Book Review: Duchess, by Nikki Wilson

- a post by Jeanna Mason Stay

 

I hope Nikki won’t mind, but I decided that for my blog post this fortnight, I would review her book that just recently came out. I love you, Nikki, and I’m so happy for you that your book got published. Plus, I thought it was a delight!

So, without further ado . . .

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars (On my own blog, I have explained that I generally reserve 4 and 5 stars for books that touched me deeply or were really extraordinary in some other way. So 3.5 is a high rating, honestly, but I’m starting to rethink this because it comes across as lukewarm, which it isn’t. So just know I thought this book was a fun, worthwhile contemporary romance.)

Clean rating: G. Super duper clean.

Short summary: Katie is the manager for a major pop star, Duchess, but what people don’t know is that she also is Duchess. Chase is a veteran who is asked to help put together a charity concert with Duchess as one of the stars, so he has to work with Katie. Of course the inevitable craziness ensues when she tries to hide her identity and Chase tries to figure her out.

Recommend it? Are you a fan of light, clean, contemporary romance? Then yes, I recommend it. It was a fun read with a premise that was pretty amusing (imagine trying to be both a pop star and the pop star’s manager—what a pain!). There was also some seriousness—Katie’s mom is very sick with cancer, and Chase still suffers from PTSD and from some things that happened when he returned home—but it was handled gently so it didn’t feel heavy or depressing.

What I liked: I most enjoyed the situations that arose from Katie’s predicament. While I don’t really know about whether the situation is all that realistic (it probably isn’t), I didn’t care. It doesn’t matter whether or not this would work in real life. What matters is that Nikki sold it as believable in her world. It was funny, and I could feel Katie’s tension as she tried to navigate the different relationships she had, not telling anyone about Duchess. I also enjoyed the developing relationship between Katie and Chase. For me there was a nice level of tension, and I very much enjoyed that it was romantic but never crossed any lines. Plus, I really liked the cover—I thought it captured the essence of the story very well.

What didn’t work for me: This is a personal thing, but I rarely like reading song lyrics and poems within a book. I can rarely do them any justice in my head, and I wind up not enjoying them. So I would have preferred less of that, but your mileage may vary. I also had a few times when I wanted to tell Katie that she was being unrealistic about her mom’s prognosis and she needed to behave a little better. On the other hand, I think that those of us who truly believe in life after death tend to have a much easier time with death, so maybe I’m being too harsh?

Last words: Go buy it! Not only is it very inexpensive, and not only will you be supporting our very own awesome Nikki, but most of all you will be getting a fun romantic story out of it!

Anne Shirley and the Personal Essay

- a post by Jeanna Mason Stay

Note: I’m currently enjoying a class wherein I get to hang out with teenagers each week and critique/talk about one another’s writing. A recent assignment was to write a personal essay. This, with some minor adaptations, is mine.

It was a beautiful spring evening. The sun was just beginning to set across the valley. David* and I sat on a picnic blanket, a romantic meal spread before us, with my favorite building on campus gracefully reaching up behind us. A mysterious book whose title I had not seen was settled on the blanket beside David. This was some seriously movie-quality ambience.

I grabbed another grape and popped it in my mouth to appear at ease, but my palms were sweating.

And then.

Then he opened the book and started reading . . . poetry.

The version of my brain that was still in fifth grade pretty much swooned. Here was this wonderful guy reading me love poems! Scenes from L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series swept through my brain, reminding me of all those hours I’d immersed myself in characters who ran around quoting obscure poets like they’d learned it from the womb. This was my very own Royal Gardner here (though, sadly, “David” was a much more prosaic name than “Royal”).

Perfect, yes?

But Anne does not end up with Roy. Thank heavens she grows up, gets a clue, and gets together with Gilbert Blythe.

Yes, I realize this is Morgan Harris, not Roy Gardner. But
since Roy doesn't actually exist in the movies at all, and
Morgan is pretty much the Roy stand-in, this will have to do.

 Sitting in the middle of this perfect scene, I felt something rise within me out of nowhere. It was . . . a giggle. I choked it down. A boy’s ego can only handle so much. So I held it together, attempting a level of composure that would have made Anne proud. But inside I knew, just as Anne had known, that Roy/David was not for me. I had tried, for his sake, but I already had my own Gilbert.

Anne was not the first character to appear in my life like this, nor was she the last. William Goldman’s narrative self in The Princess Bride made me want to stand up and clap when he realized life isn’t always fair. Bean from Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Shadow books helped me to feel a little less alone when I realized I suffered from a problem similar to his: too much intellect, not enough heart. Keturah, Richard III, Tiffany Aching, Javert, even the hopelessly dysfunctional Gene Forrester—something in their stories touched my own.

Every time the written word resonates with me, I am once again swept away into a different world. Sometimes the words explain something that I’d been trying to explain to myself. Sometimes they reveal a truth that I needed to accept. Some words have just released me from reality for an hour or two, giving me something fun and new and different. But I am always grateful that they exist. And this is why I write. Because of those authors who somehow tapped something important for me. Because I hope to do the same.

The stories we tell are more than reality. They take the details and the facts, and they strip them away, leaving behind something pure, true, universal. They can make us better. The best stories last in our hearts and our minds far beyond the specific words. The best characters step into our lives and change the way we see the world.

I didn’t want a Roy Gardner with his perfect movie setting. I wanted a Gilbert, someone to stick by my side when I was ridiculous, to understand when I was upset. And yes, he does, in fact, feed me grapes and read me the occasional poetry—but he doesn’t mind when I giggle.

* The poor man’s name has been changed to protect the innocent. He is still a friend, and he is a truly fantastic guy. He’s married now—to the right woman for him, someone who suits him way better than I would have—with some seriously adorable kids. I can safely say that we’re both happy with how things turned out.

Writing My Own Real-Life Romance

by Becky Porter

This past Thursday, my husband and I celebrated fifteen years of marriage!  I know that not everyone has found their Prince Charming.  I know also that some find their knight in shining armor is really the evil villain of their fairy tale.  For those who are still searching and for those who have already found their love, here are some thoughts on how I am writing my personal real-life romance:

1.  Editors/Publishing.  My Savior, Jesus Christ, is literally "the Word" (John 1:1).  The scriptures tell us to "publish peace" and "publish good tidings of good" (Mosiah 27:37).  My Heavenly Father is all-knowing.  Why would I not take his advice on how to write the story of my life?  When I accept His personal advice and edits, my simple story will be turned into a masterpiece.

2.  Outlines/Character Sketches.  When I was in college, I had already seen a bit of the ugly side of life.  And my major was Family Studies, so I knew all the statistics on marriage in the modern world, and they aren't that great.  I was determined to find the right hero for my story.  All great stories begin with an outline and some character sketches.  Early on, I made my own character sketch for my real-life Prince Charming.  I wasn't looking for perfection, but I did want someone who shared my values, someone who had the strength to handle my past, someone who was gentle and patient.  I made my list and then prayerfully compared the many great guys I met to my sketch until I found one who met my criteria (and my Editor's).  Jeff had a list, too, and I'm grateful that we were both prayerfully looking for an eternal companion.

{A group of us in our college days; I'm in the red stripes and Jeff is in the blue plaid}

3.  Dialogue.  When you're writing fiction, the characters in your head don't always behave the way you want them to on paper.  In real life, of course, we can't control the other characters.  However, I have found that the words I say, how I say them, and my inner dialogue, have a powerful influence on my hero's dialogue and actions.  This is not manipulation.  Manipulation is based on selfishness and a desire to control another person, to take away their agency.  Rather, recognizing the power of our words, especially in relationships, can create an atmosphere of persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness, and love (see D&C 121:41).  Adding spice to a marriage does not require adding drama (and trust me, having a spicy marriage makes for a better romance. wink, wink).

4.  Character Building.  No one wants to read about flat characters.  A good story fleshes them out and gives them life.  In my real-life romance, I work hard to bring out Jeff's good qualities while making sure the heroine--myself--isn't turning into a flat, two-dimensional character.  I have to allow my character to evolve, develop, and grow, or my romance will stagnate.  Just like any writing project, I have to set aside time regularly to build my character.

5.  Research.  OK, so it might not be the most enjoyable part of writing, but research has to be done.  If you're writing a historical novel, you have to study your setting.  If you are writing a mystery, you may need to learn more about police procedures and forensics.  This romance is my most important work, so I definitely try to do my research.  What do the scriptures say?  What do modern prophets have to say?  What do secular books, that reflect my values, have to say about romance?  The Family Proclamation tells me that "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children." Doing my research improves my romance immensely! 

6.  Artistic License.  I fought hard for my agency, and I value it above almost all else.  I am the author of this life, this beautiful romantic fairy tale, and I refuse to let any other person or situation determine how I am going to feel, speak, or act.  I truly believe that each of us has the ability to use artistic license on our life, to change each situation to suit our eternal goals.  I know that each day I have to make artistic choices about where my romance will lead and what will happen in the next exciting chapter.

Every day, I am beyond grateful for my knight in shining armor and for my chance to write my own real-life romance.  With my Editor and Publisher on my side, I am working to make it the greatest book I ever write.  And I have faith that I am, right now, living my "happily ever after."

The Reading Girl's Guide to Romance, or the Care and Feeding of Literary Crushes

by Merry Gordon

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man (in possession of a good fortune or not) might just be a hard sell on a writer chick.

You know why?

Because writer chicks are reader chicks.  And I don’t care how good you single men are:  Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott and a whole entourage of fictional top hats and tail coats got to our hearts first. 

For all the ladies who had a “type”—tall, dark and imaginary—and all the guys who’ve ever had to compete with a character, I give it to you straight:  the three stages of classic literary hero love (and how I lived happily ever after beyond the last page).

Chapter 1: Childhood

Little Women

I could never work myself up to pitying those penniless March girls.  Who needs money when you’ve got a hot Italian next door?  ‘Laurie’ Lawrence was everything my prepubescent heart could have desired:  quick smile, nice tan, and black eyes and volatile moods just European enough to make him mildly dangerous—all those “By Jupiters”! (Stop snickering.  At twelve, a couple of stick-on tattoos can turn you into you Jezebel.)  But my copy of the book was the abridgment, which left off charmingly with Laurie beginning to cast significant glances Jo-ward (squeee!).   Eventually, I stumbled upon Good Wives, the second part.  I threw that book across the room 3 times.  Beth dies?  Jo ends up with some old German dude?  And MY LAURIE hooks up with snottypants AMY?  What the heck, Louisa May Alcott?

Chapter 2:  Adolescence

Wuthering Heights

On to high school.  My hair was chemically enhanced.  Some of my classmates were chemically enhanced.  I wore black combat boots, too much eye makeup, and listened to the Cure.  I frequented cafés and used bookstores, which is where I found my next fixation:  Heathcliff.   I was so smitten I considered begging

Cover Girl to make their Oil Controlled Pressed Powder in Corpse so I could mimic the tubercular pallor of my new gothic heroine, Cathy Earnshaw.  That girl knew a Bad Boy when she saw him:  rebel, loner—oozing brutal sensuality, but sensitive enough to cry (and soak a tree in his own blood in a fit of lovelorn agony). Suddenly, the paltry passions of high school boys were hardly enough for me.  You want to hold hands under the bleachers, varsity football boy?  That’s nice.  But would you dig up my dead body thirteen years after my demise for one last kiss?  Now that’s hot. 

Chapter 3:  Young Adulthood

Pride & Prejudice

When sociopathic obsession and borderline necrophilia stopped being cool, I discovered Mr. Darcy—which is to say, the BBC helped me discover that Colin Firth would win a Regency wet t-shirt contest.  Having seen the miniseries in its six-hour glory, I devoured the book and fell in love with Fitzwilliam. He ruined college.  Frat boy come-ons under a haze of Axe now seemed so obvious after Darcy’s refined desire.  “What does he even do?” my male friends sulked when I found them wanting in comparison. Oh, you wouldn’t understand.  Gentlemanly things.  Horseback riding.  Letter writing.  Daydream inspiring. Tight breeches wearing. What’s that you say, Mr. Daaaahhcy?  ‘Every savage can dance’?  I am excessively diverted.  Let’s skip the ball and sneak back behind this shrubbery and I’ll put on my new lip gloss and show you what else every savage can do…

What was I looking for?  Just the boyish charm of a Laurie and the fieriness of a Heathcliff all wrapped up in the polished passion of a Darcy.  That’s do-able, right?

Apparently not.

But since Saturday nights alone with my books didn’t exactly satisfy, I found myself a nice guy.  He wasn’t rich (or Italian, for that matter), and he wasn't much more demonstrative than a casual arm around my shoulder.  While his manners were good, he lacked that urbane air of refinement. I never tried to change him, but I didn’t exactly put Laurie and Heathcliff and Mr. Darcy back on the shelf for good, either.

I  justified. 

I rationalized. 

I could have my boyfriend by day and my literary lovers by night and be faithful to all of them.

And it worked out pretty well—for a while. 

One night I was sick, and my boyfriend showed up anyway.  Reluctantly (as sinus infections aren’t nearly as romantic as consumption), I let him in and we watched Wuthering Heights for the umpteenth time.  As I sighed over the end credits, he turned to me. “All your lit crushes.  Is that really what you want?—I mean, they look good on paper, but is Heathcliff going to pick up Mucinex for you?” he asked, tenderly passing me two pills and sweetly ignoring the Kleenex plugs issuing from my snot-streaming nostrils.

Reader, I married him.

He was right, of course.  Laurie’s charismatic rich boy naiveté would probably get grating when it came down to choosing car insurance or anything remotely practical (on the other hand, with his money we could just hire someone to do it and I could live like the trophy wife March sister Amy).

I had grown out of the emotional sturm und drang of Heathcliff—date nights that could end in impulse tattoos and restraining orders seemed less appealing the older I got. 

And while Mr. Darcy might be a perfect theoretical mate, I couldn’t imagine him scraping toddler vomit off car seats, or comparison shopping for tampons, or any of the other utterly ordinary acts of gallantry my husband performs on a routine basis.

Yes, writer/reader chicks are a tough crowd. But eventually we all come to a crossroads in our literary lives:  either we’re living in someone else’s stories, or we’re writing our own.  The latter is infinitely more satisfying, even when it doesn’t make for a great page-turner.  

What? It's Friday, Again?

I have to confess I sort of have a head in my hands, it's my turn to post already, sort of morning going on. But that's okay. It's what I signed up for. Life is definitely not boring.

First, some news to get out of the way. The Wild Queen, print version, is officially LIVE on Createspace! I now have two, tangible, full length novels out in the world. And I'm kind of surprised that I'm not freaking out. It's probably because TWQ has already been published as an ebook, and has been out since last May. I think I'll be singing a different tune in the next few months when The Tyrant King goes live in print and as an ebook.

Now on to other news.

Last Friday, for my anniversary, hubby and I went to dinner. But--because I'm an author--it wasn't just any romantic dinner date. We went to a restaurant specifically so I could do research for a book I'm writing. Forget flowers and jewelry. The best gift a girl can get after 16 yrs of marriage is a man so supportive of her dreams he'll do anything in his power to make it happen. Ya, he's a keeper.

And, because I'm a mommy, I also got to go see my daughter in her first play that night. Pretty dang awesome. I know she's just got a chorus part, and is only on stage when the whole cast is, but they put her in a bright yellow dress so she stands out--and I watched her over the main players the whole time. She. Did. Amazing. And to see her glowing face after that final curtain was priceless. Despite the work involved, she may definitely have the acting/performing bug.

Considering neither my husband nor I could remember the last time he's been off work on our actual anniversary, I'm going to say last Friday was the BEST anniversary EVER. Dinner (author style) and a play (starring--not really but you know what I mean--my daughter). Priceless.

Stay tuned for next Friday's post. I have a super-secret-writing-project I'm working on almost nonstop but I'm totally stumped on a title and I need HELP. Next week I will post my plea for help along with a synopsis to help your brains turn in the right direction.

Original or Rewrite?

Ever notice how all romance stories have the same plot? Okay, okay, I know... not ALL of them. But a lot of them do.

Let me illustrate: Girl meets boy. Girl falls in love with boy. Boy has secret that he doesn't know how to tell girl without her getting mad at him, so he doesn't tell her. Girl finds out boy's secret inadvertantly and gets mad at him. Boy begs for forgiveness. They live happily ever after.

Here are a few examples: You've Got Mail, Hitch, My Super Ex-Girlfirend, While you were Sleeping (okay, in those two it's the girl who has the secret), A Walk in the Clouds, and High School Musical to name just a few.

Do you think plots in general are overdone? Or do you think good stories should be written and rewritten as long as people keep enjoying them? What about you? Do you enjoy rewrites of the same version of a story? Or do you think every plot should be an original artistic creation? And if so, how do you go about creating a story that's completely original?