Write From the Heart: Romance Author Lynn Hubbard

Saturday, August 24, 2013

MSH BLOG HOP: What is the hardest thing to write?

Signed up with the Mountain Spring House Blog Hop!

Better late than never right?

The topic this week is: What is the hardest thing to write?

For me it was a scene in Chasethe Moon.

I write historical fiction, so life in general was not easy. There was a high mortality rate from natural, as well as unnatural means. Neither option is pleasant.

I do not write by with an outline. Thoughts flow through my mind and I write them as they happen. I put myself in the characters place and try to bring you there as well. In Chase, one of my supporting characters dies. This is a character that I brought to life first in Run into the Wind.

So I was attached, as well as my readers. The death came as a great shock to me and I cried as I wrote it. And my readers cried as they read it. And they cursed me.

But life is hard, and it doesn't always turn out the way you want or expect it to.

Not only do you have to write the death scene, but you have to write the other characters reactions to it. Like us, they all handle death differently. Some were sad, some were accepting, some were pissed at the whole world. Each and everyone of them was not only touched, but changed by it.

And they carried on, because we cannot control death, but we cannot stop living either. Death is just another chapter of life. One we will all write in the end.

So yes, it is hard to write about death. But the fact that they were touched by my character so much to weep at their passing is the greatest of compliments.

At the time of this post: Paperback on sale at Amazon $5.63

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Friday, August 23, 2013

Indie Block Party #2 Introduce your WIP (Work in Progress)

Indie Block Party #2 Introduce your WIP

Hello! My work in progress is War of Hearts. ALthough I have finished writing, it is currently making it's way through final edits and I'm working on marketing. Not as much fun as writing. ;-)

Below is an excerpt from War of Hearts

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Here is a sneak peek of War of Hearts. It is set to Release soon. To set the mood, Sarah is sent to NYC to spy. I hope you enjoy!

She could hear the city before she saw it. It was not the grandeur of Philadelphia, that she had expected. It seemed… somewhat darker. Perhaps her feelings were betraying her perception. Thoughts of retreat fluttered through her mind as she spotted the roadblock. With no other choice, she squared her shoulders as she moved forward.

“State your business,” the young soldier demanded, he sounded more bored than anything.

“I have come to stay with my Aunt.” Sarah replied, remembering that less is more.

He barely glanced at her, and not finding her a threat, moved to let her pass.

“Hold up there!” A more seasoned officer called. Sarah somehow kept her face calm, even though her heart was pounding again. This man was more keen, and his grey eyes seemed to glimmer in anticipation. She supposed he would have been considered handsome, to most, with his brown hair and strong features. Of course, the British Uniform quelled any passionate thoughts on Sarah’s part.

She tensed as his gaze swept over her body. Her eyes met his, and narrowed, as a sneer crossed over his face. “I think we need to check this one a bit more thoroughly.”

He was close to her, too close, she wondered how far she would get if she kicked him in the face and set the mare into a run. Looking down at her feeble companion, she decided not far enough.

The soldier grabbed her horse’s harness and placed his free hand on her ankle as he ran his hand up her leg, and under her skirt. She instinctively drew away from him, and with a shriek, toppled off the horse on the other side. Cursing, she pushed herself to her feet and turned on her offender.

www.lynnhubbard.com

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Monday, August 19, 2013

Indie Block Party: Introducing Lynn Hubbard

Hi, this post is a bit different than most of my guest posts. I’m a romance author so I normally discuss my books, but not this time. This time I’m going to tell you about me.

One of the wonderful things about writing is that you can be anyone you want to be. In my case after getting divorced, I didn’t want to use my legal name. Plus, I never really liked my maiden name, way too boring! So I became Lynn Hubbard.

Having a pen name is like being a super hero with a secret identity. Of course it does get rather confusing, I use Lynn so much now when I am asked to verify my real name “Lori”, I have to think about it. Luckily they both start with “L” so I can usually catch myself at book signings and such, and quickly switch to one or the other. If I do make a booboo, I cover it with a little scribbled artwork, such as a train or a butterfly. The readers are tickled by the mini art and have no idea it was a mistake. :-)

I used to draw all the time, I won several awards in High School and had some of my art published. I gave it up once the kids came along, you know how it is. It was not until much later in life that I began to write. I was in my late twenties when I started and it would be ten plus years before I gained enough confidence to share it with others, and get it published.

You would be surprised how difficult it is to get your family, and friends, to read your writing. The few who did told me they were “surprised” how good it was. Not a big ego booster. Most of my encouragement came from online postings. Random fans who read my short stories and wanted more.

I, like most authors, hear voices. When I’m in “the Zone” I can hear the scene in my head, and I dutifully write it down. I do not use an outline. The Story builds as it goes, and its fate is determined by the characters decisions. I don’t know how the story ends, until I write it.

I keep a notebook and pen with me, always, and I write down whatever jumbled thoughts spring into my mind. I wrote most of Run into the Wind on notebook paper, and I would type it up at a later date. I am a very slow typer, I have been clocked at eight words per minute. Probably would be faster if I used more than two fingers. However, I have written five books this way, and if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. I tried the audio narrative “speech to text” program, and it is more frustrating than it’s worth. So I just peck way; One letter at a time.

When I am not writing, I’m taking care of my dogs and spending time with my kids.

I have two boys who are taller than me. They are both having monumental birthdays next month, which makes me feel old. Nicholas is turning 22 and Michael (my baby) will be 17. Nicholas’s passion is photography and video, he is a huge help to me with my covers. Nick was diagnosed with fibromyalgia when he was fourteen, it is an almost daily battle for him; you can read his story if you like. (Nick’s Story)

Michael is my musician, he practices guitar daily, and is working on his own youtube channel. It’s been a sad year. He lost his rat to old age, and his dog Hannah to cancer. He is an animal lover , like me. We have three dogs, two bunnies, and two aquariums. We rescued our newest puppy, Clowie, from an animal shelter. She has an obsessive taste for flesh, can’t wait until she is passed the teething stage. Hermione is our Chihuahua, she is crazy. ‘Nuff said.

I am finishing up my next book. It’s a bit different than the rest, it is set in 1778. I am a huge fan of George Washington, and I have always been fascinated by the revolutionary war. It should be out this fall, I have chosen a beautiful woman for the cover. (Sorry Julian!) Much different than my usual covers, but I’m sure my fans will love it.