R is for Reyes

Debra has found a new hero to love.

My latest hero to swoon over is Reyes Farrow, the oh-so-sexy bad boy in Darynda Jones's Charley Davidson series. A friend of a friend recommended the series, and let me tell you am I glad she did. Charley, the heroine, is feisty, funny, saucy, and addicted to coffee. She's also the Grim Reaper. Her love interest is Reyes Farrow. I love him as much as Charley does. I love him as much as I love my favorite vampires. Reyes is the ultimate bad boy. Literally. He's the son of Satan.

The series is a fun, unique take on the paranormal genre. There's not a werewolf or vampire in sight, although there are a few angels hanging around. It's part romance, part myth and legend, part suspense, part action. It begins with the book First Grave on the Right. I was hooked from the start. I read the first seven books, which were all that were available at the time, one right after the other last summer. I picked up the eighth and ninth books this past winter. The Curse of Tenth Grave comes out next month. I already have the release date marked on my calendar.

The series also has a few e-book novellas to go along with it. Brighter Than the Sun is Reye's story in his own words. (The other books in the series are all told in first person from Charley's POV.) Getting into Reyes' head was as heart-breaking as it was thrilling.

Other than the novellas which I downloaded on my Kindle, the other books I've checked out from the library to read. My plan, however, is to collect the set. These are books that definitely need to go on my keeper shelf to be read again and again. I'm hoping at some point the series (Maybe when it's finished? I don't know how many books Jones has planned.) will come out as a paperback set and I can get the whole shebang at once. Although, I probably will get too antsy waiting for that to happen, so I'll probably just start collecting from Amazon.

Because I know I won't be able to wait very long before I need another dose of Reyes.

Until next time,

Happy Reading!

Debra
www.debrastjohnromance.com

R is for Reading Aloud

Paula listens to her own work.

For my last 3 or 4 books, plus the three I have edited prior to re-release, reading aloud has been part of my editing process. It’s usually the final part of the process, after I’ve revised, checked for my over-used words, and run each chapter through Autocrit Wizard for pacing, dialogue, word choice, and repeats.

Reading aloud highlights the flow of my words. Many’s the time I’ve stopped and said, “Ugh, that doesn’t sound right” and rewritten a sentence or even a paragraph. There are also times when I read something and think, “Hold on, I’ve already used that phrase.” Somehow, hearing a repeated word or phrase spoken out loud jumps out at you more than simply reading it in your document.

Recently, however,  I’ve experienced something different from me reading aloud. I've been listening to my work read aloud by someone else. At the end of last year, my publisher selected Irish Inheritance, the first of my Irish novels, to be produced as an audio book. It was fun listening to about 10 auditions by would-be narrators. I crossed some off the list immediately – one used a very squeaky voice for my heroine, and another used a posh accent that was more reminiscent of the Queen than an ordinary English girl!

Finally we narrowed the choice down to two possibles. The original audition excerpt only had the voices of the American hero and English heroine, so I asked for a second audition, with the voice of the Irish lawyer. When I listened to these, I thought the first one was okay, but she only had a hint of an Irish accent. However, when the second one started the lawyer’s dialogue, I fisted the air in delight, as the accent was wonderful – not too broad, but definitely very Irish.

Needless to say, that one got the narrator job, but my publisher suggested we give another book to the one who just missed out. We decided on Changing the Future – and last week, she sent me the first eight chapters. As I listened to them, there were times when I thought, ‘That sounds good’, but there were also times when I winced – not at the narrator’s voice, but at my own phrasing or word choice.

It’s too late to edit that story now, but I’m thinking that in the future maybe I ought to record myself reading aloud – and then listen to it as an extra check of pacing and style – because, believe me, it DOES sound different when you’re listening to your own words, and not reading or speaking them.

R Is For Reviews

Jennifer talks about the importance of reviews...

As you probably know, I’ve been using this round of alphabet blogging to review books I’ve been reading. It’s been helpful in many ways.

First of all, it’s encouraged me to read more. I love reading. Always have. But as I’ve mentioned, now that I’m a writer, some reading is less enjoyable for me, because I edit as I read. Which is like taking a break from your day job and bringing that work home at night. There’s no escape. But knowing I’m going to review books forces me to push past the discomfort and gets me off Facebook. J

Second, it’s a huge help to writers to have people review their books, especially by readers with whom they haven’t arranged reviews. Those reviews show impartiality allow other readers to take the review seriously, as opposed to paid reviews or reviews from friends. They get people talking about their books and they learn from reviewers as well.

And third, and this may be a little selfish, it gives our blog the added benefit of new readers and more exposure. The more books we review, and the more tags we use on our blog, the more new readers we get, which is important for bloggers.

So, if you’re reading a book and you love it, review it! If you hate it, review it! And if it doesn’t strike any particular chord, review that one too. Honest (not mean) reviews help readers and writers alike.

R is for Repetition

Ana wonders whether words can be repeated in dialogue.

     Repeating words in narrative is lazy, boring writing. The English language is replete with vivid verbs that each have a nuance of note.
     In dialogue, though, is it lazy or boring to have characters echo each other? We do that in real life. And what about internal dialogue?

     I've posted a snippet from my WIP that elicited feedback this past weekend from my online crit group.  (Some were automatically generated by Autocrit.) I have bolded three sets of repetitions (bolded).
     Should I find a way to eliminate the repeated words?

This scene features the conspirators. The abducted heroine is locked in the attic.

           A vein in Peabody’s neck bulged above his stiff collar. “Miss Hawkins knows you paid me five hundred dollars.”

           “You’re bluffing.”

          “Remember the deranged beggar?” He pointed up toward the attic. “He works for your brother-in-law. I haven’t been able to find him, but his testimony would put the noose around your neck.”

            Turning her back while she absorbed this information, Candy opened her wardrobe door and fussed with her risqué outfits. Blade had caught her by surprise that day at the bank, but since then she’d played her part perfectly, traipsing through houses and planning his Society wedding.

            Blade was usually quite clever, but for some reason he refused to see that his cowgirl fiancée wanted no part of city life. She wanted to go home.

            Candy wanted Stormy to go home, too—and never look back.

            As for Peabody’s revelation? She’d simply paid him for finding this room. In any other accusation, it was his word against hers. With the Masters’ name behind her, the best lawyers in the state would be on her side. “Has Stormy drunk any tea?”

            “A full quart. She was thirsty when she came to.”

            “Came to?”

            Peabody explained.

            “Cripes.” She whirled around and seized his heavy walking stick. “You could have killed her by whacking her in the head. Is her chain fastened tight? Have you done everything else right?”