Blog Archives
The Battle Between Books And Their Movie Adaptations
I’m always curious to see movie adaptations of books I’ve read, and often seeing a movie based on a book will prompt me to check out the author’s books. It’s interesting to hear feedback on whether the book or movie was better, and more often than not it appears to be the book that’s more popular. This can be good news for the writer, although a bad movie adaptation could possibly deter some people from wanting to check out the author’s books.
I think the reason books are often more popular, is because their interpretation relies on the reader’s imagination, as everyone will perceive a story differently based on how the words evoke images in someone’s mind. On the other hand, a movie is very much a case of ‘what you see is what you get’, and either appeals to someone or not.
When looking at the two, I think it’s important to remember that each is a completely different art form created by different people, and an author’s work should not be ridiculed because of a poorly done movie adaptation. In the other case, when a movie adaptation seems far better than the book, it should be remembered that without the book there may have been no movie. What it comes down to is the telling of a good story, and there are many ways in which a story can be told.
I’m more likely to see a movie after reading the book than read the book after seeing the movie, however I will check out other books by the author. Some authors I’ve discovered after seeing movies based on their books are, Jodi Picoult (My Sister’s Keeper), and Cecilia Ahern (P.S. I Love You).
Some examples of popular movie adaptations include:
The Devil Wears Prada
Eat. Pray. Love.
Confessions of a Shopaholic
Something Borrowed
The Notebook
The Time Traveller’s Wife
The Lovely Bones
Bridget Jones’ Diary
And need I even mention Harry Potter, and Lord of The Rings!
Which movie adaptations have you enjoyed? Do you ever read a book after seeing its movie adaptation, or do you prefer to read the book before seeing the movie?
From Here To Eternity – RWA 20th Anniversary Conference
I was one of the lucky 350 attendees of the Romance Writers of Australia’s conference, held in Melbourne on 12th-14th August. The organisers did a fantastic job, and everything ran smoothly and professionally, allowing us writers to sit back and enjoy the event.
This was my first writer’s conference, yet I felt like part of a family, and was never without an interesting person to talk to. It was great to meet many of my online writing friends face to face, and I’m sure they were surprised to see that I am in fact a real person and not the cartoon avatar they’ve seen online!
I’m incredibly grateful to have met many wonderful authors, and the support and encouragement they gave me was amazing. There was no ‘us and them’, or ‘published and unpublished’, we were all united as writers, no matter what stage of the journey we’re at.
The venue (Hilton on the park, Melbourne) was lovely, and simply being child-free for four days without having to think about housework or real life in general was absolute bliss! I always love the feeling of arriving home, but I also love being able to think solely about writing and publishing for a few days without the distractions of daily life. Is it too early to book for next year’s conference?? 😉
I took as many notes as possible. Some information was new to me, some reinforced things I’d already learned but needed to be reminded of. Most importantly, I left feeling inspired, empowered, and dedicated to this path I’ve chosen.
The speakers were all fantastic, and I enjoyed listening and learning from Bob Mayer, Susan Wiggs, Lisa Heidke, Nikki Logan, Jane Porter, Christine Stinson, and all the authors, agents, and editors who enlightened, informed, and entertained.
Here are some of the key learnings I got from various speakers at the conference:
- Writing is an entertainment business – emotion & numbers
- Always stay one book ahead of your contract
- Have SOP’s – standard operating procedures, for organising your writing time, social media, emails…etc
- Write about what scares you most – the emotion will show through
- Write what you WANT to know
- Get ideas by thinking, ‘What if?’, ‘What if something is not what it appears to be?’
- Dissect plots in movies by looking at ‘scene selection’ and scene titles on DVD’s
- Show a character’s true nature through crisis
- Find time for writing by tracking how you spend your time over one week – where can you cut back on time wasters and devote that time to writing?
- Use twitter hashtags to attract target market, eg: ‘If you like #nameofsimilarbookormovie, you’ll like #nameofyourbook
- Characterisation: Consciously communicate subconscious behaviour that the reader will subconsciously get
- A book series can be unified by concept, theme, characters, setting
- Sell a few .99c ebooks as ‘hooks’ to introduce readers to your other books
- Women’s fiction for the 40+ age group is a hot market
- Self help books can be useful for researching character issues and how they overcome them
- Children in books – must bring something out in the characters
- Technique for endings – try mirroring the opening of the book, unites beginning to end
- Don’t wait until publication to think about a ‘brand’, do it now
- A brand is a promise, a symbol, and triggers an emotional response and recognition
- Can brand yourself as an author, or your books, or a character
- When stuck with the writing process, do something else within the story – research setting, visual prompts, write a letter from your character to an old friend in first person
- Content is king, promotion is queen
- And much more!
Apart from the conference sessions, the social part was memorable too. The 1920’s themed cocktail party was a lot of fun, as was the awards dinner (congratulations to all the award winners!), and I was happy to do my bit for the fundraising for the Otis Foundation, a charity I hadn’t heard of until now, who plays an extremely valuable role in providing retreats for women and men going through breast cancer.
Thanks to the RWA team, my fellow writers, the speakers, agents, editors, sponsors, and hotel staff for making it a conference to remember.
I’m looking forward to a successful lifelong writing career – from here… to eternity.
~ Juliet
Author Interview – Darlene Fredette
Today I’d like to welcome Darlene Fredette to my blog!
Hi Juliet, it’s great to be here!
1. Congratulations on your upcoming novel, Keeping Secrets. Can you tell us a little about it?
Keeping Secrets is about Samantha Witherspoon, who is grieving the loss of her grandmother. A surprising clause in her grandmother’s will requests that Samantha return to her childhood home to have it renovated and sold. While there, she meets handsome contractor, Matt Sullivan. As their relationship grows, many secrets are revealed, and Samantha is holding a secret of her own.
*You can also read a blurb and excerpt of Keeping Secrets below, at the end of this interview 🙂
2. How did you get the idea for Keeping Secrets?
I wrote this story ten years ago, so I’m not exactly sure on its inspiration, but I am certain that it just came to me one day while cleaning the house. That’s when all my stories seem to pop into my head.
3. How many manuscripts have you completed?
I have two completed manuscripts, three more in the works, and several stories plotted out in my journals.
4. How long have you been writing for, and what do you do when you’re not writing?
I’ve been writing stories since I was a teenager. When I’m not writing, you can find me hanging out with my family. I also like to read, watch movies, walk the dog, BBQ, and sit by the fire-pit on a warm summer evening.
5. Do you follow a specific writing routine, or do you just go with the flow?
I wish I had a specific routine, but life’s daily distractions have a tendency to get in my way. Once I am focused, I quickly get into the story and lose track of time. And when I need a break from my laptop, a pen and journal become my best friends.
6. What is the best writing advice you’ve received?
Keep writing. Never stop what you love to do.
7. Who are your favourite authors, or what are some of your favourite books?
Penny Jordan, Jane Porter, Jennifer Crusie, Beth Kendrick, Sarah Addison Allen, Liz Fielding, and many more. Their books are some of my top favourites.
8. What are you working on now?
I’m currently editing a completed story, Guilty As Charged. It’s about two lawyers who butt heads over a case and their past. Their banter and undeniable attraction is fun and sexy. I also have a ‘sweet’ Christmas story, a dysfunctional family series, a fashion mayhem story, and several others in the works.
9. If you could go anywhere in the world for one day, where would you go?
It’s a tie between two places, though I’d have to go for more than one day. First, I’d love to visit Australia for its beauty and warmth. Second, Arizona for its scenery, warmth, and to take my husband to the auto shows in Scottsdale.
10. What advice would you give to other writers out there?
The same advice I was given, keep writing and never stop what you love to do.
11. When and how can people get a copy of your book? Do you have a website and/or blog you’d like to share?
Keeping Secrets will be available in ebook in August 2011. To stay posted on its release date and my current WIPs, please visit my web site: http://findingthewritewords.blogspot.com
Thanks for visiting, Darlene!
Make sure you check out Darlene’s book in August. I’ve been lucky enough to get a sneak peek at the first few chapters, and I can’t wait to read the rest!
Thank you, Juliet for the fun interview!
About Darlene ~ An avid reader since childhood, Darlene loved to put a pencil to paper and plot out stories of her own. Following a career path in administration, she excelled in the art of editing and design, which led to a successful position as Director of Administration and Marketing. Thanks to the support of her husband and daughter, Darlene has been able to fulfill her dream to write full time. Residing in Nova Scotia, she can be found writing in her home office with the family dog, a yellow lab, never letting her too far out of his sight. To learn more about Darlene visit her web site: http://findingthewritewords.blogspot.com
Keeping Secrets – Blurb
Samantha Witherspoon is a strong, independent, businesswoman, determined to prove her worth as the heir to her late-grandmother’s chain of cafés. When she clashes with Matt Sullivan, the stubborn contractor who refuses her renovation project, Samantha returns to her childhood home to convince him. Sparks fly, tempers flare, and Samantha quickly realizes that befriending the rugged contractor isn’t as easy as she thought.
Despite her reservations, desire ignites between them under the city stars of Montreal. Matt’s mere touch makes her long for the kind of love Samantha thought she’d never have. When a mystery box reveals devastating family secrets, Samantha decides it’s time to come-clean with Matt. But before she can, her own secret arrives on her doorstep. Samantha’s heart is torn. Will a promise made to her late-grandmother prevent her from finding true happiness?
Keeping Secrets – Excerpt
Samantha’s ears twitched at the sound of a crackling coming from the ceiling just above her. She watched as a trickling line split and plaster showered downward like a heavy rainfall.
Suddenly a set of strong arms encircled her and held her tightly, taking the breath from her chest. Her feet were lifted from the concrete floor and she was yanked backward, slamming her and her rescuer into a wall. An image out of a romance novel, where the hero sweeps the woman of his dreams into his arms, declaring his everlasting love, flashed through her mind…until another large piece of plaster fell from the ceiling, crashing loudly on the floor before shattering into thousands of tiny pieces. Samantha no longer saw a vision of two lovers, but one of her, crushed under the debris. She took several deep breaths.
Hammers stopped and were followed by the rush of work boots running across the concrete. “Matt, you okay? Is the lady hurt?” they asked. “That was a mother of a close call!” another said.
Her hero ignored the men and set her back on her feet. His once warm brown eyes were now cold and throwing daggers. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I…I was…looking for you.” Winded, her breathing was heavy.
From the drooping brows and harsh pressed lips, she could tell Matt was not at all happy to see her, but Samantha couldn’t have been more pleased. Her search was over and the incredibly attractive man she had been seeking had rescued her.
* * *
Reading In Bed – an extreme sport?
Yesterday, July 24th, saw the birth of the first ever ‘Global Read In Bed Day’, an initiative of mine to raise funds for literacy charities (and give participants an excuse to spend a relaxing day curled up with a good book!).
The GRIBD Facebook group has around fifty members so far, and I hope this will grow as word gets out, so the next time we have another ‘Read In Bed Day’, even more people can participate!
But what’s this about reading in bed being an extreme sport? Well, throughout the day, injuries, exhaustion, and obstacles were reported.
Injuries: I fell down the stairs on one of my ‘reading breaks’, resulting in a swollen wrist and aching leg muscles (I have been hobbling around today as though I’m ninety-five!).
Exhaustion: Some participants reported almost falling asleep, and one (yours truly) actually did.
Obstacles: Some participants had to navigate around work committments, taxi duties, parenting responsibilities, and the dreaded ‘that-which-must-not-be-named’ (aka: housework), in order to have a few minutes here and there of reading time. One participant even had the distraction of being in the beautiful South of France. Talk about difficult!
Who said Reading In Bed was easy? If you’re planning on participating in the next event, do so at your own risk!
Some of the books read by participants included:
Just Breathe, and Lakeshore Christmas, by Susan Wiggs.
Sushi For Beginners, by Marian Keyes.
Books by Agatha Christie and PD James.
The Bet, by Jennifer Crusie.
Nadia Knows Best, by Jill Mansell.
Alice Bliss, by Laura Harrington.
The Good Girl’s Guide To Getting Lost, by Rachel Friedman.
Something Borrowed, by Emily Giffin.
Even the Sunday newspapers and a writer’s work-in-progress got some love!
To join the Global Read In Bed Day Facebook group, click here and log into your Facebook account.
Setting The Scene – bringing the story to life through a sense of place
Setting is usually an important part of a novel, and can often become a character in itself. Although much of what I write is character-driven, the setting I choose helps ground the story in time and place, which adds to the overall ‘realism’ of what’s taking place. I love reading a book where you feel like you are part of the setting; watching or experiencing what’s going on – feeling the sun on your skin, or the cool ocean breeze, or taking in the ambience of a popular cafe. Good writing will draw you into the setting and the story, making it easy to form a mental picture of everything. But although it’s important to set the scene, I try not t
o overdo the description of a place, preferring to get stuck into the dialogue or action of the plot.
In my novel, The Life Makeover Club, the characters and plot drive the story forward, but certain places and settings are important in the book. It is set in Sydney, Australia, and most of the story takes place right in the city itself. The reason I chose this setting is twofold: 1, I only live a couple of hours from Sydney and have been there many times, so it was easier for me to write about a place I knew, and 2, I thought an exclusive ‘club’ involving people wanting to makeover their life would be more likely to take place in a well-populated area, so I chose the city of Sydney.
The club meetings take place in The Ruby Room of City Health and Fitness (a fictional health centre). The gym in the same centre is also an important setting, where fitness fanatic Gina attends regularly, and fitness-phobic Miranda attends once or twice, after some well-meaning coercion!
Miranda works the reception desk at the 5-star Harbourside Towers, a luxurious (fictional) hotel with gold-plated everything! Toward the end of the novel, a charity ball takes place in the hotel’s ballroom, which was a great excuse to showcase the grandness of this particular setting, not to mention a few plot twists as well! The ball scene is one of my favourite scenes in the book! Because this scene is set on New Year’s Eve, I also couldn’t help but bring the fabulous Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks into the story.
One thing I love about Sydney is the department store window displays at Christmas time. As a child, my family would often spend a night in the city to wander around and look at the displays. I always found them so enchanting, and so I had to make mention of them as well! Click here to see some beautiful window displays!
At one point in the story, one of the characters is lucky enough to spend a week at a beautiful health retreat in a small beachside town, Tarrin’s Bay (again, fictional, but based on a real town). After almost a week of eating a vegan diet however, lover of fine food and wine, Miranda, escapes down to the local markets and indulges in a banana ice cream. This simple change of setting results in a major turning point occurring in her life, but I won’t give away what happens to her! This is also a favourite scene, as it is based on where I live, and I am writing more stories set in this beautiful beachside location and really bringing out the uniqueness of the setting.
Oh, and another setting used in the book is a hospital emergency room, where I put my poor character through a rather unfortunate incident involving a designer dress, morphine, and a pair of scissors! I’ll say no more!
…So how much do you think setting affects a story? Are there any books you’ve read that have really brought about a strong visual picture in your mind of the location the characters are in?
Why I Write Contemporary Women’s Fiction
I think in some ways, the genre you write in chooses you. I always knew I would write a novel or two (or three, or four), but originally wanted to write mystery and suspense. I started a couple of stories, and jotted down the odd scene that popped into my head, but these stories never eventuated.
After a few years of a ‘too-busy-for-anything-else’ induced writing fast, I sat down to write again, and what came out was completely different.
Somehow, a character just took shape, and her dreams, fears, mishaps, and emotions poured out onto the page (this character was Miranda, one of the three main characters in my manuscript The Life Makeover Club).
What can we learn from Roger Hargreaves, creator of Mr Men & Little Miss books?
Happy Birthday to Roger Hargreaves; creator of the Mr Men and Little Miss series of children’s books!
As a child I loved these books, and as a mother I loved reading them to my child. The Mr Men and Little Miss series of books are a great example of books that stand the test of time. They are also a great example of ‘book branding’ – knowing exactly what type of books you write, how they are unique, and what recurring themes are present in your books. In this case, each book illustrates a dominant personality trait or feature that helps create the story within the book (eg: Mr Brave, Mr Chatterbox, Little Miss Bossy, Little Miss Late…etc). Each book stands alone but is linked to all the others through the title and theme.
Why is this brand
ing or recurring theme important?
It helps readers identify the books, and if they have enjoyed one of your books, it provides a sense of expectation and anticipation about future books. For authors, it helps in the placing and promoting of your book in the market. Also, if you have something linking each of your books, it helps in coming up with new ideas, because there is already a starting point of some kind. These links might be in having similar titles, characters, themes, or locations. For example, an author’s book titles might all be from song lyrics, or a twist on a classic fairytale. I have also seen authors use letters of the alphabet, colours, seasons, and names as a way to define their books.
Other ways books can be linked include:
Characters might reappear in future books, or future books might focus on secondary characters from the previous books. Each book might involve different characters from the same town or location, or each book might address similar themes and life issues, such as family relationships, stories of revenge, or stories of women standing on their own two feet after a major life challenge.
The books I write in the genre of women’s fiction are all about new beginnings; a character, or characters, undergoing a major change that results in them starting a new life path. In addition, I am playing with the idea of using ‘different months of the year’ to link each of my books.
Can you think of any books out there that are a good example of branding and recurring themes? If you’re a writer, do you make an effort to include a link of some kind from one book to the other? (oh, and… which Mr Men or Little Miss character are you?) 🙂
~ Juliet, aka: Little Miss Busy, Late, Stubborn, Quick, and Fun all rolled into one!
JULIET MADISON 