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Wednesday, July 3, 2019

IWSG - Speaking Novels, Men in Tights and Voice Actresses


It's IWSG time!

Every first Wednesday of the month, this group of writers come together to offer support, advice, encouragement or simply to let out frustrations and woes. Writing is a tough journey, and we don't have to go it alone.

Thanks goes to the brain behind this group, Alex J. Cavanaugh! If you want to join in or find out more (because there is so much more to this group) then head on over here.

Special thanks goes to this month's co-hosts:  Erika Beebe, Natalie Aguirre, Jennifer Lane, MJ Fifield, Lisa Buie-Collard, and Ellen @ The Cynical Sailor!


I completely missed last month's IWSG, which speaks novels about my entire Summer. Now, if only these novels also happened to reflect the amount of writing I'm getting done.

Summer is so distracting! Luckily, my current project is co-authored, and that's been forcing me to keep up a half-decent writing pace. We've just started the third round of edits and will be searching for beta readers around September/October. Or so I hope.

Before I head off into this month's question, I do have a super-duper, extremely exciting announcement to make.

Ready????


MUSIC BOXES IS COMING OUT AS AN AUDIO BOOK!!!


I was so excited when my publisher decided to do this. She was sneaky too and kept it as a surprise until after the auditions had already started.

It's so strange to listen to others read my book, but I enjoyed listening to the voice auditions...I'm awed by people who can read so well!  I'm even more awed by the woman, who was chosen and accepted the offer.

I could listen to her for hours, and the way she expresses the characters is amazing! To say I'm excited is (obviously) an understatement, and I can't wait until the world has the chance to hear it.


And now, on to this month's question:


What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?


Hmmm...I think my characters all have a little bit of me in them, but I've never purposefully or knowingly given them any of my traits. I have used quirks from other people I've seen or met or know, though.

For example, Mr. Lagunov from Music Boxes is a burly bear in tights. My daughter had a ballet teacher like that once. This gentleman wasn't Mr. Lagunov; he wasn't Russian nor did he complain about posture and have a ton of hair (actually, he was heavily balding). But he was a larger gentleman and in his upper years. A jolly man, who loved the kids and whose presence simply warmed the heart.

And when he put on his ballet outfit...

Well, let's just say that when I wrote Music Boxes, he had to be included.



What about you? Do you feed some of your traits into your characters? Or how do you handle them?


28 comments:

  1. Oh wow, news indeed! Congratulations! I'm sure hearing your book will soon be audio makes up for a lot on the writing front this summer. I am very happy for you! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thank you! I'll be screaming it to the world, when it arrives...when I'm not listening to it myself :)

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  2. Tonja!! You're getting audiobook!! This is awesome, congratulations! It is so weird to hear someone else read our work, indeed. Haha. Oh my gosh, I'm so excited for you! ^_^

    I don't purposely put qualities of myself into my characters either, but I also think bits and pieces show up, just because we all live together in a sense. I have to say that I'm curious about this co-authored project.

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    1. *Squeal* It is exciting!!!
      Yes, I think it's unavoidable that a bit of us goes into our characters. After all, they come from us. As to the co-authored project, it's something completely different than what I've done before. So, only heaven knows how it will turn out.

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  3. Is that where the burly bear in tights came from? LOL

    I'm so pleased you like the narrator of your book.

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    1. There are people one runs across who win a position in a future book instantly ;)

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  4. Congratulations on the audio book! I'm with you on being awed by those who read so well. I'm pretty sure I would never be able to do that.

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    1. It would be neat to do it, though. At least, it sounds like it would be.

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  5. That is such exciting news! I'm thrilled for you!

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  6. Awesome that your book is coming out in audio! And that's cool that you are co-writing a book. That must be an interesting process.

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    1. It IS interesting. And a bit of a juggle, too. I don't think I've ever spent so much time on the phone discussing characters, plot and such. It's kind of neat, too, to have someone who wants to discuss a story non-stop. Gives my family a break!

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  8. Yay for the audio book for Music Boxes! That would be a truly fun story to listen to. :D

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    1. I absolutely am amazed at how this woman does the voices. She really makes the characters come to life.

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  9. That's awesome it will be an audio book! It's cool hearing someone bring your story to life, isn't it?

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    1. I've only heard snippets so far, but it will be neat to hear all of it. Lol! You're a pro at this sort of thing already.

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  10. Congrats on the audio book!
    I don't knowingly include most of my traits in my characters, but I have included a few traits from people I know. :)

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  11. Congratulations on the audio book!!! I put many personal traits in my characters. It's hard not too.

    Happy 4th!

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  12. Wow! You have so much to celebrate! Three rounds of edits? Yay! That's huge. Happy 4th, Tonja :)

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  13. Congratulations on the audio book!

    Summer seems to throw me for a loop too. It's a special, wonderfully busy time.

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  14. Aahhhhh!!!!! Congratulations on the audio book!! I enjoyed reading Music Boxes and I'm so happy it's being turned into an audio book!

    I personally have never finished a story, but so far a lot of the characters I've written have been very close to self inserts. Most of them have very, very unfunny, dry sarcasm.

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