Saturday, May 26, 2012

Villains We Love to Hate

Like a great many other people, I've been watching Downton Abbey recently. Well, not so much watching it as inhaling it. Sure, it has some soap opera elements to it, but I've been absolutely fascinated by the interactions between the characters, and how the choices of one person ripple out and affect everyone around them, so much like they do in real life.

There's one character I absolutely cannot stand - Thomas the footman. From the minute he stepped onto the screen in the first episode, he just ... ugh. He's insolent, prideful, disrespectful, rude, and at times downright evil. I'm sure the actor is a very nice young man, but the character just inspires total hatred in me, and I'm not used to feeling that way. I'm a very loving person as a general rule, but this guy brings out sides of me I didn't even know I had.

That is the very successful marriage of an excellent actor and an excellent script.

Throughout season one of the show, we basically just hate Thomas all the way through. But in season two, we are introduced to some of his insecurities and some of his fears. We see the things he's willing to do to survive. These added dimensions make him more real, but rather than lessening our hatred toward him, they make him someone to be pitied, someone who has chosen a life of manipulation to cope rather than trying to do things the right way.

First of all, I have to say this is absolutely brilliant. If I had the chance to speak with the writer of Downton Abbey, (Julian Fellowes) I would soak up everything he had to say about the craft of writing characters. There must be a balance between what we see them do and the reasons why they do it in order to create a well-rounded character that evokes these types of emotions in us. I hate Thomas the footman, but I love Bates the valet. I don't just dislike one and like the other - my emotional attachment goes much deeper, and it's the combination of their actions plus their motivations.

Far too often, I see books where the motivation is left out. The character will perform an action of some kind, but we don't know the reason behind it, and the action either comes across as flat, or it will seem so random that it doesn't make sense. When we know the motivation behind the action and what the character was thinking or feeling when they did it, the whole thing becomes so much richer.

This is especially true of villains. It's not enough to know that Bob is setting a bomb to go off in the building. We need to know that his girlfriend is in the building and she's been cheating on him, and he wants to see her dead. But we also need to know that he was abandoned as a baby by a mother too drunk to care for him and he was rescued from the side of the road by a truck driver, who took him to the authorities. Then Bob was passed from foster care home to foster care home until adulthood, essentially being abandoned by women in his life since the very beginning, and he just can't take it anymore. Which story is more interesting? Man setting a bomb, or a deeply troubled, tortured soul setting a bomb? And would it help to know that he plans on being inside the building when the bomb goes off so he dies too?

The point is this - when we write a villain, it's all very well and good to show the evil actions they take. But every evil action has a thought process behind it, a deep emotional need pushing it forward. If you tap into that deep emotional need when you write your villain, you create someone the reader will fear even more because they are so very real.

Now, if you'll pardon me, I need to go take a nap. I was up far too late last night watching Downton Abbey ...

Friday, May 18, 2012

Book Review: Olivia by Julie Wright



The Newport Ladies Book Club is a new series that is co-authored by good friends (and great writers) Julie Wright, Josi S. Kilpack, Annette Lyon, and Heather B. Moore. Each author has taken one character and made her their own, and while each book mentions all four characters, each book has a special focus on one character’s storyline. The first book in the series, Olivia, is written by Julie Wright.


The very first thing that struck me as I began reading Olivia was the strength in Julie Wright’s writing. I’ve been a fan of Julie’s for years and have seen this evolution, and in this book, I felt like she had really come into her own. The word placement is deft and sure, and her descriptions and the way she conveys emotion are spot-on.

Olivia is a forty-one-year-old woman who is hanging on to life by a thread. She has spent years of her marriage trying to cope with her husband’s poor treatment of her, and as the book opens, we see her sitting alone at her dining room table, waiting for him to come home to a sumptuous anniversary dinner she has prepared and he doesn’t bother to come home to eat. She realizes that her compulsive cleaning has been an effort to make him happy with her, and she determines that she’s going to do something for herself—something she really wants to do, something that will help her feel like an individual instead of an extension of a man who doesn’t care about her.

By chance, she stumbles upon a flyer for a book club, and decides to join. Ruby, the president of the club, is a sweet older woman who just wants everyone to feel welcomed and loved, and Olivia finds herself pulled into a world where there is acceptance and belonging. Her husband resents the time she spends away, but she knows she needs to build herself back up emotionally, and that it’s through friendship with these good women that she’ll find the strength she needs to remain herself instead of getting swallowed whole.

Through the club, she meets Daisy, Athena, and Paige, and they begin to lean on each other for support in their trials. These three women are the characters who will star in the other books of the series.

I very much enjoyed reading Olivia. I’m friends with authors Julie, Josi, Annette, and Heather, so of course I was excited to hear about their project, and I was even more excited to see how well the series has been accepted by the public and how well it’s been executed. This is a series I can and will wholeheartedly endorse as one that women from all walks of life—and all faiths—can enjoy.

You can visit the Newport Ladies Book Club here.

And you can purchase Olivia here.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Million Dollar Diva - Special Offer!

I've really had a lot going on lately. So much that I'm falling behind on blogging about it. Today I'd like to catch you up on one of my most exciting recent projects - the writing and publication of Million Dollar Diva.

Last year, I met bestselling authors Brett Kitchen and Ethan Kap when they asked me to edit a project for them. As we talked, we hit it off pretty well, and they asked if I'd be willing to co-author a book about finances with them. I thought that sounded like fun, so that's what we did, and the end result is Million Dollar Diva.

I didn't want this book to be a dry collection of financial facts. I mean, come on - you know me. Can you imagine me writing something like that? So we took a unique approach - the book is a conversation, and I decided to make it real and explain my own financial situation and how I was going to overcome it. This tack has really made an impact on our readers - check out this awesome article in The Daily Herald, and over on the right-hand sidebar, you'll see a list of our reviews. Everyone has really resonated with the way we laid out our finances and made real, solid changes in our lives. I think what's possibly the most exciting is the blog we set up on the Million Dollar Diva website, where I'm posting updates about our progress. It's all totally real, warts and all.

So yeah, I'm pretty proud of this book. I'm mostly proud of the way the process has changed my life, and how it's helping our readers to expand their horizons and feel hope for their own financial futures.

And I'm also pretty proud - and excited - to make you a special offer. From now until June 15th, if you click here, you can get a copy of the book for free - you just pay $5.95 shipping and handling. You can also check out the totally cute book trailer on the first page, see a video with me and Brett on the Income Amplifier page, take a minute to use the software to analyze your own financial situation - it's an awesome site, and an awesome book, and I highly recommend it. Because I helped write it. But also because it's filled with solid financial advice, humor, and hope.

If you miss the $5.95 book deal, you can order the book directly from Amazon by clicking here.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

LDS Authors Blog Hop and Book Review


Welcome to the LDS Author Blog Hop, and review of Shayla Witherwood, a Half-faerie Tale.

Tamra Torero began her writing career as Tamra Norton and penned the Molly Mormon? series, but since then, she has married the love of her life, changed her last name, and written a national YA book about a girl who is half faerie and must adjust to living in a world of humans. Shayla Witherwood is the prize for today's blog hop.

Shayla has been raised by loving grandparents who wanted to travel the country in a motor home, seeing new places and having new experiences all the time. Shayla was homeschooled with the help of a tutor she communicated with through the Internet. When her grandfather dies, her grandmother parks the motor home and sends Shayla to public school for the first time. She must make the adjustment to attending regular classes, but she must also learn how to cope as a half faerie in a world of humans, and it's not easy to do either thing.

I really enjoyed this clean, funny, imaginative story of a girl who's just trying to figure out who she is and how to best get along with those around her. Shayla has a series of unfortunate mishaps as her powers pop out at the most unfortunate times, and my teenage daughter thoroughly enjoyed reading the chapter about dragonflies. I would tell you more, but you'll just have to discover it for yourself.

I've always considered Tamra an excellent writer, but I think she surpassed herself with Shayla, and I can't wait to read the sequel.

To enter to win this book, all you need to do is become a follower of this blog, and then leave me a comment. Make sure I can access your contact info through Blogger so I can let you know you've won, or leave me your e-mail address in your comments.  Good luck!


Monday, May 07, 2012

It's So Cherry Super Spring Kickoff

The trees and flowers are blooming, the sun is out (well, sometimes) and we here at It's So Cherry are all about celebrating, so we're giving away gift bags to four lucky winners, and a pair of barefoot sandals to 20 more. That’s right, you have TWENTY-FOUR chances to win.

 To enter, register at www.itssocherry.com, and follow one (or more) of the participating blogs, then fill out the form below.

 Contest Rules:

 - Must be 16 and over

- One prize per household

- Must be registered @www.itssocherry.com

- Only valid for those living within the continental US, or with a United States mailing address

 Each grand prize goodie bag will contain (1) Flower necklace set (with earrings), (1) crochet head wrap (color may vary), (1) scarf (color and style may vary), (1) package nail wraps, and (1) black wrap bracelet. We will also give away 20 pairs of barefoot sandals to 20 winners.
To enter, simply register for an account with It's So Cherry (www.itssocherry.com) and sign up for their email list. Entries will be accepted starting Monday, May 7th, until midnight, Mountain Standard time, on Friday, May 18th. Prizes will be shipped within 10 business days after contest winners have been announced. Winners will be selected using random.org, and contacted using the email provided for registration on the It's So Cherry website. Names of the goodie bag winners will be posted to participating blog sites as well as the blog for It's So Cherry, www.itssocherry.blogspot.com. Upon notification, winners will have 7 days to respond, after which another winner will be chosen.
  Thanks again for participating!

Sunday, May 06, 2012

A Royal Elf of Abalon Book Tour

The amazingly talented Anna del C. Dye has just released a new book - A Royal Elf of Abalon.
The deep relationship between Amaria, the princess of Abalon, and Marken, the chancellor’s son, comes to a halting stop after their kingdom is almost annihilated. However, death isn’t the only thing this battle brings. Elfs come to their rescue and, as a souvenir, take the princess home with them. Blinded by fury, the overprotecting queen orders the extermination of the mighty elfs. Her captains know they can never win, so they are pleased when Amaria intervenes so desperately that she loses her mother. The unprepared princess is left to care for a kingdom that will demand her true love. A Royal Elf of Abalon is the stand-alone continuation of Anna’s Elf series. Once again she has crafted an exciting new tale full of jealousy, betrayals, and death. A Royal Elf of Abalon is a masterpiece created in the genre of Tolkien that you’ll love to the end.

Anna del C. Dye was born in Valparaiso, Chile amongst some of the world’s most famous beaches. Anna resides in Taylorsville, Utah. She and her husband Rod are the parents of three princes and a princess. Anna is an accomplished, multi-award winning author. She received the Editor’s Choice Award from the International Library of Poetry. She was awarded a Bronze medal for Elfs in a Conquered Realm. The first page of her A Kingdom by the Sea received a second place. Her short story entitled Amerine—Fairy Princess won an award in the Oquirrh Writers contest and was published by Kalkion Magazine. Her article, A New American Mother, was published by Desert Saints Magazine. Other articles about family and relationships have been published frequently in the MOMS CLUB® of Salt Lake Valley-West. She is the author of The Silent Warrior Trilogy, Curse of the Elfs, and now A Royal Elf of Abalon. Anna has also published an electronic book for fifth and sixth-graders name Emerine’s Nightmare.

You can visit Anna's website here, and purchase her new release here.

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Why Do I Do What I Do?

Writers, for the most part, don't make a lot of money. Some land big contracts and are able to support their families quite nicely, some make a decent amount and supplement their day jobs, but for the rank and file, royalty checks are more along the lines of a sack or two of groceries. It's not guaranteed income. It's not a get-rich-quick scheme. Writing is a lot of hard work, dedication, perfecting the craft, and then trying to meet the right people in the right place at the right time to make all the magic happen. It's not easy, and at times, it's flat-out discouraging.

So why do it?

Each author has to answer that question for himself. Everyone has a driving force that propels them in the directions they go, and maybe they can explain it and maybe they can't. They just know that they need to do what they're doing. They don't feel right if they don't. Some people paint, some sing, some dance, and some write. It's what makes us feel most like us.

I would love to make a scadillion dollars with my writing. My career has really taken off in the last two years, but I'm not ready to quit my day job and buy a mansion. You definitely won't find me on a list of the wealthiest LDS authors in existence. But you know what - that's not why I do what I do.

Don't get me wrong - if I were to land a huge royalty check, I would not rip it up. Money is a pretty awesome thing, and I wouldn't mind being on the receiving end. But I've learned over the ten years I've been a published author that there are paychecks that don't come in the mail in a flat envelope. I love getting fan e-mails. I love hearing from a reader that they understand a concept of the gospel better because of the way I portrayed it in my book. I received an e-mail not too long ago from a reader whose daughter had decided to leave the Church, and because she had recently read Hang 'Em High, she had some ideas of what to say to her daughter, and was able to preserve the relationship. Those are major paychecks, let me tell you.

My biggest one ... well, let me tell you a story, because that's what I do.

I'm a descendant of the Hole in the Rock pioneers who settled the southeast corner of the state of Utah, and I'm fiercely proud of my heritage. I was blessed to have access to some family history resources, and I used them to write my novel Season of Sacrifice. In many instances, I was able to use actual wording from those family history records as I conveyed the true story of my great-great-grandparents, Benjamin and Sarah Perkins. It was a hugely uplifting spiritual experience for me as I felt them guiding me in what to say next.

My dad, their great-grandson, had written a poem about the Hole in the Rock, and I placed that in the front of the book. In all ways, I was so proud of what I had accomplished. Is it the best book I've ever written? No, because I've learned a lot since then. But I feel that it's the book I was born to write, that it's the reason I was created to be an author.

I made the decision to self-publish the book so I could produce it exactly the way I wanted. On Friday, March 14th of 2008, I took this picture:


This is my dad holding the first copy out of the box right after I picked it up from the printer. He's seeing the story of his ancestors as written by his daughter, and he is seeing his own work in print. I can't even tell you how it felt to show him that book. I had published books before that, and I have published books after that, and yet no book release before or since could compare to how I felt in that moment. That was hitting the lottery for me. That was my biggest paycheck ever.

My dad then spent the next two years of his life making sure that every cousin, aunt, uncle, and stranger on the street had a copy of this book. I couldn't have asked for a better PR manager.

Two years after this picture was taken, my father passed away.

You have no idea how glad and grateful I am that I was able to place that book in his hands when I did, so he would have time to enjoy it before he got sick. He's the one person I most wanted to please with this publication, and I did it. I can say, "I made my dad proud."

So when you ask me what I do what I do, I'll probably give you a kind of rambling answer, because it's hard to explain and it's hard to define. I just know that moments like the ones I shared with my dad are priceless. And so I'll keep doing what I do. I might never make much money doing it. I'll take it if it comes, but for me, though, that's not the main objective. I can't buy the way I felt putting that book in my dad's hands.

Find your reason for doing what you do. And you'll keep doing it. And you'll be happy.
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