The Letter of the Law L/P

Romance

James, Kristen

Contemporary

Harlequin Mills & Boon Ltd.

From plot twists to dialogue, authors have a long list to think about when revising and polishing a novel. These 101 questions and explanations will help you improve and check your novel's opening, plot and character development, conflict, pacing, dialogue, and of course the writing itself. After months or years of working on a story, it's difficult to check the quality on every fiction element. 101 Questions looks at overarching issues, small details, and writing technique. You may learn about new techniques and tips, see a method differently, or realize that you forgot a trick. This handy list of 101 questions explores many possible ways to improve specific areas, add layers and depth, strengthen conflict, find plot holes, and identify writing issues.Sample Question - #40. Do all of your characters have strong feelings about each other?Working on this element truly adds another layer to your story. In life, we meet people and classify them right away. It's not often that we know a person but don't have any opinions or feelings about them. But we see that in stories all the time.Sometimes I read or edit a novel and have a hard time telling the characters apart. This arises when the characters aren't distinct, but it's also caused by a lack of feeling toward each other. If your hero really dislikes another character, that will color the hero's description and interaction with that character.Take a closer look at your work: make a list of all of your characters and then describe how your hero feels about them. If your hero doesn't feel anything that shows in your story right now, do you need to make that character more colorful? And by colorful, I mean annoying, more pushy, more opinionated, more deceitful, more secretive, more talkative, more silent, more helpful, more sweet, more of a pushover, more something?Look at the relationship between all of your main characters. It might help to make a chart. Then think about how they interact and secretly feel about each other. You can have a lot of fun in this area, and it really deepens your story.

101 Questions to Improve Your Novel: for Writing, Editing, Revising, and Polishing

Reference

Writing, Research & Publishing Guides

Authorpreneur Press

River-Song's father, Chief Sits-and-Thinks, is growing old and sick, but he trusts in her to lead their people as they face changes. Her best friend has become her rival as they compete to marry the big chief's son. But as River-Song proves herself to him, she begins to see he isn't the man she thought. Then she must use her gift of words when a wandering band of braves seek a new home with them. They speak her mother's language so she can understand them. River-Song feels pulled to their leader but confused about her place in the tribe. Can this young girl hold her tribe together as the new braves join them, and again when hostile warriors attack their valley? 
Come visit the River People in the Pacific Northwest before fur traders or missionaries arrived. River-Song lives in a valley of meandering streams that give them salmon and trout to eat. Oak trees abound in the valley, and a forest of cedar and fir surround them, making a canopy and giving them planks for their long houses, canoes, and totem poles. 
Visit the author's new website at www.writerkristenjames.com. Interact at www.facebook.com/TheRiverPeople. 
An excerpt from this novel placed in the 78th Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition, as a short story titled "Salmon and Summer Games: A Way of Life." 
The Klamath Falls Herald and News says, "A nicely told tale that discusses American Indians from a different perspective. It combines history with romance, with a hint of early women's liberation, and a larger dose of Indian culture." Recommended by teachers, this classical story makes for great historical reading for fourth graders and up. 
Douglas County News said, “The characters are well developed; the reader cares about them and what’s going to happen next. River-Song is a complex person, as all 15 year olds are. However, in her culture, she is no longer considered a child and one day will become the leader of her village. During this critical summer, she leaves the last trace of childhood firmly behind and gains a maturity that stands her in good stead as she faces many challenges, both within herself and from the outside. What direction should she lead her people? How will she meet the threat to her happiness and to her people as a whole? The answers are cleverly woven into a good read.” 
Bonus story: In The Land of Huckleberries and Wokas. 
Young Snow Bird is taken from her people in a raid and forced to leave her marshes and people behind. A young brave in the raiding party offers help but he cannot help all of the women in children. She must decide if she can leave them and search for help. 
The stories weren’t just stores, after all. Snow Bird had listened all through her childhood to scary tales of braves raiding camps and taking slaves, but she had never truly feared such a thing happening. When others told her these stories, her father patted her head and smiled, reassuring her that the elders used stories to keep the children close to camp. 
Yet now she sat with her hands bound in front of her while her captors drank from the river. They had rushed into camp and attacked those around the dinner fire. With knives tied to their wrists and clubs to swing, they had hit and stunned the adults in a confusing blink of the eye.

The River People

Children's Books

Literature & Fiction

Bravado Publishing

When her estranged brother passes, Missy is suddenly an unwanted co-owner to Ocean View Stables by Florence, Oregon. Missy wants to start over somewhere new after her old boss burned her. She's jobless and has a wrongly ruined reputation, so this works out perfectly . . . until she meets the cowboy running the place. Brent built his dream with determination and his two hands; he's responsible for everything that happens there. Secretly, he feels responsible that his former partner died. He also doesn't hide his belief that Missy won't stick around. Women tend to take off on him so why would she be any different? They both have a past that can ruin their future. Can he trust her to stay? Can she trust him with her heart?  From Coffee Time Romance and More: "A Great Romance for the Holidays and Anytime You Like!  Due to the death of a brother she barely knew, Missy has just become co-owner of a horse ranch in Oregon. This is great timing for her as her old boss and job are now dust. However, things may just be a bit more than she bargained for.  Brent is put off by Missy being there. He does not want anyone coming in and taking his dreams away. Dreams he has worked hard on and wants to keep on enjoying. He truly believes that Missy will not stick around for very long.  Missy is thrown into a situation she is very unsure of, has many trust issues behind her, and did not know her now dead brother very well. She is unsure what to do, but with the help of one handsome cowboy showing her the ropes, she just might be able to make a life here.  A Cowboy for Christmas is a great romance for the holidays or anytime you like. Real flaws are found in Brent and Missy which result in the great journey this couple takes on. Humor and strength are also found in the pages of this book. A bit fun and flirty read that will not disappoint."  Matilda Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More

A Cowboy for Christmas

Book Promoting 101: How To Tell The World About Your Book

Business & Money

Marketing & Sales

Matthew can't believe what the doctor is telling him. What about his wife? His two young children? How will he tell them how sick he is? The news brings back a long-forgotten memory. As a young, naive teenager, Matthew declared his feelings to his first love only to learn she was dying from cancer. Heartbroken, he laid his hand on her and wished to take her sickness on himself. Maybe it worked... His wife Victoria is an exec at a billion dollar company. As a person who has blazed her own path in life, she won't accept this lying down. She quickly finds herself traveling down a dark road of morality. What did Matthew do for love? How far will people go now, in the name of love?

A Miraculous Fate

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Garrison, Tommy

Thrillers & Suspense

Molly Anderson returns “home” to a town she doesn’t remember, hoping it will spark a memory. She meets Trent Williams, a Ridge City police detective, and something else definitely sparks. Not only does he know her, Trent takes on her case and promises to do everything he can to solve it. He wants to know why she left town, with her parents, but without a word to anyone. She doesn’t remember that life. She can only tell him she knew her parents briefly before they died . . . or were murdered, she’s not sure. She hopes regaining her memory will help answer that question. Trent has his own secrets, but they have a mystery to solve. As they work together, and Molly meets their old friends, she realizes her relationship with Trent went deeper than memories. In fact, she grew up in Ridge City, even though her parents had said they lived there just a few years. How could she have forgotten her lifelong friend and love? Has he really been looking for her—waiting for her—for the last four years? Can she love him again if she doesn’t remember him? There’s also the possibility that she did something awful –and maybe that’s why she’s afraid to remember her old life. Molly knows she wants Trent now, but the truth might destroy their love.

More Than Memories (Ridge City Mystery Thriller)

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

2015 International EditionAuthorpreneur: a noun. A professional author/entrepreneur who strives to improve in all areas of the publishing business: writing, publishing and marketing. What does it really take to make it as an author? What are realistic production and promotion costs? Do many people make money publishing ebooks, and how much? "Authorpreneur" takes a look at what's involved in independent publishing and what you can expect at different career phases such as: Starting Out with ebook publishing Multi-published author Earning $500 per month and growing And even feeling stuck in writing and marketing I discuss real numbers and what success means to different people-it's not just about money. This book is for writers who value great storytelling and connecting with readers, and who want to develop their career, not just spike ebook sales for a month. "Authorpreneur" is filled with tips you can do during set up, how to get sales moving again, and all the strategies I've used to sell more books, doubling my sales every year and tripling my income. Full of links and additional resources!

Authorpreneur: Making Steady Income from Ebook Royalties

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Books by James, Kristen