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Just Write It: 5 on Just Drive

Apr4

I think I read somewhere that Devyn Sinclair wrote “Just Drive”” as a side story. A passion project, at least at first. A story she loved but wasn’t sure would sell. Was not sure it would resonate with readers.

I have reviewed maybe 2 books on Good Reads and Amazon. Possibly three. I leave a star rating but never a review. It has to hit me hard for me to leave a 5 stars and it has to hit even harder for an actual review. She got both.

Which makes a darn good argument to write what you are passionate about. The story you want. Because trends come and go, but staying true to you will bring the right readers to you.

Note: Just Drive is. RH Omegaverse Romance.

Here’s 5 things I loved about Just Drive:

5. The Formula. one racing. Do I watch racing? Nope. I’ve been known to watch it though, and it’s the only sport other than ice skating and gymnastics that I will watch. Fun fact: when I was a wee girl I wanted to race fast cars. Didn’t go further than checking out TONS of books at the wee little local library when I was younger and a little drag racing when a bit older… But. And there are specific racing details that made me SQUEEE.

4. Relationships & friendships outside the romance. A whole world was built, including both personal and professional relationships. And instead of having EVERYONE hate the new female driver, she did have professional friendships with other drivers.

3. World Building. This is set in an alternate universe. If she played with the rules Formula One racing in the story, it didn’t hit for this casual reader.  Which means short cuts were not taken. Sinclair obviously loves this subject and it shows.

2. Competition & Professionalism within the pack. Vanessa, our heroine is racing on a team with part of her pack and actively racing against another member. And while they are competitive– it’s in the right way. A way that doesn’t make it easy for either of them. They go balls to the wall racing each other, can be grumpy about losing and still celebrate a momentous win.

  1. Grandpa. I cried so hard. And we know, don’t we… That the good books, the great books, they help us. They entertain us. They teach us new things. And they give us a safe space to feel our feelings. I’m tearing up again (it would have been Pop’s 99th today) and we’ll, I’m probably gonna go back and reread so I have that safe space tonight.

That number one though, that’s why I write. While I generally work through stuff in my writing, that connection cannot be beat. It’s magic.

So what magical story have you been dying to tell? Don’t worry about markets right now– just grow your magic.

Ta, my Lovelies

Character Letters

Nov15

There are so many ways to get the creative juices flowing, and having your character write a letter is one of them. Yesterday, I woke at 3am with a heavy heart. I miss writing fiction, and my son wants me to try again at the real novel length…. so I wrote a letter to the character of the first novel I ever completed. Yes, I write my imaginary friends letters. Here it is:

Dear Alexandria Draconia, Mistress of the Dragons,

I miss you. I miss having you inside my head, living under my skin and behind my eyes. You were my first, and best, alter ego.

I am dreaming of riding dragons again.

I first “met” you while in college. You proved my instructor wrong, when he said not to even attempt genre, because most in the class couldn’t sustain it. He allowed me to write you, though. Mom loved your story, what was written before she died. And you were with me, grieving as well, when she died my senior year. Writing with you got me through the darkest days I had ever known at that point.

You’ve always been more than a character to me. More than an imaginary friend. It’s been 20 years and more, and still I miss you terribly. Hell, I’m writing a letter to my imaginary super hero.

Yes, super hero. You live in an Epic Fantasy setting, ride dragons and kick ass. But I’ve never been able to go all in for the super heroes. Super Girl is ok, and so is Wonder Woman. But as much as I want to love them, I just can’t.

I have my superhero. She wears trousers, not an ice-skating skirt– because trousers are more practical. She flies– on a dragon. And she carries a sword.

She’s not invulnerable. She kicks ass precisely because she does not commit to battle unless she is willing to die for it.

I need my super hero back.  I’m trying to raise my son the best way I can, but sometimes I get overwhelmed. (Although, I have raised him to believe in & love dragons) Pops is asking me to go through photos, and it’s a heart wrenching job because of why he wants to go through them now.

I was in over my head when I first wrote your story. I had no clue about world building, how to add depth and feeling. My writing style is still kind of sparse, but I’m getting better. I don’t know if I have the skills to do you justice this time around or not… But I do know that if I never try, it will never be written.

I also know a really great editor now, too.

I haven’t written a novel length work to completion in over a decade. I’ve been sprinting lately. But I think it’s time. Don’t you?

I want to ride a dragon, feel the wind in our hair.

I wrote nonfiction and poetry over the summer. I needed to deal with the situation with Dad and my own issues without the veil of fiction. It was very therapeutic– like writing in a journal, with more intent. But now, now I need my Super Hero back. Someone I can believe in, even if she happens to be fictional. When the chips are down, she always come through.

Sincerely,

Wynwords

Now, that would be so freeing, even if that’s the only thing that happened. But soon after, I received a (wrong number)  text that read “Congratulations Alex! Call me if you’re up!”  For some reason, I think the universe is telling me something….