First, sorry I missed everyone last month. May was crazy busy, but wonderful. Hubby and I drove down to Dallas to see Les Miserables, we had all the end of school year stuff for my boys, and then hubby and I went to Ireland for 10 glorious days!
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| Cliffs of Moher |
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| Dublin |
Texas was a quick getaway, but Dublin was amazing. My hubby was going for a week of work and I was super lucky to tag along. We went a few days early so we could get out in the country and do some sight seeing. It was beautiful, the weather was perfect, and we walked 30 miles (according to my fitbit) the first 3 days we were there. Once hubby went to work, so did I.
I settled into the hotel and finished Landscape Love and sent it off to my beta readers. That only took two days, so I still had plenty to get out in the city on my own to explore. Since returning, I've been working on revisions and edits to get LL ready to release at the end of the month. Here is where the insecurities come in.
Landscape Love is only my second straight up romance. That still makes me nervous, but this one is also spicier than the first novel. That in itself isn't the main issue. My biggest concern is that my main character is Hispanic and often slips into Spanish when she's nervous or angry. I'm not Hispanic. I don't speak Spanish. See where my insecurity comes in?
What if google translate has steered me wrong? What if I have my character saying something that culturally would never be said or what if I offend someone? In an effort to avoid these things, I have a dear friend reading for me right now. She's helping me tweak the Spanish to what she would have said, and I've asked her to let me know if there is anything/anywhere she would have viewed the situation differently or handled it differently. Hopefully that will be enough.
Now, in my head I know I can't make everyone happy, but it would be nice, you know?
The good news is my writers group have found this story to be as funny in spots as I thought it was. That makes me happy. It was a fun time writing and I hope others have a fun time reading.
It's up for pre-order now.
Have you written about a different ethnic group or culture other than your own? How did you research and were you a basket case knowing others were going to read it?
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June 6th question: What's harder for you to come up with, book titles or character names?
Definitely book titles. I kind of suck at it! In fact, I still don't have a good one for Eleena's story (my next scifi) and I've been working on it for two years now. Nothing seems to fit or sound like a book anyone would pick up. I'm really hoping some of my awesome beta readers can help me come up with something in the next few months because I really hope to finish it and get it out by the end of the year.
Characters just come to me and most of the time they tell me their names pretty quickly. There was only one time I struggled with a name. That was Caedan in Fade Into Me. He had about seven different names before the book was released. I almost gave up on him!
Texas and Ireland, how exciting!!!! Your pictures are beautiful! Good Luck on your romance book.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading a few blogs, it appears as if most writers find book titles is the hardest to figure out.
Yes, titles are so hard. We want them to draw people in, but they have to reflect the book too. Sometimes that's the problem.
DeleteI suck at titles as well.
ReplyDeleteAwesome you got to spend over a week in Ireland. And that it inspired you to finish your story.
Find someone who speaks Spanish and let them read the story. Then you'll know.
I've sent it to a friend to go over the Spanish for me. It's just taking a while. Funny how it's not so important to everyone else that it be done right away. LOL.
DeleteIreland? You went to Ireland? Oh, that is my dream. I am so envious right now. lol The pictures are great.
ReplyDeleteI highly recommend it Chrys! Now if only I can get to Scotland and Greece.
DeleteIreland was wonderful. At one point, hubby and I were walking and he said, "If I had to transfer here for work, I'd do it. Would that be okay with you?"
ReplyDeleteMy answer? Yes. Definitely, yes!
Oh my goodness, I hear you! I have the same issue with one WIP. Granted, I know it will just be a question of tracking down the right beta reader once I've finished, but it is a little troubling. Regardless, that's why we have beta readers, so things ring true in the end. =)
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely pictures. Thanks for sharing. And a visit to Ireland sound wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThat's awesome you got to go to Ireland with your hubby. My hubby and I are plotting on going sometime in the near future as well.
ReplyDeleteI'd be worried too. Try contacting a college and ask them to take a look at the sentences.
ReplyDeleteWe usually get on chance to get and keep a reader. So no pressure. ;-)
Anna from elements of emaginette
Yes, I'm writing a novel with a lot of Polish characters. I'm not Polish and I don't know any proper Poles. I've done a lot of research!
ReplyDeleteSounds like it was a great trip. (How come I'm not one of your beta readers?) No, I've never tried writing a different culture than my own.
ReplyDeleteI don't know. Do you want to be? :)
DeleteI love Les Miz! I have a character who uses a little Spanish and I worry about if I have it right. That's great that your writer's group liked the funny spots. It's always a worry if your readers don't laugh in the same places you do :-)
ReplyDeleteOh I could imagine you being very happy in Ireland. I recently read some books by Katherine Kurtz. They were good, and I looked up her author bio. She lives in a renovated castle in Ireland. That made me laugh. The writer's dream, eh?
ReplyDelete