In March, I had the opportunity to go with one of my critique partners to a meeting held by the Georgia Romance Writers. A wonderful group of supportive women in the Atlanta area who are a combination of new and published authors. At this meeting was New York Times Best Selling Author, Suzanne Brockmann.
Have you had the chance to read any of her books? If not, then do it, ASAP!
She writes Romance novels with a twist. Her Troubleshooters Series is about various characters, both male and female who work for the CIA or are Navy Seals. The books are a wonderful combination of suspense, drama, romance and comedy. I've listened to her audio books (if you've never tried audio books, do it! There's nothing better than listening to the character's voices being done by a voice actor. It brings new life to the book!) and have recently began picking up the physical copies and being glued to them. Why? To study her style of writing.
While at the meeting, I had the privilege of shaking her hand and getting an autographed copy of her book, Hot Pursuit. It was a wonderful privilege! I told her about my writing goal. Her words to me? "Dream big!" (she also put that in my book!)
One thing that I learned about her during the hour long question and answer meeting was that she was like me, a lover of stories that never end. If you've ever read a book, feel in love with the characters and when you reached the end said, "Man, I wonder where they are now?", then you can understand. Thus, the creation of the Troubleshooters Series.
As I said before, the series is based on both Navy Seals and C.I.A operatives and their love life mixed with job related issues. (that's the best way I can describe it.) Each book is based on at least four different characters. You of course have the main hero/heroine who struggle with issues of love and attraction. Then there's always a great subplot romance between other characters that comes up in a book of their down the line. Right now my favorite couple is Alyssa Locke and Sam Starrett, an interracial couple that has had fireworks between them from day one. Alyssa is African-American and one of the CIA's top sharp shooters. Sam is a redneck Navy Seal. Complete opposites right? But man do the sparks fly when they get together!
Okay, okay, I digress....
While listening to Suzanne talk about how she created her Troubleshooters World (there are sixteen books so far), she spoke of the importance of outlining your plots and fulling understanding your characters goals and motivations. Something I can admit I have done....but never as much as I should. I spent more time 'writing by the seat of my pants' as they say...making it up as I went along.
Not anymore. It's funny how things happen that point you in the right direction of where you need to go. My husband, who is very supportive in my efforts to become a published author, had sat me down and told me for the hundredth time to take my time and plot out my story...the night before meeting Suzanne and hearing her say the same thing. Yeah.....go figure. So guess what I've been doing for the last month?????? Outlining and Plotting!
Finally, I have my in depth character charts, story outline, research completed and am officially back on track with my writing! I've given myself a month to write the bare bones of my book, all twenty-one chapters, before I go back to the beginning and begin the first round of editing. I've learned so much in the past year and a half that I feel better about my writing and am confident that this time it will be majorly different than what it was before.
With that said, to those friends and family that gave me critiques on the few chapters of The Healing Heart a year ago and have asked me when I'd be finished.....hang in there with me! I'm re-writing the story with a new plot line, better writing and I promise, when you finally get to read it you'll see what I'm talking about! Thanks for your support!
And now, I leave to go back to my pen and paper......Happy Writing!
Check out Suzanne Brockmann's website for more information about her books!
http://suzannebrockmann.com/troubleshooters.html
