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Positive Self-Talk? Seriously?

>Yes. Seriously.

We all talk to ourselves.  (Writers probably more than most…maybe because we have little people running around in our heads.)  Whether we talk out loud or simply think concretely or even just let background chatter drift through our minds, we are all talking to ourselves all day long.

That talk can be good or bad.  It can support our goals and drive us to achieve or it can gut our drive to even try.  We often aren’t aware of what we’re actually saying to ourselves.  By neglecting to notice our negative self-talk we may be permitting a continual flow of worry and self-criticism.  But by recognizing the power of positive self-talk, we have the potential to bring about positive change in our lives.

I’ve struggled with the whole glass half full-glass half empty concept for decades.  I’d venture to say a lot of us have or still do.  The truth is, our outlook — pessimistic vs. optimistic (I also believe there is a state in between I call realistic) developed long before we had a choice. 

From the day we’re born, every word, every thought, every action became imprints placed on our subconscious by others.  Later on, in childhood, adolescence and young adulthood our own words, thoughts and images of how we view ourselves create a lasting impression in our subconscious–those concepts largely a product of how we were raised.

If your young years were filled with positivity, support, unconditional love and accolades at every turn — you’ve got a head start.  If you experienced more punishment than praise, more cynicism than support or more criticism than kudos — you have a little harder road to walk. 

Either way, as adults we have to create our own lives, and with the stresses and responsibilities of everyday life…the truth is…its rough.  If you’re a writer (by definition a tad more sensitive than the general population), the roller coaster ride toward publication, or even just attempting to express yourself competently, can take a toll on even the rosiest outlook.

The good news: no matter how positive or negative our early years, what successes or failures we’ve experienced, how many trophies or trials we’ve collected, we can all end up in the same place in our individual lives–one of achievement, comfort, contentment and positivity to the level of our own personal best.

The power is in cultivating our subconscious mind.  (No voo-doo involved.  Promise.)

I believe my success with positive self-talk is a result of a combination of techniques.  In the working form, positive self-talk is really a combination of self-talk, affirmations and the law of attraction.

  • Self-talk: thoughts regarding ourselves that pass through our mind.
  • Affirmations: a carefully formatted, positive statement that is repeated to one’s self.
  • Law of Attraction: A theory that states “like attracts like” and your dominant thoughts will find a way to manifest, good or bad. 

That said, we all know simply repeating, “I am happy.” “I am happy.” “I am happy.” will most likely lead to a hair-pulling event during which the affirmation slips into something more like, “I’m happy, dammit!”  “Look how frigging happy I am!”  “I’m as happy as a cricket in a freaking frogs belly for God’s sake!”  

So, here are a few tips that took my self-talk from mindless repetition to meaningful statements and turned my brain and my perspective around:

Visualize
We all know how to daydream.  That’s all visualization is–a daydream.  So, when you decide on the powerful self-talk statements, visualize that statement. 

  • Let’s say your statement is:  I am patient and flexible.  What would it look like to be patient?  Imagine yourself in a line at the store, relaxed, observing the surroundings, maybe chatting with the person ahead or behind you, with no one waiting on you, no where you have to be.  Imagine you have all the time in the world and waiting another minute or two won’t affect your life one way or the other.
  • Let’s say your statement is:  My daughter and I have a close relationship.  We are open and honest with each other.  What would it look like to be more in touch with your daughter?  Visualize yourself picking her up from school, relaxed, looking forward to seeing her.  Imagine listening, open and accepting, as she talks about her day.  See yourself being the empathetic positive influence you want to be. 

Imagine being your statement.  Being exactly what you want in your life.

Feel it
If you were to feel the patience in the first example above, what emotions would you feel?  What physical sensations would your body experience?

  • While you visualize yourself waiting in line, maybe the tension drifts out of your shoulders.  The muscles of your jaw relax.  Your stance eases. 
  • Because you’re not focused on how slow the line is moving, how that cashier should really think about retirement, how you have so much to do somewhere else, you notice that the woman in front of you is wearing the most beautiful scarf you’ve ever seen.  
  • Maybe you comment on it and make a new acquaintance.  Maybe you just enjoy the pattern and color.  Maybe it even gives you a new idea for a character you’re writing or a project you’re working on.  Maybe it simply makes you happy. 

That’s the great thing about day dreams — they’re all yours!  

Live it
Be the person in your visualization, and apply it to your every day life.  If you are the person with the open, warm relationship with your daughter (which you are–your self-talk confirms it), how would you go through your day?

  • Your openness would extend to others.  That acceptance and warmth would transform the relationships you have.  You would be more confident.  You would have closer connections throughout your life.  You would be a good listener, empathetic, warm.  You would be happier. 

Living what you tell yourself you are, creates the very life you want.

Infuse Gratitude
Gratitude in itself is a life-changing force.  The subject deserves a month of posts unto itself.  But I found this concept both a powerful catalyst for moving my self-talk and visualizations forward and a motivating force to continue the self-talk even on a bad day.

When you say to yourself: I am patient and flexible, you follow that self-talk with the sensation of gratitude.  Infusing gratitude into your self-talk often empowers me.  Often it even makes me smile…or laugh.

  • Traffic–there is test of patience.  How about: I am so glad I’m patient and flexible, because that means I’m not an asshole like the guy who just cut me off.  Or: I’m grateful my patience keeps me from stressing like that guy who just cut me off.  Man, it would suck to be him.

And what about your relationship with your daughter? 

  • Try something like: I’m so lucky to have this awesome relationship with my daughter.  Or: I’m so fortunate to have this gift in my life.

I’ll be back next Tuesday with lots of examples of positive self-talk for every area of your life and how to create your own.

In the mean time, if you’re interested in learning more about this topic, an excellent book is The Self-Talk Solution by Shad Helmstetter.

Can you share your experiences with self-talk, affirmations or the law of attraction?

>Positive Self-Talk? Seriously?

>Yes. Seriously.

We all talk to ourselves.  (Writers probably more than most…maybe because we have little people running around in our heads.)  Whether we talk out loud or simply think concretely or even just let background chatter drift through our minds, we are all talking to ourselves all day long.

That talk can be good or bad.  It can support our goals and drive us to achieve or it can gut our drive to even try.  We often aren’t aware of what we’re actually saying to ourselves.  By neglecting to notice our negative self-talk we may be permitting a continual flow of worry and self-criticism.  But by recognizing the power of positive self-talk, we have the potential to bring about positive change in our lives.

I’ve struggled with the whole glass half full-glass half empty concept for decades.  I’d venture to say a lot of us have or still do.  The truth is, our outlook — pessimistic vs. optimistic (I also believe there is a state in between I call realistic) developed long before we had a choice. 

From the day we’re born, every word, every thought, every action became imprints placed on our subconscious by others.  Later on, in childhood, adolescence and young adulthood our own words, thoughts and images of how we view ourselves create a lasting impression in our subconscious–those concepts largely a product of how we were raised.

If your young years were filled with positivity, support, unconditional love and accolades at every turn — you’ve got a head start.  If you experienced more punishment than praise, more cynicism than support or more criticism than kudos — you have a little harder road to walk. 

Either way, as adults we have to create our own lives, and with the stresses and responsibilities of everyday life…the truth is…its rough.  If you’re a writer (by definition a tad more sensitive than the general population), the roller coaster ride toward publication, or even just attempting to express yourself competently, can take a toll on even the rosiest outlook.

The good news: no matter how positive or negative our early years, what successes or failures we’ve experienced, how many trophies or trials we’ve collected, we can all end up in the same place in our individual lives–one of achievement, comfort, contentment and positivity to the level of our own personal best.

The power is in cultivating our subconscious mind.  (No voo-doo involved.  Promise.)

I believe my success with positive self-talk is a result of a combination of techniques.  In the working form, positive self-talk is really a combination of self-talk, affirmations and the law of attraction.

  • Self-talk: thoughts regarding ourselves that pass through our mind.
  • Affirmations: a carefully formatted, positive statement that is repeated to one’s self.
  • Law of Attraction: A theory that states “like attracts like” and your dominant thoughts will find a way to manifest, good or bad. 

That said, we all know simply repeating, “I am happy.” “I am happy.” “I am happy.” will most likely lead to a hair-pulling event during which the affirmation slips into something more like, “I’m happy, dammit!”  “Look how frigging happy I am!”  “I’m as happy as a cricket in a freaking frogs belly for God’s sake!”  

So, here are a few tips that took my self-talk from mindless repetition to meaningful statements and turned my brain and my perspective around:

Visualize
We all know how to daydream.  That’s all visualization is–a daydream.  So, when you decide on the powerful self-talk statements, visualize that statement. 

  • Let’s say your statement is:  I am patient and flexible.  What would it look like to be patient?  Imagine yourself in a line at the store, relaxed, observing the surroundings, maybe chatting with the person ahead or behind you, with no one waiting on you, no where you have to be.  Imagine you have all the time in the world and waiting another minute or two won’t affect your life one way or the other.
  • Let’s say your statement is:  My daughter and I have a close relationship.  We are open and honest with each other.  What would it look like to be more in touch with your daughter?  Visualize yourself picking her up from school, relaxed, looking forward to seeing her.  Imagine listening, open and accepting, as she talks about her day.  See yourself being the empathetic positive influence you want to be. 

Imagine being your statement.  Being exactly what you want in your life.

Feel it
If you were to feel the patience in the first example above, what emotions would you feel?  What physical sensations would your body experience?

  • While you visualize yourself waiting in line, maybe the tension drifts out of your shoulders.  The muscles of your jaw relax.  Your stance eases. 
  • Because you’re not focused on how slow the line is moving, how that cashier should really think about retirement, how you have so much to do somewhere else, you notice that the woman in front of you is wearing the most beautiful scarf you’ve ever seen.  
  • Maybe you comment on it and make a new acquaintance.  Maybe you just enjoy the pattern and color.  Maybe it even gives you a new idea for a character you’re writing or a project you’re working on.  Maybe it simply makes you happy. 

That’s the great thing about day dreams — they’re all yours!  

Live it
Be the person in your visualization, and apply it to your every day life.  If you are the person with the open, warm relationship with your daughter (which you are–your self-talk confirms it), how would you go through your day?

  • Your openness would extend to others.  That acceptance and warmth would transform the relationships you have.  You would be more confident.  You would have closer connections throughout your life.  You would be a good listener, empathetic, warm.  You would be happier. 

Living what you tell yourself you are, creates the very life you want.

Infuse Gratitude
Gratitude in itself is a life-changing force.  The subject deserves a month of posts unto itself.  But I found this concept both a powerful catalyst for moving my self-talk and visualizations forward and a motivating force to continue the self-talk even on a bad day.

When you say to yourself: I am patient and flexible, you follow that self-talk with the sensation of gratitude.  Infusing gratitude into your self-talk often empowers me.  Often it even makes me smile…or laugh.

  • Traffic–there is test of patience.  How about: I am so glad I’m patient and flexible, because that means I’m not an asshole like the guy who just cut me off.  Or: I’m grateful my patience keeps me from stressing like that guy who just cut me off.  Man, it would suck to be him.

And what about your relationship with your daughter? 

  • Try something like: I’m so lucky to have this awesome relationship with my daughter.  Or: I’m so fortunate to have this gift in my life.

I’ll be back next Tuesday with lots of examples of positive self-talk for every area of your life and how to create your own.

In the mean time, if you’re interested in learning more about this topic, an excellent book is The Self-Talk Solution by Shad Helmstetter.

Can you share your experiences with self-talk, affirmations or the law of attraction?

The Subconscious In Writing

When speaking of the conscious and unconscious mind, experts refer to the Iceberg Principal, comparing the conscious mind as the 10% above water and the subconscious mind as the 90% below water.

The power of the mind to change our perception of ourselves has always fascinated me.  Since I’ve been writing seriously, about a decade now, I’ve become even more interested in the subconscious mind and all the ouija board-like promises of creativity, focus, productivity, self-esteem and happiness if we could just control our subconscious.

Here are a few facts.  The subconscious mind:

  • Does not judge what you tell it, only takes all information as fact.
  • Can not tell the difference between true and false.
  • Works 24hours a day.
  • Takes everything literally.
  • Never says no.
  • Only recognizes the present.
  • Can be seen as the source of night dreams and automatic thoughts.
  • Is a repository for every thought, every visual, every emotion, every incident that has ever occurred in your lifetime.

Over the last ten years I’ve tried many techniques.  Unfortunately, my biggest problems weren’t with the techniques or the information, but with consistency and patience.  What do you mean I have to do it everyday?  What do you mean I have to do it for months to see the result?  Therefore, I didn’t get the results I sought and picked up the beliefs of so many others–it’s hype to sell books, fill seminar seats, in essence, pad pockets.

But aging has it’s benefits.  As does experience.  In the last year or two I’ve become more patient, more open-minded and more determined (could be translated into desperate, depending on the day) to crack that shell keeping my subconscious out of reach.

And as I’ve studied the conscious and unconscious mind through the eyes of knowledgeable professionals and tried various techniques created by experienced and renowned researchers, I’ve seen the benefits and know there are so many more to be cultivated with time, effort, knowledge and experience.  

What I’ve learned has been worth the wait and there is so much more to discover.  During the month of February, we’ll explore the potential benefits and powers of the subconscious mind including topics such as self-talk, affirmations, positivity and some even “further out” (or what my critique partner calls “woo-woo”) techniques, such as meditation, hypnotherapy and even tarot.

These topics will directly relate to writing, such as how they’ve helped me and/or how they could be used in other ways, but each technique could be applied to benefit any aspect of our lives.

I hope you’ll come back and join me on this path to understanding and utilizing the power of the subconscious mind to urge us toward achieving our ultimate best and welcome your comments and experience regarding the subconscious and how it has affected your personal and professional growth.

>The Subconscious In Writing

>

When speaking of the conscious and unconscious mind, experts refer to the Iceberg Principal, comparing the conscious mind as the 10% above water and the subconscious mind as the 90% below water.

The power of the mind to change our perception of ourselves has always fascinated me.  Since I’ve been writing seriously, about a decade now, I’ve become even more interested in the subconscious mind and all the ouija board-like promises of creativity, focus, productivity, self-esteem and happiness if we could just control our subconscious.

Here are a few facts.  The subconscious mind:

  • Does not judge what you tell it, only takes all information as fact.
  • Can not tell the difference between true and false.
  • Works 24hours a day.
  • Takes everything literally.
  • Never says no.
  • Only recognizes the present.
  • Can be seen as the source of night dreams and automatic thoughts.
  • Is a repository for every thought, every visual, every emotion, every incident that has ever occurred in your lifetime.

Over the last ten years I’ve tried many techniques.  Unfortunately, my biggest problems weren’t with the techniques or the information, but with consistency and patience.  What do you mean I have to do it everyday?  What do you mean I have to do it for months to see the result?  Therefore, I didn’t get the results I sought and picked up the beliefs of so many others–it’s hype to sell books, fill seminar seats, in essence, pad pockets.

But aging has it’s benefits.  As does experience.  In the last year or two I’ve become more patient, more open-minded and more determined (could be translated into desperate, depending on the day) to crack that shell keeping my subconscious out of reach.

And as I’ve studied the conscious and unconscious mind through the eyes of knowledgeable professionals and tried various techniques created by experienced and renowned researchers, I’ve seen the benefits and know there are so many more to be cultivated with time, effort, knowledge and experience.  

What I’ve learned has been worth the wait and there is so much more to discover.  During the month of February, we’ll explore the potential benefits and powers of the subconscious mind including topics such as self-talk, affirmations, positivity and some even “further out” (or what my critique partner calls “woo-woo”) techniques, such as meditation, hypnotherapy and even tarot.

These topics will directly relate to writing, such as how they’ve helped me and/or how they could be used in other ways, but each technique could be applied to benefit any aspect of our lives.

I hope you’ll come back and join me on this path to understanding and utilizing the power of the subconscious mind to urge us toward achieving our ultimate best and welcome your comments and experience regarding the subconscious and how it has affected your personal and professional growth.

Powerful Search Tool for Writers

>

A searchable information base better than Google?

For writers looking for writing-related information and articles–yes.  And it’s called the WRITER’S KNOWLEDGE BASE.

If you’re a writer and you don’t know Elizabeth Craig already, you’re in for a treat.  Elizabeth is an author of fun cozy mysteries, full of entertaining characters and intriguing twists and turns.  She is also a culler of over 1500 writers’ blogs where she gathers information from the best articles on the web written by authors of every genre covering every aspect of writing, from first paragraphs to promotion.  After filtering the thousands of articles, she chooses the very best and posts them as links on Twitter @elizabethscraig, ultimately creating a well of quality information available to other writers–or anyone interested in writing.

Awesome resource, right?  Wait.  It gets better.

Enter Mike Flemming, software developer with 20+ years of experience.  Mike has taken all the valuable  and relevant articles Elizabeth has plucked from thousands of blogs and websites and designed a searchable database.  That means a ton of saved time for authors.  Now when you want to search for articles related to, say, character development or social media, you receive writer-specific, quality articles in return with Google-like speed.  And unlike Google, all of the results are relevant to you as a writer.

And it’s just beginning.  Mike and Elizabeth continue to improve WKB with advancing technology and input from users.

So give it a try, let Mike and Elizabeth know what you think, and tell all your authorly friends!

Enjoy!

Writer’s Knowledge Base’s Facebook Page
Writer’s Knowledge Blog Page

>Powerful Search Tool for Writers

>

A searchable information base better than Google?

For writers looking for writing-related information and articles–yes.  And it’s called the WRITER’S KNOWLEDGE BASE.

If you’re a writer and you don’t know Elizabeth Craig already, you’re in for a treat.  Elizabeth is an author of fun cozy mysteries, full of entertaining characters and intriguing twists and turns.  She is also a culler of over 1500 writers’ blogs where she gathers information from the best articles on the web written by authors of every genre covering every aspect of writing, from first paragraphs to promotion.  After filtering the thousands of articles, she chooses the very best and posts them as links on Twitter @elizabethscraig, ultimately creating a well of quality information available to other writers–or anyone interested in writing.

Awesome resource, right?  Wait.  It gets better.

Enter Mike Flemming, software developer with 20+ years of experience.  Mike has taken all the valuable  and relevant articles Elizabeth has plucked from thousands of blogs and websites and designed a searchable database.  That means a ton of saved time for authors.  Now when you want to search for articles related to, say, character development or social media, you receive writer-specific, quality articles in return with Google-like speed.  And unlike Google, all of the results are relevant to you as a writer.

And it’s just beginning.  Mike and Elizabeth continue to improve WKB with advancing technology and input from users.

So give it a try, let Mike and Elizabeth know what you think, and tell all your authorly friends!

Enjoy!

Writer’s Knowledge Base’s Facebook Page
Writer’s Knowledge Blog Page

New Year’s Giveaway: Day 16, Nicola Marsh

>Nicola Marsh is a fabulous Twitter buddy.  I’ve found wonderful insight and camaraderie with Nicola online.  Her ability to read so voraciously and write so proliferatively, while also mothering and traveling on top of it, absolutely amazes and inspires me!

Nicola is excited to be part of the new Mills and Boon RIVA series, launching this month in the UK, with her title DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX, based on her Twitter addiction! She has a follow up, SEX, GOSSIP & ROCK & ROLL out in May, which may be her favourite book yet! If you’re in the USA, HER BAD, BAD BOSS (set in Alaska) will also be out in May.

Up for win today:
DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX

To enter:
Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)

Book Summary:
Kristi’s Stranded Diary: Day 1

Being shipwrecked on an idyllic deserted island for reality TV show Stranded sounded blissful. Until I discovered my Man Friday for the week was Jared Malone (aka he-who-broke-my-heart!).

I mean, of course I’ll be fine. I don’t feel anything for him anymore. Female viewers might swoon over Jared’s tanned gorgeousness, but I know he’s just an arrogant, overmuscled heartbreaker!

The cameras are rolling, so I’m off to the beach to face Jared. I just hope I look okay in this bikini!

Upcoming Releases:

  • DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX, January & February 2011
  • WILD NIGHTS WITH HER WICKED BOSS, January 2011
  • SEX, GOSSIP & ROCK & ROLL, May & June 2011
  • HER BAD, BAD BOSS, May 2011
  • PASSIONATE PLAYBOYS, May 2011
  • GIRL IN A VINTAGE DRESS, July 2011

Works In Progress:
She’s currently working on a new book set in glamorous Aussie hotels and a little known (invented!) Greek island. The hero in her current WIP is inspired by George Clooney. Does she need to say anything more?

Contact Info:
Website
Twitter
Blog
Email
 
Tomorrow, the vivacious Delilah Marvelle, historical romance author.

>New Year’s Giveaway: Day 16, Nicola Marsh

>Nicola Marsh is a fabulous Twitter buddy.  I’ve found wonderful insight and camaraderie with Nicola online.  Her ability to read so voraciously and write so proliferatively, while also mothering and traveling on top of it, absolutely amazes and inspires me!

Nicola is excited to be part of the new Mills and Boon RIVA series, launching this month in the UK, with her title DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX, based on her Twitter addiction! She has a follow up, SEX, GOSSIP & ROCK & ROLL out in May, which may be her favourite book yet! If you’re in the USA, HER BAD, BAD BOSS (set in Alaska) will also be out in May.

Up for win today:
DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX

To enter:
Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)

Book Summary:
Kristi’s Stranded Diary: Day 1

Being shipwrecked on an idyllic deserted island for reality TV show Stranded sounded blissful. Until I discovered my Man Friday for the week was Jared Malone (aka he-who-broke-my-heart!).

I mean, of course I’ll be fine. I don’t feel anything for him anymore. Female viewers might swoon over Jared’s tanned gorgeousness, but I know he’s just an arrogant, overmuscled heartbreaker!

The cameras are rolling, so I’m off to the beach to face Jared. I just hope I look okay in this bikini!

Upcoming Releases:

  • DESERTED ISLAND, DREAMY EX, January & February 2011
  • WILD NIGHTS WITH HER WICKED BOSS, January 2011
  • SEX, GOSSIP & ROCK & ROLL, May & June 2011
  • HER BAD, BAD BOSS, May 2011
  • PASSIONATE PLAYBOYS, May 2011
  • GIRL IN A VINTAGE DRESS, July 2011

Works In Progress:
She’s currently working on a new book set in glamorous Aussie hotels and a little known (invented!) Greek island. The hero in her current WIP is inspired by George Clooney. Does she need to say anything more?

Contact Info:
Website
Twitter
Blog
Email
 
Tomorrow, the vivacious Delilah Marvelle, historical romance author.

Special Edition: New Year’s Giveaway — Review & Giveaway

> Sylvia Day’s upcoming release PRIDE AND PLEASURE, available January 25th

I was hooked at “the cover”.

Yes, I’m still a sucker for a gorgeous cover. Guess you can tell I’m not an e-reader yet. Soon, I hope, but as of this post, I’m still a paper book gal. And, boy was I sucker-punched by the cover of Sylvia Day’s, PRIDE AND PLEASURE.

No, really…I could just sit and stare. (Okay, I did just sit and stare…)

When I finished ogling, I turned the book over and read…

Wealth has its dangers…

There are disadvantages to being an heiress, as Eliza Martin knows well. Fortune hunters flock to her, acquaintances lie and pander, and lately, someone is engineering “accidents” to propel her to the altar. But Eliza will not be bullied, and she will get to the bottom of this plot. All she needs is a man to infiltrate her assemblage of suitors and find the culprit. Someone not easily noticed; a proficient dancer, quiet, and even-tempered.


…so do certain men

Thief-taker Jasper Bond is entirely too large, too handsome, and too dangerous. Who would believe that an intellectual like Eliza would be seduced by a man of action? But the combination of her stubbornness and the mystery makes the case one Jasper can’t resist. Client satisfaction is a point of pride and it’s his pleasure to prove he’s just the man she needs after all…

Oh… My…

I had to open the book and read the first sentence:

As a thief-taker, Jasper Bond had been consulted in a number of unusual locations, but today was the first in a church.

Well, damn. Now I’m hooked. I’m going to have to stop what I’m doing and read until I lose interest.

Several hours and half the book later…no, I’m not freaking kidding…I had to stop reading because I was hungry, I had to pee and the employees at my local McDonald’s where I’d sat down for breakfast several hours prior were shooting me is-she-ever-going-to-leave? glances.

As I closed the book and slunk out of the fast food restaurant, I wondered if the rest of the book would hold up. I often find the second half of novels otherwise well done, lacking.

Sometimes the characters don’t live up to their promises in the beginning. (See my Brava Blog post today for more on promises.) Sometimes the plot peters-out or fragments. Sometimes the story just drags.

None of that happened in PRIDE AND PLEASURE. I read the second half as quickly as the first, with just as much interest. Past the mid-point, Sylvia amped the suspense plot, complicated the romance and kept the pace kicking along.

There are so many well crafted storytelling elements in PRIDE AND PLEASURE, I decided to use the novel as the subject of my first regular column at Savvy Authors, a monthly article reviewing fiction novels from a writer’s perspective and spotlighting effective use of craft. So, if you’re interested in developing your writing to the level of this National Bestseller, Sylvia Day, stop by Savvy Authors February 2nd for my debut column.

Of course, I also suggest picking up a copy of PRIDE AND PLEASURE for yourself, because my description would never transcend the experience of reading it yourself.

Amazon.com
Barnes & Noble.com
Borders.com
Books-a-Million.com
IndieBound.com
BookDepository.com

Read an excerpt: HERE.

Or you can enter to win a copy: Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)

Contact Info:
Website
Facebook
Twitter

Tomorrow, A special day for WRITERS! Margie Lawson will be here with a mini-lesson and lecture packets to give away!

>Special Edition: New Year’s Giveaway — Review & Giveaway

> Sylvia Day’s upcoming release PRIDE AND PLEASURE, available January 25th

I was hooked at “the cover”.

Yes, I’m still a sucker for a gorgeous cover. Guess you can tell I’m not an e-reader yet. Soon, I hope, but as of this post, I’m still a paper book gal. And, boy was I sucker-punched by the cover of Sylvia Day’s, PRIDE AND PLEASURE.

No, really…I could just sit and stare. (Okay, I did just sit and stare…)

When I finished ogling, I turned the book over and read…

Wealth has its dangers…

There are disadvantages to being an heiress, as Eliza Martin knows well. Fortune hunters flock to her, acquaintances lie and pander, and lately, someone is engineering “accidents” to propel her to the altar. But Eliza will not be bullied, and she will get to the bottom of this plot. All she needs is a man to infiltrate her assemblage of suitors and find the culprit. Someone not easily noticed; a proficient dancer, quiet, and even-tempered.


…so do certain men

Thief-taker Jasper Bond is entirely too large, too handsome, and too dangerous. Who would believe that an intellectual like Eliza would be seduced by a man of action? But the combination of her stubbornness and the mystery makes the case one Jasper can’t resist. Client satisfaction is a point of pride and it’s his pleasure to prove he’s just the man she needs after all…

Oh… My…

I had to open the book and read the first sentence:

As a thief-taker, Jasper Bond had been consulted in a number of unusual locations, but today was the first in a church.

Well, damn. Now I’m hooked. I’m going to have to stop what I’m doing and read until I lose interest.

Several hours and half the book later…no, I’m not freaking kidding…I had to stop reading because I was hungry, I had to pee and the employees at my local McDonald’s where I’d sat down for breakfast several hours prior were shooting me is-she-ever-going-to-leave? glances.

As I closed the book and slunk out of the fast food restaurant, I wondered if the rest of the book would hold up. I often find the second half of novels otherwise well done, lacking.

Sometimes the characters don’t live up to their promises in the beginning. (See my Brava Blog post today for more on promises.) Sometimes the plot peters-out or fragments. Sometimes the story just drags.

None of that happened in PRIDE AND PLEASURE. I read the second half as quickly as the first, with just as much interest. Past the mid-point, Sylvia amped the suspense plot, complicated the romance and kept the pace kicking along.

There are so many well crafted storytelling elements in PRIDE AND PLEASURE, I decided to use the novel as the subject of my first regular column at Savvy Authors, a monthly article reviewing fiction novels from a writer’s perspective and spotlighting effective use of craft. So, if you’re interested in developing your writing to the level of this National Bestseller, Sylvia Day, stop by Savvy Authors February 2nd for my debut column.

Of course, I also suggest picking up a copy of PRIDE AND PLEASURE for yourself, because my description would never transcend the experience of reading it yourself.

Amazon.com
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Read an excerpt: HERE.

Or you can enter to win a copy: Follow me on Twitter: @joanswan & send me a tweet with #newyear in the message. (Tweet Here)

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Tomorrow, A special day for WRITERS! Margie Lawson will be here with a mini-lesson and lecture packets to give away!