Thoughts on Sigmund Freud …
I know, off topic for me, but why not…
Did you know that Freud started out studying neurology? He was studying under Dr. Charcot in Paris when he came up with the idea that hysteria didn’t stem from biological issues but from emotional ones. Rather radical idea for that time. However, because of Freud’s sudden interest in the mind from a psychological standpoint, we have psychoanalysis, psychotherapy, and several other ideas/therapies that came about from his original ideas. Actually, we have Freud’s followers to thank for several of those forms of therapy (such as his daughter, Anna, and Carl Jung).
OK… so Freud was a little obsessed with inappropriate sexual thoughts and feelings. Obviously he had some personal issues to work through, but aside from that, he really did have great insight into the mind for that period of time. After all, we wouldn’t have “talking therapy” today if it weren’t for him.
Now… you may ask, why on earth is a romance writer interested in psychology? Simple. How can you have well-rounded characters if you don’t understand the psychological make-up of personality? It’s hard to create a person from scratch if you don’t first understand what makes a person tick. Another thing we can thank Freud for — defense mechanisms. And let’s face it, at one point another in just about every romance novel, someone uses a defense mechanism for something (repression, denial, etc.). It’s easier to write those scenes and provide actions for your characters if you know a little more about the subject matter.
At least, that’s this author’s humble opinion.
Talking with Phoebe Jordan
I had an radio interview with Phoebe Jordan this evening on Blog Talk Radio. Did you miss the show? Don’t worry, you can still listen to it! Just click the link below and select show #16.
Want to know what I’m currently working on? Want to know about my upcoming release, Vicus Luna? Be sure to listen to the show! 
Interview with Author Julie Kimbrell
Julie Kimbrell, a new up-and-coming author, agreed to do an interview with me. She’s published both YA and Adult Romance with two e-publishers and is currently seeking an agent.
When did you first become interested in writing?
I’ve always had an interest but no time or initiative. About a year ago, I had an idea and mentioned it to my mother who told me to write it down. I wrote it down and began to add to it and a couple weeks later, I had my first YA book.
What made you decide to become a published author? What process did you go through when selecting your publisher(s)?
I felt so proud that I actually wrote a whole novel. I mean, 50,000 words is a lot. I thought I’d never be able to do it, and I did. That motivated me to write query letters and mail them to different agencies in an attempt to find an agent to represent me. I haven’t found one yet, but I’m not giving up. After I finished my next two books, I decided to try e-publishing. It seemed to be the latest technology in writing. When I submitted my first Adult Romance, A Knight in Shining Tow Truck, Hearts On Fire Press picked It up so I went with them. They took all the books I had written up to then, which were all YA Romance.
If you could give advice to someone interested in writing, what would it be?
Don’t give up. Sometimes it feels like you’re stuck. Put it aside and come back to it later. You’re mind and ideas change all the time. Stick with it until you find what you’re looking for. Every book will be better than the last.
Could you tell us a little about your latest work?
My latest book which is an Adult Romance due out Spring 2010. Mr. Irresistible is published by Wild Horse Press.
Mr. Irresistible Blurb: This story is about Kate Simon, a sensible, independent young woman, who’s thrown for a loop when Gage Morgan steps into her life. She’s not ready for the feelings that result every time they’re together, which is often since she’s helping him run his friend’s new bar. For some reason, he’s irresistible. Gage is so motivated to make the business successful for his friend, he struggles with his feelings for Kate as well. Does he have time for a relationship? Could it be love? And what will happen when Gage’s selfish friend, Charlie decides he wants Kate for himself. Can Gage keep his so-called friend from ruining everything?
What inspired you to write Mr. Irresistible?
Nothing in particular. I had several ideas about how I wanted to begin the book and one morning while I was at Wal-Mart getting groceries, I heard someone’s name being called over the intercom and it hit me.
Are you currently working on something? If so, can you tell us a little bit about it?
Yes, I am currently finishing up on another Adult Romance that I’ve named “Hiding Hope”. It’s about a woman named Kinley who just lost her grandmother who was all the family she had left. Her friend Mia convinces her to move back to the town she grew up in where she meets Grayson. He’s alone, just like Kinley and they begin to hit it off. Kinley finds a stray dog and she and Gray hide it until they get caught and she gets evicted from the apartment she just moved into. They begin to spend time together and realize they have feelings for each other, but Kinley isn’t ready to deal with them. She wants to focus on herself and starting a new business. Gray loves her and becomes a very good support system for her. Can Gray break down the barriers around her heart? Will Kinley find that she feels the same way about Gray?
If you could go back and change anything in your writing/publishing career, would you? And if so, what would it be and why?
I wouldn’t change anything. It’s been a fun and exciting process for me. I will continue to try and find an agent although it is becoming apparent that might not happen. I will not give up on the idea of having a mass market paperback, but until then, I want to share my work with anyone who will be willing to read it and the web is the best way to do that.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us today?
I’d like to say that I have a couple books due out in print in the next couple months. Look for them at Heartsonfirebooks.com and amazon.com I would love for anyone that has read my works to email me with their comments. juliekimbrellbooks@yahoo.com and I have a website www.juliekimbrell.com
Thanks for having me, Jessica!
Affirmations… by guest author Linda Palmer
Time and again, I’ve noticed that when I begin a new book, I start receiving what I call “affirmations” that I’m doing the right thing. I actually have a list of affirmations I received while writing Storm Swept, my December ’09 release from Wild Horse Press. In that book, a character that is in the military is called up to help repair damage from a hurricane that I named Farrah. My affirmation? Right after I named my hurricane, I met a woman named Farrah at work. Coincidence? Maybe, but also an affirmation because I picked the name at random, and she was actually looking for another office. Another example is my decision to have my heroine enrolled in classes at a culinary institute. I immediately received two affirmations for that decision: I started seeing ads for a culinary institute while watching Ghost Hunter on the SyFy channel, and I heard one of my coworkers on the phone talking about her daughter actually enrolling in one. If I hadn’t already made that choice for my character, I’d think that hearing about the institute subconsciously made me choose it. But it just didn’t happen that way.
Yet another example is my choice of “mermaid” as a nickname the hero gives the heroine. After I wrote that, I immediately received three affirmations. First, the movie Mermaids starring Cher came on television. Second, there was a story on the news about a prosthetic mermaid tail created for a woman who didn’t have legs so she could swim. Third, a coworker randomly mentioned that her husband called her that.
In this same vein, right after I wrote a scene where a character is attacked by an evil spirit, but is rescued in the nick of time, I heard this lyric in a rock song “if not for me then you’d be dead.” Okay…I admit that’s a stretch, but it worked for me! And right after I decided that my heroine would be cooking breakfasts at her sister’s B&B, I got an e-mail from Kraft foods full of breakfast recipes and heard one of the characters on Big Bang Theory mention a B&B.
Receiving affirmations is not new to me. I remember my Silhouette Romance days and two particularly unusual incidences. While plotting a book about a hero whose job is to stop illegal immigration from Mexico into Texas, I realized I didn’t know what branch of the government controlled that. At the time, the internet wasn’t as huge, so the world wasn’t at my fingertips as it is now. Before I had a chance to research my question, I ran into a man who had the words Border Patrol on his cap. We were both giving blood at the time, which meant neither of us could go anywhere, so I was able to ask him a lot of questions. Another affirmation from that same book was my need for a stretch of lonely highway. I wanted my heroine to stop and change a flat tire for the hero, whose entire arm was in a cast. If there was a lot of traffic on the road, a man would already have done the job. I needed for my heroine to know that no one else would be able to help him. I found the answer to my question when the woman who sells me make-up stopped by my house and began talking about her recent vacation. Out of the blue, she said that she’d driven down a road for over an hour without seeing another car. I got out an atlas. She pointed out the road, which was, believe it or not, in Texas!
I have many more examples; they’re all lots of fun. And amazingly enough, my daughter, who recently began writing romance, has started getting them, too. She phones and e-mails me often, telling me her most recent. Jessica Coulter Smith recently told me that she dreamed about the last book in her series and woke up knowing how to write it. Well, no dreams for me so far, but I do get affirmations straight from my personal muse. And they never fail to encourage and inspire me.
Reviews at Long & Short Reviews….
I write the occasional review at Long & Short Reviews… I’ve been MIA lately due to some health issues, but thankfully will be reviewing again. Anyway, I thought I’d post a brief synopsis from a few of my favorites over there along with a link to the full reviews.
Love on a Harley
As a woman who has enjoyed the occasional ride on one of man’s greatest inventions, I can say that the women did a good job describing the feel of riding on the impressive machines. Each of the men had that “bad boy” feel, but hid a good heart. The women were strong, yet pining for the love of a good man.
(read the full review)
The Feline Fugitive
The Feline Fugitive is definitely worth your time. I haven’t read anything of Ms. Bishop’s before, but I will definitely keep my eye out for her other stories.
The Feline Fugitive is full of humor, romance, action, and suspense – just what every good romance should have!
(read the full review)
Stranger in His Bed
I found the characters to be believable and sincere in their emotions. While this may be an unconventional romance by normal standards, I found myself reading page after page, anxious to see where the story would go. Ms. Henderson did a lovely job, painting scenes that I could easily see in my mind.
Blood of the Beast – by Tamela Quijas
Action, Adventure, Vampires, and Romance… Blood of the Beast has all of these and more. If you want a quick read, this isn’t the book for you. If you want a book that has a lot of thought and feeling that shines throughout, then Blood of the Beast is a must read for 2009. Ms. Quijas has a way with words, the likes of which we don’t often see anymore. Reading her books is always a pleasure. I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
For the full review, visit The Novel Blog!
Spotlighted Review at We Write Romance!
I’m excited to announce that my review of Rough Edges, by Jannifer Hoffman, is the spotlighted review over at We Write Romance!
“While this is a great love story, Rough Edges is so much more than a romance novel. With intrigue, suspense, and a murder mystery, you’re sure to find yourself lost in the world of the Rocking T Ranch and the small town of Danango, Colorado. Rough Edges is an emotional tale of love, hope, and trust… it will keep you guessing, throwing in unpredictable surprises here and there.”
Be sure to visit We Write Romance for the full review!
Recent book review…
I recently reviewed Haunted Destiny by Kelly Abell, a YA paranormal romance, for The Novel Blog.
“The characters of Destiny, Jake, and Grams Rose were likeable. And of course what would a teen story be without the super popular girl we all love to hate? While Amy’s character comes across as snobby and cruel, there are times you can’t help but feel sorry for her. The characters were all well developed, even the secondary ones. You could tell the author put some thought into the storyline.”
For the entire review, visit The Novel Blog today!
