2008 May « Dee Savoy

Archive for May, 2008

May

The Roof, the roof, the roof is on fiyah

Categories: in the news, mystery, writer's resources, writing and wtf?

Normally, I pay no attention whatsoever to Fifty Cents (I refuse to debase myself to call him Fitty or whatever). However, the story of his house burning down with his baby and baby mama inside just couldn’t be ignored. Already law enforcement is calling it suspicious, and as baby mama tells it, he vowed to kill her. Now I don’t know whether that’s true but, like many other things, this event reminds me of the writing of crime fiction.

Please folks, if you are plotting a novel, or arson for that matter, let’s make the onlooker have to guess a little. I think one major flaw of young crime writers is not making it hard enough for readers to figure out whodunnit or if they are supposed to know whodunnit make the motivation a little difficult for the reader to comprehend. Every reader wants to work just a skosh for that satisfying ending. Something. That’s what makes the ending satisfying (and one of the reasons I’m teaching my class on suspense).

Law enforcement, on the other hand, likes a quick and easy resolution, so Fifty–or whatever name he might possibly be indicted under–might want to try being a bit more mysterious (or hard to find) as the case may be.

May

Up to no good

By writerds 2 Comments

Categories: writer's resources

Actually, that’s a bit of a misnomer. I’ve been up to a lot of good things but updating this blog regularly hasn’t been one of them. Anyhoo, I have to apologize to all those folks kind enough to post in April and be part of the contest for the Amazon certificate. So instead of $10. the lucky winner will receive a $15, gift certificate.

And the lucky winner is . . .

Chicki Brown. Chicki please let me know what email address you want me to send the certificate to.

And in another note, I have officially become the last person on earth to create a myspace page with an actual layout–please visit my page and be my friend.

May

Summer Suspense Thing Writing Workshop is now accepting students!!!

By writerds 2 Comments

Categories: mystery, romantic suspense, writer's resources and writing

National bestselling, Emma-award winning author for Romance Suspense Deirdre Savoy will be facilitating this month-long workshop set to begin the week of June 30. This workshop is for authors wanting to learn the basic craft of writing romantic suspense or those seeking to add a bit of dramatic spice to any novel.

Course syllabus:

June 30: What is suspense–how do you achieve it and how do you use it:
Jul 7: Dark suspense vs. light suspense–how to create the effect you want
July 14: The devil in the details–making suspense believable.
July 21: Love on the run–how to use suspense to heighten the romance and vice versa.

Each week, a lecture and assignment will be posted. Completion and posting of assigned work for peer review is not mandatory but advised if students want to get the most from the class.

Who should take this course:

–first time R/S authors looking to learn the basics
–R/S authors looking to hone their craft
–any author interested in taking their writing to new levels

How to register: Apply for group membership here. You will receive an e-mail telling you how to make payment. Once tuition is received, you will be added to the group.

Tuition: $25.00 (plus a $2.00 administrative fee).
BONUS: FREE SYNOPSIS CRITIQUE FOR THE FIRST FIVE STUDENTS TO COMPLETE REGISTRATION!

May

Vibrant Voices: Debut Author Niambi Brown Davis

By writerds 16 Comments

Categories: reading, romance and Vibrant Voices

Today I am so pleased to have Niambi Brown Davis as our guest blogger today. Niambi’s debut novel, From Dusk to Dawn is out now from Parker Publishing. Niambi is one of my students from way back so I can vouch that her writing is simply delicious.

Niambi has written an appreciative note titled There Are More of Us to all the wonderful folks that helped paved the way in helping her get her book published. She will also be dropping in during the day to leave comments, answer questions and find out who and what you want to pay forward. Additionally, check out her blog to find out how you can enter to win tour prizes including the beach bag created by main character, Ayo, FREE BOOKS and a few other wonderful prizes. Click links to visit Niambi’s website and blog.

There Are More of Us…

As part of the Against All Odds Virtual Book Tour, I should be blogging about my debut novel, or something related to my book. But for good reason, I need to take a necessary break. You never know who or what you will meet on the journey to publication. Years ago, when I first joined the online literary world, I came across some skirmishes that could take their title from the movie “There Will Be Blood.” And on the same road, I encountered potholes, detours, a few wrecks and the carcasses of manuscripts that should never see the light of day.

At that same time, I was told by some that it was a closed world to a new writer – authors were unwilling to help, holding their information close to the vest in order to keep the competition at bay. Now, unless I am living in a parallel universe or just plain old Pollyanna, nothing could be farther from the truth – at least in my experience. At first, I was hesitant to ask a question of authors whose names I had seen on the best-sellers list; or editors and publishers of magazines who had already made a name for themselves in the literary community. But one day I ventured out with a few paragraphs and received praise tempered with advice. It was the beginning, but most definitely not the end of a great willingness by many to help a newbie get a foot in the door. One phone call led to an invaluable critique. Another to a long-term writing opportunity. And still another to information on the inner workings of the publishing industry. I would be remiss if I left out the sharing of names of editors and agents. From all of this came my debut “From Dusk to Dawn.” To say I am grateful is an understatement. And I will take my cue from another movie and “Pay It Forward.”

Whenever she would talk about the triumph of good over the not-so-good, my mother would say “there are more of us than there are of them.” As usual, she was right.

Today’s discussion questions:

When was the last time you experienced a random act of kindness…when you least expected it?

When was the last time you paid something forward? What was it?

In honor of May being Mother’s month, what’s the best piece of advice your mom ever gave you?

ABOUT Niambi Brown Davis:

Niambi was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and raised on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. She and her family lived for many years in Washington, DC and for three and a half years, made the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago their home.

She has written for Bronze Thrills, True Confessions and Black Romance Magazines. Niambi indulged her passion for sailing and travel by serving as publicist for the Black Boaters Summit and as a member of the National Association of Black Travel Writers. A script for her first digital novella has been accepted and published by Arrow Publications, LLC. Presently, Niambi writes for Travel Lady Magazine.

Aside from travel and writing, Niambi is an avid reader of historical fiction, and deeply involved in tracing the history of both branches of her family tree. Her day job is running the business of Sand & Silk / Soleful Strut, her own line of handcrafted bath and body products.

I hope you will give her work a try,. You won’t be disappointed.

May

Happy Mother’s Day

By writerds 4 Comments

Categories: fun stuff and the secret life of dee

That’s all. I don’t really have more to say than that. If you’re a mom, enjoy your day. If you’re a kid, make your mom feel special. If you’re a mom and a kid, like me, enjoy having three generations together.

Just in case you’re having a hard time accomplishing this, here’s something my cousin sent me.

Before I was a Mom

I never tripped over toys or forgot words to a lullaby.

I didn’t worry whether or not my plants were poisonous.

I never thought about immunizations.

Before I was a Mom -

I had never been puked on.

Pooped on.

Chewed on.

Peed on.

I had complete control of my mind and my thoughts.

I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom

I never held down a screaming child so doctors could do tests.

Or give shots.

I never looked into teary eyes and cried.

I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.

I never sat up late hours at night watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom

I never held a sleeping baby just because I didn’t want to put him
down.

I never felt my heart break into a million pieces when I couldn’t
stop the hurt.

I never knew that something so small could affect my life so much.

I never knew that I could love someone so much.

I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom -

I didn’t know the feeling of having my heart outside my body.

I didn’t know how special it could feel to feed a hungry baby.

I didn’t know that bond between a mother and her child.

I didn’t know that something so small could make me feel so important
and happy.

Before I was a Mom -

I had never gotten up in the middle of the night every 10 minutes to
make sure all was okay.

I had never known the warmth, the joy, the love, the heartache,

the wonderment or the satisfaction of being a Mom.

I didn’t know I was capable of feeling so much, before I was a Mom.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!

(Didn’t I say that already?)

May

Read Us the Book that Makes You Cry

By writerds 4 Comments

Categories: fun stuff, reading, the secret life of dee and wtf?

Recently, we had an addition to our family. My younger sister and her husband adopted a baby girl, Christiane. So, of course we have to have the baby shower and of course, the author and kindergarten teacher in me demands that the new baby must have a book. My choice–Love You Forever by Robert Munsch. I don’t know an adult who can get through this book with a dry eye. In fact, when I was in Barnes and Noble looking for it, another woman, obviously a mother by the child glued to her hip, said, “Oh my children love that book. They say, read us the book that makes you cry.” That’s what I did. I read the story to my mother and sister in the store and the three of us ended up weeping like lunatics in the aisle. Is there anything as cathartic as a public, communal tearfest? I don’t think so.

Anyhoo, I was quite proud of myself presenting my new niece and her parents with a worthy tome–until I read this article in PW. Apparently there are some folks who find the book creepy and detestable. I never would have guessed, despite the mother in the story baring a striking resemblance to Shirley MacLaine’s character in Terms of Endearment (emotionally anyway). There are some who suggest that Munsch wrote the book as satire, but that strikes me as the protest of one guilty of mawkishness and lavish sentiment, and well, you’ve got to tell them something.

Oh, well. I’ll go on loving it and you can judge for your own self, but next time I feel the need to indulge, I’ll stay out of Barnes and Noble.


Get into your most comfortable reading chair,
take off your shoes,
turn off the phone
and let Ms. Savoy's incredible talent take you away.


  --Debra Ross,
     Romance in Color

A skewed sense of humor has kept me sane through 10+ years of teaching and almost as many writing. I invite you to come in and look around. Leave a comment if you like. My goal is to leave you with a smile on your face and a few new thoughts to mull over. If you like the blog, please tell your friends. If not, tell your enemies.