looks like she’s in or around her 40s. An actress who can toss sarcasm out like a truck driver tosses profanity. The one actress who comes to mind is Eva Longoria. During Desperate Housewives, I couldn’t stop laughing when she was on the screen. 

Her love interest would have to be a good-looking man who doesn’t flaunt it. This man is a guy’s kinda guy with a romantic flare and humor to match the protagonist’s. I can actually see David Boreanaz playing the part. 

What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

After a month in rehab, Brande takes on the role of crime fighter to compensate for her lack of money and home, and to use the time to reinvent herself.

Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

I will self-publish my book like I did with my other books. It took me a long time to be able to step back and find the flaws and strengths in my writing…and to be able to say, “Damn girl, that’s good.” I’m ‘my’ worst critic and best promoter. The publishing world is changing, full of self-published authors, and those still trying to get their name out there traditionally. I believe I found my place in self-publishing because I can stay true to myself, produce a professional novel that meets my standards and who else better to get the word out than my biggest fan—ME.

How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?

I’m currently working on the first draft, but I hope to have it published sometime next year.

What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

It has the tension and smart mouth humor of both Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding and The Last Time I Was Me by Cathy Lamb.

Who or What inspired you to write this book?

It was time. My misplaced life was about to end after we finally made the decision to move to Germany to start a home there. While I stayed with family and friends in the States, before crossing the pond, I took the time to read several books, which got me back into writing again.

What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

I think the reader will not only be excited about the romantic tension that exists, but BDSM and a virtual world are also incorporated into the storyline.

It is my turn to pass it along to other authors, but unfortunately, all the requests to my author friend’s came back as too busy at the moment. I hope they’ll participate in this wonderful idea in the near future.

Life’s Pitfalls and Laughter,

Bea

I’ve Got the Style Like Chuckie

Summer is here, I’m working on my new WIP and as I was going through my bookmarked creative websites, I came across this one called “I Write Like”. If you copy and paste a writing sample of your work, it analyzes the style and compares it to a famous writer. Of course it’s just for fun. The one thing I noticed is I needed to use more than one paragraph to get a good comparison, so I put in an entire page of my books. What’s interesting is that I write like a few authors, and on top of that, there’s a connection between the two of them.

I plugged in the first chapter of my dark, psychological suspense Net Switch, and it seems my writing is comparable to

I write like
Bram Stoker

I Write Like by Mémoires, journal software. Analyze your writing!

When I plugged in the first page of my new novel, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Sarcasm (working title), it states that I write like

I write like
Chuck Palahniuk

I Write Like by Mémoires, journal software. Analyze your writing!

For those who don’t know, Bram Stoker is known for his 1897 novel Dracula, and Chuck Palahniuk is known for his 1996 novel Fight Club. I don’t know much about either one of these authors. Horror isn’t my genre, so I never read Dracula. I’ve also never read a story by Chuck Palahniuk. I find it intriguing that my writing style (yes it’s just for fun) is comparable to two authors I haven't read and a genre I don’t write in.

I went online to see if there are any similarities between Stoker and Palahniuk. It seems there is a Bram Stoker Award given for excellent achievement in horror writing. Chuck Palahniuk was nominated twice for this award—the first for Lullaby in 2002 and then Haunted in 2005.

Even though I did this only for entertainment value, I learned a little about the writers I Write Like.

Who do you write like?

Style and Fame,

Bea