WHAT CAN YOU LEARN ABOUT WRITING FROM READING?

Vonnie Davis

I love reading romance. Now that I’m writing full-time, I only get to read a book a week. However, for forty or more years, I used to read two to three, so as you can imagine I’ve forgotten more characters, emotional angst and plots than there are stars in the sky.

Yet a few have remained in my memory. And those few, I read over and over to study why. Why did they make an impression?

I’m currently reading Linda Howard’s Mackenzie’s Mountain, a romance I first read twelve years ago and once nearly every year since. I read it last week and as soon as I finished, I started it over again, hunting for the “whys” of its appeal. There are point of view shifts within the paragraph. Dated philosophies. Said tags galore (my pet peeve). Yet, for me, the book creates all the warm fuzzies I want from romance: The strong alpha male and the plucky heroine who goes toe-to-toe with him.

Nora Roberts’ MacGreagor series is a favorite, too. She taught me the value of secondary characters, of weaving family into the romance.

Jill Shalvis is a master at internal dialogue. I’ve learned a lot from her writings, too. Her description of Wade in Slow Heat as he leans in an open car door to talk to the heroine is a lesson in itself. Thank you, Jill. 

While I also enjoy historical romance, some are so shallow in research that the story could be set in any era or any country. I love the stunning details of historical research that transport me almost from the first paragraph. Beth Trissel, Susan Macatee and Claire Ashgrove excel.

In her Plum Series, Janet Evanovitch taught me ways to write humor. I’ve read every installment, and every time I do, I sleep fitfully. I think it bothers my romantic mind that she won’t or can’t choose between Morelli and Ranger. Go figure.

Do you enjoy learning the craft of writing from other authors? What things have you learned in your pleasure time of reading?

For one lucky commentor, you may have your choice of an eBook of either Storm's Interlude or Those Violet Eyes. 

 

 

Blending Fact With Fiction

Good morning, everyone!

I think everyone can relate to this topic, whether you're a reader or a writer.  How much fact do you want to draw out the details, and how much becomes too much and boring?

The Curse of the Templars, I
January 2012

I thought about this long and hard when developing The Curse of the Templars, and the first book, Immortal Hope.  In fact, about five chapters in, I had to do something I never do -- cut words.  I had a historical dump, when it so wasn't necessary.

We authors tend to get carried away.  We find fascination in the tiniest, most insignificant things -- after all, we can pull ideas for a whole story off of just looking at a cereal box at times.  And it's difficult to chain our inner muse when we're fascinated by something in particular.

But that actually became the key for me: stopping, looking at what I was writing and conciously acknowledging that all these facts and figures were, in essence, drivel to a reader.  Which is what we have to remember when we're writing...the reader's interest, not the writer's interest.

Fact needs to relate to the scene and the overall plot, while simultaneously driving the story forward.  A key place I can use an example, is when Anne, in Immortal Hope, is rationalizing the behavior of the knights, and how some could be less than honorable.  The first draft, I had four paragraphs listing all the different incidents where Templar knights had been documented for abuses in power.  It was fascinating to me, because I was the one doing the research.  All the reader really cares about is the summary that made it into the final version, which is along the lines of  "Some accounts documented Templar abuses of power, where men who were supposed to be noble used the sword to domineer over the unfortunate."

Readers don't come to our books for a history lesson or a reality disertation.  The facts they glean, they learn via the fiction story-telling.  Case in point -- it's really easy for us to believe CSI, and we all have a general idea of cop procedurals strictly from television, not because we watched a documentary on "Step 1, Step2, Step3...  We're really okay knowing, logically, it's been fictionalized, and we simply don't really care if fingerprint points can't possibly be matched that quickly, in real life.

The Curse of the Templars, II
September 25, 2012

The point?

When an author blends fact into fiction, historical, procedural, or simply reference, she needs to keep the reader in mind.  Step back from your writing.  Ask yourself, does my reader, who may not share the same passion for this topic, but wants to be entertained by the romance, really care about the nitty gritty?  Can I summarize this, as heartbreaking as it may be, and drive to my next point of action faster?

If you can, you probably don't need the extra tidbits.  And if you really can't part with the details, at least maybe you can move them, so the info doesn't come all at once.

Anyway!  The second book in The Curse of the Templars releases TUESDAY!  Whee!  I hope you'll check it out.  On my next stop in this month, I'll be giving away a copy or two!



~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com

Welcome, Martin St. James by Claire Ashgrove

Good morning everyone!  When we chose the topic of character interviews, it was really a little uncomfortable for me, to be honest.  Not because I don't like sharing them, but because the characters who jumped to mind, I've just done a lot of interviews and talking about with various blog tours I'm on for new releases.  And then it hit me... Martin St. James.  No one knows a lick about Martin St. James and we've been friends for years.  And he finally got to have his story exposed to the world this month.

Martin's a reknowned restauranteur with sandy blonde hair and green eyes that notice, perhaps, a little too much.  He plays classical piano, loves to jump horses through his Irish fields, and ladies, he even owns a castle.  Need protection?  Look no further, he'd die for those he loves in a heartbeat.  And--

Martin: Almost did too.

Martin, really, I wasn't done with introducing you. 

Martin:  Yeah, yeah.  Tate's been working on my ego.  Let's not revert, or there will be hell to pay.  Get to the interview.  (He winks, his smile devastatingly charming.)

Okay, okay!  So tell these other gals -- who is Tate?

Martin:  Tate is...my soul mate.  Don't laugh, I know it sounds corny.  But when we met several years ago, there was an instantaneous connection that couldn't be explained.  If she had been single then, I'd have married her that first day.  Honest!

So, you're old friends?

Martin looks at me like I've lost my marbles.  "Uh... Oh! The interview.  Right.  They don't know."

Exactly.

Martin:  She was my attorney's wife.  We met when I stayed with them for a while in California.  Tottally innocent, mind you!

Yes, I know, you're too noble to get caught up in an affair.

Martin:  Damned tempting though.  Anyway, hardest thing I did was leave without asking her to leave with me.  Then a few weeks ago, she turned up in Ireland.  Only... she looked nothing like herself.  I mean nothing.  Just her turquoise-rimmed eyes. 

And things didn't turn out quite as expected right?  You convinced this lady to go to dinner with you, never knowing what was about to happen.

Martin: Pretty much.  Let's just say when I started to recognize she was hiding something, by then it was a little late to turn back.  I couldn't have walked away.

But you tried.

Martin:  Sheer moment of weakness.  Stupid weakness.  I wasn't in my head then.

What's your favorite thing about Tate?

Martin:  One?  You expect me to name just one?  (He chews on this thoughtfully.)  She's incredibly strong, but behind all that strength is a vulnerability that calls to me like a siren.  And she makes me laugh.  I don't know, Claire--she's just part of me.  Always has been.

You brought it up, you almost did die.  Is there anything you want to tell us about that?

Martin:  Well...when I finally put all the pieces together and figured out someone wasn't just trying to intimidate her, but truly meant her harm, there was no thinking about it.  I'd have done whatever I had to that day, and I did.  It gave me perspective, I'd say, in hindsight.  It's been a long time since I've been afraid.  I'm not embarrassed to say I was then.  But not for me.  I was damned terrified for her and the idea of losing her.

You're so sweet.  What do you hear from Felicia and Casey these days?

Martin:  Casey is working on another book. Felicia?  I don't really have cause to see her much.  I think she's in New York still. (He shrugs.)

Well, Martin, hate to do this, but I've got to cut it short.  Thanks for dropping in on my friends today.

Martin:  Anytime. 

Ladies, that's Martin.  I hope you've enjoyed meeting him a little bit.  To get a better idea about Tate, and the lengths he'll go to for her -- and she's a really fascinating woman, by the way -- check out The Heart's Stronghold.  It's $2.99 on Kindle, Nook, or Kobo!

What she’s hiding is unforgivable…

With six million stolen dollars tucked away in a Swiss account and a new identity, Natalie St. James arrives in County Kerry, Ireland toting a horde of secrets. She’s starting over, nurturing dreams of freedom from an unspeakable past. She never imagines that one night in her ancestral homeland will expose her to danger all over again. Nor does she foresee running into someone from her past--the one man her heart still yearns for. Martin is determined to unravel why she seems so familiar. But his learning the truth would not only endanger Natalie, it would cost Martin his life.

There’s something haunting about the secretive redhead that Martin St. James can’t place. He knows they’re connected, and he’s drawn to her in ways he can’t explain. Despite Natalie’s evasion, his determination for answers leads them down a fiery path of desire reminiscent of a long-ago, forbidden love. But when a stranger arrives in Kerry, Martin begins to suspect Natalie’s in trouble. Her fear tugs at his heart, even more than the splendor of her kiss. Battling for her trust and consumed with the need to protect her, he never expects her secrets will reveal betrayal, or that when they do, he’ll be fighting for his heart, but his life as well.

~~~~~

Claire

www.claireashgrove.com

A Peek In My Backyard by Claire Ashgrove

Being outdoors month and all... combined with this crazy RomCon preparation that has chewed away at my creative mind and eaten all my time... I thought I'd stick with super simple and give you a peek at my backyard. 

Many of you know I live on a farm.  When I first bought the property I spent that first evening on a picnic in the grass, looking up at the brightest stars I've ever seen.  At night, the crickets sing like they are in concert.  In the distant, (and sometimes not so distant) tree lines coyotes howl, yip, and play with one another.  The first time I heard young pups playing was an eye-opener.  I've never heard such racket.  Once the sun goes down, we don't get much road traffic, but we can hear the train a good 7 miles away.  Not just the whistle, but the chug-chug of wheels on the track as well.  Occasionally the Air Force Base sends an A-10 or a B-2 on a mission or there's something flying in.  And in between all this, we hear the horses in the pasture.  Nickering now and then, an occasional whinny, and just the quiet hooves walking from one place to another.

The other day I went looking for a screw and encountered this guy:

Okay, maybe not that precise one, but that's a great representation.  He was curled up in a plastic tub, not the least bit bothered by us.  We left him be, and I assume, since I haven't seen any baby pigeons this year, he's still in residence.

Speaking of pigeons -- last spring we found a fledgling on the ground in the same barn.  She now resides in the house.  We hand-fed her, and at night she coos to us.  Very soothing melody.

Right now, we're fascinated by our newest old edition, Baariq.  He's been in a boarding facility for about three years, and we just brought him back home.  This photograph is pretty old; he's grown up a lot since this, filled out into adult form, and follows us around.  He lives in our front yard, because the gentleman beneath him, runs the pasture. (Khemo is a yearling in this photo)



Baariq



Khemokaizee

And then, every now and then, we stroll to the far corner where those who've been with us and left us now rest.  It may sound morbid, but really no... it's nice to go back and walk through memories and know our old friends are still nearby.  And that's what makes a house ahome, I think.  The little tidbits of us we leave behind.  Then we can turn around and see their legacy, and everything's a happy place.

Isabella

Isabella's daughter

We love our piece of the outdoors.  My boys pick flowers as often as they can for Mom (of their own accord!), bring me grasshoppers regularly, caterpillars, beetles, and great big honking clods of mud.  The dogs leave me presents in the yard that, quite often, I don't want to know what they were.  But those little gifts draw visitors like the big old buzzard who perched one morning on the kids' picnic table.  The hawks talk to us, two days ago we saw a golden eagle.  And all around you can hear the echoing chorus of mooo-mooo.   Calves in springtime are such an adorable thing!

On that note, I'm heading out the door and shipping off to RomCon 2012!  Hope I will see some of you there!

Claire

http://www.claireashgrove.com/



A Romantic Interlude by Claire Ashgrove

Hi all! Here we are, a few hours away from the turn of a new month. I'm back, touting my hometown today, and jazz music, in honor of the last day of Jazz Appreciation Month.

I was going to talk about how jazz has changed through the years, how it's been modernized, but unfortunately that would turn into a disertation. So we're going to tie this back to romance.

Top Ten Romantic Jazz Songs

(How many of these do you recognize?)

10. Michael Buble -- "You and I"
9. Harry Connick Jr -- "We are in Love" (This man makes me swoon, I swear!)



8. Tony Bennet -- "Blue Velvet"
7. Sarah Vaughan - "Body and Soul"
6. Nora Jones -- "Come Away With Me"
5. Nat King Cole -- "Unforgettable"
4. Billie Holiday -- "Crazy He Calls Me"
3. Frank Sinatra -- "As Time Goes By"



2. Louis Armstrong -- "Dream A Little Dream of Me"

And the number one romantic Jazz Song...



Ella Fitzgerald -- "All the Things You Are"


Memories, ladies... I tell you. Makes my heart flutter at the romaticism of the era, the style, everything about it.

Before I go, I want to share with you my personal favorite, even if it didn't make the list.



Enjoy, and happy Mayday, everyone!

~Claire
http://www.claireashgrove.com/
http://www.toristclaire.com/

Bottoms Up! by Claire Ashgrove

Bottoms up, everyone -- this is the national Jazz Appreciation Month!  And as a Kansas City gal, I couldn't miss the opportunity to share some of our history.  Afterall, the old saying goes, "Jazz was born in New Orleans , but America's music grew up in Kansas City."

So step back in time with me to the 18th and Vine district of Kansas City...

Would you believe that 1940s little corner was the hubub of night life?  You see, KC, in the '40s was a unique place.  Missouri rejected prohibition three times, before signing the 18th Amendment only after enough votes had been obtained for it to pass anyway.  But we went a step further, or rather our politica boss, Tom Pendergast did.  He insured that the prohibition laws wouldn't affect KC's liquor industry or saloons.  Which meant Kansas City's nightlife was on fire.  And that's where our jazz began.

Late night (and all night) clubs inspired jam sessions that went on and on.  Solos were introduced to help facilitate what was rather a competition, of who could recreate the same song, as long as possible, throughout the night.

Sit back and take a listen to the master.

Doesn't it put you in the mood? Picture the men in their pinstriped zoot suits, fedora hats, shirts, ties, suspenders, watch chains, and wingtip shoes. Women in knee-length dresses that highlighted narrow waists, black kid gloves, elaborate hairstyles, stylish hats, and bright red lipstick. Dancing the night away. Lounging in red velvet chairs at dark wood tables, a cigarette in one hand, a cocktail in the other. Laughing intimately before leaning in and touching foreheads... before stealing a kiss beneath the low lit lamps.

Driving home in their deep burgundy Packards, or perhaps walking down a crowded sidewalk as music drifts from the doorways of the open, crowded clubs. What awesome imagery for a story setting!

18th and Vine still exists today and has been revived through community efforts. Jazz is, very much, at the heart of everything there, and several of the original buildings still exist. Come back on the 30th and I'll share a little more of where we've grown, and where Jazz grew, in the years after. It'll be fun. At the very least you'll have some music to listen to!

Meanwhile, Bottoms Up!  Kick back, have a toast in honor of the festive month, and turn on Count Basie.  I'll drink with you.  Pass me a Bacardi Limon and Coke, please.

And by the way, since it's brand new on the shelves! I have a new book out this week -- Ensnared by Blood. Check it out if you want a dark, paranormal read! It's the fourth book in my Inherited Damnation series.

~Claire
http://www.claireashgrove.com/
http://www.toristclaire.com/

Growing Weeds

Gardening Month it is... and unlike my previous post which was rather meaningless, I intend to have a worthy discussion today.

Let's talk about weeds. If your yard looks anything like mine, the weeds are already lower-calf height and begging for a run-in with the mower. (Yours will probably meet that fate. Mine however, will continue to thrive until the tractor gets a new battery.) And you've probably begun the yearly ritual of plucking unwanted shoots, laying out your garden or flower bed, and perhaps sowing a few seeds.

I wish you the best of luck. My thumb is dirt brown.

But there are some weeds that warrant discussion. Those found in writing and in the garden on your computer.

These weeds are called... (gasp!) ideas.

I've had many recent conversations with authors, both published and unpublished, that involve the general topic of idea overflow. We all have wonderful ideas, stories that pull our focus one direction, but really aren't going to lead us anywhere except for, perhaps, a great writing journey.

Note, I'm not talking about active pursuit of a different subgenre. I'm talking about that random idea that hits out of nowhere that we all know is something we shouldn't spend energy thinking about. Case in point -- I'm often struck with YA ideas. I have to force them aside. I don't write YA. I don't want to be a YA author, and all other things aside, I have no idea what the technical specifics for the genre are. So, while the idea may be way cool, the amount of time it would take me to put together that idea, into something workable, would eat up the time it would take me to write likely two books in something I already do.

So I'm encouraging all of you to sit down and look at your garden. Look at what seeds you have, what shoots are growing, and give some thought on plucking the weeds that might look pretty but are really a nuisance. (Like my damned ivy.) Focus your energies on what truly gives you the best opportunity while satisfying the craving of your heart.

Crafting that uber-cool idea might be fun as all get out. But if you have to relearn everything you thought you already knew, chances are your time is better invested on a new idea in your currently sown row.

At the same time, if you're stuck in between on one of these publishing plateaus (translation, your genre isn't selling), look at those seeds yet to be planted. Is it time to take the momentum of spring, the season of life, and perhaps put energy into something new? Is it the season to make a change?

As for me? I'm going to go on ignoring my YA muse and keep on telling myself, "Maybe when the demidemons are older and I can relate to the teens." Meanwhile, I'm looking at some older projects that I wrote in my current genres, analyzing the time required to polish them up versus the time required to write something new, and plucking those weeds. I'm also planting a few flowers by reviving my very first writing project. I'll continue to nurture the saplings that are growing -- The Templars, the Black Opals -- and spend more energy on making these shine better than the one before.

In between... I'm checking my email for some news about a brand new plant that I hope will have deep roots.

So... what about all of you? Are you weeding or sowing already planted seeds?

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com

My March Maddness

Hi all! How about that MU upset?

Er... yes, let's just pretend I didn't say that. I know nothing about basketball. In fact, my boys are forbidden to entertain the idea of the sport because I hate the squeaky shoes. However, with everyone around me riled over that particular issue, I couldn't resist.

Guess what today is?

International Goof Off Day and As Young As You Feel Day. What an awesome day to blog. I don't have to think! Mwahaha!

In fact, I can go romp in the mud and be perfectly justified when I hand the demidemons my soaked clothes and say, "Your turn to wash." They might look at me like I'd lost all my marbles, but... the calendar says I can.

So anyway -- Recall I was bemoaning the Christmas tree still being up. Well, I did get it taken down, and the stockings. I still have two Santas sitting out but that's because I keep forgetting to buy the new storage containers when I make a trek to Wal-Mart. Last year the mice had a bit of fun with them, so they will sit on my table until I remember a plastic tub is a necessity.

I do intend to make use of Goof Off Day. Coffee with my writing cohort tomorrow, dinner out, and a movie maybe. I've been ticking through deadlines and buried so far into my computer it wouldn't surprise me if there's a thumb drive sticking out my ear or something. I intend to reward myself tomorrow... particularly now that I have an excuse.

What about all of you? The Powers That Be say you have the right to set everything aside and do whatever the heck you want today. How do you intend to spend it?

As far as the Only As Old As You Feel part -- this one I'm actually going to object to. This month, I think I'll stick with calendar years!

And while I'm rambling, let's talk spring a minute. It's here FINALLY! (Did I mention mud?) Are you all in your yards planting flowers, gardens, and cultivating beds? I made a grand attempt at that two days ago, and I have a mountain of yardwork awaiting the dry spell that's supposed to come this weekend. I cleaned out half a fence line that I've let go for way too long. I discovered the ivy that I thought was "oh so pretty" ten years ago is really "oh so destructive", and I spent two hours plucking vines off my root cellar.

It's storm time again in my neck of the woods, and I'm one of those people who both fears and loves a good storm. I can even sit back and enjoy a severe storm, as long as the threat of tornadoes isn't high. (Primarily because the basement has spiders and the idea of going down there... shudder.)

I've found that one of the best times to write is when it's dark and the silence is interrupted by the rumble of thunder.

Do you read or write when it's storming? Does that intensify the words somehow for you?

Well, it's time for coffee with that writing cohort. I'll check back in, but I'm really interested in hearing how you all intend to goof off today.

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com

Organization? Who Me?

Photo courtesy of: OctanBearcat, DeviantArt

Happy New Year, Everyone!

2012 has begun with a crack of lightning for me. And by that I mean, it hit out of the blue, knocked me sideways, and I'm still trying to put out the fire in my hair.

I released two books on January 3rd: IMMORTAL HOPE (dark paranormal romance through TOR) and STRIPPED (erotic romantic suspense through Berkley Heat). For the first time in my publishing career, my future sales now depend on current sales, and that directly translated to I couldn't sit on my hands and simply focus on the next book. I had to put myself out there. Promote. Figure out how to promote.

I settled on a couple blog tours (dates available on my blogsite) and have been struggling to keep up with everything. Writing guest posts (over 50), doing interviews (10 or so), and trying to track give aways, not all of which I initiated, but were prompted by my publishing house, but I still need to make an appearance when they occur. Add in that I am in edits for the second Curse of the Templars book, the second Black Opal book, and the fourth Inherited Damnation book, plus I have four novellas due back to back through April, and chaos is my middle name.

Which means... my life is best stated as See the Cartoon Above.

I'm normally pretty organized when it comes to writing. My usual desk is fairly clean, with only the current project's notes stacked off to one side for easy reference. I have a couple post-its tacked right in front of my keyboard, a pen haphazardly tossed about, and probably the previous day's coffee cup waiting. But otherwise, save for a little cat drool from 18yr old writing companion, we're clean, tidy, and efficient. Everything else is filed in file cabinets or transposed to my hard drive so the paper can be tossed away.

HAH!

I wish that were true right now, as I look at the mail from last week on the opposite side of my table, the pile of books I have to sign and get in the mail, the stack of notes about stuff I'm pretty sure isn't current any more, and a good week's worth of candy wrappers cluttering the minimal space where my laptop fits. Oh and did I mention? At night I'm writing by the light of the Christmas tree.

What am I going to do to better organize? Pray for this month to whirr by in another couple days.

Then, I will probably take down the tree first, and organize my house once more. We started with the demidemons' playroom today. Holy cow that was frightening. But I can't really focus when I'm sidetracked by so many other messes. I'll write a paragraph or two, then notice the pile of dishes and have to get up to fix that before I can continue.

So first up, clean the house. Put the darn Christmas stuff back in the shed. Then file all this accumulated junk, and sit down to outline the next three novellas in Inherited Damnation.

I say that, and it gives me hope. In truth, I have a sneaking suspicion, the majority of the first part of 2012 is going to resemble Murphy's Law of Clutter.

We'll see when I come back on the 30th and the blog tours are over.

But speaking of! Do come and join me, please. Between the two tours I still have 50.00 in Amazon Gift Cards to award, and there's plenty of opportunity to win.

Chivalry Never Dies	Deception Is Part of the Game

~Claire

http://www.claireashgrove.com/

http://www.toristclaire.com/

TWITTER: @ClaireAshgrove

The Things (or people) I'm Thankful For

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and I've realized I'm in no way prepared for it this year. My house still needs to be cleaned, I haven't yet bought a bird, and I'm not entirely certain where my tablecloth is.

But in recent days, despite the constant hecticness, I've been made aware of the fact that even though we aren't ready to celebrate formally, I'm particularly thankful for some very special people and some rather ordinary things.

There's a father-daughter duo who bring my hay, rain or shine, mud or no mud, and without them, my horses wouldn't eat. They've even shown up in a pinch now and then, and are the friendliest people. True, our relationship is a business arrangement more than anything, but I'm grateful that it is the both of them I work with. I enjoy them, even when we're unwrapping bales in freezing cold rain.

My boss... yes, I have a part time day job. But my boss is a god-send on many levels. He is so encouraging and supportive of my writing. If I need time off to catch up on a deadline, it's not a problem. If I need to gush about some recent news in my writing career, he listens. He even asks questions! If I worked for anyone else, or had to report to a corporate environment, I would never meet the time constraints I have.

All writers have a vast network of writerly friends who help them. You'll find my acknowledgements in every book and I try to thank them as publically as I can. Dyann Love Barr has been... there just aren't words. And the same goes for my family.

I'm thankful this year, for the new washer and dryer so I can now do laundry at home and not have to lug baskets around.

I'm thankful for my dogs, cats, horses, pigeon and the two little mice I saved from the cat. They bring me joy and make me smile. Even if all they're doing is hiding under the torn-up cotton balls I put in their cage. Or the cat is sitting on the cage waiting for the mice to escape.

With two major releases coming in January (Immortal Hope as Claire Ashgrove and Stripped as Tori St. Claire), I've done a lot of reflecting on my writing career. My agent is an angel, my editors too. But I've met so many talented writers -- and learned from them as well. Little lessons I can't necessarily point out, but things that have helped me achieve goals and dreams.

And very recently I'm extremely thankful for the little computer store nearby that never hesitates to leap-to... and when my machine blows up unexpectedly, manages to get me up and running within 24 hours, without making me pay through the nose. Amazing people.

There are a lot of people who deserve remarks, who have touched my life in one way or the other. A lot of people who helped me get over hurdles that would have sucked me under if they weren't around.

I would be where I am --wherever that may be-- without them.

What about all of you? Anything that may seem "little" on the surface, but has a large effect?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com

Curious Old Buildings

Those of us local to the area would drive northbound down the highway near Liberty and see this creepy old building on the east. I remember making the trek once with my father and asking him, "Dad, what's that?" His answer, "I'm not sure. I think its an old school."

I had all kinds of ideas about what went on in that place. It was too far away from my home to investigate its history thoroughly and frankly, back then, I didn't know how to approach strangers and ask for insight on a curious old building. It was easier (and more fun) to let my imagination take control.

Well these northbound trips led to another discovery up in Atchison, Kansas. Yes, I know, haunted Atchison. I lived there for a little while before it became "Haunted Atchison" and the ghost stories abounded. There were all kinds of tales and everyone had an experience of some sort to share.

This too stayed with me, one building in particular, which I know as "The Old Witch's Home" an old Victorian complete with a tower room. Now, the house I lived in wasn't exactly "spirit free", but that Victorian grabbed my attention. I asked my friend to tell me about it.

The legend I heard was an old woman lived there with her cats. She died there with her cats. No family, no friends...and no one to care for the hungry cats. Cough. There was no electricity in several rooms and the house had been unoccupied for years. Still lights came on in the tower window. Strange noises were heard on many a night.

Years later, a friend of mine worked on that house when the owners put some attention into restoring it. He didn't know the history, but had a story to share. "That house--I was painting when all I heard was insane purring. I looked to my buddy, asked if he heard it. Sure enough. We looked all over and no one could find the damn cats."

Spooky.

Both buildings impacted me. I've always been fascinated by the paranormmal, but these two edifaces and their curious history fed my imagination. So much so that a decade later I pulled them into my paranormal writing. You'll find them in IMMORTAL HOPE and the continuing Curse of the Templar series.

Despite countless hours searchinng, the strange old building remained nameless and historyless. So I gave it a new history--the facade of the Knights Templar's American Stronghold. Beneath that crumbling brick you'll find a maze of stone works, a breathtaking temple, and sacred secrets hidden from mankind. The Victorian in the story belongs to my heroine and in its age-old walls, a treasure is hidden. A relic Azazel will kill to possess. In the caves near Atchison, where rumor says Satanic rites take place, battles between evil and the most holy occur at the gates to Azazel's realm.

I would learn this year, when I flipped on the news a few months ago, that my Knights stronghold was, in fact, The Odd Fellows' House. Long story very much summed up, it was owned by a secret society and the collection of property and buildings offered aid to its members and their families. The building I chose to work with was a hospital for widows and children. Very much alive with ghosts and part of the property is now incorporated in a paranormal tour. Ill be visiting that tour. Speaking to the attendees.

FUN!

The old Victorian? It too is part of a paranormal tour in Atchison. And those tower lights that occasionally flipped on... Well, the tower room is still not wired for electricity and still that eerie light glows.

Maybe its a witch. Maybe it's the ghost of a lonely old woman. Maybe it's her cats, many who fed off her body.

Or perhaps, that unexplainable illumination is indeed, an immortal knight taking refuge from battle and nursing his dying soul.

~Claire
Www.claireashgrove.com

When A Review Means Something

Hi all! Good to be back here again today. I've been trying to post since around 4am this morning, but my wireless signal strength is about as effective as dial-up. It evidently felt Blogger stretched it's capabilities today. Apologies.

I must say, I’ve returned from Hawaii and find that life is chaos. It seems no matter how much I accomplish in one day, my head’s still in the sand, my lungs are full of salty-air, and my to-do list triples daily.

But before I left, I mentioned Misunderstanding Mason was coming out on the 31st. It released. Unfortunately, that day, I was swimming in the cove to the left. So I missed a lot of promotion pushes.

It did, however, garner interest and the first two reviews that I’ve received have both been 5-Star reviews. I found though, that while both were beautiful reviews, both were professional, and both significantly pleased me, one seems to have given me a tad more ‘warm-fuzzy’ than the other. So I started thinking about why… and I’ve learned something about myself.

Reviews are part of the process. Good, bad, indifferent – an author recognizes he/she cannot please everyone and there’s a level of expectation about that “terrible review”. Occasionally there’s one that really impacts us, or that we remember.

For me, the review by someone who’s not read me before, and finds my work pleasing, is the review that impacts me the most.

“Claire Ashgrove is a new author to me, but you can better believe I am going to get better acquainted with more of her work real soon!” ~ The Romance Reviews (I cannot computer generate the reviewer’s name with special characters)

That statement is why I write. Not because that’s a compliment to me, though I certainly appreciate it. But because one person has been impacted by my writing, who had not read me before.

I remember strictly as a reader, discovering a new author and that thrill of “Oh wow!” There’s a special feeling about that discovery that even overrides the comfort of reading a book by a favorite author. It’s exciting. It’s fulfilling. Kinda like romance, itself, and falling in love with another person.

I write romance. I want readers to fall in love with the heroes and heroines that I create and the trials that they must overcome. If I can generate a reaction like the above, I have done that, and I have fulfilled my responsibility as a writer. My chore is to then continue to meet that readers expectations with each and every book I produce.

I keep remarks like that in the forefront of my mind when I write. I am conscious of my reader, not just the story I want to tell. That’s my job… for without readers… I’m writing into outer space.

So what about you? What’s it like to discover a new author? What’s it like for you authors to hear remarks like that? For reviewers – are you aware that mentioning something similar can totally make an author’s day?

Curious to your thoughts.

If you’d like to hear more about Misunderstanding Mason, I’m going to be posting a new excerpt on my website over the weekend, replacing the short excerpt with a longer, first-chapter cut. Stop on by and check it out!

~Claire
http://www.claireashgrove.com/

Simplicity of Romance

One of the things that I like about romance is the fact it is timeless and can happen to any one of us, not just the larger-than-life heroes and heroines we create as romance authors. We don't need to be wealthy, we don't need to be ready to tackle demons, we don't need to be damsels in distress. We can be ourselves and still experience ourselves.

Which is a concept that got me thinking, and put me at a place where I wanted to write a normal romance. Not too much baggage, no dark secrets bogging the hero and heroine down, just an everyday experience.

So I did some more thinking, and used a bit of my former life experiences to put together an idea. I used to work for a gaming company, designing games. Let me tell you... people who love (truly love) computers are some of the most normal people you can find. Sometimes they can be flat-out boring. And, I don't know a computer gamer who isn't addicted to his or her work, to the point that the world can go by and they won't be aware until they're left looking after it.

Which took me to Mason, and my contemporary novella that releases TOMORROW! -- Misunderstanding Mason.


While Mason wouldn't be on the cover of Cosmopolitan or even Forbes, he's successful and respected in his own circle. Kirstin's always been behind her man, always seen the hero that her computer graphic designer man is.... Until... a little bit of real life gets in their way.





Sometimes the most vivid pictures go unseen...

When Kirstin Jones agreed to work with her live-in boyfriend, Mason, on a free-lance job for a wealthy client, she never thought it might destroy their relationship. But the client’s keen observations show her that she’s been little more than Mason’s shadow. Fed up with his insensitivities, she moves out. Weeks later, desperate to stand on her own, she accepts work with the same client once again. Only this time, the project requires Mason’s help. To obtain his aid, she must meet his terms. And what he wants is more than she can afford

Mason Montgomery is baffled by Kirstin’s claims that he never had time for her. While verbalizing his emotions has never been his strong point, he’s spent five years showing his love. He needs Kirstin more than he wants to admit. When she leaves him, he’ll stop at nothing to get her back, even if it means working with the client who twisted truths and tore his life apart.


I hope those of you who can appreciate the simplicity of love, will stop and check out Misunderstanding Mason. And for those of you who've ever had a misunderstanding with your loved one, and know how troublesome those can be, this is definitely a story you can relate to!

See you all next month!

~Claire
http://www.claireashgrove.com/

Squeaking In To Say Hello

Hi everyone! I'm Claire, and I'm one of the newer Roses on the vine. I'm very excited to be here. There's a lot of great talent on this blog, a lot of even greater people, and I look forward to the future with these fine ladies.

So, I guess this is where I talk about me huh? I hate talking about me. But we'll give it a whirl.

I was published in 2008, with my first book, Seduction's Stakes, at The Wild Rose Press. I wrote it on a dare, more or less, with surprising results, and that began my publishing career in Contemporary Romance -- which was nowhere in my line of sight when I began writing. I was firmly rooted in historical with a bunch of zany paranormal authors critiqing me. (Zany authors who went on to become my closest friends, I must add.)

I write paranormal, contemporary and historical as Claire Ashgrove. I also write under the pen name Tori St. Claire. I have several releases coming from August to January, and I hope you'll check them out. Misunderstanding Mason is a novella coming this month. Immortal Hope is my passion, the culmination of a year of research, and it comes out in January.

I'm a chocoholic, a tad horse-crazy, and when I'm not writing I'm chasing my two young boys around our farm. Inevitably, the Newfy is loping around behind us, drool flinging, tail knocking out whatever's in her path, and close on her heels is any one of our other four dogs.

I look forward to meeting all of you, and sharing in the tales here on the blog. I'll be semi-absent for awhile, on my first vacation ever -- to Hawaii! And I'm really excited about that right now. So if I come back singing Island songs, just bear with me for a while. It will pass. I promise.

With all that said, I'll leave you with the "official" intro, and I'll be back at the end of the month!

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com

Claire Ashgrove has been writing since her early teens and maintained the hobby for twenty years before deciding to leap into the professional world. Her first contemporary novel, Seduction's Stakes, sold to The Wild Rose Press in 2008, where she continues to write steamy, sexy stories for the Champagne and Black Rose lines. Adding to these critically acclaimed contemporaries, Claire’s paranormal romance series, The Curse of the Templars, will debut with Tor in January 2012. For those who prefer the more erotic side of romance, she also writes for Berkley Heat under the pen name Tori St. Claire.

Claire lives on a small farm in Missouri with her two toddler sons, fifteen horses, four cats, and five dogs. In her “free” time, she enjoys cooking, winning at rummy, studying ancient civilizations, and spending quiet moments with her family, including the critters. She credits her success to her family's constant support and endless patience.