Saturday, September 3, 2011

Sherri Haye's Guest Post & Book Giveaway

Today I'm having Sherri Hayes on my blog for the
TWCS Summer Blowout Tour. Her guest post is below.
FILL OUT RAFFLECOPTER FORM BELOW FOR ENTRY TO WIN
(SEE LINK AT END OF THIS POST THAT SAYS RAFFLECOPTER FORM-MUST HAVE JAVA ENABLED) Please leave a comment with your email address for entry to win her newest release "Slave". 5 e-copies are up for grabs. Contest ends September 15th.


How I Write
I met a friend last week for lunch. She’s been trying to write a book of her own for the last two years and wanted to know about my writing process. “How do you know where to start, where to go, how it will end? These are very common questions and she’s not the first one to ask. 
My writing process involves a lot of thinking. Before I even start writing, I’m thinking about my characters. For my newest book, Slave, I spent more than a month contemplating Stephan and Brianna before I ever put a word on paper. For me, it is very important to have that solid base. I need to know who my characters are in order to know how they will react to any given situation I place them in. 
Once I have my main characters flushed out, I begin incorporating the plot. Again, I spend a lot of time thinking and often talking out plot points. It’s not uncommon to see me during my morning walk talking to myself. I like to talk out scenes, character backgrounds, motivations… It helps me to put things into perspective because how I would react is not necessarily how my character would. 
A lot of writers use outlines. I’m not one of them. Everything about my books goes on in my head. I’ve tried outlines and they just don’t work for me. One time I spent an entire day on an outline and ended up using only pieces of it in the end and not even in the order I’d originally planned. 
When I write, I am in the moment with my characters. Whether it is a love scene or an action sequence, I’m there. I consider myself an emotional writer. If I can’t feel a scene, I have a very hard time writing it. Because of this, I spend a lot of time on character development throughout the process. 
It isn’t uncommon for me to wake myself up in the middle of the night with a story, be it the one I’m working on, or one I’m contemplating for the future. Stories are always rolling around in my head. It’s just a matter of putting them on paper or in the computer as the case may be.
I don’t hand write any of my stories as some authors do. Typing is my preferred method to write. I type much faster than I write freehand, so it allows the emotion of the scene to flow more easily through typing than writing it down with the traditional pen and paper. 
My best advice to aspiring authors, and the advice I gave to my friend… Just write! Give a little thought to your main character, set up the opening scene, and then just go for it. It doesn’t matter if the first story you write is crap. As with everything else, the more you write, the better at it you will become. You can always go back and edit, re-write, or completely trash a scene later. It’s what writer’s do, and that’s okay. Just be true to yourself and your characters. And above all else…Write for you.  


And don't forget to check out her book "Slave"
Buy Slave at Amazon


Blurb from Amazon.com
As president of a not-for-profit foundation, Stephan knows what his future holds and what he wants out of life. All that changes when a simple lunch with his college friend and Mentor, Darren, leads him to buying a slave. Brianna knows only one thing, she is a slave. She has nothing. She is nothing. Can Stephan help Brianna realize that she is much more than just a Slave?




Here is her page on TWCS.
Sherri Hayes
And on Goodreads 
Sherri Hayes on Goodreads



29 comments:

  1. Wow, now that's really an interesting and different kind of a story! wildabouthorses@atlasok.com

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  2. I love your advice to writers, Sherri. Cool giveaway. I can't wait to read your story.

    kiss417@hotmail.com

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  3. wendy_gurl said:
    Sherri, Have to admit, have never read any of your books, but I must say, would love to read Slave, and always looking for a new author to start adding to my TBR.
    texasreader (AT) ymail.com

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  4. @Samantha
    Thank you. :) I find it is much more enjoyable if you write what you love to read. Otherwise writing becomes a chore, and that is never a good thing.

    @wendy_gurl
    I hope you enjoy the story. These two characters really spoke to me when I started writing them. I can't wait to continue their story in the next book.

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  5. I love reading about the creative process, and how each author approaches it differently.

    Sir Charles
    sircharles54@gmail.com

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  6. Sherri, you are a new to me author but one I think I would enjoy reading. Brief but interesting blurb for Slave - can't wait to read more. Thanks.

    kacbooks(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  7. Really interesting post. I have often wondered if all authors did outlines first.

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  8. oops sorry left off email
    comfort@idx.com.au

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  9. @Sir Charles It is interesting to see all the different ways of doing things, including writing. I know I always hated that in school you had to write an outline for your writing because it just didn't work for me. I never followed it.

    @Karen C Thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoy Slave as well as my other novels. :)

    @comfort There are other authors like me, but I do think the majority use an outline. I can't say that I've never used one, but it is rare, and never for the whole novel. +

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  10. You sounds very passionate about your writing, Sherri! I love how you wrote that you "feel" a scene while writing. I like to feel that way while I'm reading! If I cannot connect on an emotional level with the character, I feel like I can't enjoy the book.

    darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com

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  11. @Darlene I am! My writing means a lot to me as do my characters. :)

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  12. The book sounds yummy and different!
    viajeradelmar@aol.com

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  13. I have also wondered how an author comes up with a complete book! As in write a rough idea/concept of start/middle/end The cover of the book has already drawn me in wanting to know more of the story/plot behind it!
    jeanz@btinternet.com

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  14. I'd love the opportunity to read this book, sounds interesting.

    tamara6400@gmail.com

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  15. @Nikki Thanks. :) And you're right, I've not come across another story like it.

    @Jeanz As I said up top, everything for me happens in my head for the most part. Not all authors are like that. I know some who write very detailed outlines before they start writing. It's just never worked for me.

    @tamara Thanks for leaving a comment. Good luck! :)

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  16. I would love to read this. Another for my TBR list. would love to win. Thanks
    Patricia
    panthers.ravens@yahoo.com

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  17. @wildabouthorses I'm so sorry I missed you earlier. Maybe it was the two anonymous' that had me confused. This is a very different type of story. I've not seen anything like it out there.

    @Patricia There's never too many books on the TBR list, right? ;)

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  18. Well, you know I am intrigued by your series already. But very interesting to hear how similar our writing processes are. Nothing like being a pantser. Okay, it'll probably take years off our life when we get a few weeks before deadline and have to rewrite half the book because a muse (or a Dom in my case sometimes) decides to take the story in a whole new direction). Ain't this the life?

    Kally
    kallypsomasters@gmail.com

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  19. @Kallypso LOL. I'm pretty lucky. I've been told my drafts are pretty tight according to my editors. Then again, I usually read through my story several times before they even see it. ;)

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  20. Very informative. Your process is much like mine. I love seeing the funny looks I get when I'm talking to myself about a certain aspect of my novels.

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  21. Oooh, I so want this book. I've been looking at buying it but if I could win it, my husband would be much happier with me (and so would my wallet.)

    sunruner at gmail dot com

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  22. I'm curious for the book!
    lisetteel@hotmail.com

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  23. @Heaven Liegh Yeah, I've gotten a few of those looks too. lol. But there is just no substitute for talking it out sometimes. People will just have to think I'm crazy. ;)

    @Sunruner I completely understand. Good luck! :)

    @LissLove I've not seen another book with a story like it really. The book will give you a lot to think about if you let it.

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  24. This series sounds really intriguing
    hgmagergirlATgmailDOTcom

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  25. Hey Sherri! You know how much I already love the cover AND your main man! Always love starting a new series from it's inception so I am really looking forward to getting into this series. Good luck with it!

    sioux.b@hotmail.com

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  26. Hi Sherri I think I would love to read Slave. I love reading something new.

    cfy74@hotmail.co.uk

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  27. @heather @Sue B. @frys.family Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment ladies. :)

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  28. Hi Sherri! I would LOVE a copy of Slave! I was absolutely hooked on the story, back when it was still Finding Bella, and I would LOVE an opportunity to continue reading the lovely tale you spun. Thanks!!!

    alysemayer@aol.com (AKA Kittyisme0341)

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  29. I love your comment "You can always go back and edit, re-write, or completely trash a scene later"
    I have so many scraps of paper with my writings (all varied), that I really ought to follow this advice.......not to mention the trash can!
    'Slave' sounds really good - I've added it to my monstrous TBR list :)

    Regards
    Carole-Ann
    cabibliofile@aol.com

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Thanks for commenting:)