Becky's under the weather today so I'm filling in. Thing is, I don't really have a topic. So...let's do a little, fun get-to-know-your-chapter-mates post. In the comment section, answer these questions:
1. How long have you been writing?
2. What made you sit down and write that first book?
3. How many manuscripts have you finished (Alice, you can just shout out how many you've published. LOL)
4. What genre do you write?
5. What genres do you want to write in (if different)?
6. What are you working on now?
7. What's the one book you haven't written yet but want to?
8. Which authors have inspired you - either to write in the first place, or to keep writing?
Looking forward to reading everyone's answers!
17 comments:
I guess I'll go first. :)
1. How long have you been writing?
Just over four years
2. What made you sit down and write that first book?
I needed to do something to keep from going insane after I quit my job to stay home with the Gremlins - of which there were only two at the time. Writing filled the void not working left in me.
3. How many manuscripts have you finished (Alice, you can just shout out how many you've published. LOL)
Five. And in the last six months I've started four more (shoot me now).
4. What genre do you write?
Single Title Romantic Suspense
5. What genres do you want to write in (if different)?
I'd love to write paranormal RS someday down the line.
6. What are you working on now?
What am I not working on now would be a better question. Sheesh. Okay...the book my agent thinks I'm working on is about a woman who's been in hiding for several years because of a crime she witnessed. She's now shown up to cause major chaos in the hero's life. The other (main) book I'm working on is a reunion story about a couple who divorced years ago after their child was abducted and murdered. New evidence in the case surfaces and circumstances thrust them back together.
7. What's the one book you haven't written yet but want to?
I want to write a book about a hotshot female skiier. But I haven't worked it all out yet.
8. Which authors have inspired you - either to write in the first place, or to keep writing?
Too many to name. Cindy Gerard, JR Ward, Nora Roberts, Roxanne St. Claire, Jennifer Crusie, Alice Sharpe, Judith McNaught...I know there are more but those are the ones that spring to mind.
Alice Sharpe said. . .
Ah, Eli, you are so kind to include me in your list of author's who have inspired you. If I didn't know you were trying to sweet talk me into going to nationals to hold your hand during the Golden Heart contest, I would be truly touched! LOL
Okay, here goes, can't wait to read everyone else's, come on gang, let's help Eli out! Becky, feel better!
1. How long have you been writing?
Forever. Since grammar school, anyway. Book length for over twenty years
2. What made you sit down and write that first book?
The thought of making more money. Besides, I was pretty sure I had a good idea.
3. How many manuscripts have you finished (Alice, you can just shout out how many you've published. LOL)
I've sold 34 books.
4. What genre do you write?
Category Romantic Suspense though I wrote short contemporary for a long time.
5. What genres do you want to write in (if different)?
Mystery. Maybe paranormal suspense
6. What are you working on now?
I have been deluding you poor people with my struggle for the past two months. I have three weeks til deadline and I am writing an Intrigue.
7. What's the one book you haven't written yet but want to?
I have such a great idea for a mystery. I am beginning to wonder if I should try to make an Intrigue out of it though to tell the truth, I don't think it would fit.
8. Which authors have inspired you - either to write in the first place, or to keep writing?
So many. Lots of names many of you have never heard of. Mainly mystery writers. And I am being very truthful when I add that in my life today, the ladies on this blog and in our group are my inspirations.
Alice
Oh, and Eli, that book about the couple reunited after years sounds wonderful.
Alice
Becky get well. Thank you, GH finalist for filling in! :)
Here goes:1. How long have you been writing?
I wrote plays for my brother and I to act out as children, wrote spicy stories with my friends in Junior High. As for writing novels - since my 24 year old was about 3.
2. What made you sit down and write that first book?
I had a story I wanted to tell. I'd been reading a lot of mysteries and Sue Grafton just hit the shelves. I wrote a murder mystery when I wanted to kill someone. I figured it was the best way to stay out of jail. :)
3. How many manuscripts have you finished (Alice, you can just shout out how many you've published. LOL)
Ten
4. What genre do you write?
Historical Westerns, Contemporary Cowboys, some paranormal elements
5. What genres do you want to write in (if different)?
I'm not sure. I always add a little mystery to whatever I write so I'm not so sure I really want to write a full blown mystery, but you never know.
6. What are you working on now?
The second Petticoat series book, and some revisions on the Spirit book. But I also have the second spirit book partially started.
7. What's the one book you haven't written yet but want to?
It's set in Holland during WWII and was inspired by my husband's grandfather and feats he did during the war to keep his family and friends alive.
8. Which authors have inspired you - either to write in the first place, or to keep writing? There have been many.
Phylis Whitney, LaVyrle Spencer, Sue Grafton, Nora Roberts, Patricia Rice, my talented fellow RWA chapter members.
1. How long have you been writing?
Started writing short stories in junior high. Started my first novel 3 1/2-4 years ago.
2. What made you sit down and write that first book?
I was in the middle of Law School Hell and the end of my first marriage--a horrid combo. I read Lori Foster's Mr. October, and thought, "That's exactly the kind of book I want to write." So I started.
3. How many manuscripts have you finished
2 Finished MS, 3rd almost done.
4. What genre do you write?
Romantic Comedy and YA
5. What genres do you want to write in (if different)?
I've been having some darker ideas lately, maybe a little bit more suspense tossed in. I'd really, really like to write Erotica, but I've not yet made the leap.
6. What are you working on now?
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I just started a new YA--no idea where that's going to go
I have four + books outlined. I'm nuts. I keep outlining books BECAUSE:
I'm trying finish the last 30-40 pages of my WIP so that I can start the super fun editing part. I REALLY want to edit.
Mainly, though, right now, I'm just trying to keep my head above water and hoping to get back to my groove--NO! PLANNING! to get back to my groove.
7. What's the one book you haven't written yet but want to?
ONE? I have a purple notebook filled with ideas for future books. I'd really like to write something about starter marriages. Ditto fathers. Both topics need more passage of time. This is a GREAT question because it got me thinking about all the books of my heart, and what leaps are in that purple notebook waiting for me to take.
8. Which authors have inspired you - either to write in the first place, or to keep writing?
Lori Foster, Jennifer Crusie, Catherine Coulter, Sandra Brown were big early influences. Recent influences include--all the great RWA members I've met, read, and been inspired by. Suzanne Brockmann is a huge recent influence, as is Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Rachel Gibson, and Carly Phillips. Shannon McKenna, Sasha White, and Emma Holly have me itching to try some Erotica.
What a fun idea, Eli! And congratulations again on the GH final!
1. How long have you been writing?
I've been writing since I could talk and would use my mom to write it all down. I've only been writing novels for about 10 years.
2. What made you sit down and write that first book?
I'd been writing short stories for several years and I started a little writer's group in the town I lived in at the time. Several of the writers in my group were working on books and after critiquing with them for a few months I thought, hey! That looks like fun! I swallowed my intimidation and took the plunge into long fiction. Fell in love with it immediately.
3. How many manuscripts have you finished (Alice, you can just shout out how many you've published. LOL)
Four
4. What genre do you write?
Women's action adventure with paranormal elements, and there's always a romance in my stories except that they're typically subplots.
5. What genres do you want to write in (if different)?
Urban fantasy, but something really off the wall. No vampires or werewolves, I want it totally original.
6. What are you working on now?
A few things, actually. I'm actively working on a novella for TWRP that's already contracted. But I'm eager to get back to my Chalice book, which is that off-the-wall Urban Fantasy I was talking about. 8^)
7. What's the one book you haven't written yet but want to?
Oh, wow. There's a few. I have a ghost-story romance that I already have the first 3 chapters written. I'd also like to write a book that's actually a series of linked short stories called "Mystic Taxi." I've been thinking about it for years. The taxi driver is this mystical genie kind of guy who helps the troubled people who ride in his cab. Each story will be about a different passenger, but the genie driver will be in every one. He's going to have some deep, dark and painful secret that won't be revealed til the end. And I have a couple of others I'd like to write, too. Sigh.
8. Which authors have inspired you - either to write in the first place, or to keep writing?
I'd have to say Armistead Maupin is the single most influential writer that got me on the novel-writing path. He wrote these great series books called "Tales of the City" and his characters were so darn real! It was his ability to create characters that fired me up. And then of course I have my favorite authors I admire the hell out of, and they'll always be constant inspiration. Clive Barker, Neil Gaiman, Kim Harrison (fabulous, fabulous!), Alice Hoffman, and Susan Elizabeth Phillilps.
ROFL, Alice. That's what I love most about you...your ability to cut through the crap and get to the heart of the issue. :)
34 Books. Wow. I'm in awe.
And yeah, I like the book idea too which is why it's taken over my whole world recently. LOL
Thanks again, Paty. ;)
Your WWII idea sounds really intiguing.
And oh yeah, I love the old LaVyrle Spencer books
Love the purple notebook, Wavy.
Now's the time to try your hand at erotica if you're serious. It's selling well now.
You've done a lot in the last three years, Wavy, esp. considering everything happening in your life. You should feel really proud of yourself. :)
Karen, I love your short story book idea! How unique!
And congrats on the Novella sale to TWRP. Did you announce that already or did I just miss it???
Eli, I don't remember if I announced it or not, LOL! 8^) I was invited last December to write a romantic suspense novella for TWRP's new series, Legacy of the Celtic Brooch. It's a short book, all of them are, but it was exciting to actually be invited to write something for a change. I just hope I don't blow it.
I'm glad you like my linked short story idea. I haven't seen anything like it either, but I'm sure the idea of this kind of book isn't new. There may have been one years ago about a wedding dress. Or maybe that was a movie?
Karen
1. How long have you been writing?
I've journaled and done bits of writing most of my adult life but am a beginner at fiction writing (less than 2 years).
2. What made you sit down and write that first book?
Reading mysteries and meeting Linda Needham at a senior event gave me the idea to join MWVRWA and start writing a novel.
3. How many manuscripts have you finished?
I've completed two self-help workbooks (both self-published)in the years before joining MWVRWA. I'm still working on my first fiction manuscript.
4. What genre do you write?
I think I'm writing women's fiction with a strong romance element.
5. What genres do you want to write in (if different)?
I don't see myself writing in other genres but may write more nonfiction books.
6. What are you working on now?
I'm working on a book about a 50ish woman who is a compulsive overeater and learns its not too late for romance. I'm working on it together with my husband Jim and we see it as the first of a series of travel/romance novels.
7. What's the one book you haven't written yet but want to?
I've thought about writing biograpies, a meditation book about aging, a mystery religion for democracies, a utopian novel.
8. Which authors have inspired you - either to write in the first place, or to keep writing?
Louisa May Alcott (Little Women) let me know writing was a possible career for women way back when I was in elementary school. I've enjoyed reading lots of biographies and cozy mysteries (The Cat Who... books by Lilian Jackson Braun). But it truly is the success of the women in this group that is inspiring me to keep writing on this first novel. Thanks to you all!
Barbara--Great to see you on the blog! It sounds like you have a lot of goals, I think that's wonderful, and a series sounds like such a good idea. Great things are 'acomin.
Karen--You were contacted to write a novella! Man, I would love someone to contact me to write so much as a grocery list! Good for you. I know you'll make it work!!!
Neat blog, Eli.
Alice
Karen, I'm with Alice. What a cool thing to be requested to write something. When will it be released?
Barbara - so great to see you here! And I agree...the women of this group are an inspiration to all of us.
I've always written: Journals and diaries and little stories when I was a kid; angst filled free-verse poetry as a teenager; a garden column as a young adult; then on to human interest pieces and editorials. Started publishing in newspapers when I was 14.
Fiction is newer. Been seriously making up tales since 2003.
I always planned to write a novel. Figured I'd do it when I retired. Then got to thinking, why wait? I was in a financial position to take some time off work and give writing fulltime a shot. Didn't publish that first book. Now I can totally relate to the saying, "Don't quit your day job." Ha!
I've finished two manuscripts. Written a novella and several short stories, plus newspaper articles, political campaign stuff and other non-fiction pieces in the past four years. Some i've sold, some I hope too, some I know I never will.
I write single title romantic suspense with paranormal elements, or women's fiction with romantic elements.
I might want to try a YA sometime. My daughter and I have sketched out a couple ideas together.
I'm working on a story about a young widow, an old flame, a fortune teller and a pack of evil dogs. A dark shadow of grief threatens to swallow them all.
There's a book brewing on my back burner about family secrets. It's only in the mulling stage at this point.
So many inspirations: Jean Auel, Pearl S. Buck, Udora Welty, Alice Sharpe ( I think she writes a bit like Pearl Buck) Janet Evanovich, Sue Grafton, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Nicholas Sparks, Dick Francis, to name a few.
Fun, Eli. Thanks for the fill in. And I agree with Alice, the reunited story sounds great.
Karen, love the mystical cab driver idea. Intriging.
Wavy -- I've been reading an erotica anthology by Erin McCarthy. It's steamy and very funny and makes me think I might like to give that sort of story a shot too...we'll see. I'd definitely use a pen name for that. Think I'd die if my 86-year-old Grandma knew I'd written such a thing. HA!
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