Show and Tell

free foto

I had a great discussion the other day about this subject and I wanted to share with all of you what we came up with! 

It had come to our attention that when we *thought* we were showing so beautifully in our manuscripts (we've all heard the show don't tell stuff, right?) we were actually confusing people. We both received critiques from amazing people that basically said; "Tell us what she's feeling here!"

Okay. 

So I went and did a little research (meaning reading) and came up with a shocking idea. 

DO BOTH. 

Not all the time. Not in some situations. True. But generally speaking when you get to an emotional beat it should look like this:

Action, physical reaction, internal dialogue recognizing emotion. 

When you think to yourself, do you say, "I'm scared." Or do you say, "My heart sped up, my palms are sweaty, my eyes are going to pop out of my head, etc."? 

Yeah. 

So example time, right? 

An airplane soared low overhead, vibrating the ground beneath Amanda's feet. She froze, wanting to dart away into the cover of the woods. Her pulse beat louder than the plane and a wave of dizziness swept over her. Memories of the crash flooded her mind, unwanted and uncalled for. She seethed with anger, making her want to punch something. She hated that she could be so panicked and helpless over something as small as a plane.

See? I TOLD you she was angry, panicked and helpless. But I also showed you. It works, right? 

What if I didn't finish that? 

An airplane soared low overhead, vibrating the ground beneath Amanda's feet. She froze, wanting to dart away into the cover of the woods. Her pulse beat louder than the plane and a wave of dizziness swept over her. 

It's okay, but it feels incomplete. We need the depth of the character's internal reaction to round that out and if I just simply went into showing anger it would get confusing. The reader might think, wait, I thought she was scared. Why's she angry so quickly and all of a sudden?

First action, then reaction, then follow up with your MC's thoughts. 

Pretty simple formula, and again it can't be all the time, but in important places it's a good roadmap to work from. 

What do you think? Did I get it right?

Oh! And please come visit the Cover Contessa today and enter to win a copy of The Binding Stone!

Too Awesome Not To Tell You

Today I have two things to tell you about.
1. I LOVE IT WHEN GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO PEOPLE I CARE ABOUT!

My good friend and AMAZING writer, Martina Boone, who most of you know through her blog (named one of the top 100 blogs for writers by Writer's Digest btw) Adventures in YA and Children's Publishing, has an announcement of epic proportions. For those without time to click on the link, I don't want you to miss it, so here's the excerpt from PW:

Martina Boone’s Southern gothic trilogy—with a dash of magic—following Barrie, a teen sent to live with her dead mother’s twin on a decaying plantation where she discovers a centuries-old feud and dark secrets that require making peace with the local spirits, who may not be as welcoming as the sunlit boy who steals Barrie's heart, to Annette Pollert at Simon Pulse in a pre-empt by Kent Wolf at Lippincott Massie McQuilkin (World).

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ahem. 

And second I want to direct you to another blog. The AMAZING Laurisa Reyes is having her second annual Super Swag Sunday Giveaway and I'm honored to be just one of the 55 participating authors! Here are the detes:

The 2nd Annual 

SUPER SWAG SUNDAY

is finally here!!!

When:  June 24th thru June 30th

Where:  laurisareyes.blogspot.com

Why:  For a chance to win lots of cool promotional items signed by 55+ of today's best middle grade and young adult authors!

Every day for seven days, Laurisa's blog will spotlight some of the most amazing new books for kids and teens! Monday June 24th thru Saturday June 30th visitors will be able to enter for chances to win one of 6 Swag Packs containing everything from signed bookmarks and postcards, to pins, pencils, totebags, stickers, key chains, lip balm, charms and more all donated by 54 of today's top middle grade and  young adult authors! Most of it is autographed!

On the last day, SUPER SWAG SUNDAY, one last MEGA SWAG PACK will be given to one very lucky winner! This pack so far includes everything listed above PLUS:

1- hardbound copy of THE UNWANTEDS signed by author Lisa McMann
1- TEST TASTE charm bracelet
1- TOUCHING THE SURFACE T-shirt
1 - LOVE AND LEFTOVERS charm necklace
1 - SEND ME A SIGN guitar pick
1 - paperback copy of EVERTASTER: THE BUTTERSMITH'S GOLD signed by author Adam Sidwell
1- hardbound copy of THE SCORCH TRIALS signed by author James Dashner
1- paperback copy of THE ALWAYS WARS signed by author Margaret Peterson Haddix
1 - OyMG! T-shirt
1 - Original Artwork Print from FISHTALE signed by author Catherine Masciola
1- LOSING IT water bottle signed by author Erin Fry
1 - hardbound copy of LOSING IT signed by the author
1 - paperback copy of HYSTERIA signed by author Megan Miranda
1- hardbound copy of STARTERS signed by author Lissa Price
1 - poster of THE BINDING STONE signed by author Lisa Gail Green
1 - DRAGONWITCH pencil
1 - signed Margaret Petersen Haddix PIN!
1 - MONSTERS (Ilsa J. Bick) Back Pack & Advanced Reader Copy
1- Paperback copy of DESMOND PUCKETT MAKES MONSTER MAGIC signed by author Mark Tatulli
1 - DC SUPERHERO Totebag
1 - paperback graphic novel TERRA TEMPO

Just a few of the very cool MEGA SWAG PACK goodies!

Where is this all taking place???

LAURISAREYES.BLOGSPOT.COM

Stop by every day from June 24th - 30th  
for plenty of chances to win!

See you there!

Reading Out of Genre

You all know I LOVE YA, right? I think I've made that clear. But, I also want to be sure I stress the importance of leaving our comfort zone on occasion. If you aren't ready with writing yet, or even if you intend to do just that, you have to read out of genre too. 

You never know what you'll learn or experience until you do. You may find a way to incorporate something into your own favorite genre in a new way. You may just plain 'ole enjoy yourself! 

I have a couple of adult reads that I squeezed in lately and have planned soon. Also, as you may have noticed on my blog this week, I spotlighted a new NA (New Adult) book cover for A LITTLE TOO FAR, that I'm REALLY interested in. :D 

It's not just age differences though. For example, one of my favorite recent reads was BRUISED by Sarah Skilton. Her writing is incredible. Every sentence and comparison is original and fresh. That kind of read inspires me! 

How about you? Do you find it difficult to open a book outside your comfort zone? Or are you all over the place? And how does that compare with what you write? Are you more open to writing outside your genre if you read outside it too? 

Sexiest Cover Reveal Ever

Got your attention yet? LOL! I'm for REAL, guys. I have the privilege of being part of the amazing Lisa Desrochers newest cover reveal for her steamy New Adult book, A LITTLE TOO FAR.

Here's the synopsis:

Have you ever gone just a little too far?

Lexie Banks has.

Yep. She just had mind-blowing sex with her stepbrother.In her defense, she was on the rebound, and it’s more of a my-dad-happened-to-marry-a-woman-with-a-super-hot-son situation. But still, he’s been her best friend and confidant for better part of the last few years…and is so off limits. It’s a good thing she’s leaving in two days for a year abroad in Rome.But even thousands of miles away, Lexie can’t seem to escape trouble. Raised Catholic, she goes to Confession in hopes of alleviating some of her guilt…and maybe not burning in hell. Instead, she stumbles out of the confessional right into Alessandro Moretti, a young and very easy on the eyes deacon…only eight months away from becoming a priest. As Lexie and Alessandro grow closer, and when Alessandro’s signals start changing despite his vow of celibacy, she doesn’t know what to think. She’s torn between falling in love with the man she shouldn’t want and the man she can’t have. And she isn’t sure how she can live with herself either way.

—"More than a ridiculously sexy, HOT read, Desrochers takes you on a wild ride of self-discovery and bittersweet romance." —Jennifer L. Armentrout (J. Lynn), New York Times bestselling author of Wait for You

READY?

Gorgeous, right?

What would this post be without a frawesome contest to go with it? Here's the link and a teaser to wet your appetites:

 I trace a finger along the lines of the tattoo over his heart—the kanji symbol for knowledge—as he grasps my thighs and rolls his hips underneath me.
GIVEAWAY: a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ready to preorder? Put your tongue back in first, then Clicky below. You're welcome!!

Supporting Your Supporting Characters

Are each one of your cast of characters real? They should be. Yes, even the guy in the restaurant who spills his soup on your MC and is never seen again. (Though I may argue another time that it should actually be another character instead that IS used again, that's not today's post) 

How? How do you round out all those people when you have limited space and you're expected to not only fill in world, your MC's ARC, and plot, but make sure every word pushes us forward?

Step 1

• Make sure YOU know everything about that person. Do you do character sheets for your main characters? Do one for everybody! They're fun no matter what. You should at least know why that person is present, what they want, and what they will do to get it. Is the guy at the restaurant solely to spill soup on our MC? I don't know about you, but that's not why I go out to eat! Maybe he's nervously awaiting his blind date. Maybe he's distracting the waiter on purpose so he can dine and ditch. IDK, but you should! 

Step 2

• Knowing what you know about that character, how might she react if our MC impedes on HER plans? Let me give you an example. In the case of our soup spiller, perhaps he sees the woman of his dreams walk in and that's when he knocks the soup onto our poor, unsuspecting MC. Now everyone's staring, including the horrified woman. Here's another; I've been working on a WIP where one of the side characters has a crush on my MC. I just wrote a scene where she makes a self-depricating remark, which kind of came out of nowhere. My MC didn't get it. He's oblivious, but it really stung me when it happened, and I thought, 'good, if I feel for her, then maybe others will too.' I think I will keep it because not only does it demonstrate her character and make her more real, it also gives us a chance to see something about the MC (Mr. Clueless).

Step 3

• If this character appears again later, how can you round out her ARC in a way that intercepts the plot or our MC's character ARC? Will my MC later get a chance to make amends with this character? If the rest goes as I think it will then yes. Perhaps the man who spills the soup while waiting for his date will open the door for our MC later, only to chase after the girl and let it swing closed. But maybe this time our MC will catch it instead of letting it hit him in the nose. He he. 

Step 4

• Don't forget to let us in on little details that help us see the person as real. Does the soup guy keep adjusting his bow tie? Or tap his leg in a way that annoys our MC? 

Every word has a purpose. Every action has a purpose. And every character has a purpose. 

Other tips for rounding out characters? Share!

Amazing Giveaway!!!

* Win a copy of IMPOSTER by Susanne Winnacker (Ends 6/14)

* Win copy of THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (Ends 6/10)

* Win a copy of THE EMERALD RING & a real emerald ring! (Ends 6/22)

GET READY FOR

The 2nd Annual

SUPER SWAG SUNDAY!!!

When:  June 24th thru July 1st

Where:  laurisareyes.blogspot.com

Why:  For a chance to win lots of cool promotional items signed by 40+ of today's best middle grade and young adult authors!

Win? Did you say WIN?

YES!

Every day for seven days, Laurisa's blog will spotlight some of the most amazing new books for kids and teens! Monday thru Saturday visitors will be able to enter for chances to win one of 6 swag packs containing everything from signed bookmarks and postcards, to pins, pencils, totebags, stickers, key chains, lip balm, charms and more!

On the last day, SUPER SWAG SUNDAY, one last MEGA SWAG PACK will be given to one very lucky winner! This pack so far includes everything listed above PLUS:

1- hardbound copy of THE UNWANTEDS signed by author Lisa McMann
1- TEST TASTE charm bracelet
1- TOUCHING THE SURFACE T-shirt
1 - LOVE AND LEFTOVERS charm necklace
1 - SEND ME A SIGN guitar pick
1 - paperback copy of EVERTASTER: THE BUTTERSMITH'S GOLD signed by author Adam Sidwell
1- hardbound copy of THE SCORCH TRIALS signed by author James Dashner
1- hardbound copy of THE ALWAYS WARS signed by author Margaret Peterson Haddix
1 - OyMG! T-shirt
1 - Original Artwork Print from FISHTALE signed by author Catherine Masciola
1- LOSING IT water bottle signed by author Erin Fry
1 - hardbound copy of LOSING IT signed by the author
1 - paperback copy of HYSTERIA signed by author Megan Miranda

And more prizes are still being added to the pile!

So be sure to stop by laurisareyes.blogspot.com every day from June 24th thru July 1st for plenty of chances to win. Stop by now and follow the blog to receive notifications of when the event starts posting.

See you then!

Jeremy Glass Stops By to Shoot the Breeze

Today I am SO EXCITED to have with me the MC from the new novel BREAKING GLASS. I have been looking forward to this book for ages. Not only is it by the AMAZING Lisa Amowitz, who designed the gorgeous covers for THE BINDING STONE and BREAKING GLASS, but it also has a kick-ass premise AND is from a guy's POV, which I love. 

Here's the blurb from Goodreads:

On the night seventeen-year-old Jeremy Glass winds up in the hospital with a broken leg and a blood alcohol level well above the legal limit, his secret crush, Susannah, disappears. When he begins receiving messages from her from beyond the grave, hes not sure whether they're real or if he's losing his grip on reality. Clue by clue, he gets closer to unraveling the mystery, and soon realizes he must discover the truth or become the next victim himself.

Awesome, right?

Before I gush anymore here's Jeremy!

Hey. I’m Jeremy. I’m not really sure why any of you are interested in the ravings of a run-of-the-mill history geek like me, but suit yourselves. I can chew the fat with the best of them.

I’ve spent the last four or so years of my life dwelling on a single individual named Susannah Durban. I’m not going to go too deep into specifics, but there was just something about her. Maybe it was her smile. Or her leaf green eyes. Or her insane creative genius. I don’t know. But when I was around her, it took all my will not to fling myself at her. I promise you—I did not. My self-control is amazing. I’m known for that, actually.

The problem is, Susannah never considered me to be anything more than steady old Jeremy Glass, trusty best friend-in-chief, the oaf who was happy enough just to breathe in the her perfume while said best friend hooked up with anything that moved. On second thought, I really don’t want to talk about this, you know?

I’d also rather not talk about what happened the night Susannah disappeared or what I did to get her back. Forget that. I think instead I will regale you with trivia, my specialty. In honor of my epic crush, the theme will be unrequited love. I’m citing my sources so you don’t get into trouble. I think I’ve caused people enough grief. So here goes:

The term “love” is from the Sanskrit lubhyati, meaning “desire.”
“Love.” Online Etymological Dictionary

“Love” in the sense of “no score” in tennis dates to 1792 and means “playing for love” or, in other words, playing for nothing.

TennisHistoryOnline.com. "Love."

Studies show that the risk of a “secret love” being revealed heightens romantic feelings for the partners, thanks to increased levels of phenylethylamine (PEA)

2004. Why We Love: The Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love. New York, NY: Henry Hold and Company, LLC.

There you have it. I’m much more comfortable with useless facts than stuff I’d rather not talk about. So if you want more trivia, let me know—I’m an endless font of garbage information. If you want to know how I actually feel, you’re going to have to work a little harder to pry that out of me.

See ya!

Jeremy