Chick Lit Goddess

...because every author wants to feel like a goddess!

Books

Why Letting Your Friends Read Your Work Is A Good Thing!

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When I started taking classes at Gotham Writers’ Workshop I was a little worried about sharing my work with my fellow classmates, but I quickly overcame those nerves and insecurities and learned to listen to what they had to say.  Whether their critique were comments about my storyline, helping me keep a better timeline of events, or anything else, I welcomed their opinions.

I recently gave my second book, The Right Design, to a close friend to read.  I was a little worried about doing so, not because of what I thought he might think, but because it was my baby, my NaNoWriMo baby.  I still haven’t let go of the storyline, nor have I gone a day without thinking about my beloved characters.  Come to find out, my friend really enjoyed the story.  He helped me see where I needed some help and what parts he liked.  This helped me so much, and I’m beginning to take notes for the 2nd draft – yea!

Many writers are like me, afraid to share their work, but trust me, you’ll want to show you work to friends because it might help you in the long run.  It’s also okay to learn to take criticism.  Writers need it because it’s the only way that our writing gets better.

Have you ever showed a friend your MS?  If so, what was your experience in doing so?  Were you happy you did it?  I’d love to hear all about it.  (You can even vent if you want to!)

What They Think We Do, What We Really Do, and What We Want To Do

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The above picture (or one similar) has been floating around Facebook for the past couple of weeks.  At first I thought it was funny, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized just how true pictures are.

When I finished the last page of a great book, I thought that writers would sit down at their computer and would write a book without any troubles and they’d be rich and famous.  That was when I was younger — much younger.

It took me a year to write my first book and a month to write my second, and for both there were struggles along the way. It’s definitely not as easy as it seems, nor is the editing and publishing process.  Being a writer isn’t easy, not by a long shot.  I admire writers like Danielle Steel, Emily Giffin, James Patterson, and Nicholas Sparks, who can literally write, go through several drafts of edits, and have their books published one after another in such a short time.

When people ask me what I do, I say that I’m a writer, and I love to see their expression.  Their jaw drops and their eyes dazzle.  It’s in that moment that I feel like I’m a move star!  It’s a wonderful feeling that makes being a writer worth the emotions, stress, struggles, and time, that writers go through.

Children’s Books

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I love books.  All types of books.  When I was younger and lived in my childhood home, my brother’s room was full of bookshelves, and I was jealous of his room.  Yes, I had the nice and “pretty” room, but I wanted the ceiling to roof room.  How awesome was that?!

Anyway, as some of you know, I’ve been helping to plan a baby shower, and one of the gifts I gave were books.  I think that it’s very important for each and every child to say that they’ve held a book.  With modern technology growing, I still think that infants, babies, and toddlers need the time that mommy and/or daddy reads to them with an actual and physical book.  While I was in the process of deciding which book to get for this precious baby, I wanted them all to be special, sweet, and family like.  These books don’t exist anymore.  What happened to the (types of ) books like  “The Runaway Bunny,” “The Velveteen Rabbit,” any Golden Book, and of course, the Aesop’s Fables (which I had to have help to find)?  I’m about to be 31, so maybe for me those books are all “classics,” but in the stores they seem very obsolete.  Is that sad to anyone?  It is to me.

This leads me to my point of this blog.  When I was a kid, I loved bedtime the most because my mom would always read a book to me and my brother – sometimes two a night, one for him and one for me.  One of my favorite reads that she read was any book that the Berenstain Bears created.  I was saddened tonight when I found out that the Co-Creator of Stan and Jan Berenstain had passed.  Read THIS for more information on the death of one of the greatest children’s author – ever!  What was your favorite Berenstain Bear book?

 

 

Gone, But Not Forgotten

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Hi, y’all!  It’s been about two weeks since I’ve blogged and I’m so happy to be back!

During my hiatus there’s not been a second where I’ve not been thinking about my books (editing my first, and thinking about what to do with my second – self publishing?), reading book for my reviews, my upcoming guests, and of course my fantastic followers!

In the next few weeks I’ll be busy with a few book tours, featuring some wonderful writers (Elizabeth Marx who wrote “Binding Arbitration,” Kathleen Kole who wrote “Favorable Conditions,” Toni Aleo who wrote “Taking Shots,” and Liz Matis who wrote “Love By Design!“)  I also have a few guest posts/interviews that I’m excited about hosting!  And in the midst of it all, I’ll be dedicating the rest of my time to the books I’ve written!

Once again, I’d like to thank my fans, followers, friends, and family for sticking by me.  Your support has meant so much to me!

The Right Design

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I’m sorry I’m just now getting to post this, but ti’s been a busy few days!  Anyway, like I promised last week, here are the details of my second book, The Right Design!  When I was writing this book, I didn’t tell anyone what it was about because it was my baby and until it was finished, I wanted the ideas to come from me and only me – I didn’t want to be persuaded by anyone.  Now that I’ve finally named my book, I’m excited to share what it’s about, so here goes:

The Right Design

It’s interior designer Carrie Newman’s six year anniversary with her boyfriend, Roger.  Before leaving for work that morning, he gives her a little blue box, but when Carrie opens it up, it’s not what she thinks (and hopes) that it would be.  Later thad day when she comes home early to prepare a surprise for him, she’s shocked to find him in a very erotic position with another woman on their kitchen counter.  Devistated and heartbroken, Carrie ends their relationship and moves in with her sister and brother in-law, Sara and Sean.  It’s not too soon after that does Sara announce that she’s pregnant, and Carrie thinks it’s time to get her life back on track, so she makes an announcement of her own – she’s moving to Florida!

Carrie finds herself living a whole new life, working at another highly established interior decorating firm.  Her first job since moving to Florida is to update Brad Larson’s mansion.  There is instant attraction between them, but Carrie is a firm believer of not mixing business with pleasure, but Brad does everything he can to change her mind.  After fighting her feelings, Carrie finally surrenders and allows herself to feel something for him, but the morning after they sleep together the first time, Brad walks in on Carrie at her office and catches Roger and her in a kiss.

…and cut!

That’s all you get to know until the book’s published!

Do you like the storyline?  Who do you think Carrie will end up with, or will she forget them both and move on to someone new?

My Title of My National Novel Writing Month Book Is…

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Like many of you know, I participated in National Novel Writing Month in November and I won!  I was my first I woke up around seven this morning and all of a sudden it hit me, and I had a title for my book!  I don’t know what it was that struck me, or how I came to this conclusion, but after three and a half months, I did it!  I must say that it is quite a relief!  (Even my husband was happy about it, and he can now print out my winning certificate!)

The title is:

The Right Design

For tomorrow’s post I will finally reveal what my book is about!

Stay tuned!

Blah Monday!

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It’s the Monday after Super Bowl (YAY, GIANTS) and I have a case of the Monday’s!  My brain doesn’t want to work, and I have work that I need to get done!  I wish my energy level would pick up, but it’s not.

In that case, I’m promising you, my faithful readers and friends, that tomorrow will be a better day here at Chick Lit Goddess!

Until tomorrow, I’m leaving you with this message:

Tracie Banister

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I met Tracie Banister on Twitter and got to know her through our shared love for Chick Lit.  Her debut novel, Blame It on the Fame, has just been released!  When she said that she wanted to do a Guest Post on Chick Lit Goddess I was beyond excited!  I am thrilled to share this awesome post and topic!

I won’t keep you in suspense anymore, so here you go…

THE MALE PERSPECTIVE IN CHICK LIT

In preparing to write this guest blog, I asked several Chick Lit-loving friends to give me some examples of male characters in the genre who were particularly well-written and developed.  They all came back to me with the same answer, “I can’t think of any.”  I suppose this is the nature of the beast as Chick Lit is geared towards a female audience and most of it is written in first-person, which means we don’t get to see inside the heads of male characters in these stories and they remain a bit of a mystery.  All we know is how these men are perceived by our heroine, how she interprets their words and actions, how she feels about them.

When I started writing my Chick Lit novel, Blame It on the Fame, my intent was to focus almost exclusively on the five heroines (all Oscar nominees in contention for the Best Actress trophy.)  The male characters would be adjuncts, there to support the stories of the heroines in varying capacities (husbands, lovers, business associates, caretakers, and children.)  However, as I worked my way through the first several chapters, I noticed that there was another character who was on a parallel path with the five actresses, someone who not only had an interesting story to tell, but had the potential to be every bit as multi-dimensional and entertaining as the ladies were.  That someone was Best Actor nominee Miles McCrea, whom I began to jokingly refer to as “the sixth heroine in Blame It on the Fame.”

As there’s a third-person narrative in Blame It on the Fame, I had the freedom to dig deep with Miles.  Okay, maybe not that deep since Miles is a bit shallow and id-driven.  But there were still motivations and emotions and a backstory to explore, and I got to flesh out the character and show readers how his mind worked, which made the relationship between Miles and his co-star/on again-off again girlfriend, Philippa Sutcliffe, richer and more complex because it could be seen from both sides. 

Is writing for a male character more difficult or intimidating?  In my experience, no.  As a matter of fact, it was kind of refreshing to switch gears and think like someone with a Y chromosome for a while.  The character of Miles wasn’t based on any particular male of my acquaintance, but I did piece him together, much like Frankenstein’s monster, using personality traits and quirks gleaned from men I’d observed (people-watching – it’s the best research any writer can do, be it at your local restaurant, on You Tube, or in your own living room.)  What I ended up with was a fun, distinctive character I hope readers will connect to and find just as memorable as his female counterparts in Blame It on the Fame.

**Visit Tracie Banister on her blog!

Buy her book Blame It on the Fame:

Amazon

Smashwords

Why I Love Blog Tours

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I love being a Chick Lit writer in the making, and I love being a blogger!

I love reading books so when I was asked to be a part of a blog tour from Chick Lit Plus, I was thrilled, (my first one will be coming in March!)  I’ve had a very high respect for blog tour hosts, and Samantha was just one of them.  Since then, I’ve joined three others and I am so excited!

Reading the author’s books are my favorite part because I love to type up the reader.  I’ve also learned that book reviews are very important – thanks to high statuses when I post a review.

While I’m new at touring authors and books, I love being apart of them because I love promoting, encouraging, and giving respect to the authors much deserved attention.

Authors deserve attention, and why shouldn’t they?  Whether your self-published or you’ve been picked up by a highly known publishing company, I think that sharing the news of your books. no matter how much you’re in the biz,” to keep on, and share it with bloggers like me.  I will help you spread the word on you book.

**Contact me by email if you’re interested at ila@chicklitgoddess.com**