Well, so far this year, I have accomplished:

a. Release date for Seduction's Stakes
b. Wrote and Sold All I Want For Christmas... Is Big Blue Eyes
c. Finished book5 in my Fantasy Series, which I don't tend to mention much as it is not a sold series yet, but it too shall be soon. I just need to choose which way to pursue it.

d. Critiques. Critiques. Critiques.

Anyway, I came in here tonight to discuss said Fantasy book that I've labored over this month.

For the first time since I can remember, I chose to write about a virginal heroine in this book. And let me tell you... I never realized they could be so much FUN! Combine that with a completely alpha male, and whoo-boy. Sparks were flying from the get go. While I struggled with this book, because of some personal things, I had a blast writing it. However, I have to wonder if I can recreate the "atmosphere" in a contemporary work. Largely because, in the fantasy setting it's historical and my alpha hero can get away with some things that a modern man couldn't, or wouldn't choose to do when faced with certain circumstances.

As I move forward, in March I start my next contemporary. I am going to have to give this some thought, because some of those interactions were things that really impressed me. I need to see if I can work through some of these things and incorporate it in my contemporary writing too.

Anyway -- hence the silence. I realized I was running behind schedule and dropped all things to finish up the book.

Claire

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com

Drifting away from heros for a moment, I'm feeling introspective and sentimental tonight. I'd like to offer a quote from The Trailer Choir's What Would You Say?

"What if the moment came and
you knew your life was down to minutes
ladders flame was all you had to see
and you found a pen and torn up piece of paper
and a note was all you could leave"

"What would you say
in the lines on a page from the life that you made
could you write it with no regrets
would you know in yourself you gave somebody else
all the love that you had inside
right down to your last prayer"

As authors, our jobs are to make impacts on our readers. When I read these stanzas, I'm left with a significant emotional impact. It's not the words, it's the implication behind them. I know how I would answer, I know how each of my characters would answer -- both before the story begins, and when the story concludes. I know who has the "better" response too.

But if 2 verses from a song can leave a listener with an emotional impact, when a reader closes your book after that last sentence, have you left them with the same feeling? Have you made your story unforgettable? Do you know what they would say if they listened to this song? Did they give all the love they have inside? Would they die without regrets?

Make sure, when you type in that last chapter, you leave your reader with an unforgettable, emotional experience and a love that no one could ever feel regret over.

And so I turn the question to you...

What would you say?

~Claire
www.claireashgrove.com
www.toristclaire.com