GETTING SUED OVER A CHARACTER

by Haywood Smith

I find it amusing, the number of people who think that making the New York Times Best Seller list means I must be a millionaire.  After I made the list, my son said, “Mama, you’re famous.”  I laughed and replied, “I’d rather be rich.”

Back in 1994, my then-husband convinced me to put the house into trust for our son, ostensibly for inheritance tax purposes, but in fact, to avoid tax liens (that’s another story).   The trust turned out to be both a blessing and a curse. The good news is, my ex couldn’t hock the roof over my head when he went middle-aged crazy; and when someone sued me over a character in my books, the house wasn’t an attachable asset.

Yes, I was sued over a character, by a friend of my sister’s who thought my sister had betrayed her confidences. In fact, the stories I used either came from the plaintiff, herself, or other sources. My so-called “friend” had once said she wanted to write a book, and I encouraged her, but many years later, there was no book. So I called her and asked if I could use some of her clever true divorce stories for one of my characters. She thought for a second, said okay, then went back to her other call.

Word of caution: If a “friend” says you can use some of her true-life stories, GET IT IN WRITING.   My so-called friend conveniently “forgot” giving me permission, and sued, turning down a $150,000 settlement from our liability insurer, and asking for $1,300,000 from me and my publisher over my favorite character (ironically, named SuSu) in The Red Hat Club. And another suit for The Red Hat Club Rides Again.

Because of the litigation, my publishers asked me to “erase” that character from Wedding Belles, the third book of the series.  I hated to do that to my readers, but if I so much as mentioned that character’s name, the plaintiff would have sued us for that book, too.  What a mess.   I write my books to bring humor, hope, and healing to my readers.  I have never written a word to harm or injure anyone.  But in Georgia, malice is not a requirement in the defamation

Three years after I was served, I ended up sitting with my editor in court for ten days (most murder trials only take four!), hearing her lawyers paint me every shade of black. News flash: the papers only publish the accusations, never the rebuttals.

As it turned out, more than 2/3 of the “similarities” her lawyers pointed out would have applied to anyone who grew up in our neighborhood and went to my high school.  Were there real similarities?  Of course.  She’d told me I could use her stories. Did she have a financial motive to “forget”?  Of course.  It’s always about the money.  The truth is, I gave my character all the annoying habits and rule-breaking behaviors I could think of, because she was the archetypal Goody Two-shoes gone bad who challenged the
ensemble’s friendship, faith, and morality, making them prove their love for her, over and over.

Who knew, the plaintiff had all those annoying characteristics?  And, hand to my heart, I had no idea the plaintiff had had a facelift when I wrote that my character had. It just fit for a character who was trying so hard to be younger as she aged.

During the trial, the plaintiff revealed herself to be a very sad, troubled, litigious person whose many problems originated long before I even thought of writing.  When the defense rested, the judge charged the jury that if anyone could recognize the character as the plaintiff, if there were any “sexually objectionable” behaviors (by whose
standards?) by the character, and if the plaintiff’s “feelings were hurt,” they must find for the plaintiff.  I asked my editor why we’d even bothered to come.

Two hours later, the jury came back and awarded her $100,000 and no legal fees, well within our coverage. Then the jury asked if they could keep their books! I laughed and said yes, but I wouldn’t autograph them.

As for the plaintiff’s award, her lawyers had run up huge fees, taping depositions, having forensic audits of my computer, so I doubt they’d let her keep much. I hope she did get something so she can get the help she needs.  In the end, everybody lost.  I can’t imagine what life would be like seeing the world through her eyes, and I’m deeply grateful that I don’t.

So take care, Georgia writers who are writing romance:  When you draw from life, as we all do, make sure the physical description, life particulars, and history of your sexy characters are different from reality.

Now, when people tell me they have a great true story for me to write, I make the sign of the cross and back away. (Well, mentally, anyway.) Actually, I tell them that they need to write their own stories, for their families, if nothing else.  And when I create a character, I have to search my brain to try to remember of anything I’m using originated from someone real. But I don’t want to harm anyone. I never did.  I put this experience in my folder with getting bitten by a rabid raccoon, finding out my
husband of thirty years was engaged to a stripper and had run up $100,000 in debt for strip club bills that I was liable for, and discovering that I’m a host organism. No matter what, God takes care of me.

But others can learn from my difficulties, as I have, so be careful with those romances.  Especially erotica.

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Haywood’s latest release (January 2013)  OUT OF WARRANTY (St.  Martins Press)  is available now on Amazon.  

More About the Author:   http://www.haywoodsmith.net/

To view all her books:    http://www.haywoodsmith.net/books

Kimberly Brock is a former actor, special needs educator, and native to the north Georgia foothills. Her debut novel, The River Witch, a southern mystical work set against the backdrop of the Appalachian foothills and the Sea Islands, spins a poignant tale of characters who reckon with histories replete with regret and secrets, struggling to find home in an unpredictable world. Her work has appeared in the anthologies “Summer in Mossy Creek” and “Sweeter Than Tea.” She spends much of her non-writing time enjoying her husband and three children, and encouraging storytelling in all its many forms. Kimberly lives north of Atlanta, where she’s made her home for the last eight years. To learn more, visit her website at kimberlybrockbooks.com  You can also like her on FB, follow her on TW @kimberlydbrock, and find her at Good Reads, Amazon & BN!  She’s now on Net Galley if you want to leave a review!

1)      What is a River Witch?

There are so many different interpretations, even within the novel. There have always been tales of women who turned into mermaids or serpents or sirens. I started with those kinds of stories in mind, but was far into the writing of The River Witch before I realized I’d incorporated the myth of Melusine, a cursed maiden living on a lost island who took the shape of a serpent when bathing. Think of the Starbuck’s logo. But I leave it up to the reader to decide who they think the River Witch might be in this story, and what they think that means.

2)      Was there any particular inspiration for this story, or did it just “come” to you?

I read this article about a couple of women who decided to open a pumpkin farm. The pictures were gorgeous. Everywhere, there was this beautiful, round, sumptuous fruit; such a compelling illustration of women and fertility and sustenance. I started sketching scenes of a woman longing for her childhood home and music and a bountiful table. This was Roslyn. Then I saw another report showing people floating down a river inside giant pumpkin and ten-year-old Damascus started talking to me.

3)      What did it feel like to finally hold your book in your hands? 

Thrilled! It took a few hours for me to believe it had actually happened and then I felt light-headed and giddy. I kept petting the cover! Oh, how I love that cover! But then, holding the book, I realized I was going to have to put it on a shelf and let it fend for itself. I hope readers will receive THE RIVER WITCH with the tenderness with which it was written and find something that moves them in this gentle story.

Kim has included a special treat – a recipe from one of the characters in her novel:

FOR THE CAKE:

Have all the ingredients at room temperature. Position rack in the lower third of an oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the loaf pan; tap out excess flour.

To make the cake, over a sheet of waxed paper, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on medium speed until cream and smooth, about a minute. Add the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the pumpkin mixture and beginning and ending with the flour. Beat each addition just until incorporated, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly. Bake until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 65 to 70 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the glaze: In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, water and lemon juice and bring just to a simmer, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Tap the loaf pan gently on a work surface to loosen the cake. Set the rack over the pan, invert the pan onto the rack and lift off the pan. Place the rack over a sheet of wax paper. Using a pastry brush, brush the warm cake with the glaze. Let the cake cool completely, at least 2 hours, before serving.

Serves 8 to 10.

Inside a seed, there is a miracle…

You must search for the perfect spot to plant your seed, and then you can’t forget about it. Care for it every day without fail. You can’t be hasty. You can’t be careless. Once you plant your seed, it will have to make the most of your choices. Seeds need warmth, light and water to survive. They grow best in soil that has something to give, but not so rich that the seed doesn’t have to work at making something of itself. When the first little sprout appears, it will demand your protection. It will scare you to death, how easy it can be squashed. But when everything seems to work against you, when the world tries to kill your vine and the hungry things come, remember a good fight makes the strongest fruit. Watch over what you’ve planted. Treasure it and it will grow. And most important of all, don’t be afraid to cut deep and cut loose when things

ripen.. Don’t be a girl who lets her gifts rot on a tough old vine…

Kim will be giving away different recipes for her readers to share.  So be sure to check out her website to see where she’ll be next.  Be sure to take a picture if you prepare one of her recipes and she may feature it on her site!

By Marilyn Baron

It’s the last day of the month at the beginning of a New Year and this year I’m taking a big risk. I always follow the rules, but this year, my sister, Sharon Goldman, and I have decided to venture into uncharted territory, at least for us, and ride the indie publishing wave with the release of our new eBook, The Edger.

I’ve tried the traditional route, diligently, and of course, would still love for that to happen. I have patiently met with editors and agents, submitted queries, waited for responses, sent in partials, even got promising requests for fulls. And I attended conferences and workshops, entered contests, got feedback and polished the manuscript. In fact, our collaboration, The Edger, won first place in the Suspense Romance category of the 2010 Ignite the Flame Contest, sponsored by Central Ohio Fiction Writers Romance Writers of America chapter.

The Edger, which is set in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, my sister’s hometown, is a humorous women’s fiction about 40-year-old landscape artist Alexandra Newborn’s shocking reunion with her college art professor, Nick Anselmo—once a celebrated Italian artist, now a homeless lawn man—which sows the seeds for murder, mystery and romance. In gratitude for food, art materials and company, Nick, or The Edger, as Alex comes to think of him, drops off a new sketch in front of Alex’s house every week when he comes to do her lawn. Nick’s provocative artwork is the key to revealing a dangerous liaison between Alex’s husband, Mark, and Bitsy Diamond, owner of the gallery where Alex dreams of having a one-woman show. When a deadly hurricane takes a dangerous turn the night of the show opening, Mark’s body washes up behind Bitsy’s beach house, leaving readers to wonder whodunit?

When one editor questioned whether anyone could fall in love with a 50-year-old homeless hero, we knew we had to pursue other options.

Who says 50 can’t be sexy? We’ll put our hunky, homeless lawn man—think George Clooney, Harrison Ford, John Travolta, Mark Harmon, or Pierce Brosnan—up against any Hollywood hottie. In a land where the traditional romance hero is 20- or 30-something, we’re writing what we know. We 50++-somethings still have a lot of life left in us and believe there is a vast audience that wants to read fiction that is relevant to them.

The Edger has something for everyone.  While the novel tackles such serious themes as homelessness and unemployment, it also offers a lighter look at a disillusioned housewife who copes with a cheating husband and a crumbling marriage. The heroine’s husband is every man. Readers may recognize some of Mark Newborn’s less than desirable traits in their own husbands. In fact, when my sister and I get irritated at our husbands we sometimes call them “Mark.” But readers will rejoice in the triumph of a heroine who fights for respect and makes her own dreams come true to find her happy ending

Throughout the long submission process, my sister, who is an award-winning Florida artist unfamiliar with the tedious process of getting published, called me almost daily (I am not kidding), asking, “Is it published yet?” And wondered why we weren’t on Oprah. I tried to explain how the process worked, that even if the manuscript was accepted, it would be another year until publication. And because, after all this time, the Oprah show is off the air. But at some point, her impatience and excitement about the project was infectious and, after receiving our last rejection from an editor, we decided, why not invest in ourselves and take a chance to follow our dreams in a project we believed in?

We didn’t go into this process willy-nilly. As a member of the IndieGRW Yahoo Group I had the benefit of learning from my Georgia Romance Writers colleagues who had already made forays into the exciting new world of epublishing. I had the manuscript professionally edited, although, in my day job, I am a writer and an editor. We hired a company to format the novel. I highly recommend the company we used – 52 Novels http://www.52novels.com/, the same eBook design shop used by J.A. Konrath. Another author, James Swain, recommended 52 Novels to us. They were extremely reasonable and easy to work with and were not above hand-holding. They taught me a lot about the process.  They recommended a great cover designer, but my sister created a painting that we used as cover art and she drew some black and white line art and completed another painting that we used in the book. The Edger was a vehicle to highlight both of our creative talents—Visit Sharon’s art gallery at www.sgoldmanart.com and my author page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Marilyn-Baron/286807714666748.

And because both central characters in the novel are artists, Sharon’s background helped make the book more authentic. Living in two different states did not present a problem since we did all the work via email or the telephone.

While we don’t have any illusions that The Edger will be jump to the #1 bestseller list (well, my sister does) we have enough confidence in our talent and marketing ability that we were going to give this a shot. After all, we’re not getting any younger. Our father, to whom we dedicated the book, passed away a little more than a year ago, and that lesson in the transience of life, taught us we didn’t want to have any regrets.

I’d learned some other lessons along the way last year, launching my Angel Trilogy—humorous, supernatural e-short stories with a small publisher specializing in  science fiction, supernatural, horror and thriller stories  http://www.twbpress.com/achoirofangels.html

And now, when my sister asks, “are we published yet?” I can legitimately answer, “Yes!” And it didn’t take a year. Where do we go from here? We’re collaborating on a play, a musical about Alzheimer’s, and I’m finishing a paranormal romantic suspense and polishing up a WWII mystery.

Was it a gamble going the nontraditional route? Sure. But I feel really good about taking control of my writing career.  It’s very liberating and enormously satisfying.

We hope you’ll give The Edger a try.

The Edger is available at Amazon Kindle http://www.amazon.com/The-Edger-ebook/dp/B006Y3P12Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1326743234&sr=1-1

Barnes & Noble Nook Books http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-edger-marilyn-baron/1108321593?ean=2940013703957&itm=1&usri=the+edger+marilyn+baron

Smashwords http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/123376.

ISBN 978-1-4659-7621-5

What are you doing to follow your dream? One commenter will win a FREE PDF copy of The Edger.

Novelist and screenplay writer, Brenna Lauren Crowder, writes women’s fiction at the rate of about a pot of coffee a day. When she’s not garbed in her pajamas, hovering over her laptop and her latest project, she’s probably researching her thesis or spending much needed fun time with friends, loved ones and her Bichon Frise, Cooper.

Women’s fiction novelist, Darcy Crowder, has a knack for tugging on heart strings with her down-to-earth characters and soulful pros. On days when she’s not elbow deep in her latest novel or volunteer work for her local RWA chapter, she can be found plotting the next perfect family get together, enjoying the great outdoors near her beloved cabin in the woods, or wrestling her Bichon Frise, Cooper, from the arms of her equally beloved daughter.

Q:  So ladies, tell us, did you co-author your stories in Homecoming In Mossy Creek?

D:  Actually, no.  We each have our own story in the Mossy Creek anthology.  Mine is titled, ‘Shine On, Harvest Moon.  It’s about an ex-football player who sets out to help his wife win a contest, thinks he’s ruined her chances, and ends up realizing that sometimes what appears to be an unlucky turn of events can actually be fate working in our favor.

B: My story, Mossy Creek By Any Other Name, brings a fresh new character to the Mossy Creek cast, Hermia Lavender. She’s the young new drama teacher at Mossy Creek High and she’s toting some big time aspirations. With a little of her parent’s star-studded good luck running through her veins, she happens to pull off what could possibly be the most original take on the Romeo and Juliette play Mossy Creek, or anyone for that matter, has ever seen. She even manages to stumble into a little love story of her own.

Q:  What’s it like to have a mother/daughter who is also a writer?

D:  For me, it’s a blessing beyond measure to share my love for writing with my daughter.  To have another writer in the family, someone who totally ‘gets’ my love of story, can share opinions and insights with me, understands the ups and downs of this magnificent wild ride called publishing, is an absolute gift.  We bounce ideas off each other, critique for each other, and support each other.  She’s my greatest champion.  Not only am I proud of the beautiful, independent woman she’s become, I’m absolutely in awe of her talent.  This young lady is poised to take on the world.  Watch out people!  <g>

B: I can’t imagine a scenario any more perfect than the one my mother and I have been blessed with. She’s my best friend and my greatest supporter. I’ve always been in love with story. I’ve always known that this was the world I wanted to be in, but I can honestly say it’s been my mother who’s forged the path ahead of me, helping to be sure I knew what I needed to know. She brought me to my first writer’s conference back in high school and I fell in love. Since then it’s been a wild ride. We understand each other and the challenges that diving into this industry brings. Our individual approaches to writing are pretty different. We each have our own strengths and weaknesses and I think that’s a good thing. We’re truly invested in one another’s success and I think that makes for some really amazing critiquing and mutual support.

Q:  Are there any similarities/differences to the way you each approach writing?

D:  I have to say, Brenna is more of a natural than I am.  She makes it look effortless.  <g>   It’s safe to say we are both plotters, and character driven story tellers.  I usually visualize my lead character in an opening scene first, then the ending comes fast on its heels….it’s the murky middle I have to coax along.  I need to have all my turning points figured out, character arcs and usually some other key emotional scenes before I start writing.  And I need a quiet, hopefully isolated place to work.  Brenna on the other hand….

B: I usually get an idea and BAM, the major turning points just come to me. Obviously, they’re never perfect right out of the gate, but it’s a definite starting point for my outline. I figure out my GMCs and create note cards for individual scenes. I’m obsessed with developing my characters to extremes while I’m still plotting. I like knowing them so well that I don’t have to sit and think about what they would say or how they would act under certain circumstances. I get to know them so well that they literally take over from there. It’s a lot of work up front, but I enjoy it and there’s less editing on the back end. And unlike Mom, I absolutely can’t work in silence. Music is a must and I do some of my best work in a crowded, noisy room. Go figure. J

Q:  What are you currently working on?

B: Gosh, that’s a loaded question. <g> I actually have several projects on the table right now. I’m collaborating with historical author Beverley Kendall on a regency historical winter-themed anthology set to come out in 2012. I have two single title women’s fiction novels that I’m tightening up and getting ready to send out. I’ve also got a screenplay in the works paired with a companion novel that I’ll be writing in the spring as soon as these others are off the table. So I’m a busy girl, but I work best under pressure.

D:  I think it’s safe to say Brenna runs circles around me.  <g>  I’m currently focused on polishing a women’s fiction novel in response to several requests, and will soon begin fleshing out my next single title.  In addition to the Mossy Creek Anthology, I have a story in Tales From A Momma’s Heart, another anthology published by Belle Books due in the spring of 2012.  I also have a children’s story idea I’m seriously considering.  And when I’m not writing next year, I’ll be Chairing Georgia Romance Writer’s Maggie contest.

Q:  Just for fun, what do you look for in the perfect hero/heroine?

B: I think the trick to the perfect hero is coming up with a guy who you would actually like if you met him in real life. He can’t be too perfect. If he has a really rocking sense of humor and an amazing personality I think it’s important that he NOT look like a Greek god. I mean, come on. If a hero is devastatingly handsome, there needs to be something exceptionally down to earth about him, like he enjoys looking at nerdy comic books or singing karaoke. There definitely needs to be that very human element, no matter what.

As for the perfect heroine, well, she needs to be smart and confident in herself. She needs to be a woman that other women can identify with, someone whose shoes a reader will want to step into. I think a savvy heroine will earn and keep a readers respect, and to me that’s very important. And again, that magic balance. Beauty has to be much, much, more than skin deep. A really great heroine is a woman whose smart, stands up for what she believes in, and most importantly, isn’t afraid to fall in love. J

D:  I agree with Brenna.  The perfect hero has to embody true to life qualities – no one is absolutely perfect.  He should be willing to admit he doesn’t have all the answers, even if it takes exhausting every other possibility first.  <g>  Seriously, I believe in writing flawed characters who eventually discern their own vulnerabilities and don’t shy away from the hard work of making theirs and other’s lives better.  To me, that’s a true hero – the guy who sees the need and takes action.

And the perfect heroine should be able to rise up to the challenge to do the same.  No white knight for her.  Again, real people are flawed, so our characters should reflect the very real struggles of what it means to be a fulfilled, successful woman; whether she defines success as bringing up a happy, well-adjusted family, or running a multi-million dollar corporation like a well-oiled machine.  Again, I agree with Brenna on this one.  A well-written, memorable heroine is a woman other women can relate to, who can be vulnerable, yet have a deep inner strength.  Someone who knows, or learns, that love is worth the risk.

Q:  Do you see yourselves collaborating sometime in the future?

B: Absolutely. We’ve talked about it and brainstormed about what kind of stories would lend themselves to that kind of teamwork. Personally, I’m kind of itching to write a children’s book together. I think that would be a lot of fun and just a really positive experience.

D:  Definitely.  A children’s book would be wonderful to do together.  And maybe a screenplay….we’re both huge movie fans.  I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Brenna were to publish a successful screen play one day.  She’s a natural.  <g>

Back Cover Blurb:

Welcome back to Mossy Creek!
The eighth novel in the acclaimed Mossy Creek Hometown Series continues the warm, witty and wise doings in a small Southern village you’ll want to call home.
The town that ain’t going nowhere, and don’t want to.

Homecoming in Mossy Creek
It’s been over twenty years since Mossy Creek experienced Homecoming, and they’re determined to do it right! And you know Creekites…if there’s something interesting going on, they won’t rest until they know about it. So when a letter shows up at the Police Station with a warning about ugly secrets hidden in the time capsule buried twenty years ago, the whole town is abuzz with the possibilities. Amos, Ida & Win put Peggy Caldwell and Louise Sawyer on its trail, hoping the sleuth-loving ladies can find it before the week ends at the Homecoming Dance. Meanwhile, Amos & Ida tangle in a deserted Haunted House. Ardaleen & Inez scrimmage at the Bake Sale. Pearl & Spiva spar as they volunteer at the Booster Club Canteen. All of your favorite characters are back as Mossy Creek celebrates Homecoming with festivities that make Southerners cheer. Football. Homecoming Queens. Parades. Plays. It’s all happening during Homecoming in Mossy Creek!

Thank you, ladies!  Can’t wait to read your stories in Homecoming In Mossy Creek.  And for our readers, Darcy and Brenna are happy to give a free, autographed copy of Homecoming In Mossy Creek to one lucky commenter!

Liz Michalski’s first novel, EVENFALL, will be published in February 2011 by Berkley Books (Penguin). She’s been a reporter, an editor, a freelance writer, and has written hundreds of articles for newspapers, magazines, and private corporations.

In her previous life, she wrangled with ill-tempered horses and oversized show dogs. These
days she chases after small children and a medium-sized mutt. She likes dark chocolate caramels, champagne, and licorice tea (preferably not all served at once). In summer you’ll find her visiting farmers’ markets and trying to talk her family out of making her swim at the Connecticut shore.

The rest of the year she’s home in Massachusetts with her husband, daughter, and son,
hard at work on her next novel.

Creating Settings — Like Lines on Their Faces

A few years ago, I was lucky enough to take a writing workshop with author Anita Shreve.  As part of the class, she had us write a page or so, then change the tense from present to past.  Hah, I thought.  I can do this. Then she had us change the setting from winter to spring.  Again, I had it down.  Finally, she asked us to switch the POV of our main protagonist from male to female or vice versa.

For the next few minutes, the whole class scribbled busily away.  I, on the other hand, froze.  Finally, the friend I was taking the class with noticed.  “Problem?” he whispered.

I nodded.

“You don’t have a single human protagonist on that page, do you?” he asked.

I shook my head.  He paused, then said only half-jokingly,  “You just don’t like people much, do you?”

Now, that last accusation is untrue.  I’m a bit of an introvert, but I do like many, many people.  I even love a few.  But I have an affair of the heart with places, real and imagined. I’ve never been to 18th century Scotland, but I can picture it clearly through Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series.  I’m a fan of Harry and Hermione, but it’s Hogwarts I’d really like to see. I wanted to create as real a setting for my debut novel, Evenfall.

The book takes its name from the old farmhouse that’s at the center of the story.  From the beginning, I wanted the house to feel like another character, with its own personality and quirks.  I needed readers to be able to see this house, the land on which it was built, and the faint aura of enchantment surrounding it.

I’d seen a house like Evenfall – just once — and used that memory as a start. I researched houses from that time period to see what type of details it might have — would the glass in the window be wavy or clear? What type of wood was used for the floor?  What paint colors were common at the time the house was built?

Not all of these features made it into my book, but knowing them helped me picture the house more clearly in my mind.  Once I had the basic layout, I worked on the details – what type of aging would a house show after 200 years?  I pictured the walls filling up with artwork, the attic with furniture, as each generation slowly added the artifacts of their own lives.

I took notes on how the house and surroundings felt in different seasons — what the air inside might feel like on a person’s skin in spring versus summer, how the house might settle at night in the summer as opposed to the fall, what the floorboards might feel like under a person’s feet at different times of the year.

Watching my six-year-old son tear through my real house, I added in the inevitable scars the house would bear — the chipped paint, the names scribbled on walls, the toothmarks on window sills.  Again, not everything made it into the book, but I wanted reading about the house to be like meeting someone for the first time and seeing the lines on their face.  You may not know how each mark got there, but you can tell they’ve had an interesting life.

Evenfall has had an interesting 200 years, and I’m hopeful that it shows.  And the person-less paragraph my friend teased me about at the workshop? I do still like him, of course, but not enough to change it.  That paragraph is how I’m starting my next book.

Thank you so much for inviting me to your blog!

Thank you for being with us today, Liz, and for giving us such an insightful look at treating setting like a character.

Liz has graceously offered to give away a copy of her debut novel, Evenfall, to one lucky commenter.

And she also has a contest going on her website http://www.lizmichalski.com where she has created several ‘secret’ pages.   Anyone who e-mails her a picture of themselves with her book can have the secret code to unlock them!  How cool is that?

By Robyn Carr

Publisher:  Mira

ISBN-10: 0778328686

Women’s Fiction

Back Cover Blurb:

The loss of a close friend draws four women together.  And a summer spent sorting through personal effects offers the perfect challenge – and the perfect escape.

Sable – her bestselling novels have made her a star, but the woman who has everything, in fact, has nothing but a past she is desperate to hide.

Elly – the intellectual who has hidden herself within the walls of academia, afraid to admit she is tired of being alone.

Barbara Ann – the talent behind twenty-six romance novels, wakes up one day to discover she’s lost control of her career, her sanity and her family.

Beth – her popular mysteries have become the only way she can fight against the secret tyranny of an abusive husband.

In the house on Olive Street, away from their troubles, the four women discover something marvelous: themselves.  And along the way they realize a dream.  For, in telling the story of a remarkable woman, their own lives begin to change.

This story is about five women writers who are friends and critique partners.  When one of their best and brightest members passes away unexpectedly, they are drawn together on a mission to tell their friends story and in doing so, find not only healing, but the true value and strength of friendship when their personal secrets are revealed one by one.

Don’t let the subject matter fool you, I laughed out loud at some of the marvelous, quirky antics and dialogue from these wonderful women even as some of their plights drew tears to my eyes.  This is a terrific, feel-good read with everyday women we can relate to and friendships we can aspire to.  I highly recommend it.

By Karen White  

NAL Trade

ISBN-13: 978-0451229212

Folly Beach, South Carolina, has survived despite hurricanes and war. But it’s the personal battles of Folly Beach’s residents that have left the most scars, and why a young widow has been beckoned there to heal her own…

To most people, Folly Beach is simply the last barrier island before reaching the great Atlantic. To some, it’s a sanctuary for lost souls, which is why Emmy Hamilton’s mother encourages her to buy the local book store, Folly’s Finds, hoping it will distract Emmy from the loss of her husband.

Emmy is at first resistant. So much has already changed. But after finding love letters and an image of a beautiful bottle tree in a box of used books from Folly’s Finds, she decides to take the plunge. But the seller insists on one condition: Emmy must allow Lulu, the late owner’s difficult sister, to continue selling her bottle trees from its back yard.

For the most part Emmy ignores Lulu as she sifts through the love letters, wanting to learn more. But the more she discovers about the letters, the more she understands Lulu. As details of a possible murder and a mysterious disappearance during WWII are revealed, the two women discover that circumstances beyond their control, sixty years apart, have brought them together, here on Folly Beach. And it is here that their war-ravaged hearts can find hope for a second chance…

Karen White never disappoints.  In her newest release, On Folly Beach, she brings us not one, but two poignantly insightful and dramatic stories, masterfully woven together, that delve into the hearts and minds of her many unforgettable characters.

You will laugh.  You will cry.  You will smell the pluff mud and the unmistakable scent of the ocean.  You will hear the swing music and the sound of dancing on the pier in the moonlight.  And you will want your own bottle tree – not just to keep the bad spirits away – but to keep the magic and romance of On Folly Beach alive.

Pick it up as soon as you can.  You won’t be disappointed.

One morning a few months ago, at just past four, my eyes opened and I realized something had jogged my mind awake.  As my thinking became clearer, I realized there was literally a conversation running through my head.

Now I’ve woke before with a story idea in my mind, but this was the first time my subconscious thoughts had also included dialog.

I immediately got up and went in to my office and typed it down…word for word…and by the time I finished those few lines, I knew the name of the story and that what I had been given was the opening to my first Women’s Fiction book.  You see, I usually write 55,000-word, family-friendly books.  This one would be different.

Below is the conversation that ran through my subconscious.

“Excuse me lady.  Are you the one?”

I started to ignore the young boy staring up at me with hopeful eyes, holding a book in his dirty hands.  I even opened my mouth to lie and deny who I was, but I paused.

“It’s for my mother.  It’s her birthday and I got it on the table inside the store…with my allowance.” He beamed, displaying a space where a tooth had once been.

He ‘got it on the table inside’.  That was another way of saying it was on sale, for pennies on the dollar.  It was the story my life had become.

When I turned away, I left the child standing on the sidewalk, staring as I escaped.  I left him holding a book he had lovingly bought for his mother.  I left him with a scrawled signature: To Mommy, Happy Birthday, Beverly Crystal.

That “dream” or “subconscious” story burned a hole in my computer, so-to-speak, because it had to be written.  Even though I was in the middle of another story and I vowed I’d finish it first, Beverly’s story was constantly on my mind.  By the time I sat down to actually write that story, I had mentally plotted it out and knew how it would progress.  Soon that snippet of a dream became an 85,000-word Women’s Fiction story entitled Pennies On The Dollar that is currently at an agent’s office for consideration.

So where did the story come from?  Did you notice that I was even given the heroine’s name?  No decision was necessary on my part since the character had already spoken.  I’ve certainly never had the experiences that Beverly would have in her story, so why was I given her story and then prodded daily until it was finished and put “out there” where others would read it?  Quite frankly, I haven’t a clue, but I believe there must be a reason.  Maybe someday I’ll be told that the story touched someone’s life and maybe I’ll go to my grave never knowing, but that part doesn’t matter.  What’s important is that I didn’t ignore it.  I could have rolled over and gone back to sleep, but instead I got up.

There’s a lesson there for other areas of our lives.  When we have opportunities before us, grab them with both hands and hold on like a junkyard dog.  Don’t let things pass you by…get in the race and go for the goal!  (Okay, I’ll step off the soapbox and get back to the subject at hand.)

This question is for readers and writers alike: Have you ever had a dream that became a reality?  Tell us about it!

As to writers, have you ever had an experience where you were given a story in your subconscious that HAD to be written?   We’d love to hear about your experiences.

“Those who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream by night.     —Edgar Allen Poe

By Marilyn Baron

Last year, I had the enjoyable experience of co-authoring a book, THE EDGER, with my sister Sharon Goldman, an award-winning landscape artist from Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, where our story is set. Sharon has lofty goals. She imagines us appearing on “Oprah,” and touring the country together signing our book. Being an artist, she’s visualized that outcome. I tried to explain the realities of the publishing world, but she is dreaming big. I am proud because I think I have done some of my best work and the process of creating this book with my sister long-distance turned out to be easier than I thought.

In THE EDGER, an 85-000-word women’s fiction, landscape artist Alexandra Newborn’s shocking reunion with her college art professor, Nick Anselmo, now a homeless lawn man, sows the seeds for murder, mystery and romance.

Sharon was inspired by the story to create the artwork above. Following is an excerpt from our manuscript, the Prologue of THE EDGER.

 THE EDGER

PROLOGUE

     Everyone thinks I murdered my husband. Believe me, I wanted to. That’s why I’m stuck in this stark, colorless jail cell wearing an unfashionable orange jumpsuit, which my personal shopper at Bloomingdale’s would find highly offensive. She knows I’m more of an Eileen Fisher woman.

Why I was singled out, when there are enough suspects for a game of Cutthroat, is a mystery. The Jacksonville Beach Police Department is also looking at my former college art professor—hot and homeless Nick Anselmo, who has since skipped town; and my husband Mark’s mistress—cool, blonde home wrecker Bitsy Diamond. By rights, that woman should be cooling her Jimmy Choos in a jail cell, but the police are not looking very hard in other directions because they’re convinced I’m the guilty party.

Maybe it was the red stains the cops found splattered all over my studio and soaking my nightgown when they came to inform me that Mark’s body had washed up in front of Bitsy’s beach house.

My toxicology results seem to be MIA at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Where is CSI Miami when you need them? Jacksonville Beach is no Miami, which is why I’m still sitting in the slammer waiting for my lawyer, Mr. Redmond “Red” Cross, to provide some relief from this domestic disaster, and wondering where it all went wrong.

I’m wondering whether I will be allowed out to attend my husband’s funeral tomorrow, and if so, how I will explain to my three girls why their mother is arriving in shackles with a police escort. Wondering whether I’ll ever again enjoy the sweet sanctuary of painting outdoors in natural light, measuring the growth of my daughters as they link arms beneath the moss-draped canopy of the bald cypress in our backyard. A cypress that my husband Mark planted, but never nurtured.

The low-maintenance cypress only required pruning to remove any dead or damaged branches and frequent deep watering when it was first planted. But that tree turned out to be very resilient, as it was tolerant of both the wind and Mark’s neglect.

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As far as writing craft, I think I’m best at dialogue, pacing and description. I enjoy incorporating humor into my writing and I’m a pantser. Since a mystery is at the heart of our story, a book I’ve found useful is “Writing and Selling Your Mystery Novel,” by Hallie Ephron.

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Added: Here’s another example of my sister’s artwork. This one of her own backyard.