Birthdays: Carl Van Doren (1885), Cyril Connolly (1903), Georgia Douglas Johnson (1880), Marian Keyes (1963), Mary Oliver (1935)

Tip: On the first page, you should have the answers to three questions: Whose story is this? (main character) What’s happening? What’s at stake?

Thought for the day: “The story begins when things change. The adventure begins when things go wrong.” – Dennis McKiernan

Jumpstart: You work at a pet shop and arrive in the morning to find cages opened and animals everywhere—including the snakes—what happens next?

Tip: Avoid vague words like usually, pretty, very, just. (She was very pretty vs. She was beautiful vs. She was Aphrodite made flesh.)

Thought for the day: “Edit, edit, edit. Scrape off the dirt so that the diamonds can shine. A lot of writing is knowing what to take away.” – Erica Jong

Jumpstart: “It was worth a try,” he said as he shrugged.

“No, it wasn’t. Look what happened. Now, we have even more of a mess to clean up.”

When honor meets temptation…

California “Callie” St. John learned the hard way just how much one night of rebellion can cost. Determined not to repeat past mistakes, she tries to be the perfect daughter by volunteering with various charities and keeping everyone at arm’s length. After narrowly escaping a car bombing, she is forced to accept help from the one man who can get past her defenses, making her long for the impossible — letting him into her life…and her heart.

 Lieutenant James “Hawk” Hawkins, a member of a Special Ops unit of soldiers with unusual abilities, is known for keeping his cool in any situation. Acting as a bodyguard to the daughter of one of DC’s mover and shakers is just one more mission like any other. When an enemy from his past targets the spoiled socialite, Hawk realizes she is more than she seems.

With his reputation on the line, he’s willing to risk everything to keep her safe. But succumbing to temptation isn’t an option…no matter how much he wants to give in.

Author Bio:

Katherine Grey writes sexy sweet contemporary romances with a hint of the paranormal. She lives in upstate NY with her family. When she’s not writing, she can be found up to her elbows in flour trying out new bread and cookie recipes.

Buy Link: Amazon – Honor Bound

Social Media Links:  Facebook    Bookbub   Goodreads

Birthdays: Alice Sebold, China Miéville, Christopher Brookmyre, Henry Seidel Canby, Robert Pirsig, Vendela Vida

Tip: To have an element of reality, your story people must also feel, as well as think, and act, and they must react to the emotions of those around them.

Thought for the day: “I write fiction and I’m told it’s an autobiography. I write autobiography and I’m told it’s fiction, so since I’m so dim and they’re so smart, let them decide what it is or isn’t.” – Phillip Roth

Jumpstart: I didn’t know what I would do. I didn’t even know if I could go. But I had no choice. It was…

Birthdays: Ward Just (1935), Tomie dePaola (1934), Paul Fleischman (1952), Arthur Koestler (1905), Frank Yerby (1916), John Cage (1912), Sam Hamill (1943)

Tip: An antagonist is a person (or thing) that opposes the protagonist. It doesn’t have to be inherently bad, but it does have to throw roadblocks in the hero’s way.

Thought for the day: “Writing a novel is like building a wall brick by brick; only amateurs believe in inspiration.” – Frank Yerby

Jumpstart: Your character opens a fortune cookie and the strip inside says: “You will receive a legacy from a distant relative.” What is the legacy and why is she the one receiving it?

Birthdays: Richard Wright (1908), Joan Aiken (1924), Syd Hoff (1912), David Lagercrantz (1962), Mary Renault (1905),

Tip: Confusing pronouns: “The lazy dog sat on the sofa. It was soft and plump.” – The second sentence could apply to either the dog or the sofa. The “it” makes it unclear. You need to be specific here. This often happens in books where there are multiple characters of the same sex. Using “she” or “he” for everyone gets too confusing as to who is whom.

Thought for the day: “Just because I’m sweeping leaves doesn’t mean I’m not thinking.” Joan Aiken

Jumpstart: It’s spring and the birds are coming home. All of them. We need to be ready…

Birthdays: Sarah Orne Jewett (1849), Aliki (1929), Adriana Trigiani (1969), Alison Lurie (1926), Jenny Han (1980), Kiran Desai (1971), Lawrence Clark Powell (1906), Malcolm Gladwell (1963)

Tip: Dangling modifiers: modifiers are words or phrases that enhance other words in a sentence. If you misplace them (dangling), you can change the meaning of a sentence, or make it impossible as in: “Carrying the box, the leaves blew across his path.” In this case, it sounds like the leaves are doing the carrying. Much better: As he carried the box, the leaves blew across his path. Or: The leaves blew across his path as he carried the box.

Thought for the day: “You can’t write well with only the nice parts of your character, and only about nice things. And I don’t want even to try anymore. I want to use everything, including hate and envy and lust and fear.” – Alison Lurie

Jumpstart: You’re going to be on a reality show—one that’s never been seen before. What will it be? What will the challenges be? What is the prize? Why are you doing this?

Birthdays: Allen Drury (1918), John Bierhorst (1936), Demi (1942), Barbara Dillon (1927), Ellen Stohl Walsh (1942), Eugene Field (1850), Jack Bickham (1930), Joseph Roth (1894)

Tip: Watch your verb tenses. Whether writing in present or past tense, keep it consistent. I’ve seen too many books where the writer slips from present tense (I am doing this) to the past (I did this) to future (I will do this) sometimes in the same sentence. Most books are written in third person/past tense (She painted the picture.). Some in first person/past tense (I painted the picture). Whatever person/tense you choose, make sure you are consistent throughout.

Thought for the day: “Books cannot change. A thousand years hence they are what you find them today, speaking the same words, holding forth the same cheer, the same promise, the same comfort; always constant, laughing with those who laugh and weeping with those who weep.” – Eugene Field

Jumpstart: This is National Beheading Day. Why would anybody name a day after such a horrible practice? What is the history behind this day? Your character celebrates this day – why and how?

For your reading pleasure:

Under Nonfiction:

Beginner’s Guide to the Occult – an excellent reference book for those interested in the different types of practices.

Essential Oil Magic – another excellent reference for anyone looking to work with essential oils.

Natural Remedies for Sleep – A definite must for anyone who has trouble sleeping

Under Mysteries:

How Everything Turns Away – a 4 sparkler thriller that keeps you guessing

Under Fantasy:

Bitter Thorn Tribe – The second book in the series follows “Keeper of the Grove” – how a modern woman deals with ancient battles and warriors

Under Romance:

Hometown – a short, sweet romance with a HEA that satisfies.

September 1

Birthdays: Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875), Jim Arnosky (1946), Gail Gibbons (1944), Jane Hissey (1952), Jean Burden (1914), Jesse Kellerman (1978), Marguerite Gardiner (1789), Nelson George (1957), Timothy Zahn (1951)

Tip: This is back to school month for many schools. Take a trip to your nearest office supply store and look at all the neat things for students. What would you really like to have? New notebooks? A fancy pen? A new computer? Pick one object in your price range and buy it. Make a plan for future purchases you can’t currently afford.

Thought for the day: “The most important lesson my parents taught me is that writing is a job, one that requires discipline and commitment. Most of the time it’s a fun job, a wonderful job, but sometimes it isn’t, and those are the days that test you.” – Jesse Kellerman

Jumpstart: Edgar Rice Burroughs was the creator of Tarzan. Your character is meeting Tarzan as he gets off the boat in England for the first time. What are his/her impressions of the King of the jungle?