Great Stories

I'm involved in a writing group and it's full of some brilliant people. We're putting together an anthology at the moment, Hot in Oz, due out in June (although that's getting mighty close now!), and the stories are amazing, and diverse.

I learned about my lack of emotion and visceral responses from this experience - and then my love of repetition. It's improved my stories out of sight.

But I had another great experience due to this anthology. I started reading Kaliana Cole's stories. Her anthology story blew me out of the water, it was amazing. So I read some of her published work and they were as good. And then, in one of those incredible quirks of fate, she asked if we could be crit partners. Could we?! :)

So in a very one-sided partnership, I now get a sneak peek at her new stories and I love it! They keep me up at night and make me think lots - more about how to improve my writing than hers (that's beyond my ability!).

This anthology has been the best thing for me.

Repetition

LOL. I just got emotion...now I have a repetition problem!! How is it that when you get one thing nailed...the next flaw raises it's head? Maybe once the big mistakes are out of the way, the small ones can then be seen. Gosh, I wonder if I'm still removing big flaws, or if I'm down to the nitty gritty. This could be a very very long road!!

Emotion, I think I got it!

You know I've been struggling to hit the jackpot. That Show not Tell and Emotion were getting the better of me. Then this last month things have been changing in my head. A lightbulb got turned on by a critique from an author I admire. She made me realise I have to be the story, not write the story. I'm not saying I've got it now...but I'm a LOT closer than I have been, and I can see it.

What do I mean by "be the story"? Well, I write with distance, you know it's all that science training. I don't get "into" the story, don't dig into the deep part of my characters, don't see through their eyes, don't feel through their body. I have this distance...that I never saw...but I think I've lost it now. Does that make sense?

I'm going back to edit. Then I'm going to check with a couple of people that I have got this right, and then I'll try the submission thing again. *sigh* Who knew this was such a long process! LOL

Hot hot hot

I am reading a bunch of books by an author who I think writes hot, hot, hot - Kaliana Cole. The series is the Liberty Springs, Wyoming, series. Just read books 1 & 2 and am moving onto book 3 now.

Liberty Springs is a town where sex is natural and any combinations of sexual partners is accepted. Wow, what a place to live! Book 1 (No Bag Limit) has 3 brothers after the perfect woman - for all of them! Book 2 (Hook, Line and Sinker) is a male and female with a D/s flavour. Book 3 (Tag and Release) is (I think) 2 brothers and a woman - I'm a bit scared to peek because once I start, I'm hooked. I've had two very late nights finishing the last two books. I know it's going to be late again tonight...

Call me corny, but I think the fishing titles are fun. And that's exactly the kind of writing it is - fun, flirty, earthy and compelling.

Thank goodness Book 4 isn't out yet!! And I hear there's a Book 5 too and I'm rubbing my hands with glee!