Getting started on the next Raine books -- what's next

Yesterday I began the first step in writing synposes for the next two Raine books to get another book contract -- reading through the nearly 300 pages (mostly single-spaced) of notes that I've accumulated over the years. What I'm doing now is reading, deleting stuff that I used in Bewitched & Betrayed, and if a scene strikes my fancy, I make notes to myself as to why I like that particular scene or how I see it being used.

As I read through it this week, the bits and pieces that I really like will start to come together to form a loose plot. (At least that's the plan.) Once that happens, I'll open two new Word documents -- one entitled Book 5 and the other Book 6 (I don't have any titles yet) -- and I'll copy and paste the ideas/scenes/dialogue that I think I'll use into each file.

This is Step 1 and it'll take me the rest of this week and probably into next week. Though I already know how Book 5 starts and have most of the scene in my head. Since getting that first chapter started can be the tough -- and you can't write the rest of the book until you have a beginning -- it's a relief to me that the beginning of Book 5 has come to me before I even have a full plot for the thing. Though I do have an idea as to what happens in Book 5 and 6 and how both end, also a nice thing to have.

Once I have those two Word documents filled with ideas/scenes/dialogue for each book, I'll start writing the two plot synopses. Once I've gotten those written as tightly as possible and I know it's as good as I can get it, I'll send it off to Kristin my agent for her feedback. Then I'll make any necessary alterations and send it back to Kristin. Once the two synops are polished to our satisfaction, Kristin will send them to Anne, my editor at Ace Books. Then the acquisition/offer/negotiation process begins.

My goal is to have the two synops finished and to Kristin by the end of July, sooner if possible. That gives me one month to plot Raine & Company's lives for the next two adventures.

Wish me luck -- that's a tight schedule.

That being said, all of that will get pushed to the back burner once Anne and Kristin get their feedback to me on edits needed to Bewitched & Betrayed. I'll have to stop what I'm doing with Books 5 & 6 and concentrate on getting those edits done.

BTW -- I've selected the winners of the CafePress t-shirt contest, and I'll be posting the winners within the next few days. And Derek is having the horseback riding on the beach photos developed today, so I'll be posting those soon.

Have a great one!
Lisa

Back home from the beach

Well, we're back from the beach, and if you've never experienced North Carolina's Outer Banks, I have just one word for you -- "Go!" We went to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore and it is absolutely, pristinely gorgeous. Derek took all of the following photos, and they're just a tiny sample. We took pics of the horseback ride and a walk on the beach with a disposable camera (we didn't want to risk Derek's nice digital camera). We'll have those developed in the next day or so and then I'll post them -- along with some cool stories.

We don't have any pics of our couple's massage --yeah, yeah, I know how disappointed you must be. ; ) We went to Spa Koru which was in Avon on Hatteras Island. Ladies, if you're ever there, all I have to say is ask for Joshua. You will not be disappointed. And gentlemen, Derek was very pleased with his massage therapist, Jamie. This was the most fabulous, wonderful, and relaxing massage I've ever had -- and ditto for Derek.

Now to the photos (click on any of them to see a larger version):

The view of the Atlantic Ocean from our porch.

A very happy & relaxed author on the porch. The water was incredibly blue, and the beach wasn't crowded. Very nice.

The view to the right of our room/porch.

The corner of our deck was this little guy's favorite perch.


The view to the left of our room. Note the little guy sitting there all cute & sweet, so I tossed him a small pretzel, and within a few seconds . . .

. . .our railing looked like the school playground scene from Hitchcock's The Birds. Fortunately I love birds, so I just went inside and got more pretzels.

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the tallest in the U.S., and from what I understand, climbing to the top is the equivalent of walking to the top of a 12-story building -- 268 steps of sheer, lung-rasping agony. Dang, but I've got to spend more time on the treadmill. Though my problem was that I should have let Derek take the lead -- I always set too fast of a pace, and I paid for it this time. It didn't help matters any that it was over 90 degrees outside of the lighthouse. The humidity . . . well, if you've ever been in the southern U.S. in the middle of summer, being able to sprout gills would make it a lot easier to breathe. My bottle of water (and stops every 50 steps or so to gasp & wheeze) got me to the top. Spectacular view!

This is the original lighthouse keeper's residence. I believe the lighthouse was built in 1803.

The base and entrance to the lighthouse.

The view from the top: the actual Cape Hatteras in the distance.

4-wheel-drive Jeeps, SUVs, and trucks parked along the beach. People come from all over to fish from the beach at the cape.

The view from the lighthouse back toward Buxton, where we were staying.

Derek's vertigo-inducing view up the center of the lighthouse staircase.

A full shot of the lighthouse from the beach.

On the drive back from the lighthouse, Derek took a great shot of dozens of turtles in a marsh next to the road.

A heron in the center of the marsh.

On the south end of Hatteras Island is Hatteras Village. Here are a few of the houses along the sound, with a lovely bridge through the marsh.

A close-up of one of the houses. Most of the homes are available for rental.

I LOVED this one!

In the next day or so, I'll post photos of our incredibly fun horseback ride with the wonderful ladies at Equine Adventures and our REALLY close encounter with some deer while on our ride. And our walk on the beach that evening and getting up close & personal with a creature you wouldn't expect to find on a beach.

Lisa

Happy 2nd Birthday to my blog!

Today is the second birthday of my blog. It's at nearly 600 posts and going strong.

We'll be leaving this morning for the Outer Banks of North Carolina -- our first beach vacation in nearly three years. There is no Internet access where we're going, so I'll be on "radio silence" from this morning until Sunday evening. I hope to post some photos on Monday from our trip, but it may be later in the week. Also on Monday, my writing break is officially over and I start writing synopses for the next couple of Raine Benares books to get another contract. : )

In the meantime, pop over to A Jedi's Musings to read an interview that I just did. Thank you, Ruthie, for inviting me over to your blog!

See you all when I get back!
Lisa

Book signing photos & more

As promised, here are a few photos from last night's signing/panel discussion at the Cary, NC, Barnes & Noble. As always, we had a wonderful time! Thank you to Linda Maloof and her fabulous staff (Hi Buck & Butch!) for hosting us again! We'll definitely be doing it again.





From left to right: David Drake, Mark Van Name, James Maxey, and moi -- yep, I have really short hair now.

Mark answering a question as Dave looks on. Linda (the B&N Community Relations Manager (aka CRM) had us using a mic. A first for me.

Mark and James Maxey.



And you know I had to get my shot with the sound system.

Derek -- my hubby, manager, and delectable arm candy. Photo courtesy of Amy Griswold, one of our fencing coaches. (Derek took all of the other photos.)

Part of our audience. We had about 40 in attendance. A very nice crowd, who asked some great questions.

Now, for something incredibly cool that James Maxey is doing as a fundraiser. For those who read his blog and the acknowledgement pages in his books know that he lost his partner Laura Herrmann to breast cancer in May 2006. To help raise money to help find a cure, he's just announced his "Books for Breasts" promotion on his blog. Anyone who contributes any amount to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation through the "Team Dragon" fundraising page will get a free signed copy of his latest book, Dragonseed. James will even pay the postage. The book will be released in bookstores on June 30, but James has promotional copies available now.

You can contribute to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation by clicking here. This will take you to James's personal fundraising page; just click the button that says "Support James." Then, to get your signed copy of Dragonseed, just email him your mailing address to nobodynovelwriter@yahoo.com. He's set aside 50 copies for this cause; if he gives them all away by the end of July, he's pretty sure he can get his hands on another 50.

I lost my mother to breast cancer 28 years ago before there was anything remotely resembling a cure. I've already made my donation to James's fundraising effort through this wonderful organization and James brought my signed copy of Dragonseed to the book signing last night.

The Susan Komen Foundation is an incredible organization, and for a donation of any amount, you can get a free signed copy of James's latest book -- a win/win for everyone -- especially the search for a cure!

Lisa

Book signing tonight!

Just a reminder for those of you in the Raleigh/Durham, NC, area -- I'll be participating in a Fantasy & SciFi panel discussion/book signing tonight (June 23) at 7:00 at the Cary, NC, Barnes & Noble at 760 SE Maynard Rd.

Joining me will be James Maxey, Mark Van Name, and David Drake. This is becoming an annual event for us. We had a blast last time talking about our books, answering questions from the audience, and signing pretty much anything anyone put in front of us. ; )

Derek will have the digital camera with him, so I hope to be posting photos from the event on tomorrow's blog. Hope to see some of you there!

And scroll down to yesterday's blog post. I'm still collecting votes for new t-shirt slogans for my CafePress store. They'll be black t-shirts created by a designer that works with me at the advertising agency. I need as many opinions as possible. Let me know your vote by slogan number -- at the moment there are 13 finalists. I need to narrow it down a little.

Here is a fun & wonderful review of The Trouble with Demons over on Fresh Fiction. Enjoy!

Lisa

Finalists for CafePress store slogans

First of all, this is gonna be one heck of a hectic three days for me. Tomorrow night at 7:00 is my book signing/panel discussion/Q&A free-for-all at the Cary, NC, Barnes & Noble. I'll be there along with Mark Van Name, James Maxey, and David Drake. It'll be a SciFi/Fantasy extravaganza! Please join us if you can.

On Wednesday, I hope to post photos from the book signing. Wednesday night, Derek & I'll will be packing for what we've determined is our first real vacation in at least three years. We'll be leaving on Thursday morning for the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Derek's arranged for an 80-minute couple's massage and a 2-hour horseback ride on the beach -- not on the same day. ; ) There is no Internet access where we're going, so I'll be on "radio silence" from Thursday morning until Sunday evening.

Thursday is my blog's second birthday, and yes, there will be another adorable cake just like last year. I'll post a photo before I leave to go out of town.

We're back on Sunday evening, and I hope to post some photos on Monday morning from our trip, but it may be later in the week. On Monday, my writing break is officially over and I start writing synopses for the next couple of Raine books to get another contract.

Today, I'm posting some of the finalists for the CafePress t-shirt slogan contest. There were so many good ones that I'm posting more than I'd anticipated. Each slogan will have a number, and I'd like for you all to respond to this blog to tell me which ones you really like. I don't want to stock new t-shirts in the store that no one wants to buy. I think I'll probably go with black t-shirts this time, and put my website address beneath each slogan in small print so that when people see you parading around at DragonCon or your local bookstore wearing one of these t-shirts, they'll know where that fabulous shirt (that they desperately want) originated. ; )

A graphic designer from the advertising agency where I work will be doing the design work. She's fabulous!

Here are the contestants in no particular order. Please include the number(s) in your votes. Vote for as many as you like. Thank you for your help!

1. My fangs aren't for decorative use only.

2. That's not silence, it's reloading.

3. I'm not a pirate. I'm a seafaring businessman.

4. No, I don't feel manipulated by evil forces. Why do you ask?

5. My heroine isn't the only one who kicks ass.

6. Goblins [gob-lin] - (noun) Wicked sexy bad boys you don't take home to meet your parents.

7. Diplomacy [di-ploh-muh-see] - noun. Putting cannon shot across someone's bow rather than through their waterline.

8. Whoever said ignorance is bliss must have died a horrible death with a really surprised look on his face.

9. I have an eye for the finer things in life -- like hot elves and sexy goblins.

10. My preferred method of theft involves a ship, 40 cannons, and an overenthusiastic crew.

11. Sarcasm may not help, but it won't hurt.

12. I squashed demons, vaporized demons, and got in a catfight with the Queen of Demons. How was your day?

13. I stormed the Gates of Hell and all I got was this t-shirt.

Try to have yourselves a great Monday!
Lisa

From story core to book synopsis

For me, coming up with a plot for a book and writing a synopsis isn't quite the same thing, but one leads to the other by necessity. (Editors like to see before they buy.) I'm highly organized and methodical -- my writing brain is the exact opposite (kinda like Felix and Oscar for you fans of classic TV). Books come to me in snippets of dialogue, pieces of scenes, chunks of chapters. I know there's a book in there somewhere, but it's up to me to lay all the puzzle pieces out then put them together to find out what the final picture looks like -- and to find the core of my book, that kernel of a thought of what it's REALLY about. Everything else you write (subplots, new characters, etc.) will branch out from that central thought.

Some writers swear by having a synposis to go by, some swear at it. I'm somewhere in between. If I have a complete synopsis for a book, I'll invariably stray from it, but it's nice to have it as a security blanket. When I wrote Bewitched & Betrayed, my intent was to flesh out the partial synopsis I'd written to sell the book to my publisher before I started writing it. Once I'd finished the edits for The Trouble with Demons, I didn't have time to flesh out anything. So I just dove in to writing Bewitched & Betrayed. My agent and my editor have the finished book now, and I'll be hearing in a few weeks how writing without a net worked for me. Hopefully it went well.

What a synopsis is not -- A synopsis is not every bit of action that will go into your book. It's the "view from 40,000 feet/big picture" view. You include only the main plot points. A book synopsis should ideally cover the book from beginning to end (but only the main points and how they relate to each other), introduce only your main characters, and be written in the tone of your book. My synopsis for TTWD was in first person, Raine's point of view (just like the books), and it is also in present tense. It gives the action a more immediate impact.

But when you're first starting to write a book synopsis, feel free to include anything and everything you want to. That way you've got something to work with (and to whittle down to find the core of your book -- what it's REALLY about). By having everything together in one document, you can see the big picture and begin to weed out the stuff you really don't need to include, and come up with other really cool stuff. Chances are it will start off looking like a convoluted mess (mine do). As you edit, delete, add, refine, tweak -- the synopsis will start to take shape (and most importantly, so will your plot).

And a reminder: tomorrow morning I have to go out of town on business and won't be back until late Saturday. I'll be back to blogging on Monday.

And on Tuesday night (June 23) at 7:00 at the Cary, NC, Barnes & Noble, I'll be doing a booksigning/panel discussion with James Maxey, Mark Van Name, and David Drake. If you're in the area, please come and join us. We had a blast last year. See my EVENTS page for all the details. I'll post pics from the signing on my blog next Wednesday.

Then on next Thursday morning, Derek and I leave for a long weekend (and much needed vacation) on North Carolina's Outer Banks. I'll post pics when I get back. And when I get back, it's back to work -- writing synopses for the next few Raine books to get another contract. I'll be blogging about the process.

And I'll post some of the best CafePress ideas to get your votes -- I've gotten some great ones.

Lisa

The perils of the pitch paragraph

Pitch paragraph, back cover copy, really short synopsis -- call it what you will. It's getting to the core of your book (or book idea) and writing it in a such a compelling way that an agent will hit the reply button to ask you for a partial.

Soon I'll be writing a longer version of a pitch paragraph (more like pitch pages) to get another contract for more Raine Benares books. And since some of you have asked about writing pitch paragraphs, I thought I'd touch on it in today's blog.

Author and reviewer Jacqueline Lichtenberg has suggested that aspiring authors (and it applies to published authors as well) write their pitch paragraph BEFORE writing the book. Read the jacket copy for some of your favorite novels to get an idea of what I'm talking about. The jacket copy doesn't give everything away; it's touches on the core of the book in a compelling way -- compelling you to take that book off the store shelf and buy it. That's the goal.

She recommended that aspiring writers not wait to write their pitch paragraphs or what they would consider their own back cover copy for their novels. She suggested doing that even before the novel is complete. Even before the novel gets written. "If you can write good back cover copy for the novel you have in mind," Jacqueline said, "your writing will be forced to live up to the copy you've created. I think this is a great idea -- especially for writers who are kicking around several ideas and are contemplating which idea to pursue in terms of writing a novel. Write the back cover copy (in the way it would look if the novel were actually be published) and that alone will force you to focus on that essential plot catalyst that will drive your story forward and force you to focus the novel."

Folks, this is a fabulous idea. I'll be doing it for my upcoming synops/book proposals. It will help me narrow my focus on what the story is REALLY about. Because if you don't know the core of your book, you're gonna run into big trouble later on while writing it. You'll end up with scenes and chapters, but no plot/story to speak of. I speak from painful personal experience on this one. ; )

Tomorrow I'll tell you how I go about finding the "core" of my book, and what a synopsis is -- but most importantly -- what it isn't.

Lisa

Birthday cake pics & words of wisdom from Stephen King

Here I am yesterday evening blowing out the candles on the moistest, most decadent coconut cake EVER. The thanks (and baking kudos) goes to my sis-in-law Daun for her primo culinary skills. : ) And as you can see from the candles below, I'm now 46. Age is just a state of mind, and in my mind, I'm still in my late 20s -- except I'd like to think I have more sense now than I did then. At least it's a goal. ; )


I follow a lot of fabulous writers on Twitter, and my morning reading of the Tweets makes for inspirational, reassuring, and a lot of the time downright funny reading. One of my Twitter buddies "mp3mad" (aka Rob from Canada) provided a link to an article by The Amazing Stephen King on "Imagery and the Third Eye" and how if we as writers convey the images in our heads onto the computer screen (and page) or readers will see it and be immersed in our story with us. That's always been my biggest goal.

And a reminder that this Friday is the deadline your ideas to me for new t-shirt and merchandise ideas for my CafePress site. I need cool slogans -- preferably related to my books, (and something that non-fans would enjoy too -- and possibly be lured into reading my books) but writer-related stuff would be great, too. And I'll make it worth your while with book swag/and a Barnes & Noble gift card. So if it knocks my socks off, there will be prizes coming your way. So okay, everybody -- if you've got a great idea, let me know (via email so I can keep track of them at lisa @ lisashearin.com).

Next week, I'll put up the best contenders for a vote (after all, I want to put shirts, etc. in the store that you all want to buy). After the vote results are in, the winners will be announced, and the prizes awarded.

A few that I've come up with are:

"My fangs aren't for decorative use only."

"Hot elves & sexy goblins. (Hey, they don't call it fantasy for nothing.)"

And this last one would be written like a dictionary definition: "Goblins. Wicked sexy bad boys you don't take home to meet your parents."

Let's hear some from you!

Lisa

News and upcoming cool stuff

I know I said I'd post pics from my birthday party yesterday that Derek's family gave me, but due to a schedule change, the party is tonight, so I'll try to post a few pics tomorrow.

Last night, our fencing coaches (and dear friends) came over for dinner. Thank you for the beautiful birthday roses, Wes & Amy! Suddenly, out of the blue, I decided that I simply HAD to start fencing again. I'll be doing foil, epee, but mainly getting back into the rapier & dagger. My rapiers have been in the corner of my office WAY too long. I've got the day off work today, so one of the things I'll do is try on my "fencing whtes" to see how they fit. I suspect that since I lost 30 lbs. (yea, NutriSystem!) that I'll have to ask Derek's mom to take in my fencing pants.

Between working a day job and my writing, Derek & I will only be fencing once a week, but I really need to get out of the house and have some fun and good ol' sweaty exercise once a week. So it's off to NBS Gym for some much needed workout and fun! If you live in the Raleigh, NC, area and have ever been interested in fencing, boxing, judo, or Muay Thai kickboxing (Muay Thai is SO MUCH fun and one hell of a workout -- then again, anything that puts you in a boxing ring with protective headgear is bound to be fun), NBS Gym is the place to go. Please come out and join us.

So to have time to fence, I'll have to be super disciplined during my writing time, that means: NO PROCRASTINATION, no blog visiting, no email, no checking the news, no checking the weather, no Tweeting, no checking anything. I'll put aside 15 minutes at the beginning of each writing session to take care of the necessities. And I can also do that during the day during breaks at work, so you all won't notice the difference at all. I'll still be as completely available as always. But during my nightly writing sessions, it will be solid writing -- no distractions. I figure if I write smarter, I can get more done in less time, and will have time for a life. And if you're gonna last long in this business, you gotta have a life outside of your office. And I'm going to go and get myself one. I'm so excited about getting back to fencing! There will be photos posted from the gym quite often of a seriously sweaty author. ; )

And a week from tomorrow (Tuesday, June 23 at 7:00 p.m.) I'll be having a booksigning/panel discussion at the Barnes & Noble in Cary, NC. (full details are on my EVENTS page). Joining me will be James Maxey, Mark Van Name, and David Drake. We had an absolute blast last time, so if you're in the area next Tuesday, please come by and join us!

This Friday, I'll be out of town on family business and won't be back until late Saturday, so I won't be blogging on those two days.

On Thursday, June 25 through that Sunday, Derek & I will be taking a much needed vacation on North Carolina's Outer Banks. Next month is our 18th wedding anniversary, so this trip is doubling as a "Lisa's finished one book and is about to start another" trip, and a anniversary present to ourselves. As I think I'd mentioned earlier, Derek's arranged a two-hour horseback ride on the beach, and an 80-minute couple's massage. I should be nice and relaxed to come back and start writing again on that Monday.

And speaking of cranking up the writing machine again, I'll be blogging about something I don't think I've blogged on before. Since Bewitched & Betrayed was the second book of my most recent two-book contract, I'm presently an author without a contract (but don't worry, I'll get one). But to get one, I have to write a synopsis for the next two (and possibly three) Raine books. I thought it might help those of you who are cranking up your own writing projects, if I blogged on my step-by-step process (such that it is) for gathering ideas, sorting through them (keeping some and discarding others) -- generally how to come up with a story an editor will want to buy.

Okay, yeah this was a long post, but I think I covered everything. Birthday pics tomorrow.

I'm off to see how my fencing uniform fits. Wish me luck.

Lisa

Guest blogging on Yankee Romance Reviewers

Come and join me over at Yankee Romance Reviewers today for a guest blog and prizes.

BTW -- The bug/virus/&#!* annoyance from yesterday appears to have been fixed. Webmaster Todd will be adding an additional step soon for when you comment to my blog. I apologize for the inconvenience, but the extra step will also double as a barrier to riff-raff coming into my online house and trashing the place. That being said, if you continue to get warnings, please let me know. However, you might want to clear your "browsing/site visited history" so you're entering my site with a fresh & clean start. And it's always good to do that occassionally anyway -- helps your computer run a little faster. ; )

It's my birthday today (46 years young), and tomorrow Derek and I are going to spend the day out and about, having lunch, and doing a little shopping for my present. So if you will excuse me, I'm going to take the day off and not blog on Saturday. But his family will be throwing me a birthday lunch/party on Sunday, and I'll post some pics from that on Monday.

How's that? : )

Happy Friday!
Lisa

"Framing" your book

** Some of you have made me aware that there were problems yesterday accessing my site/blog. I've got Webmaster Todd on the case.

UPDATE: Apparently I've been hacked. My Twitter page is likewise down. And Google has attached a warning to my site. The "code bug" isn't contagious (at least we don't think so) -- it was meant specifically for me. Needless to say, I am not amused. Webmaster Todd is bug hunting right now and will exterminate the critter when he finds it. In the meantime, you might want to view my blogs for the next day or two over at Raine's Rangers, my Yahoo Group. It's a bug-free zone over there. ; )

Before I get to today's blog topic, I want to remind everyone that I'll be guest blogging over at Yankee Romance Reviewers tomorrow. And there will be prizes.

And on Saturday, I'll blog on what I'm doing right now (and in the next month) as I'm "between contracts."

Today I'm going to talk about "framing" a book. This is for those of us whose plotting style falls somewhere between having the entire book plotted out before you start, and those who prefer to write by the seat of your pants. When I have a complete plot, it turns out to be more of a security blanket than anything. Something to reassure me that I'm going in the right direction, even if I don't follow it -- and I usually don't.

Which brings me to the title of today's blog: framing your book. A new house is being built in our subdivision, and right now they're in the framing stage. You can't tell exactly what the house is going to look like from all the wood, but you kind of get an idea of where it's going, how many rooms there will be, what size they are, where the front door is and where the back door will go.

In my opinion, if you're not into completely plotting a book (or simply can't because it all hasn't come to you yet), this is the best way to approach a new project. It's the way I approach a new project. Get the important stuff down, the "frame" for your book: how it begins (front door), some major events and plot twists (rooms & hallways), and how it ends (back door). I've learned that as I progress through the writing/building process, the rest will come to me: the walls will go in, and the floors, etc. And the more you write, the more details will emerge, events and character surprises that you never expected. For example, in feeling my way through Bewitched & Betrayed, I found out a lot about Sarad Nukpana's family and their past (and yes, it is deliciously sordid). ; ) BTW -- trivia tidbit, Sarad Nukpana's mother's maiden name is Ghalfari. She served in the goblin court -- and let's just say like mother, like son.

In another few weeks, I'll be drawing up the "floorplans" for the next 2-3 Raine books to send to my agent and then my publisher to hopefully get another multi-book contract. I won't know everything, but I'll know enough to get construction started.

Upcoming blog topics include:
Am I moving my story forward?
How do I figure out what happens next?
Keeping your hopes up while looking for an agent.

Lisa

My CafePress store contest

Since I've turned in Bewitched & Betrayed to my publisher, and I've more or less caught up on my sleep, I'm turning my attention to updating my CafePress store. I have a favor to ask of all of you, and to make it even more fun, I'll turn it into a contest.

I need new t-shirt and merchandise ideas. I need cool slogans -- preferably related to my books, but writer-related stuff would be great, too. And I'll make it worth your while with book swag/and a Barnes & Noble gift card. So if it knocks my socks off, there will be prizes coming your way. So okay, everybody -- if you've got a great idea, let me know (via email so I can keep track of them at lisa @ lisashearin.com) if you'd be interested in helping me update my CafePress store, winning prizes, and earning my eternal gratitude. Let's have the cut-off date for the contest be next Friday, June 19. After that I'll put up the best contenders for a vote (after all, I want to put shirts, etc. in the store that you all want to buy). After the vote results are in, the winners will be announced, and the prizes awarded.

I've gotten some great ideas already, but let's hear yours. And yes, you can definitely send in more than one idea.

Thank you!
Lisa

Making the magic work, or at least make sense

When it comes to magic in my books, I'm from the KISS school (Keep It Simple, Stupid). Either that or make it logical. When I'm reading a book, I'll buy almost anything if the author either makes it easy to understand or logical enough to believe.

Whenever I find myself questioning whether I can do something of a magical nature in my books, I always say: "If Jim can have a re-aminated, zombie T-Rex running through the streets of Chicago, then you can do (insert my complicated magical event here)." I'm referring to my fav fantasy author, the uber brilliant Jim Butcher and Dead Beat (one of his Harry Dresden books). BTW -- If you haven't read this series, you are seriously missing out on some primo storytelling. Genius. Enough said.

Back to keeping it real -- or at least realistic. I'm not one of those who likes to read a long-winded description of how a mage, or spellsinger, or seeker does something with their magical mojo. But what I do like (and try to do in my books) is write a quick, concise step-by-step of how one of my characters does something with magic. For a magical scene to get the green light with me, I have to be able to say "okay, I understand that; I can see that" when I read back over it. I'm hoping that if I get it and can see it in my mind, that you all will, too.

And there are those times when you don't need to go into a lengthy explanation. Your character just does the magical thingie with either minimal or no explanation as to how. Most of the time this happens when you've already done the step-by-step thing in a previous scene or chapter. No need to do it again.

One of the most important things when describing how your magic system or a spell works (or any potentially lengthy explanation of anything) -- don't let the description bog down your story. If your reader feels your story slowing down, they'll possibly lose their reading momentum. Lost reading momentum could make them put your book down. And what they put down, they might not pick back up. This would be bad.

Hope this helps.

And today, Dawn over at Love Romances & More Reviews posted a great review of Armed & Magical.

Coming up this Friday -- my birthday, BTW -- ; ), I'll be guest blogging over at Yankee Romance Reviewers. There will be prizes, so pop over for a chance to win.

Lisa

Zen and the art of lawn watering

I finished Bewitched & Betrayed on Saturday and emailed it to my editor in New York and my agent (who is usually in Denver, but is spending the month in New York having editor meetings, doing lunches, and running with Chutney the Wonder Dog in Central Park).

I know I have a list of your questions to answer, but I know you also like for me to tell you things I experience as a writer as I experience them. After all the purpose of my blog is to tell you about the writing experience of a still relatively newbie author: things I know, stuff I learned, and crap I found out the hard way.

This post is a combination of all of those. Yesterday, after I hit "Send" it started to happen. It happens when I finish every book, so I was expecting it, but it doesn't make it any easier. It's kinda a combination of exhaustion and empty nest syndrome. It also doesn't help matters any that I'm a workaholic. I've been working 60- to 70-hour weeks for the past nine months between having a full-time day job and writing Bewitched & Betrayed, and I was SOOOO looking forward to getting it off of my desk and into Anne's email inbox. And don't get me wrong, I am happy, but at the same time it's like my muse has packed her bags and caught the first flight to a sunny beach, leaving my workaholic self behind to wonder what the heck to do with myself. Do you know what I did after I emailed the manuscript? I vacuumed the entire house -- and it ain't a small house. Yes, it needed to be done, but jeez. I describe how I feel to people who ask as "twitchy."

So, basically I'm having to re-learn how to relax, act like a normal person, and socialize with humanity again, while dealing with not writing for three weeks. I desperately need the time to re-grow some brain cells that died in that last month of writing onslaught, but at the same time, writing isn't just what I do, a writer is who I am. So to stop writing suddenly like this makes me have a little "loss of identity" thing going. Going from hard-driving author, to normal person ain't an easy transition to make. It's one heck of a shock to the system. Fortunately, I've been through this before with every other book I've written, I know that this too shall pass. Fortunately, I have the most understanding husband. Derek, knows what I'm going through and is incredibly, unbelievably, and wonderfully supportive.

The title of the post came from some lovely therapy that just happened to be installed in our yard this week. In another year or so, we'll be selling the house we're in now, so we're doing a few things to make it more buyer-appealing. This past week we had the entire yard sodded with Zoysia grass. This stuff is incredible -- when it reaches its full growth, it's like having a thick, plush rug for grass. The greyhounds love it. And for the next month until it gets fully established, Derek and I will have to water it at least once a day. (Derek refers to its present state as "Frankengrass.") We bought sprinkers, but found what works best is good old-fashioned watering by hand with a hose and sprayer attachment. Late yesterday, Derek did the front yard, and I watered the back. It took me about an hour and a half to get all of the turf nice and squishy with water. You water bare-footed. And when the water squishes between your toes, it's time to move on to the next section. And watering and toe squishing gave me time to think. Lovely thing, thinking. Calming and relaxing -- precisely what this workaholic author on forced vacation needs.

Lisa

Our sweet (and naughty) greyhounds

Our sweet girl Gracie.

And our shameless boy Andy, the centerfold wannabe.

(Kudos to Derek for digitally giving Andy and his "dangly bits" some much-needed modesty.)

BTW -- the loveseat Andy is on is one of a matched set that Webmaster Todd & Designer Elyse gave us for dog beds. Yep, our fur kids are spoiled rotten. ; )

Jo over at Ink and Paper posted a wonderful review of The Trouble with Demons.

Have a great weekend!

Lisa

"The Day" has come!

Happy Friday to me! Yes, "The Day" has finally come -- I've finished Bewitched & Betrayed!!!!!!

Oh happiness, oh joy, oh complete rapture!

I've promised to have the book in my editor's email on Monday morning, so I'll be spending the weekend, putting the separate chapter files together into one big file, running spell check, and giving the entire book a quick read to make sure everything is exactly how I want it.

Then I am taking three weeks off from writing, but not to worry, I'll still be blogging every day per usual. Then on Monday, June 29 (or who am I kidding, probably before) I'll start working on the proposals/plot synopsis' for the next couple of Raine books, so my publisher will hopefully offer me another multiple-book contract.

Tomorrow, I hope to post some great pics, and starting on Monday, I'll get back to the list of your questions which include:

Making the magic work, or at least make sense.
How much time should you spend developing a character?
Am I moving my story forward?
How do I figure out what happens next?
Keeping your hopes up while looking for an agent.
Writing in the moment.
"Framing" your book.

Stress management & the busy writer

A co-worker of mine sent this to me yesterday. Considering I'm in the last week of Bewitched & Betrayed, I thought it was perfectly timed. ; ) And I thought it was great advice for any of us who work too hard and play too little. Enjoy.

A lecturer when explaining stress management to an audience, raised a glass of water and asked
'How heavy is this glass of water?' Answers called out ranged from 20 g to 500 g.

The lecturer replied, 'The absolute weight doesn't matter. It depends on how long you try to hold it. If I hold it for a minute, that's not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I'll have an ache in my right arm. If I hold it for a day, you'll have to call an ambulance. In each case, it's the same weight, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.'

He continued, 'And that's the way it is with stress management. If we carry our burdens all the time, sooner or later, As the burden becomes increasingly heavy, We won't be able to carry on. '

As with the glass of water, You have to put it down for a while and rest before holding it again.
When we're refreshed, we can carry on with the burden. So, before you return home tonight, put the burden of work down. Don't carry it home. You can pick it up tomorrow.'

Whatever burdens you're carrying now, Let them down for a moment if you can. So, put down anything that may be a burden to you right now. Don't pick it up again until after you've rested a while.

Here are some great ways of dealing with the burdens of life:

* Accept that some days you're the pigeon, and some days you're the statue.
* Always keep your words soft and sweet, just in case you have to eat them.
* Always wear stuff that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it.
* Drive carefully. It's not only cars that can be "recalled" by their maker.
* If you can't be kind, at least have the decency to be vague.
* If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
* It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to be kind to others.
* Never put both feet in your mouth at the same time, because then you won't have a leg to stand on.
* Nobody cares if you can't dance well. Just get up and dance.
* When everything's coming your way, you're probably in the wrong lane.
* Birthdays are good for you. The more you have, the longer you live.
* You may be only one person in the world, but you may also be the world to one person.
* Some mistakes are too much fun to only make once.
* We could learn a lot from crayons... Some are sharp, some are pretty and some are dull. Some have weird names, and all are different colors, but they all have to live in the same box.
*A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery on a detour.

Lisa

Favorite books by favorite authors poll

I'm in the final days of tweaking Bewitched & Betrayed!!! I'll be sending it to my editor on Monday. WOOT!!!!!! Words can't describe how ready I am for a break. And I am taking a break -- three weeks' worth of no writing. Just reading, resting, and getting reacquainted with my husband. But not to worry, I'll still be blogging. My three-week break will peak with a long weekend on North Carolina's Outer Banks with my handsome husband. Derek has arranged beachfront accommodations, a two-hour horseback ride on the beach, and an 80-minute couples' massage. He's a romantic one, my honey. : )

Today, I want to help out my Author/Mentor Mom, Linnea Sinclair. She's one of the "Lucky 13" authors included in this year's Favorite Books by Favorite Authors poll at All About Romance. I've already voted, and for those of you who are Linnea fans, pop over and show her the love by voting for your favorite Linnea books. The poll opened on June 1st, and first round balloting ends Sunday June 14th.

And thank you all who came over to Bitten by Books yesterday for the chat. I had a great time -- thank you!

UPDATE: This morning, SFWA (The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America) reported on their Twitter site that the superb fantasy author David Eddings has died. His Belgariad & Mallorean series were two of my all-time favorites and were a true inspiration for me and my books. Here is the official announcement from Locus. Mr. Eddings' passing is a great loss to the fantasy community.

Interview & live chat at Bitten by Books

Come over and join me today at Bitten by Books. I'm doing an interview and live chat where I'll be answering your questions and of course chatting with you.

You can also enjoy the fabulous review of The Trouble with Demons posted on Bitten by Books this morning.

But what I can give away are books. My publisher is offering five copies of The Trouble with Demons as prizes, and I'll be signing and personalizing them for the winners as well as including some signed bookmarks. How to enter to win will be included in the interview/chat post. Good luck, everyone!

Come on over and join in the fun!
Lisa

Photos from my mountain trip

Derek & I had a wonderful time at his family's cabin in the North Carolina mountains this weekend. We went with another couple who are also our best friends. Some of the time while I was writing, Derek was outside taking pictures around the cabin. Ken & Robin were reading -- a lot.

We saw lots of beautiful birds, rabbits, brown squirrels, chipmunks, and a wild turkey. On a previous trip, we saw a bobcat. Other family members have seen deer and foxes. And supposedly there are a few bears as well. And very early yesterday morning while I was sitting on the front porch with my cup of coffee, a skunk took a leisurely stroll about 20 feet in front of the cabin. Unfortunately, I only had a cup of coffee in my hands, not the camera. I also got a LOT of really productive writing done. Tons of quiet and no Internet access does wonders for my focus.

Click on any of the photos to see a bigger version. Didn't Derek do a fabulous job? : )

The road leading to the cabin.



A bunny rabbit.



This is a Flaming Azalea.



Rhododendron in full bloom.


The road in front of the cabin.

A moss-covered stump with ferns.



The meadow with wildflowers in front of the cabin.

An iris growing down by the creek.

Mountain laurel.

A chipmunk hiding in a drainage pipe.

The view from the cabin's front porch (and my writing table window).

Rhododendron surrounding the cabin. These bushes were at least 12 feet tall.

More rhododendron.

Yet more rhododendron and trees.

Flaming azalea.

And don't forget that tomorrow is the BIG EVENT over at Bitten by Books!

I'll be doing an online interview, live chat, and contest over on Bitten by Books on Tuesday, June 2. My publisher is offering five copies of The Trouble with Demons to the contest winners, and I'll be signing & personalizing them and including signed bookmarks. Pop over to Bitten by Books for all the details.

Happy Monday!

Lisa