HelenKay Dimon

It’s Alison Kent’s birthday – Happy Birthday!!!!

She’s hosting a bunch of giveaways. Go on over to her site, say hello and try to win some great prizes.

I was reading an article on Jeff Lindsay, the author of Darkly Dreaming Dexter and Dearly Devoted Dexter about a serial killer who kills bad guys. The Showtime series Dexter is based on Lindsay’s character.

Lindsay said this of writing:

I don’t know if it’s possible to be a writer and be normal. It’s not a normal occupation. I know I’m deeply neurotic, and I’m comfortable with that.

Uh-huh. What he said.

I’m circling in on a deadline. Southern Utah setting. A guy with a not-so-pleasant past. A woman who wants more information. A dead guy…

While writing I keep thinking about something I read at Diana Holquist’s blog a few weeks ago (she actually posted it about a month ago, but I didn’t find it until recently). She was talking about how there is too much dialogue in books. Honestly, it’s not something I thought about until I read Diana’s thoughts and now I think about it on and off – damn her!

Diana says:

And if there’s one thing that there’s WAY too much of in fiction today (especially romance novels!) it’s dialogue. I have a good friend who says the best way to write dialogue is to write it, then cross out 75%. I think 90% might be a better bet for most writers. In my final edits, I often cross out at least a good half of utterances, and every slash makes the scene better.

Now, I actually enjoy dialogue. It’s one of those things I think I do well…usually. So, being the insecure writing type I am, Diana’s comment got me thinking – again, damn that Diana!

But, her comments about cutting dialogue do ring true for me. I revise as I go (and then revise again later). When writing the beginning of a book, I give myself permission to overwrite. This result is what you would expect – circular and unnecessary dialogue. That’s okay since no one else really sees it. From there, I edit and pare down. Only after that can I move to the next part of the book.

Basically, allowing for “too much” at the beginning, I put a character in my head. Cutting and revising spares you guys from having to wade through all of that when reading the actually book. Of course, I always worry I cut too much or not enough (see previous comment about being insecure writer). Diana’s comments kind of highlighted that concern – I curse her a third time!!**

Do you guys think there’s too much dialogue in most romance books? I’m just wondering if this is a general feeling people have. I never really focused on the amount while reading. Sure, there’s bad dialog out there. Maybe this is really the same problem. Not sure. Will have to focus next time I read.

** Despite the fact Diana ruined my day (week!), go pre-order her newest Sexiest Man Alive anyway.

Today is one of those busy “must get XXX number of pages written” days. But, if you miss me (of course you do), you can stop over at the Brava Blog where I’m talking about all the new television shows coming out that have paranormal elements.

I also posted a review of Sarah Strohmeyer’s The Sleeping Beauty Proposal at PBR. The premise of the book is a little different, but the writing is smart and funny. Go check it out.

Some folks have been nice enough to email me and ask about my upcoming releases. Others have commented about them here. Thought now might be a good time to highlight what books you’ll see from me in 2008.

*March ‘08 - RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW: Note the fabulous cover and cover copy on my Coming Soon page. For those who don’t feel like clicking through, this is a single title contemporary romance about people who lie for a living…and have no idea how to tell each other the truth. The book starts with the hero breaking up with the heroine with the ‘ole “it’s not you, it’s me” line. Things unravel from there.

*July ‘08 - Anthology: Three novellas all by me. No title, cover or copy yet, but the book is done and in. It is a follow-up to my first novella ever, HARDHATS AND SILK STOCKINGS, from the WHEN GOOD THINGS HAPPEN TO BAD BOYS anthology with Lori Foster and Erin McCarthy. This one centers on a house rehab project. Cole and Adam from HARDHATS get their own stories here, along with Ray. Ray is young, hot, attracted to an older woman and, like Cole and Adam, totally cool. For those who liked Whit, the hero in HARDHATS, you’ll see him again here.

*October ‘08 - Holiday Anthology: I’m so excited about this! Being in a book with two amazing Brava authors is a special thrill for me. Haven’t written my novella yet, but I’m thinking a girl, a guy and a videotape. Uh-huh.

*November ‘08 - Single Title: Again, no title or cover yet (it’s a bit early for that), but the book is done. This one is the second in my Kauai, Hawaii series of connecting books. The hero and heroine are new, but Josh (from YOUR MOUTH DRIVES ME CRAZY) is back and causing trouble.

The book I am working on right now is an early ‘09 single title release. I’ll fill you in on the details when it’s done and the release date gets nailed down. Also, many of you have asked for Josh’s story. I’m hoping to write that one next.

First, if you’re taking part in the Seventy Days of Sweat Challenge, go over to Larissa’s blog and soak up a bit of inspiration and then check in with your word count.

Quite a few book covers on MySpace caught my attention this week. The first, To Hell With Love by Sherri Erwin, has an intriguing premise in that I think the hero is the devil…yeah, that one. Not the easiest idea to pull off. I’m intrigued. Here’s the cover copy:

“You like to sin, Kate?”

Caught in the fiery-sweet grip of a desire so consuming, Kate must choose between her business, her family, her life on Earth, and spending eternity in Hell with Owen. Then, out of the blue, family tragedy strikes, shaking her out of a rapturous trance to face the decision of a lifetime. Will she spend eternity with this devil of her dreams or follow her conscience back to earthly reality?

The second book travels in the other direction. It sound like the ultimate out-of-body experience. The book is You Had Me At Halo by Amanda Ashby.

The publisher describes it like this:

Holly Evans has just seen her own body laid to rest. Now she would like to move onto the afterlife. But apparently she has some mortal baggage to unload first, starting with the matter of how she died. Her heavenly shrink isn’t buying that she didn’t kill herself- and says she must return to earth to straighten things out. The thing is, she needs to borrow the body of computer geek Vince Murphy to do it. Oh, and although Vince was supposed to have vacated the premises, he apparently never got the memo.

Now, Holly has forty-eight hours to resolve her issues while sharing arms, legs, and…other things…with a guy she barely noticed while she was alive. But the real surprise is what life has to offer when you have only two days to live it.

What do you think of these? Any interest?

I was paging through a magazine and came across this book called Love Life by Ray Kuhn. It’s a book Kuhn wrote about his life while his wife was dying from cancer. Sounds heart-breaking, doesn’t it? Yeah, but probably not in the way you think.

Seems Kuhn, who liked to sleep around during his marriage, went into full nail-every-chick mode while his wife fought for her life. Kuhn did an interview with Marie Claire (click on the link to read it). Here’s his explanation for his behavior:

MC: You call this a love story, but over the course of the book, the main character — based on you — repeatedly cheats on his wife. Explain?

RK: I loved my wife very much, and, on one hand, I was the ideal partner. I quit my job, went to all the chemotherapies, did everything I could to be there. Psychologists say when people give all their love and energy to a partner with cancer, they escape into a weakness they already have. So workaholics will work 80 hours a week, others will use alcohol or drugs. What I used to think of as an innocent thing — having sex with someone else once a year or so — became an obsession.

::deep cleansing breath to keep from killing someone::

I know people deal with grief in different ways. I also know that people have very different views on what constitutes fidelity and appropriate marital conduct. From years of being a divorce lawyer, I also know what works in some marriages would be the death knell in others. But, come on. This seems more about him getting his needs met than anything else. You need to have sex or get drunk or whatever to deal with your wife’s illness, well, congratulations for making her illness all about you. Get over it.

Can you tell I got a bit pissy when I read this a few days ago?

Emily Valdez was nice enough to take a look at two recent releases, read them and give me her thoughts – huge thanks to Emily for her hard work!

The first up is a Regency romance by Jocelyn Kelley called Lost in Shadow .

Meet the Nethercott sisters: China, Jade, and Sian. Their dear, eccentric father died before he could convince the world of the existence of ghosts. Now, out of mourning, Jade is ready to prove him right. But soon she’ll wish she were dead wrong…

Sir Bannatyne is a gentleman in name only, with his penchant for fast sport and faster women—and he sets Jade’s body afire with a mere glance, even as he makes her an indecent bargain. But he proves his mettle when he risks arrest rather than ruin Jade’s reputation. Now she must decide whether to heed the ghost’s warning or follow her heart—and revel in what might be a killer’s embrace….

Here are Emily’s thoughts:

I really ‘got into’ this story. The characters were quirky and really made me relate, even though this is a historical novel. I loved the passion between the two characters. They really clicked for what I needed. The twist at the end was great. Even though I usually tend to think ahead when it comes to a mystery, this surprised even me. Definitely a must-read for any girl who needs something delectable.

________________________

Next is Sorceress by Lisa Jackson. This is described as medieval romantic fantasy. I fully admit I think of Lisa Jackson only as a romantic suspense author. Shows how much I know…

THE WATCHER: He smells her. Feels her. Knows she is coming. Chosen by the Fates, she is the one. Only she can lift the curse of darkness. But he will stop her-and he will sacrifice her.

THE WARRIOR: Gavyn is a wanted man, as dark and dangerous as the wolf that shadows his footsteps. But his touch is electric, and he has much to teach-if Bryanna is willing to learn…

Here are Emily’s thoughts:

I truly enjoyed this story. There was enough action to appease even the most bored reader. The chemistry between the characters brought their passion to life for me. I loved how, even though the heroine really has no say in what happens to her, she is ready to push forward and finish what needs to be done. She is a very strong character who can be admired. The sensuality of the story was just what I needed for one of those cozy book-reading days.

Thanks Emily!

According to CNN, the Associated Press conducted a poll via telephone about reading. The basic findings went like this:

One in four adults say they read no books at all in the past year, according to an Associated Press-Ipsos poll released Tuesday. Of those who did read, women and seniors were most avid, and religious works and popular fiction were the top choices.

Since every single person I know reads and most read more than four books a month, forget about in a year, I’m not sure who got the call from AP. CNN talks about that 27% of the population that did not read one book last year:

Who are the 27 percent of people the AP-Ipsos poll found hadn’t read a single book this year? Nearly a third of men and a quarter of women fit that category. They tend to be older, less educated, lower income, minorities, from rural areas and less religious.

Whatever the breakdown, the results are a bit depressing to those of us who write for a living…and to those of us who know the joys of reading and realize others are missing out.

You probably know by now that the O.J. Simpson book If I Did It was pulled, then the court (basically) gave the rights to Ron Goldman’s family and now it’s been picked up by a publisher and will be released. According to Publishers Weekly Amazon will stock it. B&N will not put it in stores but will put it online for sale. Borders will stock it in stores but won’t promote it.

Seems the B&N buyers think it won’t sell, or that’s the answer given for why it won’t be in the stores. The Borders folks think people will want it.

What about you guys? Should it be in stores? Will you buy it…and are you comfortable admitting that here?