tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post8178206670055650139..comments2024-03-27T01:07:03.944-04:00Comments on The Roses of Prose: If Only I Could Just Begin and Be #amwriting…Again by Margo HoornstraAlison Hendersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12725250883303287946noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-40228959672863924742018-02-13T14:58:41.615-05:002018-02-13T14:58:41.615-05:00So good to hear the LOVES part, Ally. Wise counsel...So good to hear the LOVES part, Ally. Wise counsel, too, per usual. A derivative of Just Do It! I get that ;-)Margo Hoornstrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00036077481652050799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-13054515332643456952018-02-13T14:56:28.745-05:002018-02-13T14:56:28.745-05:00That is something to think about, Diane. Change to...That is something to think about, Diane. Change to hero’s POV. Except he has noreason robe there. Hmmmm.Margo Hoornstrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00036077481652050799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-42375089555098359782018-02-12T17:41:59.815-05:002018-02-12T17:41:59.815-05:00Your editor DOES love Book 2 - Can't wait to r...Your editor DOES love Book 2 - Can't wait to read this one as well. I know you'll get in the groove. You have a lot of great suggestions here. But you don't have to have the beginning figured out to finish the novel. Just keep moving forward and at some point, you'll figure out how your story should begin. Alicia Deanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12003539473772776004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-1633129388180674102018-02-12T08:07:34.799-05:002018-02-12T08:07:34.799-05:00I like the idea of the hero observing the funeral....I like the idea of the hero observing the funeral. You've gotten so many great ideas here. My thought as I read the comments was his suspicions that she is a black widow. Lots to think about, I'm sure. Good luck.Diane Burtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03754105332297068271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-288041526739439862018-02-12T06:51:35.091-05:002018-02-12T06:51:35.091-05:00Thanks for the pep talk, Brenda. I do know these p...Thanks for the pep talk, Brenda. I do know these people, so onward, right? (Plus, Jannine does know a thing or two after all ;-)Margo Hoornstrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00036077481652050799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-69616269457401077082018-02-11T18:51:27.705-05:002018-02-11T18:51:27.705-05:00Jannine's input sounds great to me. I love the...Jannine's input sounds great to me. I love the characters. So much to work with. You'll get it or you wouldn't have such a great handle on the characters.Brenda Whitesidehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04162555468154752820noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-87828062943833819622018-02-11T14:04:22.126-05:002018-02-11T14:04:22.126-05:00Good point, Andi. Too much, too soon. Got it. Mayb...Good point, Andi. Too much, too soon. Got it. Maybe the story doesn't even start here after all. Hmmmmm. Margo Hoornstrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00036077481652050799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-28063628410071047452018-02-11T14:03:31.056-05:002018-02-11T14:03:31.056-05:00We have learned, Alison, haven't we?We have learned, Alison, haven't we?Margo Hoornstrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00036077481652050799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-29657969982385788402018-02-11T14:03:13.988-05:002018-02-11T14:03:13.988-05:00Ah, Jannine, how did I know you would say that? Sa...Ah, Jannine, how did I know you would say that? Saves you the trouble of messing with...uh...assisting with this scene when I get this one finished. Standing up for herself...heck yeah! Her momma didn't raise no wimps. The BIL does come into this scene with his meddlesome ways.Margo Hoornstrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00036077481652050799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-37086935324586780692018-02-11T14:01:08.020-05:002018-02-11T14:01:08.020-05:00Ooooh, good idea, Rolynn. The hero could be observ...Ooooh, good idea, Rolynn. The hero could be observing everything from afar (he's already met the oldest son) then her story could come out as we go along. Excellent. Thank you. Ha! If you can't turn to your own sisters for help, I mean, where else would you go?Margo Hoornstrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00036077481652050799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-23968819999543978832018-02-11T13:43:35.975-05:002018-02-11T13:43:35.975-05:00For me, there's too much back story for an ope...For me, there's too much back story for an opening--I don't feel drawn in. Guess I'm saying more or less what the others are saying (I hope!) I'm sure it'll be wonderful when you finish and that you'll figure things out.Andrea Downinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11553961600937196102noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-63827678720880038982018-02-11T12:40:32.950-05:002018-02-11T12:40:32.950-05:00Wow, you've given her a heavy load. My two cen...Wow, you've given her a heavy load. My two cents? Listen to Jannine. Alison Hendersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12725250883303287946noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-36965684206669211222018-02-11T12:35:15.998-05:002018-02-11T12:35:15.998-05:00Too much introspection in the open. You need to cu...Too much introspection in the open. You need to cut it down and feed the boy parts in later. Have something happen at the service to make her stand up for herself and be determined not to be a victim. Maybe the BIL makes a black widow comment. Show grace and strength in response. My two cents. You know I’ll have plenty to say as you go along. LOL Jannine Gallanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01047728297429025804noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-30469677250031826572018-02-11T10:34:43.391-05:002018-02-11T10:34:43.391-05:00Yup, best advice is to take small steps. But I...Yup, best advice is to take small steps. But I'm like Leah; what's going to surprise/intrigue the reader about this widow's story, different from so many other widow stories? The second thing to think about is theme. If this story isn't about moving through grief, what is it about? One trick is to put this first scene from the point of view of the hero...or one of the sons. Maybe the sons will sabotage any new relationship Madi has from now on...to avoid more pain. One of my tricks is to deconstruct...make a list of what the story isn't about...to get to what it is about (this energizes me, usually, to get cracking). Good luck, Margo. And thanks for asking for help from your sisters...makes us feel more capable for our own projects. Wink...wink!. Rolynn Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09504770204968969467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-79240503286771665052018-02-11T09:18:29.241-05:002018-02-11T09:18:29.241-05:00Thanks, Leah. As a matter of fact, she thinks of h...Thanks, Leah. As a matter of fact, she thinks of herself as a sort of jinx with men, hence one of her conflicts about getting involved with the hero. Oddly enough, losing two husbands in a row, as it were, has made her grow as an individual. Yep, one word/sentence/page at a time.Margo Hoornstrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00036077481652050799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-14727194324706852442018-02-11T09:05:09.842-05:002018-02-11T09:05:09.842-05:00All I could think was how sad at being widowed twi...All I could think was how sad at being widowed twice at such a young age (or relatively young, I presume). Then I wondered if she's some kind of black widow or something. :-) (That's my mystery/suspense brain "speaking out.") It is a dark beginning, but that's real life for some, too. I think Madison is ready for some light! (Love her name, by the way.) Like Vonnie said, keep at it. It will come. (I tell myself the same thing every day, Margo.)Leah St. Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11004006100786260893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-44465683727939439602018-02-11T08:16:16.724-05:002018-02-11T08:16:16.724-05:00Hmmmm. I think you nailed it for me, Vonnie. The h...Hmmmm. I think you nailed it for me, Vonnie. The hero definitely will have to bring in that light this family so needs. One thing you made me think about is to not focus too heavily on the boys, either. After all, this is their mother’s romance. One page at a time for sure. One word, one sentence at a time and I’m there.Margo Hoornstrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00036077481652050799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9023937099212820339.post-65450606492056107012018-02-11T07:41:16.841-05:002018-02-11T07:41:16.841-05:00You've got a very heavy beginning. Bringing mo...You've got a very heavy beginning. Bringing moments of light will be difficult, especially for the boys who are scared. Your focus will need to be on the friendship/hero worship of the boys for the new guy in her life. And that you might have to write one page at a time. Of course, that's easy for me to say. That's how I write everything. Keep at it. I know you can do it and be a stronger writer for it.Vonnie Davishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04636934830795471572noreply@blogger.com