The Plot

fiction charactersThe journey, when writing a story, is a ticket with no expiration date—It takes as long as it takes.

There are many things I look at when thinking about my next story. One is the PLOT.

Are the characters compelling enough to evoke within the reader a range of emotions: from sadness to happiness, to anger, to sympathy. . . .  remorse, guilt, understanding, anxiety, fear, disappointment, romance?

I believe the reason why my writing resonates is I cut to the chase and give believability to my characters. I feel the most memorable plots are ones when life traps characters between a rock and a hard place. Urgency is the time bomb—minutes and seconds wasted can change life’s course.  Think of Casablanca, The Christmas Carol, It’s A Wonderful Life, or Saving Private Ryan. Each story has a do-or-die-plot. Continue reading

Why did I write a romantic fiction story . . .

Why do I write? This is a question all writers at one time or another are asked and have asked themselves. My answer is not complex or earth shaking. I’ve always come back to the same answer, played over and over in my head like one of those jingles you can’t shake. I write because it makes me happy—a simple answer for a complex journey.Why do I write romantic fiction?

As I’ve said before, I’ve been a closet writer for years, with a number of half-written stories stored away in boxes, always jotting down ideas on what happens next, or for new stories I’d like to write some day. Completing The Ears That Have Eyes was hard work, but I finally did it.  That makes me happy. So far the reviews have been good, too, and that makes me very happy! Continue reading