Clarissa Draper

My Hero Taught Me To Read

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 11:32:00 +0000

My hero taught me to read. I don't mean literally.

Perhaps I should say, my hero taught me to love reading and in turn, love writing. Who is my hero?

My sister.

She loves to read. She'll read anything she can get her hands on, especially mysteries written by Agatha Christie, Rex Stout, and Dick Francis. Anyway, that love created a love of reading in me. On so many occasions she would push a book at me and insist I read it because she knew I would love it. And she was always right. Eventually it led to a longing to writing, which in turn changed my life. Writing keeps me sane.

So, I would like to thank my sister because she is my hero.

Click the photo above to take you to other Who's Your Hero entries.

Who is your hero, writing or not?

Holly Sinclair's Delicious Apple Pancakes and Baked Oatmeal

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 11:31:00 +0000

I love cookbooks. Or rather I should say, I love collecting cookbooks. I have a large collection that I rarely use. Instead, I tend to make meals I'm familiar with: Chili, Fried Chicken, and some Mexican Recipes.

So I considered carefully before adding The Breakfast Collection to my collection. Would I use it? Would the recipes be too complicated and I never open it more than once or twice? Then I considered, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I DID want to know how to make more substantial meals.

I love apples a lot and especially bakes so the first recipe I tried was:

Apple Pancakes

The most time consuming part was cutting up the apple. I melted a little extra butter in the pan and used the rest in the recipe. Also, I don't drink normal milk so I substituted non-sweetened vanilla almond milk. I didn't notice a taste difference.

It cooked up nicely and I put some cooked peaches with brown sugar, nutmeg and cinamon on top.

How did I like them?

One word:

DELICIOUS!

Would I make them again: Yes! Pick up your copy of the cookbook today or win it!

One commenter on this post will win a FREE digital copy of this cookbook. To enter, just leave a comment. If you want to leave a comment but don't want to enter, add "I hate food" to your comment. The winner will be announced on October 31st on Holly's blog.

The Breakfast Collection
Start your morning with perfectly fluffy scrambled eggs and spiced pear muffins or banana pancakes with toffee sauce. This book has recipes for eggs, oatmeal, cream of wheat, grits, pancakes, crepes, French toast, waffles, muffins, scones, fruit dishes, hot drinks, and cold breakfast beverages.

Cost: $10.00 print | $2.00 ebookIf you buy the print version of the book from Amazon, you get the digital version free.

Where to get it:
Amazon (print) [http://www.amazon.com/The-Breakfast-Collection-Holly-Sinclair/dp/1475120400/]

Kindle [http://www.amazon.com/The-Breakfast-Collection-ebook/dp/B007UI9B78/]

Smashwords [https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/291250]

ibooks [https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-breakfast-collection/id617224365?mt=11]

Barnes & Nobles [http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-breakfast-collection-holly-sinclair/1110373674?ean=2940044360198]

Holly Sinclair, who goes by Southpaw on the Interwebs, finds cooking cathartic. The recipes she's created and collected grew into cookbooks. Holly's trying her hand at fiction and food seems to creep into most of her books.

Holly Sinclair Cookbooks, the website [http://www.iamhrsinclair.com/cookbooks/]

HR Sinclair, the blog [http://www.iamhrsinclair.com/]

Join Holly on the rest of her Blog Tour [http://www.iamhrsinclair.com/cookbooks/foodie-blog-tour-2014/], each stop features a different cookbook and a chance for a free ebook!

You can join in the fun by signing up for the End of Tour Foodie Blog Hop!
Talk about a fond food memory, describe your disasters in the kitchen, post your favorite recipe or pictures of food, or do anything food related. Sign up here. [http://www.iamhrsinclair.com/cookbooks/foodie-blog-tour-2014/]

Note: I was provided an electronic copy of the book for review.

Survive and Thrive: JANZ Syndrome

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 11:06:00 +0000

I decided to take part in the Survive and Thrive Bloghop put on by Stephen Tremp, Michael Di Gesu, Diane Wolfe, and Alex Cavanaugh.

While researching a character in one of my books, I discovered a disease called JANZ syndrome, otherwise known as Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy (JME), a fairly common form of idiopathic generalized epilepsy, representing 5-10% of all epilepsies.

What are the symptoms of Janz?

(1) myoclonic jerks on awakening usually of the limbs like arms or legs, this will cause some sufferers to knock over things like juice or coffee.
(2) GTCS generalized tonic-clonic seizures, occurring usually after a series of myoclonic jerks. Also called grand mal seizures.
(3) typical absences seizures.

What to do if someone is having a seizure:

move them away from anything that could cause injury, such as a busy road or hot cooker
cushion their head if they're on the ground
loosen any tight clothing around their neck, such as a collar or tie, to aid breathing
when their convulsions stop, turn them so that they're lying on their side
stay with them and talk to them calmly until they have recovered
note the time the seizure starts and finishes

DO NOT put anything in their mouth, including your fingers. They may bite their tongue, but this will heal. Putting an object in their mouth could cause more damage.

If you want to see a video from a Janz sufferer, please watch the video below:

If you want to donate to the Epilepsy Foundation, click the link below:

Sources: NHS Epilepsy Information
Epilepsy Foundation

Don't Love Your Characters Too Much

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 10:48:00 +0000

It's so easy to fall in love with your characters.

You're forced to study their lives. To understand why they like what they like, love what they love, hate what they hate. Spend enough time with them and you will fall in love, even the minor characters.

Why is that a bad thing?

Sometimes it's not. Sometimes it can give your story depth and intrigue.

But sometimes it can cause problems.

How?

(a) it can change your plot, sometimes for the worst - especially if you've written half the book and weren't planning the novel to go a certain way
(b) minor characters can changed to major characters - especially in a love story, the character you meant one character to love might not be the one they end up with

Have you ever fallen in love with a character so much that you changed the plot or made the minor character a major character?
Do you think your characters should be able to change the plot?

Photo credit: minifig / Foter / CC BY-NC-SA

Writing & Wellness: Dealing with Stress, Self-Doubt and Snacking

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 10:00:00 +0000

Today I'm visiting an awesome website where I talk about how I deal with stress, self-doubt and snacking.

Come Visit!

Underrated Treasure: Bo Bruce

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 22 Sep 2014 10:44:00 +0000

I don't really like to participate in blogfests but I really wanted to share a musical artists that I like:

Bo Bruce

About the artist:

Appeared on The Voice UK (Series One) and came in second.
Her voice reminds me of The Cranberries.
She's titled: Lady Catherine Anna Brudenell-Bruce
Her webpage: Bo Bruce

Check out the other participants in the blogfest:

Alex J. Cavanaugh's Blogfest Page

Have Fun and Win a Free Copy of my Book!

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 08 Sep 2014 11:08:00 +0000

Type a sentence or two based on the photo above and you could win one copy (of five) of my latest mystery novel! What could be easier than that? Go to Carol Kilgore's webpage and check out her contest.

Click here:

http://www.carolkilgore.net/contest/

Also, Mason Canyon did an awesome review of my book. You can see the review here.

Writing with Scrivener Quick Tip: Using Word Count To Keep Motivated

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Sun, 31 Aug 2014 12:41:00 +0000

Writers are always looking for ways to keep motivated. I find smaller word count goals are effective.

I used to have my session target set at 1000 but watching the bar go from red to yellow to green was so slow and depressing. Especially at the beginning of each session.

So, I did an experiment, I set the word count to 100. It took me 4 minutes to complete, and I type painfully slow. Sometimes I would be writing an exciting paragraph or two and the word count would be at 210 before I noticed. If you do the math, 1000 words can be written in less than an hour.

How do you keep motivated when it comes to word count?

Are Your Characters Making You Insane or Inventive?

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 10:36:00 +0000

Two articles in the Guardian this week about voices and creativity, and the recent death of Robin Williams, made me think of the worlds inside my head. (If you want, you can read the articles yourself, here and here.)

The first article discussed the voices Virginia Woolf heard and how it made her feel:

"I feel I have gone too far this time to come back again. It is just as it was the first time, I am always hearing voices, and I know I shant get over it now … I have fought against it, but I can't any longer, Virginia."

That was something she wrote to her sister just before she killed herself. She would write a novel to quell the voices and as soon as she was finished, a new set a voices came. She couldn't deal with it anymore.

The woman was a literary genius but the voices made her insane.

The second article talked about the characters and voices heard by the great Charles Dickens. For him, the characters were so real, it was as if he was just overhearing what the characters were saying and writing it down.

Dickens wrote to his friend John Forster: "when I sit down to my book, some beneficent power shows it all to me, and tempts me to be interested, and I don't invent it – really do not – but see it, and write it down".

Dickens took those voices, accepted them and created like mad. His novels are proof that the characters inside the writer's head are sometimes so real we just stand back, watch and record.

Not every writer deals with the characters or voices in the same way. Perhaps some writers don't hear the characters speak to them at all. But, it should make us think.

How do the voices come to you? Do they sometimes make you insane or foster your creativity?

Sources: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/21/hilary-mantel-virginia-woolf-inner-voices?CMP=twt_gu

http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/22/charles-dickens-hearing-voices-created-his-novels?CMP=twt_gu

Photo credit: pvillarrubia / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

4 Things NOT To Do When Writing Mysteries

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 11:10:00 +0000

(1) Introduce your murderer as soon as possible but not at the same point in every novel. I love TV shows like Castle or Elementary but seriously, you make it so easy to know who the killer is. A) It's the guest star paid the most money or B) it's the person interviewed and dismissed early on. Lee Lofland, who reviews the TV show Castle on his blog, and he says he can always guess the killer because it's the character they bring in early, ask a few questions, and dismiss. Don't make the same mistake when writing your mystery novel. While it's important to introduce your murderer relatively early in the story, it shouldn't be obvious.

(2) Don't make your characters do stupid things. Turn on the bloody lights and leave the house! Why are you going into the basement in a nightdress with only a poker?

(3) Seriously, have your character tell someone where they're going. How much time would it take to send a tweet or text message? How often do you hear a detective say: "There's something important I have to do or check out." And then, what a shock, they're alone and in trouble.

(4) Just tell them on the phone already. Ever seen this: The detective receives a phone call from someone who says that they have an important clue but can't divulge it over the phone. Come over at once. So the detective arrives only to find the caller dead on the floor. I know it prolongs the suspense and the length of the novel but why can't you just tell them on the phone.

What are your peeves when it comes to detective/mystery/thriller novels?

Photo: komehachi888 /Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Carol Kilgore says Use Your Imagination!

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 10:10:00 +0000

I'm excited to welcome Carol Kilgore! Her mystery novels are full of intrigue, adventure and, of course, love. Read to the end because there's a chance to win

a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

-------------------------------------

Thanks so much, Clarissa, for hosting me while I’m out and about talking about my upcoming novel, Secrets of Honor.

When I was just beginning to write the book, I had an opportunity to talk to someone with authority in the intelligence community. My biggest fear was that, without finding a lot of details on current operations to research, which is a good thing, I would inadvertently stumble upon and write about something that gave away the farm, so to speak.

The person I spoke with said not to worry. If I could think of something, it was almost certain someone else had thought of it, too. Or would shortly. After hearing her words, I felt free to let my imagination play.

Even so, my left brain keeps telling me that if I have accidentally written the truth, Agents in Black will come calling.

My right brain says, “No worries. We can do this. Trust me.”

So I trusted.

Because my stories are set in the real world, I have to follow real world rules. I can’t have pink grass called mallomere or invisible guns (yet). Because I write crime fiction, I also have to follow certain procedures so that when the villain is caught, his or her case wouldn’t be dismissed – my good guys have to play by the rules.

But in this story, I was free to create a few gadgets and mess with those good-guy rules a little. It was fun!

I think my gadgets could exist – and maybe they do. Would the rules for agents be relaxed in certain situations? I have no way of knowing – that particular question went unanswered in the conversation with my contact. But since I thought of it….

How I’m I to know if I created a real secret gadget? Or fictionalized an actual incident?

If I did, the Agents in Black will come calling soon enough.

Trust me.

BLURB

By the end of a long evening working as a special set of eyes for the presidential security detail, all Kat Marengo wants is to kick off her shoes and stash two not-really-stolen rings in a secure spot. Plus, maybe sleep with Dave Krizak. No, make that definitelysleep with Dave Krizak. The next morning, she wishes her new top priorities were so simple.

As an operative for a covert agency buried in the depths of the Department of Homeland Security, Kat is asked to participate in a matter of life or death—locate a kidnapped girl believed to be held in Corpus Christi, Texas. Since the person doing the asking is the wife of the president and the girl is the daughter of her dearest friend, it’s hard to say no.

Kat and Dave quickly learn the real stakes are higher than they or the first lady believed and will require more than any of them bargained for.

The kicker? They have twenty-four hours to find the girl—or the matter of life or death will become more than a possibility.

INVITATION

This summer I began a contest on my website – http://www.carolkilgore.net/contest/. Each month, a different author will give away the prize. Some months it may be an ebook, some months swag, some a signed print book, or any combination of those. This month, I’m giving away a $10 Amazon gift card to one lucky winner.

The contest is simple. There's a photo and a tiny story beginning with a question at the end. All you have to do is complete the short form and answer the question. The answer can be one word or you may add to the story beginning – the choice is yours.

You're invited to enter. Click on over and answer the question about the photo. I can't wait to see your answer!

Besides my website, you can also connect with me here:

Under the Tiki Hut blog: http://www.underthetikihut.blogspot.com

Website with Monthly Contest: http://www.carolkilgore.net

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/carol.kilgore1

Twitter: http://twitter.com/carol_kilgore

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6094110.Carol_Kilgore

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Carol-Kilgore/e/B008FRCXQY

Backstory: Who do you think you are?

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 04 Aug 2014 01:30:00 +0000

I really enjoy watching the series Who Do You Think You Are? Basically, celebrities go on a journey to trace their ancestors and usually find interesting relatives in their past. As I was watching an episode yesterday, it occurred to me that I was watching a lot of backstory. And the backstory was interesting.

What made the celebrity's backstory interesting to watch and how can we apply it to our writing?

(1) If we love the celebrity, we want to learn everything about them, including their history. What does that mean for writers? Well, if our readers love our characters, they'll be more willing to find out about their past.

(2) Not everything is revealed. I'm sure the amount of information uncovered during the celebrity's journey is immense. The viewer doesn't get all that information. Often what is released is how the ancestor's career choices or family situation matches the celebrity's. What does that mean for the writer? Make the backstory relevant. Only release backstory relevant to the character and the story.

(3) The celebrity travels a lot, and we see their reactions. We are taken to the places the ancestor's lived. We see their houses, their workplaces, their art. Then we see the celebrity's reaction to the revelations. Writers can do the same thing, we can add backstory, but make sure you break it up with present day reactions.

How do you add backstory?

The 2 Words Every Writer Should Use

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 11:14:00 +0000

I was stuck. I thought I had the whole book planned out but then I just couldn't write it.

What happened?

I wasn't feeling the story anymore. Perhaps I had watched the movie (this for me is when the story--every scene--plays out in my head like a movie) too many times. Had I become bored with the story?

For a long time I believed this to be so because I couldn't find another reason. But then it hit me, what I had done was ruin my own story. I had given myself a story too depressing to write. In the manuscript I had created a beautiful love story between two characters and then the mystery writer in me emerged and killed off one of them. I took away my happy ending. The spark was gone until I pulled out the writer's secret weapon, the two words that open up a portal of creativity:

What if...

I thought, what if I created another love story? What if the survivor fell in love with someone else? What if the murder victim had actually survived the attack? I ideas, the words, the drive to write came back.

And don't wait until you're blocked to use these words. Constantly ask yourself what if... Don't be afraid to go to extremes. Go wild. Having to contemplate a scenario will only improve your creative skill.

What about you? How often to you use the "What if..." card? Has it sparked your creativity?

Photo source: Lori Greig /Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

Guest Post: 5 of the Best Coded Mysteries

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 14 Jul 2014 11:08:00 +0000

Today I'm visiting Carol Kilgore's blog to discuss five of the best coded mysteries. I've created a code based on the Sherlock Holmes Dancing Men story. If you solve it, you receive a free copy of my book.

Visit me there.

*Note: I've had to enable comment moderation due to an increase in spam. I hope it doesn't complicate your lives too much.

The Best Classes of Mysteries

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 07 Jul 2014 10:17:00 +0000

Good Monday Morning! I was away last week--a day after my novel went on sale--on a personal emergency trip to Mexico City. But, I'm back and eager to get back to my writing and blogging routine.

Did you know that there are three classes of mystery?

(1) Fair-Play Whodunnit: We play along with the detective, solve the crime as the main character does.

In 1928, the writer Father Ronald Knox created a "Ten Commandments" of plot devices (Knox's Decalogue) that more or less codified the rules of the Fair-play whodunnit:

The criminal must be someone mentioned in the early part of the story, but must not be anyone whose thoughts the reader has been allowed to follow.
All supernatural or preternatural agencies are ruled out as a matter of course.
Not more than one secret room or passage is allowable, and such a passage may only be in a house or building for which it is appropriate by age or purpose.
No hitherto undiscovered poisons may be used, nor any appliance which will need a long scientific explanation at the end.
No Chinaman must figure in the story. (I don't know why this rule exists.)
No accident must ever help the detective, nor must he ever have an unaccountable intuition which proves to be right.
The detective must not himself commit the crime. (I think Agatha Christie broke this rule.)
The detective must not light on any clues which are not instantly produced for the inspection of the reader.
The stupid friend of the detective, the "Watson", must not conceal any thoughts which pass through his mind; his intelligence must be slightly, but very slightly, below that of the average reader.
Twin brothers, and doubles generally, must not appear unless we have been duly prepared for them.

Example of a Fair-Play Mystery: Pretty much any Golden Age novel. Agatha Christie is a great fair-play mystery writer.

(2) The Clueless Mystery: We just have to read along because the writer doesn't provide enough clues for us to solve the mystery.

Example of a Clueless Mystery: Right from the beginning in A Study In Scarlet, despite Holmes describing the murderer's appearance and even how he got to the scene of the crime in detail from the clues in the room, nobody even slightly resembling the murderer turns up until the last chapter of the London-based narrative.

(3) The Reverse Whodunnit: We know who did and how it was done. We just have to read to the end to see if justice is served or if the criminal gets away with the perfect crime.

Example of a Reverse Whodunnit: Red Dragon and its sequel, The Silence of the Lambs. In both of them, we know fairly early on who the killer is, and learn more details as the FBI protagonists figure out the mystery.

What is your favorite type of mystery? What examples do you have of that type?

Source: TV Tropes
Photo credit: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

Book Released Today Officially!

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Tue, 24 Jun 2014 10:37:00 +0000

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Amazon.co.uk

Or you can mark it 'to read' at

Goodreads

THE BOOK'S SITE!

Synopsis: **Please visit the book's website to view photos of the codes and lots of story extras.**

An elderly man with only one leg is murdered and left in a pool of his own blood outside his house. To add to the mystery, a note found in his pocket says, 'Why Run Backwards You’ll Vomit.' London Detective Chief Inspector Theo Blackwell can’t understand the motive for killing the old man, or the meaning of the cryptic message.

Later, a woman is stabbed on her doorstep. The two seemingly unrelated cases have two things in common: apparently random victims and suspects with alibis.

As DCI Blackwell works on solving the cases, he requests the help of code-breaker Sophia Evans, who is battling a personal and tricky case of her own.

My Novel's Website is LIVE!

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 10:05:00 +0000

The website that I've created to go along with the second book in my series is now up.
Check it out, let me know what you think. How can I improve the pages?

THE SITE!

Also, if you wish to purchase the book, now on sale for $2.99 and £1.83. Click the various links below:

Amazon.com

Amazon.ca

Amazon.co.uk

Or you can mark it 'to read' at

Goodreads

2 Ways Writing is Like the FIFA World Cup

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 16 Jun 2014 11:04:00 +0000

I really love football and now that the World Cup is here, I'm absorbed. I'm impressed by the determination of the players and teams. They are a lot like great writers. How?

Here are two ways:

(1) Every Goal Counts

Some may believe that winning the match is all that matters but actually, it might come down to the goals and not the games that determines a winner.

Why?

Often when a team scores a goal, instead of pressing forward to another goal, they start focusing on defense rather than offence. However, this can backfire if the player whittles away the time protecting a lead instead of creating a bigger one. If the other team scores and the team are now forced score or catch up, leading to sloppiness or errors.

Or, the team's mental advantage is gone, and discouragement becomes their worst enemy. In the end they could lose the game. Also, if the two top teams are tied for first, the goals are counted to determine a winner.

How does that apply to writing?

Sometimes we focus on the wrong goal. We finish chapter one (a goal completed) and instead of pressing on to the next goal, we go into defensive mode: revising, revising, revising. A few weeks later, you still have one chapter while your fellow writers have passed you, perhaps completing the first draft. What do you do? You force yourself through the first draft at a pace you're not used to and what is produced is sloppy and full of huge plot holes. Or, you start comparing yourself with other writers and discouragement sets in.

What can you do?

Set goals and keep pressing forward. Don't start revising until you finish the first draft and don't worry what the other writers are doing, just keep going.

(2) How you play matters

In sports, including football, the player you are determines which teams you play for and how much you earn. So as a player, you always want to be impressing the fans and the potential recruiters. You focus on improving your weak areas.

Writing is the same. It shouldn't just be about finishing books. It should also be about becoming the best writer you can. Does your grammar need improving (like mine)? Do you wish you wrote better dialogue or description? Do you wish your sales were better?

As writers, we should always be striving to improve our skills and abilities. We don't know who's watching. We want to impress our readers, perhaps publisher and most importantly, ourselves.

Do you like FIFA? How do you think soccer/football compares with writing?

Picture source: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

Writers: Interactive!

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 09 Jun 2014 00:04:00 +0000

To an extent, all writers are interactive. Most of us tweet, blog, post to Facebook and much, much more. My new book is coming out on June 24th, and because my Evans/Blackwell books are filled with codes, I thought I would allow my readers to take a crack at code-breaking while reading.

So, I've been preparing a website--with the help of WIX--for my book. It will showcase the different codes found in the book so my readers can not only picture what the codes look like but also take a stab at cracking them. Also, there are many other interesting tidbits that I don't include in my novels. One example of a code found in the book and on the website is shown below.

(I know it looks like a colorful chessboard or perhaps a funky bathroom wall but it's a code. You can crack it if you like. If you can crack it before actually reading the book, I'll do a blog post about your brilliance.)

The new website will be announced soon! Be sure to check it out when it comes available.

Have you ever created a site for a book? How do you interact with your readers?

3 Reasons Why Writers Should Keep A Sentence-A-Day Journal

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Sun, 01 Jun 2014 22:58:00 +0000

I love the idea of journaling. Unfortunately, there are days when I see that blank page and it discourages me. Before I know it, days have gone by with a word written. Recently I've come across something called the five-year journal. You write one sentence a day for five years. Perfect! But wait, I'm a writer, I should be able fill pages and pages with my life's reflections. Why should I limit myself to one line?

3 Reasons Why Writers Should Keep A Sentence-A-Day Journal

(1) You're writing every day--even with "writer's block"--because it's easy. One line, one minute.

(2) You improve the quality of your sentences. With only one sentence, you're forced to gather your thoughts. You need to say what you want clearly and interestingly.

For example:
I would hate to look back three years from now and read: "I went to the doctor." What a waste of a sentence. How can I make the sentence better?
Ask: Why did I go to the doctor? "I had a headache I thought would lead to Meningitis, so I went to the doctor."
Ask: Who did I go to the doctor with? "I had a headache I thought would lead to Meningitis, so Ralph drove me to the doctor."
Ask: What did the Doctor say? "I had a headache I thought would lead to Meningitis, so Ralph drove me to the clinic where the doctor diagnosed me with a hangover."

(3) You spark creativity. If you've had a boring day, you could always write down a great line for one of your characters. Have a story idea, write it down. You never know, something you write four years ago could spark a novel.

Have you ever kept a journal or diary? Have you ever kept a one-sentence-a-day journal? Any thoughts? Any ideas?

Picture source: [E]mmanuel17 / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC 2.0)

Free ARCs Available!

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 26 May 2014 10:34:00 +0000

Like every author, I need reviews, and if you’re a blogger, reader or both, I’d like to offer you a free ARC of my novel THE ELECTRICIAN'S CODE. It's a mystery book and book two in my Evans and Blackwell series. If you're interested in reading it, just comment below. I have ARCs available in PDF and MOBI, please state your preference when commenting.

The blurb:

An elderly man with only one leg is murdered and left in a pool of his own blood outside his house. To add to the mystery, a note found in his pocket says, 'Why Run Backwards You'll Vomit.' London Detective Chief Inspector Theo Blackwell can't understand the motive for killing the old man, or the meaning of the cryptic message.

Later, a woman is stabbed on her doorstep. The two seemingly unrelated cases have two things in common: apparently random victims and suspects with alibis.

As DCI Blackwell works on solving the cases, he requests the help of code-breaker Sophia Evans, who is battling a personal and tricky case of her own.

For Sale: June 24th 2014!

Planning Your Novel with Google Maps

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 19 May 2014 07:45:00 +0000

I love Google Maps, that's no secret... well, perhaps it is because I haven't told anyone this fact before. I spend hours (when I should be writing) travelling the world. You can even visit Africa on a whim without having to suffer through security screening.

Now, Google Maps can help you plan your book.

How?

Follow these simple 116 steps (nah, only 7):

(1) First, go to maps.google.com and you should see something like the photo below. Click on "My custom maps".

Click on the photo to enlarge.

(2) Then, you have two choices. One, you can choose a custom map you've already created or two, you can create a new one. In this post, we'll create a new one.

Click on the photo to enlarge.

(3) When you click "Create" you should get a screen like the one below. First, name your map by clicking on the "Untitled map", put in a name and click "Save". Second, type in the location where your story takes place. Then, start putting locations on your map by using the upside-down drop symbol (see 3).

Click on the photo to enlarge.

(4) When you place the red marker on the page by clicking on the map, a box will appear where you can type a title and description. I'll let you decide what to write. You can use my box as an example. ****Make sure you press "Save" or you will lose the info!

Click on the photo to enlarge.

(5) Put as many places on your map as you like. Another cool feature of google maps is the line/path tool (see 1). You can mark the paths your characters take. Name the path and write notes about it. Maps will even tell you how long the path is so you can write that information in your book.

(6) There is also the "Directions" tool. Click on the tool (see 1) and then pick any two red place-markers and a line will appear. Information about the direction will appear on the left.

(7) For step-by-step instructions on how to get from one point to another is there. (see 2 in the photo above) This is amazing because you can write these instructions in your book. Look at the instructions below as an example. Great instructions for action scenes.

Have you used Google Maps to help you plan your book? What other tips do you have?

Source: Um, google maps?

Walking and Reading - A New Past-time?

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 12 May 2014 10:52:00 +0000

I was reading the latest Reader's Digest and inside was an article about a man, Michael P. Branch, who reads while he walks. And he walks a lot--about 1300 miles per year.

Why would he do that?

Well, first of all, he says it exercises the body and the mind at the same time. Also, it can take you on two journeys at a time. Unless you get hit by a car which is what happened the last time I walked and read. Fortunately, I wasn't injured (I think the driver was more scared than I was).

I love reading. I'm not a fan of walking however. Maybe if I can take the journey together, I'll lose a little weight.

Ever walk and read?

Source: Reader's Digest June 2014

Book Two in the Series OUT SOON!

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 05 May 2014 10:40:00 +0000

Release day: June 24th, 2014

I thought I would let everyone know that the next book in my series is coming out. It took a lot longer than I had hoped to write it. Hopefully the third installment will come out a lot sooner.

The plot:

An elderly man with only one leg is found in a pool of his own blood outside his house. To add to the mystery, a note found in his pocket says–Why Run Backwards You’ll Vomit. London Detective Inspector Theopholus Blackwell can’t understand the motive for killing the old man, or the meaning of the cryptic message.

Later, a woman is stabbed on her doorstep. The two seemingly unrelated cases have two things in common: innocent victims and suspects with alibis.

As Theophilus Blackwell works on solving the puzzling murders, he requests the help of code-breaker Sophia Evans, who is battling a personal and tricky case of her own.

More information:
Twitter: +Clarissa Draper (I'm on Twitter more than any other form of social media so get the latest news there.)
Goodreads: Click here!
Amazon: Coming soon!

How to Write With Emotional Distractions

noreply@blogger.com (Clarissa Draper) — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 03:28:00 +0000

As you may have noticed, I have not been around much. For that I apologize. My life has been an emotional roller-coaster. After a few months of travel, I return hoping to get back to normalcy only to have my husband say he's moving out. Yes, I was incredibly shocked.

To make matters worse, I've had to re-enter the work force. I have gone from being a full-time writer to a part-time writer.

I have been determined to continue writing but the road is hard. My "writer's block" does not come from lack of creativity but from my emotions blocking the words. I've managed to complete a few writing projects however and I thought I would share some tips that got me through the emotional distractions.

(1) Set small and specific goals --> Goals like 'write 1000 words' or 'edit a third of the book' are difficult for me to do right now. However, I've been able to complete goals such as 'edit: create a list of earrings described in the the book' and 'write paragraph: why are there burn marks on the wall?'. These specific, little goals add up. I've actually accomplished a lot of writing over the last few weeks.

(2) Take mental breaks --> Don't beat yourself up if you need mental breaks. I need several throughout the day. I find walking the dog helps. Also, now that my husband's gone, I have one less person to talk to, so, I talk to myself more. But instead of wallowing, I try to talk about the chapter I'm working on or why I like a certain character.

(3) Take good notes --> I have a bad memory at the best of times. With all the stress I'm going through now, I'm lucky if I remember to eat. So, I've started to take good notes. I write down everything: my writing goals for the day, what I've accomplished that day, and I take detailed records of characters, timelines, and chapter outlines. That way, if I can't remember what I did last week or last month, I don't have to panic, I can just refer to my notes.

(4) Don't multi-task --> Although multi-tasking seems more efficient, it's not. Our brains don't work that way. When you try to accomplish many things at once, the information doesn't get stored in long-term memory. That means, you don't remember things. For me to improve as a writer, I need to keep as focused as I can. And so in my emotionally distracted state, multi-tasking is counter productive. Train your brain to stay focused. Here's a fantastic article to help you stay focused: link here.

Have you ever felt muddled? How have you coped with emotional distractions?