2T Repeat Performance

I've done a number of blog tours over the years, posting on different sites. Now I'm bringing them to you!

Originally published September 3, 2013 for Rachel Brimble Romance

Thank you to Rachel and Rachel Brimble Romance for having me here today!

1.         What do you wish men understood about women?

So many things J. Sometimes we don’t want them to fix things, we just want them to listen. Active listening is supportive, and encourages—mmhmm and uh-huh are perfectly fine and helpful.

2.         Do you only work on one book at a time?

I used to. But there are tons of awesome authors out there producing five or ten (or more) wonderful books a year. Which is great—it encourages me to always look for ways to write more, and write better. I still usually do one thing at a time, for example, write new material on one book in the morning and edit another in the afternoon. Some parts of the process need time to simmer, or time off between passes, and I try to take advantage of that. In August, I’m doing pre-edits on Downbeat (Biting Love Book 7, coming March 2014) during weeks two and four, and working on a new proposal during weeks one and three.

3.         Who is your favorite fictional couple?

Francis Crawford of Lymond and Philippa Somerville, from Dorothy Dunnett’s Lymond Chronicles (books). Then in no special order it’s Holmes and Watson from Sherlock Holmes (books/television); Bones and Booth from Bones (television); Harry Dresden and Karrin Murphy from the Dresden Files (books/television); Rhage and Mary from Lover Eternal (book) and Ramses Emerson and Nefret Forth from the Amelia Peabody series (books).

 

3T Writing Tidbit - Writing the Holidays

 If you google "Writing the Holidays" (I'm writing this the last day of 2024, so I'm assuming people are still googling, but who knows what evolution AI will have effected) you'll get everything from writing holiday stories to writing despite the holidays to writing to stay sane through the holidays.

I have a short but different take. Be aware of the holidays and use that awareness to write better stories (holiday or not).

In the northern hemisphere, days leading up to December 21 are getting darker and darker. Not only do days themselves shorten, but the daylight itself becomes thin, like nightmare lighting. The effect is more marked the farther north you go.

In the southern hemisphere, this happens in June, but they deal with it the same way northerners do.

GIVE ME MORE LIGHT

Sydney hosts the largest festival of lights. In my subdivision, December sees us rivaling small countries in use of electricity.

Here's the writer's take on it. Check out these two images (made with Stencil).

 

 The first really pops! Lots of things going on, lots of color and light.

The second is much more sedate. Only a few people, and there's only two colors of light, blue and pale yellow.

But here's the twist. Look at the text. In which picture does it stand out more?

Well, right. The second. So does that mean we should always go for the more singular, subdued light?

Sure -- if you want the text to stand out. But if you're writing a mystery, the best way to hide a clue is in plain sight -- with a whole passel of color and light and bustle going on around it.

Published since 2009, over the years I've accumulated various items of writing wisdom. The Third Tuesday Writing Tidbit showcases these items in no particular order. Click here to see all 3T Tidbits.   

2T Repeat Performance - Series Inspiration

I've done a number of blog tours over the years, posting on different sites. Now I'm bringing them to you!

Originally published September 2, 2013 for Blackraven's Erotic Cafe

Thank you to Blackraven and Blackraven’s Erotic Cafe for having me back!

How does the inspiration come to you for the next book in this series?

Short answer? There are a bunch of alpha males and quirky females running around in my head jostling to get out :)

Longer answer, the series has a broad arc of three stories per villain, each bad guy more cunning and harder to beat. The final book as planned will be the boss villain against Kai Elias, the leader of the Iowa Alliance.

So then it’s a matter of fitting each hero/heroine into their best place in the arc. For example, one of my heroines had to be a doctor, to help reveal information on my vampires’ physiology. I also needed to establish the setting of the north woods cabin for a future story. So I created Synnove.

Then I had to pick a romantic interest. Since I love to crash opposites into each other, and Synnove is substance over style, that meant creating mega-style adman Ric. As a boy, Ric was turned by vampire villain Nosferatu, so I got to reveal some cool background about him and Elias.

The thing that sold Synnove for me is that her cousin is Twyla Tafel, whose story was started in The Bite of Silence. Twyla’s Happily Ever After was waiting for her in those north woods. Better yet, the event triggers Synnove’s HEA. When the pieces fit, I have the start of a story. When they resonate into something more, it’s worth writing.

I have to admit, though—it’s not all planning. Sometimes a character will simply leap out of my psyche and take over the pages. Logan and Twyla were both like that. And Aiden, deadly assassin and Ric’s sidekick, whom you’ll meet in Beauty Bites, grabbed Book 8.

When do you decide that it's time to close a series?  What are the signs you look for?

I think it depends on the series. Some, like J.D. Robb’s Eve Dallas or Rex Stout’s Nero Wolfe are open-ended. Some have a natural end, like a trilogy with three friends, each of whom finds their love. Some have a scripted end, where the last hero meets the biggest villain. Some jump the shark, where, in an effort to make the stakes larger or the twist unexpected, a story reaches outside itself for inspiration. It’s important to expand the story first, then bring in the shark :).

Did you think the series would go as long as it has?

In my head it always has J. I’ve had to learn better ways of creating new situations and increasing the stakes without jumping the shark. As many writers do, I have themes that resonate strongly for me, and those will show up again and again. But I feel very fortunate to have great editors, writers, readers and the whole community of people who love stories whose support and encouragement keeps my writing fresh.

3T Writing Tidbit - What's in a Name?

I recently wrote a rant post on repetition, how over-repetition drives me nuts, and techniques to avoid that. Avoid over-repetition, not driving me nuts.

Here is one place to break that rule. When first establishing a character, do repeat the character's name several times.

 Back when they had TV intros, several took advantage of this. Whatever you think of the set tensions, I can still remember "Who am I? I'm Rick Castle Castle Castle" and "Every writer needs inspiration and I've found mine Detective Kate Beckett Beckett Beckett".

Now, this doesn't have to be a straight repeat like Nixie Nixie Nixie (or Beetlejuice... nope, not saying that one 3 times). You can change up how you get your character's name in the reader's mental ear. Make it part of the title (Biting Nixie) or have established characters talking about her before or after she shows up. Make it explicit by having her introduce herself or make it implicit by weaving it into the scenery (a lawyer or banker on a billboard; a singer's song streaming in the background).

Mix these approaches up to make sure your character's name stays with the reader.

Published since 2009, over the years I've accumulated various items of writing wisdom. The Third Tuesday Writing Tidbit showcases these items in no particular order. Click here to see all 3T Tidbits.  

2T Repeat Performance - Style...And More

I've done a number of blog tours over the years, posting on different sites. Now I'm bringing them to you!

Originally published August 29, 2013 for What's on the Bookshelf

Thank you to Jen and What’s on the Bookshelf for having me here today!

1. What is your favorite line from BEAUTY BITES?

I love banter, and many of my favorite lines are quick back-and-forth. Here’s an exchange between Synnove (“I”) who has done a favor for her cousin Twyla, asking sexy ad man Ric Holiday to handle Twyla’s ad campaign. But Ric has said no. Synnove and Twyla review over a glass of wine.

“This is more than wine can handle.” I set my glass down. “Where’s your chocolate?”

“S’mores?”

“No. Straight up.”

“You’re going to do it.” [Twyla] smiled. “You’re going back.”

“Don’t sound so happy. You’re going to owe me so bad you’ll be my Favors [B**ch] for the rest of your life.” I rummaged around in the cupboards, caught the sting of cacao and found the giant extra-dark bars between a box of graham crackers and a bag of marshmallows. I cracked one in half without opening it, tore the paper in two and handed one to Twyla.

“Favors [B**ch]?” She took her half, unwrapped a corner and bit into it appreciatively. “Aren’t you forgetting the time I bailed you out of the principal’s office after you greased Anna Versnobt’s ‘back’ vibrator with heat rub?”

2. Describe Synnove in three words or less.

Substance over style.

3. Describe Ric in three words or less.

Style…and more.

4. What was the hardest thing about writing BEAUTY BITES?

The near-tragedy that sets the end in motion. I write my stories with a very light emotional touch for sensitive readers. But this scene needed to be gut-wrenching to honor what happens in it. Synnove does warn the reader so that she can skip ahead to the next chapter if she needs to.

5. Can you tell us what's up next?

I’m very excited that Downbeat, Biting Love Book 7 is releasing in March 2014. It’s Rocky’s story, and I actually started it before the first Biting Love book was even published. But its place in the series arc meant I didn’t get to finish it until this year. I’m glad it was delayed though, because it’s one of my favorite projects, and my readers, editors, and the writing community has made me a better writer and the story benefits from that.

I’m also in the planning stages for Book 8, Aiden’s story, and frankly that one will be a hoot because it pairs the sleek, smooth assassin with an inept but loveable Ruffles.

3T Writing Tidbit - writing update

I haven’t been writing much lately. In 2018, my life took a sharp and unexpected turn after the loss of my older brother and a beloved uncle-in-law, along with a serious health crisis in our family. At the same time, financial realities made it necessary for me to return to the regular workforce. It was a season of change that pulled my focus elsewhere, even though writing has always mattered deeply to me.

So I went back to school and freshened up my credentials for application development or as we used to call it, computer programming. Fast forward two years, I got a day job just as COVID reached its peak and my home writing office was repurposed as a home app development office. Fast forward five more years and it's now.

And I've been mentally working on Soul Mates all along.

There's a blog or two or three out there about the troubles I've been having with the final book in the Pull of the Moon series. I didn't like the hero. The heroine was boring. The plot was disjointed. The villain had one-dimensional motivation.

One by one, over the years, I've been working these out. 

I'm still not writing, but I'm a lot closer than I've been. I'm actually getting exciting about the hero, the heroine, the plot -- even the villain. 

If you're one of my readers waiting for the finale to Pull of the Moon, don't lose heart. It's coming.

2T Repeat Performance - Beauty Bites

 

I've done a number of blog tours over the years, posting on different sites. Now I'm bringing them to you!

Originally published August 29, 2013 for Readers' Roundtable

Thank you to Sydney and the Reader’s Roundtable for having me here today!

Mary, tell us a little about yourself and your upcoming release.

I’m a reader, writer and flutist with a skewed sense of humor and a smattering of engineering genes (yay, details!!).

Beauty Bites is the sixth story in the Biting Love series of hot paranormal action layered with romance and quirked up with characters.

It’s the story of Dr. Synnove Byornsson, a plain girl who grew up to be a great beauty but still favors substance over style, and Ric Holiday, adman extraordinaire who’d be all about style if he weren’t hiding a few things—like that he’s a two hundred year old vampire.

Synnove owes a favor to her cousin Twyla from The Bite of Silence—the cousins have been trading pranks since the cat and water balloon incident. Twyla’s the city admin for the little town of Meiers Corners, and she wants Synnove to ask Ric to take the city on as a client.

Ric is attracted to Synnove, but doesn’t want to go near Chicago. That’s the home of the mafia-like vampire who turned Ric as a child. Ric escaped with the aid of his assassin friend Aiden (in between fights, the duo exchanges guy-digs and quips).

So Ric turns Synnove’s proposal down. Then a sly temptress with a counterproposal forces his hand. The two women are scheduled for a face-off, with Ric as the prize.

Here’s the warning: Contains a doctor with a bod for sin, an ad exec with a chip on his shoulder, sarcasm, sex, and a cabin full of annoying friends. Secrets are revealed. One heart-stopping, horrific moment leads to the ultimate of happily-ever-afters.

What inspired this fantastic series and how do you keep coming up with fresh, innovative material with each installment?

Thanks for your kind words! <3 One way to keep things fresh is making each heroine a bit different, which puts a different spin on the kind of humor in the story. Liese loves puns; Nixie sees the world through punk glasses; Elena’s all cop; and Junior loves music jokes. Even characters who are similar, like musicians Nixie and Junior, have a different background, so while Nixie’s punk, sassy and rebellious, Junior’s all business.

It also helps that the series stakes are rising. Each story reveals a little more about vampires, takes us closer to the heart of the Iowa Alliance (the good guys), and gives us a badder bad guy with a little more mayhem.

But one of the best ways to keep writing fresh is taking part in communities of readers and writers. People who love stories are the support and encouragement to learn new and better storytelling.

What other books do you have in the works?

I’m very excited that Downbeat, Biting Love Book 7, releases March 2014. It’s Rocky’s story, and I actually started it in 2008 before the first Biting Love book was even published. But its place in the series arc meant I didn’t get to finish it until this year. I’m glad it was delayed though, because this one is near to my heart, and my readers, editors, and the writing community has made me a better writer and the story benefits from that.

I’m in the planning stages for Book 8, Aiden’s story, and frankly that one will be a hoot because it pairs the sexy, smooth assassin with an inept but loveable Ruffles.

What are 5 things that you'd like your readers to know about Mary Hughes and/or the Biting Love series?

The Biting Love series came about after years of rejections. I put everything that had gotten great feedback into a story...and it got published. Keep writing. Write from the heart (and the gut :).

Aids to Meiers Corners. Nixie’s slang guide: http://maryhughesbooks.com/Nixie%20Slang.htm; the Biting Love series reading order: http://maryhughesbooks.com/Reading_Order.htm.

The stories have fun elements, and I’m careful to keep the emotional touch light. However, there is one stark scene in Beauty Bites, and highly sensitive readers are urged to follow Synnove’s caution and skip ahead to the next chapter.

Downbeat has a scene I’ve been waiting five years to write J

I love it when the series is discovered by new readers. I’m also hugely grateful to dedicated long-time readers. I love to hear from both!