What Are You Reading...

What are you reading right now? I'm reading JORDAN  by Susan Kearney. It's the third book in her Pendragon Legacy trilogy. The books are totally stand alone because I don't feel like I'm missing anything by starting with this one. This is a compelling sexy futuristic romantic thrill ride through space. I'm really enjoying it. I'm in love with the cover model too. GRIN
Eliza March

What’s in a name?

The answer to that question is – a Hero.

Specially one who loves chocolate as much as we do.

In writing a romance novel, names are very important. A hero has to be strong to overcome all the obstacles and overwhelming emotions you’re going to be putting into his path. So everything about him has to SHOW his strength….even his name.

You want to know why I wouldn’t recommend a hero with a name like Albert, Floyd or Poindexter. Exactly, what images did you see in your mind when you read those names? Was Poindexter tall in your mind?
No, huh? Mine either.

Did you see a tanned God like man with muscles that didn’t stop when you read the name Albert?
No?

O.K., how about a hot sexy pirate with a flowing head of hair? What? You saw my pirate Floyd was bald and FAT? Teheheehe ….
So, you see my point. You can’t name a sex pirate Floyd.

So tell me now, what do you see when I say the name … Dallas, Drake, Thor.

Do you see something like these guys?

How about Brett or Finn?

Is this closer to the image these names bring to mind?

Do you see sexy, strong minded men with sexy bodies? Men ready to sweep you off your feet and make passionate love to you on a moonlit beach?

Yeah, now this is what I’m talking about!

Strong names that give a stronger image to your reader. Names that will allow your hero to become what he needs by the end of your story.

The same goes for your heroines…Bertha, Clementine or Prudence isn’t going to make it in the minds of the reader. But a Meara, Priscilla and a Chantal will step off the page as a delicate yet strong woman who will make her goal.

Even if you’re not into the more unusually names like the ones I’ve suggested above there is still strength in some of the more common names over others.

Alex is stronger than Andy. Bob over Ben. Eric is more powerful than Elmer….see what I mean?

Another thing to think about when picking your hero’s name is matching his name to his nationality.
What do you see when you look at this picture? What kind of hero comes to mine?

Is this guy a BAD BOY hero? Is he Italian? Is he a tough guy that can be tamed by the right Heroine? Is he the lover you seek in your bed? When your story's hero is named Vinny...is this the guy you see in your mind as you read about Vinny's sexy seduction of Angie?

If your hero is Irish, don’t give him an English name like Scott. If he’s Irish your hero needs a strong Irish name like Sean or Kendrick. Be sure to know the history and where a name comes from before you tag your hero with a name that doesn’t fit his image.

It's all in the name.
Hawk

Where do you find your stories from?

This is a question I get all the time from young writers and even non-writers. I’m not sure how to answer this question because I’m an Irish girl who lives with stories in me head. Where they come from … only the Gods know.

But for starting authors who need a little help, there are many ways to find a story. Look at this photo



The mind can see so many story just by this one picture…when I first looked at it I saw a pirate ship that had discovered this woman aboard – it’s very bad luck to have a woman on a ship – so they toss her overboard and she dies only to return as a ghost to haunt each and every one of them.

The second story I saw was a woman attempting to seduce a man she knows belongs to another…he belongs to her life long nemesis (a girl who use to taunt her in school) revenge!

The third tale to come to mind was a mermaid attempting to mate with a human to save her father’s kingdom of the sea. She’s been watching this human man for some time and has fallen in love with him from afar. When troubles stir below the sea she realizes if she can join the human’s with the mermaid kingdom her people can survive.

Now what tale do you see when you look at this picture?

Alright, let the fantasy of it draw you in and tell you its story…then tell us….

What stories were you told to write when you looked at it?

Now I don’t want to hear any excuses…I can hear you saying “Oh, you picked the easy picture…this one’s hard,” not so….Just look at it and add all those little gossip tidbits or articles you’ve read in the paper or in a mag...all those odd “things” you’ve heard throughout your life, put them to the picture.

When I saw this picture I instantly put the rumors of the 2012 into play. Supposedly in the month of December of that year (2 years from now) the planets are suppose to align and when they do the world will tilt causing major plate shifting …and we all die….It’s supposedly happened to the Earth before and is what killed the dinosaurs.

But I have to ask -- WHAT IF???

So, when I look at this photo I see a story…the alignment happens but what the human’s didn’t expect is that their planet remains whole and instead of crashing into the planets next to them, the Earth floats down to settle on a passing gigantic meteor that’s really a planet in its forming stages. Now, the challenge…how do they survive?

Now look at this picture again. Let your mind travel into a fantasy land and tell me what you see. Are there alien’s living on this forming meteor? Do they look human or are they flesh eaters? What kind of air do they breath? How are the human's breathing? What will be the travel between these two planets now sitting on one another? How are the humans affected by their world floating in the waters of this strange planet? Is that water drinkable or does it burn like acid? What kind of creatures live in those surrounding waters…can the humans survive?

So, I guess my answer to this question is this. When trying to come up with a story…start with a picture and then just allow the mind to fly free and create.

But I am wondering...when asked, how do you answer this question?

Hawk

More Shameless Self Promotion (Eliza covers her face)

Monday August 31st my third book for the summer will be released. These novellas are fun to write. They're short, different, and hot. For those of you who know me, I like variety, so I'm plotting from one adventure and multiple men to another. What a fantasy life!

I have eclectic tastes in most things, and my reading tastes are no different. I hope you'll enjoy my comments about the books on my book shelf next month when we start our book reviews.

Oh, don't forget about THE LION, THE LEOPARD AND THE WOLF