#guestpost Extraordinary Experiences by @danneparis #RB4U #romance

Please give D Anne Paris a warm welcome !

Extraordinary Experiences

Moments come and go, but special moments last a lifetime. Make them count!

~Mark Hewer

As many of you may know I love the idea of experiences as gifts. Let's face it, anyone can pick out a gift. If you are truly involved in the process then you would put some thought into it and get a gift that truly matter but not everyone can create a special memory. It takes a special person who has taken it upon themselves to create a special memory.

This is where experiences differ and become extraordinary gifts. Truly special experiences take time, thought and effort. These three combined with the main experience itself tells a story of care and love on its own.

Creating a special experience: A limo tour.

Perhaps your partner is new to the city and has not had the time to see the city's beauty. You may feel compelled to give them a tour but you want the moment to be special. You don't want the tour to simply be about sightseeing and touristy things. You want it to be different from a normal tour. There is one way to spice it up: Rent a private limo and give them a treat they will never forget. It is quite simple and will leave great memories.

Adding special touches.

First, pick a date and contact the limo company to book it. Ask the company for a driver who knows special places in the city and who can act as a tour guide. If your loved one has special interests such as art or loves gardens make sure you mention it to the limo company so the driver will be prepared to take both of you to places that are of interest to them. If you are stopping for a picnic or decide to watch the stars on the beach or park, be sure to bring a blanket to sit on. If it’s chilly take extra blankets to keep yourselves warm. Don’t forget to bring some finger foods and bubbly if you are not stopping at any eateries along the way.

On the way back, you can end the experience by listening to music you both enjoy while savouring the memories you just experienced.

The great thing about giving a memorable experience as a gift is that your loved one doesn’t have to look for somewhere to keep the gift or remember to use it. They will have the experience with them forever. It becomes a part of them, a part of their good memories.

About the author:

D. Anne Paris began conjuring up stories even before she could put words on paper. When other kids in her class submitted stories about their vacations and puppies, she submitted ones that had to be blessed by a priest.

The paranormal has always called out to her and she’s usually the one that’s running into haunted houses and graveyards. She strongly believes Halloween should be a national holiday and everyone should have a favorite paranormal hero or heroine.

When not in the writing cave D.Anne can be found in the garage working on her first love- her Trans Am, or working on her blueberry farm. She is the wife of one hot Silver Fox and the mom of one mini salesman who tries to convince his friend's mothers to buy her books.

Her next book Strength of Love will be available on Amazon May 3^rd.  https://www.amazon.com/D.-Anne-Paris/e/B01DB8C2TE/

Here’s a short blurb about Strength of Love.

With his special powers, Jason “Tiny” Tucker could handle anything.

Bullets, hauling cars, Bigfoot, nothing scared him. When a psychotic ex-lover captures and tortures him, he loses his powers and himself. His only light is his angel, Elle, who opened the door to his heart but hasn’t fallen for his good looks and charm. When Elle succumbs to the after effects of her powers it stirs emotions he never knew existed. Now it’s up to him to help her heal and unleash the passion trapped inside of her.

Despite her miserable past, Elle Stevens became a healer.

Determined not to turn into her promiscuous mother, Elle leads a celibate life focused solely on helping others. When she meets Tiny he awakens feelings in her that she tries to push away but her heart and body crave. It’s hard to control when she’s tasked with helping him heal from his wounds. Harder when he stays by her side day and night.  Impossible when she looks into his eyes and sees a future she thought she could never have.

Unfortunately, someone has other plans for them and they don’t include a happy ever after.

You can find D. Anne through these channels:

Website – http://www.danneparis.com

Blog – http://www.danneparis.com/blog/

Twitter - https://twitter.com/danneparis

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authordanneparis

Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/danneparis

Bookbub- https://www.bookbub.com/authors/d-anne-paris

Amazon Author Page -https://www.amazon.com/D.-Anne-Paris/e/B01DB8C2TE/

Newsletter – https://mailchi.mp/6fae8da95d38/orion-book-club-2018

#GuestBLog w/ Love and Turmoil by @Luanna_Stewart @WildRosePress #recipe #historicalromance

Now that we’re into April and the days are turning balmy (the temperature will be +4 degrees Celsius today so I know I’m pushing the whole balmy thing but it’s been a heck of a winter) my menu planning is changing. I’ll put away recipes for all the hearty comfort foods that sustained us through the seemingly never-ending Nor’easter storms and start dreaming of fresh salads, tender juicy things on the grill, and fruity desserts. And since dessert is the most important part of any meal I want to share a delicious, simple cake recipe with you so you’ll feel better about the end of winter, too. Or maybe you live in one of the southern US states and your winter has been gone for weeks and you’re already scampering around in shorts and halter tops. In which case I might have to hate you just a little bit.  Or maybe you’re in the southern hemisphere and are looking forward to cosy evenings filled with hot toddies and bread pudding. (Ooh, maybe it’s not too late for more comfort foods.)

Here in Nova Scotia, we’re many months away from enjoying local berries. And, I’m sorry, but the things called strawberries available in the supermarket this time of year should be ashamed to call themselves strawberries. Having been raised on wild blueberries (my mum’s childhood home has a blueberry field in the backyard) I’m not a fan of cultivated blueberries. Now, we do have an abundance of locally grown apples, but in my head, apple desserts are more of an autumn/winter thing. Call me silly if you like.

So where does that leave us for fruity desserts in April? Citrus. Not locally grown (though with climate change that could happen) but abundant and relatively inexpensive. Also prevents scurvy. I came across this recipe a month ago and have baked this cake three times. So far. I took it to a family supper and it received rave reviews. And did I mention it’s dang simple to mix together and bake? The easy tart-sweet glaze finishes it off beautifully.

Does your eating change with the seasons? What are you looking forward to cooking in the coming months?

Lemon Cake with Lemon Glaze

Recipe by Nagi at www.recipetineats.com

Wet:

2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil

2 eggs

1 ½ tbsp grated lemon rind (1 large or 2 medium lemons)

¼ cup / 65 ml fresh lemon juice

1 cup/250g plain yoghurt

1 1/4 cups / 275g caster sugar (superfine sugar, granulated ok too)

Dry:

2 cups/300g plain flour (all purpose flour)

4 tsp baking powder

Pinch of salt

Glaze:

1 3/4 cup / 210 g icing sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tbsp plain yoghurt

1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F (standard) or 160C/320F (fan/convection). Grease a 20 cm / 8” springform pan with butter.

2. Place Wet ingredients in a bowl. Whisk until combined.

3. Sprinkle over flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk until smooth few small lumps is ok.

4. Pour into pan it should be fairly thick but pourable. Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

5. Remove metal ring and cool on rack then glaze.

Glaze:

1. Place ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Test down the side of the bowl to get the right thickness, using 1 tsp of yoghurt at a time to thin it out if required. Glaze should drip (slowly, because it's thick) but not be see through.

2. Place rack on a tray or baking paper.

3. Pour glaze over the middle of the cake, gently push towards the edges so it drips down the sides.

4. Let it set for 1 hour before transferring to a serving plate.

Here’s the link to the recipe on Nagi’s website so you can see a picture and read additional notes about preparation and presentation. Enjoy!

https://www.recipetineats.com/lemon-cake/

***

Title:  Love and Turmoil

Author:  Luanna Stewart

Genre:  historical romance

Publisher:  The Wild Rose Press

Book Blurb:

Six months after burying her wastrel husband, Lady Arabella Woodbridge has resigned herself to a lonely life in the countryside with only her two adopted nieces for company. Being a young, respectable widow is – frustrating. Then the charming and wickedly handsome Samuel Payn takes up residence in the neighboring manor house.

Retired explorer and occasional pirate Samuel Payn is on a two-fold mission – retrieve buried loot, and locate the father who abandoned his mother to a life of poverty. But a gang of murderous villains is also after the buried treasure. And someone is threatening to tear apart the lovely widow’s family.

Will Sam’s single-minded determination to uncover his true identity threaten Arabella’s happiness - and his life?

Excerpt:

“I hope my girls haven’t been bothersome, Mr. Payn.”

“Not at all. Edwards had the brilliant idea to search out the nets. I’d not noticed the wide variety of butterflies in the garden, not until we tried to catch them.” He chuckled. “I’m afraid the insects have outwitted us.”

She laughed, gazing up into his gorgeous blue eyes, almost silver in the bright light. She breathed in his spicy scent and every part of her came alive. She fought the urge to lean into him, wrap her arms around his slender waist, and bury her face in his chest.

Glancing away to gain time to recover from the onslaught of desire, she watched her daughters play. “They appear to be losing interest in a game they can’t win.”

Mr. Payn took her hand in his. She met his gaze, his eyes darkened. “Some of us don’t give up after the first attempt or two.”

       He was not speaking of catching butterflies. He was speaking of catching her.

Buy Links:

https://catalog.thewildrosepress.com/all-titles/5434-love-and-turmoil.html

https://www.amazon.com/Love-Turmoil-Luanna-Stewart-ebook/dp/B076Z4RGRR

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-and-turmoil-luanna-stewart/1127353431?ean=2940158945496

http://www.bookstrand.com/love-and-turmoil

Author Biography:

Luanna Stewart has been creating adventures for her imaginary friends since childhood. As soon as she discovered her grandmother's stash of romance novels, all plots had to lead to a happily-ever-after.

Luanna writes full time, concentrating on sexy romantic suspense, steamy paranormal romance, and spicy historical romance.

Born and raised in Nova Scotia, Luanna has recently returned to the land of her birth with her dear husband and two spoiled cats. When she's not torturing her heroes and heroines, she’s in her kitchen baking something delicious.

Under her previous pen name of Grace Hood she has two novellas published with The Wild Rose Press.

Social Media Links:

Website:  http://www.luannastewart.com/

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/Luanna_Stewart

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Luanna.Stewart.nau

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/luannastewart/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14104212.Luanna_Stewart

Amazon Author Page:  www.amazon.com/author/luanna_stewart

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/luanna-stewart

#GuestBlogger WELCOME to Dee S. Knight #RB4U #romance

In Defense of Romance Books

To paraphrase the New York Sun from years ago, Yes, Virginia, there is a need for romance books!

If there is one thing I tire of when I tell someone I write, it's that look on their faces when I say I write romance. The expression is a cross between surprise and disappointment. You can just see that they thought they were going to meet a writer, a writer of books. Real books, not fluffy, silly romances, which everyone knows are all formulaic and anyone with half a brain can write.

Do tell.

When I first started writing, I sort of lowered my voice and changed the topic when people asked me first what I did and then what I wrote. That didn't last long, however, and now I defend my chosen genre vigorously. I love reading romances and definitely love writing them. So, for all of my friends—old and new—who wonder why, here's the answer.

When we read our favorite romance authors, we’re carried away to a place where anything is possible. In them, we envision ourselves as the beautiful heroine who always has an interesting job and dreams we know will come to fruition by the end of the book.

The hero is handsome, rakish, alluring. He might not understand women any better than our own SOs understand us, but he’s always stalwart and dependable and willing to pledge true, undying love by the conclusion of the story. *sigh*

Instead of bludgeoning us with the contrast between real life and fiction, romance novels spark a deep sense of comfort, and release us for a time from the worries found in normal life. Distilled to its base, a romance novel is positive emotion. Even the most pragmatic among us longs for a happy ending. Yes, despite a plot everyone knows rationally could never truly exist, and even when the reality of the daily grind remains to be handled, reading about two lovers who come together and find happiness makes us feel better about ourselves and our lives. It lowers the blood pressure and reduces tension. For a while—sometimes for days, weeks, months—we smile more.

What's better than losing yourself in a story of forever love? Nothing that I know. Especially in this day, when everywhere we look there's doom and gloom. Lord knows I need a little escapism, and I love finding it reading about love.

So I don’t feel guilty when I choose to read a hot and spicy erotic romance, or a sweet Regency, or even an old-fashioned bodice ripper. I certainly don't feel embarrassment about writing them. I'm only answering the undeniable need to counteract what I'm thrust into every day in the “real” world. Resist? Heck no. I give in and enjoy!

What's the last book you read that made you feel exquisite? I just finished Christmas at Tiffany's by Karen Swan. I loved it. For a day it took me away from bills, deadlines and an unfinished manuscript, and made me smile and feel all tingly. What a great thing to say about anything!

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Naval Maneuvers

Men and women of the armed forces experience love and desire pretty much like everyone else. Except, well, there is that uniform. And the hard-to-resist attraction of "duty, honor, service" as a man might apply them to a woman's pleasure. All things considered, romance among the military is a pretty sexy, compelling force for which you'd better be armed, whether weighing anchor and moving forward into desire, dropping anchor and staying put for passion, or setting a course for renewed love with anchor home.

Weighing Anchor (allowing a ship to move forward by retrieving the anchor): A professional woman sworn to avoiding all things military finds herself in love with a lieutenant commander in the Navy. Love won't conquer all if she allows her childhood memories to eclipse future happiness.
Dropping Anchor (securing movement by dropping the anchor): Two people find (surprisingly) that they are both in the Navy and love their chosen professions—until one turns out to be an officer but not a gentleman and the other is a gentleman but not an officer.
Anchor Home (safe, smooth sailing): When two former lovers find each other after more than a decade, will a long-hidden secret threaten the course of a rekindled romance or be the cause of it?

Buy links:  Amazon   B&N    Kobo

Goodreads

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Dee S. Knight and Francis Drake are husband/wife erotic romance writers. They have been married for nearly fifty years and know all about the stress of real life and how to alleviate the worst of it. Visit them at their website for sweet romance (Ann Krist), historical romance (Amber Carlton), ménage and shifters (Jenna Stewart), erotic romance (Dee) and beyond erotic (Francis). 

Special Guest @KatyEeten with her newest release, Blast From Her Past - Christian Romance #authorinterview #RB4U #guest

Welcome to Romance Books 4 Us, a place for all romance and all genres. We’re very happy to have you here with us today. First, tell us a little bit about yourself…

I’m new to the publishing scene, so thanks for having me! I’ve lived most of my life in southeast Wisconsin, despite my dislike of cold weather. I’ve been married to my husband Jason for almost 16 years, and we have two sons (ages 9 and 7). I majored in economics in college, so naturally I write Christian romance novels (ha!). I love chocolate, pizza, and taking walks when it’s nice outside. I work full-time in the business world and consider writing to be my “release” from the stress of the day.

What or who initially inspired you to become a writer?

I’ve always enjoyed writing, and even at a young age I would enter writing contests and fill up notebooks and binders with poems and short stories. I can’t say there was any one person who inspired me, it was more of an innate desire tucked inside that I chose to pursue on my own. I have had some encouragement along the way though, so am thankful to those who make a point to support and encourage people in their talents.

What kind of research do you do for a novel and how extensive do you get?

I only have one published book at the moment, and my research for that was pretty minor. Everything I needed to know I could find on the internet. For example, what could cause a car to suddenly break down while driving? What is the distance between various midwestern cities? Do people in North Dakota call it “soda” or “pop”?

Do real life events find their way into your stories?

Somewhat. The majority of what I write is pure fiction, but in Blast from Her Past, there are a few elements based on real life. For example, the main character works from home but has to go into her office from time to time (so do I), and the flower sale concept is straight out of my own high school experience. When I can use truthful elements as fillers in my story, it gives it a more realistic feel, which is typically what I’m aiming for.

Do you ever mimic family members or people you know when you choose characters?

I try not to, as I don’t want to cause tension with anyone. But sometimes a certain quirk, personality trait or expression exhibited by someone in my life may be the perfect fit for a character. I try to keep it innocent though.

When do you write?  Early morning? During the day sometime or all day?  After the kids go to bed?

I have off work Fridays, so that’s often my most productive time to write. Otherwise, I write on weekends or after the kids have gone to bed.

  

Do you ever see yourself as the heroine/hero or find yourself relating to them when you write a story?

I don’t consciously consider myself the heroine, physically or emotionally, but it’s hard not to interject some of my own feelings or reactions, likes and dislikes, into the mix. Interestingly, when I first saw the cover art for Blast from Her Past, I was a little jolted at how the main character was depicted. Only then did I realize that I was expecting more of a resemblance to myself, which is silly because she really was nothing like me!

What is your favorite method of writing...as in laptop, desktop, iPad or the old-fashioned pencil and paper?  And do you plot out your story or go with the flow of your muse?

I use a laptop to write. I type over 100 words per minute, so this is by far more efficient than a pen and paper. I typically have an outline, whether typed out or just in my head, but my stories take on a life of their own after I get going. I’ve found you have to be adaptable when it comes to writing, and let the story take you where it leads!

Is there anything about yourself nobody knows that you would like to share with our readers?

I love Wheel of Fortune and want to be a contestant on the show so bad! :)

Where can our readers find you? 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KatyEeten

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/katy.lockwoodeeten

Website/blog: https://katyeeten.wordpress.com

Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Katy-Eeten/e/B0796L1CVK/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1   

Is there an upcoming or current release you would like to share with us today and where can we find it? 

My current release, Blast from Her Past, is a Christian Romance published by Anaiah Press. Below is the blurb followed by where it can be purchased.

After a disastrous failed engagement, Sydney Hampson is leaving her past—and her faith—behind to focus on her career instead. Following through with her new, albeit misguided, resolution proves easier said than done when former classmate, and reformed bully, Grant Williams signs on with her company, and they must work closely together.

Grant Williams gave up his teenage antics years ago, and now he’s looking forward to a future that includes a strong relationship with God. When he realizes he’ll be working with none other than Sydney Hampson—the girl he had a secret crush on throughout high school—he couldn’t be more thrilled. Until he discovers she’s not the same caring, compassionate woman she used to be.

When a business trip gone awry leaves the pair stranded in the middle of a snowstorm, Grant sees his chance to make things right and put their past wrongs behind them…if only Sydney can get over her distrust of men. And with a conniving coworker intent on destroying Sydney’s happiness, can she put her faith back in God and learn to trust in Grant before she loses her chance at love?

Now Available via Kindle Unlimited !!

Amazon: bit.ly/EetenBlast

The Power of the Cover with Author Seelie Kay today on #RB4U

The Power of the Cover

When I am looking for a hot read, two things push me toward the cash register: The cover and the blurb.  But the cover, oh, that cover. That can make me stop dead in the middle of an aisle, take a few steps back, and grab a book from the shelf. The blurb merely reinforces my first impression, or not.

There are all sorts of covers, of course.  For most authors, the trick is creating a cover that actually conveys the essence of the story inside and grabs the attention of the reader. That’s not easy. My publisher requires that I complete a form for each book.  I am asked about the key elements of the story and what I think would make an ideal cover. That information is submitted to a cover designer. Then, when I get the first proposed cover, we negotiate.  I tell the designer what I like and don’t like. I make suggestions as to what will make the content clearer or more appealing. And when dealing with books in my Kinky Briefs series, I make sure that the consistent elements are always present.

For example, Kinky Briefs is a collection of “Sizzling short stories about lawyers in love, with a dash of kink.” The stories are told from the perspective of a young female lawyer who toils in the backroom of a law firm. (As a former lawyer, that perspective seemed fitting.) The stories encompass everything from drama and humor to tragedy and redemption.  There are currently three books in the series and a fourth is on the way. So I need those covers to clearly convey that the book is part of a series, as well as communicate that the stories are told from the perspective of a young female lawyer, and involve romance and kink.

Here’s what we came up with. To indicate that the books are part of a series, the words “Kinky Briefs” appears on the cover in a consistent typeface, size, and color, with the position of the book in the series (Too, Thrice, Quattro) added. To convey that the stories are about lawyers in love, we added a tagline that includes the words lawyers, love, and kink. To communicate that that the stories are told from the perspective of a young female lawyer, we decided on the half-figure of a young female dressed professionally, but youthfully, not in the stuffy designer suits some older female lawyers wear. Finally, to emphasize that the stories include a dash of kink, an open briefcase with a pair of handcuffs peeking out always appears somewhere on the cover.

When the covers are placed side by side, it is clear they are part of a series. Then the blurb is used to reveal the variety of stories each volume contains. 

As to the perfect cover, the one that made me stop in my tracks, take a few steps back, and grab the book off the shelf?  I have to give that to my latest novella, A Touchdown To Remember, part of Extasy Books’ 2017 Stocking Stuffing series. Although a generic cover is used for the entire series, the gorgeous half-clothed man donning a Santa hat, a man with a bit of stubble, dark hair, and incredible blue eyes, that made my eyes glaze over with lust and my heart go pitter patter.

If I saw that cover in a bookstore, I would buy the book merely to keep the cover under my pillow to feed my dreams at night!

A Touchdown To Remember

By Seelie Kay

(Release date:  12/7/2017)

It takes more than a hard knock on the head to keep running back Tim Wheezer Douglas down. When life pelts him with the proverbial lemon—a career-threatening concussion—he simply runs the other way, right into the arms of litigator Laura Adler.

When a second concussion sidelines Milwaukee Greyhound running back Tim Douglas, the rest of his life continues full-speed ahead. A sometime law student, Tim is faced with a classic Catch 22: Whether to continue to play football and risk a third and possibly life-altering concussion or quit the game altogether to pursue a career as a sports agent. He loves the game, but his priorities change when he meets Laura Adler, a sassy, sexy young attorney and rabid Greys fan. Their sizzling romp of a romance turns serious and Laura demands that he make a decision about football before she accepts his marriage proposal. Will Tim choose football or the law, and what role will Laura play in his future?

Buy links:  None yet, but will be available from www.extasy books.com first, then Amazon Books, Barnes & Nobel, and other major booksellers.

Author links

Website:  www.seeliekay.com

Blog: www.seeliekay.blogspot.com

Twitter:  @SeelieKay

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/seelie.kay.77

Plotting and Structure of Novels with author Brenda Taylor today on #RB4U

Plotting and Structure of Novels

Plotting novels is a chore for me, because I am a panster by nature. Instead of sitting for a great length of time thinking, plotting, and structuring a story, I want to write and let the storyline fall where it may. I’ve learned, however, my panster method is not the best way. It leaves too much to chance and makes the story seem messy. Readers are disappointed when a novel doesn’t follow certain patterns of organization. Plotting takes discipline. I suppose in my heart of hearts, I’m an undisciplined writer who must make a special effort to control the impulse to let the chips fall where they may.

Following are two simple methods for plotting and structuring a novel. They are only outlines. Elements may be added as needed, but outlines help begin the thought process for planning and organizing a story.

The first is very simple and I call it, the Classic Plot Structure. When all the elements and parts are added to the outline, a storyline takes form.

The Classic Plot Structure:

. Plunge your main character (lead/hero/heroine) into terrible trouble as soon as possible.

The definition of “terrible trouble” differs depending on your genre. For a thriller it may mean your hero is hanging from his fingernails from a railroad trestle. For a cozy romance, it may mean your heroine must choose between two seemingly perfect suitors, each of whom harbors a dark secret.

. Everything your character does to get out of the trouble makes it only worse.

The complications must be logical and grow increasingly bad until...

. The lead’s predicament appears entirely hopeless.

. Finally, because of what the conflict has taught the character from the beginning, your lead rises to the occasion and battles out of the trouble, meets the challenge, accomplishes the quest, or completes the journey.

Second is the LOCK system by James Scott Bell.

The LOCK System:

Plot & Structure: Techniques and Exercises for Crafting a Plot That Grips 

Readers from Start to Finish. James Scott Bell. Writer’s Digest Books. 2004

James Scott Bell created the LOCK system of organizing a story after analyzing hundreds 

of novel plots. He developed the following mnemonic to represent his plotting method.

Lead

Objective

Confrontation

Knockout

Lead

Bell says you must have a compelling lead character—somebody the reader 

will want to follow throughout the story.

I usually go to my list of hero and heroine descriptions, find one who fits the 

storyline, then  answer a list of questions about the character.

Objective

The lead character needs an objective—a want, or desire. We often use the term,  ‘goal’

Objective is the driving force of fiction. It generates forward motion and keeps the Lead from just sitting around. ~ James Scott Bell.

Bell says that there are two types of objectives :

to get something

to get away from something

I also add—to take something away from somebody.

You may have more objectives to add.

Confrontation

The lead character is on his way to realizing his objective but must confront opposing forces. We often term this as ‘conflict’ from an antagonistic force.

Opposition from characters and outside forces brings your story fully to life. ~ James Scott Bell.

Bell also has a fine way of explaining this confrontation:

Get your protagonist up a tree

Throw rocks at him

Then get him down.

I like to say—Get your protagonist in a bad place, make it badder, make it more badder, then make things better.

Knockout

Knockout is the term Bell uses for the big fight or satisfying 

climax that any reader wants from the story.

A Quick Plotting Formula using LOCK: from Writeworld

Write a quick plot for your current story idea. Use four lines, one for each element of LOCK.

My Lead is a _______. 

His/Her Objective is to _________. 

She is Confronted by _______ who opposes her because__________. 

The ending will be a Knockout because__________.

Brenda’s Bio:

Brenda and her husband make their home in beautiful East Texas where they enjoy spending time with family and friends, traveling, and working in Bethabara Faith Ministry, Inc. She crafts stories about the extraordinary lives of ordinary people in her favorite place overlooking bird feeders, bird houses, and a variety of blooming trees and flowers. She sincerely thanks all who purchase and read her books. Her desire is that the message in each book will touch the heart of the reader as it did hers in the writing.

Contact Information:

Historical Heartbeats   Facebook

Book Bub Author Page     Twitter

Amazon Author's Page      Pinterest

Goodreads     Tumblr

A Highland Emerald

Blurb:

A Highland Emerald is the third book in the award-winning Highland Treasures series. It tells the story of Aine MacLean and William Munro, and is the prequel to A Highland Pearl.

Aine MacLean is forced into an arranged marriage with Sir William, Chief of Clan Munro, yet her heart belongs to a handsome young warrior in her father’s guard. She must leave Durant Castle, the home of her birth on the Isle of Mull, and travel across Scotland in a perilous journey to her husband’s home on Cromarty Firth. William agrees to a year and day of handfasting, giving Aine an opportunity to accept him and his clan. He promises her the protection of Clan Munro, however, Aine experiences kidnapping, pirates, and almost loses her life in the River Moriston. She doubts the sincerity of William’s promises and decides to return to Durant Castle when the handfasting ends. William determines to win Aine’s heart. Will the brave knight triumph in his fight for the bonnie lass?

Buy Links:   Amazon     iBooks     Smashwords