Month: July 2012

I’ve posted the first few chapters from my latest work in progress. Everything from the title of the book to the series title down to character’s names are subject to change. (Mostly just the titles really). People have been really talking and are excited to see what my new ‘bodyguards’ series is going to look like. Well, you can head on over to Goodreads and check out the first couple chapters and let me know what you think (or not).

In the final installment to the Kategan Alphas series, Vanessa Kategan is a desperate woman. She’s got no job, no money, no place to go and to top it all off she’s on the run. That is, until she runs into the irritating, thought-consuming vampire Brayden. Now he’s forcing her to accept his help and she takes it even knowing her heart is on the line. The vampire can make her body burn one minute and her temper explode the next. Yet, she’s drawn to him like no other.

Brayden lives his life by codes. One of those codes is to protect others who can’t protect themselves. When Vanessa Kategan rolls into his town he can’t deny the urge to help her, nor can he keep his hands off of her. Soon, the walls are closing in on them. Time is running out, people are showing up dead, and Brayden’s not sure if he can keep Vanessa safe through it all.

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I’ve been meaning to write this article for awhile, but I’ve been too busy to get around to it. This article is going to be a list of recommended fiction books on writing. Without further ado, here is my recommended list of books to read on writing:

The Elements of Style. William Strunk Jr., and E.B. White.

This book is very small; you can probably carry it in your back pocket if you wanted. This book covers a range of topics on writing. It’s something I’ve read a dozen times and highlighted and marked up to death. In very simple language, the authors explain how and when to use possessives, commas, dashes, S-V agreement, and everything in between. They do so in a concise way that explains things quickly and with plenty of examples. They also have a section on misused words and expressions and style. The style section is to be noted here because it covers topics like avoiding fancy words in your narrative, avoiding qualifiers, how to punctuate dialogue correctly, and so on. This is a short enough book that’s very fast to read, hence why I’ve read it many times to try and remember and learn all the rules (which I have not, sadly). Using this book will simplify your writing and hopefully tighten up your work.

Goal, Motivation, and Conflict. Debra Dixon.

One of the best books on creating strong, character-driven stories, Goal, Motivation, and Conflict teaches you in its simplicity how to do so. Using simple examples from The Wizard of Oz and even Star Wars, Debra goes into the in and outs of realizing and creating a strong character through internal and external goals, motivations, and conflicts. She also explains how some characters can fall flat because his/her goal isn’t bigger-than-life and how to transform that, and thus your story, to get the most out of it. This is an excellent book and I highly recommend it. This books costs a lot at places like Amazon but can be bought for only $20 here.

Writing the Breakout Novel. Donald Maass.

Maass’ book does many things. It explains in simple language what authors whose books have broken out (exponentially increased sales) did. He has analyzed many authors who’ve had ‘broken out’ and has devised a book around it. From escalating tension, growing conflict, and arching characters in a universal plot, he ties in all of these aspects and more. You will understand how to make a bigger story, and think big, in order to write the most exciting and best piece of work yet. I read this then wrote The Bellum Sisters Trilogy, which for me has been a success.

Those are the three best books I’ve read so far. I hope you’ve maybe found a new book to check out for all you writers out there!

Also, Tempting Whispers: The Kategan Alphas 6 will be out July 27th! Make sure you check out the final Kategan’s book! Thanks for stopping by!

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For today only you can get all of my books at 50% off at All Romance eBooks! Want to try the Kategan Alphas series or how about The Bellum Sisters Trilogy? You can even find some of my standalone works. Check it out and have a safe and fun holiday everyone!