THE INSIDE WORKINGS OF A WRITER’S MIND
When I was growing up, back in the dark ages before microwaves, computers and cell phones, adults warned children to stay clear of people who talked to themselves. They were “touched in the head” and liable to do all manner of harm to you with their craziness.
No doubt if these strange people were talking to themselves, they were hearing voices in their heads—a clear sign of insanity. Or maybe they were just writers. If one could only make a tape recording of the voices a writer hears, it would go something like this:
“You know that scene you wrote yesterday? It was crap. Pure crap. No way would I react like that. You made me sound possessive and, well, Neanderthal-ish,” growls my hero.
“I need bigger boobs,” whines my heroine.
“Hey, when are you going to write my story? You promised me you’d write about me next. Hey, what do you mean ‘take a number?’ I’ve been waiting here a long time,” growls a soldier from World War II.
“I need bigger boobs.”
“Why do you always write romance? I’ve got a great murder mystery I wanna talk to you about.” A man crushes a cigarette with the heel of his Italian loafers.
Heroine stamps foot. “A twelve-year old has bigger boobs than me.”
From the dark, barren outlands of my mind shines a pair of golden eyes. “Shapeshifters, babe, that’s where it’s at.”
“Hulk Hogan has bigger boobs than me. Hell, Brad Pitt has bigger boobs than me!!!”
Get the picture?
A writer is never alone. The voices in her head keep her company. And not just during her waking hours either. One night a Harley came roaring into our bedroom, or so it sounded. I sat up in bed, looked around and saw nothing. I snuggled against Calvin’s back and drifted off to sleep. Once more the Harley roared in and a muscular guy got off, removed his helmet and adjusted his stance to accommodate his prosthesis. Who was he? How did he lose part of a leg? What put that sadness into his eyes? The vision faded and I went back to sleep eventually. As I knew it would, the Harley came roaring in again, the man got off and watched a young woman with violet eyes come barreling out of the Lonesome Steer Honky Tonk.
I’d been thinking about writing a short story for the Honky Tonk Hearts line at The Wild Rose Press. But what would I write about? I wanted something different. As luck would have it, the story came roaring into my bedroom in the middle of the night. Those Violet Eyes will be released June 27th.
Here’s a sneak peek into the romance between a wounded ex-Marine and a saucy waitress at the honky tonk, or bar. Win, my hero, has just started working there as a cook. Evie’s boss tells her to go back to the kitchen and introduce herself to the new cook.
Evie charged through the swinging door to the kitchen and skidded to a stop. It couldn’t be. Although his back was toward her, there was no mistaking the height and the broad muscled shoulders. This mystery nephew of Gus’s was the guy who’d remarked on her eyes. Her stomach did a little twitchy dance, nerves no doubt. She ran her suddenly damp palms over her short skirt and cleared her throat. “Excuse me. Win?”
No answer.
She took a couple steps closer and noticed he was washing vegetables under a spray of water. “Win?”
No reply.
Evie rolled her eyes and stepped behind him, tapping him on the back. The man dropped the strainer, swung around and grabbed her forearms. In a flurry of movement, he snatched her off the floor and backed her against the stainless steel counter. Cold wet hands viced her arms. Her eyes snapped wide and the air whooshed from her lungs when his body slammed into hers.
“Don’t do that!” Win’s eyes were narrowed and his breathing rapid. His jaw was clenched and a vein bulged in his forehead. The man was every inch the warrior, every hard tensed inch. He held her mid-air, so close they were nearly eyeball to eyeball. As his gaze traveled over her face and awareness evidently crept in as to the sex of his attacker, several inches of his frame hardened even more.
Evie swallowed. Oh, good Lord.
He glared and his nostrils flared.
“I…I’m sorry. I called your name, but…but you didn’t answer. I was only trying to get your attention.” Her lips twitched at the humor in the situation. Hadn’t Keira told her the man lost part of his hearing? Evidently she’d startled him. Poor soul. She felt a portion of herself return. A portion she’d hidden for so long; that light-hearted part of her soul that teased and cajoled. “Honest, I wasn’t trying to attack you.” She placed an open palm on his defined pecs and patted. “You’re safe with me, big guy.” Just to rattle him some more, she winked.
Win’s hazel eyes flashed for a second. Then he slowly leaned in and whispered in her ear, “You’re not safe with me.”
Vonnie’s latest release, “Storm’s Interlude” is available now from The Wild Rose Press and Amazon.
Here’s the blurb & all-important buy links!
Blurb:
Nurse Rachel Dennison comes to Texas determined to prepare her new patient for a second round of chemo. What she isn’t counting on is her patient’s twin brother, Storm Masterson. Despite her initial attraction, Storm has two things Rachel can’t abide: a domineering personality and a fiancée.
Half Native American, with the ability to have "vision dreams," Storm dreams about Rachel for three nights before her arrival. Both are unprepared for the firestorm of emotions their first encounter ignites.
Ultimately, it is Rachel’s past—and abusive, maniacal ex-boyfriend—that threatens to keep them apart…and Storm’s dreams that bring them together again.
http://www.thewildrosepress.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=175_133&products_id=4558
http://www.amazon.com/Storms-Interlude-ebook/dp/B005CQBP1U/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329730027&sr=8-2
Fabulous post, Vonnie!! ALL my stories start with a voice in my head so clearly I need to be sectioned (although I've thought this before I wrote too). The trouble with those voices? I worry one day they'll disappear and then where will I be?? Not writing much, that's for sure :(
Comments? Questions? Vonnie is a very friendly lady - promise!
Ah yes, the voices in my head... For years I thought I was the only one in the world who heard voices. LOL Mine come to me as conversation - rarely directed at me, but dialogue between the characters of the story. It's my job to write down that they say.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to read Those Violet Eyes.
Hi Sarah, I wish mine would carry on a conversation. My characters give me a hint and then stand back with one eyebrow quirked as if they're waiting to see what I do with the hint. If I write their story wrong, they won't let me sleep until I rewrite it. You could truly say we have a love-hate relationship.
ReplyDeleteROFL I love that! Though if my characters did it to me I wouldn't love it as much.
DeleteHi Vonnie, great post as usual. I'm always talking, either to real people or to the many people in my head. I write whole books in my head, analyze and change scenes, before typing a single line.
ReplyDeleteHi Vonnie! Yes, I too have voices -- and sometimes I have conversations with them. (That's not a bad thing, right?)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait for your new release!! Congrats:)
Mona, I'm so impressed. You can write scenes in your head before putting them on the computer screen? Wow. I wish I could. Do you think if I practiced it, I could learn that talent? Can talents--gifts--be learned? hmmm...
ReplyDeleteOh, no, Jennifer, that's not a bad thing. Sometimes our characters reveal an unsual quirk that way, a mannerism or attitude that makes them more real on the printed page.
ReplyDeleteVonnie, love the post! My mother used to tell me as long as I didn't answer the voices, I was sane. My characters have actually pulled me from a deep sleep to tell me something about their story. I always listen because most of the time, they're right.
ReplyDeleteI'm already crazy about Win. The book sounds awesome.
Thanks, Jerrie. Win was a fun person to write about. Win's and Evie's constant back and forth banter was a trip for me. Yes, our characters do wake us when we've written something they don't like.
ReplyDeleteYou are such a fantastic writer, Vonnie. WOW that is a great beginning - do you think your muse would talk to me like that? I am starting the fifth story in my series.. I hate starting stories because they kick my you-know-what. I don't usually read contemporary, only historicals, but this one sounds great. :)
ReplyDeleteHi my Paisley, hugs for the compliment. I love new beginnings; it's the drooping middle that plagues me.
ReplyDeleteHey, since I moved to the "left" coast, I get emails a day late for some reason.
ReplyDeleteStill, I have to send a Woot! to Vonnie. Soooo much fun to read your blogs. If I e.v.e.r get my Nook fixed, I have so many books I want to read by TWRP authors and others, too. Those Violet Eyes sounds super, and I already your Storm's Interlude on my list.
Way back in the mid '80's, my hubby commented that my writer friends were nothing short of deranged. Uh, that's a good thing. :)
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ReplyDeleteGreat post, Vonnie! Hope you never stop writing so you can answer all those voices clamoring to be heard.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on Those Violet Eyes. It's one story I want to read!
"I need bigger boobs" Too funny!
ReplyDeleteQuestion is did she get her wish?
I love my husband because I can say, "Guess what my characters told me today?" He says, "What?" and really means it. He's not just humoring me and he doesn't think I'm crazy...not for that anyway. :P
ReplyDeleteSuch a fun post, Vonnie! I hear you, especially when it comes to those background characters that say "when's it my turn?" May you have many sales!
ReplyDeleteJust an aside--I'm fascinated by the rocks behind you in your picture. Where was it taken?
Too funny, Vonnie! And I can relate. Fortunately, though, I don't have competing genres fighting in my head. I'm a contemporary lady and I worry, when those voices tumble through my mind, that if I don't pay attention they'll disappear.
ReplyDeleteRemember the old commercial - When E.F. Hutton speaks, everyone listens...well that's me and my voices. Please don't tell my doctor about this.
Loved the blog.
Joyce, your deranged writer friends--including me--thank you for sticking up for us. We're deranged and we like it that way. LOL :-)
ReplyDeleteIsabella, I think you'll enjoy "Those Violet Eyes." I had a great time writing it, often laughing as I kissed the computer keys with my fingertips.
ReplyDeleteKathleen--bigger boobs? I haven't decided yet. Think I'll see how much more she whines. Thanks for commenting.
ReplyDeleteOh, Sandra, you've got a real keeper there. My husband is also a writer, so he understands. In fact, he often carries on is own phantom conversations. They say there's a lid for every pot...and he's mine.
ReplyDeleteNona, the rocks are at a winery in Maryland. Liganore Winery. My son and daughter in law were taking us around to a bunch of wineries for wine tastings. My son had the top off his Jeep, giving me that "wind blown" look.
ReplyDeleteYes, as long as the voices are talking, I'm taking notes. Wait till I tell the stories of how my hero in my romantic suspense woke me up night after night.
ReplyDeleteWow, what a wonderful turn out!! You are one popular lady Mrs. Davis - great having you here and making me feel better about my own 'voices'.
ReplyDeleteR x
Thanks for having me, Rachel. We had a good time sharing experiences and laughing with each other. Great ladies, all!!!
ReplyDelete