Original RomCon blog post from May 17, 2013
This blog post was going to be all about writing action scenes. Because Chapter 12 of my current work-in-progress — where I was when I created this document — is loaded with it. But I am deep in the druthers of my writing cave and have procrastinated all the way to Chapter 17.
It was extremely hard for me to stick my nose outside my story and commit to this blog post. I have burrowed in deep for the duration. This is the problem with writing for me. I can start a story and put it down for a day or two while life intervenes. I can even make it to Chapter 5 without compromising my schedule. It’s tough, but responsibilities still…
Sorry, I checked out for a moment. You see Chapter 17 — where I’m at in my current WIP — has me by the nads (…okay, if I had them.) If some of you buy my next book, Between Faith and Fear, upon its release, you may remember this and say, “Oh, yeah,” * knowing smile, turn page. * But, I’m betting most of you won’t remember, so I’ll keep this in my post and not expect any comments later.
I don’t want to sniff the air. I don’t want to test the climate. I’m perfectly content, safe, and sound in my cozy, exciting, dangerous, sensual, painful, action-packed cave. I know I’m getting myself in trouble, here. Neglect is a nasty thing that compounds the problems I know are building outside. But after I tweak this short little comment uttered by my villain, it will add that extra punch to paragraph 4…
Okay, I’m back. Where was I? Oh, yeah. My to-do list has taken on a life of its own. I have… 693 unchecked emails in my inbox. (Really? Darn you, Facebook!) Marketing has simply gone down the toilet and my agent has probably forgotten I still roam this dimension. Can all of this be fixed later? Because I’m in the middle of another flashback and there’s still 1/3 pot of coffee left. May have to break to the store for more Twizzlers, though, because for some reason those suckers taste real appropriate in my cave.
Sounds. I’ve tried to listen to music while writing, to put me in that proper, scene-writing mood. I love music. Listen to it all the time, but there is simply no place for it in my cave. Have you ever stuck a conch shell to your ear and heard the ocean? That is what I am immersed in the majority of my day. Here’s a hint: ear muffs. The best invention since cotton balls. My four children actually believe they’ve been surgically attached to my head. But I digress…
It’s beautiful in here. I’ve learned to word paint from Google. Every time there is a scene change, I search for that scene, choose one, and keep it in the background. That is the current, precise environment of my cave. I see it, smell it, touch it, sit on it… okay, I draw the line at licking because I’m a bit of a germaphobe. Not that my house reflects that since I don’t clean until the Epilogue and my children… well, they think Windex is a product of Microsoft. And again, I digress…
Since my novels have yielded some success, my husband is now allowed in my cave for regulated visits. Much of my male characters’ dialogue comes from the Steve’s School of Higher Learning. He is a dude to the nth degree and has taught me much in the ways of man. I love writing men. I probably wouldn’t be a very good romance author if I didn’t. But I think understanding them is vitally important in the process of building your swoon-worthy, take no prisoners (okay maybe a few), fire-breathing hunk of burning love. So, if one of them says something to piss you off… welcome to my world, ladies.
Or should I say, “Welcome to my cave.”
So many of you have absolutely fallen in love with TRUTH AND HUMILITY’s H&H, Danny Bennett and Austin Cahill. Their fireworks certainly ignited a few burning bushes and the resulting epiphanies either made us laugh or cry. You will be happy to know Austin and Danny are regular visitors in my cave. A few days ago, a reader of mine asked me to take care of them for her and I just happened to be writing one of their pivotal scenes at the time. I realized how much I love visiting with them again. Austin makes me laugh with his He-Man mentality and Danny… well, her lack of caution continues to drive him crazy. As for some other T&H favorites: Mac. Gotta love the big lug. He’s found a new calling in Between Faith and Fear. And Melanie? She’s flourished under the learning curve of her new responsibilities. Good thing, because she’s going to need a whole lot of strength for what’s coming next.
The Captive Series by J. A. Dennam:
Book 1 – Truth and Humility – released November 18th, 2012
Book 2 – Between Faith and Fear – August, 2013
Book 3 – Hell’s Hilltop – in infant stage, but growing by leaps and bounds.
J.A. Dennam 
I can’t hardly wait to read this. Sounds interesting!
I loved Truth and Humility! You hooked me on page one and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I can’t wait for the sequel to come out. Thanks for hurrying up and writing it.