Author * Writer * Stoker of Flames
#OpenBook
Have you ever made yourself cry (over what you did to a character) while writing a book?
I try to make my characters as realistic as possible—a difficult feat in romance. It’s too easy to fall into romanticizing (pun intended) even the flaws of a character, especially the two main protagonists.
Anger is the main emotion that makes me stress eat. I will be basically cool with life and eating decently—then BOOM!
Papa Bear or one of his male cubs do some man shenanigans…the little ones act up…someone on social media tries it with me—and I am heading for the kitchen.
Anger increases my appetite like a forest fire, and I consume food like flames old tree logs. I tend to rationalize the need for my greediness. I tell myself that I “deserve” a treat and it will help me relax.
I tend to look for something sweet first. I don’t drink, smoke or do drugs. Sugar is my primary addiction.
Continue reading “#MFRWAuthor- Anger & Food: A Deadly Combination”
MFRW 52-Week Blog – Reading, Writing or Living?
I haven’t been a writer my entire life. As a matter of fact, I used to H*A*T*E writing—thanks to my terrible penmanship and a list of drill sergeant teachers who just couldn’t get that the chicken scratch in front of them was the best they were going to get out of me.
Once I took my first keyboarding class in high school, I never looked at a pen the same way. I avoided them in favor of the musical clicking that lulls so many of us into sharing our thoughts, ideas, and stories.
Eventually, a real love for writing followed. Now, I can not quite imagine my life without being able to write.
The same goes for books, but unlike writing, I was able to develop a love for reading at an early age. I majored in literature in college, and my master’s thesis focuses on literature.
While in grad school, I started using my literary criticism skills to review books. I also became a contributor to my college’s student newsletter, which extended into a freelance gig with other online media, and I just published (indie, of course, duh) my first novel.
So much of my life is spent reading (entertainment, to my kids, to review, etc.) and writing (articles, short stories, books, and so on) that I can’t imagine compartmentalizing any of the three. I kind of glide along a continuum, where I may be doing one more than the other, but all are still there.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you exhibit A.
Continue reading “#MFRWAuthor -Read-Write-Live: An Author’s Continuum”
For many authors, it may seem like questions like the one above are asked so frequently that they have become trite and answering them tedious and tiresome.
Before releasing my first novel—in my other life—I interviewed authors and heard them complain. So, I would try to avoid asking such questions. Now I realize my mistake.
#OpenBook
Share your writing goals for 2019.
I’ve been asking writers and authors to share their 2019 writing goals all last week.
I reached out to romance authors and ask them to tell readers some of their goals for this year, and I did the same for Muslim authors on the NbA Muslims blog on Patheos.
It was great reading what authors and writers had planned as well as including some of my goals. I also took a moment to take part in an Instagram author’s challenge post.
I’ve been busy planning and goal making. So, I’m going to use this Open Book Blog Hop post to round up all of the goals I made and maybe add a couple of more. Here we go! Continue reading “OpenBookBlogHop-Layla Writes Love 2019 Goals”
Lyndell Williams 