Research, research, research...

 As an introvert it is difficult for me to take criticism so you can only imagine what negative reviews do to me. As a Virgo I am a perfectionist, although  long ago accepted I am not perfect. To better my self as an author I am compiling a binder of facts about the period I write so that I will have information at my finger tips instead of just googling as I go. Its kinda neat researching all the little aspects of the period and taking an in depth peek into a time I find so fascinating. I have started watching Downton Abbey and it is actually a great source of information even though it is quite a few years outside my period. I love the subplots of the servants and have a better appreciation for how the smooth running of a large household is undertaken. Looking at gowns and bonnets I am even considering making a dress for myself. I don't have much sowing experience but I am self taught and made my own belly dance costumes in my pre baby days, so why not? I always start off knowing I might completely screw up which takes the pressure off. Its more for fun really.
I only have five shifts left in my veterinary technician career of ten years. Its scary and exciting but with more time and energy I hope to get a lot more writing, blogging, baking, cleaning, and yard work done through out the week as long as little bear lets me. I've been working the grave yard shift for over a year now and I can't tell you how wonderful its going to feel to sleep in my bed every night. I think that first night home I will put on fresh sheets and turn my bedroom into a cocoon of pillows and blankets in celebration. Now if only my dogs would keep off the bed, I would get better sleep and not have my legs go numb from being crushed.
So far 2013 is being pretty good to me. I hope and pray our good luck continues and our hard work will continue to pay off.

Support you local firefighters!

Procrastination!!!!!!

Ive fallen behind in my daily man meat so here is some Garrett Hedlund!


He is a good 'ol farm boy who used to chase cows to train for high school track. It doesn't get anymore country than that. He stole my heart wearing a skin light light suit in Tron. Sigh.....

Modern Historical Fiction

Sounds weird right? Would you call it an oxymoron?
Either way, in the genre of romance there is a gamut of ways an author can portray a certain era. They can hold tightly to each and every tiny detail or loosely rely on general facts and use a little creative license as well. Which do you prefer?
Lets start with what defines historical fiction from the almighty information source Wikipedia.

Definition
Historical fiction presents readers with a story that takes place during a notable period in history, and usually during a significant event in that period. Historical fiction often presents actual events from the point of view of fictional people living in that time period.
In some historical fiction, famous events appear from points of view not recorded in history, because the government who records and finds data from the past, had not cared enough to brighten the readers of this century with fictional characters either observing or actively participating in these actual events. Historical figures are also often shown dealing with these events while depicting them in a way that has not been previously recorded. Other times, a historical event is used to complement a story's narrative, occurring in the background while characters deal with situations (personal or otherwise) wholly unrelated to that historical event. Sometimes, the names of people and places have been in some way altered.

As this is fiction, artistic license is permitted in regard to presentation and subject matter, so long as it does not deviate in significant ways from established history.

If events should deviate significantly, the story may then fall under the genre of alternate history, which is known for speculating on what could have happened if a significant historical event had occurred differently. On a similar note, events occurring in historical fiction must adhere to the laws of nature.
 Thank you Wikipedia.

At the top I have two books I have read from two fantastic authors. Both books are great, in my opinion, but are very different. They are both historical romance novels but the style of one is very different from the other. The Reluctant Suitor by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss is set in 1815 while Romancing Mr. Bridgerton by Julia Quinn begins in 1824 (with the exception of the prologue). The difference is only nine years but from the way each book is written it may as well be a hundred. JQ novels are styled with a lighter more modern flow in description and dialogue that makes for an easy and fast read. KEW is more formal and the dialogue and description more true to the time. Does either style make the story more enjoyable or less historical? No. Its all a matter of personal preference. I read KEW long before discovering JQ and now prefer the latter. KEW is too heavy now to enjoy. In  my hectic stressful moments I want to escape with something light and easy especially if I'm sneaking it in at night with only the light of my nook or the baby monitor to read by.
The moral of this story is to each their own and if you are taking the time to pick apart dialogue that is to modern or a teddy bear mentioned in one chapter then you are missing the point of reading a romance novel to begin with. As a fellow reader my advice is to move on, you are wasting valuable reading minutes bitching. As an author, I read your review and heed your advice if helpful. There is much more to come and I will only get better so stick around.

In regards to my editing; Mine, All Mine was edited my two professionals so I don't know what to tell you. I consider my sister my biggest critic and she thought it was fine. If you think you can do better...Check out Tinderboox.com. Its free to join and then you can edit my next book and get a piece of the pie. It is a community for authors, editors, proof readers, and cover designers to come together and collaborate and make money, yes that's right, money.

No one edits this blog but me so I apologize if your eyes are bleeding.
Happy Reading!

Careers And Motherhood

All mothers have it hard. Being a mother is a full time job and if you also work, then that is equal to two jobs in my opinion. My parents divorced when I was six. My mother was a single working mom and I only saw my dad every other weekend. It was lonely as a little kid with only a sister who didn't always want to play with me or be around me after school. Since then I always imagined I would stay at home when I had kids so I could be there for them, go on field trips with them and all the stuff I never got to do with my mom.

I can't tell you how disappointed I was when I knew I would have to go back to work after having my baby. He was a happy surprise in a very tight time for us but I hoped and prayed that I would be able to stay with my baby after he was born. Luck was not on our side, as it usually isn't, and the fantastic opportunity my husband had to finally be a firefighter at his dream station fell through the cracks. He was jumped over by someone with no experience because the other candidate was friends with the chief. To this day if I ever see that guy, I am going to punch him in the dick. But I digress, I had to go back to work at six weeks post partum working ten hour overnight shifts three times a week. It gave me the most time home with my son while providing enough income to keep a roof over our heads and food in our tummies while my husband looked for work. It was necessary but it still hurts to think how much time I lost holding and rocking my newborn because I had to work or sleep to recover from work. I will never get that time back.

Flash forward to now and my son is fifteen months old. I am still working the same exhausting hours and I have a child that sleeps significantly less and a husband that works two jobs. Another opportunity has presented its self and we are hoping and praying again that everything works out. If it does, I will finally get to be home with my son. Being at homes means a lot to me. I will have all the time in the world with my son and I will have plenty of time to write (when he lets me). Today he has a fever and a cold and luckily its on my off day so I get to be home to take care of him. Nothing is more precious to me than my baby and I cling to my dream of being a writer because it will give me that time. It will give me the freedom to make my son my first priority. Employers like to make this promise but they really don't mean it. If I had to call out for my son for a shift or even just not attend a two hr work meeting, (eye roll), I would actually be penalized. That's the reality for a mom working outside the home these days. So here I am blogging/venting about it while my son puts a colander on my head and laughs at me. Its time for me to get back to my favorite job of being a mom. If you would like to support my dream of being home with my son permanently pop on over to Amazon and download my book. No one can take care of my little bear like mama bear can.

On another note: Support your local firefighters. They are our first responders and are very under appreciated. They appreciate any goodies brought to them.

Creativity And Failure

Since I have begun this journey as a new author I have gone through many emotions. Joy, excitement, pride, anger and fear. Rejection is not new to me. I went through the process of queries and submits with agents and publishers and received plenty of form thanks but no thanks letters. I have given up and started again many times and Mine, All Mine has been through many stages. My harshest critic is always myself but that doesn't mean their isn't a bit of a sting every time I read a one star review. Do I have them? Sure, and I take sincere comfort in the fact that everybody does in fact; when feeling particularly bummed after reading one of them I go and look at reviews of some of my favorite authors and books. They have one star reviews too and its just part of life.
Not everybody is going to love my book, my style, or any other thing they choose to pick apart no matter how small or insignificant. That is just the reality. People would rather tear something apart than praise it, and people love leaving bad reviews whether its a book, restaurant, or movie. Not that I don't have good reviews because I do and those are the people who make it all worth it. I wrote a book I as a reader would want to read and it appears I am not alone and even one person liking my book is the most amazing feeling in the world. I will never forget my first review and how awesome that person made me feel knowing they liked it and wanted to read more. For that person and the others like him I will keep going.
My one star reviews have their place. I know what I can do better next time and I am more driven because of it.
I remind myself constantly to write the book I want to read because it is impossible to meet the expectations of thousands of nameless faceless people I will never meet. To feel that creative rush and inspiration I have to write without the burden of that fear. Confidence and I have never been great friends but it is needed to continue to reach for my dream. My dream is much bigger than any one star review and I wont be torn down by it. I am still building my foundation as an author and to quote Paramore; you have to build your home brick by boring brick or the wolfs gonna blow it down.

Just because :)

The Growth of An Author

I came across a facebook post recently about Julia Quinn's Dancing At Midnight being on sale. Ooh, I thought, I need to read that again because of course I already own it and have read it :) I have all of JQ's books FYI. So I am currently re-reading it and marveling at how much her style of writing has evolved. Its always fun seeing how much authors grow from their first book to their tenth. I especially love when I find an author later in their career because it means lots of reading for me! Julia has her very own style that is fun, witty, sweet, and full of everything one wants in a romance novel. Dancing At Midnight is only her second book and in each following book she gets better and better. I only hope as my career grows and with each book I release that I can have the same success and get better and better too.

While checking out JQ's website and her bookshelf I came across something super fun. When you click on her books and it takes you to the book page with excepts and such it will also show the original covers and the covers released in other countries. How neat! I had to giggle because the original covers are super corny in that classic bare chested hero embracing the heroine way that kinda gives romance novels a bad name. I much prefer her newer covers that are so much more elegant and sweet. They say don't judge a book by its cover but I have read that in the genre of romance if a cover is explicitly sexual than you know the main focus of the plot is sex driven but if the cover is more romantic, scenic etc, then the plot is focused on romance and relationships even though their still may be sexual scenes. I prefer the latter. I'm reading for the true love, the discovery of emotions and if and when they succumb to their attractions that is just the icing on the cake.

Take a look at how different these covers are and if you haven't read a JQ novel then you need to stop wasting your life and get to it. You will have a lot of catching up to do but I promise it will be so much fun.