Plot Monkeys

We are so excited to have the fabulous Brenda Novak in the jungle today!

Tireless, enthusiastic and incredibly talented, Brenda is a great writer who has been a fabulous friend to all the Plotmonkeys.

Brenda is the national bestselling author of 25 novels, which have been honored with numerous awards. From heartwarming to heart-stopping, her books are always a delight.

Summer 2008 will see the release of her next three romantic suspense stories—TRUST ME, STOP ME, and WATCH ME, coming from Mira Books. Visit her Web site at www.brendanovak.com to learn more about her and her work, or to enter her “That’s What Friends are For Contest,” where you could win a Caribbean Cruise for Two.

And don’t forget to check out Brenda’s fabulous AUCTION to fund Diabetes Research. Carly and Leslie both have special prizes up for auction and there are tons of other fabulous items to bid on.

Now, to talk a little about Author Branding…please welcome BRENDA NOVAK!

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There’s a buzzword in the industry that makes almost any author sit up and take notice: branding. Everyone’s talking about it; everyone wants to be effective at it. But…what is it, exactly? And how important is it that we learn to market in this way?

An author brand is like any other kind of brand—Coke, Pepsi, Kellogg’s, Andersen Doors. The most familiar brands evoke immediate recognition and association with particular products or even a level of quality in a certain product. Basically, branding translates into a sort of shorthand. I see a Nora book, I automatically know what kind of experience I can expect by reading it, so I pick it up without having to think twice or do any research. Branding is having a reputation and a loyal following and helps with all those impulse buys that are so critical in the book business.

Branding is important because it enables the author’s name in and of itself to become a marketable commodity. James Patterson is now using his brand to sell stories co-authored by other people. He’s even expanding his brand to include many different types of stories. Now that he’s so strongly associated with a good story, he can do that.

How did he build such a strong brand? By writing consistently great stories. That always has to be first. But there’s more to it than that. Branding is an on-going process and doesn’t generally happen overnight. It’s most difficult in the start-up phase. As well known as they are, Coke and Pepsi are still out there, advertising and building name recognition. It’s like pushing a ball uphill. If you stop pushing, it rolls right back to the bottom—something else encroaches and takes the attention of those you’re hoping to reach.

Specifically, an author brands herself by developing something that is consistent and unique in her writing. I do that by making sure every book I create delivers a deeply emotional, evocative story. How is my brand different from other authors who write in the same genre? My books are known for their deep characterization in a genre that is often more plot-driven (as you drift toward the suspense side). Once you know what you want your brand to be, you establish it through your writing style and “voice,” as well as your promotional efforts, until it becomes recognizable to others.

Some tools an author can use to build her brand are:

Paid Advertising
An interesting and constantly updated Web site
Strategic Contests
Blogs and chats (See? I’m building my brand right here )
Newsletters
Charity/Volunteer work
Networking
Joint-promotion with other authors and businesses
Speaking
Writing articles
Press releases/media attention
Author response to fan letters/e-mails
Mailers to booksellers/fans
Samplers

Your brand is your promise to your readers. When my readers buy my books they want to be able to count on a certain type of read. Therefore, I make sure I deliver that kind of read. Everything I do professionally is geared around building my brand and my career, so my Web site reflects that brand, my promotional materials reflect it, my charity auction reflects it, and my workshops/blogs reflect it.

Think about how solicitors make you feel. Because we are approached by so many who are trying to sell us something, the melee is deafening. We learn to filter and filter quickly, which means, in order to be effective in today’s marketplace, we have to be creative marketers. So my question to you is: How can you reach people who are already tired of the signals that are constantly bombarding them via the telephone, TV, computer, etc? How can you set yourself apart?

Throw out some ideas, and I’ll be happy to contribute. J

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PS: One more thing!

Carly hasn’t heard from last weekend’s winner:
The winner of Carly’s Jungle Madness is:

# 123, Leslie Thompson

Leslie, please email carly at: carlyphillips @ mac. com (no spaces) with your snail mail and email address to receive your prize!

I’ve decided I want a new scent. A “theme” scent. A scent that represents my new outlook on life…sunny & positive. It’s nearly summer here in Florida. Okay, summer’s officially five weeks away, but it’s already feeling like summer and I’m turning over a new leaf.

My new theme scent? Lemon, baby.

It’s fresh and crisp and citrusy. It’s got the whole, “lemons into lemonade” thing going on. Florida just screams lemons and you all know how much I adore the lemon tree in my backyard (which doesn’t bear fruit until winter time…weird.) I’ve been buying lots of lemon scented lotions and candles and body washes and I’m in lemon love.

So I want to share my new obsession and sunny disposition by offering up a travel collection of LemonMade products from Bath & Bodyworks!

Here’s the description from B&BW: Davies Gate LemonMade Lemon Wedge Travel Set:
Take your favorite LemonMade products on the go. This practical, reusable tote is filled with deluxe travel sizes of Bath & Shower Gel, Warming Sweet Cream Body Scrub, Body Lotion, Hand Salve and a Lip Balm SPF 15.

Just post a comment to enter, US residents only…and I’ll throw in a copy of one of my old Temptations, BRAZEN & BURNING, which has this really hot scene with lemons that I’d forgotten about until just this minute. Coooooool.

Today I’m flying to Oregon to spend six days with my hubby! Just him and I and NO KIDS this time! Whoo-hoo!

So, since I’ll be busy traveling today, I thought I’d treat you all to something special. WILD FOR HIM will be hitting bookstore shelves in a few weeks (June 3rd!), and after posting the first excerpt for WFH about a month ago here at Plotmonkeys, which was a bit on the fun and sweet side, I told you all that I’d save the hot and sexy stuff for when it gets closer to the book being out. Well, guess what? Today not only do you get an exclusive interview about WILD FOR HIM, but you’ll be getting a super excerpt from the book, too!

First, the WILD FOR HIM Interview:

Wild for Him is the first spin-off featuring Joel Wildes’ Marine buddies. What similarities can Wilde fans expect in this series?

Readers can expect all the best of a Janelle Denison novel: A gorgeous, bad boy hero, a heroine who knows what she wants and doesn’t hesitate to go after it (mainly, the hero!), plenty of sexual tension and just enough suspense to keep you turning the pages.

What do you enjoy most about writing interconnected series like this one? What are the biggest challenges?

I always enjoy revisiting characters from previous stories, and the Wilde series has enabled me to do just that in a very big way - - from the Wilde family and now with Joel Wilde’s marine buddies that were introduced in BORN TO BE WILDE. Readers seem to like getting glimpses of those previous characters in new books, as well. It’s fun to get to know a little bit about a character before I’ve written their story, then watch their personality evolve during the course of their own book, then see what their life is like after settling down with the perfect woman for them in future stories. The biggest challenge of writing interconnected stories is keeping all the continuity elements straight! I have a notebook with names, ages, physical features, background information, etc, but sometimes it’s hard to keep everyone (and their pasts) straight!

As an ex-marine, Ben Cabrera knows all about doing one’s duty…yet he can’t help but be distracted from his current mission by Christy’s all-too-obvious charms. What inspired his character?

In previous stories, Ben always seemed so laid back to me, and during the course of outlining and plotting his story it was interesting to discover all those deeper, more emotional levels to his personality. Ben’s character wasn’t inspired by anyone in particular - - He just came to me as an open book, so to speak, and let me see past all that charm and easy-going attitude of his. He’s a man with emotional scars, and it truly takes a special woman like Christy (along with her persistence, unconditional love, and affection) to heal the pain and loss he’s endured.

Christy Delacroix was raised a mild-mannered, high-society “good girl,” but she’s a woman who knows what she wants—and is ready to take a walk on the wild side. What did you enjoy most about creating her character?

I loved how straight-forward she was in the WILD FOR HIM, and how feisty she was, but she wasn’t always that direct. Christy grew up trying to please a mother with very high expectations. But now, she’s decided that it’s past time that she please herself. And because of that change in attitude, she developed such a fun, spontaneous personality that I had a great time writing.

What makes Ben and Christy the perfect couple?

You know what they say about how opposites attract! I think to some extent that applies here. At least socially. Christy is a high society girl and Ben is a small town boy - - and Ben is very aware of those differences, despite his intense attraction to her. Yet what makes them perfect for one another is the honesty between them, their emotional connection, and the way they come to understand one another in ways that no one else ever has.

How do you create a balance between the erotically-charged scenes and the emotional connection-building between your characters?

I honestly think that the two go hand in hand. I love to write hot sexual tension between my characters; it’s something that comes very naturally for me. But the emotional connection between my hero and heroine is so important, not only to me, but for my readers. They want to see the sensual sparks fly between my characters, but they also expect emotional growth, too. I can’t imagine a happily-ever-after for my characters without that very imperative element!

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And now, a hot and sexy excerpt! Oh, and as a surprise, Ben decided to drop in to say hi to you all, too. Treat him kindly while I’m gone.

Standing in her dark, quiet kitchen, Christine stared out the window over the sink to the moonlit backyard and took a sip of the hot camomile tea she’d made. Closing her eyes, she savored the soothing, relaxing warmth as it spread its way down to her stomach.

Regardless of the late hour that was way past her normal bedtime, and despite feeling utterly exhausted after everything that had transpired at Envy earlier, she hadn’t been able to fall asleep. She’d spent an hour tossing and turning in her bed with a myriad of thoughts running through her mind, and when the clock on her night stand hit midnight, she decided to resort to her good ole standby of tea to help her unwind and hopefully enable her to sleep. She had a busy day at the office tomorrow and couldn’t afford to have her mind fogged by lack of slumber.

She sighed, still unable to believe how her evening had turned out. What had began as a fun outing with friends had ended up being a night she wouldn’t soon forget.

After leaving Envy, the drive home with Ben had been quiet, and once they’d arrived at her place, he’d conducted a whole house search even though her security alarm had still been on and untripped. That didn’t matter to Ben, who insisted that until he was no longer in charge of her, this would be his routine whenever they arrived home. She had to admit, the man was thorough and efficient when it came to her safety.

Since her clothes had been damp and clinging to her, she’d headed straight for her bedroom, stripped her clothes back off, and took a long, hot shower. By the time she was done and went in search of Ben, he’d already retreated to the guest bedroom and had the door shut.

She took another drink of her warm tea. Other than the incident with Jason, then with Craig in his private office, she’d had a great time with Ben tonight. He’d meshed well with her friends, and he played the part of her steady beau exceptionally well. Almost too well, considering how comfortable she’d been sitting on his lap, how sensual his touch felt on her bare thigh, and especially how territorial he’d been when he’d found her semi-nude in Craig’s bathroom.

Remembering the simmering heat in his gaze when he’d noticed her standing there in her bra and panty ensemble, then again when he’d crowded her against the vanity, a shiver rippled through her and tightened the tips of her breasts against her cotton camisole.

Her overwhelming reaction to Ben no longer surprised her at all. He made her burn with need, made her think about all the things she wanted to do to him, and with him. Sinful, shameless things she’d never done with any other man before.

As she finished her tea and set her cup in the sink, she thought about what Madison had said to her earlier tonight, about giving Ben a bit of a shove in the right direction,. But in order to do that, it meant she’d have to shed all those rules of propriety her mother had drilled into her head for so many years. Being a demure good girl and suppressing her own desires hadn’t gotten her much in terms of sexual gratification, and the thought of being a little wicked and wanton now held a whole lot of appeal.

But embracing that sexually assertive woman within her meant being bolder in her pursuit. More daring in her quest to please herself, instead of doing what everyone else expected of her. It also meant not settling for less than what she wanted.

And what she wanted was Ben Cabrera.

“You can’t sleep either, huh?”

As if her thoughts had conjured him, Ben’s deep, husky voice sounded from somewhere behind her. Turning around, she found him across the kitchen, standing in the doorway, the moonlight streaming through the window illuminating him like a dark, fallen angel. Leaning casually against the frame, his corded arms were crossed over his bare chest, and he wore a pair of gray sweat pants that rode precariously low on his hips and revealed a good amount of his taut, rigid belly. Lower, the soft cotton emphasized everything that made him so heart-stoppingly virile.

Her mouth went dry, and she swallowed hard as she slowly, leisurely dragged her gaze back up the length of his gorgeous, well-built body, until she finally reached his face. Already, a light stubble had formed on his lean jaw, and his hair had been finger combed into a wildly disheveled style that flaunted that sexy, bad boy image of his.

Lust, strong and undeniable, licked through her like a live flame. She knew her shot at seduction was now or never, that there was no better time than the present moment to go full-force after the man who’d inspired some of her most erotic fantasies over the past few months.

“No, I couldn’t sleep either,” she said, her voice soft and low.

Gathering her confidence, she strolled across the kitchen toward him, wishing she was wearing a pair of her high heeled shoes that gave her a bit more of a height advantage. Without them, and because Ben was so big and tall, she felt incredibly delicate and feminine when she finally came to a stop in front of him.

“It’s all your fault, you know,” she said, blaming him for the time she’d spent tossing and turning in her bed.

He arched a dark brown brow in amusement. “And just how am I to blame?”

“Because you make me feel hot and restless, and that isn’t conducive to sleep.” Smiling, she reached up and touched the tips of her fingers to his unshaven cheek, watching as his gaze darkened with awareness. “You feel it, too, don’t you?” she whispered.

“Feel what?” he replied, his gruff tone giving away his attempt at nonchalance.

“This attraction between us.” Stepping even closer, she skimmed the pad of her thumb across his full bottom lip, aching to kiss him. “Tell me you feel it, too.”

Encircling his long fingers around her wrist, he gently drew her hand away from his face and let her arm drop back to her side. “It doesn’t matter if I do, Christine. Nothing’s going to happen beyond being your pretend boyfriend.”

God, she hated that he’d reverted back to calling her Christine, which was his way of keeping things all business between them, she knew. But now that she’d come this far, she wasn’t about to let him dissuade her from her ultimate goal. In fact, she was all-out determined to crack that steadfast control of his, because what she was beginning to feel for him was as honest and real as it got.

“You make me realize everything that was missing from my other relationships, not that I’ve had many.” Drawn to the broad expanse of his bare chest, she splayed both hands on all that hard muscle and hot skin and experienced a thrilling jolt of triumph when he sucked in a sharp breath. “But even with the men I’ve dated in my past, I’ve never, ever, felt this kind of intense attraction before.”

He didn’t remove her hands this time, but neither did he touch her in return. Instead, his fingers curled into tight fists, and the muscles beneath her hand flexed oh-so-enticingly, revealing just how tense he’d become. “Don’t go there, Christine,” he said, his voice a rasp of sound in the shadowed kitchen.

“Oh, but I do want to go there. Badly.” Letting her lashes fall half-mast, she slid her arms around his neck, stood up on tip-toe, and brushed her mouth across his. “I want to know how real desire feels,” she whispered, teasing the seam of his lips with her tongue. “I want to know what real passion tastes like.”

The rumbling of a groan vibrated against her mouth, encouraging her to forge ahead while she still had the chance. “Kiss me, Ben.” She nibbled on his bottom lip and gently tugged it between her teeth. “Please.”

Like a man pushed to the brink, he finally fell over the edge and Christine knew she was about to reap the benefits of all that raw, powerful masculinity he exuded. With a rough growl, he wrapped the fingers of one hand in her hair, encircled his other arm around her waist, and hauled her up against his body as his mouth came down on hers.

Hot.

Hard.

And deliciously demanding.

There was no sweetness in his kiss, but slow and romantic wasn’t what she’d been after tonight. This all-consuming embrace was exactly what she wanted from Ben, and for the first time in her adult life she discovered that desire felt like the most exciting thrill-ride she’d ever taken. And passion . . . oh, Lord, passion tasted like searing heat, ravenous hunger, and insatiable lust all rolled into one.
The hand at the nape of her neck tightened, then he shifted and moved, turning her slightly, backing her up, until her shoulders hit the kitchen wall and he trapped her there with the insistent press of his thighs and hips against hers. The solid length of his erection branded her with a need so primal, she ached to feel every inch of him inside of her.

With her head now pinned against the flat surface, he slanted his mouth across hers and deepened the kiss further, if that was at all possible. His tongue stroked across hers, and his big, strong hands wandered into more forbidden territory.

One palm glided down over the curve of her waist and around to her bottom while his other hand skimmed beneath the hem of her camisole. His thumb caressed the skin of her stomach, and she trembled in anticipation. Unrelenting fingers swept upward, until he finally enveloped her breast in his big, calloused hand and squeezed the firm flesh.

She moaned against his mouth, and arousal, liquid and warm, spiraled its way down to her belly, then between her thighs. He rolled her taut nipple between his fingers and she automatically arched into him as a soft, mewling sound escaped her throat. Everything the man did, every illicit stroke and erotic caress, sent her soaring to a higher level of sensation, until she felt drenched in the most decadent pleasure of her life.

She wanted to touch him in return . . . everywhere. Wanted to make him burn with the same intoxicating fever spreading through her. As she smoothed both of her hands down his chest to his abdomen, then teased her fingers along the waistband of his sweat pants, his big body shuddered. Before she had the chance to pull on the drawstring that would give her access to his jutting erection, he abruptly ended the kiss. He jerked back, his breathing ragged.

Christine was disappointed, but not surprised by Ben’s sudden retreat, especially when she witnessed the self-condemnation gradually filling his gaze. He had absolutely nothing to feel guilty about, not when she’d been the one who’d instigated the kiss, and she opened her mouth to tell him so.

“Don’t,” he ordered through clenched teeth as he pushed away from her. “Don’t say a damned thing. You got what you wanted, so let’s just leave it at that.” He walked out of the kitchen without looking back, and a moment later she heard his bedroom door slam shut.

She winced, and had to resist the urge to follow after him and demand that they hash out this attraction between them right then and there. But it was painfully obvious to her that he was in no mood to talk about what had just happened, and she’d be stupid to push the issue when he wasn’t in the right frame of mind to admit that their kiss had rocked his world, as much as it had hers.

And that was okay with her. Just knowing she’d been able to penetrate a few of Ben’s stringent barriers was more than enough for her. For now.

Can’t wait to get your copy? You can pre-order WILD FOR HIM at Amazon.com or BN.com!

I don’t blog too much about this, but my daughter is in a highly challenging academic program at school. We spend more time than I think is necessary for an elementary school student, worrying, studying, doing projects, researching…etc. Every day, we both stress out over how much homework she has, when to do it, how to do it, etc. Tests and quizzes must all be signed. Notebooks organized. Certain rules followed each and every time.

You see…I’m not one of those mothers who insists homework be done the minute the kid gets home. Only minutes before I pick my daughter up, she has her most challenging class of the day–math. I hardly think it’s reasonable to ask a child her age to get to work immediately after just finishing a long day where she, a kid who’d rather be outside and climbing something or drawing until her heart’s content, has been sitting still and keeping out of trouble (mostly) for hours on end.

So when she gets home, she usually gets a snack, plays her video game or unwinds until around 4-ish, when I settle her down for homework. She’s usually done by 5 (despite the fact that her age group in our state is only supposed to have 30 minutes of homework…but DON’T get me started) and she goes off to play with the neighborhood kids. In this next quiet hour or two, I get in another hour of writing and then start cooking dinner. Yes, I cook nearly every night. It’s a sickness. It really is.

Yesterday, however, we strayed.

I’m afraid my daughter learned the word hooky from me.

Life is too short for iron-clad routines.

We’re a busy family, just like everyone else. For mother’s day, I really wanted to curl into the day bed we keep in her playroom and watch RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK with her, a movie she’s never seen. It’s a little creepy in places…too creepy for her to watch alone. But we had so much to do, we never got around to movie viewing. So today, when she announced her homework was fairly light (we did some research for a project she has due on Friday) I decided today was the day to relax…if only for an hour.

So I baked cookies. Don’t get excited…they were the ones from the refrigerator section that only need to be broken and baked. We poured two tall glasses of milk into pre-frozen mugs, snuggled under the comforter and watched the movie until a neighbor kid came knocking, wondering where my kid was!

It was only an hour or so (we’d been watching bits and pieces of the movie during the weekend) but it was fabulous. This is the stuff kids remember…and this is the stuff I live for. Little moments with no worries…not even about the calories. Just good clean fun…and Harrison Ford, too.

Of course, now I have to go do some research to try and explain to my very inquisitive child exactly why the ark killed people who looked at it and not the ones who didn’t. Explaining the myth of Medusa wasn’t quite enough. ::sigh:: (UPDATE: God told Moses that he would die if it saw Him in all his Glory. Same principle.)

So…if you had an hour to do ANYTHING you wanted to relax…completely ignoring all your responsibilities…what would you do? (Man, is that a loaded question or what?)

I am in a deeeeep writing dive, but I had a little something to share.

Have you seen the Disney movie Enchanted? There’s this very cute song in it called “How Do You Know” and it’s all about how a woman knows a man loves her. And that, basically, it’s the little things he does that prove it much more than the sweeping gestures.

Sunday was Mother’s Day. I made my dinner request–grilled steaks & grilled veggies. Yummm. Since my hubby refuses to use a gas grill, and sticks to charcoal, the outdoor cooking is his purview and he’s darn good at it.

Only, it POURED all weekend. We’re talking deluge time. But Bruce knows I just don’t like steaks cooked inside, and so…

Yes, he risked life and limb and lightning and chills to grill me my steak & veggies.

Isn’t he cute in his cowboy stuff?

When people tell me how lucky I am to have such a wonderful husband, they’re usually talking about things like this. It’s not grand gestures or showering of jewels or huge romantic moments (though he’s good at all that, too!) it’s the small, incredibly thoughtful, loving things like this that let me know he loves me.

Yikes. How on earth can I top this for Father’s Day next month?!?

How about you, can you relate? What small, lovely gesture told you how much you were loved?

I have nothing major to discuss, so some odd thoughts …

I’m leaving for Vermont for two days with friends. One has a house there, so about six of us are going overnight. I’m looking forward to it. I won’t be able to blog but I’ll read your posts! I’ve never been on a girls overnight except for plotmonkeys … have you?

Janelle and I both saw (separately and on separate coasts) What Happens in Vegas … WHAT FUN! The best part is, LUCKY STREAK which I am writing now, has a what happens in vegas premise too! Has anyone else seen the movie yet? I love Cameron Diaz. Boy she must work out like crazy to have that body!

Survivor - I haven’t watched it much lately but my husband had it on so I’d keep an eye on it. While I’m typing this, the Survivor finale is on … it’s fun to watch how many stupid moves went on with people who should know better! I watched tonight and thought, Ozzie all scruffy after his time on the island was really CUTE! (anyone watch and see him?) I don’t know if he and Amanda had friendship or more (I missed it as I said) … they’re going to talk in a few minutes about it but I’m typing now … but when he said how much she deserved the money and he loved her and wanted more time on the island with her, well … he had me at I love you. Anyone else see this one?

So that’s that.
Leslie, you won, I forgot to say email me at: carlyphillips @ mac. com (no spaces) and send me your full name snail mail and preferred email for the Amazon gift card and congrats again!

See you all on Wednesday but I hope I left you with some fun things to chat about. I know I want to read the answers and I will, on my iPhone, on the 3 hour Vermont car ride!

All the Plotmonkeys are Moms. We know how hard and yet rewarding a job it is. So we thought we’d do a tribute to our moms …

CARLY - My mom is my best friend. She raised me to be the strong, capable, loving woman I am. My mom is my shopping buddy. We have diametrically opposite taste and yet we respect what the other likes, can give our opinions, and still be friends at the end of the day. We can get angry or upset with each other without fear that we’ll lose our relationship - that is why we have the special friendship that we do. And by example, she taught me how to be a good wife, a good mother, a good friend, and even a good daughter in law! I’m lucky to have her in my life. For all you’ve done, for all you do, I LOVE YOU, MOM!

JANELLE - I chose this picture of my mother and I because it shows you who my mother really is: a wild, crazy, fun-loving person. This picture was taken at her grandson’s college football game, and as you can see by the war paint on her face, she is also one very supportive mother/grandmother. She’s the life of the party (which does sometime clash with my more quiet nature ), but she has a heart of gold and would do anything for anyone. Right now she’s working on a cruise ship sailing the Hawaiian Islands (tough job, huh?), and I won’t be seeing her this year for Mother’s Day. But she’ll definitely be in my thoughts. I you, Mom!!!

JULIE - Bummer, but I don’t have a picture of me and my mother handy! I’m going to fix that today. But here is a recent picture of my mother. Isn’t she pretty? I did not inherit her beautiful blue eyes (none of us did!) but I did get her go-getter personality. My mother has always worked (she still does!) in our family business and showed me that women not only COULD be in charge, but she SHOULD. (Shhh, don’t tell my dad and oldest brother…they think THEY’RE in charge. As if.) For the longest time, she had a license plate on her car that read, “Boss Lady.” And when you put this on an Italian woman’s car, you know she means business. She’s also very kind and loving, of course. I’m her only daughter and we’ve always had a very special bond. Because we’re both strong personalities, we disagree a lot, and sometimes do it very loudly. But it’s never with any malice and it’s never personal. We enjoy sparring. We also enjoy laughing and cooking and chatting on the phone. She has always been there for me and even though I’m in my forties, I can’t imagine not asking her advice on everything important in my life. She’s my rock. I love you, Mom!

LESLIE
I lost my Mom at far too young an age. Lost sounds like such a weak word–she wasn’t lost, she was taken in a senseless accident that I still find difficult to comprehend. And it breaks my heart that my children never knew her…and that she never saw how happy I’ve been with the life I’ve chosen.

Her name was Betty, and she was the most important person in my world growing up. Her strength, resilience, kindness and that streak of wicked, irreverent humor are all gifts I am very thankful to have received from her. And from her death, I also learned one of the greatest lessons which guides my every interaction with those I love: Take nothing for granted. Don’t count on there being a tomorrow–or even a later today–because you never know which moment you share with someone you love will be the last moment. I shared a laughing conversation with my energetic, healthy young mother on the phone one Monday night and less than twelve hours later got a call that she was gone forever.

I tell you this not to be morose, though Mother’s Day is always very emotional and poignant for me. But I truly think it’s an important message to pass along: Treat the ones you love as if you might not ever see them again. Tender words shouldn’t remain unsaid. Love should never be withheld. And laughter is never a waste of time. The last words I ever said to most wonderful woman I’ve ever known were “I love you” and those were also the last words she ever said to me.

What an absolute blessing.

The above picture was taken on my wedding day, only two years before she died. She was beautiful and happy and vibrant. And when I close my eyes, this is how I see her.

I love you Mom. Happy Mother’s Day.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL THE MOMS OUT THERE!
And now on to our regularly scheduled post:
The winner of Carly’s Jungle Madness is:

# 123, Leslie Thompson

PS: Leslie still hasn’t heard from TAMMY (message # 27 from LAST Friday, May 2) who won her Disney madness contest. Write asap to: author@lesliekelly.com or she’ll choose another winner.

And again for Mother’s day, the joke:
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN

1. NAMES

If Rebecca, Linda, Anna and Jeanne go out for lunch, they will call each other Rebecca, Linda, Anna and Jeanne.

If Mark, Harold, Dave and Rob go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Godzilla, Peanut-Head and Scrappy.

2. EATING OUT

When the bill arrives, Mark, Harold, Dave and Rob will each throw in a $20, even though it’s only for $32.50. None of them will have anything smaller and none will actually admit they want change back.

When the women get their bill, out come the pocket calculators.

3. MONEY

A man will pay $2 for a $1 item he needs.

A woman will pay $1 for a $2 item that she doesn’t need, but it’s on sale.

4. BATHROOMS

A man has five items in his bathroom: a toothbrush, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel from the Marriott.

The average number of items in the typical woman’s bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to identify most of these items.

5. ARGUMENTS

A woman has the last word in any argument.

Anything a man says after that… is the beginning of a new argument.

6. CATS

Women love cats.

Men say they love cats, but when women aren’t looking, men kick cats.

7. FUTURE

A woman worries about the future until she gets a husband.

A man never worries about the future until he gets a wife.

8. SUCCESS

A successful man is one who makes more money than his wife can spend.

A successful woman is one who can find such a man.

9. MARRIAGE

A woman marries a man expecting he will change, but he doesn’t.

A man marries a woman expecting that she won’t change , and she does.

10. DRESSING UP

A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the garbage,answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail.

A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

11. NATURAL

Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.

Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

12. OFFSPRING

Ah,children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.

A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

I’ve been a Jo Leigh fan for a really long time. First, it was as a teacher. I heard her speak, I’m pretty sure, on a tape that I borrowed out of my RWA chapter’s library. I thought she was brilliant. After I read one of her books, I was sure! Then I had the great pleasure of meeting Jo, as we both wrote for Temptation and then Blaze. We also critiqued together once and her insight was absolutely invaluable.

I am so thrilled to have her here at Plotmonkeys! We all are! Thanks, Jo, so much for sharing such a great blog and for all your wonderful books! I know Jo is much too humble to brag…but her current release, HAVE MERCY, was a 4-1/2 TOP PICK! from RT Bookclub!

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Oh, Boy! Plotmonkey Visit! Be aware that I read this blog every single day. Well, except when I have no internet available. I have total blog envy and I’m tickled beyond words that I get to come here and talk about craft - at least my version of it.

The question comes up so often that the answer has become rote: Where do you get your ideas? I get them everywhere. Because I’m a writer, I think like one. Everything around me speaks in hints and whispers, and then sometimes, I get that feeling, and off I go.

Except it’s not so much everything any more. I’ve been writing a long time now, and I’m lucky that I’ve been able to write in a lot of different styles. I’ve done comedy, romantic suspense, mystery, sweet, sexy. I love that more than I can say because the more I write, the more specific the inspirations have had to become.

When I first started, I honestly thought I had one book in me. I wrote it, and then, a miracle, another story slapped me in the back of the head. I surrounded myself with other writers and with the talk of writers. I had a critique group and a plot group and their input was invaluable. Together we could take a wisp of an idea and turn it into a story with all the trimmings.

Another win for me was learning story structure early on. I was a screenwriter first, and I studied, hard, to understand what made for compelling storytelling. And even though I could (and did) teach structure, that was only useful after I had the idea. The spark.

So that’s what I’m here to talk about: the spark. Not just where it comes from but how it changes over the course of a career, how the nurturing shifts from plain old adrenaline and a group of enthusiastic pals, to finding an idea that resonates so deeply I can’t turn away.

It’s more complicated now. As much as I hate to bring up the tawdry aspects of the real world as it intersects with writing, I’m not independently wealthy and although I wish I had a benefactor with a hefty wallet, I don’t. I earn my living by doing this story thing, and in this economy, with this mass of entertainment choices at everyone’s fingertips, that means I have to write fast, write well, and write often.

Which leads me back to the spark. I’m a plotter. Oh, God, how I’m a plotter. I have now developed a hierarchy of needs which help me do my job. First, there’s conflict. Not between the two central characters, not yet. First, I need to know what’s broken in my central character. I do a lot of work on that one thing. The initial tightness in my chest tells me I’m on to something, but that something has to have legs. It has to be a strong enough central conflict that a conversation, a task fulfilled, a move or a lover won’t fix it. It has to be a conflict that was born long in the past, that has become so ingrained in the character’s life that despite the pain it causes, the pain of change seems infinitely worse.

That means I have to do an extensive biography of my central character. What broke when? How did she compensate? What stuff did he bring into his life to keep him in that painful place? And, most importantly, what…no, who would be the one person in all the world that would make this character own up to the mistakes of a lifetime, who would let her see that there was another path, if only she could take the first steps. The she or he wouldn’t be alone on the journey?

The second step then becomes to discover the catalyst character. They, too, have a lifetime of defenses, of doing things the way they’ve always done them. But when they meet, something magic happens and through loving each other, they transform into their better, higher selves.

This stage then morphs into the actual plot of the book. What events have to transpire to bring those two people together, to allow the magic to take hold? The plot becomes the vehicle that forces these two to face their darkest selves and to have to make the hardest decisions of their lives. (Fun, huh?)

Only then do I look to make sure everything is in it’s place. That the pacing is right, that I’ve got turning points that do more than change the scenery. The story structure that I learned so early comes into focus in a more analytical way. I do a chart, actually. Chapter by chapter. With colored Post-its.

Then, I put all that stuff away and have at it. I probably take as much time to do the above as I do to write the book itself. Sometimes, it all works like a charm. And sometimes it all goes to hell in chapter three, and I’ve got to go back and find out where I went wrong and how to fix it. Damn it, no matter how hard I prepare, the story still owns me. I’m her bitch, and that’s that. Mostly, I’m pretty satisfied at the end that we’ve worked out our problems and told the story. Sometimes, not so much.

So, this is what my process has become. I don’t doubt it will change with time, as it has changed so much from my early days. I’m one who needs the structure, welcomes it. Blaze books are shorter now, which means I have to be better. Sharper. Which is a good thing. It keeps me on my toes.

I’m also a total geek for finding out how other writers do it. Share. Please. And readers - especially those who read Blaze (and who wouldn’t? They’re fabulous!) tell me what you need to make it all work for you? Is it the right hero? Complexity of story? The Sex?

PS - Love Pets? Of course you do. So come on by here: http://www.joleigh.com and look at all the incredibly adorable pets that are starring in my current Blaze, HAVE MERCY. All the pets mentioned in the book (and there are lots) actually belong to readers. I have put up all their pictures.

To celebrate, enter to win a fantastic treat!
A signed ARC of HOT PROPERTY before it hits stores and a $50 Amazon Gift Card!

You know the drill. Post a comment and come back Sunday to see who won!
If outside the USA, winner receives Amazon Gift Card only!

So let me ask you … just to give you something to post today, how do you feel about the trend of my covers leaning towards hot, bare chested men? Since that’s what you’ll be seeing for the next … oh year or so, LOL!

Julie here…the winner of the 6 May Blaze books for picking the best potential Blaze title is…Stacy~, post #1, for ENTICED! Stacy~, drop me an email with your snail mail addy so I can get Amazon onto sending your prize! julie @ julieleto . com. Thanks everyone for playing!

Over the past few months, in preparation for our move from California to Oregon this summer, I’ve been methodically (and ruthlessly) cleaning out each and every room in the house and getting rid of “junk stuff”. After living in the same house for 19 years, I have to admit that we’ve certainly accumalated a whole lot of junk, too. Stuff that we never should have bought or kept in the first place because we never used it! Yes, we’d become pack rats!

So, wanting to start out fresh and clutter free in Oregon, I decided that it was time to clean house in a big way. And I did. Out went furniture we no longer used/needed, clothes we no longer wore, games we no longer played, home decor that was outdated, crystal I never used, the girls in-line skates and razor scooters, TV, VCR, bread maker, Legos, blankets, books, comforters, curtains, artwork, craft stuff, cassette player, electronic gadgets, an old PlayStation that the girls no longer use, night stands, curio cabinet, candlestick holders, teapots (I have a collection and I weeded it out considerably), floral arrangements, Don’s golf stuff he no longer used . . . and a whole lot more. In fact, I had boxed up so much stuff while cleaning out the house that I had to rent a storage unit for it all until we had a garage sale!

Well, the yard sale was this past weekend, and what an experience it was! I advertised that the yard sale would begin at 7 AM, and by 6:30 AM cars were parked on the curb waiting while I put everything out on the driveway. As soon as I was done, they literally swarmed and overwhelmed me as they rummaged through my junk. These people were clearly die hard garage sale-ers and me, my daughter, and a neighbor who was helping out, could barely keep up with the steady flow of cars and people who came by. By noon, we were exhausted . . . and we did this again on Sunday, too. All in all, I sold $1,000 of “junk” – and that just goes to show you just how much stuff I had out there to sell! As the saying goes, “your junk is someone else’s treasure”, and that certainly held true this past weekend.

So, for the past few months it’s been “out with the old”, but not necessarily “in with the new”. Now that I’m loving the clean, uncluttered look inside my house, my new motto when buying something new is “quality not quantity”. This motto has helped me to not buy new junk just because it’s pretty or cute. From now on, anything new that is brought into our house has to serve a distinct purpose, or I’m not buying it.

OREGON UPDATE: For those of you who’ve been following my move to Oregon, we’ve yet to sell our house in California. The real estate market here is so bad, and getting worse each month that passes. We recently made the decision to rent our house here, and rent something up in Oregon until the market changes in a more positive way. I figure that will give us time to figure out where we really want to live in Oregon and find just the right house for us. The girls and I plan to join Don in July. That’ll give us time to get settled in and get my youngest daughter prepared for her new high school, and my oldest into college. All in all, we’re still very excited about the entire move.

Back to garage sales. Have you ever had a garage/yard sale? And if so, what was your experience – good or bad? And do you enjoy going to garage/yard sales to find great deals, or are they just not your thing?