PollSex on horseback? Yeah, baby! Flip up that kilt and go! 58% No way, no thank you, NOT possible. Please dismount... 0% Who cares if it's possible?! Who DOESN'T want to read that? 42% |
What's newHi there, Just wondering if there is anything new in the pipeline? Where/what do you do for inspiration and how long does it normally take you for planning and plotting before you start writing? Sorry for the "odd" questions. Clarisse ;) Added May 19th, 2008 by Clarisse
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Clarisse I don't think it's odd. I would like to know the answer to this question too.
Romance Readers & Writers Forum
— Phoebe Jordan Tue, 05/20/2008 - 8:21am
Not odd at all, Clarisse! I do have two more in the pipeline. Warrior of the Highlands hits the shelves in February 2009 and another one will follow later that year (title TBD). Both books have heroes whom you'll meet in my next release, Sword of the Highlands!
As for inspiration, I get it from a lot of different places. I love writing about "real" heroes from history precisely because I find their stories so inspirational. For the last two books I've written, I began by reading their biographies, and that's where I get a lot of plot ideas. Like, which battles I want to focus on, which people should be secondary characters, which places most interest me, etc.
I have to say, I also get a lot of inspiration from things like the newspaper, or movies, or non-fiction, or just random fiction. That's where I get thinking about bigger themes that lead me to questions like, what would it take for a man to give up everything? Or, what would you do if you knew the day you were fated to die? Or, what would drive a woman to leave her family?
As for plotting and planning, my goal is to take six months max to write each book. In that time, I'll do about a month of percolating, plotting, and researching until I nail down the what/where/when. Then I do minor research as I go. For example, I know in my next book I'll be exploring a famous Scottish witch hunt that happened in the 1650s. I know the basic facts of it, but the finer details--the village, the players, the details around the witch "pricking" that they'd do--those are all things I'll dig into when I get there (as it were). :)
— veronica Tue, 05/20/2008 - 9:44am
Oh, I love the timeframe of the witch hunts in Scotland - can't wait to read that one Veronica!
Are there any particular references that you use regularly to find your research? I've been finding it increasingly difficult to discover accurate information on historical issues. Is there any type of reference that you would recommend to new historical authors?
— Shannon Robinson Tue, 05/20/2008 - 10:10am
You know I probably should have asked this under the Scottish Research forum. Sorry Veronica!
— Shannon Robinson Tue, 05/20/2008 - 10:35am
Hi Shannon! No need to apologize at all--I'm thrilled you stopped by! :)
That is a tricky one. I often start with the clans themselves, and see what their web sites have to offer. I was lucky with my first book in that Clan Cameron has incredibly extensive historical information on their web site.
My second two heroes were quite famous, so I read their "definitive" biographies. This was a double-edged sword, though! That is, some of that reading can be slow-going, and it's easy to get stuck in the weeds, taking copious notes on things you won't end up needing.
On my last project, after weeks of extensive research, I told myself I was writing a book, not a dissertation, so changed my approach, trying to be a little breezier in my initial reading. I put my feet up at the end of the day, had a glass of wine in hand, and read quickly, only taking basic notes flagging things I might want to come back to. Like, "page xx: good background info on dad" or "pages xx-xx: details battle of Knocknanuss," etc. Makes those dense historical tomes go a little faster! Plus I got more of a sense of the man and his time when I let myself consume the information as if it were entertainment instead of homework.
Which is not to say that I didn't go back and do very in-depth research after the fact. I revisited those areas I wanted to focus on and have thorough notes on those things...I just avoided getting sucked into *everything*.
Otherwise, I do a ton of online research. My focus has been the War of the Three Kingdoms and http://www.british-civil-wars.co.uk/ is a site I used a lot.
I love little details, like weapons and plants, and these are some more of my faves:
http://www.myarmoury.com/home.php
http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/forest/ecological/index.html
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/mgmh.html
(I mean, who *doesn't* want to spend hours poring over a list of poisons??)
Finally, I also use Wikipedia as a good launch point. I know a lot of historical authors shun it, but it's gotten me out of a bind more than once. You know, those panics like, I need a good battle that Campbell lost in the 1640s! Wikipedia points me in the right direction, and then I do more thorough research from there.
— veronica Tue, 05/20/2008 - 10:38am
LOL, Had to laugh at the poison thing :D
A Girl always needs a little backup info, just in case. You never know hehe.
— Clarisse Tue, 05/20/2008 - 11:09pm
LOL! Best to be prepared, I always say. :)
— veronica Wed, 05/21/2008 - 4:21pm
How do you get your hair to always look so great? No, seriously, I want to know?
But, I'd also like to know, where'd you learn to write so beautifully? Your prose is stunning.
;-) bella
GAME FOR ANYTHING....coming July 2008!
http://www.BellaAndre.com
— Bella Andre Fri, 05/23/2008 - 9:46am
OMG, you ARE joking. I've been very into the artfully applied scarves/headbands these days. They hide a multitude of sins. And my life changed when I learned that I'm not actually *supposed* to wash my hair every day. Really fits in with my whole I've-got-two-kids beauty regimen...
As for my prose, sheesh, you are a sweetie, thank you. I don't know...I read a lot, and try to take apart how other people engage me in their own writing. Before I wrote Master, I read, reread, and then outlined (!) a Catherine Coulter novel. She had me so emotionally engaged, I just had to pick apart what she did when.
I think Penny takes the cake for prose, though. Passions of Emma was SO good.
— veronica Fri, 05/23/2008 - 10:14am
I *need* to see that outline!!!!!!
Seriously.....how much do you want for it?
GAME FOR ANYTHING....coming July 2008!
http://www.BellaAndre.com
— Bella Andre Fri, 05/23/2008 - 11:00am
LOL! Come help me feng shui my mess of a house, and we'll talk.
— veronica Fri, 05/23/2008 - 1:21pm
Just wanted to add - I finally got paid and ordered the new book thru the net. Can't find it on the shelves yet :(
I have to wait flippen 10 days LOL!!! 10 DAYS?!?! hehe,
can you tell that I am feeling a little impatient and want the new one now ;)
Can't wait...
....did I mention I cant wait? LOL
— Clarisse Tue, 05/27/2008 - 10:11pm
I can't wait to get both books and settle in for a cozy afternoon of reading. I love the Highlanders. having 5 daughters, I gave them the titles as well.
Carol
— Lucky47 Wed, 05/28/2008 - 1:54am
Thanks for the info and websites Veronica! I appreciate that and I definitely know what you mean about getting stuck in the weeds when you're researching. I've done that a bit myself while trying to dive into factual history.
Thanks for sharing!
Shannon
— Shannon Robinson Wed, 05/28/2008 - 12:03pm
You're too sweet, Clarisse--made me laugh. And thanks, Carol! Aren't those Highlanders irresistible, though?! :) I hope you enjoy it!
— veronica Wed, 05/28/2008 - 12:41pm
You're welcome, Shannon! And big congrats to you on your own new release! :)
— veronica Wed, 05/28/2008 - 12:44pm
I'm off to the the bookstore. I'll be looking for your book. I can't wait to read it. Keep up the great work!
— woowoo Wed, 05/28/2008 - 2:19pm
Fantastic--I hope you enjoy it!! Thanks for the support! :)
— veronica Wed, 05/28/2008 - 9:42pm
What's the most funny thing that ever happened in connection with a book you've written?
— jennybrat Sat, 05/31/2008 - 10:13am
ooh, that's a tricky one!! I'm thinking...
— veronica Sun, 06/01/2008 - 7:30am