The Writer’s Reality
I’m afraid I can’t take time to write this blog post…I’m busy drinking a Mai-Tai, stretched out on the beach while a nanny oversees my very well-behaved children. I’m too busy munching on bon-bons and taking care not to get any chocolate on my lovely feather boa, because my husband so loves to see me in my feather boa…
Hmmm. That picture isn’t coming together.
I know!
I’m lonely and locked away in my room, plunking out my stories because I’m unable to find happiness outside my books.
So I create it in my books…Suave pirates–Oops. No pirates. This is romantic suspense!
Sexy cops who are perfect…except, well, the cop in my current trilogy isn’t perfect. He occasionally has fits of being an ass, has relationship issues, has a bum leg and does stupid things like tell the heroine to have her dog eat a person if she gets scared or nervous.
Carrying on! I have perfection and beauty in my books because I don’t have in reality–white picket fences, and roses and dew crops made of honey and unicorn dust…and only a few people died. There was a shrewish gossip. Ex-husbands. Ex-boyfriends. Hurtful relationships and screw-ups…dang. I need to fix all of that, because romance is all about the perfection I don’t have in real life!
That is what a romance writer does. We seek perfection and romance and smexy times because we’re lonely and desperate and needy and the only time we can find perfection and romance and smexy times is if we write romance…
And that picture isn’t right either.
My reality…
Around 7 AM, I get up. My oldest is already up, because her bus comes at the crack of dawn and I figure she’s old enough to stumble around on her own without me holding her hand. I get up, wrangle the other two up.
I’m married…I married my high school sweetheart, and we’re looking at sixteen years this summer. He has to be up and gone before the sun rises three or four days a week, so he sleeps in most school days.
Once I get the kids off to school, I either stumble to my computer or I kick my butt until I go to the gym. If I go to the gym, then I hit the post office and mail whatever promo, bills, letters, etc, etc, etc I need to mail for the week.
Once a month, I have the lovely fun of dealing with taxes. Such bliss.
I try to get the non-writer stuff of being a writer done in the morning. What is non-writer stuff of being a writer? It’s the ‘everything else’ and it’s half of my job. Promo. Business. Email. Promo. Blogging. Email. Promo. Blogging. Website updates. Editing. Email. Promo. Business. Taxes.
(Shoot me now).
And I tell you…if anybody had told me about all of this stuff, I don’t know if I would have stuck it out.
I get it over with early so I can focus the rest of the day on the magic. And this is the fun part of being a writer.
It’s the writing.
It’s all about creating a world, or even just a small town. When I bring it to life and create what I see so vividly in my mind. Sometimes it’s as easy as saying my name. Other times, it’s as hard and painful as dragging myself through the third mile of my run, when I can make myself go that far. But in the end, the writing is the beautiful part.
I do it because I have stories in my head that I want to put down on paper. My stories tend to fall into the romance realm, because I love the character-driven stories that end with a happy-ever-after, and I’m not at all opposed to those smexy-times. But I also need a well-written book, a solid plot, something that’s fun, something that engages me. Those are the stories I try to write.
It has nothing to do with suave pirates or bon-bons or loneliness or boas.
However, I wouldn’t mind the occasional mai-tai on a beach.
I’m out hitting blogs this week because I’m promoting the third and final book in my romantic suspense series, the Ash trilogy. The third book, IF YOU KNOW HER, hit the shelves yesterday.
It’s set in a small town and you get to meet funny people, sad people, broken people and strong people. The heroine of the first book was blind, the heroine of the second book was a battered woman who learned to take a stand and the hero of the third book fell in love with the woman who pulled a gun on him.
If you’d like to read more about the trilogy, you can check it out at my site…
A short excerpt…
To her surprise, nightmares didn’t plague her sleep. Although Nia would have thought after the day she’d had, she’d have so many nightmares—she even feared going to sleep. But after two a.m., she couldn’t fight it any longer and her body crashed. She slept deep, dreamless…
But then, something jerked her awake.
She lay there, heart racing, adrenaline crashing through her, and terror was a living breathing beast in her gut.
She didn’t even know what woke her. She only knew something was wrong.
The room was dark—too dark—and quiet. So quiet.
A strange, skittering sound came from by the window.
She swallowed, staring at it.
The lights—last night, there had been light outside the cabin—just those silly decorative lights that did no good at all, but it was better than nothing, right?
But they weren’t there now and nothing was all she had, nothing but the silvery moonlight, shining around a…hand.
Awesome. Thank you for the snippet and for giving us an idea as to what your hectic day is like.
Grr! Argh! What’s wrong with suave pirates? Think Kate would mind seeing Curran with a fake peg leg and pirate captain’s hat (dress him in whatever else, or nothing else, as your imagination prefers), hehehehe. Yes, I actively participate in Talk Like a Pirate Day.
All joking aside, I appreciate the glance into your reality. I would seriously hope that the average person does not see romance writers as you’re suggesting… I mean… if that’s people’s vision of the romance writer–that lonely gal in her closed in office writing out her never to be fulfilled wishes– then what the heck is the life of a horror writer? Eek, run and hide before all the horror writers unite to fulfill their evil, inner demons and decide to take over and do evil things to all the romance writers, because evil and romance shouldn’t mix and only one can rule, right?
Sorry… I quit smoking two days ago. Maybe I should go back to reading now.
Oh, you wouldn’t believe some of the idiocy people believe.
Now some of it stems from the way romance writers were originally portrayed-images of feather boas in the publicity shots, etc.
But some of it is just stupid. We write about love and romance, so naturally (in some people’s minds) that means we needy and lonely… O.o
Or, for example…I started out writing just erotic romance. That, naturally, means I’m a nympho. I had a guy ask me at a signing… “Do you do everything you write about?”
Since my books also include werewolves, vampires and killing, I smiled at him and said, “Well, I haven’t killed anybody yet.”
He gave me a rather disturbed look and left. Very quickly.
People are weird. And some of them don’t get this simple fact… Fiction is…FICTION.
Romance, though, gets the side eye more than other genres, and that’s saying a lot because genre writing gets frowned on by many, even though genre books are the books people look to for fun and entertainment.
Yet you don’t often hear people assuming that an UF fantasy writer secretly lives in a castle in Atlanta and has a shapeshifter lover, or that a horror writer has a collection of bodies in their basement. Romance writers? Yep. I’ve been told more than once that I need to start writing real books, and people assume I’m not married, or if I am, I’m terribly unhappy, OR that I lay around on beaches and munch bonbons and tap out a word here. A word there.
A far cry from the 50+ hour work weeks I put in.
Shiloh Walker recently posted..Curves & Qs winners…
Sorry, I couldn’t help but laugh about over the comments about the erotic writing. Once upon a time I considered trying to write some erotica. I have and only my husband has had the pleasure of reading any of it. I don’t think I could handle the type of stuff like you were just talking about. (That’s suggesting that my writing actually went anywhere, which it does, but I don’t think the file drawer counts).
My hubby thinks I’m just naive. I guess if that were true about romance writers, then the millions of romance readers must be the same way, or unhappily married too.
Sadly, from the sounds of it, romance writers fall into a familiar category as primary and secondary educational instructors. Oh the glory of making all that money and getting to sit around lazily on the beach all summer long. Ah, the rich life of the public school teacher.
Thank you so much for the response! (One last time, I’m not usually this flighty. I quit smoking two days ago, and this morning stopped to treat myself to a 24oz cup of coffee with tons of sugar–a no no for me–and on top of all of that I’m keeping my cravings at bay with Twizzlers and Jolly Ranchers, so the result is a woman with the mentality of a caffeine jacked up squirrel.)
“Well, I haven’t killed anybody yet.”
Heehee – great response!
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You shoulda see the look on his face. It was priceless.
Shiloh Walker recently posted..Curves & Qs winners…
What are you talking about, I totally live in a castle.
And Gordon turns furry, right? Or is that you? Which one of you is the furry one?
Shiloh Walker recently posted..Curves & Qs winners…
Barbara Cartland has a lot to answer for
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Thanks to Ilona and Gordon, I have started reading your books and am hooked! Waiting for Departed and can’t wait to read this new one too!
Thanks for sharing your day with us!
Dear Ilona: Your check is in themail. Thank you. O.o
(seriously, sooz, thank you… )
Shiloh Walker recently posted..Curves & Qs winners…
Thanks for a glimpse into a writer’s reality. I don’t think I’ve read that series either. I’ll have to look for it.
Great post – I really liked If You Hear Her and can’t wait to finish the trilogy!
kindle-aholic recently posted..This Week…
After you read IF YOU KNOW HER, email me and tell me who the killer is… there was something really awesomely creepy that I discovered during a google that worked it’s way into the books, but I will tell nobody what it is online.
Not for a while at least. But people who read the book can find out what it is once they email me.
Shiloh Walker recently posted..Curves & Qs winners…
Woohoo – a hidden treat!
kindle-aholic recently posted..This Week…
Ooh Easter Eggs! Yay!
You forgot the part where writers make millions of dollars and are effortlessly thin and gorgeous no matter what they eat. That’s why I want to be a writer. Bring on the mai-tais and bon-bons!
Lol.
I’m waiting on my millions. Where the hell are they?
Shiloh Walker recently posted..Curves & Qs winners…
Glad you came to visit. I’ll check out your books. But, it’s good to know I will have to look elsewhere for my suave pirates!
I work as a technical writer and editor. I gave up writing fiction about 20 years ago, and now I’ve gotten the bug again. Writing isn’t fun for me. It’s hard, and it’s work. What I enjoy is having a story that I crafted that I love. I keep telling myself that I’m better off just reading the books I love and forgetting about writing fiction, but I just can’t do it. The story keeps nagging at me.
So I can identify with the dragging-myself-through-the-third-mile-of-my-run part. I’m rather envious of the fun part. I guess I’m at the stage now where I figure if I don’t at least give it a try, I’ll never know for sure if I can do it.
So, my life story aside, I’ll have to give your books a read. The snippet is certainly enticing. Thanks!
Michelle B.
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Sometimes, the hard and the work can suck the fun out of it. But the love of it drives me and as long as I can get lost in my story, I’m happy.
Besides, it’s my job now. I have to.
If you’ve got a story pushing you, I’d say you owe to yourself to at least try. I think you’d regret it if you don’t give the story a chance to come out.
Shiloh Walker recently posted..Curves & Qs winners…
Oh,Shiloh Walker! I love love love your books.! First two books of Ash trilogy blew me away and I just get my copy of If You Know Her and I am anxious to find out the identity of killer. You did amazing job with these books, romance and suspense are blended masterly… just beautiful. I love your FBI Physics series also-The Missing was actually book that made me love your work. Thank you!
Thank you so much!
I’m going to copy what I told Kindle-aholic…
Shiloh Walker recently posted..Curves & Qs winners…
Shiloh, I just have to say this: I LOVE YOU!!!
Seriously though, I love you books so much. I am waiting to get the last book to read the Ash Trilogy so that I can read them one after the other. Also it’s because of YOU that I started reading Ilona and Gordon’s books. I have to say, ya’ll sit side by side on my bookshelf and I have reread all of them.
Thanks for the post and the hard work to bring your fans great stories.
Hugs & Kisses.
Michelle
oh… wow… thanks so much!
And… *G* Sharing shelf with Ilona & Gordon, that makes my inner-kate daniel’s fangirl squeal with the happy.
Shiloh Walker recently posted..Curves & Qs winners…
Ok, now you made me extremely curious…
Hi Shiloh,
I just recently discovered you write RomSusp and now have them on order! Thanks for the peek at your day ~
What is wrong with a feather boa???!?!??!?!?!?! My almost 2 year old LUUUUUUVS her pink feather boa. The cat loves her loving it. The dog chases after the cat. The feathers go everywhere and that means I get the JOY of cleaning up the feathers. No vacuum. It blew up the last time I tried to suck feathers up in it.
Seriously, if I could burn that feather boa without a toddler fit I WOULD.
People think those who aren’t in a cubicle, a classroom, an assembly line or whatever don’t do work. Stay at home moms? I do nothing all day. I watch soaps and work on my nails… wtf. I don’t even watch soaps! I’ve watched the BBC world of Beatrice Potter DVD 9384759384503847398454576984576976 times. I can recite it. I can damn well draw it. That very nice looking, clean, kid friendly house you see in my yard? That takes time. That takes EFFORT. When I was in the classroom teaching there wasn’t time for the house. There wasn’t time to organize or clean or even hang up the dang clothes. Instead of grading papers and wrangling other people’s children I’m wrangling my own. I’m scrubbing floors, toilets, tubs, walls. All while trying to teach a 1 year old to play the piano and what her letters and numbers are. Is it fun sometimes? Yes. But so is going to the water cooler and talking with co-workers about last nights favorite TV show. My co-worker has an amazing vocabulary but asks “WHY?” more than 200 times a day.
The grass is always greener…
That sums it up! And my 5 year old asks 500 questions a day. Minimum
Shiloh Walker recently posted..Curves & Qs winners…
I downloaded If You Hear Her because Ilona mentioned it, and really love it so far. Thanks for the recommendation to Ilona and thanks for the escapism to Shiloh.
gee… no boas or bon bons?? jeez whatta downer…you’re just buzzkilling all my daydreams…
do you at least get to run your fingers through fabio flowing hair and over glistening chests when you do auditions for your covers? (I can do without the heaving bosoms though…)
LOL
Er….no. LOL. I’ve only had actual input on one model so far. I get asked what I’m looking for and if something’s really off, most of the pubs work with me, but I don’t get to audition.
And no offense to Fabio-he’s a romance industry icon, in a way, but he’s not my thing. Also, they make those chests glisten with oil, I think. That sounds so gross.
Shiloh Walker recently posted..Curves & Qs winners…
I loved your comments about how people see your work! It’s amazing how often we (and yes, I include myself) daydream about the imagined benefits of another job and completely ignore all of the pitfalls and issues they need to deal with that we’ll most likely never know about. Thanks for the reminder that the grass is only greener if you’re willing to put in the work. I hope your newest book is a stunning succes!
Hi Shiloh.
I’ve never read your work but that will surely change. You got me at “I love the character-driven stories that end with a happy-ever-after”.
I loved reading your post and I’m looking forward to a long and happy relationship with your characters.
*G* yes… I love a happy-ever-after. I owe them that much because I tend to put them through hell. O.o
Shiloh Walker recently posted..Curves & Qs winners…
Lol! Love this post and I laughed so much at your reply about the erotic romance fan guy and what you said to him
A reality check is always good to hear, as it’s the side of writing that doesn’t always get talked about (although it does a lot more lately). It definitely doesn’t dissuade me from pursuing a writing career, although the lack of feather boas did come close!
I haven’t started your books yet Shiloh, but they are on my “to read” list so I’ll remember to drop you an email after to find out the extra intriguing bit!
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I love your post. I can actually relate on this.
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Well, you have summarized why i love reading books: because they are better than reality. That is why I normally get so depressed when i finish one: that world is gone and I am back at the real time … mmm… not that my life sucks, i have a nice job, nice friends, good hubby, nice kids, work on animal rescue, and all that should be enough… but it normally it is not, most days are just like any other and why cant i have some pirates in my life? or at least a sexy cop! so i get them in the books. Thanks for the honest and beautiful intro, I will totally buy the books and escape my reality by getting into the one you created
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Hi Shiloh,
Just downloaded all three of the Ash series on my Nook. Can’t wait to start reading them. I was wondering … are you going to do any more books in the Veil series? Loved them. Thanks.
Hi Kate… hope you like the Ash books.
Unfortunately, the Veil series is probably going to go unfinished. The sales on book 2 were…well, awful and I had to make a hard decision. But since my career kind of depends writing books that are going to sell, it was a necessary one. If a miracle ever happens and the books start selling better, it’s possible I could revisit the idea, but unless that happens, it’s not likely. I’m sorry.
Shiloh Walker recently posted..My brain is very, very tired…
Verry cool! Thank you for the snippit
Now I go see if I have $ to buy your book….Yes!!!!
Hi Shiloh,
Thanks for visiting Ilona & Gordon’s blog! I was mildly curious when Ilona wrote about your books a few blog posts back but after reading your post and the short excerpt, I’m totally getting the series! I love character driven plots and happy endings. I hate romance novels that have weak, sloppy plots and stupid characters, it’s such a waste of a reader’s time. It’s MUCH more satisfying when characters have a happy ending after much anguish and grief
Thanks for the great post! I have the first 2 Ash books, and I was waiting for the 3rd so that I wouldn’t have to wait in between….. I know, kind of OCD. I will start this week, hopefully. I’ve read nothing but good things about this series, so I’m excited! The ending of this snippet gave me a serious case of, well, just glad the hubby is home!