Lessons for a Book Lover

 “Being a book lover means loving more than just the story. You must love the feeling, the words, and the themes throughout the story. Understanding the writer and predicting the audience’s reactions as if you are actually in the story yourself. That is the embodiment of a book lover. “

Lessons for a Book Lover

I have spent the last few months on a romance book binge. It has been fun and relaxing to read stories that are fresh yet relatable and enjoyable. The last 3 months I have read and listened to 14 titles that are strictly contemporary romance or adult romance. For those that know me, this may be a surprise. My love for paranormal, magical, world changing, empire reigning faeries stories has never wavered, but yet I found myself engulfed in love without wings.

I cannot pin point my shift in habit directly. It stills amazes and bewilders me that my first published novel is of the contemporary women’s fiction brand. Do not dismay friends, anything I write will always have elements of love, but my true heart is somewhere between a raising moon and its alternate reality. My next novel will please those with the same longing and I look forward to sharing the imaginative reality of the Blue Moon Series.

As I finish up this binge, I must make note of some delightful revelations about traditional romance novels.

You always want to root for the bad boy/bad girl.

In the book Heartless: Amato Brother Series by Winter Renshaw, the main character was so scared he was bitter, mean, and almost unworthy of the love being offered to him. However somewhere between ignoring his feelings, and fighting his feeling, I found myself hoping for his healing.

Story continuations do not have to be harmonious.

Often times with paranormal/fantasy stories, the series starts and then builds on the previous story. It is almost imperative to read book 1 before book 5. And if you enjoy the writing, you will be clenching to get to book 6 just to see how the story ends. During my binge I read most of Kristen Proby’s Boudreaux Series. While I did start with book one Easy Love, I skipped to book #6 Easy Nights, because I was interested in that character focus. Then I went back to book 5 Easy Magic. Reading the stories out of sequence did not take away from the knight in shining armor quality of her writing.

All romance novels aren’t about love, some make you feel.

This lesson was welcomed and has helped me understand my own creativity and development of my non-fantasy brand. A love story should make you feel for the character and anyone else you see and know in a similar situation. Brittainy C. Cherry is one of my new favorite authors. Her novel The Air He Breathes caught me totally by surprise and I enjoyed every minute of it. I felt every moment of Tristian’ pain and Elizabeth’s strong will to push forward despite her pain. The character’s development is nothing short of fiction perfection for me. The emotion the writer pulled through the words puts her in my top list for the year 2017. I enjoyed her story so much I followed up The Air He breathes with The Gravity of Us and I was not disappointment. The story showed me that not all romance has to portray the strength and trial of love between adults. Sometimes the triumph of learning to love your family and yourself is all the love story one needs. Brittainy C. Cherry story inspired my so much I have written separate full-length reviews, check them out then read her books.

I am not sure if I am done with the romance reads quite yet, but as I moved into the edit and 2nd draft phase of my own urban fantasy novel, I find that it is helpful to stay balanced with my reading choices. Hopefully you are reading something engaging and amazing too this year.

~Dream~Create~Inspire

Tanela

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National Novel Writing Month 2017

It is National Novel Writing Month. November is the month to stretch your muscle, and your fingers to create the next great novel right. RIGHT!

National Novel Writing Month has a special place in my heart. This year as many may know, I published my first novel. I started Dreams of the Heart before my first participation year of NaNo, however the year I did participate, my first experience was the best. I was so encouraged, and simultaneously paranoid about my first novel project. Looking back, it was comical how scared I was to share my work, or even the amount of words I wrote; which is main element in the NaNo challenge I develop my own word count marco spreadsheet. Given my background in Information Technology, this is not an unrealistic resolution. Despite my misguided attempted at NaNo, through my writing journey I have learned that sharing helps you gain insight and perspective on everything from characters, to plot timing.

This year I will be focusing on the ending transition for series format and the overall rewrite. I plan to have these steps fully completed y NOVEMEBER 30th. This is important because I plan to publish my novel Twin Souls: A Blue Moon Series Novel is the winter of 2018. Getting the book to my editor is my primary goal for the end of 2017 and National Novel Writing Month is the best time to push myself to new goals.

I am looking forward to interacting more with the writing community and learning more about writing dialogue and time shifting within a single plot. Writing is my life.

Please keep in touch and follow me on this journey right here on my TanelaWrites.

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Author’s Open Letter

Author’s Open Letter

Speaking about my novel Dreams of the Heart has not been easy. Despite all my excitement and enthusiasm, I still seem to lack the words to fully encompasses what my story is about. Of course, I know, and I course I believe that anyone who reads my novel will be emotional inspired. Yet still describing my story has become my post completion challenge.

As a part of my marketing strategy I was ask what novel can Dreams of the Heart be closely compared to. As a reader, you have probably seen this often. Phrases like “Twilight meets Pride and Prejudice” or “Wuthering Heights meets Maximum Ride”. Or my favorite, “For Lovers of Nicholas Sparks’ “The Notebook”. It has been hard to find those comparisons. First let’s be honest, Nicholas Sparks ability to pull a heart into a story that cannot duplicated. And Twilight was epic, despite what naysayers think and I would never use its imagination and drawl as a marketing tool for my stories.

So where does that leave me. As a true book lover and story engager I have looked for proper novel comparisons and found none. So, I have turned to my next love, music. Dreams of the Heart was bred in music and love. I listened to music all the time, especially when writing. I can recall all the music I listened to while writing Jamice’s story. Every line written portraying Greyson’s hunky description was fueled by a song of sexy inspiration. Relating Dreams of the Heart to music is more accurate. The beginning of my story is a mix of “It’s Alright” by Ledisi and “It Never Rains” by Tony! Toni! Tone’, which are songs that long for happiness’. The middle story and crux of my novel; the core of who Jamice is, would be a mix of Usher’s sinful repentance of the 90’s and Jagged Edge’s bargaining for love in every song they made on their debut album. Chapter 21 of my novel was written to one song on repeat for 2 days. “Alone” by the RnB great Joe. Jamice’s best friend and their ride or die relationship is a mix between Luke’s “I Wanna Rock” and Destiny Child entire Survivor album. Sasha is fierce and strong, and all woman.

Dreams of the Heart has music woven all throughout its story. Please while you are reading my new novel, listen to some music. Try some Anthony Hamilton, Brandy, Luther or even Joe. If none of those artist work well or you, at minimum, please listen to Ledisi. All of her albums from “Lost and Found” to “The Truth” can in many ways tell you what Dreams of the Heart is about. The story of love and healing is one that will move the most stubborn spirit to follow their heart. That is my dream, to motive someone to love and then share that love with someone who has lost hope. New analogy “Dreams Meet Hope”, how’s that for marketing!

Tanela Hicks

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