The Sixth
Issue! Halfway through a year. While I continue to write the occasional blog
posts, the newsletter covers a number of topics related to writing, in one form
or another. This month I’ll discuss settings, a current work in progress, an
interview with an author of many talents and music. For what is life without
music? Too damn quiet for me.
WRITING
There are
three cardinal rules when it comes to real estate. Location, location,
location. You can say the same thing about writing fiction. Where the story occurs
can have an impact on your readers, particularly if it’s a well-known city. If
you’re creating a fictional place, that’s fine, but you need to include some
details that will help the readers relate to it and picture where the action is
going on.
Nearly all
of my stories take place in the metropolitan Detroit area, known for years as The
Motor City or Motown. This stretches out
beyond the city limits to the suburbs that make up Wayne, Oakland and Macomb
Counties with a population of nearly 4 million.
There are seedy inner city neighborhoods and just miles away you can
find posh suburbs with multi-million dollar mansions.
Often I’ll use landmarks or events that readers
can recognize, popping up in any of my tales. Comerica Park, Ford Field, The
Fox Theater, The Whitney, Belle Isle, The
Elwood Bar and Grill and others have all shared a page or two.
If you’re
writing about a real city, you’d better make sure you have your details
straight. Detroit is about 600 feet
above sea level and there are no significant hills in the area. There is a
street named Mt. Elliot and a suburb named Mount Clemens, but that’s it. Detroit has professional sports teams, a
diverse ethnic population and several casinos.
But no mountains!
Don’t forget
the food. When you’re describing your setting, there’s gotta be some local
cuisine that readers can almost taste. Detroit has many ethnics restaurants.
Whether it’s Greek salads and lamb kabobs, sushi, gourmet meals, seafood, pizza
or Coney Island hotdogs from Lafayette, you can find it in Motown.
Settings can
play a key role. As does the time. Is it
a current day story? Something set a hundred years in the past, or a hundred in
the future. Primarily my stories take place in a contemporary time frame. There
may be traces of history in my novels, but I haven’t tackled going into the
future.
Yet.
Work in Progress
My latest
effort is the third book in the Jefferson Chene series. I haven’t come up with a working title that
captures the mind yet, but that usually crops up along the way. This story picks up about a month after the
Morrissey homicide from “Your Turn to Die” has been solved. Chene and the squad are drawn into
investigating a cold case from fifteen years ago. What started out as a missing persons case evolves
into a homicide. The squad is racing
against a deadline. There’s also tension
from other departments and the FBI to add a little pressure.
At 48,000
words, the story is moving along fairly well. But this is the first draft and
who knows how many twists and turns can develop. Since I don’t use an outline,
I’ll just keep plugging away and see where Chene and the squad lead me.
More to
follow.
Author Interview
It is my
pleasure to bring KG Fletcher to the party. This delightful writer has many
talents, including a dynamic singing voice and a love of the theater. How she finds time to pursue all of these
interests, raise a family and write continues to amaze me.
Welcome, KG!
Where are you from?
Atlanta, GA
What’s your ‘someday’ or dream
vacation spot and why?
I’ve always loved the beach. Would love to
live on the East Coast shores of Florida someday – it’s my “happy place.”
What’s your favorite thing to do for
relaxation?
Read books. Watch romantic movies or
rom-coms.
Any favorite hobbies?
I love to cook with my husband –
sipping wine and listening to music as we go.
How long have you been writing?
How long have you been writing?
All of my life. I was a
singer/songwriter in Nashville. I’ve written drama sketches for elementary
schools and churches. It wasn’t until 2015 that I wrote my first romance novel.
Are you able to write full time or do
you also have a job/career?
I’m a full-time indie artist. I am in a
National Tour as a backup singer & also have my own cabaret show. I bring
my laptop everywhere we go. I’m always writing on trains, planes, automobiles,
backstage, hotel rooms, etc.
Is there a particular genre that you
write? Or more than one? What led you to there?
I write Contemporary Romance and
Romantic Suspense.
Do you use friends or family as characters in your work?
Do you use friends or family as characters in your work?
Absolutely.
What authors had an impact on you growing up and as an adult?
What authors had an impact on you growing up and as an adult?
Nora Roberts, LaVyrle Spencer, Sandra
Brown – any kind of romance paperback I could get my hands on, really.
Has anyone in your life influenced
you or encouraged you to pursue your interests of writing? (teacher, family
member, friend)
Friends
and family, definitely. My husband and sons are my biggest encouragers.
#frathouse
What is your favorite aspect or
writing? Your least favorite?
I LOVE editing! I love cleaning up my rough
draft when it’s finished, then sending it off to my editor. When I get her
email back with her edits, I’m giddy with excitement and love going in again
and making more changes. I don’t particularly enjoy the marketing part of this
business. It’s a time/money suck, but imperative if you want to make any money.
What aspect of writing would you most
like to improve on?
Blurb writing. I’m getting better,
but I would love to nail a blurb the first time.
Do you have any “must haves” with you
while you’re writing? (Food, drink,
silence, noise, location, scented candles)
I prefer to write in total silence, but I live
in a frat-house full of noisy guys. Classical or instrumental music is my
go-to. I can’t listen to music with lyrics because I am also a song writer. I
get caught up in the lyrics and story which totally takes
away from my writing.
Is there a common theme or item that
appears in each of your work?
Sweet and steamy, and of course, a
happily-ever-after. I am also big on imagery. My readers often comment how they
feel like they are in the setting or can taste the food I’m describing.
What have you learned the most from
being in the writing business?
The author community is AMAZING! I am
not afraid to reach out and ask questions. Nine times out of ten, the author
will kindly respond. I’ve made dozens of author friends who support my releases
and even share on their social media or newsletters.
Tell us about your latest work:
I am currently working on Book Four
in my Reigning Hearts Series. The title is, “I’ll See You Again.” This is my
first book with a Scottish rock and roll hero – my readers are VERY excited.
She plans happily-ever-afters. He sings about them. But will their
star-struck connection last?
As a small town wedding planner, Nicky Sinclair craves true
love and decadent cakes. But her world is rocked when a famous Scottish
musician shows her the kind of affection she’s only dreamt about. Except just as their hearts are humming in
tune, she receives terrifying news and finds herself caught in the headlines.
On the brink of superstardom, Reid Macpherson pours all his
energy into his band. But after showing up at a small town bar to test out his
latest song, the last thing he expected was to fall for a gorgeous local who
has no idea who he is. So when he realizes he has feelings for her, he invites
her to New York City for the kick-off of his first world tour.
After Nicky learns devastating news that’s hit the airwaves,
emotions run high and she fears Mac will leave her and return to Scotland
forever. And Mac worries with Nicky left behind, his voice will forever be
silenced, the love they shared nothing but a lingering lyric in one of his hit
songs.
Will the harmonious couple see each other
again, or have they uttered their final goodbye?
I’ll See You Again is the
fourth book in a series of standalone contemporary romance novels. If you like
steamy opposites-attract stories, and heart-wrenching feels, then you’ll adore
KG Fletcher’s rock star romance.
Buy I’ll See You Again
for a ballad of loyalty and longing today!
How did you decide on your story
plot?
Because
this is book four in the series, I chose a likeable character from the series
and created her own story. Her name is Nicky and she’s a successful wedding
planner in the small fictional town of Cold Creek, NY.
Describe how this method works best for you. Outline or ‘seat of the pants’?
Describe how this method works best for you. Outline or ‘seat of the pants’?
I am DEFINITELY a “pantster” – I
write by the seat of my pants. I have a BFA in Theatre, so character
development is very important to me. When I’m writing, my imaginary friends are
constantly talking to me and taking me down roads I didn’t see coming! I know
it sounds odd, but I usually start out with an idea and let the characters take
me on the journey.
Do you have a favorite scene you’ve
written? What makes it special?
Gosh, I have several. My favorite
scenes are those I know are gonna make the reader gasp or cry. In Book One of
my Reigning Hearts Series, RUN TO THE SEA, there is a scene on the beach
inspired by the movie, “Somewhere in Time.” It’s very emotional with lots of
feels. In Book One of my Southern Promises Series, GEORGIA CLAY, there is a
scene where my heroine is frantic to get to the Grand Ole Opry stage for her
famous singer/songwriter boyfriend’s show and ends up hitching a ride on a
Harley with an older guy. When he leaves the scene, his license plate reveals
something my readers LOVED! Gotta read the book to find out, LOL!
How about sharing a little taste of
this story?
This is an excerpt from my upcoming
Scottish rock star romance, “I’ll See You Again”
“Start at the beginning, when you left with
Mr. Macpherson after the show Saturday night,” Amber insisted, pouring her
another shot, filling it to the rim. Her perfect brow knitted in a ‘v’ in the
space between her eyes.
Nicky swallowed in an
offhand nod. “Well, we ended up at my place. He spent the night…”
“Oh, boy!” Amber
interrupted, her face lighting up with glee.
“No... nothing
happened. We just… slept together – you know, as in sleep. Nothing else.”
“You’ve got to be
kidding me,” Amber sarcastically replied, tilting her blonde head as if
flabbergasted by her admission. “You mean to tell me, you had a legitimate rock
star in your bed, and you didn’t…”
“Amber, please!” she
shushed, swiping at her eyes with a napkin she’d pulled out of the holder.
Amber hushed in dismay, crossing her arms and unable to hide her scowl. Nicky
sighed, ready to press forward. “We spent the entire day together yesterday,
canoeing and exploring Bannerman Island. Then we ended up back at his hotel.”
Amber’s lips curled up
to one side in a cajoling smile, and she seemed to relax. “Go on. What happened
at the hotel? Did you spend the night there?”
Nicky shook her head.
“No. We ended up at my place again. We got up early and took a horse to the
east meadow to watch the sunrise.”
“Dammit, Nick!” Amber
stomped, like a spoiled child. “Did you close the deal with the hot-Scot or not?”
Pre-order
TODAY! Available August 26.
I’ll See You
Again
Reigning Hearts ~ Book Four by KG Fletcher
(A Scottish rock star, standalone opposites-attract romance)
Reigning Hearts ~ Book Four by KG Fletcher
(A Scottish rock star, standalone opposites-attract romance)
FREE in
Kindle Unlimited!
GoodReads
TBR Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53290425-i-ll-see-you-again
Newsletter Link: https://www.kgfletcherauthor.com/contact.html
Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2MHkX1HCG8rvoj2jSfiweR?si=JiiA1Gz3RHGBhcAgWjn_4A
Music
A lot of variety
over the last few weeks, thanks to Spotify and Pandora. Pat Benatar’s voice keeps popping up. With a
list of top ten songs, platinum and gold albums, she’s been nominated this year
for induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Here’s my top five favorites.
Hit Me With
Your Best Shot: https://youtu.be/0JRgHol94Xc
Heartbreaker:
https://youtu.be/mIosHNpGjTE
Love is a
Battlefield: https://youtu.be/IGVZOLV9SPo
I Need a
Lover: https://youtu.be/lCets1eNhh0
We Belong: https://youtu.be/qxZInIyOBXk
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