Three Days Part 5-The Feet

by LT Marie

So, I started with a story concept and years later have a final product I can share with everyone. Three Days is my first completed work and let me tell you the process is long and detail oriented. The story concept began with my little adventure in Vegas and blossomed into a story set in the very same town between two women who are like night and day. I tried to build a couple of strong characters and plot a storyline. Added a lot of sexual tension and drama to hopefully make the reader keep reading. Then a team of talented people ripped everything to shreds in the hopes of helping Three Days be the best story it can be. So what’s left–The Feet–The sum of all parts coming together in one extraordinary package.

Yes, Three Days can finally stand on it’s own feet. In fact, when I receive my first copy, I’ll place it on my bookshelf to prove it I can’t wait to hold that first book in my hand. Maybe then, I’ll finally believe I got my chance at being an author.

Come October 17th 2011, I hope you pick up a copy and enjoy!

Three Days Part 4-The Legs

by LT Marie

Someone told me a long time ago, if you can’t stand you can’t fight. When it comes to a story, the legs don’t just support the weight, they help tie everything together. Here is where I praise my editor and everyone behind the scenes. Yes, the story is mine. My concept. My characters. My words. BUT what helps keep it all together are the people like my editor, Vic, and someone with Rad’s expertise to find all my mistakes and keep my story and characters in check.

After looking over the final draft of Three Days, I still see the original story but a lot has changed, and let me say for the better. Whereas before, the story would’ve fallen flat on it’s face, now it can not only stand–it has strength. Let me explain. Three Days started out as a romance where Vegas happened to be the backdrop. But after being taught how to use the backdrop as an essential part of the storyline, I realized my story would not have been the same if it was set somewhere else. Not only were the characters hot but everything around them was too. Sweaty bodies, skimpy outfits, and of course sex all played a part whether it was used to describe people walking on the street or the exchange between the two main characters. I think this was one of my biggest lessons learned the first time around.

It’s during this part of the process where my manuscript got ripped to shreds. I haven’t seen that much red since college (not a pretty sight, let me tell you). But, it was because of this essential part of the process that I learned what works and what doesn’t. Now, I’m not giving away any trade secrets. What I can tell though is that I appreciated every idea and every suggestion thrown my way. I had a few laughs and a few sleepless nights but eventually everything came together. I’m guessing that a lot of people wouldn’t like it if someone took something they had thrown their heart and soul into and torn it to pieces. Am I right? What I will reiterate is that this is all part of building a story. You need a strong stomach and a lot of strength to get through it but when it’s over, you’ll appreciate everything the people behind the scenes did for you.

So what is my conclusion? That by putting all my small lessons together they created one giant lesson for me. Everything matters. Period. If it’s not important don’t write about it. Which of course is a whole nother lesson in itself. Remember, if you can stand, you can fight. So use everyone supporting you in your corner to help give your story a fighting chance.

One more body part to go. Stay tuned for the feet…..

Three Days Part 3-The Body

by LT Marie

When I think of bodies, I think of perfect breasts, great legs, and curves in all the right places. I’m sure most lesbians reading this blog right now are saying “Amen Sister!”  But that is not the type of body I’ll be talking about today–Sorry No, what I’ll be talking about is everything in a story that makes the story, well a story.

The body is the “meat and potatoes” of the story. It’s all the events that bring the characters together along with what happens to force them apart. In Three Days, the backdrop is Vegas and a bachelorette party. Both women are reluctant to go and then find out that their weekend is not turning out how they planned. Then there’s of course the dialogue, the interplay with secondary characters, and the one event that brings them together.

The body is the hardest part of the story for me. Openings, closings, and sex are my three favorite parts. The rest is where I, as an author, struggle. Thanks to Rad’s wisdom,  I really had to get into the head of my characters and figure out everything that made them tick. What really helped was acting out the parts. I found I was more in touch with Dakota, but like I said in my first blog, she was much easier for me. Shawn is sensitive, shy, and had to deal with issues of always being beautiful. None of this, of course, applies to me. Dakota, on the other hand, is outspoken, chivalrous, and can get any women she wants (and as my wife will tell you in my case–two out of three ain’t bad). Anyway, I had to find a way to make these two complete opposites work. All I can tell you is that it was challenging, fun, and with the help of a great teacher a story was born.

My best advice to new authors is to remember we are “NEW.” Let the experts guide you. Let them cut, paste, remove, revise, and when they tell you the story needs work, listen to them! All I can say is that I went into the process with a manuscript and came out of it with a book.

Three Days Part 2 – The Shoulders

by LT Marie

Our next body part to discuss is the Shoulders of the story. The bigger the shoulders, the more weight the story can carry. It gives us an in depth look at the characters. Tells us about their desires, their needs, their wants. It explains how the characters came to this point in their life and how meeting that one special person makes them reexamine where they are in their lives and where they plan on going. In essence, their journey.

Three Days is no different. Dakota and Shawn spend a lot of time on introspection.They both have some tough choices to make which will either lead them toward one another or pull them apart forever. But of course, isn’t that what all romance novels do? I know for me sometimes, I want to crawl into the stories I read and yell, “what are you doing? Of course she loves you, you dope!” But then I start laughing. I realize the author did exactly what they intended to do. They snagged me: hook, line, and sinker. They got me involved. Made me think about their characters as if they were real people. I became invested in their lives and wanted to know their innermost thoughts. I struggled with them, laughed with them, and sometimes even cried with them. When I’ve finally been reduced to a steaming pile of mush is when I begin to praise the author. That ability to touch something in me always turns me into a fan for life.

As a new author, I can only hope to connect with my readers the way other authors have connected with me. My goal is that when you, the reader, finish Shawn and Dakota’s story, you think about them for days to come. You’ll wonder about their future and their lives long after the final page is turned.

Anatomy of Three Days Part 1-The Head

by LT Marie

When most people build things, they normally build from the bottom up. I, on the other hand, like to start from the top down. Yeah, backwards I know. But that’s how I build my stories. Today’s anatomy lesson is about the Head of the Story. What’s that you ask? Well simply its the source of the original idea. Three Days takes place in Vegas because it was in this great city that I came up with the idea for the setting. You see, I was attending a Bachelorette party there with twenty-five straight women (yes, you heard me right) for three days. Now, that’s pretty much where the similarity ends. But here I was sitting in a hotel room twenty floors up staring at the famous Vegas skyline wondering how in the hell I was going to deal with mani/pedi’s, the proper application of make-up, and male strip clubs for the next seventy-two hours. Then, it dawned on me—I’m Not

Needless to say this is when I removed the pen from the hotel room nightstand and began my journey. It started out with a couple of character sketches, a series of events, and of course a theme to tie the story all together. My first character, Dakota was easy to write about. Vegas+ Women=playgirl. No brainer right? She’s fun, dynamic, and loves sex. Perfect, one character down.

Shawn on the other hand, well she was a challenge. I needed the yin to Dakota’s yan. Then it occurred to me, of course! What can a playgirl not have? Someone who doesn’t like to play. Who doesn’t gamble or take chances. Play, gamble, chances, Vegas. Hoorah, I have a story!

So that’s basically how it all started. What’s scary is that looking back, that was eleven years ago. It’s taken me that long to get my story on paper, have a company as great as Bold Strokes Books take me on, and finally complete Dakota’s and Shawn’s incredible journey when my first book, Three Days is released in October 2011.

There you have it. The Head of the story. Stay tuned for more body parts……….