Of all the elements to the writing craft, which one is most important to you as a writer and/or a reader? Bonus points if you can give examples of novels that exemplify your answer.
Below is my attempt to list Craft Elements. Did I leave anything out?
Character
Setting
Plot
POV
Theme
Style/Voice
Dialogue
Action
Exposition
Conflict
Motivation
Climax
Resolution
Call it overly sensitive, but I don’t like to see any movie where humans ARE FOOD. Gives me the shivers. My confession?
I have never…SEEN JAWS.
I have never…seen the Grand Canyon. (I hope to remedy this in 2020.)
As 2019 comes to an end, it’s time to come clean with your TKZ family. Share something you have NEVER DONE that we might find surprising.
What’s the best writerly gift you’ve ever received? Why was it so helpful?
Are you hoping for a writerly gift this year? If so, what?
Bonus Questions:
What’s the best gift you’ve received from an author? What made it so special?
Do you include reader gifts in your holiday promotions? Care to share where you create/buy your promotional gifts?
Photo credit: https://littleshop.fandom.com/wiki/
With the holidays in full swing, many of us have recipes somersaulting through our mind, along with a mile-long to-do list.
In the Coletta household, the first whiff of the holiday season triggers my family to drool in anticipation.
Not-so-subtle chants for almond biscotti waft through our house, similar to Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors. “Feed. Me!”
I shared this recipe in the comments last year, but some of you might’ve missed it. If you’re interested in adding a tasty treat to your holiday table, the recipe is as follows…
Ingredients
3/4 C (180 ml) Whole Almonds
3 Large Eggs
1 t. Vanilla Extract
1/2 t. Almond Extract (optional)
2 C. Flour
3/4 C. Sugar
1 t. Baking Powder
1/4 t. Salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread out almonds on a baking tray and bake 8-10 minutes until light brown and fragrant. Let cool a few minutes, then chop coarsely.
Reduce over to 300 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment (wax) paper.
Whisk eggs and extracts in a separate bowl, then whisk in the dry ingredients. Lastly, fold in your almond pieces and stir till you get a doughy consistency.
Flour your cutting board (or whatever surface works for you) and divide the dough into 7″ logs that are about 3″-4″ wide. Transfer logs onto baking sheet and bake for approximately 35 minutes or until firm to the touch (log will spread during baking).
Remove and let cool on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. Transfer to cutting board and slice 1/4″-1/2″ pieces on the diagonal. Place slices of biscotti on the baking sheet and bake an additional 10-15 minutes on each side until golden. Keep in mind, the longer you bake the crunchier they’ll be, so the time depends on your preference. My family likes them somewhere between soft and crunchy.
To Triple the Recipe (which I do; makes about 60 biscotti)
2 1/4 C. Almonds
9 Eggs
4 1/2 t. Vanilla
6 C. Flour
2 1/4 C. Sugar
3 t. Baking Powder
3/4 Salt
Be sure to make more logs so they cook all the way through. Then proceed as above.
A word of a caution: once you make almond biscotti a la Coletta ;-), you may have to do it every year.
Care to share your favorite holiday recipe?
Have you ever dreamed about one of your books or your series becoming a movie? Dream big or go home, I say. Share your thoughts and why you think your book(s) would make a good film.
Or maybe you have a favorite book that you would like to see on the big or small screen. Tell us about that book and why you think it would be a great film.
This can be a big topic. I had several stages and amazing feelings when my books first sold and when I saw them on a book shelf at stores all over town and online. My first autograph.
But the one I will share with you today is when I received my first cover flats from HarperCollins. I had them sitting on my coffee table. As I stared down at them, still stunned to see them for the first time, my husband walked in on me. He picked them up and grew very quiet. You could hear a pin drop. I didn’t know what he would say or if he knew what they were (the format is not like a real book), but I didn’t want to put words in his mouth.
He finally looked at me and with tears in his eyes, he said, “My God, you’re going to be in a library.” That simple realization hadn’t dawned on me. I usually tried downplaying the events because I was in it for the long haul and wanted a writing career, but my best friend husband always knew how to draw emotions out of me. He hugged me and I finally broke down and cried–my first real celebration since I’d sold. I had put so much passion and hard work into achieving this moment and he knew it. He’d been there with me.
My advice now is to celebrate every step of the way. You’ll never get that moment back and you’ve earned it.
Please share what you felt or did when you first were published. We can all use good news stories.
