X is for X Marks the Spot

What do you want to accomplish as a writer? What mark, if any, do you want to leave on the publishing world? There are as many responses to the questions as writers. It doesn’t matter if no one else is privy to your reply. This question is just for you. For a lot of people, myself included, one easy answer won’t suffice, and I can only speak for me.

I think it’s important for people to understand what motivates them to do something. I constantly examine the ‘whys’ of my actions but I rarely share them. I don’t have to. My reasons are specific to my own path.

The first novel I wrote has never been published. No, it’s not that bad. I wanted to prove to myself I could write a story and so I wrote it just for me. But that experience led to questions, namely could I do it again? So I wrote a second novel, just for me, which lead to another question - is there a possibility I could get published?

I’ve passed the half-century mark and I know that writing fame isn’t what I want. I had the good fortune to have a world famous author move to my little hometown back in the early 1970s. The poor woman can’t make a move without someone spotting her. I really don’t want to live like that.

“Journey” is an overused buzzword. So is “path.” I get tired of hearing them - and using them. Ditto for “life experience.” The problem is I can’t come up with anything better.

All that happened a lot of years ago and it’s been a fun ride to get to today. But somewhere along the line I realized that whatever mark I make on the publishing world (or not) isn’t anywhere near as important as the mark I make on myself.

That’s the one that counts. 

Rayne

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V is for Variety

 Someone once said, and has now been quoted endlessly, that “variety is the spice of life.” That may be true, but sometimes one can have a bit too much spice in the dish and muddle the flavors. Variety, to the writer, can be a double-edged sword.

Most writers excel at a particular type of story but that doesn’t mean they don’t yearn to expand into other genres. As Rayne Forrest, I write contemporary romance, romance set in the near future, and sci-fi romance. Yes, I touched the fringes of the paranormal with A Hidden Heaven, but I don’t go there often. At least not yet. I think I’d like to visit the genre. My alter ego did quite well with the Sundown saga.

So here’s a question I ponder. How much variety is just enough? How much variety is too much? One of the accepted rules of writing is if you want to write in a variety of genres, you need more than one pen name.

I certainly agree with this IF you want to write traditional heterosexual romance AND gay romance AND something like inspirational stories. Some things don’t mix well. That could be just a wee bit too much variety. And since I write both het and m/m, it's under different names using something we writers call "branding." 

It's enough variety to keep the creative needs of this writer happy.

Rayne
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Right From the Start by Rayne Forrest

Starting on the journey to get my stories back out in the world has been interesting on so many levels. Yes, I'm learning a lot, which is always a good thing, and I'm being challenged, also a good thing, but the experience has affirmed how far I've come since the early days. It's been satisfying to open up an old manuscript and apply improved technical skills to the prose. It doesn't change the story at all, but it makes it a bit more enjoyable. -Rayne

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Right From the Start 

Dana Myerly believes in helping out a neighbor in need. One rainy Monday she aids a stranded fellow motorist. She finds herself drawn to a big smile, friendly hazel eyes, and a tight pair of blue jeans. Coerced into yet another blind date by two of her friends, Dana finds her luck has changed and her date is her stranded motorist, Randy Walker.

Dana and Randy share an immediate connection, but how do you know if it’s love…and he’s the one.. Right From the Start?

EXCERPT 

Dana was approaching her car when a man’s voice called out behind her. It startled her and she almost stumbled. Then she recognized it. Randy.

“Hey, wait up!” he called.

“Don’t scare me like that!” she exclaimed, heart racing. She made a sweeping motion over the dark parking lot.

“Sorry,” he said as he fell into step beside her. “I didn’t stop and think about that,” he admitted. “I’ll walk you to your car.”

“Who’ll protect me from you?” Not that she wanted protected from him. Her heart still pounded, and not with surprise or fear.

“You think I’m the big, bad wolf?” he asked, laughing.

“What if I am?” she answered glibly. She sensed a subtle shift in his walk. He got a little closer and she caught a whiff of his after-shave. Her nipples tingled and hardened. This was getting way out of hand.

She really didn’t want to react to him this way. Her belly tightened. A sweet ache began, sending tendrils of desire snaking through her.

“I think maybe I’d like that.” They’d reached her car and his hand covered hers as she reached for the door handle.

His touch jolted through her and her senses expanded to him. Her vulva pulsed faster than her heartbeat and that was racing. She turned her head to look up at him and her eyes widened. She had only that split second warning before his lips touched hers.

Every nerve in her body woke up and clamored for attention. His attention.

His lips were soft, almost gentle. Almost. Some feminine sense told her if they weren’t in a parking lot, his kiss would be all demand. She shushed the voice of reason and raised her arms around his neck and leaned back against her car. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his hips to hers.

He teased her lips open, gently touching the tip of his tongue to hers. She melted. She hated when men tried to choke her with their tongues. Randy didn’t. He teased lightly. He nibbled on her lower lip. His lips traveled down her throat.

Not that she was able to fully concentrate on those clever lips. She was concentrating on the action happening lower down. He was getting hard. He was pressed so firmly against her she would feel him pulsing and swelling, lengthening and hardening. She fought the urge to lift her legs and wrap them around him. He seemed to know.

“Do it,” he urged, a husky voice in her ear. “Do it. Let me feel your heat.”

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Right From the Start is available now at Amazon.