My Writing Process—Blog Tour

Just Released!

I was invited by Sherilee Gray to participate in the ongoing "My Writing Process" blog tour. She talked about hers last week. I find it fascinating how different we all are. :)

So here are my answers to the tour questions:

1.  What am I working on?
I have two projects going at the moment. One is a romantic adventure I'm revising called Aftershocks. Zoe's past has come back with a vengeance, threatening the life she's worked so hard to build, as well as the lives of her fiancé Kell and the people she loves. The only way to eliminate the threat is to revisit old pain. That brings her back in contact with Grant, the first guy she ever loved.

I'm also working on the third book in the paranormal romance Soul series, Harte and Soul. It's been a real struggle to find time to write this one, and I apologize to all those who've been waiting impatiently! The hero in this book is Peter Ranger, the brother of the heroine from Soul of the Dragon, and the heroine is investigating his daughter and the abilities she has.

2.  How does my work differ from others of its genre?
My paranormal romances are very grounded in today's world. The people who have abilities are either out in the open with them, or they are alone rather than part of a hidden society. That makes for some unique challenges.

My romantic adventures are different from the typical romantic suspense because they focus more on excitement than fear. My characters also tend to work around the law (or all the way outside it) rather than being members of law enforcement. They're a little closer to being regular people dealing with extraordinary circumstances.

3.  Why do I write what I do?
I guess I write what I love to read. I like fast-paced, action-oriented books with high emotional stakes and really strong heroes and heroines, and I enjoy finding circumstances that test and challenge characters like that.

4.  How does your writing process work?
I scribble ideas down at random moments, and eventually those ideas coalesce or click together into a book-sized concept. Lately, I've been working on contracted projects that were already defined, so that organic process hasn't been given much rein. That means I have several projects that are conceptualized and just waiting for me to get around to them.

Usually I start with the main ideas and the main characters and just start writing until I get stuck, then I go back and revise and/or work out where I'm going. In the case of Harte and Soul, I got solidly stuck and for the first time, I mind-mapped some of the story elements. So now I can start in a stronger position. I tend not to do a lot of preliminary work, but I keep spreadsheets and notes pages to keep track of my characters, story details, and plot points.

My process means a lot more work on the revision end, because at some point I just grab the story and run with it until the end, and that can make for some rocky progressions. :) I've been blessed with great editors who've helped me strengthen the core of the story and make sure everything is clearly motivated.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Check out Sherilee's link up above so you can read her process and the other two authors she's tagged, and next week look for new posts by these great authors:

Misty Simon loves a good story and decided one day that she would try her hand at it. Eventually she got it right. There’s nothing better in the world than making someone laugh, and she hopes everyone at least snickers in the right places when reading her books. She lives with her husband, daughter, and two insane dogs in Central Pennsylvania where she is hard at work on her next novel or three. She loves to hear from readers so drop her a line at misty@mistysimon.com.

Victoria Smith moved eight times before finally settling in Mechanicsburg. She writes paranormal, urban fantasy, and dystopian - all with romance. Who doesn’t love a happy ending? She currently publishes with Liquid Silver Books. http://vickismith.wordpress.com/

Vicky Burkholder grew up in the Mechanicsburg area, but now lives in Lititz. Her writing spans the fantasy, science fiction, paranormal and romance lines from YA to adult. No matter the age or genre, all of her books have a touch of romance in them and have to have a happily ever after ending. She currently publishes with Liquid Silver Books and Ellora’s Cave. http://burkholv.wordpress.com/