With a Little Help From JeRoWriMo

I finished the JeRoWriMo Challenge last night, typing across the finish line with 30,000 words.

The book is not complete. I have another major, climatic scene to write. However, the progress I made this month was considerable and I know it wouldn't have happened without a little help from my friends at the New Jersey Romance Writers, and especially from Nancy Herkness who hosted the event. Whether an author wrote 160 words or 3,000 words in one day, she cheered them on and offered encouragement. Nancy was also writing her own book at the time, so my kudos go to her for all her efforts.

I could not have taken on this writing challenge without help from my family. They understood the importance of it. So I thank my nearest and dearest for cutting me a bit of slack this month.  The gourmet meals will soon be returning to our table. :-)

For those who haven't tried a writing challenge, I recommend it. I have never tried the NaNoWriMo challenge and I probably never will. To finish in that one, a writer must log in 50,000 words in the month of November--a month which includes Thanksgiving and holiday preparation for Christmas. I knew that would be impossible for me, but 30,000 words in the month of February is more realistic.

Now I must get back to the manuscript and write that final scene. Then I will have to go all the way back to the beginning and start the editing process. Watch for Patriot's Pride to be released in a year or so. :-)

Meanwhile, read Patriot's Heart, which is available now. Patriot's Pride will be the sequel to that story.

Precious Family Portrait

I love this one. It's such a precious moment in time. It must have been taken in Belford where my father's family had a summer bungalow. You can see the marsh in the background. On the left is my father's brother (he died in World War II), next to him is my grandfather, wearing suspenders as he always did. My father is on the right holding his baby brother. My grandmother must have snapped the photo.

The older boys are no longer wearing knickers as they did in photos when they were younger.

Do you have old family photos? Which are your favorites?

It Takes Courage

Writing takes courage. Writing a book takes a lot of courage--along with commitment. In the beginning, it is doubtful whether any writer will actually sell books. The process of getting to the end is long. Once the end is reached, it is necessary to go back to the beginning to revise and edit.

I write romantic fiction. I make it up but it still has to approximate reality. It must make sense and that's not easy.

This month, I joined the New Jersey Romance Writers' writing challenge, JeRoWriMo. I am attempting to add 30,000 words to a novel in which I had already had 20,000 words. I did the same thing last year and finished Patriot's Heart. I received a contract from Prism Book Group for that book and it is now available everywhere (with a gorgeous cover). :-)

A blank page is a scary thing. To compose the book, it helps to turn off the internal editor that questions every word, every comma, and every plot twist. A writer has to just let it go and write. The book can be fixed later--but there has to be something to fix.

Being a member of this challenge pushes me to throw the words down without quibbling over which word is exactly the right one. In the end, I will have a rough draft and it will need fixing. I'll turn my internal editor back on for that.

I've more than doubled what I started with on this project. The plot took a few unexpected turns, but that's fine. A few surprises can be fun.

My house is dusty and meals are usually leftover leftovers, but with one week to go, I am on target to reach 30,000 words. Wish me luck. :-)

Don't Be Shy!

If you're going to sell books, you have to let everyone know you have books to sell. You cannot be shy about it. You don't have to put on a grass skirt and dance, but you can hand out postcards or brochures to those you meet.

I feel comfortable on the internet. I send out tweets and status messages. I post to this blog on a regular basis. Connecting with people online is often easier for those of us who are bookish.

But yesterday, I was reminded how important it can be to connect in person. I took my father for his regular checkup at the podiatrist's office. We were there for a longer time than usual. The doctor asked how things were as she worked on my father's toes. I couldn't think of much new other than the amount of snow we've gotten and my writing. I bolstered my courage with a deep breath and quietly mentioned the fact that I have a new book out with a great cover. Unfortunately, I didn't have a postcard of the new book with me, but I did have a photo of it on my cellphone. I showed it to her. She glanced at it, then she went back to my father's toes.

"Nice," she said. "How many books have you written?"

"Thirteen," I answered.

That got her attention. So I told her what kinds of books I wrote. The odds of her buying one of my books are practically nil, but there was an assistant in the room as well. In fact, there are quite a few people who work in that office. I've been taking my father to the office for a long time. Why didn't I let them all know I was a writer with books they could read? Maybe because it seems a lot like boasting. Maybe because it seems inappropriate in the setting.

Maybe because it's easier to talk about all the snow than to announce you're a bit crazier than you look. :-)

Writing is fun. Promotion is a tough job, but all writers have to work at it.

The next time I go to that office, I'm bringing brochures with me.

Happy Valentine's Day!

These are the flowers hubby gave to me upon our engagement. Hubby proposed in a telephone conversation the night before he gave me the flowers. No bended knee stuff. Since he worked for Ma Bell at the time, his technique seemed appropriate. We were engaged on the night before St. Patrick's Day--so we always celebrate St. Patrick's Day as the anniversary of our engagement. It's easy to remember.

He bought the engagement ring the weekend after he asked me to marry him. We went to NYC's Diamond District. He had instructions from a friend of his at work on the ins and outs of buying a diamond there. We ate lunch at McDonald's after the ring was purchased.

I have written thirteen books--all romances. In every book, the hero and heroine fall in love. None of the books have the hero proposing in a phone conversation. In some the hero does propose on bended knee, which is nice. In some, there is a marriage of convenience where the heroine falls in love with the hero after they are legally wedded.

How did your husband propose to you? Was it a romantic proposal--a well-choreographed surprise? Or was it simple, but sweet?

Shop Amazon - Top Valentine's Day Gifts

Avoid Getting Lost in Research

I've written several historical romances. PATRIOT'S HEART is my latest and set in one of my favorite time periods--the Revolutionary War, 1778, right here in New Jersey. Historical sites are all around me, as I noted in my last post. However, in addition to visiting historical sites and watching re-enactments, I have read many books focused on that specific time period. To me, it's fascinating stuff and I find it very easy to get lost in the research.

But if I spend all my time reading research books, my book will never be written. I once listened to Nora Roberts suggest that reading children's books is a good way for a romance writer to glean the facts, but not become immersed in the research. Her recommendation has been extremely helpful. Yes, I also read big, fat volumes of history, but most often when I want something specific, I'll search for it in a child's book.

In PATRIOT'S HEART, the heroine is a blacksmith. Her father taught her the trade, but while he is away fighting with the Continental Army, she is in charge of the blacksmith shop. I found--quite by chance, in a used book sale--Colonial Craftmen, by Edwin Tunis, which describes not only the work of a blacksmith, but many other specific trades. The illustrations are fantastic. Colonial Living is another Edwin Tunis book which has been very helpful to me. A picture is worth a thousand words, and Edwin Tunis had a gift for drawing accurate illustrations.

If you want to see what it must have been like in early America, pick up a book by Edwin Tunis.

Where did the idea for PATRIOT'S HEART originate?

There are signs like these in along the road in my town. I pass by them all the time.



There's a re-enactment of the Battle of Monmouth every year at the site of the actual battle.



There's the Old Tennent Church, which was used as a hospital during the battle. Bloodstains remain on the pews. The headstones outside the church mark the graves of Revolutionary War heroes--like Joshua Huddy.

PATRIOT'S HEART is fiction. It is not a true story. I made it up, but in the context of what was happening in June of 1778, it is something that could have happened. It was a pivotal point in the history of our country and it happened right here in Monmouth County, which is really rather awesome. :-)

You can read the beginning of PATRIOT'S HEART at AMAZON!

Release Date--Wednesday, February 5, 2014

This is the print cover of PATRIOT'S HEART, my Inspirational Historical Romance set in 1778, on the day following the Battle of Monmouth. Tomorrow it will be released by Prism Book Group.

I hope you'll check it out!

Preparing for the Challenge

I have signed up again for JeRoWriMo again, the New Jersey Romance Writers' writing challenge. I am going to attempt to write 30,000 words during the month of February. I did it last year. The result of that effort was Patriot's Heart, which will be released soon by the Prism Book Group. For this challenge I hope to finish a sequel for that book. I already have 20,000 words invested in Patriot's Pride. So I've got a head start.

Last week and this week I've been preparing for the challenge. I use a simple character sheet, which you can see here. This is not detailed, but it helps me keep track of the basics while I'm writing. (There are spaces in case I need to add more characters.) I also make up a calendar to keep track of events in the story.

It seems every writer has their own methods. This is the method that works for me.

Wish me luck.

Allaire State Park

I took these photos at Allaire State Park last year. It's easy to tell because we have a lot more snow on the ground right now. :-) Allaire is one of my favorite places. Though there's not much going on at the park in the wintertime, it still makes an interesting walk and it's easy to imagine it as it once was--a bustling little town where bog iron was extracted during the years from 1822 to 1855. In the spring, summer, and fall there are many interpretive programs, shows, and festivals. The general store is a wonderful place packed with all sorts of goodies.

There is a blacksmith shop, too. I've stood and watched the blacksmith hammer hot iron rods into useful implements, which is one of the reasons I decided that Agnes, the heroine of PATRIOT'S HEART, would be a blacksmith. A woman can be a blacksmith. I've seen one working at Allaire. :-)

I enjoy visiting historical sites. I've gotten so many wonderful story ideas whenever I go to places like Allaire. But for me, the nicest part is that Allaire is close to home--and I can wander through there anytime I want. 

How about you? Do you like to visit historical sites?

Foreman's Cottage

Carriage House

Row Houses

Before Photographs

This is a 1991 photograph of my mother, my three daughters, and my father in front of the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery. I am not in the photo because I took the picture. :-)We had visited the Smithsonian specifically to see an exhibit of Winslow Homer's seascapes, because Dad insisted that's what he wanted. (I am sure he saw a review of it in the NY Times first.) However, by chance, there was also an exhibit of miniature portraits, which fascinated me. I stared at the tiny paintings and marveled at the skill the artists used in creating the diminutive images of people from so long ago.

I paint in oils. I use small brushes and do very detailed work, but I work on good-sized canvases. Just viewing the itty-bitty portraits gave me eyestrain.

However, large paintings are not very portable, which is why clever artists developed miniature paintings. Artists painted these teeny little likenesses from the 16th century up until 1839, when Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre showed off his invention to the members of the French Académie des Sciences and photography was born. You can read about Daguerre (1787–1851) and the Invention of Photography at the Metropolitan Museum of Art's website. Naturally, Daguerre named his invention after himself calling them daguerreotypes.

You no longer have to travel to Washington, D.C. to see miniature portraits. There's a great collection  online at the Cleveland Museum of Art as well as the one at the Smithsonian. I've found plenty of these treasures on Pinterest, too. I think I'll start another board of miniatures there.

In my soon-to-be-released book, Patriot's Heart, the heroine gets to see a miniature of her mother--a very small portrait which fits in the palm of her hand.

Maybe I got the inspiration for that scene at the Smithsonian back in 1991. :-)

Cover Reveal: PATRIOT'S HEART

I love this cover! The book is coming soon. I am working on the final edits at the moment. :-)

Patriot's Heart is a historical Christian romance set in 1778. It's the story of Agnes, a blacksmith, who runs the forge while her father fights in the Continental Army. The morning after the Battle of Monmouth, she discovers a wounded British soldier in her barn. Despite the risk, she vows to heal him as she believes a good Samaritan should.

Edwin, third son of the Duke of Dalfour, was supposed to become a barrister. He opted to run away and join the army. Shot on a mission to deliver the general’s message, he wakes in Agnes’s barn unaware of how he got there and missing his horse. If he is caught, he could be hung, but Loyalists are also searching for British deserters. If anyone discovers he is the son of the Duke, he is doomed.

Agnes tells everyone Edwin is her mother’s cousin, but she soon finds herself falling in love with him. When Loyalists kidnap her sister, Edwin vows to bring the child back from the British held camp. Can Agnes trust him? Or is he using her sister as an excuse to return to his company?

The book is being published by Prism Book Group, the same publisher who released Daddy Wanted. You should check out their other books, too, because they are all terrific. :-)

No Grape Jelly

I like red raspberry jam, strawberry jam, blackberry jam, marmalade, apricot, peach, or even elderberry jam, but I won't eat grape jelly. I like grapes. I like wine. However, just the thought of grape jelly is unappetizing to me. 

When I was a kid, I got peanut butter and jelly sandwiches nearly every day. The jelly was always grape, because it was the least expensive. The bread was always white bread--because back in the dark ages of the 1950s that's the only kind of bread there was--no whole wheat. I did not have a nice insulated lunch bag because those had not been invented yet. I had a brown paper bag. I carried my books in my arm (no backpacks either yet). The brown bag sat on top of the books and was often crushed against my chest. By lunchtime, the grape jelly had oozed through the white bread, which was now flattened. My sandwich looked like it had a horrible bruise. 

I didn't like it, but I ate it anyhow. I liked peanut butter and I still do. 

Once I was all grown up, I never bought grape jelly. Ever. My children had plenty of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches--except I always made them with jam not jelly. I never bought grape jelly for my daughters.  

I enjoy a peanut butter and jam sandwich once a week or so, but I use whole wheat bread--never white. 

Do you have any particular aversions to food you had to eat when you where young? 

Something Old, New Again

That's me in high school. There isn't a date on the back of the photo, but I believe this portrait was taken in my senior year--mostly because I have a "flip" hair style, which was very popular and a Madras blouse--also quite the rage at the time. Madras clothing was guaranteed to bleed--and so it did. My brother had a Madras jacket. He got caught in the rain one day when he was wearing it. His white shirt underneath was ruined. The jacket didn't fare well either.

Styles come and go. For the most part, old ideas are simply reinvented and brought out to a younger generation. Did you read my post on the Granny dress? That short-lived trend wasn't ground-breaking, just another case of making something old new again.

Literary styles change as well. Right now, Young Adult appears to be the crowd-pleasing favorite. But Fifty Shades of Grey was also a success. Do you remember when Chick-Lit was in? We also have Steam-Punk Gothic now. What is that? I consider it a hybrid--sort of historical/fanatasy/Gothic/horror. However, there are those more knowledgeable on that topic than I.

Still, it's confusing. There's nice list of sub-genres of various novel categories at Writer's Digest, but that doesn't include some of the "newer" classifications.

Will I write a Young Adult novel just because that is the current favorite? I don't know. In a sense, I've written a Young Adult novel--but it's set in another century. In Patriot's Heart, which will be released in February, the heroine is just eighteen, but she's living in 1778. That makes it a historical. Oh well.

My advice to aspiring writers is this: write what you want to write. Then fix it. But make sure you are happy with it. In the end, you are writing to please yourself. If you're lucky, other people will like it, too. It doesn't matter what genre or sub-genre it is. It's your story. Your style.

Start your own trend. Don't make something old new again.

DADDY WANTED Nominated for Reviewer's Choice Award

DADDY WANTED is up for an award, but only if you vote for it. PRG reviewers nominated their favorite books for 2013, but readers are the ones who will determine the winners. 

I need your vote! Go this website:

http://www.paranormalromanceguild.com/2013reviewerschoice.htm

DADDY WANTED is in the Romance category. Please help me out and vote for my book.

Thanks so much!  :-)

My Grandfather, The Milkman

My paternal grandfather was a milkman in Jersey City. In the photo above, he's the second man from the left with the cap on his head. He supported his family--three sons and a wife--with his wages. The job was difficult due to the hours because my grandfather delivered the milk in the wee hours of the morning. However, his family got plenty of milk, eggs, and other dairy products as a bonus, which was a good deal during the Depression.

My father sometimes went along with my grandfather. Dad said the horse knew the route. The horse would stop in front of the correct houses all the time.

Eventually, trucks replaced the horses but my grandfather continued to deliver milk until he retired. He owned a two-family house and a car. Being a milkman provided him and his family with a good life.

For Auld Lang Syne

I'm wishing you health, happiness, and economic stability in the year ahead. For me, 2013 had some major good moments because two of my books were published. In 2014, Patriot's Heart is slated to be released in February. I'm a happy writer. :-)

In case you were busy this year and missed reading some of my blog posts, I thought you might be interested in seeing the ones that received the most hits. I thank all who stopped in for a look around. 

I appreciate the comments, too. 

1. With over 3,400 views My Thumb and the Synovial Cyst must have struck a chord with many readers. Or maybe a lot of people have the same problem. Check it out at the link:

http://penelopemarzec.blogspot.com/2013/01/my-thumb-and-synovial-cyst.html

2. Celebrating the Release of DADDY WANTED with a Contest received over 1800 views. I think that was due to the fact that it was a contest. It's nice to win something. However, that contest is over. If you want to enter another contest go here:

http://penelopemarzec.weebly.com/contest.html

3. Sunday Scenes: KISS OF BLARNEY received more than 750 hits. You should read it if you haven't already done so.

http://penelopemarzec.blogspot.com/2013/11/sunday-scenes-kiss-of-blarney.html

4. I put up a fantastic guest post in July. Whatever Happened to Courtship? attracted a lot of attention.  If you missed it, you ought to read it now.

http://penelopemarzec.blogspot.com/2013/07/guest-post-whatever-happened-to.html

5. Mom's Secret Rice Pudding Recipe is great for those who love creamy rice pudding. Add this one to your recipe file.

http://penelopemarzec.blogspot.com/2013/07/guest-post-whatever-happened-to.html

6. My DIY Book Promo can help you get your marketing plan off the ground. 

http://penelopemarzec.blogspot.com/2013/08/my-diy-book-promo.html

7. Sunday Scenes: A RUSH OF LIGHT was another popular post. Must have been great for the lunchtime readers. :-) 

http://penelopemarzec.blogspot.com/2013/10/sunday-scenes-rush-of-light.html

I hope you enjoy my most popular blog posts of 2013. Stop by in 2014. I'm sure I'll have something interesting to say. 

My Favorite Dinner Rolls

These are my favorite dinner rolls! I found the recipe a long time ago in the Better Homes and Gardens magazine. My precious clipping is encased in a plastic sleeve, but I found the recipe online when I went looking for it.

Try these. They are delicious and not much work at all. Besides, there is nothing like a yeast bread baking in the oven. It makes the whole house smell wonderful. :-)

Dinner Rolls Italiano

3-1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
2 packages active dry yeast
1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, plus 2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Combine 1-1/2 cups flour with yeast and Italian seasoning. Heat milk, water, sugar, 2 tablespoons butter, and garlic salt just until warm (115 to 120 degrees F.); add to flour mixture. Add eggs. Beat at low speed of electric mixer 1/2 minute. Beat 3 minutes at high speed. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Add in as much of the remaining flour as you can stir in. Turn out onto a floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough. Shape into ball. Place in greased bowl. Cover; let rise in warm place until double in volume (about 45 minutes). Punch down; let rest 10 minutes. Shape into 16 balls. Dip tops into 2 tablespoons melted butter, then in remaining grated Parmesan cheese. Place rolls in two greased 8- or 9-inch round baking pans. Cover; let rise until nearly double in size (about 15 minutes). Bake at 375 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes.--Carol M. Gilley, Cookeville, Tenn.

Makes 16 rolls.

Christmas Blessing

May the peace and joy of Christmas live in your heart all year long.

Christmas Past

This photo was taken many years ago when my daughters were young. They were acting out the Christmas story. Daughter #3 was Mary, Daughter #2 was a lamb, and Daughter #1 was one of the Wise Men. Our daughters used to put on a small play or puppet show every Christmas. Sometimes, when their cousins were visiting, the cast became larger.

Now that out daughters are all grown up, they no longer put together a play to entertain us, but since they did it every year when they were children I know the Christmas story is engraved on their hearts and that they will always remember that Christmas is not really about the presents we give to each other, but the gift that God gave to us.