This guest blog post from S. Valentine is a glimpse into a writer's life, and her love for her craft. A day in the life of me and my writing, by S. ValentineFor the past three years, I have been working on several projects: an erotic romance trilogy, a contemporary / drama, and a contemporary romance novel. I write seven days a week, rarely ever having a break. If I do, it’s the odd few hours here and there every other few days, and the occasional night out. I try to write as much as I can, as when I’m not writing, I tend to feel guilty, telling myself that I should be writing. Writing is the best, but sometimes hardest thing, as I can get writers block, where nothing seems to come. Other times, my mind is spinning with so many ideas, and it seems to be the worst just as I want to go to sleep. I’ve had to keep a notepad by my bed to jot stuff down. But, I love writing, and with everything, you get the downfalls. So, anyway, here is how my day usually goes. I wake up, and instantly make a coffee. I can’t focus unless I’ve had coffee. I then set my laptop up, and firstly check my emails. I manage authors from Booktrope, maintain a book blog, and write articles weekly for my local newspaper, so I need to ensure I have everything up to date. I then either help other authors promote their books, and promote my own online. Sometimes, the time flies by, and before I know it, it’s 5PM, and I’ve got no writing done. If only there were more hours in the day! When I do get writing done, I can write anything as little as 500 words, or 3,000 a day, more, if I’m really concentrating. I like to write whilst listening to music. I can’t sit in complete silence. I also can’t do one thing at a time; I always have to be juggling other stuff: checking my social media sites, responding to people etc. When I’m in writing mode, my diet is the worst. I cook food that is quick and easy. Unhealthy, I know! I also can’t watch TV series, as they tend to influence my writing style. I’ve had to put Sons Of Anarchy, Gossip Girl and Dexter on hold, even though I’m halfway through them all. I can’t allow Charlie Hunnam’s bad-boy Jax Teller influence me any more lol! I already have enough of him in my work. In-between writing, I also do the housework, and whatever else needs doing. When I’m having a really good day, and the sun is shining, I take a notepad to the beach, or sit in a quiet bar overlooking the beach and write there. Those are my better writing days :) Anyway, if you want to read about my debut novel, HIS CONFESSION, book #1 of The Black Door Trilogy, the blurb is below, along with book trailer, and teasers. You can also find me at: www.facebook.com/SophiaValentineAuthor, and www.s-valentine.wix.com/books. About S. ValentineS. Valentine grew up in England. Studying English language and literature, as well as law, she worked in a solicitors for many years before moving to Spain. She does however still visit England, which in a way, will always be home. Returning to her lifelong passion of writing books, she’s also a weekly columnist for The Ibizan newspaper on: lifestyle, relationships and fashion. She blogs at www.lifestyleandliterature.wordpress.com, and tweets at @SophiaVAuthor. She can also be found sharing her many passions on Instagram @SophiaValentineAuthor, and pinning beautiful things on www.pinterest.com/SophiaVWrites. Sophia’s interests include reading, shopping, and sunbathing whilst drinking a Cosmopolitan. For more information, please visit: www.s-valentine.wix.com/books. If you join her newsletter, you will be the first to receive sneak peeks of chapters, teasers, news, giveaway prizes and more! Find S. Valentine online: Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * PInterest * Goodreads Read more from S. Valentine in His Confession, coming Feb 2016When Gabriella Woods finds matches to a gentleman’s club in her fiancés pocket, her suspicion’s require a search for answers. At the club, she realises, it’s not her fiancé’s fidelity that can’t be trusted… It’s her own. The owner, Darion Milano comes into her life--daring, intriguing, and unpredictable. Unable to get him out of her head, against Darion’s explicit warning, Gabi begins a torrid affair. No longer fighting the urge to enter the depth of his dark and mysterious lifestyle, she indulges in his deepest desires. They became the most exciting, wild, infatuated couple everybody knew. Until his confession changes everything. Her heart is telling her to stay. Her instinct is telling her to run. She can never match his outrageous ex-wife, and become the fun fearless woman that he craves, or can she? Discover a world of sex, secrets and seduction. Watch the trailer! *Warning - book is rated for ages 18+ and may contain mature content.*
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I love this post. I love everything about it, and I feel like I've found someone who really gets me. As storytellers, we have the opportunity to impress upon our readers what matters to us. As for me, #IChooseLove. #IChooseLove, by Sherilyn PutnamI was so excited to have a chance to write for I Choose Love. As a theme, love, is important to me. In my life and in my writing. As a writer for mid grade children, love is an important part of every story I concoct. Whether it be love for a family member, a friend, or a pet, the act and the emotion are huge parts of the growing up experience. It can be quite hard to accurately portray love in writing, especially for young children. You want the reader to feel what you are trying to do, but not be beaten over the head by it, so subtly is good. But then you risk the chance of it being overlooked for the other themes of the book. With one book released, it’s sequel and another story on the way, plus more series planned out, I have multiple opportunities to show the love, as it were. I choose love, I choose to write about it, because it is good. I weave it into each story I write, in hopes that I can bring love to someone who might need it. I think that is a primary goal of any storyteller, to bring the reader/watcher/listener an emotion that they need at that moment. A tender hug by characters you can relate to, a few words of encouragement read at a hard time, the most perfect music lyric at the most perfect time, these are all ways to help you get through a spot in which you are needing an extra boost of love. It might be presumptuous of me, but that is what I hope for. To have someone read something I wrote and get that little boost. That shred of realization that they are not alone, that they have that love there for them. No matter who they are or what they are going through. Whatever position you are in right now, the writer or the reader, I hope you too choose love. About Sherilyn PutnamSherilyn Putnam is the pen name of an author who decided holding in the stories for younger people just wasn’t an option. Thus a whole new persona emerged, ready to share her love of fantastical beings and adventurous characters with the young readers of the world. Sherilyn is almost exactly like the ‘other’ author, being she lives in the deep south, has two daughters, a hero husband and lives in a tiny house ruled by two insane cats and a miniature dachshund with a Napoleon complex. Her books for young readers almost always have the same message, one she feels very strongly about, “be who you are, not who others think you should be.” Connect with Sherilyn online: Website * Facebook * Twitter Read more from Sherilyn, in The Dragon ChildWhen a gypsy boy stumbles over an egg near the ocean he doesn't know just how much it will change his life. Once the egg hatches, the boy's world will never be the same, nor will it be for the creature that comes out of the egg. Named Dane after the boy's father, the creature will begin a journey to find his own family. Along the way, he'll learn that family is sometimes who you choose, not who you are born to. Get it here: Amazon The MissionI've decided to create a month of blogs to celebrate love. Yes, I know it's not February, the typical month for all things love-related. But coming off a very tough year, it's been important to me to celebrate what we have, and the greatest of these is love. 2015 was all about sickness and sadness. I'm determined to make 2016 all about love and happiness. So.........without further ado: #IChooseLove You've seen me post about it before, but this year I'm making a conscious effort to dwell in the love that surrounds us all. We have the love of family (even if we have our moments with them), the love of our friends, co-workers and neighbors. But the greatest love story ever told has been God's love story to man--the Bible. I firmly believe that the Bible was created for the sole purpose of showing the gift of love. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." Isn't that beautiful? That God sent His Son from heaven to lead people into the gates of heaven, and deliver us from evil? Isn't it beautiful that Jesus died for us, knowing the pain he'd endure, so that we could be saved? The ProcessI've enlisted many Booktrope authors and other creative team members to help show the world what love means to them. They can write about anything, so long as it involves love. Some stories may be fictional, some may be from their own lives, and some may write out their testimony. I did something similar to this with the second edition of Breathless. I put out a Valentine's edition in 2012 with love stories from my family, friends and fans. My favorite of these will always be my parents' love story, told from both perspectives. The Story
About Becki BrannenBecki Brannen is a thirty-something writer born and raised in the heart of Georgia. Her debut novel, Breathless, is the result of NaNoWriMo 2011, having been written in just twenty-nine days. Becki primarily writes “chick lit with a Christian twist,” marrying one of her favorite genres with her Christian faith. Her life verses are Jeremiah 29:11 and Isaiah 41:10. Becki and her husband have twin daughters and a poodle, Sophie. Find Becki online: Website * Facebook * Twitter The book that started it allWhat happens when an ordinary girl meets the man of everyone’s dreams? Keeping secrets is never easy, especially since Ryan Spalding is on the cover of every magazine and this year’s “Hottest Hunk under 30.” Good thing busy lawyer Carly Sparks is so out of the loop when it comes to celebrity affairs, or she’d realize she was in one! Leading man Ryan Spalding tempts Carly Sparks in ways she’s only ever seen in the movies. She’s drifted away from a promise she made to God as a teenager, but Carly must rely on her faith when her relationship with Ryan is put to the test. Will it be enough to keep them together, or will theirs be just another failed Hollywood romance? Get it here: Amazon |
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