I Turn Up a Bad Penny and Interview Penelope Jones, Blogger and author of Iniquitous Solace: The Aftermath

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Writerly Advice from Editor Trish Owens

Hello Readers, Today I am welcoming Editor Trish Owens over for a quick Q&A. This should be a great read for all budding and established authors. There will certainly be things you know, but I am quite sure there may be many gems hidden inside that will help you along your writing career. Pull up your seat, take a deep, slow sip from your oversized coffee mug, and enjoy a fun and informative post with something for everyone.

Cheers, Chase

 

1.) What is GMC?

 GMC is a term coined eons ago (I don't want to credit the wrong person and get in trouble) revolving around the Goals, Motivations, and Conflicts of your characters. GMC really makes the difference between boring and exciting in a story. If you use the Wizard of  Oz as a discussion point, Dorothy's first goal is to get to the Emerald City, her motivation is to go home, and her conflict is each stumbling block that is presented along the Yellow Brick Road. 

GMC can change throughout a story, too. Half-way through the Wizard of Oz, Dorothy's goal changes to focus on getting the witch's broom. Motivations can change as well. She was motivated to throw water at the witch because the witch was going to set Scarecrow on fire. Dorothy didn’t realize the witch would melt, so without that motivation she wouldn’t have gotten the job done.

Conflict can be internal and external. Dorothy’s internal conflict would be her inability to accept that there is more to home than meets the eye. Her external conflict is how she’s going to get there. If you remember, she wasn’t able to go home until she solved her internal conflict. J Pretty snazzy.

2.) As an editor what are the most common mistakes you see in a self-published authors work?

 The most common mistakes I see in self published works are common typos or grammar errors the eye easily passes over when it's your own work. When you read that sentence, you know the word is supposed to be there so it's easily glossed over. I bet if you comb through this post you will find errors. J I feel it's important to have someone review your story with a critical eye to catch what you missed. If you’re self-publishing, I strongly suggest you hire an editor to review your work so readers are purchasing a quality book. If you’re traditionally published, your editor will thank you and will be eager to buy more books because you’re professional and easy to work with.

Self-editing tips:

·         Review grammar and spelling rules. Strunk and White’s Elements of Style is an awesome grammar book to add to your shelf.

·         Change your font before re-reading. It makes the story look different to the eye and mistakes are suddenly easier to see.

·         Go old school and make a print copy to correct.

·         Read your work aloud. You can catch a lot of errors that way, including sentences that don't flow well. 

·         When you edit, start at a random spot, like in the middle, or toward the end. Eyes get tired, and if you’re reading to the same spot accurately and then blowing over the rest, you’ll miss mistakes in the back of your story.

·         Some people read the story backwards. I’ve never done this, but give it a try.

 

3) What is the importance of POV?

 Point of view (POV) is an important part of any story. Have you ever watched a movie with really bad camera work? Maybe the camera bounces from character to character very quickly without giving the viewer a chance to focus. Your POV is your camera angle for your story, only you get to go one step deeper and hear internal dialogue as well. If you jump from character to character it's hard to focus on who is speaking and thinking. I don't mind a POV change mid-scene, especially during sex scenes, but hopping rapidly from head to head makes it hard to get deep into the flow of the story. I feel the rule of thumb is to stay in the POV of the character with the most at stake. 

You’re probably aware of the different points of view used. I prefer past third, which is most directly in the heroine/hero's thoughts without being in first person. You can get the deepest into the character's soul without rambling (sometimes first person can get verbose.) Some genres, like Young Adult and New Adult tend to like first person and there’s a rash of stories told in alternating point of view. It needs to be really clear whose brain you’re in when you use first person or it’s frustrating.

 

4) What is a common editorial pet peeve?

 I don't know if my pet peeves are common, but here they are. I have several words that are like nails on a chalkboard for me. Body, move and felt all give me shivers of the bad kind. They're all vague, passive and overused. Example: He moved his body against hers and it felt good. Ugh. Better: He shoved deeper, twisting his hips so his pubic bone hit her clit. She moaned and arched her back, her fingers digging into his ass. 

I hate passive writing. If you’re using had or was it’s probably passive. Involve the reader with past tense verbs. Crappy example: She was sad. Better example: Sadness gripped her heart and wrenched, ripping a hole in her chest. Okay, that was cheesy, but it’s better than the first one.

I hate rejecting authors. I want nothing more than to read your submission and to buy it. So do your absolute best to give me something to pitch to my senior editor!

5) What is your viewpoint on new authors seeking out advice to improve their writing?

 It's great if new authors are looking to improve and it shows they’re truly committed to their craft and giving their readers the best they can offer. Everyone has room for improvement, no matter how many books they've published. Some people work well with books. I like James Frey’s How To Write A Damned Good Novel for learning about great dialogue and other crucial story components.

I am a fan of Romance Writers of America. They do a great job of teaching new authors the ropes as well as supporting established authors. Finding a GOOD critique group is a great way to get feedback, as are beta readers.

6) I know within the first five pages if it's going to be a story I'll consider buying. I might thumb ahead and see if things get better, but it’s usually fairly clear. You may not be submitting to an editor, but many book sellers offer a free portion of your book to sample. You want to hook these readers into clicking buy when they hit the end of your sample.

·         Start with a great opening hook.

·         Begin your story with the pivotal moment in a character’s life that sparks change. This will get the reader involved and invested in your characters and their plight.

·         Avoid unnecessary back story. A lot of stories start with extra details you just don’t need, or can be filtered into the story later for more insight.

·         Dialogue is crucial for moving your story forward. Make sure it’s not boring, every day dialogue but a conversation that really sparks the reader into wanting to know more.

·         Is it formatted correctly? Spell-checked? Are the verbs active instead of passive? Is the point of view clear and concise? Nothing says professionalism like a clean, edited, formatted manuscript.

7) What is your opinion on self-publishing vs. traditional publishing?

That’s a great question There are pros and cons to both venues. With traditional publishing, you have the editing staff, cover artist and marketing director on your side, helping you. Most publishers have a way to get your books to reviewers for consideration. You still have to promote your work, though. Gone is the day where you sit at home and write while the publisher takes out glossy ads. The downsides are contract stipulations, getting paid a lower royalty, and the potential of getting a dud of a publisher. Do your homework; go with someone who is established with a good reputation. Ask questions about the contract and get a lawyer to review it if you’re unsure.

Self publishing gives you complete control for your product and higher royalty rates. However, you’re a one-person band, and that control can detract from your writing time. Your cover still sells your book, despite being a digital society. A great blurb is a must, good editing very crucial. It’s nice to have a professional formatter create files to gift readers or deliver to reviewers. Those services cost money to produce a great product for readers. You’ll have to hunt down reviews on your own, and a lot of reviewers won’t consider an indie book unless it’s been professionally edited. Then you have to promote yourself and your work.

My suggestion? Try to get in with a publisher first. When you consider the expense needed to turn out a quality product you can charge more than a few bucks for, it’s worth taking a reduced royalty rate until you learn the business and get a following going. I would suggest writing a ton of books, submitting to a few different houses to get readers from different venues, and create a following. THEN, when you have a little money and a readership begging for more, go for the self-published books and see what happens.

8) What is the best advice for authors?

·         Write the book of your heart. What’s popular now might be dead when you finish, so writing what you love is a smarter choice.

·         Finish up and start another book instead of revising the same one over and over.

·          You’re probably not going to have an instant best seller, but you can earn a good living by having a nice backlist for readers to devour.

·         Submit to publishers and listen to their advice if they give it.

·         Give yourself a goal with every book—expanding conflict, better dialogue, more emotion, adding adventure, different point of view.

·         Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself. Write because you love it, not to earn money.

·         Lastly, don’t give up.  

 

 

The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

www.thewilderroses.com is the erotic catalog

www.thewildrosepress.com is the regular catalog 

 

Trish Owens, Scarlet Editor (Scarlet is the erotic line) 

 

I've worked with TWRP since 2007 and enjoy helping authors take their books to the next level. I love all genres of writing from BDSM to sweeter erotic romance. Hot stories with kink sell the best, and readers seem to love cowboys and military men, but don't let that limit your imagination! 

 

Erotic Escapades Cover Reveal!!! Release Date 5/03/13

Hello, blog hoppers, readers and fans. I am excited and proud to present the Exclusive Reveal of my Collection Cover. The collection contains my first five erotic shorts with a special foreword from friend and blogger b.l.ronan. I have the added benefit of showcasing a beautiful friend of mine on the cover. The total effect is pulled together by the very talented Aphrodite Smiles who graces me with her skill continuously. I hope you enjoy this sneak peek as much as I enjoy revealing it to you because a collection would never hade been possible without the love and support of my wife, friends and many fans. You all count and I appreciate you all. Thank you for continuing to support my dream. Sincerely, Chase Boehner

Exclusive Cover Reveal for my collection containing my first five erotic short stories at a great price!!!

A Peek into the Lyrically Erotic World of Elizabeth Woodham's "Short, Provocative Erotica" series.

Hello Readers, Chase here and I am thrilled to feature the absolutely brilliant Elizabeth Woodham as she grabs a seat and gives us all a peek into the "Short, Provocative Erotica" series. This series isn't the everyday erotica you are used to. It should be approached as it's own entity, a different canvas adorned with the art of her words. Reading this series is like skipping pebbles across the water. You stop here for a brief moment and glimpse something ethereal that leaves you with a hunger for more before skipping off to your next, brief encounter. On your next splash on the surface a different, yet familiar dreamscape takes holds of your senses, briefly as well, before flinging you on to your next encounter. And so the journey continues...

Now, Dear Readers, Elizabeth in her own words:

I adore the creative arts. Passionate about all forms of literature from a very young age; I was encouraged in many artistic pursuits including singing, playing the guitar and drama. Writing is something I’ve always done; I still have the first attempts in my attic at home. Secret Narrative was born about six years ago and launched on line in 2011. This year I met Chloe Thurlow and inspired by her work and many other aspects of her life, I added ‘The Little Red Kilt’ to a series called ‘Short, Provocative Erotica’ Lately, it seems as if the ‘muse’ must exist; it triggered Lily’s Mute Letter that I originally put into a collection of ‘Blossoms’ and ‘Lazuline’, which ran off in one hit over the course of only a day, and took about a week to edit. I see the ‘Short, Provocative Erotica’ stories as a microscopic glimpse into eroticism. Deliberately brief, I’m trying to create a delicious taste, a morsel which is satisfying but doesn’t satiate.

 

Songwriters and musicians create stunning music, it doesn’t have to be a symphony or a piece requiring the whole orchestra, it can be a beautiful composition for one instrument or a lone voice and is just as powerful as if it were one of the majestic pieces of music used in cinematography. I feel that there is too much emphasis on the ‘value for money’ aspect of publishing by independent authors, stories being viewed as ‘unworthy’ if they fall below a certain word count or are set in the ‘wrong’ price bracket. Embracing the independent publishing revolution is positively perfect (I love alliteration particularly with plosives) and there is room for everyone.

 

For me, the most important pursuit is experimentation, to write for pleasure, and if others enjoy it, buy it, share it, that’s a hugely delightful bonus. Entertaining others is one of the most compelling things about writing and another is in writing my muse, is in loving my muse, making sure that I listen to my muse and keep listening, we’re all moved by some form of creative art, we should find our artistic niche and live it.

 

Get a copy of Lazuline exclusive to Amazon

Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CDI2MDU

Amazon.co.uk https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00CDI2MDU

 

Elizabeth’s website: http://www.secretnarrative.com

Chloe Thurlow at Facebook https://www.facebook.com/chloe.thurlow.5 

 

Interviewed by Leanna Harrow on her Today's Tease Segment!!!

Today I was fortunate enough to be interviewed by the lovely and talented author Leanna Harrow. It was a fun and interesting Q&A and she made me think. Stop over and learn something new about the man behind the Chase Boehner name!

http://authorteasereadings.wordpress.com/2013/04/22/todays-tease-chase-boehner/

 

 

Check Out My Interview at Bitten Press!!!

I had the great privilege of being asked over to The Bitten-Press Blog for an interview. Follow the link below to get all the answers to the tough questions I was asked. :-)



http://www.bitten-press.com/scandalous-author-interviews/eeotic-author-chase-boehner/

 

Erotic Author Spotlight with Special Guest M.J. Carey

I am pleased to share with you all today a Chase Boehner Exclusive sneak peek into the musings of erotic author M.J. Carey. I want to thank him for stopping by and thank you all for stopping to read. But, enough of my meager ramblings and on to the main event. Please enjoy this Q&A:

1.)   Can you tell my readers a little about the writing team behind the pen name?

 

Hello Chase, Good to meet a fellow author. Thanks for interviewing me.

 

The pen name. M.J.Carey is made up of elements of my real name. I use it to separate my erotic writing from my non-writing day job, and from a more mainstream novel I’ve written. The writing is all just from my mind and goes a long way to answer my creative needs. Meanwhile the proofreading, editing and feedback is from my significant other. She tells me whether she likes it or not and points out where I’ve gone wrong with the punctuation (laughs).

 

I should also credit the passengers on my commute to work over nine years. On these journeys I’ve written three novels and all the Sisterhood stories (all using a PDA). My fellow commuters had no idea I was off in some fantasy world, imagining such things, travelling with my mind and recording it all for my readers.

 

2.)   Can you define the M.J. Carey erotic experience and what readers can expect when they dive into your books?

 

My writing is generally about Female domination: Strong women and the strong(ish) men they find; men who are willing to bow down to their women. Against those relationships, I hope I describe a meeting of minds that escalates to a higher, intense sexuality, complete with tension, anticipation, apprehension, a little danger and a power exchange. I like to explore the negotiating stage of a relationship between people, to explore their ulterior motives: what are they prepared to give in order to receive what they want? What do they want? What do they need? Even though we’re talking about relationships based on Dominance and submission, the ‘bottoms’ are not necessarily submissive people, just willing to submit to the Dominant, possibly to get more than they bargained for. I hope that the erotic element is powerful and, in many cases, I'm sure it's extreme, but believable. After all erotica needs to do exactly what it sets out to achieve. I hope my writing is sexually convincing and my readers will be moved. Finally, all the scenes must be safe, sane and consensual. No matter how extreme the situation, the word ‘yes’ needs to be heard and safe words used.

 

 

3.)   You have a series out now titled The Sisterhood. Could you please give our readers a quick introduction to this world?

 

The Sisterhood is a shadow organization of like-minded women who enslave their men for power or for pleasure. The Sisterhood want to influence their world for the better. The members see this method of control as the perfect way. All the stories in the Sisterhood series are intended to show different aspects of the organization. It's secret, it's exclusive, by invitation only, its membership is drawn from successful women who both support the organization and reap the benefits of joining the club. Their only obligation is  to obtain a slave as part of the joining fee. Most of their activities are held behind closed doors in their own homes but there is a place, funded by the organization, to the outside world a hotel, where they meet and keep their co-owned slaves. Three of the stories published so far deal with the recruitment of slaves, while two: ‘An Itinerant slave’ and ‘The Equestrienne’, address the organization's private houses and what they do with their established, willing captives. More is revealed as each story is published. I’m planning a collection which will include a framing story that reveals a lot more.

 

 

4.)   You have a new series starting as well: House of Penheligon. Is this a new stand alone series or are there ties to The Sisterhood?

 

House of Penheligon is a series of novels I wrote over five years. Again the series is about female domination but this time in an exclusive, female society. There are similarities to the Sisterhood in the relationships between Dominants and submissives. Penheligon house is in Cornwall and was once neglected and falling apart before being sold by the family to be developed into a hotel. The central characters are three sisters from the original family. They have returned from Australia to buy it back and use it for their own, special purposes; enslaving females. There are men in the stories but only a few, trying to get in. Helped By one of the sisters. They don't all agree with the exclusivity. The tension comes from the conflicting needs and wants of the individual dominants and their possessions.

 

 

5.)   You also have some unconnected stories on the way, can you tell us what erotic genres you will be exploring in these new works?

 

I have a few in progress at varying stages of completion (I don’t think I’ll ever have time to suffer writer’s block). Unusually for me, one deals with male domination of a female. I think there’s more to explore there so it may be the first of a few. We’ll see. Two other stories address chastity and denial, either using the power of the mind and self-control, or using physical devices, using chastity and denial as a motivator, or as a leveler. There will be elements of D&S in both but not to the extent of the Sisterhood or the House of Penheligon.

 

 

6.)   What prompted your journey into the world of Erotica?

 

A great question. I’ve always wanted to write, ever since I was five. Obviously not erotica at that stage (although I’ll admit to a liking for Emma Peel of the Avengers, as a lad, especially when she was tied up). Later, while building a career that had nothing to do with writing as such, I dabbled a bit. Some years ago I wrote my first erotic story, a short novel. I consider that ‘practice’ and it will never be published. I then did some creative writing classes, focusing on mainstream. That experience told me I needed to make time to write. The train gave me that opportunity. My motivation was to write erotica, I think I just have that kind of mind, so I started on House of Penheligon. I kept going until I had finished (700 pages) and several other pieces. I took a break from the erotica in 2010 to write the other novel, which I epublished last year. Hungry for more I went back to spruce up the erotica, and here we are now. Above all I hope it’s well written, whether erotica or mainstream.

 

My books, available on Amazon:

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Sisterhood-Breakfast-Meeting-ebook/dp/B00BH5HPZ0/ref=la_B00BHLOE1C_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1365672578&sr=1-5

 

http://www.amazon.com/Sisterhood-Itinerant-Slave-ebook/dp/B00BHIQ4OK/ref=la_B00BHLOE1C_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1365672612&sr=1-2

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Sisterhood-Slave-Recruitment-ebook/dp/B00BT17ZSO/ref=la_B00BHLOE1C_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1365672666&sr=1-4

 

http://www.amazon.com/Sisterhood-At-Her-Feet-ebook/dp/B00C51MNHA/ref=la_B00BHLOE1C_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365673019&sr=1-1

 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Sisterhood-Equestrienne-ebook/dp/B00C8QJRP8/ref=la_B00BHLOE1C_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1365673034&sr=1-3

 

House of Penheligon will be published as a series rather than in one go. It will also be collected into a paperback at some stage.