Things to do in Los Angeles

I've been to LA a few times, actually driven through their infamous traffic once or twice, and have seen the famous Santa Monica Pier. I've also been inside the convention center, to the Price is Right, Paleyfest, and walked past the Chinese Theater, which is a lot smaller than its made out to be.

None of which helped with what Jules, my heroine in Improper Conduct, saw when she moved there from San Francisco. So I did my research. 

Discover LA is a great site for writing and for travel.
Barnsdall Art Park in East Hollywood is perfect for a stroll or a movie. I actually have Jules watch a movie there (Arsenic and Old Lace with the unequaled Cary Grant).


One month on the job--that was all Detective Jules Marshall had with the LAPD but already she knew two things: 1. Her move from San Francisco was the best move she’d ever made. 2. Sleeping with her sexy as hell boss would be a big mistake. That didn’t stop her from wanting him or from acknowledging the same spark of need in his eyes. And Captain Callum Archer had eyes that devoured her.

But when a trio of bank robbers picks LA as their target, her attraction to Callum takes a back seat. She’s seen this pattern before and confides in Callum her suspicions. She thought the case had gone cold until it heated in spectacular fashion; the bank robbers who blew up a car inside a building and killed at least five people have similar crimes back in San Francisco. The problem? She has no proof to go with her suspicions.

Despite Callum’s objections, and the increasing temptation to give into her incredibly improper feelings for her captain, Jules plans to push ahead with an extremely unorthodox plan--date the killer.

Callum isn’t happy. Jules is the one woman he’d break all the rules for and he’s more than willing to do so to keep her in his life. When she puts herself in the crosshairs of a psychotic killer, there isn’t anything he won’t do to protect her.

But can he keep her safe and still catch the killer? Or will their improper relationship get in the way of their jobs?

Where to find: Amazon
Amazon UK
Amazon Canada

Barnes and Noble

All Romance eBooks

Kobo

Print

Monterey wine and vineyards

My Beachy Suspense novels take place around the Monterey area of California in a fictional tourist town called Nightshade Bay. I did research on the city of Monterey, looked at their website, searched pictures of their beaches, things like that. Then made up my own town.

Picture from world-guides.com

At dinner with some friends a few weeks ago, we ordered wine, a delicious (and not-too-acidic) red from Monterey.

Ack! There are vineyards by Nightshade Bay!

Of course I knew that: California has Napa Valley, and to the north there are vineyards in Oregon and Washington, I mean I've had Californian wines! Never occurred to me that there were vineyards near Monterey and that my characters would no doubt try a bottle or 3.

And there's a wine festival. Now I'm not sure how a couple in a romantic suspense trilogy is going to make it to a wine festival in between solving murders, fraud, kidnappings, more murders, and corruption, but I'm sure as hell going to try to get them there!

I did decide against putting in a certain wine, however. I'm sure they're all great, but I won't be name-dropping.

LA police building

I did a lot of research into the LAPD for my contemporary romantic suspense, Improper Conduct. All the information I use for the building itself, I got from Curbed Los Angeles.

The reason I continued to refer to this site is because of this paragraph:

We took a media tour of the building yesterday with Councilwoman Jan Perry and City Engineer Gary Moore, who showed us not only the public spaces, but also the future Compstat room, the roof helipad, Chief Bratton's future office (and he leaves that office on October 31st), and the fabled "cigar patio" that is not, despite rumors, Bratton's personal stogy stage, but is open to staff on the 10th floor. Each floor features an open floor plan, so cubicle dwellers will have access to natural light, while the offices and conference rooms line the inner perimeter of each floor.

But the pictures are worth it. If you get the chance, flip through them.

Having never been there, and getting all my information from the internet, I try to be general with my descriptions. But the fact that this building is shiny and new helps with the story.

Tuesday Comings and Goings

I posted a little thing on Slip into Something Victorian about research books and website for the Victorian Era. Literally a list of things I find helpful and I hope these help someone else, too!

Thrusday Progress

I've updated my progress bar (thanks NANOWRIMO!) for my dark Regency. My sexy dark Regency. Cause I like my dark with sexy. :)

This isn't a totally accurate account of progress. Sure, it says how far my writing has come via words, but it doesn't say 1) how my break is coming [done!] or 2) how many times I've had to rework certain aspects for the right about of dark and/or sexy.

I've done the English Regency research, no worries, I'm not counting that. :) But I do have to twist it to suit my purposes.

My only other Regency story was much simpler. And shorter. Wanton Woman


Friday Guest: Wendi Zwaduk will be here with her newest release My Immortal, a contemporary paranormal being released from Total-E-Bound. Don't forget to stop on by!

Slave driver

I am, I admit it. I push and push until it's all finished and on time, and it really doesn't bother me that I get dirty looks and grumbles. I think I was a general in a previous life.

I push myself just as hard. Usually. These past weeks haven't bee quite so productive, but I'm happy to say that I'm back in the groove and writing away. I amassed a huge pile of research on Philadelphia 1882 including the docks, Chinatown, Old City, and what's become known as Main Line.

I put it all in a neat pile ext to my computer so I don't have to waste precious time searching for it when I need it. I cleaned that area by my computer (so as not to lose anything) and have dived back into the story.

Just when I wondered if why I bother writing anything since it's all drivel, I realized that this is a great story! I'm kind of impressed, actually. The scenes came pretty easy, the path ever so clear! WOW, I can write!

Looking back, I suppose that break during Christmas & New Years was just what I needed. Sure it was a pain in my lazy way as I wondered why I wasn't writing even as I lounged o the couch. But now, with all this energy back, I'm thinking it was only a good thing.

This week is dedicated to Morgana and a rewrite of Love Birds, the weekend to edits, and all next week to more Morgana. Gotta get that book finished by the 15th!

Research

For some reason, all this wrapping and Christmas cheer got me thinking about research. OK, that and Sharpe's Eagle which I watched while wrapping. Sharpe's Eagle is the 2nd in the Richard Sharpe movie series based on the series of books by Bernard Cornwell. Sean Bean...yum. And I just discovered as I was checking Mr. Cornwell's website (and loving every link on his page!), that there are 2 more Sharpe movies with Sean Bean! Oooh, I can't wait to check them out.

On to research!

Googling something is all well and good but make sure you verify the source. Is it a government or educational source? Or some random .com. As you all know, anyone can have a website. Don't let Hollywood fool you with their version of history. Wikipedia is a great start for almost any search, but always, always, follow their references link to verify stuff and search any facts you intend to use.

Off line, the World Book Encyclopedia is a excellent source for beginning research. Libraries, while many aren't the repository of historic texts you may need, often have access to an Interlibrary Loan system that can get what you need. Be careful in what you request - if anything happens to that 100 year old book, you're responsible!

Do use other historic authors. Mr. Cornwell is a excellent example of a man who knows the Napoleonic Wars. Patrick O'Brien is his counterpart for the Napoleonic Naval War. Kathy Reichs of Bones fame is a forensic anthropologist. Jane Austen lived in the Regency.

Or documentaries...Ken Burns is known for his (really long) but excellently researched series involving letters ad interviews with the 'common man'.

Research

Even for a short story, research is imperative. Can't just write everything as if it takes place today, especially when it's an historical. Even if it's not, places, characters, plots have different aspects that require a different approach.

So I'm spending today resting, recharging, and reading up on different places I plan to set my upcoming stories. Starting with Philadelphia 1882. But I might get distracted by the World Series parade...I make no promises. :)

Ideas

It's not hard for me to come up with new ideas for stories. It's hard fashioning the stories into something cohesive and workable. Sure I can say that I want Hero to meet Heroine in the Caribbean in 1670 on the run from a lunatic who wants her fortune but therein lies the problem.

Research is only the 1st issue. Clothes, speech, travel time, accommodations, etc. It's a nightmare. Interesting, but it's so easy to get bogged down in details.

Word usage is the 2nd. Can't use lunatic, really; it was around but madman would be better. Can't use moron - wasn't invented until the early 20th century. Plus they were much more proper in their use, polite even (and especially) when they were being rude.

Plot aside, it's hard to wrap everything up in a neat and tidy package with no holes, loose ends, or dangling ribbons.

New week

I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend. I know I did, very relaxing and yet also productive. Just one of those weekends. :)

This week I'm again super busy and don't know when I'll get to any writing but I have a couple books for research to read, and am currently listening to Life of Pi for a book club. Or, I'm about to start it. Any day now. Really.

I also plan on getting ready for RWA National in San Francisco the end of the month, so lots of workshop planning for that and one day of sightseeing.

July update

It's been a while. Blogging takes commitment and for this past month I've had little time to commit to this. I miss blogging, and I miss reading the blogs I check daily. I'm going to do my best to recommit to both this month.

June has been busy with the usual (running, cleaning, family, friends, OTHER commitments) and with research. I've got very little writing done, but I have researched 2 stories and entered 3 contests.

To that effect, I didn't final in the Virginia Fool for Love one, but I did get some fantastic feedback. I'm not one for taking to heart other's opinions when it's clear they 'just didn't like the story', we all have our tastes. But I take extreme offense to them saying certain words aren't period or my grammar/spelling is wrong. They are and it's not - and that's all I have to say on that.

Otherwise, my scores rage pretty much over the spectrum. In a contest where a 3rd judge is brought in when scores are 35 poiunts or more apart, mine were - twice. 70, 118, and 143 all out of 150. Go figure.

Still, I got some great feedback from the 100+ scores, and plan on taking that all into consideration.

So until next time.

Clarity

Would you looky there. It's the light at the end of the tunnel. It does exist! Coolness.

Brownies really do help, though it could've also been the fact that I let everything slide Saturday afternoon and only worked that night. Same goes for Sunday.

I’ve managed to remember to look at everything calmly and rationally and realize that yelling at one’s computer does little but aggravate you further. That said, it was kinda therapeutic.

So it’s back to both Vienna 1810 (or whatever, I can’t even remember this morning, so so sad) and Germany 1934 with a new, fresh outlook and determination.

On a side note, why isn’t my blogger spell checker working? Don’t they know how much I rely on that?

Confessions of...

I've come to the conclusion I'm a research junkie.

I'm not the only one out there, I know who you are! I read your blogs and your books; I know you jump from century to country to idea to plot with very little in between. And it's fun!

I'm the same way. I love coming up with new ideas, researching the locale, the people, the class and history. I love plotting and weaving angst with romance, sex with action. I love the thrill of the story, the adrenaline of the newness. Oh, sure, I love writing it, too, but it's this initial-ness that's so exciting.

What about you?

Napoleon

I have searched and searched for more information on Napoleon, specifically his war with Austria. It's near impossible to find anything that doesn't mention Russia or Britain. I don't want either of those, but what happened in Austria, specifically Vienna. One of those helpful books 'Daily Life in Vienna' would be great, but don't seem to exist. I have several - England, Pilgrims, Colonial life in America. Nothing on Vienna.

This goes back to my frustration on doing a story set in Vienna with only the bare information available on it. If I spoke German, I might (might) be in luck. Alas, no such luck. What I need is troop movements, what the everyday people went through, and even a little more on The Congress of Vienna.

There's got to be something out there, I know it. I just wish I knew what it was, or even where to search that I haven't already.

New attitude

Resolved: to ignore pesky historical problems and write the story.

This does not mean I plan on ignoring history, or even those problems I've just resolved to ignore. It means I'm not going to waste time finding the answers when I can easily gloss over them. The sticking points aren't that important, and adding in another character isn't that hard and won't change the story significantly.

I'll go with what I know inheritance laws were for most of the world at that time, and be done with it. If I need something specific, I plan on looking it up afterwards. This might not work, those things have a habit of coming back at you, but c'est la vie. If I don't stress now, some of this story might actually be written.

Frustrations

I always knew this but have recently had it reaffirmed for me. I'm a perfectionist. It's annoying to those around me I'm sure, but it's also annoying to me as well. Why oh why can't I leave well enough alone? Why can't I just gloss over something? Why do I have to spend hours researching something so unbelievably insignificant?

Case in point: Austria. There isn't a lot to go on. I'm talking specifics here - inheritance law, marriage and family, merchant class lives. If I want to know about nobility and royalty we're all good. If I want to know basics of history, again bully for me. If I want to know things in today's world, I have the best of luck.

I want the Napoleon War's affect on Austria and 1870s. I want merchant class rich. I want the wife to inherit everything so she can give it to her second husband. (The plot's a wee convoluted, but I swear it works!) I want to know why I can't find these things online. Am I using the wrong search words? Am I totally off and should be using something else?

Google Books is all well and good, but most of the images are copyrighted and not all of the book is available. Usually it's the page I need.

Found marriage customs, which does help, but not enough. I've asked my historical writing groups and discovered the one other person writing in this time and place has the same issues. I need...well, I need movies like The Illusionist (which I hold out no hope for as being remotely accurate) and historical fiction. Maybe that'll be my next search. Austrian fiction translated into English.

Off to do this next search. Any other suggestions?

Chicago

I'm officially enthralled with the city. Not just its history (always interesting) but its present. There's a lot going on over there. And while I'm sure it probably retains the feel of a big city, it's so different from what I know and expect on the New York-Philadelphia-DC Corridor. The more I read, the more people I talk to, the more I find out about it, the more I like it.

Might have to take a trip over there sooner rather than later.

Except for their airports...but that's a blog for another time.

Back to writing

Feeling better after my vegging and sleep-filled weekend. Yesterday I managed to write 6 pages of that new mystery set in Chicago. All of it chapter 1, and all of it erotic (well, most, there was the initial setup - no sex there). Oh, and title it. A Cold Winter's Night. I also managed to do some research on the city itself, and discover all sorts of fascinating tidbits about it and its history.

For those interested, 2 sites that give a brief bit about the city:
City of Chicago
Chicago Timeline (provided by the Chicago Public Library)

Maybe one of these days I'll make it over there, it sounds like a great place to visit!

Chicago

I know absolutely nothing about the city. OK, it's the windy city and there was that wicked blizzard in the 60s, but other than that...nada.

Why did I set my newest untitled story there? A plot point. I won't give it away, it'll give the entire story away, but it's important and I didn't want a city on the coast. East of course. I'm such a snob when it comes to that, lol.

I've never even been to O'Hare! Time for the travel books. Luckily, the local library is a font of helpful books and has that nifty interlibrary loan system where I can find what I need elsewhere. Off to discover what I can discover about Chicago. Any suggestions?

Savannah

Sure, Sordid Games is set there, but I decided to visit it a couple months before the plot happened. And actually, the setting for it came out of the fact that my 3 days down there was already planned. Don't you love how things happen like that?

The end of September I'll be in Savannah, soaking in all the sights and history. And sun - unless there's a hurricane. Which might happen, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

I'll be taking pictures and soaking in the atmosphere and relaxing. Is it possible to relax on a 3 day jaunt that includes sight seeing, writing, and research? Probably not, but I'll be in Savannah, and not home, so that's got to count for something. And who knows, I might be able to finish that story while down there! Keeping my fingers crossed on that, too.