Jennifer's Journal

 

Friday, July 10, 2009

Hero Material

Writers need inspiration, right?  When it comes to characters, there's nothing like having a photo or picture posted near your computer as fast and easy reference for eye and hair colors, facial features, etc.  Some writing programs (WriteWay, for instance) provide a convenient spot to zap a thumbnail photo of your hero or heroine into their built-in character chart.  You can do this as well with an MS Word file.  But where to find the photoes?  Well, you can always scan them from catalogs or magazines.  Or you can check the web; it actually abounds with photoes of gorgeous men.  A good place to start is: www.mostbeautifulman.com  This one has different pages of photos according to type: actors, athletes, models and so on.  Just click on the header for the heroic type of your choice.  Then there's www.kurtiss.com.  This is the web site of a modeling agency so the photoes are higher quality and with better closeups.  The only problem I've found with this method of selecting a paperback hero is that many of them look so incredibly young!
 
Warmest,
Jennifer        
--
Challenge to Honor, 2005
Dawn Encounter, 2006
Rogue's Salute, 2007
Guarded Heart, 2008
Gallant Match, 2009
Triumph in Arms, 2010
Thursday, July 09, 2009

Electronic Books

I love ebooks.  There, I've said it.  And it's not just because I was a pioneer, so to speak, in this field--though I first signed with E-Reads.com to have my backlist books produced in digital media ten years ago, in July 1999.  Nor is it the checks from e-editions that move me, though they amount to lovely "found" money since the work was done ages ago.  In fact, I only bought a Sony e-Reader in April of last year.  Since then, however, I've downloaded a couple of hundred books and discovered the pure pleasure, not to mention the convenience, of carrying a virtual library with me everywhere I go.  I've also become addicted to buying and downloading books at midnight if my heart desires, or when I have one foot out the door on the way to the airport.  I've read classic novels that have been on my life list for years, and got them free from the Sony website with the purchase of my device.  I've discovered wonderful research books in the Google copyright free library--e-copies of books that actually reside on the dusty shelves of libraries on the far side of the world.  I've signed up to borrow just-released literary and bestselling ebooks from libraries.  And of course, my credit card bills attest to the dozens of books I've bought outright. The experience has been stupendous so far, and I just keep finding advantages: no stacks of books in a TBR pile, no lost places as the readers always open to where you were reading last; no bookmarks to keep track of, no overdue fees at the library, no boxes of books to be disposed of--the list goes on.  Now the price point for ebook readers is dropping: Amazon just lowered the Kindle by $60, to $299.  Can the Sony e-Reader be far behind?  And this isn't the end.  Like the hand-held calculator and the cell phone, these devices will get progressively cheaper.  The technology is set to be included in many devices already in widespread use, including iPods and iPhones.  It's a publishing revolution that promises to forever change the way we we use and think about books.  Have you joined it yet?
 
Jennifer 
--
Challenge to Honor, 2005
Dawn Encounter, 2006
Rogue's Salute, 2007
Guarded Heart, 2008
Gallant Match, 2009
Triumph in Arms, 2010
Wednesday, July 08, 2009

July Newsletter

Greetings:

Ever wondered what writers do when they aren’t actively writing? That is, when not actually putting words on manuscript pages? For one thing, they travel, planning business trips and vacations around their writing schedule. That’s why the newsletter is late this month: I’ve been away at our summer home in the mountains of Colorado. It wasn’t exactly a pleasure jaunt. Last fall, the power company replaced a transformer near the house. In the process, they created a power surge that took out our main circuit breaker, also the refrigerator-freezer, two TVs, the satellite receiver, a laundry room light fixture, the oven heating element on the electric range and every light bulb that was flipped on before the problem was identified. The past couple of weeks were spent replacing the appliances and having them delivered and installed so the house will be ready for company later in the summer. At least it was much cooler in Colorado than here in 100+ degree Louisiana.

Another thing that writers do while not writing, as I’ve belly-ached often enough here in the past, is revise work already completed. Since I wrote last, I’ve finished the first round of revision on Book #1 of my new medieval trilogy, BY HIS MAJESTY’S GRACE, due for release in 2011. After letting my two daughters read it for errors, I emailed it to my editor for her input. Once I have her editorial comments, I’ll do the final polish and send in the “official” manuscript in time for my September 1 deadline. This is a new process for me, letting my editor see the book before it’s completely done. Always before, I’ve just sent in my final draft. The editor would edit it and indicate whatever small problems she found. I’d correct them, and that was it until the AAs (which used to be called the gallery proofs or galley pages before computer-generated copies) arrived for my final check. I’m eager to see if the results are better with this different way of working.

Meanwhile, the proposal (synopsis), for the next book in the medieval trilogy will be due October 1. While in Colorado, I researched the historical incident involved, developed the story line and put a rough draft on computer. It comes to nine pages at present, a decent length for a proposal. Still, I’ll have to revise it several times, fleshing out the characters a bit more and possibly adding another plot point or two. At least, the major portion of the work is done.

I’m told I’ll be receiving the PDF file containing the AAs for TRIUMPH IN ARMS, my February 2010 release, at the end of this month. These will have to be read, notations for changes made, and then the file returned within a matter of days. It will be the last time I’ll be able to correct anything on the story, however. Whatever is in this file is what you’ll get!

Other than this, I’ve read the partial manuscripts for both of the books that I’m currently collaborating on with my two daughters, adding bits here and there and developing the plots. These are fascinating stories, and I can’t wait to see how they are received. I’ve also read the partial manuscript of the New Orleans historical begun last fall, before I was asked to set my next book in England. If I can find time, I’d like to complete this book before I get started on the second medieval manuscript. Time will be tight, as I have just nine months, or until June 1, 2010, to get my contracted work done. We’ll see.

Another thing I did this past month is to establish a Twitter page. I’m still playing with the concept, haven’t posted that much--didn’t post at all while away as Wi-Fi is not available at the summer house. Still, it’s a beginning. As plain Jennifer Blake was already taken as a Twitter name, look for me at: www.twitter.com/jenniferblake01.

Also, for those who have e-book readers and love a bargain, you can now download the complete 8-book set of Harlequin Presents books for July, a regular $30 value, for just $9.95. Check out this deal at: www.ereader.com. You can also download free e-book software at this site which will allow you to read e-books on your computer screen. The purpose here is to introduce you to buying downloaded books from this Barnes and Noble site, but that might not be a bad thing.

Happy Summer Reading!
Warmest,Jennifer

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June Newsletter

Greetings:

Today as I write, I have fresh green beans, yellow squash with onion, new potatoes, and pork loin chops simmering on the stove. Yes, indeed, summer with its veggies is upon us here in Louisiana. On Saturday, I visited the Farmer’s Market in the town for these goodies. I love being able to buy produce that was raised in the area so free of the preserves used when it’s shipped long distances. Fresh always tastes better, too. How do you cook new potatoes? I simmer mine until fork-tender then blend 2 tablespoons flour with ¼ cup milk or Half & Half. Add to the potatoes still in the pot, stir to dissolve any lumps and continue cooking until this sauce thickens. Add butter, salt and pepper to taste. A friend of mine makes white gravy with flour, butter and milk and pours it over the cooked potatoes, then garnishes with fresh dill. Yummy, either way.

Not a lot has changed on the writing front since last month; I’m still revising the manuscript for the first book of my medieval trilogy about the accursed Three Graces of Graydon. This is after stopping for a week or so to answer questions from my editor about the story line of my 2010 release, TRIUMPH IN ARMS, last book of the Masters at Arms series. Here’s a truism of the writing life for you: The deeper you are into your work in progress, the more likely it is that you’ll have to stop and work on your last book submitted months ago. Switching sets of characters, story moods and plot complications isn’t always easy, either.

Some writers love revision, can’t wait to dig into the meat of a story, to flesh out characters, improve story pace, sentence flow and all the other things that need to be addressed in a manuscript. Not me! It isn’t that I object to the labor or dislike my story once it’s done. It’s just that I see so much that can be made better, and get annoyed with myself that I didn’t do it right the first time around. And no matter how hard I try, the story seems to fall short of capturing the vivid scenes and character interactions that I see in my mind. That can be downright depressing.

One bit of good news: my editor loves the working title for the first medieval book, BY HIS MAJESTY’S GRACE, so it’s likely this will be the final. I can’t take credit, however. It was provided by my agent, Richard Curtis, who is very good at this sort of thing. Now I just need to come up with two more titles using the word “Grace.” Ideas, anyone?

Even as I revise these days, I’m turning over in my mind plot lines and characters for book #2 of the medieval trilogy. The proposal is due on my editor’s desk a month after the September 1 deadline for book #1. The development of a story is often a long process for me, with lots of ideas tried out in imagination. Things don’t usually begin to jell, however, until I start putting all the bits on paper. I’ll be doing that soon.

GALLANT MATCH, my February title, was published in England in May. I like to think of it sitting in London bookshops, train station kiosks or shops located on the high streets of villages. Makes me wonder how my story about a sword master in old New Orleans goes with tea and crumpets.

I told you last month, I think, about the proposed reissue of some of my older historical titles by Sourcebooks, Inc. The first of these has been tentatively scheduled for release in August 2010, with the remainder to be brought out one-per-season through fall, 2011. By no coincidence, that fall is when the three books of my medieval series will be published in sequence, in October, November and December, 2011. This is, of course, if all goes according to plan.

What else have I done this month? Well, I made four pillowcase dresses for my needlework group’s fundraising effort, and wrote a pattern for these dresses based on a new design created by a fellow member. I also made a travel tote for my daughter for her birthday. I wanted something a bit larger than most of the tote bags available, so created my own version which can double as a laptop tote. The bag was made in black linen lined with red, with red quilting lines and an antique red button. For the final touch, I machine embroidered its flap in red with a fragment of the Walt Whitman poem made famous by an old Bette Davis movie: “Now voyager, said thou forth, seek and find.”

May you all sail forth this summer, and find whatever fulfills your dreams.

Warmest wishes,
Jennifer

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