The Pyrenees---Southern France

The Pyrenees---Southern France

Thursday, February 18, 2016

Back-of-the-Book Blurb Friday #2

     So, it's the second week of Back-of-the-Book Blurb Friday. An opportunity for fun every week. In case you missed it last week, here's the scoop:


  • There's a photo--for your inspiration--posted every Friday. This picture is the front cover art of a prospective book. You pick the genre. 
  • You get to write a book blurb--150 words or less--for your book. Craft a title. Make your blurb so enticing, readers will rush to to buy it.
  • Post your blurb--along with the photo--on your blog. Then, link your blog to this blog, via Mr. Linky. (It's really easy. If I can do it, even your dog can do it.)
  • The photo for the next week will also be posted at the end, so your creative juices can start flowing early.
  • Try it. It's an exercise in writing in a tight and compelling way. 

       Here's the photo for this week, along with my attempt at a blurb:




Fabienne's Hand

       Every Tuesday and Thursday, Fabienne came to his door. Every Tuesday and Thursday Olivier sat on his red velvet couch, smoking, as he waited to hear her knock. Every Tuesday and Thursday they ate a simple lunch and then made love, his tall bedroom windows standing watch.
       It was a time that belonged only to them.
       But then Fabienne came no more. No explanation. No adieu. She was simply gone.
       Olivier survived the loss, of course. He plodded along... for the next forty-five years. But Fabienne was never too far away. You see, he'd had a door knocker made to look like one of her lovely hands.
       One Autumn afternoon, a gray-haired woman pulled on the knocker. When Olivier opened the door, there was Fabienne.
      What kept them apart for forty-five years? What brought her back?
The answers will surprise you... (144 words)





           Think about playing along. And next week, here is the photo so you can think ahead and get some ideas together before next Friday:





Calling All Photos

        Are you a great photographer? Have you been able to capture some great shots?

        If so, you could help me out and in the process, become famous get scads of money in payment get nothing except a bit of admiration.

        I'm looking for a variety of pictures for my newly-launched Back-of-the-Book Blurb Friday. Every Friday, a photo--that would be the front of a prospective book cover--will be offered to my thousands many two followers. It will then be their challenge to write a blurb--a description of 150 words or less--to entice any possible readers.

       If you'd like to see the first two photos, so you can see how low I've set the bar, please check it out here.

       I of course will give you credit for the photo. If you have any pics that would perfect for the front of a book--any kind of book--please send them to me at sroslawski(at)yahoo.com

      And in advance, thanks for reading and thanks for considering...

Sunday, February 14, 2016

I'm a Believer

        I'm a believer,
        I couldn't leave her
        If I tried.

        I will spare you the video of me belting out out the Neil Diamond song. (What is that noise? Did a cat get caught in a car engine?) But the lyrics fit what I'm writing about today.




      I started reading Lisa Ricard Claro's book, Love to Believe, Saturday night. I got through two chapters. Figured it would take me a few days to read it. Maybe by the end of the week I'd be finished. Or so I thought.

       Yesterday--all day--I neglected everything except reading that book. I didn't grade papers. I didn't do any housework. On the way to dinner and a movie * with my husband, I even took the book (because it was a 30-minute trip). All day I did nothing except read and read and read that romance novel... until I finished the last page a little before midnight.

      Yikes!

      If you didn't already know, I am about as far from the typical romance reader as you can get. I love sad books--books with unhappy endings. I don't ever buy books that have women's heaving bosoms or Fabio-looking men on the cover. In fact, Lisa Ricard Claro's first novel in this series--Love Built to Last--was the first romance novel I'd ever read. And I was hooked.

      This second book in the series is no different than the first--again, a compelling read. Again, well-crafted. Again, humor and heat in well-balanced amounts. In this book, you're rooting for Sean and Rebecca to get together for good... But be prepared for some twists and turns on the path to happily ever after. 

      Because of Lisa, I'm a believer in romance novels (but only if they're written by her).



*  The movie we saw was the Coen brothers' "Hail, Caesar. Seven of us went and at the end, we all said, "What was that about?" In my opinion, it was awful.