Great Beginnings

As every writer knows, beginnings are important. We all strive to write a truly intriguing first sentence designed to engage readers and invite them into our stories. After all, these books are our babies, created with blood, sweat, tears and love. We want other people to love them as well.  To celebrate great beginnings, I’ve invited some author friends to send me favorite first lines from their own books.

If you’d like to be in the drawing to win a signed copy of one of my books, please hit the comment button and tell me which first sentence you like best. I’d be grateful if you hit the follow button as well, but it isn’t a requirement for the drawing.

I’ll start with my own favorite first sentence (not part of the contest)
“Pantyhose are a tool of the devil.”

From The Rock and Roll Queen of Bedlam

The authors featured below are all members of Romance Writers of America and are all published authors. I’ve included links to their books. Be sure to check them out for some fabulous reads. 

1.“A long memory made for bad company when a man had too much time on his hands.”
From The Rodeo Man’s Daughter by Barbara White Daille

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B006IIX7JE

Harlequin: http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=25312

www.barbarawhitedaille.com 

2."It was harder than he expected, this business of surrender."

From Conquest of the Heart by Michele Stegman
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/kpdsrhx

www.michelestegman.com                                                                                         

3."Ruby Hollingsford threw herself out of a moving coach." By Regina Scott

From The Wife Campaign

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1kQnmCQ. 

www.reginascott.com
                                                               

                                             

4.“The Five Horsemen of the Apocalypse rode in, late as usual.” By Mary Connealy

From Calico Canyon.

Amazon:http://tinyurl.com/k8acyvg

www.maryconnealy.comnnealy.com

5.“Whistle shrieking, the train jerked to a stop, the sudden lurch throwing Julie Lawson forward.” ByTerry Blaine

From Colorado Silver, Colorado Gold

Amazon:  http://tinyurl.com/lx5c4xo

www.terryireneblain.com

                                  

6."With a flick of her mermaid tail, Shelly emerged from the deep coastal waters holding the dead body of victim number two." By Debbie Herbert

From Siren’s Secret

Amazon: http://goo.gl/cdgxFT

www.debbieherbert.com
                                                                        

                                                                   

7.“Ghosts don’t have sex, do they? Annabelle Ronaldi wasn’t one hundred percent sure of the answer.” By Robin Kaye

From Too Hot to Handle

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B0037ZSX54

www.robinkayewrites.com

                                                        

8.“Uncle Jake, I presume?" Lacey

wasn't doing anything wrong, so why did she feel as though Brad Pitt had just caught her picking her nose?” by Lynn Crandall

From Always and Forever Love

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1aVzE41 

www.lynn-crandall.com
                                                               

                                                                                 

                                                               

     

                                                          

Stuck!

Calling all writers, artists and others who must dip daily into the well of creativity. What happens when the well goes dry? What happens when you get stuck? I’m not talking about writers’ block. In my opinion, getting stuck is a whole different thing.

I recently started a new book and, since I fly by the seat of my pants, I had main characters in mind and a vague idea of the plot line. I’d learned to trust my process. In the past, the act of writing stimulated the creative part of my brain, resulting in forward progress. Sure, once in a while, I’d write myself into a corner and have to backtrack, but it was usually an easy fix and I considered it a learning experience. Six chapters flew by and then my fingers froze on the keyboard. I was stuck. Here’s what happened next:

I brooded and indulged in a lot of negative self-talk. What the heck’s wrong with you? Yikes! After eight books are you out of juice?
I forced myself to write. As the saying goes, you can’t edit a blank page. When it took me an hour to write two sentences, I knew it wasn’t working. This was followed by………..
More brooding.
I tried writing in long hand, a technique that sometimes works for me. Not this time.
I comforted myself with junk food which, in turn, led me to……..
The Solution. Concerned about putting on weight from the aforementioned junk food, I hit the elliptical machine at our local fitness club. Something about music feeding directly into my brain via ear buds, mindless repetition as I sweat and pedaled, plus the oxygenated blood surging through my body did the trick.

Remember my term, “vague idea of the plot line?” I realized it was a little too vague. I’m writing romantic suspense, for Pete’s sake! There are dead bodies, nasty villains, stolen babies and human trafficking involved. Way too many moving parts for an author flying by the seat of her pants. I needed details. I needed more characters. I needed more plot lines. OMG, was I becoming a plotter? Were my pantser days over?

Happily, I’m back on track after taking some time to answer the obvious questions. Who? What? Why? Where? When? Apparently I am now part plotter, part pantser. Works for me. And, if I get stuck again, I know what to do.

 Eat junk food. 
 Exercise.

Cheers,

Marilee

Where Do I Go From Here?

In 2008, Moonstone, the first book in the Unbidden Magic series was published by Bell Bridge Books and I signed a contract to write five more books. Moon Rise came out in 2009, along with The Rock and Roll Queen of Bedlam from a different publisher. Three more books in the series appeared in 2010, 2011 and 2012. In late 2013, Baby Gone Bye, the single title YA story of a teenage father, was the final book in my contract.

Christmas came and went. January is typically the time I get back to work. A brand new year. New resolve. New energy. I didn’t write a single word the entire month of January. I had an idea floating around in my head, but couldn’t gather the will power or strength to start something new. Strangely, I felt like a sailboat cut loose from its mooring and adrift on the sea.

Since I keep track of the number of words I write on my daily calendar, I looked back.

January, 2012 – 15,000 words (Midnight Moon)

January, 2013 – 17,000 words  (Baby Gone Bye)

January 2014 – Nada.

What was wrong with me? After writing a book a year for six years, had I lost my mojo? Did I require a deadline in order to produce a book? I did a lot of thinking that month before I came to the following conclusion: I need to look forward not backward. My confusion and resulting paralysis sprang from the sense of loss I was feeling. I no longer had a relationship with a wonderful publishing company who’d taken a huge chance on an unknown author and given me a six-book contract. I will always be grateful for that opportunity.

In early February I realized it was time to move on. With loss comes liberation. I am now free to explore other options. A brand new genre has emerged in the last few years called New Adult. The idea floating around in my cerebral soup coalesced into something resembling a book. I began making notes, creating characters, plot lines, once again excited about starting something new.

On February 9^th, I started the book I now call Affliction. I’m totally into the main character, 22-year-old Honor Melanie Sullivan and can’t wait to tell her story. Though I intended the book to be strictly romantic suspense, I've added another layer. My girl not only has a touch of Asperger’s, she can also read souls. Oh yeah, her boyfriend turns out to be ex military policeman, the Harley-riding William Henry McCarty, aka, Billy the Kid. Yep, I’m having fun again!