Monday, October 31, 2011

MODERN SENSIBILITIES

by Kate McMurray



I like the idea of writing a historical novel, but I keep getting snagged by my modern sensibilities.

I had an idea for a story that took place in Brooklyn in the 1870s, two star-crossed lovers who meet and fall in love under unlikely circumstances. The twist was that these two lovers were both men. The problem I had was that I was interested in the historical context, too, and interested in how the story would be contrasted with modern gay relationships. I wanted to write something both modern and historical. Thus ACROSS THE EAST RIVER BRIDGE was born.

I started with the modern characters, Finn and Troy, as sort of a framing device. They're both historians who specialize in nineteenth-century America. But I needed some conflict, so I thought, well, maybe they're rivals. They don't like each other much, or something bad happened between them before the novel starts. But they stumble upon this mystery and feel compelled to solve it.

And then they took over the novel. It's really the story of how Finn and Troy first reconcile their differences and then fall in love.

The mystery Finn and Troy stumble on is the murder of two men who died in 1878. Troy curates a (fictional) museum that used to be a house owned by Theodore Cummings Brill, the son of a prominent New York family. But how can Finn and Troy unravel such an old mystery when no one really knows what happened?

I did research into historical Brooklyn for this novel, so I applied some of what I did to the characters. In order to find clues, they'd have to sift through plenty of paper evidence: police reports, newspaper articles, other records. I read a handful of articles from the New York Times from the era to get an idea for what that might read like. But evidence is one thing. I wondered how I could tell the story of these historical characters.

I'm kind of an agnostic when it comes to ghosts and haunted houses, but when used well, I like them in fiction. The historical murder victims, then, come to haunt the museum, and by doing so, they guide the characters toward important evidence, including their journals. Those journals are where Finn and Troy find the meat of the story.

Therefore, I had to also research language, the ways the Victorians spoke and wrote that were different from contemporary language, and I had to use language in a way that didn't sound too stuffy or British (since these were American men writing casually). Luckily, there's a lot of language to analyze (and even prolific New York diarists in this era, such as George Templeton Strong). I created the journal entries of two men who didn't exist, so I had to read a lot of nineteenth century prose, hoping to make it sound authentic.

The ghosts also get into the heads of Finn and Troy—literally. The ghosts are capable of making the historians "see" their memories, sinking Finn and Troy into the historical landscape of Brooklyn in the 1870s. I had to research what this would look like. That was easy enough—parts of Brooklyn Heights, where the story takes place, haven't changed much in 140 years. But parts are really different. There was no Promenade in the 1870s, no BQE; instead, fancy homes faced the East River. The view would have included Trinity Church but none of the other skyscrapers that populate the landscape now. There wasn't even a Brooklyn Bridge—construction on the East River Bridge (later renamed for the city it connected to Manhattan) began in 1870 but wasn't finished until 1883. There were plenty of other differences, too. If the characters wanted to take in a play, they might go to the Brooklyn Academy of Music, located on Montague Street rather than its current location of Flatbush Ave. Brooklyn was still an independent city, with a City Hall rather than a Borough Hall.

I'm enough of a history nerd that this was fun to research, and it was fun also to put some of my ideas and analysis of the era into the heads of my characters. The result is a story about two star-crossed lovers who can't have a happy ending and two modern lovers who can make things right.

ACROSS THE EAST RIVER BRIDGE is available for purchase.   Check out my website, where I've got a book trailer, an excerpt, and special features including historical background, suggested reading, and a bunch of photos: http://www.katemcmurray.com/books/across-the-east-river-bridge/



Kate McMurray is a nonfiction editor by day. Among other things, Kate is crafty (mostly knitting and sewing, but she also wields power tools), she plays the violin, she has an English degree, and she loves baseball. She lives in Brooklyn, NY. She's on the web at http://www.katemcmurray.com/ or on Twitter @katemcmwriter.

Friday, October 28, 2011

GUINNESS, DAPHNE The Ultimate Fashion Fantasy ©

   
By Polly Guerin
RWANYC Fashion Historian


Throughout history there have been celebrated women of style, but Daphne Guinness, a brewing company heiress, couture collector, and style icon is a special type of fashion insider. She not only inspires designers and brings their clothes to life, but Daphne actually re-invents looks that affect the way the fashion cognoscenti dress and/or think about dressing. She has re-invented herself using fashion to transform herself to become a creative force in her own right.

Art historian, John Richardson puts it: “She’s the object of her own creativity. Her persona is her own masterpiece.” If you’re like me hovering in the classic rung of the fashion ladder you may ask, “Why should any of us care about what DG does? It becomes clear at the exhibit at The Museum at FIT in New York City that Daphne Guinness, the most stylish woman living today, can turn even a basic into a head-turner. The exhibit on view through January 7, 2012 features approximately 100 garments and accessories from Guinness's personal collection, plus films, videos and image of and by her.


DESIGNER CONNECTIONS

A close friend of the late designer Alexander McQueen, the exhibition includes more than a dozen McQueen garments that have never been displayed. “I wish he was still here, he was part of my real friends. It wasn’t just about making clothes; you’re feeding off each other.” Daphne Guinness is also credited with inspiring some of the world’s greatest couturiers from Karl Lagerfeld to Valentino. Also featured is an extraordinary haute couture from Chanel, Dior, Givenchy, Lacroix, and Valentino, as well as demi-couture from Azzedine Alaia, Tom Ford, Dolce & Gabbana, and Rick Owens, and futuristic styles by young designers and clothes that Guinness has designed herself that show her love of uniforms. The breathtaking wide range of exceptional accessories, many which were created in collaboration with Guinness include Philip Treacy’s hats and Shaun Leane’s “armor” jewelry, not to mention towering platform shoes made especially for her by Christian Louboutin and Noritaka Tatehana.


GUINNESS’S INSPIRATION

When questioned: “Who did you most admire?” Daphne replied, “Diana Vreeland, she lived her clothes. In contrast to Vreeland who lived her clothes, Daphne added, “Some people put things on, but they don’t feel that they are part of them. With style you learn and adjust.” The Duchess of Windsor, Nancy Cunard, and Josephine Baker were other style icons Daphne mentioned. She added, “I am also inspired by books. I will envision what the heroine is wearing. I’m always going back to the basics in literature and art and I am an Old Master fan.”


DAPHNE’S VIEW ON COLLECTING

When asked “How to you approach collecting?” Daphne replied: “It has to be something so original it sparks something in you, reacting ‘Wow that’s something new and exciting,’ I was the first with skulls, but when skulls became mainstream I gave them up. I’m connected to music; rock and roll and fashion are very related. Music in the 60’s influenced a whole generation way of dressing. However, I feel that there’s a new movement seems to be happening in fashion now.”


CREATING INDIVIUDAL STYLE

“I would not say one style is better than another,” Daphne said in reply is the question, “Is there more of an opportunity today for individual style. Daphne: “Sometimes I feel that there is enormous pressure that some people feel that they must dress a certain way to be validated. Fashion hats and gloves may not be necessary but they are now fascinating. I always wanted to wear men’s suits. When cut right you can put it on again, again and again because the structure is good.” From her platinum-and-black striped hair to her towering ten-inch heels, from her to die-for couture collection to her amazing jewelry, Daphne Guinness completely embodies the rarified personal style of a fashion icon.


Several of Guinness’s films are shown, including The Phenomenology of the Body (which explores the politics of clothing), Mnemosyne (which was inspired by her perfume, and Tribute to Alexander McQueen, as well as numerous images and videos.

The museum’s annual fashion symposium, Fashion Icons and Insiders, November 3-4, 2011 will take place in conjunction with the Daphne Guinness exhibit.♥



Polly Guerin honed her skills as a fashion historian when Professor at the Fashion Institute of Technology where she taught Creative Fashion Presentations, Styling and Merchandising whilst also writing 4 textbooks on fashion as well as the scripts for 2 video productions. The Story of Color is the definitive visual on the impact of color on mood, mind and spirit.

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

PREPARING FOR THE NANOWRIMO IN TEN EASY STEPS

  
By Maria Ferrer


You are a writer. Like the Girls Scouts, you must be prepared for when inspiration strikes.  Inspiration is arriving on November 1st.

November is National Novel Writing Month (aka NaNoWriMo). The challenge is 50,000 words in 30 days. Join me in taking up this challenge.  And to help us, here are 10 easy steps to help you prepare for the big NaNoWriMo launch:

 

1. Stock up on chocolate. Cupcakes and champagne work just as well.

2. Throw away all the red pens in the house. If you are using a computer, throw away all the ink cartridges. No printing, no editing. Editing is not allowed at any time in the next month.

3. Clean the house now, because household chores are a no-no in November. You need your time to write. Unless of course, you need to clean to be inspired. Then don’t clean now; let the dirt accumulate until you need inspiration.

4. Buy lots of cereal, spaghetti cans and TV dinners. The family needs to eat; You have the chocolate.

5. Buy fat notebooks and lots of pens and pencils. If you are techy savvy, buy your netbook / iPad/ computer now. Work out all the kinks and make sure you know where all the power cables are.

6. Mark your territory now. Fill it with your writing must-haves and a big ‘DO NOT DISTURB’ sign. For example, around my writing spot I have the remote control for the radio/CD player; a coaster for my large bottle of water; a paper block and Donald Duck mug full of pens and markers. The other junk on the table doesn’t bear mentioning.

7. Keep the boy toys handy. Sex is research. Costumes optional.

8. Register at the NaNoWriMo website by October 31: http://www.nanowrimo.com/.

9. Email me to get on the Chapter’s Romance Nano Loop. We NaNoWriMo-ers must stick together.

10. Buy more chocolate. You are going to need it!


REMEMBER: You are a writer. You can do it. Join me. ♥



Maria Ferrer has entered the NaNoWriMo four times and has won twice. She prefers her chocolate with peanuts and Veuve Clicquot champagne.


COMMENT: Do leave a comment and let us know if you are entering the NaNoWriMo this year. If so, tell us how you are preparing for the big event.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES: MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR PUBLICITY PHOTO SHOOT (PART III)

  
By Hope Tarr



With hair and makeup out of the way, we sally forth to our third and final essential ingredient of a winning publicity photo.

The retouch.

“But I want to look like myself,” you say.

And good for you. You should. In a recent Vanity Fair interview, 51-year-old film star and legendary beauty, Michelle Pfeiffer was asked to comment on the preponderance of plastic surgery among celebrities. To paraphrase the presumably unaltered Pfeiffer, as we grow older we should still be recognizable to our friends.

Candid shots are great for family and friends, the people who already know and yes, love us. But when a photo is intended for wider, public distribution, we want to put our best…face forward.

Coiffed, Buffed and Retouched.

Arguably those smile lines and crow’s feet are badges of honor. And our faces are mobile, ever changing landscapes. A photographic portrait, however, is a static freeze frame capture of a set of sub-seconds. With unlimited time to look, viewers invariably hone in on the flaws.

In publishing we say, “the writing is in the rewriting.” Similarly, the “art” of photo editing/refinishing is every bit as essential to a great final product as capturing the winning shot.

A good photographer knows how to steer clear of overly plasticized perfection while conveying a polished yet natural look.

In the before/after photos shown here, notice how photographer, Biz Urban manages to “disappear” not only the puffy dark circles beneath my eyes and the small scar on my left cheek but also a good part of the last decade!

Before: A perfectly nice photo for family
and friends but for promo not so much. 


After: note how the puffy circles disappear from beneath my eyes.
Ditto for the scar and freckle on my cheek.





Voila, publicity photos that look like me–currently–with the photo retouching equivalent of a few light (and pain free) nips and tucks.♥


This concludes Hope Tarr’s series on making the most of your publicity shoot. For more information about Hope, her books and to see more photos, visit her at www.hopetarr.com.




For more information on Biz Urban, including samples of her work, visit her at http://www.bizurban.com/.



Photo credit: All photos courtesy of Biz Urban
Reproduced courtesy of HopeTarr.com/Blog

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES: MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR PUBLICITY PHOTO SHOOT (PART II)

  
By Hope Tarr


Some people put on makeup like they brush their teeth or put on clothes, which is to say every day. Some people never go near the stuff. Me, I fall somewhere in between. I wouldn’t go out for the evening without mascara, lip gloss and a smattering of powder, but I would and do frequently roll out of bed and head out for coffee with bed head and pillow creases.

Girl in the mirror--and yes, those taped up reminder notes
are mine a la "Romancing the Stone."





Jane needs no cosmetics.


But having publicity photos taken isn’t just an excuse to play princess for a day. It’s also an investment. You want to be able to use those photos for some time, perhaps years to come on your web site, press materials, social networking profiles and yes, your book jacket. If there was ever a time to put your best face forward, to strut your stuff, and to well, Work It, that time is now.

While I’m hopeless with my hair, fortunately I’m a decent hand with the war paint, as our mothers, mine at least, called cosmetics Back in The Day.

Like almost everything, when it comes to makeup, moderation is key, less is more. We still want to look like ourselves…albeit a really, really hawt version.

Next and final stop on the Princess Train: the photo retouch. Thankfully, along with the actual shooting, photo editing is your photographer’s job. A good thing, too. All this prepping, preening and posing has worn me to a nub.



NEXT WEEK: Part III -- The Retouch



Photo credit: All photos courtesy of Biz Urban
Reproduced courtesy of HopeTarr.com/Blog

Monday, October 17, 2011

RETREAT IN OCEAN GROVE, NEW JERSEY & PHOTO ALBUM

By Catherine Greenfeder


We finally did it! We finally had our first chapter retreat. After talking about having a writers retreat for a few years now, we did one, and boy it was fun! I suggested the retreat in Ocean Grove, New Jersey because I find it to be one of the lovelier places along the Jersey Shore, close enough to New York City, and yet with that “far away” feel. It’s a setting I have used in two stories I am working on, and I had spent time there on day trips and an artists’ group retreat a few years ago.


After scouting around for a bed and breakfast, I came across The Inn at Ocean Grove, a restored Victorian within a block of the boardwalk, and I visited the inn back in July. A colleague of mine spent a retreat weekend with her church group back in the springtime, and she had nothing but praise for the B&B, so I decided to check it out. I came back with pictures and a good feel for the place.

I reserved seven rooms; most had private bathrooms, showers, and refrigerators. We had places to lounge, read, write, or chat including a balcony, a patio, and the downstairs living room area. In addition, the inn had a Jacuzzi and a grill which we were welcome to use.

Someone asked about a program, and I said there was none. To me a retreat is what you make of it. For writers who find there’s not enough time, there are too many distractions, and there are other demands on us, I thought a retreat could provide us with an opportunity to spend time with our muse, share with one another about our works in progress or those momentary creative blocks, and explore something different. We did find two attractions nearby. The Lilligaard Bed and Breakfast, a much larger establishment, offered the Victorian Tea Room; the Paranormal Books and Curiosities offered a Ghosts and Legends Walking Tour. In addition, the downtown featured a host of boutiques, the famous Nagle’s Restaurant which has my favorite homemade ice cream, and a number of antique shops. Then there’s the famous Asbury Park with its convention hall, the old Paramount Theater, and the Stone Pony which helped launch the career of Bruce Springsteen. I walked the boardwalk from Ocean Grove to Asbury Park, enjoyed the vista, the ocean breeze, and a Nathan’s hot dog. I also got inspired to revise and edit a women’s fiction book I had started to give up on.

Oksana, the inn keeper, did an unbelievable job of making us feel welcome and comfortable. She even baked cookies. The rooms had charm and personality. I think everyone felt satisfied with their stay.

Most of what I got from this retreat; however, was camaraderie, being with other authors in a more relaxed atmosphere. We chatted to the wee hours over craft, the business of writing, and caught up with each other.

Hopefully, this first chapter retreat will lead to more retreats in the future. Some asked why hold it in October? Well, it’s off-season for one thing. As you can imagine, rates at the shore skyrocket in the summer and it gets more crowded. For another, it took awhile to get this going, and we had a mini-
conference in August, the Golden Apple in September, and then we have the holidays. There’s always springtime for another such retreat. If anyone has ideas, please let the incoming board and our chapter know. It truly is a remarkable experience. ♥


PHOTO ALBUM

Cathy

Lise

Shara


Tanya


Sibylle and Irene


Lita

Maria

Writers at Tea


A break at the beach.


The Jersey Shore


Time for Farewells.

Our hostess, Oksana, in center.

See You next year!






Photos by Maria Ferrer



Tuesday, October 11, 2011

THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES: MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR PUBLICITY PHOTO SHOOT (PART I)

By Hope Tarr



The photos from [my] shoot with uber wonderful photographer, Biz Urban are in and FYI, the woman is equal parts saint and wizard. In the course of five plus hours, she put up with my blinking problem, perennially crooked smile, and the wilting heat and still managed to get some good shots.

Some really good shots.



We’ll be posting said gems…anon, namely after I get my current book proposal in. Alas, this writing gig is really messing with my modeling career!

Getting in touch with my Inner Princess is fun!



For now and as promised, I’m getting my Jamie Lee Curtis on and showing you the unexpurgated me–as in wet hair, no makeup, and scariest of all, no photo retouching!


NEXT WEEK: Part II -- Makeup!



Photo credit: All photos courtesy of Biz Urban.              
Reproduced courtesy of HopeTarr.com/Blog.


 

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

RETURNING TO FANTASY ROMANCE

  
By Isabo Kelly


I write all over the place in the “woo woo” subgenre (as my first editor used to call it). I write fantasy, paranormal and science fiction romances and I write across the spectrum in heat levels. Why? Because it’s fun, it’s what I love to read, and there’s nothing I enjoy more than building a new world.

This is why I have published four different science fiction worlds, three different fantasy worlds (not counting my newest release which will mark the introduction of a fourth fantasy world), three or four paranormal based settings, and am working on books in three different paranormal/urban fantasy worlds at the moment. And this does not count the number of other worlds dancing around in my head or drafts of stories I’ve got waiting to be edited and submitted.

With all that, you might ask, how the hell do you decide what genre to write in at any given moment? To that I say, “Hahahahahha! I have no idea.”  Actually, sometimes it really is just a matter of inspiration. Characters come to me already firmly in a setting of some kind and I go with it. But sometimes, I get to choose.

My latest release from Samhain Publishing (http://www.samhainpublishing.com/) was one of those books I got to pick the genre. The idea started with this little snippet of dialogue (essentially the dialogue that now starts the book), and I decided since I hadn’t written or published a high fantasy story in awhile, I would take that dialogue and put it into a fantasy story. So I got to world building.

The result was BRIGHTARROW BURNING. And I’m really pleased with the final book. It’s dark, angsty, extremely sexy and romantic. For excerpts (and a look at the dialogue that started it all  :-) ) you can visit my website (http://www.isabokelly.com/) or Samhain Publishing.

Hope you all will enjoy the story!♥


COMMENT:   So how do you pick your genres? Are you like me and you bounce around a lot? Or do you have a specific genre, time period, element that you always return to in each book?



Katrina Tipton writes under the pseudonym Isabo Kelly and has published both mainstream and erotic romances. Her latest release is BRIGHTARROW BURNING.  Isabo's erotic romance science fiction novel, SIREN SINGING, won the 2009 Prism Award for best erotic romance. For more about Isabo’s books visit http://www.isabokelly.com/.