The morning is warm and I thought it would be nice if my guest, Ginger Simpson and I sat on my veranda an over a nice pot of tea and toast had a chat about what she is doing at the moment.





Ever notice that artists, singers, actors/actresses, and authors have a lot in common? Not long ago, I equated being a writer with an Olympian, and I saw the similarities as the athletes prepared for their moment of competition, hoping for their best performance ever. Each time I begin a new novel, I pray that it's better than the previous one...that something in that next attempt reaches out, grabs attention and earns me my "moment."

That comparison still applies but now I've added other entertainment fields to the mix.

What is the commonality, you ask? Unless an author touches the reader's heart, just as any other performer, we've lost our ability to connect. People buy artwork because it's appealing to the eye. Singer's voices and the lyrics connect the a listener's heart, actors and actresses are the vehicles through which the words of a screenwriter are conveyed. Like SHOWING in a novel, those holding movie roles must become the person, feel their emotions, experience their pain. Working for a Grammy, Oscar or recognition of any kind takes devotion.

In the ten plus years that I've been writing, I've learned more than I could possibly list here. Through a fairly recent class taught by Cheryl St. John, well-known HQ author, I've received validation of what I know to be true. Rule number one: The reader has to care! Not everyone will, and that's a fact.




Some art lovers adore Monet, others don't.

Most women swooned over Patrick Swayze in Ghost while others considered it romantic drivel.


Some music lovers grieved the loss of John Lennon; personally I was never a Beetles fan and his passing saddened me, but I cried when Luther died. He touched my soul with his songs.





Conflicting opinions continue in reading as evidenced by two reviews of the same novel: one appreciating and one picking the book apart. But I still apply rule number one and work to make whoever reads my book care about my characters, my plot, my storyline. If I don't, then I won't ever please anyone, and that would be horrible. I'm sure every other "artist" has faced the same dilemma and disappointment, but that doesn't stop a professional from reaching for "that moment."


I'd like to share a little of Sister's in Time with you.






This book has garnered great reviews and was a challenge to write. Rather than have one hero and heroine, I have two because of the time-travel element and needing to display the differences between the old west and modern day. Normally, an author only has to work hard to connect the reader to the hero and heroine, but in this case, my job was doubly difficult. Here's the blurb to give you an idea about the story and hopefully entice you to read the book.

Blurb:

Two eras collide when a modern day attorney and a pioneer wife find themselves locked in a time not their own.

Mariah Cassidy awakens in the twentieth century. Confined in a pristine environment, hooked to tubes and beeping machines, she’s scared, confused and wondering why everyone keeps calling her Mrs. Morgan. Who is the strange man who keeps massaging her forehead and telling her everything is going to be alright?

Taylor Morgan tries to focus on her surroundings through a blinding headache. The patchwork quilt, the water basin, and the archaic room don’t strike a familiar chord. Her mouth gapes when a handsome man waltzes into the room, calls her darling, and expresses his delight that she’s on the road to recovery.

Thank you for joining me today at Margaret's blog, and to her, my love and appreciation for allowing me time and space. Tomorrow, I'll be at Marsha Moore's site, talking about Sparta Rose, yet another historical western romance. Hope you'll join me there: http://marshaamoore.blogspot.com


SPICE UP YOUR LIFE WITH GINGER
2009 EPIC Nominee
LRC 2009 Best Historical Winner
http://www.gingersimpson.com
http://mizging.blogspot.com