Gettin' the Author's Groove On by Brenda Whiteside

All writers have their methods of writing that open the door to the muse. They each have their own style to get their groove on, get the juices flowing. It all comes down to...

What... Where... When... How... do you write? I've gotten various forms of the questions, especially since I've published. Over the years, my answers have changed.

What do I write? The answer has always been romance but the sub genre varies. My first book was a contemporary. My current series of books in progress are mysteries. And in between I've written historical and western. I love them all and not sure which one will finally win out.

Where do I write? In the beginning, I couldn't write a lick unless I was at my desk. And I mean the actual physical act of writing. I wrote plenty in my head and most prolifically while behind the wheel of my car. In fact, I would write whole chapters in my head before I ever put fingertips to keyboard. But when I did write, I had to be at my desk on my computer. When I got a laptop, that changed. Or at least it evolved as my 'when' expanded.

When do I write? For many years, I worked outside the home and had little time to write. I thought I had to write in long stretches at my desk and at my computer. That limited me to weekends. I've never been able to do much after work besides eat and veg. Then I read The Artist's Way. I tried writing for fifteen minutes before work each morning and voila! I wrote nearly half of one of my novels in fifteen minute increments. Now I can write any time of day and for any length of time.

How do I write? Well, as they say, some things never change. I can't write longhand. I can't write with music playing or loud television or talking and laughing. I like it quiet. In the past couple of years, I've gained a bit more tolerance with some amount of background noise, but not much. There's always a drink of some sort to my write. Depending on the time of day, that drink will be coffee, tea, water or red wine.

I'm happy to give away an ebook of my novella, The Morning After, today. This is a contemporary western and part of a series for The Wild Rose Press. If you'd like to have a copy, leave a comment and your email address. Good luck!

Visit Brenda at www.brendawhiteside.com.

Or on FaceBook: www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/brendawhitesid2

She blogs on the 9^th and 24^th of every month at http://rosesofprose.blogspot.com

She blogs about prairie life on her personal blog http://brendawhiteside.blogspot.com/

"I wrote it," he said, strumming the guitar. The Beginning of a Series by Jena Galifany

While watching my favorite 80s rock band on a television show, my favorite bass player said these three words. It got me thinking. I knew why he said it on TV but why would he say these exact words to someone else?

These are the three words that were the beginning of my writing career. These three words grew into a novel over 50,000 words in a matter of one month. Then they grew into a six book series, four of which are published by Whiskey Creek Press. Let me walk you  through  the beginning of my thought process.

1) If he were so famous, why would he have to tell someone he wrote the song? Well, apparently she (it would have to be a she) would not know who he was.

2) If he were so famous, why would she not know who he was? Um, maybe she couldn't see him.

3) Why could she not see him if he was sitting beside her, playing the guitar? She was blind.

4) That would be difficult to write. I don't know that much about blindness. It would take a lot of research to be sure that I correctly wrote about it. Do I want to take that kind of time for something I'm just scribbling out for myself? Naw.

Ty Synclair

Alexis Rivers

5) She's only temporarily blind. That works! Why is she temporarily blind? Um, car accident. She hit her head. I know about this one because it happened to me long ago. My sight came back in a few minutes but her's will take until the next morning.

6) So far, so good. How did the accident happen? Driving on a snowy hill.

7) What was he doing on the snowy hill? What was she doing there? He needed to get away from his noisy band mates and the insincere women that hung around the band. She needed to get away from an abusive husband... no not husband (too permanent). An abusive boyfriend.

All of these things had been rolling around in my mind for months. It was not until I fell in my garden one morning and damaged my arm that I was able to have time to actually begin writing it all down. Off work for a month to allow my arm to heal, I began the adventure of writing the ShadowsForge series. It began with only three words. Sometimes it doesn't take much to get the imagination rolling.

Ty Synclair was my first ShadowsForge character. He needed to find that one woman who would be sincere. Alexis Rivers needed a man who would  take care of her, never hurting her. Three Times a Hero gave Ty and Alexis the opportunity for both of their dreams to come true.

If you want to find out more about this couple and ShadowsForge, here is a chance to win an ebook copy of your choice of one of the first four books in the series: Three Times a Hero, Trials on Tour, Retaking America, or The Long Way Home.

All you need to do:
1) Go to my website at www.jenagalifany.bravehost.com
2) Locate the listing of the entire series. It is posted on only one page.
4) Send an email with the titles of ShadowsForge #5 and #6 to jena_galifany @ yahoo.com. (remove spaces)
3) Post a comment that you have sent me an email.
4) This evening, I will have my daughter pick a winner from those who email and comment. I will email the winner to find out which ebook she or he prefers and get it sent out.

Thank you for reading and playing along.

Cheers!
Jena Galifany
ShadowsForge Series
Shyanne's Secret
Her Perfect Man
Love Lifted Me

Thank You for Stopping By

Blogging on Thanksgiving? Well, I have to do something after the table is cleared and the football games are on. And if you're reading this, then you're amusing yourself while the turkey is settling or waiting for pie or, if like me, you just can't watch football. So, I'd like to thank you for dropping in and spending even a few minutes with me.

And to thank you, I'm giving away the very first copy of my e-novelette, Tattoos, Leather and Studs. When I say first - I mean, really FIRST. The story doesn't release until December 4th so this is like a sneak preview for one!

Here's the teaser:

Rachael suspects her date, Jason, is a drug dealer, and she’s torn between her attraction for this hot bad boy and running for safety. But a famous rock star vying for her attention and spiked champagne pose far more trouble. On a blind date she’ll never forget, Rachael learns first impressions can lead her down a dangerous path and straight into the arms of love.

Is Jimmy not a hunk on a motorcycle? You might just want to hop on behind him, bad boy or not.

So leave me a comment and your email address. I'm really excited about giving away this first edition.

Excerpt:

Could this room get any thicker with sweaty, grinding bodies?

The bass blasting out of the speakers on stage reverberated in Rachael’s chest. This had to be unhealthy for her body’s natural electrical impulses.

The rapacious drumming coming from the guy standing at the table next to her grew louder by the minute. Did he think he’d come to a concert or a drum competition? He threw his whole body into his efforts, and she could barely avoid rubbing hips with the man while trying to not bump into her date on her other side.

Rubbing hips with her date would be perfectly fine. Thigh to thigh would be better considering his legs. But they barely knew each other’s names and at this point, good legs or not, his choice of venue and his image still had her wary. Rachael planted her feet firmly, but one particularly hard shove from behind, by a guy trying to dance his way to the bar, sent her sideways into her date giving him full knowledge of her breast size and resulted in a flirtatious smile.

Jason leaned in close, his mouth dampening her earlobe with his words. “I hope you like crowds. Truthfully, I wasn’t prepared for this.”

She could barely hear him above the noise. Practically shouting, she asked, “No? What were you expecting?”

“Something a bit more intimate.”

His emphasis on intimate sent goose bumps between her thighs. Rachael raised one foot and then the other; her high heels cramped her feet. She glanced sideways at the tattoos on her date’s forearms. Her scan included his biceps. He had nice arms, but what did all those strange symbols mean? There were so many of them. She could hear Shelly—Loosen up girl. Stuffy Mark had you in a five-year rut. How true. She used to know how to have fun. Her gaze drifted around the room and back to Jason. But the world changed while she was holed up with stay-at-home Mark.

Jason shifted his arm on the table, muscles and tattoos flexing. Her heart thumped. Had she accepted a date with a bad boy? Could this be her sister’s attempt at pumping up the volume on her otherwise boring life?

His mouth grazed her ear again. “I’m glad you’re with me. Makes the crowd bearable.” He pulled away and smiled, one of those mouth and eye smiles that smacks of sincerity.

Her heart thumped again, obviously telling her something her head couldn’t.

Another bump and this time their contact lasted, Jason’s leg brushing between her thighs. Definitely nice firm thighs. Did he do that on purpose? She didn’t move away. Why was her mind telling her one thing and her body another?

All the way to the theater he couldn’t quit raving over their good fortune—invitation only, small venue, pre-concert show available because of his business contacts. His rant sounded nervous, but he smelled so sensual in his Halston Cologne and smiled so charmingly. And he could talk intelligently about Lautrec. He’d said more than once that he’d been happy she’d agreed to a blind date.

Muscular thighs and Halston—apparently her sister knew what tempted her.

At the break, the decibels dropped to the tolerable roar of the black vinyl crowd. He ran his hand along her spine from her neck to her waist. “Would you like a beer?” Her ink-stained escort screamed louder than necessary in her ear then looked regretful at his faux pas.

She nodded her head, the tingle of his fingertips leaving her speechless so she forgave the eardrum assault. The crowd noise made talking difficult anyway, she reasoned.

His mouth stayed by her ear, his breath tickled her lobe and his fingertips slipped off the edge of her dress and onto the bare skin between her shoulder blades. She caught her breath at the subtly worded, “One more set.” With that he pushed through the crowd.

She glanced toward the bar, caught a glimpse of that gorgeous profile. After the show, she could decide whether to beg off for the rest of the evening or not.

Brenda can be connected with at:
www.brendawhiteside.com
www.facebook.com/BrendaWhitesideAuthor
brenda@brendawhiteside.com
You can find Sleeping with the Lights On wherever e-books or print books are sold.
Look for her upcoming releases:

Tattoos, Leather and Studs coming in Dec 2011

An Elfin Secret and On the Way to the Snow Ball (anthology) in Dec 2011

Honey on White Bread coming Dec 2012

The Morning After coming summer 2012