How this pantser plots

July 2, 2023

Are you a "pantser" or a "plotter?"

That's a frequently asked question when writers are congregated in one spot such as Twitter or Facebook or any social media platform. People weigh in on this or that side, but the truth is it doesn't matter much. Your writing process is unique to YOU, but I think everyone is a bit of both. 

I start as a definite pantser. That's "fly by the seat of your pants" in writer's speak. I get an idea and I bang out an opening. Once that's on the page, I usually back up and do a bit of character bio so I don't forget pertinent facts that may have come out in the opening paragraphs. Then it's a bit more of being a pantser to incorporate additional ideas.

But there comes a place in every story where the characters have developed to the point that I know exactly where they're going. It's then that I stop and jot down a plot sequence. And for some reason, I can't seem to get going forward again until I've got the cover drafted. Forward just doesn't happen for me until the basic cover concept becomes reality. I reached that point this past week with Sumner's Garden, and this morning, I finally hit on a basic cover I can live with. 

I want to add one more element but I have two options. Both are up on my second screen and I keep glancing at them while working on screen one. Sooner or later, I'll gravitate towards one and that will be what I add to the final cover. 

Now that the cover is settled, it's time to expand on the plot points and push on to The End. Some of the plot points may change a bit, depending on what the characters tell me. But one thing about this story is unusual. 

This story has already given me the ending and it's not at all where I thought my guys were headed - it's better. Sometimes you have to listen to them. They are manifestations of your thoughts, after all. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, contemporary gay romance, LGBT, m/m romance, romance novels for Kindle, writers on writing, pantser v. plotter, social media, book covers, writing methods, 

What's up? June 2023.

June 28, 2023

Several years ago I studiously produced a quarterly newsletter, beginning in March 2017 and ending with the spring 2021 edition. I enjoyed doing it. Each edition contained a word from me, a bit about what works were "in progress," a section about my best boy Deuce, an "interview" question, Fun With Photoshop, and ended with a meme of some sort. It was something I could produce during quiet moments at the day job. The old Sitebuilder software I used for a website made it sooooooo easy to upload a .pdf, and then all I had to do was announce it or link to it. That all changed when support for Sitebuilder was pulled. 

I thought I could still do a newsletter and simply load it as a page here at Between the Keys. That didn't really work. If a newsletter isn't delivered to an inbox, folks don't seem to take the time to click and go read it. 

I used to have a mailing list, which was a Yahoo Group. That worked until Groups went bye-bye. 

By mid-2021, we were still struggling with COVID-19. I had settled my stepfather's estate and begun my countdown to retirement. My husband's health was in decline. My mother is in a facility with Alzheimer's Disease. My best friend, whom I met in the third grade, had abandoned me and moved a thousand miles away. My writing partner, Christiane France, had died. I was alone and exhausted. Keeping up a newsletter was not feasible. 

Now, that's not a plea for you to say, "oh, you poor thing!" It was simply my season of trial, and as with all things, it has passed. 

On our morning walk, Deuce and I discussed whether or not I should restart the newsletter. Well, I talked and he listened as is his way. He never gives me bad advice. He simply lets me speak and lets me know he loves my voice. No one else has ever listened to me as intently as he does. But I digress...

I talked myself out of doing a newsletter. I have Between the Keys and it's time I utilize it the way I once did. Maybe one day I'll change my mind - it's been known to happen! But until then, this is still the place where I share my writing world. Thanks for stopping by!

KC Kendricks/Rayne Forrest

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Between the Keys, KC Kendricks, contemporary LGBT gay romance, m/m romance, Deuce's Day, a writer's life, writing newsletters, writers on writing, rural living, walking, mailing lists, listening, bestselling author

Maybe it's only tongue-in-cheek

June 20, 2023

Yesterday I did something I rarely do. We were checking out at a store and the cashier asked me, based on the T-shirt I wore, if I was a writer. I told her yes, we chatted, and I gave her a business card. It seems that since I retired, I'm a lot bolder about letting that fact be known.

I've never hidden the fact I'm a published author from family and friends, but I do confess their reactions have been mixed. Total strangers seem to be a lot more interested. Family and friends never ask me about it now, after over twenty years. Maybe they follow along online but I'll never know. 

I left the house wearing the T-shirt. Never gave it a second thought. The T-shirt is old and a bit ratty, and I generally only wear it around the house. If I clean the house or mow in it, it doesn't need to be seen in public. But the trip yesterday was just a quick in and out, so we just hopped in his van and took off. We didn't even take Deuce, which I'm sure caused a bit of howling. 

Perhaps I should upgrade the T-shirt to a new model and wear the new one more. I enjoyed chatting with someone, even a stranger, who seemed genuinely interested in finding a new author to read. 

I no longer have to worry about my employer finding out and all the drama that revelation would have involved. Yes, I'm still under contract with them as a consultant, but it's not the same as being a public representative of the organization. 

I'm not ashamed of being a writer, but I prefer a more low-key life. I have no desire to walk down the street in my hometown and be followed. Nor do I want my picture plastered everywhere. I simply want to write a story I would enjoy reading. 

But times change. Now really is the time to be careful. You really might end up if not in my novel, in my blog! 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, a writer's life, contemporary gay romance, GLBTQ, m/m romance, meeting the public, writing career, writing options, retirement, T-shirt

It's getting stranger

 

June 16, 2023

Self, I said, you need to step back from this manuscript for a couple of days. 

There comes a time when a writer needs to take a mental break. Now, I'm sure a lot of people will nay-say that, but this writer has found it to be true. I no longer espouse the "rule" of write something every day. I try to be a bit kinder to myself. I'm more of a believer that sometimes it's necessary to be about the business of writing beyond the manuscript. 

Earlier this week I visited the Facebook groups and did a bit of promo and my blog stats exploded. Too bad sales didn't follow. People in Singapore speak and read English, right? 

Eight THOUSAND hits from Singapore in one day. I don't know if I should laugh or contact Blogger. 

    _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, contemporary gay romance, m/m romance, LGBT gay, a writer's life, Blogger, social media, Facebook, finance, social commentary

The Centerville Muscle series

 June 10, 2023

I love muscle cars. 

I always envisioned Bored, Stroked and Blueprinted to be the start of a series. I didn't think it would take this long to get it going, but life, death, pandemic...

Now that I have the series started, I've no clue where it may end, but I can tell you some of my all-time favorite cars, and some true classics, will land on the pages. 

Bored, Stroked and Blueprinted

Memphis

July Heat

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Some thoughts on writing in the first person style

 

June 9, 2023

There was a great thread on Twitter recently that caught my interest. The writer generating the thread asked how to hide the "I" when writing in the first person. As about ninety percent of my writing is in the first person, I was naturally curious. It had never occurred to me I needed to hide the "I."

Most of the responses spoke to the need to be aware of the usage and to restructure sentences when the usage of "I" gets too frequent or heavy. I certainly concur in most instances. Instead of saying, "I watched the rain overflow the gutters and splatter on the concrete," say "The rain overflowed the gutters and splattered on the concrete with a staccato beat." You're writing in the first person so it's all happening from that character's point of view. Using the second sentence engages his/her senses and therefore the senses of the reader who may have a memory of such a sound. 

One thing to be cautious of is falling into a pattern of passive voice when your character is not being introspective. If he/she is in a reflective mood, saying, "I watched the rain fall..." is an appropriate tool to bring the reader into the emotions of the moment. 

Writing in the first person gets tricky, for sure. I prefer it for writing M/M because when writing M/M in the third person, you end up with a lot of "he," "him," and "his," and if you're not careful, the reader can lose track of just which character HE is. The alternative is using a character's name repeatedly, and that can become annoying to a reader. I know. I am a reader, too. 

But, to me, writing in the first person is a more personal way to tell that character's story. You have to step inside that character and go deep. There is no head hopping back and forth between points of view. You're in that POV and you stay there. 

Writing in the first person isn't a better or worse way of writing a story. It's equal to the third person and the more narrative style of writing. It's a writer's preference and when done well, the reader hardly notices. I think I've done okay in most instances, with the Amethyst Cove and Sundown series being exceptional examples. 

I'm of the opinion that the writer who generated the thread on Twitter is on the right track. She didn't imply that one style is better than another, which is a frequent topic of many who I suspect can't write first person. She asked for a few tips to improve her first person writing and that is always appropriate. I was also impressed at how civil, for Twitter, responses were. 

For me, the bottom line is that you should write your story your way and that a writer should never stop in the quest to improve. And now I should take my own advice and finish the current WIP.

    _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, writing styles, first person, LGBTQ gay romance, writers on writing, M/M romance, narratives, Twitter, Amethyst Cove, sentence structure

The dilemma of artificial intelligence (AI)

 June 4, 2023

The current WIP stands at about thirteen thousand words and our heroes are about to get friendly, at least sort of friendly. I haven't decided just how friendly they're ready to be, but something will happen. Will it bring them closer or shake them up? That's the point I'm pondering. 

I'm "pondering" many things these days. "Ponder" is a word I grew up with, and I don't often hear it used now. People today say they're going to "think about it," but ponder, to country folk, has a deeper meaning. To ponder is to focus on a problem, issue, or question until you understand it from several angles. Pondering takes time and often prayer, prayer being a sort of meditation. 

AI, or artificial intelligence, is in the news. The pros and cons of AI is being widely discussed on social media. Hell, Congress is even having discussions about it for all the fucking good that will do. Twitter is lit up with authors discussing and questioning the validity of adding it to their body of work. 

If you use Artificial Intelligence to create a short story, poem, novella, or novel, can you claim to have written that piece of work? 

If you use AI to create a work of fiction and don't disclose the fact, is that dishonest? 

If you use AI to create a work of fiction, who actually owns the copyright? Do you own it or do the creators of the application used own it? 

If you use AI to create a work of fiction and then you market the book without owning the copyright, are you in violation of plagiarism laws? 

If you use AI to create a work of fiction and it's determined both you and the creators of the application share the copyright, do you then have to share the royalties? 

My poor little questions are the tip of the iceberg. 

Using AI to create a work of fiction, a love story for example, may not have much impact on society, but what if AI is used to generate works that are marketed as TRUTH? I read the works of Clive Cussler and David Wood, action-adventure stories that contain a smattering of facts to make the story more believable. They market those books as fiction, of course, but what if someone else begins to write in that genre and markets it as a true adventure, one that really happened? What if people believe it really happened and the lie becomes the truth? 

Call me a Luddite if you want to, but I'm not at all convinced AI is a good thing. Avarice will taint this thing. I fear the desire some hold to be famous and rich will warp all common sense, casting many into a pit of their own making. The need to be part of the "in crowd" and on the cutting edge has been the downfall of many. Folks, don't hop on any bandwagon until you know for sure where it's headed.  

It will be years until the AI fallout is fully recognized. It may not be in my lifetime. But I see one thing as certain. I will be on guard and I will be vigilant about it.

And for now, I'll be adding a note to my copyright notice in every new book that it was NOT created using any AI beyond the inescapable spellchecker. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, m/m romance, AI, artificial intelligence, copyright, gay romance, LGBTQ, spellchecker, Congress debate, social media

Series overview: The Southern Cross series

June 1, 2023

 

Summer is almost here and many of us are looking for "beach reads." A little surf, a little sand, and a lot of warm sunshine are the perfect companions for finding a new favorite book - maybe five! Step into the world of the Southern Cross and discover romance.  

From St. Lucia to Ocracoke Island, what brings lovers together is as constant and 

as ever-changing as the sea.

Each story in the Southern Cross series stands alone, but the characters introduced in Netting Neptune have cameos in subsequent stories. For those who like to read a "series" or a "collection" in the order in which it was written, follow the order laid out below.

And no - the sea god reference has nothing to do with fantasy romance. These are contemporary stories. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Netting Neptune
Contemporary gay romance

(book one)

Theron Bowman is in the throes of a life crisis. Wanting to leave his past behind he splurges on a two-week vacation in the Caribbean, and like everything else in his life, things quickly go awry and he ends up working at the Southern Cross resort to pay for his room.  

Colby Denton drifted until he came to rest on the island of St. Lucia. With nothing to lose, he rolled the dice and bought a run-down hotel and turned it into a popular resort. To celebrate his tenth year on the island, and his birthday, Colby arranges for a series of festive beachside parties. When Theron swims out of the ocean in front of him, Colby has a brand new birthday plan – netting his sexy Neptune.

For more information and to read an excerpt from Netting Neptune, click here. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Taming Triton

Contemporary gay romance 

(book two)

Austin Michaels accepts his brother’s standing invitation for a Caribbean vacation at his island resort. Some time in the sun is just what he needs to map out a plan for his future. He gets lucky and meets a handsome teacher willing to have a little vacation fling with him, as long as they can keep things fun. 

Steve Guthrie’s secret longings have haunted him all his life. It’s time to face his questions and find the truth of who he really is beyond a staid college professor. His love of the sea prompts him to take a vacation at a Caribbean hideaway for relaxation and reflection. A sexy stranger with a Triton's trident tattoo tempts Steve to abandon his plans, enticing him to share a vacation romp. 

Now Steve’s the student in a high stakes class of one, and to pass the course, he has to tame his very own Triton.

For more information and to read an excerpt from Taming Triton, click here. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Poseidon's Pleasure

Contemporary gay romance 

(book three)

Brett Houston triumphed over his early life. Raised by an abusive father, Brett sacrificed his personal happiness to keep the ones he loved safe. Ready to make big changes in his life, Brett treats himself to a Caribbean vacation. To his surprise, he ends up at a seaside ball, wearing a G-string and presiding over the festivities as Poseidon, the God of the Sea.   

Mark Matthews left behind his hometown, and his first love, to put down roots in California. With vacation time to use, or lose, Mark books a holiday on the island of St. Lucia, unaware of the surprise reunion Fate has waiting for him. 

Brett cautiously examines the fractured bonds of the past, while questioning the possibility of a renewed future with Mark. It’s simpler for Mark. He won’t settle for anything less than a future tending to Poseidon’s pleasure.

For more information and to read an excerpt from Poseidon's Pleasure, click here. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Between the Moon and the Deep Blue Sea

Contemporary gay romance 

(book four)

Chad Collier’s had enough of providing stud service to rich men. It’s true he’s had more fun than any one man deserves, but now it’s time to make a plan for the rest of his life. At the urging of a mentor, he takes a leap of faith and breaks with his old ways. A job interview lands him smack in the path of Darcy Paulson, the sort of rich man Chad vowed to avoid. 

Darcy Paulson came of age as the prodigal son in a wealthy manufacturing dynasty. Every man he’s ever met has been after his money until Chad Collier shows up on his doorstep. Darcy finds Chad prickly, standoffish, and utterly irresistible. Smitten by Chad’s dark good looks and determination to stand on his own two feet, Darcy is happy to give him an opportunity. It doesn’t take long for them to figure out that some private, no-strings fun is what they both need. 

An unexpected event brings them face-to-face with the truth. The magic that happens between the moon and the deep blue sea is something a man can’t own, and it can be fully experienced only in the arms of a lover...

For more information and to read an excerpt from 

Between the Moon and the Deep Blue Sea, click here. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

Catching Fireflies

Contemporary gay romance

(book five)

Dale Langley longs for some triple R time - rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. He accepts his cousin’s invitation to winter over on Ocracoke Island, far away from the hustle and bustle of life on the mainland. He’s always loved being a rolling stone, traveling for his job without the worry of a place to call home, but it’s time for something different. Now Dale anticipates several blissful months to learn how to be still with no demands on his time while he prepares for the next phase of his life. 

Aubrey Zimmerman came to Ocracoke to attend a friend’s commitment ceremony. Never one to settle down, Aubrey’s had enough of involvements that took him from man to man without a place to call home. He needs a break - and a little solitude. House sitting while his friend is on his honeymoon is the perfect way to clear his head and catch up on his sleep. At least it seemed that way until Dale arrived and Aubrey realized sleep is the last thing he needs. 

Fate has changes in store for Dale and Aubrey, the sort neither one knew they wanted. Sometimes the more you wander the closer to home you get. 

For more information and to read an excerpt from Catching Fireflies, click here. 

_*_*_*_*_*_*_*_

For more information, please visit the individual book pages

Go back to KC and Rayne's bookshelf -click here. 

The Southern Cross series:

Book 1:  Netting Neptune

Book 2:  Taming Triton

Book 3:  Poseidon's Pleasure

Book 4:  Between the Moon and the Deep Blue Sea

Book 5:  Catching Fireflies

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
http://kckendricks.com

My real home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

When writing takes a back seat

 May 21, 2022

It's difficult to imagine I've been retired for a year! I'm actually between two anniversaries - the day I walked out the door for the last time on May 19, 2022, and the day of my retirement reception on May 22, 2022. It's been quite a year. Time has, as they say, flown by.

One of the major pillars of my retirement plan involved my writing career. I planned to set aside a block of time each day for writerly pursuits. It hasn't happened. I've been too busy. 

Now don't scoff. Take a hop over to http://hollytreemanor.blogspot.com and catch up. 

We have three beautiful acres to tend. My partner is in a wheelchair so "if it is to be, it is up to me." The responsibility for ninety-five percent of the home and garden chores is on my shoulders. I don't mind. I enjoy mowing, splitting wood, and other outdoorsy pursuits, but they do keep me from writing and blogging. I've been busy getting my little container garden planted, fertilized, and watered this time of year. 

The spousal unit has "suggested" that I need to cease the attempt to complete every chore in just one day. He may be correct, but there is a lot to do and I prefer to do it before the heat of summer forces me inside. I know better than to do yardwork when the temperature gets above eighty degrees Fahrenheit. His heart may be in the right place, but I doubt it. He wants me to spend my days waiting on being with him and doing his projects. 

I find myself doubting I have the discipline needed to get back to writing every day. Can I really set a cut-off time on my chores and come to the computer and write? Will I be able to concentrate on a story when there are chores left undone, or worse, only half done? 

This retirement thing isn't quite what I thought it would be. Only half of my vision is in focus and I'm floundering. How do I bring clarity to the part of the plan that is writing? 

I knew the first year of "retirement" would be transitional. I just didn't know it would be so hard on something I love so much.

_*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, a writer's life, contemporary romance, LGBT gay romance, m/m romance, writing, blogging, country lifestyle, rural living, romance books for Kindle, handicapped spouse, retirement woes

What do readers really want?

 

May 13, 2023

What do readers really want in a story? It's one of those "magic bullet" questions to which, if we knew the answer, we could deliver the perfect story. I've been writing for over twenty years and I still don't have a proper response. 

It's raining today. I spent half a cup of coffee gazing out the window into the woods watching a single deer move silently through the trees, carefully choosing each delicate hoof fall on its journey to a place it knows may be dryer. The woods are so very green this season, and the fawn-brown deer stood out against the foliage. The rain is more of a mist, and it blurs the vision, softening the appearance of everything in sight. Do readers want to know this? 

The heat pump sits just outside one of the sunroom windows. The fan came on and the water droplets on the top grillwork came to life, dancing and swirling before flying away to seek the wet ground. Do readers want to know this? 

It's begun to rain harder now, bringing myriad sounds to intrude into the clicking of my keyboard. There is the steady beat on the roof and an equally steady drip as water runs into the gutter and downspout. Do readers want to know this? 

Or as one of my colleagues has suggested, do readers only want to visualize naked bodies straining toward a joint peak and use the writer's imagination as to the sounds of their lovemaking? 

Writing to please only other readers, and I say 'other readers' because I am the first reader of my story, or writing to a particular market as it can be called, can be a recipe for disaster. The writer attempts to become a psychic, a mind reader, to please what they hope will be a huge readership and reap those rewards. 

I've never been very successful at mind-reading. It's not part of my skill set. I plod along in the dark, never knowing if a story will turn out the way someone else will like. Did Harper Lee and Margaret Mitchell expect their stories would become literary classics? 

Probably not when they first sat down to write those stories. Whether they started with a mere kernel of an idea or the entire story came to them as dawn broke, there was no way for them to anticipate the impact of their words. They simply told their story the way it should be told. 

It has occurred to me that's the way it's supposed to be and I would do better to emulate them. 

    _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, writers on writing, gay romance novels, LGBTQ romance, m/m romance, a writer's life, rainy days, bestselling authors, Kindle romance novels

Life happens but never at a steady speed

 May 5, 2023

Life happens, you know? I've been rolling along rather well in 2023. There have been a few ups and
a few downs, but all in all forward progress has been achieved. Back in February, Devilishly Delicious Dane   (***Update October 10, 2023 ******This title is no longer available***) was published, and the current work-in-progress is moving along at the pace I anticipated. That is to say, I'm at least working on it along with everything else in life. 

I've been concentrating on some things that feed my spirit the way writing used to do. There have been so many changes in the industry that left me feeling adrift. I've been successful with my indie releases, but I do miss the camaraderie of other authors that was found at Amber Quill. Social media outlets don't provide the same level of privacy and communication. 

The 2023 gardening season is upon us. I created a plan and almost stuck to it. I have green things already growing in buckets and grow bags which makes me very happy. It feeds my soul to walk through my small garden space in the morning and look for newly sprouted seeds. Being outside in the morning light, as the sunshine filters through the trees, is magical. 

It shouldn't be a surprise to learn the current WIP features a garden. Our main characters need to have something to work on that keeps them in each other's orbit and eventually unites them in a common direction. Helping an old man with his garden is it in this story.  

Today is one of those days I want to write, but real life has its tentacles in me today. After six days of nasty rainy, cool weather, the sun is shining. I have bedding plants to get into pots, grass to mow, weedwhacking to do, and I need to restring the lights where I park my car. The lights are a bit of a priority as I'm out after dark with the dog and it's now snake season on the mountain. If I have any energy left after those chores, I need to hop on the John Deere 1023 with the Brush Crusher and go move a downed tree to the firewood processing area. I hope my partner can help, but with his health, I can't depend on it. 

Later tonight, again if I have the energy, will be the time to sit at the computer and work on the WIP. There's no point in railing against the delay in doing what I really want to do. It's counterproductive and I've lived long enough to know life happens. I need to embrace every day as it comes and search for those nuances that lead me in the proper direction, whichever way that may be.

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, a writer's life, contemporary gay romance, LGBTQ, m/m gay, erotic romance, romance novels, rural living, indie publishing, ebooks, snakes, gardening, time management, life decisions

How did I do that?

 

April 24, 2023

In the twenty-plus years I've been writing I've never heard another writer say they love to do promotion. N-E-V-E-R. I've never said it either, and promotion used to be a lot easier. These days a writer can experience death by social media, and that's not a joke. Trying to keep up on every platform out there is stressful enough to cause a stroke or heart attack. I don't do it. I prefer to have a real life. My promotional activities are carried out here at Between the Keys, in the Facebook groups, on Twitter, and kind of/sort of on YouTube. 

A few days ago, I fixed a cup of tea and sat at the computer to do a little promo while a load of laundry was in the washing machine. Last year I set a goal to promo the entire Men of Marionville series on Facebook so I scrolled the spreadsheet and saw where it was time to post the info for Your Whisper in the Dark in a few groups. Imagine my surprise when a group admin responded that the links on my promo sheet were incorrect. 

I may be a novice gardener, but I'm not a novice computer user. I generally know what I'm doing when I begin clicking away. Nonetheless, she was correct. The Amazon links in the promo were fucked up crap. 

I fixed my promo sheet, and thanks to my spreadsheet, the posts containing the bad links, but now I need to figure out just what screwy thing I did when I copied and pasted the info the first time. Was it me or was it Microsoft? I'm sure it was me not keeping a close enough eye on Microsoft. 

It was a lesson learned, and now I'll check the links on all my promo sheets before I post them. That will be annoying to do, but necessary. It may be enough to start me on the path to day drinking. 

    _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
http://www.kckendricks.com

My home on the web- Between the Keys: 

http://kckendricks.blogspot.com

Visit my bookshelf at: 

https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, contemporary gay romance novels, LGBTQ novels, a writer's life, Your Whisper in the Dark, Men of Marionville, promoting books, ebooks, m/m romance, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, authors, learning, social media

Twelve years is a bit late to censor a post

April 20, 2023

Between the Moon and the Deep Blue Sea was first released in May 2011 at the now-defunct Amber Quill/Amber Allure publishing house. It was the third best-seller at the pub that month (brag, brag!). As one would expect, I promoted the hell out of it, posting it on every blog I had posting privileges. That was in 2011. Suddenly, in April 2023, I got a few notices from Google that the post didn't meet their "guidelines" and was under review. 

Wow. Twelve years later.

I went back and took a look at the excerpt I used for promotion and decided Google had a problem with a couple "slang" words, namely that used to describe a bit of male anatomy and a common usage word to describe giving pleasure to that part of the anatomy by mouth. I made a few changes, clicked for a second review, and the posts were once again approved. 

Wow. Twelve years. I wonder how many people saw all those posts? And I wonder what snowflake saw a post and complained. I mean, twelve years later. 

I've written about censorship before. Censorship is a danger, a threat to all of us. If a powerful company is willing to censor my poor little romance novel, what else is it willing to censor? I fully expect THIS post to go up for review.

It may sound like a good thing to keep "adult" posts behind a content warning, but it's not. It's not my responsibility to parent YOUR children. The Internet/Interweb is a marvelous place, but it's also very adult in nature. YOU need to guide your children inside it, not me or any author. 

Censorship blocks the sharing of free thinking. Free thinking is dangerous. Free thinking might have us planting a garden and growing some of our produce. Free thinking might have people reasoning out that when the nearest grocery store is an hour away, a short-range electric vehicle isn't practical. Free thinking might have some of us believe our daughter is really a biological female who will eventually choose to procreate, or not. Free thinking might have some of us believe that it's okay to accumulate enough wealth to support ourselves in retirement instead of having the State support us. Free thinking might have some of us believe that we have the right to defend ourselves under the Second Amendment.

Now, I realize that censoring my silly little post is nothing in the overall larger scheme of things, but that's the insidious nature of censorship. It starts small and chips away, chips away, chips away at all the little things until suddenly what has been lost is a big thing. 

We need to be on guard. We need to stay diligent. We need to be able to recognize how censorship attempts to shepherd us into having only one choice, and one voice. As an author, as an America, I believe in the First Amendment and the guarantee of free speech, of which writing is a form. 

Opposing views and free speech are necessary to a free people. It's a lot more important issue than slang words in a romance novel, but I recognize it as just the beginning. 

If they have eyes, let them see. 

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, censorship is dangerous, First Amendment rights, parental responsibilities, free-thinking, author voice, country lifestyle, rural living, romance novels, LGBTQ romance, m/m romance

All things end: Saturday Evening Romance

April 11, 2023

In September 2008, I opened a promo blog called Saturday Evening Romance. I envisioned it as a place where authors could post excerpts to promote their books. It worked, after a fashion, but it turned me into a Marshall. I posted a simple rule - don't spam the blog with more than one post a day. It's fucking amazing how many authors cannot read. 

Like everything in life, SER has run its course. Those authors with posting privileges no longer use it as a promotion tool. My friend, the late Christianne France, has quite a few posts still up but her books are no longer available. A lot of the posts are from authors who were also with Amber Quill Press, now defunct. 

Sadly, the time has come to delete the Saturday Evening Romance blog. I've pushed the button on it and it's gone.

The decision was not made lightly but it was the right thing to do. No one likes to click a link and find it no longer works. 

I'm grateful for those authors who did post there in past years and I wish those who are still writing and publishing continued success. 

Now we move on. 

 _*_*_*_*_*_*_

 KC Kendricks
www.kckendricks.com
My home on the web- Between the Keys: 
http://kckendricks.blogspot.com
Visit my bookshelf at: 
https://kckendricks.blogspot.com/p/the-bookshelf-of-kc-kendricks-and-rayne_3.html

Social media links:

twitter.com/kckendricks

pinterest.com/kckendricks/boards

instagram.com/kc_kendricks

facebook.com/kckendricks

Snips and clips on my YouTube channel: KC Kendricks Between the Keys

Life through the eyes of my black Lab, Greenbrier Smokey Deuce: deucesday.blogspot.com

My country life at The Hideaway/Holly Tree Manor: hollytreemanor.blogspot.com

KC Kendricks, Between the Keys, a writer's life, LGBTQ romance, m/m romance, Kindle romance, blog ending, romance novels, Men of Marionville, Centerville Muscle, Sundown saga, Southern Cross, Amethyst Cove 

 

Easter 2023

April 9, 2023

To the Christian follower, today is celebrated as the day Jesus rose from the tomb signifying his triumph over death. It's a promise given but perhaps not fully understood by mere mortals. Until you get there, you can only guess. 

Easter is to me a sign of renewal. The seasons have turned and spring has established itself. My grandparent's generation, at least those I grew up knowing here in our mountain enclave, called the daffodil the "Easter flowers." This year, the daffs have been blooming for about a month already, and the late variety I have, the beautiful white Mount Hood, is showing off. Seedlings are thriving in the greenhouse and I've had the mower out to level the grass but not actually cut it to summer length. 

People denigrate churchgoers not realizing that "church" today is as much about community as it is faith.  Yes, faith is spoken and discussed but in many churches, that faith is a call to community action. Easter reminds us we can triumph over those things that seem insurmountable. 

In quiet and unassuming ways, we can respond to the modern call to "give back," knowing what some fail to acknowledge - the call to give back is ancient. We get more accomplished if we simply go about our business without stopping to thump our chests and cry out to the masses 'look at me!'. 

Easter is here, and it's a day to renew promises, especially to oneself. What those promises may be to each of us is personal, but no less important than the next person's. Easter is also a day to reflect upon and accept there are mysteries in this world bigger than we are and as simple as a bulb in the earth shooting up a beautiful white flower. Easter is here, and our hopes are renewed. 

KC/Rayne

KC Kendricks, Rayne Forrest, Between the Keys, Easter, mysteries, hope, renewal