Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but could’ve sworn I caught a whiff of fall in the air today. The temperatures were less punishing and Mother Nature seemed to dial down the humidity a smidge. Yes, I know, it’s not even Labor Day, but the Pumpkin Spice lattes are back at Starbucks! Autumn has to be close.

According to sources at the U.S. Naval Observatory, fall won’t officially grace us with its presence for twenty days – September 22, 2010; at 11:09 PM EDT, to be exact. Not that I’m counting or anything. But fall is my favorite season of seasons, and I’ve been pining for it all summer long.

What’s your favorite season?

First of all, thank you for letting me guest blog at this fabulous and fun site.  I was honored when Terri Brisbin  asked me if I’d like to blog here. Let’s hope I don’t goof this up too bad.

My latest release with Samhain Publishing, Wolf, was a fun venture in so many ways. Primarily, it was an opportunity to put my own spin on one of the fairy tales I loved as a child–Little Red Riding Hood.

Fairy tales. No matter the story there’s always a few commonalities–a woman in trouble, some nefarious individual, a handsome prince and a happily ever after.  What more could you ask for?

From an early age I was always fascinated with the hero of these tales. And I must confess, I always tweaked the handsome man on the white horse just a bit. After all, who in their right mind would want a man that flawless?

But who would make a great hero?

Well, if I had a hero blender and could concoct my ideal hero from traits, characteristics or pieces of celebrities and characters, I can easily identify a few people I’d add.

The first was easy–a decision I had to make in my formative years. Ken versus G.I. Joe. I know Ken was Barbie’s ideal. But he was metro before we even knew what metro was, and I always thought she deserved more than that. So sorry Ken, but G.I. Joe is getting tossed into my concoction for his ability to take charge and overcome adversity.  Go Joe!

With him in my blender rather early in my life, I’d have to say a few years passed without many possibilities.  A woman cannot be satisfied with G.I. Joe solely. She needs more than massive amounts of testosterone and brawn.  Brains were the next necessity to satisfy.

MacGyver was tossed into my hero blender the moment he appeared. The things that man can do with a roll of duct tape and a chocolate bar are scary imaginative.  Knowing my ideal hero could use ingenuity to get the heroine out of any circumstance provided a new level of comfort.  And anyone whose name becomes a brand new verb deserves to be in my blender. After all, how many of us have MacGyvered our way out of a situation?

Comfort can only get you so far, though. Sometimes you need the darkness, the primal instincts only a real bad boy would have.  Fortunately for me, there were quite a few bad boys during my rebellious teen years. Hair metal was all the rage and pretty boy Jon Bon Jovi was an easy conclusion. But he wasn’t the one who made my insides quiver like a swarm of drunken butterflies.  Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue, on the other hand, opened my innocent mind to all sorts of hedonistic lifestyles I couldn’t fathom–much less fully understand.  Ah, the things that bad boy could do if given half the chance. He had to be added.

Heroes need to be larger than life, stronger than feasible–the stuff of those mighty fairy tales forged from centuries of tradition and imagination. For this feat, I had to turn to two characters — Duncan MacCleod and Hercules.

Why? Do I really need reasons to add Adrian Paul and Kevin Sorbo? Okay, I didn’t think so either. But I’ll give them, just in case. J Who wouldn’t want an immortal hero with superhuman strength and a deep-seeded need to right injustice? And of course, they both provided a tender side rarely exhibited, but certainly appreciated when shared.

So, writers and READERS, that’s my hero concoction. Who’s in yours?

Cara Carnes is celebrating the release of WOLF over on her website www.caracarnes.com and will give one lucky commenter here at Jaunty Quills a copy of the book in the format of their choice and a little survival gift pack for when/if they get lost in the woods! (Oh my!)

It seems like I have a lot going on at the moment, although I don’t, really. Not compared to when my three kids were young and I was working as a nurse and my husband had an hour-long commute every day…each way! The household is just busy because all of my kids have been home for the summer. It’s temporary, though. Withhin weeks, the kids will have moved out and the house will be mine again.

Which is a mixed blessing, right? We certainly enjoy having them around, but we like our own space, too.

It got me thinking about the things that make me happy. Invariably, they’re little things.  Some are tied to memories, some are just the pure pleasures of the moment. for example, when I see a young mom carrying one small child and herding two others, I remember the days when I was doing that. It’s a warm memory, even though those were hectic times.  I always want to reassure those moms that things will get easier – at least for a while. (Of course I’ll hold back what I know about teenagers).

I enjoy the fall – the changes in temperatures, the cozy mornings in bed before the sun comes up, the colors. Most people I know say they prefer the heat of summer, but not me. I love the fall.

Then there are my dogs. They’re a couple of gorgeous labradors – one black, one yellow. And they’re sweet and affectionate, and look at you as though there was no one else in the world. You can’t help but smile when they make a mad dash for the water – doing what they were bred to do – swim! The best part? Walking hand in hand with my husband while the dogs play with each other.

Writing. It’s a pleasure that non-writers probably can’t understand. But there is nothing like writing a scene that is just right – and knowing it!

Having the whole family pitch in while I cook a big meal and then all sit down to enjoy it together.  (Just kidding – that’s not us at the left). My husband and I both grew up in large families where we all had dinner together, no matter what kind of activities we were into. And we managed to do that with our family, even though there was always a lot going on. Somehow, we made it work.

What are the little things that give you joy? Inquiring minds want to know!

I know a few people these days who are trying to find The One…they register on a website, find someone who sounds pretty good, then prepare for the all-important first date.

I don’t know about you guys, but I hated first dates. The pressure was tremendous—could this be him, the man I’d eventually marry, the father of my future and adorable children? Was I interesting enough (I never felt I was and in fact would review good stories to tell, all of which seemed to involve medical emergencies for some reason). I’d spend eons on deciding how to look better than my ordinary self, as I never had a lot of confidence on what to wear (Tim Gunn, we met too late, my darling!).

And then, I’d arrive at the restaurant or bar early and hope for the best. The best never came. Two things would happen: I’d take one brief look and immediately know he wasn’t the guy my kids would call Dad…or I’d fall madly in love and start naming said children. Either way, it never worked out…I ended up marrying a guy I met in line. I honestly don’t remember our first date, except that he held the door for me. It made a huge impression, clearly. J

In the interest of those seeking The One, I figured I’d post a few common sense rules for the first date.

1. Be clean and smell nice.
2. Wear clothes that fit.
3. Don’t talk about your ex.
4. Don’t talk about phobias, addictions, gastrointestinal illnesses or why your other relationships have failed.
5. Listen…don’t just wait for a pause so you can tell your stories.
6. Ask questions about work, family, pets, education.
7. Ask about hobbies and interests.
8. Be prepared to offer topics that will generate conversation…
   1. Favorite movies and books
   2. Places you’d like to visit
9. Try not to name the kids just yet.
10. Make a second date unless you really, really can’t bear the thought of another minute in this person’s presence.

Because that’s the thing. Most of us aren’t at our best with all that pressure, all those expectations. Get through the first one is the real priority.  While we all adore the idea of love at first sight, real love takes time to discover.

Any other rules you’d like to include?

I went to a play on Friday night at the local community playhouse. It was called The Lady With All the Answers. This one-woman play was on advise columnist Ann Landers. It took place in 1975. Fabulous play. Before it started, the person from the theaters asked everyone to silence “all those devices that weren’t around in 1975.”

That got me to thinking of all the technology that has developed in the past 35 years. We have cell phones, computers, iPods, DVD players, call waiting, GPS systems etc.

Of course thinking of all the advances made me wonder if I had to give up just one, what would I give up? For sure it wouldn’t be the computer? Type my manuscripts on a electric typewriter or word processor? No way. Cell phone, call waiting HAVE to stay…and I have to admit I love my Garmin Nuvi (GPS). If I had to give something up it would have to be the iPod.

How about you? If you had to give something up…what would it be and why would you pick that item (as opposed to something else).

Today is my birthday. I’m thirty-phftts years old.
No, no. I swore never to do that. My mother was thirty-nine for years. My grandmother, for decades. She’s still only fifty-two. Honest.
As a child, I always thought that was ridiculous. Why bother lying about your age? Instead, why not just live a good life, enjoy it, and be proud of the time you’ve spent on this earth?
But now that my daughter is starting Kindergarten, it makes a little more sense to me. I had my kids late in life, so I’m older than most of the other moms. A week ago, standing in the sweltering sun on the playground at the welcome-back “play date” with all the other moms in their late 20′s, I did feel a pang of longing for my own early-adulthood. And for my eyesight. (Not that my eyesight was ever great, but geez, at least I could always read a menu.)
But even if I’m not as young and perky as some of the other moms, I have lived a good life and I’m happy with how I spent every one of my thirty-nine years. Mostly. If I could apply for a rebate on thirty-two, I might be tempted. Nevertheless, on this particular day, I’m very happy with my life. I made Mojito cupcakes for my birthday. The Geek took me for an elegant dinner last night and bought me two cute purses for my present. I’m having lunch with good friends. And I have plans to watch chick-flicks all weekend long. Happy birthday indeed!

I’ll pick one person who comments to share in the birthday joy with a copy of my August release, His Accidental Fiancee.

Fall’s coming and for me that sense of excitement is in the air. Even though it’s been longer than I care to admit since I was in school, I still love shopping for supplies. Ah, the excitement of a new binder or pencil! I also love to shop for new clothes, makeup… And I come up with a plan for reinventing or improving upon myself. Right now my goal is to work on improving my writing, so I thought I’d share with you a few authors who make me want to be better than I currently am, or who push me to pay attention to aspects of the craft I may not have focused on earlier.

As writers, we all have our strengths and weaknesses when it comes to getting the words on paper. I’ve always had trouble tooting my own horn because I figure there are always people willing to tell me I suck, but I will tell you all that I believe my strengths to be character and emotion. For the sake of my own ego I’m not going to delve into the plethora of weaknesses to which I subscribe, and will instead jump into my current list of faves:

Married With Zombies by Jesse Petersen. Can the Zombie Apocalypse save Sarah and David’s marriage? Does a zombie only want you for your mind? I had the privilege of reading an ARC of this fabulous book (Aug 31st) and I wish I could pace like Petersen does. The scenes progress at a clip that adds a level of anxiety to the reading, and you’re totally invested in the characters thanks to Sarah’s first person narrative. My characters tend to think too much, but the characters in this book *act*. Only afterward did I realize that there’s not a lot of description in the book — not of characters at any rate. And you know what? I didn’t miss it, because they’re so well set up and so real in their actions and dialogue, that I already have an idea of what they look like. That’s good writing.

Ilona Andrews is one of those authors who make it seem effortless. Her plots are smooth and manage to keep you guessing without jumping all over the place. Her characters are incredible, but it’s her world building that really makes me green with envy. She (Actually husband and wife team Gordon and Ilona) really knows her setting. I imagine it must be so incredibly real inside her head. But it’s not just setting, it’s what has happened to the world and how it affects characters as well. Genius.

Stacia Kane’s a relatively new author to me and already she’s inspired me to the place where I love how good she is and hate her for being so good! lol. She builds entirely real characters that are so full of flaws you shouldn’t cheer for them, but you do because they’re so completely and wonderfully human. Her world is strange and yet terribly familiar, her pacing a mix of languid moodiness and frenetic tension. This woman is the complete package, and reading her makes me want to be so much better myself.

These are just a small sampling of authors whom I hold up as examples of real story tellers. They suck you into their work and don’t let go until the end, leaving you with that good feeling of a satisfying ending, and the equally melancholy realization that it’s all over until the next book. They’re part of the yard stick upon which I measure myself. Now, I’m not trying to write like them, or beating myself up for what I perceive to be my own short-comings, but I think it’s healthy for authors to think there are those out there from whom we can learn and improve our own work.

So, who or what inspires you to do better?

The writing process is different and varied between writers and among different books. Some of us are planners, meaning we outline or use index cards or plot boards or any variety of plotting tools to find the road map for our story before we writer. Some are what we call pantsters (as in writing by the seat of your pants,) meaning we just start writing and figure out stuff blindly as the story unfolds before us. And still other are a mixture of both. You can also have the same MO for four books and then suddenly what has always worked doesn’t. It’s perplexing, but most of us writers have multiple tools in our repertoire so that we’re prepared for these issues. But no matter how we tackle our actual writing, most of us (dare I say all of us) brainstorm. We might not go about it in the same ways, but the what if tickles all of us.

For me this is often my favorite part, or at least one of my favorite parts. This is before I’ve written anything. Everything in the story still exists solely in my mind (meaning I haven’t yet had time to mess it up!) And the possibilities are endless. There are a ton of brainstorming methods and I use a variety on any one book. I do preliminary character work and digging around with my characters usually brings some plot issues to light. I love to play with office supplies – post-it notes, markers, index cards, fancy pens – and these can come in handy when putting together a story. But my absolute favorite way to brainstorm is with other writers.

I’ve done big brainstorming weekends where a group of us pack up and head somewhere (usually the beach) and we do nothing but brainstorm and write and talk writing and eat chocolate for a couple of days. And it’s just heaven. There is nothing more invigorating than to spend time with my writer buds and discuss story possibilities. It’s a charge to work on their books too, really gets the juices flowing. Besides you never feel more brilliant, as a writer, than when you’re working on a friend’s book – that’s when all your great ideas come out. At least that’s the truth for me, it’s like when I’m working on someone else’s book I have more insight, more creativity. I think this has something to do with perspective, but that’s a whole ‘nother blog. But the potential in that initial kernel of an idea is heady and addictive (probably why I have 8, yes 8 new ideas I’m playing with right now). There’s so much to play with. What if I changed the time period? What if he wasn’t the villain, what if he was the hero? What if the heroine had this job? What if the hero was obsessed with this? Or that? The possibilities, as they say, are endless.

But we can’t escape our day-to-day lives every time we need to work on a new book. So we have brainstorming days where we get together and do what we do on our retreats, but in a shrink-wrapped kind of way. We talk faster, we take turns, we do chunks of the book rather than the whole thing or work on one single problematic issue.

Then there’s the emergency phone call or email. Just a quick shout-out for help when you’re stuck on a scene or a plot point or a research detail. Writer buds are the absolute best and I couldn’t write without mine.

So how about you? Are you close to your work friends? Do you have your go-to people whenever you have a problem that needs working out?

Summer is winding to the end and I’m not ready for it.  As you are reading this my son is starting his last year of middle school and my daughter is heading off to college.  My life is changing.  This Fall will be the one I remember for a long time to come as when I went to being a mother of two school aged kids to being a mother of just one.

The dynamic in my household will change as it will be me and two guys.  I wonder what that will be like and how it will play out.

Have you ever had a big life changing moment that you knew was coming?

Katherine

When Dorchester Publishing announced that it was going to an all digital format in the near future, I wasn’t terribly surprised.  It was fairly well known that the company had been struggling financially lately, and the Powers-that-Be likely thought by going digital and shrinking the editorial staff to the barest of minimums, they’d shave the cost of business and be able to stay afloat. 

It is true that electronic publishing, especially romance fiction, has increased over the past few years.  Several e-publishers have garnered much respect for their business ethics and superior products – that being their ability to put good novels in the hands (or devices) of readers. 

Another factor in the increase of e-sales has do to with there being more user-friendly devices available.  Those range from low-end $169 to top of the line $845.  There’s also a more standardized form of e-files and the several readers offer download files or apps so you can read most if not all of them. 

For years e-publishing has been touted as the wave of the future.  But according to the latest RWA statistics, it still only accounts for 5.4% of books sold while paperbacks account for 90.6% of the market.  But what would happen if those numbers were reversed?  What if print publishing was on the endangered list?

Here’s a short list of what would vanish if books became obsolete.

• Bookmarks.  No bound books, no need for book marks
• Book lights.  The majority of e-readers have backlights so you can read in a dark room.
• Bookstores.  Why build and staff stores if all they offered were downloads? 
• Book signings.  Impossible to sign a digital copy downloaded on a device.
• Book bags.  Hmm, you could use them for your groceries. 
• Libraries.  Okay, I suppose they’d be around to archive those old tomes. 

And that’s not touching on the industry that’s needed to get a book into publication, plus the staff and the cost of promotion to get books top shelf space in a bookstore. 

• Cover artists, models and photographers. 
• Printing houses. 
• Paper suppliers.
• Distributors.

I totally agree that having the ability to house hundreds of books in one slim reading device is fabulous.  But you know, I still love the tactile feel of a book.  If I drop it or it gets wet, it doesn’t break. 

So what’s your preference?  All digital reader?  A mix of both?  Or are you a lover of real books and don’t ever want to see them disappear?