The Care & Feeding of a Storyteller

by Dee Davis


I think being a storyteller is something you’re born with. It’s part of your genetics. Something that inhabits every fiber of your being. There is an insatiable desire to fill a blank page. To share the world, as you see it, with others.

But like everything important in life, creativity has to be nurtured. And in today’s world where everything is focused on the bottom line and success is measured not in terms of satisfaction and happiness but in how quickly one’s bank account grows, it’s easy for something like writing to get pushed to the side. For people to shake their heads and say “but what are you going to do to earn a living?”

So it’s important to have people in your life who reinforce that spark within you. Who help you to realize that not everyone follows the same beat. And I’ve found in my lifetime that they all do it in different ways.

My father, also a natural born storyteller, used to sit with me and people watch. We’d make up stories about the characters walking by us, amusing ourselves for hours with imagined tales of intrigue and adventure. He always saw the funny side of things. And never failed to make me laugh. He taught me the value of seeing people for who they really are. He made me realize that there are many more layers to an individual than what appears on the surface.

My mother is an intellectual. Smarter than pretty much anyone I know (except maybe my daughter.) And she’s a voracious reader. So she gave me two special gifts. The power of knowledge and all that it gives to those who pursue it. And the joy of the written word. Storytelling as an art form. We spent hours at the library when I was growing up and she introduced me to some of my favorite authors. And then when our interests diverged, she pointed me in new directions.

I didn’t turn to writing as a career possibility until much later in my life. I let the world convince me that there were smarter pursuits. That unless you were incredibly lucky, creative people just weren’t as likely as others to succeed in their chosen profession. I majored in political science and then obtained a masters in public administration. From there, I went on to create a successful career in association management. But there was always a part of me that wasn’t satisfied—that needed the creative outlet.

And so as I considered reinventing myself when my daughter first went off to school, I carefully broached the subject of writing with my husband, steeling myself for discussions on common sense and bottom lines. But instead, I found something quite amazing. Unconditional support. No questions. No doubts. Just complete faith in me and my talent. I’ve never felt anything like it. And I can truly say that without it, I wouldn’t have had the courage to jump off into what seemed, at the time, a very deep and daunting chasm.

Writing this post, fourteen years later, I still feel the same way. My father, in spirit now, is always with me, reminding me to look around and really see the world. My mother is my rock. She keeps me grounded and focused. And my husband still supports me unconditionally. Always there to lift me up when I begin to doubt myself and my decisions. I am so blessed. Not only do I get to do what I love. I get to do it surrounded by people who love me. And that, I think, is the greatest gift of all!



Dee Davis is the author of twenty-one novels, and four novellas. When she’s not off in a world of her own, she spends her time exploring New England with her husband and daughter. Visit her at www.deedavis.com

A Valentine to Dad

by Lisbeth Eng




My father, Arthur Drucker Foise, passed away more than 20 years ago. Growing up was a rocky ride – my rebellious, teenaged soul often clashed with his dominating presence. But as I matured (and I think he did too), we grew to respect and appreciate each other. I was most proud when my father told me that he valued and sought out my advice, as I did his.

I believe that my love of literature, and ultimately my career as a writer, was inspired by my father’s profession as a librarian. He cherished books. Years after he died, I thought of him as I cleaned out my basement a few years ago in preparation for downsizing from a large house to a small apartment. I wanted to find a home for every book I possessed but couldn’t bring with me. Some were mildewed, or dreadfully out-of-date (textbooks from the 1970’s – the local jail wouldn’t even take those) but I felt guilty just throwing them away. The ones too damaged to donate I left at the curb, hoping someone would rescue them before the sanitation workers showed up. I remembered a story from my childhood when my mother gave my father an unusual gift. It was an old French book – I think a random volume from a long-discarded set of encyclopedias. (Some of you may remember when vast stores of knowledge could be accessed in large, hard-covered tomes and not via the ether.) All of the pages of this book had been glued together, except for the front cover, which, when lifted, revealed a hollowed-out space where most of the pages had been cut out. It was now a “faux book,” to be used as a secret storage box when filled with wads of cash or the family jewels and placed surreptitiously on the shelf amongst ordinary books. Well, my father was horrified and very angry with my mother for her innocent transgression. How could someone desecrate a book like this – glue the pages together and eviscerate it?

But it was while in the process of writing and then publishing my first novel that I fondly remembered my father and wished he were still alive to share this with me. I know how proud he would have been and I would have loved the chance to discuss all the themes and plot points with him. He was an intellectual, and I’d like to think of myself as one too – we enjoyed debates on everything from philosophy and religion to current events and politics. I think my father would also have been intrigued by my blog , “World War II…with a German accent,” both as a veteran of that war (he proudly served in the US Army in Asia) and as a German-American.

So, Dad, here’s to you. Perhaps you can look up In the Arms of the Enemy in that Dewey Decimal System in the sky.

****

An English major in college, Lisbeth Eng has also studied Italian, German and French. Her first novel, In the Arms of the Enemy, is available in e-book and paperback at The Wild Rose Press, Amazon and B&N. Lisbeth invites you to visit her at www.lisbetheng.com.

A Writer’s Valentine to: James Scott Bell

By Alyssa Cole




Although my real-life Valentine this year is spectacular, and deserves kudos for supporting me in my writing pursuits, I'm going to have to be a bit of a hussy and give a belated Valentine to another man: James Scott Bell.

Bell is the author of several novels, but more importantly (to me), he is the author of clear, concise, and inspiring writing guides for authors. Now, if you haven't read his seminal work, Plot & Structure, or even his The Art of War for Writers or Revision & Self-Editing, you may not see this as a big deal. There are tons of books on writing. Well, I know that. I own a great many of them and they sit on my shelves, gathering dust and enmity.

The problem I've had with other writing guides, and even with writing classes, is that they clung too hard to the mantra of "show, don't tell."

Page upon page of examples of various writing elements upon which to model your own work. Essays by writers explaining their own unique, and often poetic, takes on the writing life. These things were interesting, and necessary, but they weren't giving me something I really needed: instruction. For that, Bell's your man.

That's not to say that he doesn't give examples of well executed plotting or story points; he does. But the book as a whole is a real instructional manual. It takes the art of writing and actually breaks it down into digestible parts, into simple actions that when done over time will provide you with a tangible end result: a well-plotted novel.

Why is this important? Because writing, for many, is intuitive. People "just know" that they want to be a writer. They can't explain how or why the words come to them, or how they thought up that amazing character, or why they decided to throw the monkey wrench into a particular scene. That's all well and good, but intuitively grabbing for the tools in your toolbox doesn't always work, even if you are a savant. Just as a carpenter needs to know whether to reach for a level or for a plane, a writer sometimes needs to know exactly what type of technique to use or what element to tweak to make a good scene great. Bell provides a breakdown of the writing process in a way that allows each reader to apply it to their own work, resulting in more productive and confident writing and a veritable explosion of ideas as you read.

For being the man that makes me, and so many others, a better writer, James Scott Bell is my writing Valentine. If you haven't checked out his work, I can't recommend Plot & Structure highly enough. For additional instruction, you should also check out the amazing memoir/writing guide by my forever Valentine Stephen King, On Writing.




Alyssa Cole is a science editor by day and a romance writer when she takes her anti-procrastination pills. You can find her on twitter at @AlyssaColeLit.

Smoke and a Novel

by Mageela Troche

Back in college, I smoked. I loved having a cigarette. Nothing was better. If you’re an ex-smoker, you get it. One day, I faced a great life dilemma. I had a cigarette but no light. The horror! But the smoking gods were looking out for me because before me was a girl who was smoking. I asked for a light and while we puffed, we chatted. Her name is Liz. Well, over the semester we became friends actually, it happened pretty quickly.

One day, we were hanging out between classes. We were talking about books. I told her that I loved to read. I was more of the classic literature girl or mysteries. She swore I had to read romance novels. I had read Sweet Valley High and Pride and Prejudice. Well, Liz popped up straight in her excitement. She pressed Stephanie Laurens’ Devil’s Bride into my hand and said, “You have to read this.” Before the next breath, she started blurting out a synopsis of the book. I think I ever told her to take a breath. Her cheeks turned red and her brown eyes almost bulged out her head. I couldn’t help but feel her excitement. We still laugh about it.

I took it home and read it in one night. Devil was too damn hot not to. Yes, Liz made me a romance addict and I’m pleased to admit it. I proudly show off my corny covers. So, as life continues down its path, I got back into writing. When I decided to write a novel, a romance novel was the only genre I would write.

So, more than a decade later, Liz and I are still friends. We both quit smoking. She’s a teacher and I have my debut novel (a Highland Romance) will be released this year, which she takes great pride in, telling me and anyone else she speaks too.

So Liz lit the inspiration. Good thing I needed a light. How horrible would my life have been if I had never met Liz. That a story for another time — A horror story — written by someone else, since I write romance.


The Marriage Alliance

Coming Soon from Secret Cravings Publishing

www.MageelaTroche.com

Jane Austen, My Literary BFF

by Flora Vesna


It all started with Colin and Jennifer.



For any Jane Austen fan, I don’t need to provide their surnames, but I will to give them proper credit--Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle, the actors who brought Austen’s Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy and Miss Elizabeth Bennet to life in the 1995 A&E adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. For me, they are the quintessential Darcy and Lizzy (apologies to Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen, but I don’t think Mr. Darcy would’ve been caught dead walking across a meadow soaked with morning dew as the sun was rising with his shirt open, revealing his chest hair.)

I never read any of Jane Austen’s novels in high school or college. I felt watching the series was enough.

However, that all changed for me a few months later. Fulfilling a lifelong dream of mine to live in Europe someday, I moved to Prague in 1996 to teach English as a Foreign Language at the University of Economics. When I arrived, it was January, the dead of winter--cold, grey, overcast. I didn’t have anyone to talk to except for the teaching staff. Within days of arriving, I had begun to regret my decision.

Then on a visit to one of Prague’s English language bookstores, I decided to buy a Penguin edition of The Complete Jane Austen. It was three inches thick, weighing about four pounds with pages that were rice paper thin and a miniscule font to accommodate all of her works. I started with Pride and Prejudice, and after that, that book became my constant companion. I carried it with me wherever I went. The best times I spent with it were on the hour-long bus rides to the university’s campus outside the city center where I taught a class on Friday mornings. Besides Darcy and Lizzy, Austen’s other characters kept me entertained, from Emma Woodhouse’s horrible attempts at matchmaking to Anne Elliot’s torture of seeing her former suitor, Captain Frederick Wentworth, eight years later after she broke off their engagement. I could escape into the worlds Austen created. Gradually, I began to appreciate where I was and became more aware of myself and my strengths, perhaps mirroring an Austen heroine herself.

Now, as a romance writer, I realize that Jane Austen could be considered a pioneer of the HEA ending. The influence she had on me then is just as present now as it was in 1996. Most importantly, as a single woman living the expat life in Prague, Jane Austen had become my BFF because of the truth she universally acknowledged in the nineteenth century which remains valid today: Dating sucks.




Flora Vesna writes erotic romance and paranormal romance. She grew up in the suburbs of New Jersey, now residing in New York City. She has an MFA in creative writing (fiction). She can be found on Twitter at her handle: @floravesna.

To My Inspirations, With Love

By Lena Hart





I would have never guessed, at the tender age of six, that I would become an avid reader growing up, much less a writer. I was a struggling reader and the impatience and constant displeasure from my 1st grade teacher made me hate reading. But that all changed on summer when my older sister forced me to turn off the television and pick up a book. It was then that I became an avid reader and my love for writing evolved with the added interference, encouragement, and creativity of these other inspirational people.

First I have to thank my sister, Sandra, for pushing me into picking up a book. After the trauma of learning to read, I never voluntarily chose to read a book. But that all changed the summer before I entered middle school when my sister dragged me to the public library and forced me to check out a book. At the time, I resented her for it but after picking up my first Goosebumps book, I realized I was missing out.

RL Stine’s Goosebumps and Fear Street series really changed the way I viewed reading. I would have never realized I could enjoy reading as much as I do if it weren’t for his stories of magic and the supernatural. His books opened a whole new world for me and I have to praise Stine’s imagination for helping me become an enthusiastic reader.

But not long after, I moved on to more “adult” books and read my first romance novel by Amanda Quick. After reading Seduction, I fell in love with the genre. I consumed as many romance novels as my little library card could hold. Love stories became my source of hope and inspiration when adolescence became too much to deal with. Romance transported me to another world where there was always a happily ever after.

Eventually, my passion for writing was awoken by my creative 8th grade Language Arts teacher, Mrs. Cohn, who made every lesson interesting and fun. Her first writing assignment for us was to write a screenplay with just five characters. We created character sketches, detailing out their features and personalities. I went on to write a children’s book, drawing my own illustrations, and also a short story in that class and had too much fun writing them!

And though I went on to write and daydream stories for fun, it was my 11th grade AP English teacher, Ms Shahandeh (a literary drill Sargent) who turned me a strong critical reader and writer. She introduced us to compelling and complex literature and helped me develop my writer’s thick skin. She was tough but she was exactly what I needed.

Now many years later, I’m a newly published romance author who can only begin to imagine how bleak and boring life would have been if it weren’t for these inspiring individuals opening up a new world for me. With much love, and many thanks.




Lena Hart’s debut novella, BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME, is currently available and her next novella, BECAUSE YOU ARE MINE will be released by Secret Cravings Publishing this spring. To learn more about Lena and her work, visit www.LenaHartSite.com or find her rambling at scatblogging.blogspot.com

Angels Inspired Me

By Catherine Greenfeder

The idea for Angels Among Us, my paranormal romance, came to me during a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City at Christmas time. I always enjoyed viewing the museum's Christmas tree with its nativity display and ornaments created in Italy. The ornaments included angels which appeared to fly down or up the tree. I had been searching for ideas for a story, and as I glanced at one of the angels, it "communicated" to me about telling a story with an angel as a main character.

Thus, the idea for Angels Among Us came about with a character named Eviance Angelique, as the guardian angel of Kay Lassiter, an artist with psychic abilities. Eviance makes his presence known to Kay at a crisis moment and acts as a guiding force in helping Kay find the answers to a life-long mystery about the deaths of her parents. Eviance also protects Kay from the enemy who returns to fight against her and her brother, a local detective in their New Jersey community. Eviance also encourages the romance between Kay and her brother's friend Jake, a teacher who had once had a crush on Kay.

Long before this inspiration, I had been fascinated with angels. In fact, my home is filled with angel imagery including statues, pictures, mugs, and angel pins. I'm fond of reading about angels. This includes readings from traditional sources such as the Bible and stories of both well-known individuals and ordinary people who have had experiences with the angelic realm.

Many years ago, an Irish American woman went to visit her dying father in County Cavan. Both of her parents were ill, but her father's condition seemed the worst. One night as she drank tea in the kitchen, a mysterious light emanated from her father's bedroom. Surprised but not alarmed, the daughter speculated that her ailing mother might have lit a votive candle and forgotten about it. The woman went to her father's room, and as she neared it, the light faded. It went out when she reached the doorway. When she went to her father's bed, she found him dead. Puzzled, yet not wanting to upset her mother, she remained quiet about the event. Then she began preparations for her father's funeral. A day later, the daughter once more sat in the kitchen and drank her tea. Once again, a light appeared, this time from her mother's room. She raced toward the room, but the light began to fade. By the time she reached the doorway, the light went out. She knew that she'd find her mother dead. Afterward the daughter realized that what she'd witnessed had been the presence of the Angel of Death and that her trip to Ireland intended as her final visit with one parent, ended up to be her last with both.

There are happier encounters with angels. In the Bible, the angel Gabriel, the messenger archangel, delivered the famous message to a young woman named Mary that she was with child, and that child was the Son of God whom she would name Jesus. The Three Wise Men had been led by a star and watched over by the angels on their way to Bethlehem to honor the Baby Jesus. A belief in angels is not restricted to Christianity, but it is in other religious beliefs as well.

A student of mine had been traveling with her family when their car stalled on a road in the middle of a desert. Out of nowhere a truck passed them. It soon returned. The driver, a young man, got out and talked to her parents. He helped them with their car and offered words that cheered them. When he smiled at her and her brother, she felt a warm radiance. The stranger returned to his truck and left. Shortly afterward a patrol car came and stopped to check on them. When her parents told the officer of the kind truck driver, the officer said that there had been no other vehicle on that road which fit the description of the truck. The family got the help they needed and continued on their journey without further incident. However, the student remained grateful to the stranger, an angel of mercy in disguise, who helped her and her family that night on a deserted road.

According to some sources, the Angel of Mercy is Archangel Gabriel. However, there are other angels who can be called upon for specific phenomenon, such as natural disasters. The Angel Zamiel is considered a protector in the event of hurricanes; Riddia, revered in Hebrew law, wards against drought; Angel Suiel helps mortals jeopardized by earthquakes; the Angel of Nourishment, Asda, can be called on to prevent famine; the Angel Lahabiel assists the Archangel Michael in protection against evil.

From my research on the topic of angels, I learned that angels co-exist with their mortal counterparts in many ways. There are angels who appear at the birth of a child. Once more, the Archangel Gabriel plays a role in both the birth and the death of mortals. He is there to instruct the unborn child, and at the end of life he is there to welcome him or her into the transition to the next phase. The Angel Armisael is said to assist in childbirth. The Archangel Raphael rules over health matters. Raphael also rules the mental processes, so he is one to be called upon before exams. If you've lost something, a prayer to the Angel Rochel might help you find it. The Angel Camael is said to help athletes. For those with a green thumb, assistance is given by Habuhiah, the Angel of Gardening. In a new business venture? The Angel Teaoael, once invoked to protect ships with their precious cargoes, is considered a helper for new entrepreneurs.

What is important in all this is to keep in mind that while angels are here among us, they are not divinities to be idolized. They do not expect worship, only gratitude and acknowledgement for what they are.

To read more about what I wrote on the topic of angels, please check out my website, and to find out about my heroic guardian angel Eviance Angelique, read my book Angels Among Us. www.catherinegreenfeder.vpweb.com


Catherine Greenfeder is a published author of three romance novels including Angels Among Us, a paranormal romance, Wildflowers, a western historical romance, and award winning paranormal romance Sacred Fires. She currently awaits publication of her first young adult paranormal romance, Kiss Out of Time, which is set at the Jersey Shore.

She attributes her love of writing to growing up in a household of storytellers, especially her mother who loves to entertain with stories about the past. Catherine received a B.A. in English from St. John’s University and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Montclair State University. She worked in the fields of advertising and education.

She is a member of the New York City chapter of Romance Writers of America, the New Jersey based Liberty State Fiction Writers, and Teachers and Writers Collaborative.

In addition to writing books, Catherine Greenfeder is a language arts teacher who encourages her students to pursue their own literary talents. She lives in Nutley with her husband, son, and their mixed Labrador retriever.

Like Mother Like Son

by Ursula Renee





On February 19, 1995, when the doctor placed my son in my arms, my main desire was that my child would grow up and follow his dreams. I welcomed the idea of having a doctor or lawyer in the family, but in the end, he would need to do what made him happy.

Of course, following his dreams would not be easy. He needed to understand that no matter what he chose to do, there would be times when he would struggle, things would not always go his way, and on more than one occasion he would want to throw in the towel. Therefore, I needed to teach him by example so he would learn to stick with whatever he start and see it through to the end.

My son has witnessed each challenge I have faced as an aspiring author. He has watched me pace the floors as I fought through the writer’s block; bite my nails as I waited to hear back from editors, and slump my shoulders as I read my rejections.

However, I made sure that he watched as I bounced back. After I get a rejection, I allow myself to have a pity party, but the party does not last more than a day. Once I have finished feeling sorry for myself, I take note of why the editor did not feel my manuscript was right for her and review the problem areas. If necessary, I take classes or read books to improve my skills, then re-edit my work and submit it to the next editor. Though there are times that I wonder if I will ever succeed, I continue to write, edit and submit, because I know that I will never make it if I do not try. I also work on my craft because I should not my son to face challenges if I do not.

I hope that by watching my journey to becoming a published author, my son will learn that following a dream is not easy, but giving up is not the answer. I also want him to know that I will be there to lend a hand when things get tough. And, when he achieves, I will be there cheering him on.

Ursula Renee is the Vice President of RWA/NYC and currently writing in both the romantic suspense and historical romance genres.

My Valentine to Walker and Company

by Maureen Osborne

It was an aimless transitional time for me, neither married nor divorced. I spent long hours wandering through the Strand Bookstore and my local library. On these meandering visits I would choose books at random. If the book’s spine looked interesting I would take the book home.
Then I came across a spine that I had not seen before with the logo that appears here. Walker and Company in the 1980s published many Regency romances by authors such as Jacqueline Diamond and Clare Darcy. On this particular day, it was Carola Dunn’s “Lavender Lady” published by Walker in 1983.

It was a wonderful, tender story about the rambunctious Godric family whose eldest half-sister, Hester, acted as matriarch to 2 girls and 3 boys. The story opens with a crash, literally, when a London buck is thrown from his curricle after his two showy horses are spooked by the Godric’s family dog. As we watch David and Hester fall in love as the family careens around them, a secret will break them apart until misunderstandings are mended. I started and finished the book in a day, and then read it again.

After that, I looked everywhere for the logo. Not caring who the author was, just knowing that it would be a Regency romance that I had to read, like “The Earl & The Heiress”, published in 1982 and found at the Strand for $2.00.

Barbara Metzger’s hero, the Earl of Wrenthe is beleaguered by a comely country miss who raises Maltese puppies as she tries to launch her beautiful, yet naïve sister Ferne into society. When the Earl gives a puppy to his paramour, he watches in dismay as Ferne seeing the woman in the park, corrects her in how to hold a puppy. When Noelle finds out, sparks will fly and of course they fall in love.

As I searched for more Walker books, I found others publishers and their authors. It was not long before my life had purpose again.


Maureen Osborne, who writes as Alison Bourne, is currently working on a multi-cultural historical romance mystery.

To Find, To Have

by John Lovelady

It’s hard to distill all the influences that shaped me into becoming a writer. I didn’t expect it to be so difficult to winnow them down and come up with the one or two or few that I consider the major instigators.

And sometimes, like in trying to plot a novel and staring at a screen full, or notebook full, or hand full of scraps of paper, I’m tempted to toss everything in the air and pick willy nilly one, or two or few and say these were the most important. (I close my eyes and point at the computer screen, no matter how tempting the image of it disintegrating into a glorious explosion of electronic bits from having been flung off an eight story balcony can sometimes be -- though that fantasy seems to be less and less lately. Perhaps that’s progress in my writing.
Another influence to add to the screen full: my computer[s].)

But Valentine’s Day, the Day of Love, Lovelady’s Day, deserves something a bit more serious, at least from us LovePeople, as one of our theatre cohorts syrupy designated my wife and me when we first discovered each other.

So I’ve come up with two. Without whom I would not be me.

His name was Eddie, a fellow student, and he took a very inexperienced small-town kid in hand in the eighth grade at L.C. Humes High School in Memphis and taught me about music and art and standing up for myself and having ideas and thoughts that were worth standing up for, and not giving a damn about what any one of your peers might think.

Security by knowledge. That was a stunning lesson for an insecure teenager. Tempered by my native niceness and never make a fuss-ness, it was a bracing set of instructions by example that has pretty much served me well ever since.

Every day Eddie challenged me, every day he annoyed me, every day he drove me to try harder by his being smug and knowledgeable and smarter and somehow or other not making me hate him for being who he was. He was my best man. We went our separate ways and he’s gone, now. I miss him dearly mainly for the opportunity to rub his nose in my successes. He would more than likely smirk and shrug, “Well, of course,” as if it were all his doing.

The other is my wife, Nancy. She is everything a wife should be. And more. Her own woman, too. Everyday she challenges me, everyday she annoys me, everyday she loves me unhesitatingly and unfailingly and totally fulfills me. Eddie adored her. I didn’t deserve her, he announced, and I was incredibly lucky that she allowed me to catch her. And he was right.

“You write such beautiful letters,” she would implore me, “you should write.”

“It’s not the same,” I would grouse. And it’s not. I wrote to her because I wanted to be a part of her and I wanted her to be a part of me. That’s not the same as telling a story.

Or maybe it is. A romance, anyway.

“You write such beautiful poetry; you should write.”

Poetry is a whole other world. Poetry is taking real life and making it realer.

Oh…right.

Like writing. Stories. Like…romance.

Love is the intent of romance writers, our end all and be all. And it’s the hardest thing in the world to write about because everybody knows what love is. And our job is to say, no, you don’t. Not quite. There’s more. Way more. Let me tell you something new. Let me enlarge your world. Let me make you a better person. Love comes in all shapes and sizes, under all sorts of circumstances, and it’s worth everything to achieve. It is worth everything to strive for. To find a Nancy; to have had an Eddie.

It’s worth writing about.
Happy Valentine’s Day.

John has been a professional writer for about fifteen years after a career in television and theatre. One novel published, many, many short stories and now a four book series upcoming. NEVER LOVE A NAKED P.I. by Elizabeth Maynor will soon be newly re-minted on Amazon. Troy Storm’s first CoveHaven ménage, HAVING IT ALL, will soon appear on Secret Cravings Publishing.

The Myth of Cupid and Psyche – True Love Never Dies

By L.S. Brockway
“The Romance Reverend”

Valentine’s Day is upon us. Can we talk about Cupid – and his soul mate Psyche?

The image of cupid is embedded in our collective consciousness as the representative of romantic love. He is especially an icon on the holiday of hearts. However, depicted as a cherub with an arched quiver, it is difficult to look toward a baby with a bow and arrow to take care of all your love needs. That’s where Psyche comes in. She is the loving woman behind the male, and she helps rule the game of love that is Cupid’s domain.

When you see Psyche and Cupid together, you come to know the Love God in his fullness (less of a baby, and more of a hero and lover). It could be that with her inspiration, his arrows can reach great distances, and travel far and wide to help people find love.

I like the myth of Psyche and Cupid. At first glance, it seems she is a victim of hideous circumstance: Her mother-in-law is out to get her; her lover abandons her; she is tricked and deceived; and she is put through hell for love. Every feminist bone in your body wants to scream out: Wake up girl. Why sacrifice so much of yourself for this guy?

On the other hand, these two lovers represent classic elements of favorite ancient stories about soul mates. They are the masculine and feminine merged. They are dark and hidden (Cupid) and out in the world (Psyche). And their love speaks of the bringing together heaven and earth. Their story represents a love that is meant to be; a test of faith and a willingness to do what it takes to keep their love alive brings them the reward of eternal love.

Gee, sounds like some romance novels you’ve read--or written!

On a practical level, the story speaks of how even those who love one another sometimes betray one another. It is lovely to see there is a way to heal or redeem ourselves in the name of love.

The Story of Cupid and Psyche

We have all seen the images of Cupid and Psyche together. He is often seen swooping her up in his arms and flying her into the heavens. She is often pictured as a young woman lost in love’s embrace. (Or she looks weary and vulnerable because she has been through hell!)

Psyche (psych•ee), whose name means “soul,” was the mortal bride of Cupid, the Roman God of love. She was granted divinity after attempting Goddess-like feats of devotion to reclaim her beloved after a nasty misunderstanding.

She was a beautiful maiden who, without trying, got a lot of male attention. Angered that attention was being taken away from her, Goddess Venus, in a demonstration of the darker side of her nature, sent her son Cupid, the love archer, to inflame Psyche with passion for an ugly, horrible man.

When Cupid arrived he was “accidentally” hit by his own arrow. Inflamed by her beauty, he took her as his bride. They were deeply in love, but Psyche only saw her mate in the darkness, when he would come to her bed and ravish her. Cupid made her promise never to look or question whom he was (he knew if she set her mortal eyes upon him their relationship would have to end).

She was content to have his love in the darkness but her sisters, hearing that she’d never seen her husband’s true face, meddled. Suggesting he could be an ugly monster for all she knew, they talked her into peeking. One night, Psyche held a candle near his sleeping figure, and found a beautiful boy beneath her gaze – but she was a little shocked to see his wings. When a bit of wax fell from her candle, it caused him to wake.

Mortified by her betrayal, he fled, also making their castle and gardens vanish. Psyche found herself alone in an open field, with no signs of other beings or her beloved. She tearfully wandered in search of him until she came upon a temple of Venus. The Goddess gave her daughter-in-law a series of impossible tasks – each harder and more dangerous than the next – and informed her they were the only way to get Cupid back.

Psyche took on each one with courage, hoping to soon see her lover, but in the end it was he who rescued her.

Psyche literally went to hell and back to be reunited with her beloved Cupid. The final task was to take a little box to the underworld and collect some of the beauty of Persephone, wife of Hades, in the box. She was warned not to open the box once she had filled it. Temptation got the best of her, and she opened it, only to be besieged by deadly slumber. She was out cold when Cupid came upon her. He gathered from her the essence of deadly sleep and put it back safely in the box. He forgave her indiscretions, touched by her willingness to go into the darkness to save their relationship. She forgave him for leaving her and came alive again in his loving embrace. Even her mother-in-law, Venus, got over her jealousies.

The gods were so moved by her devotion, they made her an immortal. Cupid and Psyche went to live with the other Gods and had a daughter, Voluptas (Pleasure).

Another moral to this story is the idea that love will find you … and true love will never really leave you behind.


Rev. L.S. Brockway is also known as “The Romance Reverend.” As a minister, she specializes in marrying people in love from all backgrounds and faiths and helping couples and their families through wedding stress. She has been writing about sex, love and matters of the heart and soul for 30 years as a columnist. She is author of 13 books, including four erotic romances, and is currently writing in the new adult fiction genre. Visit her at http://www.lauriesuebrockway.net/.

Friday Night Lights (2006-2011)

by Jeanine McAdam

Yes, it’s about football but it’s also a television show about relationships. Between a husband and wife, a parent and child, plus the thrill of first love. And…it explores the huge mistakes and bad decisions we all make while seeking love.

The show revolves around Eric Taylor (football coach) and Tami Taylor (high school guidance counselor/principal). A young, middle aged couple very much in love but facing the numerous challenges of life. Lack of money, air conditioners breaking, a surly teenage daughter and unexpected baby. Plus careers that are pulling them in different directions. They fight like real people. They get mean with each other and say words like “shut up” and “I hate you” but somehow find a way back to cherishing their love.

Then there’s Matt Saracen and Julie Taylor (Eric & Tami’s daughter). Their story is about tentative, young love. Then she decides she wants to have sex. The plan is to get it over with. But when it comes to the actual act, Julie chickens out. An older boy enters the picture and she breaks up with Matt.

And…there is tragedy. The star quarterback, Jason Street is rendered a quadriplegic after a football accident. His cheerleader girlfriend, Lyla Garrity tries to support him, his parents try also. All those relationships shatter in different ways. But something new is starting to be built from the ruins. I’m only in the second season and I have a feeling there is a different kind of love coming Jason’s way.

Of course, the rebel without a cause is on the team. Tim Riggins, is looking for something but not finding it between the legs of the numerous women he dates. However he’s not a one dimensional womanizer. He cares about people in this own stunted way. Making friends with the bullied boy next door while at the same time sleeping with the kid’s mother.

Finally, there is the hugely talented running back Smash Brain Williams. He’s a bit of a loud-mouth and flashy but also shouldering the success of the entire team. While single-handedly winning football games he’s being chased by college recruiters and dealing with racism. His relationships with his mother and sisters are extremely touching.

The tag line for the team is: Clear eyes, full heart, can’t lose. There’s lots of full hearts characterized on this show. The eyes aren’t always clear, but through winning and losing in the game of life a lot is learned about love. Well worth the time for any romance writer. Available on Netflix.


"Cowboy's Toughest Ride" Secret Cravings Publishing, May 2012

"Inhuman Resources" HUNGRY FOR YOUR LOVE: An Anthology of Zombie Romance, St. Martin's Press. Publishers Weekly, a “zippy stor[y] about the sexy turn-on of successful zombie hunting.”

"The Redesigned Heart" True Confessions, July 2011

http://www.jeaninemcadam.com

My Personal Inspiration

People look at me and they see how I can possibly by a suspense writer. Gray hair with a goatee to match. A few lines etched on the face. A little mystery here. And then there are my man cave habits – Saturday morning bacon and eggs breakfast, occasional male bonding with family and friends with brewskies, and let’s not forget I’m an avid NFL fan. How in the world does this guy get the inspiration to write romance? Well, to tell you the truth, there is one person that serves as the impetus for me to emerge from the heavy side. Yes, believe it or not, beneath this gruff exterior lies the heart of a teddy bear. And there is one special lady in my life that has helped me manifest my lighter self. Her name is Connie Colvin.

I had been going through some rough times personally in recent years. And then Connie walked into my life. To me she has been a Godsend. She has kept me on an even keel, and I give her much love and support in return. Connie actually has spurred me on to write romance, because when I write about love, I write about her. In fact, I have affectionately dedicated my upcoming novel THE DIAMOND MAN to her. She actually serves as the model for the story’s heroine, Anne Finley.

There are other romance projects I plan to work on down the road. They will cover different relationships young, old, and in between. But there will always be one common denominator in all of them: Connie. And when you read about these various heroines, rest assured there will always be a little bit of Connie in each and every one of them.


Michael J. Molloy’s first writing endeavor was DEUTERONOMY: THE NEW TEN COMMANDMENTS, a self-published suspense novel. In a recent contest sponsored by Writer’s Digest, Michael’s work garnered one judge’s praise as “almost the model of a page turner.” Michael’s newest romance endeavor THE DIAMOND MAN will soon be available through Gypsy Shadow Publishing. Please visit his website www.molloyauthor.com for the latest developments.

Valentine’s Day – A Holiday for the Five Senses

by Jean Joachim

"Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart, and the senses." – Lao Tzu
Love in romance novels – how do you paint the picture? Do you use the five senses? I like to write scenes incorporating the senses as I believe it draws the reader into the emotions of the story. Here are a few snippets from my newest release, a sweet romance, UNDER THE MIDNIGHT MOON. Note: sensual scenes are especially necessary in a sweet romance where there are no sex scenes.

I’ve touched on several senses as the heroine’s guts are doing battle with her brain over whether or not to make love with Drew, the luscious hero:

His divine taste, his intoxicating scent, the way his lips seduced her and his touch aroused her, brought Mindy to the brink of submission.

Her mind warred with her senses. Bet he’s a great lover. Suddenly she sat up, giving in to her mind. No regrets. I want no regrets. I’m going back to New York.

Sometimes the story appeals to the reader’s senses in building the atmosphere of a scene. Like this one where Mindy and Drew are alone in his house on a cold winter’s eve:

Mindy stretched out on the sofa while Drew added some logs to the fire. The hissing of the burning wood, along with the absolute quiet of the country, calmed her. The slightly smoky scent, plus the fresh pine fragrance from two Christmas wreaths, mixed with the tantalizing aroma of the casserole.

Our senses can remind us of an absent lover. In this scene Drew is missing Mindy and finds the remnants of her perfume a sore reminder:

Loving Mindy had affected his judgment. Alone in his apartment, all he could think about was her. Her fresh lilac scent lingered in his rooms, like a Siren’s song. Even watching a football game was only a temporary respite from thoughts of Mindy. He wanted her with him every day and in his bed every night.

The temptation to touch affects Drew early on, in this scene we feel it:

The neckline of her sweater revealed the tops of her breasts, inviting his touch. He couldn’t stop staring. Mindy shifted in her seat. You’re making her uncomfortable, jerk.

A remembered touch as a prelude to making love, which it might be in this scene where Mindy stands alone at her apartment door, watching Drew’s car disappear in the darkness:

Mindy touched her lips with her finger as she watched his red taillights grow smaller. She missed the press of his mouth against hers. Her fingers tingled slightly at the idea of touching his bare skin. A shiver ran up her spine at the thought of making love with him. Maybe I’m ready.


Here’s a bit about the book:

Can attending a wedding and a funeral on the same day change your life? Mindy Winslow’s life was altered forever when she met gorgeous lawyer, Drew Armstrong, and found out about her inheritance from her mentor, Lou. Embraced by the townsfolk at the wedding of her college roommate, Mindy sought to make her goal a reality in tiny Pine Grove, New York. But the exposure of a promise made then broken secretly, destroyed her dream. Will she be forced to face “I told you so” from her father or will love find a way to resurrect hope from the ashes?
Buy link (all formats): http://store.sweetcravingspublishing.com/index.php?main_page=book_info&cPath=4&products_id=123

I hope your Valentine’s Day touches you in every sense of the word!

Jean Joachim is an author, married, a mother of two boys and owner of a rescued pug named Homer. She writes contemporary romance and has more than a dozen contemporary romance books published with more scheduled to be release within the coming months. Jean has been writing non-fiction for over twenty years and fiction for three. Her review column, "Movie Choices for Kids" has been syndicated on parenting newspapers websites for the past 12 years. A native New Yorker, she still lives in New York City. Her website address is: http://www.jeanjoachimbooks.com.

A WRITER’S VALENTINE: TO SIRS, WITH LOVE

By Maria C. Ferrer

February is famous for Valentine’s Day, for lovers, for showing some love.

One group who gets too little love are teachers. And yet, teachers are the torch bearers, the surrogates. They shine the light on the wonders of the world, of the universe; they teach us to explore, to learn, to create.

My earliest memory of creating stories is from third grade. My teacher, Mr. Myers, taught us to read and to spell, but best of all he taught us – me!—to write. Every Friday, Mr. Myers would give us ten words. Our homework was to find the definition of the words and then to write a story using all the words.

I remember my first story about a little mouse that lived in a house and loved the swings in the playground. I wish my mother would have keep my stories, but her idea of cleaning was to throw everything out; with three kids in the house, no one can blame her. (All right, maybe a little.)

Another teacher who encouraged my writing was Mr. Glynnis from High School Journalism. He made us read the paper each week and had us breakdown the stories. Who, what, where, when and why -- the five key points of any article. Mr. Glynnis always said that if you got all that into your writing, you had done your job.

I always populate my stories with the five W’s. I know that if I have answered all of them, I have done my job as a writer.

I had other teachers throughout the years who also encouraged my writing, my love for photography, my love for adventure. I thank them all for sharing their enthusiasm with me, for showing me the pleasures of the written word, and for caring enough to nurture my dreams.

Thank you, Mr. Myers. Thank you, Mr. Glynnis.

I would like to end this blog with a Thank You to a Teacher I never met, but who is an inspiration to all -- Newton teacher, Victoria Soto. She nurtured her classroom kids and taught them the beautiful things in life. And one dark day this past December, she taught them courage and bravery. Victoria Soto hid her kids from a crazed gunman, and died protecting them. That is the ultimate price of love. Because of Victoria’s sacrifice, 15 kids live, 15 families had a Christmas. I am in awe of this wonderful teacher. I hope no other teacher ever has to pay so high a price again.

Thank you, Victoria. Thank you, to all our Teachers.

Will you be my Valentine?♥