***BOOK to FILM***

CROSSING TRILOGY –TALEFLICK BOOKS TO MOVIES

FINAL DAY TO VOTE! CONTEST ENDS AT 4 P.M. TODAY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21ST, PACIFIC STANDARD TIME CURRENTLY AT #2!

Let’s see if Sydney Grey can do as well as Georgia Charles who came in third place in the Taleflick Discovery Contest. If you’d like to see Magnolia Tree on the big screen, please click HERE and vote; one vote per person within the next three days. On April 1^st, the Producers will choose 4 books/scripts to be optioned for movies from all registered books/scripts. Thanks all. Here we go... 

WRITERLY WEDNESDAY FLASH FICTION PROMPT - ANIMAL CRACKERS

Another Wednesday story - enjoy!

Animal Crackers

Moving day, I drove to Mom’s. She stood surrounded by hobby farm animals. The farmer who was moving the animals didn’t show.

I made some calls; soon realizing we were on our own. The new owners arrived, annoyed we were still there. An hour later, we headed out in my hatchback, the backseat tied to the roof.

Almost at the new farm, a police car pulled me over. The officer leaned through the open window speechless..

Barclay barked. The parrot shouted: “Hello.” The ducks quacked and Dickens, the goat bleated before leaning forward to grab the officers shiny shirt buttons.

“I’m sorry I missed the stop sign, Officer. The kitten ran under the brake pedal and I didn’t want to hurt him. We’re just a ways down this road.”

He pulled back, shaking his head and laughing. “I’m not even going to ask. Carry on and drive safe.”

***

This promp provided by:

 http://www.writerlycorner.com/writerly-prompts/writerly-wednesday-1052016

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Winter's Captive E-Book Special

Winter's Captive E-Book is now priced at $0.99. 

Let your family and friends know this awesome price is permanent for Book 1 of The Georgia Series.

Visit me on my Facebook Author page HERE.

CHASING GEORGIA, THE GEORGIA SERIES, BOOK 2

After a year that feels like I've lived a life-time, Chasing Georgia, The Georgia Series, Book 2 is now live. I'm so pleased to offer this book to those who have been waiting for it. 

When Winter's Captive, Book 1 of the series was being written, I had no idea there was a Book 2 in my future. Not until Book 1 was completed and I realized Georgia had taken on a life of her own with more to do and say. There are three elements to Book 2. Here is the back cover blurb by way of explanation.

Back Cover:

… from the Author of Winter’s Captive, the Georgia Series, Book 1

It’s been five years since Georgia Charles survived a winter lost and alone in the wilderness. After a whirlwind life of celebrity, Georgia wishes to settle into a quiet lifestyle as her daughter begins school. But everyone wants a piece of her; a boyfriend, who tests her newfound sense of confidence and trust; a surprise visit from her ex-husband’s widow that turns her world upside down; and a stalker determined to make her his own.

Can Georgia overcome her fears of commitment and accept love again? Should she say yes to Julie’s life-changing request that will affect so many lives? And what of the stalker?

REDEMPTION, FORGIVENESS AND THE KNOWLEDGE

THAT A FAMILY IS NOT BORN FROM BLOOD,

BUT FROM LOVE AND RESPECT

Chasing Georgia is available in Ebook and Paperback formats on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other fine retailers. Your local bookstore can order it in for you as well.

Hope you all enjoy the new book!

Here's a link to Amazon

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ABC ... EASY AS ... 123, THE LETTER 'B'

Today, we look at the letter 'B'. The word of the day is BACK STORY.

Definition:

BACK STORY
Noun
* alternative spelling of backstory

1. background information provided, often in narrative form, to give help in understanding something, as the behaviour of a character

2. history to describe events leading up to the present

Back story is something I've always had trouble handling. It's something that requires finesse. And finesse comes with writing experience and in my case, from the advice of a good editor.

Story writing today is part of the fast-foods McDonalds era we live in. How often do we take the time to go into a restaurant and enjoy the dining experience? Most of us rush about in our busy lives and buy fast foods on the way home or take ten minutes to gulp down our food at fast-food restaurants before rushing to our next destination.

Readers today have a short attention span and want into the action quickly. If not, they get bored, skip pages, and maybe give up on the story all together. The problem with this is that they don't have time to get to know the characters, to relate to them and feel connected. So if the characters are plunged straight away into a suspenseful conflict, the reader may not care. The writer wants readers to get invested in the character's life and dilemma and really care about what happens to them. Disconnect is a bad thing for a writer.

In my opinion, this is an even larger problem when writing a series, which I am. If the reader has read earlier books in the series, they already know the main character. They have an invested interest in the character's life and care what's going to happen to them next, like an old friend. But someone who hasn't read previous books need some back story and it is the writer's job to make sure the book can stand alone for a new reader. The problem here lies wherein the writer has to add enough back story to interest the new reader but not be repetitive as to bore the established reader.

My third book, A Missing Thread, Book 3 of the Georgia Series jumps right into the action with Chapter 1. My problem here is that anyone who knows Georgia Charles-Dixon well, will jump into the action right along with her, but a new reader hasn't had time to care about her. I need to add back story. How do I do that?

I could start the narrative earlier before the crisis, to describe the character and get the reader invested in her. However, they may get bored, along with the old reader who already knows her story up to this point. So I'm not going there.

I could and have in the past, put flashbacks in the middle of the action to describe her history, The problem here is that the story can become choppy and it stops the action. I risk ruining the build-up to the crisis. (My editor, Ron Bagliere, taught me this tidbit)

Another method, is to put the back story into dialogue, not narrative. This is showing not telling. And if the dialogue is part of the current story line, it's not going back into the past and can serve its purpose of allowing the reader to connect to the character. It has to be subtle and fit into the conversation. Don't info-dump (which could possible be our 'I' word in future ABC blogs LOL).

A prologue can work, but it definitely takes finesse. I did some research myself by putting the question out to my readers what they thought of prologues. Most didn't like them. By the time they got into the body of the story, they had forgotten what the prologue was all about, especially if there was forgotten information they needed and they had to go back to the prologue and search it out. The most common complaint was prologues that were too long. With that in mind, I do believe prologues can have a place in certain story lines, but only if they are short and to the point. I would never write a prologue that was more than three pages. Let it serve its purpose, leave the reader intrigued and move onto the action in Chapter 1. Now that's just my opinion.

*

There you have it, four ways of working in the back story. Only you can decide which method is best for your story. And I do believe that every story is different. What I might do in one of the Georgia Series books may not work in another one. Herein lies the challenge. What will I do with the problem I'm facing with back story in A Missing Thread, Book 3 of the Georgia Series?

Let's look at each option. First, starting the narrative earlier is out. I like my first chapter which delves right into the action.

Option 2, using flashbacks is out to me as well. It will make the story choppy and ruin the build up to the crisis.

Option 3, putting the back story into dialogue is also out because my character is alone in a car with no one to talk to.

That leaves me Option 4, using a prologue. This appeals to me as the best solution for this particular dilemma and the direction I am heading in. However, it will be short, to the point, and hopefully intrigue the reader to move on to the action of Chapter 1.

For all you writers out there, good luck with your back story and keep on keeping on writing. 

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WATERCOLOUR THOUGHTS

Good Morning everyone.

Today, I'm departing from talking about me and marketing my newly released, Winter's Captive (subtle? LOL) to present a different kind of project and a unique author/artist, Dennis Bourgo.

I'm excited to present his debut art book, Watercolour Thoughts, Musings in Word and Paint, Book 1.

Watercolour Thoughts presents a reflection of personal musings and a gallery of watercolours representing the distinct landscape of British Columbia and the artist's love of nature and the natural beauty of his home province.

This is the first book in an art series that showcases the artist's eclectic painting styles.

Visit the artists Facebook page HERE

Available on Amazon HERE

I'm sure some of you have noted the shared last name. Dennis Bourgo is my husband. A dedicated artist, who has been painting since the age of five, when the family doctor sent him to art school for six years, I'm very proud to see this book finally published, so that others can experience the depth and beauty of his talent.

To all the writers out there, keep on keeping on writing and to all the painters, keep on keeping on painting.