Archive for November, 2009
Catch Up Day
Oops, fell behind last week. Sorry, it’s been crazy around here.
Counting down to the release of The Curse of Culcraig on Friday. Very excited. To celebrate I’ll be having a contest and giving away a free copy so check back.
NaNo finishes up today, and there’s no way in hell I’m going to hit 50K. I’m sitting at about 40K. I’m mildly annoyed by this. Especially when I think of how well I was doing at the beginning. On the upside, I’m between a third to half way through something new. And I’m really liking this story.
And now, as promised, the recipe for NaNa’s Empire Cookies:
2 Cups (1lb) of butter
2 1/2 cups of fine sugar
2 eggs
4 cups of all purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
Cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add flour and baking powder and knead by hand. Roll out on non-stick surface and cut with cutter or tumbler. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Spread raspberry jam between two biscuits. Spread top with icing.
Icing: Mix icing sugar with milk and teaspoon of almond extract. Spread over top of cookie and add half cherry.
Posted by Dawn Brown @
7:57 pm |
Wanna Win a Kindle?
Yes, I know I said I would be posting writing tips on Wednesdays, but this week I’m bumping that post to Friday so I can bring you news of a fantastic contest happening on my editor’s blog.
My interview is up, and to get a chance to win a Kindle loaded with great books all you have to do is leave a relevant comment and answer the scavenger hunt question. Easy, right? And it’s great prize, so check it out. Good Luck!!!
Mood: Good
Posted by Dawn Brown @
2:35 pm |
A Day Late and a Dollar Short
I realize I’m behind, but this week it seems to be the story of my life. I had actually planned to use yesterday as a sort of catch up day, but the kid was home with a stomach ache–of which I am still questioning the validity–and instead I’m even further behind.
My nice little NaNo cushion has been all used up, and I’m behind there too. Grrr. I’m going to see if I can catch up over the next day or so. Or maybe just return to my normal schedule and wrap up Blood and Bone. Hmm, tempting.
On the upside, my author copies of The Curse of Culcraig arrived on Friday. And they look amazing. I’m so pleased. I’d hoped to post a pic, but that may have to wait until later in the week.
Now, I’m off to see if I can get myself organized and caught up. Wish me luck.
Mood: Grumpy
Music: Welcome to the Black Parade, My Chemical Romance
Posted by Dawn Brown @
2:46 pm |
Early Bird
The Curse of Culcraig is now available as an early bird special, bringing me one step closer to release day. Woohoo!!! So in honor of this, here’s an excerpt:
After a devastating personal tragedy, history professor Hillary Bennett seeks refuge in the quaint Scottish village of Culcraig, hoping to research a legend and salvage her career. Instead, she finds her hostess dead, and her hopes for the future pinned to the woman’s black sheep heir.
The last thing Caid Douglas needs is a decrepit manor house to remind him of his estranged family, but he does need the money selling the house would bring to pay off his debts. In desperation he offers to honor his great aunt’s arrangement with Hillary-if she pays him to stay at Glendon House and view his ancestor’s journals, he’ll have the money to fix up the family mausoleum and sell it.
But an ancient curse hovers over the village, and the secret to lifting it lies in the journals. Will Caid and Hillary realize what they have and uncover the truth before a twisted killer silences them forever?
The Curse of Culcraig
© Dawn Brown
Someone was in the house with them…
”You know,” Hillary said, keeping her voice low. “This house is huge. We could check each room individually, but who’s to say that whoever’s here won’t just keep moving around as we search, eventually working their way into a room we’ve already checked? We’ll never be one hundred per cent sure we’re alone.”
“Are you suggesting we separate?”
Her grip on his hand tightened. Did she even realize she’d done that?
“It would probably make more sense to split up. If we worked from opposite ends and met in the middle, it would reduce the chance of an intruder slipping away. But as I said, this place is huge and we’re only two people, the odds of our mystery person eluding us are still pretty good. Not to mention the confusion.”
“Confusion?” Caid tried to suppress his grin.
“Yes. If we separated, we could easily wind up tracking each other. At least together, if we hear or see anything out of the ordinary, we know that it has to be someone else.”
“What an astounding rationalization.”
She frowned at him in obvious consternation. “I think I made some very good points.”
He smiled. “Aye, you did. I’m sure you’ve convinced yerself quite nicely. Did you bring the subject up simply because you were concerned that I might think you liked holding my hand?”
He couldn’t stop his smile from widening, especially when she struggled to untangle her fingers from his, but as they entered the kitchen, he tightened his grip.
“Dinnae be like that. I’m just having a wee bit of fun with you.”
She ceased struggling as her delicately shaped brows drew together in disbelief. “That wasn’t here earlier.”
“What?” He turned to the direction she pointed.
A brass fireplace poker lay dead center on the battered harvest table. On the floor, a series of watery footprints stretched between the back door to the table.
Christ’s sakes. Hillary hadn’t just been frightened alone in an old house, there had been someone else here.
But who? And why?
Posted by Dawn Brown @
12:38 pm |
A Writer’s Shangri-La
November 18, 2009 | Writing
So I thought, since I’m trying to keep to a regular blog schedule, I would use Wednesdays to talk about writing and the writing process. Previously, I’ve sort of shied away from how-to topics for one reason. When it comes to writing there is no one way to do it, there is only the way that works best for you. Sure, there are certain technical aspects to writing and tightening one’s prose that are universal, and I’m not sure I’ll touch on the technical. There’s a lot of information about this on the Internet already, and a lot of explained better than I could. (Still, never say never.) So in the end, these Wednesday posts will really be more about what works for me. So with that in mind…
One of the most important tools for any writer is a place of their own. In Stephen King’s book, On Writing, he talks about writing with the door closed. This is a concept I agree with whole-heartedly. Whether it be a litteral door (in an ideal situation) or figuritive door, but I firmly believe the best way for a writer to lose themself in their story is to be able to shut themself away.
My current writing space is a room in the attic. I have a computer, desk, reference books, a heater (it gets damn cold up there in the winter) and a comfy chair that I had intended to use while reading through manuscript pages, but the cat has since claimed as her own. I do not have household bills, toys, movies, fiction books or anything else that creates clutter or distraction. I do have a phone that I don’t turn off in case of an emergancy. I do, however, screen calls. I’m sure my friends and family will not be surprised by this revelation, and likely suspected this already. 
It can be tough to get into your story and into your character’s heads, and harder still to stay there. Cutting down on distractions helps.
That’s all well and good, you say, but I don’t have a room in the attic, I work and have kids… And all these things make it harder, admittedly. This is when closing the door becomes more figurative than litteral. If you have a shared family computer area, try to at least set up a small work space specific to your writing. Keep family stuff put away neatly and away from your work area. I had to do this while writing the first half of Living Lies. Keeping yourself organized can really make a difference.
If your computer is in a family room or an area with a lot of traffic and distractions, consider investing in an ipod or MP3 player. Music can be a fantastic way to shut out the real world and focus on your story world. I wrote the second half of Living Lies by hand on commuter train going to and coming home from work. (An hour and a half both ways made for three hours of undisturbed writing time.) Listening to music helped to keep me focused and shut out the people around me. I just had to be careful not to miss my stop. 
Anyway, that’s what works for me.
Mood: Good
Music: Hello Goodbye, The Beatles
Posted by Dawn Brown @
3:10 pm |
Blogging, Contests and WIPs…Oh MY
Last week I was reading a post at Fiction Groupie (which is fast becoming a favorite for me to read) about blogging, and I realized I’ve become rather lax about blogging regularly. Since the summer, I sort of fell off the whole posting every Monday, Wednesday and Friday wagon. So today, I’m getting back on.
In other news, the contest at my editor’s blog starts today. The prize is a Kindle preloaded with with some great books, including Living Lies by yours truly. To enter, all you have to do is answer the scavenger hunt question and email your answer. I’m scheduled for the 25th.
I ordered my author copies of The Curse of Culcraig last week. The book should be available for pre-order very soon. I will certainly keep you posted.
The NaNo WIP continues to move well. By Friday, I’d hit over 29K putting me well ahead of schedule. Last week, I even got some work done on Blood and Bone which was good. Three chapters and an epilogue left. I’ll be so glad when it’s done.
Off to work now. See you Wednesday.
Mood: Good
Posted by Dawn Brown @
1:09 pm |
Things Are Coming Together
Lots of good things happening right now.
My editor at Samhain has announced a very cool contest with a great prize for later this month. Also, I’ll be putting together a few contests of my own for the launch of The Curse of Culgraig. So keep checking back to learn more.
I just hit 19K and change on my NaNoWriMo story. Yay! The good thing about writing at a break neck speed, there’s no time for the self-doubt demon to pop up and tell me that my opening is dull or my characters are flat, or any of the other little nit-picks that would usually have me halting progress and going back to rework or scrapping it altogether. My daily work goal is 2K, double what I normally try to write in a day, and I’m thinking I may try to maintain it even after NaNo is over…but, we’ll see. Ask me again at the end of next week.
I’m neglecting Blood and Bone terribly, but I suspect I needed the break. I’m hoping I’ll be able to get a little more done this afternoon.
The counter and back splash has finally been installed in my kitchen. WooHoo!!! You remember my kitchen, don’t you? That renovation we started back in June, and we’re still working on. But the end is truly in sight. All that’s left is the baseboards and painting the kitchen chairs. And even without those things done my kitchen looks amazing. I promise I will post pics when it’s done.
Mood: Up
Posted by Dawn Brown @
1:51 pm |
Help! There’s an Elephant on My Chest.
Okay, I’m exaggerating, but only slightly. I’m into my third week with this stupid chest cold and I’m fed up with it. So this week, I’m going to act like I’m fine, and hopefully my body will get with the program.
NaNoWriMo started on Sunday. I’m already up over 4K on a new WIP which pleases me. This cold slowed me down with Blood and Bone, but I’m about three chapters (maybe four) from the end. If I keep plugging away at it I should be done by the end of the middle of the month. I’ve never been so glad to finish anything as I am with this story. The crazy thing is, I love the characters and it’s a good story–if I do say so myself. I think I’ve just been working on it for too long. Getting into something new and fresh without that dangling over my head will be nice.
Mood: Delusionally Optimistic
Posted by Dawn Brown @
1:49 pm |
