Bringing Characters to Life

I was a first hand witness to something strange today. I literally saw characters come to life. And I'm not using the word literally as hyperbole. Here's the scoop:

Recently my author friend, Jay Mims, guest posted on this blog for his book, Five Santas. His main character is a private investigator named Dan Landis. Well, today I got one of those emails that tells me I have a new comment on my blog post. Here's what it said:

Jay, 

My name is Dan Landis , I am a private investigator here in the state of Idaho and have owned an agency for 8 years. I thought it was so cool to see you wrote a book about me. I would love to meet you. Look me up sometime at D.L. Investigating llc. here in Idaho. 
Thanks 
Dan Landis PI.

I thought it was Jay joking with me. Come to find out, there's a real PI in Idaho named Dan Landis. I think Jay Mims has some sort of magic mojo to bring his characters literally to life. I wish I could do that! 

The idea got me thinking. What is it that makes our characters real, so real that teenage girls fall in love with them or so real that readers feel contempt for the antagonist and go around talking about him or her wherever they go? I know I've done it. I've read characters that became so real to me that I treated them like real people. 

1. Dialogue. I think one thing that makes characters real, at least for me, is dialogue. Can I tell a character's personality from the way they speak? Can I identify them by only reading their speech? So when I'm writing, I try to make sure that each person has a particular way of speaking.  

2. Actions. I'm talking the little actions. Those tiny idiocyncrasies that make a person real. Like the way my dad twists his moustache between thumb and forefinger when he's reading. Or how my mom will wipe her hands on a dish towel and carelessly toss the wet rag over her shoulder. These little details, interspersed throughout a book make the characters more realistic.

3. Flaws. Let's face it, nobody's perfect and if our character comes across to the reader as the perfect little kid or the stereotypical whatever, it's fake. The reader will see right through that. So no matter how 'goody two shoes' girl X is, she must have something that will bring out a devilish side of her. Or maybe that mild mannered guy who seems to have everything together is really impulsive and it's that impulsivity that gets him into the conflict. 

So readers, what is it for you? What makes characters so real they jump right off the page? For me, I'm going to start talking to Jay Mims to see what his secret is. After all, I've never had my characters contact me online!


Check out Jay's book. 

The Five Santas

Dan Landis is slumming it as a security guard at a department store. The money’s nice, but he also made sure Abbey has a job in the gift wrapping department. Dan chases a thief into the alleyway, only to discover the body of Santa Claus stuffed behind a dumpster. One body leads to another, and pretty soon Dan’s up to his ears in Yule Tide murder. He’s hired to protect the department store Santa, who appears to be more then meets the eye, but as the bodies keep piling up, Dan begins to smell something rotten in Denmark. Abbey being arrested might have something to do with that.

Open Book Society says “The author, Jay Mims, offers the reader a charming protagonist, whose wittiness defends against the violence surrounding him.”

Author Elizabeth Seckman says, “If you miss Moonlighting with Bruce Willis, you'll want to meet Dan Landis.”

And Jean The Book Nerd says, “Mims has provided us a great holiday/murder mystery story that is surely appreciated.”

Cover Reveal-- Switched-- Cassie Mae

I'm very excited to have Cassie Mae on RBTL for the first time. Cassie and I met in an online group for authors. Let's celebrate with her as she reveals her new cover for SWITCHED, coming out in December of 2013 from Random House FLIRT.

Blurb:

Cassie Mae redefines the New Adult genre with a novel that answers the eternal question: What do you do when you’re head-over-heels for your best friend’s guy?

Ever since high school, Kayla has been crazy for gorgeous football player Talon. But before she could muster the courage to tell him, he became a hot item with her beautiful BFF, Reagan. The only person who knows Kayla’s secret is Wesley, Talon’s best bud—and he’s got it bad for Reagan. Now they’re all in college together, hanging out 24/7. For Kayla, seeing the two lovebirds together is absolutely unbearable. So Kayla and Wesley hatch a plot to drive them apart. But time is ticking and they must act now, before Talon gives Reagan the Christmas gift she’s been waiting for.

Sure enough, the once-happy couple is fighting, Reagan suddenly can’t get enough of Wesley’s goofy sense of humor, and Talon seems to be paying more attention to Kayla than a guy who’s “just a friend” ever should. But something just isn’t right. Then Kayla and Wesley accidentally spend a night together, and discover a hitch they never considered: that switching partners may not lead to a perfect ending after all.

About The Author:

Cassie Mae is a nerd to the core from Utah, who likes to write about other nerds who find love. She’s the author of the Amazon Bestseller REASONS I FELL FOR THE FUNNY FAT FRIEND, and is the debut author for the Random House FLIRT line with her New Adult novels FRIDAY NIGHT ALIBI and SWITCHED. She also has a three book deal with Swoon Romance Publishing, including her book HOW TO DATE A NERD. She spends time with her angel children and perfect husband who fan her and feed her grapes while she clacks away on the keyboard. Then she wakes up from that dream world and manages to get a few words on the computer while the house explodes around her. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with the youth in her community as a volleyball and basketball coach, or searching the house desperately for chocolate.

Purchase Link: http://www.randomhouse.com/book/231684/switched-by-cassie-mae

New Release by first time author, Celeste Holloway.-- Sebastian Falls

Please join me in welcoming my good friend, Celeste Holloway. I'm giddy about having her here to promote her new release SEBASTIAN FALLS. 

You see, Celeste and I started out in the publishing/writing arena around the same time. That's how we met. We've encouraged one another over the years and through our publication processes. I'm overjoyed that her book, SEBASTIAN FALLS is out! I read it in beta form and let me tell you, it's awesome!!!

Sebastian Falls Blurb

A year after her parents’ death, seventeen-year-old, Meadow Parker is close to having a grave of her own.

Beyond her shrink’s false diagnosis of PTSD, there’s no medical reason for her failing health. Only she knows the cause. But if Meadow told the truth—told them what comes for her at night—they’d lock her in a padded cell.

Grasping to help her find closure, Meadow’s best friend, Casey Somner, drags her to the place her parents were obsessed with—the historical landmark that fuels Meadow’s fears and nightmares.

Once Meadow steps foot on the hallowed ground, she has a supernatural encounter that leaves her stricken with terror, but charged with power, fulfilling the legendary prophesy about the coming of The Keeper.

Both the holy and the unholy have waited over a hundred years for a new Keeper to resurface. Like it or not, Meadow’s destiny as Keeper is sealed, and the battle for her soul begins. A sharp double-edged sword, she will either save the world from Armageddon or fast track its annihilation.

Let's take a little bit of time to get to know the lady behind the book.

1.      What do you do when you aren’t writing?

I have a nine-year-old daughter, so if she isn’t in school, we’re hanging out. We love to watch movies, shop, and spend time at the library. Recently, she decided to be an Olympic runner, so I guess my new hangout will be the track.

2.      Do you make your bed every morning?

Yes!!!!! I’ve tried not to, but it haunts me until I do it. (I hate making the bed.)

3.      Tell us about your driving skills. Ever get road rage?

Ha! I guess I’m the passive aggressive type, so if another driver is on my nerves, I usually call them a stupid jerk without rolling down the window. As for my driving skills, I rarely break the speed limit. (My grandfather was one of the original NASCAR drivers in the 40s, so speed is in the blood. I have a lead foot.)

4.      What’s your favorite drink? Tea? Coffee? Wine? Other? All?

I’m  a Diet Pepsi-aholic, but I’m trying hard to kick the habit.

5.      Chocolate or vanilla?

Chocolate, all the way!

6.      What’s one thing that makes you proud? (Besides writing your book. We all know that will make you proud. :) )

My daughter, Letty, she’s a determined kid with a beautiful heart and giving hands. (We need to hook her up with my son!)

7.      How are you going to celebrate the release of your book?

I wish I had an exciting answer for this one, but so far, smelling the pages is all I have planned. (When we finally meet in person, we'll do a celebratory dinner.)

8.      Describe yourself using only words that start with “B” or “M”.

Bold (Beautiful, Brave, Magnificient, Mother.)

9.      Describe your everyday style. What would we see if we ran into you in Walmart?

Go ahead and call the fashion police! Usually, it’s jeans and t-shirts for me.

10.  What’s your biggest pet peeve?

People broadcasting their good deeds. (Oh, good one...Did I ever tell you about the time...Just kidding.) 

11.  Tell us something about yourself that few people know. For instance, I am trying to be an extreme couponer, and I occasionally drink chocolate syrup from the bottle. J

Awesome!!! I always wanted to try couponing, but I called Honey Boo-Boo’s mom for help, and she turned me away. Maybe you can show me how to be a super saver! Okay, sorry I got sidetracked. Something few people know about me. . . . I’m sort of creeped out by the dark, but not being outdoors in the dark. Also, cows freak me out. (You did NOT just say, "Honey Boo-Boo" on my blog.)

12.  What was your favorite chapter to write and why?

The first because it held a ton of possibilities and hope.

13.  Describe your writing environment.

I’ve heard of writers who write in a room filled with people and noise, but I’m not that kind of a writer. I need silence and privacy. Usually, I write in the living room on my recliner, but when I’m rich and famous, (I can dream) I’ll have a fancy office with a deadbolt on the door. J

14.  Name 4 things that make you want to go “EEEEEEK!”

 1. Spiders

 2. Running out of hair conditioner

 3. Stepping in poo-poo

 4. Large men in speedos (HA!)

15.   If you owned and ice cream company and sold your signature version of Neapolitan, what three stripes of flavor would be in the box?

Crud, that’s a hard one. Give me a sec. . . . Peanut butter, cheesecake, and blueberry, yep those are my final picks. (I like all those flavors, but I can't say I'd try them together.)

           

16.  You’re throwing a dinner party.  The guests are Mark Harmon, Agatha Christie, Jay Asher, James Roday, Pope Francis and me.  What do you serve?  WHAT DO YOU SERVE?

Mark Harmon, really? (Hey, my mother would love to have Mark Harmon to dinner. She's a NCIS fan. DO NOT call her while it's on. She won't answer.) Welp, since I believe in putting on the glitz, I’m calling the chefs from Mt. Fuji, so they can squirt fake ketchup in the Pope’s face while saying, “Yummi, yummi!” After the poor guy falls out of his chair, Agatha Christie might steal a bite of steak off his plate and secretly hope he dies. That way, she can cook up a new novel, called, Death and Sushi. Of course, Jay Asher will feel his creative vibes and turn competitive. He’ll snatch up her fried rice and toss it at the chef to create a diversion. This enables him to chat up James Roday about directing his next hit, Six Reasons to Pick Different Dinner Guests. You don’t mean to do it, but you can’t help but listen to the two of them whispering, and you slap Jay for suggesting you guys are crappy dinner guests. The unsuspecting Jay stands, holding his cheek, and Mark Harmon opens his fortune cookie, then dances around the chef. Of course, the chef has no idea why Mark’s hopping around on one foot, so he slams his spatula on the table and cracks an egg over your head. (What? Why do I get the egg?) The excitement is too much for him. His brain is overloading. He meant to crack the egg in the skillet, but he’s losing control. Seeing the flames in your eyes, (it’s a reflection of the fire) I usher Chef Yummi out of my house and as a peace offering, I hand you a cranberry orange scone. (As long as my dad made them, I accept.) J  

Be sure to check out Celeste's AWESOME book, Sebastian Falls on Amazon.

Author Bio: I'm a dreamer who doesn't know how to quit, Mother to the best kid on the planet, and a non-recovering perfume addict. Writing is my passion, and I'm obsessed with all things old. Look me up on Facebook. I love making new friends.

Check out Celeste on:

http://celholloway.blogspot.com/ 

https://www.facebook.com/celeste.holloway1?fref=ts

https://twitter.com/AuthorCelesteH

Author Rachel VanDyken Got the Deal!

Congratulations to best selling author, Rachel VanDyken, on her Big NY contract for her first two self-pub books The Bet, and Elite. We're here to help her celebrate.

I'm privileged to have 'met' Rachel through a shared publisher, Astraea Press. She's been an inspiration and an encouragement on my own writing journey. So, I'd love to share her success with all of you. Be sure to check out her website: http://www.rachelvandyken.com/


Be sure to check out her books:
The Bet:

"I have a proposition for you..." Kacey should have run the minute those words left Seattle millionaire Jake Titus's mouth. Instead, she made a deal with the devil in hopes of putting her past behind her once and for all. Four days. She could do four days! But she wasn't counting Jake’s older brother Travis being there to witness their farce of an engagement. One thing is for certain. One brother is right for her. One wants a lifetime. And one is in league with the devil. She should have gotten Jake’s signature in blood. * This is a New Adult novel. There is mild profanity and some sexual content.


Elite:
*This is a New Adult Book, blood, violence, cursing, sexual references, and drug use. Not recommended for those under 17*

When I won the annual Eagle Elite College Scholarship lottery, I was thrilled. After all, my grandma had just died, and I wanted to take care of my aging grandpa -- he couldn't be a farmer in Wyoming forever. And graduating from Eagle Elite meant opportunity.
But I wasn't counting on meeting Nixon.

Nor was I counting on the rules of the Elect.

1. Do not touch The Elect.

2. Do not look at The Elect.

3. Do not speak to The Elect.

And worst of all? Don't discover the secret they hide, because in the end, you may just realize... it's about you.


Because Rachel is awesome and wants to help all author-y type people like me, she insisted we put our own links to our own books here too, so here's mine: 

At What Cost:

During her junior year, sixteen-year-old Maggie Reynolds expected to shop for prom dresses not maternity clothes. Now, instead of studying for the SATs, she’s reading, What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Maggie’s ‘Mother Dearest’ lives in fear that Maggie will somehow taint the family name, so Maggie can’t turn to her for help. Meanwhile, her father is oblivious to anything but his 9-9 job. And her boyfriend, Justin? She’s pretty sure he’ll stay by her side. 

While Maggie wrestles with her options, Justin offers a solution: abortion. It would solve all her problems quickly, easily, and effectively. And her parents would never know, which means they won’t throw her out and cut her off like they’d always threatened if she got herself knocked up. But an easy decision becomes difficult when Maggie’s aunt discovers her secret and sets out on a mission to stop the abortion, putting a kink in Maggie’s plan. Now Maggie must decide which choice she can live with: abortion or teenage motherhood. Either way, it’ll be a tough road to travel.

At What Cost is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Astraea Press. 

Be sur to check out http://the1940mysterywriter.weebly.com/1/post/2013/05/blog-hop-its-a-party-rachel-got-the-contract.html  for the rest of the celebratory blog tour. 

The Rafflecopter giveaway starts Tuesday, May 14. Be sure to come back to enter! a Rafflecopter giveaway

Broken Wings-- Shannon Dittemore Blog tour

Please welcome back Shannon Dittemore, author of the Angel Eyes trilogy. She's here to talk to us a little about the second in the series, Broken Wings, and to share with us ten fun facts about her. 

Broken Wings and Shannon Dittemore: Ten Facts

1.   The Angel Eyes trilogy is set in Stratus—a fictitious town in Central Oregon. The author, Shannon Dittemore, loosely modeled Stratus after several different small towns in the Pacific Northwest.

2.  The pianist at the little church in town is named after Shannon’s youngest sister, Stephanie, who is a musician in her own right.

3.   In the early chapters of Broken Wings we meet the Prince of Darkness. Shannon has played Satan in more than one church production. The first costume included a pair of fuzzy red mittens and red makeup that stained her face for days.

4.   Jake has hazel eyes—green with a russet flame bleeding from the center—just like Shannon’s husband, Matt.

5.   Early versions of Broken Wings had scenes that took place in South America. While those have all been cut, Kaylee’s obsession with Peru is a nod to those early drafts.

6.  The old men who’ve taken up court outside the Donut Factory were inspired by a collection of eclectic gentlemen who hung out at a local doughnut shop in Shannon’s hometown.

7.  Like Brielle, Shannon’s favorite musical is Les Miserables.

8. The first draft of Broken Wings was written during National Novel Writing Month. Not a single word of that draft was kept.

9.  There are a handful of Peter Pan references throughout the series. Shannon nurses a mild obsession with the tale.

10.  And finally, Jake visits the Evil Deeds tattoo parlor. Shannon has one tattoo. She’s a wuss and will not be getting any more. 

Broken Wings (Angel Eyes Trilogy #2)

By Shannon Dittemore 

Release Date: February 19, 2013

Paperback/e-book

320 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Giant angels with metal wings and visible song. A blind demon restored from the pit of darkness. And a girl who has never felt more broken.

Brielle sees the world as it really is: a place where the Celestial exists side by side with human reality. But in the aftermath of a supernatural showdown, her life begins to crumble. Her boyfriend, Jake, is keeping something from her—something important. Her overprotective father has started drinking again. He’s dating a much younger woman who makes Brielle’s skin crawl, and he’s downright hostile toward Jake. Haunting nightmares keep Brielle from sleeping, and flashes of Celestial vision keep her off kilter.

What she doesn’t know is that she’s been targeted. The Prince of Darkness himself has heard of the boy with healing in his hands and of the girl who sees through the Terrestrial Veil. When he plucks the blind demon, Damien, from the fiery chasm and sends him back to Earth with new eyes, the stage is set for a cataclysmic battle of good versus evil.

Then Brielle unearths the truth about her mother’s death and she must question everything she ever thought was true.

Brielle has no choice. She knows evil forces are converging and will soon rain their terror down upon the town of Stratus. She must master the weapons she’s been given. She must fight.

But can she fly with broken wings?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Be sure to check out Dittemore's first book: 

Angel Eyes (Angel Eyes Trilogy #1)

by Shannon Dittemore 

Release Date: May 29, 2012

Paperback/e-book

336 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Once you’ve seen, you can’t unsee. Everything changes when you’ve looked at the world through . . .

ANGEL EYES

Brielle’s a ballerina who went to the city to chase her dreams and found tragedy instead. She’s come home to shabby little Stratus, Oregon, to live with her grief and her guilt . . . and the incredible, numbing cold she can’t seem to shake.

Jake’s the new guy at school. The boy next door with burning hands and an unbelievable gift that targets him for corruption.

Something more than fate has brought them together. An evil bigger than both of them lurks in the shadows nearby, hiding in plain sight. Two angels stand guard, unsure what’s going to happen. And a beauty brighter than Jake or Brielle has ever seen is calling them to join the battle in a realm where all human choices start.

A realm that only angels and demons—and Brielle—can perceive.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

For more information on the Angel Eyes trilogy, be sure to visit Shannon’s website: www.shannondittemore.com

About the Author

Shannon Dittemore has an overactive imagination and a passion for truth. Her lifelong journey to combine the two is responsible for a stint at Portland Bible College, performances with local theater companies, and a focus on youth and young adult ministry. The daughter of one preacher and the wife of another, she spends her days imagining things unseen and chasing her two children around their home in Northern California. Angel Eyes is her first novel.

Website / Twitter / Goodreads / Facebook / Pinterest

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more on the Broken Wings YA Bound tour, check out this link, or click on the Broken Wings Banner to the right. http://yabound.blogspot.com/2012/11/blog-tour-schedule-broken-wings-angel.html

Top Ten Reasons Why NOT to Write--Catherine Bennett Lascow

Welcome back, everyone. Today, Catherine Bennett is here to share her list of excuses. Be sure to check out her book below. 

10 Reasons Why I Don’t Write by Catherine Bennett

 

1.     Fear of failure                                                                                                  

2.     Constant demands by my two Labradors

3.     Facebook

4.     Job

5.     Too busy reading other people’s books

6.     Bored husband who demands attention in the evening

7.     Pinterest

8.     Hours spent at Starbucks with compulsive coffee-drinking son

9.     Difficulty piecing together a compelling story

10.  Too much sleeping

Love. Desire. A psycho bent on revenge. But can Charlie Reynolds recognize the most dangerous of the three?

Since being out on her own at eighteen, Charlotte “Charlie” Reynolds is a street-smart “good” girl who hides her desire for love and security behind her feisty and independent personality. She just never expected a more noxious hero than wealthy, self-consumed Evan Gardner, the CEO and founder of Valley Tech., a successful software company in Los Angeles. From the moment Evan rescues her from an apparent random attack, their attraction for each other bubbles just below the surface of all-out passion.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Trouble-With-Charlie-ebook/dp/B00849AM9I/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1355848735&sr=8-2&keywords=the+trouble+with+charlie

Top Ten Reasons Not to Write-- J. F. Jenkins

Please help me welcome back, author, J. F. Jenkins of Astraea Press. Check out Jenkins's books on Amazon, B&N and Astraeapress.com. (see links at the bottom of the page.) Now, tell us all your fabulous excuses that keep you from writing.

Why I DON'T Write (in no particular order):

1)      I have a toddler. I really think that should be self explanatory, but in case it isn't here's why: he needs a lot of attention, he likes to jump on me, he tries to break my computer...A LOT. Just watching him sucks up all of my energy these days.

2)      Sleep. This is probably a big one. My need for sleep usually takes up a lot of my free time that I have to write. (Amen to that! Naps rock.)

3)      Working the day job. I've gotta earn money some how! Writing doesn't always pay the bills, sorry! The day job takes not only more of my time, but also a great deal of my energy.

4)      Video games are my next biggest reason why I don't write. Why? Because sometimes I just need to do something relaxing and not taxing to my brain.”

5)      Bad reviews. We all get them. It's part of the business. But I don't feel like writing when someone tells my book is stupid, that they could have written better “crap” than that, and that they should get their money back. Who wants to write a book after seeing that written about their heart and soul?

6)      My muse sometimes doesn't want to work with me. It's frustrating and annoying.

7)      There are days where I'd rather be reading, doing anything, but writing. Sometimes I just don't feel like it!

8)      My husband likes to suck up my time by running errands together. ( HA! )

9)      Health problems. We all have them on occasion. Some days, they just take over and ruin everything.

10)  Excuses. I come up with a lot of reasons as to why I should be doing something that isn't writing. Most of them aren't good ones.

Thanks for stopping by, Here's one of Jenkins's latest novels: 

Darien and Tai Oceina have not been married for long, but already they have one of the most complicated relationships. He is a dragon and the leader of a nation. She is carrying their first child who is supposed to be “the answer”. As Darien dives further into the politics of his people, a wedge is driven deeper between him and his wife.

Twin brothers Jason and Matthias Inero were always inseparable. For the first time in their lives they are apart from each other. Matt continues to do the will of their father, the corrupted Dragon Lord of the Inero, while Jason has fled with his bride to an island where he can forget about everything. Or try to. Being possessed by a demon makes that hard to achieve, and as the creature fights to control his body, Jason discovers a lot of shocking truths about his lineage and destiny.

The two worlds of fire and water collide as both dragon tribes prepare for war with the other. Matthias is determined to crush Darien's people. Only an ancient spell will give Darien enough power to fight back and have any hope at winning. The spell is complicated however and requires all four dragon tribes to work together in harmony. Something that is a lot easier said than done.

http://www.amazon.com/Legend-Touched-Dragons-Saga-ebook/dp/B0087451OG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1355246638&sr=1-1&keywords=J.+F.+Jenkins

Top Ten Reasons I Don't Write-- Brea Essex

Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen. Today I have the privilege of having Brea Essex with me. Brea publishes with Astraea Press.

 Excuses, excuses, excuses…we all have them. Here are my top ten reasons why I don’t write: 

1. The baby is crying/cranky/hungry/wants to be held. I have an almost-five-week old, so of course he needs a lot of attention. Of course, this is a recent excuse. (I hear you on this one, Brea! I can't get anything done when my 12 mo old is awake.)

2. I’m too tired (see #1). The baby keeps me up at night.

3. Too much to do around the house. If I’m not busy with the baby, I’m usually attempting to clean/do dishes/do laundry/cook before he needs me again. 

4. I don’t know where I’m going with the story. I’m terrible at outlines, so they’re usually not very detailed. This has tripped me up on numerous occasions.

5. I know what I want to write, but the words aren’t coming. This has been the story of my life lately. 

6. I’d rather be reading. I read a lot. Unfortunately, sometimes others’ books take precedence over my own. (I can never find enough time to actually read the books I want to read either! My kindle is filled to the brim with books on my TBR.)

7. My husband will be home soon, so I’ll write then. Sometimes I get so busy during the day, that by the time I can sit down to write, it’s almost time for my husband to get off work. More often than not, I’ll just decide to write after he gets home and can take the baby. It almost never happens, because I want to spend time with him rather than write. 

8. It’s too loud in my house. Sometimes if I do actually try to write when my husband is home, I can’t because he has the TV too loud, or he keeps trying to talk to me. I’m easily distracted, and I don’t want to ignore him, so again, writing does not get done. 

9. There’s a movie/TV show on that I really want to watch. This is especially the case if there is a Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings marathon on (or I start watching my DVDs). 

10. I’ll just check Facebook one more time. Yes, I’m guilty of being sucked into the black hole of Facebook. In fact, I’m pretty sure I checked it at least ten times while I was writing this post. Okay, I’m exaggerating. Or maybe not. I lost count. (*raises hand* Guilty as charged here too!)

 So, there you have it: my top ten (and I’m sure there are many more) reasons why I don’t get any writing done. If you write, what are your excuses? 

 Check out Brea's books on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Astraeapress.com. Click on the pictures to go to Amazon.

Check them out for your nook as well. http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/foreshadow-brea-essex/1108016476?ean=2940013864382

 http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/overshadow-brea-essex/1111639100?ean=2940014706957

Thanks for being with us today, Brea.