5 Writing Lessons Learned From Coffee

How can a good book be like a cup 'o joe, you ask? The answer is in your mug, young grasshopper...

1) Rich

Details add color to your story-world and make it rich. Don't settle for flat secondary characters or nondescript settings. Even place-holding personalities can be witty and engaging. And giving realistic background to your plot will leave your reader feeling like they've really been there and wanting to return long after they finish the read.

2) Relaxing
Don't make your readers work to make sense of your novel. Learn grammar and punctuation rules, don't give your characters similar-sounding names, don't head-hop, to name a just a few things that can confuse and overwhelm your audience.

3) Dark
A good book will have moments of darkness. The darker the low points of your character, the brighter and higher the emotional payoff will be when they triumph. Don't be afraid to torture your characters. The reader's relief when the suffering finally breaks will be all the sweeter for it.



4) Energizing

I'm awake!

Don't let your readers fall asleep. Your book should wake up their emotions and keep them up late into the night. Nail your openings: First line, first paragraph, first chapter. Make sure every chapter begins with a new hook and ends with tension. And of course, make sure your plot is riveting, your dialogue sparkling.

5) Good to the last drop
Keep your readers turning pages and make them mourn the words The End. Flesh out your characters till they become real, throw them into conflict the reader is dying to see them through, and find that perfect ending that satisfies yet leaves them craving more.

***

And that is how you can apply the principals of your java to your novel.

Happy brewing!

**Drawing winner will be chosen later this afternoon.  And on Monday you'll be meeting my crazy friend Jessica Patch.  Hope to see you soon!

Whatevah Wednesday: Mugs

Yep, mugs.

My coffee cup collection is very dear to my heart.  I didn't set out to "collect" mugs.  It just sort of happened.  They each are special for different reasons and make me feel a certain way when I use them.

I drink at least one cup of coffee every day. There's something about wrapping your hands around a warm cup and swallowing down a hot drink that makes me go "ahhh!"  Actually, I think I enjoy the idea of coffee even more than coffee itself, if I'm honest. The feeling of having a moment to myself to relax is embodied by a cup of java.


So here is a photo of some of my favorite mugs.  I have more favorites but they wouldn't fit in the shot.

 
On the top row is my COTT mug.  I love this mug because not only do I really like Clash of the Titles, I love the group of women I work with.  We each have a mug like this with our name and title and I think of them, and of how blessed I am to be part of this group, every time I use mine. I always wonder if one of them might be drinking from hers at the same moment. (Are you?)

The next one is my cocker puppy mug.  We have two cocker spaniels--Chloe and Reese--and I grew up with a cocker (Sammy), so this cup just makes me smile.  Isn't it cute?

That photo mug was made in December of 2009 and I adore it! Every member of my family smiles at me from that cup whenever I drink from it, and I always smile back.  Everyone is changing so quickly and I enjoy holding onto "the way we were" in the form of a coffee cup.  I look at it much more often than an album.

The penguin mug was a gift from my daughter Amy, and she was so excited to give it to me.  It's adorable, but more importantly, she is adorable and I love her to pieces.

Next up: Paris!  I haven't been to Paris personally but my husband brought this back for me.  I always pretend I am sitting in a cafe, looking out at the Tower, when sipping from this mug.  It inspires me.

The Colosseum.  Ahhh, Rome.  Now Rome I DID get to visit. Trip of a lifetime!  This one also inspires me, a great mug to use while writing.  The emotions invoked when standing in the colosseum, reflecting on the Christians who gave their lives there, are readily recalled when I hold this cup in my hands.  Everything about that amazing trip is now attached to this mug--the Trevi fountain, the Cat Park (ask me sometime), the guy playing the fiddle on the sidewalk, the cafe we frequented during our visit. 

And last on today's list is the coffee cup I painted a year and a half ago featuring Trevor's footprints. He was 3 months old and it was our wedding anniversary.  Mike painted an AMAZING plate of Michaelangelo's The Creation Of Adam.  I may not have his lofty skills but I love love love my mug.  Inside, the bottom says "Good Morning".  So I get a friendly greeting (lol), a memory of painting with my husband, and a memory of Trevor's little baby toes.

These all make me smile and when I write, they help me start from a good place.  Of course, sometimes my coffee goes cold when my fingers get to flying, but it's the thought that counts. Speaking of "thoughts", look for my post Friday about 5 things writers can learn from coffee!

What about you?  Do you like coffee mugs or some other smiley collection?

Don't forget! Elaine is giving away a copy of A Road to Deer Run to one of you and the drawing is still open! Ways to enter:

1) Leave a comment here or here
2) Refer friends (must mention you)
3) Tweet or facebook a link to this giveaway
4) Follow my blog
Please tell me in the comments what entries you qualify for. And don't forget to leave your email address.

Social Media Monday: Elaine Cooper

Last week I told you I'd be introducing you to some of my online friends.  People I have met by networking through social media. Today we are spending time with the beautiful Elaine Marie Cooper, author of The Road to Deer Run.  Elaine has the most infectiously sweet spirit and is someone you definitely want to know. I encourage you to take this opportunity to introduce yourself. =) She is offering a free copy of her book to one of my awesome readers so be sure to check the deets at the end of the post. 

Everybody, meet Elaine:

Hi Elaine! I'm so excited to be interviewing you for my blog. Since being your hostess on COTT, I've known you'd be someone I wanted to keep in touch with. Thanks for taking the time for this!

Tell us a little about yourself. 

I’m a Christian, wife, mother of two grown sons, Grammie to triplets, author, magazine freelance writer, and blog writer for www.thebarndoor.net and ReflectionsinHindsight.wordpress.com. I am a retired registered nurse who loves to learn about history. I also enjoy singing Praise & Worship and listening to Revolutionary War era music. Crocheting and cross stitch beckon at my fingers and hot, caffeinated tea beckons my palate. My favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 31:8-9. And no, it’s not about the Proverbs woman! =)

We met through Clash of the Titles. Can you share with my readers how that came about?

Last fall I became familiar with Clash of the Titles through Facebook. They were looking for sponsors to advertise on COTT and I was looking for ways to promote my book. Through COTT I became Facebook friends with some of the staff and connected with other blogs as well. It was a domino effect of connecting! I did not know you, Michelle, until you chose my (anonymous) excerpt for competition. Not only did it lead to winning a COTT championship, but it led to getting to know you better! A win-win! And thank you for this interview, by the way.

You are always welcome. =) I know you were very excited to find out you'd been chosen for a Clash, and your enthusiasm made me excited too! What was your reaction to my first email?

I think I was MORE than excited! My husband couldn’t figure out what was “wrong” with me as I opened the e-mail saying my excerpt was chosen! Lol. My reaction was sheer joy and excitement. Being chosen was affirmation to me that there was worth in my writing.

There sure is--your book went on to win your Clash and also was recently honored at an event in LA. What was that like?

The two honors were received within one week’s time, and I was in a dream world of disbelief. My award from the Los Angeles Book Festival was an Honorable Mention in the Romance category and I was able to fly to LA to receive it, accompanied by my son and daughter-in-law who live in Southern California. I truly felt honored and humbled as I dedicated the award to my daughter Bethany, who passed away 7 years ago from cancer. Had she lived, she might have been the one receiving awards for her inspiring and dynamic prose. But no one was more surprised and excited by winning these back-to-back awards than me.

Sounds like a successful debut to me! What part has social media played in your journey?

Although I reluctantly started using Facebook “kicking and screaming,” social media has honestly been the key to successfully marketing my novel. It has connected me to authors, readers, bloggers, bookstores, organizations, contests, and numerous other connections to promote my book. I honestly am not sure how successful my marketing strategy would have been without using Facebook.

You should know what you're talking about, with almost 1700 Facebook friends! So tell us about this award-winning novel.

The core of The Road to Deer Run is a love story set during the American Revolution. It involves the unexpected discovery of a wounded and dying British soldier on the farm owned by a family of Patriots. The oldest daughter from the farm, Mary Thomsen, discovers him barely hanging onto life. Despite her hatred for the British—the enemy responsible for her brother’s death in the War—Mary’s heart of compassion is stirred and she decides that her Christian responsibility is to provide him comfort in his illness. This of course causes havoc in the household as the family becomes a party to providing comfort to the enemy. Despite the tension between their political beliefs, barriers are slowly broken down between the soldier (Daniel) and Mary as affection begins to bloom. Decisions need to be made as tensions grow and forces that oppose their relationship loom on the horizon, threatening to disrupt everyone’s happiness.

Elaine, I can't thank you enough for visiting my blog today. You are one of my dear friends and I'm blessed to know you. =)

 
Readers, Elaine has offered a free copy of A Road to Deer Run to one fortunate follower!  Ways to enter:

1) Leave a comment
2) Refer friends (must mention you)
3) Tweet or facebook a link to this giveaway
4) Follow my blog

Please tell me in the comments what entries you qualify for. And don't forget to leave your email address. 

Why Do We Love Bad Guys?

by Amanda Flower

Every story needs a good bad guy or well-crafted antagonist. Both of our Clashers this week have created great ones. However, my question for you, dear readers, is “Why do we love bad guys?” What is it about them that makes us keep turning the page?

I’ll tell you why I love them.

1. They demonstrate the ongoing battle between good and evil, between justice and injustice. Hopefully good/justice prevails in the end.

2. They give you someone to dislike. I love disliking characters in books. These characters don’t have to be truly awful people either. It could be a character as simple as a snippy next door neighbor or a rude co-worker.

3. They are flawed. In some cases, horribly flawed. However, they reminded us all that we are flawed as well.

4. They keep the story more interesting. Of course, we want our protagonist to triumph in the end, but antagonists cause conflict and conflict creates a plot that gives us a story to read.

5. Sometimes, they transform and leave their antagonistic ways. They can be forgiven and demonstrate God’s power to forgive even the worst of humanity.

Those are my reasons. Now, share yours.

Get to know this week's authors all week at http://www.clashofthetitles.com and be entered to win a free book.

bio: Amanda Flower  is an academic librarian for a small college in Ohio. Her first novel, Maid of Murder, was released in 2010. When she is not at the library or writing her next mystery, she is an avid traveler, aspiring to visit as much of the globe as she can
She is the author of Maid of Murder

Don't forget to come back on Monday to meet my cyber-friend Elaine Cooper.  We'll be giving away her award-winning book.  Tell a friend!