SASSY, SNARKY, SMARTY PANTS

When I went through my Mom's papers, I found my third grad report card. Wow. Did that bring back memories. Teachers would write a comment on the back of the report card.

That year, my teacher had written: "Joan talks too much in school."

OMG. Yes, I had an unfortunate habit of saying what I thought. I looked at the world around me and always came up with a Dorothy Parker-type comment.

While this gained Ms. Parker the rep of being a biting sophisticated wit, it gained me the reputation of being a sassy little girl—a smarty pants as adults said back then.

I really wasn't trying to be funny. I was just making observations about the people around me and the things they did. To me, it was interesting and often funny.

Unfortunately, adults thought otherwise. Trust me, the often snarky words that came out of my mouth weren't considered  praiseworthy by my teachers or my parents. 

Looking back on it, I realize my observations were often more adult than childlike because of the sophisticated Golden Age comedies I watched on TV.

Most of those came from playwrights who'd written the story originally as a Broadway play.

Our local library had books filled with those Broadway play scripts. I didn't understand a lot of what I read, but it was definitely informative. LOL.

MY SNARKINESS: BACKGROUND FOR DIALOGUE

Those old movies ad the Broadway plays I read embraced dialogue. If you ever watch the classic films Bringing Up Baby or Pillow Talk, you'll notice the dialogue is out of this world!! What they say, how they say it, and when they say it is absolutlely perfect.

I think this is why I love writing dialogue—especially for heroines who are armed with an arsenal of sass and aren't afraid to use it. All my books—romantic comedies and romantic suspense—have a lot of dialogue, and I love writing it.

Readers often tell me that they laugh out loud at some of the conversations between characters.

In JUST ONE LOOK, I really got into the dialogue. My heroine Psychologist Jennifer Monroe uses words, innuendo, and sexual tension to twist her hero Gynecologist Dr. Matthew Penrose into a pretzel.

A lot of the dialogue in my books is stuff I’d love to say, but never do—maybe because I still hear the voices of my teachers and my parents telling me to think before I speak so I don't sound like a smarty pants.

That's what I do now. I think before I speak and usually come up with a good half-dozen of sarcastic, amusing retorts, but I place those words in the mouths of my characters.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I prize being a sassy, snarky, smarty pants now because in my opinion and in my books, sass is an art form.

Need a laugh? Read JUST ONE LOOK, a book that proves, "Seduction and sex can be pretty funny—especially when both sides play dirty in this battle of the sexes!"

😎😎😎

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PROGRESS IN SPITE OF DISTRACTIONS

Hurray! I made it to Wednesday. Yesterday was challenging, but then, many days are.

I am dismayed that I haven't finished my book yet, but every time I seat myself in front of the computer, some guy knocks on the back door and says, "Can you go to Home Depot (Lowes, True Value, or Ace Hardware) and get this bolt and nut, this gauge wire, another roll of insulation, another gallon of Kilz, etc.

Seriously, guys putting up a building need a woman on the crew to whip them into shape.

But, I digress... I'm here to help you regain focus and make progress in the face of distrations. although this applies to writing, these steps can be adjusted to whatever your particular project is. Just change the text to fit your situation.

GOING FORWARD WITH SO MANY DISTRACTIONS 

When I get to the point where I can't maintain the narrative long enough to put sentences down, I take a step back. This is hard to do when I already feel the pressure to get this book out there, but it's necessary.

Even thought I wrote my first few novels with 4 kids running through the house—shouting, screaming at each other, wanting lunch, snacks, parental face time, etc.—that is no longer the norm. 

The kids are grown, and I've become accustomed to a quieter, more peaceful environment.

Yet, I remember what I did back then when distractions and interruptions were the pattern of a summer day. 

6 WAYS TO WRITE WITHOUT ACTUALLY WRITING

(1) When you write every day, it's easy to keep the scope of the book in your head. When you're not writing every day, the project can go stale, and you may lose your enthusiasm for it. 

That's not good so set aside at least 2 blocks of time—maybe 15 minutes or longer—to think about the project from beginning to end. Focus on what made you want to write the book. Experience the emotions associated with your premise, with the chracters you've created. 

No one writes a book unless there is something about the idea and the characters that touches you deep inside. Mine those emotions until you literally can't NOT write.

(2) Use your imagination to figure out how you'll market the book when you publish it. Imagine the graphics you'll use, the teaser text to hook readers. In other words, be thinking about your book and the end result—a published book. 

(3) Keep a notebook and pen near by if you can't steal an uninterrupted half hour away from whatever is going on in your life so you can make notes that may pop into your head about the book, the setting, scenes that may be needed, snippets of dialogue you hear in your head when you think about the characters. 

(4) Is there any information you need about the background, setting, or characters? Make a metal list about that until you can write it in your notebook.

(5) When you can get to your computer, warm up your engines by using the notes you made to quickly find the information. Be sure to notate the websites or resources you used.

(6) Adopt the habit of writing an affirmation 10 times in the morning and 10 times in the evening that focuses on your writing and/or the work in progress itself.

After a few days, you may find yourself thinking and saying your affirmations when you have to be away from your computer.

Here are a few examples:

• "Writing is easy and fun for me."
• "Writing makes me happy."
• "This book I'm writing is awesome." 

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

You may realize that each of these tips are designed to build and maintain enthusiasm for your book in progress so you'll look forward to writing rather than losing interest and wondering why you thought it was a good idea in the first place. Hang in there! Good luck.

Need a little vacation? Read DECEPTIVELY YOURS, a book that will sweep you away to the beach, and it's now on sale for 99¢!

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Review - French Lover - Netflix

Don't be dismayed, but today's movie review is for a French romantic comedy starring Omar Sy as Abel, a dashing but jaded movie star, and Sara Giraudeau as Marion, a down on her luck waitress in a divorce battle with her ex who doesn't watch action movies and doesn't know who Abel is.

I saw a trailer for this Netflix movie and was intrigued. Since most foreign movies one can stream have English audio tracks embedded, it's not nearly as distracting as reading subtitles.

I found the movie to be funny and well-acted. I also found it intriguing to see a romcom aimed at a mostly French audience.

Some of the funny parts tickled my funny bone because they weren't what one normally would see or hear in an American romcom.

Except for Omar Sy, whom I'd seen in another French movie as well as several American films, I wasn't familiar with the cast which I found to be superb. This French romcom had pretty much the same kind of supporting actors as an American romcom featuring a movie star hero: a cutthroat sister, a slightly weird brother-in-law, starstruck mother and father, etc.

There were a few anachronistic bits, i.e., mentioning Jimmy Hoffa in what was supposed to be funny dialogue. In this country, there's an entire generation who wouldn't get that reference. The English translator for the audio track should have known better. 

Those English translated bits provided a different kind of amusement, but that didn't take away from the film.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

All in all, I found the film amusing and entertaining. From an author's perspective, I found it educational as to what the French would find amusing in a romantic comedy. If you have Netflix, watch it. You may find you like it too.

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COME TO THE BEACH PARTY

I need a vacation because I'm SO tired of all the construction here at my hacienda.

Just when I think we're getting close to the finish line, the weather throws a meteorological monkey wrench at is and construction stalls again.

If I can't take a vacation, then at least I can go to a Beach Party in the comfort of my home.

You can come too because I bet you could use an easy and cool getaway too!

BEACH READS AND SUMMER LOVE

Is there anything more fun than a good book on vacation? I think not. If that book is a romance novel, then you're guaranteed to have a good time. So here are the details:

WHAT: Facebook Beach Party

WHO: Hosted by the Romance Gems Authors

WHERE: Romance Gems...Where Authors and Readers Meet

WHEN: Tomorrow, July 14, 2026, starting at 9AM EST and running to 8PM EST

WHY: Because we all need a break and some fun!

HOW TO ATTEND: Go to Romance Gems...Where Authors and Readers Meet and click to join, answer the Participation Questions, agree to the rules, and someone will review your answers and give you admittance if all is in order.

WHY SHOULD YOU GO TO THE PARTY: You can chat with the Authors "live," take part in the Giveaways, and shop the 99¢ Sale Book Fair.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Don't risk FOMO. Come to the party!

Romance Gems...Where Authors and Readers Meet

Author Advice - Why Write Every Day

Writing success is built one day at a time.

A universal truth is: "If you want to be a writer, then write."

To be a "professional" writer, one must write. Not once in a while, but every day. If not every day, then on some kind of consistent basis.

 Why?

Two reasons.

(1) It builds the habit of producing words on a consistent basis. If you write 2,000 words each day, Monday through Friday, it's easy to sit down on Monday and do that.

It's not so easy if there are many days since the last time you wrote. You end up wasting time trying to motivate yourself to write. 

(2) A novel is a massive cluster of ideas. If you write every day, you have the universe of the story in your head. You don't waste time looking at notes to refresh your memory.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Here's another universal truth about writing. Writers write. Those who want to write, but don't, make excuses.

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Saturday Share - Great Dip for 4th of July

Happy Independence Day!

If the weather is good, and not so hot that it cooks your skin, you'll probably be outside grilling chicken, smoking brisket, or doing both along with sausage on the grill and cold drinks in the cooler.

The kids may be outside if you can get them away from video games and their phones to play touch football, toss a softball, or maybe a game of hide and seek if they're still young. 

What better way to celebrate this holiday than a recipe that reflects the melting pot we proudly are in this country.

I give you my recipe that will make any party great and will serve as an appetizer to keep hunger at bay until you toss that delicious BBQ on a platter.

OLD FASHIONED TEX MEX DIP

Ingredients

• 1 16-ounce can of refried beans
• 1 4-ounce can of chopped green chiles
• 1 4.5-ounce can pitted black olives, chopped
• 3 medium green onions, finely chopped
• 1 cup of sour cream
• 1 package guacamole mix, any brand that you like
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 large avocado, pitted and mashed
• 1/2 cup Picante Sauce, of course, my choice is always Pace's
• Tortilla chips

Directions

1. Mash the avocado and combine with the guacamole mix. Refrigerate at least an hour until it's "set" up.
2. Prepare the rest of the ingredients while you wait. Drain and chop the green chiles. Chop the black olives, green oinions, and tomato. Combine the olives and green onions in a small bowl and mix the tomatoes and chiles in another bowl.
3. Shred the cheese.
4. When the guacamole is ready, remove it from the fridge. In a large shallow dish, layer the ingredients in this order: beans, guacamole, olives and green onions mixture, chiles and tomato mixture.
5. Finally, sprinkle the cheese over the mixture.
6. Using the sour cream, frost the mixture. Next, drizzle the picante sauce over the layered dip.
7. Serve with fresh tortilla chips.
8. Here's a little tip. Warm the tortilla chips. It makes the dip even better.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Happy July 4th. Have fun. Be safe.

Prefer to stay inside and read? DECEPTIVELY YOURS is on sale for 99¢.

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Difference Between Art and Craft of Writing

What is the difference between the Art of Writing and the Craft of Writing?

THE ART OF WRITING

What is this? It's the creative process of translating emotions, abstract thoughts, and ideas into words that convey meaning to the reader and helps the reader connect with the written text. 

I think this could conceivably be viewed in part as the author's voice. How one author conveys an idea is different from other authors. Maybe that certain something some authors seem born with that enables them to easily master the art of writing is akin to being born with artistic talent.

THE CRAFT OF WRITING

This is much easier to define. It's the grammar rules of punctuation, spelling, choosing the correct word, sentence structure, plotting, scene development, dialogue, characterization, and mastering the narrative elements of writing, just to name a few, in order to properly create text that connects with your readers.

Good writing requires both Art and Craft. Learn your Craft and then use what you learned to write 1000s upon 1000s of words. Why? Because Craft can be learned from outside oneself, but Art can only be learned within by writing.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Want to be a great writer? Learn everything you can and then write, write, write.

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