Beaches, Backroads & Books

Ask writers what the most important element of any story is and you'll get a number of answers. Plot, characters, setting, conflict. There is no right or wrong answer, of course. These elements must all work together to form a story that draws the reader in and keeps them there until the final word. Ask readers what the number one reason they cast a book aside uncompleted is and they will give you some variance of "I just didn't care what happened." This might point to boredom with the plot, the setting or the conflict, but I think it just may point to characters as the thing that makes or breaks a book the quickest. As a reader and a writer, I find that characters are what keeps me engrossed in a book or makes me throw it down. A book can start in the most interesting, exciting way, with a scene that hooks me from the first word, but if I don't like the main characters or don't care enough about them, it won't matter. With the right characters, a wa...

Answer question #5 in today's Sizzling Summer Reads and be entered to win a copy of Sweet Sacrifices.     http://www.theromancereviews.com/event.php

Please enjoy today's interview with Sarah Hoss, author of Heaven Sent and Dreams of the Highlander. Comment on today's post and you will be entered to win a free copy of the book of your choice.     Hi, Sarah, Tell us a little about yourself and what you write.     Hi! Well, I am married and I have 3 children. A daughter who is 16, and two sons ages 15 and 12. When I am not writing I work at Subway. I love the smell of fresh cut grass and burning leaves and I hate sea food and cherry flavored drinks.   Do you find any recurring theme or idea in your writing?     Yah, The initials in everyone’s names. EX- book one has Marlana, Mairi, Margaret. I have Alexander Macpherson and Alan Michaels. Book two had the letters H and J going. Didn’t even notice until my CP pointed it out.   What do you consider the most important element of a story?       Conflict. If you don’t create conflict then there is ...

Author Velda Brotherton joins me today to talk about her adventures in historical research. Welcome, Velda! The small town appeared to be catching its last breath before expiring. Along the weed infested sidewalks, boards were nailed over broken windows. Down one short street that branched off the highway, the top floor had actually fallen into the bottom, the red bricks tumbling into inert piles. On the corner huddled a closed saloon with a sign picturing a woman kicking one leg high in the air. Typical of many oil towns in Oklahoma and Texas, it had once boomed. Now death hovered close by, waiting for the last people to pack up and leave. At the time I was searching for a hometown for the hero of a novel. This one fit the bill. The story was about a Vietnam Veteran lost and struggling to find his way back and a woman running from a life she'd grown to detest and searching for her bliss, if you will. The minute we hit the outskirts of this town, I knew this was it. ...

Tuesday is the day I said I would write about reading or writing, but this Tuesday, I'm going to write about romance. My husband and I will celebrate our 27th anniversary on Thursday, and I thought I'd give you a little glimpse into our not-so-fairy-tale love affair. I still remember the first time I saw him in the hallway at Sheffield Elementary school. We were in the fourth grade and I thought he was cute. He says he thought I had the biggest boobs he'd ever seen. He rode my bus and became best friends with my cousin. I figured out pretty quickly that he was a jerk, and although I still thought he was pretty cute, I tried to keep my distance. His sister stayed at the day care where my grandmother worked, so I got updates on "that little Jason Marlow" every so often from her. He wasn't just a jerk, he was a hoodlum, it seemed. Over the years, I caught glimpses of him here and there, and he was hot, but like I said, I kept my distance. Usually, I just stu...