Sometimes others say it best

The wonderful Joan Reeves gave me permssion to repost this article. Thank you, Joan!
WRITE FOR TODAY

I hear a lot of writers bemoan the pop culture of today's world. They denigrate the music, novels, art, etc. and can't seem to find much of worth in any form of entertainment--and books are entertainment. I think they completely miss the boat. Why? Because they live today, not in the retro 1950's or the counter-culture 1960's or the greed 1980's or the recent millennial decade, but today.

If you live in today's world, which you do unless you have a time machine stashed in the garage, then you must write for the time in which you live. It doesn't matter if your writing is as exquisite as Bronte or Austen or Dickens or Michener or any of the past brilliant writers if the times in which you live don't support writing of that style or voice.

If you want to be a professional writer, write for your peers. That doesn't mean to dumb it down, but it does mean to not be intellectually snobbish and disdain the common reader. Most of those we revere today as renowned authors were considered genre authors in their day.

I have few favorites among today's so-called literary authors because most of them couldn't plot their way out of a room with 4 unlocked doors. They're all flash and no substance when it comes to creating prose - sparkling sentences that have no relation to the forward motion a novel should possess.

If you're not selling the way you want to be selling, don't disdain the books that do sell. Don't dismiss them out of hand. Instead, read the best-selling books in your genre. See what it is about those books that make readers eager to grab them. Compare your books--plot, premise, characters, execution--and see what the other authors bring to the table that you don't.

Your Writing Identity

1. Make sure your skills are up to par.

You must possess the narrative skills that enable you to craft a well written piece of fiction. Today, fiction of every genre is vibrant and exciting, with excellent characterization. Most of today's best writers work in genre or commercial fiction.

2. Find your identity as a writer.

You do this by discovering the stories that you want to tell. That's usually the same kind of story you like to read so finding your story identity should be easy.

3. Find the niche that allows you to tell your kind of story.

Do some research on the kind of stories you like to read. How are they categorized? In what genre or sub-genre do you find yourself shopping most frequently? That's probably the niche in which you want to position your books. The broader the niche; the harder it is to make an impact. The tinier the niche (and it still must be a niche that attracts many readers); the easier it is to get noticed.

4. Write a lot.

One way to discover your writing identity is to simply write. One of my favorite literary authors Larry Brown and bestseller thriller author Dean Koontz both said virtually the same thing: "You must write X number of words before you'll ever write anything worth publishing."

I believe that. There is a related truth to that theory. No one knows what X is because it's different for every writer so get started on your X number of words today.

Joan Reeves--Check out her blog: http://SlingWords.blogspot.com

and her newsletter is here: http://eepurl.com/fX7JT

If anyone is wondering how much my writing has changed over the years, I have examples for you! I just repubbed a couple of my very first novels and you can find them here: http://www.eroticescapesebooks.com/for $1.99

I have romance trading cards!

I can send you a whole set (see example) If you live in the USA, I'll pay the 61 cents postage. If you live Internationally, email me and we'll work something out re: postage. ash@ashlynchase.com

Party time! Halloween parties where I'll be...

Going on now, and with an ipad up for grabs...see my contest page for Sam Cheever's trick or treating fun.

Also...

http://katiereus.blogspot.com
It's going on now, but I'll be there 10/24. Stop by each day to see what new and fascinating posts there are (and prizes, of course.)

Then http://romanticthemeparty.blogspot.com/
Marie Treanor's Shifter party All week from 10/24, but my day is 10/25.

Then the Spookapalooza at TRS (The Romance Studio) 10/28 to 10/31 I'll be popping in with excerpts from my various paranormal books. They're giving away a nook! http://theromancestudio.com/party

And I have a treat for you too! Strange Neighbors will be available for only

$0.99, that's right--99 cents from 10/28 until 11/3

Have you seen my new book cover?

I have a couple of new books coming from Ellora's Cave...release dates to be announced as soon as I know what they are. Meanwhile, enjoy the first cover!

I think it's absolutely gorgeous!

Reminder!

Oct 8 at noon until 3 pm...I'll be signing the series at The Official Witch Shoppe on Pickering Wharf in Salem, MA.
Laurie Cabot is an actual character in book three, The Vampire Next Door.

Press release--pass it around!

Press release
Vampires and Werewolves can be cute, cuddly and comical!

Email: ashlynchase@gmail.com
URL: www.ashlynchase.com
For immediate release:
Raymond, NH – Ashlyn Chase finds the fun in writing Vampires, Witches and Werewolves, oh my!

This Halloween, if you enjoy the holiday but don’t appreciate being scared to pieces, you might look into a new type of book that’s gaining popularity. “Paranormal chick-lit” is the term used by Mary Janice Davidson, who has been credited with originating the genre.

A

Ashlyn Chase decided to try her hand at it and hit it big. The romance genre is 55 percent of the paperback market and women really want authors to turn up the heat these days. Chase believes, “The world needs more laughter and love and paranormal stories are the ultimate escapism.”

When asked how she finds the funny in dark characters like vampires and werewolves, Chase says, “I never overlook the obvious.” Let’s take a moment to embrace the clichés. Think about Vampires. What does everyone know about vampires? A) They have fangs and drink blood, usually by puncturing the victim’s carotid artery. B) They’re nocturnal and both silver and sunlight burns them. Chase takes that myth a step farther and has them “drop dead” when the sun rises, wherever they happen to be. How about Shapeshifters? A) If they shift while fully dressed, their clothes won’t fit their new shape. B) When they shift back, they’ll be naked. Both vampires and werewolves are super strong and have superior senses. What about ghosts? Ghosts are disembodied. They can see the physical world, but unless there’s a medium handy or they’ve learned some kind of telepathy, their influence is limited. Chase gives her ghosts someone to communicate with and sometimes telekinesis (the ability to move objects, mentally.)

In Chase’s new series, Strange Neighbors, her snarky ghost has an opinion on everything. He likes to scare off potential renters by making things move on their own. Also during the series her vampire breaks his fang on a rapper’s neck bling. Now where does a vampire find a dentist and how funny would it be to give him a lisp if he can’t retract his fangs? By deciding the bling was a knock-off, i.e. gold over silver, she made it happen. Her shapeshifting falcon is only half shifter so he doesn’t have good control and accidentally shifts under stress. Naturally, he gets stuck in his sweater and can’t shift back before being discovered. The witches? Well, they’re mainly human, but when one of them is Southern and has a butt-load of colorful expressions, imagine how her spells can backfire. “I’m not afraid to embarrass my characters,” Chase says. “It’s hilarious because it’s not happening to us. We’re a little warped that way.”

Strange Neighbors is garnering a lot of positive attention. Publisher’s Weekly wrote such a glowing review it caught the eye of a Hollywood Producer, who is considering the series! Book one in the series has been contracted for a Thai translation and her publisher is negotiating a Chinese translation now.

These books are geared toward women, although recent polls show that more and more romance readers are men. Because the hero in Strange Neighbors is a major league baseball pitcher, her series has mass appeal.

Her next book signings are Oct 1st 1 p.m. at the Peabody, MA, Barnes and Noble, and on Oct 8 at noon she’ll be signing the series at The Official Witch Shoppe on Pickering Wharf in Salem, MA.
Laurie Cabot is an actual character in book three, The Vampire Next Door.

Beautiful new cover for my novella...release date TBD

Houston, we're having a problem. Sorry. You can find my new cover here:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ashlyn-Chase/101303673285353

Click "like" on the page while you're there!