Got a secret?

Secrets... we all have them, and our characters are no exception. 

The trick is to bring to light the things our characters would rather keep hidden and make a good story a great one.

“The Dirty Little Secrets of Character Development” is an interactive workshop that leads participants through fun, inventive exercises that will help them root out their characters’ deep, dark secrets and desires, as well as show how to use these secrets to further plot, conflict and—of course—the romance.

During the two-month course, we’ll cover:

• Why we keep secrets
• Types of secrets
• How secrets affect and change us
• How secrets are exposed
• Repercussions
• Secrets of character development

We’ll also talk about how secrets affect character at the deepest level and how these secrets reveal themselves through words and actions even if the character never confesses.

The course runs from April 1 to May 31, 2013.

For more information contact Outreach International Romance Writers at http://www.oirwa.com/forum/campus/#APR5

Want Something More?

Something More is still free today at Amazon.

It's one of five books five authors from the Class of '85 series is giving away.

To review all the books, click here.

Audio books: an unique kind of hell

Mom and the niece under a banyan tree.

Last week I took a road trip with my mom and niece to visit cousins in Florida. Yes, all that warmth and sunshine was a hardship.

But the trip wasn't without its trials.

En route, we stopped at Cracker Barrel and borrowed an audio book. I don't normally listen to books, but it's a nice way to pass the time during a 14-hour drive. Plus, it was by a well-known, best-selling author. It was--we thought--what business types call a win-win.

Nope.

It was a lose-lose. What didn't we like? For starters, the story. The writing. And one half of the narrative team.

So not only did I learn that even well-known, best-selling authors can put their name to a really bad book, but I also learned that the need to finish a book once started is inherited like hair texture or eye color.

None of us liked it, but we couldn't bring ourselves to stop listening, even though we were rooting for the antagonist by the end.

When reading a bad book, you can skip ahead, skimming chapters for the highlights until you reach the end. You can't do that with an audio book. You either listen to each word or skip entire sections.

But there's always an upside.

Our upside to this audio book debacle is we now have a short-hand for people who are too stupid to live. We just call them by the characters' names.

So I guess it was a lose-win.

Giving Away Free Books With A Little Help From My Friends

Did you ever wonder what happened to…The Prom Queen? The guy most likely to serve time in a federal prison? The couple voted most likely to succeed? If intrigued with the opportunity to rewrite a bit of history…or exact a little revenge…The Last Rose of Summer invites you to a reunion of The Class of ’85.

That was the original call for submissions from The Wild Rose Press and over twenty inter-related books were the result. Five of these books are available for FREE today on KDP Select exclusively on Amazon.

All five authors, me included, have multiple books published with the Class of ’85 series. We hope you’ll try out these titles and maybe come back for more.

Download Something More for free here.

If she could, Nora Emerson would demand a "do over" of the last twenty-five years. An emotionally abusive marriage, failed fertility treatments and a nasty, public divorce have left her bruised, skittish and determined to remain independent at all costs.

With an all-consuming business and a furious teenage sister on his hands, Nora is a complication Nick McPherson doesn't need. It's one he wants. Her vulnerability and kick-ass competency intrigue him, and the sexual sparks between them could set Summerville on fire. The more she insists the sex is just for fun, the more determined he becomes to turn their fling into something more.

Download Lonely Road To You by Jannine Gallant for free here.

Kate Abbott isn’t looking for excitement and is perfectly content with the secure life she’s built in Seattle, even if her son thinks she’s in an uninspired rut. Former rock star Tyler North has no intention of shaking up his life on the Montana ranch where he fled years before to escape the ravages of fame and fortune. Neither plan to attend their 25 year high school reunion in Summerville, but fate throws them together on a lonely road, leading them on a journey of discovery.

From the majesty of Yellowstone to the shores of Lake Ontario, Kate and Tyler fight unexpected attractions and old insecurities. Their journey is full of surprises and odd twists. From bison and bears to a deep crevasse and a crazy old man, they work together to overcome the obstacles in their path. But will these two opposites be able to put aside fear of change and rejection to take a chance on the promise of love?

Download To Be, Or Not by Margo Hoornstra for free here.

Barry Carlson had it all, a successful career in professional baseball and the adoration of any woman he wanted. Except one. Forced to retire in his prime, Barry returns to his hometown of Summerville, New York to coach the Minor League Hornets.

Twenty years ago, Barry broke through Amanda Marsh’s trust issues. He melted her ice, won her love, then walked away without a backward glance to survey the wreckage. Now Amanda is the head of public relations for the Hornets and happily single—until Barry slides back into her life.

Still reluctant to trust, Amanda gives Barry another chance. But the announcement of their twenty-fifth high school reunion leads to an asinine bet between Barry and his old buddies, and threatens to ruin their newfound relationship. As scandals of the past and present converge, can Barry and Amanda get beyond their differences to find their second chance at love?

Download Embraceable You by Kat Henry Doran for free here.

Award-winning photojournalist Dru Horvath doesn't stay in one spot for too long. Her vocation of documenting abuses against women worldwide prevents her from risking her heart. Every day working stiff Rory McElroy is a two-time loser when it comes to women—and he doesn't plan to take a chance on a relationship again, thank you very much.

But when Dru comes back into his life, he's not sure which poses the greater risk: protecting her from third world thugs who want to silence her permanently—or allowing the one woman who captured his heart years ago to embrace him for good.

Download Promises, Promises by Silver James for free here.

Betrayed former society wife Kelly Kincaid only wants to make things right. Paying off her ex-husband’s debt of honor is tough when a minimum-wage job back in her hometown is the only one she can find. Could the answer to her problems be right in front of her?

The moment pub owner Michael Doogan sees Summerville High School’s former golden girl at the train station, he loses his heart. Again. He’d give Kelly Kincaid the world on a platter, but the stubborn woman is intent on going her way alone. A threat to her safety provides him the incentive to stand up for what he wants, but will he have the patience to win her love?

Camino de Santiago

I promised this a while ago, but I've been having trouble with my website for the past month. Forgive the delay. I hope the wait was worth it.

Here's a link to my Pinterest page where I've posted photos of my walk through Spain.

All I can say is it's a life-changing walk. No, I don't look different and I didn't lose any bad habits, except one. I seem incapable of worrying.