Why do I love reading and writing?
I get asked this question so many times, and so many times do I love to tell people. The reason I love to read is because there is nothing better than finding a good book curling up on the sofa or bed and reading until the point you have to move because you have either got a stich, or you need a top up of wine. I like to read many kinds of genre's, paranormal, action, romance, menacing, erotic, sweet, anything that catches my eye.
Thankfully I have many wonderful author friends, and being on social media connecting with some great sites I get to see new books being promoted, I read reviews, see what takes my fancy and if I like I'll certainly download and read it. Sometimes a cover will grab my attention, but don't get me wrong if the blurb, teasers or excerpts catch my eye I will read whether a catching cover or not.
If I read a book to help an author I always review and give a star rating
even if I didn't enjoy it. I like to be honest and share my views with readers and writers.
Why do I love writing?
Wow, what a question. The truth is I don't think I know anything different. I have been writing since being a little girl. The characters constantly talking inside my head driving me crazy. What I find incredible about being a writer is when the hero or heroine just take control and force me to write their story. I never know where they are going to lead me. I always recall my English teacher in secondary school telling us to write beginning, middle and end...was she really kidding me? Okay lets just say I can plot (which I don't) and the characters talk clearly and comfortably in my head....then without warning, boom change in direction, add a twist, throw me of balance and take me down a very different road so all that plotting I had written down, wasted. Sorry English teacher you talked poo.
So what happens when thinking about stringing the characters together
1/ Where do the characters meet and how?
2/ what is their response to one another, do they instantly fall in love, does the person have something remarkable that makes then stand out from the rest?
3/ Describe the characters, what they look like what they are wearing.
4/ Are they smiling or looking at the character like an alien?
5/ What is the next step, the setting, are they disturbed, do they walk away.
What is important is making the scene real, making it believable, casting the setting, weather, are they surrounded by others, are they alone, are they in a park walking their dogs. What is the next step or isn't there one, whatever you decide as the writer you need to show proof, cough up and spill the beans. Maybe there meeting was an eventful one maybe they walked into one another and they were annoyed. It's keeping the readers interest which is important.
Once as the writer you have established them meeting now it's time to keep it flowing, do they meet up again and find they clash, not all couples are perfect, they can argue, have differences, she likes blue he likes yellow
1/ Build the characters create a war or maybe she's out her depth, and think he or she is far too good for the other.
2/ Who or what gets in between their relationship. I sense a wicked conflict here, go for it don't be afraid!
3/ Do they love one another to see through the bad times and travel to the good.
For me a writer must keep your attention, make the book a page turner, whether it's a love story, action, paranormal, whatever genre you write, keep it interesting. for me most of the time the characters are scheming, they hide things up their sleeves without consulting me.
Now for my recent release Innocence, wow this book had my head sent into a whirlwind, I had no idea what was going to happen, and therefore if I don't know how is the reader?
Innocence came from the heart gut wrenching, heart breaking, plenty of tears and emotion, yet there are giggles and Calvin trying to be sweet and take good care of Kacey. When writing this story it had me the writer in tears, if that can happen to me, think what it can do for the reader, but all the time throughout writing this serious never did the characters top talking, they kept going like a rollercoaster. Innocence is a very different genre for me, but heck I love the fact I can put my mind to other genre's
