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Wednesday, August 7, 2019

IWSG: Boom! Bang! Never Saw That Coming


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:  Renee Scattergood,Sadira Stone, Jacqui Murray, Tamara Narayan, and LG Keltner!



August is upon us.

August is upon us?

August is upon us!

Nope, this isn't a play on punctuation or even a hint at any deep meaning or thoughts. It's me freaking out because...
Holy Crow! Where did the summer go?

I do wish I'd had more time for blogging, and I'm not even going to start on how bad I was at visiting others. (Talk about embarrassing!)  I'm planning on changing these problems this coming September because things will surely slow down by then, and I'll have tons of more time on my hands.

Right?

Yeah, I don't believe it either.

Well, before I dive into this month's question, there are a couple quick things I'd like to shout out.


A few days ago, I received the cover for the audio book version of Music Boxes! Plus, I heard the first two chapters and am over the moon. The voice actress, Nance Weber, has to be one of the most talented individuals ever. Yep, I'm a total fan.



Also, I'm busy this month on the book signing front. I'll be at the Barnes and Noble in Rogers, Arkansas from 11 am to 2 pm this Saturday, August 10th. Then, I'll be at the Barnes and Noble in Springfield, Missouri from 10 am to 2 pm on Saturday, August 17th. If you just happen to be in either of these areas and have a little time on your hands, feel free to pop by and say 'hi'! I'd love meeting every single one of you.


And now, off to the meat of this month's IWSG:

Has your writing ever taken you by surprise? For example, a positive and belated response to a submission you'd forgotten about or an ending you never saw coming?

Yes. Yes. And again, yes.

I once sent out a query and received a full request fourteen months later. It never lead to anything...or maybe they don't respond to fulls for several years?

And as to surprises in my writing, these happen constantly. Although I'm a plotter (mostly), characters and story lines tend to have a mind of their own. For example: Broussard in Music Boxes loves apples. There's even an apple on the cover. I'd never dreamed he, as a dog, would like apples, nor did I ever think apples would have anything to do with the story. But obviously, that's not what Broussard wanted. Lindsey met him on the street just like she should, and...Boom!...suddenly he demanded an apple. Tricky dog!

Or let's take my current WIP. One of the main characters, Myra, is helping her parents finish up the mushroom harvest. The plot was flowing along nicely as she chatted with her mother about executions and the new boy at the market and knives and such (regular mommy-daughter sorts of things). Then... Bang!...suddenly she's insisting that they take a trip the next day to an underground lake. Why? I have no clue. But that lake became one of her favorite spots in the world and harbors more symbolism and memories than I would have ever believed. (*ahm* That's if my co-author agrees. She hasn't shared this secret with him yet)

That's one of my favorite things about writing. No matter how much I plan or mold or map out, the characters and plot take on a life of their own. There's no telling what surprises they have in store. It's always so exciting!


What about you? Enjoy a crisp apple? Ever talk to your mother about the horrors of death magic? Are you an audio book fan with a favorite voice actor/actress?

Does your writing surprise you too?




13 comments:

  1. I'm so pleased you like your narrator's work so far.

    The apple was such a big clue - it fit so well.

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  2. Excellent on the audio book! And wishing you good luck and lots of fun at those book signings! :)

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  3. Awesome you like your narrator! Good luck with the signings.

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  4. 1. I do love a crisp apple, especially the ones grown here in Washington state.
    2. My mom never wanted to talk about anything that interesting, alas. Queen of small talk, she.
    3. I've recently plunged into the world of audiobooks, and am enthralled by the first Outlander book (yeah, I'm late to that party), 32+ hours narratec by Davina Porter. Marvelous!
    Best of luck with your book signings. I'm facing my very first on August 17th for National Romance in Bookstores Day.

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  5. Congrats on the audiobook. The cover looks great.

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  6. I slow down in the summer too. It's a short, wonderful time that should be enjoyed.

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  7. I'm always amazed at how much you blog. My summer has been fun and busy too. I haven't been able to blog as much or visit either. Congrats on your audio book! Hope I can get it from my library.

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  8. Great news about your audio voice actor! And I hear you about starting out with a plan and then tearing it up. Oh well, it is what it is.

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  9. I can't wait to hear your voice actress! It's so exciting. ^_^

    Chatting with mom about knives and such...LOL!
    Unexpected surprises are the best! Plus, those apples gave Broussard that much more personality.

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  10. Spot on with this write-up, I truly think this website needs much more consideration. I'll probably be again to read much more, thanks for that info.

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  11. I really enjoy reading all stuff over internet. I truly like to spend time over internet reading contents and do some writing by getting some ideas. Writing is an very difficult to me and many time writing surprise me too.

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