Taste of Kiwi: Blog of Author Shelley Munro

Last month, I did an online class with John Foxjohn through the Kiss of Death chapter. The course was called Eight Steps to Murdering a Manuscript and it covered all the things a writer should do during the editing stage. One tip I’d like to pass on related to dialogue.

Characters shouldn’t chitchat about the weather or what they did last week at work. Dialogue should advance the plot. A tip to make sure your dialogue does its job is to delete everything from your scene apart from the dialogue (or just highlight all the dialogue) and read it out loud without all the narration. Does it give the reader new information? Does it advance the plot? If so, great job. If the dialogue is just a lot of chitchat then think about reworking.

I’m blogging at Access Romance and giving away a print copy of Tea For Two.

I also have a new interview with author Fran Lee at the Examiner.

And finally, I got together with three other New Zealand writers to do free bookmarks. Readers can download the file and print it out. Here’s the link to download your free bookmarks. Please do let me know what you think of them!

I received my new cover for Cat Nap this week. I really love it. Syneca caught my heroes exactly–one in each form. To read an excerpt go here.

Today I’m blogging at Access Romance and I’m also guest at Christina Phillip’s blog. I’m talking about different things and giving away prizes at both places so do come and say hello!

And don’t forget that tomorrow is Snippet Saturday. The theme is Failed Seduction and you’re bound to find at least one book to add to your to-read pile. I know I do each time I follow the Snippet trail.

I’m blogging over at Access Romance today, and since it’s Valentine’s Day in New Zealand, I’m talking about love. Here’s the link to the Access Romance blog.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Do you celebrate and if so, what do you do to celebrate this special day for lovers?

After reading Leah Braemel’s post on making a book trailer and seeing her new trailer last week, I decided to try making one of my own. Armed with Leah’s instructions, plus the instructions I’d saved a while ago from Brenda Coulter, I started on my book trailer journey.

I enjoyed making my trailer, although Leah was right when she said it was a huge time suck. It took me all of Saturday night plus most of Sunday to get as far as I have. It’s fairly basic and I haven’t experimented much with fading pictures out etc. That will come with my next attempt. One thing I knew for sure was that I shouldn’t make my trailer too long. As a viewer of trailers, my attention wanders after one and a half minutes. I decided I needed to make my trailer as short as I could.

There are some wonderful book trailers available for viewing on Youtube and some real stinkers. I think mine fits somewhere in the middle. I’m happy with my first attempt, and I’m sure that next time will be easier because I’ve learned so much. Trial by doing!

Do you like to make book trailers? Do you have any handy hints to share on making trailers? Readers, do you enjoy watching trailers or do you run a mile when you see authors promoting them? Are there particular things you like or dislike about trailers?

I’m blogging over at Access Romance on Monday 19th January. The subject? My recent trip to Tongariro National Park. The post goes live at 6.00am. I hope you’ll pop over and say hello.

Fringe Benefits is out today!! Readers have been asking me about this book ever since I put it up on my coming soon page. Buy your copy at Ellora’s Cave today. I need every penny or cent you want to spend because that’s the only way I’ll get another trip to the US in the near future.

I’m blogging at Access Romance All-A-Blog today. There’s a chance to win a download of either Lovers at Last or Price of Love. Come over and say hello.

JERR asked to interview me recently, and my interview appears in the 16 Nov issue of their newsletter. If you write or read erotic romance and don’t know about JERR’s newsletter you’re missing out! Here’s the link to their website. Details of how to join the newsletter are on their site.

After an anxious wait, I received a review for Tea For Two this week. The reviewer said, “This is the perfect story to curl up with on a cold winter’s night, add a glass of wine, some music, and lose yourself in the ups and downs as star crossed lovers discover their soul mates. This is such a fabulous story, and I look forward to reading more stories written by this amazing author. Kudos, Ms. Munro!”
Here’s the link to the full review.

And finally, the writing is going really well. I’ve cranked out a lot of words this week, and all going well, I should have my first draft done at the end of next week. This is the first time I’ve worked to a synopsis for ages, and it’s certainly a good way of keeping on track. I enjoy writing the first draft. I think it’s the creating and allowing my imagination to wander wherever it likes. Sometimes plotting too much freezes my brain, but this time, it’s all good, and I’ve even done a few fancy steps that aren’t in the synopsis.

How has your week gone? If you’re working on NaNo, how are you going?

I’m guest blogging over at Access Romance today, doing a special Tell-tale about my Middlemarch Mates series. Come on over and say hi.

I’m blogging over at Access Romance today. It’s my very first blog over there so I hope you come over to visit me. Everyone who comments on my post at Access Romance will go into a draw to win a copy of Midnight Treat. See you there!