All posts by Denny S. Bryce

Dead-to-Writes: National Novel Writing Month Goes EXTREME

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Have you ever done it? Ever tried it? Started it? Quit or Won it? The “it” I’m talking about is National Novel Writing Month aka NaNoWriMo with its challenge of writing a 50,000 word book in the month of November. Well, it ain’t easy, but somehow this year I ended up joining something called the Entangled Smackdown, via Savvy Authors, and yes, Entangled is Entangled Publishing LLC. I had no idea what I was stepping into, but whoa, it’s been extra-exciting, and fun, but still hard, exhausting and messy, and its only day EIGHT! Adding to the joy, this year I’m on a TEAM called Dead to Writes (cool name, huh?), and yes, we are writing romantic suspense. In fact we’re writing category romantic suspense using Entangled Publishing’s Dead Sexy guidelines for inspiration, motivation and who knows what else:). So I was thinking, what are my teammates willing to say about the Smackdown eight days into it? So, I asked them:

Tell us a little about your story, and what has been the biggest surprise (so far) about participating in this year’s NaNoWriMo Entangled Smackdown?

My Bucket List Challenge – What’s Your Top Five?

Denny S. Bryce, Free Read, mermaids

I’ve got three things on my mind and want to blog about all of them, but, well, no, I can’t because it’s late, and I’ve got to return to the writer’s cave! So I decided to narrow the playing field and focus on one topic (or maybe two).

So keep reading for a tease about what’s coming up in October here in the pond…of the Waterworld Mermaids!

My Bucket List – For Lovers of Books with Strong Romantic Elements (catchy title, huh? and yeah, I went there writers world!)…

The rules of my bucket list game are that you can’t list anything about your own writing or books…I know, jeez, but it’s my game!

Here’s my top five! Continue reading →

Character Development: Lady Macbeth, Cristina Yang and Anastasia Steele

Denny S. Bryce, mermaids, Writing,

When I think about Lady Macbeth, Cristina Yang and Anastasia Steele, I wish I had something profound, insightful, and enlightening to say about character development. But it’s a winding road that’s freaking rocky and tough as all get out to wade through. Just ask my underdeveloped character Nikki in my current WIP. Okay, then again, let’s not. It’s only the first draft:)…

This past Saturday at the WRW-DC  meeting, Cathy Maxwell, New York Times Best Selling romance author and all around fabulous gal, conducted a workshop that started with a discussion on Voice. She hit on a number of topics during her talk, but when she shared a story about an author who told her she (the author) wasn’t going to take any more classes on character development it resonated. Cathy’s a theatre and dance undergrad, like moi, and she said the author’s statement struck her as not making a lot of sense (paraphrasing here). She added that Al Pacino still takes classes on character development. Actors are constantly working on character development. The take away – as authors, we should always be working on character development, too. No matter where we are in our career. Continue reading →

Making Time – What’s Your Score?

mermaids, Motivation, Writing

What do you do to make the time to get all of the important things done?

Most of the writers I know aren’t only writers, they are moms, wives, aunts, lawyers, teachers, doctors, PR Divas (oh, that’s me:), and a laundry list of other things all of which must get done.

I want to talk about making time, and what tricks, commitments, decisions, we make to do that thing we want to do. And for most of us, that thing, isn’t just one, but many.

Right now, I’m working hard to be organized. But I need help. Seriously. It’s just hard to sit alone and write. I wish I could say it some other way, but the truth is you must be supremely self-motivated and a bit selfish to an extent, to spend such big slices of your life in front of a computer – alone.

Yeah, that’s how I spent the weekend, and yes, I am happy with the results (writing-wise), but I’m also wondering what did I miss. Let’s make a list and see how I scored!

1. Exercise – 0 (made it from the bed to the computer to the terrace to the living room to the kitchen, to the computer – yep, you get the picture – and it ain’t pretty).

2. Reading – 8 (finished the first book of J.R. Ward’s Dagger vampire series – jeez, just give me Wrath for an hour, please).

3. Family – 4 (My son returned from his world travels, and we spoke for a few minutes. I talk to my mom every day, so okay).

4. Friends – 8 (if we count emails and Facebook, I rule.)

5. Writing – 9 (but don’t ask how many words, I’m taking a course on scenes and rewrote a MAJOR scene, which took two freaking days).

6. Bitching – 4 (I’m just counting this post).

So, tell me, how do you writers, authors, who in addition to writing, publishing, marketing, get it all done? Give me the secret! I don’t even have small kids (or a full-time man, husband, etc. to keep happy either), and still I am swamped!

Okay, I don’t want to be too much of a sour puss – I do believe that continuous effort is key. They say no matter what you’ve got to keep writing. So maybe I should be saying, I intend to keep trying to do this writing thing, and other things, better and better, and better.

But I sure wouldn’t mind a tip or two…

PS: Contests are GOLD today. Unpublished writers, The Golden Pen deadline is today! Enter. Great judges…also, The Golden Palm entry deadline is midnight August 15. Put your stuff out there, writers!

RWA2012 Last Call: Giveaway Winners Announced!

mermaids

Well, I’m still in Anaheim – yep. Had so much fun at RWA2012 I decided to hang around for a few more days (okay, I have meetings this week on the west coast, so there are a few other reasons I’m still here:). But it was a memorable week!

Before announcing the winners of the drawing for the The Taker by Alma Katsu (two copies to giveaway of Book One in The Taker Triology, by the way) I’d like to congratulate all of the winners and the FINALISTS for the Rita and Golden Heart. In particular Mermaids Pintip and Diana – you ladies are fantastic – and looked absolutely drop dead gorgeous on Saturday.

Anyway here are the winners from last weeks drawings: Keely Thrall and Mermaid Kerri Carpenter!  

Just email me your addresses at denny @ dennysbryce dot com (except for Mermaid Kerri – I will bring when I see you later this month!).

Thanks to all who dropped by, and thank you Mermaids for letting me play reporter for a week…:)!

RWA2012 – Workshops, BDSM, and Seriously!

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I am not a prude, I am not a prude, I swear I am not a prude, but…I am respectful of all genres, which means I don’t think I’ll write any BDSM anytime soon. I will admit, it would be a spanking new subject for me to explore, and one thing I learned at the fabulous talk at the Passionate Ink Party last night — you can’t fake writing BDSM–it will show:). The Passionate Ink’s RWA conference events are always excellent. They bring in expert guest speakers and in particular, this year, it was the cutting-edge topic (50 Shades of Grey Trilogy sold 20 percent of all books last month, if I remember the stat as stated).  So when The Darker Side of Pleasure author Eve Berlin (aka Eden Bradley, a self-proclaimed mid-list author who is getting better deals said Shades is leading a change in the industry that is very good for erotic romance writers), and an academic (forgive me I didn’t get her name in my notes) launched into their remarks it was one of the most informative, well-presented, sessions of the day. And oh, BDSM stands for Bondage, Discipline, Dominance, Submission, Sadism, Masochism (I didn’t know that).

And oh! Sylvia Day’s NYT Best Seller reportedly had a pre-order of 500,000 books – for Bared to You (number 4 on NY Times Bestseller list in paperback)..and check the best seller list for 1, 2, and 3, it’s still Grey. The Hunger Games and Twilight brought YA to the forefront – if you don’t think 50 Shades and Bared to You aren’t going to have a MAJOR impact on what is being bought by publishers, etc., think again:)…

Okay enough on how I ended the day, I started at 8:30 a.m. in Platinum Salon 2 (where I spent three hours:). The workshops were Deep POV, It’s Showtime (Show versus Tell), and Voice, all expertly presented IMHO. The next time you see me ask me about the red flag words — “when”, “as”, “tried to”, “sound of” and “wondered”. Janice Hardy was the presenter of “Its Showtime”, which was extra-fabulous!

Okay, I’ll announce the winner of  Alma Katsu’s The Taker book giveaway tomorrow.  In fact, let’s just do it again today – commenters will have a chance to win a copy of her first book of The Taker Trilogy! (I got hold of yet another copy:)!

So now take a moment to share your BDSM story – okay, just kidding:), but what do you think about the impact of 50 Shades on what publishers and editors will be looking to buy? Will the heat level in your romance novels go up a notch, or would you hint at a little bondage in your more erotic love scenes? Do tell…

RWA2012: Golden Pen, New Friends and a BIG Drink (Day 1)

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My first day at RWA2012 was spent at the bar at the Anaheim Marriott (well, I should say, at one of the bars, there are quite a few:)…and yes, I needed a drink after one of the most insane travel days I’ve had in my history of travel (which I’ll blog about later at my blog).

I didn’t arrive until 8 p.m. so I totally missed the Literacy Autographing (not happy about that at all!). So after checking in I went to the bar and ordered a BIG drink and other forms of nourishment.

While at the bar I ran into our very own Mermaid Kimberly (who has a cool hair cut and was looking fabulous). She was with Katrina Snow (201o Golden Heart finalist in paranormal category the same year Mermaid Kimberly was a GH finalist), and Katrina was telling me about the Golden Pen Contest – go now and check it out! Great last round judges, and the early rounds are judged by Golden Heart Finalists – so yeah, I’m going to enter. The deadline is August 15!!!

Sipping on my BIG drink, I then started chatting with first time attendee, and Golden Heart Finalist 2012 for “Faking It” in the Novel with Strong Romantic Elements category), Nikki McIntosh, who is also her chapter President, and she’s fr0m Canada. She told me where in Canada, but I was drinking the BIG drink, so some things slipped from the memory banks. Well, she’s delightful, and we were chatting it up when we were joined by her roomie, Joanne Lockyer, historical romance writer from Australia. She invited me to tell my story about how I got started in romance writing for a documentary being filmed here called “Love Between the Covers.” I’ll tell you how that goes!

Then there was Bruce (I think his name was Bruce-but you know, the BIG drink picks and chooses its moments to shine) – but he was definitely the husband of a first-time attendee and was Mr. Supportive. I could also tell he was a bit in awe of the Conference and his wife’s commitment to writing – up all night writing, up all day working, and to quote, “She’s have the time of her life.” Yep, we writers do love to write.

Okay, it’s 6 a.m. here, and I’ve got to get ready for the day, which begins at 7:30 with a continental breakfast.

Today I’ve got bunches of workshops and a luncheon to attend. And of course, running into old friends, and meeting new ones is always on the agenda. Later, I’ve got got a date later with Michelle Monkou. We’re heading to the Passionate Ink Party, which should be BIG fun. (and maybe I’ll have another BIG drink by then. What do you think?)

PS: Take a look at the BEST BAG ever! And yeah, TODAY’s GIVEAWAY to a commenter selected at random is a copy of The Taker (I grabbed an extra) by Alma Katsu.

It’s RWA 2012 Week: Schedule, Schedule, Schedule

mermaids, Writing,

You know how it goes. You get all excited about attending a conference because of the friends you haven’t seen in a year, or brilliant keynote speakers, or the chance to be a fan girl when you run into one of your favorite authors in the cafe shop, in the elevator, or who knows where. Nothing but fun. Until you sit down and examine the schedule.

I love conferences and I love workshops, spotlights and author chats, and I appreciate tracks – craft, career, or research. But there’s always one day, and one time slot, where I swear the RWA 2012 programmers are plotting against me.

I call it schedule wars, and I have found my Waterloo for 2012 – Friday, July 27 between 9:45 and 10:45. On average there are 10 options for each hour time block, so it’s not unusual to find at least two or three programs you want to attend in the same block of time. But I want to take 8 of the 10 classes Friday morning, seriously. So here’s where you must stick to your original goal (I mentioned my original goal  yesterday, right?).

My goal – add to the my writer’s arsenal, which means learn more about something I already think I have a handle on as opposed to searching out a new topic (or one I just don’t get yet). Using this logic, I can narrow the field…

So, I am choosing between two workshops (instead of 8): Cherry Adair’s workshop (Choreography of Action), I write lots of action scenes as a urban fantasy writer, so that makes sense. Or Michael Hauge’s Using Inner Conflict for Powerful Love Stories (and yes, he was here at WRWDC, less than a year ago, but I could do Michael Hauge every day – oh, whoops, that sounded wrong…)…

But hey, see how effectively that worked, I just have to make a choice between the two! Good planning,  huh!

Whoops:), I just double-checked my calendar. I have an editor appointment that hour!

Anyway, if you are heading off to RWA 2012, what’s the must do workshop on your schedule? If you aren’t heading that way, take a minute to let us know about the online course you recommend we check out!  I love a good workshop. So, share, share, share.

And oh, tomorrow I head off to Anaheim in the wee hours of the AM, so my next blog post on RWA 2012 will be LIVE from Anaheim on Thursday morning when there will be prize giveaways!

It’s RWA2012 Week at the Waterworld Mermaids Pond!

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There was a lot about being a writer that was totally foreign to me when I first started writing romance novels seven years ago. But there was one aspect of writing I understood completely–attending an organization’s national conference. In my other life (JOB), I manage mega-sized conferences for my clients. So, the idea of attending the RWA National Conference in Atlanta in 2006 on a lark (I was in Atlanta for a fanfiction event) sounded just right. Although I’d never finished a romance novel, novella or short story (if you don’t count fanfiction), I thought why not?

Throughout this week here at the Waterworld Mermaids blog, I will be talking about the 2012 RWA National Conference in Anaheim, CA, which begins this Wednesday through Saturday. The posts will include interviews with authors, book giveaways, and general updates on what’s happening in Anaheim, which I hope you will enjoy.

Today, I’m talking about prepping – not packing, or shoe shopping, all important aspects of making the trip, but I wanted to give you some tips on how I explore a big conference (RWA usually attracts more than 2,000 attendees).

I start with the  hotel – always. What’s this baby look like? How far from the airport? Where’s the main ballroom? How far apart are the meeting rooms? Scouting out a hotel upon arrival is always a good idea, but these days, you can find mucho info by visiting the hotel website. In particular, check out the meetings pages where you’ll find floor plans. I don’t like spending a day being lost, or having to search – even with good signage – so getting an idea of the hotel layout is an important time saver.

Also you may discover the cool spot at the hotel. For me at the Marriott Anaheim, I found, well, the most beautiful STARBUCKS in the entire world (check out the photo:). I am a major coffee drinker, and this is the kind of spot at conferences that is always packed in the AM (so if you need caffeine, get there EARLY). By mid-afternoon it will be a networking hub – so make certain you’ve plugged in all of your computer equipment (phones, tablets, iPads, etc.) so you can be ready for impromtu editor and/or agent meetings, brainstorming, general laughter – whatever! 

Later, the bar will be ground zero – but I’ll report on that after I arrive in Anaheim.

Most important of course is the conference schedule. I know there are some who might say that the RWA schedule is conservative, but this year, it appears to have it all, including quite a bit on self-publishing, social media marketing and as always lots of craft and career workshops and spotlights (LOVE the spotlights if you want to learn more about a specific publisher). Year one every workshop sounded perfect to me. But in recent years, I am looking for specifics to help my career as a romance writer. So like any good plotter, I never attend a conference without creating my personal roadmap. Not only is a National Conference great for networking, pitching, and inspiration, it’s also an opportunity to add to your writing arsenal – but only if you take the time to know what that means for you. More on the schedule tomorrow.

If you aren’t heading off to Anaheim, let us know what you think of national conferences, would you attend? What keeps you from going? What keeps you coming back? Published or unpublished, let me know what turns you on or off about the RWA Nationals. And if there’s something you want me to dig into while I’m in Anaheim, please let me know. I’ll see what I can do:)!

Tomorrow will include a book giveaway! And more about the schedule! And perhaps a surprise guest or two later this week!

Thanks for dropping by.

Author Interview: Princess Alethea Swims with the Mermaids

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Alethea Kontis, author of Enchanted

This surprised me. I was nervous. I wanted to conduct the best possible interview ever because I was interviewing the one and only Alethea Kontis. Yes, the New York Times Bestselling author, the multi-published author of the AlphaOops! series, the author of the newly released Enchanted, which is getting RAVE reviews, not surprisingly–and she’s also the founder of the Waterworld Mermaids (and my roomie at the 2012 WRW-DC Retreat). So yes, I was nervous! But if you know Alethea, you know I shouldn’t have been nervous one darn bit. Mainly because she wouldn’t allow it. A charming young woman with an infectious fun-loving personality, and a huge amount of talent, energy and love for writing and for being the best writer she can be, Alethea is fabulous and likely the only Princess I’ll ever know:)…and that’s just fine with me.

It was my pleasure to spend a few minutes swimming in her pond. So, without further adieu, here’s my interview with Alethea Kontis.

Denny said: Let’s get to the facts right up front. What’s your full author name, website, your latest release, the WIP that is keeping you up at night, your agent, your publisher, how long have you been writing…your successes? Yes, I want the mini bio right here, right now!

Alethea said: My name is Alethea Kontis, www.aletheakontis.com, Latest release(s): Enchanted, The Wonderland Alphabet, and my current WIP is called Saturday (sequel to Enchanted). My agent is Deborah Warren (East West Literary Agency).

I have been writing since I was eight years old. I was published by 30 and hit the New York Times bestseller list at 31. I’ve published picture books, short stories, poetry, essays, romance encyclopedias, and now (finally!) a novel. I’ve edited a major anthology, and I have friends in all genres, all over the world. I am a very lucky girl.

Denny said: What’s the best kept secret about your writing process?

Alethea said: Brownies. (The elves, not the dessert. Or the Girl Scouts.) For a bit of milk and honey, I get a lot of work done.

Denny said: What character have you written or are writing that keeps you up at night – just one, please:)?

Alethea said: My most recent obsession was/is a young girl named Ashes on the Wind — the princess formerly known as “Snow White.” I wrote her origin tale as a short story–“The Unicorn Hunter”–that was included in John Skipp’s Demons anthology last year. (You can still read it for free by clicking here. She also appears as a character in the sequel to Enchanted. But it’s not time for me to tell the rest of her story just yet…but I promise you, what a story it will be.

Denny said: What fictional character (book, film, television, comics) has had the greatest influence on your writing style and why?

Alethea said: My writing has been most influenced by the King of Hearts from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. “Begin at the beginning,” the King said gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.” The rhyming and the nonsense and the impossible things before breakfast are all just part and parcel.

Denny said: What book/author is the current “hot read” on your bookshelf?

Alethea said: Right now on my TBR pile are Wuftoom by Mary G. Thompson, The Taker and The Reckoning by Alma Katsu, and Thieftaker by D. B. Jackson

Denny said: What’s your favorite drink on a beautiful, not too hot, not too cold, spring evening – and who (fictional or not, friend or family, celebrity or historic figure) would be sitting at your side enjoying that drink with you?

Alethea said: Drink: A hot cup of Greek coffee.

Enchanted by Alethea Kontis

Companion: My Greek grandfather Soterios Kontis–refugee, merchant marine, and pirate–who died before I was born.

Denny said: Who’s your favorite author and what would you ask them if you had the chance (or when you had the chance)?

Alethea said: I’ve sat here for far too long trying to think of a favorite author. I’ve come up with no less than twenty-seven names. But I don’t have questions. The sentiment I would say to all of them remains the same: “Thank you.”

Denny said: Last question…what question have you been dying to answer but no one has ever asked?

Alethea said: Hey, Alethea, where do your own siblings fall into the Woodcutter family? Which children are they most like?

Then Alethea replied: You know, I was hoping that someone would ask me this question–thank you so much for being that person! My eldest sister Cherie is definitely Monday, fair of face. She was once runner-up in the Miss Vermont pageant. Peter has a lot of my brother West at heart–quiet, romantic, and magic with a knife. (Peter isn’t a fourth-degree black belt in Tae Kwan Do…but there have to be some differences.) I am all of the sisters in some ways, of course, in order to breathe life into them…but I’m most like Sunday. Ironically, my youngest sister Soteria is most like Saturday–strong and soft-hearted, confident and insecure all at the same time.

I would love to make a personality quiz…which Woodcutter sibling are you most like?

Thank you Alethea!

Now visitors, it’s your turn!  Alethea will be stopping by to answer questions and to say hi! We also are offering a book giveaway today to one lucky commenter–a signed copy of Alethea’s new book, Enchanted.  So jump in the pond, and enjoy.