BE MY GUEST: How to develop an engaging main character: Nicky Wells

There are always some characters which stay in our mind for years after reading a book, what makes them so memorable? What makes them so engaging? Is it because they are well-rounded and relatable? Or do their flaws make them stand-out and get stuck in our heads? Is it because such characters can be visualized by the readers easily? 

Nicky Wells, author of “Sophie’s Turn”, answers these intriguing questions and ruminates on creating and developing a main character, also known as “protagonist” in technical terms.

How to develop an engaging main character 

By Author: Nicky Wells

  

When Komal contacted me and suggested I should write a guest blog on writing and developing a main character, my first reaction was one of despair. I’m not a ‘trained’ writer as such, have never been to any writing courses, and have never tried to teach anybody else to write. What I do, is write. So how could I possibly offer a guest blog on this subject?

Initial panic quelled and calm thoughts restored, I thought I’d do what I do best: write, and this time, write about what I did, and how I did it. This is not intended as the definite guide to creating a lead character; this is simply me sharing my experience.

So I decided to write my big novel, finally. First things first: I had a think about my characters. The female character was obviously the focus of attention; she would be the I-narrator, and she’d lend her name to the book. So I started with a name.

I picked ‘Sophie’ out of a long list of baby names on the internet for two reasons. Obviously the name appealed to me, but also at that time I didn’t know anybody personally by that name, so there could be no connection with a real person.

That accomplished, I sat down and created a character profile, which looked like this:

The character profile had to answer key question that I would know about my best friend—and I considered Sophie to be one of them! So I thought of all the important and not so important things that one typically knows about one’s best friends, including what they like to eat, their pet hates and their happy buttons. Once complete, that character profile lived on my wall where I could see it while writing. I let it percolate for a few days to make sure that I really ‘knew’ Sophie… and of course, I did the same for the other key characters. Over time, as I was writing, it evolved in places but largely, that profile was my framework of references in all things Sophie.

Right then, now that I had a ‘feel’ for who Sophie was, I needed to think about her motivations. What does she want from life? And is she getting where she wants to be? In Sophie’s case, the answer was quite simple. Actually, she’d love nothing more than settling with a gorgeous man somewhere in a nice house (doesn’t need to be big or pompous, just nice and comfy) with a couple of children and a lovely part-time job that she enjoys. At the start of the novel, she has a job that she adores, and a really close friend who acts as her extended family. She rents a flat that she likes but would be even happier if she could buy it. And she has Tim, her boyfriend of two years, who she is reasonably happy with… BUT.

This was Sophie’s starting point. Things are good, BUT. And this ‘but’ sets the story off for Sophie as there is something missing in her life. This is where character development began. Initially Sophie thinks she is discontent because Tim isn’t proposing. As far as she can see, all the other pieces necessary for happiness in her life are more or less in place.

But actually, by and by she realises that there is more amiss with her life than she thought. Specifically, she is missing some kind of excitement, some glitz and glamour. And at this moment Tusk and Dan come back into her life. While the flashbacks ought to have served as a hint to Sophie, it is bumping into Darren (the guitarist) at the airport that really opens her eyes to her own motivations. In this way, I moved Sophie from the ‘mostly happy’ into the ‘confused and uncertain’ state of mind.

Things get even worse when Dan starts wooing Sophie in the most romantic way imaginable. Here she is, straight as an arrow, never lied to anyone, only looking for fairly simple ingredients to her happiness… and Dan throws a massive spanner in the works. What’s a girl to do?

You may have noticed that planning the development in Sophie’s motivation (and events in her life, obviously) is closely linked to the development of the plot as a whole. So after the character profile and basic thoughts on her motivation, the next step wasn’t actually outlining her evolution, as I just did above. The actual next step was to plan the plot in meticulous detail, and then dovetail her emotions, motivations and actions with the storyline. It’s a little bit of a chicken-and-egg question, and I tend to do a little bit of this followed by a little bit of that… a kind of incremental, interlinked character and plot development.

And this, in a nutshell, is my approach to creating and developing a lead character. If you’re starting to write a novel right now, I’d say the absolutely most important thing is to make sure to get into your character’s head. You have to know him or her as though he/she was a real person. And yes, that may involve holding the occasional conversation with them, arguing and debating with them and, sometimes, telling them off. If you know your character intimately, you’ll find it relatively easy to grow and evolve them.

A Big Thanks to Komal for hosting a guest-blog stop on my “Virtual Book Tour” for “Sophie’s Turn”.

About the Author:

Nicky Wells is a writer and former business practices researcher. Born and raised in Germany, she moved to the United Kingdom in 1993. Having received degrees from the University of London and from the University of Oxford, she has spent six years working as a researcher and project manager for an international Human Resources research firm based in London and Washington, DC. She has just published her novel, “Sophie’s Turn” which is a contemporary romance tale. To know more about her and her writing, visit her website: http://nickywellsklippert.wordpress.com

About her Book:

Slapper. Slut. Adulteress. These are hardly words that Sophie Penhalligan would normally use to describe herself. And yet this is exactly how she is behaving, all things considered, even if she isn’t quite married to Tim yet. Aged nineteen, she travelled halfway across the country to honour an invitation by her favourite rock band, Tusk, to join them for the last gig of their tour. And now her past is coming to tempt her... How could Tim ever stand a chance against Dan, the charming, handsome lead-singer? How could she?

Sophie, now twenty-eight and a budding newspaper journalist, is happily embroiled in a relationship with Tim, her boyfriend of two years. Until recently, she was confident that Tim would eventually propose—probably as soon as he could get his act together. But just as Tim’s persistent inaction is beginning to cast a cloud over their relationship, Dan’s sudden reappearance turns Sophie’s world upside down. Thus unfolds a roller-coaster of events including an ill-fated trip to Paris with Tim, a night of unfulfilled romance with Dan, Sophie and Tim’s engagement party gate-crashed by Dan, and Sophie’s professional secondment to accompany Dan’s band on their revival tour—at Dan’s special request and very much against her will.

And then, one fine day in Paris, Sophie suddenly finds herself engaged to Dan while her erstwhile fiancé Tim is... well, doing whatever it is Tim does back in London. What is she to do now? Who wouldn’t give anything to meet their favourite star, let alone marry him?

Find out how Sophie gets into this impossible situation, and how she turns it around, in Sophie’s Turn, a modern romantic fairy tale. – (Courtesy: Amazon.co.uk)

To buy this book on Amazon (UK), click here.


To purchase from Amazon (US), click here.

BE MY GUEST: Author Interview: Joseph Rinaldo

Today, I am in conversation with Joseph Rinaldo, author of a suspense thriller, “A Spy At Home”. How can I describe him? Well, in literary terms, he is an “unusual character” with quirkiest stories and experiences to tell in a straight-forward and honest manner. No, he is not a fictional character *laughs* He is very real and definitely has “a mind of his own” (a quality trait found rare!). One thing is for sure, he loves his “life-partner” very much as we see her becoming a part of this conversation. So, let’s welcome them (Joseph and his wife) here on my blog.

RG: Why did you think of becoming a writer? Did some person or incident in life inspire you? Or you thought you had the germs to be a writer?


The actual impetus for me to begin writing came while I was reading “Three Weeks With My Brother” by Nicholas Sparks. When I got to the part where he received a million-dollar advance, I thought, “Holy cow! He’s a good writer, but I know I can do this, too.” I’ve been writing since that day in 2004.

Eight years prior to reading about the million-dollar advance, I had only considered writing once in my life. Living alone, I hand wrote a page of a would-be book that I later read to my girlfriend, who is now my wife. She said the characters didn’t really tell the story and that she heard me reciting the story rather than the voice of the main character. I wadded up the sheet of paper and threw it away. I never forgot what she said and believe I have corrected those mistakes in A Spy At Home.

RG: In which genre do you think your book falls into?

The genre of my books is very hard to pin down. My wife and I have searched numerous times for standardized publishing industry definitions with no success. As silly as that may sound, especially for a person who wants to deal in words as a career, genres are hard to define. A Spy At Home could be considered contemporary fiction, mainstream (this sounds like a synonym for dull), thriller, suspense (what’s the difference between thriller and suspense? Shouldn’t you be thrilled reading a suspense novel, and shouldn’t you wonder what will happen next in a thriller?), drama (any book without intense turmoil probably won’t be worth reading), or adventure (my main character travels to another continent; that’s adventurous, right?). I honestly don’t know where my books fall in the narrow definitions of the publishing world; I do know I have tried to make the characters interesting and multi-faceted, moving through difficulties in their lives.

RG: It seems your book is a mix of a lot of genres. So, what would be your take on authors who restrict themselves to one genre?


Authors who try to confine their books to a specific genre make their books too formulaic. Take for example romance novels. They all end with a tidy happy ending – not very suspenseful. Restricting oneself to a predetermined genre stifles creativity.

RG: Tell us a little bit about the story of “A Spy At home”.


In “A Spy At home”, a retired CIA operative comes to believe he wasted his professional life not only promoting questionable American policies, but missing life with his family. To ease the pain, he diverts millions that the CIA expected him to use funding a coup attempt that would establish a pro-American government in an African country. Seeing the coup would fail, Garrison decides to keep the money for himself. The reader can decide if he's a villain with evil intent, a hero with altruistic motives, or a regular guy sick of working for peanuts in a dangerous environment.

Once he’s back at home, he and his wife look forward to their golden years being luxuriously comfortable and opulently relaxed. Unfortunately, after his wife dies in a tragic accident, he must learn all that she knew about caring for Noah, their mentally retarded son. After a life of planning for contingencies, the former spy must deal with the possibility that he may die before his son. Who will care for the son when the dad spent a life out of the country and now has no one to lean on?

RG: Gripping plot! If you could be one character from your books, who would you choose to be and why?


The protagonist, Garrison, and his wife, Louisa, adopted a baby with Down syndrome, Noah. To help them navigate the complex adoption laws and find all the social services available for Noah, they received a great deal of help from a social worker named Clarita Johnson, whom they called Ms. Johnson because of her advanced years and the respect they had for her. At one point in A Spy At Home, Garrison compared Ms. Johnson to a kind and loving picture of what he hopes God is.

I am obviously closely related to Ms. Johnson. My generosity, kindness, and self-deprecating personality know no bounds. Actually, I hope to write fiction for a living, so my best answers are made-up. In truth, I’m with Garrison. If I found a way to acquire ten million dollars with impunity, I’d be on a beach somewhere enjoying the money.

RG: Where do you get ideas for your stories and characters?


A Spy At Home came from my wife. She wrote a short story about a single woman with a mentally retarded daughter where the mother was worried about dying first. I wrongfully and maliciously stole her story and added about 230 pages and a spy, stolen millions, a beach house on a Caribbean island… in what became A Spy At Home. As for how Garrison’s and Noah’s specific story came to me, I honestly have no idea. I guess it’s a combination of reading too many fiction and nonfiction spy stories mixed with wondering what would happen to my own daughter if my wife and I died.

My other books actually came to me. By “came to me”, I mean they actually, literally played out in my head. The characters appear in my head, and I write down what they say and do. Usually, I feel like I’m not even involved. The scenes play out in my mind. I don’t sit on the couch with my eyes closed and fists clinched demanding the next plot twist appear. It just happens. I’ve been lucky; I haven’t experienced writer’s block. In fact, I wish I could type fast and had more time to devote to writing.

One book about a cult came to me in blinding flash. While I was watching TV one night, it appeared, and I wrote nine pages by hand in outline form. That book followed the original outline better than any other book I’ve authored. Usually the basic situation comes to me, and I as I write, the rest of the book plays out in my head.

RG: Do you have any upcoming projects? Tell us about them.

Another book, Hazardous Choices, has been professionally edited and will be released in the near future. Here’s Hazardous Choices in a nutshell:

“After surviving life in a violent Chicago street-gang through his high school years, Darnell Jackson’s future appears promising. A football scholarship gives him the chance to escape the thug lifestyle.

During his first year in college Darnell safely resides in a small Kentucky town, playing Division Two college football and trying to make something of himself. Adjusting to the new surroundings proves tough, but a teammate and a girl give him hope that his future will be better than his past.

In the summer after his freshman year, he returns to the old neighborhood to be with his mother. The gang reasserts its hold on him, and the leader orders Darnell to kill a member of a rival gang. Nearly dying in a gang fight and mistakenly shooting the wrong rival gang member forces Darnell to re-evaluate his future. As a result, he lies to the mercurial leader of his gang. When the head gangbanger learns of Darnell’s lie, the small Kentucky town isn’t so safe anymore.”


I have seven more books waiting to be professionally edited and released. As we save the money for more editing, we’ll get the others done, too. At present I have three books floating around in my head but can’t find the time to write them.

RG: List 5 suggestions/writing tips for those who want to venture into writing fiction.

1. I was at a writer’s conference, and a woman was telling me about her historical novel. She found the menu for the heads of states dinner that actually happened, and she was using it in her novel. While she said this, I kept thinking, ‘That has got to be the most uninteresting book ever if you’re telling the reader what they had to eat.’ Research can be good and bad. Research can make the book come alive and seem real. It can also come across as if the writer is bragging about all he/she knows. If your reader wanted to read a textbook, she/he would’ve bought one. For writing novels the most important thing is being believable, not scientifically accurate.

2. Advice probably isn’t what helped me the most. In my opinion writing is similar to singing; either you can or you can’t. Of course, one might improve, but writing requires talent. The most important outside help for me came when reviewers said they enjoyed my books. I’m talking about reviewers that would be willing to say it was terrible if they thought so. Most people will not be honest when the news is bad. When was the last time you told someone with an awful haircut what you really thought? It’s important for writers to find someone, or better yet, several people, who will tell you if your story stinks. Unfortunately, that’s harder than you probably think.

3. Write what you know! That is almost as stupid as “everything in moderation” (which I’ve been trying to convince people, since I was twelve, is a joke; recently I learned it was said by Roman comic dramatist Terence poking fun at Aristotle’s philosophy).

Quick, write something you don’t know. Impossible. Write what sounds believable and entertaining. If you read Stephen King’s The Shining, you’re really convinced the hotel was haunted. Seeing as how ghosts don’t actually exist, no one can “know” them. Yet, Mr. King gave life to the imagined.

4. At a writer’s meeting one night a woman asked for suggestions about books describing kids from New York (This happened in Nashville, Tennessee.). She claimed to have a story but didn’t have the main character’s voice. If you don’t have the main character’s voice, you don’t have a story – period.

5. Never write a book thinking how much other people will enjoy it. That’s two mistakes hidden in one. First, you’re not letting the characters reveal themselves. You’re stuffing them into some self-satisfying mold. Second, you actually do not know what people will and won’t like. They’re unpredictable. Every book released by Random House isn’t a bestseller. If they can’t get it right every time, how can you?

RG: Do you think that book blogs play a vital role in getting the books across to readers?

This would depend on the number of followers for the blog. Conversely, linking your book blog posts to other social media not only brings increased exposure but also helps recruit new blog followers.

RG: Printed books vs. E-books. What’s your take on this?


Ironically, I posted a question about this controversy on "LinkedIn’s Published Authors Network" in May that stirred a surprisingly heated debate with nearly equal numbers coming down on each side. I believe there is room for both; however, advances in technology may prove me wrong. Well, not only advances in technology, but as the current techno toys get cheaper, more folks will buy them and utilize e-books rather than paper ones.

RG: How much time did it take for you to complete “A Spy At Home”? What was your routine for writing?

A Spy At Home took a few months to write. At that point in my life, I taught as adjunct professor at local colleges. When not teaching, I wrote. I write when I have time – whenever that is. Now I have a full-time job, which makes finding time to write extremely difficult. Also, we’re trying to prepare more books for release. The three books I have dancing, spinning, or infecting my head (however you think if them) will have to wait to be written.

RG: How do you balance your family life and your writing commitments?


For the most part we keep daytime on the weekends just for the family. This helps keep us balanced. If you’re serious about writing, then it will cut into your family time. While I was writing most of my nine books, my wife worked full-time, and I worked part-time as an adjunct college instructor. Now that we’re publishing the books online, she works part-time, and I’m the full-timer. She’s so much better at the internet, blogging, and so forth that we’re trying to play to our strengths. Also, doing it together helps keep us close. We work together very well. With only one of us working a full-time job, this frees up time for the family. Our daughter hasn’t noticed a big change since we started this, I think. I do most of my jobs associated with writing and publishing in the evenings when she’s watching television anyway.

RG: Are you inspired by any particular author?

I think most people read the word ‘inspired’ and think ‘copy’ or ‘imitate’. I hope that I’m the only one who writes the way I do. As for being motivated by other writers, that happens with every book I read. If a book stinks, whether because the plot is too predictable or the characters undeveloped, I am moved not to make those same mistakes. Of course, great books have an effect, too. Often I’ll go back and reread a scene to determine which word(s) the author used to set the mood or create suspense. Those are lessons I hope to take with me when I sit down to write in front of the computer.

This will probably sound strange, but I don’t have a favourite author. I read books, not books written by certain people. One time I read too many books in a row written by men. I switched to a female author for the next book, but I didn’t do it with a specific person in mind.

RG: Among other author’s books, any character which you could relate to and you will always remember? What was the character about and how could you relate to it?

This is a tough question for me to answer. Bits and pieces of books I’ve read come back to me at odd times. I guess the book that I actually think about the most, is Sharp Objects. I highly recommend this book. The main character has so many inner demons, she’s hard to forget. She might be the most multifaceted protagonist ever! Her problems come out a little at a time as she goes back to her hometown. We all have a past. I guess that’s what makes that main character so interesting.

RG: I believe that there are only two categories of books: good books and bad books. In your opinion, what are the qualities of a “good book”?


A great book is one that you keep thinking about long after you’ve finished it. Also, it’s one where you don’t skip any of it. You devour every word.

RG: What suggestions would you give to aspiring authors who are entering the market? What mistakes should they avoid?


This answer comes from Joe’s wife Vivian.

I have spent countless hours on the internet promoting A Spy At Home on such sites as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Goodreads, Authors Den, Google Friend Connect, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Scribd, Reddit, Shelfari, Tumblr, StumbleUpon, and others. I help him with his blog, and we had a professional webmaster design his website. I believe that the work I do on a virtually daily basis on these social networking sites is creating buzz that is helping sales of his book climb steadily each month on Amazon. In addition, of course, being interviewed for other authors’ blog sites is of great benefit to him in “getting the word out there”.

RG: Last but not least, why should people buy your book?

Everyone likes to be first. You can be the first of your friends to read the next big thing! Seriously, I found Garrison’s story so touching and compelling that I wrote it down. Please take the opportunity to read it and see if it stirs your soul, too.

RG: Thank you for such an amazing  interview. I especially loved your writing tips. It was a great pleasure having you (along with your wife) on my blog. Wish you all the best for your current and upcoming books.


Thank you for having me! Clearly you spend a great deal of time and effort on your blog, and I’m flattered to be included on it.

About the Author:

In Joseph’s own words, “By day I work as Credit and Financial Manager for a heating, ventilating, and air conditioning distributor. When I first started writing, I thought being a numbers guy would make me an oddity as an author. That’s proved to be wrong. The more people I meet in this industry, the more I run across accountants and CFOs. Apparently, creativity infects a variety of people. Of course, I have the same dream as other writers. I hope my book sells a million copies and becomes a smash hit movie. Selling e-books isn’t the get-rich-quick scheme I thought it was before being published. It’s been a lot of work.


Until then, I enjoy boating, reading (of course), and running. My wife, daughter, and I live in Music City U.S.A., Nashville, Tennessee.”

Visit his website: www.josephmrinaldo.com

Visit his blog: http://wwwjosephmrinaldocom.blogspot.com/

To buy his book, “A Spy At Home” on Amazon, click here.

BE MY GUEST: How to write Historical Fiction: Karen V. Wasylowski

Dear folks! Let’s greet Karen who is an amazing author of “Darcy and Fitzwilliam” (read my review here). This book is getting rave reviews from the literary world. Not only is her book good, she is also a sweet and down-to-earth person with an open mind for constructive feedback. Today, she is here to give us some valuable writing tips on how to use “history” as a background for writing a novel. If you are planning to write literary fiction or an adaptation of some great classic, this article will definitely help you in your creative pursuit.

How to write Historical Fiction 

By Author: Karen V. Wasylowski 

First of all I want to make it clear that I do not in any way, shape, or form, consider myself a professional writer, even though by some bizarre quirk of fate I did have a novel published, and when I say published I mean by a real publisher who has a Chicago office and a Connecticut office and there are lots of desks in Chicago with eager, skinny, twenty-two year old, recent Northwestern graduates, who look a lot younger, say barely fifteen, and they all want to find the next great giant in the literary world. I believe that is a fine example of a run-on sentence. Anyway, my point is I wrote a historical novel - Darcy and Fitzwilliam - and I did it without formal training. I had no idea going in what complexities would be involved. And, evidently, I was not that next great literary find. But I digress…

I suppose the best place to start is with a time frame in history that interests you. The more I read, the more fascinated I became with the Regency Period, those nine years between 1811 - when King George III (Mad King George) was deemed unfit to rule and his son, the Prince of Wales, became his proxy as Prince Regent - and 1820, when the Prince Regent became George IV upon the death of his father. Very dry and clinical when you read the facts, but that is what is so wonderful about Historical Fiction. Research!

When you find that era or period of time you are interested in you will really want to do a great deal of research. (I dislike ‘historicals’ that fit history to their story, instead of fitting their story to history) The drama of the past can always be used, and often gives you inspiration, actually becoming another character to your tale.

I found that Regency England was really pretty wild. The more I researched about George III and the Prince of Wales, the more fascinated I became. The Prince Regent held court at Carlton House, his followers being a pretty randy group that engaged in all of the vices - gaming, drinking, carousing, cavorting, etc. When the Prince of Wales married a Catholic widow, Maria Fitzherbert, he tried to keep the marriage secret, but his father found out and insisted it be dissolved. The marriage was deemed illegal and the Prince agreed to go along as long as his gambling losses were covered (romantic fellow). He then went on to marry Caroline of Brunswick whom he detested so viscerally that he refused her admittance to his coronation. His true love was still Maria Fitzherbert and she remained his true love (between his mistresses of course) for his whole life.

Still, while he was King his behavior, and that of his court, continued to deteriorate. His dear friends, Fox and Sheridan, were debauchers and gamblers, his friend the Earl of Barrymore (a distant relation to the famous acting family) reinstated the Hellfire Club, a group dedicated to sins of the flesh, and the nonsense went on and on as they all descended deeper and deeper into a hedonistic lifestyle. It was not until years later that the tide turned, when Queen Victoria’s new husband, the very moral Prince Albert, arrived at court and observed its long accepted and appalling behavior. He began to enforce more rigid codes of conduct, ushering in the now famous Victorian Age.

You see then how the times of the era form the characters about whom you write, those beloved people, those men and women of your story, are products of the era. You can’t really write about those people until you understand them thoroughly and the times in which they lived. The more research you do, the more details and information you obtain, the more interesting and realistic a story you can create.


While I researched Darcy and Fitzwilliam I learned not only about the Regency era with regards to the grand level of society to which Fitzwilliam Darcy probably belonged, I also had to learn about the Peninsular Wars. Colonel Fitzwilliam (the other half of my dynamic duo) would more than likely have been involved in those wars and that provided me with material to flesh out his character. Actually his character is mentioned only in two or three pages of “Pride and Prejudice”, described as Darcy’s cousin, a co-guardian of Georgiana, a second son who needed to marry money since he had none of his own, a flirt, a charming and delightful companion to Lizzy; but, he not as good looking a fellow as Darcy. That was all the information provided by Jane Austen for the character of Colonel Fitzwilliam. The true history of Great Britain provided the rest.

About the Author:

Karen V. Wasylowski is a retired accountant living in Bradenton, Florida, with her husband, Richard, and their many pets. Karen and Richard spend much of their free time volunteering with the St. Vincent DePaul Society and Stillpoint House of Prayer, both charitable organizations that assist the poor living in the Bradenton community. They are also actively involved with Project Light of Manatee, an all-volunteer organization that provides literacy instruction to poor immigrants and to members of the community who cannot read.


Visit her website to know more about her and her writing: http://www.karenwasylowski.com/

To buy her book, “Darcy and Fitzwilliam”, click here.

To read my detailed review of this book, click here.

BE MY GUEST: Author Interview: Sarah Billington

Meet very young and very talented Sarah Billington who is the author of many short stories and has recently published her first novel, “Life Was Cool Until You Got Popular.” She likes to write stories with love, laughs, suspense and zombies. Sometimes all in the same story. Today, she is here with us, to share her passion for writing and reading as well as give some fabulous writing tips to newbie authors. Surprisingly, she finished her book in just six weeks!!! Want to know how? Then, read on!

RG: Why did you think of becoming a writer? Did some person or incident in life inspire you? Or you thought you had the germs to be a writer?


I always wanted to be a writer. I have no idea when it started, all I do know is that I have mountains of old notebooks and loose-leaf paper filled with stories from when I was a kid. I remember lying in front of the heater, falling asleep on my notebook a lot. And ink stains on the side of my hand for pretty much my whole childhood, as I’m a left hander and well…that’s just what happens when you write a lot. I used to write what I was reading, so I wrote a lot of scary stories based on R.L Stine and Christopher Pike, and then I wrote a whole series about a group of teens, based on the Babysitter’s Club I think. John Marsden was definitely the author that made me decide that being an author was what I wanted to be when I grew up.

RG: What kind of books do you write?

I’ve never been one to settle on a style and I write all the different types of books I read. Right now, I write funny books for girls, and dystopias. But so as not to confuse readers, I write funny books for girls under my name, Sarah Billington, and dystopias and thrillers under my two middle names, Edwina Ray. I’ll sometimes write adult short stories (meaning grown up, not erotica) but most of the time I write Young Adult and Middle Grade. I love writing about the awkwardness and embarrassment of teenage life. I was never cool – no one actually feels cool all the time! You do things wrong until you work out how to do them right. I love writing about those learning experiences and growing up.

RG: Why did you choose to write in those genres?

Up until a couple of years ago I was writing adult fiction because I thought, now that I’m a grown up, that’s what I have to do. I should be serious, and literary. I should have something really important, something poignant to say. I wanted to be a writer, but literary and poetic just isn’t me. I was unhappy. But then I attended a weekend workshop on writing Young Adult fiction and it clicked: I mean, it’s not young adults writing young adult fiction (most of the time), the stuff I still love reading. It’s grown-ups, like me! And it’s grown-ups writing all those teen movies and TV shows that are so fun to watch. It’s totally legitimate for me to write funny, mortifyingly embarrassing stories about best friends and relationships going wrong.

RG: What books have you published so far and what are they about?

So far, I have published five short story e-books, getting a taste for the e-book scene. The names of the books and their synopsis are given below: 

Life was easier When Boys Were Stupid

Jess is at a party and girls and boys around her are locked together at the lips and hips. When did everyone grow up so fast? She's not sure she wants to, but her friend Carla points out a boy across the room with eyes only for Jess. Life Was Easier When Boys Were Stupid won the Gippsland Award in 2009's Fellowship of Australian Writers Awards. 

The Ballerina & My Best Friend

Amanda’s best friend is getting married tomorrow. She, and everyone she knows always assumed he would be marrying her. Can she talk him out of it before he makes the biggest mistake of his life?

The Death & Life of Rocky the Crab


On the morning her friend arrives back in town, Lisa is reminded that she was pet sitting his crab. But she’d kind of forgotten to feed it, it’s not in its cage and its owner will be there any minute. This short story is based on a hilarious TRUE STORY I was told. You just can’t make this stuff up.

Life Was Cool Until You Got Popular


Thirteen year old Kaley’s BFF Jules is an alien clone. That has to be it. Because Jules wouldn’t dress like that or act like that…and she definitely wouldn’t be friends with Meg-a-bitch. This book chronicles the initial incomprehension of what happened to destroy their friendship. But that doesn't last long. Kaley's not losing her best friend without a fight!

RG: If you could be one character from your books, who would you choose to be and why?

I would either be Maiyuki or Coby from “Life Was Cool...”

Maiyuki is supremely confident and happy, has her own style and opinions and doesn’t give a damn what other people think of her. Coby is that adorable kid who’s completely chill about everything, and is pretty oblivious to drama. Nothing fazes Coby.

RG: Do you have any upcoming projects? Tell us about them.


I have a completed Young Adult novel called The Kiss Off, about Poppy who writes a scathing song, ‘The Kiss Off’ about her ex-boyfriend Cam and ex-good friend Nikki, the boyfriend stealer. She uploads it to YouTube, where it catches the attention of Ty, the lead singer of a local band. With this song, his band skyrockets to the top of the charts and into the public eye, bringing Poppy's emotional dirty laundry with it.

RG: List some suggestions/writing tips for those who want to venture into writing fiction.

1. Read.

I used to find this tip annoying because it’s like, there are so many books out there, and what books EXACTLY should I be reading? But recently I read a couple of books that really affected me emotionally and I made a point of working out what it was the authors did so I can learn from it and use the same techniques in my own work. Reading – not just literary, not just the classics – even reading genre fiction is EDUCATIONAL. So read LOTS. LEARN LOTS.

2. Write often.

Even if it’s only a little bit, it’s SO much easier to keep writing when you’re doing it regularly, than it is to write a lot when you’re out of practice. Plus if you write regularly, it can be kind of like a drug (to my understanding). You can get so into it. You know that feeling you get with your favourite TV show, or your favourite book, how much you care about them and how awesome it is when cool things happen to them? Well it’s even better when they’re your OWN characters because you know them better than anyone else does!

3. Meet other writers.

Go to festivals, conferences, book launches, events. Can’t get there? Talk to them on blogs, facebook, forums and twitter. MAKE WRITER FRIENDS. Writing is a solitary activity and it can get lonely. And if you don’t have other writers in your world, you don’t necessarily have people who understand what you’re going through. Having writer friends is having cheerleaders, motivational speakers and critique partners. It’s having people believe in you even when you start to doubt yourself. I cherish my writer friends.

RG: Do you think that book blogs play a vital role in getting the books across to readers?


I do, I really do. When I see the same book making the rounds of lots of blogs, it makes me feel like it’s popular. That everyone wants to read it, it’s getting buzz. Everyone’s buying it so it MUST be good. None of this stuff is necessarily true, a lot of those bloggers are getting them free and they may not have read it but it helps increase hype and excitement and puts new books at the front of your mind when you see them in stores.

RG: Printed books vs. E-books. What’s your take on this?


I love printed books, but I also love e-books, the ease of which you can buy them and the sampling before buying. I used to buy a lot of novels that sounded SO AWESOME but then I opened them and didn’t particularly like the writing style. With sampling you can find out before you buy whether this writer is for you or not.

RG: How much time did it take for you to complete “Life Was Cool Until You Got Popular”? What was your routine for writing?


This was my first full novel that I FINISHED. I had started many, many before but never finished them. I was living on campus at my university and decided to stay there in the six week mid-semester break while most other people went home. I gave myself that deadline: Six weeks. It was bliss. Every time I got stuck I’d go for a walk on the university soccer field and plot points would come unstuck. I wrote whenever I wanted to, morning, midnight. I’d always come back from the oval full to the brim with ideas. I did it, by the time everyone came back I was done. Six weeks, baby.

RG: How do you balance your family life and your writing commitments?


Luckily for me, at this point in my life I am child and partner-free, but I do have two part time jobs, I’m part time at University and I am running my own editing business, “Billington Media” so there’s less time than there used to be for writing. I don’t get those six week chunks of time off anymore. How I balance my time is by scheduling my writing in a couple of times a week. I have writing dates with a friend every week. We go to a pub, talk and then get to work for a couple of hours so it keeps me writing every week even when I’m swamped.

RG: Are you inspired by any particular author? Who is your favourite author?

I love Louise Rennison and her Georgia Nicolson books, and Brent Crawford’s Carter books. Those two authors have super strong voices and they know how to bring the funny. Suzanne Collins is amazing because she’s so brave. She’ll do it, she’ll break her readers hearts. The death toll on much-loved characters in Mockingjay was painfully high. And James Dashner’s The Maze Runner was outstanding. Every time I was SURE I knew what was coming, the whole plot would be twisted on its head. It kept me guessing for SURE.

RG: I believe that there are only two categories of books: good books and bad books. In your opinion, what are the qualities of a “good book”?

Books that make you feel – whatever it is they want you to feel, happy sad, love, grief, fear. If it makes you feel, to me, it’s a good book. Also, books that make you see. I see scenes in my head like a movie, so if I can see what is happening then I am likely to be into the book. So this means description and setting are very important to me, for a book to be a good one.

RG: What suggestions would you give to aspiring authors who are entering the market? What mistakes should they avoid?

Don’t give up – on yourself or your book. The difference between being published and not being published is perseverance, that’s what they say. But nowadays, with indie authors e-publishing themselves, the difference between being published and not being published is not only perseverance, but belief in yourself and your product. That it’s going to find its readership. There are a lot of success stories out there and if you believe in yourself, whether you traditionally publish through a big publisher or self-publish your own e-book, that success can be yours too.

RG: Last but not least, why should people buy your book?


Because it’s funny, it’s messy and awkward but Kayley, the main character is determined no matter how many times she gets knocked down.

RG: Thank you for your interview. It was a pleasure having you on my blog. Wish you all the best for your current as well as upcoming books. 

About the Author:

Sarah Billington is an Australian writer and editor. You can find her in Melbourne, Australia as a Literary Festival volunteer, at the movies watching action blockbusters, talking books and writing at dinner with other writers or perhaps cheering on Melbourne Ice hockey team. She likes to write stories with love, URST, mortifying embarrassment and lots of laughs. She also writes stories with a dose of death and murder but lets her alter ego Edwina Ray take charge of those. To know more about her and her writing, visit her blog: SarahBillington.blogspot.com

You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter.

To buy her books on Amazon, click here.
To find her books on Smashwords, click here.

BE MY GUEST: How to choose a Point-of-View for your novel: Bonnie Trachtenberg

These days, I see 90% of novels written in first person. It makes me wonder is it because this way is easier to convey the story to readers or writing in 3rd person makes the novel boring? Which is better: writing in first person POV or third person POV for novels? While I was looking for an answer to my question, I came across Bonnie whose first novel is in first person POV while her second novel (under editing) is in third person POV. 
So, I thought what would be better than asking someone who has the experience of both styles. I was delighted by her wonderful response and want to share it with all my readers and aspiring authors. 

Guest Post:

First Person vs. Third Person Point-of-Views 

By Author: Bonnie Trachtenberg 

I’m thoroughly convinced that one of the biggest reasons would-be authors never make it through page one of their would-be novels, is the daunting and confusing first step of choosing a point-of-view. It’s something most book readers aren’t even consciously aware of, despite the fact that it hugely determines how they will relate to the characters and to the story as a whole.

First person offers a single-eye view of the world through the perspective of one character, who is also the narrator of the story. In third person, the author tells the story in an “anonymous” voice, and is afforded the advantage of tapping into more than one character’s head to convey thoughts and feelings.

For my debut novel, "Wedlocked", I did not have to struggle with the decision of which view to choose. Wedlocked is based on my own true experiences, namely my impulsive, brief and disastrous marriage after years of struggling through singlehood. Telling the story through my main character’s point-of-view was a natural choice, since Rebecca is really me with a few tweaks. But I soon learned of the great disadvantage of choosing first person: the story could only go as far as my protagonist’s own eyes, ears and experiences. Rebecca had to be in every scene!

Luckily, I overcame this obstacle easily, as the story had Rebecca remembering the events of her life from a future place and time. Her perspective was enough to convey what I needed to, and her vibrant and witty personality carried the story with ease. However, there is something else writers of first person stories need to look out for. It’s important to make sure your tale isn’t bogged down by “I” this and “I” that. It requires some creativity to make sure you don’t fall into that annoying trap, but it’s surely doable.

In my second novel (as yet un-named and in the editing phase), I knew first person wouldn’t work nearly as well as third person. Why? Because I had two characters whose heads I intended to pry into, and they weren’t even going to meet until about one hundred pages into the book. Thus, I chose third person, even though the thought of it worried me. I’d never written that way before and wasn’t sure what obstacles I’d face. Would I be able to make it as funny as Wedlocked? Could I convey the distinct personalities of the main characters as clearly? Happily, the answer is yes!

As the “anonymous voice” telling the story, I could still communicate the characters’ colorful personalities and humorous thoughts (albeit third hand). Dialogue wasn’t an issue because it’s the same in both point-of-views, and the advantage of not having to have my main character in every scene was a liberating adventure for me.

Now, to complicate matters, a writer’s decision regarding point-of-view doesn’t stop there. You are also required to choose either present voice or past voice. Is the action happening “as we speak” or are the events being told from a time in the future? Most novels use past voice and it’s a good thing. It is not common for authors to successfully employ present voice, as it can be quite jarring to the reader if not used adeptly. I briefly considered using present voice for Wedlocked, but luckily after a few arduous and uncomfortable pages, came to my senses.

Now, let’s say like most authors you choose third person, past voice. Guess what? You’re still not done making point-of-view decisions. Now you need to determine if your story is going to be told in limited, objective or omniscient view. (See why so many writers give up before they start?) In limited view, the reader is limited to just the perspective of one main character (although it can be modified, as my second novel takes you inside the head of two main characters.) In objective view, the reader doesn’t see any of the character’s views, thoughts or feelings, but instead observes the story only from actions and details. And in omniscient view, the reader is privy to every character’s thoughts and feelings in the scene, a prospect that scares off many new writers.

Just remember, you don’t have to make a final decision that’s set in stone before you begin writing. I learned that it’s okay to make an educated guess as to the best view to take and if you run into serious problems you can always go back to the beginning and change it. Trial and error is not against the rules and can be a great way to figure out the best mode of telling a story.

I think most authors still use third person because it allows for more versatility and complex storylines. Nowadays though, the use of first person seems more prevalent than ever before. Maybe that’s because a whole genre was founded on the basis of it. I am referring, of course, to Chick Lit. Ever since Bridget Jones began scrawling in her diary, millions of female readers have been swept into novels with the aid of that personal, intimate voice that speaks so well to them. Now the prevalence of first person has stretched beyond Chick Lit into other women’s fiction too. For example, I have been told by several readers of Wedlocked that it was Rebecca’s wit and exasperation at her circumstances that made her so much fun as a narrator and so easy to relate to. That says a lot about the appeal of first person, but ultimately it’s your unique story that will determine which point-of-view is best.

About the Author:

Bonnie Trachtenberg is the author of Wedlocked: A Novel. She was senior writer and copy chief at Book-of-the-Month Club and has written seven children’s book adaptations. She has also written for three newspapers and penned countless magazine articles. Visit her website at http://www.bonnietrachtenberg.com/

To buy her book, “Wedlocked” on Amazon, click here. 

Are you writing/written a novel? Which POV you opted for and why? Or if you are someone who loves to read novels, tell me which POV you enjoy more? Share your experiences in the comment section below.

Book Review: Wedlocked

Book: Wedlocked

Genre: Chick Lit / Contemporary Fiction / Women's Fiction

Author: Bonnie Trachtenberg

Cover Critique:

The cover of the book is so funny. The couple wearing handcuffs on wedding day perfectly fits the title and theme of the book. Since pink and aqua are both my favourite colours, I love it.

Review:

When we say, “Relationships are complicated”, we are usually thinking of either love relationships ending in marriage/divorce or lasting friendships getting sour. But there are other relationships which are as strong and sometimes full of complications. We do not choose them, we are born tied to them. Yes, I am talking about parent-child relationship, which has its turns and twists especially when children grow up and want to make their own life decisions, sometimes parents are so imposing or dominating or just too over-protective to let go of things and face the fact that their children are adults and should be given space and understanding, even confidence to make important decisions of their life such as: which career to choose Or who should be their life-partner. They think that just because they have given birth to them, it is their right to control their lives forever! I am not saying that all parents behave that way, but some do! I see some of you can relate to what I am saying. 

This book explores such a chaotic relationship between a mother and a daughter (the main protagonist of this story). Rebecca is a 30 plus woman who wants to try her luck in Hollywood. One of her great passions is to become an actress but her mother strongly disapproves of this because she belongs to a traditional family who find it against their ethics and morals. Nonetheless, she follows her interest but partly as a revolt to her mother’s decision. She feels suppressed and longs for her mother to back her up in her career move but nothing of that sort happens, rather this issue causes them to drift apart as they end up hardly speaking to each other for a year.

While things remain topsy-turvy between the two, she keeps struggling for her dream role by working as a part-time waitress and looking for that golden chance to make her a star. Her (failing) attempts end up in depression and she starts seeing a psychologist who makes her realize that she is doing things half-heartedly and out of grudge for her mother, not because of her passion. Find out whether her dream of starring a big role gets true or not. Most of all, does she manage to patch up things with her mother or things go insane after that.

Besides her acting career, there is another typhoon going in her life, her wedding with the wrong guy, Craig which follows another roller-coaster ride, full of (mis)adventures and mishaps. It gets quite ballistic at the end but then the author finally manages to pull all strings together which saves it from getting off the rail. The story gets interesting when she gets away from that “psycho”, lands up in the arms of a flirtatious movie director whose charm makes her blind – well, “love is blind” so not much of her fault. But is he “The One”? or is there someone else waiting to be discovered by her. Read the book to figure out who is her “true love” and does she get to have a “happy ever after”.

I managed to read this book in just two sittings as I found the plot and the storyline well-drafted and well-executed though there were a few clichés and hitches here and there but overall, the whole thing turned out just fine. The author narrates it in a hefty fashion in the start but after a few chapters when you are totally engrossed in the story, you get used to it. In the middle, it gets better as the writer gets hold of her initial inertia and gets in the groove. Since this is Bonnie’s first novel, I would say it is a good attempt though there is always room for improvement. The few tweaks in writing style (such as more use of smart dialogues and keeping the pace of the story even from beginning to end) need to be taken care of, to keep the readers at the edge of their seats.

The book is easy-to-read as it is not overloaded with characters or viewpoints. It is written in first person POV. The secondary characters such as those of Rebecca’s sisters, her parents, her boyfriends and even of her best friend and therapist, Karen is sketched nicely. They all provide a direction to the story. I really liked how the character of Craig was shown, in spite of his weaknesses and craziness, it was not all-evil. The author kept it genuine and believable. I also loved the main character of Rebecca who goes through a lot of upheavals and learns to survive and make right decisions for herself. Even when she is vulnerable, she is smart and it shows the strength of her character.

The book is written from a mature perspective. It is engaging and heart-warming while making you learn a thing or two about practical life. I can see that Bonnie has put her heart into it and surely does not disappoint the reader/critic in me. I hope that her next endeavour will turn out to be more exciting than this one. All the best, Bonnie!

Review Girl Rating: 8/10

“I would like to thank Bonnie Trachtenberg for sending me a free paperback of her book, Wedlocked for the purpose of reviewing it on my blog. To buy this book on Amazon, click here. You can also buy this book direct from her website, by clicking here.” 

Book Review: Darcy and Fitzwilliam

Book: Darcy and Fitzwilliam

Genre: Historical Fiction

Author: Karen V. Wasylowski

Cover Critique:

I heart the cover of this book - the background in lush green colour and the image of suave Darcy running after carefree Fitzwilliam is just perfect. There is a mystery to it which makes it so fascinating that you want to pick it up the moment you see it. On the back flap, it is written, “a gentleman in love cannot survive without his best friend” – which sums up the book superbly.

Review:

I was looking to read something different, as you know it is good to get out of your comfort zone sometimes and try something new. I do not read historical fiction but I decided to give it a go as there was something about the cover which prompted me to read Karen’s take on one of the most loved books in literature of all times, Jane Austen’s novel, “Pride and Prejudice”. I have not read other adaptations by present novelists so I will not be comparing it to their imitations but I will take a note of the development of the story as Karen (the author) interprets and develops it further in this book.

As we already know that Elizabeth Bennet is the protagonist of “Pride and Prejudice” known for her intelligence, liveliness, beauty and a great sense of wit, although with a tendency to judge on first impressions – more or less personified as “prejudice”. The other main character in Jane Austen’s popular novel is of Mr. Darcy who is the wealthy owner of the famous family estate of Pemberley in Derbyshire. By appearance, he is relatively taller than his cousin Richard Fitzwilliam. Although intelligent, but his extremely reserved nature leads others to think he has excessive “pride”. Those who know him well, like his cousin and best friend Richard, value him because of his manners.

Now coming back to Karen’s book, she focuses on developing the character of Richard Fitzwilliam and the unflinching bond of friendship between two cousins, Darcy and Fitzwilliam. In prologue, she opens with the interaction between the two of them while Fitzwilliam is going to war and how Darcy is feeling empty and alone thinking that he would be away in France. The notable point is the connection and the attachment which prepares Jane Austen’s fans that this is going to be the tale of “a gentleman and an officer”.

The author very smartly starts the opening chapters with the main characters of Jane’s novel, showing Elizabeth and Darcy’s marital relationship, the unpredictability yet the obvious chemistry of their love comes forward through various scenes. Then, we see that Richard has returned and the scene when he meets Darcy in his drawing room while Elizabeth is taking a walk outside, is worth-noticing. Here, the author shows us the jolly and playful nature of Richard and his closeness with Darcy, thus keeping up the momentum of the story.

What I really liked was that Karen did not spoil the charm of Jane’s novel, she simply started from where Jane left it. It was like reading a perfect sequel while keeping the most beloved characters true to their form – as enjoyable and lovable as before. The interactions between Darcy and Fitzwilliam are to die for – subtle hints here and there while bringing out their contrasting personalities. The author keeps the charm of the early 19th century alive by showcasing the mannerism, social norms and issues with her clever writing style. I felt I was transformed into that period and was part of the story when I was reading it. It shows the immense talent of the author as she does not let down Jane Austen’s fans.

My most memorable scene from the book is when Elizabeth and Darcy have a nasty fight (due to Caroline Bingley) and Elizabeth gets into labour when Darcy is out of the house. We see how she is rescued by Fitzwilliam’s wife Amanda and how Fitzwilliam saves Darcy’s marriage from collapsing and bringing them together again. That scene literally made me cry! It is written beautifully and Karen deserves all the praise for handling such a sensitive situation carefully so as not to make it look disturbing or morbid.

Don’t worry the part after that will make every reader smile as she ends the book on such a positive note. It just strengthens your belief in true friendships while Richard’s jokes will keep you laughing all through the book. I like how Karen keeps it open-ended so it can be turned into next book if required. Read it to know more!

The book manifests the works of brilliant and fluid writing which makes your heart jump along with the characters. I got angry, I cried, I laughed, and I even blushed – as I read this book. Pick it up if you love Darcy and Fitzwilliam and wonder how Jane would have written it, had there been a sequel to this cult classic. Highly recommended!

Review Girl Rating: 9/10 

“I would like to thank Karen V. Wasylowski for sending me a free copy of her book, Darcy and Fitzwilliam for the purpose of reviewing it on my blog. To buy this book on Amazon, click here. You can also buy this book direct from her website, by clicking here.”

Check out the amazing video trailer of this book: 

Birthday Giveaway!!!

Today, I had a super-duper fantabulous birthday and I was thinking, “Hey, how can I join my readers in all the fun?” Then, I decided that why not do a fabulous giveaway. You all deserve it for being so ardent readers of my blog! J So, here you go, my friend and author Barbara Conelli is generously offering 5 (FIVE) copies of her amazing book, “Chique Secrets of Dolce Vita” to my lovely readers. Awesome...right? J

And she has given the 5 (FIVE) lucky winners great choice. They can choose whichever format they want:

Paperback

Kindle

Pdf

Whatever format it is and wherever in the world they live (Yes, I mean it when I say it is international *frowns*), she will send the book to the winners! She ROCKS! J

To enter my birthday giveaway, just do the following in the comment section below:

1- Follow me on GFC and write your GFC name. 

2- Your valid email address (so I can notify you if you win) 

3- Leave a genuine comment on these 2 posts: 

Author Interview: Barbara Conelli

Book Review: Chique Secrets of Dolce Vita

Example: 

GFC Name: The Review Girl

Email: mediajerks@yahoo.com

I have left comments of both posts.

So hurry up and enter!!! 

Have fun!!! J 

Note: All these rules given above are REQUIRED to enter this giveaway, otherwise your entry will not be counted. Only genuine comments will be published and counted. One entry per person.