AMERICAN SNIPER

Many of my chapter mates (RWASD) write about cowboys or Navy Seals as their alpha male heroes. In American Sniper you get both. Chris Kyle had two loves that ran so deep within him and were so authentically portrayed in the movie. He loved his wife and his country. Many of you have misgivings about war or seeing a "war" movie.

See this movie.

I saw Iraq as a mistake that spawn vast armies of terrorists, but I also felt Afghanistan was necessary. We in our hearts have differing but earnest beliefs. The film isn't so much about war as it is about love and what love makes us do. You are not a man if you don't stand for and do something you believe in and in this way give back the talents God gave you. We were not made to just propagate, we are also here to make a better world for our mates and children. Struggle to find this ever-shifting balance in your hero and heroine.

Instead of showing the film's promo, I present a video clip of one of Taya Kyle's interviews which will help a romance writer get a feel for the relationship she had (has) (she's a widow), but seeing the film will complete your study of what makes a hero.

 

I need a subtitle for my 9/11 retrospective (novel) Autumn Breeze. I need something that captures the times or the date 9/11/2001 or the city NY. Anybody have an idea or care to comment about today's post?

Speaking about Key Words LOL

Hi,


Unfortunately I sent in the wrong copy of the just released Autumn Breeze. If any of my blog readers bought a copy let me know and I'll send you an updated one. I'm going through the entire text word by word now and expect to be done by Friday (1/23/15).


Thanks for your patience,
Bob

KEY WORDS

WORDS CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Last week I wrote about how a young woman used certain key words to make an alpha male fall instantly in love with her (on their first date). Of course, her words were accompanied with body and facial language, heart and emotion. I also said I'd fall for her well-thought-out approach too, provided there was chemistry.

Yesterday, at the RWASD meeting, Penny Sansevieri presented, among other things, the importance of key words in helping potential readers find your novel. This lesson is critically important in today's publishing world.

Okay, here comes the boring or shameless self promotion part which you can skip by going right to the video. I don't write this blog to sell my books. I write to entertain and inform. If you want to buy my book, I promise I won't stop you. LOL. I decided to not only use a "normal" description of my new novel, Autumn Breeze, which is posted on Amazon, but will add key words to the bottom of the description. This is, as far as I know, not done! I'll let you know if this increases sales. I'm putting my proposed add-on to the description below the video.

Here's the promo for A Novel Romance, A Hallmark Channel movie first released last week. I feature it because it's a romance and it's about a writer. Also, it highlights the struggle to say what you mean. Imagine a (boring) novel/movie, in which the hero or heroine is so quick on their feet, they immediately solve problems created by the incomplete use of the English language. I'd bet, especially in comedies, that a majority of problems are created by poorly thought out and therefore incomplete verbal communications. The irony in this movie centers around a writer. I.e. a hero whose proper use of words is his critical path to success in his art and his love.

A Novel Romance, Hallmark, Trailer 2015:

P.s. I enjoyed the movie.







A different way to handle Key Words by putting them in the description:
Rather than go on with more information that might spoil the plot or story, the author offers the following words or phrases that describe major and minor themes occurring in this novel. Regarding the girl’s, detective’s and spy’s internal stories we have literary romance, teenage love stories and angst, coming of age, young adult, family, friendship, college, scholarship, multicultural, multiracial, interracial, immigration, Caribbean, marriage, wedding, adoption. Regarding the external plot we have 9/11, mystery, thriller, intrigue, suspense, spy, assassins, police procedural, terrorists, terrorism, military, war, cloak and dagger, mass murder, political, anti-terrorism taskforce, CIA, NSA, NCS, Homeland Security, and martial arts. And as catch alls for various plot twists, we have contemporary romance, wealthy, literature, American, ghosts, paranormal. And then, New York City, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Trinidad. Let’s not forget Rudy Giuliani and the ever popular historical 21^st century.



My new book and its description can be seen at:
http://www.amazon.com/Autumn-Breeze-Carlos-RW-Richard/dp/0980080487/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421613702&sr=1-3&keywords=autumn+breeze

FREE HUGS

Britt: To me, what a wife is -, a girlfriend is - a safe haven. I want to tell you that you can feel safe with me. I want to be the shoulder you can cry on. ...If you're worried, if you're sad, if you're happy. I want to be the one* you come give a hug to. I know it's cheesy. *[she's competing for the hero]

 

Chris: No. [since when does a guy say as much as a woman, LOL?]

 

Britt: But it's what's important to me... because you're amazing, awesome.

 

Chris talks about visiting cities trying to make a case for his flexibility in regards to where he lives. He's a farmer who is dedicated to his profession and I'm nearly certain he'd much prefer to stay put.

 

Britt: It (the city) is not where I want to raise a family. A small town is where it's at. I don't want to get ahead of myself but, yeah, Iowa seems beautiful...

***

Some of you might say the dialogue is flat and needs some help by way of action tags and interior motivation. The video I supply will do that for you, in spades. [It's the best mix or words and animation of body-mind-soul that I have ever seen. She obviously chose her basic message to convey to the man of her dreams that she'd stand with him, not second guess or nag! Not that things can't be discussed. It's a matter of focusing on the positive.]

Some might say the dialogue needs tightening...and I have already tightened it a little!

Others might say that the heroine should not offer her shoulder to cry on to a very alpha hero (and he is if I ever saw one). I'll counter that by saying his reaction, perhaps subconscious in part, showed he was overwhelmingly impressed with her as you'll see in the second 2 minute video. If I were a bachelor and younger and those lines were tried on me in the way the heroine delivered them, I would have fallen instantly for her. [She's also gorgeous. This helps.]

 

MARKETING TOOLS:

Every Monday night thousands of NEW and YOUNG ADULTS (mostly women), newly marrieds and singles in the workforce throw wine and cheese parties to view this show on campuses and family rooms across America.

  

The Bachelor Chris Soules - Britt's Limo Exit & Talk, 1/5/2015, ABC, The Bachelor. The dialogue I highlighted shows up about half way through the 5 minute video.

 

In the second (2 minute) scene Chris gives Britt the first impression rose.

Chris: When I first saw you I felt something I haven't felt in a long time!

For my professional writers: Anybody who writes in the action tags, description and interior thoughts and sends them  to me will get a copy of my about to be released Autumn Breeze.

"I can't help myself."

“I can’t help myself.”

Sometimes your secondary characters can perfect your story (or run away with the story only to be your hero or heroine in the next novel). Screen writer, Nora Ephron, in You’ve Got Mail had an exchange between Meg Ryan playing Kathleen and her about-to-be-ex-boyfriend, Frank (played by Greg Kinnear), that plays with my mind like a fine wine.* The entire script was pure perfection, written by one of the greatest of all time.

You’ll see in the clip below how easy the flow of the scene is, how they don’t exactly answer some questions directly (a very important technique, to give life to your dialogue, IMO). You’ll notice the ease they have with each other, borne of intimate struggle.

*From the male POV, Frank has an easy grace and honesty around Kathleen that I admire. He’s a renaissance man whereas Tom Hanks (Joe) tries to be. Joe is crazy for, empathetic to and in love with Kathleen and that carries the day for our hero.

 

For me, this line, "I can't help myself," should apply to my New Year's resolutions. See my Jan. 1, 2015 post for insight and an Emily Litella scene. There should be at least one true passion for 2015 that had not yet been accomplished and you should not be able to control yourself when confronted by it. If you run away from the truth when faced with something difficult, something you don't understand how to accomplish, you will have continued to do what you did last year and can expect the same result. Name it and find a way to do it.

 

Extra Credit: Anybody remember why it didn’t work out between Kathleen and Frank?

HAPPY NUDE YEAR

How much good are resolutions for things you know you can accomplish? Try to expand your horizons. Put at least on item on your list that you have no idea how to accomplish. This also applies to 'making a fool' out of yourself when expressing your thoughts either on paper or in person. Most people don't say what they're thinking. Find that situation this year in which you can break through your fears and say something that has a chance of failure. Both speech and action will lead to growth.

Gilda Radner as Emily Litella:

Or you could go about doing the same things you did last year. Hey, that's comfortable, right?
I'm not going to say, nevermind.