Blog - Shirley Holder Platt, author at The Write Romance

You are beyond compare

February 17, 2020

Have you ever heard of imposter syndrome? It’s what a person experiences psychologically when she thinks her accomplishments aren’t that great and that someone will find out she’s not who she claims to be. In other words, she feels like a fraud. If you’re a writer, and you haven’t had similar thoughts, congratulations. I’d venture to say you’re one of the few and lucky ones. Most of us think this way at some point in our writing career.

So, if you’re experiencing some degree of the syndrome, right off the bat I’ll say, welcome to the club. You’re not alone. That probably won’t take the feelings away, but misery does love company. Seriously, though, take a deep breath, because I’m going to ask you to do something brave here.

OK, you can let that breath out. While you’re at it, let go of those feelings of inadequacy. Simply blow them out with your breath. Sing the let it go song from Frozen if it helps. Envision the negative notion flowing past your lips and dissipating before your eyes.

It’s that easy. And it’s that hard to not breathe it back in. Here’s one way to banish those nasty thoughts. Think of how many billions of people are living on this blue planet. Now consider how many of them would like to write a self-help or how-to book, a memoir, magazine article, short story, poem, the great American novel. Now think about how many of them actually do it.

You’re one of the few who followed your dream, put action to the wish. And if you’ve uploaded your work to a site like ChapterBuzz.com, or sent an article, book proposal to a publisher, you’re even rarer. You’ve put yourself out there for public scrutiny. That, my friend, is brave. No imposter stuff going on with you.

You have dared to let the world hear your voice, and hopefully, you realize there is no other voice out there quite like yours. No one compares. So, take another cleansing breath, pat yourself on the back, stand a little taller. You are an author! Own it.

Does your spidey-sense lie to you?

Does your spidey-sense lie to you? Mine does. Sometimes. It tells me that there are better things to do than to sit and read a book. Well, if yours tells you the same thing, I’m here to tell you it’s wrong. Reading is a worthwhile activity. Don’t believe me? Maybe you’ll believe some authorities like the ones below:

“The reading of all good books is like conversation with the finest (people) of the past centuries.” – Descartes
“Reading is essential for those who seek to rise above the ordinary.” – Jim Rohn
“Every story that is not based on historical fact is, in essence, a look into the universe of the imagination.” -Clarence Sherrick
“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.” – George R.R. Martin
“If you are going to get anywhere in life you have to read a lot of books.” – Roald Dahl
“Somebody who only reads newspapers and at best books of contemporary authors looks to me like an extremely near-sighted person who scorns eyeglasses. He is completely dependent on the prejudices and fashions of his times, since he never gets to see or hear anything else.” – Albert Einstein
“Employ your time in improving yourself by other men’s writings so that you shall come easily by what others have labored hard for.” – Socrates
“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” – Dr. Seuss
“Some books leave us free and some books make us free.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.” – Frederick Douglas

Convinced? I hope so, for reading is a gateway to new worlds, a source of delight, a way to enrich your life. Never feel guilty for reading!

Reading during Covid-19

Months of isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic have made me realize how much face to face meetings with my friends mean to me. Since I can’t see my buddies, reading has become a passion. It already was! I read about 200 books in 2019 for fun, but the characters in the books are my new friends these days. Then there are the characters in the books I’m writing. I find myself thinking of them when I’m getting ready for bed, brushing my teeth, cooking dinner, or sitting on the porch watching nature.

This has got me thinking about some of the characters I’ve met over the years through books. People like Scout and Atticus Finch from “To Kill a Mockingbird,” Rima, the girl who could sing like and talk to the birds, in “Green Mansions,” Stephanie Plum, the hilarious and bumbling bounty hunter in Janet Evanovich’s series of over twenty-five books, and Stephanie’s partner in crime (solving), Lula. A serious attorney, a child, a fantasy creature, and two hilarious women. These are my make believe friends.

The world would be so dull without books to read. I can immerse myself in a story and let the rest of the world slip away. What would I do with my time without these stories?

What are you doing to survive this pandemic? Some people are working harder than ever and probably wish they had time to sit down and savor a good novel. Others have too much time on their hands. As for me, I’m eternally grateful for my comfy chair on my screened in porch. The perfect setting for reading a new story or enjoying my old friends in a book I’m reading again.

Stay safe and healthy my friends!

And as always, Happy Reading – Happy Writing

Photo by Brad Lloyd on Unsplash

Trust doesn’t come easy for some people

Review of Alissa Callen’s Third in the Wildflower Ranch series.

Trust doesn’t come easy for some people. Zane is one of those people. A hard-working, good looking cowboy, he’s been betrayed by just about everyone he ever trusted. His grandmother ran off with a traveling salesman, his father was a hard man to love, his mother left when he was a child. On top of all that, his wife ran off with his brother while pregnant with his child, a fact he’s only recently learned because the couple died in a car crash. Now he’s raising his son who thinks he’s his uncle. He’s learned the hard way that trust is not to be given to anyone. When he catches the eye of a beautiful woman over a bonfire, he tells himself to stay away.

Traumatized by the loss of his parents, Finn is a five-year-old who has pretty much stopped talking. His speech therapist just happens to be the woman from the bonfire. Zane knows he should stay away from the woman, but Trinity is his son’s therapist. Zane loves his son enough to face frequent contact with the woman he has trouble resisting. She has a way with the boy and has both father and son talking more than usual. During a weak moment, he asks her to stay at his ranch during the summer to help his son get ready to start school.

This sweet love story is a slow burn. Trinity has her own reasons for resisting the reserved cowboy, but their attraction seems destined. When these two finally let their walls down, it’s apparent that this is more than physical. The one sex scene is far from explicit, so readers of sweet romance should not be put off.

On the whole, I found reading this book to be a pleasant experience. My heartstrings were tugged, I could envision the Montana big sky country with it’s rugged mountains and wildflower covered meadows. I felt like I rode along as horses were moved from one pasture to another and little boys caught bugs in the water. The book was offered free of charge, which I consider to be a generous act during this time of quarantine. A sweet love story may be just what the doctor ordered for all of us. I know that I’ll be buying the other books in this series of stand-alone stories by a best selling author I’ve only recently discovered. I highly recommend the book to anyone fond of the genre.

Stay safe, wash those hands, and keep up the

Happy Reading!

Can we have too much romance?

Can we have too much romance? I’ve had the Paul McCartney song about “silly love songs” in my head for a week, rattling around. It won’t leave me alone. My husband tells me that I have an earworm. But, really, I have to believe there are people out there that would answer the question with a yes. I feel sad for these people. In my world, romance is what makes life worth living.

Now, there is such a thing as having unreasonable expectations. And we can put the blame for that squarely on Plato. Plato? you ask. Yes, that guy way back in the golden age of Greece when all those thinkers were espousing their ideas, and in Plato’s case, ideals. He came up with the idea that there were two perfect lovers, ideal lovers if you will, who were split in two. Ever since one half is always in search of his/her other half for fulfillment. And people bought the idea. And they passed it down the generations until we have things like movies perpetuating it.

I believe in romance whole-heartedly. I don’t, however, believe there is only one person “out there” who can fulfill me, make me whole. Surely, in a world with nearly seven billion people, there’s more than one person who could make me happy. What I believe in is finding one person out of the people we meet that makes my heart happy. And then, when the sparks inevitably die down and everyday routine takes over, we hold onto them, treasure them, and keep the romance alive.

Now you may disagree with me, and that’s your right, but hear me out. Let’s say you’re a woman reading this. You found the man you thought was Mr. Perfect. He made your heart flutter, you felt lighter than air when he held you in his arms. You waited by the phone for his next call.

But that was twenty years ago. Now, you see the real person. No hiding the fact that he snores all night, doesn’t help with the dishes, or would rather watch a ball game than talk to you about your horrible day. How do you keep the romance alive in a situation like that?

You have a few choices. You can demand that he pay attention to you. You can dress up and hope he notices. Some people resort to playing games to make him jealous. (Not a good idea, by the way.) Or, you can pay attention to him. What’s changed? He’s complacent. That’s what. So how do you rekindle the fire? There are a million people with a million or more answers to that. My question to you is, what’s your part?

Do you tell him that you love him often? Do you thank him for the things he does do to help with the yard? Around the house? With the kids? Do you call him during his day to tell him you miss him? Do you watch a game with him once in a while, to show you’re interested in what he likes?

I took a Dale Carnegie course once upon a time. We were given the task of doing something with our loved one that would be unexpected and evaluate the response. We were supposed to pick an activity we normally shunned, but that our significant other either liked to do or dreaded. I chose to help detail his car. When he went outside to work on it, I suggested we do it together. He was pleasantly surprised. While we worked, I cracked a few jokes and praised his skills. He LOVED it.

The thing I want to tell you about though is the responses I got when I went back to my class to report on my activity. The men in the group sat with their mouths open while I told my story. They came up to me afterward, one at a time, saying they would be shocked if their wives or girlfriends did something like that. Shocked mind you.

What that tells me is that we can’t give up, even if he grows complacent. If we keep the spark in our hearts, there’s a much better chance that he will keep his burning. It won’t work every time. Some people aren’t compatible. I’m not saying I can solve the divorce rate AT ALL. I’m just saying, keep trying. And start before you have too much resentment built up. Maybe he’s not the perfect other-half you dreamed of, but he’s human. Most people respond to love and affection much better than upset and complaining.

If you keep your fires burning, your chances are better that he will respond accordingly. If he doesn’t and you’re done trying, well, there are lots of fishes in the sea. And sometimes we don’t need to go fishing. It can be better to be alone. Even if that’s your choice, don’t live without romance in your life. Give it to yourself if you must. Buy flowers, paint a room a romantic shade you love, read romance books, take yourself on a trip. You don’t have to wait for someone to bring romance into your life.

What do you think? Am I way off here? Do you agree? Let me know!

Book Review – The Firebird by Susanna Kearsley

Some books envelop me in their own distinctive atmosphere and they are the ones I love the most. I recently discovered a new (to me) author, Susanna Kearsley. Her book, The Firebird, wrapped me in its warmth from start to finish like a beloved quilt on a cool winter day. Nicola, the protagonist, is a modern woman working as a fine art dealer. She has a secret. She sees visions of the past when she touches an object. Afraid to reveal her psychometric ability, she works hard to hide her gift and appear normal. Until one object and its owner stirs her heart. She wants to help the woman but doubts her ability to trace the provenance on her own, so she enlists the help of Rob, a former boyfriend.

The book takes Nicola and Rob on a journey through time to places where the original owner of the art piece lived. Interweaving the modern-day couple’s love story with that of Anna, the woman in Nicola’s original vision, the book gives the reader two love stories to follow.

I must admit that I never enjoyed history classes but found myself riveted to the story of Jacobites in 1710 in Ireland, Scotland, Calais, and later in Peter the Great’s Russia, especially St. Petersburg. Kearsley has a knack of bringing the old cities to life and juxtaposing them against the modern metropolises they’ve become.

I did not want the story to end, and will be reading everything Kearsley has written. I highly recommend The Firebird to historical romance fans.

Have a favorite romance book? Shoot me a reply by email, and I’ll put it on my list of things to read and perhaps review.

Thanks, and as always,

Happy Reading Happy Writing

Shirley Holder Platt

Am I good enough?

Am I good enough? If you are like me, you’ve asked this of yourself many times. Most of us ask it at one time or another, but creative souls seem to ask at some point during each creation. In the life of a novelist, the question often comes up right around the middle of a story. An idea comes, the first of the story flows, it practically writes itself, you know how it will end, but the middle? It wants to drag or sag. It’s been called the saggy middle by many, and when we hit it, many of us begin to doubt ourselves. We ask questions like: will I ever be able to pull out of these doldrums? How can I keep the momentum of the story going? And the inevitable, am I good enough?

If you suffer from self-doubt, please know that you are not alone. And remember that the answer is, “yes, you are good enough.” I believe that the desire to tell a story is innate in the human makeup. We learn by listening to the tales of those who’ve gone before us. A mystery enthralls us. We can’t take our eyes off a dramatic scene on the screen. The fact that you want to write means you’re probably a natural-born storyteller. If you’re feeling self-doubt, it’s normal. But it doesn’t have to rule you or stop your flow. Here are some ways to overcome those feelings of inadequacy.

1. And this is the biggest of them all – Never compare yourself to another person. We all have individual talents, processes, and timing. You’re unique. Embrace it.

2. Don’t let it stop you. Remember, we all feel this way at times. To succeed, you must feel the emotion but move through it. Either continue writing your story or take a few minutes to write in your journal. Whichever you choose, keep writing.

3. When you realize you are thinking negatively about yourself or your talent, tell yourself to stop those thoughts. Replace them with memories of times you have overcome obstacles, been successful, received compliments.

4. Keep a journal of your successes and open it anytime self-doubt creeps in.

5. Read books and listen to audio presentations that engender optimism.

6. Continue to learn your craft. Study story structure, grammar, pacing, characterization, dialogue. Read books, attend workshops, watch podcasts, or take a class. There are myriad free resources for writers online, at your public library. Take advantage of the tools at your disposal.

Beverly Sills, a woman with a world-renowned singing voice, once said, “You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don’t try.”

The world is waiting to hear your unique voice. Don’t let self-doubt paralyze you. I genuinely believe that you are good enough. If you’ve got the desire and have perseverance, you can overcome self-doubt.

If you have had success with other ways to overcome the “I’m not good enough,” voice, let me know!

Thanks, and Happy Reading – Happy Writing

Shirley Holder Platt

January 17, 2020

2020 – New Year, New Vision

It’s 2020 – new year, new vision – filled with opportunity and hope. I’m not one to make resolutions, but I do make plans. Before that, though, I take a look back at the year gone by to see what I accomplished and where I can do better. One of the things I did in 2019 was, I published another book in my Lover’s Moon series called Moon Dance. I also wrote the drafts of two more books and a novella: 1. book three in the Sandy Shores series called Return to Sandy Shores; 2. Sea-renity on Sandy Shores is a novella that will be available by the end of this month and; 3 book one in the new Hart Brothers series called Rescuing Zeke.

In 2019, I decided that I’d keep track of all the books I read. Some of you have asked what I read. The answer is, a lot in many categories/genres. My list for last year includes 200 books. I’ll not bore you with the whole list, but thought it would be fun to tell you my favorites in different categories, so here goes:

Beach Read: All Summer Long by Dorothea Benton Frank
Christian: Ninety-Nine Signs by Elizabeth Haxby
Classics: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Contemporary Romance: Moonshine Kisses by Lucy Score and Claire Kingsley
Comedy: Shove Your Mince Pie, Harry Christmas by Johnny Parker
Cowboys: Lone Star Protector by Jennie Jones
Cozy Mystery: Murder on the Road by Adriana Licio
Cozy Mystery Comedy: Jammed by Deany Ray
Dystopia: Reactance: A DiaZem Novella by Dacia M. Arnold
Fantasy: Alizarin Crimson by Erica Millard
Foodie Novel: Love Muffin and Chai Latte by Anya Wilde
Ghosts and Witches Fantasy: Cauldron Bubble by Wendy Knight
History: The Greatest Knight by Thomas Ashbridge
Horror: The Pain Colony by Shanon Hunt
Literature: The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
Local Author: Happiness for Beginners by Katherine Center
Nonfiction: The Hooligans of Kandahar by Joe Kassabian
Poetry: Why I Wake Early by Mary Oliver
Science Fiction: Nomads, Nicholas Erik
Short Story: Once Upon a Coffee by Kait Nolan
Women’s Fiction: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Zombies and Ghouls: Road to Babylon series by Sam Sisavath

I sincerely hope your 2020 will be full of love, light, and that you’ll make many happy memories to look back on in 2021.

Happy Reading!

Shirley Holder Platt

It’s all in the character arc.

Back in biblical days, as Noah closed the door and the first raindrop fell, maybe he turned to his wife and said, “It’s all in the ark.” Or maybe not, after all, we know that the unicorns got left out. But seriously, for building great characters, it is all in the arc, the character arc. The story is about the big something that changes the ordinary world and sets the main character (MC) on a new course. That change whether it be physical, mental or spiritual, is their arc. The plot is what happens. The arc is how your character is affected by those happenings.

There are several types of arcs including positive, static, and negative. At the beginning, your MC will believe he understands his world. Your job is to show him the falsehood underlying that belief. Some call this the great lie. When his eyes are opened, he will be forced to change his belief system. Think of Cinderella, she believes she’ll never get out of a life of hard labor and servitude. She has nothing at the beginning of the story to let her believe life will get better. She experiences many obstacles before becoming the co-ruler of her country. The truth she believed at the start has been exposed for the lie it always was. And the result is a changed woman.

The protagonist of most stories will have the largest character arc. When you build your story, you’ll be coming up with obstacles to put in the path of your MC. Choose obstacles that will play into the arc you want for your character. For a positive arc, you’ll have a character start out one way and end up being a changed, and for the better, person. Do you want a criminal to reform? Give him plenty of temptation and room to fall back into old ways. Would you like to see a shy young adult, (think of Cinderella) learn that she has the power within her to succeed? Push her into the limelight and let her grow before your readers’ eyes. When the tension is at its highest and your character makes a decision that would have been unheard of for her at the beginning of the story, a decision that changes her life for the better, she’s travelled the positive arc.

If you’re writing a series of books, you may have a fully developed hero who doesn’t change. You might present opportunities for growth and have him resist change. Your readers will sympathize. We’ve all got areas where we know improvement would be wise, but we can’t seem to change. That’s called a static arc. And it works, but you can have secondary characters changing around him to keep the story interesting. For example, you could have all his alcoholic friends reform, but he doesn’t.

Or maybe you start out with an innocent person, without a mean bone in his body. Life comes along and many bad things occur. The changes your character goes through turn him into a gang boss, intent upon revenge, or a wicked wizard wreaking havoc upon those who have wronged him. This is a negative arc, and it can make for a nail-biting, edge of the seat read. Think of Jack Nicolson’s character in the Shining as he descends further and further into insanity.

Whether you choose a static arc or one with significant positive or negative change ahead, use obstacles to fuel the resistance to change, anticipated growth, or descent. Your readers will not only relate, they’ll love you for it.

Create the New Year you want

Create the new year you want by developing a new writing habit.

A new year fast approaches. What will you accomplish in your writing? Whether you are considering a list of resolutions or only have a foggy idea of what you hope the coming days will bring, creating good writing habits is a worthy goal. Each writer is different, therefore, each of us will have our own set of new habits to develop. For myself, the first rule of thumb is to play to my strengths. For instance, I am not a morning person. My brain gets moving around ten a.m. Attempting to write first thing after waking will never be a good habit for me to try to develop. Instead, I might decide to jot down ideas as they come, but seriously sit to write after ten each day. Yours could be to get twenty minutes of writing in after the kids are in bed. Just be sure to stay realistic.

General wisdom tells us a few things about forming new habits. Here are a few for you to consider:
1. Don’t try to do it all starting January 1. Pick one new habit and hold off on the others until the first is in place.

2. Give it a month. Some say three weeks, but a month should cement it.

3. Hold yourself accountable. You might consider partnering with another author. Reporting progress can be a great motivator.

4. Reward yourself. I love cookies. One of my rewards for writing the number of words I’ve set as a goal for myself each day is to enjoy a cookie. My sweet tooth is a great cheerleader when ideas are coming slowly.

5. Practice not judging yourself. Forming a new habit is a lifestyle change and won’t necessarily come easy. Be kind to yourself when you forget and simply decide to start again the next day.

I sincerely hope you have a fantastic 2020, no matter what goals you set. Remember, perfectionism is not a goal but a hindrance. Happy New Year!