First Word

The Dalai Lama's proclamation that "the world will be saved by the Western woman" only highlighted the reality that women are emerging as the leaders of the global change movement. This year's theme for me is all about the self-empowerment of women. I also started the California Girl Chronicles last year out of a desire to create a strong female character. I was inspired not by True Blood Sookie Stackhouse but by Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse. I want to be clear, I am not a huge fan of the Harris' series per se. I think she has created a wonderful character in Sookie, and I adore the Sookie and Eric Northman romance. The rest of the stories only resonate part of the time; however Sookie spoke to me. When I was little I started writing because Laura, the little girl from the Little House books who inspired me. I have apparently always been intrigued with strong girls. I don't like the way Alan Ball's team has diminished Sookie's self-empow...

Some writers are great at descriptions. Some writers are great at character development. Some writers are great at dialogue. In screenwriting in particular it's all about the dialogue (yes, action counts, too); but did you know that some screenwriters' concepts and story are so good, the producers will buy it and then hire a dialogue doctor to fix the dialogue? Yes, there is a whole profession devoted to the art of "conversation". When I read novels, the number one mistake I see or weakness is lack of differentiation with the dialogue and the voice. All the characters talk the same. They say the same things in the same way. Worse yet, they say things that no one would say aloud. Here are some great tips on writing fabulous dialogue that resonates as authentic and believable with the reader. Demographics -- yes, background and demographics counts here. Where is your character(s) from? Do they have a dialect or accent? Always "infer" the accent. Do not miss...

Eric Northman and Sookie in Season 3. This blog gives a really great rundown of all of the scenes in which our Viking vampire exposes his derriere. I read the well-documented times Eric Northman gives a visual feast on his rear-end and started laughing. I don't think the writer meant it to be funny, but come on. You're documenting butt shots. Alexander Skarsgard seems to have absolutely zero qualms about giving us a feast of butt shots to choose from. I didn't post him from behind, because I have taken a vow not show naked shots on my blog LOL. But I have no problem giving you a nice look at that sublime body (Yum). Oh yeah, and my favorite female character Sookie is here, too. Go read the other blog, though, if you're a Skarsgard naked fan! It's very entertaining, I promise. I do have to say in some respects I admire a guy who can disrobe on cue and have absolutely nothing on it. Of course, this coming from the mouth of a woman who writes sexy scenes in her boo...

Now I have covered the male characters I loved in 2011, and I thought now I would cover the girls. Girl power is big in Hollywood right now. The Carrie Diaries is being developed by the CW Network and HBO has a new girl-driven series coming this spring titled Girls . Now I am honestly not intrigued with Carrie Bradshaw's teen and young adults years, so I will be passing up that show. Girls looks like it might be somewhat interesting, sardonic and sarcastic. And with all of this current and upcoming girl power, we have some great female characters to cover. So, here we go. Sookie Stackhouse (the book version): I love Sookie. She's fun, sexy, courageous, and human even if she's "fae". The TV version, I have some qualms about her on True Blood . She has vacillated quite a bit and changed and "rearranged" so to speak. She can be bad-ass, but the writers, while I know are trying to reset the story for 2012, had her say and do some things that, while I...

I had a recent comment on the blog that I removed (it was rude) that suggested that the Charlaine Harris books are for tweens. Let me first share that "tweens" are young pre-teens between the ages of 9-12. Teenagers are in the teenage years 13-19. Now I have not read the Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, but my teenager has. The Stephenie Meyer's series is somewhat tame without the overt sexuality contained in the Charlaine Harris books. Meyer's books are acceptable reads for tweens. For the reader who suggested Harris' books are for tweens, I must correct you. Harris books are not for tweens and should not be read by tweens or some teens under the age of 16 (18 in my book, but I'm a little stricter). Anyone who would say that Harris' books are for tweens or teens has not read the Harris books. They are for a mature audience and contain violence and sex. The graphic book covers might fool you, but they are not for the younger audiences, and any sugge...

When you fall in love with a fictional character, they become your friend. I have been thinking about this since my character Brea in California Girl Chronicles now gets talked about like she's a real person. I had a "fan" start to argue with me about her the other day. I actually dropped the argument. It was silly. She's not an actual person, and I know what motivates her better than anyone else. When readers are this invested in a character then the author has done his or her job and created a well-developed character people love to love. I thought it would be fun to share some of my favorite fictional characters both on screen and on paper and why. Laura Ingalls Wilder (Little House on the Prairie) -- you're perhaps puzzled about a choice from juvenile fiction. Laura was, of course, a real person but her prairie stories were mostly fictional accounts of her young life on the Great Plains as a pioneer girl. I fell in love with her when I was 10 years old. I ...