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Cadence Beach Guest Post and $10 Amazon Giftcard Giveaway!

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Leave a comment for a chance to win a $10 Amazon Giftcard, open INT! 


I have a very odd and somewhat interesting system for coaxing a story idea out of my vast, seemingly unlimited imagination. I begin with a title. I don’t always stick with this title (I did with Cadence Beach, however), but I begin here. First the title, then the plot idea follows so close behind it’s nearly a simultaneous event. It’s difficult to explain with any real clarity, but that’s how the ideas tumble from my funny, little brain.
In Oregon, there is a seaside town by the name of Cannon Beach. That’s where my inspiration for the location came from, as well as the title. Originally from Oregon (born and raised in the suburb of Beaverton), I visit home often. On one of my summer visits, I wound up in Cannon Beach, and voila, the tittle was conceived along with the initial plot idea (again, that sort of simultaneous process).
The character development happened in much the same way most writers describe: one word at a time. In other words, as I began to write, they each developed, or came to me. I did not have any preconceived notions about who they were, they just “appeared” as I began to write. Interestingly, I began with the psychotic character, Allan Roth, and developed Josie and Gordon (as well as the rest of the cast of characters) along the way. I don’t know where Allan came from; he just popped into my head and wouldn’t go away. But as I’m an unabashed romantic, Josie and Gordon followed naturally.
There is one thing I know for sure before I begin any story; each one will undoubtedly have a romance intertwined and a happy (or happily satisfying) ending. I subscribe to the Jane Austen writing motto in that I feel real life offers enough unhappy endings, stories are a place to escape to and walk away from with a spring in your step and a flutter in your heart (or a feeling close to it!).
I love to read, and I read from several genres, not all ending happily, but when I write, I’m in control, and I want to leave the reader feeling good. That’s just me.

Excerpt #1

Allan released his wife’s neck and sealed her swollen, blue mouth with a kiss. “Not even in death shall we part,” he whispered against her wet cheek before rising to dress slowly, methodically.

Like a photographer adjusting his model, he fanned Suzanne’s long, dark hair across the pillow. He pressed her legs together and gently arranged her arms by her sides then sat in the chair by the window and waited for darkness to fall.

At midnight, he scooped Suzanne carefully into his arms and carried her to their back yard where he’d often found her on her knees, lovingly tending the plants. He lowered her into the hole he’d dug earlier beneath the maple tree.

“Goodnight, my love,” he whispered, shoveling dirt over her naked body. “I’ll be seeing you.”

He pulled out 15 of the yellow daffodils Suzanne had planted along the edge of the yard and replanted them in three rows of five in the mound of soil that concealed his wife.

80 comments:

  1. I like that thought about real life offering up enough unhappy endings. So true!! Reading is such a great pleasure & a happy ending never goes amiss.

    marypres(AT)gmail(DOT)com

  1. Thank you for hosting Linda today.

  1. thanks for the chance - I enjoyed the review and excerpt
    Louis

    pumuckler {at} gmail {dot} com

  1. Rebecca Hipworth said...:

    Thank you for the giveaway. :)

    Becky01x@gmail.com

  1. I love happy endings too! Life already has enough depressing stuff, so when I read a book, I want it to be an escape and be happy. Thanks for the giveaway! :O)

  1. Anonymous said...:

    Happy endings are always my choice, too!

    vitajex(at)aol(dot)com

  1. Karen H said...:

    Some authors go into deep detail to develop a background and life for the main characters of their stories. They may or may not use all the details, but it's there if they need it. What about you; do you do a comprehensive workup sheet of your character's background? What materials/resources do you use to keep track of everything? Some authors use Excel spreadsheets, others use white board.

    kareninnc at gmail dot com

  1. Hi everyone! Thanks for stopping by, and thank you Krystal for hosting me today! Sorry I'm so late to the "party".

    Hi Karen! Nice to see you again. ;)
    To answer your question, I do some background work on characters, but a lot is done as I go. I take notes (lots of notes) on each character as they develop. And this I do the old fashioned way: paper and pen. ;)
    Thank you for the question!

  1. JC said...:

    Thank you for hosting, I love Amazon.com

  1. KLJ said...:

    Great book, I enjoyed it. Now get busy so I can read your next one! :)

  1. You're right...Life has enough unhappy endings. Leave it to Jane Austen, wise woman.

    catherinelee100 at gmail dot com

  1. Unknown said...:

    thanks for the chance!! Looks like a great book!

  1. Shadow said...:

    Congrats on your release! Thank you for sharing! And thank you for the awesome giveaway!
    shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com

  1. Anonymous said...:

    Okay I am intrigued. The exerpt has left me hanging and I want to know what is goin on. Thanks for the giveaway.

    rachel at thejeepdiva dot com

  1. ann said...:

    Tsk tsk and he covered her with daffodils to cover where he buried her - woo I gotta read the rest of this books . Thanks for the giveaway

  1. Chilling! Sounds like a great book! Thanks for the excerpt!
    megnate at telus dot net

  1. DANIELA said...:

    Hi Linda
    I love Jane Austen's books... And HEA are what we all hope for.
    Thanks for sharing!

    Daniela.
    dany7578 at hotmail dot com

  1. Love The Excerpt I Have It On My Wish List. butterfli262002@yahoo.com

  1. Rachel said...:

    Jane Austen is wonderful! Thanks for the post :)
    malibu311 at gmail dot com

  1. Thanks for the giveaway!

    volta2173 at sbcglobal dot net

  1. Tobi said...:

    Thanks for the post! It's going on my tr list

    tobihelton at gmail dot com

  1. everyone loves happy endings! Thanks for the giveaway! Gale
    pgan427@yahoo.com

  1. Thanks for the giveaway!
    gagaslab at gmail dot com

  1. GW said...:

    What a mysterious and chilling book this is, I'd really would love to read it.

  1. Anonymous said...:

    Thanks for the giveaway. This sounds like a great book
    thivy.lopez@gmail.com

  1. Your book sounds great! I'd like to give it a try. Thanks for the giveaway :)
    laceyblossom1@gmail.com

  1. Stormy said...:

    That excerpt gave me chills. O__O

    jjandstormy(at)yahoo(dot)com

  1. Your book sounds great! Thanks for the giveaway.
    mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

  1. Malvina Beatrice said...:

    Thanks for the excerpt!

    darkenf(at)rocketmail(dot)com

  1. Cathy C said...:

    sounds like a great read

    thanks for the chance to win!

    catherine0807 at hotmail dot com

  1. G said...:

    the excerpt is really enticing

  1. magic5905 said...:

    Thanks for the giveaway.
    magic5905 at embarqmail dot com

  1. I love happy endings, but once in a while I like to read some unexpected endings, too.
    Thanks for the giveaway
    lissette_125 at hotmail dot com

  1. christaj3 said...:

    Wow! Sounds great! Thanks for the excerpt and the giveaway!!

  1. Sena said...:

    Thanks for the excerpt! And the nice giveaway!
    sena.sagani at gmail dot com

  1. Megan said...:

    What a great excerpt!
    megan330@comcast.net

  1. Alba said...:

    OH MY GOD!! I love you for always including romance and HEA!!! or HEE!!!!!!!! That is just a MUST for me, the romance not the latter, but still!! Thank you so much!!!!!

    calbizzz_152(at)hotmail(dot)com

  1. Unknown said...:

    Wow, this book sound so thrilling, the excerpt really leaves you wanting for more!
    email: laracilia at hotmail dot com

  1. Thanks for sponsoring a great giveaway. Best of luck on your continued writing. Imagination and skill to write it down eludes me and I am glad you and others are able to do so...and we can read your works!

  1. Cayce said...:

    Cannon Beach sounds like an amazing place :)

    Thanks for the excerpt!

    cayce006 at yahoo dot com

  1. Nice excerpt!

    ejhtan @ gmail . com

  1. Unknown said...:

    Thanks for a great post. i am glad you have a system for getting stories out of your vast imagination and into our hands! Thanks. Also, thanks for the chance to win the great giveaway.

    marianne dot wanham at gmail dot com

  1. Nancy said...:

    Deliciously eerie. Thanks for the chance to win.

  1. Munnaza said...:

    Thank you for the excerpt and for the awesome giveaway!

    I'd love to enter:

    infalliblyyours@gmail.com

  1. Suz Reads said...:

    I love happy endings and am glad that you try to have them in your books! This sounds like a fun story!

    susanw28 (at) mindspring (dot) com

  1. Sayomay said...:

    Happy endings are def lacking theses days :(
    xeno_turtle(at)yahoo(dot)com

  1. What a unique way - starting with the title first. I dont think I have ever heard of a writer doing that.

    jill.watkins (at) gmail.com

  1. Evie said...:

    Wow! what an absolutely wonderful post! :) It's so interesting to read about Linda's way of creating a story and trying to tame her wild imagination! :)

    And it's so interesting that the inspiration for Cannon Beach was an actual town in Oregon! I love books that in some ways are inspired by real people, places or events, and this one sounds truly wonderful!

    Thank you so much for sharing, I think I learned a lot from this GP and will definitely be adding Candance Beach to my TBR pile!

    evieseo at gmail com

  1. Lynda Del said...:

    I would love to win this! Thanks for the chance!
    lyndadawinda1074 at yahoo dot com

  1. Unknown said...:

    This book sounds really good. Thanks for the chance!
    amandarwest atgmaildotcom

  1. That is the excerpt of all excerpts! I'm on the hunt now for this book, I *need* to know what is going on! Thank you for sharing!

    jaidahsmommy(at)comcast(dot)net

  1. Holy. What an excerpt! Seems interesting ;) Thank you for sharing :D And for the giveaway. <3
    Love, Carina

  1. katayoun said...:

    ooh i also think happy endings are the thing!! i even don't like ones that do end happily but kill the ones that i like in the middle :)

  1. Anonymous said...:

    There's nothing like a good romance novel.

  1. Carol M said...:

    I enjoyed reading your post! Thank yu for the giveaway!
    mittens0831 at aol dot com

  1. Darlene said...:

    It was very interesting to learn how your story comes about! I don't think I could start with a title!!

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com

  1. Lisa said...:

    Thanks so much, this sounds really great.

    lhoffpauir at gmail

  1. I love that Jane Austen quote - thank you for sharing the story of development

    scarlettkitty at hotmail dot com

  1. missymyt said...:

    sounds good!

    missymyt (at) hotmail (dot) com

  1. Thank you! :)
    holliister at gmail dot com

  1. Emmanuelle said...:

    I would love to win this! I've got nearly 50 books on my wishlist on Amazon!
    frenchcanadienne(at)hotmail(dot)com

  1. OH MY! The excerpt is seriously creepy! I want to read this!

  1. Thanks so much!
    pixelberrypie@yahoo.com

  1. I really liked the excerpt!!

  1. Unknown said...:

    Sounds like my kind of read! Thanks for the chance to win! wendynjason04@gmail.com

  1. I love happy ending in a book Thank you for sharing the excerpt. Thank you for the great giveaway!
    Latisha D
    tishajean@ charter.netr

  1. Kia89 said...:

    Thanks for the giveaway!
    austma7@aol.com

  1. Jane said...:

    Sounds like it could be creepy!
    jcottey at aol dot com

  1. I'm very intrigued!
    Sabrina
    smp0804@hotmail.com

  1. Daniel M said...:

    sounds like a fun one - regnod(at)yahoo(d0t)com

  1. This book sound like something very different. I will have to check it out.

    pandaluvsu82 at gmail dot com

  1. susan1215 said...:

    Thanks for the post, sounds like a good book

    s2s2 at comcast dot net

  1. Anonymous said...:

    I would love to read this.
    gardnerad@juno.com

  1. Unknown said...:

    Woww, was not expecting that at all from the extract! It has me really intrigued now!

    -Laura
    laurahartley18@aol.com

  1. slehan said...:

    I also like to finish a book feeling good. And I like an author who can develop a good sense of place.
    Thanks for the contest.

    slehan at juno dot com

  1. Anonymous said...:

    What an intriguing way to think up at plot!

    cmcoggan@gmail.com

  1. Mary ann said...:

    I think this book's great, I love the excerpt and get the whole psycho thing. I believe that stories sometimes doesn't end with a happy ending, and those which end from a not so happy ending is where readers could find a real story. :)

    maryanngacayan at yahoo dot com