Alisha: I'm thrilled to welcome Jean Hart Stewart to my blog today. I'm always curious about each individual author's method so I've asked her to explain hers. Thank you for stopping by to guest host my blog on your Virtual Blog Tour, Jean! Come back anytime!
Jean: I’m opening myself to a little possible ridicule here if I discuss my writing methods. Mostly it’s the usual ‘make yourself sit down and get those ideas of paper, dammit.’ Once in a while I get stymied. I often have the beginning firmly in mind, as well as the happy ending. I sometimes start out a book by doing the first and the last page, just to solidify the journey. Where I can get stuck is on the soggy, dreaded, middle.
This is where my subconscious can sometimes take over. At times I focus my mind on the problem before I go to sleep. Around two o’clock a solution usually comes to me, full blown and ready to go. I’m usually too groggy and too lazy to get up, put on the light and write it down. So when I’m still half-asleep, I try to memorize a few key words to the solution and then go back to snooze again. Mostly this crazy method works, although I know my dreaming solution is more detailed than my memory. Does this qualify me for some kind of mental institution? The trick is to find a key word, or a few key words and fix it in my mind.
As to research, I do a lot. Every book of mine is set in a different year, mostly because I write serials or historical books. My Druid and Mage series start with the parents’ romance and then progress to each of the children, their friends and their children, although each is a stand alone book. I research the heck out of the period I’m writing about before I truly start writing. My latest historical, For Love Is New, is set in 1815. The hero and heroine are trying to stop the wicked villain from getting money to Napoleon from his British supporters. Yes, there were a lot of those in Britain who wanted Napoleon to win.
Many chapters in For Love start out with a very brief resume of what Napoleon is doing that day to further his escape from Elba. Then it goes on to the action in Britain. I probably did more research for this book than any I’ve written, and loved doing it. So many giant-sized figures in that era, including Napoleon and Wellington.
Would love to answer any questions you have. Do comment and tell me what you think.
Blurb
pleasures of London. He has one duty to discharge before he searches for a mistress. He must offer his protection to Lady Juliet Sloan. Paul Sloan was killed in battle, leaving Christian a horrifying letter of his sadistic treatment at the hands of Roger Gullis. To his dismay, Christian finds Gullis sitting in Lady Juliet’s parlor when he comes to call. All his plans must now concentrate on keeping Juliet safe. Christian further suspects Gullis of being a traitor and his fears for Juliet increase.
Juliet is attracted, but suspicious of which man is the traitor. As attraction between Juliet and Christian grows, Gullis turns cruelly vengeful.
Will Juliet and Christian be able to thwart Gullis’ plans to help bring Napoleon back to power, even as he finds wicked retribution for his rejection by the two lovers he has come to hate?
Excerpt
London, January 2, 1815
“You’re as antsy as a debutante at her first ball, Christian. What in bloody hell is wrong with you?”
Christian threw his best friend an apologetic smile.
“I’ve spent three dammed days at the War Ministry and finally agreed to take an occasional job for them. I didn’t want to do even that. I don’t want to be tied down in any way. Any way at all. And now I must fulfill one last unwanted obligation and call on a certain Miss Juliet Sloan.”
Delaney whistled long and low. “Not really a hardship, my friend. I’ve never met her, but she’s reputed to be a beauty.”
Christian snorted. “I don’t care about getting tied up with a virtuous woman, Delaney, no matter how beautiful. All during this damnable war I dreamed about getting home. I want to start living the life of a carefree bachelor, and all I get is more obligations thrown at me. I want to sample every wicked pleasure London has to offer. Virtuous women are not on the list.”
Delaney laughed out loud at this uncharacteristic outburst.
“Satan’s bones, but you’re really stirred, aren’t you? Make your damned duty call and get it over with.
Buy Link for Love Is New
3 comments:
Sounds wonderful! I need to get this one, too!
The first one I have been writing, I had the beginning and ending before I started writing. I am 'stuck' near the end right now because I need information on something that might get me put on a terrorist watch list, LOL! I am waiting for some people in the know to get back to me on explosives, so I can finally finish it.
The next 2, well I started writing one for an Alisha Paige contest and I really think it would be a neat one to write! The third one...I have no idea where it is going. All I have for this one is the basic premise. My sister and I started it in the 80's but then got caught up in life things and it got put away. I recently found it when looking for poetry and I really want to write it! Just need to find the time to get it done! Soon, very soon my house will be my own again and I can focus on writing! (Optimism here!)
Thank you, Alisha, for featuring Jean Hart Stewart! Another talented author for me to read!
Wow, thanks for commenting Mamabear. My daughter-in-law calls me that sometime and I love it. Have you tried googling explosives? And turning your ideas over to your subcomcious? If you persevere it will all work out, and writing is sometimes just plain slog, slog, slog. If you have more questions I'd love to hear from you....Jean
Alisha, thanks for having me. I had trouble getting in yesterday but this link worked. Jean
Post a Comment