A CASE FOR LOVE: The Character-Casting Process
I know I’ve already posted most of these images online at one time or another (and I know this, because they’re already uploaded to a set in Flickr), but you may not have seen them, or you may not remember seeing them. And I always love talking about one of my favorite parts of writing: Character Casting.
As I mentioned in the character-casting post for Menu for Romance, I already had many of the characters that appear in the second and third books cast from writing Stand-In Groom.
Forbes Guidry
Becky asked yesterday: “Are there other lawyer characters you’ve read or seen in the past that influenced your depiction of Forbes?”
The answer to that, quite simply, is yes. There is one particular lawyer character who greatly influenced the creation and description of Forbes. And that is the character of Cole Turner, Assistant District Attorney (and demon/Source of All Evil) in the TV show Charmed, played by the very handsome Julian McMahon.
I was never a regular viewer of that show until he came on the scene. But once the character of Cole was introduced, I was hooked. Of course, I didn’t really like the fact that the character was supposed to be a demon, so for the brief period of time when he was reformed, I was thrilled (and then I stopped watching when he went back over to being evil again).
But because there were a few lingering negative images of Julian McMahon in my mind (especially given the character he went on to play in Nip/Tuck), without conscious thought, the template for Forbes’s character started becoming a hybrid—because right around the time I started working on A Case for Love, I started watching a lot of Gregory Peck movies. Forbes has more of Julian McMahon’s physical characteristics and mannerisms, but there’s something about Gregory Peck’s calm, quiet nature that became part of him, too.
In walked one of the most gorgeous men she’d ever seen—and he looked vaguely familiar. His hair was a cross between brown and auburn, and he looked better in a tuxedo than Fred Astaire ever had. But could he dance like the sliver-screen legend? . . .
Though her four-inch heels brought her up to five foot six, the close proximity to the man forced her to crane her neck to see his face. His gorgeous face—and grayish-blue eyes looking into hers with such intensity, her whole head grew hot.
Alaine Delacroix
Those of you who’ve read Menu for Romance have “met” Alaine Delacroix. As I explained yesterday, I didn’t know until her character walked onto the scene in Menu that she was the perfect match for Forbes. Again, she was supposed to be one of the two people who came between Major and Meredith in their story—so I wanted someone as opposite from Meredith as I could find: dark (Meredith is fair), petite (Meredith is of average height/build), outgoing and flirtatious (Meredith is very reserved). And because Forbes was good looking enough to be “Bachelor of the Year,” I needed his complement—a woman gorgeous enough to be named “Bachelorette of the Year.” My choice was easy: Morena Baccarin.
Though the character she played in Firefly/Serenity has, um, quite the different occupation than Alaine Delacroix, Baccarin imbued the role with an insecure confidence that it made me want to come up with a character who exuded confidence on the outside, yet was never quite sure internally that she was really living up to what people expected of her because of her public persona.
Alaine turned to check her appearance in the large mirror to make sure she didn’t have mascara smeared down her cheeks. She made the inspection as quick as possible, hating to see her own reflection with no makeup. Even with her shoulder-length black hair still styled from her noon broadcast, with no makeup on, all she saw in the mirror were flaws—dark circles under her eyes, freckles scattered across her nose and cheeks, and the bumps on her forehead that never seemed to go away.
Secondary Characters
There are several important secondary characters in A Case for Love also. The four most important are Forbes’s and Alaine’s parents:
Mairee and Lawson Guidry
(Anne Archer and Alan Rickman)
.
Joseph and Solange Delacroix
(Sam Waterston and Marilia Pera)
In addition to Anne, George, Meredith, Major, and Jenn, there are two other major secondary characters who are important in A Case for Love: Forbes’s next-door neighbor, and client, Shon Murphy (Lance Gross), who owns the matchmaking service “Let’s Do Coffee” and who plays a role in both Forbes’s and Alaine’s lives; and Evelyn Mackenzie (Catherine Bell), the woman who comes in to help Forbes’s parents finalize a land-acquisitions deal and gets involved in some other—shall we call it—wheeling and dealing while she’s in town.
So, what do you think?
A CASE FOR LOVE: The Inspiration
In a book like Stand-In Groom with hidden identities and secret celebrity weddings, I needed a puppet-master, someone local who knew all the players and was in a position of power to be able to pull their strings. Enter Forbes Guidry.
Even before I knew that George would be keeping his true identity secret from Anne, I needed him to have a local point of contact—someone else who worked for George’s employer who could help George with things he needed to be able to do while in Bonneterre planning his boss’s wedding. And he needed to be someone who knew Anne—who knew Anne well. Then, once I came up with the idea for George pretending to be the groom, I knew this puppet master had to be someone who was always in control, always one step ahead of everyone else—and who knew how to get people to do what he wanted.
The idea for a character like Forbes didn’t start with Stand-In Groom however.
Before I ever had the idea for a story about a wedding planner falling in love, I had an idea that I might one day write a contemporary-set story loosely based on the storyline of Pride and Prejudice (this was around the same time I came up with the idea for the story that would become Love Remains, loosely based on Persuasion, but that’s a tale for another time). The hero would be a local politician running for state office—orchestrated by his wealthy aunt—and the heroine would be someone who worked for some kind of advocacy group that was trying to either get him on board with the worthy cause they advocated or get him defeated. But then I came up with the idea of Love Remains and this P&P storyline fell by the wayside . . . for the most part. But when it came time to come up with two follow-up books to Stand-In Groom (when it was still entitled Happy Endings Inc. and Menu for Romance was A Major Event Inc.) I sent in this blurb for what I tentatively entitled Forbes Guidry Inc.:
When Forbes Guidry agreed to run for state senate, he never imagined everyone around him would stop seeing him as a person and treat him as a commodity to be bought and sold by businesses and lobbyists. Historic architecture preservationist Elaine d’Arcement sees Forbes Guidry as a person—a person whose political career must end before it begins, if Bonneterre is to continue to be the charming town she loves. As election day approaches, can Ellie see beyond the fancy suits and expensive haircuts to the man of God Forbes claims to be? Can Forbes give up the luxuries of wealth, power, and popularity to choose love over his career?
I had no idea who Elaine d’Arcement was (beyond the fact that she was part of one of the larger families populating Bonneterre)—because I came up with her name and occupation on the fly when I needed something to turn in as part of a three-book proposal when I first submitted to my agent in late 2006.
But, at the beginning of 2008, just when everything started getting super contentious in the national political scene, Barbour asked if I could come up with a storyline that didn’t involve politics.
Fortunately, by this time, not only had I come up with the more solid storyline of Menu for Romance, I had a better feeling for who Forbes was from his involvement in MFR . . . and I had introduced a secondary character in Menu who I knew would be the perfect foil for Forbes—TV society reporter Alaine Delacroix.
When Alaine first came on the scene in Menu for Romance it was in the role of the vixen—the woman who was going to deliberately set out to come between Meredith and Major. (And back then, I was debating whether to make her Ward’s sister or ex-fiancée, until she informed me she was neither.) But the more scenes I put Alaine in, the more I realized that she was simply misunderstood—and that she was someone who could give Forbes lots of grief. So when Barbour asked for a new proposal for the third book in the series (which I was even then trying to rename each of the books), I realized that by choosing Alaine as the heroine of the book, and by coming up with a legal case that would involve both of them, I had the perfect setup for Forbes:
The Alaine Delacroix that all of Bonneterre knows is the carefully polished image she puts forth every day on her noontime news-magazine program. When her parents’ home and small business is threatened by the biggest corporation in town, Alaine is forced to choose between her image and fighting for the life her family has built.
Lawyer Forbes Guidry is used to making things go his way. But when he’s asked to take on a pro bono case for a colleague, he’ll learn that he can’t control everything—including his feelings for his new client: Alaine Delacroix.
Alaine’s only option to help her family is hiring Forbes, but can she bring herself to trust the handsome, disarmingly charming lawyer? And will Forbes Guidry be able to make a case for love before losing his job and family? Can both trust that God will present a solution before it’s too late?
As I did with Menu for Romance and Ransome’s Honor last summer, I’m going to feature a series of posts about A Case for Love over the next few weeks. I have ideas for what I’m going to write about . . . but what do you want to know about the book? What questions do you have about this book? this series?
Goal Setting: 2010 Writing and Career Goals
Enter the “Make A Case for Love” contest. Click here to review the prizes and ways to enter.
Last year, I started out with great intentions of how methodical I was going to be in getting my books written. Well, the best thing I can say for myself is I met my deadlines. If I’d stuck to those writing goals and the completion dates I’d set goals for, I wouldn’t now be in the position of having less than thirty days to write more than 70,000 words to meet my deadline for Love Remains—a deadline which I do intend to meet!
The reason I didn’t meet those writing goals is simply because of procrastination and laziness. Why write 1,000 words today when I can just write 2,000 words tomorrow? Which is exactly how I ended up at both deadlines in 2009 with more than 40,000 words left to write in less than a month. While I’m going to make an effort to not have that happen with my 2010 deadlines, I’m not going to set goals I know I’m not going to meet.
So here are my deadlines and writing/marketing/career goals for 2010:
1. Deadlines
I think this goes somewhat without saying. But given that I’ve had to rush to meet my last several deadlines, my goal for this is to meet all writing deadlines with time to spare—and more than just a day or two. My 2010 deadlines are:
- February 1, 2010: Love Remains (Barbour)
- July 1, 2010: self-imposed deadline for Ransome’s Quest (actual Harvest House deadline is August 1, 2010)
- October 15, 2010: The Art of Romance (Barbour)
2. Mentoring
Last year, I had a somewhat narrow vision for this goal and just mentioned judging in contests. This year, I’m going to try to be more purposeful about mentoring newer writers. One of the first ways I’m going to do that this year is the “mock” version of Genesis we do in my local group to help those who want to enter it prepare their manuscripts—and be prepared for the feedback they might expect to receive. Since nothing has yet been posted on the ACFW website about the deadlines for the 2010 contest yet, it means the deadlines will be much further into the spring, thus well after the deadline for Love Remains, so I may go ahead and volunteer to judge in that contest. For other mentoring opportunities, I’ll find them as they come, but will be on the lookout for them.
3. Teaching
I had intentions of doing several teaching series on the blog last year, but I think I’ve pretty much exhausted most of what I can do in written format—at least as far as teaching about writing. I do have some ideas for series to run here that aren’t really writing related but more geared toward personal and spiritual growth—such as a series focused on finding our passions in life based on our spiritual gifts, personalities, talents, etc. I’ll also be teaching monthly at the Middle Tennessee Christian Writers‘ meetings. I’m scheduled to teach “The Fundamentals of Critiquing” at the Northern Louisiana RWA chapter’s conference March 5–6 in Shreveport. And I’m setting a goal of submitting two applications to teach at the ACFW conference in Indianapolis in September.
4. Appearances/Speaking Engagements/Book Signings
A few of these are already listed on my Appearances page. I have two planned in January—a multi-author event at the Coffee County/Manchester Public Library January 16 and a multi-author panel at Blue Mountain College in Blue Mountain, Mississippi, on January 19. My goal is to have at least one appearance, speaking engagement, or book signing each month this year. And because I know I already have some trips planned, I’m going to try to schedule those around existing trips. Here’s what I have on the calendar so far this year:
- January 16: Coffee County/Manchester Public Library appearance
January 19: Blue Mountain College, Blue Mountain, MS, speaking engagement
March 5–6: NoLA Stars 2010 Written in the Stars Conference, Shreveport, LA, speaking engagement
June 28–30: ICRS (??)
July 18: Family wedding in Charleston, SC
September 17–20: ACFW Conference
November 22–30: Hot Springs, Arkansas
December 20–??: Hot Springs, Arkansas
So, as you can see, I have some gaps to fill in!
5. Freelancing
With the writing schedule I have, the amount of freelance work I currently have is quite sufficient, so my goal in this category is to keep this at the same basic level as what I already have.
6. Book Marketing
This should probably be higher on the list than it is. One of the major goals for this, though I cannot allot very much time to it unfortunately, is to try to get a blog tour going for A Case for Love in February, as it isn’t going to be in either of the two blog-tour programs (CFBA or Wild Card)—so if you’re interested in featuring the book with an interview and a giveaway, please contact me (e-mail address is on the Contact page). Book release dates in 2010 are:
- February 1: A Case for Love
June 1: Ransome’s Crossing
August 1: Love Remains
And for the first time since becoming a published author, I do not have a book due just before, during, or just after the holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s). The only deadline I have remaining—for the contracts I’m currently under—is April 1, 2011, for Turnabout’s Fair Play, the third book in the Matchmakers series. But who knows what else this year will bring!
What are your goals for your writing this year? your career? What do you want to be different at the end of 2010 than it is now when it comes to your writing, your education, your professional life?
Goal Setting: 2010 Reading Goals
Don’t forget. . .the “Make A Case for Love” Contest starts today! Click here to review the prizes and ways to enter.
After the long list of books I didn’t read in 2009, I’m trying to be more realistic with my reading goals for 2010—and set the goal of reading the several books I’ve received/purchased in the past few weeks.
Fiction:
Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton
Most of Crichton’s books have been more “miss” than “hit” for me, but as this is his last book (the complete manuscript was discovered after his death), and because it’s set in Jamaica about 150 years prior to my books, I thought it would be interesting to read and maybe provide some inspiration for the pirates in Ransome’s Quest. I’ve already started reading it, but will have to set it aside until February 2 so I can get Love Remains written.
- The Caribbean, 1665. A remote colony of the English Crown, the island of Jamaica holds out against the vast supremacy of the Spanish empire. Port Royal, its capital, is a cutthroat town of taverns, grog shops, and bawdy houses. In this steamy climate there’s a living to be made, a living that can end swiftly by disease—or by dagger. For Captain Charles Hunter, gold in Spanish hands is gold for the taking, and the law of the land rests with those ruthless enough to make it.
Word in port is that the galleon El Trinidad, fresh from New Spain, is awaiting repairs in a nearby harbor. Heavily fortified, the impregnable harbor is guarded by the bloodthirsty Cazalla, a favorite commander of the Spanish king himself. With backing from a powerful ally, Hunter assembles a crew of ruffians to infiltrate the enemy outpost and commandeer El Trinidad, along with its fortune in Spanish gold. The raid is as perilous as the bloodiest tales of island legend, and Hunter will lose more than one man before he even sets foot on foreign shores, where dense jungle and the firepower of Spanish infantry stand between him and the treasure. . . .
The Raven Saint by M. L. Tyndall
Having read the first two books in this wonderful series by a dear writing friend, I’m really looking forward to the final book in the trilogy.
- Captain Rafe Dubois kidnapped Grace Westcott for the money, but once she invaded his life with her religious piety—and her goodness and kindness—he knew he would never be the same. But falling in love means risking another betrayal. Will God’s Grace be sufficient?
The Silent Governess by Julie Klassen
This may turn out to be an exercise in perseverance for me. I have tried to read Klassen’s first two books and both started out slowly enough that I got distracted by other things, put them down, and never got back around to picking them up again. But I am determined that I will get this book read because I keep hearing wonderful things about her writing and storytelling skills.
- Olivia Keene is fleeing her own secret. She never intended to overhear his. But now that she has, what is Lord Bradley to do with her? He cannot let her go, for were the truth to get out, he would lose everything–his reputation, his inheritance, his very home. He gives Miss Keene little choice but to accept a post at Brightwell Court, where he can make certain she does not spread what she heard. Keeping an eye on the young woman as she cares for the children, he finds himself drawn to her, even as he struggles against the growing attraction. The clever Miss Keene is definitely hiding something. Moving, mysterious, and romantic, The Silent Governess takes readers inside the intriguing life of a nineteenth-century governess in an English manor house where all is not as it appears.
Daisy Miller and Washington Square by Henry James
Henry James is one of my favorite late-19th/early-20th Century American writers. It’s been years since I’ve read Daisy Miller and I’ve never read Washington Square (though I did see a film adaptation of it a few years ago). Because I have so much trouble reading modern fiction, I’m hoping that returning to some classics might help me get past this “reader’s block” I now suffer from. I picked this two-in-one volume up at B&N this weekend in their buy-two-get-one-free classics sale.
- In Daisy Miller, James paints a vivid portrait of a vibrant young American girl visiting Europe for the first time. Lovely, flirtatious, eager for experience, Daisy meets a wealthy American, Mr. Winterbourne, and a penniless but passionate Italian. Her complex encounters with them and others allow James to explore one of his favorite themes, the effect of Americans and Europeans on each other.
Washington Square’s Catherine Sloper is Daisy Miller’s opposite. Neither pretty nor charming, she lives with her wealthy, widowed, tyrannical father, Dr. Austin Sloper, who can barely conceal his disdain for his shy, awkward daughter. When a handsome suitor, Morris Townsend, comes calling, Catherine’s father refuses to believe he is anything other than a heartless fortune hunter and sets out to destroy her romance.
Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie
Can you believe I’ve never actually read this book? This is the second of the three classics I purchased at B&N this weekend, not only because I like “collecting” hardcover classics—and because it was a way to get three books without resorting to buying yet another copy of one of Jane Austen’s novels (I have at least two different versions of each of the six completed novels, plus a couple of copies of some of her unfinished works). And with as much as I’ve always enjoyed this story (as well as Finding Neverland) I figured this one would be a good read for me.
- Peter Pan first flew across a London stage in 1904, overwhelming audiences with its tale of a magical boy who never grows up, who lures young Wendy and her brothers to Neverland where they meet pirates, Indians, fairies, and the Lost Boys. Following the play’s astonishing success, J. M. Barrie revised and expanded the story andpublished it as this novel, originally titled Peter and Wendy when it appeared in 1911. For children, it remains a marvelous mix of fantasy and adventure, featuring unique, imaginative characters, who frisk and frolic in an enchanting land. For adults, the story of Peter and the Lost Boys works on a much deeper level, speaking to them about the inevitable loss of childhood and the ability “to fly.” The climactic duel between the “proud and insolent youth” (Peter Pan) and the “dark and sinister man” (Captain Hook) is both a swashbuckling romp and a moving metaphor for the complex, poignant struggle between innocent but irresponsible youth and tainted but dependable maturity. Neither side wins, for the one inevitably becomes the other. Of course, the ageless Peter Pan is the happy exception.
Love is Monumental by Annalisa Daughety
This is the second book in the Walk in the Park series by my fellow Barbour author Annalisa Daughety, and with as much as I enjoyed the first book in this series, Love Is a Battlefield, I’m really looking forward to this outing!
- Discover the Washington Monument along with park ranger Vickie Harris who loves her job. But while life in the District of Columbia is exciting and fun, shy Vickie has resigned herself to the likelihood of being single forever. She’s never been head-over-heels in love. . .not even really been kissed! But when a handsome professor asks the reserved, research-loving ranger for assistance on a project, will Vickie agree? Will she come out of her shell long enough to discover that Love Is Monumental?
Nonfiction:
Walden and Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau
As an English major, I have read excerpts from both of these essays from one of the key transcendentalists, but I have never read either of them in their entirety. So my goal is to read at least one of them all the way through this year.
- Henry David Thoreau was a sturdy individualist and a lover of nature. In March, 1845, he built himself a wooden hut on the edge of Walden Pond, near Concord, Massachusetts, where he lived until September 1847. Walden is Thoreau’s autobiograophical account of his Robinson-Crusoe existence, bare of creature comforts but rich in contemplation of the wonders of nature and the ways of man. On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience is the classic protest against government’s interference with individual liberty, and is considered one of the most famous essays ever written. This newly repackaged edition also includes a selection of Thoreau’s poetry.
Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women by Harriet Reisen
I had never heard of this until I saw an article in the NYT while I was in Louisiana reviewing the documentary made from this book. Louisa May Alcott is one of my favorite classic authors, and my overall favorite 19th Century American author.
- Louisa May Alcott portrays a writer as worthy of interest in her own right as her most famous character, Jo March, and addresses all aspects of Alcott’s life: the effect of her father’s self-indulgent utopian schemes; her family’s chronic economic difficulties and frequent uprootings; her experience as a nurse in the Civil War; the loss of her health and frequent recourse to opiates in search of relief from migraines, insomnia, and symptomatic pain. Stories and details culled from Alcott’s journals; her equally rich letters to family, friends, publishers, and admiring readers; and the correspondence, journals, and recollections of her family, friends, and famous contemporaries provide the basis for this lively account of the author’s classic rags-to-riches tale. . . . Louisa May Alcott is in the end also the story of how the all-time beloved American classic Little Women came to be. This revelatory portrait will present the popular author as she was and as she has never been seen before.
Mission: Cook!: My Life, My Recipes, and Making the Impossible Easy by Robert Irvine
My mom knows how much I love Dinner: Impossible on Food Network, so she got me Chef Robert Irvine’s book which is half-autobiography and half-cookbook. It’s one that’s easy to pick up and put down after reading the 3–4 page anecdotes about Irvine’s life and the experiences that made him into what he is today. While I’ll probably never use any of the recipes (who knows, though, because I haven’t read them all yet), I’m already enjoying learning more about one of my favorite TV chefs.
- As the host of Food Network’s Dinner: Impossible, chef Irvine routinely pulls off last-minute feats of Herculean culinary might, assembling multi-course meals for large groups in out-of-the-way locations with few resources. . . . Alongside tales of his time in the Navy (where he prepared a last-minute meal for 2,000 refugees) and Hollywood (a lavish post-Oscar celebration makes a nail-biting yarn), recipes for impressive dishes like Black Angus Beef Tartare with Toasted Brioche and Fried Quail Egg, Roasted Duck with White Bean Ragout, Truffle Oil and Shaved Parmesan Cheese and simple but flavorful Grilled Winter Vegetables with Pesto Dressing give readers plenty to think about and salivate over. . . .
The Pleasures of Cooking for One by Judith Jones
I hadn’t heard of this book until the food commentator on NPR listed it amongst the top ten cookbooks of 2009—and as soon as I heard the title, I knew it was a book I wanted. And my dear mother, having either heard me mention it or hearing the broadcast herself, got it for me for Christmas. Again, it’s one that’s more of a pick up and peruse every now and then type of book, but I’m really looking forward to digging into it.
- Here, in convincing fashion, Judith Jones demonstrates that cooking for yourself presents unparalleled possibilities for both pleasure and experimentation: you can utilize whatever ingredients appeal, using farmers’ markets and specialty shops to enrich your palate and improve your health; you can feel free to fail, since a meal for one doesn’t have to be perfect; and you can use leftovers to innovate—in the course of a week, the remains of beef bourguignon might be reimagined as a ragù, pork tenderloin may become a stir-fry, a cup or two of wild rice produces both a refreshing pilaf and a rich pancake, and red snapper can be reinvented as a summery salad. It’s a fulfilling and immensely economical process, one perfectly suited for our times—although, as Jones points out, cooking for one also means we can occasionally indulge ourselves in a favorite treat.
The MAKE A CASE FOR LOVE Contest Starts Tomorrow!
Don’t forget, the “Make A Case for Love” contest starts tomorrow and runs through January 29, 2010. Click here to review the prizes and the methods of entering.
2009 Goals Review: Writing & Career Goals
I can’t believe I haven’t looked at this list in a year. I’ll be re-reading it for the first time since originally posting it as I go through to comment on what I’ve accomplished and what I haven’t.
1. Judge in at least two contests for unpublished authors.
- ACFW Genesis contest. I already know I’ll be judging in this one, because I do every year.
- Possibly an RWA contest, since romance is my area of expertise and it’s the genre I feel the best capable of judging with any kind of authority.
[Done—judged a “first-three-pages” contest for a friend’s RWA chapter, the FHL-RWA chapter’s contest, and the Genesis contest.]
2. Submit four applications to teach at the ACFW conference.
- I may submit the same four I submitted last year, or I may work up something different. Whatever they are, I need to figure that out pretty quickly.
[Submitted applications, weren’t accepted (but I was on the conference committee). I ended up planning and teaching a one-day “miniconference” for Middle Tennessee Christian Writers the weekend before ACFW.]
3. Writing Conferences.
-
I am going to try to attend two conferences this year: Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers’ Conference, which several other people in my local group are thinking of attending, and ACFW, which I attend every year.
[Did not go to any conferences this year. Blue Ridge was the same weekend I participated in the LifeWay Fiction Day and attended a friend’s wedding in Alexandria, Louisiana. Couldn’t afford to go to ACFW in Denver. But I was given the opportunity to attend ICRS this year, so that almost made up for missing ACFW.]
4. Ransome’s Honor
- Currently working on edits based on feedback from HH editor.
- Turn in RH on or before deadline of February 1, 2009.
[Done, obviously]
5. A Case for Love (100,000 words, due July 1, 2009)
- Complete first draft of ACFL by April 15 by writing an average of 1,000 words per day. [Not done]
- First round of edits April 20–30. [Not done]
- To Beta Readers by May 1. [Not done]
- Back from Beta Readers by May 29. [Not done]
- Final revisions/edits, May 29–June 19. [Not done]
- Turn in ACFL on or before deadline of July 1, 2009.[DONE!]
6. Ransome’s Crossing (105,000 words, due December 1, 2009)
- Pre-writing/scenes/minor research through April 15. [Not done]
- Begin first draft in earnest April 16, 2009. [Not done]
- Finish (rough) first draft by July 24 by writing an average of 1,000 words per day. [Not done]
- Additional research and revisions, August 1–31. [Not done]
- To Beta Readers by September 1. [Not done]
- Back from Beta Readers by September 30. [Not done]
- Rewrites, revisions, and final research October 1–November 20. [Not done]
- Turn in RC on or before deadline of December 1, 2009. [Done!]
7. The Matchmakers Series (new contemporary romance trilogy)
- First three chapters of Love Remains complete by April 30. [Not done—primarily because Chip told me I didn’t need to]
- Love Remains synopsis complete by May 8.
- Cover Model synopsis complete by May 22.
- Turn About’s Fair Play synopsis complete by June 5.
- Proposal complete by June 15.
- Proposal submitted to Chip MacGregor on or before June 20, 2009. [Not sure on what dates I finished each of the synopses, but I e-mailed the proposal to Chip on June 9, 2009]
- Begin writing Love Remains August 1. Complete first draft by October 31. [So not done, it’s not even funny.]
- Love Remains to Beta Readers on January 1, 2010. [Let’s see…It’s December 30, and I’m sitting at 20k words. Yeah, don’t think I’ll make this one!]
8. Marketing
- Get new headshots taken. [Done! Did them myself, as a matter of fact.]
- Participate in/set up at least six book signings. [Well, Barbour took care of this for me with just the trip to Michigan in March. But I’m pretty sure I did at least six this year, when all was said and done.]
- Look into different marketing ideas (such as book trailers or other publicity venues). [Barbour & Harvest House were wonderful and created trailers for MFR and RH. I haven’t been able to spend as much time on marketing as I’d like/need to.]
- Start budgeting for a real website. [Back-burnered]
- Go on at least one book-signing tour outside of my home area. [Book signing tour in Michigan (thanks, Barbour!), four signings in Louisiana, signings at ICRS in Denver, signing at a booksellers’ conference in Atlanta.]
- Follow up with Waldenbooks in the Hot Springs mall to set up book signing event for May or June. [That store closed. But at Thanksgiving, I went to the BAM & Family Christian and signed books at both stores. Got info from FCS to try to set up a signing next time I’m there (March).]
- Participate in book signing at ACFW conference in September. [Sadly, did not get to go.]
- Find out if Stand-In Groom is eligible to be entered for the ACFW Book of the Year/RWA RITA awards in 2009. [Entered SIG in both the debut novel and contemporary romance categories of the ACFW BOTY contest—it didn’t even final. :-(]
9. Freelancing
- Pick up 2–3 additional publishers to freelance for by following up on leads, contacting non-traditional sources. [While I didn’t pick up the 2–3 additional houses, volume from the two or three I’m working for picked up enough I didn’t need to.]
- Generate enough income from freelancing to start rebuilding savings account. [Done!]
10. Teaching
- Follow up with community college regarding opportunities to substitute and/or adjunct teach. [Haven’t done this, because I don’t have time.]
- Submit at least four proposals to teach at ACFW conference. [Did it. Didn’t have any make it past the first round of cuts.]
- Contact all (small) local colleges about opportunities to guest lecture or provide special seminars. [Haven’t done—more due to time than anything else, but I will be speaking at a college—Blue Mountain College, in Blue Mountain, Mississippi—in January 2010.]
- Teach at least nine writing-craft/industry series through kayedacus.com. [When I set this goal, I obviously hadn’t gone back and looked at the writing series index to see that I’ve pretty much covered most of the subjects when it comes to writing. I may come up with some other, more unique series in the future, but for now, I’ll just refer you to the index and leave it at that.]
What were your goals (your hopes, plans) for your career and/or your writing this year? Looking back on 2009, are you at a better place in either or both than you were at the beginning of the year? What have you learned throughout the course of the past twelve months that will help you to grow and move forward in your career/writing over the next twelve months?
2009 Goals Review: Reading List (Wait…What?)
Well, I started 2009 with great intentions of making it the year I was going to start reading again. I didn’t realize how difficult this would be between the hours I spend on the freelance editing and the writing. But as I want to hold myself accountable to the goals I post publicly here, that means it’s time for a review.
Currently Reading (January 2009)
The Apothecary’s Daughter by Julie Klassen [Didn’t finish reading]
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë [Finished reading just before the premiere of the new film version during PBS’s Masterpiece Classics series]
Novels to Read while Writing Ransome’s Crossing:
Persuasion (Norton Critical Edition) by Jane Austen (re-read, including all of the critical texts) [Done]
By a Lady by Amanda Elyot [Never got around to it]
Lieutenant Hornblower by C.S. Forrester [Done]
Post Captain by Patrick O’Brian [Read bits and pieces applicable to what I was writing]
or The Far Side of the World by Patrick O’Brian [Read bits and pieces applicable to what I was writing]
Sword of Honour by Alexander Kent [Read bits and pieces applicable to what I was writing]
False Colours by Georgette Heyer [Never got around to it]
Classics I Will Finally Read in 2009:
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee [Never got around to it]
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde [Started but not yet finished—will finish before the movie comes out]
Bleak House by Charles Dickens [Done]
Writing-Craft Books for 2009 WPWT Writing Series:
Because of deadlines, freelance volume, and traveling, I never got around to the writing series on plot, so I didn’t get to any of the following books:
- No Plot? No Problem!: A Low-Stress, High-Velocity Guide to Writing a Novel in 30 Days by Chris Baty
Plot by Ansen Dibell
The Plot Thickens: 8 Ways to Bring Fiction to Life by Noah Lukeman
Conflict, Action, and Suspense by William Noble
Characters and Viewpoint by Orson Scott Card [Done—for the “Make POV Work for You” series]
The Power Of Point Of View: Make Your Story Come To Life by Alicia Rasley [Done—for the “Make POV Work for You” series]
Mastering Point of View by Sherri Szeman [Done—for the “Make POV Work for You” series]
Bullies, Bastards And Bitches: How To Write The Bad Guys of Fiction by Jessica Morrell [Done—for the “Bad Guys” series]
The Power of the Dark Side: Creating Great Villains, Dangerous Situations, & Dramatic Conflict by Pamela Jaye Smith [Done—for the “Bad Guys” series]
Research Books I’ll Need to Read/Re-Read in 2009:
Men-Of-War: Life in Nelson’s Navy by Patrick O’Brian [Done]
Patrick O’Brian’s Navy by Richard O’Neill [Done]
Harbors and High Seas: An Atlas and Geographical Guide to the Complete Aubrey-Maturin Novels of Patrick O’Brian by Dean King and John B. Hattendorf [Done]
Jane Austen and the Navy by Brian Southam [Done]
Life Before the Mast by Jon E. Lewis [Done]
Jane Austen: The World of Her Novels by Deirdre Le Faye [Done]
A Sea of Words by Dean King, John B. Hattendorf, and J. Worth Estes [As needed]
A History of Pirates by Nigel Cawthorne [Didn’t need for RC]
Men o’ War: The Illustrated Story of Life in Nelson’s Navy by Peter Goodwin [Done]
Novels Already on My Shelves to Be Read in 2009:
Fireworks by Elizabeth White [Never got around to]
Symphony of Secrets by Sharon Hinck [Never got around to]
Unbridled Dreams by Stephanie Grace Whitson [Never got around to]
A Lady of Secret Devotion by Tracie Peterson [Never got around to]
Novels I’ll Try to Get To in 2009:
A Claim of Her Own by Stephanie Grace Whitson [Never got around to]
Turning the Paige by Laura Jensen Walker [Never got around to]
The Red Siren by M. L. Tyndall [Done—and what a fantastic book]
Wind of the Spirit by J.M. Hochstetler [Never got around to]
Daniel’s Den by Brandt Dodson [Never got around to]
Before the Season Ends by Linore Burkard [Never got around to]
American Anthem by B.J. Hoff [Never got around to]
Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler [Never got around to]
From a Distance by Tamera Alexander [Never got around to]
A Passion Most Pure by Julie Lessman [Started but never finished]
Shade by John Olson [Never got around to]
The Senator’s Other Daughter (Belles of Lordsburg #1) by Stephen Bly [Never got around to]
Try Dying (Ty Buchanan Series, Book 1) by James Scott Bell [Never got around to]
ABA Novels of Interest I Might Get Around to in 2009
Primeval: The Lost Island by Paul Kearney [Never got around to]
Her Warrior King (Harlequin Historical Series) by Michelle Willingham [Never got around to]
The Legend by Kathleen Givens [Never got around to]
The Lost Duke of Wyndham (Two Dukes of Wyndham, Book 1) by Julia Quinn [Never got around to]
Mr. Cavendish, I Presume (Two Dukes of Wyndham, Book 2) by Julia Quinn [Never got around to]
Writing-Craft Books I Should Read in 2009:
The First Five Pages: A Writer’s Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile by Noah Lukeman [Never got around to]
The Hero with a Thousand Faces by Joseph Campbell [Never got around to]
Improve Your Romance Writing Skills by Geneviève Montcombroux [Never got around to]
Books I also read in 2009:
The Blue Enchantress by M.L. Tyndall (great series)
Love Is a Battlefield by Annalisa Daughety (fantastic new author)
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman (the movie is MUCH better)
The Rock That Is Higher: Story as Truth by Madeleine L’Engle
Crazy for God by Frank Schaeffer
Montana Rose by Mary Connealy (content edit)
Luther’s Catechism by Martin Luther (full edit)
I Know I’m Not Alone, Lord: Rediscovering Joy and Contentment after Divorce by Janice Hanna and Kathleen Y’Barbo (full edit)
Top 100 Women of the Christian Faith by Jewell Johnson (full edit)
Magna by Nicole O’Dell (full edit)
Making Waves by Nicole O’Dell (full edit)
Found in the Translation By Roger and Kristi Bruner (full edit)
The Best Medicine (Stories from Hope Haven #1) by Anne Marie Rodgers (full edit)
Chasing the Wind (Stories from Hope Haven #2) by Patricia Rushford (full edit)
Angels Undercover by Diane Noble (proofread)
At Home in the Garden, Melinda Rathjen Rumbaugh, ed. (proofread)
365 Daily Whispers of Wisdom for Stepmoms by Multiple Authors (full edit)
Fat Chance by Julie Hadden (proofread)
Easter Ideals, Melinda Rathjen Rumbaugh, ed. (copy edit)
I have to say, out of all the books I read/edited this year, it would be hard for me to pick only one favorite, so I’m going to have to call it a tie and say that M.L. Tyndall’s The Red Siren and Annalisa Daughety’s Love Is a Battlefield are my two favorite books I read this year.
What were your reading goals for 2009? What was your favorite book you read?
Coming in January . . . the Make a Case for Love Contest!
I always have to have a contest when I have a book releasing, and A Case for Love is no exception. Beginning Monday, January 4 and running through Friday, January 29, 2010, I’ll be taking submissions in the “Make a Case for Love Contest.” As with the previous contests, there are a few ways to enter and a few prizes you can win.
THE PRIZES*
Grand Prize: Signed copy of A Case for Love, Menu for Romance, and Stand-In Groom and a $75 Amazon.com gift certificate.
2nd Place: Signed copy of A Case for Love, Menu for Romance, and Stand-In Groom and a $50 Amazon.com gift certificate.
3rd Place: Signed copy of A Case for Love, Menu for Romance, and Stand-In Groom and a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate.
HOW DO I ENTER?
1. To enter the grand prize drawing, you must do both of the following [(a) and (b)]:
- (a) Submit a short scene involving a lawyer arguing a case in which he or she MUST PROVE TRUE LOVE EXISTS. It can be fan fiction (using characters from an existing TV show or movie) or a story of your own creation (please indicate which in your submission e-mail); it can be a courtroom scene or outside of a formal legal setting—but the character must be a lawyer! Entries must be shorter than 1,500 words or they will be disqualified. I along with a panel of anonymous judges (probably relatives) will choose the winner. Entries should be e-mailed to me at kaye (at) kayedacus (dot) com, with a subject line: Make a Case for Love Contest. Entries must be received no later than midnight (U.S. Central Time) Friday, January 29, 2010.
(b) Post a comment on at least ten blog posts between Monday, January 4, 2010, and Friday, January 29, 2010. Comments must be relevant to the topic of that day’s post. Only one comment per post will count toward the contest, but each comment over the ten required earns you another name in the “hat”—so the more you visit the blog and comment on posts, the greater your chances of winning.**
For comments to count toward the contest, they must be on the posts dated between January 4, 2010 and January 29, 2010—no going back to older posts and commenting on those! Also—it should be more than just “Great topic. Thanks for posting it.” I want thoughtful comments that prove you’ve actually read what I’ve written.
- Eligible non-winning entrants for the grand prize will be entered into the drawing for the 2nd & 3rd place prizes.
2. To enter the drawing for the 2nd & 3rd place prizes (names to be drawn at random):
Post a comment on at least ten blog posts between Monday, January 4, 2010, and Friday, January 29, 2010. Comments must be relevant to the topic of that day’s post. Only one comment per post will count toward the contest, but each comment over the ten required earns you another name in the “hat”—so the more you visit the blog and comment on posts, the greater your chances of winning.**
For comments to count toward the contest, they must be on the posts dated between January 4, 2010 and January 29, 2010—no going back to older posts and commenting on those! Also—it should be more than just “Great topic. Thanks for posting it.” I want thoughtful comments that prove you’ve actually read what I’ve written.
HOW WILL I KNOW IF I’VE WON?
I will e-mail winners (so be sure your e-mail address is correct when you post your comments) on Sunday, January 31, 2010, and the winning scene and names of winners will be posted on Monday, February1, 2010—A Case for Love‘s official release date!
*These prizes/gift certificate amounts are for residents of the U.S. and Canada only. If you live outside North America and your entry is chosen for one of the prizes, we will work out an equitable prize package and figure out how to get it to you!
**Posting a comment on ten posts earns you one entry in the contest; each additional comment (one per post) earns additional entries. For example: if you comment on eleven posts, you’ll have two entries; comment on fifteen posts, earn six entries. There will occasionally be posts on which your comment will earn you than one entry.
Merry Christmas!
I’ve been in Baton Rouge since Sunday evening, and have enjoyed spending time with my family—when I’m not at a book-signing event an hour away or working on freelance projects! More family came in tonight, and we’re all looking forward to some more quality time spent together (though some people have put their shopping off until the last minute and will spend the day tomorrow rectifying that!), Christmas Eve services, and then Christmas morning—first with our immediate families, then later with the extended family. As the weekend wears on, more family will come, and more special activities (and foods) are planned.
I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday, and I’ll “see” you after Christmas!
Holiday Recipes: I Love Potatoes
Today, I’m sharing two of my favorite recipes, both of which originated with my grandmother, and both of which I’ve come to treasure over the years. The first works well as a dish for any meal, even breakfast. The second is great as a side dish or even as a dessert. Neither is diet-friendly. Enjoy!
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Hash Brown Casserole
Casserole Ingredients:
30- to 32-ounce package cubed or shredded plain frozen hash browns
1/2 cup melted butter or margarine
16 ounces sour cream
1 can cream of chicken condensed soup
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 chopped onion (optional)
Topping Ingredients:
1/4 cup melted butter or margarine
2 cups crispy rice cereal (not “puffed” rice cereal)
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a very large bowl, combine casserole ingredients, stirring to mix thoroughly. The potatoes should be added when still frozen—that way they don’t mush up when mixing with the other ingredients. (I like to combine all the wet ingredients and then stir in the potatoes, but order really doesn’t matter as much as getting everything thoroughly mixed.) Onions are optional—I’ve made the casserole with and without them and it tastes great both ways.
Grease a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish (butter-flavored cooking spray works great). Pour mixture into the dish and spread evenly.
In a small bowl or a quart-sized zipper-top bag, combine cereal, salt, and pepper. Drizzle melted butter over and toss to coat thoroughly (much easier to do in the plastic bag than in the bowl). Spread evenly over top of casserole.
Bake 45 minutes (for shredded potatoes) to one hour (for cubed potatoes). Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.
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Sweet Potato Casserole
Casserole Ingredients:
3 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes*
1 cup sugar—granulated or brown or mixed
1/4 cup melted butter/margarine
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Topping Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup melted butter/margarine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine potatoes, 1 cup white-or-brown sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until well combined. Pour into a greased 2.5- to 3-quart baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine brown sugar, melted butter, flour, and pecans. Mix well (will be crumbly) and spread evenly over potato mixture. Bake 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
*If you use canned sweet potatoes, get the kind packed in water not syrup.
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