Writing 101: If You Don't Know About It...

Then why are you writing about it? As some of you probably know, I spend much too much time reading forums. Often, I'm wading through endless questions about setting, animal husbandry, types of vegetables, head trauma...one guy sincerely wanted information about bear attacks, because the animals aren't native to his geographic region. It's a pretty thin excuse for practicing a really bad writing tactic: overreaching...and I could make an argument for laziness, too. Either way, it's bad - so stop! There are alternatives to asking random questions about the secret life of onion bulbs in open, public writer forums. 

 Totally Unfamiliar Territory

I find it incredibly mind-boggling that so many writers would use plot devices with which they are utterly unfamiliar -- particular when so much stuff could just be changed to fit something about which the author is more knowledable. Let's go back to bear guy, shall we?

In the book he was creating (and this is a general "he," I can't possibly know the sex of the person who posted the question but bear attack feels like a masculine choice to me), one of the characters was going to get attacked by a bear. Yet he knows nothing about bear attacks, so why not ask a public forum group at large for help?

Why not, indeed? Allow me to count the ways.

• Anonymous answers are always the wrong answer: You're writing a book that's meant to be published. The minute you put some incorrect information in there about the habits of bears, I promise you that one of the people who reads your work will be some sort of ranger, zookeeper or animal expert. They will call you out on Amazon and you will feel bad about it. You don't know who's answering your forum questions or what the heck they know about bears or any other subject. Until you get it from three respectable sources, it just isn't true. That's it.
• You should do your own work: I'm an indie author like you, not your personal research assistant. It's rather unfair for anyone to go around on forums asking random research questions. Why? Because I already know you know how to use the Internet; you're posting on forums. Clearly you can find this out yourself, so why are you asking? In the same amount of time, you can discover the info. I touched on this very thing in another forum-related rant (thinly disguised as a blog post), but it bears repeating because it keeps happening.
• You don't know what you are talking about: If you have to look up bear behavior and attacks to finish a scene, maybe change the scene. Why? Because reading text about how bears attack and looking at pictures of grizzlies just isn't the same as facing a pissed off one in the woods, that's why. You haven't been in that situation, and maybe you've never even seen a bear. Why put one in the story? Write the scene to describe an event that maybe you are a little more familiar with, and you'll be able to add so much more to it. Writing what you imagine is great, but it adds a lot more depth when you write what you know. 

As an author, you will have to explore totally unfamiliar territory a lot. You have to think about characters and feelings and motives and settings and events. Don't make it any harder on yourself than you have to. You get to choose the plots and the setting, so try to choose something that you're comfortable with. You can create a scifi world that still resembles your geographic region in some ways. You can invent animals that are similar to the pet rabbit you had as a kid. Interject real memories and knowledge of your own into your stories, and you'll see that you write much better stories.

Writing 101: What Should You Blog About?

I must admit, I've been avoiding this topic for a while, though I see it crop up constantly. Many self-published authors are told to start blogging to build a fan base, which sounds simple enough. Doesn't everybody offer free blogs these days? Isn't design easy thanks to built-in templates? So you create your blog and pick a pretty design...and then horror strikes. What the heck are you supposed to blog about?

Blogs, Books and Writing...Oh, My

It seems like there ought to be a simple solution, right? After all, you're a writer...shouldn't blogging be a breeze? In truth, maintaining a blog can be pretty hard work, especially when you'd rather be hard at work on your next book. It's especially hard if you aren't committed to your topic. So...what's your topic?

In the world of self-published author blogs, there are a few different types of blogs you'll see a lot.

• The author blog: This is a blog dedicated to telling readers about your work as a writer. What are you working on now? What happened today? Allowing readers into the process of your writing can be a very effective blogging style, but make sure you've got stuff to write about. This is why I personally have avoided writing a full-on author blog of this sort; I can't find a way to make typing for 12 hours day sound at all entertaining. Molly Snow's is one of the really good author blogs out there.
• The book blog: If you're a writer, it follows that you love books. This is why a great deal of self-published authors have book blogs. A book blog is a great choice because there's always something new to write about and lots of interesting recurring features you can add. Book reviews, cover reveals, excerpts, sneak peeks and author interviews are all common elements on book blogs. You'll find a good example at Aside From Writing.
• The personal blog: If you're an interesting person, or capable of writing blog posts that make you sound as though you are, you can always maintain a personal blog that features a mix of all your activities and snippets of daily life. Here, you'll talk about your writing, your reading and other aspects of your life. If you're naturally open and lead a pretty interesting life, this may be a perfect choice. A good example of this type of blog can be found courtesy of Annalisa Crawford.
• The niche blog: If you are an expert or an enthusiast in any particular topic, and it happens to pertain to any aspect of writing or reading or books, you should use it. Parlay this interest into a blog, as I have done. Look to Redwood's Medical Edge to find a much better example of a writing-related niche blog.

If you don't want to blog about your own writing, blog about other people's. Or maybe blog about writing in general, books you love. Whatever you choose, blog about something that you are interested in and something you can write about with some degree of knowledge or skill. Make sure the information you blog is correct, or you will lose credibility with readers. And stick with it. Many self-published authors are discouraged by very slow progress, but if you continue to blog and strike up professional relationships with other bloggers you will slowly build up a base of readers.

Writing 101: Hooked on an Ending

Sometimes the end is the first part of a story that reveals itself. When you get stuck thinking about it, you may never have the chance to write it. 

A Love Story

Once, just once, I fell in love with a story. I was so besotted, I couldn't stop thinking about the characters and setting even after the book was done. I imagined new plots, new events, new characters and brand-new jokes. 

I started the sequel almost as soon as I finished the book I so loved. I knew exactly how it would start, the time period I wanted to cover...and I knew just how it would end. With tears, and a poignant moment next to a tree. It's really much better than it sounds.

I was in love again. So I started my sequel, and blazed through the first few chapters like this was the story I'd been born to tell. I was so excited I couldn't type fast enough.

At first. Then I got through all the setup chapters...and realized I was very far from reaching my oh-so-dramatic ending.

I'd forgotten all about the middle part of the book. I knew how to write the ending...I didn't know how to get to the ending.

Beginning at the Beginning

The trouble with falling in love with an ending is clear: it wont ever love you back. I never did finish writing that book, and there's a whole long story about me and writer's block that happens before I resolved that particular issue. There were lots of reasons I couldn't finish that story, but since then I have managed to finish several others. 

Don't think too far ahead. I advocate writing an outline, and figuring out every single step it takes to get all the way to the end. But after that, begin at the beginning of the story...and write it. Don't think about the next chapter, or the final scene. Just focus on the one you're writing in that moment. The end of the story may evolve as you write it, so you have to be flexible. Treat every scene like it might be the last you write; as far as you know, it is. If you're thinking too far ahead, you're not giving the right amount of attention to the rest of the story.

Books on Film: The Help

The Help shot to fame after its 2009 release, becoming one of those "must-read" novels on everyone's book club list. After the novel rocketed up the bestseller list, the subsequent film became a surprising blockbuster. In either medium, the story is fantastic...but if you've only experienced one version, you're missing an awful lot. 

The Book

Kathryn Stockett wrote her debut novel The Help just a few years ago, but the book takes place in entirety in the 1960s in Jackson, Mississippi. She wrote the book for 5 years and got rejected by more than 50 agents before finding someone to represent her. It was on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 100 weeks.

Primarily, the story is told through the eyes of Aibileen, Minny and Skeeter. Aibileen is a maid of African-American descent who cleans house and cares for the children of white families. She is currently working for the Leefolts, her first job after the death of her son. Aibileen keeps the Leefolt house and cares for their young daughter Mae Mobley. Minny is Aibileen's closest friend who has trouble keeping a job -- she's been fired from 19 of them. She worked recently for Hillly Holbrook's mother, Mrs. Walters. Hilly is known to one and all; she's the head of the Junior League and the de factor social leader of the community.

Skeeter, whose name is actually Eugenia Phelan, grew up on a successful cotton farm. She's returned home from college with ambitions to become a writer, though her mother hopes Skeeter will marry. Upon returning home, Skeeter finds that the maid who raised her, Constantine, has mysteriously departed. No one will tell her what has happened.

It gets her to thinking about what it's like to be an African-American maid in Mississippi, and she starts asking questions. For the first time, Skeeter is paying attention to how other white families treat their maids. But the maids are reluctant to talk to Skeeter about their working lives in any way, until one of them reaches a breaking point. Aibileen and Minny eventually open up to Skeeter, and the book is created.

In many novels, this is where the story would end. This is not the case with The Help. In this book, the reader gets to see the ramifications of Skeeter's efforts. The results are pretty hilarious, and touching.

The Film

The big screen version of The Help came to theaters in 2011 and made a huge splash. Awards were passed out and hype was everywhere, for good reason: it's a darned good movie. Skeeter is played by Emma Stone on film, a casting decision that some lovers of the book have criticized. Stone did a wonderful job as the young, would-be journalist, but she is very petite with a slender 5-foot-4 frame. In the book, Skeeter is a big woman. Bryce Dallas Howard wonderfully portrays bitchy Hilly Holbrook, and Octavia Spencer earned an Oscar for her turn as Minny Jackson.

Skeeter initially approaches Aibileen for help with her "homemaker hints" column, the only writing job she's landed. But the more time Skeeter spends with Aibileen, the more she sees the deplorable way Hilly Holbrook and others treat "the help" in their household. After Minny is fired from the Holbrook household, Aibileen helps her find a job working for Celia Foote (played by Jessica Chastain in a highly-praised performance). Still, Aibileen and Minny are the only two willing to share stories with Skeeter. The New York publisher that Skeeter is speaking to urges her to get stories from more maids, and to do it quickly before the Civil Rights "fad" passes. 

When Civil Rights leader Medgar Evers is killed in Jackson and Hilly's maid is subsequently arrested, the other maids start to come forward. Minny tells Skeeter her most secret story, the "Terrible Awful," to make certain none of the white families will admit to having any involvement with the book. Skeeter also learns the truth about Constantine at long last. The book is released, and becomes a huge success, though it does ruffle a few feathers.

The story ends happily enough, as happily as it possibly could. The Civil Rights Act did make things a little better for African-Americans in the United States, and the women's movement made things better for African-American women in particular, but the world would wait 50 years before an African-American landed the highest job in the land.

What Got Adapted?

The movie understandably glosses over some of the harder facts that are openly shared in the book. At the top of the movie, Aibileen mentions that she has raised 17 children for white folks. In the book, we understand that she eventually left them all because they all broke her heart. Though she loved them, these white children she raised learned how to be racists at the knees of their parents...and all began to see Aibileen as something less than them.

Minny's last scene with Celia Foote has been changed considerably on film. Celia, who has been trying to learn how to cook from Minny for months, has prepared a gigantic meal for Minny to tell her that she may always work in her household. In the book, Celia doesn't learn how to cook or to clean and really can't do much of anything useful. She does promise Minny a lifelong job, more or less, telling her that Hilly can't get her fired from this household...but Celia doesn't have a lot of options, either.

Skeeter's mother is also softened for the film. In the movie it is discovered that she has fired Constantine because of some embarrassing behavior committed by Constantine's daughter during a meeting of white society women. On film, Charlotte Phelan's public embarrassment more or less forces her to banish Constantine from the house.

What actually happens is this: Constantine's daughter Rachel is half-white by virtue of the fact that Constantine was raped by a white man before she came to work with the Phelans. Charlotte doesn't even know Rachel exists until the girl turns up at the society meeting applying for membership to the club. Charlotte learns that Rachel is actually Constantine's daughter, and in her eyes the girl is infiltrating white society. This is why Constantine is fired, and Charlotte never feels sorry about it. Rachel's offense is just too great.

Smaller changes are made on film that defeat the message and realism of the book. Skeeter and Aibileen sit at a table together in one scene, for example. This would not happen in reality, and did not happen in the book.

The violence of the times is greatly softened. In the film, Skeeter's book is scandalous. Writing such a book was potentially fatal, however. Sympathetic whites were hanged and killed in the deep south as surely as blacks who fought for Civil Rights.

The ending is also changed on film, something that causes many critics to cringe. You'll have to familiarize yourself with both versions to find out how the ending was changed! The Help is definitely worth the time to read and to watch, so don't miss either version.

Grabbed by Justice

"I didn't know then that it would make me fail my philosophy test coming up due to the fact that it was not a book that was easily put down once started."

"I was definitely not disappointed. This book quickly grabbed my attention and became impossible to put down."

Visit The Schwartz Reviewz to see the newest review for Justice (Deck of Lies, #1), and find out which quote from the book the reviewer liked best.

Writing 101: Multitasking

Do you work on more than one book at a time? Blog, tweet and edit your latest creation all at once? Keep a smartphone in one hand while you get work done on the laptop with the other? Multitasking can be a great idea...but it has definitely got its limits. Too much multitasking can be the ruination of every goal you set.

Juggling Tasks

Self-published authors tend to keep a lot of balls up in the air. They work full-time, promote their indie books and write in their spare time. They have family lives, and friends, and favorite shows to watch on TV. Multitasking is  a natural side effect of leading a busy life and to be frank, pretty much everybody does it. Those social media breaks you take when you're in the middle of a chapter is multitasking, just like maintaining a blog and writing a novel at the same time. You do it, I do it, self-published authors can't survive without it. But if keep on juggling, eventually something's going to fall. Try not to be standing under it when it does.

Multitasking is a fine art form and, for many, a way of life. Master certain tips and tricks to keep all your balls in the air successfully.

• Keep it straight: If you're going to multitask, keep notes and keep all your stuff separate. Don't confuse blog posts with book projects, and don't confuse book projects with each other. Use folders to keep everything organized. And when you go to write, get out all your stuff. I pull up notes, cast lists, outlines and everything I've got. This reinforces the project that you're working on and immerses you in that world. If you lose your way, all your stuff is right in front of you.
• Keep it casual: Setting deadlines is where many authors end up failing. It's very difficult to manage a bunch of tasks and maintain discipline. Give yourself an unreasonable deadline or writing goal on top of it all, and you're going to break. Go easy on yourself. It's important to maintain discipline and work hard, but it's also important to take breaks and get some rest. Be willing to loosen up on deadlines and put some tasks off until tomorrow. Otherwise, you're going to make yourself crazy.
• Keep it balanced: Why multitask? Wouldn't it be easier to complete one thing at a time and then move onto the next? For many authors, focusing on just one project alone can be too draining. A lot of emotion and thought goes into writing a book, and it's necessary to lose yourself in that world to write it correctly. Getting too deep in a single world for too long can make it difficult, nigh impossible, to create a wholly different world. Many authors multitask to bring a certain balance into their lives. If you're working on a dramatic tragedy novel, try spending some time on a more lighthearted project as well. Focusing too deeply on a single project can give you tunnel vision and lead you toward a whole host of problems. Multitasking is a good way to bring balance back.

A Cautionary Tale

Some researchers say that multitasking affects concentration, and that's probably true (after all, they've got evidence and everything). It's the author's job to learn how to focus deeply and concentrate intensely on the creative task at hand. If multitasking seems to interfere with that, stop. The truth is, sometimes it's necessary to take a quick break and to shut off that creative switch every once in a while. When you loosen up your thoughts a little, it's much easier for good ideas to appear.

Writing 101: The Imporance of Daydreaming

I'm behind my laptop most of the time, working (or playing around on Twitter). I usually find a way to work on it even when I'm eating dinner. And when I do put it down, I'll pick up something else. I've got a box of crafts projects just waiting for attention. I'm not idle very often...and sometimes, I have to force myself to do nothing. The importance of daydreaming just can't be neglected if you're a writer.

Daydream Believer

It's easy for an author to keep their minds busy, even if you don't have your face shoved into a laptop screen. I think about plots, imagine conversations, endlessly go through my list of stuff to do...think about all the junk I'd like to buy on Amazon, and pine for Game of Thrones (hangin' in there until March).

None of it leaves a lot of room for daydreaming, but it's important to make a point of stopping your brain every once in a while. Put down the smartphone, walk away from the TV, refuse to look at your laptop and just be still for a moment. It's in the quiet spaces that daydreams are born, and daydreaming is an important activity for any writer.

The good ideas creep in once your mind is free to daydream and wander, roam and ponder.  Great ideas rush in to fill those quiet moments, when your guard is down and your mind isn't so busy. Authors need to daydream to get the creative juices flowing, and to stay open to new ideas. Fresh thoughts create new stories. So close the laptop and put your feet up on the desk.

If anyone asks why your eyes are closed, tell them you're working on the next great American novel!

Writing 101: Time Management

Frankly, it would be laughable for me to make an attempt to advise anyone else about time management. I've got hours of actual work to do still, and as I write this it's 12 am on a Monday night. I have to get up at 10 am by the latest to start a new day. I don't even have time for this blog post, but the post I was going to write was all about sticking with your commitments. It was so preachy, I decided to save it and edit it down for another day (I've got to remove all none-too-subtle judgments). Honestly, if I knew a thing about time management I would get more than 5 hours of sleep a night. But here's what I can do: I can tell you how not to end up like me.

Time Can't Be Managed

First things first: admit defeat. Wave the white flag, and give in. You can stress about time, you can plan, you can make lists, you can set alarms and you can create all the rules you want, but time is still going to win. It marches on. Time can't really be managed, but you can learn how to live with it peacefully -- declare a truce, if you will. It's the best you can hope for when you're a writer, because no matter what you do (or how independently wealthy you become) there's never going to be enough time for all the stories that deserve to be written.

So now that you know you're waging a losing battle, you're in the appropriate mindset. The only way to win, or at least to escape with your dignity, is to make the most out of your time. 

• Get your priorities in order, or at least figure out what they are.

I'd rather be working on my newest book right now. I haven't touched it since Saturday and won't get 'round to it again for many days to come, I'm sure, but I'm doing this instead. I don't get much time, but I make a list of things I'm definitely going to do for the author aspect of my life. Writing blog posts is one of them, so here we are. What are your priorities and your must-dos? 

Once you know what you have to do, you'll know what's acceptable to skip. First thing off my list when I'm in a time crunch? Going through forums, naturally. This can be put off for another day, or three. 

• Say no, sometimes.

You know what takes up a lot of time? Favors and extra commitments. You don't have to beta-read, post reviews, write guest posts or even participate -- unless you said you would. Once you say yes, you're locked in (and a serious time crunch may not be far behind).

So learn how to say no. This is where I fail, because I pretty much never turn anything down. You don't want to end up exhausted like me, so just get used to saying no. Do it politely and prettily and wrap it up in great words all you want, but say it: no!

• Recognize distractions for what they are.

There are a lot of demands on your time when you're an author, and work full-time and have a life to juggle on top of all of that. When Twitter is going off and your email inbox is screaming at you and you're getting comments on your blog, it all feels very important. But is it, really? Stop taking time out of your workday to answer emails, respond to tweets, poke around on Facebook and reply to all those blog comments. All that stuff can wait, even if it feels urgent. 

They're just distractions, cleverly disguised as important stuff. There's always time to catch up on your social media and to respond to the fans; they know that you've got lots of things putting demands on your time. Getting sidetracked is a great way to waste your valuable time. 

• Keep everything organized sensibly, from dresser to desktop.

Make it easier on yourself by getting organized -- everywhere. Clean up your workspace, your dresser drawers, your desktop and even your inbox, if it's a mess. The more time you spend looking for that document or trying to find that favorite T-shirt, the less time you're spending on getting stuff done. This is one thing I excel at, and I'm still a total mess when it comes to time management.

Keep a set of review copies in a single folder in your computer, along with all your profile pictures, author biographies, book blurbs and other promotional items. This way, you can access your stuff to respond to emails quickly. Organize your drawers in the order that you get dressed: underwear, T-shirts, socks, accessories. Arrange stuff on your desk according to how often you use it, and keep important items handy. Find other ways to get organized, and clean up your life to squeeze more valuable time out of every day.

Good time management will keep you from falling behind, becoming overwhelmed with work and ending up exhausted...like me.

Writing 101: Details Come Later

Are you willing to produce really ugly writing? Sometimes, there's just no other way. There are going to be times when putting something (anything) on the page is the most important task. The details can always come later.

The Beauty of Ugly Writing

There are moments in every writer's journey where suddenly, it's all easy. The words just somehow flow magically, appearing on the page through your fingers with absolutely no effort whatsoever. Later when you go back to read it, you're amazed. 

Then, there are those other moments when it physically hurts to get words on the page. When everything you write just looks terrible, and every word is difficult. But there's beauty to be found even in ugly writing. You can always come back and do your editing later, clean up that text and add all the necessary details. 

Just get down the rough bones of the story, write the stuff that's supposed to happen (no matter how ugly), and add all the descriptors later. Writers are supposed to write...right?

Forums Make Me Angry

If you could see behind the scenes of the blog, you'd probably be appalled at the vast number of Writing 101 posts I've started and stopped writing. I wrote several of them last week in multiple abortive attempts to add content to the blog. More than one of them was a thinly-disguised rant...because a single forum post ticked me off for a solid three days. 

Zen and the Art of Stress-Free Forum Maintenance

I've been working a lot lately. I've been on the job most of the time, and when not on the job I've still got stuff to do around the house. There are only two boxes remaining, so I've made a lot of progress...but I'm not done. Two of the biggest projects still loom before me; I've got to do them both tomorrow and attend a bridal shower. 

With all this weighing on my mind all week, and deadlines looming over my head, I've been getting only four to five hours of sleep a night. So I'm understandably cranky when I check my forums, which I only have time to do late at night and early in the morning.

I check them after I go through my email first thing in the morning. Early in the week, I got an email from a fellow blogger asking me to pick up one of their review responsibilities. Clearly he doesn't read the blog, or he'd know how shamefully behind I am on my own TBR pile (several authors I know could give him an earful). I was a little affronted, but I got sort of pissed when I got around to checking my forums -- where he posted, in more than one place mind you, asking for help with this same review. 

I was sort of enraged by it all, and began a heated Writing 101 lesson about commitments (which may still appear in the future once I've distanced my own feelings from it a bit more). I wrote the whole thing, and had it scheduled, but thankfully second-guessed myself an hour later and changed it to draft.

I repeated this pattern several more times throughout the week, halfway committing to new Writing 101 lessons and then giving up on them entirely. Only one such post made it to the blog this week, and that got a two-day grace period and two false starts before it went live. 

And I spent much of the rest of the week grousing to myself every time I went to read the forums, and responding to them more hatefully than ever before. The week was nearly out when I realized that I wasn't really mad about that guy, or even about the forums. 

I was mad because I wasn't getting any time to really write. I've been behind on my newest story, and I didn't realize how angry it was making me until I nearly threw my phone over a totally benign post about country-specific terminology. So on Friday, after I completed a long to-do list, I made myself take the time to write. 

Back on the Wagon

I finished chapter 4. That's the big news. My Facebook followers know that I've been wallowing in that chapter for some time now, and I'm happy to say I finally tackled it -- a little less happy to admit that I spent three hours writing two pages. Sometimes that's the way it goes. Now I'm on chapter 5, and writing from a whole new POV, so this is exciting stuff. I feel much more comfortable with this chapter. 

Surely I'll just burn right through the rest of the outline and get the book completed in record time...just kidding. That definitely won't happen, but I am in a much better mood at the week's end.

Books on Film: Julie and Julia

Julie and Julia is one of the more interesting books on film you'll watch, because it's not based on one book. It's based on two books written by authors who were worlds apart. The movie shows both stories, though they did not occur concurrently, and somehow manages to blend both together pretty seamlessly.

The Books

Julie and Julia is based on My Life in France, an autobiography by the famous chef Julia Child. It was published in 2006 and compiled with the help of Julia's grandnephew Alex Prud'homme. He completed it after her 2004 death. In the main, it takes place from 1948 to 1954. This is when Child lived in Paris, Marseilles and Provence with her husband Paul. It's when her star as a chef rose, and she became a household name. 

The book details the arrival of the Childs in Paris, and Julia's love affair with French cuisine. She began taking classes at Ecole du Cordon Bleu and learned how to master cooking. She learned how to make amazing things like souffle, gnocchi, canard a l'orange and turbot farci braise au champagne. Sounds good, right?

She was well into her 30s when she discovered her love of French cuisine, but she embraced it with unfettered devotion. Julia stubbornly pursued all the goals she set for herself, and the story is truly delightful. As most of you probably know, it ends happily. Child went on to accomplish the goals she set for herself and became one of the best-known chefs to American audiences. She was so well-known, Dan Aykroyd even spoofed her on SNL.

And she was still interesting a few decades after her cooking show went off the air. The cookbook she wrote in France during the 50s was still darned good in 2002...good enough to interest a blogger living in New York City.

Julie Powell decided that she wanted to learn how to cook -- really to cook -- and began to consider her copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child. She decided to blog about it, and gave herself a deadline for cooking her way through the entire book. Later, Powell's blog became a book in its own right, and formed half the basis for the movie that would follow.

 
Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen is the blog that Powell wrote, slightly reworked for print. The book was published in 2005, and later re-titled in paperback as Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously.

The blog took off, and Julie developed a following. For the book, she added a backstory describing her own life and her marriage to high school sweetheart Eric. The book doesn't read like a typical memoir...it reads more like chick lit, containing lurid descriptions of Julie's day-to-day life and squalid apartment. It's hard to find the bits about cooking within it all. But the book is saved by Julie's humor, which springs up often, and her persistence to finish her goal. In that, she is very much like Julia Child indeed.

Their similar personalities are made more apparent in the film that followed, aptly named Julie and Julia. 

The Film

On the big screen, Amy Adams became Julie Powell and Meryl Streep Julia Child. Streep, who stands at 5'6", was manipulated on screen to look more like a stately, 6'2" Child. Camera angles and Hollywood trickery were employed to make Streep look a little more Amazonian, like Julia.

The movie shows Julie Powell, a woman in her late 20s who is unhappy with her job and her tiny apartment. She latches onto Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, published in 1961. Hilarity ensues as Julie attempts to execute complicated recipes in her itty-bitty kitchen, sometimes breaking down into hysterics when the lobsters must be boiled alive or the bone marrow burns.

Julia's story is woven equally into the narrative. We go with her to French restaurants, and futilely pursue a cookbook of French recipes written in English. We go to culinary school, and watch as each woman realizes her true fate. Julia Child is meant to be a chef...Julie Powell is supposed to be a writer. They take different journeys in different places, in vastly different times, and doggedly attempt to succeed at all costs.

Julia's book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, is the thread that ties them together. Each woman is obsessed with the book, and captivated by it, in different ways. Each is creating something. Each is learning. In other words, it's a movie about three books, two writers, and a ton of French recipes. Watching it without snacks is impossible. 

It's a really good movie. Both are writers of different sorts, and like most writers both face rejection and obstacles that stand in their way. 

Julia Child certainly learned how to master French cooking, and thanks to her all us Americans may attempt to do the same. Julie Powell learned how to cook, and blog. Both became published, and Julie and Julia was born on film. 

But like all good books on film, changes were made. 

What Got Adapted?

Julie Powell seems to have ambivalent feelings about the film. She wrote an online article distancing herself from the way she was portrayed on film (by Adams), while simultaneously stating that she liked the movie very much.

Powell is right about some things. Amy Adams doesn't totally capture Julie Powell's voice because she's more sanitized on film. Powell has a knack for the colorful euphemism, and only a scant amount of this remains in the film. Her use of f-bombs is cited as the main reason that Julia Child didn't like the blog, and did not consider Powell to be a "serious" cook. Powell's pets aren't shown as often, or at all, and some "characters" from the book were dropped altogether. Julie's brother Heathcliff is not present, and her friends appear only on the fringes.

However, the movie does a good job of capturing the flavor (pun intended) of both books, and showing both heroines in a  positive light. It's two stories about writers, and how can that be anything but appealing?

Lost in Justice

"Rain knows her new family is hiding something, she just doesn't know what yet."

"Pretty soon everything in her world begins to topple down like, well, a deck of cards...the unraveling is perfectly paced and skillfully executed."

Justice (Deck of Lies, #1) has been reviewed at Lost in Books! There are some spoilers, so check it out if you've already read Justice and see if you agree with the reviewer.

Book Tour: Power by Theresa M. Jones

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Today I'm very pleased to host author and friend of the blog, Theresa M. Jones. She offers up amazing reviews on her book blog, Keepin' Up With the Joneses. Now, other bloggers will be reviewing her debut novel Power. My blog is an official stop on her book tour, so stop! Keep reading to learn more about the book and find out how to get your copy. Don't miss the amazing giveaway opportunity at the end -- you could win a signed copy of the book and a $15 Amazon gift card!

Thousands of years after the battle between the angels, when Lucifer was defeated by Michael in the Heavens, the war is still being fought on Earth by the humans who have their Power, the Angel’s Power. 

Allison Stevens is a 21 year old single mother who gets thrown into the middle of this battle when Damien, the Leader of the Rising, decides to hunt her down and kill her because he fears she is the descendant prophesied to save the world. 

David, a member of the Order, takes Allison under his wing in order to show her the ropes, and hopefully groom her into being the one they have been waiting for. The only problem is that they start to grow more attached than a teacher/student relationship should allow.

But that isn’t all. Damien wants to open the Seven Seals and bring about the apocalypse and it’s up to Allison to not only save herself and her family, but save the world, all while trying to keep her heart from breaking.

No problem… right?

POWER is the first book in a New Adult (Mature YA) Paranormal Romance Trilogy and is the debut novel for author Theresa M Jones.

Keep reading for an excerpt from the book...

Part of Chapter 15

I stepped outside into the fresh air. The sky was cloudless, and I could see all the stars. I walked to the pond and thought about putting my feet inside. It was summer, but we were high up in the mountains and the wind was chilly; so I decided against taking my shoes off and dipping my feet in the cold water. I snuggled my robe closer around me as I felt a small breeze. Being surrounded by massively tall cliffs, one would rarely feel a breeze out here, but when you did, boy was it cold. I sat leaning against a tree and looked out over the pond.

I didn’t hear him come up behind me, but I could sense him. I turned around as he greeted me the same as he always did, “Good morning, Allison.”

I chuckled, “I guess it is morning already.” He offered his hand and helped me stand. I took it eagerly, and went straight into his arms. He didn’t pull away. If anything, he held me closer.  It reminded me of the morning when I thought he would kiss me. After that morning he had distanced himself. But over the last few days he had gotten back to normal. He had even kissed my head and my cheek on a few occasions. Tonight I wanted more, though I was a little afraid to risk it. What if he started acting all weird again?

I breathed in deeply, allowing his scent to fill my nose and my lungs. He nestled his head into the crook of my neck and I could feel the scruff from his beard scratch my cheek as he started to breathe deeply as well. I could feel his breath tickle my neck and it sent shivers down my spine. It made me pull him closer still. I could feel his muscles touching mine, and I could feel the heat emanating from him, warming my skin through my clothes.

My heart started beating faster, and I felt my face flush with anticipation. He pulled away, just enough to look me in the eyes. I stared back into his, allowing him access to my soul, hoping he could see how desperately I needed him. I didn’t hold back at all.

Before I could even react his lips were on mine. The heat that I had felt when he kissed my cheek, was like a lit match compared to the forest fire I felt now. Every inch of my body was deliciously ignited.

This kiss started very slow. Tentative. Wary. Unsure.

But as my lips parted, allowing him full access to me, things changed. He deepened the kiss. His arms pulled me closer to him, wrapped around my back, and held me firm.

He tasted like heaven on earth. My arms were all over the place. On his face, on his neck, then down to his back. I couldn’t get enough of him. I couldn’t touch him enough, or smell him enough. Or… taste him enough.

This felt right. Like the ultimate goodness. My body tried to inch closer, but it appeared we couldn’t get any closer. His chest was warm and hard against mine, and fit perfectly, as if we were two pieces to a puzzle.

About the Author...

Theresa M Jones is just a regular small town, Texas girl. When she isn't at work at a local Medical Equipment provider,you can find her at home with her husband and two beautiful (and rambunctious) kiddos.

In her spare time- as if there ever was such a thing as "spare time" - she reads and reviews books on her book blog, and writes paranormal romance novels.

POWER (The Descendent Trilogy #1) is her debut New Adult (Mature YA) Paranormal Romance novel.

Twitter- @MrsTheresaJones

Goodreads: Author Theresa Jones

Blog: Keepin Up with the Joneses In the Book World

And Facebook: TheresaMJones

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Writing 101: Writing a Log Line

Any novel is made up of many different elements. There's the story itself, and the cover of course, and you can't forget about the title or the blurb. Then maybe you'll need a trailer, a whole marketing campaign, an idea for a sequel...it's a lot to do. But while you're doing all that, don't forget another important element: the log line. 

Teasing Them

The log line, also spelled logline and log-line, is a one-phrase teaser for your book. Even if you don't recognize the terminology, you've definitely seen log lines before.

A good log line is a great hook for readers, a brief taste of your writing and everything the story has in store for them. The log line can bring the entire cover design together, tempting readers to explore further. To come up with a good one, try to sum up your book in a single sentence, without giving away any sort of spoilers. Vague is okay as long as it's really interesting. 

Place the log line prominently on the cover, but not obtrusively. It should work as a part of the overall design, and naturally draw the eye. Remember that it's just a teaser, a little taste, but it's also your one good shot at grabbing new readers. Keep it simple and interesting, and you'll nail it.

Writing 101: What's It Like to Write Full-Time?

Lots of authors have "day jobs." This is because writing books really doesn't pay well, unless you're a prolific bestseller like Stephen King or you write a runaway hit like Stephenie Meyer. In perusing forums, a hobby that's eating away at much of my free time, I've discovered that many indie authors dream of the day when they can become full-time writers. But be careful what you wish for. It's time to find out what it's like to write full-time.

Writing All the Time

I am a full-time writer, and it's not glamorous. It's not even convenient. What's it like to write full-time? It's like having 5 different parents, or rowdy children, demanding something from you every single second. And it's a whole lot like staring at a screen for 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. Out of the 80-plus hours you spend writing in a given week, you're incredibly lucky it you get to spend 5 of them writing something you actually want to write.

Many full-time writers are freelancers, like myself. Many of them receive income from several different sources, and continuously seek out new freelance opportunities. I currently work regularly for three different outfits on strict deadlines, irregularly for another outfit on very tight deadlines, and two others whenever the wind blows. That means I may do writing work for up to 6 different employers during any given week, and any of them may come back with rewrites. Sometimes they might even do it on the same day -- like Friday, around 5 in the evening. Lots of times, they want what they need ASAP, and give me a 24- or 48-hour deadline. 

I write, on average, 5 to 10 different pieces a day ranging from 250 to 1000 words in length. Out of those 5 to 10, I might get to choose the headline and all the content for the entire piece twice. The other three to eight times I start writing something new, I'm writing what I got told to write...and even on those two I might get to choose, there are very strict formats and requirements I must meet. Sometimes, even the words are chosen for me. My job is to put them in a reasonable sort of order. I don't always get to insert amusing anecdotes, and many times I might not be inspired to write one anyway. The tone I write in might also be chosen for me, until very little of my own native writing voice remains.

In other words, it's a job. The writer who writes full time still has a boss -- and it's quite likely that they have several. Editors are persnickety, and sometimes vague, and there will be times when you wish a reviewer would come along and tear your indie book apart before you have to rewrite this how-to article even one more time. Sometimes it's scary. A gig that seems solid might change all of a sudden, because a website got bought out or an editor got fired or a search algorithm on Google got revamped. Suddenly you're making less money, and everything is insecure. Then tax time comes, and real terror enters your life. And while you're typing away 80-something hours a week, everyone around you will actually get to have a life.

Often, you'll be lonely. You're staring at a screen all day, writing about dull subjects with words you don't even get to chose and answering to editors who may only address you as "freelance writer." You'll get the feeling that you're replaceable, and you'll get a taste of the massive competition out there every time you reply to another freelance job opportunity. 

But you'll be a writer, using your words to make a living. Every once in a while, you might have the chance to revel in that. It's kind of fun when you say that you're a writer to someone who doesn't realize how really un-glamorous it all is. 

Writing all the time is just great, until you've actually got to do it to keep food in your belly. Then it gets annoying, and scary...and lonely. If wrecking your eyes and answering to too many bosses is your idea of a good time, you're ready to do it.

However, know this: when you write full time, you have to make an effort to keep loving the act of writing. When it goes from hobby to job, things change...and writing can be very, very hard to love then.

Three Books to Rebuild the World

So, I'm obsessed with The Time Machine, the story by H. G. Wells. I've always been fascinated by time travel, and as a point of fact I very sincerely believe that Back to the Future, and not Star Wars, is the best movie trilogy ever created. Wouldn't it be amazing to go back in time? Or even better, to go forward? But time isn't the main reason I'm obsessed with the story, why I find reasons to bring it up all the time (and spend a ton of time getting completely blank stares in return). It's because of the way the story ends...and not even the way it ends on the page. 

That's the Power of Words

In the original short story, the main character doesn't have a name and he comes to a very vague end. The reader sees him leave in his time machine, and he's pretty much never heard from again. It's not the greatest of endings (sorry, Mr. Wells), and that's why it got changed for the 1960s film adaptation. 

In the film version of the story, the Traveller's name is George (after Wells himself), and he takes something with him before he leaves London for the second time. After he leaves in the machine, presumably for ever, his colleagues notice something strange in the library.

Three books are missing, only three. The time machine isn't quite like a tricked-out DeLorean -- it's got shite storage space. So George takes just three books, and goes back into the future that he found. And one of the men asks "which three books did he take?"

The other man, quite seriously, gives him a level look, and he responds "which three would you take?"

I've been thinking about that damned scene for ten years. I mean, I just can't get it out of my head. It could be that my mind is just blown from the idea of living in a world with only three books, but I've never been able to stop thinking about it. 

Which three books would you take? I just can't answer the question. Three books to rebuild the world...it's a tall order. In my extensive research on the subject, I've seen every idea under the sun. A first aid book. A book about engineering (for like, literal rebuilding). A history book. The Bible. 

And maybe he grabbed The Joy of Cooking, you know? The people he found in the future were eating weird stuff, and nobody wants that. Every time I think about three books I would just have to have, one fiction novel leaps immediately to mind. I understand the uses of a first aid book, sure, but who the hell wants to live in a world without fiction? Wouldn't you want to take just one amazing novel with you, and plant that seed somewhere it could sprout? 

Thinking about those three books makes me crazy every single time, and I repeatedly go back to it. I've never been able to put together a reasonable list, not once. The dictionary? The complete works of Edgar Allen Poe? The history of the world? Carol Burnett's memoir? I just can't do it. 

I would not be able to rebuild the world, because I would have been standing in front of those library shelves long enough to actually really need a time machine. I could never choose just three books. 

I would have taken them all, or maybe waited for Doc Brown to come along in the DeLorean. Could you rebuild society with just three books? Give me your list, and maybe I'll finally be able to put an end to this sick obsession.

Writing 101: How to Fund Your Book Habit

What's the secret to being a better writer? Read a lot. Now, you've got to figure out how to fund your book habit without going broke. 

Easier Reading Isn't Always Cheaper

Ereaders like the Kindle have put hundreds of books in every reader's hands, but the easy availability of ebooks doesn't automatically equal cheaper reading. Even if you set a spending limit, buying books adds up quickly. Suppose you never spend more than $5 on a book. Read three books a week, and you're $15 in the hole before you get your next paycheck.

It starts to add up. There are ways to fund your book habit, however, and get your reading material...and no, I'm not going to tell you to go to the library.

• Swap: Visit Paperbackswap to list the books you're willing to trade, and get the books you want in return. The website connects book lovers who want to swap, and makes it easy for you to keep yourself in fresh reading material.
• Review: Start reviewing books on your blog (oh, and start a blog) and ask for review copies outright. If you advertise a review policy on your site, you will get requests. You can also look for books you might like on Goodreads and contact the authors directly about getting a review copy. Stick to indies and lesser-known authors to make it easier to get those free books. You will have to follow through, however, by writing an honest and thorough review.
• Trade among friends: Start your own trading circle among your friends and associates, and swap books to get your hands on new stories. Arrange a get together once a month and trade out books. It's kind of a fun way to visit with friends, and you may enjoy exploring their reading material.
• Kindle lending: You can trade ebooks with friends, too. Authors who have opted into the lending program allow you to send their books to your friends' Kindles. They get to keep the book for about 30 days. Start a reading circle with your friends and keep track of  all your Kindle books to create your own lending library.

Find your own creative ways to fund your book habit (and despite the hidden tone of that, I'm not advocating theft!), and keep on reading. What they say is true. Reading more can make you a better writer, even if you're reading something bad. Read books in your own genre, and read other indie authors, and keep improving your craft.