Ask a male author about your male character traits or thoughts.

Amazon links to my stories: The Chess Master, Cinnamon & Sugar, Autumn Breeze, A More Perfect Union, Double Happiness, The Wolves of Sherwood Forest, Neanderthals and the Garden of Eden can be found down the right side of the blog. Another site very useful in categorizing books in their proper order is: https://www.booksradar.com/richard-rw/richard.html


Visit my website at: https://rwrichardnet.wordpress.com/

Sunday, February 25, 2024

 I'm writing today to thank my fellow roses. I say roses referring to all authors who write for the traditional publisher, The Wild Rose Press. I asked them to tell me about their book and offer as a sample for this Blog on a first come first serve basis with a limit on submissions. What you'll check out is a wonderful sample of the quality of The Wild Rose Press authors.

After a family crisis, Katie Hathaway must return home to help out in the family's ice cream shop. She leaves behind her dream job of teaching ballroom dance to spend her summer scooping ice cream and mixing milkshakes.

Chaz Hollander, Katie's high school crush, has also returned to town to work in his family's business. After Katie treats him to a blueberry swirl sundae, he invites her to the town's upcoming dance. The only problem is he has two left feet.

When Katie starts giving Chaz dance lessons, their chemistry ignites, and the postponement of her dream doesn't seem as ominous. But financial woes and a suspicious business deal cast a shadow on their budding relationship.

******************

Do killers, stock manipulators, and kidnappers stalk the Temple?

After the body of Roberto Gomez is discovered in Temple Israel's parking lot, Patricia Weiss, nee Reilly, exchanges her suburban-mom sneakers for gumshoes to investigate the supposed hit-and-run.

Inspired by her police detective dad, Patricia feels compelled to uncover who killed the hardworking custodian and why. Before she can progress with her investigation or work on problems in her difficult marriage to a busy cardiologist, and his controlling Jewish mother, she is plunged into the Temple's troubles. Her mentor Rabbi Deborah, who has guided Patricia through her own recent conversion to Judaism, disappears after delivering a controversial sermon in support of interfaith marriage. Despite her husband's concerns, Patricia joins forces with her buddy Brenda. Designating themselves The Yenta Patrol, they unravel the mysteries.

******************

A young widow’s world turns sideways when her daughter’s new coach is the hot contractor who years earlier took her heart, and her innocence. On the cusp of relaxing the walls she has constructed, Hayes discovers that the real deceptions came from unexpected sources. Can her new passion stand the exposure of long held secrets?

******************


Rebellious teen Teri Darden comes of age in the Summer of Love, 1967, falling hard for Tim Olson, who plays bass guitar in a soon-to-be-famous rock band called Virgin Ram. When the band goes on a lengthy tour, Tim and Teri not only lose touch with each other but the lies of his spiteful ex-girlfriend push Teri into the dark side of sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll in the San Francisco of the 1960s.

As his year-long tour comes to a close, Tim realizes how much he has missed Teri, but his efforts to find her again are futile. He goes from one bad marriage to another yet is always searching for Teri, until they meet again thirty years later.
Neither could quite forget the other, but can they rekindle what was lost?

******************


When Joel Tyler drove away from the factory to pick up the load of his rejected creation, the last thing he expected to see was a hitchhiking bride. He didn't have time for this. Besides, he had enough troubles of his own without picking up more. But he couldn't leave her on the side of the road.


Maddy Hayden was exhausted. She'd run away from a terrible situation without a plan or a destination. Hitchhiking was a bad idea. Worse was getting in a truck with a man traveling alone. He was probably a serial killer. Whatever. It was a suitable end to this day.

When two people who are having the worst day of their lives meet, they can either crash and burn, or save each other.

******************


When stable owner Cheyenne Modine meets vet Jack Carter, it's hate at first sight. He may look like the sexiest man alive but his arrogance tells her he's a privileged member of the elite Lexington, Kentucky, Thoroughbred world. Cheyenne Modine is exactly Jack's type-a smoking hot woman who loves horses-but her slurred speech calls up childhood memories of living with an alcoholic father, and Jack isn't about to travel that road again. After several chance encounters, the fireworks between them become a contest to see who touches who first. Can Jack and Cheyenne overcome their mistaken first impressions or will their gallop to the finish line end in murder by horseshoe?

########################################################

You can see why I love my fellow roses and there are many more. All accomplished, all great reads. All great friends...


I'm back

 After COVID and looking at the number of followers, I put the Blog on hiatus. But with the publishing of The Meet_Cute and its high demand, I took well-wishers' advice to start the Blog again. So I am writing today to say hi and will soon have another Blog entry.

Bob

The ethics of ChatGPT

I was thinking about the ethics surrounding ChatGPT and the like. Let's step back. We go to a critique group. Others suggest changes based on their experience as writers. We incorporate them. Is this unethical? Next, perhaps, we give our book to a line editor and maybe a content editor. Next, we hire or request ordinary people read it and give feedback. Feedback! Are these actions, ethical? Nobody questions this. But should we? No man is an island. To be human is to not only be an individual but part of a group, with all the benefits the group has to offer. 


I say these things, not to argue a point but to cause reflection on ethics.

Sunday, November 13, 2022

the undefinable life of a romance writer

 Once upon a time, I was an engineer. My wife came from the Philippines. While dating, I discovered, much to my liking, that she loved basketball, as most Filipinos/as do. I took her to a Sixers game she was in heaven. As we settled into married life, she became curious about that rough sport I was watching all day Sunday. NFL football.

Things changed when I started writing. I didn't have the time to sit through a whole game, let alone all day. And let's not forget Monday and Thursday. I wrote. She watched. I kept her company for periods, but I was damn close to being a football widower, lol.

As a side note, she watches baseball and soccer as well. Two sports I hardly paid attention to, but do enjoy these now given that I made many interruptions for writing.

I wouldn't say roles were reversed. It's just time and love.

Sunday, November 6, 2022

revisiting show don't tell

The real purpose of showing is to keep the reader hooked. When your story raises more questions than it answers, the reader wants to read on. 

So when the novel starts, try not to explain why the characters are the way they are. Try not to spend too much time describing the surroundings. Try not to hand out resumes for each character.

The reader will glean from little tidbits dropped in conversation pieces of who these people are and why they do or say what they say.

Readers like to be engaged. They want to solve problems like a detective.

Try it.

Here's the first draft of the beginning of my novel The Cute-Meeter as an example.

“Your slave is smoking hot.”

“Come on, Sam. I can’t; it’s against university policy.”

“Maybe the Dean could make an exception for a love-sick puppy.”

“I am not.”

“True, you don’t have four legs.”

Christopher spit out just a bit of beer as a small laugh escaped him. “Your joke,” he shook his head, “so lame.”

“Stick to the point. You love her, don’t you?”

“I plead the fifth.”

Justine, our bartender, wiped up the beer and said in her usual flirty way. “If I had known you were a dribbler, I would have taken you to the Knicks game instead of, you know, Chrissy baby.”

She dribbled her fine derriere to another customer, turned, and winked. Oh, I got trouble.

“I can’t believe what just happened. Justine’s not your type. What have you been?...” Justine reached for Dewar’s Scotch, well within earshot.

He shooshed Sam and lowered his voice. “Either you’re a snob, or you don’t know her.”

“I’m not a snob.”

“I know. You were my best man and still are. Although you might drop down to second place behind my dog. Justine has a kid at home and is trying to finish her master’s too.”

“But what’s with the beckoning behind?”

Back to me: I'm sure you'll notice that I don't supply the two men's full names or exactly what they do. I don't mention directly where this scene is located (NYC). I use a save-the-cat moment in describing the waitress, thereby showing Christopher's humanity.

A little later, the subject gets back to Christopher's Ph.D. candidate:

“You’re meeting her tomorrow, right?”

“Yep, she still has that crazy idea for her thesis.”

“My personal opinion?…” Sam let his head lean, and his eyes roll.

“Go ahead, Sam.”

Sam picked up a slew of peanuts and stuffed his mouth. “I’m thin kun yous,” he wiped his mouth and downed some beer. “I think yes, her idea is far-fetched, but it is legitimate enough.”

“Oh, come on.”

“No, you come on. You’re letting your old-school teaching methods get in the way. Give her a break.”

“The fifth.” He patted Sam’s shoulder and pointed at the WyborowaVodka.

Back to me: Does the reader wonder what the woman's crazy idea is? Yes, and that's good because the reader will continue. The problem all writers have is maintaining these little mysteries throughout the entire story.

Sunday, October 23, 2022

Why haven't I been blogging

I was sincerely disappointed when I found out my publisher didn't do novels about a young girl who becomes a World Chess Champion. So I published it myself. I believe I sold around twenty copies. This either highlights the strength of the publisher (I sold hundreds of Cinnamon & Sugar), or I wrote a lousy story. OR...

There were other factors. I received three crazy & poor reviews:

This novel should have been for teenagers. [I stated that it was. I guess the guy didn't read the promo material... and was more interested in puffing himself up.]

This novel had racial signals. [Whatever that is. I deliberately left race out of the story except where absolutely necessary to understand the story. There were no signals. What I think is that a racist wanted to knock me. The way I write there is only pone race, the human race.] Do I hear an amen?]

This novel had sex in it. [It did not. Yes, when the protagonist is growing up she asks questions addressed to her big sister to satisfy her curiosity. I ask, who growing up doesn't exhibit curiosity? The reviewer asked me to write out the "sex" in the story. What turnup did she grow up under? Apparently, the Iranian morality police wrote this review. If you don't tell a realistic story...]

So, you see, I got turned off and could not write. Well, now that I let out a little steam. I'll be writing again. Perhaps my publisher will have me back. And yes, I'll probably blog much more often.

Sunday, July 24, 2022

The value of a compliment

 Tread lightly here. Women are often turned off by a guy complimenting them. "Oh, it's a line. "He's a dog."

We are cautioned about sexual harassment, abuse, and using one's Job (position) to gain favors. All true and to be respected.

BUT: In romance movies and hopefully in books there comes an appropriate time where the two protagonists complement each other (or one does and it is appreciated). So what's the difference? They're either on a level playing field or recognize the remark as sincere. But there's magic here. They feel the same way. Yep, that's how romance works on one level, mutual attraction. So actually saying that you are attracted becomes an affirmation to the other that they are loved or at least desired by someone they desire too.

There may not be a better natural feeling than knowing that the other appreciates you as much as they appreciate them. This assumes a lot of info has been collected to jump to the conclusion in a romance that you are truly loved. When this happens picture fireworks, because that's the ball game.