Showing posts with label Alysha Ellis. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alysha Ellis. Show all posts

Monday, July 15, 2013

A Bite of ... Alysha Ellis

Edible Delights Vol 2 is nearly here.  So, over the next couple of weeks, I am going to bring you snippets and sneaks into the world of the Edible Delights... And the authors.

Today I'm joined by Alysha Ellis...


Thanks for bringing your characters along! Let’s delve into their relationships to see what we can learn about them.. 

How did you meet? 

S:I believed I’d been sent to fill a post as housekeeper to Lord Winslade and his wife.” A derisive snort from Alex. who interrupts her. 
A: “I had no wife. Estelle Milthorpe lied to you. That vindictive bitch knew exactly what I required of the women she procured to entertain the guests at my parties.” 

What was the food item that caused your story to happen... And how did it play an integral role in binding your relationship? 

S: I hadn’t eaten for two days. If I hadn’t been so light-headed I would never have fallen victim to Estelle Milthorpe’s deceit. So lack of food precipitated me into the story.
A: And once I saw your frightened, vulnerable, beautiful face, what could I do but feed you? And protect you?” Susan (slapping lightly at Alex’s hand as it slides up her thigh). 
S: “There were quite a few things you did that had nothing at all to do with protection. I remember the cream in particular.” Her words sound stern but this reporter can’t help but notice the look that sizzles between them. 

The question has to be asked. 

R: “Would either one of you care to explain the reference to cream?” 
Susan’s face flames red and Alex clears his throat. 
A: “A gentleman never tells. Shall we just say, cream’s reputation as an excellent topping for all things sweet is well deserved.” 

Given that each couple in Edible Delights is a Happy Ever After, what will you do to celebrate your foodie anniversaries? 

A: “There will be no more public banquets of the sort in which I used to indulge. Our anniversary celebration will be a very private affair.” 
S: “But there will be cream?” 
A: “Oh, yes. There will always be cream.” 


Image courtesy of  Apolonia FreeDigitalPhotos.net
 

If I looked in your fridge right now, what would I find... and how does that describe your relationship? 

A: Fridge? What is this fridge of which you speak? I do have an ice-house on my country estate, but in London, I don’t know. You’d have to ask the servants. 

Champagne, chocolate and oysters... the food of love. Which one would you share with your lover? 

A: “Champagne.” 
S: “Chocolate.” 
They smile at each other. 
A: “Both. Definitely both.” 

The one food you refuse to have in your house is... and why. 

A and S together: “Onions.” Then they burst into laughter. 
R: “Could you explain this reference then, since you won’t elaborate on the cream?” 
S: “When I first came to London by coach I sat opposite a man who ate raw onions the whole way. I was tired and travelsick and the smell made me nauseous. I can’t stand even the hint of onion anymore.” 

As a couple, compromise is big... what food type things have you had to compromise on? How have you dealt with it? 

A: “As a member of an aristocratic household, it isn’t a problem. Meals are extravagant and varied and what we and our guests don’t eat is consumed by the staff. I’m sure it can become an issue for the lesser orders, but not needing to concern oneself with such things is one of the privileges of class and wealth.” 

What does your future hold, do you think, for you as a couple? 

S: “We have social obligations, and soon I hope, a family to raise. 
A: “And of course we also have Susan’s family to take care of. I intend to find a suitable husband for Susan’s younger sister and to ensure her mother has everything she needs for her happiness.” 

Do you see eating as a source of pleasure or a necessity to live? 

S: “Both. I have been hungry and you never forget that. But you also never lose the delight that good food in the best company can give you.” 

What makes the best 'plate' to serve food – when not using a plate? 

Both together. “My lover’s skin. Of course.” 

Thanks for joining me on my blog. 
Image courtesy of  Digidreamgrafix FreeDigitalPhotos.net

My Lord’s Table:

Gently-bred Susan Brody arrives in 18th century London starving, penniless and desperate to find a job. When a chance-met acquaintance offers to help, Susan happily accepts a position as housekeeper in the home of Lord Winslade. 

But the position is not what she expects it to be. She is greeted by a grim manservant, who locks her in a room and orders her to wear the scandalous costume she finds there. 

She is forced to attend an erotic banquet of carnal and epicurean delights, presided over by the darkly sinister Lord Winslade. 

Susan’s expectations of domestic service shatter as she is seduced into fulfilling appetites of an entirely different order. 


Author Bio

Alysha Ellis lives in Australia on a diet that consists entirely of chocolate, champagne and strawberries. She write stories your mother would never let you read, even now that you're all grown up - but what Mama don't know can't hurt her. 

Live on the wild side a little. Her motto is always,Bad girls have all the fun! 

Where can readers find you?

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Writing Believable Dialogue



Congratulations!  So now you have hunted and picked through your manuscript.  Found all those tricky nasty little commas and spelling errors that we talked about in the previous craft entry.  But Wait!  You’re still only part way to a completed manuscript.

Welcome to the world of dialogue and action – another essential part of a well rounded manuscript.

Before we begin, what exactly is a dialogue or action tag?  Great question, young Padawan.  A dialogue tag is she said, he murmured, she grunted...  Likewise an action tag is he laughed, she danced, he rode...

Dialogue tags (and action tags too) should only be used sparingly.  You can also find a wealth of different ways to share that information... she hissed, he yelled, she bellowed... don’t use said, said, said... it does become monotonous otherwise.
Image courtesy of [anankkml/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

So dialogue... how do we present it? 

Dialogue is when we speak.  In Starburst, I have this piece of writing...
            “Is there something I can do for you, Meredith?”
Meredith’s eyes glazed with passion, and he watched, fascinated, as a red flush crept up her cheeks. She licked her lips, sending a surge of awareness through his body.
“I, um…I came to see how you were feeling.” Her eyes flicked nervously, as if she didn’t know where to look, and he smiled, feeling triumph roar through him. He had guessed—well, rather hoped—that she too felt that quick spark of lust. Yet his experience remained limited to vids and reading, so he hadn’t been totally sure. At least, not until now.
The dialogue is short and snappy without going on and on.  One thing new writers do is write long sections of dialogue without stopping or breaking it up somehow.  It does become tiring to read so remember to break it up with action.  But just remember the action must belong...

“I really like that bra you are wearing.”  He turned the music up in the club as everyone gyrated on the floor.  “I’d rather see it off you though.”

Sure I broke up the dialogue but the actions don’t match the words what was going on in the story (unless they are about to do something on the dance floor... uhh, maybe not, though.)

Dialogue that doesn’t fit the natural cadence of speech is another issue for young writers.  Do you know anyone who speaks like this?

                “I can not see how you will possibly take control of the ship.”

More likely the people you know would say: I can’t see how you’ll take control of the ship.”  This dialogue is more believable, simply because saying ALL the words gives it a formality that we don’t use anymore.

There are times, when this rule doesn’t apply though.  If you are writing a character from another planet/time/culture then you need to be aware and careful of the cadence of their speech patterns.

All dialogue should be able to be attributed to a single speaker.  If you can’t then you may need to employ a dialogue tag (be careful there!) or give them an action (action tag) so we can tell who did or said what.

Keep the dialogue appropriate to the character being portrayed.  A young girl, for example, about to have her first sexual experience is unlikely to cry out...

                “I’m coming... Oh My God!”

In fact, this character is more likely to be unsure, and say something along the lines of...
               
                “I don’t... What’s... ohhh...”

When action takes over

Okay, I’m going to try to keep the action section brief.  Action is any act or movement undertaken by a character.  It must, at all times, be meaningful.    You also need to be aware that in most cases there is a natural progression to the actions.

You can’t have a character kissing the hero and sighing at the same time.  It isn’t physically possible.  So, you need to give the actions a progression.

He kissed her softly on the lips, then drew away.  She exhaled.  Nothing more than a sigh escaping her lips.

Alternative:

He kissed her.  The she sighed.

Two actions in natural progression. Believable.   In the alternative, it’s still there, a natural progression but with nothing to soften it or draw the reader in.  I know which I prefer...

Action should also be paced.  Slow, medium or fast.  Your use of a variety of verbs can help to set that pace effectively.  The Emotional Thesaurus by Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi is a great title to help with setting the pace.

 Image courtesy of [Arvind Balaraman/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Imogene’s tips to dialogue and action:

·         Work out who your character is and then write the dialogue to match with their level of experience, age or even when or where they live.
·         Keep the dialogue and action tags to a minimum.
·         Break up your dialogue with appropriate actions.
·         Remember to look for the natural progression in the actions of the character, always remembering to ask can they do this while doing that?
·         Keep an eye on body parts that do actions without the rest of the body.
·         If you can’t easily work out who is speaking or acting, then you need to find another way to present that action or speech so the reader can work it out quickly.

Some Resources:

                The Everything Guide to Writing You First Novel – Hallie Ephron
                Writing a Romance Novel For Dummies – Leslie Wainger

A word from: Alysha Ellis
Dialogue tags are words like said, replied asked. There is nothing wrong with dialogue tags especially the word said, provided it is not over used, but active writing requires the use of action tags as well.
“I am angry,” he said.  There are several ways this can be made more active. The dialogue is in inverted commas so most of the time we know he said it. Already then, you are wasting your readers’ time telling them what they can figure out for themselves. He questioned or he asked are the same.

He said is also telling.  You could write he said angrily but adding an adverb is not advisable (see above). Even worse is the constant use of dialogue tags like he argued, he harangued, he warned, he lectured. These are called bookisms and are not well received (In spite of what elementary school teachers try to tell you.) One or two now and then might work, but not if they are too extreme. So what do you do? You use action tags. These have the advantage of being different and most of all they SHOW...always your first and most important aim.

“I am angry.” He punched his fist into the wall, and paced the room.

Or His cheeks turned flame red, and two line bracketed his narrowed lips. “I am angry.”

The skill is to get a balance, making sure nothing is overused and that you do not double up, using dialogue tags when you have a suitable action tag in place.

AUTHOR BIO& LINKS
Alysha Ellis 

I write stories your mother would never let you read, even now that you're all grown up - but what Mama don't know can't hurt her. Live on the wild side a little. Bad girls have all the fun!


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