On Becoming a Novelist: Genetics, Trauma, or Simply-an-Over-Active Imagination? By Connie Vines

When did you decide to become a writer?

It's a question I am asked at every book signing and speaking engagement.

Becoming a writer was never a conscious choice. While an artist sketches, a composer hears music; a writer hears stories. Or as my children said, "Mom has imaginary friends."

Friends that torment you with bits of dialogue, or a song that triggers an emotional response, a dream, or simply an internal need to sit down and write. 

Is creativity genetic, a gift, or an acquired skill?

The answer? 

I believe it is an inborn gift and a skill that is honed. Genetic? In my case, probably.

My favorite childhood books:

Charlotte's Web by E.B. White (1952) — A touching, timeless story of friendship between a pig named Wilbur and a clever spider named Charlotte.  

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (1950) — The magical portal-fantasy that invites children into the snowy, wondrous land of Narnia. 

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (1937) — The quintessential high-fantasy quest that introduced generations of readers to Middle-earth. 

Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell. Newbery Medal-winning classic is a gripping tale of survival, strength, and courage. (Based on the true story of a Nicoleño Indian girl living alone on an island off the coast of California, Island of the Blue Dolphins.)  

Nancy Drew (girl detective) mysteries by Caroline Keene (my mother was a reader, too).  I read the entire collection, twice.

And, of course, stories featuring horses 🐎 and dogs that "did not" die 🐶.

The Makings of a Novelist:

Psychological studies specifically comparing creative writers to non-creative peers show that creative writers report significantly higher rates of unstable home environments, childhood unhappiness, and emotional neglect. Prominent historical examples include:

Charles Dickens and Virginia Wolfe.

Meaning:

Hyper-Vigilance and Observation: Traumatized children must become expert observers of human behavior to anticipate danger or emotional shifts in adults. This hyper-vigilance translates into a sharp, adult ability to analyze character motivations and human psychology.

With age, I've come to the conclusion: one person's trauma is another person's adventure.

I did not like my "personal adventure"; therefore, I became hyper-vigilant.

My personal adventure, you ask?👶🍼

It all began before I'd even taken my first childhood breath...

My soon-to-be mother was on a flight from Chicago to Florida. During a short layover in New Orleans, her labor began. By the time the plane touched down in Florida, she was in full labor.

We were a Naval family. 🚢

I was born on an Air Force Base, 2 1/2 months early.  This was before the NICU. I weighed 2 lbs 12 oz before dropping to 2 lbs 3 oz.

I was strapped in an incubator. My eyes were covered, and oxygen was pumped into the incubator. A feeding tube was inserted through my throat for feeding... and I had an IV.

When I was released (months later), I was dressed in "doll" clothes. 

My mother was an only child; she had no experience with babies.  She relied on Dr. Spock's book for new mothers.

Fortunately, my father was a Texan and familiar with livestock. He knew how to mix formula and tend to newborns. (His mother was the eldest of ten children.)

Several months after my birth, my father received deployment orders.  My mother and I were placed in the care of my paternal grandparents and my great-grandmother in Texas. 

My parents wedding photo

Here I am, little Connie, an early walker.
(I never learned to crawl)

All of my books include bits and pieces of my adventures and not-always-welcome surprises.

Case in point: I wanted a puppy but got a little brother instead. (Spoiler: we are still best buds).

This month's featured book:

Blurb and Reviews:

Beaten and left for dead, Amberlynn Maddox has no memory of her past. Accepting Brede’s offer as temporary ranch cook, the woman, now called Kate, discovers that the sexy rancher, with his protective nature and sizzling kisses, has claimed her heart. When a madman discovers Amberlynn’s hiding place, no one is safe from harm: not Brede, his young daughter—or Amberlynn herself!

“Ms Vines has written a suspenseful romantic tale. Brede and Amberlynn are very strong and likable characters. Brede’s daughter, Gretchen, adds a lot to the story. The ranch hands are very colorful and fun, especially Caldwell, the ornery cook. His elopement had me laughing out loud! This is a very entertaining story.

Rating: 4 cups for “Brede” Rodeo Romance, Book 2

Maura, CoffeeTimeRomance and Find Out About New Books

“Brede’ is an emotionally involving, thrilling suspense filled with passion and romance. The characters are fully developed and will make the reader care about the outcome...A wonderful heartfelt story that will thrill the readers.

5 Hearts

Anita, The Romance Studio

4 Quills!

A must-read, Novelspot.com

Link to Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B004C7W6PE?ccs_id

My books are available via Barnes & Noble. Or via your favorite online vendor.

Amazon has an excerpt for your reading pleasure!

Feel free to share a childhood adventure or two with me (via the comments).

Happy reading!

Connie

  

 

Butterflies from my window by Priscilla Brown

 

  

 

 The window next to my desk overlooks a veronica (hebe) bush in the garden border. This flowers almost year-round, and is popular with bees. However, today there are no bees, but there is a pretty butterfly I haven't seen before hovering around the blossom. Interested in the newcomer, I switch from the document I'm working on, and check the internet hoping to discover its name.

 I am disappointed to learn that it is a common brown. Apparently it is 'common'  in south-east Australia, which is roughly where I live, though my area might be too far north for its usual habitat.. Perhaps it is looking for new digs. I do feel that whoever names these attractive creatures might show more imagination.

 For a couple of my contemporary romance novels, I needed to research butterflies. I always enjoy research, but sometimes I have to make myself stop. There's a need to compromise, perhaps to be less precise, making sure the information I'm using is essential to the narrative.  In Where the Heart is, Cristina describes the butterflies in Cameron’s sub-tropical Caribbean garden as ‘neon-clothed’. For Silver Linings,  I found out far more than the story needed about butterflies in the Amazon area, fascinating but I am not writing a guidebook!

And now, my garden butterfly has moved on, two bees are circling the veronica bush, and I  must temporarily give up watching nature and get some work done!

Enjoy your reading, and best wishes from contemporary romance author Priscilla.

https://bwlpublishing.ca

https://priscillabrownauthor.com

To plot or not by Priscilla Brown

As I began Billie's contemporary romance story,

 I  knew only that she's a car mechanic with her own business in a small town. 

A stranger walks in...or have they met before?

https://bookswelove/net/authors/brown-priscilla-romance 

I am not a story plotter, and not for me the structure of the work planned before I begin Chapter One. In my real every day life, I am an organised person, and I used to wonder why I couldn't transfer this inclination to my contemporary romance novels. I'm what is styled among some fiction authors as a 'seat-of-the-pants' writer, not knowing at the start of a story how it would progress; having said that, however, in romance it's accepted that the two protagonists finally get together, so my challenge is to guide them on their journey.

This not-knowing, making it up as I go, is for me part of the enjoyment or writing. I've attended workshops where the intended outcome was a complete plot outline, after which I've tried unsuccessfully to train myself into this. Attempts at constructing a plot before starting a novel ended in confusion and abandonment. While I would still like to be able to do this before I burrow into the story, I've settled into being a 'pantser'.

Writing a novel in this way means that new characters and situations will emerge. I enjoy meeting these personalities and ensuring they have a valid reason for being in the story. Such people and the baggage they bring introduce different elements into the way the story is shaping. My 'pantsing' usually reveals plot holes, places where something in the sequence of events and/or developing relationships between characters doesn't quite make sense. I need to fill these, foreshadowing by dialogue or narrative and/or more research, so the reader doesn't shake her head and mutter "Why did that happen? How did these characters get to this point?" I construct a timeline of the story events as I write; such gaps will often show up, and demand my immediate attention. To  keep matters under control, I make notes of actions and episodes with their consequences, and it's frequently necessary to read back over several scenes.

 Fixing the holes and dealing with other necessary amendments as I find them makes me a slow writer. And when the first draft of this 'seat-of-the-pants' work reaches THE END, it's time  to go back to the beginning with a thorough edit. Does it all hang together?

Enjoy your reading. Priscilla.

https://bwlpublishing.ca

https://priscillabrownauthor.com