Greetings Everyone!

It’s Monday and I’m excited. The Romantic Times Booklovers Convention is this week! It’s always a great time, filled with interesting people consisting of readers, publishers, booksellers, and authors. And all come together to celebrate Romance books. 

Kudos go out to the convention planners, and as I recently served as my RWA chapter’s conference chair, I know how much work goes on behind the scenes.  If you haven’t attended RT, and you love reading or writing Romance books, I highly recommend it. While there are late night events, dances, balls. All themed, from Ellora’s Cave Publishing’s Fantasy Ball on Wednesday evening to the Faery and Vampire balls and Dorchester’s Saturday night party, it’s all a blast. Especially when you see the effort put in to the costumes! 

During the day there are mixers, workshops for readers and writers (published and unpublished), author panels, publisher spotlights, and even the chance to meet and pitch your work to an editor or agent. By the end of the week, exhaustion sets in, but it’s worth it. The networking, the laughter, the chance to talk and reunite with readers and colleagues from previous years is really a lot of fun.  

Over the next week, I’ll likely be quiet. But on my return, I’ll give a recap of RT 2010 and hope to inspire others to attend next year.  Also, please note that in honor of my 3rd book release, Sea Captain’s Ghost, I’ve found an awesome photo of a lion that would most represent Captain Don Adriano Montoya. Take a look and enjoy. I collect photos of big cats, so if you have one, send me a link. I’ll add it to my files when I return and share them right on my blog next week!

Until then, keep reading and writing,

Frances Stockton

Hello everyone and welcome back!

I’d like to take a quick moment to thank Morning Glow of Novel Addiction for inviting me to be a guest on her blog. It was a lot of fun and I was able to meet interesting people and answer questions. Stay tuned, as I plan to have her as a guest on my blog very soon. Also, I’m getting ready for RT next week and may seem quiet, as I get involved with the activities and workshops and may not be able to blog. I will, however, post plenty of information about RT 2010 when I return.

With that said, I was trying to come up with a topic for today’s blog post and thought about characters. Characters, at least for me, make a novel. Ditto for movies, television and even radio DJs. Characters that stick with us from these places are drawn in such a way that they’re the storytellers, they draw you in, you laugh, cry and cheer.  Creating vivid characters is a very important part of the writing process.

I think writing habits and methods of drawing characters change, depending on the author. In my case, I create a very complex character bio. I love this part of writing. It’s a little bit ‘god-like’, in that I chose the characters names, their likes, dislikes, hobbies, career, age, physical description, and clothing style. I do this for every character, though admit that secondary characters may not have that detailed of a bio. But in getting a good idea for who the secondary characters are, they tend to jump out at me and say, “Hey, I have a story to tell, too.” And then I discover the means for a new story.

This happened to me with the Panthera books with Cerridwen Press. One character jumped out from the beginning, Valiant. In Seductive Persuasion, he is portrayed like a teenager on the verge of manhood. He makes mistakes, rash judgments, and yet, he comes through in the end. He grows up a good bit in Rhiannon’s Pride and becomes central in helping to find Rhiannon. (Promise not to give the rest away. If you haven’t read Book 2, I sure hope you’ll consider doing so.) In Sea Captain’s Ghost,  he is a man, a marquess, and firmly established in British heirarcy and nobility. He is uncommonly gorgeous (of course he is, I wanted him to be.) And, yet, he grows even more. Valiant’s story is planned and will be told, I assure you. But not quite yet. It’s my hope that when he gets his story, readers will be invested in what happens to him and his fated heroine.

Now, I am working on another series, in a contemporary setting, but creating character sketches and bios remain important. By the way, that doesn’t mean the Panthera are done. No way! I love them and it’s my intention to write more. I will also share some very exciting news with everyone soon, but, alas, I’m going to wait until I have a little bit more information and feel comfortable giving it out. Nonetheless, characters are what bring me back to a book or the reason I put one up on my crowded Keeper shelf.

Authors that I think create and write excellent characters consistantly are Sherrilyn Kenyon, J.R. Ward, Christine Feehan, Karen Rose, Jessica Andersen, Mary Balogh, and Suzanne Brockmann. Its the characters in their books and series that keep me coming back. And, often its several characters that catch my attention in a given book. That’s why I couldn’t wait to read Acheron (Kenyon), or Fallen (Ward), or Count to Ten (Rose). J.R. Ward cleverly showed us glimpses of the Brothers in Fallen, even though it was the first of its own series. By that peek alone, I was right into the story. Ditto for Acheron. I couldn’t wait for his book to come out. I ended up getting it for my birthday, and it’s still my favorite book. Now I’m anxiously waiting for Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon, so I can find out what’s going to happen to Nick! If you read the Dark Hunter books, you know what I mean about characters.

So what is it about a character that grabs you? What characters from books, TV, movies, or whatever your entertainment choice might be, speak to you and keep your attention. Frankly, I’m a huge Han Solo fanatic. From the first Star Wars movie, New Hope, and I mean the original, Han’s bad boy persona stuck with me. I also recognized Darth Vader’s character arc from the beginning to the end. Regardless, it was Han that I cheered for when he blew away a storm trooper. Or cried for when he was frozen…and yes, I really did cry. I was a teenager when Empire Strikes Back came out and there’d been a rumor that Han wasn’t going to make it. Fortunately, it didn’t end that way. Another character that comes to mind is M*A*S*H’s Hawkeye Pierce. I truly enjoyed watching him develop and go through a war that he didn’t want to be in. That show was both funny and it made us cry, often in the same episode. Jamie Farr’s Klinger started off wearing dresses to get kicked out of the war/Korea, and yet, by the end, he’d gotten married and stayed! Talk about character arc and maturity.

I’ve also enjoyed the character development and changes for Batman in recent movies, and lately, I’ve been watching a lot of episodes of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Granted, my daughter watches this show,  but when I’m watching with her I have seen the growth of the kids involved, including Aang, ‘the Avatar’, and Prince Zuko, who started off bad and has become much more.

So thinking about characters, who stands out to you in fiction, movies, or television? Why? Share some of your favorite characters from your favorite books and shows. I’d love to hear from you.

Since I need to get back to my WIP and preparation for RT, I’ll check back when I can. And, because of RT, it might be a few days before I post. I’m around, though.

Keep reading and writing,

Frances Stockton

Hi everyone!

Happy Friday. I can’t believe the weekend is just about here and I woke up this morning to rain and…snow! Yikes. Yep, snow, in fact, it loosely covered my garden and lawn. Granted, it’s all rain now but welcome to spring in New England.

So, what I really wanted to post about today is the honor to be the first guest blogger over at Novel Addiction. A reviewer and voracious reader, host/owner Morning Glow invited me after we chatted live on BlogTalkRadio. I hope you’ll stop on by the blog during the day and leave a comment. By doing so, you could win a generous giftcard to Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble! The contest will run through the weekend, so don’t hesitate to leave a comment or question, you’re eligible to win! Winner to be announced Monday, right here and on Novel Addiction.

Here’s the link: http://glowsnoveladdiction.blogspot.com/ You’ll see that I’ve several great blogs in my blogroll, all are excellent. This one is heartfelt, honest and it’s obvious that Morning Glow loves to read. Don’t we all?

Again, stop by, leave a comment, ask a question. I’ll be dropping in throughout the day and weekend to respond.

Until next time,

Frances Stockton

Hello and welcome!

It’s Wednesday, and it’s beautiful. According to the morning weather, I’d gone outside to my daughter’s bus stop expecting it to be super chilly, instead it was refreshing. A slight breeze, birds chirping, and the chattering chipmunks (we have a huge family of chipmunks that live in a cavern of homes and trails throughout our gardens and lawn) and a few wild turkeys in the woods make for interesting sounds in the morning. And, I have to say that I enjoy it this time of year. But the sounds and a few cups of coffee got me thinking about a blog topic.

I decided on social networking and promotion on the internet. There are many sites where authors and readers can connect regarding their books. The obvious ones are MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter. There’s websites, blogs, Yahoo! Groups, and I think there are also Google Groups, but I don’t know if that changed. There are chat venues, BlogTalkRadio (one that I really enjoy because you can chat live if you connect with a ‘net radio show that is author/reader related), and many authors have message boards and live chats on their websites. All of these are good, and, one that I forgot to mention but deserves a big high five from me, Goodreads.com. With Goodreads.com, members can share what they are reading, post quick, concise reviews, and catch the latest updates from their favorite authors. I’m still new to this site, but feel free to add me as a friend. My url is http://www.goodreads.com/francesstockton and I would enjoy connecting with you.

But all the promotion, chats, groups, and networks can take a lot of time. For me, I like to check all the sites in the morning and late in the afternoon, leaving the better part of the day for writing. Writing is my favorite thing, more so, storytelling, and soon I’ll start working on a new book and a potential series so writing is going to take priority. But promotion is still important, and I have 3 books currently available and hopefully readers will pick them up and enjoy them as much as I enjoyed writing them. 

Speaking of promotion and getting the word out, I’m going to be guest blogging over at reviewer Morning Glow’s site, Novel Addiction, Friday. A contest will also be held, and if you stop by and leave a comment anytime starting Friday morning and over the weekend, you could win a giftcard to either Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble. To visit Novel Addiction on Friday, head on over by following this link:  http://glowsnoveladdiction.blogspot.com/ It really is a great site for reviews and discovering new and established authors.

Now I’d like to know what social networks you enjoy? Which do you find easiest to use? I’m still learning Goodreads.com but I am finding the updates and the information/news from my favorite authors very convenient. I also enjoy live chats, even though it’s fast and furious sometimes, you never know who you might meet or you might discover talent and/or a new author. MySpace has made some changes recently, some that I like, and some that I find frustrating, but I LOVE the profiles. You can create an identity or feel for your MySpace profile and I find that it’s fun to see what friends do with their pages to stand out. It’s also a great way to send out quick updates, short notes or bulletins, and even blog. Facebook is great because it’s allowed me to catch up with people from all over, many of whom are family and friends, as well as readers and fans. I’ve also learned that FB is increasing efforts to protect children and teens, especially from bullying. This is something that really affects me, as I was one of those kids back in Middle and High School who was teased quite a bit. While not to the scale of what I’ve seen and heard in the news lately, it certainly affected my self esteem. I do worry about teenagers and the ‘net. Ditto for the many authors and celebrities who have Facebook fan pages. One creative use of the fan pages has been to create them for characters. I think this suits contemporary characters best but I’ve enjoyed ‘friending’ my favorite characters from my favorite books. Getting a message from Sherrilyn Kenyon’s Acheron is a thrill! Not to mention the fun and sexy photos displayed on the pages, yum!

Okay, so I think you get the message about social networking and promotion. MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads.com and any social networking/chat sites are great tools for authors and readers. If you have an opinion of a network you prefer or like, tell me about it. What are your favorite venues? To the left of this post, you’ll see blogroll links. I’ve included Facebook, MySpace, Goodreads.com, and Twitter among them. Check them out if you have the time.

Thank you for stopping by today and reading this post. I hope you’ll visit me at Novel Addiction on Friday. I’ll post reminders on all the networks, but it would be a pleasure to read comments and answer/respond throughout the day.

Until next time, write well and read often,

Frances Stockton 

Happy Monday Everyone!

I know Mondays are that day in the week where many say, “Ugh, where did the weekend go?” But today it’s a New England spring day, a little in the cloudy side, neither warm nor cold, but comfortable. I happen to love the breeze and look forward to flowers blooming. There are a few in bloom, including cherry blossoms all over town.

Over the weekend, I’d thought about ways to use my blog more effectively. Last week, I’d asked for feedback. I received several replies by email and in the comments, and I thank those of you who continuously respond. Feedback and comments are always appreciated. As to the impromptu contest that I’d announced, the winner was someone who tried to comment but her comment was lost in the world wide web and she emailed it to me. Heather, please contact me at romance@francesstockton.com for your prize.

Now that the information gathering is done, at least for now, as I believe that sometimes changes have to be made if necessary or seems logical (insert Spock’s voice…lol), but here’s what I’d like to do. A few days a week are going to be about subjects that I love, writing, the paranormal world/books, History, and craft.  Starting in May, I’ll host, ‘Guest Blogger Wednesdays’.  The guests may be promoting their latest release, talking about writing or their craft, or they may be authors/writers of a different genre than Romance. Guests may have a particular trade or skill that they excel in and it’s my hope that this will benefit both authors and readers alike. I’ll certainly announce when guests will appear, including a monthly schedule right here on my blog, on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and Goodreads.com.

I’m also happy to say that I’ll be guest blogging for various friends, authors, reviewers and bloggers, too. I can’t wait, as my next guest blog will be posted this coming Friday April 16, 2010, for the reviewer Morning Glow. I’ll post a link to the blog in a day or so, but please note that her wonderful blog is already featured in my blogroll to the left! Her blog is titled, ‘Novel Addiction’. If you have the time, check out her blog, as well as the many authors and industry professionals whose blogs are excellent and highly recommended.

Lastly, on Fridays, my favorite day of the week, I’ll be hosting a ‘News and Highlight Reel’, featuring announcements of authors/writers/friends upcoming book releases, contest finals and placements, new sales or first sales. If you’re an author, feel free to send me your news the Monday before you’d want it posted. If it’s a new or first sale, provide whatever information you can in a quick, concise paragraph. Ditto for contest finals or placements. If it’s an upcoming release, send me the title, release date, ISBN if you have it, and a link to the book or your website for readers to find out more.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read Monday’s post. In a few days, I’ll have more information about the guest post I’d mentioned for reviewer Morning Glow. For now, here’s a link: http://www.glowsnoveladdiction.blogspot.com/ BTW, be sure to tune in on Friday, rumor has it that a contest prize is being offered simply for stopping by and posting a comment or asking a question.

Until next time,

Frances Stockton 

Greetings and Happy Friday!

Unfortunately, it’s a little bit rainy here for the start of the weekend, but since my basement remains dry, I’m a happy camper. I say that because over the last month, the rains have really affected the New England area. If you’re not from these parts, I’m sure you’ve seen the news clips of Warwick, RI, towns around Massachusetts, and on up into New Hampshire and more. Flooding has been a result, malls, homes, businesses, streets, bridges, all affected. And, yes, my basement was flooded twice. Although the amount of water was a nuisance and it required continuous use of R2D2 (our huge wet/dry vac that looks like a robot) and a small hand-held pump, we only lost our subfloor and carpeting. Others lost way more and were displaced from their homes and businesses. Please keep these folks in mind over the coming weeks as they dry out and repair the damage.

But that’s not really the subject of this post. Today I’m talking about blogging. Yes, blogging. It’s become a focuse for me, something I’d like to do more regularly as a way to update everyone with news and information. What I’d love to know is what attracts you to blogs? Do you like learning about new authors, established authors? Would you participate in a discussion of various writing topics such as GMC, POV, or different genres? Do you like contests and what prizes attract you to an author’s site/blog?

I know that there are a ton of blogs out there and time is tight. I’ve recently added links to my blogroll. Each link is excellent and I hope you’ll check them out, too. Do you have a favorite blog that you visit? Do you have a blog yourself? Whether you’re an author, a reader, a reviewer or someone with something to say, I’d like to hear from you!  Post an answer to my questions about blogs/blogging today or anytime throughout the weekend, and I’ll place your name into a drawing for your choice of any of my ebooks, Seductive Persuasion, Rhiannon’s Pride or Sea Captain’s Ghost. The winner will be announced right here on my blog on Monday April 12, 2010!

So let me know what you think, help generate an interesting, informative discussion, and perhaps win a book. I sure hope to hear from you. While you’re visiting, check out my latest review for Sea Captain’s Ghost by Clayton Bye of Alternative-Reads.com. 

Until next time,

Frances Stockton 

Greetings!

Recently, I was honored to have Sea Captain’s Ghost reviewd on Alternative-Read.com by reviewer Clayton Bye. He was honest, generous and accurate. I would love to share the review with readers. You can continue on and read it here, or check out this link: http://tjbook-list.blogspot.com/2010/02/review-sea-captains-ghost-panthera.html. Not only can you read the review, but also check out Alternative-Read.com. I think you’ll all enjoy the site and also find new authors and interesting reviews.

Title: Sea Captain’s Ghost
Author: Frances Stockton
Website of Author: http://www.francesstockton.com/
Website of Publisher: http://www.cerridwenpress.com
Genre: Historical Romance/Paranormal
Publication date: November 2009
ISBN -13: 9781419923647
Length: 235 pages
Format: eBook
“Sponsored” Review Copy from : Publisher

Reviewer: Clayton Clifford Bye
http://www.claytonbye.com
Alternative-Read.com

Buy Now

Headstrong Jocelyn Kincaid has posed as her brother and captained her father’s ship down the coastline of The Colonies in hopes of saving his shipping business. Things do not turn out that way. Jocelyn’s ship, The Emerald, is captured by the pirate Skelton Reed and she is revealed as a woman. About to be put to death, she casts her thoughts away, pleading for help. And she is heard.

Copyright © Clayton Clifford Bye

It is my sincere hope that you’ll enjoy the book, the review, Clayton Bye’s posts/reviews on Alternative-Read.com, and the many contributors to the site.

Happy Writing and Reading,

Frances Stockton