eviedrae

[eviedrae]

"Shift's End," by A. R. Barley

Contemporary Gay (M/M) Romance

Book Blurb

With a couple failed marriages under his belt, Captain Jack Tracey knows how tough it is to balance a personal life with his job. But nothing in his long career has prepared him for the moment Diesel Evers walks into his firehouse. Sure, Jack’s contended with cocky young recruits before, but this seriously hot hotshot rookie is poised to crash and burn. With early retirement in sight, Jack can’t afford to get involved with a subordinate. Having transferred to Jack’s house after a disastrous relationship, Diesel isn’t looking for another commitment. But that doesn’t mean he can’t have a little fun with his sexy silver fox of a new boss. Sometimes you have to bend the rules a bit…or shatter them completely. With an unidentified saboteur endangering his squad, Jack doesn’t want to draw any more heat, but Diesel is too damn tempting to deny. Indulging their desires feels worth the risk—until trouble on the job lands Jack in the hospital, forcing them both to decide what’s worth fighting for.

 My Review

I’m a big fan of May-December romance, especially when it’s done well, which meant I was positively chomping at the bit to get my readerly hands on this week’s book. I’m happy to say, Shift’s End by A. R. Barley didn’t disappoint. Not only did it provide a delicious set of main characters I could easily fall for, but they were also firemen. Both of ‘em.

 I mean, come on. Talk about a panty fire. 🤣 Thank goodness there were two professionals around to help put it out… or, I dunno, make it worse. But who’s counting? I’m certainly not. Nor am I complaining.

 This book was on the milder, lower heat end—with only one really detailed sex scene—but the romance between the two men was so sweet and so hard earned that I can certainly forgive Ms. Barley for glossing over some of the scenes I (as an admitted erotica lover) would’ve loved to see in more detail. Still, for what was there, it was decidedly yummy and you’ll hear no grievances on my end.

 I adored the relationship our silver fox and captain of the New York Fire Department, Jack Tracey, had with his first ex-wife, Mona, and sixteen-year-old son, Eric. It was so wholesome and pretty much the ideal situation if a couple with a child can’t make their marriage work. It was refreshing to see a book not treat ex’s as across-the-board dumpster fires not worth the legs they stand on. Because, come on, the truth of the matter is… yes, relationships don’t always work out, but it isn’t always because the other person was a complete monster. I applaud Ms. Barley for taking a jaunt down a less-than-frequently traveled road with the true friendship still in play between Mona and Jack.

 Poor Diesel Evers, on the other hand, didn’t get so lucky. But that’s okay, there’s a place for crap head ex’s, too. And, boy, Chase is sure a crap head and then some. Twenty-six-year-old Diesel, who is Jack’s junior by twenty years, fled his old life in Atlantic City to get away from his ex and all the craptastic crap he brought into Diesel’s life. (I’ll let y’all gather those bits of info for yourselves as you read. No spoilers here.)

 His transfer brought him into Captain Jack’s house and from the moment those two laid eyes on one another, a low-grade sizzle started. I adore how Ms. Barley allowed the men’s relationship to unfold over a very reasonable stretch of time, rather than trying to cram them falling in love within a few short days. (I’m not saying all quick-to-fall stories are tragically horrible… only the insta-love ones where there quite simply isn’t enough to push the leads into those kind of feelings in such a short period.) But in this case, insta-love wasn’t an issue at all.

 And watching the two flirt was pretty much adorbs and a half. Just sayin’.

 My only "beef," so to speak, was with the side plot meant to add tension and give a reason for Jack and Diesel to be forced together. Quite honestly, it fell flat for me. A good deal of it felt contrived, and the final payout kind of fizzled and ended on a squeaker. Thankfully, the core of the novel—the relationship between the men—was well handled and overshadowed the weaker "suspense" plot.

 Overall, I’d recommend this book to any male/male romance lover—especially those who aren’t into super high heat, but who enjoy a sweet buildup with a moment or two of the hot and heavy. 😘

 Until next time,

E 💕

*I RECEIVED AN ARC OF THIS NOVEL VIA NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

[eviedrae]

Sensitivity Readers: Why You Should Never Skip This Step

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… if I can’t give a book a good review, I’d prefer not to give it one at all. As a writer, I’m fully aware that not everything is for everyone, and tearing down my fellow authors is the exact opposite direction I want to go with my life. My reviews are there to tell people all about the awesome books I’ve read that I can genuinely recommend… not to gripe and moan about things that didn’t float my personal boat.

 However, sometimes there are reasons beyond individual taste that make me add books to my Did Not Finish (DNF) pile. Things that fall into the offensive, hateful, or morally corrupt department. Things like…

 Unnecessary bigotry, racism, or sexism

Especially when it's performed by a main character and/or it's present without a driving plot-based purpose. Unfortunately, these things are part of our modern society, so leaving them completely out of your book would only serve to create an unrealistic rendering of the world we live within. But having these present, as a conflict point or obstacle your character(s) must overcome, is an entirely different beast than having them there for no other reason than to spew hate.

 And, please… for the love of all things good, don’t have your main characters—people we, as readers, are supposed to root for and love—be cruel and bigoted unless you intend it to be part of a redemption arc.

 Murder, rape, or incest performed by a lead in a romance novel

I know anti-heroes are a thing, and I adore Dexter, but I don’t want that in my romance. It’s really hard to root for a love interest when they’re a murderer or rapist, whether it be in their past, present, or future. Yes, there are certain circumstances that can be forgiven or overlooked (i.e. a cop who kills in the line of duty) but these are always forgivable because they don’t truly fall into any of these categories.

 Incest is a thing all its own. I’m aware there is a subset of readers out there who find this to be a fetish of sorts, and kudos to them… but it ain’t my kink, and I highly advise anyone looking to make their book mainstream in any way, shape, or form to avoid this. And, no, I’m not referring to step-kink (that’s a bit more socially and morally acceptable, so a tad safer). I mean the real deal: blood on blood. No thanks.

 Unresearched, harmful portrayals of lifestyles and communities

This falls back a bit on the idea of racism, bigotry, and even sexism, but it goes a bit deeper. Far too many people blindly write about things they know nothing about and wind up grossly misrepresenting the subject. To the point, in many cases, of causing very real harm.

 No, I’m not talking about delving into the world of, say, dental hygienists. I’m talking about communities—especially those already marginalized and misunderstood—where an inaccurate depiction can further support terrible prejudices and stereotypes… and can even create new ones.

  When I find things like this in a book, there’s a very good (okay, pretty much 100%) chance I’m going to stop reading. Yes, I’m only one reader, and not everyone is offended by the same things… but the fact of the matter is, if you aren’t writing #ownvoices but there is diversity in your story or characters, you need to approach the subject with knowledge, compassion, and careful thought.

 I’ve already touted the importance of beta readers—and I truly hope each and every one of you utilize these invaluable resources—but the purpose of this blog is to discuss a very specific beta reader niche: sensitivity readers.

 What is a sensitivity reader, you ask? Quite simple. They’re a beta reader who belongs to the community or lifestyle you’ve chosen to write about that falls outside your #ownvoices sphere of expertise. Sometimes they treat the read as a true beta and provide general and sensitivity feedback, but often they're simply a reader who can provide honest, reliable criticism and advice on the topics and subjects close to their heart.

 I believe this is an imperative step that should never be skipped. I applaud every single author who chooses to tackle diverse subject matter and characters. However, I’ve seen so many painful examples of writers setting out to support diversity and winding up with a product that only serves to hurt rather than bolster these ideals.

 Looking at my list of things guaranteeing a DNF on my end, it’s clear not all specifically require a sensitivity reader to avoid. (Like, okay, your characters either rape, murder, and boink their relatives or they don’t, am I right?) But the rest of my complaints could be mostly avoided with a sensitivity read and a mind open to change.

  For example, if you’re a Caucasian, as I am, who includes characters of other races within your story, get a reader who identifies as the same race as your character(s). Give them carte blanche to be one hundred percent honest with you about how that character is portrayed. Are you inadvertently describing their skin tone in an offensive manner? Do you skip or include cultural practices that are important or stereotypical in nature, respectively? Do your characters interact in appropriate ways that don’t encourage prejudice or inequality? Are you using insulting terminology or depicting the character in an unnecessarily racially charged fashion?

 These readers are a vital part of the pre-pub process. The knowledge they can provide to assist you, as a writer, in depicting other cultures and communities both accurately and appropriately is invaluable. I’ve read so many books where it’s clear they were sent to press without taking this step, and the book as a whole suffered. So, unfortunately, did the community it misrepresented.

 One final thing I’d like to point out is all communities and lifestyles falling outside a writer’s realm of personal experience and complete understanding should be given this same courtesy. Again, I’m not saying you must have a dental hygienist read your book if you’ve decided to give your MC that career path and it’s one you’ve had no experience with… but what I am saying is, use your head (and your heart). Is there a chance something you’ve written might not be one hundred percent accurate because you’ve based it off research rather than experience? Could the people within that world be judged based off your inaccuracies?

 If so, get a sensitivity reader. Find someone who can speak from genuine experience. Someone who can guide you down the right path. One who will strengthen your story because it'll be based on truth rather than poorly researched lies.

  An area I’ve found where this is often overlooked is the BDSM community. More and more, stories about consensual domination and submission are finding their way into mainstream media as it grows in prominence and popularity. However, far too many of these stories are being written by people not actively in the lifestyle. Authors who simply get off on the idea of BDSM, but who've never truly experienced it, are writing tales filled with gross misrepresentations that shed an unflattering light on the community and support harmful stereotypes.

 So, in the end, I hope this blog helps you, as a writer, to think a little more critically about the story you’re writing. I'm in no way trying to discourage anyone from writing about things and people outside their realm of experience—exactly opposite, actually. I simply want you to do your research and depict them as accurately as possible. And that includes having someone within that group critique your portrayal to be sure it is as honest and true as possible.

 Until next time,

E 💕

[eviedrae]

"Saddle Up," by A.M. Arthur

Contemporary Gay (M/M) Romance

Book Blurb

Reyes Caldero keeps his past buried deep and his emotions buried deeper. But what he doesn’t say he always makes up for with his actions. When the hot chef he once saved from an abusive ex turns up at Clean Slate Ranch, the quiet cowboy is happy to act on their sizzling chemistry, even if he’s not ready to share his secrets—or his heart. Miles Arlington needs to get the hell out of San Francisco, and heading north for a job near Clean Slate Ranch seems like just the thing. It doesn’t hurt that his secret crush slash onetime rescuer happens to work at the ranch. Miles has never been one for the outdoors, but the superhot Reyes has him ready to saddle up. Reyes is happy to keep things casual, even though his heart has other ideas. And when Miles is forced to confront his past again, Reyes and Miles will have to put all their trust in each other if they want any chance at building a future together.  

 My Review

I’m going to preface this review with the fact I went into this book not knowing it was part of a continuing miniseries. While it does a decent job of standing alone plot wise, I think quite a few of my “issues” with the read had to do with things related to it being part of a series I wasn’t previously invested in. I might not have perceived certain items as problematic if I had an attachment to the side characters and their world already.

 That being said, let’s dive in, shall we? This week, I read Saddle Up by A.M. Arthur. It’s part of the Clean Slate Ranch miniseries from Carina Press. Ms. Arthur is a well-established and successful author, with books from Carina, Dreamspinner Press, SMP Swerve, and Briggs-King Books.

 Our two heroes are Miles and Reyes, and I will admit, I adored both of them. Ms. Arthur certainly does a good job of building broken men, and their backstories were unique and heart wrenching. I was rooting for them from the get-go to get together, and the development of their relationship was satisfying and far from insta-love (a personal pet peeve, so yay!)

 There were quite a few side characters—almost to the point of overwhelming, considering I was just meeting all of them—and I had a hard time at first getting settled into the story because so many names kept flying my way. There was also a significant amount of info dumping, especially at the beginning, that I gather had to do with previous plot lines from prior novels in the series. I could have done without pretty much all of that, as it had little if anything to do with the present story, and really bogged things down. The beginning dragged, and I think the biggest reason for that was because so much of it was dedicated to backstory.

 I’m also going to be brutal here and say, aside from the excessive exposition at the beginning, I also think the story itself started in the wrong place. The main characters don’t even get on page together until maybe 15% into the book. Again, most of that 15% was dedicated to backstory and minor scenes with little to no importance. Anything we learned during that time would have been much better interwoven in an organic fashion throughout the novel rather than shoved rather heavy-handedly down our throats right out of the gate. Again, perhaps if I had a prior connection with these characters, I wouldn’t feel as I do.

 Another thing that struck me as odd—and might have something to do with the series I can’t relate to as a first time reader—was the introduction of a third POV around the 20% mark. Mack, who is Reyes’ best friend and Miles’ best friend’s boyfriend, made a sudden and jarring appearance… with no apparent purpose. Nothing we learned from his very brief scene needed to come from him (any and all of it could have come from either of the main POV characters) and wound up being just another opportunity to info dump. Then, he showed up twice more (for a grand total of only three occurrences) with barely a page or two to his name each time.

 Not one of the three times his POV appears does anything happen of any great import. None of it needed to come from him and, in fact, could very easily be removed entirely from the book and not a thing would be missing. This was one of the most glaringly confusing things about this story, and it made me wonder: does Mack make appearances in all the novels as a POV character? Does it serve a specific purpose I don’t understand because I haven’t read the rest of the series? Who knows. Maybe. But it was disconcerting and bizarre either way.

 My final “gripe” has to do with the black moment and its resolution. I’m not going to go into detail, because I don’t want to spoil anything, but I will say this: There were some seriously overblown reactions and an unsatisfactory resolution. Then, just, bam, happily ever after and it’s over.

 But… aside from that, I did enjoy the read, which is really all that matters, right? I’m approaching this from a writer’s perspective, so I’m watching out for things most readers don’t even know to look for. (I remember those blissful days when I was a clueless reader who didn’t understand the mechanics of good writing and storytelling… writerly knowledge has ruined more than a few of my favorite books, trust me.)

 Ms. Arthur does a beautiful job at world building, and the side characters—while overwhelming in sheer number at first—were unique and did add quite a bit to the story as a whole. There was an agreeable amount of natural conflict throughout the book; the main romance arc (until the end) was well done and believable; and the characters are well fleshed out.

 Overall, this really was a pleasant read. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who is a fan of A.M. Arthur, but also to anyone who enjoys m/m romance and might be looking for a light read with quirky, sexy, and adorable leads.

 Saddle Up is available for pre-order or can be purchased for immediate enjoyment on or after its release date, September 17th, 2018!

 Until next time,

E💕

*I RECEIVED AN ARC OF THIS NOVEL VIA NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

[eviedrae]

Look Who’s Talking: Dialogue Tags vs. Action Beats

I decided to do a post on this occasionally “controversial” topic because I’ve read a few books lately where it’s painfully obvious no one ever taught the poor soul either the difference between these two, or tips on how best to use them.

 Don’t go scouring back through my book reviews, you won’t find any of them there… if I can’t give an honest, fair, and positive review, I don’t leave one! Not everything is for everyone, and I see no point in being cruel. My reviews are to pimp the awesome books I’ve read, not to tear my fellow authors down. Just my two cents! 😘

 Anyhoo… let’s start with the basics and move forward from there. What are these pesky things, anyway??

 Dialogue Tags

These bad boys are responsible for telling readers who is talking in a written conversation. You know, the whole “he said,” “she said” mumbo jumbo. (More on various ways to format these a little later.)

  The expectations and ideas on what is “best” in writing morph and change as frequently as the fashion trends. Currently, the great powers that be—whoever they are—say to limit verb attributions (with some occasional exceptions, of course) to “said” alone. It used to be common practice to see writers using a whole spectrum of strong verbs in place of said. Ergo, characters were often portrayed as doing things such as shouting, crying, mumbling, whispering, or muttering their lines of dialogue.

 Regular use of adverbs was also seen during this era, which resulted in dialogue tags that read something along the lines of: he said shyly, or she muttered angrily. As most of you know, common wisdom encourages near complete removal of adverbs from our writing altogether. Can you image the cringe factor for these folks if they read books from the grand old days where adverbs were thrown around like candy?

 The preferred approach in our current writing culture leans toward using action beats rather than excessive and creative verb/adverb combos. So, what exactly is an action beat?

 Action Beats

These are simple actions a character performs while talking. They serve to both inform the reader who is speaking, just like a dialogue tag does, while also giving some sense of grounding in the scene. It provides the reader with something more to “see” within their mind’s eye, which creates a deeper, more enriching experience.

 Let’s look at an example from some of my own writing to get a better feel for what I mean.

As you can see, I don’t use any dialogue tags in this section. (In fact, I'm not a huge fan in general. Action beats are my jam.) However, it’s still clear who is speaking based on whose actions are being shown. This is important: Always be sure the action beat is describing something being done by the character whose dialogue it accompanies, or your readers will get very confused. I often find myself going back and doing a mental count of who spoke last to try and decipher who might be speaking now. It's never a guarantee I get it right, and you really don't want your readers to be putting that much effort into figuring out your words. You'll lose 'em quick that way.

 Just for craps and giggles, let’s take a look at that same snippet with dialogue tags (in the non-creative verb, non-adverb format... AKA "said.")

You still know who’s talking, right? But it loses a bit of that spark and panache. Kinda a little... boring, perhaps? Takes away some awesome opportunities to build character, and to anchor your reader in the scene, too.

 However, it is important to note, I absolutely am not saying dialogue tags should be done away with and replaced entirely with actions beats. My personal style as a writer is to primarily utilize action to denote who’s speaking, but dialogue tags definitely serve a purpose. It is every individual writer’s choice, based on their style and preferences, as to how they do just about anything within their craft. This is no different.

  In fact, mixing the two can be extremely effective. There are also times where using only dialogue tags to keep a scene of snappy, fast-paced dialogue flowing is essential. It’s up to the writer to determine what, when, and where to use these different forms of character dialogue distinction.

 The point of this post is to help writers understand the difference between the two; to introduce the concept of action beats to writers unfamiliar with them; and to provide a guide in how best to punctuate these bad boys. Because there is a difference between dialogue tags and actions beats, and often, this throws writers.

 So, let’s look at that next.

 Punctuating Dialogue Tags

Depending on where you choose to place the dialogue tag affects how it's punctuated. Let’s take a look at the various possibilities. For the sake of simplicity, I’m gonna stick to “said,” although it's totally acceptable to toss things up every now and again. Just don’t be heavy-handed about it, m’kay?

 Also… if you do decide to step outside the “said” boundary, be careful you’re using a descriptive verb for dialogue, not action (i.e. whispered vs. laughed.) Someone can whisper a phrase but cannot physically "laugh" a phrase. They can laugh around the words but can’t physically “laugh” them. Laughing is action and should follow action beat rules.

 Dialogue Tags Following the Dialogue

There should always be a comma at the end of the final sentence spoken (within the quotation mark) followed by a lower case he/she (or, obviously, a properly capitalized noun if it’s a character’s name.) For example:

 Dialogue Punctuated with Question Marks or Exclamation Points

This follows the same rules as above, only rather than the comma, there is a ? or ! For example:

 Dialogue Tags Inserted Into the Middle of a Sentence

To toss things up, you can slip dialogue tags into the middle of a sentence. Sometimes this is also used to provide a pause for impact. When this is done, the dialogue tag is set off with commas, and the sentence itself is capitalized as if the dialogue tag weren’t present. For example:

 Note: Sometimes the dialogue before the tag and after are supposed to be two separate sentences. In that case, the second would need to be capitalized, but a period would follow the “said.” For example:

 Now, what about action beats? Let’s check those out real quick.

 Punctuating Action Beats

The first rule to remember about action beats is they are not dialogue tags and should not be treated as such. For example:

 If an action interrupts a character’s sentence, there are several ways to denote this. It’s up to the writer to decide which fits their style best but consider being consistent.

 Set Off by Commas

Be very, very careful with this one. Only use it if it is interrupting a sentence, not when the action is simply stuck between two sentences. In my personal experience, it’s best to avoid this avenue, as it’s easy to use this incorrectly without meaning to. But, if you so choose to go this route, here’s how to accomplish it:

 Set Off by Em Dashes

Again, use this when the action is interrupting a sentence. For example:

 Set Off by Ellipses

Same goes here. Interrupting a sentence. For example:

 Okay, now you know how to use them. Let’s talk about when you shouldn’t. Or, perhaps “shouldn’t” is too strong of a word. How about we discuss when you can choose not to use them. Again, up to you as a writer. These are just some suggestions.

 Not everything a character says must have a tag or an action beat. Sometimes too many can distract from the conversation or bog down a scene where the dialogue is meant to be quick, either for intensity or humor or some other writerly prerogative. As long as it’s clear due to predictably alternating lines between two established characters in scene or from an easily notable speech pattern, then you can skip the occasional tag or action beat to tighten the flow and avoid distraction.

 For simplicity’s sake—and to save me from having to search my manuscript for a different example—let’s pick up where the last scene left off between Gretchen and Josh.

As you can see, I left off any action beats or dialogue tags on the last two lines because it’s clear Josh and Gretchen are the only two speaking, they’re alternating, and it keeps the conversational pace moving in the punchy direction I want.

 So, the most important thing I hope you take away from this post is… you’re the master of your writerly domain. There really is no “right” way, so long as you follow the proper punctuation rules. I’ve seen fantastic writing utilizing lots of dialogue tags, and others using only action beats. I’ve also see superb examples of writers who mix the two. Whatever your flavor, it’s important to have all the necessary tools in your kit so, if you need ‘em, they’re there!

 Until next time,

E 💕

[eviedrae]

"The Case of the Desperate Doctor," by Jacqueline Diamond

Cozy Medical Mystery

Book Blurb

Two women are dead. A doctor desperately seeks justice for them both. Haunted by the loss of his wife, Dr. Eric Darcy discovers she was linked to another woman, a female obstetrician, who has just died. Was it suicide or murder? His inquiry sets him at cross purposes with his sister-in-law, a private investigator, and his close friend, a homicide detective. The pursuit of truth drives Eric on a quest to Israel, and back to his small town in California. There he uncovers shocking secrets that lead to a stunning climax. USA Today bestselling novelist Jacqueline Diamond explores the deadly effects of hidden trauma in the third Safe Harbor Medical Mystery.

 My Review

I know I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: why in the name of all things good have I been hiding exclusively in Romancelandia for so many years? While, yes, romance is and will always be my favorite genre, I’ve recently discovered a rash of books that fall outside that realm, and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them. The Case of the Desperate Doctor (A Safe Harbor Medical Mystery) by Jacqueline Diamond happens to be another shining example.

 Ms. Diamond is a well-established author—with over 100 books to her name—and the quality of her writing, storyline, characters, and overall craft speaks to that experience. I was happily surprised by just how much I truly enjoyed this book, despite it falling into a genre I’ve never read.

 For starters, the main character—Eric Darcy—has a wonderful voice. This is written in first person single POV—it’s only Dr. Darcy’s head we’re in—so there’s always that question whether the voice is the character’s or author’s. But in this instance—in single POV—it doesn’t matter. The voice is strong, relatable, and charismatic while not stealing the show from the story itself.

 And the story… oh, folks, I was hooked from the beginning. For starters, I’m an L&D nurse when I’m not obsessively doing all things writing, and the main character is an OB-GYN! I was kinda stoked to dive into a medical mystery, especially one based around my personal area of interest and expertise. However, for those of you who might pump the breaks at the idea of something so out of your sphere of understanding, I can honestly say this: while touted as a medical mystery, there is nothing about this book that should deter anyone from reading it for fear of confusion or repulsion. Not at all. The “medical” aspect is more a backdrop than anything delved into great detail on, so this story can truly be for anyone, from any walk of life.

 In addition, I absolutely adored how Ms. Diamond weaved characters into her story often considered controversial or, at best, difficult to properly portray. The most telling of the bunch is a man who admits, nearly on page one, to being schizophrenic. Rather than depicting him as a monster or shoving his character into a corner and only using him for punchlines, Ms. Diamond draws Dr. Jeremiah Schwartz into the heart of the story. He becomes a hero in his own right, and in ways you might not expect.

 But be warned. While this is a “cozy mystery,” and the medical aspects are in no way anything to be leery of, this book does tackle a few topics that might make some readers uncomfortable. Namely, the themes of suicide, rape/sexual assault, and bigotry toward the LGBT+ community. Now, let me say this: while these are certainly trigger-filled subjects, and something to avoid if the mere mention of them is enough to harm your mental wellbeing, I believe Ms. Diamond handles all three in a very careful manner. None of the rape or sexual assault is shown or discussed in any detail, and the bigotry I mention is not perpetuated by any of the main characters and is used only to support the plot, as opposed to used to purposefully or cruelly harm. It is obvious Ms. Diamond is aware these are tender areas and she treats them as such.

 The only matter I believe truly does deserve a full-fledged trigger warning is the issue of suicide. I’m not easily triggered, but I’ve had more than one person close to me pass away due to this heart wrenching act. I found several scenes and points of discussion difficult to get through without dredging up painful feelings and memories. Not impossible, but definitely difficult.

 Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good cozy mystery with a strong voice and entertaining characters. As long as the reader goes into the story aware of the possible triggers, and doesn’t have issue with them, then this can and absolutely is a very enjoyable read.

 Until next time,

E💕

[eviedrae]

Hashtag Games: Actively Building Your #AmWriting Community

In my humble opinion, one of the most important things for a writer is to find their writerly tribe. That is, a group of like-minded writers who act as a support system for one another as they travel the bumpy #amwriting road together. Because, trust me, folks, it’s bumpy. So, so bumpy. I’m talkin’ potholes the size of moon craters that’ll knock you out of alignment in 2.5 seconds flat if you don’t have people who get your pain to set you back to rights.

 So, that’s all fine and dandy, but how does one go about finding such a crowd? There are countless different paths, and each individual has to discover their people in their own way. That’s just how the world turns. However, there are a few things I’ve discovered that can help build a sense of community among your writerly brethren. And that’s the first step, isn’t it?

 One such method is participating in weekly #amwriting hashtag games on Twitter. There are several different kinds, so I’ll start by giving you a rundown of your options. Again, everyone is different, and one type of “game” might suit you better than another. When you stop to think about it, that’ll likely equate into finding a tribe best suited to you, as well. Win/win.

 Prompt Words

This is where the host of the hashtag supplies a word, and the #amwriting crowd is tasked with hunting down lines that include the provided prompt. Or, in some cases, simply evoke the meaning or feeling of the word in some way.

 For example, if the prompt is “pride,” a writer can post a line from their WIP or pubbed work with some variant of the prompt (i.e. pride, proud, prided, etc.) or they can find a snippet that conjures a sense of “pride” from their characters. It doesn’t have to include the word itself, as long as the meaning is there.

 Writing Prompts

This is where the host of the hashtag provides a picture or short prompt and participants are encouraged to write a brand-new piece based off those bits of inspiration. This is often referred to as “flash fiction” or “very short stories.”

 Combo

Some prompts can be a combo of the above two. Just be sure to investigate the rules before diving in! ❤️

 Daily Questions

The hosts of these often supply the daily (sometimes weekly) questions at the beginning of each month. There is typically a theme of some sort. For example, this month I’m participating in the #Debut19Chat, which is geared toward authors who have their debut novel scheduled to release in 2019. Every day, there is a question aimed at allowing the writers participating in the chat to share bits about themselves, their writing process, and/or their soon-to-be-published book baby.

 These are really, really great places to meet people going through journeys similar to your own!

 Weekly Chats

These are scheduled weekly chats where the moderator will post questions during a specific time period (usually an hour-long window). Participants respond and chat threads are created where you get a chance to meet and bond with other writers. I adore these because they take place live and are a fantastic avenue to network with other writers in real time!

  How, exactly, does participating in these events build community, you ask? That’s easy. Most people who post in these hashtag games do so because they want to share their words, but they also get excited to see what other people bring to the table. I peruse the hashtags I play and see what other people are sharing. I leave comments on ones that really get me in the readerly gut, and oftentimes, that leads to conversations. Those chats don’t always go anywhere beyond that one single instance, but I’ve met some of my closest writer friends following random comments that have turned into long threaded conversations and, eventually, mutual writerly love.

 I’ve also wound up with some kick butt beta readers this way. Think about it… the snippets you post give a fun little tease of your voice and story. If someone enjoys them, it’s usually a good indicator they’d be a good fit for your book baby. And finding quality beta readers is hard, we all know that. Especially when you churn through your tried and true group, do more edits, and find yourself floundering for fresh eyes.

 Basically, #amwriting hashtags are a great way to connect with other writers who share your style and enjoy the same things you do. It’s a recipe for writerly love!

  But wait... there's more! They’ve got other benefits too! One of them is kind of obvious, and something I’ve slightly touched on already, only from the other side of things. But think about this… when you’re the one reading through the hashtag posts of your fellow writers? There’s a dang good chance you’re gonna run across an author or two (or more!) you never knew existed yet screams to your inner readerly self. I’ve found some ah-maz-ing authors via hashtag games, both pubbed and not. Because, yep, I’ve also been the person reaching out my *gimme, gimme* hands in hopes of scoring a beta read of a story I’ve grown to adore via the snippets shared on hashtag games. I’ve also purchased more than a couple books for the same reason and been anything but disappointed.

 Now, the last benefit might seem a bit farfetched to those of you new to the “squishing words into 280 characters” world. (Imagine the agony when it was still 140 characters! I can’t even remember those days… I might have blocked them out of self-defense. Bwuahaha.) Anyhoo… when you transfer lines from your WIP and plop them into a tweet, one of two things is bound to happen. Every. Single. Time.

 You’re going to be forced to tighten your writing to fit everything into 280 characters

Sometimes this is detrimental to the cause and leaves you frowning at the end result. But I can honestly say, most of the time, I end up going back to my original document and changing the words to match the tweet version. For real. It’s crazy how much this helps you to discover areas where you were being wordy for the sake of being wordy. It teaches you to cut and tighten and strengthen and… yeah, I’ve learned a great deal about my own writing simply by trying to cram it into a small space.

 You’re going to catch "whoopsies"

Things you might have read over a dozen times and missed will suddenly stick out like a sore thumb when you have only a few lines segregated out to work with.

 But guess what? There are also times where your fellow writers will point something out. Yep, you’ll turn thirty shades of red if this happens, because you’ll realize you posted something for all the world to see that had some glaringly painful blunder. However, don’t let that get you down, because it happens to the best of us, and I can honestly say… I’ve learned so much from those kind souls willing to point out my slipups. Because, while it might feel brutal and ouchie, remember… they’re fellow writers. They’re doing it to help you grow, not to tear you down.

 So, the question is: how do you find these kick butt hashtags so you can start participating today??

 Easy peasy. Check out and follow Free Writing Events on Twitter. Every day, they post a listing of the daily hashtag games. They also post a ton of other really awesome writing events, contests, etc. So, whether you chose to do the hashtags or not, it’s a great account to follow because it’s rife with writerly awesomeness!

 There are a couple other, much smaller accounts that post prompts, as well, if you’re interested in following them: PromptTimes, PromptList, and Prompt Attention.

 And, as a shameless plug, I’m gonna drop this here:

Starting today, August 9th, and every Thursday going forward, I’m hosting a hashtag game specifically aimed at the LGBTQ+ community!

 #writeLGBTQ 🌈 is for LGBTQ+ authors and cisgender straight writers with LGBTQ+ main characters. It falls into the prompt word category above. I’m truly hoping it’ll be a place for members of the LGBTQ+ #amwriting and #amreading world to get together, share our words, find new authors to squee over, and form a little bit more of that community I raved so hard about.

 Until next time,

E 💕

[eviedrae]

"Gregory Kirk," by Yorgos KC

(YA) Gay (M/M) Romance

My Review

My review this week is going to be a little different, as it’s on a story available on WattPad rather than a published book. The author reached out to me for a fair and honest review and seeing as how the subject matter and characters were so wonderfully diverse—something I truly believe is not seen enough in modern day literature—I was more than happy to dive in and read.

 Gregory Kirk, written by Yorgos KC, is a young adult male/male romance novel based in Greece. The main characters are 17-year-olds in their final year of high school and are navigating the trials and tribulations associated with that age. However, on top of the typical teenage troubles, our hero Gregory also faces an added layer of discrimination thanks to his overt “femininity.” Due to this characteristic, his classmates pegged him as gay long before he was ready to make the announcement himself. Despite the harassment and hateful treatment he receives, he embraces the truth of his nature with commendable strength.

 But it isn’t just the bullying and ostracization that Gregory must deal with. There is also a second voice within his head—a friend at times, an enemy at others—who shares in Gregory’s struggles. Because Gregory Kirk, our loveable hero, has schizophrenia.

 Upon realizing that this brilliant author planned to tackle not only discrimination against homosexuals, but also the very challenging topic of a negatively stigmatized mental health disorder, I became even more intrigued by the read. I was fearful he would portray the character in a negative light that would only further denounce a disease that, in no way, inherently implies a person is incapable of functioning within society. However, the author did exactly opposite of what I’d feared. Gregory was presented as a smart, solid, dependable, and loving character whose mental challenges only serve to enrich who he is as a person, rather than destroy the readers’ perception of him.

 In addition to all of this, the author also takes on the topic of sexual identity and acceptance. Our second hero—Gregory’s love interest, Jimmy Allan—begins the book as one of the only characters who doesn’t abuse Gregory. He smiles at him, makes an effort to say hello any chance he gets, and ignores the mean comments of his fellow “popular” kids when he and Gregory become friends and start to hang out more frequently.

 Gregory’s fascination with Jimmy is never hidden, but it takes Jimmy a while to accept that he, too, has feelings for Gregory—both physical attraction and emotional connection. It is within the pages of this story that we get to watch these boys discover lust, love, and personal identity.

 I would recommend this story to anyone who wishes to support the diverse writing community. I adore that the author was brave enough to face down such challenging topics and admire his ability to do so without shedding a negative light on the characters. I wish there were more authors out there willing to stray from the expected norms, both in characterization, and in plot.

 So, kudos to you, Yorgos KC, for stepping beyond the #ownvoices tag to tackle ideas outside your own struggles. I look forward to seeing what you do in the future. ❤️

 Until next time,

E💕

[eviedrae]

Self-Editing: Guest Blogger Deana Birch bakes us a writing cake

Hello, my little bunnies and thank you Evie for handing over the reins of your brilliant blog to, moi, as Miss Piggy would say. And I say it with a toss of my non-curly and need-to-be colored locks.

 In discussing the subject of my guest blog, Evie gave me one goal. Help Writers. And I want you all to know I am so, so, so about that. As is she. That’s why I love my Evie. I dipped into my relevant pool and came up with, dun dun dun…

 Self-editing. Because I just edited the heck out of my next book.

 No! Don’t leave. I know you hate it. It can be hard. It can be crushing to delete those 400 words that are the funniest part of you book. It can even make you cry or worse, avoid.

 But let me tell you, bunnies, editing WILL make your book better. Editing will make your writing stronger. And editing will make your story viable.

  “Ugh… but I don’t wanna.” Too flipping bad. You must. Sorry and totally not sorry. Writing your book is like cracking the eggs for your cake. It is mother flipping step one, bunnies. Step One. Editing is all the important steps you take to get that cake in the oven, bake, and then finally cool. Marketing is slicing it and choosing which plate to serve it on, which I won’t go into in this post.

 Step One: You’ve cracked the eggs. Good start. Sadly, three eggs, no matter how you beat them, will not make a cake.

 I really hope you like your story, because you will need to read it a lot. Over and over. And then six more times. So, before anyone lays eyes on your raw eggs, here are the big picture things I suggest:

 Look at your main characters

 If they have their own POV, they need a proper arc. An internal flaw that they overcome and an external goal that they either succeed or fail at. This is the heart of every story. The hero’s journey. Write down where they start and where they end. If they are in the same place at the end with either, you will need to address that. Ideally, this should be done before you write the story, but I know there are a lot of pantsers out there and this is a good way to check yourself. If you want to reel in your wild happy pants one day and try outlining (DO IT!!!) read this book.

 Check your word count

  Not just the overall word count that should fit in your genre, your word count in each chapter. Try and keep it as consistent as you can. This is one of those rules you can break once you know it’s a rule. Personally, I like my chapters around 2,500 until the last 25% of the book where I trim them down to less than 2000. If you are writing in multiple POVs, check the balance. In dual, my editor likes for me to aim at 50/50 but doesn’t slap my wrist (she would never do that, she is a walking godsend) unless it goes more than 60/40. If you have more than two POVs, ask yourself if you really, really, really need that one chapter from the villain’s perspective. Balance and revise as necessary.

  Analyze the voice of the book and make it pop

 This is the mood you are going for. Is it dark? Is it a RomCom? Do you want to pull at heartstrings? Go chapter by chapter and make sure that voice is in there.

 Scrutinize the voice of your POVs

 This is essential if you are writing more than one. They must be different. Their internal thoughts must reflect how they actually speak in dialogue. I like giving my characters a unique word that only they use, but a tick they have is also super effective here.

 Break down each chapter

  I know, I’m sorry. I really am. This is a lot of work. But remember, we’re making a cake, not an omelet. In each chapter, whichever character’s POV it’s in, there must be a goal. It doesn’t have to be big. It can be as simple as putting laundry in the dryer. But along the way their goal is interrupted by ACTION and the character must deal with whatever roadblock comes along. Then, they think back to the goal and either complete it or not. I call this “turning left.” We’re chugging along, happy in our little plan and then BOOM, we have to turn left. I still want to get my laundry in the dryer, but my dog just puked on my shoes and I need to deal with that before I can do anything else. That’s not fiction by the way, it actually just happened to me. The struggle is real with an English Bulldog.

 But I digress… Chapter action / goals is really important because having your hero sitting alone in a café reflecting on what has already happened is boring AF. #NotSorry The majority of audible groans I’ve made while reading occur when writers take me on long inner thought journeys. Side note to more than one POVers: Please don’t write the same scene from another POV. We’ve been there and done that. Forward Progress in the plot, always. Except for those roadblocks.

 Please don’t hate me, but I’m going to ask you to:

evaluate the subject of your sentences

 Three sentences in a row that start with “He” are going to bore your reader. Avoid repletion at all costs. Even in the same kind of subject. Two in a row is fine. Three in a row is snooze. I’m actually really sorry about this one, but it had to be said. The good news is you won’t do this in your next story. I promise.

 That was a lot of work, I know. I just did it. But hopping along to progress! We’re almost ready to put our cake in the oven and then send a taste to our CP’s or beta readers. Don’t know what those are? Here’s a link about it when someone else was kind enough to let me monopolize their blog for my own musings on writing.

  The big heavy lifting is done, now it’s time to make good use of the search function of whatever it is you wrote your brilliant book in.

 Shall we talk about adverbs? I like adverbs and probably abuse “softly.” But they are part of our language so as writers we are allowed to use them. There was a big push to edit them all out of our manuscripts and I think the intention got lost in the panic. It’s how you use them that matters. Try and avoid them in your dialogue tags at all costs. I just read a snippet that was “…, he said honestly.” Does that mean the person usually lies? Now I’m doubting everything out of that character’s mouth. I like it when adverbs are used in a voicey way. For example: His ridiculously stupid dimples. That being said, search “ly” in your document and make sure if you’re using adverbs, it’s for extra punch and not lazy writing.

 Side note: Avoiding adverbs can put you into a “gave” trap. I know because the word gave bundled me into its net for a long time. Let’s say you found the adverb, “quickly.” And you decide to replace it. It used to read: “quickly tapped” and you change it to “gave a quick tap.” I’m not saying you can’t do this, I’m saying don’t do it to ALL your adverbs.

  This is my all-time favorite link for editing. I go back to it again and again.

 Our cake is almost in the oven, we just need to handle our own personal crutch words. This is different for every writer and fortunately there is a brilliant web-site to identify them.

 Pop your book baby in there and edit away, my bunnies.

 Ahhhh…. The cake is ready to bake and cool. That gives us plenty of time to read our manuscript OUT LOUD. Yep. Remember how I said you better love your story? This is one of those times. Speaking the words you’ve written will help you catch your echoes, find those jokes that fall flat, spot the extra word that didn’t get deleted, and tighten your overall pacing. Doing this changed my life and my book.

 There are many other things I could go on about, gerunds, filter words, or weird descriptions of body parts. But my work here is done.

 Let’s all eat cake! 🍰

  If this was helpful, follow me on Twitter;

Friend me on Facebook;

Or show me the ultimate form of love and buy my book!

Available at Amazon and other digital retailers.

  About deana:

Contemporary romance and erotica writer Deana Birch was named after her father’s first love, who just so happened not to be her mother. Born and raised in the Midwest, she made stops in Los Angeles and New York before settling in Europe where she lives with her own blueeyed Happily Ever After. Her days are spent teaching yoga, playing tennis, ruining her children’s French homework, cleaning up dog vomit, writing her next book, or reading someone else’s.

 Her debut novel Faster, a Rock and Roll Romance, released June 26, 2018. She's a Mid-Western girl transplanted to Europe where she lives with her own happily-ever-after and two daughters.

 Note from Evie:

Check out my review of Faster to see why you absolutely must buy this awesome book!

 Also, I'd just like to extend a big, huge thank you to Deana for agreeing to do a guest post and share a little bit of the massive wealth of knowledge she possesses! Although I'm hesitant to admit it, Ms. Birch is among my elite group of beta readers/CPs that I occasionally mention in my posts. (Don't you dare try and steal her away... she's spoken for!) She's a fellow RChat gal and, well, without her? I wouldn't be anywhere near where I am today. Heed this woman's brilliant advice and, beyond doubt, follow her for more! She's rife with insight that'll blow your hair off.

 Until next time,

E💕

[eviedrae]

"Perfect Day," by Sally Malcolm

Contemporary Gay (M/M) Romance

Book Blurb

Love doesn’t burn out just because the timing’s wrong. It grows. It never leaves. When Joshua Newton, prodigal son of one of New Milton’s elite, fell in love with ambitious young actor Finn Callaghan, his world finally made sense. With every stolen moment, soft touch and breathless kiss, they fell deeper in love. Finn was his future…until he wasn’t. Love stays. Even when you don’t want it to, even when you try to deny it, it stays. Eight years later, Finn has returned to the seaside town where it all began. He’s on the brink of stardom, a far cry from the poor mechanic who spent one gorgeous summer falling in love on the beach. The last thing he wants is a second chance with the man who broke his heart. Finn has spent a long time forgetting Joshua Newton—he certainly doesn’t plan to forgive him. Love grows. It never leaves.

 My Review

Well, this week’s read was a downright pleasure, folks. It wasn’t what I was expecting going in, yet I came out the other side thoroughly sated and filled with all the happiest of little sighs. Perfect Day by Sally Malcolm is a gender-bending retell of the classic Persuasion by Jane Austen. And, oh my heart, what a sweet and wonderful twist on that tale it was.

 It didn’t march side-by-side with the plot of Persuasion, but it held true in all the areas that mattered most. Really, though, it’s those places Ms. Malcolm strayed to make the story her own that make it shine as brightly as it does. Because, yes, the skeleton of the classic is there, holding strong and true, but the heart of the story—and indeed, the characters themselves—feel fresh and uniquely reimagined.

 I absolutely adored Joshua and Finn, our heroic and loveable leads. They each had a distinctive voice within the narrative, and they were rife with flaws and realistic thoughts and reactions that made them delightfully genuine. My eyeballs get tired from all the rolling when the main characters are the epitome of perfection. I cannot stand when every head turns and drool puddles on the floor anytime one of the MCs is in the room, or when an MC embodies godlike flawlessness. That’s not an authentic representation of any true human being, so it makes it pretty flippin’ hard to relate to the characters. It puts them at a distance no reader can cross and winds up with an unsatisfactory and near-impossible connection.

 But Ms. Malcolm and her leading men? They did not fall prey to this faux pas. Nope, not one bit. Both Joshua and Finn were down-to-earth, faithful representations of real human beings, complete with faults, flaws, and beautiful imperfections.

 Then again, they were also quite stupendous in their level of awesome. Just not, ya know, unrealistically so. I fell head-over-heels for them both because they were such magnificent, compassionate, and brilliant men, rich in character and full of heart.

 My experience thus far with Carina Press has tended toward the high-heat level as far as sexy time depictions go, so I went into this expecting a similar encounter. However, this very nearly faded to black, with just the hint of a carnal undertone overlaid by eloquently written scenes. Did it leave me disappointed? Surprisingly, no. I’m a fan of the high-heat, but when done properly, can absolutely appreciate the softer side of romance. In this instance, Ms. Malcolm did a beautiful job of giving just enough to allow the reader to picture the scene she laid out, then run with it to their heart’s content.

 Overall, this was a lovely and thoroughly enjoyable read. I would recommend it to any Jane Austen aficionados out there, and certainly to any m/m romance fans. The love between these two men is genuine, delightful, and a downright pleasure to experience. This isn’t a story any gay romance enthusiast should miss.

 So, what are you waiting for? Perfect Day is available for pre-order or can be purchased for immediate enjoyment on or after its release date, August 13th, 2018!

 Until next time,

E 💕

*I RECEIVED AN ARC OF THIS NOVEL VIA NETGALLEY IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW*

[eviedrae]

Starting Off Strong: Tips on Beginning Your Story in the Right Place

Recently, I’ve had the pleasure of assisting with the first stage judging process for several RWA contests. Essentially, that entails performing an in-depth beta read on an entrant’s first chapter (or two or three, depending on the contest rules). The judges complete in-line comments, use a score sheet to rank the manuscript, and provide a final write-up with general feedback and constructive criticism to help the writer better their work.

  Why am I telling you this now, you ask? Simple. Because, by judging so many different versions of writers’ best attempts at beginning a story, it's solidified in my mind the importance of those first few pages. We’ve all heard the adage that your first five pages can make or break you, which I have always agreed with to some extent, but my understanding had always been along the lines of, “Make sure your writing sparkles and shines at the beginning so agents/editors/readers get hooked by your brilliance and keep reading.”

 I mean, duh. That’s also important, but I was missing the “big picture” boat with that thought process. Big time. And, after reading so many contest entries, it’s come to my attention that quite a few of my fellow writers might be in the same state of blissful confusion I was in.

 So, what exactly is the “right place,” and how do you know if you’ve started there or not? Unfortunately, there isn’t an easy, algorithmic answer to that question. But there are some things you can look for—either before you write, if you’re a planner, or after, if you’re a pantser—to determine if the introduction to your little book baby is doing the job it’s intended to do.

 These are just a few of my personal pet peeves and things I've learned along the way from beta readers, CPs, and editors. Again, there are no hard and fast rules, so take what I'm about to say with a grain of salt.

 Don't start your story with any of these overused and tiring clichés

 False Action Start

Having the character enmeshed in dreamworld theatrics then torn back to wakefulness in a tangle of sweaty blankets and exaggerated, out of breath thoughts that play along the lines of, "Holy crow, sure glad that was just a dream and totally isn't foreshadowing future events or anything sinister like that."

 All that exciting action the reader just experienced? None of it’s real. They don’t care what your character dreamt about last night, they care about what’s about to happen now that’s going to totally change this character’s life. Aka, ya know, give them a story to read.

  Wake Up Call

Just waking up, in general—most especially if the character is snapping out of a dream, even if you don’t show the dream. You basically want to avoid any kind of beginning that highlights your character’s first few moments of the day, especially if your first sentence has your character opening their eyes.

 Mirror Gazing

This is where your character laments their flaws in a self-deprecating voice or describes their rather impressively good looks in a begrudging, yet undeniably egotistical manner all while staring idly into a convenient mirror.

 Start the story where the story starts. Period. Smack dab in the dang middle of it.

So many writers are tempted to begin their story with their character reflecting on life. We start out inside their head, listening to them gripe about their various problems and emotional turmoil as a setup for what is to come. DO NOT DO THIS. A good rule of thumb is to try and never leave your characters alone to ruminate. It will save you from yourself in more ways than one. Like, for example, helping to decrease info dumps and lengthy, unnecessary exposition.

  Readers don’t want to start off a read being inundated with backstory, elucidations on things they’ve yet to even care about, or flowery descriptions of the scenery. That includes the weather. All of this can be gracefully and organically introduced through well-placed snippets of narrative and dialogue. It’s the difference between using a salt shaker to sprinkle just the right amount of flavor additive to your meal vs. screwing off the lid and dumping the whole dang thing in a big ol’ mountain of heck-to-the-no all over your food. Kinda ruins things, am I right? Less is more and leaving your reader curious will only entice them to read further and gain the answers they seek.

 The best way to avoid all of that? Drop your characters into the thick of the action, whatever that action may be. Your inciting incident will differ depending on genre and plot, but whatever it is, it’s gotta unfold by no later than page five (as a widely accepted rule). At the very least, you want to create a sense of pending conflict (and, no, it doesn’t have to be the major, central conflict, just some conflict. There has to be something to hook the reader and make them want more!)

 Get those love interests on page together asap!

 I’m a romance writer, so I’m throwing in a little romance genre specific tidbit. If you don’t write romance, feel free to skip to the next point. If you do? Here me now: Get those love interests on page together ASAP!

In romance, the primary goal is centered around the act of falling in love and combating whatever challenges you, as the creator, have instilled to make that difficult for your characters to achieve. Therefore, you really need your romance leads on the same page—with either a joint purpose or opposing goals—within the first three to five pages.

 On that note, make sure your romance leads have goals other than the romance itself, and that those goals get introduced fairly quickly.

 have a punchy first line that draws the reader in without compromising voice or story

 I’ve read a manuscript or two where it’s obvious the writer spent an inordinate amount of time on that first sentence. It’s a thing of beauty, but a glaring eyesore when compared to the words that follow. Hook us with that first sentence, but don’t promise more than you can deliver or set yourself up to fall short.

  Those first few pages of your manuscript are exceedingly valuable real estate. They’re the first words your reader will take in and can often be the deciding factor as to whether they’ll continue or toss your book baby into the DNF (Did Not Finish) pile.

 Not only do you have to snare the reader and intrigue them enough to keep reading, but you also must establish voice, character, and setting. This is a hefty undertaking, and not one to be approached lightly. Not a single word of your first five pages should be wasted on fluff.

 However, not to fear, my lovelies. Nary a writer out there has ever written the perfect story on the first draft. We all start in the wrong place more often than not. The important thing is opening yourself to that realization and, once the story is solidified as a full draft, taking a step back to consider whether that kick-butt opening you wrote truly fits with the story you told. Sadly, painfully, it often does not. You might realize the real conflict doesn’t get revved up until your current chapter three—or possibly even later. Which means all those before it are just really detailed backstory and ain’t nobody got time for that, am I right? 🤣

 The most important thing to remember is… first drafts are first drafts for a reason. Don’t kill yourself over trying to envision the perfect opening. Just get the skeleton of your story onto the page and once that first draft is done, you can get a true picture of the story you’ve written. That’s when you can start making the hard decisions, like exactly where the story should begin.

 Until next time,

E💕

[eviedrae]

"Reporting In," by Vanessa North

Genre: Gay Romance, Bisexual Romance, M/M Romance

Book Blurb

An after-hours workplace encounter turns into an exploration of two men’s very compatible kinks Behind closed doors, in the office and out, Steven and Jake explore their tastes for rough sex, chastity cages, and dominance and submission. That Jake is Steven’s IRL boss only makes it better.  There’s only one rule between them: no matter how hot their power play gets, it only happens if Steven feels safe. Personally and professionally. But when what starts as two guys blowing off steam turns into real feelings above the waist, it’s not that simple.  Going public—having a relationship—would mean putting both their jobs on the line.

 My Review

Holy hamburgers, is it hot in here or is it just me? 🔥

 Phew. Okay. Don’t mind me; I’m just a bit… breathless. This week’s read was definitely of the “high heat” variety, and all I can say is… gimme more! Hot dayyyum. Reporting In, by Vanessa North, is part of Carina Press’ delectable Dirty Bits line. They promise not only scintillating sex but also a *happy sigh* style HEA, all presented in bite-sized novellas that you can read in a couple of hours or less.

 Ms. North did not fail to provide all of the above and more. Not only was the chemistry off the charts between her two male leads, but the scenes she portrayed were kinky and delicious with a side of sweet and delightful. I adore how she portrays Jake and Steven’s dip and swerve into the unspoken world of BDSM. Neither calls it that, but the power play at hand fits it snugly into that yummy realm. There is a beyond satisfactory level of hot-as-hades kink, while also assuring clear consent and providing a beautiful look at the much-needed aftercare so often overlooked in books about BDSM written by those who don’t understand the lifestyle.

 White Jake dominates Steven in the sexiest of ways before and during the act, he morphs into a caring, supportive lover afterward. And the relationship that builds between the two as the pages nearly catch on fire with their lust and scrumptious encounters is utterly divine. For being a novella, I was struck by the development of both the sexual and emotional intimacy between these two characters. It feels real, well-paced, and leaves you rooting for them to have a long and happy future together.

 Overall, I was impressed. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys kink, but especially anyone who likes to see BDSM portrayed in a positive, realistic fashion. The book is too short to really touch on the true emotional and mental aspects of the lifestyle, but they’re touched on briefly and accurately.

 So, what are you waiting for? Reporting In is available for pre-order or can be purchased for immediate enjoyment on or after its release date, July 30th, 2018!

 Until next time,

E 💕

*I received an arc of this novel via netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

[eviedrae]

Head Hopping: Save Yourself and Your Readers from the Whiplash

All right, folks, the topic I’m tackling this week is one that’s near and dear to my heart. I promise you, that is not because I’m a fan of it. *cringes, shudders, and generally attempts not to turn green at the writerly gills* The reason I hold it so bizarrely dear is because I used to be an offender of the utmost caliber. I’m talking epically impressive levels. (A little later in this post, I’ll even share a few shining examples. Prepare yourself, it’s ugly.)

 Sadly, head-hopping is one of those things where, if no one has pointed it out to you, or you don’t know what it is, there’s a good chance you’re guilty of an offence or two. Or twelve billion. Because, let’s be honest, it’s so easy to do. And what’s worse? When it’s your words, it can be hard to spot. Especially if you don’t know to look for it. If you don’t know any better, it makes sense you might employ it as a tactic to show your readers what you perceive to be as much information as possible.

  Unfortunately, that’s almost the exact opposite of what it does. If anything, readers step away more confused than anything.

 So, let’s start with the basics here. What even is head-hopping?

 It usually takes place in stories written in third-person, although it is possible to occur in first. But let’s be real here for a minute… if this happens to a writer in first POV, it’s likely a mistake and will be corrected in edits. Ergo, I’m going to skip discussing first POV head-hopping, as I have faith my readers won’t fall victim to that beyond simple “oopsie” moments.

 Third-person limited is the most widely accepted narrative format. (That’s not to say it’s the best, just that it tends to be the most prevalent… you keep doing you if your style doesn’t fit the collective norm! *pom-poms* We need diversity in all areas!) In third-person limited, you write one POV at a time with distinct breaks—chapter or scene—that signify the switch from one character’s thoughts to another’s. This helps build character voice and keep the reader on track with who is thinking what and from whom they are viewing the situation.

 When you get inside multiple characters’ heads within a single scene—switching sometimes even within a single paragraph—you leave the reader disoriented and can destroy both character voice and author voice. This, my lovelies, is head-hopping.

 It often leaves your readers confused and, in the best-case scenarios, can send them re-reading to try and figure out who was thinking what, who was doing what, etc. In the worst-case, it can result in the loss of a reader. If they can’t keep track of what’s going down on the page, they aren’t going to stick around. Reading shouldn’t be work, and most pleasure readers—also known as “most fiction readers”—don’t want to put an inordinate amount of effort into their reads. They expect to be drawn in by beautiful prose and loveable characters, not to be bamboozled by difficult-to-follow narratives.

 Let’s look at an example, shall we?

In that short snippet from one of my pre-beta reader days’ manuscripts (horrifying, I know), I somehow managed to include three—count ‘em, three—POVs in an insanely short span of time. In fact, in one paragraph, I include both Zane and Emma’s POVs. *facepalm*

 Now, I know you’re being plunked into a scene you know nothing about, but how do you feel reading those lines? Probably more confused than you should be, considering it’s a straightforward premise. And aren’t you at least the teensiest bit irritated and eye-rolly over the fact that I’m telling you how all three of them feel?

 Sadly, confusion isn’t the only repercussion of head-hopping. It isn’t even, in my humble opinion, the worst outcome. Because when a writer tries to fit every characters’ thoughts and feelings into a single scene, the result is not only a loss of voice—both character and author—but also a loss of deep POV.

 Deep POV is a beautiful, beautiful thing that is impossible to achieve with head hopping. You can’t get down into the inner depths of a character’s very being when you’re seeing a scene only partially from their POV… or worse, if the scene ends up playing out twice so it can, essentially, be shown from both POVs. I’ve seen a few examples of this lately and all I can say is: ouch. It’s painful enough as a reader to be bouncing around multiple heads. But when you see a scene (or even a snippet of a scene) from one character’s POV, then the very next paragraph is that exact same scene/snippet only from a different POV… ladies and gentlemen, the cringe is real. Trust me.

 Without deep POV and character voice, it’s difficult for a reader to connect with the characters to the extent you want them to. When they’re ping-ponging back and forth from one POV to the other, they aren’t given a chance to settle into a single person’s head and get to know them. And if a reader can’t connect with your characters, they’re going to have a hard time caring about your story. The suspense will fall flat, the tension will feel contrived, and the emotion won’t hit home.

 I think it’s about time for another embarrassing example, don’t you? This is from a little later in the previously depicted scene.

Again, I know you guys have no clue what’s happening here but let me say this: it’s an intensely emotional scene. All three characters are battling their own demons. However, rather than focusing in on a single POV to really show just how deep and complex those emotions go, I barely skim the surface for each of them. It prevents the reader from really feeling their pain or empathizing with their struggle.

 So, what’s the take away from this post? That’s easy. Take a good, hard look at your writing—or, even better, get a trusted beta reader or CP to do it for you—and determine if you’re guilty of this writerly faux pas. If you discover you are? Great! That’s the first step to fixing the problem. Because, trust me, once you figure out what head hopping is, it will become glaringly (and painfully) obvious from then on out. Because, yes, if you’re ignorant to it, stomaching a read rife with head hopping might not appear distressing. Which is often why writers guilty of this argue that it’s okay to do, because readers who aren’t writers and don’t understand the rules won’t care.

 But here’s the thing, folks. Just because someone doesn’t know something is wrong doesn’t mean it won’t affect their read, or their perception of the words they’re ingesting. The facts stated above will still remain. Your readers will get confused, and they will struggle to connect to the characters and the story. So, save yourself, but most especially, save your readers and avoid this writerly snafu at all costs.

 Until next time,

E💕

[eviedrae]

"Home Skillet," by Cate Ashwood & Sandra Damien

genre: gay romance, m/m romance

book blurb

Sometimes the only way to move forward… is to go back.

JAMES I don't know what's more shocking—the sudden end to my marriage, or the fact that I'd married a woman at all. But now I'm broke and homeless, kicked out of my Upper West Side apartment while my ex-wife walks away with everything we've ever worked for. So what's an executive chef stripped of his dignity gonna do? Go back to Jersey with his tail between his legs, that's what. BEN I can’t say that spending a decade pining after my best friend was the best use of my time. While I'd pretty much become an expert at the whole unrequited love thing, I'd resigned myself to the fact that Jimmy and I were never gonna happen. But when Jimmy turned up on my doorstep in his hour of need, I jumped at the chance to offer him my bed—er, couch. I mean, what are friends for, right? Now that he's released from the shackles of matrimony, I can't wait to show him exactly what he's been missing out on all these years. What I didn't anticipate was him showing me that maybe I'd been missing out too.

 My Review

I have to admit, this week’s book was a total and utter joy. It’s the first one in quite a while that I read purely by choice rather than as part of my helping-my-fellow-authors-get-their-words-seen-and-loved outreach program. 😄

 Which basically means, this was a pleasure read that truly ended up being just that: a total delight. In fact, I downloaded this bad boy on my Kindle with the goal of reading a chapter here and there when I had the time. Next thing I knew, late morning had turned into early evening and I had devoured the whole thing. In one sitting. Yeah, Home Skillet by Cate Ashwood & Sandra Damien is one of those books. The kind you get sucked into and forget to eat, or sleep, or relieve your bladder.

 Not that I’m complaining. Because, like I said, this was 100% up my alley, and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

 Obviously, for those of you who know anything about me, my forte is gay, male/male romance. That’s what I write, and that’s what I love. That doesn’t mean I can’t and don’t read many other genres—and more often than not quite love what I read because, hi, word love all around, am I right?—but this book totally scratched my itch for some hot man-on-man love action.

 The plot itself is based on a trope—they exist for a reason, folks… because people love ‘em!—but it’s done in a refreshing and unique way. Yes, there’s a closeted gay man who’s in love with his best friend, and, yes, said closeted gay man goes to the extremes of marrying a straight woman to hide who he really is both from himself and the world. But that’s kind of where the super tropey nature ends.

 I fell for Ben right from the start. His character is strong, his personality distinct, and his heart bigger than most. He isn’t ashamed of who he is, and he isn’t ashamed of who he loves. However, he doesn’t hate Jimmy for being unable to travel that same path, and instead, he loves from afar and suffers the repercussions in silence, all the while remaining an amazing, supportive, and always-there-for-you kinda best friend. But on top of all that, I also adore how down-to-Earth and real he is. He works a somewhat dead-end job, but does so with pride and dedication, and he lives in a somewhat crap-apartment, yet turns it into a home. He isn’t money hungry, nor does he seek more from life than what matters most: happiness, love, and family (whether that family shares his DNA or not).

 And Jimmy? Oh, folks, you’ll adore him too. He’s a professional chef with a world of skill, yet he respects the roles those beneath him play and strives to make the best of himself without harming others. Yes, he’s hiding from who he is, but that doesn’t make him weak. On the contrary, as the wise and sage Ben so beautifully put it:

"I know it might not seem like it right now, but being who you are instead of hiding… it’s so much easier."

I absolutely adore Ben and Jimmy’s story. They face countless difficulties in their path to finding and owning their love, but they are genuine, believable, and heartbreakingly honest. Even though I knew they’d wind up together in the end—thank goodness for small favors with the expectations of romance, am I right?—I still found myself biting my lip and frowning into my Kindle as little bubbles of unease worked their way into my system. I knew they’d get past the hurdles they faced but watching them from my readerly perch of uselessness had me tense and thoroughly invested. Which, of course, made the resultant pay-out that much sweeter.

 Plus, let’s be honest here… the sex scenes were hot. 🔥 Not quite erotica level, but descriptive and beautifully intense, both emotionally and physically.

 Overall, this is a quick and thoroughly enjoyable read. The characters are relatable and distinct; the plot is tropey yet unique; and the authors will leave you with a big ol’ happy grin on your face. What more can you honestly ask for?

 Until next time,

E💕

[eviedrae]

Trigger Warnings: Protecting Your Readers

I’m not what you might call a "delicate flower." There are few things that trigger me, and even fewer that offend. However, I am also only one person, and the beauty of the world is that it’s made up of such a vast variety of individuals.

 As an author, it's your job to step back and take a good, hard look at the work you’re shipping out to the masses and decide whether there’s anything—no matter how small—that might trigger a reader. And if there is, it’s your duty to provide a warning.

 Now, let’s back up a bit here. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term “trigger,” just what do I mean? I’ll allow the experts at Psych Central to explain:

"A trigger is something that sets off a memory tape or flashback transporting the person back to the event of her/his original trauma. Triggers are very personal; different things trigger different people. The survivor may begin to avoid situations and stimuli that she/he thinks triggered the flashback. She/he will react to this flashback, trigger with an emotional intensity similar to that at the time of the trauma. A person’s triggers are activated through one or more of the five senses: sight, sound, touch, smell and taste."  -- https://psychcentral.com/lib/what-is-a-trigger/

Okay, okay, okay. I can sense y’all’s frustration from the future. If we base it off this definition, just about anything we write could—and very likely, for at least someone, does—cause a trigger effect. But let’s be realistic here. It isn’t your job to warn readers of the expected and everyday things, only the unexpected and possibly hurtful. You know, things that are potentially or even blatantly distressing.

 Now here’s where I think it gets hairy for some authors. You see, the whole reason I’m writing this post is because I’ve read several books lately that lacked trigger warnings even though they clearly should’ve had them. So, let’s discuss what I mean when I say, “things that are potentially or even blatantly distressing.”

 I’d like to hope it goes without saying that any on-page depictions of traumatic events—such as rape, sexual assault, murder, abuse, suicide… you get the picture, right?—should always and forever warrant a trigger warning. There should be absolutely no question about that.

  However, what about mere mentions of these events? Or themes that encompass them, but don’t necessarily show them in gory detail? Do they need trigger warnings too?

 This is where you, as the author, need to step back and use your critical thinking cap. Try to put yourself in the shoes of someone who has suffered a similar life experience as the one you’re writing about. There’s no black or white answer here, you just have to use your best judgement. However, keep in mind: If you haven’t lived certain events, it isn’t always easy to understand the effect they can have on a person.

 Let me give you a personal example. I mentioned at the beginning of this post that I’m not easily triggered. However, there are some things that can send me into dark places I’d most certainly rather avoid. Therefore, I do choose to actively avoid certain stories with subject matter that might make me uncomfortable. Especially when I’m not given a warning, so I can mentally “brace” myself.

 One of these areas is suicide. I’ve had several people close to me pass away due to this harrowing act and reading about it can be challenging at times. Again, especially without some preparation. I recently read a book where, no, we didn’t physically see a character commit the act on page, but several subplots delved into the various repercussions that echoed in the wake of the deed. No trigger warning was supplied, and while I slogged through, I was rather uncomfortable and wound up in a not so fun emotional place for little while.

 When in doubt, it never hurts to throw up a warning just to be safe. If you’re concerned it might give away a plot twist, ruin the suspense, or otherwise harm the presentation of your story, you can always provide a spoiler warning prior to the trigger warning. Believe it or not, I’ve seen this done before, and quite effectively too.

 In case you’re wondering what that looked like, allow me to demonstrate.

 At the top of an otherwise blank page near the beginning of the book was the title:

Trigger Warning

 Approximately one inch down the page, it stated:

Note: Reading these trigger warnings may cause spoilers.

 Then, closer to the bottom of the page (so any reader who so chose not to read the trigger warning wouldn’t accidentally catch the words out of the corner of their eye) the warning(s) were listed:

This book includes references to [xyz] and graphic depictions of [xyz]

 Many people believe trigger warnings are “too coddling” and don’t support their use. I am not of that camp. Triggers are very, very real and can lead people down desperately dark and dangerous mental pathways. It isn’t “coddling” to protect someone from harm, especially when it would be our words harming them.

  Think about it this way: Every writer I know writes because it’s a passion of theirs. For some, it’s as necessary to their daily existence as breathing. For others, maybe it’s only a hobby. But no matter how strong the driving force, the simple fact remains that we do it because some part of us loves it. I know, for me, the very idea of hurting someone with the words I write makes my heart ache. That’s the exact opposite of what I wish. Do I want the reader to feel strong emotion in the context of the story itself? Absolutely. But do I want my words to physically harm them, as a person? Definitely not.

 So, whether you’ve experienced a traumatic event of your own or not, be sensitive to those who have. You can still write the story you want to write, just be cognizant of how it might affect your readers and act accordingly.

 Until next time,

E💕

[eviedrae]

"Like Two Opposite Things," by Eda J. Vor

genre: Young Adult (YA), Coming of Age, Bisexual Romance, Lesbian Romance

Book Blurb

It all happens here, in the armpit of the jetty on the far end of North Beach. This is where Helia Desiderio--nick-named Hell-yeah by her friends--ends her reign as a kiss-virgin dork baby and finally gets up close to the campground jock, her crush, Patrick. But nothing goes the way she plans: not the kissing, not the crushing, and definitely not the no-big-dealness of kissing both girls and boys. When she has to choose between the surprisingly sweet boy who loves her and the best friend she didn't know she had, Hell-yeah's forced to figure out some things about life and love and who she really wants to be.

 My Review

Okay, I have to start out with a confession: as a general rule, I don’t read YA. I know it’s currently one of the hot sellers out there, but for me, I tend to prefer more adult themes in my pleasure reading, and whenever adult themes are thrown into young adult books, things usually get hairy. Which, for me, makes the book that much less enjoyable. I absolutely cannot stand when I read a YA where the characters feel like they’re in their mid-40s. If you’re going to write about kids, for the love of all things good in this world, do your research and make them kids. If you’re going to write about adolescents, same goes. Make it realistic, at the very least, or I flat out can’t palate it.

 Now that my mini-rant is over, let’s shift gears to the reason I’m writing this review: Like Two Opposite Things, written by Eda J. Vor. Let’s just start with this: Ms. Vor is absolutely, positively not guilty of my above frustrations. Of all the YA I’ve encountered over the years, I can honestly proclaim that this, right here, is the most genuine piece I’ve read—and despite my mild aversion to it, I’ve read my fair share as a beta and/or in mild hopes of finding a diamond in the rough.

 This is written in the first person present POV—not my favorite POV style, I’ll admit—but I all but forgot to be tweaked out by the narrative by about page five. Why? Because I was so dang impressed with the characterization and voice that my focus shifted away from the writing itself and fell heavily into the story and the characters—exactly where it should be. The main character, Helia—lovingly nicknamed Hell-Yeah by her nearest and dearest—is a fifteen-year-old girl who possesses a beautifully fifteen-year-old girl voice. I could just hug Ms. Vor for her accurate depiction not only of the thoughts and speaking patterns of adolescents, but also for hitting the nail so squarely on the head in regard to actions, reactions, and interactions amongst the group.

 The realism of the characters was further supported by the simplicity and honesty of the story itself. While my childhood and adolescence hardly mirrored the weekend getaway campground adventures portrayed in this story, the characters themselves, as well as their conflicts and relationships, felt very real and representative of some of my own experiences. I cannot count the number of times I was immersed in a scene and all I could think was, “OMG. That was me. That was totally me. Gah! Why are adolescents so flippin’ stupid?! Why can’t I jump through the page and give them all the knowledge I have now??”

 Oh, that’s right, because they have to figure it out on their own. Ms. Vor’s characters weren’t 40. No way, no how. They felt like authentic teens, with authentic problems… and painfully genuine ways of trying to solve them.

 I adore how simple and real the plot was. The conflicts weren’t huge dramatic battles that forced the kids to grow up sooner than they should, nor were they eye-rollingly contrived or convenient. They were real, honest-to-goodness problems teens face every single day. I’m talking friendship, cliques, bullying, first kisses, sex-talk by the clearly clueless by intrigued, and those special teenage relationships that are their own unique beast that we can all look back on with a groan and a grin.

 But it goes further than that. It also delves into sexuality, but in a truly impressive fashion. You see, as you’ll discover quite quickly, our main character, Helia, is a bit confused. She knows she likes boys, but does she like girls too? Is it okay to like both, or does she have to pick? Should she force her heart to follow the "expected" path, or open herself to what she wants most? At its heart, this story is about discovering who you are and accepting what you want in life. But it’s approached from the true perspective of a fifteen-year-old girl who hasn’t had a chance to even think about her sexuality, let alone determine who or what she wants.

 Which means we, as the readers, get to watch that self-discovery unfold. And let me tell you, it is a beautiful, stunning thing to behold. There is hatred, but there is also love. There is misunderstanding and discomfort, but there is also acceptance and encouragement.

 If anyone were to ask me to recommend a book to a scared and confused teen, facing their own sexuality crisis, this would be a book I’d whole-heartedly steer them toward. Because it doesn’t sugar-coat. Instead, it shows a genuine depiction of someone going through all the stages of struggle. From that first niggling thought of, “am I different, are the things I want not the same as others ‘like’ me?” all the way to a final conclusion that I won’t ruin for you here, but that I promise will leave you satisfied and filled with warmth and joy for our little Helia.

 But most importantly, it teaches that tolerance can be found, that hatred isn’t the only option, and that friendship—of all types—can make all the difference in the world. It harbors a powerful message of self-acceptance and self-discovery.

 I highly, highly recommend this book to anyone who appreciates well-done, sincere, and honest YA, but also to anyone who needs a dose of the frank and real in a world that often doesn’t dish it out. I would love to see this book brought into the classroom and used as a tool to teach tolerance and acceptance, but if nothing else, would love to see it read by every young adult possible. Whether they’re questioning their sexuality, or simply living in a world where those around them might be, this book could go a long way to help instigate conversation and open young minds to truths that might otherwise be difficult to understand.

 Until next time,

E 💕

[eviedrae]

Facing Down Major Re-Writes: How I Survived the Ouch

I have a current work-in-progress (WIP) that I can quite honestly say might not have a single sentence left from its original version. And, yes, I exaggerate on occasion—what writer doesn’t?—but, no, I’m not in this instance.

 So, how the heck is that even possible, you ask? Quite easy: it’s seen four—count ‘em, four—major re-writes. I’m not talking simple edits where a scene is removed here, another added over there. I’m talking axing over half the content and starting from the ground up. Over and over and over again.

  You see, if you read my previous post on beta readers, you’ll remember what I told you about my horrific writing pre-discovery of my beta goddesses. So, this particular manuscript (MS) was among that steaming pile of save-me-from-my-own-terrible that existed before I knew any better. But, I loved it. The characters had thoroughly burrowed into my soul and wouldn’t let go, even if their words were utter crap.

So, after being whipped into some semblance of writerly shape—and trust me, I’m aware even now I’m nowhere near perfection, but I was at least better than I had been—I decided to take on a major re-write of one of my beloved dung piles. Rather than diving into the current document and attempting to fix the endless disasters I’d created for myself with my utter lack of knowledge, I opened a new Word doc and began the painstaking process of transferring each and every chapter I’d already written, one re-written or deleted paragraph at a time.

 Talk about painful. And time consuming. And did I mention painful? Youch.

 So, after I’d thrown all my shiny new knowledge about the mechanics and craft of writing at my pathetic little turd of an MS, I shipped it out for first round beta readers. (This was the time I previously mentioned where my resident beta bestie had to hold my hand and whisper endless words of encouragement as I awaited the feedback I knew I undoubtedly wouldn’t like, yet needed to hear.)

 As expected, my betas pulled through in smashing fashion. I received some stinging words of advice nuzzled comfortably between lots and lots of encouragement. Because, again, I have the best betas ever and they know simply attacking my little turd would have set me off writing—likely forever—rather than giving me the push I needed to make my words the best they could be.

  And that advice? Basically, it told me to shape up or ship out, because while I’d fixed some of the glaring craft errors, I still had zero clue what I was doing when it came to plot arcs, character development, and over-all storytelling. Ack. Being a writer is hard, isn’t it? Thankfully, they were super kind about it, and fully open to discussion so I had a firm grip on just what needed done.

 Thus began round two of my little steaming crap pile’s bigtime re-writes. Only this time, rather than focusing on each sentence and the yikes it had been, I had to do one of the most painful things for a writer to face and accept: I had to cut. And I mean lots. Over half the current MS went bye-bye. (Okay, not totally bye-bye. I keep a Graveyard doc for all my WIPs that holds the big chunks I remove during editing, and a Cutting Room Floor doc for those little snippets I can’t use but might die if I deleted forever—you know the ones, those sentences you think are just oh-so-effin’-amazing yet don’t fit anywhere anymore? Yeah. Those.)

 I write this now as if, sure, it hurt, but I survived. Which, ultimately, is the truth. However, can we discuss how many tears and temper tantrums preceded that final decision to do what needed done? Lots. An embarrassingly large amount.

 But you know what? That’s okay. Edits—especially major cuts—are hard. It feels like you’re being asked to slice off a vital part of your own body. It gets a little easier every time you do it, but it still hurts. I won’t lie to you and say it doesn’t, because it does. Ahh, the joys of being a writer. People don’t know how deep our pain goes, and just how much truth there is to the phrase “blood, sweat, and tears” because, yep, a little bit—or a lotta bit—of all three of those go into the creation of a book baby.

 Anyway, I digress. Let’s return to my ouchy little journey. After I tackled that second huge round of edits, I sent my slightly-less-stinky-but-still-steaming turd into the beta-verse for a round two read through. This time, I used a couple of new betas, plus one of the original so she could tell me whether I achieved the task I’d set out to accomplish. To my surprise, aside from some expected edits and suggestions to improve the overall quality of the MS, my beta readers were mostly positive in their feedback.

 Could it be, were my major re-writes over? Ha. Not hardly.

 It was after making the suggested edits status post my round two betas that my book baby found itself in a professional editor’s gifted little hands for a developmental edit. I was fortunate enough to get hooked up with one of the most fantastic, knowledgeable, and utterly brilliant editors this side of every feasible line you could imagine, and on New Year’s Eve, about thirty minutes before midnight, Sione Aeschliman sent me my first six-page, single-spaced professional edit letter.

 I won’t lie… it was brutal. For about three weeks, I avoided writing and instead spent the time I would normally be chained (happily) to my writing desk reading instead. It was a much-needed break to get my writerly head screwed on straight. When I sat back down to look over the letter again, I did so with rejuvenation and a fresh helping of motivation.

  With this new mindset, I could clearly see that every single thing Sione said was complete and total truth. I had somehow managed to write a novel that was one half literary fiction, and one half romantic suspense. There would be zero market for such an atrocity, so I needed to make a decision: axe the first half of the book and turn it into a true romantic suspense or cut the last half and delve deeper into the literary fiction I’d started. I quickly realized that my true intent had been the romantic suspense portion, and I’d just gone a little—okay, a lot—overboard in my lead up to my characters’ discovery of love.

 And… round three, here we go! I decimated the entire first half—actually, it was closer to two-thirds if we’re being honest, but it’s just easier on my heart to say half. That’s a lot of words to—yet again—just throw into the bin. But when I was done? Folks, let me tell you, I’ve never been more proud. My shiny, steamy little turd was finally starting to feel like a real book.

 Looking back, I can’t imagine what I was thinking with the first version(s), but that new version? It was what I’d meant to write from the beginning, I just needed someone to help me realize that.

 Okay, so, this is the happy ending, right? Re-writes done and over. Shiny, sparkly turd ready to be shipped out to the world for consumption.

 Ha! Not even close. Sione and I decided, since my story had morphed not only in genre, but in scope, that it made sense to do a second round of developmental edits. And all I can say is: thank goodness. Do you have any idea how many plot holes, plot bunnies, and utter ridiculousness can result from that many humongous re-writes? So. Very. Many. I had, in essence, created a monster.

 Thankfully, Sione is beyond amazing, and she found each and every one of those horrendous snafus, then suggested ways I might both fix them and strengthen the new direction I’d decided to go.

  Wee!!! Guess what that meant? That’s right, major re-write number four. Only this time, it was my decision to cut about a third of what I had and restructure it to fit better with the new direction. I had held onto some words and, in fact, entire scenes from previous versions that no longer fit simply because I loved them so much I couldn’t bear to let them go. Which was making my crap pile smell really, really bad. And once I cut that final cord and let those go, relying instead on what the story needed, rather than what I needed, things took a significant turn for the much, much better.

 This final round of bigtime edits has been rough, but you know what? It’s way easier than the third time had been, just like the third had been easier than the second, and so on. Editing is brutal, and for some of us, just isn’t something we enjoy. But it’s a necessary evil in the world of writing, and the sooner you realize that, the better.

 So. Here I am… yep, I’m still working on this final round. Is it guaranteed there won’t be a fifth? Nope. But for the first time, I have confidence in the words I’m putting on the page. The direction feels right, the character arcs feel real, and my lovely boys are finally finding the romantic suspense I’d meant for them to have.

 Until next time,

E 💕

[eviedrae]

Evie's Reveries: “The Little Demons Inside,” by Micah Chaim Thomas

Throughout my life, I’ve only really read two basic genres of books: those I’ve been forced to read for school, and those that fall—in some way—into the romance realm. However, I decided to take a chance and tiptoe into the world of magic realism with the book The Little Demons Inside by Micah Chaim Thomas.

 All I can say is: risk well worth taking. In fact, I so enjoyed this book that I’ve made a mental declaration to open myself to genres outside my go-to on a much more regular basis. Which means, lucky break for all of you! You’ll get a variety of reviews to tease your palate, not just the romance/erotica of the world. *insert pompom cheerleader GIF here*

 So, where to begin? For starters, Mr. Thomas is a bloody brilliant writer. I was floored by his ability to twist words into lovely little mind-f*cks that left me mouth agape and blinking into the distance. Seriously, this man has skill. His prose are gorgeous and grip you by the proverbial readerly balls; his voice is superb and unique; and I can’t even count the number of times I dropped my phone to my lap in a jealous little grumptastic rage. Because, for real man, it’s enviable beyond comprehension how he sculpts and molds words into things of utter beauty.

 Now, that being said, the plot itself legit left me all, “Wait, what, how, who, but why??” ‘Cause it’s just that flippin’ good. Again, most of my readerly experience is focused on romance, but I read in all sub-genres, so I’ve gotten to experience a plethora of different worlds and styles. But this is just a thing all its own. Which, I guess kinda fits the whole “magic realism” concept to a T, doesn’t it? Also, in case I forgot to mention it, there’s also a romance as a subplot. So, yay, my first dive into my non-comfort zone threw me a little bone!! *cheers*

 Our main-main character (because there are several super important humans—or are they?—who make this crazy little world spin on its frickin’ head) is named Henry, and ho-boy, does Henry ever have a backstory. He’s struggled with abandonment, homelessness, abuse, and strong threads of anxiety. But to top that all off—and seriously, is that not enough? Poor frickin’ bastard—he was further taken advantage of and used by a secretive company known as the Black Star Institute. They left him far worse for the wear than he had been before, and now he’s battling far more than his own mental torment—because something’s inside him. Something that burns its way through his sanity and leaves him desperate for help.

 Thankfully, he finds it… but only in fleeting snippets.

 This book leaves you not only questioning the very world you live in, but also the people whom you share it with. It does a fantastic job of taking things we often overlook and bending them until you can’t help but wonder… what if?

 I highly recommend you not only read this book, but also the companion novella, entitled Evidence of Changes, that delves further into the wacky, wild, and weird to give you a better understanding of Mr. Thomas’ stunning world.

 Both are currently available to purchase on Amazon, or to read for free on Kindle Unlimited. I say, what the heck are you waiting for? Dive in… but brace yourself, it’s one heck of a wild ride!