Women in history

March is Women's History Month.

Laurel Thatcher Ulrich said, "Well-behaved women rarely make history.”

When you start to think about it, how right is that?

If Joan of Arc had stayed home? She wouldn't be the hotly debated matyr that she is. If Susan B. Anthony hadn't tried to buck the status quo to get women the right to vote, would she be on a coin today? If Rosa Parks hadn't refused to stand on that bus, the Civil Rights Movement would have had a different beginning. If Madame Curie had taken to heart that women weren't ment for science, what would we have lost?

I think that applies to heroines in novels, too. Most of the time, women are bucking traditions. They are standing up for themsevles in some way. Were Scarlett O'Hara a woman who backed down because the love of her life was married, "Gone with the Wind" would have lost a lot of richness. If Julie Collins weren't this bad girl who's so very human, would the series be a must read for me? Probably not. If Stephanie Plum weren't so darn untraditional, if she had gone to work in a factory instead of as a bounty hunter, I'm not sure there would be so many books in the series.

I'm sure you see where I'm going though I could list books all day long and women from history to illustrate the quote.

In honor of women's history month, go research a woman from history who fascinates you. And remember, she probably wasn't well behaved!

Mechele Armstrong aka Lany of Melany Logen
http://www.mechelearmstrong.com
http://www.melanylogen.com

Stretching myself

Before I ramble on, I wanted to point everyone to a contest. Vote in the poll, "What did Mechele do?" at my newsletter group and those who get the answer right will be entered in a drawing for a $10 Loose Id gift certificate.

Now onto the rambling.

I don't like telling the same story over and over again. I sort of knew this but definitely found it out when I was working on my Curses trilogy. I had planned three similar stories. The stories didn't want to work that way. I couldn't make them. It's why the names (The Six Curses of Christmas, The Sixth Curse of Spring, and the Sixth Cursed Halloween) are all just a little different. That's because all the stories worked themselves out in slightly different ways.

I like to stretch myself with stories. I don't like writing something I'm not enthusiastic about.

My latest work really brought that home. It's the newest Settler's Mine, The Wolf. It's not a menage. It didn't want to be. It does have a lot of D/s and bondage play in it. Which was a thrill for me to do. Because it's more explicit in those areas than anything else I've ever written. I've toyed with them at times but this is the first book where they are openly done.

And the writing poured from me with ease. I think it's because I like stretching myself. That makes me happy, leading to a happy muse.

So here's to the next stretch.

Mechele Armstrong aka Lany of Melany Logen
http://www.mechelearmstrong.com
http://www.melanylogen.com

It was a dark and stormy night

In the comic strip Peanuts, Snoopy works often on his great American novel. It always starts out with the title words to this post. (*trivia note* A very famous book does start out in just that way. Can anyone name it? For a prize of course :). )

First lines are vital to a story. After all, the reader makes a decision to either stop or keep going. If an author snags the reader’s interest in that first line, they might just have them for the whole book.

There are many ways to start a book from dialogue to action. What’s best? Depends on the story and the type of tale you’re telling.

One recent line that drew me in, “This month my name is Mary and, apparently, I'm as contrary as the nursery rhyme.” It's from Broken by Megan Hart. It drew me in immediately to this woman’s world. I hadn’t read the back blurb so made it that much more thrilling to figure out what was going on in those initial sentences.

Another good one: From Raine Weaver’s “Incubus,” “It was the kiss of the night wind through the open window that first attracted her."

So, what’s the best first line you’ve read of a book? Can be recent or in the past. I’m curious to see what’s grabbing interest.

Mechele Armstrong aka Lany of Melany Logen
http://www.mechelearmstrong.com/
http://www.melanylogen.com/

Author Interview: Mechele Armstrong

Author Name: Mechele Armstrong aka Melany Logen (I’m ½ of Melany Logen, I cowrite)

Year started writing for LI: 2005

Titles: Blood Lines series: Blood Kiss, Conduit, Crimson’s Rose, Currents, Night’s Journey

Settler’s Mine Series: The Rivals, The Lovers

Curses series: The Six Curses of Christmas, The Sixth Curse of Spring (upcoming), The Sixth Cursed Halloween (upcoming)

Other titles: The Collector 1: Magical Chances, Solstice Spell, Dinah’s Dark Desire (both print and ebook), Dinah’s Christmas Desire, Veterans: Nothing to Lose

As Melany Logen: Ingram’s Charm, Bold Bride (upcoming)

Web Page: http://www.mechelearmstrong.com & http://www.melanylogen.com

What genre do you write in, and why? : Paranormal, futuristic and erotic romance. I love things that go bump in the night and I love romance so it’s a given that paranormal romance is one of my favorite genres to write in. I write futuristics because I love creating my own worlds and playing in them. And I never shut the bedroom door in anything I write, so erotic romance creeps into almost anything I pen.

How much time do you spend writing every week? : I aim for several hours though sometimes I don’t get there. I was doing Seventy Days of Sweat challenge where I was writing at least 1000 words every day. I loved it and need to get back to it.

What was the first story you ever wrote about? (not nec. first published story) : I’ve always written stories. I entered several in the Young Author’s Contest when I was in school. My first novel that I ever wrote was Blood Kiss. A very different Blood Kiss than Loose Id published. It was more thriller and had every newbie writer mistake known to man. LOL I could have written another novel in the time I took polishing it up but I was in love with Nick and Sarah and had to get their story straightened out. I’m so glad I did.

How do you judge the effectiveness of the sensual scenes in your stories? : When I read back through them and get lost instead of tweaking them.

What one word best describes your toy collection? : *demure look* naked Barbies? Oh, that toy collection… Bondage *blinks*.

Favourite candy while writing? : Reese’s Peanut Butter cups, though I don’t indulge too much. I also like to drink coffee.

Where did your most unusual plot idea come from? : Hmmm. I think that would Deidre stuck in a tree in the Six Curses of Christmas. And it came from thinking about writing a Christmas story. My parents always went into the woods and got a cedar tree for our Christmas tree. I started thinking “What if the tree wasn’t alone?” Suppose a woman’s been cursed into it, and she’s pissed? The Six Curses of Christmas was born.

What inspires you to write? : My characters. They start whispering to me their stories, usually after I’ve had an idea and I have no choice but to listen. Anything can give me that big idea from news stories to songs to seeing something in the world. That’s what propels the characters.

What music inspires your writing? : I cannot write with music on but sometimes I get inspired from music. I have a story that I’ve written and need to polish that was driven by Aerosmith. Every time I hear them, I think of this story.

Plotter or a Panster? : A combination with emphasis on the pants side of things. I generally know where I’m going, I just don’t know all the curves the story will take to get there.

Does your cat insist on sitting on your keyboard like mine does? : LOL she lays her head on it. She loves my laptop fan so lies up against it (like now).

What is your most embarrassing moment as an erotic romance author? : I don’t really have any yet. I’m sure those are to come. LOL of course I’ve had several people say, “You look too innocent to write erotic romance.” And my mother in law purchased a couple of my books. I’m proud of what I write but knowing she’s read them is a little disconcerting.

Most challenging place you've ever written a spicy scene? : The middle of a dance floor. I wrote a vibrator scene into Veterans: Nothing to Lose where Richard has remotes to Bryan and Niki’s vibrators and they are at this swank party. It was a challenge and so much fun.

When you get stuck, how do you find your way back to the writing? : A hot bubble bath away from the story. For some reason, that rejuvenates my writing psyche.

What kind of books do you read for fun? : I’m an avid reader, though not as much as I’d like to any more. I love romances of most types, erotic romances of most types, thrillers, romantic suspense, and horror. I wish I had more time to read and more money to buy books!

If you were to make a bumper sticker for your car that had to relate to erotic romance, what would it say? : Some like it hot, like me.

Soulmates? Do you believe? : I do. I think my hubby is my soulmate. He suits me and once I found him, there was no one else.

Sex with anyone famous? : Do fantasies count? Figured not. Nope.

Cake or Pie? Coke or Pepsi? Tea or Coffee? : Cake. Love crumbs. Dr. Pepper not Coke or Pepsi. The diet Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper is awesome. And coffee.