The habit of writing

Aristotle stated, “the pursuit of a virtuous activity of (the) soul.” It is about discovering or uncovering your “essential self,” and the perfect wisdom that lives within you, waiting to be revealed and released. Noble Purpose is characterized by an experience of freedom, unbounded joy, and vitality for life and service to others.

The only road to traditional publication is through the harmony of purpose, time, learned skills, and talent.

If you are not creating new writing at least two hours a day and you want to get published, forget about it.

In my travels and my readings of world-famous authors I have discovered they all have something in common. They never stop writing.

If you don’t have a story you are chaffing to write and then dig in, forget about it.

If you don’t dedicate at least two hours a day (Susan Elizabeth Phillips does this) to new writing and perhaps six more hours to related activities, such as editing, forget about it.

Why? Two reasons.

1.       It’s a job. If you worked 5 days a week eight hours a day, you’d be able to support yourself.

2.       If you make a habit of writing, you’ll get good at it automatically. You’ll also remember the nuances, flow of the story, and characters much better, which makes for a richer and publishable story.

My battle with Facebook

 Since "Look Inside" was missing from my Amazon account for almost a month for Cinnamon & Sugar, I felt I needed to reboot. So I invested a small amount of money in a Facebook ad. They shot back that they objected to my focus on body parts. Maybe it was the cover, probably it was the shot of the young man in a bathing suit.

I know that's not what the book is all about but it is partially. So many romances are about attraction on a physical, mental, and spiritual level. It's very hard to show anything else on a cover. In fact, for years the romance industry was and is focused on beautiful people. I have noticed that production companies, such as Hallmark, are opening it up to various body types and sizes. ABC's Bachelor series has dived into interracial but the contestants are nearly all physically gifted. Singing shows focus on singing talent, no matter what the contestant looks like. Regarding romance and an audience for it, it won't be any time soon you'll hear the hero or heroine say, "he/she's ugly, but I'm attracted to her/him." Perhaps romance is confusing physical attraction for love. That's why at least for now, as writers, make sure to develop the WHY. Why are they together. And it had better be more than he has nice abs, much more.

If ever you have a choice on covers, choose the dramatic one over the pretty people one.

I have a chaste photo to try for prissy Facebook.

Time travel

We had just finished watching the classic film, The Time Machine (1960) with my two teenage grandsons on a Saturday night. That’s right. They haven’t been going out (at all). Everybody loved it, even though the graphic representations weren’t comparable to the 2002 version. It didn’t matter. Like any good story whether a book or on the big screen (or TV), it’s character development is what makes the story work. That secures the characters in the hearts of the reader/watcher. The structure of the novel/movie should grab the audience viscerally, engaging the heart. If it’s premise, in this case, time travel, intrigues and stands up to some logic, all the better and necessary. All elements should be tended to when penning the work. Roger Ebert gave the 2002 version 1.5 stars, need I say more. 1960's version did much better.

If done right, the story should have a reflection or more of alternative points of view. In the case of The Time Machine, subtle. As a child I didn’t worry about whether it was right that Wells wanted to change the future. But as an adult, it engrossed me. I’m going to ask my grandsons what they thought at breakfast today.

Fan fiction etc.

Some professional authors are so intrigued by someone else’s novel that they feel compelled to write a sequel. Of course, legally, you can’t do that unless you get permission. One way around this is through fan fiction, once again, only if permitted. Fan fiction doesn’t pay last I checked!

Another way around this is through public domain, that is, the work is free to use. This is very complicated. You can visit https://copyright.cornel.edu/publicdomain or other sites to learn more.

The other way might feel like cheating. You tell a story different enough not to infringe. It’s not cheating. Authors do this all the time especially in pieces. They’re called tropes. Sometimes the work is a whole cloth rendering. For instance, my story, The Wolf of Sherwood Forest, is all about new adults, Robin and Marion. Toss in real wolves, Richard the Lionhearted etc. simmer until the story is fully cooked.

For a more current story you need look no further than the Hollywood remakes. Of course, the studio lawyers tend to that. Let’s use a book as an example. Name any book, you can change the names, the town(s), the adventures, and produce something with the same emotive force. It has been said that all the (basic) stories have been told. You are just borrowing, some more, some less. For instance, in my new release through The Wild Rose Press, Cinnamon & Sugar, I was inspired by, and used the road trip and the walls of Jericho as shown in It Happened One Night. Except, my couple are on the run for different reasons, and travel, spooning, on one Harley Davidson.

Don’t feel bad if you can’t think of anything unique. Forget unique, there is no unique. Only your style is unique.

I give my heart to those in sorrow

Don’t discount old or new testament wisdom when writing. Some say the hero or heroine must show no weakness when in an antagonistic situation. Some say when you go on dates don’t reveal things about yourself that will make you look weak. Poppycock.

Yes, the very first time you meet it might be better to ask what’s your favorite color. Scratch that. Why not ask your date to say something, maybe a little thing, that’s personal about them? There’s an arc to divulging information that admits weakness and it serves a bonding purpose.

From observation and case studies I have noticed stronger bonds form when your opposite shares something ‘weak.’ When something weak comes out, the other person may walk away but another person may feel empathy. Having empathy, a wanting to protect or help that person is a first step in an arc to a solid relationship. Aren’t the best couples those who need each other?

But isn’t weakness, as divulged, a sign that the other will not be able to contribute in times of need? Psychologically, it’s the reverse. A person realizes and works at diminishing their weaknesses and sees that in the other. No one is perfect. If everything were perfect why would the other want a partner? There’s a nurturing instinct in all of us that should not be ignored. Is it as simple as wanting to help the other have a happier life? Isn’t that love?

So the idea here is to write a scene in which the hero and heroine have flaws and over time are willing to talk about them.

Doing something good for someone makes you feel needed or good.

FINDING YOUR MUSE(S)

 

Finding your muse(s)

When I write I search for a model who captures what I think my hero and heroine look like. I try to capture them in the process of struggle, since the arcs of the story and scenes are so important.

In this novel, Cinnamon & Sugar, published by The Wild Rose Press, the two models above are exactly how I pictured them. In the story, Alicia, is compared favorably to any number of young starlets. Humphrey when first seen disturbs Alicia’s resistance, but she’ll struggle on.

BLURB: Humphrey Bertrand's genius-level IQ can't help him find his moral compass. His family is filled with racial conflicts and he struggles to find his own way. But he cannot let anyone drown, regardless of their skin color. Alicia Bloom, a gifted valedictorian and poet runs away from an abusive situation. While she is thankful to Humphrey for saving her life, she doesn't want to be tied to anyone. When an attempt on her life forces them to hit the road together to stay one step ahead of a murderous maniac they wonder if their dreams of a future will be put on hold permanently.

A note regarding recent events. People have told me I stole the story from the violence in D.C. I can’t write that fast. If ever you send a manuscript to a publisher you can expect a year to go by before it’s out. My story is about how love knows no boundaries, and how helping each other can create miracles. Naturally I don’t tell the reader that, I show it, and subtly at that.

Where I got the idea for the book: When I was caretaking my daughter, I read to her from my draft manuscript that I have since dedicated to her. I read to keep her mind off her pain and that she might have to leave soon. I never imagined her reaction. She cried, yes, of course, it’s a tear jerker, but it was more than that. It was how she loved, lived, and taught. She, being who she was, instructed a professional writer (me), on changes she wanted (demanded). Since it was on a subject (racial hatred and brother and sisterhood) that caused her to march just like her old man had done with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., she made me promise I get a “real” publisher and, “Dad can you help my boys?” I said, "yes, honey, all the royalties will go to them." So, Lani became my third muse and 1^st angel.

The story is rated PG or G by me. Thank you, Bob Richard.

A note about the cover. I lobbied my publisher for Alicia as pictured above to be the cover. They overruled but I am happy with what they chose because it represents a scene in the story, which a portion of which became the excerpt.

Wanting what some tell you, you can't have

 Before I start into my romance blog I want to say one thing once.

The vast majority of Americans, whether they be Republicans or Democrats are not like the Nazis, Qs, anarchists, supremacist's, traitors, insurrectionists you saw murdering, pilfering, desecrating, etc.. In that crowd were many who just came to support Trump (no matter what one might feel about him). They had no intention of breaking the law and did not ascend the steps. Our country is great because we have basically two points of view and the freedom to choose.

I can segue to... You see interracial and multicultural romances are the thing now and they get stronger every day. It's mother nature taking its course. As my Filipina wife says, halo-halo (mix-mix).

At the same time as the insurrectionists were trying to stop the U.S. government in D.C., in Los Angeles a young black women two blocks from her home, was saved from an angry 'stop the steal'  crowd she wandered thru by a big burly white guy (who was not angry, although part of the crowd). He whispered in her ear to stay calm, he'd protect her, and that they wanted to kill her. The guy lost his job because it looked like he was about to beat her up, but the woman, Berlinda Nibo, called his employer to protect him and explain that he saved her. You'll see something like this in my new novel coming out 1/18 (Cinnamon & Sugar)

What are we to do? Love thy neighbor for starters.

For years, I have complained about ABC not having enough diversity on the Bachelor franchise. Well, they have been steadily getting better at it, to the point that it is obvious to me that race is not a factor for the vast majority of Americans and for ABC they see profit and perhaps doing the right thing. For those who choose hate over love you need not read on.

We had Catherine a Filipina who married Sean (2013 - The Bachelor), a white guy from Texas. They have 3 beautiful children. We had Rachel Lindsey, a brilliant and lovely black attorney who as the first black Bachelorette (2017) married Bryan Abasolo. The flood gates are more than open. The most recent two bachelorettes were multi-racial. Clare Crawley, a statuesque beauty with a Hispanic/white heritage., she engaged a very handsome black man, Dale Moss. Next came the most gorgeous woman the show has ever had as the Bachelorette, Tayshia Adams, a black and white gal chose a white guy, Zac Clark. Does any of this make you want to order a rocky road. Well, it ain't so rocky anymore, unless you stumble into a Klan rally. I'd stay away from such. Bigotry is always a losing argument made by losers. Anybody who chooses hate over love annihilates his/her soul.

Now we have the first and current black Bachelor on ABC's The Bachelor, Matt James has the women swooning. He runs a non-profit to help underprivileged kids. He said a prayer with all the women that the journey would be fulfilling for all as they make friends and perhaps find love. He gave his first impression rose to a deaf gal, not out of pity but because of her spiritual and physical beauty. He's already becoming a big favorite with "bachelor nation" (fans and participants).

There are many other 'halo-halo' couples associated with the show. It seems the more the racists tell us we can't have that, the more we want it, lol.