Bubble Baths and the Creative Process By Connie Vines #BWL Author Blog #Bubble Baths #The Craft Of Writing

I am not ashamed to admit that I prefer baths to showers.

Nor will I apologize for having a trove of scented bath oils, perfumes, soaps, and lotions. (Which could rival the numbers stored in Cleopatra's 'still undiscovered tomb.')

  Research will show that the psychology of bubble baths is related to the calming effect of warm water and effervescent bubbles. This soothing environment can help reduce stress, promote relaxation, and improve well-being and tranquility.

It also allows creativity to flow. 

Acting as a reality buffer, I can either silence the world's workings or give myself permission to indulge in 30 minutes of "What if..."

I'm not one to surround myself with candles, dim the lights, and sip chilled wine. Why? Because my heroines' quirky humor and life experiences originate with me.  

I'm all in for a bit of free press coverage. 

However...

"Local author's hair catches fire during a wine mishap and drowns bathtub." That isn't what I had in mind.

Music, scents, tactile sensors, colors, fabrics, foods, and even the weather can trigger memories of experiences that enrich the writer's ability to create a story. 

A story readers will love.

Please visit my BWL author page https://bookswelove.net

my Website https://connievines-author.com

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My books are available online via the BWL webpage, blog, and website. And other online booksellers.

Happy Reading.

Connie Vines

 

Historical Research by Eileen O'Finlan

 

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Have you ever wondered why it seems that a lot of time elapses between books from authors of historical fiction? It can feel like a long frustrating wait, especially when authors of many other genres seem to pump out books at lightning speed. There are several variables that determine how much time it takes to write a book such as the speed at which any given author writes, the amount of outlining (or lack thereof) done ahead of time, and the number and depth of revisions to name a few. But for most authors of historical fiction, the preliminary research can easily take just as long as the actual writing of the book. Sometimes, longer. This is not to say that authors of other genres don't do any research. They do. But historical research seems to be naturally more in-depth.

I usually take anywhere from six months to a year for research before I even begin to write. Once I start writing, I will still stop several times for more research because something invariably comes up that I didn't realize I was going to need to know about before I started.

So what does that initial research look like? Maybe I'm a bit old school, but I still favor using books for research so that's where I start. Right now I'm in the research phase for the next Irish book (so those of you who are fans of Kelegeen and Erin's Children, there will be a third and, most likely, a fourth book with these characters). The next book will be set during the American Civil War. Even though the setting is Worcester, Massachusetts, some characters will go to fight in the war and at least one of them will be a POV (point of view) character. So part of my research is on the Civil War in general then narrow in to focus on the regiments that were sent from Worcester and the battles in which they took part.

I will also need to know about everyday life in the 1860s including foodways, how holidays were celebrated (Christmas was finally becoming a "thing" in New England by then), fashion, etc. I'll need to know what was happening in Worcester during that time which I will learn about from reading the City's annual reports for that decade. Women were becoming more independent so some of my non-Irish female characters may take up employment. I will need to know where they might have worked and what that was like for them.

The books being used for research for my next Irish novel (yes, all of them!)

While what I plan to write determines what I will need to research, my research also informs what I will write. As I do the research, I often come across something very interesting and decide I want it in my story. Then I may need to learn even more about it. The research and the writing are co-dependent in this way. There are a lot of rabbit holes one can go down while researching. Fortunately, most of them lead to something that can be used, if not in the current manuscript, then in a future one.

I do not stop at books, though. I will also include websites, trips to museums (I foresee several to the Worcester Historical Musuem), chats with Tom Kelleher, my dear friend and favorite historian, and whatever else presents itself as needed.

Like most authors of historical fiction, I strive to create books that are as historically accurate as possible while also being stories in which my readers can totally immerse themselves. And that, dear readers, takes time.

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It's NaNoWriMo Time Again! by Eileen O'Finlan

 

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November is here which means I am now seven days into this year's NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). My goal this year is to write 50,000 words of the first draft of Book 2 in the Cat Tales series, tentatively titled All in the Furry Family.

This is my third time doing NaNo. It's a fun, motivating, supportive, and very large group (about half a million writers worldwide take part) that comes together every November to write our hearts out. Some folks have even been known to write an entire novel in that one month! At least a first draft, anyway. I have no delusions about accomplishing that feat, but I do depend on it to get a huge chunk of the first draft done. 

Each day participants log the number of words written and the site keeps track of the total, marking important milestones along the way. For me, it's a great way to hold myself accountable and track my progress.

There are ways to connect with other writers (the ever-important networking!) for inspiration and a little cheerleading. Joining the postcard group gets the month kicked off right by sending and receiving encouraging postcards to and from other participants. There are also ways to connect with other participants online.

I've even found out that there will be some in-person write-ins happening at a library in a nearby town. Perhaps I will try joining in to meet some other local writers and soak up the writerly vibe. Or maybe, I'll see if my own town's library would like to become a write-in location. 

You don't have to go anywhere, though. Writing from home or where ever is fine. It's all about the writing. Getting words down on paper or up on the screen is what counts. This isn't the time to finesse. That's for later after the first draft is done. But what a huge step it is in the process from idea to finished book.

I am hoping to get the second Cat Tales book out before the end of 2024, so fingers crossed that NaNoWriMo gives me a huge boost in making that happen.

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Like Catching Up With Old Friends by Eileen O'Finlan

 

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When I wrote Erin's Children, the sequel to Kelegeen, I really enjoyed revisiting the characters I'd spent so much time with. It felt like catching up with old friends. I met new friends, as well, as I introduced new characters in a new setting. As authors, we spend so much time with our characters both when we are and when we aren't actually writing that they become part of our lives. They live in our heads, tell us their secrets, dreams, ambitions, faults, and desires. We know the most personal things about each of them. When a novel is finished and sent off for publication it can be like saying goodbye to people to whom we've grown very close. So writing a sequel or continuing on in a series is a kind of reunion.

My current work in progress (The Folklorist - expected release date: October 1, 2023) is a stand alone. However, once that is finished, I plan to dive right into writing the second book in the Cat Tales series. I'm looking forward to reconnecting with Smokey, Autumn Amelia, and all the other animals in Wild Whisker Ridge and Faunaburg. There will be some surprises as Smokey and Autumn find out that there is more to their family than they knew. There will also be a wedding, but I'm not saying who's it is yet. I just know it will be loads of fun to write the next set of adventures for a group of characters who can't help but make me grin from ear to ear while I'm doing it.

At the same time, I will start the research for the book that will follow Erin's Children. I plan to focus on the next generation. Meg, Rory, Kathleen, and Nuala will still be there, and it will be wonderful to reconnect with them, but I'm also excited about finding out what their kids are doing with their lives. I'm also looking forward to learning more about the history of Worcester, Massachusetts (the city where I work and closest to where I live and where Erin's Children is set) and incorporating some of it into the story. 

I also have an idea for a fantasy that I plan to work on in between these two projects (could someone create a few more hours in the days, please?!) so I'll be meeting and getting to know all new characters and a whole new world. This is also very exciting. New friends are great, too! 

I hope my readers will enjoy catching up with the old friends and meeting new ones as much as I enjoy writing them.

                                                                           

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Up to my ____ in Edits! by Diane Bator

Introducing my New Release:  Dead Without Shame

Once more, Gilda considers leaving the karate school to work for her friend Happy (no one has ever called him Harvey). When three men rob Happy Harvey’s Hangover Hut killing the woman at the front counter, Gilda is stunned to think that could have been her. Was this a mere robbery, or does someone have a vendetta against Happy, including his good friend Gary del Garda? The evidence keeps piling up while both her mother and another karate instructor come to town bearing secrets that may cost Gilda the life she loves in Sandstone Cove.

You can find it at:  https://bookswelove.net/bator-diane/

I'm up to my ___ in edits! I was blessed to be able to go to Mississippi and Louisiana with my honey to visit two of my sons and one of their girlfriends. Visiting New Orleans and Biloxi was a great way to spend the Christmas holidays. Unfortunately, it was not conducive to editing.

I was supposed to be working on finishing and editing my newest release Dead Without Shame. I had the book printed, I had 18 hours in the car... Just not the drive to get it done!

Some writers dread edits. I have to admit that I actually like the editing phase of the whole writing process. I like reading my stories and being able to make changes and tighten things up before I submit the book to my publisher. The opportunity to bring flat characters to life and color the settings to make them more real, is something I enjoy doing, especially in a little coffee shop or on the beach at my honey's cottage.

One piece of advice I would offer any writer, no matter what level, is to edit, edit, edit. We all miss things. The little typos your eyes don't see after sitting at the computer for hours on end. The kink in your story's flow of having things happen before they logically should. After days, months, or even years of writing, we no longer read what we actually see in print but what we think should be there. 

I write in longhand then transcribe to the computer. In spite of that, I always edit on paper before I make any changes in my computer. Why go to all the trouble? I find reading words on paper easier than on a screen. Maybe it's just the way I see. Maybe it's just that I like being able to make marks, squiggles and notes all over the paper. Whatever the reason, it works for me.

What do I watch for when I edit? 

• repetitive words. 
• using characters' names to the point that the flow becomes stilted. 
• lack of description
• too much description that takes away from the story
• characters being too wordy
• especially in a series, not filling in readers on important character information that appeared in earlier novels
• typos
• missing words/double words
• double periods or missing periods
• overusing he/she/it

As with any other writer who can't stop the flow of words, I'm off to the next new project. Since the book is already written, that means... More Edits!

And a chance to begin a whole new project.

Have an amazing day!

Diane Bator

Find me at:  https://bookswelove.net/bator-diane/