Good morning!

Before we dive into the Monday blog hop, I have to tell you…I learned something yesterday.

I cannot write while reading others’ work. Period.

Stephen King, in his wildly popular writing handbook titled, On Writing says “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things about all others: read a lot and write a lot,” writes King. “Reading is the creative center of a writer’s life. I take a book with me everywhere I go, and find there are all sorts of opportunities to dip in.”

I think he’s right. Of course he’s right. He’s The King. You must love to read. You must take in as many books in your genre as you can.

But my goal as a writer is to turn out 2-3 full-length paranormals a year. Each one takes me 4-5 months…which leaves a few months in between to plot and outline and synopsi the next. Where in there, is there time for reading?

You’d think I could read instead of watch TV. Or read while waiting to pick my kids up from school. I thought so too…

Until yesterday.

I’m reading Monica McCarty’s The Ranger. It’s a Scottish Historical and IT’S FANTASTIC. I’m in her world. I’m there. But when I tried to write the epilogue for my second full-length paranormal in the Crimson Bay Series, I ended up writing in Historical style–flouncy and beautiful and artistic–when I really needed to be rough and gritty and dark. I actually love the scene. I think it’s some of the best stuff I’ve written. But, sadly, it has to go.

I don’t know what’s wrong with me.

Can you read while writing? Does the style of the book you’re currently reading rub off on your own writing? I’d love to hear from other writers in the hop.

Here’s how it works:

READERS:

Follow as many authors as you like. Just follow the Linky list and hop from author to author. The idea is to find as many “new to you” authors as you can, and hopefully some great new reading material as well. Leave a comment as you hop from blog to blog! We’d love to chat with you!

AUTHORS:

Follow the Meet an author Monday host (Cali Cheer Mom) along with any of the wonderfully talented authors on the list.
You will need to enter your name and blog url into the Linky tool.
Grab our super cute button and place it in a post. (THIS IS IMPORTANT!) If you don’t create a post for the hop, your readers won’t have a place to comment, and the hop will stop with you. So create a post, paste in the Linky code and start hopping!
The purpose of the hop is to meet “new to you” authors and discover great new reads. Follow as many authors as you can. Leave a comment and introduce yourself!
If you’d like to share the Linky list in a post on your blog ( Please do!) just follow the link and grab the code.