Archive by Author

It’s Not Procrastination…

19 May

…if it fuels the fires. Sometimes you just can’t write. Day to day things can pile up and the muse doesn’t visit or even leave the slightest crumbs for you to work with. I’m going through a phase of that right now.

I know part of it is post conference burn out and the other is my tendency to be in the midst of several projects at once. This allows my brain to work without getting bored, BUT it also makes it so I get mired in details and unsure which direction to go.

Times like this I take a step back and do a few other things. It may look like procrastination to the untrained eye, but I’m refilling the well.  For anyone else looking for ideas I offer:

 

 

 

Pinterest: I held off as long as I could, but love to peruse some hottie boards for  help with character inspiration.  I have one but Patti O Shea’s one, is muuuuch better.

 

 

 

 

 

Movies: I don’t dig most chick flicks or rom coms. I find that I want to strangle most of the female leads but I’m a sucker for LadyHawke (so 80s!) and Love Actually

 

 

I’m hoping to be able to concentrate for more than five seconds some time soon. In which case, I’ll be diving into a book from my Keeper Shelf, most likely Karen Robard’s Night Magic.

So what do you do when you need to refuel, but don’t want to completely disconnect?

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Sasha

Who is going to curl up on the couch and Pin a few more things.  If you want to hear more of Sasha’s ramblings, visit her at www.sashadevlin.com or follow her on Twitter @SashaDevlin. You can also peep her pins on Pinterest here

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

5 May

Today is Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for May 5th) and while for most people that means nachos, margaritas and salsa — both the delicious condiment and the style of dancing — I’d thought I’d share some actual Cinco de Mayo facts. Both so we know what we should be toasting and also because you never know what can spark a story.

-Though many people think it’s Mexico’s Independence Day, it’s actually the celebration of the Battle of Puebla (May 5, 1862) and a part of France’s campaign to invade Mexico to collect war debts….which could be monetary, or a little more important like an alchemy guide that would ultimately give France control of the world.

-It’s a perfect example of the little guy beating the odds. A group of approximately 4,500 untrained Mexican soldiers took on 8,000 well armed, highly trained group of French Soldiers…and won. Perhaps they had a secret weapon? Maybe a secret shifter alliance that helped them beat the French?

-It was the last time that a foreign power acted on American soil. Who just got an alternate history bunny where the French won…and then spread their kingdom further and further into the states?

But before you walk away thinking this is just me pushing plot bunnies at you, I offer these. Margarita popsicles (click picture for recipe).

Adios!

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Sasha

Who hopes you have a safe and responsible Cinco de Mayo celebration. If you want to hear more of Sasha’s ramblings, visit her at www.sashadevlin.com or follow her on Twitter @SashaDevlin

That Conference Thing I Do

7 Apr

This time next week I will be eyebrows deep in my first conference of the year, Romantic Time’s Booklover’s Convention.  This is the second largest romance based convention and the biggest one I’ve ever gone to.

I know many people are nervous, but I’m just excited.  As an extroverted writer, this is my trifecta: people, books and other like minded writers. I love the romance community and don’t get a lot of chances to partake in the delicious creamy center in my day to day business.

But I know several of my peeps will be more like this:

So here are Five Tips for a Smooth Conference Experience:

1) Smile. No seriously, stop looking at me like that. Everyone hopes to see a happy face, so be that face. I understand being too timid to strike up a conversation, but a smile never hurt anybody.

2) Don’t be afraid to sit next to a stranger. Yes, I’m asking you to take a chance and be a teensy bit brave, but I have faith in you. There will be hundreds of people there, and most will start to talk to you if you’re on the perimeter.

3) Hang in the bar. Even if you don’t drink anything stronger than water with lemon. It’s a great place to meet social people and make connections.

4) Don’t run. If someone approaches you, stay and talk even if it’s just for a few minutes. The romance community is full of some amazing people, and honest to Bob creepers are going to be few and far between here. Then again if someone asks to put a saddle on you, just say no.

5) Find me! I live for these things and if you’re shy, I’ll just bring you with me…most likely to the bar.

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Sasha

Who really does hope you find her and say Hi!  She’ll be the giddy girl with the goofy grin. If you want to hear more of Sasha’s ramblings, visit her at www.sashadevlin.com or follow her on Twitter @SashaDevlin

 

Late To the Party …Again

24 Mar

For the most part I stay in the know of most things, but I’m woman enough to know when I’ve missed the boat.

Like with the Keurig:

I resisted this for as long as I could and then had a wild, intense affair with stalking one — to the point of conjuring elaborate reward systems to “earn” a Keurig. My sister took pity on me and got me one for Christmas. I’m dreading the warmer weather because I won’t use it *as* much.

 

 

 

 

Or when I refused to watch 30 Rock for years, caught one by accident and
then wished I had a time machine… and a black belt so I could kick my own butt.  This show is hilarious and as a writer I appreciate smart writing in a way I know the average viewer does not.

 

 

 

But probably my biggest current shame is The Hunger Games. I know, I know, don’t kill me! I actually read Suzanne Collin’s other series (Gregor the Overlander) before the Hunger Games were out. I devoured these books. They made me laugh, cry and skip showers and sleep blowing through them. I was incensed that people hadn’t read the Gregor books.

I — in my infinite crazytude — decided not to read them in protest. Don’t look at me like that. I freely admit it wasn’t my best plan. But now that all of my friends have read the books and the movie is out I’m filled with a teenage level of angst that I’m the only one who doesn’t know what the fuss is about, and I won’t know until I get a few more things off my plate.

*dramatic swoon*

Please tell me I’m not the only one who missed the boat on this one. Or at lie to me and make me feel a little less angsty.

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Sasha

Who just might combust into flames of deprivation by the time you read this. If you want to hear more of Sasha’s ramblings, visit her at www.sashadevlin.com or follow her on Twitter @SashaDevlin

Bad Guys On the Brain

10 Mar


Lately I’ve been spending a lot of time with villains.  I’m still writing romance, but my latest WIPs have had an element of danger and at least one character who wants to make the hero/heroine bleed.

They say that the villain is the hero of his own story, and I used this liberally for my Serial Killer Romance. It was rather fun to cartwheel through the crazy of my honest-to-bob lady killer and show that twisted logic on the page.

I knew this was going to have a tragic ending, knew that my killer wasn’t going to be redeemed, so I could be as disturbing as I wanted and there are parts I wrote that scared even me. But my latest WIP is quite the opposite.

My current villain is very much the hero of his own story, and I hope to make him the hero in a future book. He’s going to do something despicable in this book, something that will affect and destroy several lives. I want the reader to hate him, to shun him and want him to suffer, but I’ll want them to root for him when he gets his own book.

It’d be so much easier if I could use the picture above and cute-kitten him into readers’ good graces, but I don’t think that’ll be possible with the blood of innocents on his hands.

In all my years of writing, I’ve never taken a selfish, soulless man and tried to redeem him enough to be lovable. So I’m looking for help. Anyone have recommendations for a books with dirty rat bastard types who are later redeemed to love him status?

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Sasha

Who likes bad boys, but is not sure yet how she feels about bad guys. And yeah, there’s totally a difference. If you want to hear more of Sasha’s ramblings, visit her at www.sashadevlin.com or follow her on Twitter @SashaDevlin

It’s Not Me, It’s You

25 Feb

My name is Sasha, and if necessary I will break up with your series. Though I want it to have all the noise and fireworks of a sporting event, it will turn out more like this:

Complete with that facial expression. That’s my mad face

When I was younger, the very thought of quitting a series gave me hives. I figured I would read Baby Sitter’s Club and The Box Car Children until the author died (I was sure I would out live her) and had read them all.  It never occurred to me that there would be deal breakers and I would have to walk.

Now I know my hot buttons:

If all the books are essentially the same, just with different h/h names.

If there’s a tortured character that I’m totally invested in, but the author just keeps throwing random books in that in no way further the series story arc.

If the story arc involves a BIG BAD and there is never any sort of ground gained by the good guys (I LIVE for comeuppance)

And if characters start acting out of character. This is the most disheartening. While I’m willing to put up with disappointing books or a twist that upsets me, a character who is suddenly polar opposite (with NO explanation) will make me jump ship faster than anything else.

I’m working on series/trilogy this year and I want to make sure people stick with me.  I don’t want the break up speech.

What makes you abandon a series, or will you read until the bitter end?

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Sasha

Who promises not to break up with YOU. Yeah, I’m talking about you, foxy lady! If you want to hear more of Sasha’s ramblings, visit her at www.sashadevlin.com or follow her on Twitter @SashaDevlin

Man Candy Inspiration

11 Feb

In honor of Valentine’s Day (and because, hey, who doesn’t enjoy inspiration?!), I decided to share some Man Candy. These guys are who I would cast for some of my current WIPS.

As far as I’m concerned Boris Kodjoe IS Derrick Pike (Moxie) Confident, sexy, a killer in both the boardroom and in the sack:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jon Hamm would make a perfect Will Speedman (Serial Killer Romance) He’s tough, but sweet. Strong but cuddly. He can catch a killer & woo you afterwards:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And Gerard Butler is pretty spot on for Micah (In The Blood) He’s a man’s man. Rough around the edges and hard as a brick except for his lady and his mama:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a hard work finding these guys, I do it because I care. Hope you enjoyed this post as much as I did.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Sasha

Who thinks this might be her favorite blog post of all time. Please cast your books responsibly. If you want to hear more of Sasha’s ramblings, visit her at www.sashadevlin.com or follow her on Twitter @SashaDevlin

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