What Rings Your Christmas Bells?

Yes, here we go again ... another blog hop post that includes the fabulous girls (and boys) from Romance Writer's Weekly. I hope you've stopped by from Betty Bolte's page. http://www.bettybolte.com/blog.htm

Today's topic comes from Carrie Elks this week:
We all love a bit of romance at Christmastime! Tell us about your favorite Christmas story—it could be a book, a movie or a true-life romance. What makes it so memorable?

Seems Simple enough .... right?

The main tree, for Grandkids.

I've put some thought into this, some serious thought. It isn't easy to pick just one special day or occurrence. So, in my typical, obstinate, non-conformist fashion, I'm going to do what ever I want.

The best part of Christmas is of course, spending time with family and friends. I consider Christmas the time to renew friendships and remind people how important they are to me. So I try to do nice things and find time to catch up with those who have drifted away during the year.

Bears 3 or 3 for every step.

Gifts? I can take them or leave them. I'm happy without gifts, but when I see something special that screams a loved one's name ... I have to buy it. I don't spend much, its not about the money, it is about reminding them how important they are.

And the decorating? Good grief, I LOVE the decorating. My house looks like Christmas exploded here. I was obsessed before, but now I have grandbabies to share with. So look out world! I've got two trees, one of which has a serious lean due to a crappy stand. I won't undecorate to replace the stand, so I've tied it to the railing to keep it upright. There are countless wreaths hanging everywhere, fake presents on the front step, teddy bears, a huge village, and lights strung up around every room on the main floor. I would have them upstairs too, but it is currently under renovation. No sense having lights when you have no carpet.

I'm adding a few pictures ... just to give you the idea.

Fragile ornament tree. Leaning Tower of Treeza.

Village, part one of three.

Santa's Workshop

Village ... my grand daughter loves the people.

I've got quilts on tables, walls and floors. And the beds.

12 days of Christmas Quilt

Star Trek Ornaments.

There are Star Trek ornaments on the table ... to heavy to hang. And Jim Shore ornaments on tables and the mantle.
The best part are all the ornaments on the tree that my children made when they were young. Toilet paper angels, one eyed reindeer. Felt trees with their candy decorations eaten off, macaroni angels... you get the idea.  Each is flawed, precious and perfect. (Some are so hideous they are cute.)
And we won't even get into the mess that results from partially wrapped presents. With three grand kids, I may have gone overboard on the gifts.
For more on the important topic of Christmas memories, please visit Veronica Forand at http://veronicaforand.com The blog hop officially starts at two, but I'm up early. Please stop by and visit the other hoppers.

Hugs

Katie

Music That Moves Me

'Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn't you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all..... About our writing of course! Every week we'll answer questions and after you've enjoyed the blog on this site we'll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.'

What is my writing process like?
I am a hybrid author. Part plotter, part pantser (as in fly by the seat of my pants.) Usually, I have a germ of an idea sparked by a dream or overheard tidbit of conversation. Characters form in my mind and I begin creating their back stories.  I rough plot out the story and then set the characters loose and follow them where they lead me. Occasionally, one of them becomes difficult and refuses to adhere to my guidelines. If I can't smack them back into place, I set them aside for their own story later. I write in fits and starts, a few words here and there, an hour here and there, then full days on end when inspiration overcomes me and I can't stop the words from flowing. Fits and starts drive me nuts. Flowing words is my nirvana.

Do you listen to music to enhance your writing?
Well, yes and no. I generally write in silence, or at Humpty's restaurant during the breakfast rush. For whatever reason I can tune that noise out, but music distracts me. If I start listening to music, my feet start tapping, my legs get twitchy and before long I am shaking it all over the living room. Don't envision that, it is NOT a pretty sight.

I do find inspiration from music. Lines from a song, old or new can trigger an emotion or scene in my head that gets absconded into my work. I love old rock, sappy love songs, and country music. I won't get into a discussion of the weirdness that lives on  my music player ... frankly it is a total embarrassment ranging from kids songs, to sea shanties, to hard rock.
 What two songs best describe your overall body of work?
I can't think of any. What songs describe total chaos and mental breakdown followed by excitement, exhilaration and completion. (Sexual innuendo not intended.... but my mind went there anyway.)


Check out the work of my writing buddy Victoria Barbour. See where her creative process takes her. Just click on her name to visit her blog. Follow our writing group through the loop and see just how strangely creative we romance writers are.

Hugs,
Katie

Romance Weekly: Where Do Authors Get Those Twisted Plots?

'Do you like to read romance novels? Wouldn't you like to know more about your favorite authors? Well you came to the right place! Join the writers of Romance Weekly as we go behind the scenes of our books and tell all..... About our writing of course! Every week we'll answer questions and after you've enjoyed the blog on this site we'll direct you to another. So come back often for a thrilling ride! Tell your friends and feel free to ask us questions in the comment box.'

 

1. What is the weirdest question you have been asked about writing? 
So far, not a lot of people know I am a writer. Occasionally, the subject does come up. Most people are impressed, a few a sceptical. Let's start this with a couple facts. I write romance, and I write erotica. I am a woman. I was talking to a reader via email, about The Gift, and in particular about a male-male scene and they asked the weirdest question I have ever been asked, by far. AND that is.... if I have done all the things I write about. I am pretty sure that being a woman, I've never had male male sex. So no, I have not experienced everything I write about. It's called research people!
2. What was the most exciting thing about your writing career so far? 
The most exciting thing that has ever happened in my writing career (aside from getting published in the first place) was when I told a woman my pen name, and she squealed and said she had read my book and asked for my autograph. Really, what are the odds of that happening? Another exciting, stop-your-heart moment was when my mother said "I read your story and I liked it." I mean ... holy hamburgers, my mother reads erotica? And likes it? YIKES! *Shakes head sadly* I did not need to know that!
3. Do you get your story ideas from real life or real people? If not, where do they come from? (This question makes me smile, because sometimes when I am reading a novel, I think "Oh my GOD, it's like the author is writing about ME.")

But, I have NEVER written about people I know, or about their stories or lives. I don't think it would be ethical, and I couldn't live with myself if I did. 

Where do ideas come from? As a writer, I get my ideas from a number of places. First and foremost, my mind is a very busy place. There are a lot of ideas, dialog and characters just floating around in there waiting to collide into a novel idea. On occasion, I pick of snatches of dialog from conversations overheard at the mall, in restaurants, and places like that. Sometimes these lead to a story, or plot twist. Stories and scenes come to me in dreams. Corralling the Cowboy (an erotic short story) was the result of a dream that followed a conversation I had with a friend during the Calgary Stampede about the attractiveness of cowboys. There are just too many fictional possibilities to steal from the humdrum existences of people I know.

All that said, I have a friend who is thinking of becoming a Doula. I had never heard of a Doula. But a woman who a non-medical person and is a pregnancy, labor coach and assists before and after deliveries would be the ideal foil for my doctor-hero in an upcoming series. So, I told my friend that the career would be perfect for the story. So, no surprises for my friend.

But then again, there are those people .................................

If you are interested in reading what  Katherine Givens has to say about these questions. Check out her blog by clicking here. And be sure to pop back in next week for another set of questions.

Hugs
Katie
(PS: In case you are early, these posts are scheduled to go 'live' at 2pm Eastern. So you  might need to check back to follow the link to Katherine.)