http://btt2.wordpress.com

Today’s question:
A while ago, I interviewed my readers for a change, and my final question was, “What question have I NOT asked at BTT that you’d love me to ask?” I got some great responses and will be picking out some of the questions from time to time to ask the rest of you. Like now.
 Patricia asks a particularly insightful question:
Ever read a book you thought you could have written better yourself?

My response:
This is a toughie.   Since I don’t feel I have the smallest amount of talent of writing, maybe  a children’s book, but definitely not a novel, my answer is no.  However with that being said, I have read some books, that I have had those exact sediments but in a  jokingly comparison.  I have also read books and thought that my life/biography compared to the story line, would have made a more interesting  topic and/or plot.

What about you?  Have you read books that you could have written better?

Calico Joe by John Grisham
Published by Doubleday
Publication Date: April 10, 2012
ISBN-10: 0385536070
ISBN-13: 978-0385536073
At the request of Doubleday, an ARC TPB was sent, at no cost to me, for my honest opinion.

Synopsis (from Amazon): A surprising and moving novel of fathers and sons, forgiveness and redemption, set in the world of Major League Baseball…

Whatever happened to Calico Joe?

It began quietly enough with a pulled hamstring. The first baseman for the Cubs AAA affiliate in Wichita went down as he rounded third and headed for home. The next day, Jim Hickman, the first baseman for the Cubs, injured his back. The team suddenly needed someone to play first, so they reached down to their AA club in Midland, Texas, and called up a twenty-one-year-old named Joe Castle. He was the hottest player in AA and creating a buzz.

In the summer of 1973 Joe Castle was the boy wonder of baseball, the greatest rookie anyone had ever seen. The kid from Calico Rock, Arkansas dazzled Cub fans as he hit home run after home run, politely tipping his hat to the crowd as he shattered all rookie records.

Calico Joe quickly became the idol of every baseball fan in America, including Paul Tracey, the young son of a hard-partying and hard-throwing Mets pitcher. On the day that Warren Tracey finally faced Calico Joe, Paul was in the stands, rooting for his idol but also for his Dad. Then Warren threw a fastball that would change their lives forever…

In John Grisham’s new novel the baseball is thrilling, but it’s what happens off the field that makes CALICO JOE a classic.

My Thoughts and Opinion: I feel that I need to start with a caveat.   I am not a sports fan!!   However, my husband and sons are and I have hosted many of sports related parties and witnessed many of, at times somewhat loud, discussions at the dinner table.   I live in New England and my guys are die hard fans, of all sports, but of different teams.   My husband and youngest son are Red Sox fans and my oldest is a true NY Yankee fan, even naming his dog Bronx.

That’s as much as I know about sports.   So I was leery of reading a “sports related” novel.   But the first page pulled me right into the story.   There was some “baseball lingo and statistics” but it was the premise that hooked me.   Masterful writing, as always, with a John Grisham novel but also had a lighter and emotional prose that I enjoyed.   I connected to the characters, even those that were not likable, but in true sports fashion, I was rooting for the under dog.   The emotional slant of the book was gripping and tugged on the heart strings.   Even though it had a predictable plot and was a very quick read, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would.   It was much more than a “sports related” book, it was about making amends, truth and coming to terms with a relationship between father and son.   I recommend this book, not only for sports’ fans, but for anyone who enjoys seeing the truth and winner prevail.   Very good read!!

(2012 Challenges: ARC, Off The Shelf, FreeReads, Where Are You, A-Z, 52 in 52, Outdo Yourself, 100+)

Jodi and Robyn, those fabulous ladies from WOW, are stopping by again today to introduce us to a very versatile and busy author.  Welcome Ms. Lisa de Nikolits!!

ABOUT LISA de NIKOLITS

Originally from South Africa, Lisa has been a Canadian citizen since 2003–although she still retains a lilting voice that causes fellow Canadians to ask, “You aren’t from Canada, eh?” With a Bachelor’s of Arts in English Literature and Philosophy, Lisa has also lived and worked in the United States, Australia, and Great Britain.

Lisa thought she was on her way to fame and fortune when the South African edition of Cosmopolitan bought two of her poems in 1986. Sadly, the road to being a published writer was not as easy as she had hoped! Throughout her writing career, Lisa has tried her hand at everything from children’s picture books to short stories to novellas to feature magazine articles. Her first novel, The Hungry Mirror, which won an IPPY Gold Medal for Women’s Fiction 2011, was inspired by her work as art director for magazines including Vogue and Marie Claire. Lisa is now working on her next novel, Between the Cracks She Fell.
Find out more about Lisa by visiting her online:
Author website and Art design website.

GUEST POST

Creating Three-Dimensional Characters

A few of nights ago over dinner, a couple of author friends and I were discussing a workshop we’re thinking of hosting. We were bouncing ideas back and forth about what we each of us could contribute and one of my friends turned to me and said, “you should talk about character development. Your characters are wonderfully idiosyncratic and yet they’re absolutely believable. They have depth to them and their dialogue is great.”

Talk about pleased! I nearly fell off my chair with delight. So, when the opportunity for this post came up, I thought it was timeous for me to give some thought to my characters and how I go about creating them. Of course, I immediately panicked, worrying that, faced with dissection, they would vanish on me, never to return. We writers can be such panic-stricken, phobic folk!

But then I realised that I’m as likely to lose my characters as I am to lose my friends – because my characters aremy friends. I love hanging out with them, I love watching them evolve – it’s as if they exist out there in the ether and I draw them closer by experimentation and endless questioning; does this one love computer games or prefer long walks in the park? What does he or she wear? What are their teeth like? Noses? How many earrings adorn their lobes, eyebrows or other body parts? I consider tattoos, height, hair color, the shape of their eyes, what their voices sound like, how they laugh… Do they have an accent and if so, how does this tie into the story? Did they like school, and were they bullied or maybe they were bullies themselves? Are they peaceful, angry, restless, hungry, lazy or perhaps they’re apathetic, waiting for that jolt of action, that catalyst that I’ll throw their way, the one that will spur them to action?

Familial relationships, geneology, childhood vacations, most-hated foods, most loved foods, favourite bedtime story, the sound of a sneeze, changing body language in different situations – the list of things to ponder and imagine is endless.

I wouldn’t be surprised if readers of this blog stop at this point and say, “oh really, that’s just NOT realistic – what is she doing, writing a backstory that’s as long as War and Peace?” and the answer is yes and no – yes, in that I think about all of that – but no in terms of how much of it actually makes it into the book – that might well just end up being a couple of lines. However, if you’ve mapped out all of the above (and then some!), the authenticity of the backstory will shine through so strongly that your character will be utterly believable even when the only thing you mention is the curve of her cheekbone.

And your in-depth backstory will help you with the dialogue too – you’ll know what kind of expressions your character will use, or the tone and inflection with which she’ll say things.

 The most helpful tip I’ve learnt for achieving effective dialogue is this: read your copy out loud. You may think you sound as foolish as all heck, but give it a try, it really works.

Once you have all these elements, you can go even further by adding a sprinkle of idiosyncrasy and this is where you can have all kinds of fun. And because of all your hard work in understanding your protagonist and fleshing out her backstory, her idiosyncrasies will be believable and then, because of the idiosyncrasies, she’ll be unforgettable which is just about the best thing one can achieve with a character.

And don’t forget, you also have to name your protagonist and my goodness, is this ever a challenge! A name immediately reveals so much and is critically important, because this is your reader’s first introduction to your key player (or any player in fact. Even minor bit part players add weight to the richness of a book and their names are equally as important).

I always hope that even if my characters aren’t immediately likeable, that they will be intriguing. A reader doesn’t particularly have to like a character but they do need to care about them and while that may sound odd or contradictory, think about all the great villains in literature – nice guys are tossed aside in favour the bad boy for good reason – they’re far more entertaining!

So there you have it, three key points to 3D character development: backstory, dialogue and idiosyncrasies – plus a few other bits and pieces that I hope you’ll find helpful.

ABOUT THE BOOK

THANKS TO AUTHOR, LISA de NIKOLITS, I HAVE
ONE (1) COPY OF HER BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO
THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE

*USE THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM BELOW
IN ORDER TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GIVEAWAY*
BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS

IN THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM
SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT: DO YOU THINK YOU COULD

JUST CUT OFF ALL TIES AND LEAVE YOUR
LIFE BEHIND FOR PARTS UNKNOWN?*

*U.S. AND CANADA RESIDENTS ONLY*
*NO P.O. BOXES*

**HONOR SYSTEM**
ONE WINNING BOOK PER HOUSEHOLD
PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU HAVE
WON THIS BOOK FROM ANOTHER
SITE, SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY
HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN
AND READ THIS BOOK.
THANK YOU.

YOUR JAVA SCRIPT MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED
IF YOU AR EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY
USING THE RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM

Continue reading “GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE “WEST OF WAWA by LISA DE NIKOLITS ENDED“ →

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading

What are you currently reading?

What did you recently finish reading?
         

What do you think you will read next?

Are you like me?  Is your passion for books so strong that it can sometimes cause anxiety?  It happens to me.  There I said it.  There are so many great books I want to read but time and obligations do not want to compromise.    For instance like today.  When Eliza, from PlannedTVArts, contacted me to read and review today’s guest’s book, I knew when I read the synopsis, that it was a book I would enjoy.  And I thought of all of you and wanted to share.  So I invited her to visit and she accepted.  So please help me welcome USA Today Best Selling Author Ms. RaeAnne Thayne!!

ABOUT RAEANNE THAYNE

I’m not one of those people who knew from birth she was destined to become a writer. I always loved to read and throughout my childhood I could usually be found with a book in my hands. To the disgust of my friends, I even enjoyed creative writing assignments that made them all groan. But I had other dreams besides writing. I wanted to be an actress or a teacher or a lawyer.

Life took a different turn for me, though, when my mother made me take a journalism elective in high school (thanks, Mom!). I knew the first day that this was where I belonged.

After I graduated from college in journalism, I took a job at the local daily newspaper and I reveled in the challenge and the diversity of it. One day I could be interviewing the latest country music star, the next day I was writing about local motorcycle gangs or interviewing an award-winning scientist.

Through it all — through the natural progression of my career from reporter to editor — I wrote stories in my head. Not just any stories, either, but romances, the kind of books I have devoured since junior high school, with tales about real people going through the trials and tribulations of life until they find deep and lasting love.

I had no idea how to put these people on paper, but knew I had to try — their stories were too compelling for me to ignore. I sold my first book in 1995 and now, more than 30 books later, I’ve come to love everything about writing, from the click of the computer keys under my fingers to the “that’s-it!” feeling I get when a story is flowing.

I write full-time now (well, as full-time as I can manage juggling my kids!) amid the raw beauty of the northern Utah mountains.

Even though I might not have dreamed of being a writer when I was younger, now I simply can’t imagine my life any other way.
You can visit with Ms. Thayne at her website.

GUEST POST

Topic: Do you draw on personal experiences?

In all my books, it seems like some element of my life experience trickles in. I think it’s impossible for writers not to use those flashes of serendipity in their work. Like magpies, we collect them and tuck them away in our little nest of ideas to be extracted later.

You hear a funny snippet of dialogue between a mother and child in the grocery store and think that would be perfect for your latest book. Or you see a man walking down the street and want to recapture just that take-no-prisoners gait for your hero. Or you find yourself trying to reconstitute in a book exactly that pure, soul-soothing moment when you stood alone on a beach, just you, surrounded and embraced by the murmuring sea.

Of all my forty books, however, I think I drew most on my personal experience while writing WOODROSE MOUNTAIN, my latest release for HQN. In it, my heroine Evie Blanchard is a former pediatric rehab therapist who has come to my town of Hope’s Crossing, Colorado seeking peace and serenity once more after a tough emotional year. When Brodie Thorne pleads with her to help in his daughter Taryn’s recovery from a serious brain injury, Evie doesn’t believe she has the strength to be dragged into their lives. Of course she is, against her will, and in the process all three of them find healing and joy.

Writing about Taryn’s struggle to regain a normal life and about those who care about her and want the best for her was a very personal journey for me in many ways. I have a son with cerebral palsy and I am his primary caregiver. I know plenty about wheelchair lifts and transfer systems and the dedicated people who help children with special needs work to expand their abilities. I also know what it is to be a parent of a child with challenges and the hope and fear and sometimes sheer helplessness that comes from trying to give your child his or her best chance at success.

I loved writing this book. I found it wonderful and even somewhat cathartic to be able to give Taryn and those who love her a happy ending.

There’s something else I drew out of my tangled magpie-nest of experiences to use in Woodrose Mountain – the simple but true message that when tough things happen to shake a person’s world, it can be dark and scary. But I know – and I want to remind my readers, through my characters – that it is possible to move through them, to grow and stretch and change, and once more find joy again.

ABOUT THE BOOK

USA TODAY bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne returns with WOODROSE MOUNTAIN (HQN Books, April 2012, $7.99 U.S./$9.99 CAN.), the enchanting second book in the Hope’s Crossing series that explores the ways shared challenges can bind a community together.

Evie Blanchard was at the top of her field in the city of angels. But when an emotional year forces her to walk away from her job as an occupational therapist, she moves from Los Angeles to Hope’s Crossing, seeking a quieter life. So the last thing she needs is to get involved with the handsome, arrogant Brodie Thorne and his injured daughter, Taryn.

A self-made man and single dad, Brodie will do anything to get Taryn the rehabilitation she needs…even if it means convincing Evie to move in with them. And despite her vow to keep an emotional distance, Evie can’t help but be moved by Taryn’s spirit, or Brodie’s determination to win Evie’s help—and her heart. With laughter, courage and more than a little help from the kindhearted people of Hope’s Crossing, Taryn may get the healing she deserves—and Evie and Brodie might just find a love they never knew could exist.

THANKS TO ELIZA FROM PLANNEDTVARTS, I HAVE
ONE (1) COPY OF THIS BOOK TO GIVE AWAY.

CLICK HERE TO BRING YOU TO
THE GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE.

*USE THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM BELOW
IN ORDER TO BE INCLUDED IN THE GIVEAWAY*
BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL

ADDRESS IN THE RAFFLECOPTER FORM

SO THAT I CAN CONTACT YOU IF YOU WIN
*LEAVE COMMENT: DO YOU BELIEVE A POSITIVE
ATTITUDE HELPS WITH THE HEALING PROCESS?*

*U.S. AND CANADA RESIDENTS ONLY*
*NO P.O. BOXES*

**HONOR SYSTEM**
ONE WINNING BOOK PER HOUSEHOLD
PLEASE NOTIFY ME IF YOU HAVE
WON THIS BOOK FROM ANOTHER
SITE, SO THAT SOMEONE ELSE MAY
HAVE THE CHANCE TO WIN
AND READ THIS BOOK.
THANK YOU.

YOUR JAVA SCRIPT MAY NEED TO BE UPDATED
IF YOU AR EXPERIENCING DIFFICULTY
USING THE RAFFLECOPTER ENTRY FORM

Continue reading “GIVEAWAY ENTRY PAGE “WOODROSE MOUNTAIN” by RaeAnne Thayne ENDED“ →

Hosted by Miz B at Should Be Reading 

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
*Grab your current read
*Open to a random page
*Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
*BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
*Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

With Joe Castle still unconscious in a New York Hospital, Warren Tracey was hated everywhere he went. His name was toxic.

page 123