Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Crockpot Pulled Pork

12:00 AM 0 Comments
It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!


My crockpot sees a lot of use this time of year, for everything from breakfast to dessert. Where it can really shine, however, is in the no-fuss-roast department, and pulled pork is one of my favorites. When I'm busy writing, it's great to gets this going in the morning--takes like 5-10 minutes to prep--and dinner is ready when I am. 

Another way I do this is to let roast cook overnight, so in the morning, I can portion some into a take-along container for my lunch at work.  All the family has to do is heat up their portions whenever they feel like it. (Which often occurs long before the official "dinner" hour. It's hard to wait when the house smelled so good all night long!)

Crockpot Pulled Pork



 Ingredients

1 4-lb pork roast
Dry rub (see below)
1 onion, sliced
1 apple, seeded/quartered
3 cups chicken broth
optional: 1/8 tsp liquid smoke or 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 


Dry rub: Combine 2 Tbsp Salt, 1 tsp paprika (I used smoked, but any will do), 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tsp brown sugar.

Directions

Layer onion and apple over bottom of crock pot. Pat dry rub over all sides of pork roast, set on top of onion/apple. Pour chicken broth around sides, add liquid smoke/Worcestershire. Cook on low 6-8 hours or until pork is tender enough to shred with a fork.

Remove roast to cutting board or large baking dish. Using 2 forks, shred meat. Return to crock pot, stirring into juices, and taste. Add salt if needed. You can serve it at this point, but I like to cook it an additional 30 minutes so all flavors are well combined and the pork has a chance to soak up some of the juice.


Serve with rice or on a bun with barbecue sauce or sriracha mayo for a yummy sandwich. 


Serves 3-4


Enjoy!
~~~

J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people!

Monday, October 26, 2015

NaNo Prep Countdown: The Plotting You Haven't Done Yet

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Kickoff for NaNoWriMo is November 1. As part of my prep, I went back through some old notes and blog posts for last-minute planning advice, and I ran across this blog post from 2013 that I thought was worth sharing again now.

The NaNoWriMo Plotting You Haven't Done Yet
(Reprinted from 2013)

Whether you’re staring at NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) with a blank, panicked expression or already have binders full of detailed notes, there are some things you can do right now to give your about-to-be novel an extra kick start of awesome. 
In this post I’ll give you three special tips I use myself and have shared while mentoring NaNo newbies. One deals with characters, another with setting, and a final for plot.

1. Do a birth natal chart for your main characters.

What’s a birth natal chart, you may ask? This is a personality profile based on the horoscope, more specifically, a profile based on the exact date, time, and place of birth. There are websites that offer this for free, like THIS ONE. Just decide when and where a character was born and presto! You’ll have a ton of information about a character’s strengths, weaknesses, and potential darkest secrets. Then it’s up to you to decide which traits to emphasize or omit and what factors made the character behave as such. Do one for your protagonist (or protagonists, if it’s a romance or other story with more than one MC) as well as for your villain.
I hit on this trick several years ago when I was flat lining and desperate for pre-NaNo ideas. The birth horoscopes provided me with such useful material for my character dossiers that I’ve used them many times since.

2. Select one weird location the character(s) will need to visit.


Maybe your book will take place primarily in an office, the character’s home, or deep in a mystical elven forest. Whatever the main setting, pick someplace that contrasts this and include it. Weird settings can practically become characters of their own, giving you fun idea to work off of and readers an interesting twist. Willy Wonka’s factor is a good example of this.
A “weird” setting needn't mean a bizarre place like Wonderland or the Star Wars cantina. It just means a location that isn’t immediately obvious. In one of my books, the characters are stuck on a ranch most of the time, but end up taking a trip to Las Vegas. In another, when the heroine visits “his place” she discovers the hero has been hiding out in a cave behind a waterfall. Both are real world settings that aren’t expected in context of the book.
One important rule here: don’t plop the setting into the story “just because”. Whether your weird location is an alternate reality or a seedy laundromat, there needs to be a valid reason why the character goes there (and not just to wash their unmentionables). Use the setting to further the plot or characterization. In my ranch/Vegas book, two things happen in Vegas that are crucial to the plot and its resolution. The waterfall cave location in the other shows the lengths the hero went to in order to hide, plus it places the heroine in a vulnerable, intimate situation that jump starts their relationship.
Some examples for “weird” settings:
An alternate reality
A creepy old house
An antique shop packed with curiosities
A shopping mall that’s been closed down for years
A carnival
A tree house
An old fire station converted into a house

3. Pick a random object that becomes vital to the plot

This is something I’ve done for several NaNoWriMo, and it’s always fun. Take an ordinary object and make it extraordinary. It can be an everyday object with magical properties or an item of great financial/sentimental value. The entire plot might revolve around this item, or maybe it seems unimportant at first but impacts events later. For instance, I gave a main character an earth-shaped pendant with mystical properties—the ability to keep his werewolf nature (somewhat) at bay. So naturally I had him lose the pendant while he’s on the job during a full moon.
Ideas for random objects:
A snow globe
A gift that arrives wrapped with no note
A clock that doesn’t work
An antique car
An heirloom ring
Keys that don’t open anything (or do they?)
A headstone in the garden

Pinterest is a fun place to find inspiration for locations and objects, but my favorite inspiration station is the NaNoWriMo forums. The Adoption Society section has threads for “adopting” settings, objects, characters, plot twists, even titles. It’s a great place for getting the NaNoWriMo juices flowing.

Do you have any special plotting tools you use for NaNoWriMo?

~~~

J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books and is a eight-time winner of NaNoWriMo. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Facebook. She loves talking to people!

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Raising the Stakes -Snippet Sunday

12:00 AM 18 Comments
~~Warning: Adult content~~

On Sundays, I share tidbits of my works in progress as part of Weekend Warrior’s 8-Sentence Sunday.  


I'm still working on my fantasy, Bound to Her Master. Last time, Lord Stepanyan busied himself assessing the body paint on his slave, Ti-Hana, rather than tell her she's entitled to sleep with another man of her choosing as part of the double moon celebration. 
I'm skipping ahead a few paragraphs. It is time for their "audiencing", a public display of Stepanyan's Mastery. Ti-Hana is blindfolded and being led by guards to what she'd assumed would be her Master's private box seats, but it's soon apparent the entourage is headed someplace else.

At the rate they were descending, they would hit the arena floor itself before long. That thought struck her, and she sucked in a shallow breath.
They stopped again with her still standing on stairs.
“Presenting his arising lordship,” came a deep, reverberating boom over the loudspeaker. “Stepanyan of the house of Oshar, Lord of the Shogran, Destroyer of the fire beast, and Cerunnon Master, honoring the ancient tradition with a demonstration in the main arena.”
Ti-Hana's heart sped. Her Master might have mentioned their session wasn’t to be a small audiencing, but a center ring attraction where every eye in the stadium would scrutinize their every move.
There were no cheers, only silence, while she sensed Lord Stepanyan being taken into the arena first.
“Be mindful of the sounds you make from here on,” a maidservant whispered, slipping something around Ti-Hana’s neck. “Every noise will be amplified for the audience, from your words right down to a sigh.”

Surprise, Ti-Hana! Lord Stepanyan has just raised the stakes on her submissive training--and he isn't done yet.
What do you think?

About Bound to Her Master:

Single and pregnant, Maddie stumbles through a portal to a strange, exotic world ruled by gods who practice ancient traditions of  sexual slavery, bondage and Domination. And in this land where pregnant females represent the ideal of erotic beauty, Maddie has just become a prize catch. 
The last thing Stepanyan wants is a sex slave. The heir to the high seat has bigger problems, such as passing the trials of ascension and keeping his rival, Vo'Dan, from stealing his right to rule. But when they both encounter a lost human in the desert, Stepanyan jumps to claim the beauty before his nemesis can have the satisfaction. Although he has no intention of keeping her other than to rob Vo'Dan of a victory, Stepanyan must first become her Master, and she his bondage slave, in a convincing show of Dominance to avoid allegations of a wrongful claim.
Maddie knows nothing of the ancient ways, but she must learn in order to stay safe and hide Stepanyan's true motives. In return, he will offer her far more concessions than other Masters, especially the cruel and sadistic Vo'Dan.
But as Stepanyan and his female--now known as Ti-Hana--act out their roles as Master and slave, there will be unexpected consequences to their intimacy. A growing attachment to her sexy Master takes Ti-Hana for a hard ride she fears she won't recover from, and Stepanyan will undergo a change that will not only threaten his right to rule, but could forever alter a religious practice that has endured for thousands of years. 
And when Vo'Dan discovers the pair has broken the laws of slavery to pursue their passion, he will win the right to claim the female Stepanyan never wanted, but can no longer live without.

~ * ~ ~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ *~ *~ * ~ *~ *

For more awesome snippets, check out 

~~~~
I'm J. Rose Allister, wife, working mom, and the author of over twenty-five books. Somewhere in between one and the next, I love hanging out here on my blog and over on Twitter. Give me a comment or follow-I love chatting with people!

Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Homemade Coffee Mocha Frappe

12:00 AM 0 Comments
It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!


I have had a love-love-can't-have relationship with coffee for as long as I can remember. I do have to limit how much caffeine I take in, but the flavor of coffee and the little happy boost helps my mental clarity and general outlook on life. It makes me a better writer, darn it! So yeah, I have to have some coffee, and hope "some" doesn't turn into the 5 or more cups per day I've been known to ingest. 

Since the weather in my region has all but forgotten that there's supposed to be this thing called "Fall", where the temperatures actually drop below 90 and stay there, I've been making iced and blended coffee drinks. The trouble with making these at home is that ice waters down the coffee, making for a rather bland beverage experience. I hit on the following idea, and it's been a whole new story.


Homemade Coffee Mocha Frappe


Ingredients
1 cup coffee, still hot
1 packet hot cocoa (I use the No Sugar Added, or use 1 Tbsp regular baking cocoa sifted with equal amount sugar)
1 Tbsp sugar or to taste (I'm limiting table sugar, so I've found real, organic maple syrup gives this a nice "wow" factor)
A tiny dash of salt (brings out the flavors)
6 Coffee Cubes (see below)
1 dash vanilla
Around 1/2 cup milk (coconut is nice, but any will do)
Whipped cream topping (I'd say this is optional, but is it? Really?)

Coffee Cubes: pour 1/2 cup coffee (sweetened to taste, if you'd like) into an ice cube tray and freeze 3 hrs until set.


Directions

Stir cocoa mix, sugar, and salt into hot coffee until dissolved. Add to blender with coffee cubes, vanilla, and milk. Cover and whir on medium-high until blended well. Taste and adjust sweetness. If it's too thick to pour, add more milk and pulse briefly to mix. Pour into tall glass and top with whipped cream. (A sprinkle of cinnamon or nutmeg is nice too.)


Enjoy!
~~~

J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people!

Monday, October 19, 2015

Yes, Virginia, There Is a NaNoWriMo

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November is just around the bend, and I can feel my excitement growing. Did you know that November is National Novel Writing Month? In fact, there is an official NaNoWriMo challenge. Write a novel (or 50,000 words of one) between November 1 and 30 to win the challenge.  Basically, it's like early Christmas for writers, and at the end, we're gifted with a shiny new draft to polish.

You needn't be a novelist to join. In fact, you can participate even if you haven't written a story since grade school. Anyone, at any skill level, is encouraged to take part.  My 11-year-old will be NaNoing--and she wrote her first NaNo story at the tender age of 6. The point is to celebrate fiction, and to enjoy the sheer fun of a challenge that hundreds of thousands of people will do simultaneously across six continents.

This is my 10th year since I first joined NaNo. (Although only my 9th attempt, as I took last year off). Hopefully, it will be my 9th "win" as well. Kata Sutra, Crystal's Cowboys, Nature's Bounty, and Peter and the Wolf are just some of the titles that began as NaNo projects.

Here on the blog, I'll be posting word counts as well as my personal favorite lines written each day throughout the challenge. So even if you decide not to participate yourself, you can still take part in the fun!

My 2015 NaNoWriMo Project:

I'll be using NaNo to propel me through writing a short story series I'm pretty stoked about. The Sons of Herne series is a set of eight steamy fantasy tales, each set around a pagan sabbat and the god who oversees it. The series will ultimately be offered as a bundled set, but the individual stories will be released throughout the year in conjunction with the sabbat holidays. 

Okay, this isn't exactly a "novel", which is the point of the challenge. But the total word count will easily exceed 50k of fiction, and I really, REALLY want to write this series. I need to write it. I've already completed two tales and a rough outline for the remainder, and I'm very excited to bring the rest to life.

So I hope you'll come by the blog throughout November to see my progress--and favorite lines--for this awesome new series. To get you ready, here are some favorite lines that I posted during NaNos past:

Past NaNo Favorite Lines: (Content warning: The last two lines contain explicit language)


The wolf Peter’s eyes glowed with moon fire, and his snout twitched with interest while he sniffed the air. -Peter and the Wolf

Wanna open your eyes for me, pal? I need to make sure they’re still in their sockets. -Crystal's Cowboys

What an image he made, collared wild like her own personal slave, with his eyes glittering, his body shining with sweat and his manhood dangling long and inviting between parted thighs. David gave a whole new meaning to her idea of a cave man. -Disarming Cowboys

“I should have tied those balloons to your nuts and floated you off over the ocean.” -Nature's Bounty


~~~

J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people.

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Plump Pumpkin Glazed Cookies

12:00 AM 0 Comments
It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!


Anyone who knows me is aware of my affinity for pumpkin. When fall rolls around, the craving kicks in, and I must have pumpkin in All The Things.

Last weekend, I made my pumpkin chili recipe and had half a large can of pumpkin left over. So for dessert, I decided to make some pumpkin cookies. I was out of a few of my traditional ingredients, so I played around with the recipe a bit and came up with these babies. They are soft and cake like, but rich and tender and oh, my! They were literally disappearing off the plate while I was trying to take the photo below, which is why the plate might look a bit bare in spots.

What really puts these on a whole new level of YUM is the glaze. Coconut oil instead of butter, combined with the pop of maple syrup in place of vanilla, gives it a unique, wow flavor. You CAN use butter in place of the coconut oil, but give this version a try. And my apologies in advance if you find you can't stop eating it. 

Speaking of substitutions, you can omit the cocoa and add 1 Tbsp instant coffee dissolved into 1 Tbsp hot water. Me, I like the cocoa. 

You can definitely add nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips to these, but we were out of all of this and as it turned out, we didn't miss them one bit!


Plump Pumpkin Glazed Cookies

 Ingredients
I was in such a hurry they turned out turtle-shaped!

Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp maple syrup
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Glaze
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 Tbsp maple syrup
scant 1/4 cup milk


Directions


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar together until light. Stir in pumpkin, egg, and maple syrup until well blended. In separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients and add to pumpkin mixture in batches, combining well between additions. Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets (ideally into rounds, because if you plop too fast you get those funny turtles shown above!). Bake for approx 11 minutes or until edges of cookies are dry and set. Remove to racks to cool. 

While cooling, make glaze by combining ingredients in a medium bowl, beating well until nice and creamy. To frost cookies, drop them straight down upside down into the glaze, then twist up and off. Let glaze set for 15 minutes, if you can stand to wait, before serving.

Makes 4 dozen or so cookies, depending how large your "spoonfuls" are.


Enjoy!
~~~

J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people!

Monday, October 12, 2015

Weird Writing Tip #8-Characters Trading Places

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Part of a series of Weird Writing Tips that have helped me craft that wacky thing we call "fiction".


Characters Trading Places

You've seen movies, shows, or scenes  where the main characters have to pretend to be someone else (or who actually wind up in someone else's body, for whatever reason). "Face Off" was a great example. (The movie with John Travolta and Nicholas Cage, not the special effects reality show.) was a great example. Or the episode in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" where Faith and Buffy trade bodies, and Faith has to act like the girl she both loathes and secretly envies.  In these cases, the actors have to use what they know of the mannerisms, speech, and behavior of who they are trying to impersonate in order to sell the deception.

One way to help you get a truly unique insight into the characters of your story is to let them trade hats.


 The weird tip is: Write a scene where two of your main characters have to impersonate one another.



This doesn't mean you have to add this plot device into your actual story (unless you want to). It's merely an exercise to let you see characters through each other's eyes.

Pick your two main characters, or a character you are struggling with and either the protagonist or villain. Now write a scene where, by accident or design, one of them has to become the other. Then reverse roles and have the second character portray the first. 

How do the characters see one another? What quirks or mannerisms do they feel are important to portray? What troubles do they have pulling off the deception, and what do they learn about their alter ego by the end?  In writing this exercise, you'll discover some things about both the character they are adopting as well as themselves. It's a weird, sideways look at what makes a character tick by making them do something completely out of their nature.

Have fun, and have at it!

~~~
On select Mondays, I like to gab about writing or whatever's going on with me. For more gab, please join me on Twitter or Facebook. I love talking to people!


J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night.

Sunday, October 11, 2015

Most Excellent Work -Snippet Sunday

12:00 AM 16 Comments
~~Warning: Adult content~~

On Sundays, I share tidbits of my works in progress as part of Weekend Warrior’s 8-Sentence Sunday.  


I'm still working on Bound to Her MasterWhen last we left off, Lord Stepanyan had silenced the crowd that was calling out for his slave, Ti-Hana, and was contemplating whether to tell her she was entitled to sleep with any other man of her choosing during that evening's double moon celebration. 
Now, Stepanyan  returns to the dressing area after dealing with the crowd.

Ti-Hana rose to face him with her head bowed, but even in that posture of respect he could see the confusion, the question there. She had no idea why slaves were chanting for her or why her Master had returned from silencing them with a sullen expression. And why should he allow the double moon celebration to color this moment, when they were about to fulfill months of careful training?
Stepanyan let his eyes roam her body, deliberately blocking out thoughts of her supple limbs wrapped around another man. Circling her, he assessed the artistry displayed where her costume had been painted on—literally. By necessity, no fabric would be worn for the ritual. Burnished bronze and gold patterns formed intricate swirls and galaxies of dots up her arms and across the hollows beneath her collarbones, down the sides of her rib cage to curve around her underbelly, and spiraling down her thighs. Her hair had been styled in stunning, luxurious waves that tumbled down her back, and a pleasant flush of pride rose in his chest while he reached out to let a curl wind itself around his finger.

“Most excellent work,” he said to the two servants who stood nearby, awaiting his approval. “Bring forth the robes.”

Hm, so he's managed to avoid the issue--for now. Should he stay off the hook?

About Bound to Her Master:

Single and pregnant, Maddie stumbles through a portal to a strange, exotic world ruled by gods who practice ancient traditions of  sexual slavery, bondage and Domination. In this land where ripe, pregnant females represent the ultimate ideal of erotic beauty, Maddie has just become a prize catch. 
The last thing Stepanyan wants is a sex slave. The heir to the high seat has bigger problems, such as passing the trials of ascension and keeping his rival, Vo'Dan, from stealing his right to rule. But when they both encounter a lost human in the desert, Stepanyan jumps to claim the beauty before his nemesis can have the satisfaction. Although he has no intention of keeping her other than to rob Vo'Dan of a victory, Stepanyan must first become her Master, and she his bondage slave, in a convincing show of Dominance to avoid allegations of a wrongful claim.
Maddie knows nothing of the ancient ways, but she must learn in order to stay safe and hide Stepanyan's true motives. In return, he will offer her far more concessions than other Masters, especially the cruel and sadistic Vo'Dan. As Stepanyan and his female--now known as Ti-Hana--act out their pretend roles as Master and slave, there will be unexpected consequences to their intimacy. A growing attachment to her incredibly sexy Master takes Ti-Hana for a hard ride she fears she won't recover from, and Stepanyan will undergo a change that will not only threaten his right to rule, but could forever alter a religious practice that has endured for thousands of years. 
And when Vo'Dan discovers the pair has broken the laws of slavery to pursue their passion, he will win the right to claim the female Stepanyan never wanted, but can no longer live without.

~ * ~ ~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ *~ *~ * ~ *~ *

For more awesome snippets, check out 

~~~~
I'm J. Rose Allister, wife, working mom, and the author of over twenty-five books. Somewhere in between one and the next, I love hanging out here on my blog and over on Twitter. Give me a comment or follow-I love chatting with people!

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Caramel Butterfinger Brownies

12:00 AM 0 Comments
It's Too Yummy Tuesday!

On select Tuesdays I share delicious recipes either inspired by my books or that are just plain delicious!


I've messed around with some brownie recipes off and on the past few months, and I think I've come up with the ultimate decadent treat.  Better yet, it starts with boxed mix as the base, so it's easy to do.


Caramel Butterfinger Brownies

 Ingredients

1 box of brownie mix, batter prepped per package directions
60 caramels, unwrapped (or make a batch of caramel from this recipe)
2 Butterfinger bars
Powdered sugar

Directions
Just out of the oven..see caramel bubbling around the edges!

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Divide prepared brownie batter in half. Press one half into bottom of a 9" square cake pan. Bake for 6 minutes. While baking, melt caramels in microwave or over top of double boiler until smooth. Cool slightly. Crush Butterfinger bars into fine bits. (I've chopped them and run through the blender/food processor for just a few quick pulses.)

Pour caramel over bottom half of brownie; sprinkle evenly with Butterfinger bits. With remaining half of brownie batter, lay out on a surface and press/roll out into a square about the size of your pan. (This is so you don't make a mess trying to shape the batter into the pan on top of the caramel.) Set on top of the caramel/candy layer. Bake an additional 20 minutes until the top is done--it springs back when you press a finger on it and starts to pull away slightly from pan. Remove and let cool on a rack. Sprinkle with a generous layer of powdered sugar before slicing. (I like to do this through a sieve so it's sifted nicely.)

Stand back and prepare for these to be devoured before you can take a photo of the finished product. 

Makes 16-24 brownies, depending how large you slice them.


Enjoy!
~~~

J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night. Connect with her on Twitter or Goodreads. She loves talking to people!

Monday, October 5, 2015

Weird Writing Tip #7- Write in Your Sleep

12:00 AM 0 Comments

The fourth in a series of Weird Writing Tips that have helped me craft that wacky thing we call "fiction".


Write in Your Sleep

This is a tip I learned very early on in my career, and, I might add, completely by accident.

When I was new to fiction, I would do creative writing exercises on the fly to hone my skills. Whether I was in the car, sitting at work, or eating at a restaurant, I would challenge myself to describe the setting or make mental or literal notes about interesting people and conversations. As I am rather a dedicated sort, I found myself doing this A. Lot. After a few weeks or so of this constant mentality, my brain became programmed to stay in "writer mode" even when I was busy doing something else. Eventually, I realized that little machine in the corner of my mind would even crank away at night, while I was asleep.

 The weird tip is: Teach your brain to work out plot details and plan the next scene while you sleep.

Here's how to do this:


Get into the habit of spending that last few minutes before you drift off to sleep prepping for the next day's writing. Read what you've got outlined for the following day (if you're a planner). Think about where you left off. Imagine your next scene. Contemplate that sticky plot issue that you haven't figured out how to resolve. If you are between projects, invent a new character or dream up random title ideas.  In short, spend those few remaining moments loading up your brain with writing energy. Then go to sleep and let your subconscious mind go to work sorting out the info. You may soon start to find you wake up with a solid direction for your next scene, ways to resolve plot holes, new story ideas, and more. Keep a notepad beside your bed for sudden inspiration that you don't want to forget.

One nice bonus to this is that it gives a writer so many more hours in the day. When you can literally plot in your sleep, you're freeing up that many more waking hours for actually getting words onto the page.

Have fun, and have at it!

~~~
On select Mondays, I like to gab about writing or whatever's going on with me. For more gab, please join me on Twitter or Facebook. I love talking to people!


J. Rose Allister is the author of more than twenty-five books, primarily romance and erotic romance. A former editor and submissions director, she now works as a mild-mannered hospital secretary by day, naughty writer by night.

Sunday, October 4, 2015

A Question of Choice -Snippet Sunday

12:00 AM 18 Comments
~~Warning: Adult content~~

On Sundays, I share tidbits of my works in progress as part of Weekend Warrior’s 8-Sentence Sunday.  


I'd been posting snippets from my Yule story the past couple of weeks, but I finished it. Now we're back to my bondage fantasy, Bound to Her Master.

When last we left off, Lord Stepanyan was facing some nerves about the performance he and his slave, Ti-Hana, were about to give at the slave games.  A chant from the crowd distracts him, and he goes outside to investigate.

Choose me, Ti-Hana.

The chanting was loud and insistent when Stepanyan stepped outside, and many signs were held aloft with the same message—all being wielded by slaves. His joo-hai’na had been of high interest among the nobles, but he hadn’t considered the fascination she might hold for other sex slaves—especially males. And with tonight being the celebration of the double full moons, the implication of that caused his lip to press together in a tight line.

Tonight, slaves would be encouraged to mingle with one another, not just as a social nicety, but for the purpose of sexual recreation. Choosing their partners and indulging whims without being in irons, without any of the constraints or restrictions imposed by their Masters, was an important occasion that helped keep slaves content in their service the rest of the year.

In all his preparation for the slave games, Stepanyan hadn’t given a single thought to that tradition. He and Ti-Hana did not have a typical Master-slave arrangement, after all. There was no reason to give her leave to frolic with strange men under the double full moons, but by law, he could not prevent it.

Then again, he was not required to press her into a celebration she had no knowledge of, either.

Hmm, what will Stepanyan decide to do about this tradition...tell her, or not?

~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ *~ *~ * ~ *~ *

For more awesome snippets, check out 

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I'm J. Rose Allister, wife, working mom, and the author of over twenty-five books. Somewhere in between one and the next, I love hanging out here on my blog and over on Twitter. Give me a comment or follow-I love chatting with people!

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