I wanted to tell you about some events that are going on right now and upcoming on the web for readers and writers and for everyone in fact.
READERS AT HOME CONFERENCE -- Author Lucy Monroe has set up a Readers Conference on her blog for people who can't make it to the Romantic Times Conference this week. It began on the 26th and runs through the weekend. Every day there are guest authors blogging and prizes. It's a lot of fun. I'll be guesting on the 29th. There are several authors each day so stop on by and meet some of your favorite writers!
http://lucymonroeblog.blogspot.com/
BRENDA NOVAK'S AUCTION FOR DIABETES - Author Brenda Novak started this auction a few years ago to help raise money for the prevention and treatment of diabetes, a disease her son suffers from. To date she has raised over $770,000 and is hoping to hit the one million dollar mark this year. The auction runs from May 1st to the 30th. It is set up like E-Bay but all of your money goes to this charitable cause.
And what can you get? Just about anything. If you're a reader, there are tons of autographed copies by bestselling authors as well as gift baskets and much more. For writers there are agent/editor critiques, author mentoring, to name just a few. For everyone there are fabulous vacation getaways, Hawaii, courtesy of author Jane Porter, the Cascade Mountains by author Susan Andersen, a stay in the Inn run by Nora Roberts. There are trips to Mexico and the California Wine Country and the list goes on. Bidders can also win raffle prizes that are amazing.
Don't miss this opportunity to help find a cure for diabetes and get something really good for yourself!
http://brendanovak.auctionanything.com/
Hope you'll check out these fun events!
Barbara
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Monday, April 26, 2010
IN SHELTER COVE HITS THE SHELVES!
It's Book Release Day - so I have to do a little promo here ...
IN SHELTER COVE, Book Three in my Angel's Bay Series, hits the shelves Tuesday, April 27th. If you haven't started reading the series yet, don't worry, you can still jump in. Each book has a new central story that stands alone, so you won't be lost. Of course, for the richest reading experience, you might want to read all of them!
Here's a blurb from the back cover --
IN SHELTER COVE, Book Three in my Angel's Bay Series, hits the shelves Tuesday, April 27th. If you haven't started reading the series yet, don't worry, you can still jump in. Each book has a new central story that stands alone, so you won't be lost. Of course, for the richest reading experience, you might want to read all of them!
Here's a blurb from the back cover --
A long-ago shipwreck off the California coast led the survivors to the haven they named Angel's Bay. Their shared adversity brought fellowship and joy ... but also unsuspected secrets...
The theft of three priceless paintings sent Derek Kane to prison and destroyed the dreams of his wife, Brianna. When Derek unexpectedly dies just weeks before his release, Brianna returns to Angel's Bay with her young son, determined to prove her husband's innocence and find the missing paintings. Her efforts are stymied by Jason Marlow, the police officer who sent Derek to jail -- betraying his former friend. And when unexpected passion flares between Brianna and Jason, she must choose between the past and the present, the guilty and the innocent, the truth and the lies. For nothing is what it seems ...
If you haven't yet read ON SHADOW BEACH (book 2) which came out last month, the book is still available at most bookstores and can be ordered online.
Here are some of the rave reviews ...
"With ON SHADOW BEACH, Barbara Freethy writes an excellent, easy-to-read novel. It flows beautifully with intriguing and appealing characters. It will grab you within the first few pages and just keep getting better." Romance Reviews Today
"A lovely contemporary romance ... you can never get enough of Freethy’s excellent characters. She’s a master at creating whole relationships in just a few short paragraphs." Romantic Times
"On Shadow Beach is another heart stopper by Barbara Freethy. The author has an uncanny knack to draw the reader into this little slice of true Americana. On Shadow Beach hums with red hot passion and duplicity that is underlined by a bit of mystique to make this novel one of those you don’t want to put down." Winter Haven News
"Ms. Freethy has again written a suspenseful tale entwined with romance, heartache, rekindled relationships, close community ties and even miracles. This captivating tale will leave the reader guessing till the end and surprised by the outcome. Book two in the "Angel Bay" series stands alone, offering a great read." ReadertoReader.com
Hope you'll check out my series. I just finished writing book four, which is tentatively titled, AT WHISPER FALLS and will be released February 2011.
If you've been reading the series, I'd love to know what you think! Comment here or send me an email.
Happy Reading!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Writing Tips #3 - Transitions -- Keep the reader reading!
For all the writers out there, thought I'd jot down some of my thoughts on transitions, scene breaks, chapter endings and changes in point of view.
Great transitions keep the reader reading. Poor transitions make it easy for the reader to put down the book. Some common traps to avoid: Putting your character to sleep at the end of the chapter. When the protagonist goes to bed, it often provides a good place for the reader to put down your book and also go to bed. Try to avoid this type of chapter ending. You don't want to encourage napping!
Consider these craft techniques: End a chapter in the middle of a scene, perhaps with a question asked by one character, or the entrance of a new character into the scene, or a change in the point of view. All of these type transitions will encourage the reader to turn the page.
When breaking between scenes and chapters, think about finding a connective link ... a repetition of a word or a theme or a thought can sometime provide an almost subliminal connection. For example, in a book I'm current writing one of my characters is desperate to be a mother and has just learned that the baby she wants to adopt may not be an option. My next scene moves to another character who is having trouble dealing with her ailing mother ... it's a subtle connection but one that provides a smooth transition and links by the word mother, and the theme about mothers and children that plays a role throughout the book.
Another tip, taking the chapter ending a bit further, is to end the chapter with a question. But don't provide the answer in the next scene, make the reader wait, introduce something else that's new and compelling. One cautionary note -- if the next scene isn't compelling, you may annoy the reader by making them wait so make sure it's a good one!
To keep the reader turning the pages, vary the tempo of your book, emotional scenes might move a little slower than action scenes. Use short, rapid dialogue to increase pacing. And after you've written your first draft, be a ruthless editor. Don't let yourself fall in love with all of your words. If sentences or scenes don't move a story forward and wouldn't be missed if they were gone, then take them out. The reader will love you for it!
Anyone run into any transitional type issues? Ask away. Maybe I can help.
Great transitions keep the reader reading. Poor transitions make it easy for the reader to put down the book. Some common traps to avoid: Putting your character to sleep at the end of the chapter. When the protagonist goes to bed, it often provides a good place for the reader to put down your book and also go to bed. Try to avoid this type of chapter ending. You don't want to encourage napping!
Consider these craft techniques: End a chapter in the middle of a scene, perhaps with a question asked by one character, or the entrance of a new character into the scene, or a change in the point of view. All of these type transitions will encourage the reader to turn the page.
When breaking between scenes and chapters, think about finding a connective link ... a repetition of a word or a theme or a thought can sometime provide an almost subliminal connection. For example, in a book I'm current writing one of my characters is desperate to be a mother and has just learned that the baby she wants to adopt may not be an option. My next scene moves to another character who is having trouble dealing with her ailing mother ... it's a subtle connection but one that provides a smooth transition and links by the word mother, and the theme about mothers and children that plays a role throughout the book.
Another tip, taking the chapter ending a bit further, is to end the chapter with a question. But don't provide the answer in the next scene, make the reader wait, introduce something else that's new and compelling. One cautionary note -- if the next scene isn't compelling, you may annoy the reader by making them wait so make sure it's a good one!
To keep the reader turning the pages, vary the tempo of your book, emotional scenes might move a little slower than action scenes. Use short, rapid dialogue to increase pacing. And after you've written your first draft, be a ruthless editor. Don't let yourself fall in love with all of your words. If sentences or scenes don't move a story forward and wouldn't be missed if they were gone, then take them out. The reader will love you for it!
Anyone run into any transitional type issues? Ask away. Maybe I can help.
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