The vehicle of voice

I mentioned below that I wanted to write about voice. It's been on my mind lately for a couple of reasons. One, because of my need/want to be more prudent with my book buying. There were things I could do to nip the habit of excess. Obvious things like spending less time in the bookstore and use the library more often. Less obvious things like, if I had the first 3 books in the series but hadn't read any of them yet, did it really make sense to buy the newest release? My interest in series has been known to peter out mid-way. Nothing to do with the quality of writing, I'm just a bit fickle that way. Same goes for TV shows. One season I'll have to catch every single episode, the next season? meh.

Another way I realized I could minimize 'mistakes' is to really assess the author's voice. Not the skill or talent in writing, but the voice. There's been so many times I've bought a book that was well written, and promised, in its back blurb, a unique premise and characters. Then I'd start reading and barely make it through the first chapter. Then I found I'd barely make it through the first 3 pages. Not because the book was so gadawful, or boring, but because I'd realize I was skating the surface. I hadn't been drawn in. I was an observer and not a participant. There were other things I could be doing. Things that crowded my mind and vied for attention.

Voice is what makes me a participant.

For those of you who write, you can understand this sensation as being akin to reading with your writer's hat on. You can admire the craftsmanship or you can mentally be editing every other sentence, but you are not a participant in that story. You're never fully drawn in. You have no emotional stake in the outcome. No purient interest. No intrigue.

Voice is the hook that binds you. It makes the observations mute, like passing scenery caught in your periphery vision. They (your observations on skill, etc) might add, or distract, from the trip, but your true and whole attention is glued on the road of plot and character. And voice is the vehicle.

Jokes

I have this beautiful Black Labrador Retriever. One day I was at Wal-Mart buying a large bag of Purina dog food for him. While waiting in line at the check-out, this woman behind me noticed the bag and asked me if I had a dog. On impulse I answered her no, that I was going back on the Purina diet. (I can't help myself, but sometimes I have no patience for inane conversations and questions!) I told her that even though the last time I did this I ended up in the intensive care unit it was worth the risk because the diet was so effective; I had easily lost 50 lbs.

She asked me for more information about the diet. I told her that it was a great diet, that the Purina was nutritionally balanced. All you do is load your pockets with it and every time you feel hungry you just nibble a few nuggets. The pounds just melt away.

She commented that if it was such a great diet why did I end up in intensive care. Was I poisoned by something in the dog food?

I told her no, the dog food was perfectly safe, but I got hit by a car while I was sitting in the street licking my balls!

She didn't ask any other questions.


* * * * * * * * * *


A study conducted by UCLA's Department of Psychiatry has revealed that
the
kind of face a woman finds attractive on a man can differ depending on
where
she is in her monthly cycle.

For example: If she is ovulating, she is attracted to men with rugged
and
masculine features. However, if she is menstruating, or menopausal, she
tends to prefer a man with scissors lodged in his temple and a bat
jammed up
his a$% while he is on fire.

NOTE:

Further studies in this area have been canceled.

Have You Been over to Romance Junkies Lately?

You know the writing contest..... it's still on. A new batch ::coughcough:: of entries went up this week. :-)






Romance Junkies Writing Contest.

What Can You Tell Me About Donna Boyd?

Has anyone read any of her books? I was in the bookstore (the magazine section. Honest.), and, uhm, these just happened to catch my eye:

The Passion

From the Publisher
In finely crafted prose and lush detail, Donna Boyd weaves a spell-binding tapestry of romance and suspense set against richly imagined landscapes of sensuousness. An intense saga of love and betrayal, The Passion is a story of those who walk the fine line between man beast.
On the eve of a brutal murder in contemporary Manhattan, Alexander Devoncroix finally reveals to his son and heir a tightly guarded chapter in the family history, which is know to no outsiders.

In a world in which a superior race of werewolved holds the positions of power, human and werewolf segregation had become the norm. But for the first time, the leaders of the pack have accepted a human. In dazzling nineteenth century Paris, we meet three pivotal players: the young human Tessa LeGuerre, who falls under the spell of a very powerful, very sensual werewolf; Alexander Devoncroix, the charismatic werewolf who adores humans too well, but whose ultimate loyalty is to the pack; and Elise, the imperial pack leader who lays claim to Alexander. Beloved ""pet"" of select members of the pack, Tessa naively embraces all things werewolf--an ambition that results in unspeakable tragedy.

This is the sequel:

The Promise

From the Publisher
""I saw the only woman I ever loved almost destroyed by my secrets.But it was the telling of them, in the end, that brought her to ruin.""
From the journals of Matise Devoncroix
Hannah Braselton North has abandoned civilization to spend her life in the Alaskan wilderness.And now she holds in her hands the supposed ""memoirs"" of one Matise Devoncroix.It is a story of strange desires and forbidden love--the tale of a magnificent hidden race and a tortured, doomed relationship.And it is somehow connectedto the critically injured male wolf Hannah pulled from the same airplane wreckage in which she discovered the diary.

But the deeper she delves into Devoncroix’s story--and the stronger her recovering ""patient"" becomes--the more the sad, reclusive scientist realizes that what she is reading is no mere fiction.The world’s true rulers have been revealed to her: fierce, strong, beautiful, and sensual creatures who have long dominated civilization in secret.The burned and bloody wolf she has taken into her small cabin is one of them: a living relation of the tragic Matise, Nicholas Devoncroix.And as his broken body mends, his awesome powers of attraction strengthen as well--as do his memories and his rage...and his lust for vengeance


And this book sounds pretty damn good too:

The Alchemist

From Publishers Weekly
Following two well-received werewolf novels (The Passion and The Promise), Boyd scores again with this engrossing tale of magic and immortality that calls to mind Anne Rice in her prime. Into the New York office of Dr. Anne Kramer, therapist, walks the charismatic Randolph Sontime, who's just committed a gruesome murder that's led to headlines full of outrage. Not easily rattled, Dr. Kramer finds herself losing her professional cool as the stranger tries to explain his crime. "Imagine if you will the days spinning backward: a millennium ends here, a century turns there, a year ends now, and another, and a thousand others," he says at the start of his hypnotizing story of "Egypt before time." Han, as Sontime was then called, tells in beautiful, luxurious detail of his youth spent in the House of Ra, a mystical temple where Practitioners learned alchemy, magic and ways to shape reality. When Han and two other students at the top of the class, the boy Akan and the girl Nefar, combined their magics one fateful day, the trio unleashed a power that they could neither understand nor control. Thereafter a passion for creating a perfect world ruled their lives, but since their magic was imperfect, their lofty schemes invariably came to ruin. Love, jealousy, insanity and murder all figure in this pitch-perfect narrative, while the House of Ra ranks high on the list of fantasy's most intriguing magic schools. Though some readers may feel the book is too short, the incendiary twist ending holds out the promise of more to come. (Jan. 2)Forecast: Romance readers as well as SF fans should go for this atypical fantasy in which ancient magic is in effect the same as today's technology.

I was good, I left them all on the shelf, for now.... ;-)

ps: I wrote this entry a couple of days ago and saved it. Today I went back to the bookstore (I'm weak, sue me). I thumbed through the first book a little more carefully. I still think the books sound awesome, but I don't think the author's voice works for me. I've got a lot to say about voice (not talent or skill, *voice*), but this post is already too long, so I'll save it for another day.

Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

I am participating in a blogging experiment hosted at dearauthor.com. To enter the contest, put up this blurb, image, and trackback and you are entered to win the following prize package.

$200 Amazon gift certificate
Signed copy of Slave to Sensation
New Zealand goodies chosen by Singh
ARC of Christine Feehan’s October 31 release: Conspiracy Game
You can read about the experiment here and you can download the code that you need to participate here.

SLAVE TO SENSATION
Nalini Singh
Berkley / September 2006

Welcome to a future where emotion is a crime and powers of the mind clash brutally against those of the heart.

Sascha Duncan is one of the Psy, a psychic race that has cut off its emotions in an effort to prevent murderous insanity. Those who feel are punished by having their brains wiped clean, their personalities and memories destroyed.

Lucas Hunter is a Changeling, a shapeshifter who craves sensation, lives for touch. When their separate worlds collide in the serial murders of Changeling women, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities…or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation.

Excerpt

The AAR Top 100 Romance Novels Meme

I was surprised by the results. Thought I'd get about 25, but I've read 33 titles out of the 100, with another 31 stuck in the to-be-read pile. Who knew?
Bold = read
** = TBR pile


1. Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
2. **Flowers From the Storm by Laura Kinsale
3. Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie
4. **As You Desire by Connie Brockway
5. **Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
6. Dreaming of You by Lisa Kleypas
7. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
8. Over the Edge by Suzanne Brockmann
9. **All Through the Night by Connie Brockway
10. Sea Swept by Nora Roberts
11. **It Had to be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
12. **A Summer to Remember by Mary Balogh
13. **Morning Glory by LaVyrle Spencer
14. **The Proposition by Judith Ivory
15. **A Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught
16. Ravished by Amanda Quick
17. **Frederica by Georgette Heyer
18. Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand by Carla Kelly
19. **MacKenzie's Mountain by Linda Howard
20. Mr. Perfect by Linda Howard
21. **The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer
22. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
23. The Bride by Julie Garwood
24. **Devil's Bride by Stephanie Laurens
25. To Have and to Hold by Patricia Gaffney
26. Born in Fire by Nora Roberts
27. Winter Garden by Adele Ashworth
28. Gone Too Far by Suzanne Brockmann
29. The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn
30. Saving Grace by Julie Garwood
31. **My Dearest Enemy by Connie Brockway
32. In the Midnight Rain by Barbara Samuel
33. The Windflower by Laura London
34. Naked in Death by J.D. Robb
35. Whitney, My Love by Judith McNaught
36. **Nobody's Baby but Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
37. **A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux
38. Paradise by Judith McNaught
39. **The Shadow and the Star by Laura Kinsale
40. Dream Man by Linda Howard
41. Out of Control by Suzanne Brockmann
42. Silk and Shadows by Mary Jo Putney
43. See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson
44. Shattered Rainbows by Mary Jo Putney
45. Thunder and Roses by Mary Jo Putney
46. **The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
47. Heart Throb by Suzanne Brockmann
48. **For My Lady's Heart by Laura Kinsale
49. Honor's Splendor by Julie Garwood
50. Lord Carew's Bride by Mary Balogh
51. Untie my Heart by Judith Ivory
52. **Dream a Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
53. The Secret by Julie Garwood
54. This is All I Ask by Lynn Kurland
55. Slightly Dangerous by Mary Balogh
56. One Perfect Rose by Mary Jo Putney
57. **To Love and to Cherish by Patricia Gaffney
58. **Kiss an Angel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
59. **Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
60. **Venetia by Georgette Heyer
61. **Daughter of the Game by Tracy Grant
62. The Prize by Julie Garwood
63. Reforming Lord Ragsdale by Carla Kelly
64. Prince Joe by Suzanne Brockmann
65. The Notorious Rake by Mary Balogh
66. Heartless by Mary Balogh
67. **Son of the Morning by Linda Howard
68. Sleeping Beauty by Judith Ivory
69. Where Dreams Begin by Lisa Kleypas
70. **The Devil's Cub by Georgette Heyer
71. **The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
72. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegar
73. With This Ring by Carla Kelly
74. The Lion's Lady by Julie Garwood
75. The Rake by Mary Jo Putney
76. Fallen from Grace by Laura Leone
77. Always to Remember by Lorraine Heath
78. Castles by Julie Garwood
79. One Good Turn by Carla Kelly
80. Chesapeake Blue by Nora Roberts
81. By Arrangement by Madeline Hunter
82. Perfect by Judith McNaught
83. My Darling Caroline by Adele Ashworth
84. The Defiant Hero by Suzanne Brockmann
85. The Unsung Hero by Suzanne Brockmann
86. Guilty Pleasures by Laura Lee Guhrke
87. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
88. Kill and Tell by Linda Howard
89. After the Night by Linda Howard
90. More than a Mistress by Mary Balogh
91. **Born in Ice by Nora Roberts
92. Miss Wonderful by Loretta Chase
93. The Charm School by Susan Wiggs
94. Scoundrel by Elizabeth Elliott
95. How to Marry a Marquis by Julia Quinn
96. Angel Rogue by Mary Jo Putney
97. Trust Me by Jayne Ann Krentz
98. Dancing on the Wind by Mary Jo Putney
99. **Once and Always by Judith McNaught
100. **This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

My $0.02

There’s a very good post over at Julie Leto’s blog by guest blogger Susan Gable. The gist of it is, buy new support your writers. If you want your favorite authors to continue writing you need to support them in the very competitive market-place. It’s a excellent post, that I agree with. Up to a point.

For instance, there are, of course, things such as budget concerns. While I make a pretty decent living, at the beginning of the year I took a closer look at my debts and spending habits and realized if I wanted to achieve some long-term goals, I needed to revise some things. One of the first things to be affected was my book buying. Not for a moment did I consider *stop* reading, but more prudent buying decisions had to be made. Now I buy (new) less but with more thought put into the decision. And, while I hate to do it, I’ve started to return books for a full refund, if the first couple of chapters really weren’t working for one reason or another. (I’ve noticed other readers have copped to doing this, even an editor — Anna Louise Genoese, mentioned returning a disappointing read in a previous blog post, that I can’t be arsed to find/link to.) In the past I’d just eat the cost, or try to recoup at the UBS. No can do anymore.

I know nobody is suggesting that that a reader buy all new all the time for all favorite authors , and I realize that a lot of readers do not understand how vital it is to an author’s career to have those sales for each new release, but… I’m not sure readers have understand this. Remember Field of Dreams? “If you build it, they will come.” Readers want a damn good story. Period. They want to be entertained, swept away; they want to laugh and cry and be scared out of their wits. They want someone to root for and/or a villain to castigate and hate-on. The want the emotional roller-coaster ride of falling in love and/or the titilation of fall in lust. *g* The want to solve the puzzle/mystery.

If you give them all that (or a select combination), they will buy new. They’ll pre-order. They’ll buy hardback, they'll google you, find your blog/website, and search high and low, online and off for your backlist. They will hunt your ass down like a crackhead looking to score another hit from their dealer. lol. They’ll chat you/your books up at every turn. And those folks (family, friends, coworkers, strangers standing beside them in the bookstore) that they’ve chatted your books up to? Once they read your stories, see that you rock and your stories deliver, they’ll start the whole damn cycle starts all over again. You write the best book you got in you, every single time, you get the word out on it’s availability. People will buy it. New. Every Single Time. No well thought out posts, or enlightening prodding needed.

Going back the budget thing, if people are buying 'new releases' at their local UBS or for $0.01 on Amazon, or for a fraction of the price on E-Bay, if they are 'waiting awhile' before purchasing (and it has nothing to do with reviews/feedback), it's *most-likely* because... budget is a concern. Trust me. A true book lover will always want the new book and will pare a little out of the grocery money to buy new if they can. (Heck, I'm the type of person who will go through every single copy on the shelf to get the one in best condition. *gg* And I always use a book cover and bookmark.) If budget wasn't a concern (whether out of necessity, or an innate frugality), that reader wouldn't be taking these avenues to purchase. So, make your peace with that. Their budget needs will ALWAYS trump your concerns re earnings. Be happy you have a dedicated reader who will hopefully continue to love your work, promote it enthusiastically with friends, family et al, and who may just buy new one of these fine days.... ;-)

On the Clock

I just got back from an appointment and in another hour I have to leave for another appointment. The boy is still sleeping. How much can I get done in 1 hour. I'm still trying to unravel all the stuff downloaded from the quickpad, but rather than spend the next hour editing, I'm going to write forward.

Be back in an hour.....

Implants Last Forever

My friend sent me this picture.




Needs no commentary. But does remind me of some ill-concieved plot devices: artificial & doesn't jive with the rest of the story....

ps: btw, here's the antidote for that picture.

Link Lemming

I picked up this link from Alison Kent, who picked it up from Diana Peterfreund. Stefanie Feagan's advice on getting published.

Interview with the Honest Boss (joke)

A friend sent me this link today, it's one of those Hallmark ecards. *g*


Honest Boss.

No surf zone

I've decided to make Saturdays (and a couple of other days, which I haven't settled on) essentially a no-surf zone. Except for checking email, I'm really trying to keep off the internet (laughable, since I've just been through 1/2 dozen sites/message-boards. heh). But this year has really been about turning my life around in many ways. Not that my life was crap, but I was letting a lot of negative things/people and stressors have a pretty paralyzing effect on me. Now things are getting done, there's more balance in my life, things are being achieved. I even have that 1, 5, 10 year goal things sort of happening. lol.

Anywho, staying off the internet means being on the computer = writing, not surfing. And that was another goal of mine this year. I just wanted to finish a ms. At this point that doesn't seem like it's going to happen, but I don't want to be back in the zone re writing constantly/regularly.

I'll post a joke in a sec.

"Excuse the intrusion, Cap'n."

Laughing. My. Ass. Off.

I have limited exposure to slash fiction, but this one takes the cake.

Kirk/Spock slash video

I heart Jon Daily

As usual Jon is right on point. I'm not excusing Mel's actions or words, but, uhm, there's soo much more important stuff going on in the world at the mo, did we really need a full week of non-stop coverage in all media? Really?

Daily Show Blasts Network News for Mel Gibson Coverage

Books - good stuff & scary shit

I was in the bookstore yesterday and came across this book display on an end cap as a staff pick. I've heard of the graphic novel/comic book series--pretty sure my son (who collects graphic novels/comic books the way I collect other genre books) has several of them in his room. Plus I was pretty sure this was the second book in a series, and I had the first one. I was wrong. Right (co)author, wrong book. But really right writing.

The book I thought this one followed was: Criminal Macabre - A Cal McDonald Mystery by Steve Niles and Ben Templesmith. I did a lame-ish review of that book last march.

There was a second book, Guns, Drugs, and Monsters: A Cal McDonald Mystery, that I have to go hunt down.

Anywhoo. This book? 30 Days of Night? Scary shit. I started reading it last night and decided that maybe that wasn't the smartest thing to do. This book should be read in the bright light of day. lol. The gore starts pretty early by page 7 we have the second detailed death:

"The Station was destroyed
Gus's head--eyes permanently frozen in a rictus of wide-eye confusion and horror, mouth open as if silently protesting the situation--was left o a pike, gore splattering the snow around it, like a twisted message for us of our impending doom. ..." "...Repairs would take months. But there was no repairing Gus. The rest of him was in parts scattered in the snow."

I feel a glom of this author's entire backlist, coming on...

I'd ask my son to lend me the comics/graphic novels, but that will just send him on a whine-fest about how I have a hate-on for Daredevil, and sure I read everyone else except the blind guy and why won't I just read Daredevil Yellow? "It has a romance in it, you'd love it." blah-blah-blah. Then I'll start to see that damn Daredevil graph novel just hanging around the apartment in very conspicuous places, like bait. lol.

I've been having a real crisis finding good, engaging reading. I've put aside more unfinished books that I can remember. At this point I think the computer at the main big box bookstore has my name red flagged because of all the refunds. :-P At least returning a library book can be done without guilt. But let's talk about a couple of successes. Right now, I'm almost finished Steven King's On Writing. Excellent book, been in the tbr pile forever; but not 'entertainment' per se. A non-writer would enjoy this book as it's part memoir.

About a month ago, I finally read Catherine Mulvany's Run No More. This one has been languishing in my tbr pile since its release back in 2004. I really, really enjoyed it. It wasn't a perfect read, somewhere in the last 3rd, I'm pretty sure I had a few issues, but I can't remember what they were, and they weren't that serious, since this book is a keeper. Not run of the mill romance stuff.

I went looking to see if she had a back list and found she had another release last year, Shadows All Around Her. I don't recall hearing any buzz about this one, unlike RNM, but it still sounds interesting enough to try and track down.

There's nothing listed on her website regarding upcoming releases though. Which would be a bummer. Come to think of it, I don't think Ms. Mulvany has much of an online presence. I could be wrong, maybe she's hanging in places I don't venture, or under another name. But I can't help thinking that 'buzz' really helped bring the first book to many peeps attention, good story-telling did the rest. But there was not build up, or teaser for the second book. All that goodwill/name recognition essentially wasted. Word to the wise.

Oooookay, back on subject....

Another recommendation, Phillip Carlo's Smiling Wolf. A missing journalist, a grieving father, an arthritic detective with connections to the mob, BDSM sex clubs and vampires. What's not to love. *gg* I'd read more of this author.

That's it. I'm going to the gym, then I'll grab a coffee and do some writing. I want to make good progress on the wip for the long weekend, especially with my son up at his friends cottage all weekend, I'll be blissfully uninterrupted for 4 whole days.

Later, gators,

Posts of interest

Sorry between the heat and work, I'm excelling at suckitude when it comes to this blog.

Anywhoo....

1. Jordan Summers has some market news from Nationals.
2. Kassia Krozser has some advice about not following market trends.
3. Mrs. Giggles has a rant up on market trends.
4. Bonnie Vanak has some pointers on treating your writing as a career.

Stick a fork in me.

It's 7:15 am in the morning.

I just checked the weather report.

It will be 47 degrees Celcius (with the humidity). That's approximately 117 degrees Fahrenheit (or so says the reporter).