Okay so it looks like I fell off the planet. Promise - I'm still here. The last four years have been ... hard. There's no other word for it. Everything is fine. I'm fine, but I've been the caregiver of my mom who has Dementia. Between her needs, work, etc I seem to have lost control of my time. I am still writing and am trying hard to get back to my blog.

In case you weren't aware Phaze and HSWF which where under the Mundania Umbrella have closed. I was smart enough to get my titles back before all this happened. I'm happy to say the three books I sold to HSWF have been picked up by Melange Books and are available through their Satin Books imprint. I have even sold a new title to them called Magical Quest due out in 2022

I have also been lucky enough to find a publisher for my Vespian Way series. I'm now with Blushing Books under the name of Bethany Drake. I have five titles out with them right now and am close to submitting two more. There's Desire's Destiny, Desire's Duty and Desire's Promise. Then there is two in my werewolf series, Tears of the Queen and Legend of the Tears. I have just finished the rough draft of the third book in the series and have plans for a fourth one the moment I submit it.

I'll probably still be sporadic here on the blog. Unless I win the lottery and can hire someone to help me I can't avoid it, but know I'm still here still working hard in the background and am hoping to do better at keeping my blog alive.

Barb:)



Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Writing Down the Bones: Story Construction and Evaluation: The Romance Novel - Part 2

Sorry I didn't post this yesterday. Time got away from me...

And we're back for another section of the handout I'm working off of. Once again this came from a handout created by Janice Bennett and I will be updating and putting my own spin on it.

Now we're going to the next section she labeled as the Hero and Heroine Profiles:

You want three dimensional characters. The more of their background you know the stronger your character will be. When stuck ask the next five questions.

1.) Is there a goal for your hero and heroine that can cause them to struggle or make a major sacrifice to reach that goal?

2.) Have you created internal conflicts that would tear your charcaters apart when a major decision must be made?

3.) Does both of your characters have that 'fatal flaw' that can make the opportunity to reach their goal difficult? Is it enough to to build suspense and make your reader doubt they will be successful? And make them happy when your hero and heroine are?

4.) Are your characters matched in their strengths, talents, skills, motives, desires and determination to create a strong conflict?

5.) Can your reader bond with them? Do they draw an emotional response from your reader?

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