So exciting! This is the second virtual book tour I have with the lovely Silver Daggers Book Tours, if any bloggers wish to receive pre-made HTMLs or content to share on their blog and/or social media on the 27th June just after 365 Days Of Writing Prompts For Romance Writers is published jump in add your blog/email here. All details will be sent from the company just just copy and paste! And there’s a giveaway too for all who participate $20.00. Much love to you, if you join in! Anyone can.
Good question! Many of you might be wondering ‘why the hell have you written a writing prompt book?’ The long answer is very long, the short answer is, well I just love writing prompts. And writing prompt for romance writers are even better! Those of you who have followed my blog since day one will know this, I have been blogging using writing prompts for short stories, random thoughts and to allow you all to get to know me since day dot when this blog started. I love picture prompts too. Back in the day say 2016-2018, I used to participate in weekly writing prompt challenges much more than I do now. I think it’s so exciting to be given something, or even half of something and then to complete it and make it your own.
Also, they are really great for motivation also, writers often can suffer with procrastination a lot they can help overcome this.
Very different to a romance or thriller that’s for sure, and a hella-lot quicker! The idea started a little while back, if I think back to pin point it I’d say just before Didi and I started really working on The Suspenseful Collection #2 – Blurred Lines. I started to write down ideas, sentences, situations and things as prompts. I collected a lot and tucked them away. I took inspiration from situations or people (characters I guess), that just came to me.
Fast forward many, many months, one of my author friends on Facebook a fellow romance author Kristi Tailor had also been a busy bee. She has actually launched a line of journals, like notepads that are simply beautiful. She tagged me in on them on Facebook I bought one yes, but it gave me the push I needed to actually get my manuscript together and write the damn book! So I did! I kinda thought ‘get out of your fiction writing for a bit, do something different during lock down.’
The first step was to look at what I had so I could organise them somewhat, and try to ensure that they are not too similar. Then, from here I thought okay, let’s make it 365 days of prompts because really where possible, I’d love to help keep my fellow writers going all year! You see lots of 101 or a less books of writing prompts. I wanted to make it as full as possible.
I decided on a ‘theme’ for each month, be it new directions in love, love in an unexpected place etc also some genre focused months, like historical, paranormal etc. However each of the prompts can be adapted to any genre really. If you’re an urban romance writer for example just place the situation or characters you feel drawn to, in an urban setting. So from here, I organised the prompts from January – September with a focus for each month.
January- New Directions Love
February- Unexpected New Love
March- Fresh Starts and New Beginnings
April- Love in Unexpected Places
May- Historical, Regency and Multicultural
June- Contemporary Romance
July- Paranormal, Horror and Dark Romance
August- Christmas and Holiday Love
September- Mixed Bag of Goodies!
In three main ways, firstly within 365 Days of Writing Prompts For Romance Writers nothing is set in stone and I make that clear, I want writer’s imaginations to run wild, which means take an idea and make it your own. Secondly, I have learned the beauty over the years since 2016 of personal blogging, not just for myself but the beauty of it or readers of your work or those that simply wish to follow your online author site/blog. Therefore, I dedicated three months of the year to personal blogging with prompts that are general, random and allow writers to express themselves as people. Not just creatively in fiction. I really want to encourage writers to put their personalities and self out there! To grow, engage, interact etc. On Facebook I am a moderator for a book club group, we have ‘question of the day’ each day. One question I asked was ‘what do readers like to receive in newsletters?’ To my surprise ( really it should not have been) a book club member responded, ‘to know the author and their personality and snap shot of them and their lives.’ This got me thinking, as my response was ‘ I do all that on my blog’ and it dawned on me that even if bloggers, writers whatever you want to call yourselves feel that no one tunes into YOUR blogs, some really do!! So do it!! Write those personal rambles and give a feel of who you are, as a person. Be human. October- December Romance Writers’ Blog Writing Challenge Prompts.
That’s why I have included the ‘three month romance writer’s personal blog challenge,’ with prompts dedicated to this within 365 Days of Writing Prompts For Romance Writers. In a nutshell, I’ve created a two for the price of one, or two in one book. Creative writing fictional prompts for romance writers yes, but also inspiration for those with a copy of the book to be themselves and engage, and to encourage them to start a blog and how!
Thirdly, I’ve kept the prompts pretty open. There are so many directions writers can go in, with questions like ‘what happens next after character A and B do x,y.z’ or ‘you decide why they are broken-hearted’, ‘you decide how they are linked’. I’ve provided situations for love to bloom or people/characters for writers to create the love in a particular context. There is a lot of room for creativity with a starting point.
There is none LOL if it’s January and you like writing a prompt in September, so what? You do not need to work to dates at all. This is just purely for organisation. Also some prompts are based on particular days that are celebrated around the world, like World Braille Day for example. There’s a prompt with a partially sighted character. But nope, no real structure also the personal blogging challenges I encourage writers to start as soon as they pick up the book don’t wait until October.
Yes, yes and yes! I think I have the bug. I plan on doing one for crime, thriller, mystery and suspense writers. Also, I actually have some other things up my selves for the series of ‘savvy writer’s’ books I wish to put out. So stay tuned.
I wrote this book because it was an idea that had to be brought to life! One I’ve had for a while and got a real taste for. Of course I will still write romantic suspense and crime, thrillers but I also wish to do writing reference books too. In a nutshell I want to help all of you! And share creative ideas.
I’m just thinking out loud really, and allowing my fingers to move across my keyboard. I’ve actually stolen a writing prompt from my own book 365 Days Of Writing Prompts For Romance Writers. ‘What’s on your mind, right now?‘ You see I woke up this morning thinking deeply about parents around the world right now, and how many of us are ‘stuck between a rock and a hard place’ as my own mum would say. Debating what to do about returning our babies no matter how old they are back to school vs the need to earn a living even if there’s a risk to our babies. Then I just finished home school my son about ten minutes ago, left him to get on with whatever six year old’s ‘get on with’ when their parents aren’t looking LOL so I could do some blogs. I got interrupted as I received an email from his school. Since school has reopened a couple days a week around the 12th May, they’ve had just twenty kids return over three classes! Part of me wasn’t really surprised, the other half was absolutely heartbroken that they went back. He attends a small private school with about no more than fifteen kids in his class, so it’s a small school. Twenty returned over three classes has got to be less than a handful of kids per year group, but they are still there! I asked myself why? Why have these kids gone back to school!? If I could I’d baby sit them all I’d do it…then I thought about my sanity LOL.
I’ve read all the articles and listened to all the news reports in every corner of the world, since I’ve been locked down officially since 11th March. The newest worry being the Covid-19 impact on children. Especially, after it was thought that kids are less at risk, seems there’s something else that attacks their body. I read one today, and how it attacks the vital organs. This is what made me decide that my son is not returning until September to school, earlier this month when some opened and the news reports started to surface I just could not do it to him, or myself. Many parents can’t even make that decision, many parents might forced to send their babies back to school. This is what crossed my mind as I woke up this morning. I felt incredibly blessed that I work at home anyway, so it’s not a thing to keep my boy off. But it’s damn near impossible to work as he is young, and not a teenager who understands ‘ I’m working keep the damn, noise down boy!’ My sacrifice is only to work when I should be asleep, and sleep when I should be working. But many parents their sacrifice is actually safety because they need to return to work so their kids have to or must return. I sat with that thought all day today, and even more so when I got an email from the school.
It’s so sad, and I feel incredibly …. what’s the word I wanna say ’empathetic’ or maybe even ‘sympathetic’ towards all parents who have had to return their babies to school. If you are one of these parents reading this my heart and love goes out to you.
This Covid-19 has really shaken up life as we’ve known it for sure, and in some parts of the world governments are handling it very differently. Yesterday, I had a conversation with a friend on Skype in Brazil, she told me her president never agreed to the lock down. (OMG, right) and therefore the death rate in Brazil has been on a steady increase over these last few months. My heart went out to this part of the world. I look at my own native country the UK, and feel that while we were so slow to move unlike other parts of Europe, one thing that we’ve got right is the financial support for those who need it who can’t work. But the health management part has been a bit of a disaster, as for the school’s management. I don’t see or even believe for one second as an ex- high school teacher that kids can ‘social distance’ at all!! And I don’t for one moment believe that when class sizes on average are around thirty in the UK, when I was teaching how they can expect teachers to narrow down classes to less than fifteen or whatever ridiculous number they suggested.
Then I think about the USA, and the outlandish comments the president has made around Covid-19, and even suggestions around drinking bleach!!? *Sigh* right now, I have so many views on what’s going on. And I just hope that every parent out there right now is able to make a decision on the return to school with safety at the fore front of their mind, and try not to let employers push you too much. I spoke to a girlfriend, she told me her kids will return a couple of days a week because her employer wants her to work from home still, but more efficiently. She has two small babies that are five years old – twins, so her work rate has dipped and her employers are throwing a fit. It upset me she is put in this position. Parents, please consider the pros and cons of this all, consider the reports on the impact of Covid-19 on children. Kids can’t and won’t social distance, my son can’t social distance to save his life LOL it’s his personality a very bubbly, touchy feely kinda boy. If he’s sick the whole house is sick, if he has a minor cold.
Ask your employer to stay home, apply for all the financial help your country offers and don’t be too proud to snatch it up!
Right now, I feel like home school should be an option for as many as possible, and the option to remain working from home. This would be my ideal world, and I know for many it may not always be possible. But, my thoughts are with you all.
How has your country or city handled the return to school? Have you sent your kids back? Why or why not? I’d love to hear how everyone is getting on do drop a comment.
Keep well everyone.
Happy Monday guys, I’m extremely proud to announce that ‘lock down’ during this pandemic world-wide has been helpful in some ways for me, at least with writing productivity. 365 Days Of Writing Prompts For Romance Writers is out now in paperback and e-book on pre-sale, and will be free on Kindle Unlimited to read. Writing prompts are everywhere! But I thought I’d write a very comprehensive book with 365 writing prompts for romance writers especially, that can be used all year around. You’ll find writing prompts for every sub-genre of romance. Take a look here’s more details…
With 365 Days Of Writing Prompts for Romance Writers, there’s no need for additional notepads or places to store your ideas. For each day of the year there’s a dedicated space for plotting your ideas, with a writing prompt to create an outline for a romance short story, novella, novel or even flash fiction. All you need to do is adapt the characters or setting to your sub-genre. For each day of the year you’ll find a creative, engaging, fun and challenging writing prompt, with situations or people to craft your next story. There is also a personal blogging challenge with prompts, for every day for romance writers to engage with their readers, grow their following, find new readers and allow their audience to get to know them. With 356 Days Of Writing Prompts For Romance Writers you’ll never be stuck for a romance story idea, or blog topic again! Each month has a focus. Dip in and out of each day, week, month as you wish.
January- New Directions Love
February- Unexpected New Love
March- Fresh Starts and New Beginnings
April- Love in Unexpected Places
May- Historical, Regency and Multicultural
June- Contemporary Romance
July- Paranormal, Horror and Dark Romance
August- Christmas and Holiday Love
September- Mixed Bag of Goodies!
October- December Romance Writers’ Blog Writing Challenge Prompts
Award-Winning Romantic Suspense and Thriller Author Kim Knight, also shares her secrets on writing page-turning romance, and her experience with writing prompts that allowed her to co-author two novels, and seventeen short-stories to date. So, romance writers around the world, grab your pen and your copy and get ready to write every day of the year and never run out of creativity. Note the paperback version will allow you to plot your ideas all in one space in the book, and let go of your hundreds of different idea notepads.
I love writing prompts and have found them so useful over the years! They’re great for motivation and inspiration for all writers, I highly recommend using writing prompts if you’ve never done it. So here’s to a new venture. This is book one of a series of “Savvy Writer’s” guides with writing prompts I’m planning to self-publish, in between books accepted by my publisher. In general I would recommend this book of writing prompts ( without being bias lol) to romance writers who are ‘seasoned’ as well as those who aspire to write romance, no matter your background. This is a helpful book of writing prompts to help you outline romance stories of all heat levels, that are realistic, heart-felt and page turning! I wish all romance writers well. I wrote a blog about tips on writing realistic romance a 101 a little while back which may also be helpful. Seven tips I recommend.
The paper version will allow you to actually plot your stories in the book itself as there’s space. The e-book version is the same, the space is there however of course you can’t write in it. There’s no difference in the content.
The best way to use this writing reference is to keep in mind these five small things.
What inspired you to write this book?
Into the Shadows was a concept that I had come up with way back when I was in high school. I’ve had these characters floating around in my head for over 15 years and at the beginning of 2019, I decided I was going to sit down and start to write about Lorelei and Vincent’s journey. The main inspiration that I had was music. I discovered my favorite band, Lord of The Lost at the end of 2018 and their music shaped the book and my characters. I even dedicated the book to the members of the band, because I know without their music I wouldn’t have had that ‘Ah-ha!’ moment that I needed to actually get the words written. One of my greatest memories is when I went to Germany in December of 2019, I was able to meet the band after one of their shows and I told them how much they inspired me and that I was dedicating the book to them. They were so grateful and I got hugs from each member of the band.
What can we expect from you in the future?
I have a really overactive imagination and WAY too many story ideas so there will be a lot for me in the future. More from the Shadows universe, that is for SURE. Embrace the Shadows will tie up Lorelei and Vincent’s trilogy, but there are so many other characters that need to be explored that I am going to be writing about. I also have a novella I did that is a contemporary romance involving an online zodiac dating website called Signs of Love that I will be expanding on and putting out as well.
Do you have any “side stories” about the characters?
Totally. And they usually end up being their books, or the concepts for their books. I am planning to make a full world out of this universe so most of the characters are going to get their own single book.
How did you come up with the concept and characters for the book?
They have been in my head for so many years and evolved so many times that I don’t even remember how I came up with the exact concepts anymore!
Where did you come up with the names in the story?
So Vincent was named after Vincent Valentine from Final Fantasy VII, no joke. So I think it is crazy that now when I’m finally publishing them that the remake it coming out!! Lorelei was renamed after I started writing as I didn’t care for her previous name. She was based off the Lord of The Lost song, “Loreley” which is more the traditional German way of spelling the name, but I wanted to make it more Americanized. After I listened to the song, it absolutely fit to be her song and her name.
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
The whole journey. Actually getting the words on the paper and then seeing where the characters have taken me. How they have evolved and became where they are at now. Then when I actually got the paperback in my hand, I broke down and cried. It was such an amazing moment and the feeling was so incredible.
Tell us about your main characters- what makes them tick?
Lorelei is very headstrong Nephilim. She doesn’t want to have to depend on anyone or anything, but she is so entwined in Vincent that she can’t separate herself from him. In book two, she struggles to try and find her balance and who she is while coping with her powers that are starting to overwhelm her.
Vincent is a badass Demon and Seraphim hybrid. He is motivated to protect those around him that he considers family, which isn’t many people. Lorelei is his world and has been since she came into his life. He is driven by the need to protect her and keep her safe from harm.
How did you come up with the title of your first novel?
My ex-husband helped me to come up with the title. I am awful as coming up with titles, and usually ask for help from friends or authors I chat with to brainstorm for titles!
Who designed your book covers?
These two were designed by Megan Parker of EmCat designs. She has been fabulous to work with and helped me so much when I was such a little newbie to the custom covers game. I didn’t give her a whole lot to work with on Into The Shadows and she came up with a great concept and then knocked it out of the park with Out of The Shadows. The cover for the final book in the trilogy, Embrace the Shadows is EPIC. ❤
Did you learn anything during the writing of your recent book?
I’ve learned a lot about my voice, and who I am as a writer. I always want to learn and grow and to explore who I am. I think I grow stronger with each book that I write.
If your book was made into a film, who would you like to play the lead?
I always pictured Lindsey Stirling for Lorelei and then Chris Harms, the lead singer of my favorite band as Vincent. They were a lot of inspiration for me.
Anything specific you want to tell your readers?
I love injecting a dash of humor and sarcasm into my books. While you may get all the feels, you are guaranteed to laugh at one point or another with the characters I have. Especially Nicolae. He is a smartass. It pisses Vincent off so much and I love it.
What is your favorite part of this book and why?
I loved writing the first book, Into The Shadows, but I think I loved Out of The Shadows even more. It told the story of their bond, the trials they faced together and boy, is it HOT. I love the emotion of it.
If you could spend time with a character from your book whom would it be? And what would you do during that day?
I love Vincent, but I think I would love to hang out with Nicolae, his badass Nightmare demon second in command. He is such a sarcastic jerk, but also a big giant softie that would just have me laughing all day. We probably would hang out, talk music and I would make him play for me or we would play video games.
Are your characters based off real people or did they all come entirely from your imagination?
Lorelei is actually my alter ego and always has been me, but more assertive. I base a lot of her reactions to things on the way that I would react to situations, she is probably the character that I am closest to and most passionate about. Vincent was originally loosely based on a friend I had from high school, but he evolved and changed so much from when I first came up with the concept that he is more based on the lead singer of my favorite band now.
Do your characters seem to hijack the story or do you feel like you have the reigns of the story?
They like to do what they want ALL the time! I can’t keep them in line that I just gave up on trying to do strict plotting or have a solid plan or outline. I am a total pantster, meaning that I had a basic concept of the story, but I really let the characters take me where they want to go. A lot of the times, it is where they demand to go.
Convince us why you feel your book is a must read.
It gets you on all fronts. There is all of the feels. Lorelei goes through quite a journey as she grows up, before she actually meets Vincent and there are a lot of intense areas that will get you. But there is also passion, intrigue and that dash of sarcasm and humor. The chemistry between Lorelei and Vincent is intense and overwhelming and in book two, it bubbles over and there are so many passionate moments that they share.
Have you written any other books that are not published?
I have a prequel for a new series I am writing that I just finished, but hasn’t been published yet. It is pretty fun as it has Demons, Angels and will be a Reverse Harem outside of the Prequel which is young adult.
What did you edit out of this book?
Into the Shadows went through a lot of edits because it was my first book. I ended up totally re-writing the entire first third of the book because I was just getting my voice and style together and had to scrap what I had originally wrote because it was not very good.
Fun Facts/Behind the Scenes/Did You Know?’-type tidbits about the author, the book or the writing process of the book.
I make dedicated playlists for most of my books! They are included in each of the Shadows books and I love putting them together from the music that inspires me and makes me think of the characters and story. It totally helps me get in the zone, especially if I am moving between different projects.
Author, Kim Knight 