Comments on: Reading Modern Heat

By: Lucy King

Lucy King — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 07:15:00 +0000

I too like Kelly Hunter, Heidi Rice and Ally Blake. I sat down to try and write my first M&B without actually having read one for 10 years. Doh.

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 20:49:00 +0000

Jo, how do you find the ebook reader? I'm reading mine on the laptop but am thinking an ebook reader might be better.

Lorraine - yep, I'm a jumper too. It definitely does help to jump forward when something just isn't working in the present scene.

Romy - Romance huh? I haven't read any of those. They sound good. No nookie but. ;-)

By: Romy

Romy — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:37:00 +0000

Lorraine – I work much the same as you. If you’re feeling stumped move on, and you can come back later to get it flowing.

Though I read both Modern & Modern Heat I’m a Romance girl at heart. My absolute favourite authors are Liz Fielding and Lucy Gordon. Talk about ‘pure emotion’ – they have it in bucket loads!

By: Lorraine

Lorraine — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:36:00 +0000

I used to worry about reading while in the middle of a WIP but like you I've found it great when you're stuck.I love Natalie and Heidi too.

It can be so annoying when for some reason the story just doesn't flow or the dialogue flounders. One thing I've found fairly useful when things are grinding to a halt is just jump ahead to another scene, it shouldn't work (what about flow etc?) but it does seem to. After all if you're getting bored then the reader most certainly will!
Then I go back and either cut the slow moving scene or re-write it from the other character's POV instead - amazing how many times this seems to solve the problem.

Did you download all the free ebooks offered by Harlequin for its anniversary? I'm looking forward to seeing what other series I wouldn't normally read are like. Just need my head to get better :-)

By: Joanne Cleary

Joanne Cleary — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 08:17:00 +0000

I'm an ebook freak. I was naughty at the end of last year and bought a Sony ereader for myself. I will probably be paying for it forever!!

I haven't read too many Modern Heats but I love Natalie Anderson, Nicola Marsh and Ally Blake.

But definitely reading from the lines you want to write for is the most important thing. Analysing them I find harder, I can't stand writing in books. :-)

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 01:10:00 +0000

Hi Lacey, thanks for dropping by! Yep, I read from other lines as well. Ebooks are so easy to get it’s scary. 🙂

By: Lacey Devlin

Lacey Devlin — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 22:17:00 +0000

Hi Jackie!

I'm addicted. I spend way too much time and money carefully picking out which books I want from ALL of the lines each month. Naughty naughty me... wasn't I suppose to pay the phone bill?

By: Jackie Ashenden

Jackie Ashenden — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:55:00 +0000

Yes, it certainly makes a difference. Like you, I did read M&Bs before that but not as a writer. Before the Instant Seduction contest last year, I didn’t even know Modern Heat was a separate category!

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:02:00 +0000

That's great advice, Jackie. I've been reading M&Bs since I was fourteen or so (yes, into the realms of fantasy there) but for most of that time as a reader not as a writer. Big mistake, as when you start to analyse these stories you can learn such a lot.

:-)