A Case for Epilogues

At the last writer’s conference I attended there seemed to be a theme that kept popping up in workshops…Prologues and Epilogues. They were out of fashion. The theory being that a Prologue was what happened before the story started and an Epilogue was something that happened after the story ended so they weren’t needed. As romance writers, we’re trained and encouraged and berated to start with the action. Throw your reader into it. And stop when the romance is resolved.

As I writer, I love Prologues. I often start my books with them because I want to warn the reader about something, or give them a hint about a future event, or just make them curious. It’s not exactly throwing the reader into the action but I like to give a hint about the sharks circling before they make that leap.

As a reader, I love Epilogues. I love that last visit with the couple, a glance into their life—after the story—to prove that they are living their happily ever after. It’s like dropping in on an old friend and finding out that yes, things really did work out.

I have a couple of favorite Epilogues. So favorite in fact that I recently dug through my keeper shelf to find a book because I wanted to re-read the Epilogue. A line from it was stuck in my brain and I wanted to experience it again.

My favorite Epilogue…To Love A Dark Lord by Anne Stuart. She writes such great dark heroes that having that Epilogue is comforting. It tells me that he did settle down. And that all the things he warned her about at the end of the book have come true. This was the book I went looking for last week. I skimmed the book, to reacquaint myself with the characters, then skipped to the Epilogue. I’ve read it twice more since then.

My other favorite Epilogue is in Lover Awakened…the scene in the gym just tugs on my heart that I go back and re-read it whenever I need a lift. Zsadist is so damaged that you need that glimpse into his life after the "story" ends.

I think this is why series books a so popular. It’s a final check in with the characters. You get to visit old friends.

So don’t be afraid to give your readers one last glimpse so they put away the book with a satisfied “ahhhh.”

New Years...(what else, but...) Resolutions

So, today is January 3, 2010 and I’m wondering how many articles you’ve read or watched on television that has to do with a new year and a new resolution. I know I’ve had enough resolution info stuffed down my craw to last me the entire year.

My own? Ah, hell – I guess I may as well jump on the bandwagon, too.

Of course there’s the old standard that, damn, I’m going to lose some weight no matter what the cost. I don’t think there’s a person in a 40 mile radius of me that hasn’t already belted that one out.

Oh, and smoking! Yup – that old nail in the coffin is going to be a thing of the past.

I’m going to NEVER let the house get messy. I will vacuum and dust on a daily basis.

All clothes will go directly into the washing machine, then straight into the dryer. I WILL be standing beside them both so that when the buzzer alerts me that clothes are dry, I will immediately take them out and not only fold them, but put them away in the proper drawer, closet shelf, etc.

I will not leave dirty dishes in the sink or on the counter. As soon as every meal or snack is partaken of, the door to the dishwasher will be opened and machine loaded promptly.

I will teach my arrogant little dog that it isn’t proper to doodle in front of the door, but to bark and wait patiently for me to come and let him out.

I will take down my Christmas tree before April 1st.

I will organize my recipe box.

I will never let mail/paper pile up. Everything will be gone through daily and either tossed in the garbage or properly filed.

The chair in my bedroom will NEVER be piled with clothes. Each night before I go to bed I will throw my dirty socks in the hamper (that reminds me…I need to buy one) and I will either fold or hang my shirt and jeans and put them away.

If I eat pizza or ice cream in bed while watching television, I will not leave dirty dishes/napkins/spoons on my bedstand.

I will make more of an effort to save money rather than spend it…

Yeah, right. In a perfect world…maybe! I am going to promise you all something, however. I plan to sub a book on January 31st. Honest. Hmmm…just thought of something. If that’s going to happen then the clothes, dishes, dust, Christmas tree decorations, and dog shit is just going to have to pile up. Wow, just thinking of that makes me nervous enough to run to the store for a pack of cigs. So…better get going! I gotta book to write!

Have a prosperous and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Hugs, Ruby

Post Christmas exhaustion

Good Morning to everyone.
Hope your Christmas was filled with love and happiness.
I got the opportunity to visit with my Dad in Georgia.
Long trip by car...14 hours of stopping only to gas up and
potty. But it was worth it. It's the first time in the 20+ years
I've been with my husband that we've spent the holiday with my
Dad. It made him extremely happy. He was like a little kid on
Christmas morning. Not sure how many of us have small children
who wake up at the crack of dawn (usually five minutes after Santa
has gone to bed from struggling to put something together all night) then
they pull everyone out of bed to see what Santa brought. My two have
been past that for years. They sleep in. Well, try to explain
that teenagers just aren't that into waking up before noon to a man in his PJ's
going from room to room at 7 A.M. telling everyone Santa came, get up, get up.
Of course, I rolled over opened one eye and stared at my husband and said,
"Sorry Honey, I didn't know my Dad had lost his mind."
When we finally made it into the living room, he at least had coffee waiting.
Good man knows what gets the blood pumping and an eye open. My daughter
(16) dropped on the couch beside me and said "At least it's not the early phone
call we get every Christmas." as she laid her head in my lap.
I rubbed her head and told her "Look at the smile on Grandpa's face. Look how
happy you've made him by rolling out of bed and coming in here. You can always
take a nap later, he's like a little kid, you nap when he naps and you're safe for at
least an hour."

The trip home on Sunday was an adventure. Word to the wise, don't let the
husband and son (18) handle the GPS when it comes to choosing an alternate route
to an accident blocking the highway. We got to see a phenomenal dirt road that led
to nowhere because when we got to where their 'alternate route' said to turn, the
bridge was out. Had to turn around and go another way. But a least the countryside
in Virginia was pretty. Did you know that it's true or at least where we were side tracked,
people don't get rid of their old cars in that area, they just park them in the front yard and
use them as decoration. There must have been at least 20 broken down, rusted hunks of
junk in front of one trailer alone. That banjo song from the movie Deliverance ran through my head
and I couldn't stop laughing.
A belated Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year!
May we all be healthy, happy and safe.
Tara Nina

Oh the weather outside is frightful. . .

Well how about that? It looks like the Northeast will have a white Christmas after all! Living in New England, snow for Christmas isn't always a given. Some years we'll have a green Christmas and a white Easter, you just never know with Mother Nature.

The best thing about this snowstorm though was, it forced me to STAY HOME! You see, I spend just about every weekend in December running to multiple parties or events. It seems every time I turn around, someone wants to raise a glass of egg nog and celebrate the season. As many of you know, I seldom turn down free drinks or food, but by Christmas, I'm stressed out, exhausted, and potentially ready for a trip to the Betty Ford Clinic.

Last night, I watched a Christmas special with my daughters, played a board game, and wrapped all my presents. Today, we're going to make Christmas cookies, and if the snow keeps falling, I might just miss another party scheduled for this evening. Darn.

I've always enjoyed a good snow storm, but this year, it gave me the opportunity to appreciate the season just a little bit more.

So, to all of you, no matter where you live or what holiday (or lack thereof) you celebrate, may you find blessings and joy in the small things, such as staying in your jammies, making cookies, or just spending time with the people you love.

Happy Holidays from all of us in the Sizzling Scribes!

Tis' The Season

Today someone told me there are only 10 shopping days left till Christmas. What the heck!? What happened to the rest of December? In fact, what happened to the rest of the year? The Christmas tree went up on the 2nd of December (since I was working the 1st) and I started my Christmas shopping on the 3rd. I know I said I'd start earlier this year but I say the same thing every year and I *never* do. Shopping in December never fails to make me lose my temper because everyone else seems to have lost their minds and their manners. You'd think I'd learn my lesson but I have been known to be shopping on Christmas Eve at 5pm. This year I have managed to finish a bit earlier. Today as a matter of fact.

But the horror doesn't end there, oh no. For now I have to steel myself for the worst Christmas task ever... grocery shopping a few days before THE day. Are fresh vegetables really THAT important? Can't we have frozen turkey? Or better still, can't we just order Chinese food for 10? Why do people feel the need to fill their trolleys like it's the day before Armageddon? The shops are only shut for ONE day for pity's sake! For now, I'll just pray to leave the store with all my fingers intact, as few bruises as possible and hopefully everything I need. But you know what? On Christmas day, when all my family are around me, when the food is eaten and the Christmas spirits are out of the bottle. When gifts are given and received. When I'm another year older. It'll all be worth it.

Won't it?

those darn games!

Okay, I admit it. I’m an addict. I can’t get enough of my “fix” every day. I use it as a procrastination tool instead of writing, I use it when I’m talking on the phone just to keep my hands busy, I use it as a sleep aid at night to make me drowsy.

What is my addiction? Those silly, little, web-based arcade games. You know them. Bejeweled, Peggle, Jewel Quest, Dynomite. And when I get bored with those, there are always the Spider Solitaire, Free Cell and plain-old Solitaire to play. I’ll sit down at the computer, ostensibly to check my email, and decide to play “just one game” to relax with. An hour later my rear end is asleep and my mouse fingers are freezing and I’m still playing.

So there you have it. My guilty little secret. Those darn games suck me in every time. Granted, because they take so little brain power, the rest of my mind is busy turning over new story lines or working out a bit of dialogue between my hero and heroine. The story file is almost always open just underneath the game window. I’ll write for a while, play for a while (and think), then write for a while.

Of course, my husband always walks in when I’m on the “play for a while” moment…he thinks I don’t write at all. That I just play games every time I tell him I need to get some writing done. How does one explain that one is actually writing even though it just LOOKS like I’m playing Dynomite for the twenty-seventh time this hour?

That’s my excuse and I’m sticking with it. How about you? Have a favorite game/time-waster? I’m always on the lookout for new ones…

What are you thankful for?

Okay so Thanksgiving (the American version, anyway ;-) is over, and the Canadian version is even MORE over...and perhaps this is a rather cliche topic, but it seemed rather...timely. As my children grow older...and, unfortunately, I do, too....I look at my life and am more and more thankful every day for all the amazing people and blessings in my life. And I thought this was a good opportunity to acknowledge some of them...

I'm thankful for:
-a husband who loves and supports me. Whom I laugh with and have fun with. Who spoils me regularly and whom I respect and adore beyond all reason. Who is a good father and hard worker. And who is one of the best handymen I know!

-for 3 sons who have gone above and beyond all my expectations for my children. Who are fun to be with and who, in turn--even though they're well into their teen years--enjoy being with their parents. Who are affectionate and respectful and seem to know themselves and have a handle on their place in the world in a way I can only take partial credit for.

-for a job that is challenging and rewarding and that has allowed me to provide for my family, while at the same time allowing me the time and flexibility to be both a mother and author.

-for the sense of self and a confidence in who I am that I lacked in my youth. I am no longer the person my parents wanted me to be. I am who I am, and no longer make any apologies for it.

-to live in a country where my health care needs, as well as those of my loved ones, are provided for without worry or compromise. (I had very good reason to be grateful for this over the past couple weeks)

-for the opportunity to explore and experience a diverse and exciting world full of people from all walks of life, and a husband and good friends to do it with. Case in point in a couple of weeks I'm going along with some girlfriends to see the play "My Mother's Jewish Lesbian Wiccan Wedding." And I'm going with a Lesbian Wiccan friend. Ain't life grand? lol

And finally...I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to explore my dream and passion of writing. And to have had the incredible opportunity of actually having my stories published and have strangers read...and ENJOY them!

So, how about you? What are YOU grateful for? (make the list as long as you like. God knows I didn't edit MINE! lol)