2015: This I Promise You

The question I LOVE getting from readers the most: When is your next book coming out?

The answer I HATE giving the most: I don’t know.

With that said, while I can’t give specific dates, I can promise that I will release more books in 2015. I’m hoping for five, but it might be four. We’ll see.

So what are the new books about?

• I’m continuing the One-on-One Series. If you’ve read TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD, you might remember Noelle’s best friend/producer, Caitlin. I’m writing Caitlin’s story as we speak, and I’m loving getting to know her better. And the hot athlete who rolls into her life messing up her carefully laid out plans. *rubs hands together in glee*
   
• To know me is to know that I love sports. But I also love pop culture. And that’s where my other series takes me. I love the entertainment industry and its zaniness. The first book is about a movie star who falls for the absolute last guy she expected to. I absolutely adore Fliss and Alex and can’t wait to share their story with you. *rubs hands faster*

When I have firm release dates, I will be sure to let you know. If you want to make sure you know when my next book releases, please sign up for my New Release Alert here! I only send it out when I have a new release. Shocking, I know. lol

So what else do I have planned for 2015? Travel. I really, really want to go to Spain. And St. Lucia. And Las Vegas. The day job might make more than one of these tough, but I’m gonna try.

And I want to read 50 books this year. Really, I’d like to shoot for 60, but this writing thing takes a lot of my time. And I want to diversify my reading. I read A LOT of contemporary romance, because I love it, but honestly, when I think about it, that’s not the only (sub)genre I enjoy. I’d like to finish the Harry Potter series (yes, I realize I’m close to 20 years behind the times – lol). I’ve read the first 3 and enjoyed them.

So that’s it. I’m keeping it pretty simple, so I don’t look at this post at the end of the year and have massive amount of guilt pour down on me if I don’t meet all of my goals. Do you have any resolutions you want to share?

What a Difference a Year Makes!

Yeah, I'm a Golden Heart® finalist. Yeah, seriously. I'm thrilled and still having trouble wrapping my head around it. After I got the call, I remembered a blog post on the old blog I wrote in January 2011 about starting the GH manuscript. So I went and found it. Reading it brought a huge smile to my face. Who knew what would happen with this story 14 months later?

I thought I'd repost it because it's so cute.

By the way, for the most part, my initial vision for the story remained intact. I did figure out what Noelle said to tick Tate off, and hilarity most definitely ensued. :)

http://www.jamiewesley.com/1/post/2011/01/it-feels-like-the-first-time-starting-a-new-manuscript.html

January 4, 2011

Today is a banner day for me. I’m starting a new manuscript – my third. First drafts are my favorite part of the writing process. It’s when I’m at my most creative and let the ideas flow freely. I have an idea of where I want the story to go, but I love getting that zing when an idea pops into my head that makes the story funnier or connects to another, previously unrelated plot point. I’m more of a pantser than a plotter, so it’s all great fun.

However, this new manuscript is different from my first two. The first two had been rolling around in my head for years. I think 2002 for the first one, Seducing Ms. Right, and 2003 for the second one, Second to None. They were stories straight from my heart. I got to write about football in the first and a The Bachelor-type show in the second. These are two things I know waaaayyy too much about. I knew for years what the central conflict in the stories would be (in part anyway).

This new manuscript idea only came to me in late 2010. I was trying to finish up Second to None, but this story kept poking at me. The title, Tell Me Something Good, came to me first. I think I heard the song on the radio and thought that would make a great book title. The “Tell” part stuck out to me and the first thing to pop into my head were radio personalities. Both my heroine and hero are talk show hosts, working for the same radio station. I know they don’t like each other. They each have not-so-nice (but funny) nicknames they’ve given each other that play off the other’s name. Tate and Noelle are going to be fun to write.

However…I don’t know much else. I’m pretty sure she says something that hacks him off and then hilarity will ensue. I kind of have glimpses of their personalities – she’s a little uptight, he’s the fun-loving flirt. I think anyway. I have an inkling of how the story ends – that idea popped into my head as I drove to work this morning – but other than that, I’m not sure.

Basically I’m entering unchartered waters. I know I want to figure out their motivations and goals before I dive too deep into the story. If I don’t, I’ll have problems. Been there, done that. With Second to None, I managed to write a complete first draft without fully understanding what drove Jeremiah, the hero. Not good. I don’t want to make that mistake with Tell Me.

So…

I have a craft book on characters that I’m going to peruse and use to help shape their personalities and figure out how they complement each other. I’m also going to do basic background sketches, so I know their backstories and, by extension, their motivations.

I hope this helps me avoid some of the pitfalls from the first two books, even though I know there are others waiting for me if only because I’m still learning how to be a writer. I always will be.

But anyway…wish me luck in this endeavor.

What do you do to prepare to write a book? Detailed character studies and plot outlines? Or do you sit at your computer and let your fingers take over? Something in between?

xoxo, Jamie

I'm a Better Writer Now, Right?

revenge

Last night I watched Revenge. It was only the second episode I've watched, so I'm still a little confused about some things and I'm too lazy to go look it up. Regardless, I'm enjoying the show and its intrigue.

Will Emily Thorne succeed in her quest for vengeance against those who harmed her family (something to do with her dad)? How much does she care about her boyfriend or are all her shows of affection just part of her revenge plan?

But, anyway, I got a nice, little giggle last night. When another character confronted her about her past, Emily called up someone who's been helping her and said, "I need your help...again." Dunh dunh dunh! Fade to black.

Why did that make me giggle? It was the "again" part. It was put in to tantalize viewers as we were introduced to a brand new character, Warden Stiles, and make us want to stick around through the commercial break.

But really? I'm pretty sure Warden Stiles remembers Emily asking her for help in the past. She doesn't need the reminder that this isn't the first time.

This probably caught my attention because of my writing aspirations. I'm more cognizant of word choices and what works and what doesn't as I strive to become a better writer (and published). Even when I'm reading books during my leisure time, part of my brain is still focused on craft and the choices the author makes.

I don't want the reader giggling or rolling their eyes, which takes them out of the story, when they're reading my books. I strive to make my writing, especially the dialogue, as natural as possible.

I like to think dialogue is one of my strong suits. It's my favorite part of writing in any case. I'm lucky (or crazy depending on your viewpoint) because my characters "speak" to each other in my head. It's very easy for me to go to that place in my mind where they're talking to each other (and thinking to themselves) and I just type it as it comes to me.

But I also like to read the dialogue out loud to make sure it really does sound as natural spoken out loud as it does in my head. I don't want to pat myself on my back too hard. :)

I also constantly ask myself, is this is how people talk? Is there a better way to say this?

This process works for me.

How would I have written the scene between Emily and Warden Stiles?

Emily: I need your help.

Warden: Again, Emily?

Emily: Yes. It's a matter of life and death.

Dunh dunh dunh. Fade to black.

OK, not great. But a little more natural - I think anyway.

What do you think? Am I totally off base? How would you have written the scene?